Reverend & The Makers - 'He Said He Loved Me'
How much reality do YOU like in your pop music? Most of us are quite content with the idea that music can capture emotions like falling in love, or regret, or anger pretty well. But how about the feeling you get when you realise you've bet your entire future on some feckless tool whose wild claims of lifelong love and support are a contract written on mist, with an imaginary biro.
And what if that feeling was massively intensified by the fact you've had his child, but he's off with someone else - a mutual friend, as it turns out - and he doesn't want to know? And what if all your mates are getting on with their lives while you're feeling stuck, buried under the weight of a decision taken in haste, without all the facts? Is pop music robust enough to carry such a weighty message?
Would it be too cruel to mention Britney Spears at this point? Her cover of this song would be AMAZING...
To convert a desperate moment like this into a dark disco party takes a fair bit of courage. Get the tone wrong and it comes across like you're sneering at the girl for being stupid enough to fall for the nasty man's sleazy lines, or worse, slapping the bloke on the back for getting out while he could.
But there's a massive weight of compassion in the Reverend's measured outrage. It's like that moment when your best friend turns to you, eyes blazing and yells "what the hell are you DOING?", just to pull you off the path of self-destruction. Again, Britney Spears comes to mind.
Sure, it's 'Heavyweight Champion Of The World' from a girl's perspective. And yes, it covers similar ground to 'Flourescent Adolescent', by the Reverend's old mates Arctic Monkeys, but there's always room for sharp-eyed music with a bit of emotional risk to it, and besides, this was written first.
You can't have too many songs like this, otherwise the impact would dull and songwriters would be forced to invent bleaker and bleaker scenarios in the name of keeping it real (hello hip hop, are you listening?). But you can't deny that silly old pop music is stronger and realer than anyone gives it credit for.
Play this next to the new Nicole Scherzinger single, and you'll see what I mean. It's like comparing a raw steak to a tupperware plate. Sometimes you need the steak to remind you what the plate is for.
Download: Out now
CD Released: September 3rd
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
Its a good song, i can def see a big differance between these guys and Arctic Monkeys though, although the simelarities are all there xXx
weirdest video ever :|