Marianne Faithful
Marianne Faithfull, ‘Broken English’, 1979. Her masterpiece. Marianne had a cool Sixties, being Mick Jagger’s girlfriend and all. The Seventies were grim. Drug addiction and homelessness. Her voice became cracked and raspy. This album brought her back from the dead, literally and metaphorically. A varied collection of songs with new wave guitar and Stevie Winwood on keyboards. ‘Broken English’ a grinding chug. ‘Witches’ Song’ melancholy acoustic strum, Faithfull’s voice broken and sad. ‘Brain Drain’ slow and bluesy and pulsing. ‘Guilt’ squeasy unease over atmospheric keyboards. ‘The Ballad of Lucy Jordan’ – Faithfull makes the tale of suburban disillusionment her own. ‘What’s The Hurry?’ a solid chug with drones and Faithfull’s voice rattling over it. ‘Working Class Hero’ moody percussion and bass, almost Floydian, with bursts of guitar. Good version. ‘Why’d Ya Do It’ reggae-fied with rude words as Marianne channels Grace Jones and slags a lover. Choon! Marianne Faithfull: imperious and haughty but vulnerable too. She talked it like she walked it.
Marianne Faithful
Marianne Faithfull, ‘Broken English’, 1979. Her masterpiece. Marianne had a cool Sixties, being Mick Jagger’s girlfriend and all. The Seventies were grim. Drug addiction and homelessness. Her voice became cracked and raspy. This album brought her back from the dead, literally and metaphorically. A varied collection of songs with new wave guitar and Stevie Winwood on keyboards. ‘Broken English’ a grinding chug. ‘Witches’ Song’ melancholy acoustic strum, Faithfull’s voice broken and sad. ‘Brain Drain’ slow and bluesy and pulsing. ‘Guilt’ squeasy unease over atmospheric keyboards. ‘The Ballad of Lucy Jordan’ – Faithfull makes the tale of suburban disillusionment her own. ‘What’s The Hurry?’ a solid chug with drones and Faithfull’s voice rattling over it. ‘Working Class Hero’ moody percussion and bass, almost Floydian, with bursts of guitar. Good version. ‘Why’d Ya Do It’ reggae-fied with rude words as Marianne channels Grace Jones and slags a lover. Choon! Marianne Faithfull: imperious and haughty but vulnerable too. She talked it like she walked it.