Claw needs to fight his way from one end of the level to another, running over platforms, jumping over holes, climbing ladders, swinging ropes, and fighting many different kinds of opponents, most of them dogs.
#Captain claw slow series#
And this is where the game begins: through 14 levels and a series of cartoonish cinematics, we follow Claw as he breaks out of prison, escapes his pursuers, and sets out to gather the nine gems that make up the amulet.Īlthough there are many differences between the game's levels, the basic premise is always the same. The idea of owning this amulet, as well as the thought of a brand new adventure, revitalizes the disheartened Claw and he breaks out of his cell. In his death cell, Claw finds a note left by another prisoner which tells him of the legendary Amulet of Nine Lives, a magical artifact which will grant immortality to its owner. In the opening cinematic, a stroke of misfortune causes Claw and his band of merry cats to be boarded and captured by a Spaniard frigate commanded by the evil mongrel Redtail. It tells us the story of Captain Claw, the fearless feline pirate who preys on the ships of - who else? - the Cocker Spaniard empire. Released by Monolith in 1997, Claw seems to be a game lost on an unexpected system - a pure platform title on the PC.
The difficulty steadily increases, though, and by the time you are halfway the game, every new level seems impossible at first." The first levels aren't all that hard to complete, and even somebody who has never played a platform game before will get through them with only a little practice. The plays as it says on the sleeve “with a spirit of adventure and mischief”."Speaking of challenge, there is plenty of that in Claw, but there is also a very well balanced learning curve. Overall a very enjoyable album, well played, doesn’t overstay its welcome and which makes you look at some familiar Beefheart songs in a slightly different way. A straight performance of Flavor Bud Living followed by an instrumental Veteran’s Day Poppy shows that they can play this music live with precision and passion too. The final track on the album is a live take from their August 2016 gig at their home stomping ground of Henry’s Cellar Bar. Again sax and guitar have some fun and Steve steps in with some fine vocals too. When It Blows Its Stacks gives bassist Dave Beards an opportunity to be heard as he propels the incessant beat of this heavy Beefheart rocker. When I See A Mommy is led by Steve’s sax and is played slightly slower than the original giving it a bit of sinuous grace and smoky jazz night club feel. I particularly like the guitar and drums (from Des Travis) on this track. There’s a more frenzied section towards the end before its final station stop.Īnt Man Bee is another vocal track but with slightly distorted vocals this time which are mixed a bit low for some reason. It rattles along well even without the lyrics.
#Captain claw slow free#
The spring-loaded rhythm propelling the mainly instrumental version whilst the use of one sung verse towards the end rounds the song off well.Ĭlick Clack starts with a slow swirling free form piece before kicking off into that great riff with slide guitar (from Stuart Allardyce) playing off against the sax rather than the harmonica of the Spotlight Kid original. I know he’s not confident about his singing but he does a fine job here by not trying to copy Don’s style. The album kicks off with Hot Head which was a bit of a surprise as it showcases Steve Kettley’s vocals. The band prefer to play instrumentals although there are a couple of exceptions on this album as you’ll see. He is an accomplished player with a jazz background and is technically better than Don ever was although he can skronk some too! Steve Kettley’s playing is the dominant feature, replacing guitar parts or vocal lines. The integrity of the original is retained but it is used as a basis to develop what’s there. I particularly like to hear covers which give the original song a twist. They have been performing their own particular takes on Don’s music for a few years now and have decided to release this specially recorded selection which draws on many of Beefheart’s albums.
OCH are an Edinburgh based band fronted by sax player Steve Kettley. Orange Claw Hammer have approached this music with reverence, but also with a spirit of adventure and mischief. The music of Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band remains a beacon of wild creativity for those with ears to listen. Track 8 was recorded live at Henry’s Cellar Bar, Edinburgh 19 August 2016. Tracks 1 – 7 recorded and mixed at The Clock Tower Studios, Edinburgh June 2016 Flavor Bud Living / Veteran’s Day Poppy.
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