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