World Party "Egyptology" 1997****

There are master painters and master forgers. Some forgers can paint a perfect Van Gogh copy by duplicating every last stroke of the brush. A master forger can create a new painting in the familiar style and fool critics into thinking they're looking at a hitherto unknown Van Gogh. Former Waterboy Karl Wallinger belongs to the latter category. What he's done in "Egyptology" is really impressing: He's created an original album which sounds like a compilation of hidden gems from the 60's and 70's and not only does he play almost every instrument himself but the quality of the results is stunning: If "Call Me Up" was an outtake from the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper", it'd be a collector's dream and the centerpiece of another "Anthology" collection. Opener "It Is Time" is pure Byrds circa 1965-66. "Beautiful Dream" is garage in Troggs/Stones mode and "Vanity Fair" orchestral 60's pop (imagine the Walker Brothers or the Monkeys singing an imaginary James Bond song). "She's The One" is a piano ballad and the first song that doesn't sound like it comes straight from the 60's: instead it sounds like one of those million-sellers Oasis singles from the 90's. And, although World Party did not have a hit with it, Robbie Williams did pick it up and took it straight to No.1 of the charts. "Vocal Interlude" is a short Renaissance choral piece and "Curse Of The Mummy's Tomb" sounds like Dylan covered by George Harrison. "Hercules" is a soulful number (I had to re-check if it's a cover of Aaron Neville's song of the same name-it isn't). It sounds a bit like Stevie Winwood's Traffic or that other retro-rocker Paul Weller (a.k.a. The Modfather). "Love Is Best" is another beautiful ballad and "Rolling Off A Log" is the first song that reminds me of The Waterboys and in particular of the epic orchestral "Red Army Blues". "Strange Groove" is psychedelic funk with oriental flourishes and "The Whole Of The Night" another Oasis (or Beatles?) sound-alike. "Piece Of Mind" is funk, "This World" an orchestral ballad and the album closes with "Always", a song that reminds me a lot of Beck. As far as I'm concerned, this album is just short of perfect. A lot of other reviewers seem to disagree, as they say they've heard it all before. Sure, by The Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Beach Boys, Sly Stone etc. But they don't make them like that any more, so hang this beautiful forgery on the wall and don't concern yourself with the authenticity: It didn't cost you millions, after all (actually, it only cost me 1 euro)...

**** for It Is Time, Beautiful Dream, Call Me Up, Vanity Fair, She's The One, Curse Of The Mummy's Tomb, Hercules, Rolling Off A Log

*** for Vocal Interlude, Love Is Best, Strange Groove, The Whole Of The Night, Piece Of Mind, This World, Always