In Johnny Marr’s more than adequate sleevenotes to the new
Best Of album, the ex-Smith’s guitarist testifies that Electronic
‘formed out of ideals and necessity’ in an atmosphere of increasingly bizarre
politics and rigid, musical straightjackets. The idea was to bang out a few low-key
12” releases for clubs and work anonymously with just about any wench or geezer
that happened to take their fancy at the time, even if that meant inviting Pet
Shop Boy Neil Tennant into the studio to add his characteristic nasal twang to
a series of songs that were a fairly audacious mix of jangly, Madchester attitude
and crisp, joyful melodies. And though never attaining the same level of popularity
as their respective day jobs Bernard Sumner (Manchester's New Order), Johnny Marr
(Manchester's The Smiths), Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) and Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk)
did enjoy a modicum of commercial and critical success with the effortlessly widescreen
‘Forbidden Cities’, the funky, Hacienda-meets-Bacharach ‘Getting Away With It’
and the devastatingly handsome and sexy, ‘Get The Message’ – built around Sumner’s
clipped Northern pessimism, a thick-wedge of guitar and one wonderfully lumpy
bass pattern. And though there are some complete doughnuts here (not least the
deeply percussive nightmare that was ‘Feel Every Beat’ featuring a rap to rival
John Barnes’ ‘World In Motion’) there’s a more than adequate bunch of sparring
partners: the club friendly ‘Dissapointed’, and the shamlessly sweet and joyful,
‘For You’ amongst them. As Marr puts (and quite rightly) Electronic were
always in pursuit of the ‘upbeat beautiful track’ and The Best Of… is about as
tight a testament to that as your likely now to get. Available as a two-disc
collection The Best Of.. features 15 Electronic tracks and 7 promo videos,
many of which are available for the first time. Tracklisting: Disc One.
1. Forbidden City 2. Getting Away With It 3. Get The Message 4. Feel Every Beat
5. Disappointed 6. Vivid 7. Second Nature 8. All That I Need 9. Prodigal Son 10.
For You
Tracklisting: Disc Two (DVD) 1. Getting Away With It 2. Get The
Message 3. Feel Every Beat 4. Disappointed 5. Forbidden City 6. For You 7. Vivid
Relevant sites:
http://www.feeleverybeat.co.uk/
Alan Sargeant for Crud Magazine 2006© |
