REVIEW: Scritti Politti, Anomie & Bonhomie (Virgin)
- Jon Steltenpohl
There are times when "genre" can become a stifling anchor that drags an artist down. Scritti Politti's Green Gartside has no problem going beyond those walls. Despite being a Brit who came out of the late '70s/early '80s, he's reinvented himself over the years as an R&B artist. Despite a decade since his last release, Anomie & Bonhomie sounds remarkably fresh for a British guy doing R&B. Somewhat like Hall and Oates trying desperately to be Motown or the Bee Gees inventing disco, Gartside takes modern hip hop, R&B, and funk and mixes it up his pop song skills. With guests such as Me'Shell Ndegeochello, Wendy of Wendy & Lisa, and rapper Mos Def, this obviously isn't a hollow attempt.
Gartside ends up with a mix of songs that sometimes borrows styles seemingly at random, but ultimately makes for a pretty good album if you can appreciate the various flavors. You've got a reggae inspired song next to a Ndegeochello track which is preceded by a slow R&B crooner. But, overall, the production of the album is so strong that the changes in style aren't so jarring. Former Scritti Politti member David Gamson's production is impeccable. The raps come across as real raps with complex beats and samples. The spacey jazz sounds are deep and the atmosphere is thick.
The "pop" songs are the real downside to this album. But then, that's a matter of taste. "Born to Be" can't decide if it's going to be melodramatic or retro. It veers between Morrisey and Lenny Kravitz. Even though the style is uneven, it's produced very well. Likewise, "The World You Understand (Is Over & Over & Over)" with Ndegeocello is a cross between one of her songs and an Enuff Z'nuff track. (For those of you who don't remember, Enuff Z'nuff was that 80's hair band who tried to merge Winger with Strawberry Alarm Clock...)
Ironically, the worst songs on the album are 100% straight Scritti Politti pop. "Here Come July" has the band sound pushed to the point of distortion, and the song just starts and stays loud without any real purpose. Sure, mixed in are some nice little guitar hooks, but it's just not a great song. As for the others, well they follow the same sort of glazed over British pop that audiences in the USA have never really embraced.
So, who should buy the new Scritti Politti album? Well, if you're just trying to relive your love of the band from the early 80's, you should just track down a copy of those albums. Anomie & Bonhomie sounds best when Gartside sticks to the R&B sound. But, the more he adds his particular flavor of pop to the mix, the more the album suffers. So, in the end, a rap and funk loving listener who still remembers her old Scritti Politti is probably the only audience who'll truly enjoy Anomie & Bonhomie.
