'Looking At the World With Dark Shades'
Paul Ess. | Holywell, N.Wales,UK. | 02/15/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The genius of The Times 'Pop Goes Art' lies in the workings, the minute, the delicate detail.
On one level it's not much more than Campbell's Soup tins and circular shades -but it's in the margins, the misty peripheries where most good musics dwell - that you quietly uncover it's greatness.
Sure, some of it sounds (deliberately!) tinny and 60's - almost like a punked-up Joe 90 theme but there's so much joy here it's almost obscene. Singer/writer Ed Ball shouts things like "Red! Orange! Green!" for no reason, then waxes all lairy about Big Ben, Warhol, the Piccadilly Line, Milk Tray, John Player Specials and Dubonnet. Glancing happy lightning across the thousands of miles of nerve fibres residing in our brains, coercing each and every inrushing listener to imagine the peculiarities of 'Pop' and then think about the repercussions of 'Art'.
'Pop Goes Art' devours modern derivatives like Franz Ferdinand or Hard-Fi simply because they haven't got the nerve or front to be elegiac and happy. They prefer to doodle with the drone. The Times on the other hand are Kate Winslett at the BAFTA's - jolly, unpretentious souls who've even got the naivety and cheek to suggest that 'Rock Goes Art' and go all feedback and echoey on 'This Is Tomorrow' - their longish set closer and lonely epic.
'Pop Goes Art' is a retro classic. It works ever-so hard - leave it in the machine it'll clean your house and make your tea, leave it a list and it'll go down the shops.
"Victims of a time-warp who never get it's promise..." Ball is groovy psychedelia made flick-lighter, feather-cut, pin thin black tie reality.
Thing is; 'Pop Goes Art' IS real pop AND real art. A big reflective poster - possibly on the side of a bright red London Bus - if you see what I mean..."
Track Listings (17) - Disc #1