Interpreter is the thirteenth solo studio album, and twentieth album overall by English rock musician Julian Cope, released by Echo Records in October 1996. Particularly inspired by Cope's involvement with the Newbury bypass protest, the record features socially and environmentally-concerned lyrics. The musician worked with numerous guest musicians, including substantial contributions from Thighpaulsandra, resulting in a sprawling album that extends the pop style of 20 Mothers (1995) while incorporating styles of glam pop, space rock, orchestral pop, with string arrangements and electronic overtones. The record is split into two separate parts, "Phase 1" and "Phase 2".
Exemplifying Cope's Neolithic interests, Interpreter was packaged with a fold-out "mythological mind map" depicting sites on the Marlborough Downs, and depicts the Cairnholy standing stones in Scotland on its cover. The album was not a commercial success, reaching number 39 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming his lowest charting album since 1988 and final charting album overall. Nonetheless, the singles "I Come from Another Planet, Baby" and "Planetary Sit-In" made the UK Top 40, and the record received acclaim from music critics. It was Cope's final album before distributing his music independently.
Background
Julian Cope's 20th album, Interpreter was largely inspired by the musician's participation in the protests against the construction of the Newbury bypass in Berkshire, which occurred over a three-month period in early 1996 when some 7,000 people demonstrated on the site of where approximately of land including of woodland were being cleared to make way for the new road. Cope used the album to tackle social and environmental issues. Thighpaulsandra, who had previously collaborated with Cope on Autogeddon and 20 Mothers, returned to help produce, arrange and musically contribute to the new Cope album; his contributions included heavy usage of the ARP and EMS VCS 3 synthesisers, string arrangements, piano, "preened" vocals and the organ solo that concludes "Since I Lost My Head, It's Awl-Right." Cope himself, in addition to vocals, guitar and bass guitar, played Mark II and 400 mark Mellotrons.
Some ten other guests appear on the album, including drummer Rooster Mark Cosby who turns in what critic Ned Raggett described as some of his best work, and "henchman" The Boy Anal, who was unaware his piano playing was being recorded for the end of "Dust". Other contributors included saxophonist and trumpeter Raymond Lovesong, vocalist Doggen (TC Lethbridge), conductor Martin Schellard and vocal chanters O.K Simon and Merrick Godhaven.
Composition
Extending the accessible pop sound of 20 Mothers, Interpreter is an adventurous, playful rock album with electronic overtones. While described by critics to be an album of space rock or glam pop reminiscent of Mott the Hoople, the eclectic record incorporates acoustic folk, idiosyncratic glam rock, orchestral pop, anthemic guitar music and "novelty Krautrock moon-opera," leading to what writer James Delingpole called a "weird, futuristic netherworld of Cope's own devising." The lushly produced album is laden with string arrangements, synthesisers and electric guitars, and was compared by Delingpole to early 1970s rock with its usage of Mellotrons, "early Roxy" keyboards and "Mott the Hoople guitars" and to the 1990s pop of The Lightning Seeds. Writers have highlighted the album's witty lyrics and 'nuttiness'. The album's contents are split into "Phase 1" and "Phase 2".
Opening song "I Come from Another Planet, Baby" is among Cope's most upbeat and joyful songs, sung in an exaggerated "English" accent that drew comparison to David Bowie, and incorporating krautrock-inspired noise. "I've Got My TV and My Pills" was described as an attempt by Cope to debunk some of "the myths surrounding his eccentric persona." Music critic Sam Upton described "Planetary Sit-In" as a "sterling astral ballad." "The Battle for the Trees" celebrates the organised protests against the Newbury bypass construction, while "Cheap New-Age Fix" is in a trashy garage rock style and attacks "wannabe poseurs" with only a superficial interest in New Age subjects, as opposed to Cope's more intense focus on environmentalism and heathenism. The surreal "S.p.a.c.e.r.o.c.k. with me" was influenced by Amon Düül II and features what Cope described as "outrageous diva vocals" from guest contributor Lynn Davies. A sample of Martin Luther King Jr. saying "truth crushed to Earth will rise again" is used as a mantra in "Re-Directed Male". Some songs feature themes of extra-terrestrial travel.