Quench

15 Oct 1998

Courtesy of J. Werb

The Beautiful South has done it again. Quench is another masterpiece, documenting the group's transformation from 'normal' people to stars of popular music.

Lyricist Paul Heaton asks profound questions of mankind. For example 'How long's a tear take to dry' pointedly avoids the obvious impacts that ambient temperature and relative humidity contribute to the question's solution.

In taking the legal profession to task with 'The Law of the sea', Heaton manages to confound listeners by relating the legal implications of combining a drunken sailor with the environmental consequences of a damaging oil spillage.

Not even local government officers escape Heaton's observations. Every environmental-health and weights-and-measures official will jump for joy when they hear 'Look what I found in my beer'.

Overall a very good album, that most HMG readers will enjoy.