VS1192
1989
I know nothing of this band other than this one single.
The A-side is Sloppy Heart, a piece of 80s slow sterile breathy overprecious cack, po-faced style over substance, self-conscious and empty, like someone's surgically removed the sliver of soul from Dream Academy.
Just look at them ferchrissakes! That peroxide ponytail, you bunch of mega-eighties ponces!
The B-side has much the same delicate faux-luscious arrangement and style, but it's Anarchy In The UK. It's utterly hilarious, especially the plinky bell sound the keyboard uses for playing the guitar solo.
Just like the delight of finding a drunken version of King Of The Road on the B-side of REM's So. Central Rain, so this cracks the mask of the A-side which (I'm guessing) is more typical of Frazier Chorus' output.
They keep it up right to the end, and it's all the funnier for not having any clumsy humour introduced.
[MP3 deleted to make room for new ones. Sorry!]
12 comments:
The Frazier Chorus - oh I remember them. They REALLY were how they looked on the cover of this single and I seem to remember that they had a VERY fleeting bit of fame and were signed to 4AD.
The singer is Tim Freeman whi si the brother of Martin Freeman (The Office, HHGTTG etc).
I found your excellent site whilst searching for info on Good Technology by the Red Guitars. I am DESPERATE (not excessive caps) to get hold of the song on the B side of the 12" - a real slow emotiveone. Problem is I can't remember the name of it, or even any lyrics.
You can't help me out here can you?
Cheers for an excellent site!
The song you're looking for is the excellent 'Be with me' which I don't have, but remember very fondly.
Anyone out there have it?
Tim, the tracks on my 12" copy are Fact and Paris France.
If either of them's the one, gis yer email address and I'll sort you out with an MP3.
Egad. I had the CD single of this, bought on a lark because it looked British, and I was really into Britpop at the time, and because of the cover of Anarchy. The cover had a chick on the front. Like a baby chicken.
I believe this was one of the first things I ever sold to a used record store.
I think this is one of the best cover songs that was done with a very different style from the original.
Frazier Chorus is one of my favorite bands. Their lyrics are quite humorous to me. The blend of soft music with the satirical commentary of the lyrics is something I find terribly entertaining. I'd love it if Tim Freeman came out of retirement (again) for another round of tunes. FWIW, I completely understand the first impression this band might leave. The music at first listen certainly seems overtly pretentious. Hearing some of their other work might change some minds about them. Who knows?
I guess there's something for everyone, eh? Best Wishes!
They had a fine little hit in '91 called "Cloud 8".
Sorry, but as the posting kind of says, I don't have Dream kitchen or anything else by them.
Try online record dealers
http://www.netsoundsmusic.com/
http://www.gemm.com/
Thank you for this!
It's one of my favourite-ever cover versions. Hilarious of course, but spooky too. I love it.
If I knew how to make an MP3 I would pass you the version of Anarchy by the Dragons, a China-based punk band (actually Chinese classical musicians in need of a good shout after a decade of Cultural Revolution) stumbled on in Canton/Guangzhou by a French Musicologist in about 1980.
A Chinese erhu saws away at the riff while a couple of grown men shout meaningless gumbo, each line ending roughly in 'ar-kay!' so that the gumbo rhymes.
This song more deeply fulfills the spirit of '76 than anything actually released in '76....
Dream kitchen is great.
i have it om mp3 if you like
PLEEZE put the link up again! I lost my copy of the EP and I've been looking for Anarchy (again) everywhere.
Conscience Whig,
gis your email address and i'll send you the mp3 (see the bit in the sidebar about Deleted Tracks)
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