She Was Only A Grocer's Daughter
	Produced by Michael Baker
	Released on April 1987
	UK CHART POSITION #20 . . . US CHART POSITION #134
	Find it at GEMM
6246-1-R cover [high resolution scan]

K ronomyth 3.0: GROCERLY UNDERRATED. Beginning with the ultraslick �It Doesn�t Have To Be This Way,� the Monkeys� followup to their breakthrough Animal Magic cemented their status among England�s new wave of soul/R&B forgerers (The Style Council, ABC, Spandau Ballet, etc.). Often sounding like a cross between The Style Council and The The, She Was Only A Grocer�s Daughter (a title lifted from the earlier Style Council song �She Was Only A Shopkeeper�s Daughter�) is very smartly done, with slick production from Michael Baker (think Langer & Winstanley or Hugh Jones, whose All Fools Day by The Saints comes to mind). Unlike Paul Weller or Matt Johnson, however, Doctor Robert doesn�t take himself so seriously all the time, even indulging in a few T. Rex fantasies (�Rise Above,� �Beautiful Child,� �Cash�) that could be considered the album�s high points (presuming you like T. Rex, and what horrible ogre doesn�t?). Robert does share the pair�s flair for controversy, from a politically charged collaboration with Curtis Mayfield (The Day After You) to the politically incorrect (Don�t Give It Up). Fortunately, you may not notice you�re being lectured, since the music never takes a backseat to the message. As someone who felt the whole new wave/soul movement was poop, this album makes a pretty convincing case to the contrary (although Scritti Politti still has the final word where that�s concerned). There are those who will completely dismiss the new wave/soul as poseurism, and I wouldn�t argue the point so much as point out that an open mind encounters more interesting characters than a closed one. Striking a pose between Bryan Ferry and Stephen Morrissey, Doctor Robert is as interesting as they come.

TRACK LISTING

1. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY    4:00
2. SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL    3:33
3. OUT WITH HER    4:40
4. HOW LONG CAN A BAD THING LAST    4:07
5. MAN AT THE END OF HIS TETHER    4:00
6. RISE ABOVE    4:53
7. THE DAY AFTER YOU    5:00
8. CHECKING OUT    4:58
9. DON'T GIVE IT UP    5:46
10. CASH    6:01
11. BEAUTIFUL CHILD    3:50
    
    CD reissue bonus tracks
    
12. THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS TO BE
13. THE GRANTHAM GRIZZLER
14. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY (VIDEO)
    
    Words & music by Dr. Robert
    

CREDITS

DR. ROBERT --
MICK ANKER --
NEVILLE HENRY --
TONY KILEY --
The Axeman -- production assistance
Brian "Chuck" New -- engineer
Doug Gramma -- engineer
Nick KNight -- photography
Mainartery, London -- sleeve design

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