Gold Diggas Head Nodders & Pholk Songs

Limited UK version packaged in a digi-pack for the first pressing only. Golddiggas, Headnodders & Pholk Songs is a collection of versions of songs dear to the hearts of The Beautiful South. Rendered in their own uniquely familiar style, these nuggets include the familiar and the not-so, making for a particularly random, definitely idiosyncratic, but ultimately genius Saturday night party selection. 'You're The One That I Want', made famous by Olivia Newton John and John Travolta from the Grease Soundtrack rubs hips with ELO's obscenely symphonic 'Livin' Thing', 'Til I Can't Take It Anymore' (a soul classic made famous by Ben E King and Ray Charles) plays tit cricket with S Club 7's stoner rock classic 'Don't Stop Moving', and 'This Old Skin', a lost cut from legendary act The Heppelbaums, finds itself helplessly lodged by the fridge with Blue Oyster Cult's 'Don't Fear The Reaper'. Ouch. Other artists represented include Lush, Rufus Wainwright and Willie Nelson. Sony. 2004.

It's often hard to discern where the Beautiful South's sound comes from. Their own brand of darkly witty white-soul-cum-country sounds like many things. But what makes them tick? We find out with Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs.

Cover albums are tricky. The band take a risk with "Don't Stop Moving" and "You're the One That I Want", aware of the fans (often their own) who may not appreciate the radical reinterpretations offered here, slowing them down and treating them as near-jazz pieces. Similarly ELO, Blue Oyster Cult, Lush (!), and the Ramones (!!!) get the treatment. Some of it works--"Don't Fear The Reaper" loses its riff but gains smoky Latin overtones--while some of the rearrangements may be considered a little arbitrary. The breadth of taste is to be applauded, as is the adventurous spirit, but this might be one that appeals more to the most loyal of fans. --Thom Allott