GUSWORLD
Single Of The Week 03/05/99

Single Of The Week is where I review a single I'm particularly enamoured of at the moment. It might be a brand spanking new release, or a classic from decades past that I just feel like going on about.

Somebody Loves You
Nik Kershaw
EAGXA023

When Nik Kershaws's 'One Step Ahead' was Single Of The Week a couple of years ago, I noted that Nik (or The Man, as he's become known on the Wounded Knee mailing list, dedicated to all things Kershaw) was working on new material. When it was finally announced that it was about to be released, I must confess to a moment of trepidation. Would Nik match the heights of the previous decade? Would working with Let Loose and Jason Donovan have rotted his talents somehow?

I needn't have worried. 'Somebody Loves You' encapsulates all that is best about Nik; an insanely catchy melody, immaculate but understated production, and a vocal with more than a hint of world-weariness. It's not just studio gloss, either; I've now seen him perform the song live and it's every bit as good.

Nik's new label, Eagle Records, however, doesn't seem to have quite the same degree of confidence. The B-side tracks for this CD-only single are acoustic reworkings of two of his biggest hits, 'Wouldn't It Be Good' and 'The Riddle'. These are nice for fans like me, but don't help with the endless 80s comparisons that have been drenched up in every review. In a handful of countries (and on the UK promo single), two non-album tracks, 'Woman' and 'The Wrong Man', have been included instead. As a result, Nik nutters everywhere are trying to track down this elusive disc. I reckon Festival, the local distributors, could mop up on import sales alone if they release this version.

So far, though, the single hasn't been released in Australia, and since the album from which it is lifted, 15 Minutes, has only just emerged after endless delays, I don't have any great hopes for its chart success. This, though, is definitely the chart's loss.


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