Description
Gene Drawn To The Deep End
Label: Polydor 6547
Format: CD, Album, Promo
Country: France
Released: 1997
Genre: Rock, Brit Pop, Indie Rock
Tracklist:
1 New Amusements 6:50
2 Fighting Fit 3:55
3 Where Are They Now? 4:16
4 Speak To Me Someone 3:55
5 We Would Be Kings 5:16
6 Why I Was Born 5:53
7 Long Sleeves For The Summer 3:31
8 Save Me, I’m Yours 4:26
9 Voice Of The Father 3:21
10 The Accidental 3:02
11 I Love You, What Are You? 4:43
12 Sub Rosa 3:37
Durations taken from the information stated on the CD.
Label Code: LC 0309
Rights Society: BIEM / MCPS
Matrix / Runout: 6547 00 L7 / MADE IN FRANCE BY PMDC
5.0 out of 5 stars A lyrical exploration of love, thoughts and feelings,
Gene have really done themselves proud with this fantastic record. More polished than ‘Olympian’ or ‘To See The Lights’, the album takes the listener on an exhausting and melancholy journey through all the dark edges of human life.
It begins with ‘New Amusements’, a rocky and sinister romp, almost jubilantly plaintive and demanding in both words and crunching chords.
‘Fighting Fit’ is for me one of the highlights of the album, a fantastically frisky innuendo laden rhapsody about sex, basically, it has a beautiful tune but a very tough heart.
‘Where Are They Now’ conjures images of autumn and is the first truly melancholy song on the record. I think this song is incredibly insightful, with great lyrics like: ‘The sky seems a little lower, but for that a normal day’.
speak To Me Someone’ takes the emotional appeal to the next level. The slightly REM-ish chord patterns may sound a bit unoriginal at first but once the song kicks in, the product is a stunning vocal performance from Martin Rossiter and a stirring, evocative interpretation of depression.
If all that wasn’t enough to start with, ‘We Could Be Kings’ is my personal favourite. It is a magnificent, anthemic song, a kind of nod to the British stiff-upper-lip attitude: continuing through the hard times and imagining what could be. Each part of the song is brilliant and perfectly conjured, from the superb guitar and rhythm, vocals which speak what everyone is feeling and the haunting melody. With a semantic field of getting in a car and going away somewhere, this song is good driving music!
‘Why I Was Born’ is a beautiful mellow ballad, seamlessly led in by piano at the end of ‘We Could Be Kings’. The emotion on this song is so raw and open, it is literally a song to fall in love to. This also has some amazing guitar solos on it.
‘Long Sleeves For The Summer’ is a folky, acoustic workout. It seems very summery and light on the surface, but as with most Gene songs, has a dark heart. This song has some great lyrical twists too: ‘a breath-grasping hand into the ether/Oh I beg you, take my with her’. It is a song which has been pondered over but seems effortlessly natural.
save Me, I’m Yours’ tackles the issue of Rossiters depression and fear of loneliness again. This song is particularly reminiscent of older Gene songs, but with that shiny production edge. It again has a great hooky riff, soaring melody and Rossiters vocals sound particularly vulnerable and beautiful.
‘Voice Of The Father’ is a complete sea change from what we have seen so far, it is truly a rock song, which is black to the very heart and has that great crunchy sound to it. But it has a typical Gene twist; a quiet piano noodle in the middle which lulls the listener into a false sense of security before stabbing them right in the heart with another killer chorus.
‘The Accidental’ is for me, the low point of the album, but is still a decent song. Its slow, dull beating did begin to grate on me, and for some reason Gene employ an awful croaky female singer to rasp a verse of the track, which totally backfires. Still, the song has an interesting lyric about hidden guilt and sleepless nights.
‘I Love You, What Are You?’ more than compensates for the dodginess of the previous track. This is another walloping great power song, confident in its execution, lyric, melody, musicianship….everything! It has been said that this song tackles the issue of sexuality, and Rossiters supposed ambiguity. I say, bollocks! Hes married! Just sit back and enjoy the magnificent thump of a brilliant song played by men who know their worth.
sub Rosa’ is the final song on the album, and appears to be a simple lullaby at first. Wrong! It builds up into another huge, dramatic crescendo, with strings and brass piled into it. The main tune from ‘New Amusements’ is also incorporated into the instrumental. The song finishes cryptically with the line ‘Who’ll know?’, which is a very good question indeed. And then it fades away again, just for a moment, until you hit the repeat button on the stereo and continue to luxuriate in the glory of a heart-breaking, unique and anthemic record, one whic defines emotions perfectly and in time will define your life.
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent album from a massively underrated band.,
“Drawn to the Deep End” is an astonishingly accomplished album, once again demonstrating that Gene are one of Britains finest indie bands. From the more experimental opening track to the hit singles “Fighting Fit” and “We Could be Kings”(the stand-out track in my view) this a record which moves, uplifts and expresses sadness. The opening 5 or 6 tracks are on a level with any other indie band in the country and demonstrates once again that Gene deserve to be much much bigger. A beautiful and emotional record.
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5.0 out of 5 stars A Revelation,
This is an excellent album. Rossiters vocals can be very powerful, but also very delicate and vulnerable, with witty and interesting lyrics that never quite get annoying as Morrisseys can. The rest of the band certainly have an ear for a good melody and Masons guitar work is very good, but doesn’t dominate the songs.
The album opens with the dark ‘New Amusements’, before going into Genes particular brand of rock with ‘Fighting Fit’. ‘Where are they Now?’, speak to me Someone’, and ‘We Could be Kings’ explore Rossiters vulnerable side. ‘We Could be Kings’ is the epitome of a Gene song – a majestic pop song in several movements and a roller-coaster of emotion.
‘Why I was Born’ is a plain old fashioned love song – done very well mind you and save me, I’m Yours’ has a gorgeous guitar hook. In short, there is not a bad song on this album.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning,
Having not been a great fan of Gene, I was startled, no …………blown away, by the sheer quality of this album. Although worth it for ‘we could be kings’ alone, the record has many other great tunes. If you’re not to keen on Gene prepare to have your musical world changed.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Melodic perfection,
The third album that appears to be the pinnacle of their career. This cd comprises the melodic interlude that could be expected from lesser mortals with the power and ergency of a group you have to respect. As a conceptualised record it works to perfection swinging the listener between the highs and nadirs of their emotions. Truely a classic that will a some point be recognised
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5.0 out of 5 stars genius,
This was a breakup album for me – wish they’d kept it going. Found them by accident and they lost me the same way.
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5.0 out of 5 stars GENE ‘Drawn To The Deep End’
‘New Amusements’ from a gentle guitar belching start we are suddenly thrust into an adrenaline driven power piece with Martin Rossiter pleading “I can bring you solace…on the bureau in my office I dream of you”.
‘Fighting Fit’ a blaze of illustrious guitars by Steve Mason.
‘Where Are They Now?’ again great intelligent guitar work plus Martins distinctive voice “You see I cannot stand alone I’m incapable of breathing incapable of love” workmanlike bass from Miles and drums from James! A truly marvellous melodic thrash!
speak To Me Someone’ pop art drama – strings & mellotron “Now you can tell me will I ever dream again”.
‘We Could Be Kings’ more drama via a slightly more gentle ballad – stirring lyrics “When I’m hungry and I’m cold will you feed me from your palm and shelter me from harm…can you love me?” A beautiful piece of mandolin doodling is inserted.
‘Why I Was Born’ could have been another single – a very pretty emotive ballad – more stirring lyrics “I really do want to show you I now know why I was born….My vision is clear but theres something in here screaming don’t let me go!” A fine hammond organ sound with guitar crying out in apparent sympathy with the bittersweet lyrics.
‘Long Sleeves For Summer’ opens side C of the 2LP – an acoustic guitar strum sheen.
save Me, I’m Yours’ the finery keeps blazing “Don’t turn the light off and leave me…this bed feels cold and empty”! Truly beautiful guitar sounds (acoustic & electric) & lead vocal “But this room is like a gaol…in the arms of love all fail”. Brilliance! Martins great vocal shines via the backing.
‘Voice Of The Father’ back to a heavy fuzz guitar attack but always a melody. A quiet classical piano section before final explosion!
‘The Accidental’ gentle cracking atmospherics…a Kate Bush style lisp vocal via a certain Betsi Miller (Kate under a pseudonym?) adds interest “The blade flashed by”.
‘I Love You, What Are You?’ unsettling changes but majestic moments “Life goes on & so must you”. Interesting drumming section.
sub Rosa’ pretty vocal over simple guitar before launching into full throttled heavy Gene machine.
Four singles from it were ‘Fighting Fit’ Oct’96 #22 UK 50, ‘We Could Be Kings’ Jan’97 #31 UK 50, ‘Where Are They Now?’ May 97 #32 UK 50, & speak To Me Someone’ Aug’97 #30 UK 50.
A hard act to classify – love lost lyrics – sad tender strong vocals – majestic guitars – Gene! Surprisingly this excellent effort only made #8 in the UK album charts – at the time marking the beginning of a downward trend in Indie guitar based music popularity!
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