Tape Five – 'Tonight Josephine' and Caro Emerald – 'Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor' [music]

Tape 5 Caro Emerald electroswing
I added these to my Amazon wishlist after asking for recommendations for more stuff in a Caro Emerald vein (see my review of The Shocking Miss Emerald here). Tape Five was actually recommended by Amazon. Mr Robot bought both these CDs for me for my birthday. It's probably something that happens as you get older, but I honestly can't remember the last time I got a CD without knowing most of what was on it, which is a bit sad – when I was a teen I'd gleefully buy albums (on cassette!) and get to know them. Even a song that doesn't hook you in immediately can become one you love if you hear it regularly in an album context.

Depending on your perspective, Tonight Josephine is either more diverse or less focussed than either of the Caro Emerald CDs as it doesn't seem to settle on any one style. While several songs contain wonderful early jazz touches, little trumpet or clarinet licks straight out of the 1920s, and ragtime rhythms, some of it all gets far too 1980s for my liking, all a bit Miami Vice in its combination of electronic keyboards, brass and Latin beats. Possibly if you can't remember the 80s that seems quite cool, but I wasn't into that sound then and I'm in no hurry to listen to it now. So thumbs up to 'Madame Coquette', 'Pantaloons' and 'Bad Boy Good Man', thumbs down to 'Birds Like It' and 'Pousse L'Amour'.

Lyrically, Tonight Josephine is not particularly clever; this is definitely an album for dancing to more than listening. Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, however, is rather wittier. It intrigued me when Cate mentioned it to me because there's a very unusual 1930s crime novel set in the world of British film called The Face on the Cutting Room Floor. I don't want to say too much about the book because I don't want to spoil it if you come across it, but it was postmodern before the term existed, and breaks several of the conventions of crime fiction. It was written by someone who worked in the film industry, so is worth reading for that insight too.

ANYWAY that's a book, not this album.

Some tracks aren't retro enough for me; 'Back It Up' makes me think of modern upbeat stuff like Beyoncé, especially with the backing singers singing 'I wanna' repeatedly. I guess the modern-feeling tracks might appeal more to people younger than me who've grown up with that sort of thing as the soundtrack to their lives, and it's not actually bad, it's just not my bag. And I don't react against them as strongly as I do to the 80s-esque tracks on Tonight Josephine.

However, some of the songs on Deleted Scenes are real gems, every bit as addictive as the standout ones from The Shocking Miss Emerald (from that one, 'Liquid Lunch' sticks in the brain like you would not believe). 'That Man' got me hooked from the first few notes – it makes me want to practice my charleston – while 'The Lipstick on His Collar' starts with a beat that makes me think of the harder 60s girl bands, the sort of thing that also influenced Amy Winehouse's Back To Black album. All in all I'm very pleased with Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, and it makes a jolly good accompaniment on my morning pre-work walks.

(Re: gubbins in recent posts. I will have photos of my new Horrockses at some point, hopefully this weekend, but it's print deadline at work this week so I've been working into the evenings, and I'm now at the, "Is this clean? Looks like I'm wearing that!" stage. Normal service, and outfit photos, will resume once the mag has gone to press. For now, here's a horrible selfie...)
This is mah new frock I bought from Vix!

Comments

  1. Yay, I'm glad you like the Caro Emerald CD! Not sure I'll rush out and buy the Tape Five one though, besides I'm enjoying my 3 CD set of Billie Holiday way too much to try anything else out right now. x

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    1. Yeah, I find myself wondering if there were better Tape 5 albums out there, or I should just move on. You can't beat a bit of Billie, can you?

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  2. I vote for "Pulling Faces on Deadline" as a regular feature. The dress looks intriguing.

    Can't comment on the music as I don't know it, but I'm in the same situation of never buying new music I don't know.

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    1. I can certainly deliver a lot of faces! I often pull them if I start to get bored/stiff while posing, it loosens everything up.

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  3. I haven't heard of Tape Five I will have to have a little listen I do love Caro's second album, but it took me a little longer to get in to than her first I guess due the slightly more poppy nature! Oh, and I will have to seek out that crime novel as it sounds very interesting! Ha ha, I do love your picture, I hope the deadline is not too stressful for you, the new dress is lovely, looking forward to seeing it in all its glory! x

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    1. It's a strange sort of crime novel. It's not one you can completely sink into, as the first half is the story of the murder, and the second is written by the murderer, it breaks a lot of the conventions of crime novels.

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  4. That dress is looking rather lovely with your red locks! Hope the deadline gets reached and sanity is restored.
    Not sure if you're into classy 1960s-style soul music but if you are give Leon Bridges a listen. We saw him at Glastonbury last year and were blown away. Quite a few of our die-hard Mod mates who normally hate modern music have been completely won over and his style is very cool, too. xxx

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    1. Thank you! It needs re-redding; I'd delayed dyeing it as I wasn't sure if my hair was falling out (I've been tested for thyroid problems, though that's come back clear) but now it might just have been me worrying too much. I'm redyeing it this weekend as I have a wedding to go to next week and don't want to look all rooty in any of the couple's photos.

      I'm not into 60s soul, but I haven't disliked what I've heard - I come from a more guitar-music background and have slowly been moving to listening to other stuff too. Can't get into the modern American-style music (hip hop? Not sure what the terminology is); possibly too urban for a country mouse, but I'll try most things.

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  5. Deadlines, eh? I wonder where the word comes from...that looks like my selfies, only I have more chins. Your hair is fab. Looking forward to the full reveal! Xxx

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    1. Oh, I have plenty of chins!

      And plenty of deadlines...

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  6. I guess listening to songs in an album context is becoming a lost art ... I agree with Vix that the colour of the dress works well with your hair colour. Can't wait to see it in full once everything is back to normal. Good luck! xxx

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    1. The hair is back to full red now, I redyed it last weekend. I forget how bright it is until I see it in photos.

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  7. I've just been adding some Caro Emerald to my MP3 player for work (need something somewhat upbeat to block out irritations at the moment!) so thanks for bringing her to my attention! I think That Man is my favourite.

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    1. Be warned, some of it does stick in your head like glue. Pack Up The Louie and Liquid Lunch are particularly hard to shift.

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  8. Horrockses you say? How utterly marvelous! I've been pining over one of their marvelous frocks for at least half my life now. One day, one marvelous day!

    Wishing you all the best with your work deadlines,
    ♥ Jessica

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    1. This is a 60s one, it's not as elaborate as the 50s styles, but I'm still really chuffed with it.

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