UNKLE - Burn My Shadow

By common consent, James Lavelle's output since the all-star cameo-packed Pysence Fiction has been less than vital, but Burn My Shadow, featuring former Doors' stand-in and Cult lead-singer Ian Astbury, shows an acute return to form. In lesser hands, this could have been dismissed as overwrought bluster; Astbury's commanding and portentous vocal however, simply demands your undivided attention, as he booms his mantra. As a means of letting go, it's a pretty definitive statement, and the fact that he delivers the repeated refrain with such brooding intent means it's a very brave/foolish man who would argue with his plans. [Barry Jackson]