Red (Letter) - Ian Dury

Despite his British upbringing, Ian Dury executes a Caribbean sound convincingly. To achieve island vibes for his 1981 solo effort Lord Upminster, Dury recorded in the Bahamas, enlisting the help of reggae duo Sly & Robbie. Ultimately the album shuffled hastily between genres, as Dury tried to acknowledge and emulate his wide array of influences, resulting in a disjointed final product. The highlight of the sessions is "Red Letter", a tropical song purely characteristic of the setting where it was recorded. In it, Dury mutters various nonsensical messages to pets loved and lost; the chorus and title allude to pleasant memories rather than literal postage, hoping to console those left behind without their beloved companions. <PM>