A3 (Alabama 3)

styles: electronica, house music, rock
others: Crystal Method, Death in Vegas

Exile on Coldharbour Lane
Elemental Records, 1997
rating: 6.0
reviewer: dunc

Exile on Coldharbour Lane is made by a load of Scottish DJs and recovering drug addicts and can be filed under "Pretty Country Acid House Music". Alabama 3 sound like the Stones’ Exile on Main Street mashed up by the Happy Mondays or Primal Scream/Screamadelica. The cover art apes the Stones Album. The Scream should be kicking them self for not covering "The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness". Sample lyric: "Out there running, just to be on the run." Oh well, too late -- Alabama 3 have already done it perfectly.

This album is a strange one because on the one hand it sounds really authentic, but on the other it has a parodying humor. The instrumental sound is real. The redemption and salvation sentiments are real too, but elements of humor creep in on tracks like "Ain’t Going to Goa" and "U Don’t Dans to Tekno". On "Woke Up This Morning" (Yes, the Sopranos one) they name check Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf etc., but the beat is influenced by dance music with squibbles here and there. Vocals are executed by The Very Reverend Dr D. Wayne Love (First Minister of the first Presleyterian Church of Elvis The Divine) and sound a bit like Screaming Jay or Tom Waits. There’s also a gospel choir from time to time.

This music is great to BarBQ to. But I wonder whether they’ve lost some of the deep spiritualism they were going for by putting in the parodies of southern hicks.  Exile on Coldharbour Lane is a strange almanac that unfortunately doesn't really do much for me.

1. Converted
2. Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
3. Woke up This Morning
4. U Don't Dans 2 Tekno Anymore
5. Bourgeoisie Blues
6. Ain't Goin' to Goa
7. Mao Tse Tung Said
8. Hypo Full of Love (The 12-Step Plan)
9. Old Purple Tin (9% of Pure Heaven)
10. Night We Nearly Got Busted
11. Sister Rosetta
12. Peace in the Valley