More often than not these days I find myself exposed to new music through television. Many shows of course use soundtracks, some orchestral, most notably 'Lost' whose musical soundtrack was superb throughout but there are also those who rely on existing songs to accompany and enhance their imagery, Sopranos being the best of these and this the best example. Played over the closing scenes of the 79th episode 'Stage 5', noted mancunian poet John Cooper Clarke's 'Evidently Chickentown' literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. You don't have to have seen the show to watch this scene, feel the tension and realise that important decisions are being made and huge events are imminent.
The clanking and insistent staccato rhythm never lets the listener settle, it's almost uncomfortable and the ominious echoing organ constantly droning yet never building aids this effect, but it's the vocals, delivered in overlapping, spitfire style, cursing diatribe at authority and apathy in a working class town that makes this song what it is. The opening track on Cooper's fourth album 'Snap, Crackle and Bop', 'Evidently Chickentown' is quite simply brilliant and in this setting trancends brillance into that most elusive creative ambition - originality.
The scene preceding the music is possibly Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo's finest moment in the entire series.
the bloody cops are bloody keen
to bloody keep it bloody clean
the bloody chief's a bloody swine
who bloody draws a bloody line
at bloody fun and bloody games
the bloody kids he bloody blames
are nowhere to be bloody found
anywhere in chicken town
to bloody keep it bloody clean
the bloody chief's a bloody swine
who bloody draws a bloody line
at bloody fun and bloody games
the bloody kids he bloody blames
are nowhere to be bloody found
anywhere in chicken town
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