It's an old story. Girl meets boy at university. That's about as far as you can take the "old story" label. While in Hull, during the first calendar year away from home, Tracey Thorn puts out albums with Marine Girls, Everything But the Girl and as a solo artist. There is a Peel Session and a single of the week in NME with Marine Girls. Don't forget the cover of Melody Maker and interview after interview with all of the music mags. Then there is checking the same publications to see how all of your various entities are being reviewed and moving on the indie chart, even having two slots in the top 10 at the same time! Meanwhile, your partner in Everything But the Girl and in life, Ben Watt, is releasing an album with Robert Wyatt and having his own run with the music magazines. Oh, and there is that whole trying to earn a degree thing.
Sounds a lot like your first year of college, right?
Elvis Costello and Martin Fry reviewed this first single by Everything But the Girl for Radio 1's "Roundtable" program. They, of course, loved it. Thorn remembers in her book 'Bedsit Disco Queen' that the two "threatened to steal the show's copy afterwards." These three songs are miles away from the big sound we heard yesterday on the "Come on Home" 12". The shadowy cover above says it all, really. Guitar and voice that would work perfectly in a smoky downstairs jazz bar. The A-side is Cole Porter's classic. Even U2 couldn't ruin this song (although they gave it a good run!). "Feeling Dizzy" is by Watt, and "On My Mind" is a Thorn composition also recorded by Marine Girls. I'll take this version. More singles from EBTG tomorrow.
"Night and Day"
"Feeling Dizzy"
"On My Mind"
4 comments:
one of the most important singles in my collection. I came upon it in a Berwick Street record stall in 1988 and I've only ever played it twice. It was not my first exposure to the band, that would be Laugh You Out The House, the b-side to their second Blanco Y Negro single. If you feature that song Brian, you will make my week!!
But it's important to hear the earliest EBTG songs. They have a beautiful mixture of Pop, Jazz and Folk about them -- themes which would stay with the band even into their move towards and immersion in dance music. I think their version of On My Mind is one of the most intimate and magnetic song in their catalogue. Ben's plaintive singing and their harmonies are are deeply affecting for me.
Feeling Dizzy has a beat generation, cafe culture feel to it that shouldn't sound and feel so authentic coming from first year Uni students.
MORE MORE MORE BRIAN!! Bring on MORE!!!
You will not be disappointed, Echorich. As always, thanks for your insights. Good stuff.
as per usual, +1 with Echorich.
I know I wrote about this on the blog that was murdered by google. It's a blinder of a single that just takes me back to a certain, carefree and very happy time in my life. I picked up a mint copy of the 7" a few years back in a charity shop for £2. The days before vinyl became fashionable again....
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