Reviews
Artist:The Clang Group Album: New Clang
Label: Fretstore
Tracks: 11
Website: https://newclang.com
Nine years. That's the quite the gap between releases, but it's been nine years (well, more like eight and a half) since The Clang Group's debut album, Practice. New Clang is certainly a belated follow up.
Back in the mid tens, legendary producer Clive Langer turned 60 and decided to start a band, which led to an EP and the aforementioned Practice. Not that The Clang Group were his first band. As well as production credits for artist's such as Bowie, Costello (with whom he co-wrote "Shipbuilding"), Madness and They Might Be Giants, he was also one of the founding members of Deaf School and was briefly a member of the notorious Liverpool group Big In Japan.
Skip to the modern day, and Clive Langer decided in the aftermath of his 70th birthday to release a follow up. The intervening nine years have obviously been quite the tumultuous period, so it felt the right time for him to bring the band back together, albeit with new bassist Jamie Reynolds.
New Clang is described as deeply personal and reflective, with songs that touch on ageing, the current state of the world, and Langer's alcohol addiction. However this melancholy is wrapped up in upbeat arrangements, presenting a far more positive face to the world with the darkness slightly disguised. There's also a vein of dark humour that weaves throughout, and it's this duality and humour that is captured perfectly by artist Edwin Burdis, who has designed simple cartoon motifs for each track.
Langer's musical DNA looks to have been developed in part during his work with some musical greats. Recent single Southend has more than a touch of Madness about it, and you could well imagine Suggs vocals on it. While Suggs has previously guested for The Clang Group, Langer's own vocal talents adds so much to music. There's a raw quality to it that gives the songs just a hint of the punk to it. He also has range, demonstrated perfectly on 14th Floor with a more delicate vocal performance on a song of teenage love and a Stepney tower block.
There's a lot to enjoy on the album, including a cover of Alcohol by Ray Davies. Considering this is Langer's first attempt at making an album while sober, alcohol was never the driving force behind his creativity. While the songs have real depth and meaning to them, New Clang comes across as having a "to hell with it" attitude, and a real determination to have some fun. Let's just hope we're lucky to get some more music from them before Langer turns 80.
Adam Jenkins
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