Formed in Salford in 1993, Black Grape featured former members of Happy Mondays along with Shaun Ryder and Ruthless Rap Assassins Paul Leveridge, known as Kermit. The band fused funk and electronic rock with electronic programming and samples and were purveyors of a unique blend of “melding rock, hip-hop, acid house, psychedelic pop and reggae.” Their debut album ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah’ shot straight to No.1 in the UK charts upon its release in 1995. The band broke up three years later and though briefly reprised twelve years later, it wasn`t until 2015 when they all got back together. It`s been six years since their last studio long player and this New Year kicks off with their latest missive `Orange Head`.
The album opens with `Button Eyes` with beeping car horns and highlights a blend of Latin or Cuban tinged vibes with Shaun`s languorous Manc drawl with expletives included over these laid back sensations. There`s a deep resonating pulse to `Dirt` which has Shaun and Kermit exchanging raps over a slow burn rhythmic electronic beat.
`In The Ground` take us on a throbbing, vibrating kind of trip hop journey with a constant backbeat and percussive claps than runs just under seven minutes which becomes quite mesmerising as Shaun and Kermit trade thoughts. There was an absorbing texture to `Losers` which kind of rolled along with what sounded like a jews harp shared intermittently throughout and Kermit and Shaun`s different lyrical styles complementing each other.
`Milk` had a driving rhythm and reminded me a little of The Happy Monday`s `Wrote For Luck` and really drew you into its aural ambience. There was a touch of Deee-Lite`s `Groove Is In The Heart` mixed with Ku fu vibes in the disco tinged `Panda`, a number to just sit back and let it flow over you.
`Part Of Everything` began with a touch of Underworlds `Born Slippy` intro before veering into a sort of laid back introspective celestial musing. We have a groovy retro funk like ambience to `Pimp Wars` which enjoys some delightful intermittent horns and lyrics that refer to oral sexual pleasure.
`Quincy` may be a tribute to the legendary American record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer Quincy Jones. An interesting number that seems to appear as if it`s come straight out of a seventies Blaxploitation film score. There was an underlying `Peter Gunn` theme touch to Self Harm which is a mix match of genres and styles which is fairly spellbinding with a rapped sentiment floated atop.
The album closes out with `Sex On The Beach` which maybe isn`t referencing the alcoholic cocktail but is a delightful light reggae dub offering with I presume Kermit toasting and Shaun adding his rap nuances on route.
There was much to enjoy on `Orange Head` and although lyrically it won`t win any Pulitzer prizes, it certainly had it`s moments. I think that each track could stand alone so i`m sure they`ll be something here for all to enjoy.
A welcome return for Black Grape and the kind of New Year tonic we all require.
Rating 8.5/10
