RICHARD BUCKNER / JON LANGFORD - Sir Dark Invader Vs. The Fanglord

A work born of an extremely democratic collaboration (three

tracks each, plus three written together), “Sir Dark Invader Vs. The Fanglord” draws

on Buckner's intimate soul and Langford's (ex Mekons) “rock” fervor,

coming across as a two-faced work subject to precarious balances, not so much

within the individual tracks as in the overall formal execution.

A precariousness that, in any case, fades into the background if you choose to enjoy

these nine compositions without prejudice and with a willingness to give yourself half an hour

of decent alternative-country.

There's a small, great gem

opening the record is that "Rolling Eyes," which stirs restlessly between power-pop ardor and pulsing

post-punk. A little further on, there are also flashes of desert-rock ("Sweet

Anybody"), acoustic watercolors that move uninhibited through electronic clouds

("From Attic To Basement"), and romantic ballads that put

Springsteen and Neil Young on equal footing. A track like "Torn Apart", meanwhile, is a perfect

example of the (con-)fusion of two different yet convergent ways of handling

rock material. And, quite possibly, "The Inca Princess" does it even better, as it

kindles sudden flashes of brilliance at a steady pace and allows itself vigorous

bursts of acceleration.

When, later on, Buckner retreats into his small world of

tender intimacy, it takes very little to put together a ballad built entirely on subtle

folk chiaroscuro ("Stayed"). Far more interesting, however, are both the

bucolic snapshot of "No Tears Tonight" (strummed with diamond-like clarity and

an almost childlike emotional abandon), and the last, deep cry before

the parting, which one can only imagine as extremely painful ("Do You

Wanna Go Somewhere?"),

In definitiva, “Sir Dark Invader Vs. The

"Fanglord" should be regarded as a kind of diary in which the two authors

wanted to jot down the key moments of their four-handed performance

(assisted by John Rice - mandolin and guitar - and Lil' Willy Goulding -

drums). However, it can't be denied that, despite a few good

moments, this is yet another record that will fade into obscurity within

a matter of weeks.

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30/04/2026