A Certain Ratio "Mickey Way" Review

ACR: 'Mickey Way (The Candy Bar)'

(Factory)

Not so gritty these boys, but no couch potatoes either. Having as good as slouched through a laidback Latin phase, only to return with the crushingly swell 'Wild Party' single of last year, ACR (F.A.B.) seem to have come good again with this frilly, uptempo dance number.

When I was a little younger A Certain Radio (we used proper names in those days) were one of the most influential bands around; everyone except the school caretaker wanted to be obscure funksters with short trousers and (even) shorter hair. They’re certainly not so fashionable these days, but the remaining Ratios seem pretty content just to chisel out their own groove in their own sweet way.

'Mickey Way (The Candy Bar)' is from the forthcoming 'Force' LP. It's maybe reminiscent of Colourbox's roaringly uplifting 'Unofficial World Cup Theme', but here they're all hand-made sounds. There's no singing of any sort, just some cut-up voices stolen, it seems, from a sketch in a National Lampoon show where there's a guy aiming to win $25,000 if he can think of the name of four Mickeys. He's stuck on the last (and he's already got Mickey Mouse) so he goes for "Mickey Way". I think he means "Milky Way" and that's presumably the joke.

The rhythm (they tell me) is ideal for aerobic exercises. This unofficial quiz show theme should be big in the clubs, gym.