Punk film director Julien Temple’s ambitious attempt to fashion a neon-lit, jazz-cool musical from Colin MacInnes’s cult 1959 novel was a notorious box-office flop and an enduring emblem of 1980s Britfilm hubris. Which is a little unfair, as this flawed Soho coffee-bar opera undeniably had visual panache and a stellar musical guest list.
Produced by seasoned Madness/Elvis Costello collaborators Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, with help from veteran Miles Davis arranger Gil Evans, the soundtrack album was better received than the film, and still stands up today on this newly restored full-length reissue.
Among the headline hits are David Bowie’s soaringly anthemic title track, a deliciously wry debut solo single from Ray Davies, Quiet Life, plus suave cappuccino-infused Latin-pop smoochers from Sade and the Style Council.
Less celebrated but worth revisiting are Bowie’s fragrant take on the Italian easy listening standard Volare, and a post-Specials Jerry Dammers channeling Lalo Schifrin on the cinematic jazz-noir epic Riot City.
Gems on this expanded reissue that were dropped from previously truncated releases include Laurel Aitken’s fantastic vintage protest ska-pop song Landlords And Tenants, Ekow Abban’s sparkling Afro-jazz number Santa Lucia, and the lush, bluesy Langer/Evans instrumental Cool Napoli.
A few dated duds aside, this album remains a generally rich and rewarding exercise in affectionate retro-pastiche.
