REVIEW: Hugh Cornwell, Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit (Velvel)
- Reto Koradi
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. While this latest solo effort of ex-Stranglers leader Hugh Cornwell does not do much to contradict this principle, at least he shows that dogs don't forget their old ones. Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit was previously released overseas under the title Guilty, and now enters the US market with a new name, new cover art and two new tracks.
Nobody would expect anything short of a fine album from an artist who lead one of the most influential (even though atypical) bands of the punk era, which transformed to record some of the finest pop songs (like "Golden Brown" and "Always the Sun") of the previous decade. And Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit meets expectations, having its best moments on melodic tracks like "One Burning Desire" and "Endless Day Endless Night," which remind of trademark Stranglers songs from more than 10 years back.
But while the album is solid from start to finish, much of it sounds overly simple and somewhat uninspired. Some of the songs also sound strangely familiar. "Nerves Of Steel" borrows patterns from Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," throwing in the trademark guitar riff from the Stones' "Satisfaction." And "Hot Head" sounds remarkably similar to Robert Palmer's "Johnny & Mary." Cornwell occasionally tries to modernize his sound (a few trip-hop elements on "Torture Garden"), but he seems to get stuck half way.
Without a doubt, Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit is a good album. But it fails to achieve the extraordinary that you hope for from an artist with the history of Hugh Cornwell.
