#38: Too Bad (That’s Sad) : Edwyn Collins (AED Records, AEDEC22PROMO, 2013)
Here’s another that was all set to be a bona fide single only to end up being released as a promo-only CD.
mp3: Edwyn Collins – Too Bad (That’s Sad)
I’ve found a couple of articles, both published on 13 June 2013. This is from clashmusic.com:-
Deep down, Edwyn Collins is a bit of a soul boy.
If you follow the singer on Twitter you’ll notice a recurring pattern, with Edwyn Collins feverishly posting links to some of his favourite soul cuts. Motown, Northern, Philly and funk – it doesn’t matter, so long as it’s up beat and worth dancing to.
It’s an influence which has become more and more apparent in his work. Recent album ‘Understated’ boasts a few out-on-the-floor bangers, and one is set to receive a full scale single release.
‘Too Bad (That’s Sad)’ masters that old Motown trick of pairing melancholic lyrics to an itchy beat. Four on the floor, with some great vocals from Edwyn Collins, the single will be released on AED Records next month.
There was also a lot of love being shown over at The Quietus:-
Edwyn Collins is set to release a new single, ‘Too Bad (That’s Sad)’, taken from his recent Understated album, on July 8 via his AED label.
The track’s a choice cut from the album, Collins’ eighth solo release, with our review calling it: “Motown soul […] with its George Harrison slide guitar solo and pounding tambourines [the track] is lush and uplifting, its titular refrain crystallising Collins’ modest understatement on his own situation.”
Read our interview with Collins, Grace Maxwell and James Endeacott about AED and pre-order the single at the label’s website.
So….it seems Too Bad (That’s Sad) was due to get ‘a full scale single release’ (which in my mind equates to CD and 7″ vinyl like many other singles being issued by AED) and that it could be pre-ordered. And yet, the only thing available on the secondhand market is a one-track CD promo!?
Both articles not only referenced the video that had been made but offered the opportunity to watch it:-
The writer at clash.com couldn’t hide his love for the promo:-
The video for the track was directed by South London resident the passionately Welsh Mr Kieren Evans, and matches the contagious energy of the single itself. Switching from panel to panel, it’s stylishly shot with nods towards the Pop Art end of the Mod spectrum.
It’s a real pity that the single wasn’t ever released as it could well have been one of the sounds of the summer of 2013.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 