TRYING to capture the sounds and styles of New York City in the 1970s,specifically the Velvet Underground, is the idea behind Luke Haines’ latest album.
The final part of a mythical trilogy which includes mediations on British wrestling in the 70s and 80s,it’s a somewhat more serious topic but not without humour.
Each track buzzes with a dark,laid back energy-never quite as urgent as Lou Reed (who is name checked heavily),but an effective imitation which makes tracks like Jim Carroll,New York City Breakdown and NY In The 70s very listenable.
What lets Haines down, is the tendency to go for an easy joke or crude reference (of which there are many, too crude to repeat here). In parts,it’s easy to mistake the album for a collection of Flight Of The Conchords tributes-think their epic Bowie’s In Space,and you’re not far off.
Fun, sharp and entertaining,but hit and miss.
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