Circus ringmaster for the terminally avant-garde, John Cale, spreads his numerous talents across a double CD that comprises a basic chronology of Cale’s musical career to date; from the Velvet Underground and Patti Smith to his recent return to the mainstream with 2003’s Hobosapiens and 2005’s blackAcetate. Featuring artwork by long-time friend Dave McKean, the album was kicked into life when Cale backed by his new band (Dustin Boyer – guitar, Joseph Karnes – bass and Michael Jerome – drums) on blackAcetate’s subsequent tour and knits threads as diverse as ‘Venus In Furs’, ‘Helen Of Troy’, ‘Save Us’, ‘Dirty Ass Rock n Roll’, ‘Magritte’, ‘Walking The Dog’, ‘Hanky Panky Nohow’, ‘Zen’ and ‘Gun’.
The album begins with a drone and ends with a drone. They signal the very start of Cale’s music career (as recorded in 1965 with LaMonte Young’s experiment the Dream Syndicate) and the closing point of this particular chapter. For the New Year finds John Cale twisting and bending his new brand of drone even further. Firstly with Juan Alderete of the Mars Volta on a forthcoming single ‘Jumbo in tha Modernworld’, and then in the producer’s chair for adroit New York art-rockers Ambulance Ltd and their second album.