While technically an album of covers, many of the songs have been thoroughly reworked, so I consider them to be standalone songs in their own right.
The bands' signature soft style turns Love Will Tear Us Apart into a wonderful lullabye. Marian and Making Plans For Nigel use the same approach, however they somehow fail to make an impression on me. But that's not to say they're bad songs, because I really enjoy their style, so the songs still make for nicely relaxing background music.
However, In A Manner Of Speaking is definitely engaging, mainly thanks to the haunting and poetic lyrics. The music of Tuxedomoon's original is a bit too left-field for me, but the wonderfully understated Nouvelle Vague accompaniment brings it all together perfectly. It's recording quality, like most of the album, is wonderfully gentle, yet with nice subtle details (such as the crisp egg-shaker) if you go listening for them.
Guns Of Brixton is a tougher challenge, since The Clash have set such a high benchmark with the original. The styles of The Clash and Nouvelle Vague might both seem like a strange choice for a song with such a 'tough' narrative. Yet both unusual approaches perfectly capture the feelings of menace and torment, and are both favourite songs for me.
On the other hand, it is a miracle that they saw the potential in the awful original that is This Is Not A Love Song. Yet they've somehow turned it into a wonderfully catchy little pop song. And the lyrics take on a wonderful irony with the new style. Great stuff. Teenage Highs takes a similar approach, also to great effect.
When quintessentially frat-boy lyrics about bar-room brawls and drunken sex are sung in a soft style with female vocals, the result is fantastic Richard Cheese-esque humour. This is Too Drunk To Fuck in a nutshell. Yet I still enjoy the song after all these years, suggesting that it's not just a one-trick pony and actually a great song as well.
Although the tortured style of Psyche isn't to my liking, it is worthwhile on the album for injecting some variety. Finally, the sparse approach Friday Night Saturday Morning actually brings the sorrowful narrative to life, even more than original, therefore bringing an interesting new angle to the ska classic.
Favourite songs
In A Manner Of Speaking, Guns Of Brixton, This Is Not A Love Song, Too Drunk To Fuck, Friday Night Saturday Morning
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