The Maccabees - 'Toothpaste Kisses'
Some things in life are hard, like long division, playing the oboe, or asking for uncle Simeon's muslim elephant to be erased from the library roof...in Flemish. Then there are things which are REALLY hard, like jumping over a mini from a standing start, or climbing Everest, or explaining the appeal of In The Night Garden to other grown-ups. But there are a few things which are harder still. Unaided levitation is one. Telepathy is another. And then there's creating a song which captures true innocence without seeming contrived, simple-minded or icky. That's just about the hardest thing ever ever.*
Until now, the acknowledged master of the art has always been Jonathan Richman. Now, I'm not going to patronise the people who know all about him by explaining who he is, but what I will say to anyone who doesn't - and who hasn't seen 'There's Something About Mary' - is that finding out is going to be a true joy, should you wish to learn more about the man who gave us .
Which brings me to the Maccabees, who are channeling the spirit of Saint Jonathan here in a major way, albeit through the filter of their bookish wordplay and adding a few jazzy cadences here and there. 'Toothpaste Kisses' takes up the story of a brand new couple rushing headlong into deep waters, as laid out in the band's brilliant, impassioned 'Precious Time', but from the perspective of a calmer moment, where Orlando 'Bees is remembering how everything was at the beginning.
We all have moments like this, right? Not just romantic ones, but with friendships too. It's those days when the chemistry between two people really starts to boil, and every shared moment - every nudge, giggle and odd facial expression - is branded on your memory forever. And in your memory, the days are always sunnier than they probably were, and you were skinnier, funnier and generally more brilliant than you think you normally are too.
And while you're in a moment like that, the future just looks AMAZING. That's the feeling this song captures entirely. That's why the kissathon video, which would be a total filth-fest, comes across like the cutest thing anyone (of an appropriate age) will ever see. It's all about the innocence, see.
And in an over-sexualised world, which treats even the most intimate of moments between consenting adults as being no big deal, anything which even partially re-creates these sort of feelings becomes so dizzyingly romantic as to make a grown man swoon.
Someone pass the smelling salts, a miracle has occured!
Download: Out now
CD Released: October 1st
(Fraser McAlpine)
*Yes, yes I know. It's clearly not as hard as flying or telepathy. It is hard though.
Comments
I have to agree completely, I love this song.
It's so perfectly put together you just know the feelings they're singing about.
It's a cute sweet song.