Friday Beats - The Beautiful South, "Blue is the Colour"

This is kind of a different one, because Beautiful South aren't as well known stateside. I love them, but they aren't big hit-makers. So while I am going to celebrate "Blue is the Colour" I'd also like to say that all of their albums are good - particularly "Quench," "0898" and "Miaow." You wouldn't be amiss grabbing "Gold" their greatest hits collection - looks like it grabs a lot of great tracks.

And he's a world-wide traveller
he's not like me or you
But he comes in mighty regular
for one who's passing through

Anyway, "Blue is the Colour" was the Beautiful South's second opportunity to grab a United States audience. They had released three albums ("Welcome to the Beautiful South," "Choke," "0898") that had been released in both the UK and the US. They hadn't gone well, so their fourth "Miaow" was not released Stateside. Then came "Carry on Up the Charts," a greatest hits collection, which became the most popular CD ever in the UK. So they got a second chance to win over the United States.

Imagine my wish for a future that cannot hold my wish

"Blue is the Colour" starts out "Don't Marry Her (Fuck Me) a sing I find trite, but it immediately picks up. "Mirror," "The Sound of North America," "Have Fun," "Liars Bar," "Rotterdam or Anywhere," "One God," "Alone" all have great tunes and the wry intelligent lyrics I have come to expect from this band.

The sound of North America
isn't Christians quietly praying
It's the sound of shuffling feet
that don't know where they're going

It's not a happy album, all told. The world is made up off plastic happy people (see "One God" and "Rotterdam") and those who think and see the world as it is, but who are just as trapped in it. Anyway you look at it the world is a pretty cold place. This is the Beautiful South's blues album, and while there is always a dark track or two, ("Woman in the Wall" for example), they balance it with a few more upbeat tracks.

Have fun
And if you can't have fun
Have someone else's fun
'Cause someone sure had mine
They came in
now they're having a whale of a time

Here's a video for "Liar's Bar" but it's not one from the band. It's fan creation, but it's not bad. Anyway check out the Beautiful South.