With so much wonderful music knocking around here in the Abstract studio, we thought we'd take the opportunity to showcase a few very special items that are close to our hearts. Our choices for Tune of the Week may be fresh through the door, or decades old - our aim is that they will always epitomise the ethos of AbstractRadio...
Our second tune of the week? So, no pressure then...
"British Rail?"
"Can I please reserve a first class weekend return ticket for:"
Jessica Lauren Four featuring Jocelyn Brown
Happiness Train - Miss Marple Edit
Freestyle Records FSR096 - 2012
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There are a couple of takes of this knocking about - we're choosing the shorter "Miss Marple" edit for no better reason than that we think it's a bit quicker in getting to the action. The long version is great as well.
Leaving aside the "extreme major player alert" just for a moment, let's have a look at this track's other credentials - for those not in the know, Ms Lauren is (amongst so very many other things) the ivory-tinkling genius behind the vast majority of Dave Lee's (aka Joey Negro) club stormers on Z Records. For that alone she gets a prominent place in AbstractRadio's Hall of Fame (still under construction - we're having problems with the wiring and the plumber's taken a leave of absence). And then there's Ms Brown, who needs absolutely no introduction whatsoever and simply owns the place.
This jazzy little number opens up in the humble origins of a railway yard, with basic percussion and some atmospheric trains sounds. Then Jessica lays down a cool, slowly building piano riff before Jocelyn joins in with some sultry, laid back vocals. So, no great surprises so far - everything is running on-time and as it should be, snacks are being served in the buffet carriage. Ah, but did we not mention the word "building"? For build it indeed does, dropping through the gears until the runaway locomotive that is Ms Brown's vocal performance explodes onto the track, sending everyone ducking for cover.
So, it's cool, it's jazzy, it's has one of the world's greatest soul-stirring voices and it goes mad at the end - what's not to like?
Happiness Train - no leaves on the line here - woo-hoo!
(OK, that's quite enough train references).
| Here's a live take - audio only |
| Here's another live take with video - sadly rather poor audio quality |
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- Footnote - Check out "I Believe" from the same ep - it's equally wonderful |
