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The Loungs - Clancy's Stomp

Here’s a terrific little song from a rather lovely album that Joe gave to me a while ago. ‘Clancy’s Stomp’ is the opening track to The Loungs debut album ‘We Are The Champ’ which is packed full of jaunty, all-the-fun-of-the-fair type songs. As soon as I hit the play button, I was instantly smiling. Yes, that noise, it’s a Speak & Spell. I had one of these little machines when I was a wee young boy, a time when spelling “answer” was a bit of a challenge and typing in “S-H-I-T” was much more fun. That computereized voice of the manic professor screeching the letters out of a bright orange plastic case. Hours of fun - and educational too! This was pioneering technology.

As a kid I just loved the noise a Speak & Spell made, and it has stuck with me over the years. It makes such a unique sound when you turn it on and turn it off. I had a dream of being a talented enough musician and sampling a Speak & Spell in a chart-topping anthem that would unite people who heard it all over the world. Sadly I proved as adept at music-making as I was at spelling when I was a five-year-old, and a bit of research tells me that The Loungs and I aren’t the first people to think of using the genius of the Speak & Spell in their music.

‘Clancy’s Stomp’ samples that uniquely demented Speak & Spell voice spelling out letters, until the infectious guitar clank takes over and it spirals into a summery daze of keyboards and noises. It is a nostalgic start to an album that constantly provokes memories from the past. ‘Through It All’ has me whirling around fields of corn that I lay in on a summer’s day with a girl whose name I can’t remember (and might not actually have happened). ‘Smile Reptile’ lulls me into thinking I’m on a long road trip in the back of my parents’ car, looking up at the electricity pylons and waving to lorry drivers.

Now, spell “Nostalgia”. Isn’t it great?

The Loungs' 'We Are The Champ' is released by Akoustik Anarky on Monday 21st May 2007. You can pre-order the album from Norman Records
The Loungs website
The Loungs at My Space
Akoustik Anarkhy website
Have a go on a Speak & Spell here

Dave.