Album Review: Right Said Fred – Stop The World
3 min read
Who would have ever though that twenty years after leather trouser wearing outfit Right Said Fred broke through the pop stratosphere with their brand of sex pop in the raunchy and poptastic form of I’m Too Sexy that they would still be around today. Well, they are and not only are they still around but the duo have just released their brand new record, Stop The World.
Back in the nineties when one hit wonders dropped out of British skies like dying birds Right Said Fred were at their peak. Their breakthrough number one smash single I’m Too Sexy and follow up single Deeply Dippy got the music world all hot and bothered and was just the tonic needed to spice up the pop market with a savvy pair of tight leather rears and camp fish net vests.
Unfortunately the act, like many at the time, couldn’t hold on to the momentum that their introductory singles generated so heavily and fell out of the public eye as quick as they had appeared.
Now as a duo (minus Rob Manzoli) brothers Richard and Fred Fairbrass aka Right Said Fred are with us once again with the release of their new record Stop The World.
Like their earlier records Stop The World is as camp as a pair of glitter balls and combines a pop heavy track-listing with the same sexual charisma that was unleashed on their debut almost 20 years back.
Stop The World is the opening number that introduces those who haven’t kept up with the Fairbrass brothers to the modern world of Right Said Fred and shows that we haven’t really missed much at all. Sounding like a cross between a male prepubescent Lily Allen in all her chav-happy glory and a playground full of sleepy infants the track skips rather painfully through its 3.30 minute lifespan to an anti-climactic demise.
Julianne grabs the reigns here and is as lack lustre as they come wreaking of nineties Brit-pop cheesiness and twisting through an repititious display of lyrical agony.
Raining In England lifts the record up slightly with a gentle piano led number and front man Richard putting all his effort into a song sung rather than spoken and though the song is a quiet addition to the rest of the track-listing he actually pulls it off as he does with the following Obvious which contains a rather lovely summer feel and some spangly guitar work.
Further down the record I Ain’t That Guy takes on the current Gaga inspired era as best as they can with a Europop number that shows the bands continued willingness to try out a range of styles. Electro-pop influences the number heavily and is the highlight on Stop The World and although it is still rather empty and could never be considered a dance floor filler the track still has a quality about it to get your feet tapping.
Nearing the end of the record the duo try their hand at Rock’n’Roll with Feels Like Love. Rolling around the backbone of a country inspired melody and a rough’n’tough centre sequence the track is an ambitious move for the brothers that serves as a hit and miss for anyone whether you are a semi fan or Right Said Fred aficionado.
For anyone brave enough to call themselves a die hard Right Said Fred fan this could be Christmas come early for you. For the rest of us Stop The World unfortunately misses the mark entirely and seems more destined for life as bargain bin fodder than a record you pull out at your next party or have at an audible volume on your iPod in public spaces. Unfortunately Stop The World might be just the right time to stop Right Said Fred.
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
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