33) Love and Money Strange Kind of Love

In the late 80’s early 90’s my mates and I used to go to the QM University in Glasgow as the beer was cheap and we could dance with girls and maybe get a girlfriend.

I can confirm that every time we went, they played Tinseltown in the Rain by Blue Nile, Honeythief by Hipsway, The Rattler by Goodbye Mr MacKenzie, Everything by Fruits of Passion, Dignity by Deacon Blue and I never danced with a girl or got a girlfriend. I did drink a lot of beer though.

They also always played Candybar Express by Love and Money.

Candybar was not a hit, and neither was their debut album All You Need Is but Strange Kind Of Love their second album should have been number one all around the world. It got to number seventy-one, it must have been just the people in the QM that bought it and no one else.

The album opens with the upbeat single Halleluiah Man. Lead singer James Grant’s voice is perfect, his lyrics reflecting bitterness in the songs but there is joy in the music with excellent guitar licks throughout and a tight band with solid bass and drums.

Walk the Last Mile is sophisticated pop performed by a band at the height of their powers.

Jocelyn Square, Razorsedge and Up Escalator are uplifting, and the title track, a beautiful song, should have been that elusive top forty hit.

Dive in and emerge yourself in the luxury of Love and Money.

8/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Strange Kind of Love