Beginning as a punk-inspired collective of art students and squatters, Scritti Politti released several early post-punk recordings on Rough Trade Records before transitioning into a mainstream pop music project in the early to mid-1980s, enjoying significant success in the record charts in the UK and the US.
Songs to Remember is the debut album by the British pop group Scritti Politti. The album's recording had to be delayed for nine months due to frontman Green Gartside's collapse and illness, and then after completion its release was delayed for a further year at the band's request. It was eventually released on Rough Trade Records on 3 September 1982, reaching number 12 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was heavily influenced by disco, reggae, and soul music, and marked the beginning of Scritti Politti's move from their underground DIY post-punk sound towards commercial pop music.
One needn't look much further than the song titles on the back of Songs to Remember to be struck with the thought that Scritti Politti had changed their scheme.
Gone were the days of "Bibbly-O-Tek" and "Skank Bloc Bologna," replaced by brow-raising titles like "Gettin' Havin' and Holdin'" and, er, "Sex." Then there's the photo of Green Gartside -- he looks chipper!
And at what point did his shoulders get so big? Oh, those must be shoulder pads. During a lengthy recovery process necessitated by a physical meltdown, Gartside found himself rejuvenated with a new agenda to become less like the Pop Group in favor of being more like a pop group; young communism would now be replaced by young romanticism. Influenced heavily by R&B and lovers rock reggae, Gartside opted to aim his group at the pop charts.
After cajoling his returning mates to go with the flow, Gartside took advantage of producer Adam Kidron's rare availability and went about recording Scritti Politti's first LP with most of the material far from realization.
With the addition of a saxophonist and a trio of backing singers, Scritti resurfaced with a rather scatterbrained record. Sometimes it sounds like T. Rex in miniature form ("Jacques Derrida"); sometimes it sounds like wannabe Dirty Mind-era Prince ("Sex"); sometimes it sounds like wannabe Young Americans-era David Bowie ("A Slow Soul").
Despite the well-intended but overt appropriations, there are moments of full-on glory that aren't sunk in their influences. The infectiously naïve "Asylums in Jerusalem" matches sunny reggae with '70s Stevie Wonder; the blue-eyed soul of "Faithless" is simply good, not simply red; and then there's the closing dessert of "The Sweetest Girl," a peerless block of lovers rock-inspired synth pop. In sum, there's as much to love as there is to skip.
Side A
A1. Asylums In Jerusalem - 3:12
A2. A Slow Soul - 3:15
A3. Jacques Derrida - 4:58
A4. Lions After Slumber - 6:08
A5. Faithless - 4:13
Side B
B1. Sex - 4:20
B2. Rock-A-Boy Blue - 5:49
B3. Gettin’ Havin’ & Holdin’ - 5:16
B4. The Sweetest Girl - 6:16
Companies, etc.
- Phonographic Copyright (p) – Rough Trade Records
Credits
- Producer – Adam Kidron, Green Gartside
Personnel
- Joe Cang – bass
- Green Gartside – vocals, guitar
- Nial Jinks – bass
- Mike McEvoy – keyboards, vocoder on "Faithless"
- Tom Morley – drums (rather than a standard drum kit, several tracks feature the LinnDrum drum machine instead, also programmed by Morley)
- Mgotse Mothie – double bass on "Rock-A-Boy Blue"
- Jamie Talbot – saxophone on "A Slow Soul", "Lions After Slumber" and "Rock-A-Boy Blue"
- Robert Wyatt – keyboards on "Asylums in Jerusalem", "Jacques Derrida" and "The 'Sweetest Girl'"
- Jackie Challenor, Lorenza Johnson, Mae McKenna – backing vocals
- Matthew Kay – organisation (management)
Notes
Released: 1982
Format: LP
Genre: Electronic, Synth-pop
Label: Rough Trade Records
Catalog# ROUGH 20
Prijs: €10,00
Vinyl: Goed
Cover: Goed
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