NADIR'S BIG CHANCE

Nadir's Big Chance is Hammill's so-called pre-punk statement. While it sure has a rougher edge then his previous work, it is actually more appealing for its exceptional ballads than for the (by punk standards) rather complex rock songs. Anyway it's definitely more immediate than anything else Hammill had recorded until then.

All songs contain lots of catchy hooks and are completely devoid of some of the experimentalism of previous albums. It reminds me very much of the equally enjoyable Fool's Mate album but it's harder and rawer. A very big step away from the complexity of its predecessors and a key album in Hammill's continuing progression as writer and performer. 3.5 stars