Today is the 24th anniversary of the release of the Dubstar album: “Make It Better”.
Released on 28th August 2000, this was Dubstar’s third studio album and would be their last as the original Dubstar lineup of Steve Hillier, Sarah Blackwood and Chris Wilkie. It would be another eighteen years before the next album would be released: One, in 2018.
Make It Better
I mentioned in my post Dubstar: A Voyage of Rediscovery that I had a little “summer break” from Dubstar since I first heard “Not So Manic Now” in 1996. A summer break that lasted longer than this album had been released, but nevertheless, I’m here now. And I’m here for it in spades.
“Make It Better” is the third album, recorded almost four years after “Disgraceful”. Consider that it’s twenty four years later, the album sounds as fresh as it did on the day it was released in 2000. Out of the five Dubstar studio albums to date, this one one has more of what I call my favourite, favourite tracks on it (i.e. they’re all favourites, but some more favourite than others, in true Animal Farm style). In fact out of the twelve tracks on the album, there are at least four of them that are favourite favourites and one is actually a super favourite favourite!
“I (Friday Night)” and “The Self Same Thing” are perfect examples of Dubstar’s continuing ability to create stunning jaunty pop tunes, ear worms that will play in your head for ever and make you dance until your feet are sore. “The Self Same Thing” being a perfect example of Sarah’s ability to perform her signature disinterested, dispassionate style of lyric delivery – a haunting, beautiful style which I (and many others) love so much.
“Stay”, the track in which Sarah Blackwood implores “Sarah Makes It Better” (amongst other similar lyrics) is the third song on this album that is among my favourite favourites. Again, another catchy tune, but is that an undertone of pleading that I hear? Of desperation and lost love, perhaps? Maybe. Sarah does make it better, however.
“Mercury”. There is something that Dubstar does to a cover to make it much better than the original – and this track is no exception. Kirsty Hawkshaw (the originator of the song) does a fabulous job with her version, however the Dubstar version just pips it to the post, as it were. Dubstar do do, a damn good cover.
Arc Of Fire
A passenger on this sonic journey of other directions, is my super favourite favourite track on the album (and overall second ever Dubstar favourite) is “Arc Of Fire”. It is almost a complete and utter bifurcation from their normal indie core sound of introspection, love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. It’s about war. The titular Arc of Fire being the exhaust from a nuclear missile as it passes overhead.
I love it. It’s a banging, angry, in-your-face masterpiece of a track. Everything about it is aggressive; the drums, the distorted guitars and even – and I don’t say this lightly – Sarah’s vocals. This has to be the one and only time (to date) I have ever heard Sarah Blackwood sing aggressively. And I like it. A lot.
This is a track that bears listening to a number of times. Always in Dubstar tracks there are layers. Layers of complex sub-arrangements, some just on the cusp of hearing; a fleeting snatch of background vocal, or a muted drum riff here and there. These are the elements that make Dubstar tracks a joy to listen to over and over – none more so than “Arc Of Fire”.
More info…
There’s a lot more information about this album in the rather wonderful Dubstar Archive, maintained by the equally as wonderful Steve Hillier.
Happy Anniversary, Make It Better.