Pop Open Group G - Revealed!

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Here's what you've been listening to (and what I thought of them).

Track 1. Derrick Harriott - "Black Skinned Blue-Eyed Boys": Spacious and spacey funk, I'm assuming early 80s tho I don't know anything about Harriott (could look it up but where's the fun?). This is good - long, but when I want to hear it I'll want to hear all of it. I like the interplay of drums, syndrums, house piano, whooshing noises, rubbery bass, good soupy mix of things going on. Injusticewatch: pleasingly cross.

Track 2. Luke Haines - "Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop": Hadn't heard this but Luke Haines is very recognisable. He's a terribly weak singer but usually knows how to craft his material to use that rather than let it limit him: generally this means being sibilant and nasty, a slick of malice on top of whatever he's cooked up musically. This has grown on me since I first heard it - the music is a good, skew-wiff take on dance-rock - and it might be wrestling with tracks 1 and 3 for my second pick. Can't shake the feeling though that he's more pleased with the title than most listeners will be. Would quite like to hear Sophie Ellis-Bextor doing this! Injusticewatch: somewhat baffled.

Track 3. Siobhan Donaghy - "12 Bar Acid Blues": Pretty, rambling, does what it says on the tin. My problem with it is that I'm much much more interested in the squelching acid noises than in the shaggy dog story, which could do with being leaner, so from the second minute I want her to shut up. Remix anyone? Injusticewatch: this is mostly bad luck, surely?

Track 4. Kirsty MacColl - "Wrong Again": The only song I knew, though I hadn't heard it since 2000. Like track 3, this could stand to be shorter by a good minute or so - after a bit it just becomes a bit of a whinge. Very attractive voice but I prefer it a bit livelier and less mopey - the music is terribly pretty, though. Injusticewatch: fair enough.

Track 5: Ms Dynamite - "Don't Stop": The easy, EASY winner here - who knew she could still pull this stuff off? Well, she did obviously, and reminds us of the fact. Frank dead right to single out the violins, tho I love the sample at the beginning, and the balance of pride and desperation in Dynamite's voice is awesome - you really get the feeling this is her last chance. Terrific track. Injusticewatch: erm her last album flopping was NOT INJUSTICE!

My opinions are as nothing compared to YOURS though - you can still vote here: http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/397904.html and are encouraged to do so!

Next week's group: we have Death ready to go, but Passion is now only one off, and Love too. In fact I think we're down to our last half-dozen holdouts on track submission. Will post reminders tonight probably (if I can stop playing SPIDER PATIENCE).

Comments

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I got the impression that Ms D wasn't complaining about her album flopping - it's "just the name of the game" as she points out - but more about people she knew personally letting her down after it flopped.

I know 'Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys' from the re-edit on the new Map Of Africa album - the credit though is to Eddy Grant so this must be a cover of some sort. Great song.

Agree w/ Tom about Haines.

Donaghy was a surprise - I have tried to like her! But even after repeat plays, it was as if both 'Don't Give It Up' and the other single were REFUSING to stay in my head - they're just so insipid. (The Carl Craig rmx of DGIU = omg, though.) This is much much better - I like the stop-start arrangement, keeps things moving in a way that Donaghy can't by herself.

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

For my money, the two SD singles are the worst things on the album by a long way. I listen to that album, I basically start at track 4, "Sometimes" which is fucking glorious in a kind of Kate Bush minus the bits Tori Amos appropriated style-ee. The rest of the album v good, but those two singles are BORING BORING BORING BORING.

Curate's egg?

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes" was in the League of Pop. It was one of my 'keepers' from that. I've also heard "Ghosts" (i.e. the title track) which is pretty good too. The mixed reviews all round have put me off getting the album though.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Really? That's promising - I like this song LOADS more than the singles, it has a vestige of personality and oomph to it. Have you heard the Mutya incidentally, is it good? Bearing in mind that I like the single - better than either SD single - but only in a 6/10, 7 if I'm generous, way.

I've seen the Kate Bush comparisons - I got really annoyed at them actually, it seems like a whole load of wishful thinking.

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

The other REALLY GRATE songs on the Siobhan are "Medevac" and ESPECIALLY "Goldfish" which is pretty astonishing.

I found the Mutya album to be INCREDIBLY boring. If I were reviewing it Stylus-style, it'd get a C-, maybe even a D+.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I'm basically just not convinced by Donaghy's voice. It seems a bit colourless even on good songs like this one. Whereas what I've heard of Buena's material is nothing to shout about so far, but her voice is definitely one I'm feeling.

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

I think she had more emotional connection on the first album even though she didn't do as many technically "interesting" things on it. But the first album was more consistent.

Buena's voice has always been better but the songs are shit.

[koganbot]

This is good to hear about Donaghy - of the three tracks I'd had on my computer, I kept only "Don't Give It Up" for the weirdly religious music in the middle; but the voice sure wasn't dominating the space. The thing about "12 Bar Acid Blues" is that it sounds like a totally naff early '70s country novelty track that went pop (as such things were wont to then) and that someone decided to add '00s beats to half-way through. A fine combination.

I'll fire off my relgiion submission tonight

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

sorry to keep you hanging (just been lazy)

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Really surprised that 5 was Ms D - I guess I don't know her as well as I thought.

Track 1 was great!

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Artist reveals for 1, 3 and 5 all surprised me!

Derrick H is known for reggae (esp. as a pioneer of ska and rocksteady) more than anything.

[koganbot]

Harriott is an important producer - don't know much of his output, but I recall that often when I was saying "I like that" in response to some early reggae track I'd discover he was involved somehow: Scotty, Keith & Tex, etc. (But this track still is too diffuse for me, even though it's lovely.) "Message From A Black Man" is tremendous (though I think it was a cover of a Temptations song). Also Keith & Tex's "Stop That Train," which I've never heard on its own, only as used in Scotty's tremendously tremendous "Draw Your Brakes."

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm definitely getting that Donaghy album...

Am I a bad person?

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

Voted strategically after the reveal...

Track 5 (Ms. D) is definitely the most striking here. To be honest, although I remember the hype about her, if I ever heard anything by her, I don't remember it now. Interesting enough to investigate further - exactly the kind of dense, propulsive hip-hop I like. Can't imagine I'll *want* to listen to it often, although like to be pleased whenever it shuffles up.

Track 1 (Derrick Herriott) likeable but unexciting (and yes, long). Funny that freakytigger said 80s, as I was listening I though to myself, "I bet Big Audio Dynamite era Mick Jones would've liked this."

Track 3 (Donaghy) Quite countrified, I was surprised to see who this was. The worbly bits are definitely what make it. (This album seems like it's shaking up to be pretty good, doesn't it?)

Track 2 (Haines) Oops, I think I have this and I didn't recognize it. Not a good sign, is it? (Also proof that I don't listen to lyrics at all, b/c obviously the title is immediately recognizable.) My first thought: Gerry Rafferty guitars.

Track 4 (Kirsty) Yawn.

[boyofbadgers.livejournal.com]

Ah, that explains why Track 2 rubbed me up the wrong way.

[koganbot]

I love love love the Auteurs' "Bailed Out," but Haines' voice is exactly wrong for "Art School Bop," or any bop, no matter how precious. There's beauty in the track anyway, but too much gaping air from the singer.

[koganbot]

"Don't Stop" seems to be from 2006, but not on anything released in the U.S.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was even released over here except in a very limited format.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I knew Haines, Donaghy and Dynamite. I am surprised more people don't know 'Don't Stop' because I actually found it when alexmacpherson posted it to the community about a year ago but still, it is definitely a very good track. I always preferred her rapping to when she was singing and hearing it again reminds me that I ought to find the track she did with Sticky ages ago.

The Donaghy is my least favourite track on the album (I prefer the beautiful, dance-y second half, especially 'Coming Up For Air,' which is a stunner) and in fact I skip it every time it comes on. The Haines does little for me either way.

[jel-bugle.livejournal.com]

I thought the Ms Dynamite song was horrible.

I thought track two was the Bloodhound Gang, and I'm not sure where the injustice was.

Track 3 was the best, I think.

Also, I would have now picked "Cherokee" by Europe and won this group at a canter.

Did you get my Violence entry??