Kryptone Records/BMG [Release date 17.11.23]
Best known as the drummer for the rock/reggae/punk band The Police, Stewart Copeland has had a long and successful career. Aside from Curved Air and The Police, he has released several solo albums and composed a number of film soundtracks.
Kark Kent was a pseudonym Copeland used for some of his solo work, including is debut release, the 1980 EP, Klark Kent: Music From The Kinetic Madness (originally released as a 10” on green vinyl, reissued as a 12”). So it’s release was in the shadow of Zenyatta Mondatta, the very successful third album The Police.
The opening track, Don’t Care, Copeland had originally written for The Police, but Sting turned it down so Stewart issued it as a single in 1978.
The Klark Kent studio material (the EP and various other single tracks and previously unreleased songs) has been previously issued as Kollected Works, which has long been out of print.
These tracks are nicely presented on a solid feeling double LP, in a gatefold sleeve, as well as the first disc of the 2CD set.
With Copeland handing all vocals and instruments, opening track It’s Gonna Rain is quite upfront and in-your-face, post-punk and pre-indie, a quite angular and almost deliberately disjointed sound. The drumming showcases Stewart’s unique drumming style. Then Don’t Care, which kicks off the original 10” EP, this an uptempo new wave pop track that hints of Hawkwind’s Quark Strangeness & Charm. Away From Home has an upbeat and jolly reggae offbeat reggae touch, very much a party mood kinda touch.
The instrumental tracks show the depth in the music, as the vocals (not to everyone’s taste) have an off the wall humour, and at times sarcasm and arrogance, both lyrically and in presentation. Throughout there is a hit of The Police (including the reggae influences) but the pop, new wave and solo oddity tangents pull the music forward.
The set also includes the Ho Ho Ho, originally released on an IRS compilation (the label IRS founded by Copeland’s brother).
This is a solid collection of music that is not just an offshoot of The Police, one of Britain’s most iconic new wave pop bands, but there are of plenty of moments of interest to the off tangential music fan. The 2LP and looks and feels fantastic, while CD features a second disc of demo recordings, which are always great in showing sound and song development.
Some good touches for the fan and collector.
Review by Joe Geesin
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