I doubt anyone here knowns more Dexys than me. I’ve been MD in Dexys Bootleg Runners from day one. I know every quaver and comma 1979 to 1982. My band. Projected Passions is still my favourite gig, ever.
But. This is shite. Take the Rowland vocal away and it’s elevator music.
Thoughts?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_7l9X7_RA
Dexys new stuff
by 33 Comments
Would anyone have a picture of Our Kev in his prime, so that we may contrast and compare his stylistic evolution?
Yes, I’d like to see a picture of him dressed in something a little less formal and loose fitting.
“Oi! I”m up here. Yes it’s an impressive packet, but look I’ve put on lippy an’ all.
I will not be defined by my magnificent junk!”
Actually, all the evidence thus far suggests this is the spiritual heir to My Booty, right down to the insipid video of Kev perfunctoring through an old hit whose tune you recall from the radio but whose name escapes you (previously Concrete and The Clay).
I liked the last one, particularly the stage performance, but this time it’s no sale.
Seem to remember you slagging off his last album when it was released. The reviews elsewhere have been okay so will reserve judgement until I hear it myself. Count myself as a fan so looking forward to it.
You’re right. I didn’t like the last one. The chords were boring and the words were awful, to my taste of course. But at least it was original work. This is just a bland cover.
Similarly, I’m a little put out too. I’m a huge Dexys fan, but I have never liked Both Sides Now. I was hoping there might have been a twist of Kev improv over it, like his take on I Can’t See The Bottom From The Top, but no.
There is good news though. I was at a concert called Imagining Ireland last month in Dublin. A stellar bill of Martin Carthy, Paul Brady, Cathal Coughlan, amongst others, and Kev stole the show with a fantastic version of The Curragh Of Kildare in the first half, and Knowledge of Beauty in the second.
They’re repeating the gig in London on Friday. It really was something.
What was KR doing on the bill? He’s not Irish is he? If he is, he’s kept it very quiet.
It was a week-long series of concerts as part of the 1916 centinury events in Dublin’s National Concert Hall which took place in the week after Easter. Each night had a theme and on this night the theme was England, so the performers and the performances reflected the overlap between Ireland and England. The band opened with a beautiful instrumental version of Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Martin Carthy sang Gilbert O”Sullivan’s Nothing Rhymed, Steve Nieve played Oliver’s Army on the National Concert Hall Organ, Camille’s O’Sullivan sang Costello’s LAst Boat Leaving, but Cáit O’Riordan represented the Pogues, everyone sang McAlpine’s Fusileers.
Kev’s not Irish, but he comes from Irish lineage, and has identified with Ireland in the past, so he was perfect for a bill like this. There’s plenty of examples in Dexys songbook where Ireland is referenced or alluded to…
“Knowledge Of Beauty”
I’ve often thought about
The men where I came from
And times ago
Their sons, these days, are found
In US and Britannia care
And as I think about,
In my mother’s eyes I look and see the story there
It’s a knowledge of beauty in these days rare
Go west, go west young man
West of hollow words and all that lies there
Go west, I’II sing an air
For all the previous
Wild black curly hair
For what use is anything
If I don’t have the wisdom and warmth
Of my past generations
If I need strength
To take bad on,
I just look back to
where I came from.
I look back where I came from
I’ve had respect, money and love,
I’ve denied my beautiful heritage
Gone away from my roots and come back home again
I gave away my individuality
And listened to the “now” generation
When really I’m not one of those
But love has brought me closer to the truth and right now
I couldn’t be any closer
To love your father is a fulfilling thing
My national pride is a personal pride
Now that one, I love. I didn’t like the album at first but I always liked that.
Kevin was one of the artists who politicised me; I was brought up in a town and family where anti-Irish racism was an everyday occurrence. This is a powerful, beautiful piece and I wish he had more like it in him.
Of course, on the very first Dexys single, Dance Stance, Kev drew our attention to a large number of great Irish literary figures…
Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan,
Sean O’Casey, George Bernard Shaw.
Samuel Beckett, Eugene O’Neill, Edna O’Brien and Laurence Sterne,
Sean Kavanaugh and Sean McCann,
Benedict Keilly, Jimmy Hiney
Frank O’Connor and Catherine Rhine.
He was the first person I ever heard saying that Irish jokes are not funny. I was brought up in a town and culture where it was standard to be anti Irish/Catholic (Airdrie for those who know it).
That song and Trinity by Leon Uris started me on the road to where I am today.
(I still haven’t read half these writers but neither had Kev. The ones he references on the out chorus are very obscure.)
Yeah but….the clothes in that clip are fantastic…..
I didn’t like the production on the last album but I ‘got it’ when they did it live. The live CD/DVD are both great.
So I’m waiting for the live version.
Take the Rowland vocal away and it’s elevator music.
I’d probably suggest not taking them away then.
Is that video the new M&S advert?
Does anyone know or recognise the city/district where the video was filmed?
It’s actually from the half-completed “Dexyland” theme park in Chorleywood, duco. Attractions will include a “My Beauty” cruise liner where visitors can drag themselves up on deck.
What was Kev’s solo album, The Wanderer? I’ve wiped out his non Dexys stuff out of my mind. That, My Beauty and this would appear to be ‘What I Sang In The Shower’ volumes 1-3 by Kevin Rowland. I love Dexys, Don’t Stand Me Down was bought early 1986 and has continued to be one of my absolute favourite albums. But this looks like Kev’s shower has left a few pubes on the soap. I won’t be touching this with yours.
I love Dexys
I love the genre they are covering on the next album. I’m of Irish heritage myself and know the songs by osmosis.
However, I definitely think this could go either way.
A bit like Kev, then.
I think Dexys/Dexy’s/Kevin’s (whatever) must have the most loyal and contrary fans in the world. People have been saying things like ‘I bloody love Dexys but this is sh*te’ since they started wearing dungarees. It makes one wonder what exactly it is that people ‘bloody love’ about the thing. I imagine it must be something about Kevin’s persona, something he represents, whatever the nature of his music or clothes at ant particular time. Which is fair enough…
Anyway, here’s a non-bland version of ‘Both Sides Now’ released, implausibly, as a single by guitar hero and confirmed non-vocal-great Davy Graham in 1968. I’m betting Johnny Conchmeister has an oginal copy:
Thanks for that version. I only ever got see Davey right at the very end and it was a bit bitter sweet to say the least.
Somewhere along the line his brain disconnected from his hands. But he was still more pleasant and straight to deal with than some of his milieu.
On the notion of Dexys fans being contrary…..on the FB fan page their is never a word on disant. They love everything, absolute everything Dexys. I no longer engage on there. No point.
Now this I can dig…
Now that is a pair of strides!
Projected Passions Revue was my favourite ever gig (at Young/Old Vic, can’t remember which) but this……….neh
I saw it in Edinburgh and still I say it’s my favourite gig ever.
Not convinced by this yet – the song, and the trailer, and the general tone of the new album. Admittedly, I haven’t heard it properly so my judgement may be absolute bunk.
Especially considering that other than Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, I’ve never been convinced by anything they’ve released on first (or second listen).
Each subsequent release taking longer and longer to go in.
But when they do … I won’t hear a word said against their magnificence.
Verdict: we’ll see, but they’ve never let my ears down yet.
I kept waiting during BSN in the OP for Kev to go ‘Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
It would have fitted in lots of places, too…
So Big Jim Paterson’s buggered off then?
Understandable really.
On the last tour he looked uncomfortably like he’d been forced at gunpoint to wear a selection of Kev’s dodgy ‘vintage’ schmutter.
Jim’s a mate. He loved the last tour very much but saw no role for himself in this project.
I bloody love this thread. I can’t think of another band that quite fires up the belly like Dexys. I’ve always stood back and observed from a distance before I commit, from Searching onwards.
My mate had his stereo nicked. The LP on the turntable was my copy of Too-Rye-Ay. I never replaced it.
TRA is my favourite collection of Dexys songs. Rowland/Paterson songs are as good as anything anyone has ever done.