Stumbled across this new review of Growing up with VP courtesy of the acclaimed northern hipster alliance that is THIS IS NOT TV check out www.thisisnottv.co.uk which, it must be said, is pretty much on the money maker. Nice one Adam. Release date is 16th Feb 04, pre orders to me in the meantime will attract some unusual rare stuff giveaways. There's know how, VPx
<"growing up with ...">
Just as this month finds me buffing up the silverware of my contribution toward TINTV's end of year round up, the task gets made complicated by the arrival of a new Vinny Peculiar album. I discovered the joys of Mr Peculiar at the very start of this year with his 2002 "Ironing The Soul" album, a record that would have definitely been found duking it out big style with Danko Jones for last years album of the year had I heard about it that little bit earlier. It would have been the full works. WWE style. Hardcore. Tables, ladders and chairs, the lot and I dare say that there's a good chance that Vinny would have emerged the blooded victor, his wily subtlety beating their brute strength. Well this year I'm left with that exact same problem, "Growing Up…" arriving just as Danko's "We Sweat Blood" was reaching for the belt and displaying all the versatility of "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. But away with the wrestling approximations, they are no good for anyone. The same, however cannot be said for this album, which should be nestled in every CD rack, musical curriculum and radio station in the land and is a supreme credit to the man who gave to birth to it. I only hope that I can find enough complimentary adjectives in my pocket to do it justice.
"Growing up with…" glows with a slow burning charm from the outset, "I Work For God" offering a shimmering glimpse of life within Heaven's call centre and leading you easily toward the deep running appeal of the rest of the album. It takes a snaking path through the progression of a life strewn with awkward crumbly moments, the paint peeling from every tumbledown recollection and humour spilling from each deftly crafted lyrical shuffle. "Confessions of a Sperm Donor" touches, with a strange warmth, upon the potential parental responsibilities of cracking one off for "bus fare", the communal imagery painted by "Replica Shirt" almost makes me wish I liked football and "Punk Rock Dreaming" is Luke Haines minus the lemon sucking.
The dark, smutted angles of youth gone astray and communities in disarray are also dipped into with a neat incisiveness. "We Tried to Drown Our Music Teacher In 1974" brings to life the murky youthful plot against a pop hating tutor, "Root Mull" tells of the small town confusion regarding a mysterious spate of graffiti and "Everlasting Teenage Bedroom" brings back the heady days of illicit porn stashes and loud music, which goes to prove that some things you can never grow out of. The gently picked sentimental Pulp-isms of closer "Egg Incident", the gossipy local paper tale of a teen yob egging, rounds off the album with a soft lick of muttered eloquence.
Add the fact that Vinny tosses all these enchanting chunks of life at you in a musical style that, whilst branded with it's very own defined mark, displays all the observational wit and brilliance of every three minute pop troubadour you could care to mention (except that bloke from Starsailor) and you have gold plated, jewel encrusted masterpiece.
He has created a deep, skewed and personal album that you could live inside for months and if there is any justice in this world by the end of next year he should be as popular with the masses as swearing.
www.thisisnottv.co.uk
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