The title is revealing, for the slightly unlikely collaboration between Tim Burgess and experimental composer Peter Gordon, who worked closely with Arthur Russell, pits two intriguing musicians together. Burgess has always been much more than an indie kid vocally, showing soulful sides to his voice in some The Charlatans work, but here he is stripped back, working well against Gordon’s minimal backing. There are some intriguing instrumental combinations, with the vocal pitched against a saxophone on ‘Say’, and a trombone on ‘Around’ – both really effective tracks. There are extended, calming meditations in ‘Ocean Terminus’ and ‘Like I Already Do’, offering us long and loving glimpses of blue sky, but elsewhere Gordon uses more forceful beats. An unexpected bounty of rewards.
4 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
TIM BURGESS & PETER GORDON – SAME LANGUAGE, DIFFERENT WORLDS – O GENESIS
