CD Review by Maggie Woods | Wet Wet Wet: Weightless; Too Many People; Timeless

Wet Wet Wet Weightless [single] Too Many People [single] Timeless [album]

“Dreamy vocals seep
from the speakers as
Wet Wet Wet effortlessly
display their talents
once again with the band’s
latest single release,
Weightless — a track from
their Timeless album...”

A STUNNING, HARMONICALLY-LAYERED BALLAD THAT REACHES STRAIGHT FOR THE HEART, Weightless is a pleasing blend of melodies that stimulate the senses and promise enjoyment with a capital E.

The Scottish four-piece of Graeme Clark (bass), Tommy Cuningham (drums), Neil Mitchell (Keyboards) and Marti Pellow (lead vocals) are enjoying their renaissance which has seen the release of Timeless — their first studio album for ten years — and a national arena tour.

"We feel very much like we did when we first started. It's that four-mates-in-a-Transit-van feeling," explains Tommy. "We are enjoying what we are doing and having fun as a band and as friends."

Speaking about the single, Graeme said: "Weightless is definitely a favourite from Timeless." I love the simple structure of verse and chorus and the concept of the lyric conveying an alienation in our complicated world, whilst trying to keep your feet on the ground. We had the title and the idea of the song for a while, but not the music.
In the end it was actually written very quickly but for us it is the 25 years' experience that makes writing a song in 45 minutes possible."

• Weightless was released on February 4 (2008) on Wet Wet Wet's own label, Dry Records, and distributed through Absolute/Universal.

Weightless has been specially mixed for a single release with three physical formats of the single available, all of which will include new and exclusive audio and video material —

Standard CD single
1 Weightless (Single Mix) | 2 Beautiful Girl

Maxi CD single
1 Weightless (single Mix) | 2 Give It All Away | 3 Stay

DVD single
1 Weightless (Single Mix) | 2 Weightless (5.1 Remix) | 3 Weightless video | 4 Too Many People video | 5 Exclusive video footage

Wet Wet Wet fans are able to pre-order all versions together in a bound, limited-edition and signed package via the band's own web
site www.wetwetwet.co.uk. Digital versions will include an exclusive acoustic version of Weightless and nine different live versions as recorded at each venue during the band's December '07 Timeless tour.

Wet Wet Wet are that rarity: a musical phenomenon and a British institution. Since their debut in 1987 the band has remained in the British album chart for 284 weeks, in the British singles chart for 212 weeks and holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at Number One by a UK act (15), while also being one of the most successful live bands in British pop history.

Check out www.wetwetwet.co.uk.

BURSTING ENTHUSIASTICALLY THROUGH THE SPEAKERS, WET WET WET'S latest single, Too Many People, keeps your body swaying to the rhythm. What else would you expect from the musical phenomenon that has become something of a British institution?

From Wet Wet Wet's album Timeless, Too Many People is a great sing-along, dance-along soul-pop song and it is a rather unnecessary rider to add that it will race up the charts. Of course it will!

Since their debut in 1987, the band has remained in the British album chart for 284 weeks, in the British singles chart for 212 weeks and holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at Number 1 by a UK act (15) while also being one of the most successful live bands in British pop history.

Twenty years ago, Wet Wet Wet's debut album Popped In, Souled Out [rather prophetic, that!] claimed the Number One spot. The band consists of four members from Scotland: Graeme Clark on bass, Tommy Cunningham on drums; Neil Mitchell on keyboards and Marti Pello lead vocals and today they are just about to release Timeless, their brand new studio album on their own label, Dry Records.

Wet Wet Wet: Timeless

TIMELESS, SAYS THE PUBLICITY MACHINE, "is a sublime and polished presentation of pop rock at its best and is an updated twist on the classic Wet Wet Wet formula of melody, harmony and lyric. Pellow's voice is immaculate, strong and full, but it is now set against a combination of luscious guitar chords mixed with the symphonic depth of an orchestra and fantastically hook-laden melodies with gorgeous crisp production."

What more can I say? The word 'magic' springs to mind. As well as Too Many People, tracks include the modern rock masterpiece Run, which reaches parts of you that other songs can't reach; the harmonically-layered ballad Weight-less; the melancholic ballad Thru The Night with its sexy drawl and the Beatle-esque What Do You Know. The rest of the tracklist is: The almost Twenties' Jazzy feel Real Life, Eyes Wide Open, In Every Heart (A Fire Burns), I Believe, Heaven, and New Age Sacrifice.

The album has a unique cover that is designed by famed artist Klaus Voormann. If that name rings a bell, it should, because he was also responsible for The Beatles' Revolver album cover. Too many reasons not to add a copy to your collection.

I thought Too Many People was dynamic — a classic Wet Wet Wet blend of soulful pop, it is destined for national airplay. One thing is for sure: not too many people will want to miss either the single or the album, which demonstrates the versatility of Wet Wet Wet.

• Wet Wet Wet's CD single Too Many People, was released on 5 November '07 and is taken from the album Timeless, released on
12 November '07 on Dry Records, distributed through Absolute/ Universal.

Check out www.wetwetwet.co.uk.

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