Brian Eno is MORE DARK THAN SHARK

INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS & RELATED ARTICLES

Rolling Stone JUNE 7, 1984 - by Parke Puterbaugh

JOHN CALE: CARIBBEAN SUNSET

Hungry For Love, the opening track on Caribbean Sunset, is a statement of renewed energy and intent from John Cale. Cale flexes his vocal might over the locomotive push of his band - which includes Brian Eno boldly asserting that "You can walk on water / 'Cause you're feeling strong." As usual, Cale's world view is doomy: Bombs and guns and nuclear arsenals and "the silly people tryin' to run the world" course through these songs like poison. But Caribbean Sunset finds Cale fighting back with fierce, driving rock and roll that tries to exorcise the apocalyptic chaos all by itself.

The extremity of Cale's expressive rage may prove too much for the faint of heart. His dilemma, which fuels that rage, seems to be how to halt the worlds sure, steady march toward annihilation without denying the darker, animal side of human nature that makes life such a dangerous thrill. There is menace lurking about the edges of even his non-topical songs, making it seem as if his is an undifferentiated damning: paranoia à go-go. Caribbean Sunset is a non-stop scream atop a roller coaster of bracing, careening music played at manic tempos. Cale followers will delight in his resurgent vigor; Go-Go's fans need not apply.