Tag: UK

Scritti Politti | Bam Salute

“… to these ears, Provision (1988) is an almost-perfect follow-up to the classic Cupid & Psyche ’85,” (MovingTheRiver). “There’s arguably more cohesion – (vocalist Green) Gartside and keyboard-playing cohort David Gamson co-wrote and co-produced all tracks (no Arif Mardin this time) and the guest spots from Miles Davis, Roger Troutman and Marcus Miller are expertly placed.

‘Sweetness’ is the word that seems to follows Scritti around. And despite containing two classic ballads (‘Overnite’, ‘Oh Patti’), Provision is unashamedly happy music – all the songs are in major keys … And is there a Grammy award for arrangement? If so, Provision should have won. Gamson and Green do some intricate things here with backing vocals (check out ‘Bam Salute’), rhythm guitars and synth syncopation. No-one else has really explored similar areas, including the greats of ’80s R&B. No wonder Miles was a bit obsessed with Scritti.

Provision missed the top 100 in the States but made the top 10 in the UK (selling over 100,000 copies) and produced one top 20 hit in ‘Oh Patti’. Writer Nick Coleman gave the album a 9/10 rave in the NME, calling its songs ‘sweeties to rot your teeth and detonate your heart.'”

Starting in C major for the verse, “Bam Salute” both tumbles and climbs(!) into its D major chorus at 0:54. At 1:17, the next verse returns us to the original key. The pattern continues from there. Throughout the track, the solid reggae-inspired groove fights for top billing with polished synths effervescing with syncopated kicks.

James Duncan Mackenzie | Fibhig

“With a superb piping pedigree and an equally fine touch on the wooden flute, this Lewis multi-instrumentalist and composer focuses on his island heritage and his own compositions on Fìbhig,” (Living Tradition).

“Fine new tunes, a dozen musicians and singers, and bewitching production by James himself bring the rugged beauty of (Scotland’s) Hebrides to life. Birthdays and weddings, mountains and sea, and an animal menagerie – there’s no shortage of excitement here. For an island album, especially one from Lewis, Fìbhig is surprisingly cheery and upbeat, enjoyable from start to finish … the charming title track (is) named for a tiny hamlet in the back of beyond … “

The first long section of “Fibhig” walks the line between Ab major and its relative F minor. At 2:19, an unprepared key change jumps us up to Eb major, which similarly shares the spotlight with its relative C minor.

Eurythmics | There Must Be An Angel

“Released in June 1985, ‘There Must Be An Angel’ it became Eurythmics’ only UK #1 single — a jubilant, gospel-infused track that remains one of their most celebrated works,” (Ultimate Eurythmics). “Written by Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox, the song is a euphoric blend of soul, pop, and gospel, with Annie’s vocal soaring above a rich arrangement. But what truly elevates the track is the harmonica solo, performed by none other than Stevie Wonder … The single was the second release from the Be Yourself Tonight album, following the punchy ‘Would I Lie to You?’

… The lush orchestration, gospel choir, and Stevie’s harmonica all contribute to a sound that feels transcendent … Annie has described the song as ‘pure joy,’ a deliberate contrast to some of the darker, more introspective material in Eurythmics’ catalogue. Dave Stewart once recalled that when they were working on the track, Annie said, ‘This could be great for Stevie Wonder,’ and the idea of bringing him in added to the song’s sense of wonder and spontaneity.

The 1985 track is built primarily in C major, but from 2:34 – 3:08, the bridge shifts to Bb major, bringing a temporary change in the groove as well. An instrumental verse follows the bridge (including the harmonica feature).

Eric Clapton | Let It Rain

“Eric Clapton was such a reluctant recipient of the solo spotlight in the early 1970s that he hid behind a different band name at least some of the time,” (UDiscoverMusic). “But after Derek and the Dominos’ ‘Layla’ had belatedly become a Top 10 US hit on Atco in August 1972, Polydor hoped to keep the momentum going by returning to Eric’s self-titled debut solo album of two years before.

The result was the release of his soft-rock co-write with Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, ‘Let It Rain,’ as a US single. It was a new entry on the Billboard Hot 100 for September 23, 1972. The track entered at #80 … The song stuttered up to halfway on the Hot 100, most weeks without the “bullet” that signified major sales or airplay increases, and stopped at #48 in the chart for the first week of December. Clapton wouldn’t make the Top 10 as a solo artist again until 1974, but when he did, he went all the way to No.1, with ‘I Shot the Sheriff.’”

After an intro in A mixolydian, 0:15 brings a verse in D mixolydian. 1:17 features a return of the intro material, this time as an interlude. The sections continue to alternate from there.

Oli Howe | Livin’ On a Prayer

“After releasing his debut album Moving Forward in 2020, Brighton UK based pianist/producer Oli Howe has been establishing himself a leading force amongst the dynamic UK jazz scene … In 2022/23, Oli released a six-track EP Hackney Daze … which amassed over 2.8 million streams on Spotify alone in just six months (artist website).

… Oli has shared stages with the likes of Yoland Brown, Omar Lyefook, Tortured Soul, Freak Power, The House & Garage Orchestra, Billy Cobham and Taylor McFerrin while drawing sold out houses with headline shows at top UK venues such as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Brighton Jazz Festival and most recently Love Supreme Jazz Festival.”

Via his very popular Instagram channel, Howe has made a habit out of cranking out modernized, harmonically up-cycled cover versions of pop favorites. Just like Bon Jovi’s 1986 original, “Livin’ on a Prayer” starts in E minor (later flipping over to its relative G major). But after the bridge, there’s a shift up to Bb major, enhanced by a hiccup in the otherwise stable meter.

NOTE: Howe’s Instagram channel won’t allow direct embeds, so please click through below!

Level 42 | Take a Look

“Following the success of 1987’s Running In the Family, Level 42’s stock as the premier UK based pop/funk crossover act was assured, but the original fusion of the two genres had been watered down with each individual collection until by 1988 the band were a highly polished pop group with only the merest hint of their funk past,” (The Hackskeptic).

Staring At the Sun is by far Level 42’s most uneven performance. There is a definite lack of bite in the songs, none of Mark King’s superior bass prowess, with listless arrangements and a tired, formulaic production effort … (but) the uptempo funk/rock ‘Heaven In My Hands,’ which became a successful single, harks back to the “Hot Water” era Level 42 … the sweetly heartfelt ballad “Take A Look” can’t disguise the rest of the album’s inherent problems.”

“Take a Look” starts in F# major, yielding to G# major during a chorus mid-phrase at 2:18.

The Honeydrippers | Sea of Love

Somewhere between his tenure as the tenor banshee frontman of Led Zeppelin and his recent role as rock’s elder statesman in his collaborations with Alison Krauss, Robert Plant assembled The Honeydrippers, which recorded just one EP. While the group formed in 1981, it did not have a fixed membership. Members on the 1984 EP included guitarists Jimmy Page (Plant’s Zep bandmate), Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, keyboardist Paul Shaffer (yes, that Paul Shaffer), and drummer Dave Weckl.

“Sea of Love” was written by and originally recorded by Phil Phillips. Released on a small Louisiana label at first, and later on Mercury, the single was a considerable success, reaching #2 on the Billboard pop chart and #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1959. The spartan arrangement features a doo-wop chorus with dubious pitch, piano, and brushed drums.

The Honeydrippers’ version uses a more complex soundstage, with a string section providing an elaborate intro and accents throughout, and subtly-present female background singers. The groove drops out for an upward half-step modulation (1:40) introduces a tasteful guitar solo (Page, maybe?).

The Style Council | You’re the Best Thing

“In 1982, Paul Weller disbanded The Jam at the height of their popularity, citing a desire to pivot toward using a more soulful approach to his music,” (Albumism). “He felt The Jam were stuck in a rut and not growing as a band. Bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Ric Buckler did not share this opinion and the split took them by surprise. To this day, Buckler and Weller are not on speaking terms.

In 1983, Weller enlisted keyboard player Mick Talbot, who previously had stints in Dexys Midnight Runners and The Merton Parkas to form The Style Council. To round out the lineup, The Style Council used a rotation of studio musicians and guest stars like Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt from Everything But the Girl, forming a unit known as the Honorary Councilors. With this new group, Weller was able to branch out and experiment with soul, jazz and pop in a way which was not possible with The Jam.

‘You’re the Best Thing’ is The Style Council’s homage to the ‘70s soul, slow jam era. It borrows themes from popular R&B songs from the previous decade and puts Weller’s spin on it.” After an intro and two breezy verses in E major, 1:18 brings a whole-step shift upwards to F# major. At 1:41, an interlude returns us to E major. The pattern continues from there.

Young Gun Silver Fox | Kids

“Musical chemistry is a rare, intangible thing. However, for Andy Platts and Shawn Lee, the creative force behind Young Gun Silver Fox, the unmalleable, unspoken connection that gives their work such a unique and distinctive sound was apparent from their first experiences together in a studio,” (Glide Magazine). “Alongside their now decade-plus-long tenure as Young Gun Silver Fox, both have already received plaudits for their creative excursions.

American-born, UK-based musician Shawn Lee (is known for) his extensive catalog of recordings with the likes of Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra and his well-received solo albums, as well as a go-to award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist for the likes of Hannah Williams and Joel Culpepper.” The multi-talented UK-born Andy Platts is “chief songwriter and leader of much loved Brit-soul sensations Mamas Gun. He’s also clocked up many songwriting collaborations with legends such as Rod Temperton and Brian Jackson.”

YGSF’s compact release “Kids” (2020) beings in D major, shimmies through a short but dynamic bridge at 2:06, and lands in E major at 2:24.

Dougie MacLean | Solid Ground

“Dougie MacLean, originally famed for writing the song ‘Caledonia’, has built an international reputation as songwriter, composer and extraordinary performer on his own terms,” (artist website). “He’s taken his performance to concerts and festivals all over the world and to the stages of Carnegie Hall in New York, London’s Festival Theatre, and the Sydney Opera House. Other appearances of note include sharing the stage with Lou Reed and Eddi Reader in the grounds of Culzean Castle at the Burns and A’ That festival, featuring on the BBC Hogmanay programme from Edinburgh Castle with James Taylor, and sharing the bill with the legendary Mavis Staples at Glasgow‘s Royal Concert Hall.

He has received two prestigious Tartan Clef Awards, a place in the Scottish Music Hall of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, and an Order of the British Empire award.”

MacLean’s 1988 tune “Solid Ground” is built primarily in G minor, but shifts to C minor at 4:05 as the vocal ends and a pipes solo closes out the track.