The Mission of Old? (Neverland - Mission)

Member Name: Deaconspike

Product:	Neverland - Mission
Date:	12/11/01 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Daddy's going to heaven now, Lose myself in you, Swoon

Disadvantages: Stars don't shine without you

1995's Neverland saw the Mission's return as a five piece; their line up having been complimented by the likes of Andy Cousin (ex all about eve), Rik Carter (Ex Pendragon) and Mark Gemini Thwaite (Theatre Of Hate). The new line up also heralded a supposed 'return to form' for the Mission; the experimentalism of Neverland's predecessor - 'Masque' had largely been lost on The Mish's (now somewhat depleted) fanbase and the band were obviously keen to make up the lost ground.

The album opens with 'Raising Cain', a 'mission statement', if you will, for the rest of the album. The song (as is the album) is defined by it's screaming guitars & distorted vocal. Wayne Hussey's previous dabblings with technology come to some level of fruition on the album and Raising Cain is no exception - certainly progressive (for the Mish anyway). Production aside - the song is familiar gothy territory for the Mish - all doom and gloom with a shout along chorus; not the album's highlight.

'Sway' continues where 'Raising Cain' left off. Musically it reminds me of a distorted Merry-Go-Round tune, but lyrically it shows Hussey off at his most banal. Various ‘crucified, asunder’ and ‘carrion feasts for ravens and crows’ references, by now all familiar territory for the band, define the lyrical mood. The problem however, does not lie in the use of the language, moreover in Hussey's delivery: Where he used to sing 'Masquerade as ... and suffer the crucifixion', it actually sounded like the man believed it, these days it just comes off as insincere, as if he's used the words to satisfy his audience and not himself.

'Lose Myself In You' is one of the album highlights - more along the lines of a funkier edged Mish, the song finds itself on fresh ground. Almost 'Pop' in nature, it retains the screaming production style of the first two tracks,
but it comes off as a breath of fresh air after having drowned in the despair of the previous. The tracks' greatest strength though is that it succeeds where most of 'Masque' failed - it combines classic Mish ambience with a contemporary pop sensibility.

'Swoon' is the albums 'Butterfly on a wheel'. Unencumbered by detail or texture, the song is still beautiful in it's simplicity. Lyrically a little reminiscent of 'Love me to Death' and 'Heaven sends you', it is still one of the album highlights. I also recommend purchasing the single version of this song as some of the remixes show Mr. Huss at his more inventive, but the B-sides 'Wasting Away' and 'Whore' are 2 of the best Mission songs from this era.

'Afterglow' is a paler version of the closer to 'Sum & Substance'. Still one of the better songs on the album, but the original is far superior.

'Stars don't shine without you' finds The Mission in John Lennon / The Beatles mode. Definitely one of the throw away tracks on the album, it shows the band struggling to scratch off the Goth tattoo they gave themselves. Listenable, but definitely a skipper.

'Celebration' is the album's 'She Conjures Me Wings'. A lot of fun and quite the vaudeville song, it's certainly throwaway and perhaps might have made a better b-side, but it does help to lend the album a more humorous air.

'Cry Like A Baby' is The Wonderstuff meets The Metal Gurus. If you like that sort thing; you'll like it, if you don't; you won't. Credit to Mick Brown is due here though as his drums are absolutely thundering. Not a bad track, along similar lines to 'Child's Play' from the 'Children album'. Not one of the best on the album, but at least its variation.

'Heaven Knows'. The Cure. A sketchy pastiche of 'Pictures of you'. However, th
is is one of the most poignant and beautiful songs the Mish have ever dared to 'borrow' for. Obviously written about Wayne's wife Kelly, the song is contender for the albums strongest, its jut a shame that it's not all theirs then.

'Swim with the Dolphins' is a little Beatlesish - something I've never really thought sat well with their Zepplinesque writing style, however, the melody is strong and the rhythm guitar benefits from an insanely catchy hook. A grower.

'Neverland' is the song Wayne would have written for the Sisters of Mercy if he still wrote for them. If, like me, you thought that the Sisters of Mercy were little more than a training ground for the Mission then this song is definitely not for you.

'Daddy's going to Heaven now' is the albums tour de force. Lyrically one of Wayne's best and musically far superior to anything else on the album, the song is massively evocative; the violent guitar sounds and disjointed production along with the haunting vocal provide a musical landscape rarely visited by the Mish. After a massive 9 minutes of musical attack the album falls silent and closes with an almost jazz ditty declaring Wayne to be 'packing his bags' and 'checking out of the bates motel'. If this had been the Mission's final album, they couldn't have said goodbye in a more graceful or evocative manner.

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