Intimate Landscapes
David Byrne | Dublin, Ireland | 11/22/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"David Kitt does a funny thing on this album of Covers. He actually writes an original song for it ( 'Up All Night' ). It's not like he had to of course. Live, he's spectacularly re-interpreted Princes ' When Doves Cry ' amongst others that he chose not to include on this release ( See B-Side of ' me and my love ' ). The reason he wrote and included ' Up all Night ' is simply to highlight, that amongst all these classics by REM, The Beatles et all, he can box his weight with his own compositions. Not only does he achieve this, he's also successfully come up with the best song on the Album. Written during a 'strange' period in Irish Culture ( All out smoking-in-workplace ban ) it effortlessly captures the weary scene of doing an all-nighter. The beats ( However chilled ) don't let up and before long you're imagining the scene, feeling the weariness. From here on in you needn't worry, Kittser somehow takes songs from both poles and stamps his name all over them. Some you'll know and others you won't, but that isn't gonna matter. Form Sonic Youth' Teenage Riot ' Kitt simply removes the urgency but none of the passion. Trademark loops and breathy vocals, the song is a complete reconstruction more that than a re-imaginig. The word on the street already that this is better than the original. Along with ' Up all Night ' his extraordinary take on Phil Lynotts ' Dancing in the Moonlight ' and electrocution of REM's ' Don't go back to Rockville ' vie for standouts. The former plays a special attention to Lynotts teenage words and it's delicate rendering is unrecognisable compared to the Lizzy original, whilst the latter rattles is all like an electro steam train and again, the sentiment of the song, previously secondary to the music, is allowed out to play over fields of buzzes and loops. In fact, it sounds very like the wild experimentation that the authors tried with their ' Up' album. With it's nods to influence, indie-chic and fun this is a truly essential Irish release which will, if you haven't already, serve as a perfect introduction..
Dave 04
"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1