Echo and the Bunnymen have returned, with front man Ian McCulloch’s solo written album ‘Meteorites’, the band’s 12th, which is due for release on 25th April 2014. ‘Meteorites’ has has 10 tracks, the title Meteorites, Holy Moses, Constantinople, Is this a Breakdown, Grapes upon the Vine, Lovers on the Run, Burn it Down, Explosions, Market Town, and New Horizons. Produced by Killing Joke Bassist Youth, the lineup includes lead singer and front man Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant, guitarist Gordy Goudie, and bassist Stephen Brannan.
‘Meteorites’ has been described by McCulloch as a personal journey of rediscovery; he goes on to say this about the band and album. ‘Meteorites is what Echo and the Bunnymen mean and are meant to be — up there in heaven — untouchable, celestial, beautiful and real’. And this is clear in the raw emotion some of the tracks hold such as the titled track ‘Meteorites’, ‘Is this A Breakdown’, and ‘New Horizons’.
Another track worthy of a mention is ‘Market Town’, for as long as it is it carries the distinct timeless Echo sound, and with Ian McCulloch’s raspy vocals that don’t seem to have varied in 35 years, it’s likely that this could end up being one of the more popular tracks.
An interesting point to be made about the cover photo for the album is that it is based on a thin fragment of the Zagami meteorite, a piece of Mars that fell to the earth and landed in Nigeria in 1962. It wasn’t officially recognized as being such until the mid 1970’s when it was analysed by taking the sliver and polishing it to a point where it will transmit light, and which can be analysed further through a microscope. The colours, which are also displayed on the album cover, occur due to the differing composition and crystallised structure that transmits polarized light.
Echo and the Bunnymen have more than 35 years of musical history and experience under their belts. Formed in Liverpool, in 1978, with Bass player Les Pattinson and current remaining member and guitarist Will Sargeant, (Drummer Peter De Freitas joined in 1980), they gained immediate mainstream success.
Released in succession were Crocodiles (1980), Heaven Up Here (1981), Porcupine (1983), and Ocean Rain (1984) which was considered the most commercially successful of the first four albums. In 1987 the new self titled album ‘Echo and the Bunnymen’ was released and it was not long after this that the band members decided to start going their separate ways. McCulloch left the band in 1988 to begin his solo career, which would continue for the next 10 years.
In 1989 the drummer, Peter De Freitas, was tragically killed in an accident and this occurring so quickly after McCulloch’s departure left the remaining band members wondering about the future of the band and their direction.
The following year saw the band return with a vengeance, with not only a new line up of band members, (Noel Burke as lead singer, Damon Reece, as drummer, and Jake Brookman, on keyboards) but also a brand new album, Reverberation (1990). This album, unfortunately for the band, did not meet the public expectations and as a partial result of this the band completely split in 1993.
Ian McCulloch and Will Sargeant, along with bass guitarist Leon de Sylva and drummer Tony McGuigan, formed Electrafixion in 1994. They released one album, Burned, and four further singles before disbanding in 1996. Reuniting with Pattinson to reform the Bunnymen, Pattinson remained with the group until 1998 and left again citing personal reasons for his departure.
The new line up of albums included Evergreen (1997), What are you going to do with your life? (1999), Flowers (2001), Siberia (2005), and The Fountain (2009).
On a personal level, I feel the new album is bound to receive mixed reviews, who knows, it may end up being one of those rare albums, which bridge the generations.
Reviewed by Suzie Newbury
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