illusionofjoy | OTR: Aztec Camera

This is another CD where it has a CD Warehouse sticker with a price affixed to the case - those little buggers are damn near impossible to peel off! I honestly have never listened to this album all the way through - it was only upon joi_division's recommendation that I bought Stray by Aztec Camera in the first place. Aside from what I could plagiarise from my Last.FM window, I couldn't tell you anything about the band either.

So, this is more or less a first listen...

"Stray" is the opening track and it has a very lounge/soft jazz feel which isn't heard again until three songs later on "Over My Head." I felt somewhat out of place listening to these songs without a smoking jacket on and a Martini in one hand. I'm not poking fun - they aren't bad songs - but I suspect it wasn't a good idea to listen to them after just listening to an album by The Ataris. Obviously, I'll have to re-visit this disc...

I've been digging the upbeat tracks. "Good Morning Britain" sounds like the good moments of Big Audio Dynamite (i.e.: "The Bottom Line") meets Big Country. Edit: well, fuck me - a quick look at the entry for Stray on allmusic.com reveals that "Good Morning Britain" was a collaboration with Mick Jones - can I call 'em or what? It's got good hooks, it danceable, and it's in good company with "The Crying Game" and "Get Outta London." I can't critique the lyrics - lyrical critiques require multiple listens (which aren't forbidden by the OTR challenge, but would likely extend it unbearably).

"How It Is" is rubbing me the wrong way. Maybe it's the Rolling Stones influenced guitar-work...it doesn't sound right. I don't know that I want to hear this particular song again. In the five preceding tracks I've already heard Aztec Camera do much better.

Thankfully, things seem to immediately improve right afterwards. As I said, I'll have to listen to this album again...