Super groups don't get much more super than Creep Show, at least if you're into deep, dark, sleazy electro pop. Five years after their debut Mr Dynamite, Creep Show returned in June with Yawning Abyss.
As regular visitors to this blog will know, I love the music of John Grant and particular his ongoing excursions into electronica. Wrangler was formed roughly a decade ago and it's line up is formidable: Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltaire), Ben Edwards aka Benge (John Foxx & The Maths, Blancmange, Fader) and Phill Winter (Tunng).
I'm assuming the origins of Creep Show can be traced back to 2016, when Wrangler remixed Voodoo Doll, a single from John Grant's third album Grey Tickles, Black Pressure. Whatever the reasons that brought them together, it's been a fruitful partnership and, 5 year gap notwithstanding, Yawning Abyss is a very welcome follow up.
Grant and Mallinder take turns with lead vocals, occasionally overlapping (as with Moneyback), their respective stands at the mike evoking the sounds of their previous work. Matinee could easily be from Cabaret Voltaire's second stint with the Les Disques Du Crépuscule label at the start of the 1990s. Opening song The Bellows or Bungalow play like an uptempo cousin of songs from John Grant's last album Boy From Michigan.
The closing pair, Steak Diane and The Bellows Reprise, pretty much dispense with words and voices altogether. The former includes some glitchy vocal notes, the latter a sweeping synth soundtrack that brings the whole (creep) show to a suitably cinematic close. By cinematic, of course I mean a John Carpenter horrot flick rather than another Will Smith heart-tugging Oscar grabbing effort.
If you haven't heard Creep Show before now and have been inspired to buy Yawning Abyss, then I'd recommend going all out and buying the debut Mr Dynamite too. Here's the video for Modern Parenting if you need further incentive.
I mentioned earlier that Ben 'Benge' Edwards has worked with Neil Arthur on the last few Blancmange albums. Blancmange and John Grant have also remixed each other's songs. In a nice nod to the future, another of the highlights from Creep Show's debut album was remixed by Kincaid aka Neil Arthur's son, Joe.
I remember seeing John Grant at Bath Forum a few years back and you could tell 80%+ of the audience wanted to hear 'Queen of Denmark' era songs and what they got was 80% squelchy synth music and a couple of Q of D tracks at the end. My mate left disappointed whereas i much preferred the squelchy synth stuff. Creep Show played Exeter earlier in the year and whilst that is a 160 mile round trip and it was in the week I wish I had made the effort..
ReplyDeleteIf you've got a few hundred quid for a ticket and accommodation, Creep Show are playing Rockaway Beach festival in Bognor Regis in January. Great line up including Sleaford Mods and Hifi Sean & David McAlmont but unfortunately a non-starter for me.
DeleteDefinitely caught my attention with this post.
ReplyDeleteGreat news, thanks Mooz!
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