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‘Laughter’, issued in December 1980, was Dury’s third album for Stiff Records, and the only one to feature Dr. Feelgood’s original (and best) guitarist, the remarkable Wilko Johnson who co-wrote the hit single ‘Sueperman’s Big Sister’. This Slipcased 2 CD edition includes the three non-album singles sides (including the hit ‘I Want To Be Straight’), the Blockheads’ demos for the album, and four outtakes from the album sessions, including the legendary ‘Duff ‘Em And Do ‘Em Over’. Edsel. 2004.
LAUGHTER is one of Ian Dury and the Blockheads most underrated albums, and also one of their best. I disagree with the previous reviewer that Dury’s best stuff was behind him when he recorded it. Much as I loved NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES!!, his first album, plus the various singles he’d released independent of any albums, I thought DO IT YOURSELF, his second long-play, to be a much weaker effort, and LAUGHTER to be a welcome return to form. The gems abound: “Superman’s Big Sister” is in the grand tradition of Dury’s bawdy-house singalongs; “Yes And No (Paula)” has him careening through disconnected sentences and somehow having it all add up; “F**king Ada” is Dury’s bellow of rage at all of life’s indignities; and my favorite, “Over The Points” is Ian looking at life through the persona of a railway car blazing down the track, with manic back-up from the rest of the Blockheads. The band, in fact, is in fine fettle here, giving Dury the muscle to pull off his antics. It’s a classic Ian Dury album, and one that makes me miss this strange but talented geezer all the more.
If you already like Ian Dury and the Blockheads then this album is a must as there are some tracks on here that don’t seem to be available anywhere else. On the other hand it is some years since Ian’s death and the best stuff has already been released some time ago. There are also some tracks on this album that are on a number of others.By all means complete your collection with this set of songs but if you are new to the wonderful Mr Dury it’s not the best choice.