My friend is a huge Coldplay fan, she says I’m a music snob when I turn my nose up at them, she is right I am.
She went to see them at Hampden and sent me a video, I clicked and there was Edwyn Collins with 50,000 people mesmerised as he stormed through A Girl Like You.
Edwyn is a bit of a hero here in Scotland (I’m sure everywhere else as well). He has managed his cerebral haemorrhage with dignity and humour and has not let it deter him in his pursuit of his music.
Edwyn as we all know started in Orange Juice and this was their debut album and it’s a joy. Thirteen songs mostly Collins originals with guitarist James Kirk chipping in with a few. The tragedy was that he was out of the band by the time it was released but he wrote the single Felicity with its chopping guitar which he can be rightly proud of.
Falling and Laughing is Orange Juice at their best a great song but the last-minute moves it up a level as the band go into overdrive. Tender Object has Collins falling over himself to get the words out but the band more than keep up.
The single L.O.V.E. Love with backing vocals is an Al Green cover that falls flat for me. Upwards and Onwards is the usual jangly guitar, Edwyn’s clever lyrics and a jaunty guitar solo halfway through and a lovely piano to finish it all off.
Kirk’s Three Cheers for Our Side is female backing vocalists oh la laaling which adds to the fun element of the song and straight into Collins Consolation Prize a personal highlight for me with laughter and storming out with the words “Ill never be man enough for you.”
Edwyn, you have proved yourself in life and in music that you are a match for anyone.
9/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Consolation Prize