Mysterio is a valuable opportunity for fans of
Echo & the Bunnymen who did not keep up with
Ian McCulloch between their 1988 breakup and 1997's
Evergreen.
Mysterio is hit and miss at times, but it also showcases some of the same brilliance which led the rock press to dub
Echo the next
U2.
Mysterio has been criticised for its attempts to be too much of a
Leonard Cohen album, and it does include one of the singer/songwriter's best in "Lover Lover Lover."
Mysterio would be
McCulloch's last solo album until the yet-to-be titled project due out in late 2001 or early 2002. He has admitted to being uncomfortable writing songs by himself and felt disinterested in his own solo work. That would explain some of
Mysterio's inhibited sound. (Interestingly,
McCulloch voiced an interest in having people like
Nick Cave write songs for him in the future.) However,
Mysterio is a worthy item for all
Echo & the Bunnymen fans. "Honeydrop" and "Lover Lover Lover" were released as singles. It is easy to understand why, the former sounds like a massive U.K. hit song, the kind no one in America has heard. Similarly,
Mysterio is an underappreciated album worthy of a little investigation. Standout tracks include "Magical World," "Dug for Love," "Close Your Eyes," and "Damnation" which is enough to make this a strong album,
McCulloch's opinion notwithstanding. ~ JT Griffith