Patti Smith // Banga

Patti Smith – Banga (Columbia Records)

This is punk legend Patti Smith’s first album of (mostly) original songs since 2004’s Trampin’. ‘Banga’ is a 12-track album about "the importance of respect for Mother Nature", as well as songs written for her celebrity friends, including Johnny Depp and a song dedicated to Amy Winehouse. It’s a strange old mix of songs, at times jazzy and light, at others rocky and mystical, very reminiscent of The Doors and of her (at the time avant-garde) heyday in the 60s and 70s. Although she does sound rather dated now (it’s all quite hippy-sounding), at least it’s nice that she is sticking to what she likes, and how she chooses to express herself, rather than take up dubstep or whatever. She’s similar to Kate Bush in that way. Her songs are sometimes sung, sometimes spoken, and always very poetic. The only complaint I have is a really terrible cover of Neil Young’s ‘After the Goldrush’, which, with its children’s choir towards the end made me immediately go and and heal myself by listening to the original. In general, it’s an album for Patti Smith fans, who love lyrics like “The eternal sun runs to the mother... falling soot... it’s just the dust of a shimmering gem”. The truth - you might get more out of this album if you’re stoned.

7/10