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Avg: 4.0 (11 ratings)
- Date Released: October 8, 2002
- Genre: Rock/Pop
- Style: Singer-Songwriter
- Label: Parasol Records
Piano-led excursions into the highways and byways of the human heart.
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We Say...
After the Beatles split at the dawn of the '70s, Paul McCartney saw his next major project, Wings, rival his old band in global success. Singer-songwriter John Cunningham, based in Brighton, UK, draws heavily on that period for his piano-led excursions into the highways and byways of the human heart. Pop Matters critic David Fufkin described Cunningham as sounding like “a depressed Paul McCartney if he decided to write very literate, poetic, ‘heavy meaning’ lyrics,” which is accurate to some extent, except that it suggests the album might be hard work. It’s anything but. Cunningham’s songs float by, as light as air but fetchingly wistful, so it’s a bonus to discover that such seemingly fluffy fare is underpinned by razor-sharp observations and insights into the complexity of human relationships. Put it this way: The cast of Friends would love the music, but the cast of Dawson’s Creek would also get the lyrics.
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They Say...
John Cunningham's previous release, Homeless House, was praised up and down for being a late-period Beatlesque, Nick Drake-ian, Belle & Sebastian-ish, low-key chamber pop gem. The only problem is that the CD was impossible to get a hold of. Luckily, the follow-up, Happy-Go-Unlucky, is even more of a gem and is much easier to find, as it is on the distributor-friendly Parasol label. If those bands mentioned previously (along with Emitt Rhodes, Elliott Smith, Richard Davies, and maybe Squeeze) mean anything to you and if you like your pop music on the hushed and autumnal side, by all means pick this record up. You won't be disappointed. The songs are all extremely well crafted and mostly melancholy, driven by piano and filled out with strings, trumpets, and organ, and on "Can't Get Used to This" a stinging Harrison-styled guitar solo. On top of the lush arrangements surrounded by heavenly vocal harmonies sits Cunningham's gentle voice, sounding quite Lennon-esque throughout. The standout track is "You Shine," which sounds like it would fit right in on The Beatles [White Album]. Actually, all the tracks sound like they could be on that record -- or on a Emitt Rhodes record or the Cardinal record. Happy-Go-Unlucky is a hidden gem and hopefully the start of a long string of great pop records from John Cunningham.
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| 01. |  |
Losing Myself Too |
3:38 |
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| 02. | |
Here It Is |
3:28 |
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| 03. | |
Way To Go |
3:37 |
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| 04. | |
Can't Get Used To This |
4:33 |
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| 05. | |
It Isn't Easy |
2:41 |
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| 06. | |
You Shine |
3:31 |
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| 07. | |
Invisible Lives |
4:51 |
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| 08. | |
Welcome To The World |
2:57 |
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| 09. | |
Take Your Time |
3:33 |
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| 10. | |
It Goes On |
2:32 |
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10 Total Tracks, 35:21 Total Length
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Credits
- Eric Hine - Mastering // John Cunningham - Producer // Joe Watson - Piano // Joe Watson - Harmonium // Joe Watson - Organ (Hammond) // Joe Watson - Vocals // Joe Watson - Fender Rhodes // Joe Watson - String Arrangements // Joe Watson - Assistant Engineer // Joe Watson - Assistant // Joe Watson - Score // Stephen Kennedy - Viola // John Cunningham - Producer // John Cunningham - Engineer // John Cunningham - String Arrangements // Mehdi Zannad - Organ // Mehdi Zannad - Percussion // Mehdi Zannad - Strings // Mehdi Zannad - Horn // Mehdi Zannad - Vocals // Mehdi Zannad - Vocals (Background) // Paul Portinari - Drums // Sam Hayden - Trumpet
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