EP review: ANDY PARTRIDGE – My Failed Songwriting Career Vol. 2
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Ape House [Release date 8.4.22]
Following on from 2021’s excellent first volume, here are four more gems from Andy Partridge’s post-XTC period as a songwriter for hire. This is a great addition to what is building into a fascinating series.
Containing songs of love, longing and partnership, these are Andy-fied versions of some of the tracks that got away – the original demos having been ‘buffed up’ in the studio.
Catchy opener ‘Seesaw’ is an upbeat rocker reminiscent of The Small Faces, the title of which was inspired by the motion of the drum rhythm. Andy has referred to it as a close cousin of ‘Playground’, a song from XTC’s final album “Wasp Star”.
The sassy ‘Let’s Make Everything Love’ is described by Andy as “Songs For Swinging Lovers meets Mack The Knife” and was originally offered to several modern male jazz singers, all of whom turned it down.
The brief for ‘Come On Back’ was “a bit Beatle-y” which explains the John Lennon-esque vocal. It’s the sort of song you could imagine Liam Gallagher recording.
The EP is rounded off with ‘Love Is The Future’, which wasn’t written for anyone in particular and is dubbed by Andy as “an odd piece of angular space jungle pop”! It’s certainly a strange one, which just adds to the eclectic nature of this release.
The superb Andrew Swainson artwork follows the style of the “Vol. 1” sleeve (best appreciated on the 12” format), and the package includes lyrics and notes by Andy.
Also released on the Ape House label is a 200g super-heavyweight vinyl edition of XTC’s underrated 1983 album “Mummer”. Housed in its original, but never used, sleeve art, the album has been mastered with input from Andy Partridge and is fully approved by the band. ****
Review by Jim Henderson
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14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
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