Rude Corps - Bedridden

Hear The Track Here

Ever since the Beatles first hit the scene back in the early 1960's pop has had a love affair with the Northern English voice. Doesn't seem to matter either which side of the north you are talking about either. There are just as many great voices out of Newcastle as their are out of Manchester or Liverpool. I get started with this because one of the many facets of Rude Corps has been, of late anyway, featured the vocal tones of either Sir or Neil O'Brien (aka Rude Corps himself), both of which have that flat, nasal delivery which is so effective in certain kinds of music.

Britpop is a particular brand of music and if anything fits that description it has to Bedridden, and it marks yet another difference in sound for this artist and one I can definitely get into. Obviously anybody's first point of reference is going to be Blur, which this track most closely resembles in sound and structure. The sound and mix really helps to establish the song quickly, pulling the listener in as all good pop tracks should. It's a surprisingly soft, gentle track that - lets face it - comes right out of the blue. The last sort of track I would expect from this particular artist.

It has its hard edge though because if you dig a little deeper and eyeball the lyrics you'll see that the subject matter is anything but soft and gentle. Now that IS typical of Rude Corps. Can always be relied upon to come up with lyrics that get only too close to their subject matter. Music that is intelligent, relaxing and aurally as clear as a bell, what more could any sane man ask for? Bedridden has such a great feel, a kind of vague hopelessness that seeps through the music like settling sediment. It was that quality that finally convinced me that this is probably the best thing I have heard from this artist yet.

Highly Recommended Britpop.