Every Time I Hear Your Music You're Still Thousands of Miles Away

John Cale really had a way with covers. This is in both senses of the word as his most classic records present him on the sleeve with impeccable style and humor, and this record is clearly no exception. Also, it has got an amazing, perhaps proto-goth cover of "Heartbreak Hotel" on it.

Slow Dazzle presents all of Cale's skills, from pop to heavy rock, to the avant-garde. Keeping up with style, mood changes as frequently, from the bright oping tribute to Brian Wilson, which keeps up with much of that fellow's style to the bitter "Guts," about the backstage disaster the night of the legendary June 1, 1974 concert. Then, of course, he takes it to weepy ballad "I'm not the Loving Kind." Other highlights include the Springsteen-esque "Ski Patrol" and the punk attitude of "Dirty-Ass Rock 'n' Roll." Admittedly not everything is as perfect as on albums like Paris 1919 and Vintage Violence, but it highlights the full expanse of Cale's brilliance and creativity. At times, this is exactly what someone may expect from Cale knowing him only as the number two guy on the first two Velvet Underground records. At others, it can only be appreciated that understand Cale as the artist he is - a true enigma not as easy to peg as former collaborator Lou Reed.

Like many of Cale's 70s work, the UK über-elite play on this album, though in this case (considering Phil Collins and Robert Fripp's absences) it could be described as simply Roxy Music. This means he is joined by Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (sax), and Brian Eno (synths), so it would be recommended to anyone curious about their work outside of Eno and Roxy.


John Cale - Slow Dazzle (1975)