After the disappointment of his last album “Disposability of an Arrogant Age”, Glasgow musician Traquair had only one way to go and that was, of course, up. It is true, thankfully, that “A Thousand Clowns in a Violent Playground” is a touch better than his previous effort but this amateurish effort still does not warrant any kind of recommendation.
The best things about this album are the song titles. Who could resist a song entitled “Freedom is the New Terror”? Or one called “A Conversation of Never Ending Pauses”? I certainly could not but it was soon clear that there was no evidence at all of imagination in the music. Not one of these songs sounds like a finished product and all are infested with inadequate vocals, awkward loops and clumsy edits.
So, Mr Traquair, if you are on the smack then quit as it clearly isn’t enhancing your creativity. If, however, you are not on the smack then maybe you should try it as then you will, at least, have an excuse. To end on a positive note, there is actually one good reason to buy this album and that is Konstantin Vasillev’s artwork. I knew I would find something of merit…