Orange Juice was a band from Scotland and was the leading light on the independent Scottish label Postcard. First of all, no other group was cuter than Orange Juice. The four young men were all pin-up material, and Edwyn Collins their 'perhaps' leader was striking in his pouty sensual lips and hair over one eye. Their music was guitar driven but layered and extremely textural. It hints of the band Television, but to me, I hear two other groups influences on their first album "You Can't Hide Your Love Forever." They are The Velvet Underground, and the other is The Feelies.
To be specific The Velvets intimate third album, due to the intimacy of their sound, but also the beautiful guitar playing by Sterling Morrison and Lou Reed. There is the conversational quality of Reed's lyrics that are very much part of Collins' writing as well. Lou is direct, and Edwyn has a touch of Noel Coward commenting on a relationship in disaster or changed by circumstances. With respect to The Feelies, and I'm specifically talking about their first album, I hear the interplay of the guitars that build up and then there's a melodic part that opens up the music in a fashion that is beautiful and feminine. Which is an odd thing to say about a guitar band of all young guys, but there is a strong sense of not power, but the surge of melodies that come through like a sun breaking through the clouds.
No comments:
Post a Comment