Echo & The Bunnymen - The Fountain (Ocean Rain Records) ****

The Fountain is a very flowing album. At first it appears almost very commercial, but with enough listens you’d get the idea of what they wanted to achieve here. Echo’s last album, Siberia, was a real tour de force. The Fountain is not as aggressive, but perhaps its charm is in being the opposite.

There are some new unusual tracks such as Do You Know Who I Am? or Life Of A Thousand Crimes which show the band in a slightly different light. As you listen to such tracks you ask yourself which route are the Bunnymen taking? On the other hand, this is an established band continuing to expand and push their boundaries only they know how.

The performance here is great. Will is obviously one of the more inventive guitar players, and he is not slowing down here at all. His tone continues to dominate the sound of the band, and rightfully so. Mac’s vocals complete the cycle, and once again he comes across very relaxed and confident in his craft.

The Fountain is a record designed for a very specific mood or time in your life. Once you reach that stage with this record on, it becomes an essential piece of music. Otherwise, the point of this record is missed. And the picture guide of all Liverpool fountains is very inviting too. Long live The Bunnymen.

Mark Kadzielawa