Cupid & Psyche 85

by

Scritti Politti

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Mainly because the bulk of this album was programmed with the Fairlight Computer and there are very few "live" instruments, some of these tracks have a slightly dated Eighties sound to them. Having said that, the songwriting overcomes that completely. Especially the lyrics. Thankfully the lyric sheet is inside the cd; it elevates these songs to a much higher level. Written off as "one hit wonders" in the US, Scritti Politti had humble beginings in Leeds, a small town in the UK, where they wrote minimalist tunes with rather bitter and cynical lyrics. A few years later, singer/leader/lyricist Green Gartside abandoned his original bandmates and took Scritti Politti to a much more pop/soul place musically, as well as taking on a more soulful approach to his singing, while managing to maintain much of the bite of his lyrics. A few of the songs that ended up on Cupid and Psyche 85 were released as singles and were big hits in the UK. They ended up on this album, along with a few remixes that were on the cassette. Hypnotize barely dented the US singles charts, but it was Perfect Way that was a hit, on radio and MTV. One of the very few albums I have purchased in all three formats ( LP, Cassette, and now on CD ) this I think is Scritti Politti's best album. The cover is absolutely stunning. (I still have my vinyl copy, embossed raised gold lettering and all.) The rear photo of the piece of raw meat wrapped in gauze with a butterfly sitting on top is a telling metaphor for the music and lyrics inside. The music ranges from reggae to dance to pop to soul. There is one beautiful ballad, A Little Knowledge, which is a duet between Green and the amazing BJ Nelson. Robert Quine, of all people, turns up on one track with a crazy guitar solo which, on the surface, would seem totally out of place. But it works. Just like the perfect balance of computerized sounds against the live drumming and gorgeous vocals. One of the best pop albums in my collection and just shy of absolute perfection. Highly recommended.