To many people, Morcheeba are the archetypal producers of the 'coffee-table album'- it may not be the most flattering of pigeon-holes but it is an association the band are saddled with. To the band's credit, despite being charged with the job of providing a soundtrack for thirty-something dinner parties they have frequently produced music that to those rewards those who do not simply confine it to the background.
Everybody Loves A Loser is no different. It ticks the boxes- melodic, laid back and inoffensive and yet it has a vibrancy about it that belies a pop sensibility that Morcheeba have always possessed. It's swinging Latin groove has a genuine hip-moving quailty and the Bacharach-style Horns combined with the subtley simple, yet enticing melody, give the track an almost classic feel to it. And whilst there are 'chill-out' elements in evidence, whistful backing vocals, subtle synth lines, there is a definite new sense of earnestness to the music not least through the vocals of newcomer Daisy Martin.
The B-sides are slightly more varied. Wonders Never Cease comes as a Soulseekerz Club Mix or a Chicken Lips Dub Deluxe depending on your preference for either straight four-to-the floor, or the more cut-and-paste feel electronica. The former grooves nicely, with a strong bassline and deep Rhodes, pop strings and an uplifting feel - though you wonder if it feels a little too 'M People' for comfort. The latter, like Lighten Up has a strong synth-bias and unconventional feel that is far removed from the singles title track.
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It's not been an easy journey back to the limelight (their website practically even blames them for spawning Dido- which is enough to make anyone burn out!) but this single feels a little more than their previous offererings, without simply abandoning the principals that made the band popular in the first place.
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