Here's some more of my singles reviews....
The Sundays "Summertime"
Chart Position #15
1997
Parlophone
Remember them? Not exactly known for their workrate, they released 3 albums in 8 years, hardly toured and didn't really have any mainstream hits. But they're not obscure enough to be cult. Anyway, here's one single from their small back catalogue. Their first single in five years at the time, it didn't disappoint, with trademark jangly guitar and Harriet Wheeler's soaring voice transporting you to a field somewhere in the middle of the Lake District during a heatwave. Or is that just me? Wonderful song from the criminally underrated "Static & Silence" CD, which contains the brilliant "Newman & Baddiel" theme tune..
And then they were gone again. To return? We just don't know. I'd bet against it. I'm just glad I got to see them in 97 on their last (?) tour at the Manchester University.
The Sundays. To be treasured.
... which leads me into...
Natalie Imbruglia "Wrong Impression"
Chart Position #10
2002
Yes, Natalie Imbruglia. Hear me out.
Good grief, it's going to be ten years very shortly since the always popular "Torn" was released and the lovely gorgeous Nat’s still around, chipping away at the pop coalface, having the occasional hit here and there. I seemed to like most of her singles that she released actually, and her first album still stands up today. Now "First Impression" seems she and co-writer Gary Clark have been listening to the aforementioned "Sundays", as this is a virtual homage. Or rip off if you're being honest. And very good it is too. If you can't have the real thing, then next best thing will do.
Have I mentioned Miss Imbruglia looks gorgeous? Oh yes I have.
Information Society "What's On Your Mind"
London Records/Tommy Boy Records 1988
Chart Position #3 (US)
Somewhere outside Top 75 (UK)
First CD single I ever bought, fact fans. Being forever Electroboy, I was suffering a Human League withdrawal back in 1988. Sure there was a Greatest Hits released but no new stuff. Then I saw this on the not-at-all-missed "Night Network" on ITV. Hey! Guy sounds a bit like Phil Oakey (though actually in retrospect he's more Tom Bailey from Thompson Twins), and it sounds like prime early 80s electro. I had to hunt this down (these were lean t
imes remember- The Hollies were number one again and The Pasadenas were the future of soul). So an order was made with my local record emporium and lo, my first CDSingle was purchased. £3.99, I ask you.
I scanned the Record Mirror mag for the next few weeks, checking the almost legendary James Hamilton's dance pages for mentions of this sure to be a hit track, and the Top 75 listings at the back. Not a sign. No airplay on Radio One either. Not even Bruno Brookes, and he broke Jesus Jones for gawd's sake.
So the UK passed on this one. Their loss. I know nothing of the group or their other output. I assume it was a one-hit wonder in the States, no doubt becoming a hit because anoraks liked the the Star Trek samples. Probably.
And here they are again...
SAINT ETIENNE "Like A Motorway"
Heavenly Records
The Sundays "Summertime"Chart Position #15
1997
Parlophone
Remember them? Not exactly known for their workrate, they released 3 albums in 8 years, hardly toured and didn't really have any mainstream hits. But they're not obscure enough to be cult. Anyway, here's one single from their small back catalogue. Their first single in five years at the time, it didn't disappoint, with trademark jangly guitar and Harriet Wheeler's soaring voice transporting you to a field somewhere in the middle of the Lake District during a heatwave. Or is that just me? Wonderful song from the criminally underrated "Static & Silence" CD, which contains the brilliant "Newman & Baddiel" theme tune..
And then they were gone again. To return? We just don't know. I'd bet against it. I'm just glad I got to see them in 97 on their last (?) tour at the Manchester University.
The Sundays. To be treasured.
... which leads me into...
Natalie Imbruglia "Wrong Impression"
Chart Position #10
2002
Yes, Natalie Imbruglia. Hear me out.Good grief, it's going to be ten years very shortly since the always popular "Torn" was released and the lovely gorgeous Nat’s still around, chipping away at the pop coalface, having the occasional hit here and there. I seemed to like most of her singles that she released actually, and her first album still stands up today. Now "First Impression" seems she and co-writer Gary Clark have been listening to the aforementioned "Sundays", as this is a virtual homage. Or rip off if you're being honest. And very good it is too. If you can't have the real thing, then next best thing will do.
Have I mentioned Miss Imbruglia looks gorgeous? Oh yes I have.
Information Society "What's On Your Mind"
London Records/Tommy Boy Records 1988
Chart Position #3 (US)
Somewhere outside Top 75 (UK)
First CD single I ever bought, fact fans. Being forever Electroboy, I was suffering a Human League withdrawal back in 1988. Sure there was a Greatest Hits released but no new stuff. Then I saw this on the not-at-all-missed "Night Network" on ITV. Hey! Guy sounds a bit like Phil Oakey (though actually in retrospect he's more Tom Bailey from Thompson Twins), and it sounds like prime early 80s electro. I had to hunt this down (these were lean t
imes remember- The Hollies were number one again and The Pasadenas were the future of soul). So an order was made with my local record emporium and lo, my first CDSingle was purchased. £3.99, I ask you.I scanned the Record Mirror mag for the next few weeks, checking the almost legendary James Hamilton's dance pages for mentions of this sure to be a hit track, and the Top 75 listings at the back. Not a sign. No airplay on Radio One either. Not even Bruno Brookes, and he broke Jesus Jones for gawd's sake.
So the UK passed on this one. Their loss. I know nothing of the group or their other output. I assume it was a one-hit wonder in the States, no doubt becoming a hit because anoraks liked the the Star Trek samples. Probably.
And here they are again...
SAINT ETIENNE "Like A Motorway"Heavenly Records
HVN 40
Released: May 1994
Chart Position #47
Number 47. It's a disgrace.
For what are one of the finest exponents of British singles over the last 16 years, Saint Etienne have done very badly in the charts. This song is a prime example. Should have been massive. Shouldn't they all? But wasn't.
It's almost like a Phil Spector song done in a Kraftwerk style. Sarah's vocals tell a story of a doomed romance over the hypnotic Moroderesque backing track. Anorak fact: of course the single version misses out a verse from the "Tiger Bay" version and they now do that version live, which is a shame. The verse that time forgot.
Bob Stanley of the group said: "Number Forty-Seven with a bullet. The Americans tried to get us to change the title to Like A Freeway! Can you believe it? We said, Autobahn was a hit all around the world, fuck off."
The American remix of this song has a "charm" all of it's own i.e it's a got guitars on it now, but is not in the same league as the original. Apparently the vocal line and some of the lyrical content of this song seem to owe quite a large debt to Joan Baez's "Silver Dagger". I've never heard it so can't comment on if it's a ripoff or not.
All I know is it's a superb single, and the CD contains one of DJ & film music composer David "Ocean's Eleven" Holmes's earliest and best remixes.
Back to the 80's now...
What do I know about Jona Lewie? Sod all really, without my "Virgin Book Of 80s music" to hand. Errr, part of the Stiff label line-up around 77 to 81, always seemed to be on Swap Shop or Radio One, had a massive hit with Xmas fave “Stop The Cavalry” and presumably makes so much each year in royalties that he need never work again. That’s it.
So whilst “Cavalry” is a bona fide pop gem, over familiarity sometimes breeds contempt so I’m not having that track. Instead I’d go for the earlier single “You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties”, a neglected downbeat electropop classic.
Released: May 1994
Chart Position #47
Number 47. It's a disgrace.
For what are one of the finest exponents of British singles over the last 16 years, Saint Etienne have done very badly in the charts. This song is a prime example. Should have been massive. Shouldn't they all? But wasn't.
It's almost like a Phil Spector song done in a Kraftwerk style. Sarah's vocals tell a story of a doomed romance over the hypnotic Moroderesque backing track. Anorak fact: of course the single version misses out a verse from the "Tiger Bay" version and they now do that version live, which is a shame. The verse that time forgot.
Bob Stanley of the group said: "Number Forty-Seven with a bullet. The Americans tried to get us to change the title to Like A Freeway! Can you believe it? We said, Autobahn was a hit all around the world, fuck off."
The American remix of this song has a "charm" all of it's own i.e it's a got guitars on it now, but is not in the same league as the original. Apparently the vocal line and some of the lyrical content of this song seem to owe quite a large debt to Joan Baez's "Silver Dagger". I've never heard it so can't comment on if it's a ripoff or not.
All I know is it's a superb single, and the CD contains one of DJ & film music composer David "Ocean's Eleven" Holmes's earliest and best remixes.
Back to the 80's now...
What do I know about Jona Lewie? Sod all really, without my "Virgin Book Of 80s music" to hand. Errr, part of the Stiff label line-up around 77 to 81, always seemed to be on Swap Shop or Radio One, had a massive hit with Xmas fave “Stop The Cavalry” and presumably makes so much each year in royalties that he need never work again. That’s it.
So whilst “Cavalry” is a bona fide pop gem, over familiarity sometimes breeds contempt so I’m not having that track. Instead I’d go for the earlier single “You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties”, a neglected downbeat electropop classic.
Released May 1980Stiff Records
UK Chart position #16
I had this track on a battered old Ronco compilation called “Street Level” back in 1981, which as an eleven year old at the time was like an entry level sampler for all things new wave (John Foxx! PIL! XTC! Dickies! Errrr..Nick Straker Band! …nevermind)… and I hadn’t heard the song for years until recently when I picked up the “Hard Night’s Day” Stiff compilation CD with this on it (frankly I’d nominate the entire Stiff records output from 79 to 81 if I could be arsed).
Lewie’s vocal style is so low-key it’s as if he’s actually singing it from the studio next door, and the female vocal on the chorus is so 1980 it hurts. Great synth keyboard break as well.
Wikipedia brought up this though. I didn’t know that he was partly responsible for the 70s hit “Seaside Shuffle” by Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs though. But then again my name is not Tim Rice, and this is not “Pop Quiz”.
Lisa Marie with Malcolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra "Something's Jumpin' In Your Shirt" Chart position #29
Epic Records
August 1989
I knew Celia was someone special when I found this in the pile of her 7" singles buried under the stairs. She and I had bought the very same obscure single. A glorious record from McLarens "Waltz Darling" album, featuring the lovely US model Lisa Marie on "vocals", and a certified minor hit. Is she singing about the feelings of love in her heart, or is she just alluding to the fact that she has large breasts? Hmmm. Should have been massive but the charts were odd back then. You place this single with his earlier hits "Double Dutch", "Buffalo Gals" & "Madam Butterfly", and that makes McLaren unslaggable to these ears.
Fascinating fact no 563: Lisa Marie was briefly engaged to director & full time goth Tim Burton. She is very easy on the eye. He is not. As you can see. And plucked from the archives, here's the video for the single which is made in that Bruce Weber style. Thanks YouTube.
Fascinating fact no 563: Lisa Marie was briefly engaged to director & full time goth Tim Burton. She is very easy on the eye. He is not. As you can see. And plucked from the archives, here's the video for the single which is made in that Bruce Weber style. Thanks YouTube.
"ThyouTube".
No comments:
Post a Comment