Beautiful Mess

Album Review

Swing Out Sister's grand Beautiful Mess was issued by Avex Trax in Japan in 2008, and licensed by Shanachie for release in July of 2009. While the duo of lead vocalist Corinne Drewery and musical arranger and multi-instrumentalist Andy Connell fell off the musical radar — in a popular sense — in the United States in the '90s, the duo has consistently made fresh, sophisticated, compelling pop since their inception in the '80s when they scored big worldwide with hits such as "Breakout" and "Twilight World." The duo have utilized both keyboard-driven approaches — such as on 1999's brilliant Filth and Dreams, which was altogether darker recording that nonetheless kept their pop leanings intact — and full-band and even orchestral approaches. Beautiful Mess is one of the latter, and finds the pair engaging a fine band that includes the vocal backing group Gina Foster & the Champagnettes as well as string arrangements and excellent guitar and piano approaches. The set is also more jazz-inflected, though its pop roots are unmistakable and prevalent. Check out the gorgeous "Time Tracks You Down," with its obvious nod to Dusty Springfield, and the lithe fingerpopping, bittersweet elegance on the ballad "Butterfly." But that's not it by a long shot. The taut samba-meets-soul feel of "All I Say, All I Do," and the slippery nocturnal groove of the title track ice the cake on one of Swing Out Sister's very best efforts. This is musical sophistication presented with grace and an unpretentious accessibility that's hard to imagine anyone disliking. [The American version of the album also comes with four bonus cuts including two remixes of album tracks and two alternate takes].