Black Coffee

All Saints


Black Coffee (London)



There are many reasons to hate this on principle. The 'grown-up' title. The
inevitable blanket coverage on every radio station. And the fact that everyone in
Britain is sick of seeing the ubiquitous Appletons falling out of their
dresses, the Met Bar and their latest celebrity relationship. The recent photos
of Nic'n'Nat in holiday heaven with the two Liams (Gallagher
and Howlett - you couldn't make this up, could you?) is probably enough to
turn many of you cold.

But none of these reasonable grievances have anything
to do with the song itself, which is - gulp - almost perfect. Like 'Pure
Shores' before it, this too is touched by the hand of William Orbit,
and has the same mellow, glossy haziness to it, as if they recorded it lying
down. It's wistful in all the right places ("I wouldn't
want to take everything out on you/Though I know I do"), and makes sadness
sound rather alluring like only the bitterest love songs can.

You might be
sick of their faces, but if they keep coming up with songs like this, they can
stay on the radio a little longer. God damn them.



Siobhan Grogan