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.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk