‘It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah’
BLACK GRAPE
Released: 7 August 1995
Debut album
ALL MUSIC / Stephen Erlewine wrote: “When ‘Happy Mondays’ fell apart in 1992,
most observers assumed that Shaun Ryder would never recover from his numerous
drug addictions. No one could have ever predicted that he would return to the top of
the charts three years later, relatively fit and healthy, with a new band that fulfilled all
of the promises of his old group. Black Grape is what Happy Mondays always were, only
better. Leaving behind the stiff musicianship that plagued even the best Mondays records,
‘Black Grape’s debut, It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah, is a surreal, funky, profane, and perversely joyous album, overflowing with casual eclecticism and giddy humor.Not only is
‘It’s Great When You’re Straight’ a triumphant return for Ryder and his sidekick Bez, it’s the
first album they have ever recorded that justifies all of the hype.”
Score: 9/10 – Full review here
TURN UP THE VOLUME says: ‘It’s great to have a party record like this… yeah.’
Looking back in time… memorable moments in sonic history!
10 Smashing singles turning 25 in 2017. Here’s some timeless magic. Start the jukebox!…
1/ ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ by THE VERVE
The Verve diamond everybody knows… Released: 16 June / Album: ‘Urban Hymns’
2/ ‘Song 2’ by BLUR
Scream it loud… ‘Woo-hoo Woo-hoo Woo-hoo Woo-hoo’ Released: 7 April / Album: ‘Blur’
3/ ‘Kowalski’ by PRIMAL SCREAM
Hell of a ride with a smoking groove… Released: 5 May / Album: ‘Vanishing Point’
4/ ‘Paranoid Android’ by RADIOHEAD
Going massive with 4 songs in one… Released: 26 May / Album: ‘OK Computer’
.
5/ ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ by ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN
Another bitter sweet symphony and Liam Gallagher going… lalalalalala Released: 20 June / (Comeback) album: ‘Evergreen’
6/ ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’ by THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
Crushing beats for hyperkinetic dancing… Released: 18 March / Album: ‘Dig Your Own Hole’
7/ ‘Electricity’ by SPIRITUALIZED
Spacey Jason Pierce on his best album ever… Released: 28 July / Album: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space’
.
8/ ‘Get Higher’ by BLACK GRAPE
Dance floor killer and hilarious lyrics… Released: October / Album: ‘Stupid Stupid Stupid’
9/ ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ by OASIS (7 juli)
Best song on their worst album… Released: 7 July / Album: “Be Here Now’
10/ ‘All You Good Good People’ by EMBRACE
Epic ballad, the band’s best shot… Released: 17 February / Album: ‘The Good Will Out’
