Crispy Ambulance's material had been reissued off and on over the years, but it was the series of re-releases in 1999, along with the offer from long-time Crispies fanatic Graham Massey (
808 State) of a Manchester venue to play in, which prompted a full reunion for a one-off. A near complete record of the performance -- a version of
Iggy Pop's "Funtime" done just for the hell of it is absent --
Accessory After the Fact shows the quartet well up for it, its rehearsal time well spent. It would have been very interesting -- and typical of the band's general working procedure -- to have whipped up a whole new series of songs, but even though no new numbers surfaced, the set is a fine combination of obscure and more well-known numbers alike. Massey's production and better recording equipment resulted in a clearer sounding disc than
Fin, and about the only criticism to be raised might be that Hempsall's delivery is a touch more formal here than on that earlier live effort. Still, that's more a matter of degrees than anything else, and his between song comments show his sense of humor fully intact. Davenport's guitar abilities are undimmed with time as well (and how nice it is to hear somebody not equate age and experience with bad blues solos), while the Darbyshire/Madeley rhythm section broods and brawls with the best of them, often creating trance-like, powerful efforts. Highlights are plentiful -- "The Presence," arguably the band's absolute high point, gets a shorter but no less fascinating rendition, while
Fin's one-two punch of "The Plateau Phase" and "Nightfall Ends the Ceasefire" is repeated here, only with the latter song coming first. Passionate rips through "Come On" and "Choral" and another fine take on
Throbbing Gristle's "United" deserve attention as well. ~ Ned Raggett