DEFACE THE MUSIC

Travelling down the Prog-Fusion to hard-AOR-Pop pipeline, Utopia followed up 1979's Adventures in Utopia with the cleverly titled, overt Beatles homage Deface the Music. A straight-to-the-point, sugarcoated Pop Rock tribute feels a surprisingly natural progression, regardless of its specific retro focus. I'm glad it hasn't changed much since I recall first seeing it, but the Wikipedia article goes into perfect detail over the specific 'Sources' for each track (curious beforehand how I'd judge them), all originals despite some very sly lifts. It's a wink, yes, but mostly a resounding nod to the Fab Four. Funny to me, linked there as a suggested article, this came 5 years after Idle & Innes's The Rutles had formed, and only 2 after their debut LP. Anyhow, at 32 minutes length, this is certainly easily approachable.

[Wow, I had a lot to say here haha.] Started whistling this to myself before my [Finally!] proper listen--it's been years since I've heard this album--"I Just Want to Touch You", the first single, is really one of those very well contrived, unabashedly Beatles-owing latter-day Pop Rock songs. The difference, though, to my ears, is that this stylistic approach is purposefully past-aesthetic, with far less in the way of modern touches (see just about any late-70s Power Pop band). It's a success, and highly memorable, thus the whistling. To speak to the 'Sources', a certainly accurate amalgam of "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" (though immediately brighter in character), "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (because obviously) and "Little Child" (rhythmically). What I likewise anticipated throughout the album following this, though pleased to catch little of, is the very plastic and then-modern way Todd et al approach songs like this (overall, from this period in his overarching discography). The worst I feel toward some of these sonic choices (how the faux-organ is played and sounds comes to mind) is that it stands as an example of the schlockiest Boomer Rock one can find, that less-than-satisfactory AOR thing, in my opinion. It certainly doesn't ruin the song, but--and perhaps it's something vaguely American, too, which I find disagreeable--it does take me a little out of the attempt. Anyhow, too overly American to be the Beat Boys or not, I also must admit being overly familiar with Todd might not help these moments' cases. And speaking of sly, he certainly was not when he spawned the so-on-the-nose lines "I just want to get inside you / If you'll give just a minute to me"... Goodness.

Can't say I remember much else from this LP, but ringing truer in spirit somehow is "Crystal Ball" to follow, an authentic early-Garage-Merseybeat pastiche ("Can't Buy Me Love", "She's A Woman"). We're then Post-Skifflin' by on "Where Does the World Go to Hide" (McCartney-penned "A World Without Love" given near-nepotistically to Peter And Gordon, and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", which I struggle to hear); thumbs up from me with that final 6th-chord. Roger Powell, with harmonies by Kasim Sulton, takes on a sort of naive Ringo role on "Silly Boy" ("I'm a Loser", "I'll Cry Instead", "Help!"). Kasim continues now on lead, with his high register, on the quickened "And I Love Her" try entitled "Alone". In a more negative sense, it's fine, but what I really want to know here is, is this Chanson? "That's Not Right" is next, and I must say it's kinda sweet to hear someone as seasoned as Todd (a well-seasoned 32), at least, performing this cutesy proto-Bubblegum Pop ("Eight Days a Week", but far more "Tell Me Why"); comparing to "Alone", this one works way better.

Running into what I assume was Side 2, "Take It Home" is one of, I've found, numerous "Day Tripper" pastiches out there; who could blame a guy... or a hundred guys? Sounding so much like Utopia vocally, it just barely takes me out of that mid-60s element. Moving on from Revolver era Beatles, "Hoi Poloi" is our first and only taste of Edwardian-esque Psych weirdness (and yes, an interesting mix of "Penny Lane" and "Lovely Rita"). Glad it exists, no doubt about it (really, a solid track), but I'll always be more inclined toward their own more or less unique oddity, "Magic Dragon Theatre" off Ra. And yep, gone back in time a little (this isn't the expertly constructed 'Red Album'), "Life Goes On" couldn't be more obviously "Eleanor Rigby" if they'd tried; Todd back on lead. There's something astoundingly more alarming about the 'strings' here; I assumed it wasn't one, but it evokes a more alien Mellotron.

Another one absolutely unmistakable for what they're going for (from the start, these riffs are "Getting Better"), "Feel Too Good", again, is a bit too Utopia (too shiny?) to be the Beatles. Mixed here with "Fixing a Hole" (a lift heard at the very end to awesome effect) and "I'm Only Sleeping", it's a very interesting, clearly-American-tries-British Psychedelia more overtly than they let on. "Always Late" ("Yellow Submarine", "A Day in the Life", "Don't Pass Me By", this last 'Source' likely the reason I find it at all grating) returns us to the past, now that Pauline 'granny music' come Music Hall; far from a favorite, to say the least... You can't out-Paul Paul (in complements to Paul, if at all unclear). That dark, ugly cloud lifts for the melancholic Kasim-led "All Smiles" ("Michelle", "I Will"), easily one of the most successful tracks, all frills thankfully nowhere in sight. Grateful in that for this relisten; I'm just glad the album isn't just the opener to me anymore. Finally, in unmistakable Psych-creep, replete with tasty Ringo-draggin' from John Wilcox, "Everybody Else Is Wrong" evokes "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "I Am the Walrus" wonderfully. We're certainly familiar with this Todd, thank you very much AWATS [for being one of the greatest albums I've ever heard haha]. In that, I highlighted this track, as, simply for being artsy Psych Pop, it might appeal to some here; most so out of anything on the album.

[A note for the real ones: One of those albums I regrettably only rated early on (three years ago), sans-review. Always wished it were easier to just replace them altogether with new and true reviews...]

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