Wednesday 5 December 2012

Albums for Life: 86: David Mead: Mine and Yours

'Mine and Yours' is 'Pop Lite', but pop perfection.
Many have been damned with the 'Macartneyesque' comparison.
It was more than justified by this cracking collection. There are no edges here, nothing to get you rubbing your chin and reaching for the Thesaurus; this is nowt but classic songwriting; fantastic singing, elevated by unchallenging yet perfect arrangements. The songs do exactly what you want them to, but with such winning warmth and big hearted benevolence that you just want to give the speakers a huge hug of gratitude. Sure, there are one or two moments of heartache but that's more than tempered by the bouncy Tin Pan classicism of it all. A winning combination one would have thought; apparently not, as Mead never saw that success that this album suggested was inevitable. I saw him live and solo at the time, with about 100 other folk (half full/empty) at London's Borderline club...

The follow up 'Indiana' was less glossy, a more introspective affair; normally my preferred mood, and it might indeed be a better album for that undercurrent of melancholy, but it was through 'Mine and Yours' that I discovered Mead's penchant for perfect pop.
He's still recording; going the now inevitable route of fan funded recordings. The cap in his hand that should be on his head could be a crown; the man is a prince of pop rendered a pauper by these strange times...
I had trouble finding videos to represent the album so...
First two tracks and the last one are tasters from his new album 'Dudes'.
Then there are some live clips from The Ivy League sessions.
Not knockout (Mead seems kind of weary of it all) but hopefully
enough to guide you to his string of fine albums.











8 comments:

  1. I remember getting this when it first came out but cant really remember much about it. thi sis explained by having had a quick look realising I've carelessly misplaced it somewhere probably during a house move. i only thought there was the one lp so lots to explore. I think i bought it at the same time as Josh Rouse and the the lack of edge meant it lost out in turn table time

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  2. I remember picking up 'Luxury Of Time' used for a buck, soley on perusing the liner notes list of stellar backing musicians. Totally repulsed by the Beau Brummelish guy in a suit and tie cover, and a bloody "stylist" in the credits! But the album turned out be a nice surprise, for all the reasons you mention. Mine & Yours has a couple of his hookiest tunes, but for me 'Indiana' tops it by a mile for. Great album. I've tipped my hand, haven't I?
    Tangerine was kind of a dud in my book, but the tracks you've posted from 'Dudes' sound like an sweet return to form. Enjoyed the live clips, where he seems less of a dandy, although you'd think he'd give up the Vanilla Ice haircut.
    Another to add to my Amazon order...

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    1. Ay, he does seem the dandy popinjay...
      These lists are an interesting dilemma; quite often the albums I choose aren't necessarily the best ones but the ones that have been important to me; as part of my musical development or just albums that have been a good fit for a particular time. Therefore, I'm with you on 'Indiana', it's probably a better album but first impressions/first kiss etc...
      This is particularly relevant for my next choice; def' not the artist's best but that first sight was so compelling that it rendered the debut forever essential...

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  3. Had this album on this morning and it was passing me by a bit until the final track Only in the Movies which ahs made an impression. I'll have to have another listen. Perhaps Indiana.

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    1. 'Indiana' is, by consensus, the more 'adult' album; more sombre... I'd go for that as an intro.
      This was my 1st taste and charmed me... light and frothy etc

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  4. Popinjay... I'm reaching for my thesaurus. OK, a woodpecker? No this must be it... a pretentious twat.

    No need to justify favorite album picks. First loves are bound to affect objectivity, and a valid basis as any for an opinion. Taste is such a wacky thing anyway! Here's a relevant quote...

    "I have opinions of my own... strong opinions... but I don't always agree with them." (George Bush)

    TT

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  5. "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"

    "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."

    "They misunderestimated me."

    Ah, George; you could never call him 'pretentious'...

    "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."

    "There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on --shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again."

    "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

    And my personal fav: "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."

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  6. Jeezus, you've had me chuckling all day with these bon mots. A true wordsmith is George. It's no wonder Obama never leaves home without his teleprompter...

    Lest you think clever oratory limited to Bush... Here's one of Canada's finest. He makes W seem positively articulate:

    "A proof is a proof. What kind of proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven." (Jean Chretien - Primeminister of Canada 1993-2003)

    Proof he said it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSXO_UKU9po

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