THE Outkast star is back with a head-scratching 90-minute instrumental woodwind album. Here are some other artists who have returned with truly dreadful music:
André 3000
Having gifted the phrase ‘shake it like a Polaroid picture’ to generations of karaoke fans, André Benjamin could have left the music scene forever and lived comfortably off his royalties. Instead he has returned with an album of ambient woodwind music, the tracks of which have titles like The Slang Word P(*)ssy Rolls Off The Tongue With Far Better Ease Than The Proper Word Vagina. Do You Agree?. It turns out fame does mess with your mind.
No Doubt
Once Gwen Stefani sold out with Japanese-inspired pop-rock, the world forgot she was a ska legend fancied by every basement-dwelling teen boy in the 90s. However, the solo songs about shit and bananas were a lot better than her 2012 reunion with those other three blokes from No Doubt, where they mixed outdated EDM beats with reggae in an ill-advised revamp that ended up making them sound even more middle-aged than they already were.
Pink Floyd
Roger Water’s contribution to Pink Floyd’s lack of self awareness and pomposity was so massive that everyone expected the group to be better without him. Not true, as the 1987 record made by the remaining duo proved. A Momentary Lapse of Reason was an apt title, and the Floyd’s worst blip until Roger Waters decided to redo Dark Side this year, which makes their effort seem listenable after all.
Pixies
After everyone got bored with Black Francis talking about aliens, he decided Pixies should re-introduce their avant-garde alt-rock in a time when everyone drank Monster energy drinks, dabbed, wore glow-stick sunglasses, and was unaware who wrote that Fight Club song. Despite the fact their only fans were stoners who preferred Kim Deal’s tracks anyway, Indie Cindy was a snooze-fest that was still too weird to appeal to anyone.
Take That
Having spent the early 90s as the biggest boyband in the world, Take That returned in 2006 as a resolutely middle-aged band, and have been releasing their stodgy, lumpen offerings ever since. Robbie Williams rejoined and left again, Jason Orange decided enough was enough and f**ked off forever, yet Gary, Mark and Howard continue, seemingly intent on boring us all until they’re old enough to draw their pensions.
