Mike Scott- Saturation Point
If we were fortunate enough to still have Joe Strummer within our midst and decided to take him for a few bevvies in rural America, the resulting sound may have sounded something a little like Mike Scott. "Saturation Point" is a catalogue of micro-outbursts of punk rock attitude squashed into an acoustic folk body. Rather than standing awkwardly like a child not enjoying the starchy feel of their Sunday Best, this is a really rather charming gallop through seventeen tracks of pure energy and raw emotion that somehow works. There really is an interesting juxtaposition between the warm rustic feel of the richly acoustic sound with the abrasive growl of Scott's snarled vocals which keeps you fully involved in each track which only last around two minutes each. Well, why do something for five minutes if it works well in two?
Even so, this approach to songwriting makes it sort of difficult to pick out any one 'song' because the whole record stands like a house of cards with the requirement of all the tracks to stand together to make sense. However, from 'Saturation Pint' to 'Saturation Point' is a chapter of sorts that really stood out. It serves as one of the most striking snippets of sound, drafting in some female vocals to soften the rugged edges and thicken the depth of sound like a sonic cornflour, making way for a few touches of spoken word (albeit spat out like an angry barfly) and other instrumental additions. The title track, with it's kicking drum beat and Clash-esque punk edge really is a highlight that punches it's way through, before slipping into the country-folk tinged 'Retinas'.
One thing that can definitely be gleaned from this aural experience is that Mike Scott is really fucking cool. His persona as expressed through his voice is a character that doesn't slip- the concentrated doses distributed as they are make an even greater impact. One can't help but consider that maybe singing in this gruff manner may be too knackering for vocal chords to manage a three-minute track- and perhaps great things really do come in small packages. This is one for anyone who enjoys the raw heat of punk rock without all the frilly bits.