Captain Beefheart – Spotlight Kid

“Spotlight Kid contains some very heavy, slow and spacious blues.

Although seen as a disappointment by many on its release, due to its tentatively restrained nature, it shines through today as being another Beefheart classic, containing some beautiful songs, such as Glider and Grow Fins, and a few live favourites, such as Alice In Blunderland and Click Clack. The killer opening tune, I’m Gonna Booglarize Ya Baby, never fails in its mission, no matter how many times you’ve been booglarized previously.

It may not be quite as arrestingly strange as that which came before (Lick My Decals Off Baby) and not quite such jaunty fun as that which came immediately after (Clear Spot) but it still has Beefheart’s singularity all over it, even if the band do sound uncharacteristically unsure and reluctant to really let go. This atmosphere really complements a song such as When It Blows Its Stack as the pressure built up around the band seems liable to blow any minute. The tension is almost unbearable.”

LP / Rhino Records