When Cherished Dreams Come True

The excessive roll of fatback percussion that slipped so predictably off the back of last year's white funk movement has rattled its last. The tiring sound of yet another bongo break has been dismissed and In The Nursery are thumping out their very own alternative. Like a cross between some gang-show procession and a military presentation, the marching drums of ITN come as a welcome change. Not latin and by no means clinical, they present a passionate rhythm of musical patriotism. This six-track mid-price LP doesn't stop there though and with melodic constructions tacked on, their beat is a pounding, upfront spine-tingler which isn't easy to ignore. Resplendent with screeching trumpets and a tinge of Joy Division - bass highlights and growling vocals - it never lapses into trudging predictability and is easily enhanced by the melodic overtones. It's an enjoyable debut, a tour-de-force of their prowess. The only problem is that they might have drummed themselves into a corner, a tight niche where they're stuck for eternity. The next step will be the big one, just where will they take their inner city tribalism? One thing's for sure though: This preliminary reading of the new beat stands as a valuable artefact and a compulsive listen.

Dave Henderson
Sounds July 23 1983