Zaine Griff
Child Who Wants The Moon
Ode
Zaine Griff was a member of Human Instinct and in a previous life had a pop-star career in the UK in the 1980s.
He never quite made it to the heights scaled by David Bowie and ABC but you can still find his early solo singles on YouTube and there’s a distinct charm about them. The same is true for much of Child Who Wants The Moon although this album could have been more accurately titled, Man Who Wants The Eighties or Dude Completely Out Of Touch. Good on Griff for being so fabulously dated and making music that exists in its own strange space.
The closest things you will hear to the pop charms of the title track, Heaven and Living In The Heart Of You are the b-sides you own but never listen to on all those deluxe reissues to albums from eighties artists that you bought on CD to replace your worn out LPs. There are moments where the heart-on-sleeve syrupiness gets a bit much (River) but there’s nothing outwardly wrong with this album.
It’s just a pity the cover makes it look like an audio book; some drama-school creep about to terrify your children on a car-trip.
This album came out 3 years ago Simon, try reviewing Zaine’s latest album The Visitor which just came out in April. Perhaps that’s what you thought you were reviewing?!