Blueboy
The Bank of England
A Colourful Storm
/
2024
LP
24.99
ACOLOUR008
2024 repress, incl. lyric sheet
Incl. VAT plus shipping / Orders from outside the EU are exempt from VAT
Tracklist
1Joined-Up Writing 5:01
2Miss UK 3:13
3Love Yourself 4:16
4By Appointment 2:51
5Marco Polo 4:38
6Jennifer Yeah! 3:27
7Disco Bunny 2:53
8Chadwick 2:13
9Ask The Family 3:36
10Bradford, Texas 3:50
11Angel At My Table 3:14
12Melancholia 3:35
13What Do People Do All Day 3:40

Blueboy's third and final album featured a change in line-up from their Sarah Records days, with Cath Close joining on vocals, James Neville on bass and Ian Gardner on drums. Still at the band's heart, however, are singer Keith Girdler and guitarist Paul Stewart, with single »Love Yourself« – released a couple of years prior to the album, and described by Paul as »a huge glossy lament with multiple layers of keyboards and guitar« – featuring just the duo, along with Keris Howard from former Sarah act Brighter on keyboards.

With the addition of the three new members, Blueboy's sound became more confident, forceful and less fragile, Paul's guitars often taking on a Britpop snarl and Keith's lyrics, although maybe less rawly personal than in the past, weaving imagery both beautiful and unsettling around heartfelt storytelling. The album also has its quieter moments, as you would expect: but although, at first listen, Chadwick's acoustic jazziness wouldn't sound too out of place on If Wishes Were Horses (the band's debut), Disco Bunny's pretty, picked guitar figures underlie a haunting and disquieting vocal. Cath takes lead on that track, as she does on several others, including gorgeous, languid opener Joined-up Writing.

Although regarding the album as Blueboy's greatest work, Paul and Keith knew, even as recording progressed, that it would also be the band's last; and, as if in tribute to what had gone before, or maybe to achieve a sense of closure, Paul's guitar in the last moments of »Angel At My Table«, the album's final track, picks out the intro of »Clearer«, their first 7inch.