This weeks Midweek Mutating Earworm has a 26 year history
Late last year I came across a cracking track in my Spotify daily mix, ‘Fear and Delight’ by an electro swing outfit The Correspondents. By all accounts it was used as the theme music for BBC3 comedy ‘Crims’ (something way too hip/youf for me to be aware of). Chief among the appeals were the clever lyrical intricacies and allegories (a common thread amongst my favourites). Having saved the track and set ‘follow artist’ the appeal continued when I heard further tracks ‘Washington Square’ and ‘What Happened to Soho?’ a few weeks later. Then I spotted the band were on the line-up for Shindig Festival and it pretty much sealed the deal on the decision to purchase tickets. Late on the Saturday evening of the festival, buzzing after outstanding sets from Smoove & Turrell and Stereo MCs, I wandered into the circus tent that had hosted all kinds of entertainment over the preceding 24 hours to catch a glimpse of The Correspondents in the flesh.
Not really having done any research into the people behind the music, I was surprised to see a sleight man in black jumpsuit supported by a second who was standing behind some decks. The music began and within a few bars it was as if something had possessed the singer; Wildly jumping around stage with acrobatic flexibility like a puppet being manipulated by a demon on speed. Not what I had anticipated at all, nevertheless I was mightily impressed both with the bodily contortions and the vocal control given the aforementioned physical exertions.
As is often the case live gigs lead to exploring the back catalogues of newly discovered artists. And that, was how I came across this week’s earworm.
The 2017 album ‘Foolishman’ has ‘Tonight’ as track it’s first track. Reminiscent of 80’s pop, listening to it sent me in to an earworm frenzy as it desperately tried to burrow around my cortex searching for its long lost connection. Specifically from the end of the first chorus at around 1:00 starting with the lyrics ‘I can’t stop looking at my phone, I can’t stop thinking about home…’
After a bit of delving back into the annals of pop hits that were long forgotten, it finally it found its way to the source. Some London lads who made a name for themselves with baggy trousers (no, not Madness), silly hats and pop-py raps.
Scooch on over to 1:45 ‘We are the seed of the new breed, we will succeed our time has come’
There’s your answer. Correspondents lead singer, Eton-educated artist, Ian Bruce (Ianbruce.net) can’t have been more than a toddler when East 17’s ‘Alright’ hit the U.K. charts, but maybe the music inspired him as much as their crazy dance moves…?
More earworm insanity next week pop pickers.
Donovan