I didn’t have much time for Baxter Dury before very recently. He delivers his songs in the same rambling way his dad Ian did (he of ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’ fame) so I figure he was just another entitled nepo-baby who got ahead off his father's talent.
This changed when I heard ‘Aylesbury Boy’ on BBC 6 Music, which caught me with its funky beats and tales of posh kids going “yah”. I suddenly started taking notice of Dury Jr and added the new record to my ‘take a chance’ list.
I was pleasantly surprised to find the new album was the Rough Trade Club album of the month, arriving resplendent on blue vinyl with a bonus CD.
After listening to the album I have a newfound respect for Dury. The album is a slice of slickly produced, self-deprecating goodness.
He comes from a privileged background but with a working-class family so is torn between two contrasting worlds and this is a theme throughout the record. He also turns the spotlight on himself to address that nepo-baby tag head-on in the track ‘Shadow’ when he sings about wanting to sound like Frank Ocean but ending up like Ian.
I was afraid the record would be one long stream of conversational consciousness but the album also features the angelic voices of Eska Mtungwazi, Madelaine Hart and singer-songwriter JGrrey which adds another layer to the LP.
This album has taken me by surprise and has been played a lot over the last few days - not difficult seeing as it is just 27 minutes long. It is miles better than I thought it would be and has completely changed my option of Dury.
If you fancy picking it up it is available in this limited-to-1500-copies blue with bonus disc from Rough Trade for £25, or from your local independent store for about £23 on traditional or opaque pink vinyl.
Tracks To Try: ‘Aylesbury Boy’, ‘Celebrate Me’, ‘Leon’, ‘Pale White Nissan’, ‘Shadow’.