PopTodd Wrote:
Boo Radleys - Kingsize
Some people slag on it, but I think it's a damn good pop record. Damn good.
So fucking OTM PopTodd. My choice for number one album from the 90s.
I had a chance to write about this album last month on ILM and will repost that along with a replay.
The Boo Radleys – Wake UP! C/D (91 matching messages)
"Just a simple song but God I love it Embedded in me, so bittersweet" from 'Jimmy Webb is God.'
That just about tells it all. I could write out a three-page review of why I love
Kingsize but will cut it down and try not to get too personal.
I had just about giving up on trying to find someone, anyone on this earth who thought this is by far the best thing the boos have ever done. Than because of the anthology album
Find Your Way Out that is coming out (July 4) the question came up on bravecaptain board, what is the best album? To my shock and amazement this beat ever other album easily when I thought it would be
Giant Steps that would win.
First my criticism of this album is that 'Free Huey' does not work. In fact I always thought I hated this song but it’s not bad on its own. So I am so use to skipping this song every time I play the album it doesn’t even feel to me like it’s part of it.
I have always been drawn to powerful music that seems to draw me in and speak to my inter soul. When you can relate to ever single song on an album than you know you have something special. With age comes wisdom and everything just seem to come together perfectly for this album. Martin Carr has never written better lyrics before or after this period in his life. So I can understand this album not speaking for a lot of people but for the few it has it seems to have really made a certain connection.
It made me laugh that someone said that he felt like this was a Christian rock album. Martin is not a religious man but did write songs that might seem that way but really they are about drugs and friendship. "Now we’ve high as monkeys Now we’ve come so far You and I are simple friends no more Now we’re high as monkeys Opened a few doors Let the sunshine crash into our souls …Thinking fast and feeling free And there’s no one who can touch me Higher than the universe itself Thanks I don’t need no help."
'Kingsize' is the Boo Radleys best song and is a powerful statement when they have a song called 'Lazarus' but is true. I always felt that song would be the song I dedicate to my wife someday…
Their best ever single is on this album as well but was never released as such or on the UK version of this album. 'Put Your Arms Around Me And Tell Me Everything’s Going To Be OK' is pure pop genius, IMO.
'The Future Is Now' is also a peek into what he would be doing next with bravecaptain stuff. 'Song From The Blue Room' is a much better or perfect ending for this album however.
So I do understand many, many people not getting or liking this album. I also feel it doesn’t reveal itself for a bit and could be a bit off putting a first. The rewards are so much greater in the end but could be just me.
Deon
-- BeeOK June 7th, 2005 11:25 PM.
I completely agree with Bee that
Kingsize only reveals itself to be their best album after a fair few plays. I can understand if people give up before that stage, but it really is worth it. I was co-running the Boo fanclub at the time (had been since around the re-release of Lazarus), and I remember that for the first time, I wasn’t very taken with the early versions of the songs I was playing. The band didn’t seem too happy either, although I think they were just getting tired of a lot of things rather than being unhappy with the music. Up until that point, everything had seemed effortless for them – they would breeze into a studio and knock things out at a fantastic rate. It all just *happened*. But
Kingsize seemed like more of a slog.
When I check back, the finished album tracks were almost the same as the ones I was having a hard time with – simple things like good sequencing brought the album to life a bit. Free Huey and Kingsize were grafted on as late additions (ironically the worst and best tracks). The early demo of
Kingsize was drone-pop, and sounded like early Spiritualized, who Martin used to adore.
It was heartbreaking that they split on the back of such a great album. But if no-one is buying your records, what can you do?
-- Ian Edmond June 7th, 2005 8:13 AM.