Tuesday 9 June 2009

Claytown Troupe - Through The Veil (1990)


Anyone recall this little gem ? For some reasons comparisons to U2 and The Cult emerged when 'Through The Veil' was released, and of course, it was pigeon-holed alongside the likes of Faith No More, Last Crack etc, simply because it wasn't run of the mill metal. Soulful music indeed, Claytown Troupe are simply a cool band with nice grooves, varying tempo's, a little like mood swings they can be at once buoyant and bolshy, the next pensive and reflective. All the while, this is decent British rock, long forgotten, barely audible among the masses of lesser talented artists seeking a glimmer of the limelight. Yep, it'd the same old story as another fine, thought-provoking rock act goes to waste. The problem is, that despite some of the soaring anthem's on display and an energetic live show, which saw the band support The Mission, The Cult and Pearl Jam, we can see the confusion on the audiences faces. Are these guys metal ? Rock ? Alternative ? Indie ? Unfortunately, these need to categorise everything has its problems and so 'Through The Veil' slips into the realms of folklore as what could have been...after the second album, which once again saw them support Pearl Jam at big venues, the band folded. However, almost twenty years later they are back...but will the world be lost once again on Claytown Troupe ?



8/10

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