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Mr. Hudson & the Library accomplish at least two great things on their debut record, A Tale of Two Cities. First, since there's no lack of musicians to chronicle life in England (taking in everyone from Arctic Monkeys to Robbie Williams), a newcomer can't timidly knock at the door, but instead has to thrust it open and stride right through. Hudson himself is as wry and witty as the best, dispensing excellent cutting lyrics that only occasionally admit to some affection ("You'll never be a cover girl, just facing facts, your face isn't right, but I'll never want another girl"). He wrenches a pair of vocal standards into the 21st century, turning "On the Street Where You Live" on its head ("And oh! What a nauseous feeling") and wryly updating "Everything Happens to Me" ("I've e-mailed and I've phoned, sent a text message or two/You told me to piss off, for that respect is due"). Secondly, they understand that musical economy can pay unexpected rewards. Imagine Jarvis Cocker and Pulp subsisting musically on as little as possible: a few bass drum hits and electronic snares, swinging (and surprisingly bruising) basslines only on the choruses, skeletal piano or keyboards that force listeners to play connect the dots. This method not only gives additional focus to melodies or musical ideas, but changes the perspective when a production suddenly flowers (as on "Ask the DJ"). Hudson has a surprising past as a grime beatmaker, and it's this quality in action that makes Mr. Hudson & the Library so interesting; the songwriting material may not be worthy of Steven Morrissey or Paul Weller just yet, but the production is note-perfect. For those who can't decide between the Streets' Mike Skinner and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, Hudson has the answer: "I'd like to think there'll come a day when drum machines and troubadours smile, when grime MCs give away their MPCs."
© John Bush /TiVo
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Frederick Loewe, ComposerLyricist - Alan Jay Lerner, ComposerLyricist - Jason Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Richard Morris, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dave McCracken, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ferg Peterkin, Engineer, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Joy Joseph, Percussion, Drum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Wilkie Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Maps Huxley, Bass Guitar, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Torville Jones, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Nick Carter, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Future Cut, Producer, Mixer, Co-Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Jack Birchwood, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Fuller, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Wilkie Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Pellanconi, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Maps Huxley, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Torville Jones, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Joy Joesph, Unknown, Background Vocalist, Other, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Dennis, ComposerLyricist - Tom Adair, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson, Producer, Mixer, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
William Griffin, ComposerLyricist - Eric Barrier, ComposerLyricist - Jason Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - DJ Olabean, Drum, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Jason Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Mark Aubrey, Producer - Scott McCormick, Producer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Jason Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Joy Joseph, Drum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Maps Huxley, Bass Guitar, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Richard Morris, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dave McCracken, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ferg Peterkin, Engineer, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Joy Joseph, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Wilkie Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Maps Huxley, Bass Guitar, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Torville Jones, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Joy Joesph, Drum, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
STEVE "BARNEY" CHASE, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Drums, Piano, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Mark Aubrey, Producer - Scott McCormick, Producer - Joy Joseph, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Torville Jones, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jody Scantleberry, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Abbiss, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Richard Morris, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dave McCracken, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Catherine Marks, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Sedgwick, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Robin French, ComposerLyricist - Joy Joseph, Vocals, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Wilkie Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Maps Huxley, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Torville Jones, Piano, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Toby Smith, Producer, Co-Producer - STEVE "BARNEY" CHASE, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jason Cox, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Torville Jones, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
STEVE "BARNEY" CHASE, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mr Hudson, Vocals, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Mr Hudson & The Library, MainArtist - Joy Joseph, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - "Tom", Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jeremy Abbiss, Producer
℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
Album review
Mr. Hudson & the Library accomplish at least two great things on their debut record, A Tale of Two Cities. First, since there's no lack of musicians to chronicle life in England (taking in everyone from Arctic Monkeys to Robbie Williams), a newcomer can't timidly knock at the door, but instead has to thrust it open and stride right through. Hudson himself is as wry and witty as the best, dispensing excellent cutting lyrics that only occasionally admit to some affection ("You'll never be a cover girl, just facing facts, your face isn't right, but I'll never want another girl"). He wrenches a pair of vocal standards into the 21st century, turning "On the Street Where You Live" on its head ("And oh! What a nauseous feeling") and wryly updating "Everything Happens to Me" ("I've e-mailed and I've phoned, sent a text message or two/You told me to piss off, for that respect is due"). Secondly, they understand that musical economy can pay unexpected rewards. Imagine Jarvis Cocker and Pulp subsisting musically on as little as possible: a few bass drum hits and electronic snares, swinging (and surprisingly bruising) basslines only on the choruses, skeletal piano or keyboards that force listeners to play connect the dots. This method not only gives additional focus to melodies or musical ideas, but changes the perspective when a production suddenly flowers (as on "Ask the DJ"). Hudson has a surprising past as a grime beatmaker, and it's this quality in action that makes Mr. Hudson & the Library so interesting; the songwriting material may not be worthy of Steven Morrissey or Paul Weller just yet, but the production is note-perfect. For those who can't decide between the Streets' Mike Skinner and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, Hudson has the answer: "I'd like to think there'll come a day when drum machines and troubadours smile, when grime MCs give away their MPCs."
© John Bush /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:40:15
- Main artists: Mr Hudson & The Library
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: EMI
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2006 Mercury Records Limited ℗ 2006 Mercury Records Limited
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