• Jerky Versions Of The Dream LP, Virgin OVED 125 (reissue)
• Jerky Versions Of The Dream CD, Virgin CDV 2272

HOWARD DEVOTO 'Jerky Versions Of The Dream' (Virgin V2272) *****

Sounds 23 July 1983 by Dave McCullough Devoto's EXPERIMENTS with the mainly dreadful Ber-Nard Sjazner might have led you to believe that his first solo outpouring for Virgin might be an unmelodic mishmash - merely leaving Magazine as a far-off - if mighty memory. Something to cherish - to will other acts to emulate - but nothing that will continue on its own strength. How wrong! For a while - at any rate; from having talked to HD - I get the distinct impression that this might be one final - last fling - Magazine-ish (still) Indian summer. An Indian summer caused - with fitting verbal tragedy for the Devoto one - by the failure of his brilliant - teeming 'Rainy Season'. 'Season' comes third on the bill of fare here: What a single! You can only assume that Radio One producers feel - probably rightly - that this song's soaring qualities - with a chorus that could have had 'old baldy' as a bonafide writer of football chants (that last laugh on his detractors would have tasted sweet) - would have shown up your Big Countries et cetera for the very mediocre fare they really are - in after-punk (credibility) terms. Its neglect is abject criminality on the part of a few idiots -

Still - you do have 'Jerky Versions Of The Dream' to drown - and drown your sorrows - in - It is a stormer that has all the classic Magazine delights. An opener - 'Cold Imagination' (the next single - but it is too vicious) that matches all the best Magazine openers for whiplash guitar and a lyric that sees Devoto getting even better at this sort of thing. Painfully painful demagoguing it -

'Topless' follows and Sets a key for the rest of the album: Devoto in relaxed - sardonic form - using even more words than usual - each one a bullet in the side of the current lack of verbal effrontery in rock - The chorus is ironic and sad - it too indicates a trend on the album - Howard ain't wearing a red nose; if anything - 'Jerky' proves correct so many of those boring old myths - He's centrally a tragedian.

'I Admire You' is rueful - to say the least - Apparently a genuine Love Song - it turns in on itself when the man croons "I want you for ever-YONE" - He should write the scripts for Dallas.

'Way Out Of Shape' is more restrained - McGeochesque thunder with Alan St Clair on guitar again shining. This - however - could be said to be the weak point on the LP. The song is repeated on the second side in the form of the slowed-down 'Out Of Shape With Me' - So far I can't quite grasp the importance therein (Howard saying: Even I can have aimless fun too?) -

Side the second opens with the piercing dart to the heart of 'Some Will Pay' - more hitting out at the TV world - holidays in other people's Dallases -

'Waiting On A Train' is possibly Devoto's most important 'solo song' so far - Amazingly relaxed he sounds too and the song is packed with double entendres - it actually cannot fail to make you laugh out loud now there's a change from the norm -

'Jerky Versions Of The Dream' I will selfishly say shouldn't be a disillusioned signing off from someone to whom The Charts have been more cruel than to most. It again proves what a powerful weapon Devoto has crafted - one of the few 'original' musics around - and genuinely forward-looking.

The wee man's looking handsomne this weather ton! I reckon - he should stick his ground - remaim - proud of 'Jerky Versions' and await that monsoon (still) that will end most other monsoons in one fell swoop.

1. [Cold Imagination]
2. [Topless]
3. [Rainy Season]
4. [Way Out Of Shape]
5. [Some Will Pay For What Others Pay To Avoid]
6. [Waiting For A Train]
7. [Out Of Shape With Me]
8. [Taking Over Heaven]
9. [Seeing Is Believing]