The Emperor's New Clothes

Album review

Earlier in 2007, Tom Withers, aka producer Klute, released his third album in the U.K., The Emperor's New Clothes, on his own seminal Commercial Suicide label. That summer, the Breakbeat Science label gave the set an American release, although this set bears only passing resemblance to its British counterpart. The original sported 24 tracks spread over two discs, with the first dedicated exclusively to drum'n'bass numbers, the second to techno. The American version, however, contains only 20 tracks -- all of disc one's are found within, but disc two has been decimated, with only four of its numbers surviving. To fill in the gaps, two previously released 12" singles -- "Learning Curve" and "Come Back 2 Me" -- and two new numbers are bundled in. To further confuse things, the sequencing has totally changed, with the two discs no longer divided by genre. All of which is probably a moot point for any but Klute's most devoted fans, for the set works perfectly as a introduction for those who could only rarely afford Klute's imports. The revised set obviously hones in on the drum'n'bass numbers, Klute's forte, capturing the breadth of his musical vision, from such exquisitely dreamy numbers as "Property Is Theft" and "Freedom Come" to the new romantic-tinged "The Struggle," dark and edgy pieces like "Shirtless," and the punk-fired "Toiler" and "Learning Curve." The remaining techno tracks -- "Pissed Jeans," "Outside," "Sold Out," and "There Is a Point" -- reflect Klute's more experimental side, encompassing bouncy melodies and bubbly rhythms, dreamy introspection, spacier atmospheres, and swirling synths. The two new numbers are both jungle-bound, "Why We Fight" kicking off in bright sunlight, then dramatically shifting toward an aggressive stance via the assaultive rhythm and a threatening melody line. "Escape Let Go" is its polar opposite, a bright and breezy number underpinned by a light and crisp rhythm and illuminated by a rich cinematic melody. As usual, there's no winning in these situations: buy the original U.K. release and lose out on the sterling new songs and a pair of fabulous old 12" singles; buy the American and lose a giant chunk of Klute's techno extravaganzas. A dilemma, to be sure.
© Jo-Ann Greene /TiVo