Description
Within the honesty [of Wild Imagination] there is no agenda other than the salvation of his sanity, a man coming to terms with his existence and role on planet earth and its forever changing wallpaper. Cate Le Bon
Moshi Moshi are excited to announce the new album from Sweet Baboo, aka. North Wales musician, Stephen Black, on 2nd June. When you feel the need for space, run away from place to place, he sings, offering an irresistible invitation: Heres two train tickets, lets go! After the Harry Nilsson-esque love songs of 2015s The Boombox Ballads, Black embarks on a new mission on Wild Imagination: to find the perfect pick-me-up antidote to the winter of our discontent.
The result is a bright, wry, melodically buoyant and sweetly melancholy tonic from the North Wales (born in Trefriw, near Snowdonia; now Cardiff-based) singer: a tribute to the joys of travel and the warming return home alike. Previously, Blacks co-travelling collaborators have included Carmarthenshires Cate Le Bon. But his sweet sentiments and winning melodies have been constant companions for all open-hearted listeners since 2003. And they prove so once more on Wild Imagination, with impeccable timing.
I think everyone agrees 2016 was a pretty shitty year, Black explains. I kept thinking about my son (hes nearly 3) and wanting to protect him from the world, so I decided to try and make an album full of positivity because thats what I know I can do. And at the moment, I dont know what else to suggest. As an aside, the album was originally going to be called Positive Recordings.
The ten positive missives assembled for Wild Imagination are fully alert to the transporting and restorative possibilities of pop music. The lovingly nurtured, brass-warmed introduction of The Gardener is Blacks attempt to mimic the insta-pep opening of The Beach Boys California Girls; co-conspirator Paul Jones provided the arrangement, Black and multi-instrumentalist Rob Jones played the music. Another influence was Moog wizard Mort Garsons 1976 LP Plantasia, an album made for tending plants to: tending ones garden being very much on Blacks mind here.
The brightly melodious title-track is a love letter to Blacks son, couched in the enlivening appeal of good music. With elegant beauty, Black integrates snapshots from father/son moments with openly declared debts to his forebears. Ill lift you up towards the edge of the moon/ Pretend you are flying, he sings, while adding a hint of his own aspirations: I put on some Beatles and some old rocknroll
You may as well aim high, Black explains. As with a lot of this album, I wanted to convey the sense of hope and joy I feel when I listen to Robert Wyatt or Arthur Russell singing. Musically, I love the mix of Jeff Lynne acoustics, cheap drum machine, Talking Heads keyboard riffs and Wings guitar licks. The middle eight is lifted straight from the Euros Childs songbook.
Blacks church of pop uplift is a broad one. While Boombox looked to everyone from Nilsson to Scott Walker for inspiration, Wild Imagination frames Black as a gently inquisitive psych-pop explorer of pop classicisms outer reaches, forever seeking out fresh melodies to brighten the perspective on a darkening world.
Stereolabs warmly chic pulse informs Swallows, the first song written for the album; Paul suggested the French-pop feel, Rob provided the flugelhorn. The Casio-dreamy reverie of Badminton takes a dolefully introspective turn, not unlike Richard Hawley, while the mantric Clear Blue Skies reaches for a state of zero-gravity transcendence. Its a song about me and my son blasting off into space, Black says, name-checking Nick Drakes Pink Moon and Arthur Russells World Of Echo by way of another god-like sonic explorer. I love the new age, Eno bit in the middle thats held for about a minute. Im hoping this section might grow into a monster live. Im also holding out for a pregnancy test sync.
A user-friendly spirit is sustained with a second-half segue in the shape of The Night Gardener, another instrumental. Hold On, meanwhile, is a lovingly intimate pick-you-up delivered with an abundance of charm. Hold on to that smile, that smile makes coming home worthwhile, sings Black, summing up the joys of returning home after time on tour.
With homes appeal thus established, Black looks to travel for inspiration. Pink Rainbow is a frisky hit of funk-pop psychedelia, invoking the Super Furry Animals at play as it hymns the pull of a good train. Its full of coal and runs on romance, Black says, a sweet sentiment born of innocent influences. His sons favourite song when writing was Kermit the Frogs Rainbow Connection. The world can be a pretty dreary place so you may as well step out on to a pink rainbow, explains Black, adding: Credit must be given to [Lancaster garage-pop spouses] The Lovely Eggss son Arlo, who pretty much wrote the lyrics to the second verse after explaining a documentary about the Flying Scotsman to me.
A spirit of romance continues to fuel Black towards the albums close. On Humberside, he counts his blessings and suggests a trip to Yorkshire to ease the soul. Finally, he ventures out to Americas West Coast and back for Californ-I-A, a gently lapping lullaby for the weary traveler or child and a lovingly Nilsson-esque send-off for an album rich in warmth and wonder.
Either way, by train or ship, bag a ticket and hop on board. If 2017 is getting you down, a little Wild Imagination might just lift you out of it for a while.
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