336) Kevin Rowland - My Beauty

It had all been going so well for Kevin Rowland with the first two Dexys albums, both yielding number one hits.Then they released Don’t Stand Me Down which was a commercial disaster although thankfully it now receives the praise it deserved. (https://www.albumsin200words.co.uk/post/242-dexys-midnight-runners-don-t-stand-me-down)

Because of You made the top 20 the following year (I remember it was the theme tune to Brush Strokes a truly dreadful BBC comedy) and that was goodnight Dexys for roughly fifteen years.

A poor selling debut solo album The Wanderer (enjoyable) and we didn’t hear from Kevin again for eleven years whilst he sadly battled with drug problems and lost all his money.

Then out of the blue Alan McGee announced that Creation would be releasing a new record from Rowland.

A semi naked Rowland appeared on the front cover of My Beauty, many pop stars have done that but not many male pop stars have also added a dress and stockings.  This is a record released at the height of lads culture so the press slated him and subsequent live appearances he wore similar and had to stand up to the odd idiot throwing a bottle, rumours are it was one of Creations lowest ever selling albums and he disappeared again.

My favourite second hand record shop had it on CD for 99p, so why not.

Rowland covers eleven songs but he adds lyrics to songs that through the years have meant something to him, this is not straight covers record.

To be clear I know Whitney Houston had a fantastic voice but her music was not for me so the opening track The Greatest Love of All I thought Oh dear God.  As he starts with the words “it’s fucking heavy ain’t it,” you get a feeling this may be something different. No money seems to be spared on the production as Kevin starts to talk. It’s over two minutes before he sings, and despite his troubles, the voice is still there, it’s over the top but it’s great.

Rag Doll is eight minutes of everything, backing choir, vocal hysterics, and a lovely underlying guitar. Concrete and Clay reminds me of those summer spectaculars I watched as a kid on the BBC in the 70’s and I like the harmonica on Daydream Believer.

I Can’t Tell The Bottom from the Top he pitches just right and Squeeze’s Labelled with Love he has swapped whisky for cocaine.

This record clearly meant something to Rowland and he threw everything at it, is it over the top, yes, was he on to a hiding with that cover during those times, of course he was, did they genuinely think it was going to sell, who knows?

It was re-released recently and made the charts because who cares about a man in a dress.  There’s a saying “it’s what’s on the inside that counts.” I don’t care that he’s in a dress and stockings, most I’d imagine don’t either, just enjoy some sublime singing.

6.75/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: I Can Tell The Bottom From The Top