The Bullet Catcher's Apprentice

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The Bullet Catcher's Apprentice album cover
Album Information

Total Tracks: 5   Total Length: 35:24

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Simon Reynolds

eMusic Contributor

Simon Reynolds is the author of seven books on music, including Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture, Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpun...more »

04.22.11
Legendary techno producer’s solo debut may just be his most enticing offering yet
Label: Rotters Golf Club / Geist

The astonishingly prolific Andy Weatherall has a more impressive track record producing or remixing other artists than generating original material. His output, via the collaborative outfits Sabres of Paradise and Two Lone Swordsmen, too often fell into the worthy/well-executed/"quite interesting, but…" category. The Bullet Catcher's Apprentice, however, is not only Weatherall's solo debut but his most enticing offering yet.

“Feathers” sees him reclaiming his title of Original Neo-Postpunker (Weatherall's 2000 compilation Nine O'Clock Drop was ahead of the pack in exhuming the dance-rock sounds of the early '80s). Its naggingly hypnotic bass-drone and sublimely splintery guitar-riff match similar punk-funk efforts by LCD Soundsystem and Colder. “You Can't Do a Disco Without a Strat” is the missing link between the Cure and Sister Sledge (“Lost in a Forest,” maybe), its blend of slinky ‘n'shimmery and doomy ‘n'gloomy making you visualize an eyeliner misery-boy hand-jiving under a glitterball. The Gothick elektro stomp of “La Sirena” conjures a parallel universe where Rowland S. Howard left the Birthday Party and joined New Order. If the malevolent bass-growl recalls similar Goth-influenced dance tracks by Tiefschwarz and Kiki, the dub-wise echo-flickers cast you back to Weatherall's production of Primal Scream's “Higher Than the… read more »

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Get "A Pox on the Pioneers" instead :)

Andromeda303

Wow, I was floored when I heard the "pox on the pioneers" album. I was a fan of Andy's older dub-style work on remixes by Future Sound of London, the Orb, etc., but had not kept up much with him over the years. After I was recently blown away by "Pox", I checked into this E.P... not nearly as good. Some interesting stuff, but nowhere near as strong as the follow-up album.

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The Reviewers Below Are Right

Bubby

You should download "You Can't Do Disco"

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Wicked

Lyalls

Absolutely kick ass. I want more...

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You can't do disco

alligatorburner

The track to get is 'you can't do disco...' which is a classic Weatherall track. The other tracks are OK but save your money for 2 Lone Swordsmen

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Lacking some 'Strat'

Britster

You Can't Do Disco... is big fun and way more creative than the other tracks, which could be accused of being 'Weatherall on autopilot'

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Lovin It

Mahogany

Anything from the man who transformed primal scream from a formless guitar band into every ravers fave sunday morning sound is genius. Sabres of Paradise was just building up to this!

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Just Sublime

Dbleep

Exactly why I have e-music just surfing and found this gem, Don't delay download it now!!!!

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great dark electro

Porieux

For more similar good stuff, check out Radioactive Man, who is Weatherall's partner-in-crime in Two Lone Swordsmen (who you should also check out!)

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The Bullet Catcher's Apprentice

Meekay

Genius combination of slamming, deep tech-house, brooding electro, guitar licks, glam and rockabilly. Mental, but definitely going on my platter.

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They Say All Music Guide

When Andrew Weatherall released The Bullet Catcher’s Apprentice, the first release credited to the producer/DJ by name, he had been active for nearly 20 years. Despite the decision to not conjure his umpteenth alias, this EP isn’t necessarily more personal than usual. The first three tracks fall somewhere between Two Lone Swordsmen’s brutish, post-punk-driven From the Double Gone Chapel and the material that immediately preceded it. In “Feathers” and “You Can’t Do Disco Without a Strat,” the decrease in the stroppy, bleary-eyed stagger of Double Gone is replaced with mobility and even some playfulness. “La Sirena,” amusingly, resembles an electro-punk remix of Southern Culture on the Skids’ “Camel Walk” (even if the intent was to approximate something closer to the Cramps). Repeat/Repeat’s “You Can’t Do Disco” remix, the last track, is minimal house noir worthy of Trentemøller or Wighnomy Brothers. – Andy Kellman

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