There are only a few artists to whom the term unique is justified. Carl Hancock Rux is clearly one of them.
Those in the know certainly have a copy of his Rux Revue album from 1999 on Epic/Sony that contained music, that was hard to pigeonhold and thus something of a nightmare to any promotion manager. Combining influences from blues, soul, jazz, rock, hip hop to spoken words to create his own melange together with toughtful and thought-provoking lyrics, Carl Hancock Rux had released a brilliant album that unfortunately got overlooked. Although the single release Intro To (R)Evolution was quite successful thanks to a remix by Ron Trent.
Five years later and we finally get a new full-length album by Carl after the Lamentations (You, Son) 12" single and collaborations with Yukihiro Fukutomi, Stephanie McKay or David Holmes amongst others.
Apothecary derives from the Latin word apothecarius meaning warehouseman and the Greek word for storehouse (apotheke) and is an archaic word for chemist. And Apothecary Rx offers us twelve songs of Carl's unique chemistry. "It's like going into a drug store with a million herbs and remedies and potions lining glass shelves," states Carl, "--taking from it the ingredients that heal you and restore you to yourself."
Carl's sophomore set isn't miles away from his debut album. In fact it's an album that shows his development and growth as a human and spiritual being. Like its predecessor it's not easy-to-consume music but music that grabs and needs your attention to be fully appreciated and that's what makes it so worthwhile and precious. And of course there's Carl's deep and memorable voice that adds further warmth and credibility to his songs.
For example take the touching Fanon, featuring strings and Carl only, or the Indian music inspired I Got A Name.
Protean Character is a haunting and moody song with just a guitar as instrumentation, a dreamy female soprano background singer and touching lyrics "I bleed inside/ I feel inside this spirit of dissension, rides in easy--not loud...I'm a protean character like the ones who live in fantasy."
Lamentations is re-done in a way that's very different from the Ron Trent produced 12" version from 2001. Blending a bluegrass guitar with congas over a fierce beat while Carl turns into Carl The Manic Preacher is an experience you just got to hear.
That's not the only odd combination here. Trouble Of This World combines Tibetan prayer chants with New Orleans inspired funeral drum beats...even more odd may be that the result reminds me slightly of the sound of Matt Johnson/The The at the time of their Infected album.
Eleven More Days is described by Carl as a song about "the intangible sense of despair and the need to break free from a continuum of tragedy", and it is one of the catchiest songs here with a choir proclaiming "Eleven more days in the city, eleven more miles to roam, eleven more prayers of pity, eleven more stops to home"
If you like your music a little more eclectic and left-field than you'll certainly enjoy the others songs like Ground, Disrupted Dreams or Apothecary Song as well.
Apothecary RX is a record worthwhile to discover and to broaden your musical horizon and will be released in June 2004.