Ian McCulloch - Slideling
(Spin Art)
It's been over a decade since McCulloch's disastrous follow-up (Mysterio) to his brilliant debut solo album, Candeland. In the meantime, he's drifted in and out of his former project, Echo and The Bunnymen and seen their back catalog given the illustrious 4xCD box-set treatment (Crystal Days 1979-1999) on Rhino (2001). A successful reunion tour and album (Flowers) have put Ian and his mates make in the public eye, so the time seemed right for him to come forth with his third solo album. Unfortunately, it picks up where Mysterio left off and is just as overbearing, indulgent and boring. Only the bouncy, summertime fun of "Love In Veins" (despite the terrible Stones' pun) and the Bunnymen-like "Seasons" and "She Sings (All My Life") rise above the doldrums. Otherwise, the bland title track (which is actually called "Sliding"-I'm sure there's an uninteresting story there somewhere) and "Baby Hold On," which sounds like re-hashed Lou Reed as opposed to re-hashed Leonard Cohen (note the slide(l)ing bassline lifted from "Walk On The Wild Side") are only two examples of the monotonous, stale tunes, lazy arrangements that fail to add punch and sleepy delivery that sounds as if McCulloch was as bored with recording this album as I was listening to it.
When the best song on your album is the hidden track ("Stake Your Claim"), it's time for a major rethink. As it is, we get another in the long line of singers failing to transfer their charisma to the solo setting. Ian, don't give up your day job. I hope you didn't lose Will Sergeant's phone number.
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