Echoes And Rhymes - The Primitives

This is a newie but an oldie... The Primitives are back. Hurrah! When I heard that they had recorded a new album; their first full album since the criminally under-rated 'Galore' in 1991, I was mightily pleased..... until I read that it was going to wholly consist of cover versions. Suddenly I was not so pleased. And then I saw the track listing. The first track was 'Panic'. "Oh god no! Not a cover of a Smiths song", I thought to myself. This was getting worse by the minute.

You see Smiths covers never go particularly well. Of all of the great bands of the 80s era for some reason their songs do not translate well. I've yet to hear a decent cover version of a Smiths track. Don't believe me? Just listen to The Puppini Sisters version of the aforementioned 'Panic'. Yuck. Then there is The Beautiful South trashing 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now'. Usually a reliable band when it comes to cover versions, their rendition of this classic is awful. A sort of cod-reggae plastic soul affair. I've only managed to listen to it once and that's once too many. Maybe the problem is that only Morrissey can pull of the trick of singing those lyrics; on face value miserable and dour, but delivered with wit and a helping of irony. It's a theory I suppose.....

......but I needn't have worried. I should've known better. The Primitives have more class than that. It's a different song. Phew. Panic over.

Don't let that fact that this is a covers album put you off. 'Echoes and Rhymes' is fantastic - partly because the songs selected fit The Primitives mould perfectly, partly because they have chosen more obscure tracks and partly because it's just great to have them back. In fact the album is full of tracks that could've held their own on their debut 'Lovely' - and I can't think of higher praise than that. If you still need convincing check out 'Sunshine In My Rainy Day Mind', a cover of a track by an obscure artist Polly Niles. It's pure guitar pop. Shimmering. Shiny. Super. Then there is 'Single Girl' by Sandy Posey. Who? Exactly. But a great version of a great song. It could easily have been a Primitives original. I could go on but I won't. Sorry but I need to go and give the album another spin.

So if you're in the market for some superlative indie pop played by one of the best guitar bands this is an essential purchase. After the first listen I'd already decided 'Echoes and Rhymes' was to be my summer 2012 album. Now I just need to find some sun!