Dexys Midnight Runners - Too-Rye-Ay

Let's Make This Precious

If you know Dexy's Midnight Runners, it's probably from their 1982 smash "Come On Eileen". And why not? It's brilliant, a perfectly incandescent gem of a song simply bursting at the seams with new wave rock n' roll energy, Celtic conviviality, and blue-eyed soul fervour. That pretty much describes the album from which that one-hit-wonder was drawn, TOO-RYE-AY.

What is the most identifiable element of Dexy's Midnight Runners' sound? Is it the Stax-like horns that bolster these cuts with their taut R&B charts? Is it the Irish gypsy fiddle of Steve Brennan and Helen O'Hara? How about Billy Adams' sprightly banjo? Their bedraggled, dungareed street image is certainly distinctive as hell. Or it could very possibly be bandleader and songwriter Kevin Rowland's off-kilter vocals that sound like the common ground between Ric Ocasek, Joe Strummer, and Van Morrison (wherever that may be).

Speaking of Van Morrison, Dexy's fusion of rock, soul, and Irish folk certainly owes much to the Man's work - they cover his "Jackie Wilson Said" on TOO-RYE-AY as a matter of fact. But especially toward the end of the album as the songs start to get longer and blend into one another, that same indefinable, searching quality emerges in Rowland's songwriting as he emulates Van's incantory talk-singing. This is especially evident in the album's shortest ("I'll Show You") and longest ("Until I Believe in My Soul") songs, the latter of which is probably the best song on the album this side of "Come On Eileen". Combined with the prominent fiddle alongside the R&B elements TOO-RYE-AY actually reminds me of Morrison's INTO THE MUSIC, and that's compliment, since INTO THE MUSIC happens to be one of my favourite albums ever. But that's not to say that Dexy's Midnight Runners are derivative. They have a sound all their own, and make no mistake - you'd never mistake a song like "The Celtic Soul Brothers" or "Plan B" for anything but Dexy's.

Evidently, Dexy's Midnight Runners only have two other albums: SEARCHING FOR THE YOUNG SOUL REBELS and DON'T STAND ME DOWN. And if they're anywhere near as good as TOO-RYE-AY (and everything I've heard, in terms of reviews and listening both, has been indicative of the affirmative) I'll be going after them in the not-too-distant future. April 16, 2007

Great Record - but stop arguing about ska!

In the U.S., Dexy's Midnight Runners were a one hit wonder of the first order, but in the UK, they charted hit after hit after hit in the early 80's. Pick up this album, or better yet, pick up "Let's Make This Precious," and you'll see why. You won't regret it.

But please, let's not get into an argument about who "invented" ska here. To claim that either DMR or the Clash invented ska is absurd. Ska - like reggae, its cousin, a Caribbean/American form of popular music characterized by its hybridization of U.S. American R&B with an Afrocentric rhythmic sensibility - was huuuuge among British youth in the 60's and 70's, and found a niche audience in the burgeoning punk scene in London. Bands like the Clash (and hundreds of others) anglicized ska/reggae, creating from it their own "rebel music," but it was also swiftly aestheticized and adopted/assimilated by any number of punk subcultures, including, ironically, an often-sinister brand of racist skinhead. But whatever.

February 8, 2007

not your typical 80's techno-pop drivel!

ok, so we all know the one song that made the charts, but that is not typical of the entire album. it is really hard to place what genre to place this in. its a cross between top 40, old r&b,and maybe a little folk. if you like this album, i strongly recommend DMR's live BBC radio concert. January 31, 2007

One Good Song Does Not an Album Make

Except for the hit song "Come On Eileen" there is little else that is either memorable or enjoyable on this CD. Their cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" is not very well done.

How another reviewer could state this band deserved as much billing as the Beatles is beyond me. No accounting for poor taste.

That reviewer also makes the statement: "Do I detect Commodore-mania with 'Jackie Wilson Said'". Not sure what the reviewer meant by that statement. June 13, 2006

As good as it gets...

I have a few CDs that are as good as this one, but none better. It's as perfect a CD as could ever be hoped for.

I didn't particularly like "Come on Eileen" when it was big, but someone (who???) gave me this tape to listen to one night in college and that was it. I could be found on many a night with it on my headphones at RISD's architecture studio. I still have the same cassette and I still love it to death. Sorry to whoever lent it to me... man so I owe you one! If you haven't heard this, do yourself a favor and give a shot, you will not be sorry! February 8, 2006

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