Man, this sure brings back memories. The thing that fed a million Sonya Madan fantasies!
This version's not exactly a great copy though ... but it'll do!
Yap, scratchy film projections, Sonya, a blood red dress, Sonya, a blonde wig, Sonya, a union jack t-shirt ... and Sonya - all great ways to make a simple performance video oh so memorable!
The vid features three performances by the band with Spicy Sonya wearing three different outfits: black clothes and black make-up; a white Union Jack t-shirt; and a red sequined dress and blonde wig.
According to the tome "Britpop and the English Music Tradition", the video "takes full advantage of Madan's dramatic presence" as she dances in front of the camera for the duration of the song in the three contrasting outfits, before taking the wig off at the end.
Yap, she sure had a presence alright!
"Insomniac", the band's second single, was released as a single in March 1994 with the B-side "Talent". It was later included on Echobelly's fine debut album, "Everyone's Got One", released in August 1994. The LP hit the heights of number 8 in the UK Albums Chart.
"Insomniac" was composed by Sonya and fellow band member Glenn Johansson with it's 4/4 alternating verse/chorus structure something of a musical homage to one of Echobelly's major influences, Morrissey.
The song's something of a "dig" at ludicrous Britpop and it's cocaine-driven lifestyle ("Whatever turned you on, you put it up your nose" .... "No sleep at all, carry me home.") Billboard wrote that the song is a "gentle warning of the dangers of snorting too much speed". The single received positive reviews from critics, one of whom called it "one of the best singles of 1994".
Meanwhile, Allmusic's Ned Raggett wrote that "Madan grapples with personal politics and dreams full on "Insomniac" and "Close...But," with its pictures of relationships fracturing on all fronts and resolution to look beyond them for something better, make for entertaining blasts of inspiration."
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