Obey the Time

For all that the previous album was called , was in fact 's most specifically -only release yet. Even percussion stalwart only appeared on one track this time around, the fine, subtly uplifting punch of partially due to where 's head was at this time around. Inspired by the late-'80s revolution in England, with his native Manchester firmly at ground zero, aimed to combine that with his usual guitar approach to see what would happen. Where in nearly any other hands this would have been a pathetic crossover disaster waiting to happen, the end results are gratifyingly like what his compatriots in did the previous year with , synthesizing up-to-date styles to create something distinctly different. Even a title like which sounds like something out of music hell, turns out to be both accurate and not a nightmare, with light snippets and other electric guitar work from fed through heavy dub echo over a slow, just menacing enough modern rhythm. While most of the percussion patterns creates aren't specifically in sound, reflecting more hard-slamming and from earlier years, there's enough of the cusp-of-the-'90s about everything to show he wasn't dating himself. Keyboard stabs, as on clearly show 's favoring of stuttering, choppy melodies, while 's own knack for what suits a song best means sometimes it's more gentle and other times full-on electric shimmer and drive. demonstrates his skills well, with a steady beat and clean, funky guitar and bass work accompanied by whooshing, minimal synth loops and, reappearing throughout the song, a classically five-note guitar melody with deep echo. Other numbers like the gently dramatic make another fine release. The 1998 reissue includes a 1990 dance mix by and, in an interesting discographical switcheroo, a moody remix of from 1998's album called, in a knowing nod to 's ~ Ned Raggett