T on the Fringe: Scritti Politti @ The Liquid Room

Are My Latest Novel in danger of typecasting themselves as the perfect warm up act? The maudlin musos of Greenock are a compelling spectacle, but by the close of their set an endorphin rush is the order of the day. Green Gartside and his musical vehicle Scritti Politti stepped up to the plate, with their infectious brand of reggae/pop (though it's questionable how 'pop' can you be when you reference Marcel Duchamp and 20th century Italian Communist Antonio Gramsci). Gartside was content to spend most of the evening peddling material from his recently released, and Mercury-nominated 'White Bread, Black Beer'. The Moroder-esque synth sounds that have dominated his sound since the eighties are still a prominent feature of this material, typified by recent single Boom Boom Bap, and the luscious Petrococadollar, with the sublime lyric "If you don't have the wherewithal, you don't need the why"? Gartide has spent time collaborating with artists from different genres of late, and co-opted some of that work onto his own set - Delivering the track he produced with US rapper Skillz, it was a break from his own interesting vocal routine which invariably sounds like Cat Stevens and Brian Wilson auditioning for the school choir. It was most effective on the Prince-esque 80's favourite and set highlight, Wood Beez.