Barry Adamson: As Above So Below

I was trying to remember why I bought this. I got it from the Polar Bear shop on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield on 23 March 2002, and I notice from my database that I got five other albums that day as well. Putting it all together, I'm pretty sure this was the last time I went into Polar Bear before it closed down, and I think my purchases were partly inspired by sentimentality but more by the likelihood that there were significant discounts on the labelled prices to help clear stock.

I liked Adamson's first solo album Moss Side Story but I hadn't kept up with his stuff since then, and I guess I thought this was worth taking a chance on. I remember being very disappointed with it when I put it on. What were all these songs doing? What I liked about Adamson's stuff was the broody faux-soundtrack instrumentals. Not bloody songs.

So I had five other new albums to listen to, and I tossed this one to one side. I may not have listened to it a second time until today. I still don't like the songs on the first half of the album much, but the second half gets gradually better, including a cover of a Suicide track, and some material with more atmosphere.

The bloke that ran Polar Bear was really sweet. He used to make complimentary noises about my Robyn Hitchcock and Will Oldham purchases, and once sold me the new Nick Cave album (No More Shall We Part) on a Saturday, even though it wasn't officially released until the next Monday. Very good with the counter patter. A trip to Polar Bear became part of my Saturday morning routine: leaving D's house about nine, first for a croissant and a smoothie at the bakery/café by Hunters Bar (I forget the name; it was a woman's first name); then for an hour reading in Coffee Revolution, and finally to Polar Bear before home.

After the Sheffield branch of Polar Bear closed, I visited the Leeds shop one day in May 2002, and saw the same bloke there. Never knew his name, nor he mine, but we always nodded hello when I came into the shop.

MusicBrainz entry for this album