Black Grape:
It's Great When You're Straight Yeah:
UMC:
CD/DD:
Out Now:
Somewhat impressively, 1995's It's Great When You're Straight reached number 1 on the official album chart. Considering the pedigree of Shaun Ryder's previous outfit - Happy Mondays' Yes Please nose-dived triumphantly amidst the Factory Records collapse - the cards were stacked against he and Bez's next venture. Fair play though - Black Grape's short-lived foray into musical history was deserved and It's Great is a decent if a tad dated album from an era when old ravers switched to shuffle-beats and charlie for breakfasts.
Reverend Black Grape, In The Name of the Father and Kelly's Heroes remain ridiculously catchy two decades on with the latter perhaps the album's pivotal track with all the humour of the Mondays and some pretty nifty riffs on what could easily have become an embarrassing caper in the wrong hands. Ruthless Rap Assassins' rappers Kermit and Psycho certainly helped steady the ship and provide a focal point for an outfit busy fusing funk, soul, indie and a smattering of gospel. It's pretty much a knees-up from the north and proudly so.
Of the rest here, Tramazi Party's druggy rock haze hangs heavy like a fug of exhaled crunk while the excellent Submarine and Yeah Yeah Brother could have previously been bedfellows with Primal Scream's Come Together or Loaded. Black Grape certainly borrowed ideas from the Stax, Motown and Atlantic catalogue but you get no rewards in life without flattering someone else's art.
The second disc includes a welter of remixes, the core of their celebrated Brixton Academy show from 1996 and sundry oddities such as a live rendition of Sex Pistols' Pretty Vacant, which sounds like it could be a dull exercise but turns out to be surprisingly upbeat and visceral. Non-album track and single England's Irie still isn't great when it's straight or remixed to be honest and it's a shame Fat Neck is notable by its absence (Goldie's aggressive remix, included here, doesn't suit it at all). Disc three features official videos and TV appearances.
Back in the day, with its 'bad-taste' Carlos the Jackal jacket, It's Great When You're Straight was a noticeable and notable addition to any self-respecting Britpop collection. It still is.
8/10
It's Great When You're Straight Yeah:
UMC:
CD/DD:
Out Now:
Reverend Black Grape, In The Name of the Father and Kelly's Heroes remain ridiculously catchy two decades on with the latter perhaps the album's pivotal track with all the humour of the Mondays and some pretty nifty riffs on what could easily have become an embarrassing caper in the wrong hands. Ruthless Rap Assassins' rappers Kermit and Psycho certainly helped steady the ship and provide a focal point for an outfit busy fusing funk, soul, indie and a smattering of gospel. It's pretty much a knees-up from the north and proudly so.
Of the rest here, Tramazi Party's druggy rock haze hangs heavy like a fug of exhaled crunk while the excellent Submarine and Yeah Yeah Brother could have previously been bedfellows with Primal Scream's Come Together or Loaded. Black Grape certainly borrowed ideas from the Stax, Motown and Atlantic catalogue but you get no rewards in life without flattering someone else's art.
The second disc includes a welter of remixes, the core of their celebrated Brixton Academy show from 1996 and sundry oddities such as a live rendition of Sex Pistols' Pretty Vacant, which sounds like it could be a dull exercise but turns out to be surprisingly upbeat and visceral. Non-album track and single England's Irie still isn't great when it's straight or remixed to be honest and it's a shame Fat Neck is notable by its absence (Goldie's aggressive remix, included here, doesn't suit it at all). Disc three features official videos and TV appearances.
Back in the day, with its 'bad-taste' Carlos the Jackal jacket, It's Great When You're Straight was a noticeable and notable addition to any self-respecting Britpop collection. It still is.
8/10