Aural Fixations

THE BEVIS FROND
Hit Squad
(Woronzow/Rubric)
Hit Squad is the latest missive from the mercurial musical mind of Nick Saloman, and it's great. That sounds blasé, I know. But Saloman is one of the most amazingly consistent musicians in rock, with a bookcase full of high quality albums to his credit, and Hit Squad fits snugly on the shelf. Indeed, this is one of the most accomplished and polished records in the Frond's long career. Joined by stalwart bassist Ade Shaw and new drummer Jules Fenton, Saloman seamlessly blends 70s hard rock riffs, 60s psych/pop melodies and any other musical itch he feels the need to scratch into a sterling set of memorable songs. In addition to the wonderful tunes, Saloman airs his views on his usual obsessions: the music business, the relationships between men and women and aging. Indeed, the latter subject is covered unusually thoroughly as the songwriter enters his 50s. The opening trio of tunes faces the prospect of growing older head on with lovely folk/pop ("All Set?"), pounding hard rock ("Dragons") and shimmering psychedelic rock ("Through the Hedge"); Saloman continues the theme in "Flood Warning," "Mission Completed" and the raw, almost garage rocking "It's a Gut Thing." Relationships crawl under the microscope for "No Attempt," a resigned condemnation set to lilting folk rock (and featuring a great trumpet solo from guest Roddy Lorimer), and the pretty but sad "Way Back When." "Crumbs" finds the protagonist in awe of his lover to the point of obsequiousness, while "I Feel Bad About You" veers between contrition and contempt. "Your Little Point" makes said point with almost threatening devotion and a chunky rock background.

While most of the cuts resound fairly grimly (though magnificently due to the abundant hooks), some find room for levity. The title track, a poke at Saloman's standing in the music biz, is downright hilarious, masterfully balancing a spy-movie twang, daughter Debbie's stentorian chorus vocals and lyrics like "It was a magical show when he played at Stonehenge/Well he never got paid and now he's out for revenge." Saloman saves the most remarkable track for last: the enigmatic, haunting "Fast Falls the Eventide" is bathed in an atmospheric glow that couches its dreamlike libretto in languid, ghostly psychedelia. It's a new classic unlike anything the Frond has ever created before. The music on Hit Squad is presented more clearly and brightly than anything in Saloman's past; he's mastered digital recording here, avoiding the flat sound that (slightly) marred 2002's What Did For the Dinosaurs, his first effort in that arena. The cleaner sound is excellent for presenting the multi-faceted musical visions found here. Though still known as a paragon of the so-called psychedelic revival of the 80s, the truth is that Frond music left specific genre designations behind a few records ago; Hit Squad stands as superb rock, regardless of the banner fans want to fly over it. Michael Toland [buy it]