Bernard Butler helps out an old mate

Jeff L.'s post on Tim Kerr includes a video by his band Monkeywrench which has a good psychedlic groove to it; it reminds me of another neo-psychedelic tune, The Tears' "Brave New Century."  The Tears were the first collaboration between ex-Suede bandmates Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler since Butler left that band in 1994.  Suede never excited me very much, but Butler's subsequent albums, both solo and with singer David McAlmont, are treasures of neo-70s songwriting and arrangement fortified by Butler's trademark wailing guitar.  The man is a studio genius.  So I wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of Butler reuniting with Anderson as The Tears, and sure enough, the album did not thrill me upon the first listen, except for "Brave New Century":

Several of the songs did grow on me and I'm happy enough listening to the whole album now.  Still I long for a new Butler or McAlmont and Butler album, but his current vogue as a producer seems to be too lucrative to step away from.