Stern Words

Once again, as with my very first review, this involves me filling in and helping out BBC writer Jeremy Stern because he had an urgent engagement in the bath, or the pub, or something. This time he phoned to say he wa supposed to be reviewing a gig, but could only make the last act; seeing as I was going anyway, I agreed to review the first two performances. It's a rubbish piece of writing, but an excellent piece of altruism, so it probably balances out.

JAKE/CACHE, Gappy Tooth Industries, The Zodiac, 9/03

Having seen Cache recently, and been a little bored by proceedings, it was a pleasant surprise to watch them tonight. They seem to have ironed out some wrinkles, and polished up a bunch of corners. Not to mention apparently giving the drummer a clip round the ear and a strong cup of coffee.

It's still hardly groundbreaking stuff, and far too unassuming for my tastes, but the vocals aren't half bad, with a fruity twist of Edie Brickell and a soupcon of Eddi Reader. Still a bit of an MOR soup, then, but at least now we're floating on it, not drowning in it.

Prince. The artist formerly known as any good. You may have read that a certain Mr. H. M. Superstar is the heir to the classic Prince crown, but, though he's got the sleazy pants and dancing girls, he hasn't one ounce of the soul. Jake, on the other hand, is exactly as exhilirating as his name isn't. Check the ridiculous pork pie hat, the white boy apoplexy of the hand gestures, the Norf Lahndon soulboy exhortations to dance, and the syrupy falsetto

This is 30 minutes of funk cabaret like Jamiroquai's wildest fantasies; like Cameo meeting Roachford in a massage parlour; like - well, basically like Prince...almost exactly like Prince.

OK, it's a buit wilfully nostalgic (Sign O' The Times Gone By, maybe) but Jake is one born performer backed by three natural musicians - how can you lose? Catch him playing with Chamfer in the near future. Now, if only they could write a few more tunes...

[At this jhuncture Jeremy turned up and wrote some guff or other about Birmingham metalers Last Under The Sun]