Black Box Recorder - "The Worst Of Black Box Recorder" CD Compilation

Black Box Recorder – The Worst Of Black Box Recorder

CD Compilation, Enchanced, US, 2001

Jetset Records

The Worst Of Black Box Recorder is a collection of b-sides, re-mixes, and the 'hits' by Sarah, Luke, and John. Their short-span of their work is very much appreciated by yours truly, due that it is hard to find an artist or band that is devoted to pure irony. That word is looked down upon, especially in pop, but I think we can always use a certain amount of irony in a work of art, especially in the pop song. Black Box Recorder makes irony into a steady art form, and it is used quite effectively in their recordings.

The three covers they do on this collection is dipping into sarcasm that is beautifully expressed by the wonderful singer Sarah Nixey, whose dead-panned vocals convey a certain amount of boredom and icy feelings. Luke Haines as a writer is border-line Ray Davies with a glam fixation. This, believe me, is a a good combination. The songs he wrote with John Moore are a tad subtle with the tongue deep in the cheek.

Their sound is eloquent and I can understand people not fully adopting their stance with a thumbs up due to the consistent stance of humor. In a funny way they remind me of 10cc in that their work is consistently clever, and clever is sometimes a tad much. Artifice and surface is used to expose a deeper understanding of their culture – which is mostly about the world of pop music and identity. There is also a JG Ballard aspect in how Black Box Recorder looks at the landscape. They have not made an album in 10 years, and I miss them. 

Black Box Recorder - "Passionoia" CD Album

Black Box Recorder – Passionoia

CD Album, UK, 2003

One Little Indian

“British Racing Green” is almost klassic Kinks like, and therefore that alone is worth getting this album. Also sadly this was the last album by Black Box Recorder. It was a series of perfect moments, but with Facts Of Life being their masterpiece. What is interesting is that they're fully 'English' sounding via their lyrics, but musically they strike me as more European sounding. Passionoia is very much a bigger production than the other albums by Luke, Sarah, and John.

Parts of it reminds me of ABBA, which is a good thing. Luke Haines, generally speaking, is always on the tightrope between genius or missing-that-genius-mark. He's such a smart-Alec that it sometimes becomes a wall that one has to climb over to appreciate his music. But then again his stance towards or at the very least, his commentary on the contemporary world is priceless. His (their) tribute to Wham's second partner “Andrew Ridgley” is a good example how his sense of humor is at play. Haines looks at the world in a critical light, and in a way his music is like reading a small essay.

Passionoia is not my favorite album from Black Box Recorder, but still its a gem of a really good piece of work – and Haines is a person someone should follow to the end of the Earth. Also Pulp fans would find his work interesting...

Black Box Recorder - "The Facts Of Life" CD Album

Black Box Recorder – The Facts Of Life

CD, Album, UK, 2000

Nude Records

The promise, in other words their masterpiece. All the stars are lined up correctly for Black Box Recorder's The Facts Of Life, because here the melodies match the biting lyrics with the perfect presentation. Some years back I played this album to a friend, and they thought 'so contrived.' Which is true, but in this case, it is a strength than a hinderance. “French Rock n' Roll” and “The Facts Of Life” are both perfect pop songs, and funny.

What they do on record sounds simple and un-cluttered but is actually quite sophisticated due to the arrangements and how they work up Sarah's deadened vocals with even a more laid-back but perfectly pitched back-up vocals from John and Luke. They can almost be folk music, but somehow turned into glam rock. A very laid back version of glam of course. A tongue-in-cheek classic introduction to the 21^st Century, before we knew it would turn to shit. Luke Haines would admire that. I think only artists can convey the horror that is the new century.

Black Box Recorder - "England Made Me" CD Album

Black Box Recorder – England Made Me

CD Album, Reissue, U.S., 1999 (recorded in 1998)

Jetset Records

Luke Haines' work, generally, leaves me cold. I admire his wit and charm, but I often feel that his songs are too forced upon. But his work with co-writer / musician John Moore and the British Chanteuse Sarah Nixey aka Black Box Recorder is another matter. I love them.

England Made Me perhaps named after an early Graham Greene novel, is gentle on the ears, but the lyrics are biting, The beauty of the bored vocals mixed in with the simple guitars and minimal arrangements add a large picture in one's head. Sophisticated of course, and maybe a tad too much of a tongue in cheek, but still its a warm album for me, even though the band does it best to be distant and unemotional. But is that not a seductive move? One can't over-estimate Nixey's talent in conveying Haines or Moore's sarcastic lyrics. I think anyone else doing it, will cheapen the affect. So Black Box Recorder is very much a balanced act – where all their strengths are focused to make a very 'smart' sort of pop. Not many can carry this off, but Black Box Recorder seems to do it effortlessly.