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From the Vault...
12/24/2000
#713 |
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info
Dexys Midnight Runners
"The Very Best Of Dexy's Midnight Runners"
© Mercury Records
Year of Release: 1991
Rating:
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track listing
Come On Eileen
Jackie Wilson Said
(I'm In Heaven
When You Smile)
Let's Get This Straight
(From The Start)
Because Of You
(Theme From
Brush Strokes)
Show Me
Celtic Soul Brothers
(More, Please,
Thank You)
Liars A To E
One Way Love
Old
Geno
There, There, My Dear
Breaking Down The
Walls Of Heartache
Dance Stance
Plan B
Keep It Part Two
(Inferiority
Part One)
I'm Just Looking
Soon
This Is What She's Like
Soul Finger
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Dexys Midnight Runners
"The Very Best Of Dexy's Midnight Runners"
To many people, Dexys Midnight Runners were a one-hit wonder with their
hit, Come On Eileen. Surpringly, The Very Best Of Dexys Midnight
Runners is a 19-track compilation of the band's work. Lead by Kevin Rowland,
their Very Best proves that the music itself is Memphis-soul, yet
Rowland's vocals can be judged as anything but.
For those who lived throughout (and survived) the 1980s, "Come On Eileen"
is probably the only song best remembered from this compilation. This sex-inspired
song became their biggest hit, reaching #1 in 1983. To some, this song may not
have been one of the greatest, but like many songs, it was a gigantic hit, reaching
#1, becoming every musician's dream, to record a Number One record.
"Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)" is a remake of
the Van Morrison song, and despite how great this song is, the Dexys do a good
job, yet Morrison's version is still tops. "Let's Get This Straight (From
The Start)" -- I'm sorry, but Kevin Rowland's voice kinda gets on your
nerves, and this song is not one to recommend. "Because Of You" (Theme From
Brush Strokes) has good potential musically, as a country song, with the
fiddle arrangements, but Rowland's vocals is bad again, kinda sounding like a
drunken Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music.
If you can tolerate Rowland's voice in "Come On Eileen", then
"Show Me", likewise "Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You)"
can pass. The jumpin' music is real good, (especially the horns in Show Me),
but the vocals of Kevin Rowland -- is debatable.
"Liars A To E" is a medium-tempo song, yet the vocals of Kevin
Rowland are not as bad. "One Way Love" has the Memphis soul sound,
with the horns and all, yet again, the vocals are compared to a Bryan
Ferry-wannabe.
It seems that slow ballads seems to fit Kevin Rowland's voice, as it shows
in "One Way Love." "Geno" has the "whining" voice again, and
in this one, his vocals can also be compared to The Cure's Robert Smith.
The music itself (exclude the vocals here) compares to the Memphis soul horn
inspirations, yet the vocals -- ummm, debatable. Even so, this song can be
overlooked; meaning it's not one that would easily be listened to over and over
for one's listening enjoyment.
The Memphis soul horns returns with "There, There My Dear,"
"Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache," "Plan B" and "Keep It Part Two
(Inferiority Part One)"... and I have to ask again, is this Dexys Midnight
Runners, Roxy Music, or The Cure? (Note: "Keep It" really goes
overboard...) "Soon" is a ballad, yet the vocal comparisons of Robert
Smith is also heard here.
If Kevin Rowland doesn't try to "imitate" Robert Smith or Bryan Ferry,
"Dance Stance" proves this, and it's not a bad song. It may not grab
your attention to be a regular radio player, but it's much better than other
songs that this review has been bombing... "I'm Just Looking" is even
better (!); this one could easily get regular airplay, but no one would believe
that it's Dexys Midnight Runners.
"This Is What She's Like" has the comparisons of Ferry/Smith again,
but surpringsly, this one seems to work, and is listenable in some areas.
"Soul Finger" is an instrumental remake of The Bar-Kays version, and it
provides the sound heard throughout many of the songs of this compilation --
the Memphis Soul Stax Sound.
Not that there's nothing wrong with the vocals of Berry Ferry and/or The
Cure, but the music of Dexys Midnight Runners, with its very impressive
Memphis Stax Soul sound, just doesn't match with Kevin Rowland's vocals.
"Come On Eileen" is the song best remembered for Dexys Midnight Runners,
and sad to say, that's the only one.
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