Moot's mission is to take the art of writing pop songs back to it's roots, y'know three minutes or just over, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, middle eight, verse, chorus and out. The formula is what the pop world was founded on and all the best, most popular and memorable tunes down the years have been founded on that formula. Well, in over fifty years of using this formula, isn't it getting a bit tired? Well no, not really, because pop music is cyclical and wherever it drifts off to, in the end it always comes back to a bit of simplicity and a catchy tune.
Life is Talkin' Misery encapsulates all the best aspects of the three minute pop song, the ones that don't have a sell by date either. The arrangements are very well done and the choice of instruments on various songs make for very rewarding listening. 'It's a Beautiful Life' starts the album off with a bounce, with banjo, brass and much much more, all of which have their own place within the structure of the song. 'Love is at My Door' is an acoustic driven song which builds gradually with graceful accompanying strings. 'We're Outta ontrol' is so energetic and catchy, it should be a hit single all over the place!
There is a tendancy to shy away from using the term 'pop', but that's only because the term has been appropriated for use by the X Factor and American Idol type acts and has put the worst aspects of the world of popular music onto tv's across the world, week in and week out with the predictable spin off hit records for the 'lucky' winners. Moot's mission seems like a very honourable one and it's one that I hope he succeeds with, because 'Life is Talkin' Misery' has been made by a talented musician, with songwriting ability, an ear for a naggingly memorable tune and the ability to reproduce it live onstage, something that all the aforementioned talent show fodder will never be able to do. This is proper pop, which can hold it's head high ......wonderful stuff!
Reviewed by Kevin Wallbank
