Greatest Hits collections are a curious creation. Ostensibly a gateway drug for the cautious fairweather fan, they have become seductive additions to the devotee's collection merely by dint of including the requisite two previously unreleased, evidently newly recorded tracks.
Such is the case with Goldfrapp's first career retrospective collection, prosaically titled "The Singles". The standard version sports a dozen hit songs, plus the new "Yello Halo" and "Melancholy Sky", the latter the first single from the collection and the more memorable of the two.
The plebian title and perfunctory cover aside, "The Singles" makes a persuasive case for the 'frapp as one of the most imaginative pop groups of the past decade. Decidedly non-chronological, the collection naturally emphasizes the biggest chart hits ("Ooh La La" and "Number 1" lead off the album) with a smattering of more atmospheric tracks ("Lovely Head" and "Black Cherry") folded in for good measure. The result is an unusually satisfying collection that manages to both showcase the hits and play to the group's strengths as eccentric tunesmiths with visionary arrangements and a startlingly original sound.
Being a fan means your favorite tracks are seldom the big hits, making a collection a mixed bag at best. Where this fact is most evident is on "Supernature" and "Seventh Tree", Goldfrapp's third and fourth albums. "Ooh La La" did help them find a wider audience, but it remains one of their least pensive moments, a blast of pure pop adrenalin bereft of the usual thoughtfulness and imagery of most of their songs. Likewise "Happiness", a pretty song that lacks the eccentricity and transporting quality of other "Seventh Tree" tracks like "Little Bird" and "Monster Love".
What makes "Melancholy Sky" so exciting is how it alternately evokes their more atmospheric, midtempo songs like "A&E" and "Paper Bag" while also pointing towards yet another new sound, this one a more expansive, orchestral arrangement with the rhythm playing a decidedly secondary role. "Sky" is very much about Alison's vocal mastery and lyrical imagery, like most of the group's best songs. In that sense, it probably most resembles "A&E" in its accessibility and adherence to standard song structure.
"Yello Halo" is a grower but is more dependent on the group's ever-present synthesizers for atmosphere and dynamics, as the song is undeniably lovely, yet wispy and melodically sketchy. Both songs are worth owning, but it is "Melancholy Sky" which more obviously offers the promise of continual discovery upon repeated listens. Happily, Goldfrapp are reportedly at work on what will be their sixth studio album. Until that release, we can savor the two new tracks off "The Singles".
No comments:
Post a Comment