Ian Astbury "Spirit/Light/Speed" LP

Recorded during the hiatus between the Cult's 1995 breakup and the band's re-formation in 1999, Spirit\Light\Speed is based on some sound thinking. The Cult's two previous albums, Ceremony and Cult, showed signs of serious disintegration in the Ian Astbury/Billy Duffy partnership. Astbury, declaring the death of rock, came up with a peculiar and somewhat prophetic marriage of rock and electronica that sat in the can for a couple of years before its eventual release. Cult fans and Goths (there's considerable overlap) will, at the very least, be interested in hearing what Astbury sounds like without his partner in crime. The answer: not much different, but he does stretch a bit musically. What with the use of "She Sells Sanctuary" in a car commercial, two best-of collections, and the inclusion of a song on the Gone in 60 Seconds soundtrack, the Cult seem poised for a new rise to prominence, and perhaps Astbury solo will earn a little extra acclaim, too. --Genevieve Williams