7 inch single collection: Skin Games - Brilliant Shining

Back to late 80's guitar pop:

SKIN GAMES

A-side: Brilliant Shining

B-Side: Hold The Mirror

(Epic 1988)



I can't tell you much about Skin Games - late 80's indie-ish band, a bunch of guys playing instruments fronted by an attractive young woman." Hang on! That sounds familiar", you're thinking, "that's exactly what was mentioned on the last blog when you droning on about Altered Images." Well spotted - although there are some differences. Skin Games aren't really into the the jingly-jangly indie sound, and also they were significantly less successful!

I bought this record on the strength of a previous record of theirs, and I bought of couple of subsequent ones as well. (Not, I'll admit, full price - they were all bargain bucket items from Our Price). Did I but these records on the basis that that first record was a corker and so it seemed a good idea to get some more, or did I buy this and others just out of a sense of completeism, i.e. I've got one record by Skin Games - maybe I'll get them all 'cos they're cheap.

I'll confess it's a bit of both, I did think that first record was pretty good (I''l eventually find out if I do still think that when I get round to it in this blog). However this wasn't quite as good, but having two records by one band and then finding a couple of others cheap, just seemed too good of a deal. 

Brilliant Shining has a bright uptempo pop sound to it. The guitars chime and rumble in a big epic style. The singer, alas I don't know here name, has a strong and distinctive voice, which is surprisingly deep in places. I like it but it's not a catchy as I remember. However I think the bigness of sound lacks a certain intimacy, and therefore it feels a little colder and more emotionally detached then I'd really like. Lyrically I'm not sure what it's on about either - I think it's probably trying to be deep, without ever actually being clear about it.

On the b-side is Hold The Mirror, which starts with an great intro of rapid guitar sound, the bouncier and catchier nature is much more inviting than Brilliant Shining. It sounds like their not trying to be so great here, and as such have actually made a better song than the a-side. There's a nice hook in the chorus. It's good enough to be enjoyable whilst you're listening, but not really good enough to be fully memorable

Watch the video though - it's like a microcosm of late 80's pop/rock videos.

Next time a bit of prog...