Fiction Records Released Sept 24^th

Since the fall of the Roses back in 96 Ian Brown has slowly but surely built himself quite an unexpected reputation for bringing something new to the modern day music table. Many slated his debut “Unfinished Monkey Business” and he also agrees that it may have been a little rushed, but Brown has learnt his lesson and learnt it well. This being IB’s fifth solo studio album is testament in itself to his enthusiasm for doing what he does best. That is creating some of the most mythical or even spellbinding sounds in music today.

IB’s musical pull has roped in the unlikely accompaniment of Sinead O’Connor in single “Illegal Attacks” and this isn’t the only guest appearance on the record.  Andy Rourke, Paul Ryder and Ex-Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook also go to the making of “The World is Yours”. If you think the title is “Bond” then the strings on the record will certainly trigger ideas of an IB Bond sound track debut. There’s a real lazy feel to this record, heavy well produced beats leading an army of strings with Officer Brown heading up the crusade with his unique style of lyricism.

The album opener and title track is music to make movies for without a doubt, but it’s “On Track”, the second on the album that will be the first to appear on the silver screen being originally written for a Russian film called “Paragraph 78”. Keeping up with the movie theme the opening arrangement of “Sister Rose” would compliment one of the “Lord of the Rings” DVD menu screens beautifully until the heavy beats and guitar riffs kick in to shatter any imagery of sorcery or bow and arrow bearing Elvs. “Eternal Flame” offers a strong, dark hip hop feel but the presence of the likes of MC Sway have been saved for b-side remixes of the debut single rather than play a part on the record itself.

Strings play a refreshingly major part in this record and the Brown word play backed up with chunky well placed beats make IB’s fifth solo contribution an album worthy of a space in anyone’s cd rack. Great album artwork and more importantly, an even better bunch of tunes.

ALL HAIL KING MONKEY

by Neil