When the name Peter Murphy is mentioned, immediately images of bats, spirits and the blackest of gloom comes to mind, but in the most fascinating way. The Goth Godfather of the youth who didn’t confirm, who made them feel right at home in their long black skirts, army jacket, black jeans and combat boots. Joy Division, The Cure, Siousxie and the Banshees and of course, The Bauhaus helped usher in the world of Goth Music, with Peter Murphy at the helm.
Peter Murphy has always surrounded himself with some of the most interesting and pioneering musicians in the genre from the likes of Mark Gemini Thwaite (The Mission U.K.), Justin Bennett (Skinny Puppy), Tricky (Massive Attack), Mick Karn (Japan) all the way to Trent Reznor (NIN). However, Murphy’s latest collaboration is with none other than Boy George on “Let the Flowers Grow”.
I was excited to see what these two had come up with. If you aren’t familiar with any of Murphy’s previous work, you should immediately go pick up anything from the early days. What will be unearthed there is edgy, complicated, making you wonder if you should be listening and loving what you’re hearing. The lyrics are raw, dark and sometimes chaotic. “I will scream in vain, Oh please miss Lane, Leave me with some pain.” - From their 1980 release, In The Flat Field, "Dark Entries".
Unfortunately, this collaboration with Boy George leaves nothing to the imagination and nothing that makes us feel even slightly uneasy. There are no highs and lows, just one plane of music. The song seems to be something neither artist is: epic, sweeping, movie-montage and conquering. It feels lazy, and that pains me to say. I respect and love both artists for everything they have stood for and contributed to music and am certain they will stand out in the history of music giants. However, this song needed some edge and the unexpected, and sadly for me had neither.
At the end of the day, I think there will be many fans of Peter Murphy and Boy George that will enjoy "Let the Flowers Grow". My opinions aside, some die-hard fans have raved about the track and some have even compared it to the eclectic Bowie sound of the 70's. I'd suggest you give the track a few spins on your own and come up with your own conclusions. Music is in the eye of the beholder, so I'd love to hear what you think of the Murphy/George collaboration after your initial test drive.
- Alli Richards
