HUGH CORNWELL

Monster SONY 6/10 More heroes from former Strangler

The ice-pick they put in Leon Trotsky was the most arresting image from Cornwell’s Stranglers career, and he has continued to elaborate on the theme of “No More Heroes”, writing about past genius and infamy from the young Dylan to Philip K Dick. Monster is all about icons. Cornwell’s dry drawl and Velvets guitar fit Lou Reed tribute “Mr Leather”, and “Grand Dame” makes his late mum Nico-esque. Chilly Mussolini musing “Duce Coochie Man” has the old don’tgive-a-fuckery, but the music drawn from ’60s ballrooms and R&B clubland sounds underpowered.