Lion
2 June 2014
Nettwerk
3 stars out of 5
Lion is Peter
Murphy’s ninth solo studio LP, and his second since Bauhaus’s reunion LP of 2008, Go Away White. It’s a collaboration with
producer and Killing Joke bassist Youth, whose contribution is heard right from
the opening track, the lead single “Hang Up,” which sounds a bit like David
Bowie fronting, well, Killing Joke. Murphy’s vocal acrobatics take center stage
on Lion, with the songs not quite
able to keep up. Perhaps this is the point: the diva must not be outshone by
the music.
“I Am My Own Name,” sees Murphy’s instrumental backing taking a stumble
with only the second track, while in the meantime Murphy’s vocals reaches an early summit.
Tracks three to six are worth exercising your skip button finger, but if you’re
really into derivative and predictable rock music (not even goth rock music—this is pretty
characterless stuff), then go right ahead and give it a listen. “The Rose” is
another summit of vocal virtuosity, this time in ballad form, though the music
remains dull. With “Eliza,” Murphy and Youth manage to beat Andrew Eldritch in
the race to create new Sisters of Mercy material.
While clearly Murphy has lost nothing in his more than
thirty-year-long solo career in terms of his lyrical abilities or his truly electrifying
performance skills, on Lion the music
is almost completely uninteresting. It’s akin to serving up truffles and caviar
on a plate of Kraft Dinner. While there’s enough here in the way of truffles
and caviar to overcome the KD and justify three stars, three still seems a bit
too generous—call this 2.75, rounded up.
reviewed by Richard Krueger
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