That the Stephen Jones of 2003 is crafted of same flesh as the auteur of ‘You’re Gorgeous’ doesn’t seem right in some way - in the same way if Liam Gallagher in some parallel universe, after a short stint in Oasis, was now engaging in a career in modern jazz dance.
Of course if one were to dig deeper into the background of Stephen Jones, such things would of course make considerably more sense. Prior to his brief chart blaze, 400 songs were written and recorded in his bedroom (he must have very tolerant neighbours).
‘You’re Gorgeous’ in retrospect seems to be have little more than a perverse joke at the nature of recording industry, the ultimate expression of performance art (“you wanna hit single, I’ll show you a hit single!”).
Cult artists and hit singles though are odd bedfellows and now ‘Almost Cured Of Sadness’ seems to reiterate this man’s desire to again play around with an 8-track amidst the twilight, to be frivolous, without the red light fever of a recording studio. And so is it actually any good? Hmmm... kinda. It’s disjointed, it meanders somewhat, but amidst the radio crackle are some delightfully bittersweet and yes ‘gorgeous’ melodies.
-
7Chris Hilliard's Score