December 21 - 28, 1 9 9 5

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*** Mike Scott

BRING 'EM ALL IN

(EMI)

Mike Scott no longer has the unique, ever-evolving Waterboys sound behind him, but he still has the songs. On Bring 'em All In. Scott confines the textures to guitar and vocal (with occasional keyboards), but don't expect some languid unplugged session. Stripped of embellishments, the weight of these tunes rests on Scott's ability to convey his message, and whether obsessing on lost love ("I Know She's in the Building"), reconciling a painful childhood ("Edinburgh Castle"), or putting a self-effacing spin on his own celebrity ("City Full of Ghosts"), Scott not only embraces blues, rock, and folk, but continues the sardonic romanticism we've come to expect -- enhanced by the expert production of Niko Bolas (known for his work with Neil Young.) Although not as big a noise as pre-Fisherman's Blues Waterboys discs, Bring 'em All In still delivers the goods.

-- David Gérard


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