0898 (0898 Beautiful South - The Beautiful South)

Member Name: davepridd

Product:	0898 Beautiful South - The Beautiful South
Date:	20/07/00 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good songs, up-tempo, good production

Disadvantages: Few

This album sold less than any other Beautiful South album, although it still went platinum, so it could be hardly considered a failure. However, I think it deserves to be heard by a wider audience, as those who bought the million-selling 'Quench' will almost certainly like it. This is because '0898' and 'Quench' are the only 2 Beautiful South albums which have explored a reasonably similar theme - that of guitar based pop. I think that here the group seem quite similar to Pulp with lots of melodic, up-tempo songs, and fantastic lyrics.

The production is certainly much better than the slightly thin feel to the first two albums, and there are many more rock tracks, which remain popular in the Beautiful South's live shows today. However the sound is never course or heavy, as melody is always the most important element, and the lead instrument is always the voice.

There are some fantastic songs here with anthems such as 'Old red eyes is back', and the controversial '36D', which was centeral to Briana Corrigan leaving the group in 1993. There are still some more gentle numbers, such as 'Rocking Chair', which sounds quite similar to Prefab Sprout. The lyrics are quite still miserable, and centered around death or violent ends to relationships and drinking. We get another parody on the Beatles on the very funny 'When I'm 84'.

If you've only got 'Quench', this is definately the Beautiful South album to listen to next.

Summary: