Okay - notes on the playlist adds in the previous post...

1. Wallpaper For the Soul is one of those kitschy pop albums that Chicago's Minty Fresh label has always specialized in (which made them, for about twelve months in the late nineties, one of my favorite domestic labels - if you take your pop slick but skewed, The Cardigans' Life, The Aluminum Group's Plano, and Kahimi Karie's self-titled US debut are hard to beat on that score). Maybe it's my advancing years, or perhaps that they're just not as adept at catching that weird tickle that distingushes the abovementioned titles from the grist-of-the-mill standards of the form, an aspect that would turn their lounge/MOR/disco stew into something more diverting than decorative (but then, given the title, maybe they were only after decoration to begin with), but most of it slips by pleasantly without much traction, dis- or otherwise. But it's got its charms for sure, not least of which being the appearance (as on this track) of Eric Matthews, a favorite of mine (track down the album he did in conjunction with Richard Davies as Cardinal, then snap up his solo albums, It's Heavy in Here and The Lateness of the Hour, if you can find them) - a better arranger than songwriter he may be (don't bother studying his lyric sheets too closely, in other words), but his skill with orchestral-pop miniatures is up there with Brian Wilson (the day before he bought the sandbox). It's been six years since Lateness - please, please, somebody sign this man. This'll do in the interim.

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