Uncle Sam-Bert

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I was hanging around on Twitter today when the news arrived of Adam's acoustic EP. I was left bemused by the track listing, which consists of WWFM, MA, Aftermath, Soaked and MW. I expected that MW would be consigned to history and we'd get an acoustic Sleepwalker. Judging by the reactions, I'm not the only one. I hope it's not the jazzed up version of MW (which I've never thought of as befitting the lyrics), and that the production does his voice justice. Among my favourite acoustic versions of the above songs are the NRJ WWFM, MetMichiel MA, Regis and Kelly MW and any tour versions of Soaked and Aftermath.

This news was shortly followed by the release of the EP cover:

It's a Lee Cherry creation and funnily enough, just like the original FYE cover, I initially thought it was a Photoshopped fan art job and tried to place the photos from they came. The jewellery is from the Frontiers shoot, the hand could be from any number of photos... then I realised it was the real cover.

I found it a surprising choice for an acoustic EP and wondered whether he was being packaged up with stars and stripes to re-invent him as a good ole all-American boy. But it's Adam, and one of the things I love most about him is his slightly sneaky subversive streak. The colours might be patriotic but I see in it a nod to punk, especially with the eroded typeface. The black-and-white shirtless photo shows Adam as full of attitude with a proud but slightly disdainful expression. His fingers could easily be facing the other way and it would still be entirely appropriate. With the halo around his head, he flirts with religious imagery. Gay messiah, rock god, rebel against American religious nuts, whatever you wish to interpret from it, the choice of lyrics from Music Again in the background is telling — a reminder of what it is and should always be about. It's a very bold, striking cover and I'm glad he steered away from the ordinary. Love it!