Clator Butler's an odd dude. He used to be a newspaper man. Now he's a webmaster/musician. He's got a lot of weird stuff that most people don't. He's got his own web domain (www.clator.com), his own band (The Clator Butler Project), and his own album (A Critical State of Affairs). OWN is the crucial word here. Clator doesn't delegate much authority. Other than a couple of guitars and a couple of vocals and some recording/mixing duties, he staffs the entire production of his album - song writing, vocals, guitars, bass, drum programming, and other computer effects - himself.
Butler lists Rush, U2 (early I assume), and Joe Satriani as his influences, and it shows. For the most part, the album sounds like equal parts Blondie and mid-to-late Pink Floyd, and would find peers amongst music that was popular in that brief respite between what we commonly refer to as 70's music and 80's music::::Styx, Rush, REO Speedwagon.
The album is divided into two parts. The first features songs about, in Butler's own words "love, life, trials and tribulations...typical single material." The songs have almost laughably common titles such as "Tonight," "Into the Wind," "Innocent Man," "Midnight Train," "Taste of Love," and "Time Will Change."
Butler, who sounds like Ric Ocasek on Dramamine, sings, convincingly at times, about these generic song topics. His insight is not terribly enlightened or poetic. But to his credit, none of the lyrics are as bad as Rush's "Netboy, Netgirl." We'll just use that as a gauge, huh, Luther?
The second half, however, is what distinguishes it from other albums. In a five-song opus, replete with an audio montage of current events, Butler draws from his experience in the media to defend his critical review of popular TV culture. The lyrical quality improves greatly from the first half's "I've tasted love/ rich and full/ like the finest wine" to "Wielded like witch hunters of Toulon/ there's a play for power now/ as the hounds beg for crumbs/ something wicked is approaching."
You see what I mean?
The key to appreciating this album is this: listen to it backwards. Hidden at the tail end of the album is an acoustic, instrumental bonus track, "Autumn Equinox." The song, which is not listed on the cover, is the highlight of the album. Whereas much of the other music on the album suffers from being too tinny and computer drum-driven, "Autumn Equinox" is organic and breathy. It is Butler's quiet homage to guitar master David Wilcox, one of his other influences.
Next, listen to the Opus. If you can accept that the music is a medium for Butler's message and not the focus, then this stretch can hold its own. As for the other eight songs, if you get to them, you get to them.
All in all, he's no poet laureate, but he's got something to say. A rare quality. |