19. The Monochrome Set - "The Jet Set Junta"
Other Contenders: This one barely makes the timeline, but "He's Frank (Slight Return)" was a minor indie hit in January 1980 during the band's Rough Trade days.
Chart Entry: June 4, 1983
Peak Position: No. 19 (what a coincidence!)
Comment: Much like the Wake at No. 24 on this list, one of my main missions here at Linear Tracking Lives! has been to convert you all to fanatics of the Monochrome Set. I'll add that to my long list of failed objectives, but that's OK. I think commenter extraordinaire Echorich said it best after one such post on Bid and his bunch in March of last year: "I don't think I know four other people who know The Monochrome Set, and that has always made them that much more special for me." I like the cut of your jib, Echorich, but I'll give it one more go today. The band had a couple of mild successes, but they just always seemed to be, as Bid has put it, "the wrong sound at the wrong time." There are loads of examples of wrong turns and bad luck, but the ultra-catchy "Jet Set Junta" should have been the Monochrome Set's breakthrough hit. If you are a fan and have 50 minutes to kill, check out Iain McNay's interview with Bid below. The Monochrome Set's entire discography is dissected.
Buy "The Jet Set Junta" on 'Eligible Bachelors.'
5 comments:
Well Brian, I am of the belief that Eligible Bachelors is one of the great albums of the 80's. For those that can't find it their 2000 Compedium release should do the trick.
The fact that Jet Set Junta starts out as an alt Clint Eastwood movie theme, whistle and all and then bounds into a jangly celebration that makes The Smiths sound even more miserable than they could at times be always makes me smile and bounce around the living room.
Bid has the most languid and assured vocal of anyone I've ever heard and I just love that.
Echorich, I like all of the albums through the brief stint at Warner Bros., but Eligible Bachelors is my favorite.
I think Jet Set is the only Monochrome Set tune I really know well ... have to listen more closely to their other stuff one of these days, I suspect ...
I think Jet Set is the only Monochrome Set tune I really know well ... have to listen more closely to their other stuff one of these days, I suspect ...
Hi Dirk. I would start with Eligible Bachelors, but I really liked the followup The Lost Weekend too. Both are very accessible.
Post a Comment