The Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town

The Dream Academy was a British pop trio with ambition. In 1985 Nick Laird-Clowes, Kate St. John and Gilbert Gabriel debuted with the extraordinary single "Life In A Northern Town", a song where pop music absolutely and totally became something more than just that, it was pop music as art. Not only is "Life In A Northern Town" a brilliant song in itself, a successful composition, just as importantly it has a genius arrangement where Kate St. John's oboe, a host of strings, some African-style chanting, Laird-Clowes' ingratiating voice and Gabriel's layers of keyboards all come into one being, masterfully produced too, by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, Laird-Clowes' himself and Alan Tarney, also famous for his work with a-ha. Their eponymous debut album that was released later that year was also a feast for the ears, but their two follow-up albums were both a bit disappointing. Then again, I'll remember the name of any band that release just one song as good as "Life In A Northern Town" for the rest of my life anyway.

Watch and listen