Search - Mccarthy :: I am a Wallet/ Banking, Violence and the Inner Life Today

No. This is nothing like Stereolab! Shut up and listen.

silverfish | UK (it's grim up north) | 02/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Oh dear! Saying "this is the band that became Stereolab" is kind of like saying "Joy Division became New Order, and there was this bloke called Ian Curtis or something". Let's get one thing straight, Tim Gane was mccarthy's guitarist and it was only he and the part-time female backing vocalist Laetitia Sadier who joined the shambles that would become Stereolab. Neither of them were the brains behind the band. So, let us not soil the name of McCarthy again. Malcolm eden's lyrics are inspiring, uncompromising, and most of all convincing. On this record he declares a non-violent revolution against Margaret Thatcher, the corporate fat cats, and Prince Charles (whom he intends to decapitate), whilst taking the odd swipe at the church. Whilst Malcolm Eden's manifesto is of a fundementally existentialist nature and his overall attitude is admirabley negative, the music is defiantly up-beat and, i hate to say it, but "pleasant". As the flamboyant little guitars riffs (of the johnny marr variety) worm their way into your head, Malcolm Eden's all-too-quotable lyrics won't be far behind. oh, just buy it! This is one of those little gems that you nag your friends to listen to, but they're always too thick to understand."