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Add N to (X) | Add Insult to Injury

Weirdness prevails on an enjoyable third outing.
CD, Mute/PIAS

Tekst: Alex Tobin

Publicatiedatum: 24 oktober 2000

Add N to (x) have always proved to be somewhat of a quirky bunch. According to popular legend, the trio finally decided to provide a forum for their music after finding a 1970s-era analogue synth discarded in a rubbish bin in Piccadilly Circus. Their music has often been labelled as cold and mechanical, lacking in human feeling and emotion. With 'Add Insult to Injury' - the band's third full-length release after 'On the Wires of our Nerves' and 'Avant Hard' - some of their earlier detractors might just be swayed around and subdued into rethinking things through a bit. You see, Add N to (x) have discovered melodies, and with that discovery they've become something of a sort of dog, sniffing on the periphery of the big, tall bush that calls itself pop music. Once again assisted by High Llamas drummer Rob Allum, things get off to a bouncy start on 'Adding N to X', which sounds like the soundtrack to a long-lost and waiting-to-be-rediscovered French children's programme from the 1970s. This is followed by 'Brothel Charge'... Imagine a cyberpunk White Zombie crossed with an army of Commodore 64s running amok in the streets, and you're halfway there. Variation is obviously the key to things on 'Add Insult to Injury', something which becomes plainly evident on 'Monster Bobby', a football anthem to rival anything Gary Glitter has put out - ever! From the choppy rock workout of 'Pokerole' (note dubious song title there...) via the first single 'Plug Me In' (It starts out not a million miles from Kraftwerk, but then again worse things could be said.) to 'Peanuts for Eno', where it sounds like a New Wave of British Heavy Metal singer has got his testicles caught in some heavy machinery (quote: "I wanna suck your face/I wanna slap my bass"), Add N to (x) never stop striving to sound inspired and refreshingly odd. Only on closer track 'The Regent is Dead', a churchy, meditative and strikingly beautiful epic suite, do things settle down slightly, allowing breathing space. It's also one of the rare occasions that the music gains a sort of organic warmth. All in all, 'Add Insult to Injury' sees a welcome addition to the Add N to (x) canon, possibly providing a few more fans via more accessible tunes without going all commercial on us. Loopy.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/add-n-to-x/add-insult-to-injury/190/
Meer Add N to (X) op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/add-n-to-x