The Waterboys: Mike Scott in flying form on his path to self-discovery

The muse hits chief Waterboy Mike Scott like light reflected from a mirrorball: very often, very quickly. As proven by the band's new album – a double, and their first for major label, BMG – Scott is in flying form here, as he ricochets from pop (If I Was Your Boyfriend) to rock (The Hammerhead Bar), from slow ballad (The Girl in the Window Chair) to lengthy poetic discourse (Morning Came Too Soon).

With double albums, however, there is always unchecked self-indulgence – the likes of Hiphopinstrumental 4 (Scatman) and Yamaben are but two tracks that interfere, loose and unsafe, with an admirable, mostly tightly controlled level of diversification. Still, that's Mike Scott for you – a man and his muse, still on his extraordinary path to self-discovery.

[ mikescottwaterboys.com ]