Chase & Status ft. Plan B - 'End Credits'
First impressions are crucial, especially in an overcrowded arena like modern popular song. You've got to grab the attention straight away, or at least, tickle the fun-receptors in the human brain in an enticing fashion, so's to encourage everyone to listen again.
Because of this, the context in which a song is first heard can make all the difference in the world. For example: There's a song at the end of the film Fantastic Mr Fox, called 'Let Her Dance' by the Bobby Fuller Four. It's very old. It sort of sounds like Buddy Holly (ask your great grandma) in a cave filled with magical echo. But it's the grand finale of the film, and it sounds amazing in the cinema...
...so guess what I've been listening to pretty much non-stop ever since the weekend? Yup.
This song is part of the soundtrack to a new film called Harry Brown, which stars Plan B and Michael Caine. I'm going to stick my neck out and guess that, as it's called 'End Credits' it happens at the same place in the film as Bobby Fuller does in Fantastic Mr Fox.
The difference is, this is a gritty look at the realities of modern urban life, in which bad things happen. VERY bad things. You can tell from the video.
(Sorry, I can't show you the video. It's too real.)
So, to try and divorce the song from the context of the film is probably a non-starter. The video alone is a very powerful thing. At this point, having very thoroughly examined both song and video, I have no idea which one is doing the bulk of the legwork in getting this sense of powerful darkness across.
Cos this thing here is some bad juju. It might start like strummy, summery indie pop, but the funereal strings soon blot out the sunshine, and when the beat kicks in, it is with all the cold force of a sleetfall on a blustery day. And even though there are patches of relief, where the onslaught stops and the clouds disperse a little, they don't last long before all hell breaks loose again.
OK, looks like it's the song doing the work. Suddenly that Fox doesn't look so Fantastic after all...
Download: Out now
CD Released: November 2nd
´óÏó´«Ã½ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comment number 1.
At 5th Nov 2009, CurtainJerker wrote:I really like this. Really evocative - the music is dark in a menacing way, but the vocal's more sad and plaintive, I think.
Incidentally, I'm glad to see Plan B having a measure of mainstream success. His album from a couple of years ago (Who Needs Actions When You Got Words) is pretty damn brutal, and has some moments of real greatness on it. Funny to hear him sound so fragile here - his rapping is hardcore.
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Comment number 2.
At 5th Nov 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:This song doesnt even need context. Its just absolutely amazing on its own.
Need to get some more Chase and Status in my life I think. This and their rexmix of Heartbeat are getting a lot of love from me atm.
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Comment number 3.
At 6th Nov 2009, Dave wrote:Liam - Their album "More Than A Lot" is awesome, there's a track on there called "Pieces" with Plan B which just kicks a whole load of buttocks. But then most tracks on that album are pretty damn good, Eastern Jam is a bit dark and grimy as well. To be fair I could talk about that album all day but I can't be bothered, just have a listen and love it!
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Comment number 4.
At 6th Nov 2009, flatknees wrote:i quite like the sound of this.. and these guys... althou he takes himself far to seriously in the video..
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Comment number 5.
At 24th Dec 2009, harrythedog10 wrote:Plan B's new single 'Stay Too Long' is released on 11th January, sounds massive.
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