Wembley was a pleasant enough experience, but less said about the result the better. Prior to that though I had a commute and a CD to accompany that commute, it was the debut album by Scots band Camera Obscura, Biggest Bluest HiFi.
Its a cracker of an album but not the strongest that tey have produced, a band possibly that have got stronger and stronger on every release (time will tell as their latest album is to be played yet), certainly the two albums that followed this made me love the band more and more.
Stand out tracks are Happy New Year and the song that introduced the band to me, Eighties Fan. Spectorish in sound, gorgeous and utterly beautiful, this is what the band showed from the outset and that is how they carried on.
This is a really short write up for the album, its a very good album, but time has dictated that I havent been able to get any time to write this since Friday and can only hurry a few lines out now.
Incidentally there is a line in Happy New Year, "I'm softer than my face would suggest", that used to be a title of a blog I did. I am.
Biggest Bluest Hifi, 7 out of 10. Can I add that every time I give something 7 or review something badly and give it a 6 I think back to the early reviews and notably Ant Hardings music and am aware that one of those was a 6, now that things have settled a bit and I know what a 6 is, Ant is way better than 6. Camera Obscura, 7.
Happy New Year by Camera Obscura
Showing posts with label 7's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 7's. Show all posts
Monday, 1 March 2010
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
International Velvet - Review
Some Cooper Temple Clause is what is should have been yesterday, it should have been but as it is one of those protected CD’s meant that it wasn’t and couldn’t be played in the car. Makes no odds to me, never liked them anyway, it’s one of my wifes CD’it may have been great but I suspect it wasn’t.
Today though I didn’t retreat to the arms of Chris Evans, (admittedly I did dip back in at the end of todays CD and was rewarded with Journey at ear splitting volumes. Top stuff.)
Todays CD was Catatonia’s International Velvet. This is a CD I need to split in two, I will remove for the purposes of this review, at least initially, Mulder and Scully and Road Rage. They are removed.
This CD was absolutely marvellous, beautiful vocals off Cerys, lyrically very enjoyable, lilting, lifting and a seriously great record that has stood the test of time. My Selfish Gene in particular appealed to my liking of lyrical wordplay, and then on Game On and Strange Glue we are treated to two singles high points from the bands career. I Am The Mob still sounds excellent and I was singing away at the top of my lungs whilst stuck in traffic outside of Lichfield, an excellent album. Truly excellent. 9 out of 10.
Then I come to Mulder and Scully and Road Rage. Lord when you take me, when my days are ended and my past crimes are totted up against my good name, you weigh up the good against the bad and find that the other place can have me, the music that will be playing will be Mulder and Scully and Road Rage on the flipping loop. I detest these songs, made all the more galling is that Mrs D, who owns this album, also owns those singles. I need a new wife. 2 dropped for these songs therefore International Velvet. 7 out of 10.
My Selfish Gene by Catatonia
Today though I didn’t retreat to the arms of Chris Evans, (admittedly I did dip back in at the end of todays CD and was rewarded with Journey at ear splitting volumes. Top stuff.)
Todays CD was Catatonia’s International Velvet. This is a CD I need to split in two, I will remove for the purposes of this review, at least initially, Mulder and Scully and Road Rage. They are removed.
This CD was absolutely marvellous, beautiful vocals off Cerys, lyrically very enjoyable, lilting, lifting and a seriously great record that has stood the test of time. My Selfish Gene in particular appealed to my liking of lyrical wordplay, and then on Game On and Strange Glue we are treated to two singles high points from the bands career. I Am The Mob still sounds excellent and I was singing away at the top of my lungs whilst stuck in traffic outside of Lichfield, an excellent album. Truly excellent. 9 out of 10.
Then I come to Mulder and Scully and Road Rage. Lord when you take me, when my days are ended and my past crimes are totted up against my good name, you weigh up the good against the bad and find that the other place can have me, the music that will be playing will be Mulder and Scully and Road Rage on the flipping loop. I detest these songs, made all the more galling is that Mrs D, who owns this album, also owns those singles. I need a new wife. 2 dropped for these songs therefore International Velvet. 7 out of 10.
My Selfish Gene by Catatonia
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Way Beyond Blue - Review
Catatonias debut was the sound of a small car cutting through the West Midlands snow. Before Im a celeberity, before she sold her story to the tabloids, before she welshified her voice by 500% on Mulder and Scully.
Its a blooming good album, one that I havent played in something like 10 years, why would I anyway, like most of the non Cash C's this is one of my wife's, she had a thing for the Welsh, as will become apparent when we hit the G's.
Anyway coming back to the disc, its nice, its lovely in parts, the oh shit I'm pregnant You've Got A Lot To Answer For, the possibly not about a lost cat, Lost Cat and the mighty fine and Catatonia at their most sweetest, Sweet Catatonia.
There is more stuff on this album, the dreaded secret track, I bloody hate hidden tracks, it is forgivable though. 7 out of 10.
You've Got A Lot To Answer For by Catatonia
Its a blooming good album, one that I havent played in something like 10 years, why would I anyway, like most of the non Cash C's this is one of my wife's, she had a thing for the Welsh, as will become apparent when we hit the G's.
Anyway coming back to the disc, its nice, its lovely in parts, the oh shit I'm pregnant You've Got A Lot To Answer For, the possibly not about a lost cat, Lost Cat and the mighty fine and Catatonia at their most sweetest, Sweet Catatonia.
There is more stuff on this album, the dreaded secret track, I bloody hate hidden tracks, it is forgivable though. 7 out of 10.
You've Got A Lot To Answer For by Catatonia
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Smell of Female
The Cramps came back today, yesterday it was A Date With Elvis, today though was their live album, Smell of Female. Recorded in 1983 at The Peppermint Lounge, New York.
A short album this even in its expanded state it only runs to 9 songs. I think for visceral exhuberance, Live at Napa State Mental Hospital DVD captures them live better. That said though although a little too laidback at times, its still a mighty fine record of a superb band.
Hassil Adkins, She Said pops up on this and the call and response of the audience lift it even higher than it already is. Perhaps the standout track on this album, were it not for a different cover.
Faster Pussycat makes an appearance on Smell of Female. The Bostweeds song is just so much better in the hands of Interior and Ivy. Any song sounds better by them.
This album also features the guitar of Kid Congo Powers from The Black Seeds, its not amazing to be honest, or earth shattering but notable.
All in all it’s a good album with plenty of high points. My favourite Cramps track is Thee Most Exaulted Potentate of Love, my favourite cover, Faster Pussycat. No duff tracks, therefore a well rounded 7 out of 10.
Thee Most Exulted Potentate of Love by The Cramps
A short album this even in its expanded state it only runs to 9 songs. I think for visceral exhuberance, Live at Napa State Mental Hospital DVD captures them live better. That said though although a little too laidback at times, its still a mighty fine record of a superb band.
Hassil Adkins, She Said pops up on this and the call and response of the audience lift it even higher than it already is. Perhaps the standout track on this album, were it not for a different cover.
Faster Pussycat makes an appearance on Smell of Female. The Bostweeds song is just so much better in the hands of Interior and Ivy. Any song sounds better by them.
This album also features the guitar of Kid Congo Powers from The Black Seeds, its not amazing to be honest, or earth shattering but notable.
All in all it’s a good album with plenty of high points. My favourite Cramps track is Thee Most Exaulted Potentate of Love, my favourite cover, Faster Pussycat. No duff tracks, therefore a well rounded 7 out of 10.
Thee Most Exulted Potentate of Love by The Cramps
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Led Zeppelin
Well I thought today's was the last Led Zeppelin for the week, but no, another tomorrow. Today though, their debut Led Zeppelin.
Thoroughly entrenched in a typical late 60's sound, a small hint of psychedelia, a hint of garage rock, a hint of blue cheer, a little bad company, but altogether Led Zeppelin.
I must admit it is perhaps the most unfamiliar album to me, and perhaps the least played. Not that it is bad, as I have said I prefer their more reflective material and this is by no means reflective, but conversely it is Whole Lotta Love.
Riffs yeah? well the riffs are there, Communication Breakdown comes on like an articulated lorry, not so much a juggernaut.
I did enjoy the album, enjoyed it very much. You might think when faced with Sir Terry or Moyles that anything is enjoyable. Not the case, unsure why I found it enjoyable and that's the struggle.
Soundwise its not the Zeppelin that I love, lyrically I suppose it gives what I like in spades, metaphors for love making. I like them.
Bit of a nothing review this I am afraid, enjoyed it, but don't know why. The tracks were long but I lived with it, I didn't really know many songs, all reasons not to like it, but I did. 7 out of 10.
I Can't Quit You Baby by Led Zeppelin
Thoroughly entrenched in a typical late 60's sound, a small hint of psychedelia, a hint of garage rock, a hint of blue cheer, a little bad company, but altogether Led Zeppelin.
I must admit it is perhaps the most unfamiliar album to me, and perhaps the least played. Not that it is bad, as I have said I prefer their more reflective material and this is by no means reflective, but conversely it is Whole Lotta Love.
Riffs yeah? well the riffs are there, Communication Breakdown comes on like an articulated lorry, not so much a juggernaut.
I did enjoy the album, enjoyed it very much. You might think when faced with Sir Terry or Moyles that anything is enjoyable. Not the case, unsure why I found it enjoyable and that's the struggle.
Soundwise its not the Zeppelin that I love, lyrically I suppose it gives what I like in spades, metaphors for love making. I like them.
Bit of a nothing review this I am afraid, enjoyed it, but don't know why. The tracks were long but I lived with it, I didn't really know many songs, all reasons not to like it, but I did. 7 out of 10.
I Can't Quit You Baby by Led Zeppelin
Friday, 6 November 2009
More Specials
My in car commute CD today was More Specials, the second album by The Specials.
A good album but not one that really compares to yesterdays. I thought at times, ah a more darker album, and then there were really really light moments to it. When I also think ah, they are moving away from their roots, they put together something like Stereotypes Pt 2.
It was an alright CD though, just alright, not bad, pretty good, but not excellent, and as it was only The Specials second CD, it should have been excellent? No?
What it did bring though was a few childhood memories, notably being in class at Donnington Wood Junior School, quietly singing to myself the words to Pearls Café, notably “it’s all a load of bollocks” and being sent swiftly to Mr Weaver for the slipper. Ouch. And the second memory was first year of secondary school and our class were doing the assembly, some girls in the class needed the rich baritone of a Neville Staples, unfortunately they got the tenor of a castrated Aled Jones, this was all for a rendition of Do Nothing with words altered to fit in with the life of a child at The John Hunt School. The song was dreadful, and I suspect the only reason that I did it was to be around some girl or other that I hoped had a liking for spotty greasy boys that had a voice like a castrated Aled Jones. Inevitably they didn’t.
Highlights from this disc are the aforementioned Stereotypes and Pearls café, but also the International Jet Set and Hey Little Rich Girl. Unsure about the guilty pleasure that is Enjoy Yourself, at times it verges on comedic, maybe that’s its intention? Who knows? But as the week finishes, 7 out of 10. You get a bonus disc tomorrow as Villa re at home to Bolton.
Pearls Café by The Specials
A good album but not one that really compares to yesterdays. I thought at times, ah a more darker album, and then there were really really light moments to it. When I also think ah, they are moving away from their roots, they put together something like Stereotypes Pt 2.
It was an alright CD though, just alright, not bad, pretty good, but not excellent, and as it was only The Specials second CD, it should have been excellent? No?
What it did bring though was a few childhood memories, notably being in class at Donnington Wood Junior School, quietly singing to myself the words to Pearls Café, notably “it’s all a load of bollocks” and being sent swiftly to Mr Weaver for the slipper. Ouch. And the second memory was first year of secondary school and our class were doing the assembly, some girls in the class needed the rich baritone of a Neville Staples, unfortunately they got the tenor of a castrated Aled Jones, this was all for a rendition of Do Nothing with words altered to fit in with the life of a child at The John Hunt School. The song was dreadful, and I suspect the only reason that I did it was to be around some girl or other that I hoped had a liking for spotty greasy boys that had a voice like a castrated Aled Jones. Inevitably they didn’t.
Highlights from this disc are the aforementioned Stereotypes and Pearls café, but also the International Jet Set and Hey Little Rich Girl. Unsure about the guilty pleasure that is Enjoy Yourself, at times it verges on comedic, maybe that’s its intention? Who knows? But as the week finishes, 7 out of 10. You get a bonus disc tomorrow as Villa re at home to Bolton.
Pearls Café by The Specials
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Mountain Battles
Back to the journey through my loosely alphabeticised CD albums this morning, after the end of the B’s I was looking forward to a bit of diversity, prior to the start of the C’s I have a small pile of CD’s at the end of a shelf, and what do you know, the first album was another B, Mountain Battles by The Breeders.
Their most recent album, released in 2008, the fourth album by The Breeders and possibly their most diverse to date.
I think its closest relation is the Breeders debut album, Pod. Although its close in sound, I think possibly due to it being written and recorded in various locations, no two songs are alike in feel, sound or style. It wavers between the standard indie rock sound of The Breeders, before touching on folk, alt country, and also performing songs in German and Spanish. Diverse is definitely the order of the day.
Unfortunately it is on initial hearing the weakest of the Breeders albums, its not as immediate as any of its predecessors and it is the least played of the Breeders, Kim Deal, or Kelley Deals albums. This is a bit of a travesty as it isn’t bad, its good, its very good, but when lined up against a catalogue as strong as Kim and Kelleys, it seems feeble. Listening to it now though it is strong, and it is enjoyable.
Walk it off, first appeared on Pixies documentary, Loudquietloud and its finished version here is a highlight, as is Mountain Battles and We’re Gonna Rise. The tracks that make up the remainder are in themselves worthy of their place on this album, on another Breeders album? I’m not so sure. 7 out of 10.
Walk It Off by The Breeders
Their most recent album, released in 2008, the fourth album by The Breeders and possibly their most diverse to date.
I think its closest relation is the Breeders debut album, Pod. Although its close in sound, I think possibly due to it being written and recorded in various locations, no two songs are alike in feel, sound or style. It wavers between the standard indie rock sound of The Breeders, before touching on folk, alt country, and also performing songs in German and Spanish. Diverse is definitely the order of the day.
Unfortunately it is on initial hearing the weakest of the Breeders albums, its not as immediate as any of its predecessors and it is the least played of the Breeders, Kim Deal, or Kelley Deals albums. This is a bit of a travesty as it isn’t bad, its good, its very good, but when lined up against a catalogue as strong as Kim and Kelleys, it seems feeble. Listening to it now though it is strong, and it is enjoyable.
Walk it off, first appeared on Pixies documentary, Loudquietloud and its finished version here is a highlight, as is Mountain Battles and We’re Gonna Rise. The tracks that make up the remainder are in themselves worthy of their place on this album, on another Breeders album? I’m not so sure. 7 out of 10.
Walk It Off by The Breeders
Thursday, 8 October 2009
King
This wander through my CD’s should be a marathon not a sprint and after todays CD, King by Belly, I have a single marathon boxset to listen to before I close the door on the B’s.
But what of King, the second album by Belly?
Well Belly first, Belly was the band formed by former Throwing Muses member, Tanya Donnelly. Originally it was to be a collaboration between Donnelly and Pixies bassist, Kim Deal. With each one playing on the others record. This was the case with Deal’s Breeders, featuring Donnelly on the debut Pod, but it was not reciprocated for Belly’s debut.
I saw Belly at the Xfm all dayer Great Xpectations, and by saw I mean listened to them whilst falling asleep face down in a park in London. This is totally different to the time I saw Be Your Own Pet when I was stood at the barrier at Reading Festival and dozed off, some say that was a mild form of narcolepsy, I say dull band. Belly aren’t a dull band though, it had just been a long day.
My munchkin like sidekick is a big fan of Belly, was a big fan of Belly, and it is her copy of King that was being played in the car today.
Released at a time when grunge was at its tail end and Brit pop was just starting to show, its an album that is a little out of step with its surroundings as it sounds like neither. It does sound like affirmation that Donnelly can write a song and does not need to be in her sisters shadow, which unfortunately was the case during her tenure in Throwing Muses. Throwing Muses album The Real Ramona hints at her songwriting in Not Too Soon and Honeychain, both brilliant brilliant bits of pop out of step with Herschs wrought, frantic, nervous style.
King carries on this style and almost exclusively the songs are upbeat, and if not lyrically optimistic, certainly musically and in the singles, Superconnected and Seal My Fate, she carries on from debut album Star’s uplifting Feed The Tree.
All in all an enjoyable album and one that I would return to. 7 out of 10.
Seal My Fate by Belly
But what of King, the second album by Belly?
Well Belly first, Belly was the band formed by former Throwing Muses member, Tanya Donnelly. Originally it was to be a collaboration between Donnelly and Pixies bassist, Kim Deal. With each one playing on the others record. This was the case with Deal’s Breeders, featuring Donnelly on the debut Pod, but it was not reciprocated for Belly’s debut.
I saw Belly at the Xfm all dayer Great Xpectations, and by saw I mean listened to them whilst falling asleep face down in a park in London. This is totally different to the time I saw Be Your Own Pet when I was stood at the barrier at Reading Festival and dozed off, some say that was a mild form of narcolepsy, I say dull band. Belly aren’t a dull band though, it had just been a long day.
My munchkin like sidekick is a big fan of Belly, was a big fan of Belly, and it is her copy of King that was being played in the car today.
Released at a time when grunge was at its tail end and Brit pop was just starting to show, its an album that is a little out of step with its surroundings as it sounds like neither. It does sound like affirmation that Donnelly can write a song and does not need to be in her sisters shadow, which unfortunately was the case during her tenure in Throwing Muses. Throwing Muses album The Real Ramona hints at her songwriting in Not Too Soon and Honeychain, both brilliant brilliant bits of pop out of step with Herschs wrought, frantic, nervous style.
King carries on this style and almost exclusively the songs are upbeat, and if not lyrically optimistic, certainly musically and in the singles, Superconnected and Seal My Fate, she carries on from debut album Star’s uplifting Feed The Tree.
All in all an enjoyable album and one that I would return to. 7 out of 10.
Seal My Fate by Belly
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Tomorrow Come Today
A slice of post hardcore loveliness was the second of my albums for the uber commute to London. Namely Boysetsfire and their third album, Tomorrow Come Today.
Boysetsfire are a post hardcore band from Delaware, they did split up but for a brief time they were rather splendid, releasing a handful of albums, which in my opinion, Tomorrow Come Today is the best.
They tend to err on the melodic side of things and as I am not aligned with the fugazi end of things, that suits me just fine.
Sorry for the total shortness of this, its a good album, you really might like them, but I have issues to raise on the work issue management system. Thrilling stuff.
Boysetsfire, 7 out of 10.
With Every Intention by Boysetsfire
Boysetsfire are a post hardcore band from Delaware, they did split up but for a brief time they were rather splendid, releasing a handful of albums, which in my opinion, Tomorrow Come Today is the best.
They tend to err on the melodic side of things and as I am not aligned with the fugazi end of things, that suits me just fine.
Sorry for the total shortness of this, its a good album, you really might like them, but I have issues to raise on the work issue management system. Thrilling stuff.
Boysetsfire, 7 out of 10.
With Every Intention by Boysetsfire
License To Ill
NO....SLEEP....TILL.....BOREHAMWOOD!!!
Go on have a guess waht was the commute album today from the good town of Stafford, to the London Village. Yes, yes you are right it was the Beastie Boys debut, Licensed to Ill.
They do a lot of illing on this album, be it flaunting their license, or alerting people that the time is time to get ill. I had best aquant myself with the vernacular.....it appears that its either a malady, or a river in Alsace, that really doesn't sound correct, a little more digging...ah it seems ill means "off da hook".
This album is off da hook though, it is most def also, its a debut that displays across its bows their very best tracks. The best tracks before they got all serious about the ladies, the days when "MCA's in the back skeezin with a whore". Again I don't know what skeezin is, so again its off to urban dictionary....oh my!
MCA was a bit of a scoundrel and his friends at the time, AD-Rock and Mike D, were no better and this is the album that chronicles their pre saving tibetan monks days when they drank bud, had dust smoking managers and had ladies in cages on stage with them. They were fun then.
Musically though, this album really is off da hook, I found that I loved it as much as I did when I was skeezin whores, smoking blunts and rocking the mic when I was studying for my o'levels. Crazy times.
7 out of 10.
Time To Get Ill by Beastie Boys
Go on have a guess waht was the commute album today from the good town of Stafford, to the London Village. Yes, yes you are right it was the Beastie Boys debut, Licensed to Ill.
They do a lot of illing on this album, be it flaunting their license, or alerting people that the time is time to get ill. I had best aquant myself with the vernacular.....it appears that its either a malady, or a river in Alsace, that really doesn't sound correct, a little more digging...ah it seems ill means "off da hook".
This album is off da hook though, it is most def also, its a debut that displays across its bows their very best tracks. The best tracks before they got all serious about the ladies, the days when "MCA's in the back skeezin with a whore". Again I don't know what skeezin is, so again its off to urban dictionary....oh my!
MCA was a bit of a scoundrel and his friends at the time, AD-Rock and Mike D, were no better and this is the album that chronicles their pre saving tibetan monks days when they drank bud, had dust smoking managers and had ladies in cages on stage with them. They were fun then.
Musically though, this album really is off da hook, I found that I loved it as much as I did when I was skeezin whores, smoking blunts and rocking the mic when I was studying for my o'levels. Crazy times.
7 out of 10.
Time To Get Ill by Beastie Boys
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Soda
Todays commute CD was the debut album by Swedish band, Brainpool entitled Soda.
A pretty good album all told, elements of pop punk and indie rock that was reminiscent of Silver sun or the Senseless Things, very harmonic and classic power pop that is sadly missing from music these days.
Released in 1994 I am unsure as to how I first heard of Brainpool, perhaps it was Steve Lamacq, but who ever it was they were responsible for me buying the debut album and if memory serves, the singles that the album spawned. In 1994 I was smitten with Brainpool.
Looking back it harmless inoffensive power pop, with elements of pop punk with classic song writing all the way through.
The downside is that it is so polished, it is major label and it shows, it is over produced and at times vears towards very early Roxette, and that is a very bad thing. This is the fault entirely of the production.
Production aside, as I said the songs are pretty excellent in a Silver Sun kind of way, they are resolutely upbeat and with its Wannadies overtones you do tend to find yourself thinking, in the main, happy thoughts. That could be due to the Lalalalala’s, Lalalalala’s tend to do that.
I can’t really add more than that, I was wondering when this CD might turn up and I knew I was going to enjoy it. Tomorrow my commute is all the way to London so it may be a 2 or even 3 CD day, for now though, soda, 7 out of 10.
Our Own Revolution by Brainpool
A pretty good album all told, elements of pop punk and indie rock that was reminiscent of Silver sun or the Senseless Things, very harmonic and classic power pop that is sadly missing from music these days.
Released in 1994 I am unsure as to how I first heard of Brainpool, perhaps it was Steve Lamacq, but who ever it was they were responsible for me buying the debut album and if memory serves, the singles that the album spawned. In 1994 I was smitten with Brainpool.
Looking back it harmless inoffensive power pop, with elements of pop punk with classic song writing all the way through.
The downside is that it is so polished, it is major label and it shows, it is over produced and at times vears towards very early Roxette, and that is a very bad thing. This is the fault entirely of the production.
Production aside, as I said the songs are pretty excellent in a Silver Sun kind of way, they are resolutely upbeat and with its Wannadies overtones you do tend to find yourself thinking, in the main, happy thoughts. That could be due to the Lalalalala’s, Lalalalala’s tend to do that.
I can’t really add more than that, I was wondering when this CD might turn up and I knew I was going to enjoy it. Tomorrow my commute is all the way to London so it may be a 2 or even 3 CD day, for now though, soda, 7 out of 10.
Our Own Revolution by Brainpool
Sunday, 20 September 2009
One Fierce Beer Coaster
The bonus disc for my commute to the Aston Villa match (2-0 lovely match, very entertaining) was the Bloodhound Gang album, One Fierce Beer Coaster.
This album predates the europop on Hooray for Boobies and tends to stick to out and out rock/rap.
In all honesty this is Bloodhoung Gang at their most intelligent yet their most peurile, they dont care and tell you as much on "Shut up".
This album inexplicably features Vanilla Ice on the track Boom, why I am unsure perhaps its to reiterate it's rock rap credentials, maybe.
What does enforce the rock rap credentials are it's nods to hip hop, in the mix are elements of mantronix, a cover of Run DMC's It's Tricky, elements of The Roof Is On Fire by Rock Master Scott and also the riff to Walk This Way.
Moving away from this you do get the excellent Fire Water Burn, a clever, funny, danceable song that will bring a smile if only for its Pixies nodding verse.
For every nod to the Pixies though their is a nod to Duran Duran and on "Your Only Friends Are Make Believe" intentionally I suspect, Jimmy Pop seems to set the whole song to Hungry Like The Wolf. Unsure if that is ever a good thing.
Criticisms of this album is that its a fine line between funny, peurile and offensive and unfortunately although the songs are pretty damn good it isn't a million miles away from The Macc Lads, which is never a good thing. A lot of homophobia, a lot of rascism, a lot of stuff about disability and some very schoolboy stuff about women. Alarmingly for me though I can forgive and tolerate this as this is what you get and expect from The Bloodhound Gang. 7 out of 10.
Fire Water Burn by The Bloodhound Gang
(lots of swearing so not entirely suitable for work)
This album predates the europop on Hooray for Boobies and tends to stick to out and out rock/rap.
In all honesty this is Bloodhoung Gang at their most intelligent yet their most peurile, they dont care and tell you as much on "Shut up".
Cause' I don't like you cause you're not like me
And I don't give a damn if you don't like me
This album inexplicably features Vanilla Ice on the track Boom, why I am unsure perhaps its to reiterate it's rock rap credentials, maybe.
What does enforce the rock rap credentials are it's nods to hip hop, in the mix are elements of mantronix, a cover of Run DMC's It's Tricky, elements of The Roof Is On Fire by Rock Master Scott and also the riff to Walk This Way.
Moving away from this you do get the excellent Fire Water Burn, a clever, funny, danceable song that will bring a smile if only for its Pixies nodding verse.
Yo yo this hard-core ghetto gangster image takes a lot of practice,
I'm not black like Barry White no I am white like Frank Black is,
So if man is five and the devil is six than that must make me seven,
This honkey's gone to heaven,
But if I go to hell then I hope I burn well.
For every nod to the Pixies though their is a nod to Duran Duran and on "Your Only Friends Are Make Believe" intentionally I suspect, Jimmy Pop seems to set the whole song to Hungry Like The Wolf. Unsure if that is ever a good thing.
Criticisms of this album is that its a fine line between funny, peurile and offensive and unfortunately although the songs are pretty damn good it isn't a million miles away from The Macc Lads, which is never a good thing. A lot of homophobia, a lot of rascism, a lot of stuff about disability and some very schoolboy stuff about women. Alarmingly for me though I can forgive and tolerate this as this is what you get and expect from The Bloodhound Gang. 7 out of 10.
Fire Water Burn by The Bloodhound Gang
(lots of swearing so not entirely suitable for work)
Monday, 24 August 2009
Hooray For Boobies
I make no bones about the fact that I adore Tenacious D, I love them as a band and their debut album is one of my favourites ever, stunning album. People assume that this is all that is too me though, but no, I think its ok to like the D and also consider Neutral Milk Hotel’s In An Aeroplane Over The Sea to be a work of art, I think its ok to like both.
I didn’t listen to Tenacious D on my commute today though, and I didn’t listen to Neutral Milk Hotel. Today’s commute CD between Stafford and Birmingham is the rather splendid, Hooray For Boobies by The Bloodhound Gang.
Released a long time ago and purchased as a result of the popularity of The Bad Touch, I liked the band as they produced dumb ass fun that was a bit lacking in my life back then, the best sort of fun is the dumb ass fun.
Also present on this album is the porn star tribute that is The Ballad of Chasey Laine. I recall MTV2 playing a live version of this song and what struck me at the time was the American, Jimmy Pop instead of singing, now show me them titties, actually sung now show them Joey Deacon. It makes me think how the hell can Jimmy Pop know about Joey Deacon?? He may have a secret 70’s Blue Peter stash?
There is also a distinctive euro beat to this album, not just on bad touch, if you stripped away the guitar, euro disco permeates the album throughout.
The Bloodhound Gang are definitely a band to sample live, arguably one of the best bands I have seen live, thoroughly entertaining, putting on a real show that is quite lacking from traditional rock shows, not Tenacious D, but really I don’t think anyone puts on a show like Tenacious D.
All in all a good to firm album, enjoyable if not world changing. 7 out of 10
The Ballad of Chasey Laine by The Bloodhound Gang
I didn’t listen to Tenacious D on my commute today though, and I didn’t listen to Neutral Milk Hotel. Today’s commute CD between Stafford and Birmingham is the rather splendid, Hooray For Boobies by The Bloodhound Gang.
Released a long time ago and purchased as a result of the popularity of The Bad Touch, I liked the band as they produced dumb ass fun that was a bit lacking in my life back then, the best sort of fun is the dumb ass fun.
Also present on this album is the porn star tribute that is The Ballad of Chasey Laine. I recall MTV2 playing a live version of this song and what struck me at the time was the American, Jimmy Pop instead of singing, now show me them titties, actually sung now show them Joey Deacon. It makes me think how the hell can Jimmy Pop know about Joey Deacon?? He may have a secret 70’s Blue Peter stash?
There is also a distinctive euro beat to this album, not just on bad touch, if you stripped away the guitar, euro disco permeates the album throughout.
The Bloodhound Gang are definitely a band to sample live, arguably one of the best bands I have seen live, thoroughly entertaining, putting on a real show that is quite lacking from traditional rock shows, not Tenacious D, but really I don’t think anyone puts on a show like Tenacious D.
All in all a good to firm album, enjoyable if not world changing. 7 out of 10
The Ballad of Chasey Laine by The Bloodhound Gang
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Vespertine
Vespertine today, Bjorks album and one that I had planned out in my mind, just how intolerable it was going to be. I think Bjork has been the real surprise of the B’s as I found this album strangely pleasing.
I decided that it was going to be a 2 before it went on, I do that for all albums, I judge books by their covers and every CD I mark it before I play it and adjust that mark accordingly, so Vespertine was initially a 2.
It isn’t a two though as it is a really well formed and interesting album, it was the follow up to selmasongs and that alone should have alerted me to the fact that this album would be quite exciting, and it is, it’s a really enjoyable journey in all honesty.
I don’t profess to being a lyrics man, very few songs do I even listen to lyrics, and even fewer songs do I know the lyrics to, but this album seems rather sad in its own way, rather mournful and regretful. That may be just my take on it.
Coccon, track 2, which is a beautiful song, is rather filthy mind, it would make you blush, but where it is rather saucy, it does it in a beautiful way, its not Sid James.
So in summary, I really enjoyed this album, I like the Schneider TM like beats, I love the lyrics, Bjorks singing on this album is inoffensive and the production is fairly great, all in all I must be getting old. 7 out of 10.
Cocoon by Bjork
I decided that it was going to be a 2 before it went on, I do that for all albums, I judge books by their covers and every CD I mark it before I play it and adjust that mark accordingly, so Vespertine was initially a 2.
It isn’t a two though as it is a really well formed and interesting album, it was the follow up to selmasongs and that alone should have alerted me to the fact that this album would be quite exciting, and it is, it’s a really enjoyable journey in all honesty.
I don’t profess to being a lyrics man, very few songs do I even listen to lyrics, and even fewer songs do I know the lyrics to, but this album seems rather sad in its own way, rather mournful and regretful. That may be just my take on it.
Coccon, track 2, which is a beautiful song, is rather filthy mind, it would make you blush, but where it is rather saucy, it does it in a beautiful way, its not Sid James.
So in summary, I really enjoyed this album, I like the Schneider TM like beats, I love the lyrics, Bjorks singing on this album is inoffensive and the production is fairly great, all in all I must be getting old. 7 out of 10.
Cocoon by Bjork
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Don't Try This At Home
I don’t dislike Billy Bragg, I really enjoy his music, its more of a guilt thing and having to subject you the reader to BB overdose, I mean how many albums do I need, and this morning was indeed another, the M6 between junctions 14 and 27 were soundtracked by Billy Bragg and the album, Don’t Try This At Home.
My wife pretty much banned me from listening to Billy Bragg in around 2002, which was OK as it kind of coincided with the when I was going off him, I like to let her believe that she has had a small victory, I also put the toilet seat down when the mood takes me. The thing is though I listen to albums like this and on the whole I realise why I used to like him so much, yeah he is a leftie and lefties tend not to have a sense of humour, oh they believe they have, but they don’t, and I should know, rewind back to 2001 and you will have seen me outside Telford Town Centre trying to get you to buy Socialist Worker, you didn’t buy it by the way, you looked at your feet and hastily made off, I don’t blame you for this, I do it myself now.
None of this of course tells you about this Bragg album or my thoughts regarding it. Well for the uninitiated this album is the home of the singles, Sexuality, Accident Waiting To Happen and You Woke Up My Neighbourhood, the latter featuring Michael Stipe and Peter Buck, who Bragg appeared with earlier in the year under the guise of Bingo Hand Job, a recording of their version of Tom’s Diner appears somewhere else in my record collection, on an REM bootleg and it is without question up there amongst the worst cover versions ever, think Annie Lennox doing Train In Vain or James Blunt doing Where Is My Mind.
I digresse, this album also feature the contribution of Johnny Marr, and if you have read my views on him contributing to other tracks you might know that I do not rate Johnny Marrs production highly at all, him and the ginger one from Queens of the Stone Age are so caught up in their own egos they have to have their stamp any artist they work with, and it is Marrs contribution to this album that taints it.
It is not a bad album however, in the scheme of things Braggs take on Fred Neils’ The Dolphins is as good as any and much better than the version Beth Orton recorded with Terry Callier.
Also on this album we have Braggs ode to his father in Tank Park Salute, a really touching song and amongst the best of his career. We also have Bragg eulogising former Wolves player, Peter Knowles in Gods Footballer, Knowles was a Wolves player that gave it all up for religion.
Outside of these tracks we also have Cindy of a Thousand Eyes and Everywhere, but also Braggs worst, lyrically, song ever in Body Of Water, Christ it stinks.
As a whole though at 15 tracks long its easy to forget the bad, so 7 out of 10.
Tank Park Salute by Billy Bragg
My wife pretty much banned me from listening to Billy Bragg in around 2002, which was OK as it kind of coincided with the when I was going off him, I like to let her believe that she has had a small victory, I also put the toilet seat down when the mood takes me. The thing is though I listen to albums like this and on the whole I realise why I used to like him so much, yeah he is a leftie and lefties tend not to have a sense of humour, oh they believe they have, but they don’t, and I should know, rewind back to 2001 and you will have seen me outside Telford Town Centre trying to get you to buy Socialist Worker, you didn’t buy it by the way, you looked at your feet and hastily made off, I don’t blame you for this, I do it myself now.
None of this of course tells you about this Bragg album or my thoughts regarding it. Well for the uninitiated this album is the home of the singles, Sexuality, Accident Waiting To Happen and You Woke Up My Neighbourhood, the latter featuring Michael Stipe and Peter Buck, who Bragg appeared with earlier in the year under the guise of Bingo Hand Job, a recording of their version of Tom’s Diner appears somewhere else in my record collection, on an REM bootleg and it is without question up there amongst the worst cover versions ever, think Annie Lennox doing Train In Vain or James Blunt doing Where Is My Mind.
I digresse, this album also feature the contribution of Johnny Marr, and if you have read my views on him contributing to other tracks you might know that I do not rate Johnny Marrs production highly at all, him and the ginger one from Queens of the Stone Age are so caught up in their own egos they have to have their stamp any artist they work with, and it is Marrs contribution to this album that taints it.
It is not a bad album however, in the scheme of things Braggs take on Fred Neils’ The Dolphins is as good as any and much better than the version Beth Orton recorded with Terry Callier.
Also on this album we have Braggs ode to his father in Tank Park Salute, a really touching song and amongst the best of his career. We also have Bragg eulogising former Wolves player, Peter Knowles in Gods Footballer, Knowles was a Wolves player that gave it all up for religion.
Outside of these tracks we also have Cindy of a Thousand Eyes and Everywhere, but also Braggs worst, lyrically, song ever in Body Of Water, Christ it stinks.
As a whole though at 15 tracks long its easy to forget the bad, so 7 out of 10.
Tank Park Salute by Billy Bragg
Monday, 3 August 2009
The Beatles
Blimey Charlie, today I listened to The Beatles, or The White album depending on your preference, it is a lengthy expensive album, that in places has moments of greatness and in places has moments of Yoko.
This album is the 30th Anniversary edition, bought by my wife and cost in the region of 30 quid, EMI really did like to squeeze every penny out of Beatles albums and my current wife thoughtfully got it me for my Birthday.
I know from reading too many Beatles book and using my ears that this is a fractured recording, the sound of a band on its uppers, possibly one of the last concerted efforts to get something Beatles on record, some songs didn’t make the cut and appeared on the final Beatles albums proper.
What you get with The Beatles though are 3 musicians trying to make solo records, Lennon in particular is having a stab at his debut solo album and Julia would not have been out of place on Plastic Ono Band, and it is with perhaps one eye on this record that Lennon had whilst putting together his songs.
McCartney is also guilty, his, at times intolerably optimistic songs grate and seem totally at odds with Lennons often spiteful lyrics, on the one hand you have the angry young man and on the other you have the thumbs aloft optimist. Both seem to be in their own world, if not their own studio.
The songs though if you remove the filler, are amongst the best ever recorded by the Beatles, from the sublime Dear Prudence, the rock n rolling Back In The USSR, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, I Will, Julia, Don’t Pass Me By, Cry Baby Cry and Helter Skelter, if this album were two sides long this could be amongst the best ever made, and if you believe Rolling Stone magazine, its in the top ten.
But what about the songs that aren’t akin to Helter Skelter or I Will? What about the songs that have more in common with Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, or worse? Well who knows who had the most influence on this album , but there are too many Savoy truffles, too many Obladi bloody dahs and too many Rocky flaming racoons and if there was one of the above then it would be forgivable but it seems George Martin pissing off during recording meant that the voice of reason left the building too, you say you want a revolution? Well yes we do but can we have the fantastic rock n roll track and not Revolution bloody number 9. Stick your Stockhausen up your hausen.
So how do I mark a great album, that is overly long, meandering, selfish, disjointed, drug fuelled and probably seemed like a great idea at the time. 10 for the great songs, 0 for the bad? 7 for the good the bad and the ugly. 7 out of 10.
I Will by The Beatles
This album is the 30th Anniversary edition, bought by my wife and cost in the region of 30 quid, EMI really did like to squeeze every penny out of Beatles albums and my current wife thoughtfully got it me for my Birthday.
I know from reading too many Beatles book and using my ears that this is a fractured recording, the sound of a band on its uppers, possibly one of the last concerted efforts to get something Beatles on record, some songs didn’t make the cut and appeared on the final Beatles albums proper.
What you get with The Beatles though are 3 musicians trying to make solo records, Lennon in particular is having a stab at his debut solo album and Julia would not have been out of place on Plastic Ono Band, and it is with perhaps one eye on this record that Lennon had whilst putting together his songs.
McCartney is also guilty, his, at times intolerably optimistic songs grate and seem totally at odds with Lennons often spiteful lyrics, on the one hand you have the angry young man and on the other you have the thumbs aloft optimist. Both seem to be in their own world, if not their own studio.
The songs though if you remove the filler, are amongst the best ever recorded by the Beatles, from the sublime Dear Prudence, the rock n rolling Back In The USSR, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, I Will, Julia, Don’t Pass Me By, Cry Baby Cry and Helter Skelter, if this album were two sides long this could be amongst the best ever made, and if you believe Rolling Stone magazine, its in the top ten.
But what about the songs that aren’t akin to Helter Skelter or I Will? What about the songs that have more in common with Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, or worse? Well who knows who had the most influence on this album , but there are too many Savoy truffles, too many Obladi bloody dahs and too many Rocky flaming racoons and if there was one of the above then it would be forgivable but it seems George Martin pissing off during recording meant that the voice of reason left the building too, you say you want a revolution? Well yes we do but can we have the fantastic rock n roll track and not Revolution bloody number 9. Stick your Stockhausen up your hausen.
So how do I mark a great album, that is overly long, meandering, selfish, disjointed, drug fuelled and probably seemed like a great idea at the time. 10 for the great songs, 0 for the bad? 7 for the good the bad and the ugly. 7 out of 10.
I Will by The Beatles
Friday, 26 June 2009
Big Mouth Strikes Again
Not The Smiths, Billy Bragg. Yes, another Billy Bragg album, I haven’t counted how many Billy Bragg albums I have but I think I have a comparable number of Johnny Cash albums, I would suggest reading something else until late 2009.
Todays offering between Stafford and Coleshill is a 1992 bootleg, Big Mouth Strikes Again. Recorded in Europe, that’s all I get but from the references I am assuming somewhere in the UK.
It’s a very good recording as Bootlegs go, from the sound desk I imagine, its got a really long cover of Groove Is In The Heart. 7 out of 10. Can you tell my heart isn’t in this one.
Later that day....
That was all to rather brief, I must say that this album is my favourite bootleg of Billy’s or indeed anyone. The mix of songs is perfect and at the time when I bought it, I think it was from a stall at Glastonbury Festival, it was at a time when Billy wasn’t touring too much.
On the first track, You Woke Up My Neighbourhood it sounds as if the tape is running a little slow, only a fraction and only for a short while but slow none the less.
The backing band is Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians, well, an Egyptian plus various other Bragg compadres. Lorraine Bowen, and possibly Cara Tivey who was Blurs ivory tinkler during their Parklife period. Wiggy also puts in an appearance, all in all it is the best BB bootleg I have, the low score reflects my tiredness at having to revisit so many Bragg albums, when I really don’t want to.
Todays offering between Stafford and Coleshill is a 1992 bootleg, Big Mouth Strikes Again. Recorded in Europe, that’s all I get but from the references I am assuming somewhere in the UK.
It’s a very good recording as Bootlegs go, from the sound desk I imagine, its got a really long cover of Groove Is In The Heart. 7 out of 10. Can you tell my heart isn’t in this one.
Later that day....
That was all to rather brief, I must say that this album is my favourite bootleg of Billy’s or indeed anyone. The mix of songs is perfect and at the time when I bought it, I think it was from a stall at Glastonbury Festival, it was at a time when Billy wasn’t touring too much.
On the first track, You Woke Up My Neighbourhood it sounds as if the tape is running a little slow, only a fraction and only for a short while but slow none the less.
The backing band is Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians, well, an Egyptian plus various other Bragg compadres. Lorraine Bowen, and possibly Cara Tivey who was Blurs ivory tinkler during their Parklife period. Wiggy also puts in an appearance, all in all it is the best BB bootleg I have, the low score reflects my tiredness at having to revisit so many Bragg albums, when I really don’t want to.
Friday, 19 June 2009
No Pop, No Style, Strictly Roots
No Pop, No Style, Strictly Roots. Billy Braggs official Bootleg from 1995 was todays music to drive to. A recording of his 1993 set at The Phoenix Festival. I will start to repeat myself soon regarding Billy, I do have a lot of stuff by him and more than one bootleg, I can only apologise, I can only say so many times that Greetings To The New Brunette is excellent. So I will try to avoid talking about the tracks too much on this bootleg.
This album highlights material from around the time of don’t Try This At Home, that album and the singles B-sides, notably Sulk and Quebec, Ontario and Me. Billy also throws out a near perfect version of weddings, Parties Anythings’s Ship In My Harbour, perhaps a highlight of the album. One song that I hadn’t come across before and unsure if it surfaced anywhere else was MBH, cant recall it being on a b-side or on any other album.
Billy’s banter with the crowd is evident and it was one of the things that made me fall in love with him as a performer, admittedly now in 2009 it seems a little corny at times, particularly when he crow bars “gags” into songs, this was an element that I loved when I was younger.
So as a live bootleg its of a good quality, the songs are pretty good, the only let down is the patter, and so it’s a 7 out of 10 for Billy.
Sexuality by Billy Bragg
This album highlights material from around the time of don’t Try This At Home, that album and the singles B-sides, notably Sulk and Quebec, Ontario and Me. Billy also throws out a near perfect version of weddings, Parties Anythings’s Ship In My Harbour, perhaps a highlight of the album. One song that I hadn’t come across before and unsure if it surfaced anywhere else was MBH, cant recall it being on a b-side or on any other album.
Billy’s banter with the crowd is evident and it was one of the things that made me fall in love with him as a performer, admittedly now in 2009 it seems a little corny at times, particularly when he crow bars “gags” into songs, this was an element that I loved when I was younger.
So as a live bootleg its of a good quality, the songs are pretty good, the only let down is the patter, and so it’s a 7 out of 10 for Billy.
Sexuality by Billy Bragg
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
About A Boy
Badly Drawn Boy today, his original soundtrack to the film About A Boy. The film is based on a Nick Hornby book, when me and Kev worked at a certain music megastore Hornbys High Fidelity book was passed about a lot. Kev owned the copy and there was a waiting list for it. After finishing it, in something like 3 lunch times I bought my own copy and reread it, and my well thumbed edition has been around a few people too. But this isn’t the soundtrack to High Fidelity, this is the soundtrack to About A Boy.
I like Badly Drawn Boy, actually I need to clarify that, I like Badly Drawn Boy on record, I saw Badly Drawn Boy live in 2000 and after the Happy Mondays, the worst gig I have been to. Diabolical.
So the CD, as soundtracks go it isn’t The Harder They Come but it is pretty good, its enjoyable, its not a great but it makes a pleasant car journey and if anything I didn’t particularly want it to end. I guess that’s a good indication of its quality. At times and a thing that he does, it does shift to noodley bollocks and that 70’s sitcom theme tune style that he pops on to albums, but give him a guitar and a piece of paper and he does come up with some beautiful songs, Silent Sigh was the lead single from this if I recall without the aid of Wikipedia, and also Something to talk about and in my opinion those are as good as anything from The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast. 7 out of 10.
Silent sigh by Badly Drawn Boy
I like Badly Drawn Boy, actually I need to clarify that, I like Badly Drawn Boy on record, I saw Badly Drawn Boy live in 2000 and after the Happy Mondays, the worst gig I have been to. Diabolical.
So the CD, as soundtracks go it isn’t The Harder They Come but it is pretty good, its enjoyable, its not a great but it makes a pleasant car journey and if anything I didn’t particularly want it to end. I guess that’s a good indication of its quality. At times and a thing that he does, it does shift to noodley bollocks and that 70’s sitcom theme tune style that he pops on to albums, but give him a guitar and a piece of paper and he does come up with some beautiful songs, Silent Sigh was the lead single from this if I recall without the aid of Wikipedia, and also Something to talk about and in my opinion those are as good as anything from The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast. 7 out of 10.
Silent sigh by Badly Drawn Boy
Thursday, 30 April 2009
1
A difficult CD to be subjective about this morning, namely 1 by The Beatles. A CD containing all of their number 1's. I don't know how I got this CD, as it is rather superfluous to my requirements. Its difficult to give an opinion on something that could realistically divide the readership but I am going to be brief about it.
I like The Beatles, I am a fan, currently though and I think its always been the case my favourite albums are post Sgt Pepper. So that all said 7 out of 10, not because the songs are bad, or I didn't enjoy listening to them, but realistically there has to be some perspective and though I really enjoy Day Tripper, I prefer Here Comes The Sun, and Help is a great song but it doesn't compare to Two Of Us. So a low score but not because its bad.
Get Back by The Beatles
I like The Beatles, I am a fan, currently though and I think its always been the case my favourite albums are post Sgt Pepper. So that all said 7 out of 10, not because the songs are bad, or I didn't enjoy listening to them, but realistically there has to be some perspective and though I really enjoy Day Tripper, I prefer Here Comes The Sun, and Help is a great song but it doesn't compare to Two Of Us. So a low score but not because its bad.
Get Back by The Beatles
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