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Rating: What was I doing in 1995? Why didn't I like this record? I can't answer the first question. Perhaps the second. I was probably too attached to a certain English sound from '79-'82 (my golden age) to bear these three girls plus a guy on drums. To delve a bit deeper. To hear the discards (in the sense of deviations). Because only now have I accepted that we move forward with small shifts, divergences, indeed, discards.
At first glance, they seemed too much like Wire guitars, too much like The Passions' voice, too much like The Buzzcocks' rhythm.
Now, that the new wave revival is the bread of every day, it is appropriate to reevaluate Elastica. If only because they had the idea to revive that sound ten years before the current imitators. If only because they are certainly better than any post wave band that has appeared on the cover of NME in the past two years.
And it is especially necessary to reevaluate Justine Frischmann. Too many considered her simply the muse of Brett Anderson first, then Damon Albarn. And that could also be sufficient ("Animal Lover" by Suede, "Beetlebum" and "No Distance Left To Run" by Blur talk about her, and are among the most beautiful English pop songs of the past 15 years).
Miss Frischmann, frontman and leader of Elastica, rightly left Suede because the role of second guitar was too tight for her. And Elastica achieved success in the U.S.A. well before Blur.
Don't expect anything groundbreaking or innovative. Just delightful little songs, all except for a couple that exceed four, under three minutes, but some even under two. Fun. Carefree. With fragile fragile choruses, to sing in the shower.
A bit too much like Wire, as I said above (don't be fussy and don't listen to "I'm The Fly" from "Chairs Missing" and the opening "Line Up" in a row). Sometimes Pixies ("S.O.F.T." and "Never Here" especially). But also influential on the sound to come: Albarn in "Car Song" plays the keyboards under the pseudonym "Dan Abnormal", but the atmospheres of that piece will only emerge in Blur's self-titled album, a couple of years later; Franz Ferdinand made billions rearranging some of Frischmann's songs.
In my opinion, at an Elastica concert, everyone was under the stage drinking beers and hopping around. I often don't ask for much more from a band. Strange to think that, after this little record, it's said that Elastica dedicated themselves more to heroin than to pop. Strange life, as they say. But these are other stories. For your summer, I suggest you rediscover these forty short minutes for fifteen songs. Best use: back from the beach, you're in front of the mirror getting ready for happy hour. Let me know.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Line Up (03:15)
Drivel head wears her glad rags
She's got her keys money and fags
I know that her mind is made up
To get rocked
Drivel head needs a new man
As only a drivel head can
He's a hormonal nightmare
So beware
Another victim of line up in line
Line up in line is all I remember
Oh how their favors change
You could have been kinder
Yes, yes, line up in line
Line up in line is all I remember
Oh how their favors change
You could have been mine
Drivel head knows all the stars
Loves to suck their shining guitars
They've all been right up her stairs
Do you care?
(no...)
Drivel head knows all the bands
Knows them like the back of her hands
You can't see the wood for the trees
On your knees
Another victim of line up in line
Line up in line is all I remember
Oh how your favors change
You could have been kinder
Yes, yes, line up in line
Line up in line is all I remember
Oh how your favors change
You could have been mine
02 Annie (01:13)
Annie, told me,
Get out of here, head for the sea,
The sun is hot and the air is clean
The best things in the world are free
And Mister Murphy
Likes his Jackanory
Holsten Export times three
Jimi Hendrix and Thin Lizzy
Annie, Annie, Annie
Met a mate in the afternoon
Holsten shore line pub crawl
Looking for some cold beer
Missed the stone punch drunk Judy
Tony, brandy, M.G., Andy
Vodka, scotch and loads of beer
It's so great we want to stay here
Annie, Annie, Annie
03 Connection (02:20)
Riding on any wave,
That is the luck you crave,
They don't believe it now,
They just think it's stupid,
So got anything?
Anyone could have done,
Who would've cared at all,
not you.
Another heart has made the trade,
Forget it, forget it, forget it,
I don't understand how a heart is a spade,
But somehow the vital connection is made.
Riding on anything,
Anything's good enough,
Who would've thought it of
Someone like you,
Just as they brought me round,
Now that they brought you down,
Roundabout and roundabout
Who wants a life anyway?
Another heart has made the grade,
Forget it, forget it, forget it,
I don't understand how the last card is played,
But somehow the vital connection is made.
04 Car Song (02:24)
You could call me a car lover
'Cause I love it in a motor
And the way it feels
To ride around on new wheels
I hardly know you
But I think I'm going to
Let's go siesta
In your Ford Fiesta
Here we go again
I'm riding in your car
Let me count to ten
'Cause it's gone way too far
Up my street to nowhere
You know what detours are
Here we go again
And it's gone way too far
Sometimes I just can't function
My heart's spaghetti junction
Every shining bonnet
Makes me think of my back on it
I just can't escape the feeling
That I'd rather be free-wheeling
In every little Honda
There may lurk a Peter Fonda...ooh..
Here we go again
I'm riding in your car
Let me count to ten
'Cause it's gone way too far
Up my street to nowhere
You know what detours are
Here we go again
And it's gone way too far
05 Smile (01:40)
1, 2, 3, 4
Peaches and cream, where have you been?
Did you know I've been waiting all night
Who's bed where you in? Who's head were you turning?
Don't you know I've been out of my mind
Cos I know what you fear you will find
Oh why...
Sweetness and light
I don't wanna fight you
But I don't wanna listen to lies
Your face is a mess
You know you should drink less
And I don't wanna hear how the time flies
And I know by the look in your eyes
You were talking to some girl who's seen you, I heard what she said
She said she thought that she knew you although you had only just met
Oh yeah.. Oh!
Don't stop talking sharp
I'll see you down the time swap
I've been tested and tried
Lost on the tide
So cold inside
Do you know I've been out of my mind?
Cuz you know what you fear that you'll find
I was talking to some girl that you said you'd seen her before
Oh my head's such a mess 'Till I hear your key in the door
Oh yeah... oh yeah!
06 Hold Me Now (02:32)
Don't stop shaking it's my head
That makes me want to second guess at a distance
Hoping there's a method to your madness baby
I might just understand if you obey me
Hold me now I need assistance
I'd take somebody else if I could
Walking down tree-lined place so pensive in the country
I can't take the voodoo that you do
Just lust easier sussed real love makes me untrue
It's hard to make a stew when the meat keeps looking up at you
And hold me now I need assistance
Follow down the path of least resistance
Hold me now don't keep your distance
I'd take somebody else if I could
Hold me now I need assistance
Why don't you take the path of least resistance
Hold me now do I need a license to hold you?
Hold me now I need assistance
Follow down the path of least resistance
Hold me now will it take a lifetime to hold you?
07 S.O.F.T. (03:58)
And now we find
Looking back at your state of mind,
Was it all just a cover up?
Woke your mother up
You were on TV
Did the devil say to you
You can make it through
I'll take you to the top
And now that you're heaven bent
And it pays the rent
Is it hard to stop?
Chorus:
S.O.F.T Thought you knew the score
S.O.F.T Always wanted more
S.O.F.T Are you sure you're sure
S.O.F.T
And now we find
Looking back at your state of mind
Was it all just a cover up?
Broke your mother up
On my TV
Did the devil say to you
You can make it through
I'll take you up the shop
And in a dress too small
To be a dress at all
Is it hard to stop?
Rpt. Chorus
09 Blue (02:21)
John's gone his senses loaded over by your house,
You know, it's so basic
One two three four
John's gone his senses loaded
Over by your house
It's so basic
I think you're faking
Have a good time
But don't get into my head
Do you recommend I wait a while
Direct and live or keep it
Constant
And selective blue
I can read your mind
If you want to
I will let you blue
I can read your mind
If you want to
I will let you
John's gone he needs attention
Do you understand
His inclination?
I've seen you shaking
Come down here
And I'll show you the wrong way
Try to rearrange this tired old line
Connect this smile and keep it
Standard
And reflective blue
I can read your mind
If you want to
I will let you blue
I can read your mind
I will let you
If you want to
10 All-Nighter (01:33)
It's nearly eleven
Do you think we'll stand the test of time
You're a cloud short of heaven
But you know I want you to be mine
Am I sitting here waiting
Yeah, and it's getting frustrating
Got to go to the garage
Got to get some fags and make some tea
Can you lend me enough wedge
Do you want to walk up there with me
And I'm sitting here waiting
Yeah, I'm tired of debating
We've been up all night
I can feel a strange attraction
Now it's getting light
But I can't spur you into action
Sure not alone
But so on my own, oh.
It's a quarter to seven
Don't you think we've stayed up half the night
You're a cloud short of heaven
But I'd love to see you strut your stuff
And I'm sitting here waiting
Yeah, and it could be X-rated
We could be oh so happy,
We could be oh so happy.
11 Waking Up (03:15)
I'd work very hard, but I'm lazy
I can't take the pressure and it's starting to show
In my heart, you know how it pains me
A life of leisure is no life you know
Chorus:
Waking up and getting up has never been easy
Oh, oh you should know
Waking up and getting up has never been easy
Oh, oh you should know
Oh, oh you should go
Make a cup of tea, put a record on
I'd work very hard, but I'm lazy
I've got a lot of songs but they're all in my head
I'll get a guitar, and a lover who pays me
If I can't be a star I won't get out of bed
(Chorus x 2)
13 Vaseline (01:22)
When you're stuck like glue, Vaseline
When you need some goo
When you're stuck like glue, Vaseline
When you're black and blue, Vaseline
La La La La La La La La La La
When you're stuck like glue
Give me some
When you're stuck like glue
If you'd like to woo, Vaseline
La La La La La La La La La La
If it's hot like you,
Give me some
Do you need a clue,
I want some Vaseline, Vaseline, Vaseline, Vaseline, Vaseline, Vaseline.
15 Stutter (02:23)
No need to whine boy
Like a wind up toy you stutter at my feet
And it's never the time boy
You've had too much wine to stumble up my street
Well it isn't a problem
Nothing we can't keep between the sheets
Tell me you're mine love
And I will not wait for other bedtime treats
Is there something you lack
When I'm flat on my back
Is there something that I can do for you?
It's always something you ate
Or it's something you hate
Tell me is it the way that I touch you?
Have you found a new mate
And is she really great
Is it just that I'm much too much for you?
Don't feed me a line boy
I can hear that voice you use upon the phone
And there's no need to be coy
That is something you can do upon your own
Well it isn't a problem
Nothing we can't solve so just relax
Am I on the wrong train love
And will I have to tie you to the tracks
Is there something you lack
When I'm flat on my back
Is there something that I can do for you?
It's always something you ate
Or it's something you hate
Tell me is it the way that I touch you?
Have you found a new mate
And is she really great
Is it just that I'm much too much for you?
I really want you to
I really want you to
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Other reviews
By RingoStarfish
The album and the music have a clear neo-punk setup, all about the essentials, black&white cover, 16 songs totaling 40 minutes.
Above all stands the voice of the leader, truly excellent in its expressiveness, in its very ironic and sensual brazenness, a direct descendant of Patti Smith and ready to rival Pj Harvey for erotic anger.
