The much anticipated 7" collector's edition single of "This Small Town" is finally available!
Not only do you get TWO b-sides not available on the album, you also get a postcard AUTOGRAPHED by both Alex and Boz!
There are only 250 in existence, each one is numbered.
Here's how to get it:
Go to paypal, select "send money" to tracksinc@gmail.com
If you haven't already seen it, there's a nice review of One Square Mile on Louderthanwar here by Coni T Poni
A still from the lovely "Kiss Me Like You Stole It", filmed and edited by David Harris
Happy Martyr's debut album, One Square Mile, is honest, refreshing, and moving. Frontman Alex Lusty, who already has rap and punk credentials via Frigid Vinegar, Acarine and Who Shot Who?, brings his lyrics to this project which has been described by some as urban folk. Boz Boorer, veteran songwriter and guitarist for Morrissey and rockabilly on his own time, provides the music writing and guitar. And that’s it, apart from a bit of percussion here and a flute there. The minimalist approach allows both artists to shine; there’s no slick production or sound effects to hide behind, and with the strength of these two, there’s no need for it.
The album starts off with one of the strongest tracks (although I kept saying that to my self as I listened to each one…) , “Kiss Me Like You Stole It.” A beautiful melody backs Lusty’s heart-on-the-cuff tale of unrequited love. It’s one of Lusty’s gentlest songs, in that despite having been hurt badly, his tender caring for the girl persists and he’d welcome her back with open arms. The tenderness doesn’t last for long, as the following tracks display the emotions we are more used to hearing from Lusty: anger, disappointment, loneliness, despair, desire, determination and regret. The emotions are conveyed in vignettes and stories that grab the listener and create immediate empathy. The raw emotion is interspersed with short forays into politics and humour, but these aspects are not as prominent as they’ve been in some of Lusty’s other work. “This Small Town” showcases Boorer’s songwriting with an open and clean melody that gets stuck in your head.
Aside from “Kiss Me Like You Stole It”, stand out tracks include “Sleep Tight” and “It Never Rains, It Pours.” In just 3:49, the latter track paints a detailed picture of the end of a relationship that was doomed from the start over a hypnotic and haunting musical background. There’s more character development in this one song that there are in most movies.
The closing track of the album comes as a surprise, showing that the pair are capable of having fun. Unlike the rest of the album which is more Johnny Cash meets John Cooper Clark, the last track is the Ramones meet the Beastie Boys, to a rocking result.
The goal of the stripped down approach was “get more honesty out of the music” according to Boorer. It works. Lusty’s emotional honesty in the lyrics shows us real life; whether we relate to it or not, the human-ness of it is clear. And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Two exciting pieces of news this week!
First, on Wednesday the boys were at Blackburn filming a 4-song set that will be shown at the Saatchi Art Gallery and at the ICA Gallery in London. Very nice! Photos from the session can be found in the photo album to the left. Here's a yummy sample:
Today Boz also received the copies of the limited-edition 45rpm single, "This Small Town". You can see in the photo there are two b-side tracks we haven't heard yet: "The Comeback Kid" and "Vivacious." Next month we'll get to have our very own copies!
Boz at the Birmingham show from 1/12; taken by Andy Wynes
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