Customer Reviews

Rip It Up

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This sophomore effort from Edwyn Collins' 80's band saw them move away from the endearing classically structured songwriting of their debut and approach a more funk driven sound that even managed to provide them with a genuine hit single in the form of the groovin' "Rip it Up".

Rip It Up

This is the second of Orange Juice's 3 LP's and includes the title track and Orange Juice's biggest hit "Rip It Up". This album is great on many levels. Edwyn Collins' lyrics, his romanticism, his croon, his guitar playing and the addition of Zeke Manyike on drums took the band to a higher level than on their charming but slightly less competent debut album. However this is still no horrible over slickly played or produced record. It is this charm which has made the band such an influence on more recent bands such as Franz Ferdinand.

Influenced as much by classic soul music ("I Can't Help Myself" / "Flesh of My Flesh") as the then staple indie band influences of Beatles / Byrds / Velvet Underground ("Louise Louise") The album really gels. "Rip It Up" features a synth led bassline using a Rland 303 which became a key musical feature of the later acid house scene. On some tracks Edwyn and the band seem ahead of their time musically such as on the Afrobeat sounding "Hokoyo". When you put this album in the context of what else was going on musically at the time post punk gothiness and over produced synth pop this album is all the more appealing. Do your self a favour and own this album. And Polydor why is it not currently available. Reissue it now please.....