Yesterday I gave
confusion between two groups as a possible reason why I might have been over
thinking Prima Donna. However, I seem to be taking a more cerebral reproach
with Adam Ant as well. Maybe it was the mood of the night, or something shared
between the bands, or I may just be reading too much lately. Anyway, that's
where I'm coming from.
In listening to the
new album, Adam Ant is The BlueBlack Hussar Marrying The Gunner's Daughter,
I initially thought I did not like it as much as his previous work. Going back
and listening to more of his older songs, though, I hear a real connection. I
was more familiar with the hits, and those probably are a bit more accessible,
with the pop hooks and all, but some of these sounds have always been there.
Perhaps the most
distinguishing feature of the music is the use of two drummers. Never having
seen him live before, I had never really thought of it before. It was
fascinating to watch, as the two were not exactly synchronized, but were pretty
much in unison. The effect was most felt in "Prince Charming", where
the percussion becomes a primal force. In the other songs, I suspect that is a
big part of what causes the music to approach cacophony - it's too well
constructed to go all the way, but there is a messiness to it that is unusual.
There is more going on, and it feels slightly off kilter.
This feeling is
enhanced by Adam Ant himself, who dances with an odd gait, never quite losing
his balance, but seeming close. Since the obvious question is whether this
seems to relate to Ant's history of mental illness, I don't know. He is very
lucid when he speaks - thoughtful, appreciative, and witty. Having watched some
interviews, I think he can be great for increasing understanding towards mental
health issues, and that's a cause close to my heart.
It's possible that
what as a part of his life experience, that had an influence on his sound, and
totally reasonable. What I was thinking about more was the history of taking on
characters. He has been Prince Charming, the Dandy Highwayman, and now the
BlueBlack Hussar. It makes sense that he does well as an actor, because he is
good at playing a part. At the same time, my favorite song was
"Wonderful", which seemed to come from a period where he was just Adam,
and no one else.
So, on one level,
his preferred way of doing things seems to be the opposite of my preferred way
of doing things, which could lead to a disconnect, but what I came away with
overall is that he is doing things his way, on his terms, and carrying on, and
I admire that a lot.
I had thought his
voice sounded a little off, which I thought might have been a result of his
taking a break, but listening to some other things, he sounds pretty good. It
might have been just that night.
That did not really
get in the way of the show. He was himself, from start to finish, and played a
really long set. There was a good mix of old and new, which can be tricky for
someone with such a long career, but I thought it was a really good balance.
The audience seemed
to approve. I was surprised that I didn't see any face paint or military style
jackets. There was one person ready for a Renaissance fair, and one with a top
hat who looked kind of like a chimney sweep, but it was probably some glam
reference that I was missing, and one person was dancing very mysteriously.
Otherwise it was your basic rock concert crowd with just a touch more of a punk
influence. I think it worked.
My one regret was
that I was up in the bar area instead of down on the floor. It's a completely
different feeling, and I like it better down there. However, I was with other
people, and it was necessary. So maybe that was part of my being engaged more
intellectually than emotionally, or maybe it was the other things. It was still
good.
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