Adrian Lawrence:

Review of Adrians new album with his group Official Burnt Toast:

Whilst it's relatively easy these days to find new things, its rare to find new things which deserve such a definition in any philosophical sense. Burnt Toast the product of Adrian Lawrence’s detour through his own life puts everything on trial and demands answers, newness becomes a demand and freshness the result of an artist seeking the truth. I make no apologies for such a poetic introduction there is simply is no other way to introduce a poet! But anyone yet to hear this new album would be wrong to interpret such introductions as preparing the way for difficult and obscure listening. This couldn’t be further from the truth, Adrian eloquently fuses the lethal observational skills of a Raymond Chandler detective with the subtleties and unsurpassed surgical spirits of a Martin Hannett production circa Joy Division and Section 25. The result is an infectious cocktail of American paranoia, Canadian objectivity and a very English obsession of introspection and the fly on the wall documentary.

As a bass player and founder of the Emperors New Clothes and later Gramme I share many aesthetic tastes with Burnt Toast, the love of exploring the relationship between brittle and powerful, obscurity with the warmth of an accessible sound. This album is a rarity and a wonderful celebration of an artist at the peak of their creative powers. I am proud to own a copy and believe enough to want you also to believe with me! Album of year! and its only January.

Luke Hannam
EMPERORS NEW CLOTHES