Moloko Report

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

On the last Now poll thread I was CHALLENGED to go and download some Moloko songs and promised the Lex I'd report back. I downloaded one I thought I liked - "Indigo" - and two I thought I didn't - "Fun For Me" and "The Time Is Now".

WHAT I THOUGHT: Saying "I don't like her voice" always feels like a cop-out, but there it is, I don't like her voice. I like the stylists she's borrowing from - Eartha Kitt &c. - but she doesn't have nearly enough charisma and sounds quite sneery to me. The lyrics may not help - she has the sort of voice which would suit acidic wit, but she's putting it to the service of non-sequiturs. The impression is of a gag you're not in on - some people like this in music, I realise.

The backing on "Fun For Me" is good, though - I don't know, aside from Roisin's voice, why I thought it was just Portishead-lite when I first heard it: its squelchiness has aged very well. So this is a keeper for that reason.

"Indigo" was a disappointment - I remember it as being a lot more outlandish: the "Rameses! Colossus!" bit was Scooter-esque in my memory and so the reality sounds half-hearted. Less interesting music, too.

"The Time Is Now" sounds much better than I remembered - her singing is softer, the tune is better, there's momentum and elegance, it's pretty good.

So on balance - an improvement, but I still wouldn't say I liked them.

Comments

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

She sang like she had toffees sticking her teeth together.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

It's definitely worth checking out her solo album produced by Herbert. esp. 'Sow Into You', 'Ramalama (Bang Bang)' and 'Ruby Blue'.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I have never heard any Herbert I've liked at all, so I'm wary here.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

oh aye, if The Knife don't grab you much his stuff probably wouldn't either (not that they sound similar, but it's this idea of Electronic Sophistopop or something innit).

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I thought you'd like 'The Time Is Now' better - less of an attempt at the Moloko schtick (which I like because of the non sequiturs - not so much a gag I'm not in on as something vaguely Dadaist, it's funny and compelling because there isn't a gag at all) and more straightforward pop. (This is why I think you'll like 'Forever More' as well, and maaaybe 'Pure Pleasure Seeker', but probably nothing from the solo album unless you like 'Sow Into You'.)

I really liked the way you only realised her voice was properly, technically, conventionally good after about 10 listens, and that the kind of voice traditionally used for quite emotional music was being used as something so nonsensical.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Did the freakytigger ROCK REPORT (on Led Zep) ever happen? I don't remember seeing it.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

No, the mindbending rock power of THE ZEP has not yet been processed by my puny brain.

But thanks for reminding me!

opinions which will surely shock you to the core

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I don't really like Led Zeppelin. I don't like his voice.

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

Tom, do you remember "Forever More"? It may be my favourite single of the 00s so far (give or take a "Don't Falter" perhaps), manic-depressive disco!

[(Anonymous)]

Hah, when I read the title, I thought "why is Tom reporting about that bloke outta Placebo??"

peace out, jel