Corrugated Tunnel - Threadbare

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  • "Threadbare" is a single from Corrugated Tunnel's November album, and judging by the way the lyric "minor obsession" (the album's name) is given pride of place just before a yearning string line comes in, Irishman Edwin James evidently sees it as the LP's centrepiece. It reflects an overall shift in attention towards vocals compared with previous work, but in my opinion—perhaps due to lack of practice—there's bits of cliche in these lyrics that make the song inferior to a number of instrumental tracks from Minor Obsessions. Since they're used in both the remixes without any overly meat-grinder-esque treatment, their effect (whatever you judge that to be) carries over. At this stage I should probably point out that my idea of non-cliche in lyrics pretty much starts at stories of Japanese girls battling pink robots, so there'll probably be plenty who don't agree. Also permeating through is the feel and some of the features of the sorrowful backing track, whether that's with the strings and pianos in Voorn's mix or the bassline in Nodge's. The backing track is a good piece of work in the first place, and this too is present in the remixes, included without the original when you buy the vinyl. Voorn's remix seems to be patched from things that weren't supposed to go together; a dripping tap, clattering rhythm, and other weird dissonant bits. Sans vocal, as given with the digital package, it gives a filler in the best sense—not substandard, just with a feeling of interlude, and full of character. Nodge's shifts the vocals in time, putting emphasis on different words or giving a disorienting misalignment of the bass, depending on where your focus is. And, there is depth in the lyrics—which is amplified in the context of a fully floor-geared track, a far rarer creature in that sphere.
  • Tracklist
      01. Threadbare 02. Threadbare (Orlando Voorn's Danger Zone Remix) 03. Threadbare (Norman Nodge Remix) 04. Threadbare (Instrumental) 05. Threadbare (Orlando Voorn's Danger Zone Instrumental)
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