If I'm not mistaken, this is the first (and only?) John Lydon solo album. I bought this due to my dedication to the brand of Mr. John (Rotten) Lydon. With all due respect he won't more likely go back to the brilliance of the first two Public Image Ltd albums, but still, "Psycho's Path" has its (and many) high points.
The first cut "Grave Ride," sounds very much like classic Howard Devoto/Magazine, well, at least to me. I never thought of the relationship between the two artists, but I believe that there are similarities due to both are willing to take a chance or leap into the unknown. For one, Lydon never sounded better than this album. The vocals are very strong, melodic even, with layers of electronic effects, his voice is used as an instrument in the overall mix. This is Lydon in a cocoon, and the results are surprisingly good. "Psychopath" is practically a ballad, that would remind one of the classic "Poptones." Lydon is very much taking care of the instruments on this album, with the assistance of Martin Lydon (brother?) and Mark Saunders.
The one classic cut here, and I think it is Lydon's best song ever is "Sun." It's the Lydon rant but done in such a superb fashion. It reminds me of Men Without Hats! And that is no snarky insult. Fighting against 'nature,' Lydon lists all the delights of life beyond the dirty world. What makes this song and the others on this album is songcraft. I sense Lydon is experimenting with traditional pop song format, which for him, is basically an avant-garde move. So yes, this is actually a very commercial (in a good way) album. The truth is, following Lydon is an up and down adventure, yet, he's truly a brilliant singer/artist. In the tradition of Morrissey, Devoto, Gene Pitney, I think Lydon is one of the great white/British vocalists. "Psycho's Path" went under the radar. The World, time to give it a proper listen.
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