CONSOLIDATED
TIKKUN
ALBUM CLEARSPOT RELEASE: OCTOBER 1, 1999 REVIEW: OCTOBER 8, 1999

Somebody should gently tell Consolidated's founding members Adam Sherburne and Mark Pistel that they currently are slightly off course. On "Tikkun" they continue to explore the rather dull funk-metal of their 1997 album "Dropped". Both these albums lack the nerve, energy and groove of earlier records such as "Business of Punishment" and "Play More Music".
Much of the political aggression seems, on "Tikkun", to be held back in favour of a more personal story-telling. And naming an album after the Hebrew word for heal is, at least to me who thought Consolidated was a never ending stream of public resistance, somewhat disappointing. With all respect to the redemptive and reflective parts of man, I simply just miss the anger and brutality of the past.
The 1999 edition of Consolidated have musically a lot more in common with Lenny Kravitz and Red Hot Chili Peppers than with more experimental acts like Meat Beat Manifesto and Public Enemy. "Falling Through You" even sounds like an empty song as performed by crappy MTV-darling Shawn Mullins.
What they need is a producer that will once again guide them into more exciting areas. That was the case on the excellent "Business of Punishment" where Meat Beat Manifesto's sound wizard Jack Dangers did his job well. So why not give Andrew Weatherall, Adrian Sherwood or perhaps Tim Simenon a call before entering the studio next time?

ERIK ALMGREN