SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JAH WOBBLE – A BRIEF HISTORY OF NOW

JAH WOBBLE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF NOW
CLEOPATRA RECORDS

Jah Wobble has been very very busy. He has already released two studio albums this year, The Bus Routes Of South London and Thames Symphony, as well as a compilation of his music from this century, Dark Luminosity – The 21st Century Collection. A Brief History of Now is being hailed as Jah Wobble’s return to form. It is much harder than a lot of music he has released during the past two decades. He also happens to be working with Jon Klein (Siouxsie And The Banshees, Specimen), so this collaboration is certainly going to result in a post punk sound.

Musically, A Brief History of Now is heavy and hard. Grinding guitars, and very melodic yet aggressive melodies and bass lines, provide the musical backdrop for Wobble’s wonderful vocals. Klein’s influence can be felt throughout. “Driving” features some amusing but poignant statements about America today. It also features some wonderful sax playing which is right out of the late 70s and early 80s. Here, he taps into John Cooper Clarke’s world, and it works. The same can be said for the title track.

The album ends with the incredible “Socially Functioning Psychopath”. Musically and lyrically, this is an angry song with a great deal of humour, which both Klein and Wobble use tastefully to get their points across.

Wobble has collaborated with a great many artists since leaving Public Image Limited. This is a winning combination. They have come up with a strong, intelligent, and in some ways fun album. Here’s hoping he will have something else up his sleeve before the year ends. Maybe a Christmas album?

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