Everything but the Girl
Temperamental

THE REVIEW

I apologize to the band's fans. Before Todd Terry, in the year when I was kicking my way through final exams and vainly trying to lose my virginity, slipped his remix of 'Missing' into every habitable crevice of my eardrums, I had no idea who or what EBTG were. Or rather: since I already frequented the lowlands of pop, the name wasn't cacophonous to me, but beyond that, it was a big question mark (Jova, I'm not quoting you note).

Yes, because I then went backward. But with an eyedropper. Meaning: I sampled some of their earlier work, but no. Not for me.

Also because, guys, it’s an amazing compound fracture. I've seen artists and bands change their genre over the years, but this is like going from the Quartetto Cetra to 2 Unlimited.

The fact is, for me, EBTG were born with the aforementioned remix of 'Missing' (1995) and died with ' Temperamental' (1999), passing through 'Walking Wounded' (1996).

Which means: step aside guitars, turn into synthetic bass, because here it's all about the unz unz, scratches, and an electro melange that’s nothing to sneeze at.

I said 'died', referring to the work in question, not just because. Because after that, aside from anthologies and remastered reissues, they haven't done anything since.

They raised their children, and that's absolutely cool. If I could take a leave of absence for my kids, aivoja.

The limitation, the only one, of 'Temperamental' is precisely this: the mania. 'Dear fans, what’s done is done. Electronic, electronic, electronic. What else?' Which is fine by me, but every now and then you need to make the work heterogeneous, break out, give a nod to the past, disguise yourself. They don't. The rest is undisputable: her voice is splendid, gentle, a caress. Ben Watt, for his part, handles 90% of the work: lyrics, music, keyboards, synth: he claims it and doesn’t fail to let us know. And, at the risk of staying faithful to the electronic matrix (no kidding?), he ends the album with a collaboration with Deep Dish that almost exceeds eight minutes*.

Standouts, well-liked, and emotional are 'Five Fathoms', 'Low Tide Of The Night', ' Hatfield 1980' (the absolute best), 'No Difference', and 'Future Of The Future'*.

I tell you this, before @IlConte arrives to make jokes. New car, I needed a CD blasting quality, substantial music to test the stereo system.

I choose 'Temperamental', and based on what it tells me, I go to modulate and set the values. I don't know why. I couldn’t say: it was a moment.

If someone should meet Ben, while escorting his kids to school, or to University since twenty years have passed, good Lord, tell him. It's little, but it's done with heart.