CD Review – Ivan Julian (formerly of Richard Hell & the Void
The Naked Flame
00:02:59 Records
From the first chords of the opening song “The Waves,” it is obvious that Ivan Julian was a part of the ’70s punk rock movement. He was a founding member of Richard Hell & the Voidoids and was a key songwriter on their classic album Blank Generation. On his first solo album in 20 years, Julian sounds as if he has never left the late ’70s. The title track is equally thrashing and sweet, all the while Julian sings (almost like a poor man’s Jimi Hendrix) about how he wants to “get close to the naked flame of your love.”
That lyrical prowess is prevalent throughout the album with standout lines like: “Wack politicians scream from posters/ Their slicked back hair out-shines the roaches” from “Constricted,” and “Watch the rich and poor, collide for a free ride” from “Sticky.”
Ivan Julian sings with a wreckless abandon that harkens back to Mick Jaggar from the ’60s. His vocal swagger and musical chops combine for an album that will blow you away.
