Inspiral Carpets
The Inspiral Carpets return with their first new album in 20 years. The band’s self titled and fifth album will be released on Cherry Red Records this October, and comes hot on the heels of recent single Spitfire. The Inspiral Carpets were a seminal band for many and perhaps they are not as celebrated as The Stone Roses, The Charlatans and the Happy Mondays. However they were easily as important and also as commercially successful as their contemporaries. They are perhaps best remembered as a singles band, and from 1988 until 1993 they released something in the region of 20 EPs and singles of immense quality. The Inspiral Carpets were a prolifically impressive band that could also boast 4 top 20 albums to their name by the turn of 1995, as well as the highly collectable Dung 4 demo cassette, which it could be argued was their first album proper.
The Inspiral Carpets effortlessly blended Psychedelia and Garage and added to the mix was Clint Boon’s swirling 1960s style Farfisa organ, which he used to such stunning and propulsive effect that it became a lead solo instrument in its own right. The irresistible result can be heard on a slew of brilliant 3-minute organ driven singles that became Indie anthems in the late 80s and early 90s. Clint Boon neatly summed up the sound of the Inspiral Carpets in a recent interview as ‘working class Oldham meets timeless garage pop’.
The Inspiral Carpets have been reunited since 2011 with original vocalist Stephen Holt back in the fray. Happily for some the Inspiral Carpets have not just jumped on the nostalgia industry bandwagon by cashing in on their former glories at muddy festivals in front of thousands of beer sodden part time gig goers. They have come back with an album of 12 spirited and sprightly songs, which the band has acknowledged as something of a return to their garage band roots. It is safe to assume that what they mean is a return to their pre-pop days of the Dung 4 demoes.
The inevitable question that fans will ask about the new album is whether or not it stands up against their best work? Well after several listens it actually is a decent effort and for many this may come as a surprise because as time passes the creative urge and talent does inevitably wane. Luckily the Inspiral Carpets just about pull this off and there is enough on this new album that will please die hard fans, especially the collaboration with John Cooper Clarke.
The new album is a nod backwards to the late 80s when the Inspiral Carpets were knocking out catchy EPs and singles at will. The Inspiral Carpets of that era were also making music that was a further nod back to the Garage/Psych of the 1960s, which is so brilliantly typified on the first Nuggets compilation. However, then as is now the band were able to put their own indelible stamp of Indie Pop charm to their music without sounding like a pastiche to a bygone era.
The new album by and large works, but occasionally stumbles due to the somewhat listless nature of the lyrics. The one song where this is obvious and where the album goes into a bit of a lull is on Flying Like A Bird. The balladic nature of this song means that the listener can’t help but pay attention to the lyrics, and if you are someone who places emphasis on song writing then this particular song is not 100 per cent convincing.
However, the rest of the album fizzes along and has all the hallmarks of the classic Inspiral Carpets, including the brilliant sounding Farfisa organ. It is fair to say that Clint Boon’s ludicrously catchy swirling sound does not take centre stage as it did on previous Inspiral Carpets records, but it is still such a huge part of the bands musical identity.
The album kicks off with the punchy Monochrome and this song does set the agenda for an energetic set of songs and other standout tracks include, Calling Out To You, Forever Here, which is more than a cheeky nod to The Charlatans Sproston Green and Then, Our Time, which surely has single written all over it, and Let You Down, which is dominated by the repetitive swirl of the Farfisa before the song is almost completely stolen by John Cooper Clark or rather his alter ego Dr Reliable whose prescription of ‘7 of these washed down with fizz’ should not be taken literally teeny boppers.
The album closer Human Shield just shades the 6 minute mark and this mid paced stomper does not outstay its welcome largely in part to Clint Boon’s keyboard nod to early Pink Floyd. This is a solid if not spectacular album and will largely appeal to the already converted. However, if new listeners are intrigued by the Inspiral Carpets then they should turn their attention to their peerless back catalogue, including Dung 4, which is now available on CD and Life their first studio album. Also worth delving into is the highly recommended and essential singles collection, and if that has not quite sated your appetite for the Inspiral Carpets then their new effort might just be a worthy addition to the afore mentioned collection. BUY HERE!
