On a couple of occasions over the last few years I’ve found myself taking a day-long car trip through the UK. Each time I’ve listened to Radio 1, or perhaps one of the local radio stations, and I’ve been struck by the difference between the US and UK music scenes. Here in the US, I’m not sure that thee is a recognizable “US scene” any more: the markets have ben sliced, diced, segmented, targeted, and effectively isolated. Crossover? Not a lot. But in the UK it feels to me that there is still a recognizably British sound, style, gestalt, whatever.
So I’m driving along, listening to the music, and eventually I stop at a motorway services for some food. And I wander through the W.H.Smiths shop, picking up a bottle of Lucozade and a Formula 1 magazine, and checking out the cut-price audio CDs that are on sale. And twice now I’ve found myself buying a CD by a UK artist that (a) I don’t really know, (b) hasn’t broken out in the US, and (c) feels like an archetypically British act. And each time I’m been delighted.
Last year I bought the Oasis “greatest hits” collection, Stop The Clocks. How could I not own any Oasis? Never mind. This time, I found myself looking at Robbie Williams Escapology. Former boy-band member, darling of the football crowds, consummate show-off…. Anyay, I bought it, and I was blown away. A bit uneven, but really good stuff. And this weekend I followed up by getting Rudebox, which is even better. The collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys, “She’s Madonna”, is simply wonderful. Highly recommended.

Who will I discover next time, I wonder?