After more than 15 years of recording under a laundry list of pseudonyms and group names—and a two-year hiatus—maverick U.K. dance music pioneer Andrew Weatherall has finally unleashed his debut under his own name. I’m pleased to report that it was well worth the wait. Available as a three-track 12” or a five-track CD, The Bullet Catcher’s Apprentice picks up where Two Lone Swordsmen’s From the Double Gone Chapel left off—and builds exponentially from there. Opener “Feathers” is funky dancefloor techno played on guitars, bass, and drums rather than computers, but bears more of a resemblance to vintage PiL or Killing Joke than the DFA, turning something new out of the retro influences rather than merely trying to recreate them. Uptempo beats, Wevvy’s own distinctive croon, and a mirrorball diva chorus do turn up on “You Can’t Do Disco Without a Strat” (also on the CD version in a Repeat/Repeat remix that loses the Studio 54 for a clicky/glitchy reinvention, as is “La Sirena,” all rattling percussion, distorted guitar riffs, and analog electro menace.) “Edie Eleven” finds Weatherall amid some sizzling uptempo minimalism laden with the sort of unique noises and effects that made his back catalog so utterly distinctive, as well as an unexpected but entirely wonderful treated acoustic guitar riff. The old boy has most definitely still got it. Great to have him back.

Rotters Golf Club / RGC011
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[Todd Hutlock]