The reluctantly rabble-rousing Gene were a more thoughtful band than the unambiguous Britpop era allowed, but after eight years away, front-man Martin Rossiter seems uncharacteristically comfortable alone at the piano.
His unadorned debut’s starkly sparse opener, a ten minute minimalist meditation on failed fatherhood entitled Three Points On A Compass, is an unequalled highpoint, but tunes pitched somewhere between Wesleyan psalms and torch songs prove perfect vessels for Rossiter’s articulate, blackly comic lyrics.
You lost a 20th century indie band to gain a 21st century solo artist.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter