Not content with being a one time member of the legendary Velvet Underground and producing a number of highly influential albums including The Stooges, Patti Smiths Horses and, interestingly, Happy Mondays debut Squirell and G-Man.., has also forged his way as an artist in his own right with an army of critically acclaimed solo albums.
Cale has always been regarded as an experimentialist. The facts which surround this opinion lie in his avant garde schooling, which he gained on a scholarship from his native Wales to New York in the sixties. Additionally the edge he brought to the Velvet Underground seemed to disappear after his departure.
Cales solo albums, however, more often than not employ a surprisingly song orientated approach and a level of accessibility which surprise fans expecting an experimental onslaught.
Black Acetate is no departure from this accessible songwriting. Songs such as the ‘For A Ride’ and ‘Sold Motel’ are funky blues which you could imagine Eric Clapton peddling in his nineties period and ‘Turn The Lights On’ and ‘Perfect For Me’ are straight ahead rock numbers. The problem with them, is that the sound produced sounds slightly dated.
Only opener ‘Outta The Bag’ manages to sound truly fresh with its falsetto vocal, laid back seventies groove and fat acid line; a well matched combination of inspiration and influence.
Any expiremental edge which Cale may hope we discover on Black Acetate seems to come from electronica edge brazenly displayed on songs such as ‘Woman’, ‘Hush’ and the Captain Beefhart inspired ‘Brotherman’. The problem is, they don’t sound particularly experimental when compared to the myriad of electronica, Grime and hip hop composers that make experimental music without even thinking about it. Additonally, Cale has tried to employ Funk and Soul influences but unfortunately they sound clichéd rather than current.
Only ‘Outta The Bag’ sets the tone for where this album could go but unfortunately, Black Acetate soon slips into over familiar rock feeling like it is occasionally given a smatter of electronics to try and uphold Cale’s avant garde background.
Rating: 2/5
Release Date: 3rd October 2005
Record Label: EMI.
Words By: Remy FV
