REVIEW: Primal Scream, Give Out But Don't Give Up
- Bob Gajarsky
Primal Scream, the band that has mixed rock, hot psychadelica, hardcore punk and blues and soul, is back with their second American album, Give Out But Don't Give Up.
The mix of funk and rock 'n' roll has always been a staple in Primal Scream's arsenal. Lead singer Bobby Gillespie was obviously overjoyed with the album when he commented that "It's (_Give Out) the record we've always wanted to make but never had the opportunity or the money."
The supporting cast for Primal Scream's second American album is impressive. Rolling Stones collaborator Jim Dickinson was present at some of the recording sessions along with the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, the Memphis horns and the high priest of funk, George Clinton.
In fact, Clinton shares lead vocals with Denise Johnson on two songs, the title track and "Funky Jam". Although the song "Give Out But Don't Give Up" doesn't impress, "Funky Jam" really DOES get funky; it could have come out of a Parliament or James Brown jam session. The opening track "Jailbird" opens with a non-sampled drum beat that sounds awfully like Brown's "Funky Drummer". And, the track "Struttin'" shows the band weaving a more than a 6 minute instrumental that's pure experimental jam session heaven.
If it seems that a good deal of the tracks on the album revolve around funk, rock and fun , there's a reason. As Gillespie states, "Music is a way to love people...our hope is to make strange and beautiful records that take the process one step further. By the way, it's rock 'n' roll, not rock. There's a big difference - rock don't swing."
"Rocks", the first single, is far and away the standout song of the group. Gillespie almost sounds like Duran Duran's Simon LeBon, but the rest of the group sounds just like the Rolling Stones of the early 1970's. This Stones connection is marked all over the album - whether in the person of the aforementioned Jim Dickinson, or in more than half the songs, the Stones influence comes through loud and clear.
Overall? "Rocks" really does rock, and half of the other tracks alternate between funk and rock; the perfect band to go watch with friends and buddies. Unfortunately, Primal Scream never quite decide what they want to do with the album (funk? rock? blues?) and it suffers from not quite being any of those classifications. Recommended for fans of the Black Crowes and other bands which are recreating the early 1970's.
