by Steve HueyDescribed by Momus himself as "the album that shot itself in the foot," Timelord was recorded amidst the turmoil surrounding the singer's romance with Shazna Nessa, the teenage daughter of a Muslim immigrant from Bangladesh. With family tensions coming to a head, Momus recorded what amounts to an open love letter in an attempt to make his feelings clear. Timelord can't be divorced from that context, since it's so specifically personal and inadequately developed. There's a vague concept about time travel which allows for reflection on various stages of life, but it doesn't have a consistent enough presence to tie the album together. And besides, it's clear that Momus' real concern is for the here and now. There are some touching moments on Timelord, but much of the lyrical detail sounds as though it holds a great deal more significance for Momus than for a listening audience. What really sinks the album, though, is that the music often feels rushed and undercrafted, floating off into the ether without leaving much of an impression. The result is a difficult record that, unfortunately but perhaps not unpredictably, marked the end of Momus' ties to Creation, the label he'd spent more time on than any other artist save Primal Scream.