The first new Friends release since Folk Songs, Special You is a short, sharp blast of intensely romantic pop, and one of the band’s most commercial offerings since their first album, featuring a glorious acoustic/electric guitar sound, a driving pop beat and a massive chorus. Village In My Mind, also taken from the Beautiful You album, is a haunting, nostalgic song about a time frozen early in the last century with the First World War – a kind of musical Picnic At Hanging Rock, about a place that may or may not ever have existed. Other tracks are Downstream, one of Friends’ most unusual songs, almost orchestral in quality, and with minimal vocals (only thirteen words!), and Every Summer, an acoustic version of one of the most popular songs from the band’s first album Let’s Get Away From It All from 1988, performed solo by singer and guitarist William Jones.
Written by William Jones
All titles published by Summerhouse Music LtdProduced and engineered by John Spence
Recorded at Fairview Studios, Hull, 27 March 2001 (Downstream), 12 January 2002 (Every Summer), 13-18 & 20 May 2002; mixed 21-24 May (Special You & Village In My Mind)
Arranged by William Jones and Martin Parker
Design and photography by Martin Parker