From: tim@tcom.stc.co.uk (Tim Kennedy)
Newsgroups: rec.music.misc
Subject: Pale Saints In Ribbons:  LP Reviewed
Date: 16 Apr 92 13:48:46 GMT
Organization: BNR Europe


		In Ribbons by The Pale Saints

This is the second Saints lp,  following two years after The
Comforts Of Madness,  a very strong debut indeed.  What we find
is that the Pale Saints have taken a new member on board,
Meriel.  Musically the lp shows a marked departure from the first
lp but still retaining the awkward attitude of the band,  steadfastly
refusing to let a good song lie.

Throwing Back The Apple has many of the ingredients of
the Comforts Of Madness material of two years ago,  with
a more rocky intro and heavy guitar.  It is a good intro track, 
with a rousing refrain.

Ordeal heads further into heavy territory but still with 
the Pale Saints' knack for a good tune.

Thread of Light has Meriel on vocals and being ex-Lush
she gives a Lush-like vocal to a thoughtful little tune
which is miles better than anything her old mates could
come up with anyway.

Shell is another slow tune with acoustic guitar and a cello
providing accompaniment without drums.  Soaring electric guitar 
comes in halfway into the song,  which threatens to takes off
in the way old Pale Saints used to, but remains atmospheric.

There Is No Day is a thirty second love lament set to weird xylophone!

Hunted is a track also to be found on the last EP.  It is a medium
paced song with a mournful tune and Curey guitar,  featuring a great 
bit of piano which is borrowed out of a seventies hit by a pop group 
called Liverpool Express, a great 70's pop moment.

Hair Shoes is surreal,  using a balalaika-chorus guitar sound.  
Again it is to be found on the last EP albeit in demo version.  This
is most strange.

Babymaker starts with a swervy guitar riff and continues into
a classic Pale Saints tune.  The Saints seem quite keen on foetus
references in their titles - viz Half Life,  Flesh Balloon etc.

Liquid starts acoustically then Meriel launches into her vocal
joined by an electric guitar.  The tune twists and turns and
peaks in a cheerful way.

Neverending Night is just like one of those slow songs off the second
eponymously titled Primal Scream lp.  Whining guitar, plodding bass,
you know the kind of thing.  I was amazed to hear this on a Saints
lp. The PS song I  was thinking of is You're Just Dead Skin To Me.

Featherframe has Meriel singing to a happy guitar tune,  which has
a catchy hook to it,  vintage Pale Saints.

Then we have a version of Hunted played (seemingly) by a musical
box.

A Thousand Stars Burst Open starts haltingly with an echoey guitar
which is then joined by more chiming guitars in a rather fetching 
opening gambit.  The strings section join in and I am again reminded
of the Primal Scream second lp.  I never believed that Graham,  Ian 
and Chris not to mention Meriel worshipped at the feet of Bobby
Gillespie,  sex god and genius though he is.  The title is incidentally
a satirical poke at their and other 4AD song titles.

They have abandoned the slow-fast-slow,  stop-start annoy-the-punter
antics of Comforts Of Madness as they have dispensed with the instrumental 
interludes between tracks which featured on that first lp.
Sceptics may say that Meriel makes them sound like Lush,  and that
Primal Scream's second album was crap,  but I am happy with In
Ribbons because not only does it take chances,  but also it contains
lots of strong tunes well played.  The eclecticism of the LP means it
doesn't fall into a formula like so many other bands.

P.S.  I was only joking about Bobby Gillespie.  He's crap.
--
We had millions of groupies in Cardiff     | T. Kennedy <tim@tcom.stc.co.uk>
last night but it's not as good as reading | Dept 30730 NME, BNR Europe,
about it in the "Kiss On Tour" book.       | Oakleigh Rd South, London N11 1HB.
          -Richey Manic Street Preacher    | LUFC, Yorkshire's No. 1.
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