Interesting . . . like No-Man with Beats!
It's Me, | Houston | 11/03/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a fairly aggressive, beat-driven project from No-Man singer Tim Bowness with Crafty guitarist Markus Reuter (on Warr Guitar) and drum/synth programmer Bernhard Wosterinch. It's filled with rather cold musical landscapes that are enlivened significantly by Reuter's virtuosity and the sheer uniqueness of Bernhards's rhythms. For No-Man/Porcupine Tree fans, Tim Bowness's vocals are a welcome touchstone amidst this relatively experimental sound, and he does a lot to shape the material into fairly coherent songs. I find the lyrics to be more raw than usual, and even the talented Bowness isn't above an occasional misfire. [Cold and lonely, cold and lonely, except when you're hot and lonely from "Ten Versions of America" being the most egregious example.] Nonetheless, I find this a very entertaining listen. Fans of modern King Crimson and No-Man's "Wild Opera" period should really enjoy this album. King Crimson's Pat Mastellotto makes a guest appearance, mixing the sublime "Pop Killer" - perhaps the best track on the album.
"