- Audio CD (30 May 1997)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Musicrama/Koch
- ASIN: B00000DZN9
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Don't Marry Her |
| 2. Little Blue |
| 3. Mirror |
| 4. Blackbird on the Wire |
| 5. Sound of North America |
| 6. Have Fun |
| 7. Liars' Bar |
| 8. Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) |
| 9. Foundations |
| 10. Artificial Flowers |
| 11. One God |
| 12. Alone |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This fifth album outing for Hull's greatest musical export, the Beautiful South, marks a slight shift in the band's sound. Still keeping the cynical, sarcastic lyrics with trademark jazzy arrangements, there are slower numbers here, along with some very big issues being tackled, and a few tracks which sound like they were recorded with the aim of producing a commercial hit single.
Overall the quality is excellent. The slow burning songs work well, especially the cover of Leonard Cohen's `Blackbird on a Wire', an inspired choice as Cohen's style is just perfect for the BS). The faster tempo tracks, such as Rotterdam reveal the usual playful, sarcastic voice of the band. Religion is tackled in the amusing `One God'. The best track of all though is the all conquering `Liar's Bar', one of the greatest tracks ever recorded by the band. Paul Heaton uses an unusually low and gruff register to tell the tale of a dedicated bar fly. It shows what a great singer he is, as well as displaying his unique song writing ability.
All in all a classic album. Perhaps not as boundary pushing as their earlier work, with a slightly more commercial edge, but a bona fide classic nonetheless.
Overall the quality is excellent. The slow burning songs work well, especially the cover of Leonard Cohen's `Blackbird on a Wire', an inspired choice as Cohen's style is just perfect for the BS). The faster tempo tracks, such as Rotterdam reveal the usual playful, sarcastic voice of the band. Religion is tackled in the amusing `One God'. The best track of all though is the all conquering `Liar's Bar', one of the greatest tracks ever recorded by the band. Paul Heaton uses an unusually low and gruff register to tell the tale of a dedicated bar fly. It shows what a great singer he is, as well as displaying his unique song writing ability.
All in all a classic album. Perhaps not as boundary pushing as their earlier work, with a slightly more commercial edge, but a bona fide classic nonetheless.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is the album that first really got me into The South. I'd always been aware of them, with 'Song For Whoever' being an example of something that stuck in my mind for years. But it was'nt until hearing this album that it finally clicked just how good TBS really are. More specifically, 'Blackbird On The Wire' is the key for me. Its haunting lyric about how the writer cannot, darenot, express his love for his dream woman for fear of his inadequacies really struck a chord with me. Once that barrier of regognition was broken down, I began to see other parellels in my life with the lyrics ('Have Fun' on this album, 'Worthless Lie' on Miaow) and other songs just became the soundtrack to my life that I could not do without. Paul Heaton is one of those rare people who can see the beauty in the ordinary, and the ugliness in the perfect. This album's only real weak track is 'Artificial Flowers', a misconcieved cover, that has a bigger, better cousin on 'Painting It Red's' 'The River', musically speaking. Even the radio friendly 'Rotterdam' has its darkness; 'This could be anywhere, anywhere alone...'. If you want to listen to a Beautiful South album, this is the one you should buy. Its as close to perfect as The South have come. Carry on up the charts guys.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When 'Blue is the Colour' came out, The Beautiful South had a tough act to follow after the titanic succes of Carry On Up The Charts. They surpassed every expectation. Full of haunting, uplifting, bitter and oten blue lyrics, the combination of Heatons and Abbots vocals make the absolute most of the song writing tallent, such is evident here. 'Alone' should've been released as a single, where as the beautiful love ballad 'Blackbird on the Wire' sees silver tongued Heaton laid bare before an object of his desire. This album has something for everyone, and at more than one point, we all know we've been there before at some point. Thankfully The Beautiful South seem blissfully incapable of drinking away their sorrows. marvelous stuff and one of their best.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
the best album ever
the beautiful south's album blue is the colour.
is a great album and it used to get played a lot.
is a great album and it used to get played a lot.
Published 1 month ago by carol
Blue is the Colour
Once again I owned this Album on cassette and I wanted to upgrade to CD. This is a lovely soleful Album. Lovely to own if you are a fan of Beautiful South.
Published 8 months ago by Linda Greenwood
Memories!
Wow, this bought back memories of when I bought this album when it was first released all those years ago (don't know what happened to that CD!). Read more
Published 22 months ago by Katty Mullally
Beautiful South
Up to their usual standard of music. This is a classic rock Cd and well worth buying if you are a fan.
Published on 17 May 2010 by Ann Bessant
great cd
used to play this CD years ago while traveling up north and just had to get myself another copy. Always skip the first track (to miss the swearing) when i have youngsters... Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2009 by island dweller
As nature (or Don Rotheray) intended
This has to be my favourite with the two local radio standards "Don't marry her" and "Amsterdam" to try and sing along with. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2009 by I. K. Innes
Have someone elses fun
There is a criminally overlooked gem on this album called "Have Fun" which rates as one of the most moving and profound things to come from the nail-bitten bic pen of Heaton and... Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2006 by Merry Terry
The decline of The Beautiful South
I'm a massive fan of The Beautiful South. I'm not just one of these people that bought Carry On Up The Charts and then bought the rest of the CD's. Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2003
Brilliant
This is such a good album and defitnetely the best album by beautiful south. All the songs are great and this album will never get boring. The best song is Marry me
Published on 26 July 2000
Superb. The best album TBS have produced
A fantastic album, showing the true strengths of the band. Two of the songs - 'Dont Marry Her' and ' Rotterdam' are probably well known, even to those who are not fans. Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2000
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