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Date: Mon, 13 Mar 95 18:48:42 GMT
From: Jim.Davies[at]-remove-comlab.oxford.ac.uk
Subject: the new single
And now the shopping forecast...
From: JOE BEAULIEU <jbeauli[at]-remove-com.mstar>
I picked up Sixteen Years at Reckless Records in Chicago. I picked up
the cd because it had more songs, but they also had a 7" single.
Consumer thought process. Clunk. I also bought the CD. I don't have
a record player. Easy.
Here's my humble opinion:
1) Sixteen Years - Pat sings the Communist Manifesto.
Someone's been listening to too much Billy Bragg. But that's
ok, I'll just pretend that
he's singing the PRAISES of privatization.
You're winding me up. You're not? Ah. You don't know much about
European politics? That's fine. But for the sake of your dinner
party conversation, you should be aware that your opinions are sharply
at odds with the majority view over here. It doesn't necessarily mean
that they'd vote for Billy Bragg, but most people have a distinct
feeling that they've been ripped off.
Yeah, and (i) it is far more likely that Pat has been listening to too
much Eno and Cale, if such a thing were possible (ii) the song doesn't
work if you pretend; come to think of it, nothing much does. Yeah, I
know you're probably only being light-hearted and I'm over-reacting,
but that song hit the spot. Like the right drink at the right time.
The right person walking in the room. Yeah, I liked it. Next please.
2) Truck of Fear - Sounds like something written for Scandal in Bohemia
with Big Planet Scary Planet production. I only listened to it once, so
I may be off the mark here.
Actually, I can't help but agree with you here. Damn it. You're
right. Next please.
3) Surf Gear in Idaho - The REAL reason to buy the single. Pat's voice
has never sounded better than it sounds here. I hope that
Illuminate has
lots of this stuff on it. I'll have to listen to it again, but I would
swear that the chorus has something in it about "the hero of
the people".
There's also some stuff about the government, too. Is this another
political song?
Yep. Politics again, just when I was expecting a song about sex in a
time-lapse river sunset with abandoned punts and a hankerchief covered
in hieroglyphics. It's always struck me that there's no line between
personal and political, and Pat's music has always been personal. On
the other hand, this is political, and it's fucking brilliant.
So.... I'm glad you liked it. I did too. Great stuff. Now where's
the album?
Jim