How I hate suffers from repetition. Once Neil states his case, he hasn't a whole lot to add to the broad and interesting soundscape that Chris confects. It's a better track than it is a song, I think. It's very much a b-side, but Neil's manifesto-waving explanation allows fellow travellers to take it to heart. Perhaps the most interesting thing about all of this is its timing of release: as Britpop began to curdle. They were commenting on the musical mores of the time here - as they would, indirectly, on Betrayed. The excesses of rock that Neil railed against in his youth were back from the dead. Allowing Oasis in the front door meant that Shed Seven and Rick Witter were getting in the tradesman's entrance...
Drico.
The pale kid that hides in the attic behind his PC...
Drico One wrote: Tue 24 Feb 2026, 10:51 pmHow I hate suffers from repetition. Once Neil states his case, he hasn't a whole lot to add to the broad and interesting soundscape that Chris confects. It's a better track than it is a song, I think. It's very much a b-side, but Neil's manifesto-waving explanation allows fellow travellers to take it to heart. Perhaps the most interesting thing about all of this is its timing of release: as Britpop began to curdle. They were commenting on the musical mores of the time here - as they would, indirectly, on Betrayed. The excesses of rock that Neil railed against in his youth were back from the dead. Allowing Oasis in the front door meant that Shed Seven and Rick Witter were getting in the tradesman's entrance...
IMO it would have had more bite as an OTT banging stomper like It's a Sin or Shameless. The piddling backing track - and the corresponding lack of a killer pure pop chorus - don't exactly make the case for the opposite of rock. The other option of course would have been to make it a rock track, although that was going to come later for them...
How appropriate for the thread to have a temporary burnout when we get to this period in their career. Will we be questioning whether we should just pack it in once we get to Nightlife?
I think that Betrayed would benefit a lot from a similar production treatment as “you only tell me you love me when you’re drunk”. A very good b-side, good melody, good lyrics and nice jungle production.
Last edited by Capsigrany on Sat 07 Mar 2026, 10:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Xakrij wrote: Sat 07 Mar 2026, 6:37 am
Back on track...
Track 103: Betrayed
Chronology: Bilingual, Further Listening, Track 6
Excellent write-up
Sometimes fingertips and touch screens don't perform as expected and my write up is floating around out there somewhere in cyberspace. However I prefer your more verbose and comprehensive review.