Peter Murphy’s solo career has a mirror in Emile Heskey’s football one: on his day, full of confidence, he’s a world class performer who has, on occasion, allowed self-doubt to plague his accomplishments. It’s resulted in a sort of quasi-success, rather than stellar superstardom. After an appearance in Twilight: Eclipse, however, Murphy’s confidence is high, making his ninth solo album a swaggering affair.
The former Bauhaus frontman has stripped away convoluted, tongue-twisting lyrics, leaving sharp barbs to match the hard-hitting panache of his backing band. Velocity Bird and Seesaw Sway go for the jugular with great choruses and sparky musical content that both references Murphy’s past group as well as his reputation as Iggy No 2. The Prince And Old Lady Shade, meanwhile, capture Murphy at his best, marrying eclecticism and hard rock to the point of bliss, climaxing in the best track on the album, while Uneven And Brittle is dominated by a dirty guitar riff over which Murphy launches into vocal swings like a trapeze artist.
The only grimace of a fantastic set, then, is the sleeve, with its shades of Murphy’s 1992 Holy Smoke LP. We prefer the stunning rear image of the confident Murphy we all love.
