Album Review

Primal Scream – Screamadelica

• 21st Mar 2011

In order for there to be an anniversary edition of any album, the original has to be considered important, groundbreaking and timeless, fortunately then that Primal scream’s Screamadelica is just that.

It was Primal screams introduction to dance and house music that shaped and formed Screamdelica, and ideas which could be traced back to the early gestation periods with friend Andy McGee and nurtured by Andy Weatherall. Rave music and acid house became the other side to the rock they had started with. Bringing in-amongst others-Jimmy Miller and The orb as producers perpetuated that feeling of collaboration between the two styles.

Now, some twenty years on the first track ‘Movin on up’ starts up with such a diverse set of influences, in the same way that the stones had before them. Gospel voices and percussion backed with blues guitars, it’s such a rich sound that hasn’t aged in the slightest. The guitar solo could have been played by Richards himself during ‘Gimme shelter’; but this isn’t simply a re-creation though, its and evolution, bringing ideas started previously into what then was new ground.

Such a stark contrast then as ‘Slip inside the house’ follows. Completely different, its Primal screams ability to somehow make this fit, a wealth of samples and sounds; it slithers along in and around a dance groove, never too many steps away from the original song, but still undeniably their own. It’s a though they used it as a jumping off point, a template to inject modernisms, into.

‘Higher than the sun’ continues to see them fall down the rabbit hole into dub and psychedelics bending samples from ‘Wah wah man’ and ‘Get away Jordan’, Gospel, soul and Jazz all brewed together. These are samples that have been searched for, fallen upon and digested-this was an album made without genre constraints or rules.

Jesse Jackson’s speech sample is the closest to a vocal narrative to the album, proclaiming about how you will hear “Gospel, rhythm and blues”, about coming together as one. For many the sample of Peter Fonda’s voice at the beginning of ‘Loaded’ however signals the albums peak, when Primal scream came of age and put all the experiments, influences, samples and knowledge to full effect, the horn section and vocals signalling an anthem of feel good. Piano dancing in the background, slide guitar turning in a wah drenched blues swirl, it personified the 90’s music scene almost instantly.

The collector’s edition pays homage to the classic album cover, being released in a large tin adorned with the late Paul Cannell seminal painting. Fans could not want for more, contained within are 4 cd’s, with the original album, the ‘Dixie-nacro’ E.P, remixes and a live CD-at the Hollywood Palladium. It offers unique perspectives on the entire album.

The ‘Dixie-nacro’ E.P contains the track ‘Carry me home’-not on the original album, it’s a Beach boy’s song, written by Dennis Wilson. In a similar way to the album ‘Pet sounds’ was exploratory, Primal scream utilized the blending of sounds and effects that at first would not have shared the same place to make them compliment and ultimately transcend.

Naturally with an album which has samples and is under construction for a long time there will be numerous versions and takes, the mixes-offered up here by Farley, Weaterhall and others sway from outright dance to tripped out excursions and 12” opus’ destined for the club.

The live CD is possibly the most telling of all the contained music. Primal scream further solidify their reputation as one of the best live bands by seeming doing the impossible: playing the album in its entirety whilst still maintaining all the rawness of a rock show- all the time playing with the original songs components and mainting the same melodic drive-the cheer that goes up before ‘Loaded’ is one of recognition and acceptance.

‘Screamadelica’ was an album of the moment, going out to clubs, experiencing new drugs and sounds, coming down-but it transcends that, becoming an album about simply music, meeting, embracing and producing something sonically beautiful and forever resonant.