Speedballads

Republica's Speed Ballads brings home feelings of excitment and electric mayhem. From Rush Hour With Love pulls you in with Saffrons sassy vocals while Nothings Feeling New hit close with their interesting mix of mod (right? modern, I'm an overweight, gun toting american if you can't tell - NOT! - well, gun toting anyway;) and unusual imagery. Kung Fu Movies is also fun to listen to (this from a guy who listens to NiN) and is a welcome relief to hear after being savaged with such bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit (in 'da house 'yall). Heres a thumbs up to Republica and a very special Kudos to Saffron, keep it light!

Which is a shame as there are some great songs on 'Speed Ballads' and if you listen long enough you realize that in songs such as 'Luxury Cage' and most notably 'Fading of The Man' the song writing loses the glib, sloganeering of previous works and shows a fair attempt at trying to look inward at very personal issues. It's fair to say that during the time of recording this album Saffron was in a fairly public and unstable relationship and perhaps tracks such as 'Fading of The Man', 'Luxury Cage' and 'Kung Fu Movies' comment on these events. It's no 'Here, My Dear' by Marvin Gaye but the themes appears to be very similar;

'It's a slap in the face, But you gave it away / You give in to fame / Then, you found yourself high / And you're gonna feel low / And you find yourself colder than the winter / Can't bare to be alone / Faded man / Ice cold, Bare bones / You take flesh and you take asprin, / Glad I faked it, 'Cos now its ended'

'Fading of The Man'

It's not all doomy introspection though - this is Republica after all! 'Kung Fu Movies' is pure gung-ho Republica (even if the lyrics are blindingly obviously pointing a finger at Saffron's ex by using Bruce Lee as its subject matter!) as is 'Pretty Girl Hate' and the single 'From Rush Hour With Love'. Some of the best tracks Republica recorded were for some reason left off the album; 'World Ends In The Morning' and 'Clone My Soul' became B-sides to the single 'From Rush Hour With Love' while weaker tracks such as; 'Pub Pusher' and 'Millennium' being obvious candidates were slotted in.

It's a great shame that a fantastic pop act such as Republica couldn't survive the record company artist culls and develop; there was every reason to suggest that they could have become a much loved band - almost a British institution of a band in the way that No Doubt did in the U.S. for many years before quitting on their own terms.