UK: DUBSTAR, THE BRITISH TRIO WITH THE SWEET MELODIES BUT BITTER LYRICS, RELEASE THEIR SECOND ALBUM

Record ID: 387216

  • Title: UK: DUBSTAR, THE BRITISH TRIO WITH THE SWEET MELODIES BUT BITTER LYRICS, RELEASE THEIR SECOND ALBUM
  • Date: 18th September 1997
  • Summary: (RTV - ACCESS ALL) WILKIE (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAYING, "I THINK THE MOST OBVIOUS CHANGE IS THAT THIS ALBUM SOUNDS LESS ELECTRONIC, THERE'S A LOT MORE GUITAR PLAYING ON IT, LIVE DRUMS, STRINGS SECTIONS AND BRASS SO AS A CONSEQUENCE, IT sOUNDS MORE LIVE AND LESS STERILE OR PROGRAMMED. THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE."
  • Embargoed: 3rd October 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA9TYPBSAHB5G3WE1QGG29ODDYW
  • Story Text: Dubstar, the British trio with the sweet melodies and bitter lyrics, release their second album "Goodbye" this week (September 22).

    The Dubstar trademark -- catchy, uplifting tunes with caustic words -- is back. But as this time the band wanted to make a more dynamic and varied album.

    "I think our first album only showed one aspect to the group," guitarist Chris Wilkie said.

    "The new one has got 15 songs on it, there's lots of different shades, lots of different sides to the band that we hasn't really shown before." The album follows Dubstar's successful 1995 debut "Disgraceful" which spawned 4 top 20 hits in the UK, including "Stars" and "Not So Manic Now".

    Then, as now, the sound is dreamy dub rhythms and melancholic guitar riffs, overlaid with vocalist Sarah Blackwood's detatched, desolate voice.

    Steve Hillier on keyboards/programming rounds out Dubstar.

    The trio formed in Gateshead, in England's north east, when Sarah was studying there and Steve was a DJ.

    Chris met Steve when he was working in a Newcastle club.

    They started out as a duo and enlisted Sarah to take over the vocals from Steve when it became clear that she was better at that sort of thing.

    Most of the writing on the second album was done by Chris and Steve.

    The songs explore the themes that relationships are inevitably precarious and that people are doomed to routinely hurt each other.

    The band says they use poppy tunes to go with their pessimistic lyrics because it would be too depressing to do otherwise.

    "Not So Manic Now", one of their biggest hits from their last album, is about a pensioner being beaten up.

    Sarah said she felt a little uncomfortable about her 5-year-old neighbour singing what at first appears to be a light, catchy pop tune.

    "I thought 'do you know what you're singing?' I thought 'what have we done'," she said.

    Steve continued: "Pop music tends to be one of the standard currencies in entertainment, so we might as well address some of these issues." The band start a UK tour in November to promote "Goodbye".
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