Chances are, you’re already familiar with Bleu, even if you don’t realize it. Scoring a spot on a blockbuster soundtrack, Bleu was first introduced to the world via his tune “Somebody Else,” which appeared on the Spider-Man soundtrack. But if you explored no further than this cut, then you missed out on one of the best albums of the last year.
With the same rock edge and harmonic beauty of The Tories along with the diversity and fabulous quirkiness of XTC, Bleu’s prowess on Redhead rings true with all the right pop elements. And boy does he ever have a voice.
Unlike fellow Bostonian Dicky Barrett, Bleu sings with amazing clarity and powerful elegance. A delightful mixture of Roy Orbison’s crooning confidence and a voice that still yields distinct modern appeal, it’s a wonder Bleu and his many musical talents remain relatively unknown. Chalk it up to the mass market’s general distaste for power pop and its many flavors.
As his second album, Redhead serves as the first chance Bleu has had to create a comprehensive work, given that his full-length debut was more of a compilation of the songs he had collected over the years. And, he has a little more to thank than just his sheer songwriting abilities. Bleu gets some cursory assistance from Semisonic’s Dan Wilson and Jellyfish’s Andy Sturmer, in the form of co-writing credits and backing vocals. Not a bad support cast, eh?
Anyone prone to hooks, harmonies and sweet saccharine sounds will fall instantly under the spell of Bleu. I hear he ain’t half bad live either.
