After hitting the U.K. Top Five with all three of their prior duo albums,
the Beautiful South
's
Paul Heaton
and
Jacqui Abbott
return with a generous 16-track set. A tip of the hat to
the Clash
's double album
London Calling
,
Manchester Calling
verifies that
Heaton
can indeed churn out enough bouncy earworms and playfully acerbic verses to fill the more ambitious length, though it's likely thanks, at least in part, to the three-year gap between records, their longest yet. Opening track "The Only Exercise I Get Is You" is a prime example of an uptempo, clap-along ditty paired with deceptively affectionate lyrics that are volleyed between the couple. The song's listing of alternately snide and self-depreciating exceptions to inactivity include the opening lines "Apart from at the supermarket, walking down the aisle/Apart from when you're angry and I'm trying not to smileâ?¦" Later, "A Good Day Is Hard to Find" is another upbeat entry, replete with harmonized vocals, jaunty piano, and a brass section. The reggae rhythms of "If You Could See Your Faults" see
Abbott
turning self-examination outward, while the country-rock-infused "You and Me (Were Meant to Be Together)" is a humorous feel-good track full of appreciation ("Like cotton wool and tube of superglue/Inspector Morse or Sherlock Holmes to clue/You and me were meant to be together"). The very few more-wistful entries include "Fat of the Land," a piano song that straddles classic country ballad and cabaret, and "The Outskirts of the Dancefloor," which is closer to
Bacharach
than to anything fit for the clubs. For something completely different, "MCR Calling" examines
's adopted city with nods to hip-hop on a dramatic, sample-filled spoken word track ("They're pulling down the last building anybody actually liked"). Despite a few poignant moments,
is dominated by lively, playful songs, and though the track list might have been improved by cutting a handful of the more similar ones, the couple can't be justly accused of allowing any filler. ~ Marcy Donelson