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With vocalist Sam Preston's appearence on that bastion of the Z-list,
Celebrity Big Brother, coupled with his subsequent dalliance with
competition winner Chantelle Huston and status as a cover favourite for Heat
magazine, one must begin to doubt if the impact of the ska-influenced
Ordinary Boys is diluted by their singer's new found celebrity. Thankfully the band weren't intellectual heavyweights to begin with, so
this fun track should see them retain their core fanbase while heading like
a comet into the mainstream and, I suspect, somewhere near the top of the
charts.
This version of Lady Sovereign's Nine2Five features the Lady herself,
guesting with a few raps (including the plea "I need food!") and adding a
pivotal chaotic element to the track. A bittersweet ode of no regrets of to
leaving behind the working day and minimum wage, it has the giddy appeal of
early Madness, while the la la la's that punctuate the song are
reminiscent of The Specials' Ghost Town and even Terry Hall's later
band Fun Boy Three. A 21st century equivalent of the Fun Boy Three's
quirky collaborations with Bananarama, perhaps...
This is fun, throwaway pop, which wears its influences very clearly on
its sleeve. Music for the feet, not for the head, or as the old Madness
chestnut goes: "Fuck art, let's dance!". As for Lady Sovereign, she is
starting to break through in the US, which should be very interesting
indeed. A bright career beckons for an unusual performer you should most
definitely keep your eyes on.
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