Fischer Z - X-Ray Serenade

Fischer Z was initially formed in by John Watts and Stephen Skolnik in 1976.  Over the ensuing fifty years various members have come and gone with Watts remaining the only constant, releasing both solo and band albums.  To commemorate the anniversary, Fischer Z has released their latest album X-Ray Serenade, which contains seven new tracks and four reimagined versions of fan favorites that have been rerecorded by the latest lineup (Dave Purdye - bass, Marian Menge - guitar, Olly Newton - drums and Chloe Leigh - keys).  With lyrics about the trials and tribulations of life, “Strings” opens the album and is an extremely infectious, hook-heavy pop tune driven by acoustic guitar that will have you singing along on first listen.  Although a little slower, “Perfect” is another catchy pop track with great storytelling lyrics about three people he observed at a cafe in Hamburg.  “Labadabada” is laid-back and melancholy, but still very catchy and hypnotic, followed by the “Queen Of Irony”, an easygoing and musically somewhat stripped down homage to Andy Warhol.  An album high point and not really something you would expect from Fischer Z, “Precious Time” is a gorgeous song with a very emotional and vulnerable vocal that acknowledges how time is precious as you get older.  “River” is more of a straight-ahead rocker with lyrics about who influenced who in the music world and the fine line between influence and copying.  Similar in tone to “Precious Time” and another highlight, “Suburban Cowboy” is a slower track showcasing Watts’ older, more worn vocals.  The reimagined tracks start with “So Long” and “Pretty Paracetamol,” both of which initially had an upbeat, new wave sound, but are now slower and more personal, although the former still has the new wave sounding keys of the original.  While the original version of “Marliese” was frantic and high energy, here it’s slower and almost ballad-like.  Both versions are actually really good, but completely different.  “The Perfect Day” maintains a lot of the charm of the original but takes it in a slightly more rootsier direction.  The album closes with the bootleg version of opening track “Strings,” which is more high energy and shifts away from the acoustic to synths.  Hopefully this is not a swan song, but just another great chapter in the book of Fischer Z.  

(Cherry Red Records)