British Electric Foundation - "Music of Quality & Distinction, Volume 1" Vinyl, LP, 1982 (Virgin)

In the late 70s and early 80s, there was this procedure where bands like Public Image LTD and Heaven 17's British Electric Foundation (B.E.F.) were into the corporate identity.  Not only a group but also a company.  I imagine in those days that there were no band meetings, but instead, and in its place, a board meeting took place.   I'm a massive fan of Heaven 17's first album "Penthouse and Pavement," which at its heart is a synth-pop soul sound, but also mixing in real instruments as well. When Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware left Human League to form Heaven 17/B.E.F., it was an ambitious move on their part.  Through Virgin Records, they clearly wanted to have their separate identity as a production house, songwriting group, as well as having a radical approach to corporation life, which I suspect was in itself a critique of that world. 

With that in mind, and also playing the game of marketing an image/music for the consumer, B.E.F. put together "Music of Quality & Distinction, Volume 1" which is a collection of 1960's Motown soul music with 70's Glam era rock.   Each song had a guest singer, and it was usually an iconic figure in the music world.  You have Tina Turner covering the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion," Sandie Shaw doing "Anyone Had a Heart," and Gary Glitter doing a pretty great glam version of Elvis' "Suspicious Minds."  The brilliant aspect of this project is having singers who were fading out in the mainstream music world at the time, and giving them a decent song, as well as a commentary on their era of music making.   The great Paul Jones of Manfred Mann fame does a remarkable version of Northern Soul "There's a Ghost in My House." 

In 1982, the pop singers on the album that were happening at the moment like the excellent Billy MacKenzie (Associates), Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory, and TV announcer Paula Yates (tragic life that one) making mostly classic music from the 60s.  Gregory does the Jimmy Webb song "Witchita Lineman" as well as Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," which is from the 70s.  Ware and Marsh attempt to freeze an era through music, but the brilliant part is their choice of artists doing the material, yet working in the B.E.F. mode of production and vision. 

For me, MacKenzie never fails.  His version of Bowie's "The Secret Life of Arabia" and Roy Orbison's "It's Over" are magnificent due to Billy's voice and approach to these songs.  Having the Shadows' Hank Marvin on the Orbison song is a nice touch as well.  Again, it's the mixture of electronics with real instrumentation, as well as choosing the right iconic singer doing the material makes this album a real joy. 

Chris Andrews - "Yesterday Man" b/w "Too Bad You Don't Want Me" 45 rpm 7" Single, 1965 (Atco)

Chris Andrews is a bit of a mystery to me.  I first came upon his name when I look at the credits for Sandie Shaw songs during the early 1960s.  He wrote all her major hits, and I'm a fan of her work.  The second time I became aware of this songwriter's talent was when I heard Robert Wyatt's 1973 version of "Yesterday Man," which is one of my favorite Wyatt recordings.   Chris Andrews wrote that song as well, and I think it's the best I have heard of his songwriting.  

Wyatt's version is slow, mournful, with a touch of regret and of course, romantic angst.  Chris Andrews recorded his own version of the song in 1965 and of course, it's upbeat with a strong Ska rhythm going through it, but the chorus has that Sandie Shaw sound.  It's particular talent of Andrews to add a clatter of vocals that are busy and frantic at the same time.  I like his approach to his song.  If I have to choose between the two, it would be the Wyatt version, just because he can milk the pathos deeply and profoundly.  Yet there is something sinister in the happy-go-lucky Andrews conveying the fact that he is genuinely a Yesterday Man in some woman's life.  In other words, a great tune. 

Sandie Shaw - "Sandie Shaw" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1965 (Reprise)

The greatest British Yé-Yè singer ever.   A pop vocalist who had/has a look that shook the United Kingdom.  Wearing no shoes on stage, or in her publicity photos, she is no hippie, but a Juliette Gréco for the teenage set, and of course, in a British sense.   Her main creative partner is Chris Andrews, a man I know little about, except that he made recordings under his name, which is pretty fantastic.  Yet, his work with Sandie Shaw is remarkable.  His "I'll Stop at Nothing," "Talk About Love," "Girl Don't Come" (great song title), and others made Sandie a classic artist, along with her distinctive vocal style.   And Robert Wyatt recorded a version of his "Yesterday Man."

Back to Sandie Shaw, the pure pop here is not sugar coated, but it is full of emotion.  She's classic 'girl-pop' with a vengeance.  "Girl Don't Come" has menace.   One of my favorite pop records to come out of the British Invasion.   Now, reading the title, it has sexual overtures, but in fact is about a woman who won't show up. Still, unusual phrase.  And perhaps it's a duality, but not sure how songwriters thought out their song titles in the 1960s.  Still, this is Sandie Shaw's first American release, and it's classic British girl pop.   Sassy, sexual, tender, and for those who love The Pretenders, a must-have.