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> (Late) January Album Of The Month, Hormonally Yours - Shakespears Sister
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 03:24 PM
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OK, I couldn't do it. I couldn't make dandy* sit through a Phil Collins album laugh.gif So here's one that's been in my playlist pending pile for years. I've never heard it, though I did have their first album on tape, and enjoyed it.

HORMONALLY YOURS - Shakespears Sister (1992) CD, with tasteful white-based cover and packaging. Peaked at 3 in the UK charts and was critically and commercially successful.


Track 1: Goodbye Cruel World

The first track and the debut single for the album in late 1991, an odd choice, though it's upbeat quirkiness fits in with the first album and makes a nice bridge for those expecting more in that vein. Chris Thomas on production duties, and a Siobhan song (with co-help) - Chris has an impeccable CV on production: cough Beatles, Floyd, Pretenders, Sex Pistols, INXS. It's not quite up to those standards but what is....


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Roba.
post Feb 4 2023, 03:29 PM
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I've never heard the album in full but this is an interesting choice! I'll probably give it a check too.
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 03:30 PM
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Track 2: I Don't Care



This has got that Pretenders' Back On The Chain Gang groove, Marcella's soaring vocals are fun and the upbeat chugging track is quite catchy - Siobhan's lower register really needs the support of the range of Marcella Detroit's vocals, and they work well together on this co-write. I rated this a lot at the time and it's still fine. Bananarama were very much being outpaced by former member Siobhan Fahey at this point - no doubt encouraged by hubbie Dave Stewart -ex-Eurythmics.
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Jade
post Feb 4 2023, 03:33 PM
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Ooh! 'Stay' is one of my favourite hits of the 90s and 'Hello (Turn Your Radio On)' is great too. I've been meaning to check this out for a while but haven't got around to it yet.
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 03:37 PM
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Track 3: My 16th Apology



Laid-back summer vibes on this one, the 5th single off the album in early 1993, though lyrically it's not laid-back niceness, it's about friends who aren't friends. I'd forgotten this one, but I rather like it, another co-write from the girls and like most of the album produced by them along with Alan Moulder. Sadly, this was also their last single together until 2019, so the lack of promotion on it must have been letting us know something was amiss...
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 03:51 PM
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Track 4: Are We In Love Yet

Not a single. No co-writers this time, just Siobhan and Marcella, and one I've never heard. Nice guitar riff in the backdrop, but where My 16th Apology was more suited to a low-key approach vocally (Marcella reigned in) this one is more Marcella than Siobhan, and it chugs along pleasantly, not bad, but lacking a killer hook.

Track 5: Emotional Thing

Not a single, still no co-writers, and back to Siobhan mostly on vocals and very much End-Of-Side-One syndrome, nothing special.


Track 6: Stay



And woah! How to start an album (or end side 2 if you must), Still their classic, and rightly revered. The video is amazing and so brings out the early spaciousness and subtlety of the ballad, Siobhan multi-tracked on backing chords, Siobhan giving it all her feeling. Then in comes the cynical Siobhan interrupting and plodding into an instrumental before Siobhan soars and shows Maria Carey how to reach those notes and mean it at the same time. Technique is very much not everything. Emotion is. I'm gobsmacked at how short the record is, 3:47 but it seems shorter. The previous track was 3:48 but it seemed longer! Total classic, no question.

Side 2: Starts here
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 04:22 PM
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Track 7: Black Sky

Like Stay, back with the co-writers, and I think it shows when they get extra finesse on board (Jean Guiot taking on most of the key assists, notably on Stay). This one is a funk-rock track, piano-based, not a million miles away from The Stone Roses, and it riffs along nicely without ever jumping out as an obvious single, but I like the groove.

Track 8: The Trouble With Andre

Nice twangy Duane Eddy guitar and to be honest I'd have preferred a song about Star Trek episode The Trouble With Tribbles with a few Klingon references, but alas it's all about Andre who apparently is a liar. The hook is more memorable than Black Sky and it's a bit darker, but I prefer Black Sky overall. This is pretty decent though.

Track 9: Moonchild

Back to the non-co-write mode, and I might even suggest this a little bit 70's Bowie-esque as a song, if not quite in production and key, and I like Moonchild-type hippy/scifi imagery. A little plodding, truth to tell, and the last minute could easily have been faded earlier.

Track 10: Catwoman

Well, I'm on board with the title already, anything DC Comics is great by me, and this (sorry to mention it but facts is facts and I don't believe in revisionism) is a Gary Glitter-influenced Glam Rock stomp, but slowed-down. They'd already done this more successfully on the first album, and the Glam stomp track went down a bundle with me on that tour. Fun, I like it. Glam, Superhero, moon, guitar riffing galore, of course I like it.

Track 11: Let Me Entertain You

I wonder if Robbie had bought this album? This is good, back with a co-writer, and a Siobhan vehicle for the most part, and more funk-based rock. A dance remix upping the bpm's might have made a good single, there's lots of nice interesting bits in it, not least the grunting "whuh!"s, almost Witch Queen Of New Orleans, (Redbone) in mood.

Track 12: Hello (Turn Your Radio On)



The 4th single, and a bit more ambitious in a Stay-stylee but without those peaks. Love that guitar, wonder if it was Marcella doing it (she's credited for a chunk of instrumentation). This is more restrained Siobhan than Marcella showpiecing, but it's very good. The intro just slides in quietly, classy, in comes the piano and vocal, the strings, some social commentary lyrics and then a great hook. Everything is beautifully understated, it's a constantly-changing musical palette underpinning the verses, and that sets up the chorus, which is also understated. This is their second-best record, no question. Great way to finale the album.
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 04:26 PM
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QUOTE(Jade @ Feb 4 2023, 03:33 PM) *
Ooh! 'Stay' is one of my favourite hits of the 90s and 'Hello (Turn Your Radio On)' is great too. I've been meaning to check this out for a while but haven't got around to it yet.


Goodo Jade, Ive been meaning to check it out for 30 years, so don't worry about not getting round to it unless you leave it till 2053 at which point you can start getting worried about ending up like me laugh.gif
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 04:29 PM
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QUOTE(Roba. @ Feb 4 2023, 03:29 PM) *
I've never heard the album in full but this is an interesting choice! I'll probably give it a check too.


It's pretty good I think, having heard it now - there's a couple of tracks I wouldnt be fussed about skipping, but overall better than the first album, though the best tracks off that one and attached to the best of this one would give a very satisfying 16 or so smile.gif
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Bjork
post Feb 4 2023, 04:48 PM
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I remember singles 2 to 5, but cannot recall single 1
never bought the album, despite loving Stay
so should definitely check the album not that we got streaming and we can check all the albums we want ;D
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 4 2023, 06:08 PM
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QUOTE(Bjork @ Feb 4 2023, 04:48 PM) *
I remember singles 2 to 5, but cannot recall single 1
never bought the album, despite loving Stay
so should definitely check the album not that we got streaming and we can check all the albums we want ;D


Have to say I'd also forgot single 1! laugh.gif It came back to me after I started playing it but I;m guessing the other 4 got most of the airplay, maybe that one wasnt playlisted much by Radio 1 until Stay took off...! smile.gif
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King Rollo
post Feb 4 2023, 08:38 PM
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I could host a double bill synctube listen through of this album next week along with Dandy's next choice.
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Yobnedor
post Feb 4 2023, 09:30 PM
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This album is amazing! I love it! Great choice!
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dandy*
post Feb 4 2023, 10:44 PM
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QUOTE(King Rollo @ Feb 4 2023, 08:38 PM) *
I could host a double bill synctube listen through of this album next week along with Dandy's next choice.

I'd be very up for that!
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 5 2023, 10:16 AM
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QUOTE(King Rollo @ Feb 4 2023, 08:38 PM) *
I could host a double bill synctube listen through of this album next week along with Dandy's next choice.



Ooh thanks Rollo! I've never actually done one of those whatever it is laugh.gif
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Popchartfreak
post Feb 5 2023, 10:18 AM
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QUOTE(Yobnedor @ Feb 4 2023, 09:30 PM) *
This album is amazing! I love it! Great choice!


Thanks! smile.gif I should have mentioned the title as well, making a point about sexism and I think also embracing being emotional as not a bad thing...
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Bjork
post Feb 5 2023, 12:40 PM
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Checked single 1 and now I do recall it too
Also gave the full album a spin and its quite rocknroll
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Colm
post Feb 5 2023, 08:40 PM
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I Don't Care is The Cure fronted by Chrissie Hynde
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Brer
post Feb 6 2023, 02:10 AM
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Ooh glad we have got a pick from you for January after all! Down for another double listenthrough with Dandy*'s next pick ~

I do like 'Stay' but think that's the only song I know from them, apart from of course the Richard Hawley collab that Suedey sent to BJSC.
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Bjork
post Feb 6 2023, 11:12 AM
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Found this great description of Shakespears Sister's sound:
"They were the idiosyncratic duo that threw glam rock, goth, B-movie kitsch, electro and art-pop into the blender to form an intoxicating stew."


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