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SPACE KELLY – “My Favourite Songbook Vol.2” (CD-Digipack)
Cat.No.: El Muto 016
Distributor: OUR Distribution
Territories: World (except Korea)
Release Date: October, 2008
Short info:
SPACE KELLY – “My Favourite Songbook Vol.2” (CD-Digipack) Not so long ago, the cover song was an important part of how a band defined itself. In the 60ies and 70ies covering other people’s music was a very common way to pay respect to the performing artists as well as to the composers and lyricists – it was a popular tool to share a certain feeling, an attitude or simply a true and honest love for music.
Now Space Kelly is here to reclaim the cover again. With “My Favourite Songbook” (released in 2006) he fulfilled his personal dream to record some of his favourite songs from the 60ies and 70ies. After his previous albums, all self-written and sung in German, he confused a lot of his fans and fellow musicians with this plan.

But the unexpected success of „My Favourite Songbook“ made it easy for Space Kelly to tackle other author’s material once more. He still feels a strong desire to perform more of these beautiful songs, some first recorded more than 40 years ago. His version of “My Love Is Flower” (originally performed by Jonathan Richman) and “Leaving On A Jetplane” from his previous album were both used in tv commercials while others (e.g. “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”) became instant download hits on iTunes. When Space Kelly’s Korean label Happy Robot invited him to perform „his songbook“ at an open air festival in Seoul last year, he first had to put together a live band because there were never any plans to perform this album live on stage.
Now the follow-up album, “My Favourite Songbook Vol.2” is bringing us back the summer of 1968 and takes us on a musical journey to times when brass arrangements had to be carefully penned down, backing vocalists still sung into one microphone and hard disk recording was considered science fiction.

Again Space Kelly’s selection features some of the most wonderful pop melodies ever written. The opener „Do You Believe In Magic“, originally recorded by The Lovin’ Spoonful, here backed by a nifty brass section is putting us in a good mood from the start. Sometimes Space Kelly stays masterly close to the original (e.g.„The Visit“ or „Something Better“), sometimes he surprises with his very own but always charming new interpretation. He leads Nick Drake’s depressive sounding „Way To Blue“ to the light at the end of the tunnel with a delightful flute riff and decent percussions. Space Kelly’s version of „I Won’t Last A Day Without You“ (made famous by The Carpenters) takes us on a stroll down Ipanema Beach with it’s light-weight bossa rhythm. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young will die in envy if they hear the beautiful and flawless harmony vocals on „Our House“ while „My Name Is Jack“ (Manfred Mann once scored a mega hit with this song) has never sounded more unpretentios than here.

Rather unknown but just as touching are the outstanding compositions by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, who have written three songs featured on this CD. The lyrics of „It’s Hard To Say Goodbye“ (once whispered into the mic by Claudine Longet) are just as heart-breaking as Space Kelly’s carefully instrumentated version. “I’m Gonna Find Her“ seems like one of the best kept musical secrets of the 60s. An American first class crooner called Steve Lawrence once gave it a shot on a long-gone rare vinyl release. „Moody Manitoba Morning“ by The Bells and Astrud Gilberto’s „Let’s Have The Morning After“ show how well Space Kelly is able to handle other songwriter’s material with the appropriate respect and love for details.
Space Kelly also successfully tackles rather difficult compositions like “Reflections Of My Life” (as known by The Maramelade) or “Something Better” (written by Barry Mann & Gerry Goffin) and embraces various genres with songs associated with California pop, Brazilian jazz, chanson as well as ‘60s Beat.

The result of this album’s musical fusion—Space Kelly’s unique, warm pop sensibility applied to the world-beating songs he loves—is a sparkling reminder of why covers were once so popular with audiences and musicians alike.
Tracklisting:
1. Do You Believe In Magic, 2. I Won’t Last A Day Without You, 3. Our House, 4. Moody Manitoba Morning, 5. It’s Hard To Say Goodbye, 6. I’m Gonna Find Her, 7. My Name Is Jack, 8. Let’s Have The Morning After (Instead Of The Night Before), 9. Reflections Of My Life, 10. The Visit (She Was Here), 11. Something Better, 12. Way To Blue
Website: www.space-kelly.de
www.myspace.com/spacekelly