After a decade or so behind the scenes producing music for other artists Jim Davies returned to the fold himself with 2020 release Headwars. I reviewed that elsewhere and described it as “fun, footloose and fancy free’ and it was an album that clearly showed its roots from the guitarist who had formerly played with renowned acts such as Pitchshifter and The Prodigy. Obviously, he got the impetus from the album to quickly follow it up and here returns just over a year later with another collection of tracks. First play had me acknowledging roots, tapping toes and nodding head along to a set of numbers that were quickly accessible and enjoyable with it. Like Headwars there are a variety of guest singers involved along with Davies and although strongly based in electronica there are plenty of other styles adopted and enmeshed within the musical mainframe making this a pretty varied listening experience.
With each and every song here between 3-4 minutes in length it is as though Davies has cut off any fat (from the land) and tried to appeal to as many people as possible, perhaps even looking for that all allusive chart hit of which his former band had many, propelling them into stardom. Heavy bass and catchy chorus sees ‘The Bar Is Low’ being a suitable earworm with that feeling of “quality control” evident in both music and lyrics. Not sure about it being a work of “Genius” but it’s guaranteed to get you bopping about. Pulsating synth and beats drive the melody on numbers like ‘Facts And Figures’ but it’s the grimy dubstep orientation of ‘V-Sign’ that raises that bar up a level with its more experimental fusion, addition of Tut Tut Child (whoever he is) along with Davies chanting main vocal drive that gives things its 1st real two fingered salute. By comparison the title track is a tenacious slow burning swayer chilling things down a little although still getting beneath the skin admirably.
Wake Up > React has Mrs Davies aka Abbie Aisleen back on the 1st of a couple of songs and tinging it with a sultry and commercial edge vocally. It veers towards R&B style and may have you wondering if you had accidentally put on a Pussycat Dolls album and although the complete opposite of the pounding techno whiteout of ‘Choose Your Poison’ I found myself drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Bullet For My Valentine are another act who are unlikely bedfellows to us ‘The Killing Way’ has chugging bass grooves courtesy of Jamie Mathias from the band who Davies is also set to work with on new project ‘Shadow Addict.’ Perhaps this could be looked at as an introduction to that development. ‘Cash Is King’ sounds like it wants to be a Killing Joke song but hasn’t quite got the power, not a bad track but slightly derivative to my ears. Abbie puts on another fine performance on ‘Gravitate’ which musically reminds of everything from Gary Numan to Japan but the Connar Ridd (again no idea) accompanied ‘Almighty’ is weak pop fodder too far from the comfort zone. Could the hit we are looking for be ‘2020’? Well, I just can’t listen to it without hearing a melody left over from a greatest hits package by The Cure but perhaps that’s just me. Should The Reset be Hit? Occasionally, as the last Prodigy etched song suggests.
‘Prey Later’ is perhaps not an album to be pulled apart but simply played and enjoyed for what it is. Once you get down to the nitty-gritty cracks do appear but it’s not too difficult to paper over them and wonder if that all-important ‘Firestarter’ might hit the airwaves next time round.
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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