— Peter Martin
This blog is now nearly two years old and is approaching its one hundredth entry and, probably as such, I've been thinking a lot lately about some of my favourites. Not the posts I've written, mind you (there's really only the one I'm still really happy about), but the songs themselves. Having The Human League's brilliant "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" come up so soon may have given me the false impression that I was in for nothing but top quality records but the relative detritus that followed only emphasizes what an extraordinary work it is — and one they never quite managed to top. The Associates' "Party Fears Two" ably merges lyrical melancholy with sprightly jangle-pop to irresistible levels while Elvis Costello's "Man Out of Time" captures his nibs at the top of his game. Terry Hall took a pretty good song that he had stakes in and added vulnerability and unease to create "Our Lips Are Sealed", which is probably the greatest Smash Hits Single of the Fortnight of all time. Some lofty company, then.
Joining this big four is Propaganda's "Duel", which is right at home with the upper tier of SOTF. Having previously appeared with "Dr. Mabuse", the German foursome seemed set to conjure up many more similarly unsettling cinematic epics. To return a year later, then, with the far more straightforward "Duel" may seem like either a lapse in quality, a drastic and premature rethink or an acknowledgement that they've already run out of ideas but it is in fact a stunning work. Tying together some funk bass with some simple yet effective synth chords, the tune is impossible dislike and one that will doubtless soon prove be very likely to remove from the listener's mind. Helping the earworm along is a terrific vocal from Claudia Brücken, which manages to convey a pained air while still keeping its distance. It's a lovely performance but a curious one: her voice isn't conventionally strong and may even get on the wick of some but to these ears she's putting everything into it and holding just enough back. Plus, I'm intrigued by the fact that something so catchy is also damn-near impossible to sing along with — even if that says at least as much about my limited vocal "range" as it does the song itself.
Peter Martin is as fond of this as "Dr. Mabuse" but he blushes from going too far with his praise. Though he exclaims that "Duel" is the "greatest song ever made", he then qualifies it by admitting that "I might change my mind tomorrow". He shouldn't have fretted so much and should have trusted his instincts. Of course it isn't the greatest song ever made but that's beside the point; pop music at its best encourages us to abandon all the great works we've heard before so that we may be caught up in the moment of nowness. Who cares about "Telstar" and "Virginia Plain" and "Heart of Glass" when we have "Duel" right now and it's fresh and alive? And why worry about tomorrow?
Taking the dramatics of its predecessor and tacking a real song onto it should have been the moment Propaganda began a ride on the Giddy Carousel of Pop but it was not to be, the single stalling just outside of the top twenty. It's impossible to say why such a sure-fire smash only managed to perform modestly but hopefully it got to others just as it got to Martin then and gets to me now. The best pop may not always sell like it should but there's always an audience out there looking for yet another greatest song ever.
~~~~~
Also Reviewed This Fortnight
Simple Minds: "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
Dear Mr. Margach,
We accept the fact that you're going to slag us off for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy for expecting us to apologise for it. You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is an earnest singer, an earnest guitarist, an earnest keyboardist, an earnest bass player and an earnest drummer. Does this answer your question?
Sincerely,
The Deep-Fried Scots Breakfast Club
This blog is now nearly two years old and is approaching its one hundredth entry and, probably as such, I've been thinking a lot lately about some of my favourites. Not the posts I've written, mind you (there's really only the one I'm still really happy about), but the songs themselves. Having The Human League's brilliant "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" come up so soon may have given me the false impression that I was in for nothing but top quality records but the relative detritus that followed only emphasizes what an extraordinary work it is — and one they never quite managed to top. The Associates' "Party Fears Two" ably merges lyrical melancholy with sprightly jangle-pop to irresistible levels while Elvis Costello's "Man Out of Time" captures his nibs at the top of his game. Terry Hall took a pretty good song that he had stakes in and added vulnerability and unease to create "Our Lips Are Sealed", which is probably the greatest Smash Hits Single of the Fortnight of all time. Some lofty company, then.
Joining this big four is Propaganda's "Duel", which is right at home with the upper tier of SOTF. Having previously appeared with "Dr. Mabuse", the German foursome seemed set to conjure up many more similarly unsettling cinematic epics. To return a year later, then, with the far more straightforward "Duel" may seem like either a lapse in quality, a drastic and premature rethink or an acknowledgement that they've already run out of ideas but it is in fact a stunning work. Tying together some funk bass with some simple yet effective synth chords, the tune is impossible dislike and one that will doubtless soon prove be very likely to remove from the listener's mind. Helping the earworm along is a terrific vocal from Claudia Brücken, which manages to convey a pained air while still keeping its distance. It's a lovely performance but a curious one: her voice isn't conventionally strong and may even get on the wick of some but to these ears she's putting everything into it and holding just enough back. Plus, I'm intrigued by the fact that something so catchy is also damn-near impossible to sing along with — even if that says at least as much about my limited vocal "range" as it does the song itself.
Peter Martin is as fond of this as "Dr. Mabuse" but he blushes from going too far with his praise. Though he exclaims that "Duel" is the "greatest song ever made", he then qualifies it by admitting that "I might change my mind tomorrow". He shouldn't have fretted so much and should have trusted his instincts. Of course it isn't the greatest song ever made but that's beside the point; pop music at its best encourages us to abandon all the great works we've heard before so that we may be caught up in the moment of nowness. Who cares about "Telstar" and "Virginia Plain" and "Heart of Glass" when we have "Duel" right now and it's fresh and alive? And why worry about tomorrow?
Taking the dramatics of its predecessor and tacking a real song onto it should have been the moment Propaganda began a ride on the Giddy Carousel of Pop but it was not to be, the single stalling just outside of the top twenty. It's impossible to say why such a sure-fire smash only managed to perform modestly but hopefully it got to others just as it got to Martin then and gets to me now. The best pop may not always sell like it should but there's always an audience out there looking for yet another greatest song ever.
~~~~~
Also Reviewed This Fortnight
Simple Minds: "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
Dear Mr. Margach,
We accept the fact that you're going to slag us off for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy for expecting us to apologise for it. You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is an earnest singer, an earnest guitarist, an earnest keyboardist, an earnest bass player and an earnest drummer. Does this answer your question?
Sincerely,
The Deep-Fried Scots Breakfast Club
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