Del Amitri is one of those groups that had to grow on me a bit, but now I own their entire catalogue and listen to them regularly. Justin Currie, the voice and major songwriting force for Del Amitri, has written some of the catchiest tunes during the grunge-ridden 90s. I was hopeful that his first solo release, "What Is Love For" would continue the melodic rock genius of Del Amitri.
"What Is Love For" is the furthest thing from a Del Amitri record Justin Currie could record. This release finds Currie in a very melancholy mood. There isn't a single upbeat or snappy moment on this disc of slow, acoustic based ballads. Folks who enjoy Justin's voice will be happy with this release because his vocals get the spotlight in these delicate songs. Folks who enjoyed Del Amitri's penchant for melody and hooks will be utterly disappointed. I fall into the latter camp and would not be able to get through another listen of this CD without a pot of coffee.
Maybe Justin Currie is going to have to grow on me again.
iPOD-worthy: 1, 11
Justin Currie on MySpace. Official site.
UPDATE:
A couple of excellent Del-related posts worth checking out...
Good Listening: Del Amitri Live Rarities (at Addicted To Vinyl)
The Popdose Guide to Del Amitri
4 comments:
Bill - What Is Love For definitely wasn't a first listen album for me, and took some growing time.
Once it got its hooks in, they went deep, and I think that there are a lot of great tunes on this album....Walking Through You...Something In That Mess and If I Ever Loved You stick out as tunes that most Del fans will appreciate.
Gold Dust is also a favorite.
I don't dig No, Surrender - for me, it's well placed at the end of the album.
You might dig the Dels-related post that I just put up at my website, and also the "guide" that was just posted by Popdose.com if you haven't seen it (linked in my post..)
Good stuff!
Thanks for the comments, Matt. These post are great and I encourage our readers to check them out...
I added direct links to the original post. --Bill
I got the exact same impression from this CD. Usually the Dels' songs grab me immediately, and the tunes are pleasantly simple. This one, though, is more complex, the melodies less apparent. I had a hard time getting through it.
I am glad to hear I am not the only Del fan having issues with the solo effort! Thanks for letting me know I am not alone. By the way, amen to your post on the Nines.
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