Originally written by Michaela Annot · 14 June 2004
The Concretes
You Can't Hurry Love
Label: EMI Records Release Date: 14/06/2004
Last spotted on the rather excellent Rough Trade Counter Culture compilation, The Concretes were, like, so hot right then. What followed was a signing to major label stable, EMI and the gradual release of their oeurve into the mainstream consciousness.
'You Can't Hurry Love', the primer for their excellent self-titled LP, sounds like The Polyphonic Spree on the Atkins Diet; still containing the essential ingredients of joyous, uptempo sunshine rock, but slimmed down to lose the exhausting choral flab. Excellent indeed. It's pretty streamlined for a nine-piece effort, with a smattering of horns thrusting up the gorgeous Swedish drawl of singer Victoria Bergsman**. And at two minutes long, it's not going to stay at the party long enough to outstay its welcome and eat all the cakes, the fat bastard.
Fantasic, and not a Phil Collins gag in sight.
• 8 Michaela Annot's Score