Release date: 13th November 1990
UK album chart peak: #2
Buy Choke here (Amazon GB)
Read my Beautiful South anniversary posts here
By the time album two rolled around, The Beautiful South had established themselves as a pop alternative to be reckoned with. Sure, they were giving melodies and chorus hooks as catchy as any of the latest teen sensations but their lyrics were filled with wry observations, a sometimes cynical outlook and a finger on the pulse of social issues of the day. Their debut album, Welcome To The Beautiful South, had spawned 3 hits - one all about how romances were excellent fodder for songwriting; one about repressing emotions; and one about letting go of deadwood in a relationship. Their follow up, Choke, built on this solid foundation, utilising more of Brianna Corrigan on lead vocals. It seemed to rankle the critics somewhat who proclaimed they were being too clever and sardonic for their own good. I suspect that, at the very least, this pleased Paul Heaton greatly; that his music engendered such a provocative response. It didn't stop people flocking to buy the album in their droves - and it also gave them their first number one smash...
- A Little Time ~ Much like their debut album's lead single (A Song For Whoever), A Little Time wrapped up an anti-love song story within a sweetly deceptive love song melody. Brianna and Dave H make for fine vocal sparring partners, ensconcing their delivery with the right amount of simmering resentment and passive aggression. Add to this some rather brilliant visuals (watch the video on YouTube here) and it all coalesced to be the right-song-at-the-right-time. It may have had a rather unassuming top 30 debut but soon rocketed up the charts to the very top slot, sending Maria McKee's Show Me Heaven into second place. Rather annoyingly, the song itself was knocked off the top slot by a re-release of Unchained Melody (made popular by the movie Ghost) but the song lingered in the charts for weeks after. It ensured there was healthy interest in the album (which became their second to peak at 2) and was so resilient it even outsold the follow up single...
- My Book ~ Britain seems unique in that the race to the Christmas number one has become an actual annual event (and affords bragging rights to those who manage to snag this coveted position). Even if you aren't the seasonal chart topper, if your single is a hit it is likely to bring in higher than normal sales and, likewise, boost any accompanying album. The flip side of this is that many great songs get lost in the mix. My Book was one of those. Despite its jaunty, Motown-esque vibe and quirky lyrics, it couldn't gain traction - I loved the drama of the music, the compelling narrative sung with devilish decadence by Paul. There was also a cheeky riff on Soul II Soul's Back To Life (which kept their debut single off the top slot) via the "back to bed, back to reality" refrain. Sadly A Little Time outsold it during its first two weeks of release and it couldn't get higher than 43. Did boost Choke back up the charts though...
- Let Love Speak Up Itself ~ Dreamy sigh. The South were always adept at creating melancholy ballads but this one was rather charming in its own way. This post-Valentine's Day release saw the group tackle how love didn't need to be big showy displays of affection; it didn't need to be fireworks - it just needed to be, whether it flourishes or dies. Not the most cheerful message in the world but certainly one that was realistic. Perhaps the poignant message was too honest for the masses but that meant they missed out on a truly mellifluous melody and genuinely aching vocal. It may have missed the top 40 but remains a highlight of the Choke album (and the single b-side gifted fans with a splendid cover of Womack and Womack's Love Wars). It was the final single from Choke, their second album to have just three singles (quite the rarity in the early 90s).
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