Would Be Goods - Sugar Mummy

  by Gary Wollen

published: 13 / 3 / 2002

Label: Fortuna POP!
Format: 7"

intro

"Well written" and "simply recorded" three track EP from the highly regarded Would Be Goods

Okay so I’m always a sucker for a song that starts with “la la la la la la la “, especially if it’s a boy and girl singing it together. You don’t need the brains of a rocking horse to figure that one out. The A side is a charming affair and benefits from a simple almost transparent production and guitars that chime and grind. I’m reminded of the Television Personalities on first listen but perhaps that’s just the vocal delivery or my perceived London setting for the song. It's just how pop music should be, well written, simply recorded and produced and just as you want it to go on forever, it ends. There are no solos, just the song and it finishes on the chorus. What captured me most though about the record were its B- sides. 'Spanish Tragedy' and 'Perfect Dear' are equals to, and are perhaps even mightier than the A-Side. The understated beauty of 'Spanish Tragedy' is magnificent. The natural acoustic core of the song is complimented perfectly by the menacingly sparse spaghetti western lead guitar, which presides over, almost pilots, the song throughout. The second song, 'Perfect Dear', is a plangent, mournful ballad with a graceful, handsome female lead vocal that is accompanied by a solitary electric guitar shimmering in the background. I could say that I wouldn’t find this song out of place on the first Velvet Underground album, but I’m not going to. These three songs have certainly been enough to persuade me to buy their new album, 'Brief Lives'. Buy 'Brief Lives' by all means but don’t miss out on the three gems contained here.

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