Through the years,
the Waterboys
have adopted whatever persona or fancy
Mike Scott
held at a given point in time. Hence, this band has fluctuated from the
pop/rock
of the early- to mid-'80s to the ensuing
folk
period to the aimless early '90s, which yielded
Dream Harder
. That was their swan song, which alienated
Waterboys
fans who grew to cherish the previous two releases,
Room to Roam
and
Fisherman's Blues
. That apparently didn't concern
Scott
too much, since he equates the individual (himself) with the band in no uncertain terms: "[T]o me there's no difference between
; they both mean the same thing. They mean myself and whoever are my current travelling musical companions." Appropriately,
A Rock in the Weary Land
fuses the complexity, grandeur, and simplicity that have characterized
's music in the past. This is the recording that the homogenous
failed to become. It's ambitious, moody, surreal, and relevant.
terms the renewed sound of
as "sonic
rock
," in which he incorporates all of the elements and possibilities of modern
(which he finds compatible) into a uniform, technically updated body of work. Various distorted and synthesized effects are utilized throughout this album, but typically so are the
psychedelic
tendencies that
has always held dear.
John Lennon
influences seem to surface frequently, both vocally and compositionally, most notably on
"Is She Conscious."
And, as virtually all
projects (both solo and group) will reveal, much of the content revolves around the struggle, confusion, and inspiration that his growing faith elicits. ~ Dave Sleger