There’s something of the self-fulfilling prophecy about the naming of Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band Legendary Pink Dots. Formed in London in 1980, they stand as one of the definitive cult bands of the post-punk era. Commercially successful, no, but legendary, yes.
With over 40 albums in their catalogue, ‘Pages Of Aquarius’ marks the latest entry, and shows that they’re as inventive and original as ever. It may feature only nine tracks, but Pages Of Aquarius is a truly colossal album: only one of the nine tracks is under six minutes in duration, and the last two are over a quarter of an hour apiece. Length isn’t everything, and girth is important, but this gives an indication of the expansive nature of the project in question.
The lyrics are brimming with wordplay and imaginative imagery that twists the familiar into the uncanny and not-quite familiar. The clattering percussion and throbbing guitars crash against splintering shards of noise on ‘Mirror Mirror’. Squalling electronic feedback provides a dissonant, industrial backdrop to ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told,’ which finds Ka-Spel adopt a sinister tone. The track has strong overtones of Throbbing Gristle, before careening off into a vocal melee. The dark, stark electro-pop of ‘D-Train’ bears traces of both Bowie and classic Wax Trax! releases, while ‘Credibility’ is a soft piano ballad, which provides contrast in tempo and tone. It also presents quite a juxtaposition in the disparity between the lyrics and the music, the gentle tone contrasting with the bitter sociopolitical sentiment.
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His delivery on ‘Prodigal’ shows a touching sensitivity, and across the course of the album, there’s considerable range, meaning there’s a lot to chew on and a lot to discover.
The Legendary Pink Dots Online
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