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Kula Shaker


KULA SHAKER: K (Columbia)
Packaged like an oriental boutique or a headshop circa 1972, "K" makes little concession to life in the '90's unlike, say, Suede whose old-fashioned glam concerns are leavened with a lack of glitter and an awareness of lost inno­cence. Kula Shaker's music can, at times, sound almost Madchester: check out "Hey Dude" where blissful blond Crispian Mills does his best Shaun Ryder and "Tattva"'s "Wrote for Luck" arpeggios.; but, when Crispian claims "I got my stash, I love my hash" he sounds more like a hippy Hugh Grant than Shaun Ryder.
'Temple of Everlasting Light" is Led Zeppelin at their wispiest, Mills sighing, "!f I wait another day to travel East.. Well, cod-mod Mills did just that, got God and made the time-honoured leap from mohair suits to psychedelia. That sort of thing seemed a little dated back in 1980 when Paul Weller made a similar transition with the Jam's "Sound Affects" I.p. However Weller kept things economical with a minimalist, modernist Gang of Four/Joy Division element. Sixteen years on, "Sound Affects" still seems more relevant than "K" which is laden with sitars, tablas, the works. Stray bits 0f~rock guitar crop up here and there: some "Kick Out the Jams" on "Knight On the Town", some Hendrix with balmy Monterey backing vocals on "Grateful when You're Dead"/Jerry Was There".Elsewhere, what was unthinkable back in '67 comes true: Hendrix jams with the Monkees.
"K" is the deal album for old hippies wishing to have their tastes re-affirmed in a way their fifteen year-old nieces and nephews can enjoy. Oh, and the NME loves it. Hey dude: strange times.
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