More Light is the tenth studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream, released on 13 May 2013. The single "It's Alright, It's OK" received airplay on national stations including BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music and Absolute Radio and on music channel MTV Rocks, whilst it has also been played on a number of smaller stations including 106.9FM WHCR and Kingstown Radio. It references influential The Gun Club singer Jeffrey Lee Pierce with a take on his song "Goodbye Johnny" and use of the track title "Walking with the Beast". This is their first album since Give Out But Don't Give Up (1994) to not feature bassist Mani.
Critical reception
More Light received highly positive reactions from critics and is perhaps their most critically acclaimed album since XTRMNTR. On Metacritic, the album has a score of 77 out of 100, based on 29 reviews. Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph gave a positive review of the album, describing it as "mesmerising" and containing "big, monstrous, mantra-like, psychedelic grooves". He went on to add that More Light should do much to restore Primal Scream's reputation as one of the country's most creative and ambitious rock bands. The music is dense yet uplifting, creating its own tensions with Gillespie's dark, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. Songs like "2013", "Culturecide", "Tenement Kid" and "Walking with the Beast" convey an impression of a highly-strung, heartfelt assault on the inequities of the modern world, before building to the euphoric gospel release of closing track "It's Alright, It's OK".
Artwork
The artwork, designed by Scottish artist Jim Lambie, is based on the artwork from Scottish musician Momus's 1988 album, Tender Pervert.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Andrew Innes and Bobby Gillespie; except where indicated
More Light
Extra Light
Personnel
Primal Scream
Bobby Gillespie – vocals, tambourine, handclaps, mellotron, electric piano, drums, percussion Andrew Innes – electric, acoustic, and twelve-string guitars, bass guitar, six-string bass, keyboards, electric sitar, synthesizer, autoharp, dulcimer, drones Martin Duffy – keyboards Darrin Mooney – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
Fred Adams – trumpet
Marshall Allen – alto saxophone
Jay Bellerose – drums
Nicky Brown – vocal arrangements
Barrie Cadogan – guitar, backing vocals
Davey Chegwidden – drums, guiro, percussion, tom-toms
Keefus Cianca – bells, piano
Matthew Cooper – design
Rich Costey – mixing
Jason Falkner – bass guitar, six-string bass, guitar, synthesizer, engineer
Geo Gabriel – backing vocals
Michael Harris – engineering
Sharlene Hector – backing vocals
David Henderson – guitar
Max Heyes – engineering
David Holmes – engineering, producer
Jim Hunt – saxophone, flute
Eric Islip – engineering
Woody Jackson – engineering, guitar, orchestration
Sam Johnston – engineering
Chris Kasych – Pro-Tools
Jim Lambie – sleeve art
Brendan Lynch – production, engineering, mixing
Marco Nelson – bass guitar
Niall O'Brien – photography
Ladonna Harley Peters – background vocals
Robert Plant – backing vocals
Noel Scott – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Kevin Shields – guitar
Todd Simon – trumpet
Paul Stanborough – engineering
Mark Stewart – backing vocals, whistle
Steve Tavaglione – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Danny Ray Thompson – baritone saxophone
Valente Torrez – engineering
Masa Tsuzki – engineering
The Unloved – backing vocals
Tracy Wannomae – alto saxophone
References
External links
More Light at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)