SCRITTI POLITTI
Anomie & Bonhomie(Virgin)
Rating: 4 out of 7
By Jon Young

     Who's that guy covered in cobwebs? Why, it's England's Green Gartside, back with the first Scritti Politti album in more than a decade. If Anomie & Bonhomie seems awkward at times, blame more than the extended layoff-Gartside's trademark mix of wispy vocals and funkier textures has always resulted in uneasy listening. Here, he draws on the rapping skills of Mos' Def, Lee Majors, and the charismatic Meshell N’degeocello for hip-hop seasoning, but the contrast with his sweet crooning reveals little: “Tinseltown To The Boogiedown,” “The World You Understand (Is Over & Over & Over,” and other eccentric tracks suggest an arbitrary combination of disparate styles, rather than a genuine hybrid.
     Gartside's less ambitious pop tunes deliver more satisfaction. Soft 'n' sleepy, “Born To Be” makes a declaration of love that's so corny it's delightful; the sunny toe-tapper “Mystic Handyman” features a swirl of giddy voices in the tradition of cheesy '60s pop, gently burnished by a reggae rhythm. “Here Comes July” even dares to rock out, with gnarly guitar licks challenging the genteel Mr. G. Hopefully, Gartside won't wait 10 years to make the next album: The boy would benefit from more activity and less sloth.

Scritti Politti: All recordings courtesy of Virgin Records.  “Tinseltown To The Boogiedown” written by G. Gartside, L. Majors and Mos' Def, courtesy of Jouissance Publishing U.S.A. (ASCAP), administered by WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)/Copyright Control/EMI Blackwood Music Inc./Empire International Music/Medina Sound Music (BMI). “Mystic Handyman” and “Die Alone” written by G. Gartside, courtesy of Jouissance Publishing U.S.A., administered by WB Music Corp. (ASCAP).