I kind of miss the summer (or should that be I kind of missed THE summer) and the ice cream van friendly tunes that used to go with it. What with global warming - it really should be called global wetness given our experience in Scotland - you really need some musical uplift to see you through the day. Hence the rummage through the shelves of the Vinyl Vault to find this release from Lucky Soul.
Why the search for a record by Lucky Soul? Well, on the way home from a live review the other night, this Bluesbunny was privy to the following events in the railway station. Three guys were walking down the stairs in the company of a young and extremely attractive young lady. She appeared taken by the most handsome of the three. The other two guys dutifully make themselves scarce to give their pal a shot at the gold. The story unfolds.
Pretty girl: "Hope you don't mind me talking to you"
Handsome Man: "No"
Pretty girl: "So, how old are you?"
Handsome Man (obviously trying to think of an appropriate answer): "I'm umm … 28"
Pretty girl (laughing): "I'm 17. Well, actually 16. It's my birthday next week"
Handsome Man looks a just a bit nervous now.
Pretty girl (after pausing for a moment): "Can I sit next to you on the train?"
Touchdown! Handsome Man stops considering the possibility that he might be spending the rest of his life with only a Mr G Glitter for company and starts smiling. The train arrives and the happy couple depart arm in arm.
Anyway, the girl looked like Ali Howard, lead singer of Lucky Soul and that takes us - quite neatly - into the actual words on the music. This is a pretty conventional pop music pairing. A jaunty, upbeat "A" side and a nice sensitive, slow one on the flipside. Taking the top one first, "One Kiss Don't Make A Summer" is a slice from the quintessential pop music pie. It's Fonzie cool, it's got a hook and you can sing along with it. Drama and cuteness squeezed on to a piece of vinyl in time honoured fashion, it proves that they actually do make them like they used to. Timeless, that's what this song is.
After you get tired of the "A" side - about two weeks usually - you turn the damn thing over and take a listen to the other side. No disappointment here thankfully, with "That Hollywood Glow" being equally captivating. It's a different kind of song with a grandiose scope that is reflected in a more complex arrangement. Ali Howard can handle it all just fine and manages to entrance the listener. Tasteful.
There are times when you winder if it will turn out OK for a band as I can't really recall hearing much about this band since this single. They're probably at that difficult second album stage by now. Think I'll do a bit of research.