{"id":21173,"date":"2023-02-09T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=21173"},"modified":"2023-02-07T10:20:10","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T10:20:10","slug":"jukebox-headaches-balkan-telescope-self-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=21173","title":{"rendered":"Jukebox Headaches – \u2018Balkan Telescope\u2019 (Self Release)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Music? It\u2019s a shit business, as someone nearly famous once said. Were there any justice, the likes of Jonny Cola and Jez Leather would be household names. After the demise of the A-Grades, you\u2019d forgive them for giving in. But, regardless of the grind of holding down day jobs, they continue to make glorious music. Which, without a record label, is nigh on impossible to release in a physical format. It\u2019s a shame, because this album of 20 songs is, at turns, beautiful, catchy, melancholy and joyous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the average song length of 3 minutes, there\u2019s no time to get bored, or stuck in a rut. There\u2019s echoes of the A-Grades, obviously, but also Pulp, Cockney Rebel, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys and ABBA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And with \u2018A Song For Europe\u2019, they have perhaps unwittingly written a potential Eurovision winner, complete with castanets. Once heard, never forgotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018My Couchette\u2019, with its bouncing bass line, is 2 minutes of salacious pop, \u2018Breakfast In Trieste\u2019 manages to be Ken Bruce friendly and sad in equal measure; \u201cdon\u2019t be the last chip in the casino\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018He Bled\u2019 would make Vince Clark proud, while \u2018Split Personality\u2019 has those backing vocals that Mauro was\/is so good at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Bristol\u2019 is an ear worm with dark undertones; \u201cI tried to talk to God last night, but it went to answer phone\u201d, \u2018Statues\u2019 reminds me a little of when Blur were actually good, with a chorus from 1974, and \u2018Night Train To Istanbul\u2019 brings a bit of funk to the proceedings. Jonny continues to make seemingly innocent phrases sound ominous and seedy, thankfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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