Moloko - Statues

Fun in Moloko

I pulled this off the cd shelf recently for listening in the car and was reminded of just how brilliant this band/[duo] are, and especially the singing of Roisin Murphy. I think I was first influenced by them with their third release Things To Make And Do - songs like 'Pure Pleasure Seeker', with its baritone sax lead, reminded me of rock and prog bands of the late 70s, and Murphy's voice always reminded me a little of both Julie Driscoll and Sonja Kristina; and then there's 'Indigo' with its chanted lyrics 'Rameses, Colossus, Rameses, Colossus' and other pseudo-psychedelic nonsense - this was a musical distillation of so much that I liked from the past now starting the new millennium. I subsequently bought Moloko's first two releases as well - Do You Like My Tight Sweater and I Am Not A Doctor which are more dance oriented as well as lyrically playful.

But TTMAD and Statues are favourites with great songs that Murphy collaborated in writing with then boyfriend Mark Brydon. From the latter, the ballad 'Statues' is itself beautiful and foregrounds Murphy's wonderful vocals. '100%' reflects the writers' range with its big band jazz intro and bossa nova rhythms. 'I Want You' presents a further nuance on Roisin's vocals with a soulful solo opening and then what I guess is a double-tracked core. Opening track 'Familiar Feelings' has an organ intro that reminds me of Procol Harum [just until the slapped bass cuts in!] but the repeated 'Nothing can come close' rises to a crescendo that halts in a King Crimsonesque peak before continuing into the main song.

Amazing how it's been years since I listened to this. I've put that right tonight. Great fun.