Dirt Sense

One of our more prolific musicians, Ashton Nyte’s latest solo album (he’s also the pale man behind The Awakening) doesn’t disappoint.

If you’re not a goth fan, don’t despair, for this is far more ‘proper’ rock & roll than niche market goth stuff. On the other hand, goth fans need not despair either (well, goth fans are probably always in despair, for black nail polish sells better that way), ‘cause Ashton’s heart is still in the right place, i.e. in his chest, pumping the blood of a retired hangman writing confessions to himself.

Also, he’s got a very distinctive voice and though it fits the dramatic intonations of goth superbly, Ashton applies it equally well – and with very good variation – here.

The back cover proudly calls it ‘dirty rock ‘n roll’ and that the record contains ‘no techno remixes or subliminal odes to satan or barbie’, which should give you some idea of what to expect: sleazy rock & roll with the intention to entertain. While the album never really blows your head off, there’re enough tinkling pianos, distant guitars, fuzzy bass lines and other funny stuff in the production to demand an ears-pricked re-listen.

Opening snippet ‘Consequence’ almost sees Ashton breaking into a cheerful chorus, but he’s too smart for such flippant shit such as happy pop music, so before you know, it fades to the dreamy Depeche Mode-ish ‘Sick of This’: “I’m tired of all the insults under breath, I’m tired of the rainfall/ I’m sick to death of being sick to death”. Yes, the introspection of the Royal Baking Powder tin rock star.

On ‘Valentine’, the guitars drone back to the front, while ‘Automation’ takes ‘Rock me Amadeus’ for the piss, then gives us the lyric “the children pick the needles to secure the creed of the self and all the self-pity breeds” – almost too heavy to digest first time around.

‘Clean Again’ and ‘Window’ has its almost Cure-like moments of delicacy, ‘Down’ exhibits first REM ‘Up’-era (compare it to ‘Airportman’ to see what I mean) beats and atmospherics, then gets plastered over by Ashton’s voice, heavy and croaky – taking “this is deconstruction” to the level where you become acutely aware of the parts it was built from. This is perhaps the album’s finest track, all unease and synth.

From here it’s head-first into the trashy buzzing rock of ‘The Other Band’, leaving one wondering exactly which other band he’s got in mind here.

‘New Messiah of the Week’ is another winner, telling the story of a man having to deal with a woman who demands “don’t give me self-realization of Oprah’s pick of the week”. ‘Consequence’ winds the album down, a stripped guitar-accompanied track where the chorus maybe exhibits too much of a notion to rhyme.

Seeing Ashton play live at Cape Town’s Armchair Theatre recently, it was good to see that the songs translate very well into the live arena, even when he’s playing a stripped down version, with only Michael Fink (on keyboard) to accompany him. Was actually very nice to see them in such an intimate setting - it gives Ashton ample room to exhibit his wry sense of humour, often struggling to keep a straight face amidst morbid warblings.

‘Dirt Sense’ is a very good album, characterised by snappy production and the distinctive fingerprint of Ashton’s style. While it’s a very self-conscious style, Ashton’s got more than a clear idea of what he’s doing and such man-on-a-mission traits are a hard thing to come by these days. Very nice indeed, hats off to the pale man in the Docs.

(Intervention Music)