Search - Dodgy :: Ace A's & Killer B's (Single Disc)

The undiscovered Britpop band

sixtymilesmile | 04/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the worst mistakes A&M records (now just another imprint of the Universal records empire) made in the mid 90's was never releasing any of Dodgy's albums in the USA. Perhaps they thought they were just "too British" for American listeners to get. It's a shame and crime against music because they were the finest Britpop group. No snot-filled attitudes like the Gallagher Brothers and Blur, and far more tuneful than Pulp, Supergrass and early Radiohead.



Dodgy created pure pop music that borrowed elements of the past (hook-crazy Beatlesque songwriting, Hollies-like harmonies, Who-ish drumming and powerful instrumentation) and combined them with modern production techniques to create a unique sound. They may remind you of many classic 60's groups but they never tried to directly copy them. They sound like a upbeat Crouded House on many songs.



Had A&M-USA spent a lot of money promoting them and had Dodgy come over and toured their butts off (the ONLY way to break America - videos and a few showcase shows in major markets wont do it) they might have made it huge here. A lot of wasted talent.



Its a shame that Nigel Clark left the group right after "Free Sweet Peace", who knows what they could have accomplished had they stayed together?



Thankfully Dodgy reunited this year and did a short UK tour and I hope it will rekindle a reunion album. They deserved a lot more respect than what they got."

The greatest pop band of recent years

sixtymilesmile | 12/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nigel Clark, Matt Priest and Andy Miller made up Britpop band Dodgy, and in 1996 they scored onte of Britain's biggest summer hits with the infectious and anthemic Good Enough, which was heard coming from radio all day long. With it's memorable "If it's Good Enough for you, it's good enough for me" chorus and feelgood vibe it was a major hit. Whilst sadly their only UK top 10 hit, it's but one classic on this very British collection. Influenced by 60s pop, Motown and the Stone Roses, a variety was on show here. Every SIngle Day showcases a soulful vibe and some real style. Lovebirds, Found You and Making the Most Of, not to mention their other Summer hit, this time in 1995 as this version's title suggests,Staying Out For the Summer, are among the other standouts But some of the tracks which weren't even singles are just as strong. The Elephant is a slow lament which is legendary among the group's fans, High Horse experiments with interesting swirly loops, and Grassman sounds more like Elton John than Elton himself. Overall this is a great introduction to the sound of one of the great pop bands who were sadly lost on US audiences."

Forgotten Greats

sixtymilesmile | 05/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you love Britpop, buy this album. It's really great-- Dodgy's songs have wonderful melodies, great production, and none of the foppy or pretentious attitude of other Britpop bands such as Pulp, Blur, etc. If you want to impress your friends with your love of obscure pop, buy this album and play it for your friends."