Happy 15th Anniversary to Róisín Murphy’s second studio album Overpowered, originally released in select territories October 11, 2007 and in the UK October 15, 2007.
To admire Róisín Murphy and her craft is like admiring one of the great artists of the 20th century and their artwork. Whilst art is subjective and open to interpretation, Murphy and her music, eclectic and as diverse as any artist from that century, doesn’t require any type of debate. If there was any debate surrounding Murphy, it would be about which song and/or fashion moment eclipsed the last. Murphy, much like her music, is pure art in its rawest, purest form. Her authenticity is unrivaled.
One could argue that Murphy, the former lead vocalist and co-founder of the now defunct band Moloko, came into her own when she branched out into her solo career. That would be a lie. Moloko was in part Murphy. And Murphy will always be in part Moloko. A symbiotic relationship that helped birth the now-solo Murphy and her constant evolution in all things pop, fashion and culture at large. The foundation, if you like.
Following on from Murphy’s 2005 solo debut Ruby Blue, the critically acclaimed album that didn’t fare so well on the charts, she delivered Overpowered in late 2007. Moving away from the more jazz and glitch sounds of its predecessor, Overpowered delved into all things pop (electro/retro) and paid homage in large doses to the influences of disco.
Co-writing all of the album’s eleven songs (thirteen if you include the two bonus tracks “Body Language” and “Parallel Lives” available in certain markets), Murphy again showcased yet another facet of her creativity by ensuring that her art is completely and utterly her voice. It’s a wonder that after all of Moloko’s success and Murphy’s brilliance, the singer hasn’t found wider fame. It feels almost like Murphy fell into all of this purely by chance—coupled with her ambition—and fame has never truly been the end goal. If this is the case, then the more you fall into the lushness of Murphy’s music, the more you feel that we are in fact the lucky ones.
On Overpowered, Murphy ensures that all eyes and ears are placed firmly on the dance floor. Collaborating with artists like Groove Armada's Andy Cato, Bugz in the Attic's Seiji, All Seeing I's Parrott & Dean, and Jimmy Douglass (all pioneering producers), Murphy was able to move away from previous producer Matthew Herbert’s creative yet safe path and channel the disco energy of disco legends reminiscent of artists like Giorgio Moroder. The album’s lead single and title track is evidence of this, with its haunting vocals and ‘80s muffled bassline. “Overpowered” kicks off Murphy’s intent for this album perfectly.
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With tracks like "You Know Me Better," "Let Me Know," and "Checkin' on Me,” dance is the main ingredient and yet all of these songs manage to retain their soulfulness, whilst easily venturing into other genres like disco, house, and '80s pop. "Movie Star" is delicious glam pop that doesn’t shy away from echoing the sounds of others like The Funky Lowlives and Soulstice.
Murphy loves the drama that happens when music and fashion collide and incorporates both with such ease. Never showy, yet with a versatility to create the regality that lives in a song like “Primitive” encased in synths and strings, Murphy’s invites the listener along a whimsical journey into her universe. At times she is raucous, at other times she is witty, heartfelt and incredibly raw. There is nothing linear or predictable about Murphy and for that we are grateful.
As Overpowered draws to a close, songs like the upbeat and crisp “Footprints” along with the equally upbeat “Body Language” and “Parallel Lines” may just be some of Murphy’s finest work. Her tender side and vulnerability are explored in the beautiful ode to her Father on “Scarlett Ribbons,” which provides an unexpectedly dreamy finale to an album firmly entrenched in all things pop. Nearly every song on this album could easily have been released as a single and that is not only a testament to Murphy’s vision, but also the direction and production she chose to embrace with Overpowered.
Overpowered captures one of pop music’s best-kept, not-so-secret artists unashamedly descending into a sensuality that mixes glitter, pop, disco and even loneliness—a combination that only someone as unique and confident as Murphy could manage to pull off. Immersed in her creative vision, Overpowered is unequivocally a modern-day classic, though it remarkably also remains underrated and still not known by as many listeners as it deserves
As much as I want the world to know all of Murphy’s music, the selfish part of me revels in the fact that she is still an artist who caters to a niche of people that belong to that elusive disco that sits somewhere at the end of that never-ending rainbow.
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