The one and only time I saw Tricky perform live was at Lollapalooza 1997 on Randall’s Island, New York, wedged somewhere on a bizzaro lineup that also featured James, KoRn, Porno For Pyros, Snoop Dogg, and Tool. I’m not sure I remember any of his set (I feel like he had some sort of issue with something), and can’t even recall whether or not I heard my favorite Tricky song, “Overcome,” off 1995 masterpiece Maxinquaye, which has possibly the greatest lyric ever: “And when there’s trust there’ll be treats/When we fuck we’ll hear beats.”
That was what, more than 15 years ago (?!), so I’m rather excited to see the trip-hop pioneer born Adrian Thaws is back on the road, in support of new record False Idols (out May 28 via his own label, also called False Idols), and hitting Royale in Boston on June 14. It’s a Bowery show and tickets go on sale Friday.
A few weeks ago, Tricky dropped a new track from False Idols, called “Nothing’s Changed,” and it’s definitely some of the best stuff he’s done in years.
Here’s the second track off False Idols, “Tribal Drums,” and in addition to featuring the vocals of Francesca Belmonte, it really has that mid-’90s classic Tricky feel to it.
Doesn’t matter if we’ll never get another Maxinquaye or Pre-Millennium Tension (“Christian Sands” and “Makes Me Wanna Die” are instant post-high-school get-stoned time-wharp songs for me) because that’s pretty unfair to the man. All I want these days is a memorable show without a nu-metal headliner.