Terry Hall was always one for a heavy dose of irony, as evidenced by the title of his second solo album, Laugh, which he recorded while getting divorced. But this was Hall throughout his career, mixing wit, melancholy, and gorgeous melodies that made him one of Britain’s most-loved songwriters.
By the mid-’90s, Hall had left behind The Specials and Fun Boy Three to focus on his solo career, which saw him work with a host of influential artists. Much of Laugh, originally released back in 1997, was co-written with Craig Gannon, ex-Smiths, but the album saw a wide range of collaborations, including Stephen Duffy, Sean O’Hagan,and Damon Albarn.
Looking back, Laugh offers a collection of songs which sit alongside the best of Hall’s career. Halls’ smooth vocals and a love of the Beach Boys penetrate many of the tracks here, and whilst tracks like ‘Happy Go Lucky’ and ‘Misty Water’ hint at the turbulence of his mid-90s life, the album is an uplifting collection of tracks. Tracks like ‘Take It Forever’, with its purring mellotron intro and its reference to morning sunshine, could have been a mid-’90s hit for The Lightning Seeds. Perhaps this isn’t a surprise given Ian Broudie and Hall were close pals and the former had produced Hall’s first solo album.
The Damon Albarn co-written ‘For The Girl’ is one of the album’s standout tracks, highlighting the high regard Hall was held in by his peers. Given that Albarn, who had previously worked with Hall on his 1995 ‘Rainbows EP’,was hardly struggling with success when Laugh was released, it is surprising the album failed to do better. The album closes with an effective cover of Todd Rundgren’s ‘I Saw The Light’, which might not be the most obvious way to close a solo album, but Hall never did the obvious; that was part of the appeal.
This beautifully presented reissue features a second disc, which includes several acoustic versions that showcase a gentler side to Hall’s singing. But the second disc also contains two covers which exemplify Hall’s career. A live recording of John Lennon’s ‘Working Class Hero’ taps into Hall’s political and social commentary stance, while his version of ‘Music to Watch Girls By’ highlights his ability to cover, as well as craft, great pop songs with an undercurrent of irony.
Sadly, Hall passed away in 2022, leaving a rich and varied catalogue which deserves further exploration, and Laugh is a good a place as any to start.
