L O S T
& F O U N DUP
SWING OUT SISTER
KALEIDOSCOPE WORLDIt is to the credit of Swing Out
Sister that they survived a crisis
when drummer Martin Jackson
quit midway through recording
what still emerged as a
disciplined second album.
After a brace of cleanly
produced, vibrant Top 10 hits
from debut album It’s Better To
Travel, the leftover twosome
evaded the electronic
evolutions in music happening
around them, recruiting veteran
arranger Jimmy Webb and his
orchestral contacts.
Launch single You On My
Mind was a hit, combining a
superb hook with Corinne
Drewery’s resonant vocals.
Sadly, it didn’t last as far as
singles success was concerned,
though follow-up Where In The
World has a pleasant lilt and
third release Waiting Game is
excellent pop.
The fi nal single, Forever Blue,
is a directionless ballad which
devalues Drewery’s controlled
huskiness; indeed, at her best
when allowed to soar, it feels
like a trick missed too often
when she remains in her
contralto range. The energetic
Tainted and catchy Between
Strangers have potential, but
the rise in pitch is too fl eeting.
Elsewhere, Precious Words is
just music for a break in
programmes and Heart For
Hire lacks melody. However,
there’s a real highlight towards
the end with Masquerade.
Kaleidoscope World
reached No.9 in the albums
chart in May 1989. They have
remained tight ever since,
releasing eight more LPs.
Matthew Rudd
THIRD LEXICON OF
LOVE ON THE HORIZON
Martin Fry is working on a third Lexicon Of Love album for ABC. A well-received sequel
to the band’s acclaimed debut album arrived in 2016, but Fry isn’t done penning
overblown love songs quite yet.
“The elation, sadness and euphoria when you feel strongly about someone, there are
infi nite angles to explore there,” Fry told the Bridport News. “I’m like Netfl ix – someone
could commission me to do 36 episodes of The Lexicon Of Love. So far, there’s only two.
Time moves on, so roll your sleeves up and do it.”
ABC wrapped another successful series of orchestral shows earlier this year and
Fry admits that things have never been better in ABC. He explained: “I toured all over
the world. People assume that as an elder statesman of pop I did my best work many
years ago. But the live circuit has grown and, as a result, my earnings
have, too.
“I hardly earned a bean in the 1980s because every time
I made a record I would have to spend that money earned
making the next album. Meanwhile, the record companies were
making big profi ts.”Read our
Album By
Album feature on
George’s back
catalogue on
pages 46-49.
GEORGE MICHAEL’S
COMPASSIONATE MOVIE
SOUNDTRACK REVEALED
The soundtrack to George Michael-inspired movie,
Last Christmas is out on 8 November. As previously
reported in Classic Pop the album will feature never-heard-
before song This Is How (We Want You To Get High)
which was co-written with his friend James Jackman for
an abandoned solo project. Emma Thompson who stars in and
co-writes the fi lm, discussed the project with George before his passing.
“The wisdom and emotional scope of George’s lyrics have always amazed me,”
she said. “So many feel like they were written for the movie. After I met George and
experienced his compassion and understanding up close, I realised that, in fact, the
movie was written for those lyrics.”
Last Christmas features three Wham! songs and 12 George Michael solo tracks.