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Elly Roberts reviews
Gut Records
- Released: March 2005
- Rating: 8/10
- Cat.no.: GUTCD37
It may well be a reunion after a decades absence, but will it be a happy ending this time? Possibly.
Bath-based Duo Curt Smith and Roland Orzabalcouldnt put a foot wrong between 1982 and 1989 with a succession of worldconquering anthemic hits like Mad World, Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule TheWorld and Sowing The Seeds Of Love. Then in the early 90s they took adownward spiral, culminating in a high profile acrimonious split.
Orzabal soldiered on for a couple of years, then called it a day as TFF. Patchingthings up last year,theyve thrust this 14-tracker on the unsuspectingpublic-and its going to raise some eyebrows I can tell you.
Its a strong,bright and breezy start with the ELO/Beatles/Lightning Seedsopener with the title track – even the CD packshot artwork has shades ofSgt.Peppers. Then you quickly realise that this might just be a 21 Centurytake on the Lennon and McCartney masterpiece.
So how does it fare? Well,Orzabal makes a cute Lennon sound-a-like throughout. ObviousFab-Four influences crop-up just about everywhere, e.g. Secret World.Breaking the mould they drop in a classy soulesque Last Days On Earth.
Some critics have slammed it, principally, I believe, because of the lack ofkiller singles tracks, which I have to agree are lacking. That said, its afascinating comeback. Where it will take them is open to conjecture, but thatdoesnt matter. Its where theyre at musically that counts, and its a safeplace right now. Single – Closest Thing To Heaven is not representative of thissolid and stylish offering, as youll probably realise.
Would I buy it? Definitely.
WeblinksTears For Fears.com /Gut Records.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Everybody Loves A Happy Ending
2. Closet Thing To Heaven
3. Call Me Mellow
4. Size Of Sorrow
5. Who Killed Tangerine
6. Quiet Ones
7. Who Are You?8. The Devil
9. Secret World
10. Killing With Kindness
11. Ladybird
12. Last Days On Earth
13. Pullin A Cloud (UK Exclusive)
14. Out Of Control (UK Exclusive)
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.