VV Brown - Game Over [Single]

Island Records

October 13, 2009, 07:58 PM

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VV Brown’s musical output thus far could be compared to that of an inconsistent football team. On paper everything looks fantastic, leggy bequiffed beauty with a great voice whose influences range from Ella Fitzgerald to The B52s, I mean what’s not to like? But as they say things are never won on paper and her results in real terms, have been somewhat variable. Her first release “Crying Blood” was an entertaining piece of pop hokum which was well delivered with a sense of fun and despite sounding exactly like 'Monster Mash' it contained enough of VV Brown’s enthusiasm, energy and personality to give us hope that a major pop talent was about to emerge.

Alas ‘Crying Blood’ was to suffer from what is now known as “The Curse of Corden and Horne,” for by allowing the song to accompany the opening titles to the truly dreadful, infantile celluloid monstrosity “The Lesbian Vampire Killers” it became guilty by association. The movie itself now enjoys a similar reputation to that of ‘Macbeth’ in the superstitious back-stage world of theatre land. Many believe that like ‘The Scottish Play,’ the movie, and those linked to it are cursed and they will not even mention its name aloud, referring to only as “Les Shit Vamp Flick.”

But such set backs do not phase Ms Brown who is made of sterner stuff. Enthusiasm is the key word in her lexicon and at times she come across rather like a walking self help book "made flesh." This is a world in which experiences became ‘journeys’ of Odysseusian proportions, ideas are described as ‘visions’ and everything from nipping out to the grocers for some carrots to boiling an egg are described as “part of the cathartic healing process.” Yet VV Brown talks with such passion and belief that it’s difficult not to find her enthusiasm engaging. Following on from the limited release of ‘Crying Blood’ came the rather lack lustre ‘Leave,’ a song that actually didn’t ‘leave’ much of an impression on, well, anybody really! This dip in form, would be described by the aubergine featured Sir Alex Ferguson as merely a “blip” and was partially addressed with the annoyingly daft but catchy 'Shark In The Water.’

However, doubts still lingered about VV Brown’s overall strategy. Had she got her tactics right? Was she playing it a little too safe? Some of these fears were allayed during the close season after a number of eye catching festival performances, where it became apparent she possesses both the talent and style to be up there with the big name players. VV Brown’s latest assault on the charts 'Game Over,' should see her climb up the Premier league of pop once more. Critics will point to the fact that it’s yet another powerfully voiced female singer who offers nothing new, but you know, sometimes originality can be overrated. After all, I’d never actually heard the sound of somebody yodelling whilst receiving oral sex until I’d listened to Bjork! And I reckon I could have lived without it.

Admittedly ‘Game Over’ is not a song that’s going to set the world on fire, listening to it probably wont afford you the same sort of personal catharsis VV Brown seems to experience on a daily basis , but it’s an extremely well executed, smart, big sounding, ballsy slice of pop music. It could actually slip quite snuggly onto the soundtrack to an 80’s Bond movie, maybe the one where Simon Le Bon and his band of merry prancing peacocks ponced about the Eiffel Tower with that terrifying cubic skulled she-male, Grace Jones in hot pursuit. And do I detect a hint of the J.Geils Band’s ‘Centerfold’ thrown into the mix for good measure?

'Game Over' is an exceptionally well produced number and showcases the power of VV Browns voice (which at times can come across as a tad shouty.) The video is also good fun and will doubtlessly keep fans of designer fashion and inordinately long legs extremely happy.

The verdict? Not a classic but a pretty entertaining score draw. Game Over? Nah not just yet!

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