‘’I’m like Bowie, Iggy, Frank Sinatra, Elvis all rolled into one,’’ Murphy has declared with typical knowing bombast about his performance here. Lion is more one-note than that. Trent Reznor’s past production has leaned Murphy towards an industrial sound, which Youth’s turn as producer adds techno overdrive to.
The Rose could be a decadent Bond theme, with its brass, glam guitars and Murphy’s Bowie-esque croon in full effect. Meanwhile, Loctaine begins with distant, ceremonially pounded drums, and Lion with a buzzing field of feedback. They all end with the same grandiose, punched-home choruses, splicing the big, doomy music of Murphy’s 80s prime with Youth’s 90s techno-rock peak.
There’s more dirty light and shade in the extra live disc, drawn from Murphy’s recent Bauhaus music-only shows.
