'Stay Later' eh? I can guess what's on that chap's
mind, but I'm not sure how much of a promise he's on - he's obviously come
dressed to impress in a button down, frilly shirt with bow tie and tux, but she
looks like she's just thrown on something she knitted herself. No effort
whatsoever, whch doesn't usually bode well. Maybe slipping this album on the
turntable when she's not looking will help his chances?
Well if he was looking for something to relax the mood then he could do a great deal worse, 'Stay Later' is all low key hush and jazzy brushed drums with the melodies picked out on a muted saxophone in a manner that seeps out of the speakers like sleeping gas; it's fair to say this is not an album to scare crows off your crops.
Although ostensibly instrumental, 'Stay Later' has occasional interjections from an all female Greek chorus who sing/speak the title of the pieces (like on 'It's Impossible') or else recite a key line from the chorus (such as on 'Help Me Make It Through The Night') at opportune moments to keep everyone on their toes. Each of the arrangements are familiar without ever being predicatable, different without ever being jarring and it matters not a jot whether you're familiar with the tunes or not - taken as a whole, 'Stay Later' has the common denominator of a somnambulistic ambience that's as familiar and reassuring as slipping into a warm bath. Candles optional.
Despite all that, I have to confirm that this is just muzak - make no mistake about that - but it's muzak on stilts, and whilst I acknowledge the key driver behind this blog is to uncover the vinyl that time forgot, I can't help thinking 'Stay Later' would fare better on CD or download. A format where you don't have to spoil the mood by getting up to turn it over anyway. It's one for very late nights or very early mornings and it's not bad, not bad at all.
Well if he was looking for something to relax the mood then he could do a great deal worse, 'Stay Later' is all low key hush and jazzy brushed drums with the melodies picked out on a muted saxophone in a manner that seeps out of the speakers like sleeping gas; it's fair to say this is not an album to scare crows off your crops.
Although ostensibly instrumental, 'Stay Later' has occasional interjections from an all female Greek chorus who sing/speak the title of the pieces (like on 'It's Impossible') or else recite a key line from the chorus (such as on 'Help Me Make It Through The Night') at opportune moments to keep everyone on their toes. Each of the arrangements are familiar without ever being predicatable, different without ever being jarring and it matters not a jot whether you're familiar with the tunes or not - taken as a whole, 'Stay Later' has the common denominator of a somnambulistic ambience that's as familiar and reassuring as slipping into a warm bath. Candles optional.
Despite all that, I have to confirm that this is just muzak - make no mistake about that - but it's muzak on stilts, and whilst I acknowledge the key driver behind this blog is to uncover the vinyl that time forgot, I can't help thinking 'Stay Later' would fare better on CD or download. A format where you don't have to spoil the mood by getting up to turn it over anyway. It's one for very late nights or very early mornings and it's not bad, not bad at all.
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