It’s easy to make fun of Madonna for running over whoever she has to – and
usually with an object that will prevent anyone from ever finding the body – to
get what she wants. It is not a coincidence that she named one of her tours the
Blonde Ambition tour. She is the textbook definition of ‘by all means necessary,
at any cost.’ In fairness to her, however, she has been more than happy to share
the credit with whoever has helped her along the way. Stephen Bray did nothing
but write her the same song over and over again (“Into the Groove,” “Causing a
Commotion,” “Express Yourself,” “Keep It Together”), and he never has to work
another day in his life. Patrick Leonard’s production work was never as
in-demand as when he was helming her records (namely two of her best, True Blue
and Like a Prayer). Babyface didn’t need her quite as much as the other guys
did, but I’m sure he’s not complaining about the royalties he receives each year
for “Take a Bow.”
And then there’s William Orbit, who did nothing short of resurrecting Madge’s
career when, surprise, she actually needed someone else more than they needed
her. Orbit had been doing just fine at the time, making ambient electronica
albums before the word ‘electronica’ existed (1993’s Strange Cargo III, which
features Beth Orton, is the one to get) along with some side work as a remixer (Depeche
Mode, Seal, and Madge’s “Erotica”). Madonna’s decision to recruit Orbit was
shrewd; he had street cred, when she was fast losing hers. The end result, Ray
of Light, made Madonna a superstar again, and in return Orbit…got to produce
Blur’s album 13, the one where Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon basically kicked
the shit out of each other on tape. Orbit’s next solo album, Pieces in a Modern
Style, was an abysmal re-imagining of classical music that served as an aural
suicide pill in disguise (think of “South Park’s” Stan Marsh locked in a room,
forced to listen to Enya). Madonna’s still a star, but Orbit appeared to away
from the experience completely drained.
Which brings us to Hello Waveforms, Orbit’s first album in six years. It is a
return to form of sorts, using those vintage moody Orbit-esque keyboard blips
and bleeps his fans know and love. And while the album is certainly pretty, it
is far too downbeat for its own good. Not even the great Kenna (New Sacred Cow,
get it, now) can save him here.
Things sure start out promisingly enough with the luscious “Sea Green,” a
six-minute odyssey that is more or less an ambient dub mix of 10,000 Maniacs’
“These Are Days” (the chords are identical). “Surfin’” needs a little time to
get started, and could definitely use an extra boost of energy, but wraps up
rather nicely. “Spirals,” featuring Kenna and the Sugarbabes, is like a
techno-sleaze Destiny’s Child B-side (that’s a good thing, in case you weren’t
sure), while “Who Owns the Octopus?” is a sister to Strange Cargo III’s “A Touch
of the Night,” same drum snaps and everything.
Speaking of drums, do you know what Hello Waveforms could really use? Drums.
Sure, there are bubbly percussion bits all over the place, but very few of these
songs have any backbone, certainly nothing along the lines of “Water from a Vine
Leaf,” his, ahem, watershed moment. Take “Humming Chorus,” his latest foray into
classical reinterpretation (it’s from “Madame Butterfly”). Like the Pieces in a
Modern Style material, “Chorus” could use a swift kick in the kitten. More to
the point, Waveforms sounds like Orbit hasn’t bought a new piece of equipment in
ten years, and while I am the last one to complain when someone is making
records that aren’t dead ringers for all that rat-tat-tat-tat-taaaaaaaaaat-BOOM
nonsense that’s killing dance music, there are a million things Orbit could have
done to make a distinctly Orbitian record without making a carbon copy of all of
his other albums.
It’s great to see Orbit back doing his own thing again, but if anyone could have
benefited from some variety, any variety, it’s him. He’s already made this album
at least three or four times before; there’s no need for a fifth. Did Madonna
really suck Orbit that dry of ideas? It’s been eight years since their
collaboration; that would seem to be long enough to refill the well, but Orbit
clearly needs more time.
~David
Medsker
dmedsker@bullz-eye.com
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