A sophisticated and understated pop bossa. This song can breeze by the first time you hear it, but the unexpected hooks and chord changes make for addictive listening. There are strings, a gentle and high male vocal and a rhythmic piano. It really is heavenly. I should add that the CD compilation this appears on, 'the essential...volume 2', is really one of the very best single-artist compilations I've ever heard. The liner notes are not perfect though - this song is erroneously listed as 'Tiao branco forte'. Great compilation though, one which showed me that Marcos really is a genius.
from Viola Enluarada (Odeon) available on CD - The Essential Marcos Valle, Vol 2 (Mr Bongo)
A classic 80s pop song, with New Order trademarks such as a super heavy bassline, strong drums and some frenetic guitar work. The lyrics aren't too bad for Bernard Sumner either - it's a touching (if not entirely coherent) story about lost love. A great song which fills me with nostagia.
A lovely little pop song, Jellypop perky Jean uses a standard Julian Cope trick - having a nice little repetitive musical phrase running in the background throughout the whole song. He then builds things up with a simple organ sound. The effect is very gentle and ambient and wonderful. At one point late in the song, Julian stunningly stops singing and starts talking. Here the real genius cuts through, and I start wondering why more people don't rant on about this guy as much as I do.
from Droolian available on CD - Floored Genius (Sony)
A wonderful guitar based pop song which strongly evokes the early 90s to me. The guitar work is superb - a clean electric sound with the kind of fast strumming I love (and used to try and imitate). It's an optimistic and uplifting track - check it out! The Peel session version sounds the best to me, but that's probably because I heard it first. At one stage Mark Edwards had made this available online.
from Chopping Down the Family Tree, available on CD (Scat)
28 Jun 03 ·konsu: Mark Edwards is one of the unsung heros of midwestern post-punk. His influence is often kept secret, as if to protect the pearls contained within from pop-poachers and indie-plagerists. His Homestead stuff is worth hunting down, particularly "Let's Skip The Details" & "The Taller You Are,The Shorter You Get". His self-effacing wisdom, and ironic poetics are the stuff of legend, as well as his no-nonsense approach to guitar, which much like mr. D, I had practiced in my solitude many times before. A rare recommendation indeed!
A beautifully gentle and textured version of this song, led by some great group harmony vocals. These are backed by a gentle bossa nova beat, electric harpsichord, and strings which sweep in and out. Gentle and addictive listening.
from Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends (A&M) available on CD - Complete (Polydor Japan)
09 May 05 ·rum: Oh there�s certainly no denying it, this track has an irresistibly seductive melody but there�s no chance I�d be seduced. Oh rum, you�re just being silly, she�d say, �don�t make a mountain out of a grain of sand�� silly?! I caught you in bed with the Mayor of Pensacola, Florida� this is no grain of sand my dear! But rum, it was just one time, a silly mistake, �one drop of rain doesn�t make the sun run away�, does it? Are you mad? What kind of reasoning is that? 17, 18� eighty-seven drops of rain wouldn�t either. So what are you trying to tell me? Am I to hold out for a rainstorm of two-timing before getting in a huff? The summer of love ended last September. This is 1968, the year of revolution, of fighting in the streets, of� but then she�d put her finger on your lips, �DON�T� go breaking my heart�� and look up at you with the innocence of a wee lamb. Oh, you so want to forgive her. Maybe I�ll give her just one more chance, it is such a beautiful melody� �I�ll love you till the sky falls down, even then� you�ll remain in my heart� Ahh, no, no, I�m not falling for that. I�m not an idiot, that�s impossible. Now I know you�re having me on. I�m not getting caught in your web of lies you, you, you� Your melody maybe sweet but your argument stinks. Go on get out, strumpet! ��come to my arms, forever�� No, no, clear off. ��teach my heart how to smile?...� OUT!
