So while listening to Toyah Wilcox through youtube, they randomly threw a song I thought "hmmm....that doesn't sound like Toyah....however its freaking awesome!" that song was "Eighth day" by Hazel O'Connor.
I then found the album it is on which it is all part of a film called Breaking Glass starring the band members and Hazel (I have no clue about it really.) however the album is occupying my time as I just want to keep listening to it.
It has a very punk feeling back to it with a synth front....while THERE IS A SAXOPHONE SOLOS AS GLUE!
So just that alone has alot going on, not to mention Hazel's sarcastic eccentric "Cockney Rebel" kind of singing.
First song "Writing on the wall" has a bit of a more pop feel with the synth yet some nice proper rock outside of it and the like most of the songs is angry meaning full lyrics.
Next "Monsters in Disguise" another angry punk like singing with synth and rock as the background, yet in a different way that hazel's sarcastic tones is complimented even more.
"Come into the Air" is a nice airy almost Kate Bush like synth song of passion.
The next song "Big Brother" returns to the angry satire filled less punk rock and more rock even scaling back the electronic yet allows for a great Adam and the Ants like chorus....if that make any sense?
"Who needs it?" is a strange wonderful melody with synth,saxophone and an oboe! that slowly amps up to a great and quick chant all about nuclear weapons. Getting into a really nice blood pumping bounce like your at a rally chanting anti Nukes while stamping your feet all together, helps that the audio as if they just performed it in a club like that.
Now we take a major turn with "Will you?" gone is the rock guitar and instead violins and again...the saxophone return to make a lovely melodic with drums and a keyboard providing chill out beats. If I had to really describe what it sounds like, it sounds like Kate Bush produced a Tori Amos song.
"Eight day" is the song I first heard and its a wonderful Scifi punchy synth story of man's technological achievements and follys in the form of gods seven days. Hazel sounds the most different as if she so very deliberate in her words.
A piano induced playful and mischievous tune that would fit well in a dream as it waves back and fourth, "Top of the Wheel" just take me there and lets it wash over me as Hazel disappointingly shouts/sings at me.
Sounding like it should be a meaningful moment in a stage show musical "Calls a tune" has Hazel play with her fall in a more innocent way with a piano,drums and bass plodding along with her, as if its a moment of realisation for the "character".
"Blackman" is another angry song however lacking any hint of punk instead proper prog rock backs and compliments as Hazel sort of saucily spits her lyrics in disdain for the well I supposed the best way to say it is "upper class" the better, she is the "black" she is the lower class, the dirty. Relay weirdly nice.
"Give me an Inch" is a bouncy rocky synth tune and the sort you saw alot of on Top of the pops, I have a song like it on the tip of my tongue however cannot say it, you know what...despite the fact I found this in a Toyah Wilcox mix this might be the only song THAT ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE TOYAH!
The last song on the Album is "If only" and it sounds like Hazel just sat a piano and played it out starting off sound alot like Tori Amos before returning to a deepish Hazel voice yet still carrying an overall Tori Amos of a hurt female voice.
I cannot get enough of this Album it is just fantastic.
|