Adam Ant - Friend Or Foe CDs • Vinyl Records • LPs • Music Albums

Saturday-morning-cartoon music doesn't help. Attempts at funk ("Cajun Twisters") and pop ("Here Comes the Grump") and an embarrassing remake of the Doors' "Hello, I Love You" come off as flat as a bottle of champagne that's lost its fizz.

If the spark has gone from Adam's music, the narcissism hasn't. He uses seven of the twelve tracks to shout about all the problems that he's faced since becoming famous. We have Adam flaunting his image ("Take it or leave it, I'm not gonna change a bit"), moaning about how tough it is to be successful ("When you get a Number One/The only way is down"), trashing girls who want him for the wrong reasons ("You sit around and suck my veins") and, of course, putting down the press ("Mister Pressman with your penknife/Always asking me about my sex life"). In the title track, Adam sings: "I want those who get to know me/To become admirers or my enemies." One gets the feeling that those who hear Friend or Foe will be joining the latter camp. (RS 384)

MICHAEL GOLDBERG