John and Lucie Collins - Men In Uniform

Hear The Track Here

Here's a track I have already reviewed once, but like last month's re-review of John and Lucie Collins' A Voice In The Night, this has been sufficiently updated to (hopefully) provide enough grist to my critical mill. Because of a new working connection with real world producer Art Munson, John and Lucie are finally getting the lush, professional sound their material needs to work properly. Or do they...? See, I don't normally like the genre(s) John and Lucie work in (pop, ballads, showtunes) and it would be fair to say that the music would have to be a bit above the Soundclick norm for me to be attracted to it. However, because of the quality of their music, lyrics and overall sound (particularly Lucie's vocals), they have captured my attention from the start.

It also should be said that there wasn't much wrong with their own producing skills.

I wasn't particularly taken by Men In Uniform the first time I heard it (I did an Overview of John and Lucie in February of this year) partly because I thought it sounded unfinished and - much more critically - I didn't think that Lucie's vocal really did anything to offset the lightness of the track. Moreover, in some ways, it sounded as unsure of itself as the track did. Not like Lucie at all, considering the stellar performances she has put in on other tracks. My opinion was, apparently, shared by John and Lucie and obviously they went back to work with it - aided and abetted by said Art Munson.

What comes out this time is the full power of the song, and it's a very different beast to the pale creature that whimpered in my ear back at the beginning of the year. More to the point, I think this is the very first track of this combination of musicians and producers that I have been able to spot what are undoubtedly 'professional' touches from the mind of Mr Munson. For a start, the track literally throws itself at you, sounding extremely girl-groupy and sassy as a Saturday night out. It also follows in a long tradition of American (more NYC really) tracks that started with the basic beat and lilt of a track such as Iko Iko and the rhythmic cadence that is the trademark of big city funk. All in all, what comes out of this new version of this track is slick, sassy, as dancey a track as you could wish for, in a production that is filled with neat little touches.

Top class funky pop. MUST HAVE