Various Artists – 'Ever Fallen In Love?' (Abbey Road)
2/5
By: Thomas Hannan
That John Peel deserves to be lauded from now until kingdom come no right minded person will dispute. But the manner of how to go about it is a little more complicated. How do you surmise the tastes of a man whose enjoyment in music knew no bounds, neither in quantity nor style? To accomplish this within one song would mean this tribute single would last for about a week. This might be more apt, come to think of it.
The guys behind this slight reworking of the Buzzcocks' classic 'Ever Fallen In Love?' play with a straight bat, but it's an admirable defensive shot rather than a slog in to the stands at Lourdes. Get some of John's pals old and new to take it in turns attacking the lyrics of a seminal punk gem and it's no surprise that it's made for a passable effort. But if it was ever meant to be as monumental as the man himself, the endeavour was flawed from the start.
As it is, it spends more time raising questions than it does reminding us of evenings spent picking up transmissions from Peel Acres on the wireless. Why this song? Why these people? Did he really like El Presidente that much? Why no accordion solo from Ivor Cutler? And where in bloody hell are Melt Banana?
The sentiment gets nothing less than full marks. The song gets a few in virtue of that.
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