Singles

Peter Brame - Wake Up

Bill Cummings 14/08/2006

Rating: 1/5

Peter Brame was the 'Strokesy/Libertine' wannabe from the last series of Fame Academy. Indeed, so stylised was his rock 'n' roll image, that he made a virtue of valuing stage performances over his vocal performance. Thus he screeched and howled his way to a fourth place finish in a show that was meant to improve upon the natural talents of its applicants.
Three years on and off the back of false starts with new bands, failed celebrity relationships, and missed opportunities we have Pete's new single "Wake Up". This, one suspects, might be his final stab at capitalising on the Fame Academy thing and gaining solo success. The problem is "Wake Up" is a piss-poor, 15th division, clichéd Jet meets Primal Scream rock/soul number. Musically it's tired and the lyrics are awful, trite nonsense ("Here she comes/ Adrenaline has got me struck dumb"). Added to this, the fact that its Peter's vocals on trial and not his "TV performance" means that his inadequacies as a vocalist are stripped bare, and cruelly exposed. Nasal and characterless, his vocals make Ian Brown sound passionate; like Jagger with a cold. He may be entertaining live, but Peter simply doesn't have the voice to push up this lightweight number. "Wake Up"?! More like go back to bed Peter.