Record of the day: Fairground Attraction, “The first of…”
Fairground Attraction, “The First of a Million Kisses” (Cd RCA PD71696)
November is not exactly a month that invites you to jump for joy, given the adverse weather conditions, so it’s a good idea to start with a delightful album full of songs that will immediately put you back in a good mood.
It’s really a shame that Fairground Attraction’s artistic adventure lasted very little, and this is their only album (immediately after the dissolution, RCA continued to commercially exploit the group’s name by releasing a live album in Japan and an anthology of songs that previously appeared only on the single entitled “Ay Fond Kiss”, both highly recommended); caught off guard by the million-selling success (which no one expected) of this debut album, largely due to the single “Perfect”, the musicians could not stand the pressure of the music business and began to argue over questions of money and shattering a friendship that dated back for some time and had seen them perform in many pubs and festivals in Scotland, their homeland, always receiving the enthusiasm of the public for their very pleasant mix of folk, pop, swing and ballads moving, made even more magical by the voice of singer Eddi Reader, undoubtedly among the best in today’s music scene.
Catchy and rhythmic, Fairground Attraction’s songs are metabolised after the first listen, turning back the clock through songs in time with waltzes, rumbas, some jazzy twists and retro-scented triplets made with predominantly acoustic instrumentation (of note is the Guitaron, Mexican double bass expertly played by Simon Edwards) and a remarkably effective live sound. More than a chart band it feels like listening to a group of old friends playing at a party; everyone is having fun and humor meets relaxation in a range of 99% songs composed by guitarist Mark E. Nevin. They are simple songs in music and lyrics but the obvious is never even touched on in these musical postcards; the melancholic aftertaste that accompanies the melodies of “The Wind Knows My Name”, “Station Street” and “Hallelujah” harks back to the ancient tradition of Robert Burns, while Claire’s arrangement pays explicit homage to the Hot Club De France of Django Reinhardt; of course, “Perfect” cannot be missing, which you will find yourself humming everywhere.
Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical topics.
This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: A record for every day of the year” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.
