Slow Dazzle

Following on quickly from Fear, and capitalizing on that album's energy, John Cale presents Slow Dazzle, another fiery release. This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1975 Island Records UK release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl.

Originally released in March 1975, the album offers a false sense of mellow security. "Mr. Wilson", a tribute to Brian, the leader of Cale's beloved Beach Boys, starts the album on a much sweeter note than "Fear Is A Man's Best Friend". As the album progresses, tracks like "Taking It All Away" and "Dirty Ass Rock'n'Roll" take the listener to darker terrain.

Cale, however, cannot resist a pop song and a ballad. "Ski Patrol" is a great two-minute vignette, and "I'm Not The Loving Kind" is soul-baring. The album's reputation, however, rests on two tracks – "Guts", a bald telling of Cale's wife's infidelity, and his pitch-black cover of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel". 50 years later, these songs still pack a tremendous punch.