CABLE Sub-Lingual (Infectious)
This is a five track sampler for the forthcoming album of the same name, cunningly packaged in a combination of card envelope and bubblewrap, with the disc’s label printed predominately in braille. Cable are, I think, from Derby, and I seem to recall seeing them support Theweddingpresent a few years ago. (And, let’s be honest, much as I adore the best music made by David Gedge and his everchanging henchpeople, a Weddoes support slot is rarely a stepping stone to future greatness). Anyhow, this is five tracks of modern indie guitar rock-type noise, not as inspirationally-challenged and generic as labelmates Symposium but still a depressingly long way from remotely interesting.
CABLE Sub-Lingual (Infectious)
I've never really had much time for Cable's generic, plodding indie guitar-rock - they've always sounded a little like labelmates Symposium with a slightly twistier-turnier facility with tunes - despite having ample opportunity to get acclimatised (I saw them supporting The Wedding Present over three years ago, and Kev sent me a five track sampler for this, which turns out to be the final Cable album, months ago) but nevertheless there's something genuinely sad about any band being forced to throw in the towel due to endless legal wrangles. Cable's last ever show was a free-admission bash at London's Dingwalls, and "Sub-Lingual" was released just two days beforehand, generously at mid-price.
So Cable's heart's in the right place, and I suppose in retrospect I'd look more generously on "Sub-Lingual" than I might have done otherwise: songs such as "Arthur Walker" and "Hexagon Eye" have surreptitiously drilled their way into my subconscious, angular beasties that suggest what Pavement might've sounded like if they grew up in Derby. The booklet's quite charming too, with the phrase on the inside cover "This Cable album belongs to" over a space to write your name, and I should point out that "Sub-Lingual" was produced by Paul Tipler, who has worked with Stereolab if that sort of thing interests you. But, unfortunately, now that my impartial reviewing duties towards it have been dispatched, I can't see myself wanting to listen to this album ever again. Sorry.