The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL NEW MUSIC: CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE ROCK DUO CROWN LANDS SIGN WORLDWIDE DEAL WITH INSIDEOUTMUSIC | LAUNCH ‘RITUAL I’
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: SUGAR BOMB – “ELI SPECIAL”
SPILL FILM REVIEW: HUNG UP ON A DREAM: THE ZOMBIES DOCUMENTARY
SPILL NEW MUSIC: ARK IDENTITY – “STILL IN LOVE”
SPILL TRACK OF THE MONTH: MAREUX – “WILD AT HEART”
SPILL FEATURE: SING EVERY SINGLE SONG UNTIL IT HURTS – A CONVERSATION WITH ANDY STOCHANSKY
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OMD w/ WALT DISCO @ HISTORY, TORONTO
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JONATHAN RICHMAN – ONLY FROZEN SKY ANYWAY
SPILL NEWS: ACCLAIMED CANADIAN SINGER, SONGWRITER, AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST ROYAL WOOD ANNOUNCES NINTH STUDIO ALBUM ‘DEAR JOHN’ | TOUR DATES
SPILL NEWS: BASS DRUM OF DEATH ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ‘SIX’ OUT SEPTEMBER 12 & SHARE VIDEO FOR “DO NOTHING” | NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MONITORS LEAD US DOWN A DARK, HYPNOTIC PATH ON “DANSE MACABRE” | THE FIRST SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM ‘THE MADELAINE AFFAIR’
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN JENKINS – RESTLESS HEARTS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BRAINS – CRAZY MONSTER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE LEGENDS OF SURF GUITAR
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: JOHN WITHERSPOON – “END OF THE LINE AGAIN”
SPILL NEWS: YUKON BLONDE ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ‘FRIENDSHIP & ROCK ‘N’ ROLL’ OUT SEPTEMBER 19 ON DINE ALONE RECORDS | TOUR DATES
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
0
1373
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL NEWS: THE RAVEONETTES ANNOUNCE FULL ALBUM '2016 ATOMIZED' | COMPLETE RAVE-SOUND-OF-THE-MONTH SERIES | OUT 2/17 DIGITALLY + VINYL OUT 4/22 RECORD STORE DAY
next article
SPILL NEWS: SURFER BLOOD SHARES "FROZEN" + NEW LP 'SNOWDONIA' OUT 2/3 & US TOUR DATES

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JULIAN COPE – DRUNKEN SONGS

Julian Cope

Julian Cope
Drunken Songs
Head Heritage
RATING

Author, activist, historian, musician, writer, father, LSD expert, antiquarian, and more: that is Julian Cope. He has released over 40 solo albums since the demise of Teardrop Explodes, an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. This album, Drunken Songs, is his first album of all new material since 2013’s Revolutionary Suicide (he was part of the group Vesuvio who released a self-titled album in 2014 as well). As usual for Mr. Cope, he does the unexpected (did anyone expect him write a book on Neolithic culture?). He has recorded an album of six drinking songs and in doing so, has produced one of his best albums in his career.

Julian Cope has experimented with many styles, sounds, and genres over the past 30 years. He has produced fine works, while others are curios that sit on the record shelf that get listened to every so often. But in truth, he abandoned the basic song structure a long time ago. Here, he goes back to writing and recording songs and it is a welcome return.

Armed with his Mellotron 400 and very little help from anyone, the Archrude proceeds to sing about the virtues of being drunk. Stepping back from his LSD experiences (read his autobiography), he is revisiting old habits and old towns. He sings of Liverpool and traces his Irish ancestry by, at times, using alcohol as a metaphor. By exploring his past, he has produced a very English album. This album would not have been out of place when he first went solo (there are shades of Droolian and Fried, and, as a tip, if you don’t own those two albums, drop everything and find them).

The songs themselves are enthusiastic, well-sung drinking songs. The last track, “On The Road to Tralee” is an 18-minute ‘magical mystery tour’ of Ireland through an alcoholic gaze. Words would fail to describe it; it really must be heard to understand. Suffice it to say, the 18 minutes fly by and one is transported in space, time, and geography.

This is one fine album and a strong contender for album of the year.


Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JULIAN COPE – DRUNKEN SONGS

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
1 rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewsdrunken songshead heritagejulian copeliver big as hartlepoolon the road to traleerevolutionary suicideteardrop explodes
album reviews, drunken songs, head heritage, julian cope, liver big as hartlepool, on the road to tralee, revolutionary suicide, teardrop explodes
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviews
 
9.0
Jonathan Richman

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JONATHAN RICHMAN – ONLY FROZEN SKY ANYWAY

by Aaron Badgley on July 4, 2025
JONATHAN RICHMAN ONLY FROZEN SKY ANYWAY BLUE ARROW RECORDS Only Frozen Sky Anyway is Jonathan Richman’s 18th studio album, add in nine albums with The Modern Lovers and four live albums, one can see that Richman has been very busy since he made [...]
 
9.0
John Jenkins
9.8

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN JENKINS – RESTLESS HEARTS

by Aaron Badgley on July 4, 2025
JOHN JENKINS RESTLESS HEARTS JOHN JENKINS MUSIC Liverpool-based John Jenkins has been releasing music since 2015. Restless Hearts is his first album since the brilliant and very personal Tuebrook, released in 2023. Jenkins is an artist that is [...]
 
8.0
The Brains

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BRAINS – CRAZY MONSTER

by Aaron Badgley on July 4, 2025
THE BRAINS CRAZY MONSTER CLEOPATRA RECORDS It may be hard to believe, but it has been 20 years since The Brains’ debut album, No Brain, No Pain. This psychobilly (as they describe themselves) have released eight studio albums, and Crazy [...]
 
9.0
The Legends Of Surf Guitar

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE LEGENDS OF SURF GUITAR

by Aaron Badgley on July 4, 2025
VARIOUS ARTISTS THE LEGENDS OF SURF GUITAR OGLIO Releasing a live album of surf music on July 4 is absolutely perfect. This album has captured a moment in time and it is finally seeing the light of day. The Legends Of Surf Guitar brings together [...]
 
9.0
Church Of Trees

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHURCH OF TREES – THIEF OF JOY

by Aaron Badgley on July 1, 2025
CHURCH OF TREES THIEF OF JOY INDEPENDENT Church Of Trees, the brainchild of multi-talented Bernard Frazer, burst on the scene in 2017 with their debut EP, Primitive Creatures. Since then, they have released five albums and a retrospective [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JONATHAN RICHMAN – ONLY FROZEN SKY ANYWAY
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN JENKINS – RESTLESS HEARTS
9.0
9.8
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BRAINS – CRAZY MONSTER
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE LEGENDS OF SURF GUITAR
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHURCH OF TREES – THIEF OF JOY
9.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Premieres
  • SPILL RETRO REVIEWS
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2024 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN ONE OF TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS TO SEE OMD PERFORM LIVE AT HISTORY IN TORONTO ON JULY 4!
941
 
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: MAX RAEL – THE ENEMY IS US
866
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD – LONGING
568
 
SPILL CONTEST: ENTER TO WIN A GWAR PRIZE PACK INCLUDING TICKETS TO SEE THEM LIVE AT HISTORY ON JUNE 9!
505
 
SPILL FEATURE: A NEW ERA OF CAR SEAT – A CONVERSATION WITH SETH DALBY, ETHAN IVES & ANDREW KATZ OF CAR SEAT HEADREST
449
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PETER MURPHY – SILVER SHADE
436
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A MEET-AND-GREET PACKAGE TO SEE ALESSIA CARA AT ROY THOMSON HALL ON MAY 15!
420
 
SPILL FEATURE: IT JUST FEELS LIKE WE’RE A LITTLE MORE IN CHARGE – A CONVERSATION WITH CRISPIAN MILLS OF KULA SHAKER
407
 
SPILL NEWS: THE BESNARD LAKES SET TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM ON OCTOBER 10
346
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – ALIVE IN THE CATACOMBS
308
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOWARD JONES – PIANO COMPOSED IVORY & PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO
291
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: VAGUE NOTION – “BASE SICK”
264
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LOWEST OF THE LOW – OVER YEARS AND OVERNIGHT
250
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES