I was convinced I'd written about this album years ago, but apparently I haven't. I'll get straight to the point - I've never really gotten into this one. I've definitely tried, but it's never happened and I suspect it never will.
I bought this during the Tuesday-record-from-Spillers year and the main reason for doing so was because it was on ATP Recordings. A few months before that I'd been to my first ever ATP festival and was beginning a journey that would last years and introduce me to more bands than I care to count. My friend Aled had passed a comment at some point about how great it is discovering records because they're on a certain record label - how that was essentially a stamp of approval. Whilst I agree that's true in some cases, there are many examples of it going the other way. I can totally see why this album would get released on ATPR, but that's not to say I like it.
Alexander Tucker plays all of the instruments on this album and, generally speaking, that's a worrying sign for me; there's a lot to be said for other people reining in ideas sometimes. Of course, I didn't know that when I bought it. In fact, beyond the fact it was on ATPR and whatever positive things Spillers had written on the sleeve, I knew nothing about it but figured it'd be worth chancing £10 on. The music is nice enough - mostly acoustic guitar and various layers sounds - but his voice grates a bit. It's not a very powerful voice and, intentionally I'm sure, floats somewhere behind the guitars. I imagine Alexander considers himself a guitarist first and foremost, and is very talented at it. I'd often had trouble with music I've called "guitar-players music" - music that people who play the guitar love, but because it's complicated and strange, not necessarily because it's good (I put Sonic Youth firmly in this category). Maybe I'm just unfairly dismissing it because I'm not talented enough to play the guitar, who knows.
Every now and again through this album, there are some pretty heavy guitars, and I'm a fan of that. But they're always paired with that same acoustic guitar and background-y vocals and it's just a shame. The label (the only place on the sleeve where there's any information) thanks Stephen O'Malley (of Sunn O))) fame), a name that wouldn't have meant anything to me when I bought this; I can see how the two might get along. Belljars, the first song on the second side, has a strong riff and pairs heavy electric guitars with the acoustic ones and works quite well until the point where it turns out that it's not an instrumental song.
When I was buying my weekly record from Spillers I was routinely recording the albums I bought onto cds to play in the kitchen (via my shitty USB turntable) and the pile of cds that resulted in still sits in a spindle in my car. Every time I go through there I see this album and I absolutely never think to play it. With a few of those cds I think "maybe I could be in the mood for that", but I never get that with Alexander Tucker. Playing it now will probably tide me over for many years. Like I said, I've never cracked this album and I'm increasingly sure I never will.
Format: 12"
Tracks: 8
Cost: £10.50 new
Bought: Spillers Records, Cardiff
When: 02/09/08
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: none
