Go Away White

I was quite late coming around to this album, I'd heard some of Bauhaus' early work and while it had impressed me i couldn't really say i'd loved it, more that i found it interesting.

So when i got word of the release of their first album since '83 I didn't leap out immeditately and buy it, rather when i came across a cheap promo copy at my local record shop a few months later i investigated.

While its apparent that 25 years has changed Bauhaus (the guitarist has learned to play riffs for example) its kind of surprising how little. The vocalist has the same mad scientist ramblings and screams (now improved with some spoken ambiguousness) and the rhythm section is still far more accomplised musically than the other half of the band, though they have no monopoly on ideas or inventiveness.

Pleasingly, while this album is perhaps more accessable than previous efforts it is still not a radio friendly unit shifter or anything resembling one, Go Away White requires a dedicated listen to the album in its entirety to truly appreciate it, and one may still find it an aquired taste, though the strength of the rhythms alone is enough to get anyone in the vacinity slowly bopping their head, even if they never have a desire to listen again.

So Bauhaus have given us an album whch sounds like them, but better. Still not for eveyone but perhaps for more people than before, especially in the wake of the alleged prog rock revival we're having, not that i'd call Bauhus prog, but they have some similar ingredients.