A Terrible Beauty (album)
Encyclopedia
A Terrible Beauty is the first, and so far only, release from UK band The Uncle Devil Show
. It was released on P3 Music in 2004.
is a trio consisting of Jason Barr, Langton Herring and Terrence, the three of whom bear striking resemblances to 3 semi-famous to famous contemporary Scottish musicians. The band have a decidedly surreal quality surrounding them, and their songs tend to deal with topics and themes uncommonly found in popular music – namely, the theft of a bicycle which grants freedom but which breeds contempt, feelings of sympathy for wasps and bees, the practical application of Gilbert O'Sullivan's music and its ability to help sift out inappropriate partners, talentless TV ' talent', and cross-dressing desperates. The record contains the odd occasion of incongrous (and congruous) swearing. But while some might dismiss their efforts as satire or parody, or a one-off joke, there is a lot of evidence that this venture has a lot of thought and heart behind it, and the music and some of the lyrics follow a very well-trodden pop path.
The music itself features catchy guitars, vocal harmonies and at times, rising orchestration and strings . The lyrics explore love affairs gone wrong, from being misled by signs that things were going to work out, only to find they didn't, to being in love with a woman who seems desirably, and uncharacteristically for pop songs, real and lovable. It would be impossible to dismiss A Terrible Beauty as purely a gimmick record, and many reviews have referred to the rewards to be gained from multiple listens.
and mastered by Paul McGeechan. The instrumentation referred to on the CD sleeve is bizarre, to say the least, but fits with the general tone of the band. As a sample, it is claimed that, on particular tracks, the audience could be enjoying 'school belt and scissors' or 'French bread'. The mention of bongos seems somewhat prosaic in comparison, and it's difficult to know what to make of 'Terrence on Patio' or 'Langton on absinthe.' All tracks are credited to Herring/Barr, while Angie Baby
is a cover of the Helen Reddy
song, written by Alan O'Day
.
The Uncle Devil Show
The Uncle Devil Show are a pop-rock guitar band formed as a side-project for three Scottish musicians, who use pseudonyms as their aliases. The band members are:*"Langton Herring" – singer-songwriter Kevin McDermott...
. It was released on P3 Music in 2004.
Track listing
- "Leonardo's Bicycle"
- "Gilbert O'Sullivan"
- "Tambourine"
- "Bimbo in the Limo"
- "Plus Ca Change"
- "Angie Baby"
- "She Cuts Her Own Fringe"
- "Strange Umbrella"
- "Dandelion"
- "Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker"
- "When Raymond Comes Around"
- "I Had a Drink About You Last Night"
A joke?
The Uncle Devil ShowThe Uncle Devil Show
The Uncle Devil Show are a pop-rock guitar band formed as a side-project for three Scottish musicians, who use pseudonyms as their aliases. The band members are:*"Langton Herring" – singer-songwriter Kevin McDermott...
is a trio consisting of Jason Barr, Langton Herring and Terrence, the three of whom bear striking resemblances to 3 semi-famous to famous contemporary Scottish musicians. The band have a decidedly surreal quality surrounding them, and their songs tend to deal with topics and themes uncommonly found in popular music – namely, the theft of a bicycle which grants freedom but which breeds contempt, feelings of sympathy for wasps and bees, the practical application of Gilbert O'Sullivan's music and its ability to help sift out inappropriate partners, talentless TV ' talent', and cross-dressing desperates. The record contains the odd occasion of incongrous (and congruous) swearing. But while some might dismiss their efforts as satire or parody, or a one-off joke, there is a lot of evidence that this venture has a lot of thought and heart behind it, and the music and some of the lyrics follow a very well-trodden pop path.
The music itself features catchy guitars, vocal harmonies and at times, rising orchestration and strings . The lyrics explore love affairs gone wrong, from being misled by signs that things were going to work out, only to find they didn't, to being in love with a woman who seems desirably, and uncharacteristically for pop songs, real and lovable. It would be impossible to dismiss A Terrible Beauty as purely a gimmick record, and many reviews have referred to the rewards to be gained from multiple listens.
Production
A Terrible Beauty was produced by The Uncle Devil ShowThe Uncle Devil Show
The Uncle Devil Show are a pop-rock guitar band formed as a side-project for three Scottish musicians, who use pseudonyms as their aliases. The band members are:*"Langton Herring" – singer-songwriter Kevin McDermott...
and mastered by Paul McGeechan. The instrumentation referred to on the CD sleeve is bizarre, to say the least, but fits with the general tone of the band. As a sample, it is claimed that, on particular tracks, the audience could be enjoying 'school belt and scissors' or 'French bread'. The mention of bongos seems somewhat prosaic in comparison, and it's difficult to know what to make of 'Terrence on Patio' or 'Langton on absinthe.' All tracks are credited to Herring/Barr, while Angie Baby
Angie Baby
"Angie Baby" is a popular song that was written by American Alan O'Day, and became a hit for Australian singer Helen Reddy. The song reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart at the end of December of 1974 and became one of Reddy's biggest-selling singles. The song also topped the U.S...
is a cover of the Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
song, written by Alan O'Day
Alan O'Day
Alan O'Day is an American singer-songwriter, best known for writing and singing "Undercover Angel," a song which was number 1 in 1977. He also wrote songs for several other notable performers, such as 1974's Helen Reddy number 1 hit "Angie Baby" and the Righteous Brothers' number 3 hit "Rock And...
.