UNKLE - Never Never Land

After the huge disappointment that was 'Psyence Fiction', you'd think James Lavelle would have forgotten about the painfully embarassing UNKLE project. Alas, five years later and we're presented with another 'futuristic' collection of anal offerings.

The first real tune, 'Eye 4 An Eye' is quite possibly the cheesiest early 90's rock track you'll hear, starting off like a bad take on The Coral before ending in laughable guitar solos and god-awful production. What the hell are they thinking. As with the debut, a host of guest vocalists and collaborators are on board, in other words it's a perfect recipe for battle of the egos. Ian Brown returns with friend Mani for the annoying 'Reign', like a cross between Brown's own solo work before ending in a piss-poor effort to sound like Primal Scream's latest Kraut fuelled rockers.

This album couldn't be trying to sound more futuristic if it tried, instead it sounds outdated and highly irrelevant. Mid 90's Trip Hop is old and tiresome, ditching DJ Shadow was the worse thing they could've done. Half the numbers attempt to create a soundtrack for an imaginery sci-fi movie, but songs like 'I Need Something Stronger' mumble along pointlessly.

'Never' won't be liked by anyone other than men with goatees, expensive adidas trainers and camouflage jackets, but then maybe that's fine and dandy with Lavelle.