John Cale – Extra Playful EP (Double Six)
2/5
By: Steven Endersby
John Cale - the John Cale who, along with Lou Reed, formed one of the most legendary and highly regarded bands history has to offer us, The Velvet Underground, and has since made 30 solo records - has now, at the tender age of 69, decided to go pop. Extra Playful builds on the lighter moments of his most accessible – and now nearly 40 years old – solo outing, the beautiful Paris 1919, but sadly somehow loses itself along the way.
Coming out on Double Six, an imprint of the wonderful Domino Records that has so far released the likes of Eugene McGuinness, She & Him and Twin Sister, the EP starts well enough – 'Catastrofuk' and 'Whaddya Mean By That' being the high points. Released as a two track single they would stand as testament to the talent Cale has to offer and offer a tantalising glimpse at what we may expect from the album expected to follow this release.
It's after this strong opening that it all starts to go wrong, with third track 'Hey Ray' being the main case in point. Its spoken word refrain of “That's not why you stumble, it's the way the cookie crumbles” serving as a reminder as to why sayings and catchphrases should never be used as lyrics. As cringeworthy as it gets.
It's on the EP closer, ironically titled 'Perfection', that the record really lets itself down. Sounding like a discarded Low or Heroes era Bowie track, it's not the overall low point, the aforementioned 'Hey Ray' takes that title, but the track is weak from start to finish and leaves the record stuttering to a close.
Though it can often be the case that a new release gives the uninitiated a way in with a legendary act they've previously struggled with – certainly it was late albums released once I'd reached record buying age that helped me find my way with both Sonic Youth and Fugazi – this EP is not that starting point for either the Velvet Underground or John Cale's solo work. By no means an awful set of songs, its eclecticism lends it a certain charm that old fans will no doubt love but that same scattershot approach – marrying jazz leanings, spoken word sections and gospel backing vocals with an overriding will to entertain, to be pop – is what makes this a difficult listen for anyone not obsessively enamoured with Cale's past work.
JOHN CALE - Whaddya Mean By That by Pias France
Artists in this article: John Cale
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