The Stiff Years

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Total Tracks: 13   Total Length: 54:55

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Ira Robbins

eMusic Contributor

Ira Robbins co-founded Trouser Press magazine in 1974. (Think of it as a pre-Internet music blog). He was later pop music editor at Newsday and has written for ...more »

04.22.11
Sugary pop hooks cover the bitter taste of heartbreak.
2005 | Label: Stiff Records / ZTT

MacColl, who was killed in a tragic seaside accident in 2000, was a tremendously gifted singer and songwriter. Arriving at Stiff in 1979 as the teenaged daughter of folksinger Ewan MacColl, she put gorgeous harmonies on pure-pop originals like "They Don't Know" and "You Caught Me Out" as well as covers like Billy Bragg's once-sparse "A New England." She also had a knack for countrified rockers like "Turn My Motor On" and (not included here) "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis." This online web-only compilation does boast the double-length 12-inch mix of "A New England" as well as two fine singles, "Terry" and "He's on the Beach," and a couple of B-sides.

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I'm still in mourning

music4thesoul

and always will be for the tragic loss of this beautiful woman with the voice of an angel killed (murdered) by some rich git with a fancy lawyer to get him off the hook and what has he contributed??? Kirsty MacColl has never sung a wrong note her songs were always arresting, witty, enigmatic, sad heartfelt and just plain all-round fantastic. Her Best? from early days New England and later Titanic Days I play this and still cry - - her like will never be heard again (and if anyone thinks Lily Allen is the new Kirsty a curse on their meagre lives)!!

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nobody does it like Kirsty

lishiecomiskey

now, we need electric landlady on here!!!

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Get Tropical Brainstorm

NoChumpStumpy

I agree with all of the reviews about Kirsty and The Stiff Years, but her last album, Tropical Brainstorm (completed within her last year in this world), is a MUST HAVE. It's not available on emusic, but do yourself a favor and get the album. Music just does not get much better than this.

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She got me!

replica

All my life I've been into electro. Never had time for pop but Kirsty's songs were something I'd listen to when my friends weren't around. Her, Crowded House and The Lightning Seeds made up my secret pop-stash. Kirsty did it all; irony, humour,and acute observations beautifully delivered. I hope Emu can get 'Kite' but in the meantime enjoy what's here. As a measure of her talent she is the only person to ever include a slide-guitar and make it into my otherwise narrow-minded collection. Miss you Kirsty and thank you.

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I miss her too

docgatorb

Kirsty MacColl is one of those rare singer/songwriters whose music can hit you so directly that you have to stop what you are doing and listen. Fortunately, we have a radio station in the area that plays her music or else I would have missed her all-too-short career. Thanks to eMusic for getting these early pieces. Hopefully, her later albums will be added and listeners can hear the diversity that Kirsty demonstrated as her music matured. Don't pass this one up, though, even if the samples sound too pop.

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This will break your heart.

IamPayingForTheRockThisTime

The first nine minutes of this will make you realize what a loss the world suffered when Kirsty Maccoll left it.

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late 70's and early 80's pop bliss

demetriusandrew2

This is a collection of sugery sweet songs from one of the finest pop songwriters ever. The first time I heard "They Don't Know" it must have been Tracy Ullman's version but hearing it here takes me somewhere special. That song has an untangable beauty to me that makes it one of my absolute favorites. This is a very...very good collection that would be worth it for the first three songs alone. (I supplemented mine with a few of her later tracks like "Titatic Days", "Madison Ave" and "Innocence". I also added "There's a Guy Works Down At The Chips Shop (Swears He's Elvis)" and "See That Girl" from her Stiff years)

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Where It All Began

David2957

This is a great compilation for two reasons. First, it is a great document of a budding young talent finding her musical feet. Considering the massive songwriting talents she displayed several years down the line, it is fascinating to see how it all started. Second, this collection is chock full of pithy pop tunes. The first time I ever heard "They Don't Know" back in the late '70s, I was hooked. You will be too. Rest in peace, Kirsty. Your music lives on.

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