Review of: Pete Lockett's Network of Sparks Ft. Bill Bruford - 'One' (Melt 2000)

Review from: Wax

Hmmm, an album of pure drumming sounds like a slightly tedious listening experience to many. However, when the drummer in question is a master percussionist of the calibre of Pete Lockett the word tedious simply does not apply. Mr. Lockett has mastered pretty much every form of percussive instrument that you can imagine. He has worked with the likes of Björk, Nitin Sawhney, Beth Orton, Joji Hirota and Kula Shaker right through to the Pet Shop Boys (but don't let that put you off) and is currently working on the soundtrack for the new James Bond film. His multi-percussion exploits take in ancient traditions from places as diverse as India, Japan, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa and instruments mastered include tabla, mridangam, ghatam, kanjira, dhlok, Egyptian tabla, req, congas, djembe, taiko drums, bodhran, udu, dhol and cowbells! So this does beg the question, why the hell should he need any more drummers involved in this album? Well I guess variety is the spice of life and he is joined by ex-Yes, Genesis and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford and Simon Limbrick, Nana Tsiboe and Johnny Kalsi from the Dhol Foundation. Remarkably the album isn't as noodly and self-gratifying as it could so easily be. In fact it is a remarkable hommage to the art of the drum and will keep you spellbound with a considerably lower jaw-line for the whole fifty-three minutes and twenty-one seconds. Excellent stuff. Phil Meadley

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