Weird and whimsical, but surprisingly accessible for an Legendary Pink Dots album, Plutonium Blonde is an interesting artefact from the realms of experimental pop. Hot on the heels of their 2006 25th-anniversary album, Your Children Placate You from Shallow Graves, this is the latest chapter in the band’s dark and sinister legacy. Edward Ka-Spel and friends have crafted a marvellously unique record here. The fun starts with hypnotic “Torchsong,” a brooding slab of gothic experimental “pop.” It is a strange and unsettling opener that deserves to be played at high volume. But it is merely an appetizer for the nine minute epic that follows; “Rainbows Too?” is an atmospheric synth-pop song reminiscent of Avalon-era Roxy Music and early Japan – but unquestionably more haunting. It retains LPD’s trademark touch of evil, but matches it with a distinct melodic sensibility.

On the less expected end of things, Plutonium Blonde also features a couple of psychedelic folk nuggets in “A World with No Mirrors” and “Faded Photograph.” The former is a flute-laced, almost bucolic pop gem straight out of a sixties sit-in, while the latter is more hauntingly atmospheric but still remarkably melodic. Meanwhile, eerie “An Arm and A Leg,” with its ominous narrator, sounds like something off one of Chris Morris’ Blue Jam sessions, and “Ocean’s Blue” is a marvellously Satanic mood-setter from deep below the Earth’s surface.

Plutonium Blonde isn’t necessarily for everyone, but it is an excellent starting point for those curious about LPD’s recent outings. Atmospheric and suggestively evil, this music will be best enjoyed in a dark, empty mansion, blaring through marble hallways and carpeted ballrooms. Failing that, a nice set of headphones and perhaps a hallucinogen will do.

The Legendary Pink Dots
Plutonium Blonde
(ROIR)

The Legendary Pink Dots are, after some 28 years, actually legendary. It’s safe to say that certain corners of the goth movement sprouted from the LPD branch, though I can’t really think of any bands today that are meandering around this universe.

That’s not to say that LPD are goth–this is prog-folk-electro-pop that hinges on Edward Ka-Spel’s affected vocals. A first time listener will hear this and scratch somewhere. Give the music a little time, and the scratching might hit the spot.

All that is for the uninitiated. If you’re an old fan wondering if this set is worth the dough, prepare to cough up the cash. It’s not a career-renovating set, but it’s very solid. I have only heard one of LPD’s four previous albums released this millennium, and this is better. Weird, eccentric and perhaps a wee bit overly trippy, but quite good nonetheless.

When you’re a living legend (even when that legend is circulated among a relatively small set of folks), it’s hard to do wrong. But Ka-Spel and LPD do much better than okay. There are a number of compelling songs here, and they sound that much better considering that very few bands are trying anything like this these days. Good stuff.

The date has been approximated.

The Paard, The Hague, Netherlands
September 13, 2008

Halloween. . . the perfect time for a new Legendary Pink Dots album. Not because of the atmosphere of terror and chaos that permeates their music, but because, like Halloween, their music points to an attitude where time isn’t linear, where worlds and times are not separated but layered over one another. Music and costume both offer the opportunity to slip into another time, life, or world, full of new possibilities. Or new terrors.

Theories on time aside, the tour for the Dots’ new album, Plutonium Blonde, kicked off on September 13 although the actual album isn’t on sale officially until October 7. Along with the new album, a new management is in place, one which has a rather refreshing view on how to interact with the band’s long-standing and often very loyal fanbase. There’s been a T-shirt competition, a street team, and an extensive North American tour, which begins October 16. The last few years have brought the band a large American fanbase, and it looks as though they’re trying to make the most of that now.

If this is the idea, this is the album to do it with. It’s always hard to place one of the Legendary Pink Dots’ albums within their own tradition, but overall Plutonium Blonde resembles their more melodic, mellow albums like From Here You’ll Watch The World Go By or Any Day Now. This is because it’s mostly song-based, the length of the songs is not extreme, and it’s a one-disc album. It also is mostly lyric-based, though less traditionally narrative and more absurdist in the actual subjects and lyrics.

On the whole the album seems to be on the more accessible side, though not completely. This is especially notable in the lyrics of “My First Zonee” and “An Arm And A Leg,” with the usual slightly lame puns and awkward wit. Dripping onto the designer shirt that cost you an arm and a leg. But what about the other arm? The other leg? These kinds of little, uncanny, jokes form the primary lyrical tension point on this album, alienating and distorting the narrative they are inserted into. This willingness to pursue the dramatic—from the empathic to the absurd and into the deadpan—is actually one of the Legendary Pink Dots’ biggest strengths as performers. An aesthetic that argues opposites instead of continuity would argue for an opposition between silliness and serious anger or fear, but in reality fear and humor are closely linked, and Edward Ka-spel is always wise enough to make use of that.

Aside from that, there is a lack of obvious drama. The angst and uncanniness are hidden behind a film of deceptively delicate wistfulness. These kinds of paradoxical songs—”Faded Photograph,” “A World Without Mirrors,” or “Mailman” with its banjo and sing-song melody—are always popular here in Holland, probably for their folky air.

There are some heavier songs: “Torchsong” is rather more techno-based and reminiscent of the band’s earlier rave-influenced songs like “1001 Commandments,” while “Cubic Caesar” is disorientating and nightmarish, telling of futuristic, technology-induced isolation and boredom.

Many of the songs were, of course, premiered on the previous tour. It’s clear from the final versions (as well as the new live versions) that they were developed rather extensively during that time. At this show, the premiere of their new tour, expectations were high.

Holland is basically the band’s home country, but they didn’t tour here for 12 years in between The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse and Whispering Wall. The past year has seen a remarkable number of performances here, and starting the new tour here seems to show they’ve made their peace with whatever kept them away for all those years. It’s striking to see how to most of the audience, the intermittent years might as well not exist, with Crushed Velvet Apocalypse songs actually hailing ovations.

Despite the fact that much of the album was already played on the previous tour, and the setlist was mostly the same, the overall feeling has changed. The Dots have mellowed over the last few years and the last tour was a silly and relaxed affair, but the tension has crept back in now. The set was considerably shorter this time, with an emphasis on popular songs and not on continuity.

Songs were mostly from the new album (obviously) but they left out “An Arm And A Leg,” which admittedly had bewildered audiences on the last tour. The rest of the set was mostly made up of Crushed Velvet Apocalypse songs, which is the most popular album here and which went down very well. The heavier songs were absent however, and the only audience assault that took place was via Silverman’s saxophone. The light show in 2005—a heavy affair of slide-filters and 60s Canterbury-scene type effects—has become ethereal and woodland-like, with mixed and softened coloured lights relying on creating a hush rather than noise. Cutting back the band to four members has had a minimizing effect as well.

The more normalized look was cause for some confusion, however. One person tried to shout out for “Neon Gladiators” and was promptly denied by Edward Ka-spel. Everyone has their favorites, however random they may be. “What an experience,” I heard a girl say to her friend afterwards. Sarcasm aside, the Legendary Pink Dots always are. Go see them before the Hadron Collider’s black hole swallows us all.

I am new to the Pink Dots, I had no idea of what to expect upon putting this record on. But as I dimmed the lights and listened to the first opening lines of Torchsong, I knew I was in for a ride. This song is seriously sinister, perhaps what a serial killer would listen to on the way to his work. There is a beautiful, eerie, dark power in this music.

Do a little research on the LPD and you’ll find they formed as a band in London in 1980 and have produced more than 40 albums. They have a dedicated, worldwide cult following.

The album is a captivating blend of atmospheric electronica, industrial edge, disturbing imagery, and psychedelic weirdness. Here’s a quick play by play, some notes I made as I listened to the album. Take it for what it’s worth.

Torchsong – Slashing blades, sinister pulsating underlay of dark vibeage. Ka-Spel is scaring the crap out of me with this line – “I’m high as a kite, there’s so much to fight for, so much to die for, so much to kill for, so much to hate, there’s so much to boycott, goddamned for godsakes we’re damned and I’m late for a very important date.” Yeah.

Rainbows Too? – Calm and collected after the violence, in a car streaming down the road in the rain. Strange mixture of adrenalin and valium . “Just like all the others, time to throw back all the covers, time to fly.”

A World with No Mirrors – Fully down now and quiet soft melodic folk. Wow – “But we’re sinking as we shiver in our world that has no mirrors, where the glass is just a sliver where the river’s always dry, time and type are just an outline and always…….in retreat?” Oh no, that was just a minor reprieve. That monster’s back. I’m in the main character’s mind and its fascinatingly creepy.

My first Zonee – this is a commercial for something we can buy for our inner-child, but it’s not going to be good for us. I love the jam that comes on towards the end.

Faded Photograph – Who’s the ghost? Is it me? Oh…. I remember this when I lived in the 40’s. Don’t you?

An Arm and a Leg – This song freaks me but I can’t look away. Uh-oh. “Don’t worry friend we’re still here and we’ve made such advances.” They have tapped into something powerful here. This is the album’s peak, what it’s all about. Man.

Mailman – Ok. I’m now fully involved in the the LPD movie. It’s that pivotal moment when you know the band has a new fan.

Ocean’s Blue – The movie is over I just hit the end of the reel. But it’s still going on. This is the second communication coming, the one that started during An Arm and a Leg.

Savannah Red – When it gets too intense you need a little break.

Cubic Ceasar – Break time’s over. Our character tells his story. Now I know.

Man, I’m blown away. It isn’t an album, it’s a multi-dimensional movie.

The Legendary Pink Dots are playing a show at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC on HALLOWEEN. You know where I’ll be.

The Legendary Pink Dots Plan Nationwide Tour and New Album in October; The Unremarkable Pink Dots Eat Cold SpaghettiO’s in the Dark and Wonder Where They Went Wrong

It really bothers me that Britney Spears is pop music’s current craziest individual. Even though she’s little more than white trash with a Bentley, Brit-Brit has had the world transfixed for years with positively zany antics like not wearing underpants, driving poorly, and shaving her head, making it downright sad that the rap sheet of America’s premier loony reads like the reasons why some pimply junior varsity wrestler got grounded for the weekend. But worst of all, with the dawn of her latest VMA-driven comeback, Britney suddenly isn’t crazy anymore! Apparently she was going through a rough patch and now she’s back on track. Jesus Christ, I hate it when I get ripped off by some asshole who was already ripping me off in the first place!

That’s why I love The Legendary Pink Dots. I know that no matter how many years pass, no matter how many albums they release, no matter how many universes they visit and conquer, Edward Ka-Spel and company will never cease to be batcrap insane. Ka-Spel (a.k.a. Prophet Qa-Spel a.k.a. Che Banana a.k.a. D’Archangel) will never fail to spin me a wonderful tale about how some gnome keeps stealing his hat, why tooth enamel prevents most humans from becoming self-actualized, or how the real number of the beast is 834 (that one is actually true). It’s nice not having to worry about The Legendary Dots suddenly becoming sane since I know it’ll never happen, and in a world corrupted by normalcy, it’s nice to have something like that to depend on :).

The Britain-born but Dutch-bred Dots’ crusade of crazy will march upon the world with their new album Plutonium Blonde, particularly the bizarreness bereaved USA on their upcoming American tour. The record is slated for October 7, and the tour will follow a little more than a week later. Don’t worry, the whole mess will be an assuredly wacky affair, just what this country deserves.

Posted by Mike McHugh on 09-19-2008