I’m Glad It’s Over Now is the title of fine.’s latest album. If any other band had come up with that title you’d expect a dour collection of songs, along with a miserable attitude. As it happens, fine. are certainly not miserable and their songs hardly dour. All the more surprising then, when you learn the stories behind, When I Came / Where You Left and I Sleep So Much Better Now are based on the reality of experiencing this mortal coil. The pathos behind these songs is not hidden away nor is it brandished like a signal for sympathy. Instead, Alice Kat and Liam James Marsh exude an honesty that is not only refreshing but also perfectly natural. The couple got together in 2015 and began making music alongside their individual projects. As fine. they have achieved that clever, but hard to accomplish mode of making music that sounds new and modern with knowing references, yet it’s distinctly their own creation. In our conversation and the cuts Alice and Liam selected you’ll hear why I’m so enamored with them and their music.

To begin LEM Vol 230 it’s Robi Mitch with Golden Hour from his new LP, Future Perfect. Robi clearly has a knack for writing good pop songs and the production is not too shabby either. Robi Mitch is based out of Bristol, the legendary seaport town in the west of England where so much great music has been produced over many years. It happens that the next artist, Segun Lee-French spent over seven years in Bristol making music with a number of outfits including, Earthling. He is now back with his first single in 25 years. Segun has come up with a fabulous version of The Specials’ Ghost Town. “An era defying song” says Segun, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of Ghost Town’s original release in 1981, a year  marked by riots across the UK. And now, Segun says, “We’ve had a year of Covid so the social resonances of the song are equally as sharp, at a time when all the clubs literally been closed down and young people have the worst job prospects for generations”. From Segun’s 2021 rendition of Ghost Town we go back in time to 1995 when he was associated with Earthling on the sublime Cooltempo label to hear Infinite M. Trip Hop at its best. Our friend Nico over at Shoredive Records consistently releases quality music, Flu Flu from Sevilla in Spain are a fine example. Mi Novia Futurista is from their LP, Mi Mundo Interior. Loveless by fine. is next, then my conversation with Alice and Liam who curated their own music. One Year On is from I’m Glad It’s Over Now. Last Dance is from their Last Dance LP. Liam AKA gives us Kid Chameleon with My Girl Is 6 from Unreaching The Reeds and to close, its Alice Kat with Temporary High from Telephone Conversation. Enjoy!

The artwork for this volume is by Sandra Kendrick “Roots at the beach” 2007 3’ x 3’ giclée print on archival paper mounted on hardboard. Courtesy of Norman B’s collection

LEM Vol 230