Jellyfish - Ghost at number one

[Joe]

Has anyone heard this track?

Pounds along in a hard rock style - like a late 70s Queen song -  and then breaks out in the middle section into one of the most fantastic homages to Brian Wilson/Pet Sound's style I have heard!

The vocals, harmony and phrasing are 100% Brian Wilson... even the lyrics sort of deal with Brian's plight "How does it feel to be the only one that knows that you are right"

The album (Spilt Milk) is pretty good too - almost overwhelming detail to production florishes, solid pop-song craft, great vocals and vocal harmonies! I recently discovered this LP via the Japanese pop girl duo PUFFY (ex-member Andy Strummer does the production/songwriting for them) I really admire his pop sensibilities, he obviously has great love for pop.

Spilt Milk is so dense I have only been listening to half of the album over the last few weeks.

[jdavolt]

I read somewhere that this song was an homage to Jeff Lynne.

[Joe]

I read somewhere that this song was an homage to Jeff Lynne.

Ha ha! I didn't know that.... funny thing is some of Puffy's music sounds like ELO... hmm it all makes sense now!

[LaurieBiagini]

"The Ghost at Number One" is a great song! It caught my attention mainly because of how Brianesque (as you put it) it sounds. Rich tune.

[GP1138]

My God, that entire album is absolutely a diamond in the rough. I've listened to it front to back while falling asleep, and it just makes it such a strange experience. You feel like you're at the carnival or something.

Queen must have been in this guy's record player for a long time.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

I love both Jellyfish LPs -- they are at the very top of my favorite music of the 90s.  I hear Queen, the Beatles, BBs, Cheap Trick, ELO...but it's not derivative.  Very strong stuff that gets in your brain like the very best music you dug in any era.

[GP1138]

I hear "Magical Mystery Tour" era Beatles.

[onkster]

Hmmm, "Ghost" is very Brianesque...but Brian's still alive.  The character in the song dies.

As does the hero of "Joining a Fan Club"...which always sounded to me like a Marc Bolan tribute.  ("fate crashed his car")

[Boxer Monkey]

The character in "Ghost" doesn't die -- he's "buried alive." Which is totally what happened to Brian Wilson, imo.

[hypehat]

Jellyfish are AWESOME.

That is all.