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The Beautiful South modestly inaugurate a new label association with Sony with this all-covers collection. Artists known for original material who make albums like this often do so to pay tribute to the beloved music of their youth; think of John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll or David Bowie's Pin Ups. The Beautiful South, however, are known for their sarcastic lyrics wrapped in pretty melodies and arrangements, and a gaze at the track list inevitably poses the question whether the band's sense of irony has crept into its song choices. Is this really music that they love, or are they taking the piss? The latter seems to be the case at the top, a version of "You're the One That I Want" from the movie adaptation of Grease, transformed from the driving rocker wailed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into a dramatic ballad sung with what sounds like mock sincerity. Much the same can be said of the loping, country-styled arrangement of ELO's "Livin' Thing" that follows. Clearly, whether they mean these performances affectionately or comically, the members of the Beautiful South are intent on redefining the songs by giving them arrangements their creators never would have dreamed of. It may be that, the fruitier the selection, the more they feel the need to transform it. Willie Nelson's "Valentine," Rufus Wainwright's "Rebel Prince," and especially the Stylistics' "I'm Stone in Love with You" are not messed about with very much. But Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" gets a Latin arrangement, and the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" is rendered in much the way Buddy Holly & the Crickets might have done, if they'd been trying to transform it into "Peggy Sue." Whether the Beautiful South are serious or presenting this music largely tongue in cheek, however, they succeed in giving the listener new ways to hear familiar songs, some of which always seemed like guilty pleasures at best. Who knew that TV pop group S Club 7's "Don't Stop Moving" was a halfway decent song?
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
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John Farrar, Composer - John Farrar, Lyricist - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Jon Kelly, Producer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Kick Horns, Brass - Sean Welch, Bass - London Session Orchestra, Strings - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Jon Kelly, Producer - Jon Kelly, Guitar - Jon Kelly, Mixing Engineer - Jon Kelly, Piano - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Martin Ditcham, Percussion - Paul Heaton, Producer - Paul Heaton, Background Vocal - Alison Wheeler, Background Vocal - Sean Welch, Bass - Sam Miller, Drums - London Session Orchestra, Strings - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Jeff Lynne, Composer - Jeff Lynne, Lyricist - Dave Hemingway, Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Chris White, Composer - Chris White, Lyricist - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Jon Kelly, Producer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Sean Welch, Bass - London Session Orchestra, Strings - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Jon Kelly, Producer - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Eleonora Miki Berenyi, Lyricist - Eleonora Miki Berenyi, Composer - Sean Welch, Bass - London Session Orchestra, Strings - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jon Kelly, Producer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Background Vocal - Sean Welch, Bass - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - David Daniels, Acoustic Cello - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Willie Nelson, Composer - Willie Nelson, Lyricist - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Background Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Buck Wilde, Scratches - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Jon Kelly, Producer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Sean Welch, Bass - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Donald B. Roeser, Lyricist - Donald B. Roeser, Composer - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jon Kelly, Producer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Bobby Cristiansand, Lyricist - Bobby Cristiansand, Composer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Sean Welch, Bass - Barry Klein, Lyricist - Barry Klein, Composer - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Background Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Paul Gerald Cattermole, Lyricist - Paul Gerald Cattermole, Composer - Jim Sheppard Solomon, Composer - Jim Sheppard Solomon, Lyricist - Simon Peter Ellis, Composer - Simon Peter Ellis, Lyricist - Tina Barrett, Lyricist - Tina Barrett, Composer - Hannah Spearritt, Composer - Hannah Spearritt, Lyricist - Jon Kelly, Producer - Rachel Stevens, Lyricist - Rachel Stevens, Composer - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - The Beautiful South, Performer - Joanne O'Meara, Lyricist - Joanne O'Meara, Composer - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jonathan Lee, Composer - Jonathan Lee, Lyricist - Bradley McIntosh, Composer - Bradley McIntosh, Lyricist - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Sean Welch, Bass - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Jon Kelly, Producer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Background Vocal - Dorian Burton, Lyricist - Dorian Burton, Composer - Kick Horns, Brass - Sean Welch, Bass - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - C. Otis, Composer - C. Otis, Lyricist - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Rufus Wainwright, Composer - Rufus Wainwright, Lyricist - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Jon Kelly, Producer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Background Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - Sean Welch, Bass - London Session Orchestra, Strings - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Buck Wilde, Scratches - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jon Kelly, Producer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Paul Heaton, Producer - Alison Wheeler, Vocal - RAMONE, Lyricist - RAMONE, Composer - Sean Welch, Bass - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer - Dave Hemingway, Background Vocal
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Jay Reynolds, Programmer - Jay Reynolds, Mixing Engineer - Jay Reynolds, Engineer - Damon Butcher, Keyboards - Jon Kelly, Producer - Gary Hammond, Percussion - Paul Heaton, Producer - Paul Heaton, Vocal - Bell, Lyricist - Bell, Composer - Sean Welch, Bass - The Beautiful South, Performer - Dave Stead, Drums - Dave Rotheray, Guitar - Creed, Lyricist - Creed, Composer - Philippe Rose, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Album review
The Beautiful South modestly inaugurate a new label association with Sony with this all-covers collection. Artists known for original material who make albums like this often do so to pay tribute to the beloved music of their youth; think of John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll or David Bowie's Pin Ups. The Beautiful South, however, are known for their sarcastic lyrics wrapped in pretty melodies and arrangements, and a gaze at the track list inevitably poses the question whether the band's sense of irony has crept into its song choices. Is this really music that they love, or are they taking the piss? The latter seems to be the case at the top, a version of "You're the One That I Want" from the movie adaptation of Grease, transformed from the driving rocker wailed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into a dramatic ballad sung with what sounds like mock sincerity. Much the same can be said of the loping, country-styled arrangement of ELO's "Livin' Thing" that follows. Clearly, whether they mean these performances affectionately or comically, the members of the Beautiful South are intent on redefining the songs by giving them arrangements their creators never would have dreamed of. It may be that, the fruitier the selection, the more they feel the need to transform it. Willie Nelson's "Valentine," Rufus Wainwright's "Rebel Prince," and especially the Stylistics' "I'm Stone in Love with You" are not messed about with very much. But Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" gets a Latin arrangement, and the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" is rendered in much the way Buddy Holly & the Crickets might have done, if they'd been trying to transform it into "Peggy Sue." Whether the Beautiful South are serious or presenting this music largely tongue in cheek, however, they succeed in giving the listener new ways to hear familiar songs, some of which always seemed like guilty pleasures at best. Who knew that TV pop group S Club 7's "Don't Stop Moving" was a halfway decent song?
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:43:35
- Main artists: The Beautiful South
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Sony Music UK
- Genre: Pop/Rock
(P) 2004 SME Subsidiary BV
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