He couldn't seem to do a thing wrong but after a good spell at the top was overtaken by the more adventurous, less obvious budding stars of the era.
Play 90 second soundbite of 'Lamplight' @ 'CD quality'
He couldn't seem to do a thing wrong but after a good spell at the top was overtaken by the more adventurous, less obvious budding stars of the era.
Essex continued working in the studio, on stage and, of course, on television but his recording career never quite got him back to the top. Now, with Jon Conway he's releasing 'All The Fun Of The Fair', a compilation/story of his big and not so big hits showcasing his illustrious pop career; a real discography of Essex blockbusters many of which still stand the test of time - always a sign of great songs.
'All The Fun Of The Fair' brings nineteen songs back from the brink to live again. Essex fans, and there's millions of those, are gonna go wild for this album. Who knows, perhaps Essex may even find a new spark to re-kindle the light and make a come back on the back of this great pop album. The album tells the story of Levi Lee (Essex) and his travelling funfair, the trials and tribulations, the romance, the danger and the atmosphere. Well thought out and equally well crafted, 'All The Fun Of The Fair' stands tall and proud for exactly what it is - a memento as well as an adventure, a storybook as well as a compilation.
Essex had the magic touch when in his prime - girls flocked to be near him and lads aspired to be like him. Many artists tried to emulate his ability to connect with Joe Anybody but not many succeeded in the way that Essex did - Essex has charisma, charm and presence - he knew how to use his 'gifts' and he employed every trick in the book to establish himeself as one of the leading lights of the pop world. Those characteristics are on display here; Essex's pop panache gushes out and is just as strong now as it was then. 'All The Fun Of The Fair' will need promotion of course - people won't know it's available unless the 'jocks' and the 'press' inform them. Once stirred and excited I can see folk seeking out this excellent album and re-visiting the phenomenon that was, that is, David Essex.
'All The Fun Of The Fair' by David Essex is an inspired release. The music of David Essex never truly went away, it just went into a drawn out hibernation. Now fully awakened from its slumbers, the urchin of pop is back, alive and kickin'. A must have album for Essex fans and a pretty desirable album for anyone who appreciates the kind of good, old-fashioned pop music that paved the way for others and set standards in its time. It's romantic, it's elegant but above all it's fun and it's bloody good!
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