Single review: The Chemists – Radio Booth

Hmmmmm, now this is a queer fish. I simply couldn’t see the appeal of The Chemists at first listen, but on returns to “Radio Booth” (thanks to track three, of which more later) it really began to work for me. I think it must be Johnny Benn’s vocals taking a while to “normalise” in your brain before being able to get past them and enjoy the pretty dynamic guitar surge of the chorus; thanks, no doubt, to Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Doves).

So, yeah, “Radio Booth” is a surging, grown-up pop record about not an awful lot, but with a chorus that raises the heart-beat and has you pulling eighties proto-stadium-rock poses. I’d buy that.

“Radio Booth” is remixed here by Haunts, who do a fair job with it, I guess – a very modern bassy take, with a god-awful cod-Egyptian riff running through it recalling the dog days of The Cure. Anyway, it’ll rarely see the light of day as it’s followed by the Losers remix of another song by The Chemists: “This City” (mercifully nothing to do with the tight-trousered haircuts from Brighton).

Ahhhhh, Losers; what to say about this track then? Well, they’ve done a remarkable job in retaining pretty much the full vocal – something usually best avoided if you’re going to deliver a viable floor-filler – and then they’ve taken a big trowel to the rest of The Chemists‘ effort, scooping out everything from underneath and replaced it with… with… well hang on a minute.

I’m writing this assuming you haven’t heard this track, so you’ll have to believe me as I assure you that the following description really is as accurate as you’re likely to get while using only puny words to describe a track I must surely have played over 40 times in the first two days after receiving it through my grateful letterbox.

The backing track sounds no more or less like a 50 foot bright blue electric frog with lasers for eyes, burping the bassline to “Thriller” while simultaneously attempting to rhythmically stamp on a greased-up Shane McGowan as he tries (and fails) to retain his grip on a Theremin which is mic-ed up to a speaker housed just behind the eyeballs of every living creature on Earth.

I swear to you this is true.

“This City” doesn’t so much hump your speakers as impregnate every descendant of Messrs Bang and Olufsen, even the dead ones. It’s the sound of a five year old Disco Stu let loose with some kind of sonic weapon and given no chance for overdubs: just fire at will, little child, you only have eight minutes to save the earth!

There’s a point just the other side of five minutes in where the drop and build is so stupid, so obvious, so happy to follow its own logical, retarded route that I can’t help but laugh out loud every time I hear it. It’s bloody marvellous.

So, yeah, “Radio Booth” is really pretty good, but the “This City” remix is something dumb and wondrous to cherish. Why all pop music in the 21^st Century doesn’t sound like this baffles me no end.

And. And the beginning and end bits appear to have bugger all to do with the rest of the track but are still pretty fantastic in their own right. Remix of the year? Well, durrr…