Funny, I just heard a snippet of "I.O.U." the other day, in a film or TV show. I can't remember! I think it may have been a flashback scene in Better Call Saul.
― henry s, Tuesday, 13 March 2018 22:24 (six years ago) link
A huge favourite of mine when I was a kid and it still sounds amazing to me now tbh
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 22:30 (six years ago) link
But isn't Arthur Baker responsible for everything good about I.O.U? The lyrics are generic and the singing is poor. Without the beat, it wouldn't be remembered. But i'm 100% certain all the posts below mine will explain how wrong I am.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 13 March 2018 22:35 (six years ago) link
Rocca says in that interview that he doesn’t like the song part much himself, but I find it really joyous and charming. Was Baker responsible for all the synth fuckery? Who knows, but it doesn’t really have any bearing on my overall enjoyment of it.
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 22:51 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDRYI86cck
^ this song is a stone classic as well obviously, definitely one of the top brit funk joints and also seemed so fresh when it first came out. quite like that whole early phase, and the first album is probably their strongest album imo cos it doesn't have some of the cringy bits that were on 'gonna get you'
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 23:18 (six years ago) link
"Melodies Of Love" seems to have been in my Youtube algorithm recommendations constantly for about six months
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 13 March 2018 23:45 (six years ago) link
it's a lovely track!
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 23:48 (six years ago) link
major other rocca banger is 'i want it to be real' which is another arthur baker mix but was written by freeez member andy stennett. funny video too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZbAkKaGwY0
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 23:50 (six years ago) link
love his voice on that too, sometimes i think him as the brit funk jon anderson
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 23:53 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWIjH4iAIpU
weirdest thing in his discography has got to be the 'pictures' album, a record he made with stennett in the same year that that i.o.u. came out, quite strange proggy electronic stuff on Editions EG (fripp, eno, pco etc), definitely needs a reissue
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Wednesday, 14 March 2018 00:00 (six years ago) link
let's not forget either that rocca produced this classic slice of cold synthwave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf22ufAAd6g
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Wednesday, 14 March 2018 00:07 (six years ago) link