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Once upon a time, in a city called Reading, there was a band named Sneaker Pimps. The four musicians were just working on their forth album when suddenly the frontman and vocalist desired to divorce his mother formation. A year later Chris Corner released his debut album of his solo IAMX project – “Kiss And Swallow” (2004). Corner turned out to be quite productive artist and just after two years time gave birth to his next singular child – “The Alternative”.

The second doesn’t mean it’s worse. “The Alternative” astonishes you by its stylistic variety, mesmerizes by its freshness and dark, tingling with eroticism lyrics. Chris Corner could be giving synthesizer and guitar lessons to all those modern and powdered marketing bands which maintain that their rock playing revolutionizes the music, bringing back its newness.

And Corner really recorded an alternative album. Revolutionary even. An album which discovers anew synthesizers and discovers them not for pop music by any means (is it perhaps a good old Depeche Mode school?). He adds to it that pugnacious vocal of his, often led in that characteristic, paranoid way… And decorates it with schizophrenic, emotionally unstable, multilayered lyrics… which sometimes happen to remind those perverse ones from the eighties. The album was promoted by the song “President”, not a very lucky choice, to be honest, but right after it was “Spit It Out” – the second single and one of the very best compositions on this record. Filled with more nostalgia and schizophrenia was the song “S.H.E”. Great, defiant electro? – as you wish – in a sickly dark “Nightlife”. As for the “After Every Party I Die” – it could have been sung by every DJ.

Chris Corner shows that an ambitious, melodious and truly alternative album can be recorded. Innovative, in addition. With great lyrics and, during the concerts, with beautiful (slightly Gothic) women-musicians by his side. Rhythmic sounds of the piano weld this extraordinary, freshly rock-ish and pioneering album like a final clasp.

IAMX is not only Chris Corner though. It can be seen more clearly during the concerts. There, on stage, IAMX is a sextet, producing an unforgettable show of sounds and lightening. Really, Sue Denim and Dee Plume from Robots in Disguise are looking mighty. They are accompanied by James Cook from Nemo and Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt from The Mighty Boosh.


Tracklist:

1. President
2. The Alternative
3. Nightlife
4. Lulled by Numbers
5. Song of Imaginary Beings
6. The Negative Sex
7. Bring Me Back a Dog
8. S.H.E.
9. Spit It Out
10. After Every Party I Die
11. This Will Make You Love Again

Author: apeiron
Translator: apeiron
Add date: 2008-03-19 / Music reviews