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RHYDIAN - Waves; RHYDIAN - Waves
Topic Started: Aug 22 2011, 09:26 AM (250 Views)
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RHYDIAN
Waves

Conehead 2011

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I'll fess up. I really enjoyed Rhydians first album. For sure, it was over the top, but there's precious little of that in the world of music nowadays, so fair play to him. The second one was a bit "meh", and it saw him part company with his record label, despite still managing to go gold. So, it's make or break time, as he heads off to indieland, to join labelmates Engelbert Humperdinck, Julian Lennon, Dane Bowers, and Stacey Solomon.

It also sees a change of direction as he heads off into the world of eighties electropop, for a selection of tunes you may never have known existed. Apart from when he resurrects eighties dirges and transforms them into eighties electropop version of eighties dirges. All of which sounds a bit mad. And it is. And, madder still, I enjoyed it. In a somewhat mad way.

I'll go straight to the toppermost of the poppermost. And that is his version of The Mission classic 'Tower Of Strength'. I didn't think it would work, it makes no sense that it works, but it's awesome. Brain shreddingly bizarre, but awesome. It's in a class of its own, and leaves the other tunes in its wake, but there are a few more delights lurking in its shadows. The ones I liked best were the ones I'd never heard before. So stand up, his covers of 'Parade' as originally recorded by White And Torch and 'Hands To Heaven', as originally done by Breathe. Both gems, let me tell you.

The only ones I didn't care for, were '‘Love Is A Wonderful Colour’ by the Icicle Works, which was always a weak song, and 'No More I Love You's', which was already covered by Annie Lennox, and was originally by The Lover Speaks. The latter is a poor arrangement, as its the sort of song you'd think would be right up Rhydians street, but the backing and the tempo lets him down.

His voice remains rooted in the world of the semi-classical, but the accompaniment takes him into a new place, which is well worth visiting.

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