Like an albatross around his neck, Babybird (the work of Stephen Jones) will always be known for the massive hit ‘You’re Gorgeous‘ – a song that amusingly featured in many a wedding ceremony without people realising its horrifically dark subject matter of abuse and exploitation.
And there is no doubt that this is a magnificent song – one of the highlights of the Britpop era – but it by no means represents the sum total of Jones’s songwriting prowess. Jones has continued to release superb singles and albums independently and developed as a modern day renaissance man with his writing (he has written three books) and other performances.
Babybird has announced the release of a compendium of sorts of the other fine material that has been released over the last decade, revealing firstly how prolific Jones has been and secondly, and more importantly, what a talented songwriter he is.
“King of Nothing’ contains thirteen tracks of pure and raw songs that confirm Jones’s subtle and delicate poetry and his ear for superglue-like melody.
The title track is a case in point: Jones’s sardonic delivery is perfect and his lyrics are complex, intelligent and poignant:
‘The Greatest Thing’ is another example of Jones’s inherent pop sensibility and wizardry with words that convey multiple meanings:
This is something that is guaranteed to be spectacular and rewarding listening. ‘King of Nothing will be released on 22 September 2020 through Babybird’s Bandcamp site.
