wupadupa Online Shop - Weston Green

In discussion with a friend, I decided this album would be one of my desert island discs until some confusion arose as to whether desert island discs referred to albums or single songs. I paused for a while about whether I would choose ten of the eleven (oops sorry 9 wink wink) songs from this album to take with me and then decided it wasn't THAT good. But it's still definitely one of my favourite albums ever.

Track one rolls out of nowhere (funny that) into a country-esque smokey tune with benny (vocals) singing a sumptuosly thick, almost sub-bass melody. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a country album as track 2 is more along the lines of acoustic thrash, very short, very excellent with some of the best backing vocals i think i've ever heard wailing along with guitars feeding back.

Now, back to the desert island discs topic - "where did she go" definitely in my top ten favourite songs. Beautiful melody, lyrics, performance, sounds, yum. When the hammond organ bass and old reverby drums (sound like they were recorded in a derelict gas works circa 1920) drop in the 2nd verse then I feel that all is right with the world (even though the lyrics are suggest otherwise).

"Red Wine" opens with a hook that sounds like it should be in a foreign black and white spy film (not sure i've ever seen one come to think of it but..erm...) again short and very sweet with Benny's words and melodies being very simple but quite unique.

On the subject of melodies - "Round again" has one of my favourite melodies ever (hmmmm lot's of favourites in this album!) this is accompanied by what I would refer to as a guitar and piano "mush". "mush" is usually used in a negative sense but in this case it is positive.

The acoustic guitars loop over and over with delicate piano being swept through a filter so lots of mid range harmonics sing out creating a lovely blurred "mush".

the final (wink,wink) track "hey, brother" is where Chris and Benny's intoxication levels must have reached a peak. An epic tune full of "sounds", old drum machines, cut up tape delays, perhaps a couple of aliens, fantastic porno guitar solo in the middle. Apparently Chris passed out during the bass take of this track and in keeping with the approach to the rest of the album, this was the one they used!

My only criticisms of this album are that tracks 10-93 are a bit samey and the drums sounds make me very jealous. Otherwise HHHIIIIGGGHHHLLLLY recommended!!!