Comebacks are a bitch. No matter what one might be returning to or where one might be returning from, it’s rather difficult to regain the momentum that was lost after leaving the scene. While there are obstacles to overcome in sharpening one’s body, skills, talents, and abilities to their former levels, the seemingly largest difficulty to conquer for a “Comeback Kid” is the recouping of public notoriety. In this world of over-hyped media sensations and a populace with a 15-second attention span, when someone leaves the stage and returns years later, it can be rather impossible to garner any kind of meaningful media attention.
So, even with the band’s multi-platinum success during the heady days of ‘90s Britpop, Kula Shaker has a hard road ahead of them in terms of digging and burrowing themselves back into the international music psyche. But it’s not for any lack of trying on their part, as evinced by Strange Folk, the band’s first release since their sudden departure from the scene in late 1999. In what amounts to a Master Class in sonic revivalism and career reincarnation, Strange Folk combines heavy Doors influences, Beatle-esque melodies, and the socio-political lyrical themes that have always set Kula Shaker apart from their stylistic peers. From tracks like “Great Dictator (Of The Free World)” and “Die For Love” that mock and decry the antics of George W. Bush and Tony Blair, to “Second Sight” and “Song Of Love / Narayana” that serve as ruminations on the love that should bind humanity, Kula Shaker has stayed true to their left-of-center Britpop roots. Now we’ll have to wait and see whether or not there will be anyone listening this time around.
-- Adam P. Newton
