RIGHT SAID FRED/Hits CD review

RIGHT SAID FRED/Hits

It is no secret that I absolutely LOVE Right Said Fred.  In fact, when the brotherly duo of Richard and Fred Fairbrass released their last studio album, I'm A Celebrity, I did an in-depth interview with them that remains my proudest moment here on the blog. (You can read Part One HERE. Part Two is HERE. Part Three can be found HERE). Top blokes, those two!

So, a year later, Right Said Fred release Hits, an album so chock full of goodness that it makes the perfect introduction to those who may have missed these tracks the first time around but also serves as a reminder to fans on how just great RSF are.  Fans will also dig the opportunity to find two brand new songs that are unavailable elsewhere (more on those later). 

So, unless you are European, you may only know the duo from their massive hit "I'm Too Sexy".  Yes, it's extremely infectious and is adored by millions of earthlings of all ages, from kids to grandparents. But most folks think of it as a novelty tune, and it kind of is (no disrespect to the Fairbrass Bros!).  Thing is, that tune sounds NOTHING like the rest of their repertoire!

There's a difference between dance music artists with a catchy Pop tune and Pop artists with a great tune that you can dance to.  Right Said Fred fall into the latter category.  Take away the dance beats and you've still got a great song. In fact, their CD singles have contained acoustic versions of the A-sides which have revealed a pair of tunesmiths that know their way around a good melody.

The easiest comparison is Pet Shop Boys, except RSF are a lot less pretentious and create music that they clearly enjoy playing. Pet Shop Boys, as good as they are, often sound bored. But not RSF! They seem to be having the time of their lives. Plus, with Fred being a guitarist, there is a lot more acoustic and electric guitar floating around on their albums than Pet Shop Boys.

While this Hits collection features practically all of their A-sides (and unfortunately includes nothing from I'm A Celebrity), non-fans are missing out on great album tracks.  But enough about that...

Hits is fantastic. Period. It's the bee's knees. It's music for the heart, soul and feet.  It's the perfect gift for Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, President's Day and any other damn day of the year!  If you love songs that you can sing along to, dance to and shout from the rooftops, then Hits is for you!

While there are plenty of great moments here, some do sound a bit different (ie: remix but not re-recorded). I'll have to check with the Freds on that one.  I'm a shameless fan and own all the singles, but the album versions are what I'm more familiar with.  So, that's even more reason for y'all to run out to get it!

Now, in regards to the two new tunes: I initially didn't like "Sexy Bum" and felt it was kind of a step back for the boys, but I've grown to enjoy it.  Very catchy, fun and tongue-in-cheek (er... pun intended?).  On the other hand, "Right On The Kisser" is a fab tune that hits a home-run on first listen!  It's more in the vein of their finest moments like "Stand Up (For The Champions)", "Melanie" and "We Are The Freds".  It should be a massive hit. 

So, go buy this sexy little disc and play the hell out of it!  Drop your "I'm Too Sexy"-based bias and have some fun!

You're welcome,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

SONG OF THE DAY: A-Ha/"Foot Of The Mountain"

A-HA/"Foot Of The Mountain"

From the album

Foot Of The Mountain

Get to know THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD!

One of the catchiest tunes out there right now is "Meeting Mr. Miandad" by THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD!  The track is available on their fab self-titled album available NOW (but only as an import).

This duo is actually a lighthearted side-project from THE DIVINE COMEDY's Neil Hannon and PUGWASH's Thomas Walsh.

Thankfully, the rest of the album is just as fun and melodic as the single and should be purchased immediately by anyone who digs great melodic Pop/Rock with a '60s influence.  But don't take my word for it: check out "Meeting Mr. Miandad" for yourself!

The Spaz Method,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

PREFAB SPROUT/Let's Change The World With Music review

Prefab Sprout's Let's Change The World With Music is now available!  This abandoned album from the early '90s (recorded after Jordan: The Comeback) has been gathering dust for 17 years and has finally seen the light of day!

Here is what I had to say about it on All Music Guide!

"Why on earth isn’t Paddy McAloon a legend? Honestly, he really should be a household name all around the world. From Prefab Sprout’s early ‘80s singles up through their oft-brilliant but much-maligned album The Gunman & Other Stories in 2001, Paddy has written some of the finest Pop tunes you’re likely to hear in your lifetime. If you are not familiar with the Sprouts’ output, comparisons are futile. How can you possibly describe a songwriter who is as unique as he is mysterious? Comparisons have been made with Cole Porter, Lennon & McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Jimmy Webb, Elvis Costello and many others, but he remains a truly original and gifted singer and songwriter.

While Prefab Sprout could never be called prolific in terms of physical album releases, Paddy has continued to write and demo material throughout the band’s 20+ year career. In recent years, while less talented artists bask in the spotlight and sell boatloads of albums, our man Paddy has dealt with a series of health issues including vision and hearing problems. He’s had retinal detachments in both eyes and a severe bout with tinnitus, which has left him virtually unable to carry on as a recording artist. Thankfully, he continues to write songs that can be sung by other vocalists and perhaps, one day, he will be able to grace us with his own voice again.

Until then, we will fortunately be graced with previously unreleased Prefab Sprout music, such as Let’s Change The World With Music, the oft-rumored 1992 follow-up to the Sprouts’ Jordan: The Comeback album. While the album was never actually completed by the band, Paddy’s full-formed demo is not just a hint of what ‘might have been’: it’s one of the most consistent albums of the band’s career!

Let’s Change The World With Music is a loose concept album that that is based around the intense, often times religious, joy of music and the gift it brings to those who allow it to overcome and overwhelm them. While Paddy is not a Bible-bashing evangelist, he uses religious imagery to describe the magical power of music and how it can literally change the world. Those who choose to push music to the background in their lives may not understand where Paddy is coming from, but for those of us who have lived and breathed music since our early days, Let’s Change The World With Music is a revelation (pun intended).

From the intro of the lead-off track, “Let There Be Music”, it is immediately obvious that this will be a different Prefab experience to what most fans are used to. In the past (especially on Jordan: The Comeback), the band used keyboards to add depth and atmosphere to their tracks but Let’s Change The World... is a different ball of wax: it is ALL keyboards. As stated previously, this is Paddy’s demo version of his musical vision and does not feature backing vocalist Wendie Smith or brother Martin.. or anyone else for that matter. And to be honest, even without the other band members, it’s an absolute joy to listen to. Would it have sounded better with real strings, real drums, guitars and proper production from someone like Thomas Dolby? It’s really hard to tell, since the album is a near-perfect collection of songs that celebrate the glory of music, becoming a glorious piece of music in the process.

Some of the lyrics on the album may seem a bit twee and trite on the surface (particularly on “Music Is A Princess”), but in the context of the album, they become touching and heartwarming. Like all Prefab albums, there are moments of absolute joy on display mixed with an equal amount of bittersweet and touching songs that reach right down and stir your soul. Highlights include “Ride”, “Earth, The Story So Far”, “Last Of The Great Romantics”, “Angel Of Love” and the title track.

For the uninitiated, the Prefab Sprout albums to investigate first would certainly be Steve McQueen and Jordan: The Comeback, but Let’s Change The World With Music isn’t far behind. It is a beautiful, joyful and unpretentious musical love letter written to and about this life-changing force we call music. Let it make your heart sing!"

Let's change the world with music blogs,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

BANANARAMA/Love Comes: the NEW video!

Yep, BANANARAMA are back with a new album (Viva) due later in September. Here's the video for "Love Comes", the first single lifted from the album!

LEVEL 42: The Deluxe Reissues on Edsel Records/Review

Thanks to those fine folks over at Edsel Records, a pair of overlooked albums in the LEVEL 42 catalog have just been upgraded and are being released in DELUXE two CD sets:

Guaranteed and Forever Now!

Level 42, led by bassist/vocalist Mark King and keyboardist/vocalist Mike Lindup, had already achieved great success worldwide throughout the '80s with their unique blend of Jazz, Funk and Pop. By the time they scored a U.S. hit with "Something About You" in 1985, their sound had become instantly identifiable and the hits just kept coming.

But with success comes pressure and by 1987, the band's other two long-time members, brothers Phil and Boon Gould, had left the fold. King and Lindup carried on in a harder, slicker direction for the album Staring At The Sun (1988) but then cooled their heals and plotted their next move.

In 1991, with a new label (RCA) and a new confidence, King and Lindup (along with drummer Gary Husband and a few different guitarists including Alan Holdsworth and Dominic Miller) released Guaranteed, a mature and focused collection of songs that moved forward but also retained the Jazz/Funk feel of their hit '80s albums. The album was filled with stunning musicianship (everyone involved was at the top of their game) and gorgeous songwriting. The melodies of the album may not have been immediate at times, but would take root after a spin or two. The album's key tracks, "Guaranteed", "Overtime" and "My Father's Shoes", took the band to a new... er... level in terms of maturity and artistry. But as usual, when a band moves forward, their audience sometimes gets left behind in the confusion, which was the case with Guaranteed. All their audience wanted was another World Machine or Running In The Family but L42 were not content with living in the past. While the album was adored by the hardcore fan, the public at large were only mildly interested.

Nearly 20 years later, the album is now seen as a milestone in their career. With this double CD reissue, fans old and new can revisit a new and improved version complete with bonus tracks! Not only do you get every track from the original release (including the bonus cuts only available on cassette and CD versions) but you also get a bonus CD containing 16 single edits, 12" remixes, b-sides and live cuts! Personally, I'm a big fan of extended mixes like the ones included here, simple because you are able to hear musical elements of the song that may be buried or mixed down on an album or single version. And with Level 42, there is often so much going on in a song that you may understandably miss a little guitar line here or piano riff there. On these extended mixes, those wonderful moments are there for you to enjoy in all their splendor!

Not a moment is wasted in this package, which has been lovingly and respectfully compiled with the fan in mind. The package looks beautiful and includes lyrics, bio, photos and more. Totally ace!

(Review continues after this video break)



Three years later (which can be a lifetime in the world of Pop music unless you are Guns 'N' Roses), King and Lindup returned with Forever Now, one of the finest albums of their career. On Forever Now, Level 42 moves forward even further, incorporating then-current dance rhythms into some of their tracks while remaining true to their original Jazz/Funk/Pop fusion. Originally issued as an 11 track album, Forever Now featured career-defining tracks like "Love In A Peaceful World" and the title track alongside songs that have become firm fan favorites like "Billy's Gone", "The Sunbed Song" and "All Over You". The brief return of original member Phil Gould adds extra excitement to the proceedings as well.

The album was eventually reissued in 1996 with different artwork, a different running order and a handful of tracks replacing two that were dropped from the original release. As confusing as it was, this reworking of the album may have dropped the immediacy of the original release, but it added a new atmosphere and better musical understanding of the project as a whole.

This expanded reissue retains the original release's artwork but features the second edition's tracklist on Disc One. The bonus disc begins with the two tracks that were dropped from the initial release then adds 10 remixes and single edits, making this the ULTIMATE version of Forever Now! Once again, it's jam packed with great music, great liner notes and so much more.

So, there you have it: many great reasons to pull out a few bucks, slap 'em on the counter and yell "So, where are my LEVEL 42 Deluxe editions, mate??!!!"

GUARANTEED and FOREVER NOW: the Deluxe 2CD Editions available June 9th, 2009!

Your Level 42-lovin' buddy,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee