There are many forms of revolution, ranging from the obvious, loud, and aggressive protest to more nuanced and subtle forms of artistic resistance. It is to the latter that we look, as James Clark Five give us the tale of Lennie Dale a New Yorker and later adopted Brazilian, a dancer, singer and choreographer who after making his name in the music world, founded, and starred in, the flamboyant and androgynous theatre group Dzi Croquettes, in the face of censorship from the oppressive military dictatorship in Brazil in the 1970s. An act of bravery and resistance if ever there was one.
Blending a quintessentially English, Kinks-esque finesse with rich Beach Boys style harmonies, the quirk of XTC with the sophistication of Burt Bacharach, it is a song out of time. Out of time in the sense that not only does it sound as if it could have existed at any point in the music chronology of the last sixty years, it also sits comfortably in the modern musical landscape and even points to the future, perhaps hinting at a ’60s-infused revival. I’m all for that!
And in these current days of political clash and social fracture, it is a poignant reminder that resistance comes in many forms, many of which are so subtle and specific that they remain unnoticed by the public at large, yet are massively important in the overall passage of history. It reminds us that we can all do something to hold back the tide of oppression and authoritarianism.
James Clarke Five is actually the solo sonic vehicle for James Hughes, perhaps best known as keyboardist and vocalist for 80’s new wave bands The Cherry Boys and Exhibit B, and who hails from a town that knows a lot about standing up for itself and doing things its own way, Liverpool.
