Snakehips Etcetera

IAN CARR continues to go up and down with the ever inconsistent NUCLEUS. «Under the Sun» was a high point for the ever changing fusion act but «Snakeships Etcetera» is nothing but a cheesy pimped up album with little of the charm that its predecessor had. The line up is similar to the group on the last album, though Pitchen has now gone after only a bit part on the last one. But KEN SHAW is a better, more atmospheric guitarist and drags the album out of the frequent lull spots with a distinctive rock edge. The cover of the album itself is rather ridiculous, the back photograph is even worse. It features the band, all six or seven of them-there could be twenty, drapped all of over some sadly typically dressed 70's tart. This leads onto the music, possibly in an intuitive manner... NUCLEUS at this point are a functional act knocking out sleazy anthems with ease, but this is rather cool all the same. Never do the band break new ground, and IAN CARR seems content with this ease of jazzy sleaze. IAN CARR and BOB BIRTLES whip some some silky solos with a careless abandon like approach and the album does hit the spot sometimes, the interplay between trumpet and saxophone is always fun. And though the style may differ, Bertles is as good as BRIAN SMITH, Carr's NUCLEUS partner for many a year-he would even return to fold soon after this album. «Heyday» is particularly cool, and «Rat's Bag» contains some clean lines, but for all its flaws and sins «Snakehips Etcetera» is a cool album, a dirty album, a corny album, with a few sporadic hints of grit, but lacking a punch. — Philo.