Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx The Best John Foxx B Side

Herbert, you pipped me to the post in answering this one. This Jungle is my favourite B-side, and its for exactly the reasons you say.

With its 'far away, yet almost within reach' sounds of another place and time it evokes for me all the qualities that John has sought in his other works of art, when I listen to it I think of those dissolving leaf-shadowed pictures of ruins and pathways, interiors and artefacts with hidden memories and longing.

John has done so many good B-sides, its hard not to agree with most of all of the choices posted here, and I also have a soft spot for The Lifting Sky and Annex.

Woman On A Stairway would have made a great end for side one of The Golden Section album, but with This Jungle, what album does that point to? why, its the one that John's yet to return to, that album of beautiful wistful lyrics so typical of John’s observation’s, and a music of textural electro/acoustic ambience that I hope he may one day make

I kind of agree with you - I grew up with the cassette edition, each side finished on Dance With Me and Woman On A Stairway;

http://www.metamatic.com/zDiscdocs02/tcv2233le.html

When the re-issues came out, I created a playlist to match the cassette version as I feel it's a much stronger version of the album.

Ah, "This Jungle", hmmm. Now I'm torn. I'll go and listen to both again!

Good observation guys!

Am I the only one who likes 'City of Light' ???

It was a nice surprise for me after wading through the (Metadelic?) mid 80's stuff...

Seems like you are!!

For me, I felt "City of Light" was an attempt to break into the lucrative summer season "Europop" market. It didn't ring well within my harshly critical (and very snobby) ears. The years have mellowed me, but I still find it difficult to listen to.

Well to me it just sounded like he was trying to do something different and putting it out as a B side .. just a bit of a laugh sort of thing.
"So c'mon c'mon...." ..Eddie Cochran eat your heart out.

Its good pop, and alternative pop, and easy to see what he was aiming for, lyrically its all John of course, but musically its one of those few moments when John sways off just too far from the Foxx sound to the extent that he may as well be singing on another artists song, I do like the "Bah, bah, bah, bahb's" which sound a bit like he got old pal Eno on backing vocals.

Perhaps John should consider completely re-mixing it, adding a dance beat and some soaring female vocals, get Mr Karborn to DJ it in Ibiza, and Bob's your uncle! it could turn out to be this years lurv island summer-sizzler
then again, maybe not!

As far as this ditty is concerned I'm a hand- held cooling device and am in full agreement with Membs I think I said to Rads long time ago on here , it's one song I run through my head on a gruelling stretch of a long- distance bike race and "It eases the pain maaaan" Lyrically , it's impeccable
Anyway this forum would be a waste of time if we all had to agree I 'm just surprised that it doesn't float too many boats amongst my fellow Foxxheads
*Defects with Membs to form "CITY OF LIGHT "the Real John Foxx fans' forum " *

Appreciate the solidarity Ivan and I DO realise it's way off the Foxxy path even of the time, which is why I lurve it really!


Also bear in mind it was a "C" side .. and only just made it onto the IMW double CD re-issue bonanza by the skin of it's teeth!

so c'mon c'mon...

：）
Actually, I was horrified to learn that I don't have "This Jungle" in digital form. My "The Garden" CD must be pretty old (CDV2194 '93?) and has a different track listing to the ones released in 2001 and 2008 - whoops! Time to review what I have/don't have in digital form and rebuy as my vinyl is beginning to become unlistenable!!