Graham Parker

After having his attempt at writing a theme tune for a new T.V. show turned down not once, but twice, veteran musician Graham Parker decided to construct an album around the experience. And so, Imaginary Television came to be, with 11 songs Parker asserts would be the perfect themes for the shows he also created. As premises for an album go, it might be a little on the contrived side, but it has resulted in a remarkably entertaining collection. Despite the fact that the tracks on Imaginary Television are written from the perspective of different characters on these non-existent shows, the voice is very much Parker's. He disappears into the songs and delivers the often touching lyrics with complete authenticity and a sense of humour. Parker's observations are part Ray Davies, part Randy Newman, with the music sounding like one of those mid-period Stiff Records releases that helped make his name in the first place. Based on this, it's only a matter of time before that theme tune gig falls into his lap, assuming he hasn't gotten it all out of his system.