Mint Royale ft. Lauren Laverne - Don't Falter
Published Wednesday, July 27, 2005 by Abby | E-mail this post
“Hey, don’t falter/ You know we are to be together.”
Ah, summer.
The sky is blue, the sun is shining; glowing, happy people go about their glowing, happy lives, while the rest of us glare at them, sit in the dark watching daytime OC reruns and wallow in our own, imperfect misery. Or something to that effect.
But wait! The sweet Miss Laverne is on hand to take even the most pallid angster and lead them skipping into those daisy fields of summer joy. Hark, how her lilting tones channel every mythical summer haze you ever envisaged! Herald, how the bubbling chords and jaunty chimes surround you with that vision of gleeful love, more evocative than any sepia-toned Coppola flick or Goldin snapshot!
“Small-town dating differs from more urban situations/ In particular if there’s few places to go.”
Then, of course, there’s the reality.
When summer isn’t a Ralph Lauren ad, or even that episode of Hollyoaks, but a long series of days with nothing much but the absence of anything else as their defining features. Hills and dry forest, toes in the stray blast of a garden hose and that sticky heat of melting fruit ices as you shrink back into the garden shade.
Time takes on weight, stretches with a lack of purpose. Actions are minutia, idle to pass the hours. Boys with cars that mean getting the hell out of this place; backseats and air-conditioned movie chills; late nights, damp grass. The slow beat enfolds it all, quiet and real. Her dreamy vocals whisper the truth. Summer in the suburbs.
Ah, summer.
The sky is blue, the sun is shining; glowing, happy people go about their glowing, happy lives, while the rest of us glare at them, sit in the dark watching daytime OC reruns and wallow in our own, imperfect misery. Or something to that effect.
But wait! The sweet Miss Laverne is on hand to take even the most pallid angster and lead them skipping into those daisy fields of summer joy. Hark, how her lilting tones channel every mythical summer haze you ever envisaged! Herald, how the bubbling chords and jaunty chimes surround you with that vision of gleeful love, more evocative than any sepia-toned Coppola flick or Goldin snapshot!
“Small-town dating differs from more urban situations/ In particular if there’s few places to go.”
Then, of course, there’s the reality.
When summer isn’t a Ralph Lauren ad, or even that episode of Hollyoaks, but a long series of days with nothing much but the absence of anything else as their defining features. Hills and dry forest, toes in the stray blast of a garden hose and that sticky heat of melting fruit ices as you shrink back into the garden shade.
Time takes on weight, stretches with a lack of purpose. Actions are minutia, idle to pass the hours. Boys with cars that mean getting the hell out of this place; backseats and air-conditioned movie chills; late nights, damp grass. The slow beat enfolds it all, quiet and real. Her dreamy vocals whisper the truth. Summer in the suburbs.
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Mmm... nice contrast... and two truly great popsongs.
"The Facts of Life" made a pretty big splash, but "Don't Falter" seems to have been filed away in the footnotes of pop history. Which is a shame as it's brilliant. And possibly my favorite song ever.
Thanks for making it available for more people.
Oh! Two fantastic indie pop songs, on their own or together. I was (am) a huge Kenickie fan and was thrilled to bits with 'Don't Falter' - when they did TOTP Lauren blew bubbles during the instrumental bits. And 'Facts of Life' is fab - pop poetry. Even as a straight woman I'm floored by that woman's gorgeous sexy voice!
The best single of the 00s and the most surprising top 20 single of the 00s, together at last.
Aw! Don't falter was my soundtrack one summer. Ice in drinks. Making fresh lemonade. I love the bit after the floaty bridge, when it breaks and comes back in. Set my little teenage heart a-bouncing that did.
Dx
Ooohh!! I posted 'Don't Falter' on my blog just 2 days ago... It really IS summer!!!
SWEET DREAMS DEVELOP INTO IDEAS. IDEAS DEVELOP INTO SWEET DREAMS.
don't falter rules. i wish lauren made that rumoured and apparently worked on solo album instead of rubbish telly.
Yeah, I wish Lauren had continued with her music. She can be heard providing very distinctive backing vocals on The Divine Comedy's single 'Come Home Billy Bird', which was on the last album.