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Sarah Nixey
Sing, Memory
ServiceAV
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Article
written by James G
Dec 18, 2006.
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I jumped at the chance to hear this release. Primarily because I was a huge Black Box Recorder fan, having seen them 5 times over the years and also having devoured pretty much all of their output. Additionally, because I was looking forward to NOT writing ‘I preferred Sarah Nixey as lead singer of B.B.R., and, although this is good in places, in comparison there is no comparison…’.
Accompanied by 2 pages of rhetoric, a postcard for each side – one entitled ‘Sing’, the other, not surprisingly, ‘Memory’, and each side having a ‘prelude’ track of less than a minute – well, it’s obvious that a lot of thought and preparation has gone into this album. And the prelude for side one, gives us a pretty good idea, “This is Sarah Nixey talking” intones the artist over a guitarless and sawless background, and off we go. When I’m With You’ sounds like a 1940s filmscape, conjuring up images of raincoats, dark glasses, vast flocks of birds turning across a moody sky, all in black and white. “I breathe so easily, when I’m here with you,” sighs Sarah and she sounds fragile and impassioned.
‘Beautiful Oblivion’ is reminiscent of an almost half-hearted Moroderesque Blondie, whereas ‘Strangelove’ harks back to B.B.R. territory, Nixey delivering a spoken, strident, school ma’amish first verse. There’s a naughty, dominatrixish feel to this song, and I can’t help but shift a little uneasily in my seat. Sorry, but Freezepop, Miss Kitten and Ellen Alien do this kind of thing a lot better, whereas this sounds a wee bit contrived. I’m so sorry, Madam. ‘Hotel Room’ continues the theme, "Hotel room / where nobody knows you / In my hotel room / nothing to stop you". ‘Nothing On Earth’ starts like a crazed Yes, before she narrates a passage concerning “the love of all my life / love is more than tongues can speak / that ask that question” and I realise what has made this an uncomfortable, forced listen thus far. I realise what’s been missing. Heart. And soul. A cover of Belgium band The Names’ ‘Nightshift’, rounds off side one, somewhat unsatisfactorily.
And so to side two, and the prelude is ruined by the typo on the glossy card. Oh dear. Never mind. On to the music. ‘The Collector’, draws parallels between a butterfly collector’s passion and Nixey’s vulnerability, and it works well. Again, she sounds like she’s singing from the heart in this one. “You cast your net and pull me in” she berates the lepidopterist. This song is the best so far. By a country mile.
‘Breathe In, Fade Out’s piano and scattering percussion hints at cabaret, old chum, describing ‘her’ tribulations, and I’m glad when it ends and ‘Endless Circles’ starts. This sounds fantastic. It carries an interesting story well towards the chorus. And then… the chorus lets it down. What sounds like completely the wrong choice of chords means the song that should be the highpoint of the album is just frustrating. ‘The Man I Knew’ is fairly yawnsome, and seeing the next track was called ‘Masquerade’ had me all excited, thinking I was going to hear a cover of The Skids' 1979 classic. But no. This number is a plodding, po-faced, cliché-ridden account of being less than genuine as regards one’s public image…Christ – she’s got me at it now! ‘Love And Exile’ begins with a sprinkly piano and, thank goodness, is another song that has a human touch. THIS is how the rest of the album should sound. The last number, a pointless cover of The Human League’s ‘The Black Hit Of Space’, just means that this record is too long by yet another track.
In summary, I think trying to go down the electronica / pervey / dancey route has backfired. Sarah Nixey sounds at her best when gentler, and with more feeling, as exemplified by four and a half songs here. I preferred Sarah Nixey as lead singer of B.B.R., and, although this is good in places, in comparison there is no comparison… D’OH!!!!!
Untitled Document
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