(Echo U.K.)
Keeping abreast of Mr. Cope's doings and perceptions is akin to pursuing an anxious sidewinder across a paisley desert. And we're not talking about simply trying to connect the skewed dots between his musical outings either. Julian's notions of who and why he is seem to shift with a cosmic irregularity that would generally warrant a prescription of some sort.
On a merely factual plane however, Interpreter's does serve to partially document what the Arch-Drude has been on about since he severed ties from his Stateside label. His KrautRockSampler book, issued not too long after his hit biographical mini-tome (_Head-On), outlined Julian's mad, yet brilliantly detailed, devotion to somewhat obscure German art/prog-rock electronic combos such as Neu!, Faust, and Can. While Interpreter is by and large big, semi-weird pop, the outerworldly-ness of it comes from the freakout sensibilities that he has gleaned from these very severe German musos. His now well-established keyboard-wielding sidekick, known only as ThighPaulSandra, is key to Julian achieving the vast space auras that flow in and around these tracks. Large Moog flavourings abound here and there, and their lack of restraint gives Julian the dense atmosphere he requires to climb skyward.
As is outlined in the lyrics to The Battle For The Trees, Copey takes his much publicized Lorax doings into song. Julian joined gangs of U.K. tree-sitters in their scary efforts to block roads from being constructed through large stands of innocent trees in Newbury. Mixed in with the tale of a celestial sun/moon coupling, Jules does his best in long form to convey a harmony undone by rude and heinous urban forces. But it's only during these protracted rants, when the weight of the subject matter tends to obliterate whatever musical structure had been laid, that he will lose all but the terribly faithful.
But while Copey has his moments of abstract venting, Interpreter does little to detract from Julian's reputation as a melody-smart pop laureate. "Maid Of Constant Sorrow", with its swinging piano, up-tempo whistles, and epic guitar solo works can speak to even the most straightforward of listeners. Likewise "I've Got My TV and My Pills," the single "Planetary Sit-In," and "Since I Lost My Head, It's Awl-Right" all show that the spark that elevated the Teardrop Explodes (Julian's first band) has not diminished or even grown, but instead, taken on multi-dimensional proportions that those who have cared to keep up this long will find far more rewarding.
For those who might approach this new chapter initially muddled, this U.K. only package comes with Drude-penned liner notes and an "all purpose mythological mind map" to chart their way. Julian invites all comers to "s.p.a.c.e.r.o.c.k." accordingly.
Contact: K.A.K. PO BOX 3823, London N8 8BR or www.echo.co.uk for more information.
