Word: vocalism
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Following the Star: Mistral Vocal Ensemble, Parish of the Messiah, 1900 Commonwealth Ave, Auburndale...
Following the Star: Mistral Vocal Ensemble, Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Friday and Saturday...
...than another inept rehash of mainstream British synth-pop. Even Strummer's sharp-edged guitar which figured so prominently on the band's early works, has lost its character, now grinding like a Husker Du album played into a feather pillow. It is generally accepted that Strummer has no vocal talent, and this record provides precious little evidence to the contrary. Fortunately, on many tracks his voice is lost in the dirty guitar/synthesizer mess...
Things don't get any better on the last three tracks on side one. "Are You Red...Y" completely drowns out Strummer's vocal in New Order-ripoff rhythm tracks. "Cool Under Heat" opens with a Husker Du guitar lead, and combines inappropriate acoustic guitar with more electronic abuse. "Movers and Shakers" wraps up the side with an interminably long lesson about how to succeed by "working coins from the cold concrete" (just like Strummer is doing), complete with synthesized Mariachi horns...
...nothingness by throwing himself down on all fours "to pretend to be a hyena"--a cameo that culminates in Rabinowitz taking a chunk out of the leg of a fellow guest. Kudos to Fitch for giving Rabinowitz several chances throughout the play to reveal his amazing repertoire of vocal sound effects...