Weatherall, Andrew

***Andrew Weatherall, one of the UK’s foremost musical innovators, will return next year with his first proper solo album since 2009, Convenanza. The musician, who began his musical exploits on the decks at Danny Rampling’s Shoom club, went on to shape the sound of the leftfield with remixes and production work for the likes of Happy Mondays, New Order, My Bloody Valentine and Primal Scream and released tracks with his Warp outfit, Sabres of Paradise, has also spent the past few years curating festivals (including the now annual Convenanza festival in Carcassonne). 
 
Convenanza’ is the sound of Andrew Weatherall looking back at the clutter of a life thoroughly lived and realising it’s too late to tidy it up in any meaningful way. Many years of listening to music with a unique ear has resulted in the disordered cabinet of highlights, touchstones, revelations and half recalled good times that make up being Lord Sabre. 
 
"Frankfurt Advice’s" post funk punk rhythm takes a deep breath but soldiers on when the disquieting sound of the trumpet playing in the next room intrudes and remains firmly in control despite momentarily stumbling over an unruly guitar. "The Confidence Man’s" self-assured top line collapses in on itself and the loosened beats enjoy a gentle unrestrained boogie atop the solid bassline before the vocal’s final hymnic retreat. 
 
The upside of Weatherall’s promiscuous attitude to music is the sheer joy when it all comes into focus on "We Count The Stars." The trumpet returns but this time it’s the soaring sprit of the song which strains against a deeply anchored bassline. The message of abandonment in the verse is thwarted by the obstinate optimism of the key refrain and there’s a sense of resolution as the song ends and melds into the blissful "Thirteenth Night."