Remember an era, not so long ago, when artists released just three singles from one LP? It was a time when sustaining a place in the public conscience was secondary to retaining a record’s mystique; a time when we, the music buying masses, had no choice but to purchase ten/eleven/twelve tracks as one un-mutilated, full-length shiny plastic disc. I may sound like a babbling misty-eyed luddite, but to me those were the good ol’ days, when albums could alter your life... your friends... your girlfriend... whatever.
Then everything changed. Suede released fifty percent of the half-decent Coming Up as singles - negating the need to purchase the actual record - and the rest of the industry followed suit. Suddenly acts ranging from The Charlatans to the Sugababes were churning out single after single after single, allowing the fully-fledged album to slip into that foreboding abyss of societal irrelevance.
Now with this in mind, ‘troubled’ chanteuse with a penchant for over-indulging in mascara Amy Winehouse ain’t exactly struggling to flog copies of her latest LP Back To Black from the boot of a Morris Minor. So it’s got to be asked, who’s really benefiting from the release of the record’s fourth excerpt ‘Tears Dry On Their Own’?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cracking slab of swooshing soul formulated around a sample of Gaye & Terrell’s luscious Motown classic Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. And Winehouse’s vocals are immaculate as ever; radiating a brusque Etta James-esque rasp over the hair quivering congregation of brass and bass that escalates into elated doo-wop-blues-pop reminiscent of Martha and the Vandellas.
But if you own the album – and over one million folk in the UK do – then surely you already know this, and if you don’t I guess you’re unlikely to convert seeing as it’s been swirling round the public sphere for almost a year. As for Ms Winehouse; well, does she really need to endure the tedious rigour of the media circus once again? Judging by her recent spate of tour cancellations and trips to rehab (intentionally ignoring any half-arsed pun) I’d suggest not.
So who's gaining from the release of this unnecessary but rather delicious single? Well, I have an inkling those rotund gentlemen in the corner, smugly chuffing on cigars whilst simultaneously patting each other on the back may just have the answer.
Cynical? Me? Never.
.
I like this song. My review.
best review
ever, i agree
Its a cracking track.
I love it to bits. Its great that someone with a brilliant voice is using it for the right kind of music again for once.
Mr Lemur, Mr Legend, take note.
Good review
and interesting Suede reference. Being a fan, I thought it was ludicrous at the time that they put out 5 singles off that (although partly because I thought Filmstar should've been released in place of Lazy, sad fuck that I was/am.) Didn't realise at the time that it would be the shape of things to come.
enjoyable review like
but the fact is that the music industry has changed massively since even the days of Suede. 4 singles from an (admittedly well selling) album really isn't that surprising, because its no longer singles advertising the album but the singles selling themselves and being collected in one place. Like you say, gone are the days when if you liked an artist you'd go buy their album to get the couple of songs you'd heard. Now you can just buy what you like from iTumour and be done with it
Thus, an artist needs to release as many songs as they can from the same album because they need the exposure that a new single can bring about, and the more they do it the more likely that Mr. Consumer will give in and autocomplete the album via the aformentioned download service. It's sad times we live in, but i'm afraid right now the song is king and the album merely grubby underling
And at least she hasn't rereleased any singles yet. Has she?
Does anybody remember...
The days before Suede? In fact, let's just jump all the way to the 1960s when bands like the holy Beatles did indeed release single after single before compiling them in collections - this being before the days when the album as concept became the zenith of musical ambition.
Not to say that we're devolving of course. I just don't think that in this world of downloads, music piracy and inflated record prices putting out a good single to promote an album is such a heinous thing. After all, its the not the album that changes lives - but the songs contained within.
RE: your last sentence
nah
I like the EPs full of songs that aren't on albums at all format
Did this loadsa singles of the one album thing really begin with Suede? Didn't Michael Jacko always release loads of every album?
Yes
but there's no way it started with Coming Up. Off the top of my head Blur released four singles from Parklife, Great Escape and Blur, Oasis four from Definitely Maybe and Morning Glory, the Manics four from Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth...
The album is rocketing back up the charts too, although whether that's due to this or some "possibly heroin, you say? I must find out what these songs that have driven her to these lengths are!" reaction I couldn't say.
Yay!!!
The Beatles never put their singles on the albums, but then of course that way you have to buy both!
This song is fantastic
Amy has the perfect voice for this kind of music.
Nice work on avoiding
...the oh so tediously predictable pun. How many times has that been written by as you say, 'half-arsed' writers?Although i don't think the argument about why the single was released is that relevant to its score, as I'm sure it wasn't Amy's decision to release it, unless it was unwittingly through heroin expenses and...hair. Would be a shame to punish her for that now wouldn't it?
Check your facts
I agree - the releasing of more than 3 singles off an album did not begin with Suede (as someone said, Oasis released four singles off their debut). In any case, they were in a sense justified to release five singles from Coming Up in that they all reached top 10.
All of Oasis'
singles contained at the very least, two brand new B-sides.
As did Suede's,
most of them we're on two formats too, so that's four new tracks per single! Also, Coming Up's non-single tracks were of great quality too...'By The Sea' and 'Picnic By The Motorway' in particular. Coming Up is much more than a half-decent record...
Maybe so
but it was very rare for an indie album to have 5 singles back then. I'm going to try to name them all now, for no other reason than my own amusement: 'Trash', 'Beautiful Ones', 'Saturday Night', 'Lazy', 'Filmstar'. Yes I think that is it.
perhaps
i'm missing something but if you think everyone who likes her already has the album and no-one else is likely to be bothered, how exactly is the record company benefitting from releasing this?