Swing Out Sister
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1985-88) - Andy Connell -- keyboards - Corinne Drewery -- vocals - Martin Jackson -- drums, percussion
supporting musicians (1986) - Gary Barnacle -- sax - Tim Cansfield -- guitar - Jerry Hey -- trumpet, flugelhorn - Luis Jardim -- percussion - John Thirkell -- trumpet
line up 1 (1988 - present) - Andy Connell -- keyboards - Corinne Drewery -- vocals
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- A Certain Ratio (Andy Connell) - The Bees Knees (Martin Jackson) - Broken Glass (Andy Connell and Martin Jackson) - The Chameleons (Martin Jackson) - Dominio Park (Andy Connell and Corrine Drewery) - Design 9 (Martin Jackson) - Corrine Drewery (solo efforts) - The Freshies (Martin Jackson) - The Immediates (Andy Connell) - Kalima (Andy Connell) - Magazine (Martin Jackson)
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Genre: pop Rating: Title: It's Better To Ravel Company: Mercury Catalog: 422
832-213-1 Q-1 Country/State: Manchester, UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $20.00
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Some of my friends have questioned my musical tastes when they discovered I'm a big fan of Corinne Drewery and Swing Out Sister. The point to the trio's jazz-pop catalog as being vapid and worse. So in this case I don't give a ****. I would probably buy a recording of Drewery reading names out of the Greater Manchester phone book. (Do they still publish phone books?) The saddest facet of the group's career (now a duo featuring Corrine and keyboardist Andy Connell), is most people recognize them for one song - 'Breakout'. That's so short-sighted.
Keyboardist Andy Connell and drummer Martin Jackson had been playing in various Manchester based bands including A Certain Ratio (Connell) and Magazine (Jackson). The pair had generated minor buzz with some electro material they'd produced for the Streetwise label. Always on the lookout for musical trends several major labels came knocking. Included was Phonogram/Mercury Records, but the label wanted the pair to added a singer to the line-up. They approached 52nd lead singer Diane Charlemagne who agreed to cut some demo tracks with the pair. The results saw them signed to a two-song deal by Mercury, but Charlemagne went back to 52nd Street. The addition of fashion designer Corrine Drewery on vocals (she'd briefly sung in various bands including Working Week), came in 1984 with Swing On Sister (the name lifted from a 1945 musical comedy directed by Edward Lilley) going into the studio with producer Paul Staveley O'Duffy to record their debut:
- 1985's 'Blue Mood' b/w 'Wake Me When It's Over' (Mercury catalog number MER 207) - 1985's 'Blue Mood' b/w 'Wake Me When It's Over' (Mercury catalog number MERX 207) - 1985's 'Blue Mood' b/w 'Wake Me When It's Over' (Mercury catalog number MERXR 207)
With
the debut single doing little commercially Mercury demanded a follow-up song
before making a decision to keep, or drop the trio. Written and
recorded under immense stress, the follow-up proved to be what would become
'Breakout'. Happy with the demo Mercury agreed to support a follow-on
album; the O'Duffy produced "It's Better To Travel".
Featuring nine group originals, the focus was clearly of Drewery's
crystalline voice (and model good looks). I'll be the first to admit
the patented '8
"It's
Better To Travel" track listing: 1.) Breakout (Swing Out Sister) - 3:46 rating: **** stars There's just something about 'Breakout' that makes me smile. Maybe it's the false belief that things were simpler and better in the mid-'80s. Maybe it was the song was so catchy. Maybe was Drewery was such a hottie. Ironically Drewery wrote the song under extreme duress. Given their first single had flopped Mercury threatened to drop the trio. Recuperating in London after fracturing her skull after falling off a horse, Drewery was given the job of coming up with lyrics for what was to be their second single. Adding to the pressure Connell was on tour with A Certain Ratio, while Jackson was in Manchester. Drewery apparently spent weeks working on the song and with Mercury demanding a product, ultimately ran out of time, throwing together what she had crafted. All I can say is the results stand as a mid-'80s classic. Pure ear candy that garnered the band a world-wide hit. At the 1987 30th Anniversary Grammies the song won a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group or Duo. It lost out to the hideous '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' featuring Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. The song was subsequently tapped as their fourth single:
7" release - 1987's 'Breakout' b/w 'Dirty Money' (Mercury catalog number 888-016 7) Billboard # 6 US pop charts 12" release - 1987's 'Breakout' (N.A.D. Remix) b/w 'Breakout' (New Rockin' Mix) and 'Breakout' (Carnival Mix) (Mercury catalog number 888-36 7) The song was apparently based at least in part on Drewery's decision to forgo a design career for music. That's underscored by the plotline of the promotional video released to support the single: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a75FC9vBkmc 2.) Twilight World (Superb, Superb, Mix) (Swing Out Sister) - 6:27 rating: **** stars Kicked along by sax player Gary Barnacle and trumpeter John Thirkell, 'Twilight World' sported one of their most memorable melodies and one of Drewery's strongest vocals. The song was my pick for the album's standout tune. The refrain was even better than 'Breakout'. I found the song every bit as catchy, if not even stronger than 'Breakout'. Released as the fifth and final single from the album it was released in a mind-numbing array of formats and remixes.
- 1987's 'Twilight World' b/w 'Another Lost Weekend' (Mercury catalog number 870 015-1)
And here's a link to the promotional video for the 45: Trick Shot (:16) | Progressive Insurance
There's also a 1989 lip-synching appearance on The Top of the Pops: Swing Out Sister Twilight World TOTP 1989
3.) After Hours (Swing Out Sister) - 4:48 rating: **** stars 'After Hours' was a pretty ballad that seemingly screamed to be included on a romcom soundtrack. One of the album's most jazzy sounding compositions, I have to admit that I was not instantly won over, but multiple spins made it one of the album's pleasures; particularly the second half where the beat abruptly changed and the group started adding oddball studio effects to the mix.. 4.) Blue Mood (Swing Out Sister) - 4:18 rating: **** stars It's always struck me as odd that 'Blue Mood' flopped as the band's debut single. Spotlighting Drewery's crystalline, "snow queen" voice and their patented electro-pop sound, it had everything the subsequent hits had to offer and more. There are multiple versions of the tune - album version, extended play, dub extended play (all released as singles). My opinion, the straight ahead album version is the one to go with. YouTube has a clip of the promotional video released in conjunction with the single. Yes, the video had a very '80s flavor, but luckily the focus was on the svelte Ms. Drewery. Swing Out Sister - Blue Mood 5.) Surrender (Swing Out Sister) - 3:53 rating: **** stars Anything the band released in the wake of 'Breakout' was going to suffer in comparison. That was certainly the case the 'Surrender'. Luckily the slinky number demonstrated Drewery could easily handle a soul flavored tune. Opening up with Drewery's giddy laugh, powered by a great melody and fantastic backing vocals, this one should have been one of their biggest hits. It was another track where Mercury Records went crazy releasing all sorts of variants on the basic track - 7", 12" stuff gun mix, etc. Once again I've always though the original album version was the one to go with.
7" US release - 1987's 'Surrender' b/w 'Whose To Blame' (Mercury catalog number 888 243-7) 12" US release - 1987's 'Surrender' Stuff Gun Mix) and 'Surrender' (7" version) b/w 'Whose To Blame' and' Surrender (Pop Stand remix) (Mercury catalog number 870 270-1)
YouTube has a copy of the original promotional video, as well as a Top of the Pops performance and an awesome 2020 "COVID" performance: Swing Out Sister - Surrender (Official Video) ; Swing Out Sister Surrender TOTP 1987 and Surrender - Swing Out Sister - version 2020 If was funny and heartwarming to see the latter clip where the band were playing in isolation, but clearly getting into the performance.
(side
2) The mid-tempo 'Fooled By a Smile' captured the patented SOS sound, but didn't hit the same heights as some of the other tracks. Admittedly the refrain eventually won me over. This was another one with seemingly endless mixes - 7" album original, remix, Phi Phi Mix, Ralph Mix, TV mix, etc. It was ultimately overwhelming and to my ears, none of the remixes added much (other than running time. Released as another single, it was accompanied by another promotional video. Clearly none of the members spent a lot of time in the sun. Trick Shot (:16) | Progressive Insurance Impressive given the circumstances, YouTube has another 2020 COVID performance of the tune. Drewery's voice has deepened a little of the years. but the performance is wonderful. Fooled By A Smile - Swing Out Sister - Version 2020
7" release - 1987's 'Fooled By a Smile' (remix) b/w 'Fever' (Mercury catalog number SWING 5) 12" release - 1987's 'Fooled By a Smile' (Ralph mix) and 'Fooled By a Smile' (TV Mix) b/w 'Fever' (Mercury catalog number 512) 2.) Communion (Swing Out Sister) - 4:40 rating: **** stars To my ears the atmospheric 'Confession' stands as one of Drewery's sultriest vocals. It's the perfect late night ballad with a touch of Sade in the mix. Love the opening stand-up bass synthesizer. There's also an instrumental version of the song that's almost as good. 3.) It's Not Enough (Swing Out Sister) - 3:46 rating: **** stars Geez, Tim Cansfield playing lead guitar ... well that was a first on the album. What started out sounding like a standard SOS tune started to sparkle when you hit the upbeat and breezy refrain. And yes the lead guitar was a welcome change of pace. This one would actually have made a better single that some of the other choices. 4.) Theme (From – 'It's Better to Travel') (Swing Out Sister) - 4:32 rating: *** stars Unlike anything else on the album the atmospheric instrumental 'Theme (From – 'It's Better to Travel)' sounded like it had been written for a James Bond film. Interesting, but it sounded out of place on the album.
© Scott R. Blackerby December, 2024
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sound may not have aged gracefully, but there's a certain nostalgic charm
hearing all the synthesizers, including
synth bass and what sounded like an occasional brass section.
Jackson's drums were also way up in the mix. Overlooking those minor
qualms, virtually every one of these ten tunes could have been a
single. In fact, five were released as 45s
(most in a variety of formats and with different mixes). Musically the
album's tough to categorize. Connell and Jackson had a background in
electronic music and it shows via the heavy us of synthesizers; particularly
on parts of 'After
Hours'. Blue-eyed soul, jazz, pure soul, MOR-pop ... each one of
those niches can be found across the grooves. Ultimately what kept the
results fresh and engaging; even when some of the material started to sound
a bit similar was Drewery's fantastic voice. She just oozed confidence
... imagine a hybrid of Dusty Springfield and Sade ? Clearly
'Breakout' was the song attracting all the attention, but there really
wasn't a bad song here. Each released as a single, 'Twilight World',
'Surrender' and 'Fooled By a Smile' were almost as good as 'Breakout'.
Even the title track instrumental sporting a James Bond soundtrack vibe was
interesting. 
