"January. Sick and tired you've been hanging on me" - those who wouldn't know a member of Pilot if they fell over them would probably recognise the chorus to this. From somewhere. It's one of 'those' catchy affairs that, once heard, proceeds to stick in your mind like limpets on a rock whether you like it or not. Birthday's, anniversaries, the face that you lusted over in school that year - these things are transient, but you'll never forget how 'January' 'goes'. Though that's not necessarily anything good. Because for my own part I remember this from 1975 and my then irritation at that rather forced non rhyme - 'January'....'Hanging on me' - it doesn't really work, does it? It still irritates now, but my older ears detect more to be wound up by than just that.
For a start, 'January' never seems to know whether it wants to single handedly initiate a glam revival or whether it's just content to mop up the leftovers from the Bay City Roller's fanbase (writer/bassist David Paton was a former member of the BCR's). Guitarist Ian Bairnson lets rip with some fine, Mick Ronson-alike lead guitar riffing at the opening and throughout but whenever the vocals kick in, 'January' immediately reverts to the bland safety of well chewed bubblegum. And not a gentle revert either - the effect is like a handbrake turn and it really makes it sound like two separate songs chucked together, creating a skewed and not very enjoyable experience. I'm still none the wiser whether the 'January' of the lyrics refers to the month or a woman, but it doesn't matter much in the end; the whole is so uninvolving that neither interpretation would make the song any more or less memorable. Apart from that irritating chorus of course.
For a start, 'January' never seems to know whether it wants to single handedly initiate a glam revival or whether it's just content to mop up the leftovers from the Bay City Roller's fanbase (writer/bassist David Paton was a former member of the BCR's). Guitarist Ian Bairnson lets rip with some fine, Mick Ronson-alike lead guitar riffing at the opening and throughout but whenever the vocals kick in, 'January' immediately reverts to the bland safety of well chewed bubblegum. And not a gentle revert either - the effect is like a handbrake turn and it really makes it sound like two separate songs chucked together, creating a skewed and not very enjoyable experience. I'm still none the wiser whether the 'January' of the lyrics refers to the month or a woman, but it doesn't matter much in the end; the whole is so uninvolving that neither interpretation would make the song any more or less memorable. Apart from that irritating chorus of course.
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