I may have mentioned that I live in Glasgow. Most people from this city are proud to be from it. In recent years, the centre has taken a bit of a beating, but you can never fault the people. What you can fault is the weather. If it’s not raining, then it’s cold and if neither then we probably have snow. I’m being unfair as we have at least a week a year where we see the sun. Fair play to Deacon Blue when they called their debut album Raintown with a stunning picture of this great city.
In 1987 I am sixteen and we are all getting excited as The Smiths are with us, Prince is storming it with Sign of the Times and I’m obviously already obsessed with Babble by That Petrol Emotion. However, many owned a copy of Raintown.
My partner’s favourite song is Dignity, we don’t agree on music but fair play to her as thirty-five years later as the piano starts us off, the band add layers, and the song hits its stride it’s still a great single. I avoid dancing but I know as soon as this comes on wherever we are we are dancing; the song launched the band and this record.
The album opens very low key with just Ricky Ross and keyboardist James Prime on Born in a Storm but picks up with the title track where the backing vocals of Lorraine McIntosh elevate this track and Ragman makes me smile as that’s what they were called here in Glasgow (sure they were in other places as well). Spencer Tracy is sparse, reflective, and lovely.
The singles Loaded and Chocolate Girl have their moments, sophisticated pop (some nice, restrained guitar from the late Graeme Kelling) but When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring) should have been much bigger with an epic chorus and R&B group Londonbeat are drafted into back Ross to significant effect.
Love’s Great Fears is another that starts with just Ross, but McIntosh excels again, partners in real life and on song, should have been a single (Chris Rea on guitar pop fans).
Town to Be Blamed we are back on the rain theme; they maybe over do the vocals but it’s a minor quibble.
Up here drummer Dougie Vipond presents sports and country programmes on BBC Scotland, not a bad second career to have when you can tell people you were the drummer on Raintown.
7/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Love’s Great Fears
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