LES NOUVEAUX RICHES

'Les Nouveaux Riches' is a mediocre song from the mediocre 10cc album titled 10 Out Of 10 (1981). The loss of misters Godley and Creme from the line-up was a major blow artistically. Eric Stewart, the remaining driving force of the group -- probably more dominating than Graham Gouldman as a singer and songwriter -- managed to continue writing hits such as 'Dreadlock Holiday' but that's another song I'd call mediocre and boring on the long run. And terribly overplayed, sad to say. The way also this French-titled but otherwise English-language song incorporates light reggae / calypso flavor really feels like a worn-out cliché. What's nice here are the vocal harmonies but this is not a song I'd care to listen repeatedly.

The B side song is in my opinion better. 'I Hate to Eat Alone', taken from the previous album Look Hear? (1980), is a relaxed and calm minor key song, perhaps a bit trivial but fairly enjoyable. If it was a non-album track I might round my 2½ stars upwards, but two stars will do.