Disco de All Saints: “Black Coffee [London CD #1]”

Phil Spector may be going to prison, but his spirit is not dead. All Saints "Black Coffee" is his grandchild, with a wall of sound alternating between crystal clear vocal isolation. The beautiful overproduction on the harmonies, nesting hooks, an acid jazz backbeat and a sticky sweet melody would make even a hard core punk rocker succumb. And that hard core punk rocker is me. Like "Yes"'s "Owner of a Lonely Heart" that simultaneously found a new audience and alienated their old with an infectous pop groove, the All Saints delivered something you'd never expect a corporate manufactured girl band do: an absolutely great pop song.

Make no mistake about my taste: Hell is populated with a repeating soundtrack of "The Spice Girls" and any comparison with All Saints for this single *and*this*single*alone* must end there. Ignore the glossy photos, the exotic profiles, and the tight fitting GAP tank tops. For this is simply a fabulous pop song, that like Duran Duran's comeback hits "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" came from a source you least expected. Buy it today and put it on "repeat."

With one of the decade's biggest single hits behind them, The Saints sure had a lot to live up to with their second release from 'Saints and Sinners' (they are the only band in QUITE a while to release two singles from a yet unreleased album, and have them both debut at No. 1 on the UK Chart. Quite an achievement, by any standards). However, with this sort of chart hegemony, All Saints disappoint with the remainder of their follow-up CD, but thats another review.

'Black Coffee' made its way to radio stations and video airplay long before it was officially released (the girls did a good job of guarding the single from Napster, though) and the general reception to it was one of wonder and 'They've done it again' - referring of course to the girls' previous big hit earlier in 2000. William Orbit again dominates the musical landscape of this single, though the lyrics have been panned as being 'pretentious to the core' (I'd have to agree). However, nothing can take away that this is a FANTASTIC single, and very well sung, at that. Not since Wilson Phillips first showed up on the scene in 1990 have a girl band displayed this kind of harmony, with all their voices blending in with wonderful end-result. Unfortunately, All Saints are not performers, and most of their stage performances (even of 'Black Coffee') have been dismissed as being unimaginative and silly (which they are). Never mind! What counts is the music! And as a pop single for the 00's, this song breaks new ground, and is certainly the best thing I've heard for most of this year. Very high repeat value, which I consider the hallmark of any pop classic, and this most definitely is. Highly recommended.

This version contains remixes that do nothing to compliment the original track though. However, it is a definite collector's edition, since this is a British import, and has been going out of stock there too. Get your hands on this as quick as possible!

1. Black Coffee 4:49

2. I Don't Wanna Be Alone 4:24

3. Black Coffee (The Wideboys Espresso Mix) 5:18

4. Black Coffee (ATFC's Freshly Ground Vocal) 7:47