| [LICD Review] Access |
| January 31, 1998, 11:00 pm |
Source: Access James Iha: "Let It Come Down" Access. February 1998. [No Day] It was bound to happen. Having shared a stage with creative autocrat Billy Corgan for a decade, James Iha, The Smashing Pumpkins' taciturn guitarist, has finally recorded his own record. And, not altogether surprisingly, he has left the Marshall stacks and distortion pedals alone. Instead, Iha had crafted a record which will sit comfortably alongside your father's Jackson Browne and James Taylor LPs. Let it come down is a delightful pop record, kilometers away from the angst-heavy Kerrang required of his day job in the Pumpkins. It's also pleasingly quiet. Even the uptempo songs ('Be strong now', 'Sound of Love', 'Jealousy') are hushed affairs, while the ballads ('Lover,Lover', 'Silver string', 'No One's Gonna Hurt You') may require you to get up and nudge the volume control. This is partially due to Iha's voice, which at times sounds like an adolescent David Bowie. Iha is no screamer like Corgan - he's obviously shy behind a mic - but he's also less self pitying and more romantic than his bald-pated boss. Listen for Nina Gordon singing on 'Beauty'. - 8/11 stars |