HOW DARE YOU!

10cc

Prog Related

3.73 | 157 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer

Very difficult task to follow-up such albums as "Sheet Music" and "The Original Soundtrack". The recipe is almost the same here, but less surprising.

"Lazy Ways" (Cr�me/Stewart) is of course fully in-line with their best work. Beatles-esque vocal arrangements and a wonderful melody. One of many of that kind in the 10CC repertoire. Their song-writing is excellent as usual.

We'll get some short opera-like songs as well. "I Wanna Rule The World" (Godley, Creme, Gouldman) features so many characters immortalized by so many different voices. The childish type of vocals at the end of the song seems to indicate a pleasant and light passage; but the lyrics (as usual as well) are totally devastating : "Everyone's going to be free. But they'll have to agree to be free. They'll have to agree to be less free than me, 'cos I rule the world you see". I guess that this is what we call dictatorship.

The next song is not as dark. "I'm Mandy Fly Me" (Stuart, Creme, Gouldman) is another VERY melodic tune. Fantastic vocals again. The spirit is again very much similar to the Fab Four. A highlight.

Not all numbers are unforgettable like the instrumental opening number "How Dare You" and the jazzy/pastiche "Iceberg". Sounds pretty much as a grotesque farce. The different themes are countless here. To be able to change so often from mood in such a short song is one of their great skills. But at times, it is just too much (like in this song). Not easy to recreate "One Night In Paris".

This complex texture is also found on their hit-single "Art For Art's Sake" (Gouldman and Stewart). The inventiveness deployed here is fabulous. Great percussion work in an apparent and straight-forward song. Still, to be able to chart with such a song indicates the high profile of these great composers.

The parodic style of the fifties is again irresistible during "Rock'n'Roll Lullaby" (Gouldman and Stewart again). The band is truly impossible to categorize. Each song holds so many ideas, discoveries. One should try and count how many different sub-songs (some sort of songs within a song) they have written. We should be surprised with the numbers.

This ability is not only the prerogative of the Godley and Creme duo; they were responsible of three songs on this album. The title track and the last two "Head Room" and "Don't Hang Up". The latter being another of their mini-opera with countless ideas per minute. Brilliant.

This album does not hold so many well-known numbers as its predecessors, but nonetheless, the band released a good and pleasant album. It is also amazing to see how they switched from instruments according the song. The only one to be confined in the percussion and related instruments being Kevin Godley. The other trio juggling with bass, guitar, piano, organ, moog etc. The four of them being great vocalists.

This is why 10CC is a band with such an exceptional and unique sound. Three stars for "How Dare You".

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 | 2007-11-26

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