Gorgeous George by Edwyn Collins

Gorgeous George, Edwyn Collins' third solo album, came out on Setanta on 1 July 1994, nearly a decade after Orange Juice, the post-punk band he fronted, came apart. Collins produced it himself at New River in London, and he roped in Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols to sit in, which tells you something about the swagger he was after.

"A Girl Like You" is the reason the world came knocking: a strutting, fuzz-caked stomp with a glam-rock beat, a sneer of a vocal and a vintage soul sheen, and it became a worldwide hit. The rest of the record carries the same dry, knowing cool, the sound of a seasoned pop stylist having a ball. Hellbent on Compromise came before it; I'm Not Following You followed.

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