Enabler / No. 6 Records
A few things you ought to know about Charles Douglas. He's a 28 year-old singer songwriter in the tradition of Jonathan Richman, Daniel Johnston and Jim O'Rourke. He's recorded four solo albums; one of these featured an ode to drowned Beach Boy 'Dennis Wilson' and a homage to 'Prince' ("he played guitar like you wouldn't believe/ and he had more hits than Lionel Ritchie"); another was produced by Velvet Underground legend Moe Tucker, who also provided drums; and the latest was recorded by Sonic Youth sound-guru Wharton Tiers and features the unmistakable riffmanship of The Pixies' Joey Santiago.
A few other things you may as well know about Charles Douglas. He dropped out of University in his early twenties and went straight into drug rehab. He was sacked from a job at Burger King but took revenge by stealing a consignment of BK paper crowns, which he wore on stage at gigs. He listens to Miles Davis every morning and has been known to shout random, drive-by abuse at Ryan Adams from his car window.
This is Charles Douglas - madman (possibly), maverick (certainly) and melodic visionary (undoubtedly). Statecraft is his most accomplished album to date; a riot of punk-pop hooks (check blistering opener 'Free At Last' and the Fall-esque title track), white-funk rhythms (the infectious 'Splitting The Atom') and kooky surrealism ('The Rabbit Never Gets The Carrot'). All this and Santiago's finest fret contortions since The Pixies' Trompe Le Monde. Statecraft is the perfect introduction to the heart, soul and sporadic hysteria of alternative America's best-kept secret - Charles Douglas
by Simon Goddard, editor at UNCUT and author of THE SMITHS: SONGS THAT SAVED YOUR LIFE.
| Track listing: |
| STATECRAFT |
| 1. |
Free At Last |
| 2. |
 Crackerjack |
| 3. |
Ancient Mysteries |
| 4. |
Blues for Catalina |
| 5. |
Beneath the Flowers |
| 6. |
The Island |
| 7. |
Splitting the Atom |
| 8. |
I Don't Care |
| 9. |
Close to Me |
| 10. |
Revelation in Chapel Hill |
| 11. |
The Day of Creation |
| 12. |
Statecraft |
| 13. |
Take it Off |
| 14. |
Game Over |
| 15. |
Chan |
| 16. |
The Rabbit Never Gets the Carrot, Part Two
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