This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Believe it or not, this isn’t the first solo album from Echo And The Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch. It’s his third. Perhaps the fact that it’s been more than a decade since his last one — which was called Mysterio, in case you’re playing a bar trivia game or something — might explain how successful they were.
Thankfully, Slideling is a highly appealing effort that deserves a better fate. These 11 tracks are laid-back, warm-hearted pop-rock constructed around strummy guitar lines, hummable melodies, straightforward arrangements, heartfelt lyrics and McCulloch’s romantic rasp. Granted, it’s a fair way from the angst and intensity of classic Bunnymen sides — in fact, the soaring, hook-laden choruses of cuts like High Wires could easily have flowed from the rhinestone-encrusted pen of Neil Diamond. And I mean that as a compliment. From stem to stern, Slideling is a set of solid, top-quality fare that ranks among McCulloch’s strongest and most approachable work in years. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another decade for another dose.
