[Review] Candyland: Suck It And See (1991)
Another 90s band that never got out of the molasses swamp of also-rans.
Kronomyth 1.0: Ear candy for the lollipop set.
You wouldn’t think there’d be a whole lot of middle ground between Wham! and Madchester, but here we are. Candyland released one album on Fiction Records, co-produced by Fiction founder Chris Parry, who had shown good judgment in the past (The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees). Candyland, however, wasn’t destined for the same fame as those bands. After one album, the band folded, joining the ranks of other “alternative” club bands in the 90s. It’s not a bad record, nor is it good enough to stand out in a sea of other, shinier alternatives. Singer Felix Tod sounds like George Michael after running a few laps (i.e., noticeably breathy). The music is basic technopop/club that might just as easily have been created by machines instead of the photogenic band featured on their Bitter Moon video. I realize this all sounds horribly catty, and the truth is that Candyland isn’t a band I was destined to enjoy anyway. I was sucked in by the participation of Chris Parry (“Ooh, The Cure’s producer,” I probably said to myself) and was disappointed to find that it didn’t sound like The Cure at all. If you enjoy this kind of music, and I’m not judging you, you’ll find something to like about “Bitter Moon,” Something to Somebody, The Body Is the Book and We Will Not Leave. The rest of the material is more or less the same: polished, professional, maybe a touch too vulnerable. In other words, something to listen to while you stare at your shoes and feel sorry for yourself. I’m also taking away an imaginary star for a terrible title and tasteless artwork.
The Songs
- Precious (Candyland) (3:40)
- Fountain O’Youth (Felix Tod/David Ayers/Colin Payne) (4:00)
- Bitter Moon (Flex Tod/David Ayers/Colin Payne)
- Something To Somebody (Felix Tod/David Ayers) (4:49)
- Reternity (Felix Tod/David Ayers) (5:03)
- Rainbow (Felix Tod/David Ayers/Colin Payne) (3:56)
- Ivy To Oak (Felix Tod/David Ayers/Colin Payne) (3:38)
- Kingdom (Felix Tod/David Ayers) (4:39)
- The Body Is The Book (Felix Tod/David Ayers/Colin Payne) (3:02)
- Behold The Motherlode (Felix Tod/David Ayers/Colin Payne) (4:41)
- We Will Not Leave (Felix Tod/David Ayers) (2:35)
The Players
David Wesley Ayers Jr. (guitars), Kenediid (bass), M.C. Kenzie (the most beats), Colin Payne (key controller), Felix Tod (vocals). Produced by Phil Chill and Chris Parry except track 2 produced & engineered by Mark Saunders; mixed by Jeremy Allom; remixing and additional production by Steve Proctor.
The Pictures
Art by V. Band photo by Robert Ogilvy.
The Plastic
Released on elpee, compact disc and cassette on September 17, 1991 in the UK and Germany (Fiction, FIXH-19/511 989-2) and the US (EastWest, 91765-2/4) with lyrics innersleeve.