CatDesigners - Strange Little Creatures
(Googlie Mooglie)
Opening with the unusual arrangement that is part vaudeville, part doo-wop, and part Rumour (as in Graham Parker and...), "Vain As I Am" sets the stage for a quirky-yet-hummable sophomore effort from these Londoners. The exquisite harmonies and wall-of-sound pop production continues on "A Mind Like Mine," a rather unabashed tribute to Jeff Lynne and his Electric Light Orchestra. The title track features a catchy little melody that wouldn't be out of place on a Julian Cope album. There's a glossy, 80's pop sheen to the production throughout, which occasionally works to its detriment, particularly on "Freak Show," which tries to up the glam quotient by getting down and dirty, but is a bit too structured with it's perfect harmonies and just-so fuzzy guitar runs. A little dirtier or sloppier and it could've given Slade a run for their money. As it stands, it sounds more like Queen, and there in a nutshell is my overall impression: Slade plays Queen. Not necessarily a bad thing!
There are a couple of nice guitar solos on "Good Thoughts" and "Heaven's On Your Side," but romantic ballads are definitely not their forte ("Come Around" has definitely got to, er, "go away"), and the googoomucky swampabilly of "Congratulations On Your Head" (think Cramps-meets-Stray Cats) sounds fun, but forced. But these minor setbacks are overshadowed by tracks like "Strange Gods," with its fist-pumping riffs, phased guitars, driving synth lines and anthemic, sing-along chorus that have all the earmarkings of a hit single and is easily the album highlight. We end with "White Fire," another St. Julian "Copey-cat" ballad in the mold of "I've Got My TV and My Pills," and an offbeat, yet memorably good time was had by all.
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