A grandiose harpsichord entrance gives way to almost choirboy melody regerding our lack of concern over this planet of ours , add to this a vaudeville waltz time middle eight sung through a megaphone and we are firmly in the land of strange though not just for the sake of it . Weirdly wonderful and a Top 10 hit as well
The real beginning of Scott Walkers heavyweight reputation as avant garde miserabalist,droning synths fall apart at the explosive chorus and then drone again before dignified strings take you to another place before once again you come back to a fading drone ,exhausting ,exhilarating and uncomfortable but a genuine new musical territory at the time ,its influence can be heard on Bowie,s "Cat People",Japans "Ghosts" and even "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins ,(that tense guarded intro morphing into something more open and glorious through various layers ).
Buried at the end of an ill advised Walker Brothers album Nite Flights this is essential.
An electronic collusus,the real joy of repitition ,its influence is 50% Kraftwerk and the same of Giorgio Moroder,a lenghthy epic dance workout ,increasing in intensity as it hurtles ,train like, to its sweaty conclusion ,its one concession to its American origins is the radio friendly vocal style ,imagine Hall and Oates being produced by Moroder and you are some way there .
A small hit at the time which has grown into a genuine dance classic,re mixed and revised several times ,but its always that relentless rhythym which grabs the listener,refusing to let go .
The sound of Paul Wller finding his musical feet after the Jam split,a breezy acoustic mid tempo ballad that relies on organic components ,guitar ,hammond organ and hand claps to propel this celebration of love and unity through the roof .
Originally appeared on the B-side of an early single and sounding like a demo,it was later re recorded for the debut album "Cafe Bleu" but was really nailed on this version
from Introducing The Style Council available on CD - Introducing/Cafe Bleu
A funky bassline and psychedelic vocalising were not the norm for the normally synthy electronic Fad,a rumbling slightly intimidating track that pre dated The Stone Roses and Trip-Hop ,how this track can be nearly 30 years old is slightly unreal and the line "life begins when youre ready to face it" will resonate with anyone whos time has yet to come .