Level 42 - True Colours

Mark King's BEST Bass tone. Definitive Trace Elliot sound !

I don't love every song on this CD, but I do give it 5 stars. Mark King's bass tone is at it's best. He has the definitive Trace Elliot sound. As others have stated, "True Believers" has the best bass line. Period. It is infectious, and stays with you for days. "Kansas City Milkman" is another favorite. It's classic Level 42. November 27, 2007

True Colours

Ah...I can still feel my acne and remember those cider-tasting french kisses....In the 1980s being a fan of Level 42 was cool...why do they laugh now? True Colours pre-dated Cyndi Lauper's album of the same name by some years (please don't get confused..) but it still managed to combine elements of L42's early Britfunk influences and their pop destiny. I personally liked 'My Hero' from the tape/CD, best....

1. Floating Life

Hmmmm...one of those social commentary songs that 42 used to get into every now and again. Nice and catchy, at the time the words were cool in a sort of 'hey lets be cool' sort of way, but like flick hair cuts, Airwolf, Turkey Drummers and those wedgies you got in the school changing rooms, it all seems a bit dated/painful and trite, now... Still...it's L42..so it's still worth listening to, right?

2. Hot Water A classic for all fans, perhaps one of the funkiest pop lines ever - and one that spawned some of the best live jazz-funk-pop in history. Lyrics are simple (no deep commentary here) instead it's just as thin veneer of pop over one of the chunkiest bass/keyboard lines ever. Simple and straight to the point - just as it should be.

3. Hours By The Window Gorgeous slowy in a time that pre-dates 'Leaving Me Now.' Pretty haunting stuff...'speshially for 1982. Again, nice bass-as-lead from Mr Mark King.

4. Kansas City Milkman I had chicken pox and had a tape of 'Physical Presence' a live version of this song is on it and is the finest live recording I have ever heard. That being the case, this suffers in comparison (personally) but it's still a great song, with top lyrics and some nice changes in pace.

5. True Believers The best ever bass line in a song ever - period. Listen to the way it meanders through this high-paced song and then delight in the bass solo. Absolutely superb. Lyrics rock, too...

6. Koyate Ahem. Nice beat and ethnic drums and all that...but a bit too twee...for me..

7. Seven Days Another nice slowy. June 24, 2000

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