Log #200 - Keep On Trekking For The People

It took 200 blog posts to reach REM. I think they were the sort of band that suffered a bit from over familiarity, like U2 or Coldplay. They were also, allegedly, quite middle of the road and mainstream, certainly in their mid to latter period. I don't know much about them to be fair but know they hit the mainstream big around the time of this album (their 8th released in 1992), and the predecessor Out Of Time (1991). Prior to that they were more indie in that '80s guitar mumble rock sort of way.

In an aside I once went trekking in Nepal on my "gap year" (1992) as you do, with a Canadian gentlemen called Ray. He had 3 cassettes in his rucksack (and some speakers which he'd hook up each night at a guesthouse on the trail). One was Jimmy Buffett, one was Neil Young's Harvest Moon, and the third was Automatic For The People. We all got very familiar with those three records after a fortnight of repeat plays.

Will REM receive a reassessment at Bamyasi HQ, rather like post OK Computer Radiohead did? It is unlikely. Despite being moved to dig out this album after seeing an impressive Glastonbury rerun (like I did with Radiohead actually) I haven't got any other of their CDs as far as I know (I used to have Monster, and Out Of Time on cassette but they are long gone) and despite the top tunes on Automatic For The People, which most likely represent their peak, I'm not moved to delve further. Good on them for retiring early whilst still relatively near the top.

Matthew E White - Fresh Blood

War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

Cocteau Twins - Treasure

Nick Cave - Abattoir Blues

REM - Automatic For The People
The Comet Is Coming - Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Great Mystery

Abattoir Blues is a very powerful and most excellent Nick Cave album. It may actually be my favourite. I'll give the sister album The Lyre Of Orpheus a spin too next time.

Read More

Log #199 - Discovering Daft Punk

  

Matthew E White - Fresh Blood

War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas

Alva Noto - Unieqav

Daft Punk - Discovery
Fennesz - Venice

I discovered Daft Punk through the animated film Interstellar 5555. The film tells the story of a band who are kidnapped by an evil dictator who wants to rule the world, or something. I'm not sure, but anyway, seeing this (or hearing this) in the cinema (with surround sound at earsplitting volume) was an invigorating experience. At the time I had no idea who did the music to the film, and little idea who Daft Punk were. It transpired that the whole film uses the Discovery album for its soundtrack. 

Not surprisingly neither the album, or the DVD of the film, are quite as mind blowing as that first cinematic experience. The latter, with its bright colours, would certainly benefit from some pharmaceutical enhancement. The album is however still a great piece of work and stands perfectly alone without its associated film.

Read More

Log #180 - Adding The Mix To The Kraftwerk Mix

Kraftwerk - The Mix

Brian Eno - Apollo

Midlake - The Trials Of Van Occupanther

Cluster - Zuckerzeit

JJ Cale - Naturally

Cocteau Twins - Four-Calendar Cafe

The Mix was a double album of Kraftwerk remixes and re-recordings of previous material released in 1991. The band had recently returned to live touring after a 9 year hiatus and The Mix almost served as a sort of live album with the band using updated digital arrangements of their original recordings.

Predictably the album received a mixed reception especially from the established fans (rather like Can's Sacrilege). Personally I think it's a great album which refreshes some of their best old tracks and stands proud in its own right within the Kraftwerk discography. With significant reworkings it's much more than a Greatest Hits album. The track selection is excellent and I love the mathematical perfection, when I'm in the mood:

Tracklist:
1 The Robots
2 Computerlove
3 Pocket Calculator
4 Dentaku
5 Autobahn
6 Radioactivity
7 Trans Europe Express
8 Abzug
9 Metal On Metal
10 Homecomputer
11 Music Non Stop

Worth getting as a primer if starting out on Kraftwerk? Yeah, I reckon, why not.

Read More

Log #179 - What Next? Heaven Or Las Vegas

Another clean sweep of the magazine this week: everybody out, new lot in please (often precipitated by a visit of friends over the weekend).

Next is many fans' favourite Alex Harvey (SAHB) album. I have it at no. 3 in my personal rundown.

Next from 1973 was Harvey's second album with the Sensational Band although he'd made solo albums before teaming up with the former Tear Gas band who became SAHB. Here he reveals more cabaret than on the rockier debut but there’s also rockabilly and plenty of glam.

The Jacques Brel title track is one of Harvey’s most loved covers perhaps made most famous following a literally disturbing appearance on the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test — many people’s first introduction to SAHB:

Yet the band showed they could still rock out with the best of the heavy metal bands of the day with Faith Healer which, with it’s hypnotic pulsing build up, became the band’s live opener, the Led Zeppelin like shuffle of Vambo, and the latter half of album closer The Last of The Teenage Idols.

I don't know if there is a fans' favourite Bonnie Prince Billy album but mine is this one, Lay Down In The Light. Maybe he should be the subject of a forthcoming ranking. I see he has a new album out right now and I will procure it shortly - I'm fan enough to get pretty much anything he does and I very much liked the very low fi solo sample track I heard somewhere. 

I haven't yet caught him live but we're both young enough to have plenty of future opportunities!

SAHB - Next

The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams

Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas

Bear's Den - Islands

Bonnie Prince Billy - Lay Down In The Light

Randy Newman - Sail Away

Randy Newman is a classy performer who I'd also love to see live. Not right up there as a favourite of mine but a reliably great song writer. Another Elton John sort really. I always think of the Toy Story films (for which he wrote many of the songs) when I hear his voice. This 1972 release is a pretty good primer for new Newman fans containing several of his best known songs: Sail Away, Lonely At The Top, Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear and You Can Leave Your Hat On.

Heaven Or Las Vegas is my equal favourite Cocteau Twins album along with Four Calendar Cafe. A brilliant album from a unique band doing something different in the relatively barren '80s musical landscape.

Regular readers will know all about the Erlend Oye project The Whitest Boy Alive, one of the tightest, funkiest pop bands out there. Only two albums, this and Rules, both great.

Last but not least we have the lovely folk harmonies of Bear's Den. I know what you are going to say - "Isn't this like Mumford & Sons?" (after all they co-founded the nu-folk Communion Records label with Marcus Mumford). Well no, it's much better. Islands is a consistently excellent album throughout.

Read More

Log #86 - The Incredible Incredible String Band

Got a real "marmite" record in the player this week. The incredible Incredible String Band record is frankly amazing. It's just very different. It's fairly indescribable. The closest description would be a sort of folk, sometimes termed psychedelic folk:

In their amateurish mish-mash of world music styles, epic poetic traditions and copious psychedelics they stumbled upon a style of music all their own.

DJ Snufkin

However you like to describe it, it polarises listeners - many love it, many hate it. It has enjoyed much reverence from musicians and critics. Paul McCartney, Dylan and John Peel were fans. McCartney selected the album as his favourite of 1968. Led Zeppelin were apparently heavily influenced by it, particularly around the time of producing their III album. It frequently features in "greatest albums of all time" lists. 

Yet many find it unlistenable:

"Plas man" on amazon describes it as "amateurs playing various instruments, and different tunes, all at the same time." Another amazon customer was even less charitable describing it as "by far the worst album I ever bought. What the hell were they thinking or indeed smoking. Utter and complete garbage."

In her amusing review Alt Rock Chick writes: "What I find incredible about this group is that they were ever allowed in the studio in the first place. They have all the talent of third-rate buskers, the kind of street performers whose sound makes you dash to the opposite side of the street as you approach the spot from which their horrible noise emanates." She goes on to damn the music as "the most repulsive music I have ever heard."

To many western ears it sounds out of tune and Alt Rock Chick describes the singing as beyond any notes found on any scale known to humankind! Fantastic stuff. I don't know about you but anything that elicits such extreme views has got to be worth a listen.

The ISB at their infamous Woodstock appearance, songwriters Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, backed by girlfriends

In the style of a good court room drama I'm pleased to take the role of the defending barrister putting the case for the defence of this album. I will present three pieces of evidence which I will show prove beyond reasonable doubt that The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter is in fact an amazing record. In fact I can do this by an examination of the first three tracks only.

Exhibit A

I first present the opening song Koeeoaddi There as Exhibit A. There are enough ideas in this 5 minute piece for a whole career let alone a single album or song. The structure of the song, like a lot of Incredible String Band songs is all over the place but in my opinion it holds together and works. It's actually a masterpiece!

The lyrics present a description of childhood to which many of us can relate, particularly the "shadowy fingers on the curtains at night":

Born in a house where the doors shut tight
Shadowy fingers on the curtains at night
Cherry tree blossom head high snow
A busy main road where I wasn't to go
I used to sit on the garden wall
Say hello to people going by so tall
Hallo to the postman's stubbly skin
Hallo to the baker's stubbly grin

There is also a mention of Mike Heron's enigmatic girlfriend* Licorice in a Dr. Seuss inspired verse:

But me and Licorice saw the last of them one misty twisty day
Across the mournful morning, moor motoring away
Singing ladybird, ladybird what is your wish
Your wish is not granted unless it’s a fish
Your wish is not granted unless it’s a dish
A fish on a dish is that what you wish

There is even a sort of chorus which is the catchiest part of the song:

Earth water fire and air

Met together in a garden fair

Put in a basket bound with skin

If you answer this riddle

If you answer this riddle, you’ll never begin

The girls in the band are an interesting case. They were Christina "Licorice" McKechnie and Rose Simpson. I'm not sure whether they were more important as musicians or girlfriends - certainly it appears they were the latter before the former. Licorice was partnered with Robin Williamson and left the band in 1972 after their romantic relationship ended. Rose was Mike Heron's partner and allegedly was invited to join the band only because Licorice had been invited too. By all accounts there was a fair bit of rivalry between Williamson and Heron personally and professionally. The girls didn't get on either!

[*Hang on a minute - you said Licorice was Mike's girlfriend, but then was with Robin. Which was it? Ed.
Actually it was probably both - you know, the swinging sixties, and just look at that cover! Or was that Rose?..

In the middle of the night she (Rose) left Robin's sleeping bag, crawled in with Mike, and stayed with him for the next three years.

Joe Boyd 

... actually my error, Koeeoaddi There was written by Robin so it was him, apologies. Glad we've cleared that up.]

Mike Heron, Rose Simpson, Licorice and Robin Williamson

Exhibit B

Exhibit B is The Minotaur Song which is an enjoyable call and response marching song. It features Richard Thompson and Judy Dyble from Fairport Convention. Roll up your sleeves and sing-a-long:

Straight from the shoulder
I think like a soldier
I know what's right and what's wrong
He knows what's right and what's wrong!

I'm the original discriminating buffalo man
And I'll do what's wrong as long as I can
He'll do what's wrong as long as he can!

I live in a labyrinth under the sea
Down in the dark as dark as can be
I like the dark as dark as can be
He likes the dark as dark as can be!

Heron and Williamson - never great friends

Exhibit C

Exhibit C is the thirteen minute epic A Very Cellular Song, a kind of circular suite that opens with a wavering organ riff and harpsichord refrain which ebbs and flows, and leaves and returns throughout.

The lyrics are out of this world, literally:

Nebulous nearnesses cry to me
At this timeless moment someone dear to me
Wants me near, makes me high
I can hear vibrations fly

Through mangoes, pomegranates and planes
All the same
When it reaches me and teaches me
To sigh

Who would mouse and who would lion
Or who would be the tamer?
And who would hear directions clear
From the unnameable namer?

Who would skip and who would plot
Or who would lie quite stilly?
And who would ride backwards on a giraffe?
Stopping every so often to laugh

Amoebas are very small
Oh ah ee oo
There's absolutely no strife
Living the timeless life, I don't need a wife
Living the timeless life

If I need a friend I just give a wriggle
Split right down the middle
And when I look there's two of me
Both as handsome as can be

Oh, here we go slithering, here we go
Slithering and squelching on
Oh, here we go slithering, here we go
Slithering and squelching on

Oh ah ee oo
There's absolutely no strife
Living the timeless life

Black hair, brown hair feather and scale
Seed and stamen and all unnamed lives that live
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction

Feel the energy projection of my cells wishes you well

May the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on

I have heard the last verse before as a yoga mantra. I had assumed this was a traditional mantra but apparently the mantra was lifted from this original ISB song.

Apparently the spiritual leader of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, once came into a room where a group of yoga students were singing the ISB song. Yogi asked them to keep it up, and from then on requested them to sing it after his classes. It quickly became a tradition that continues today at the end of every Kundalini Yoga class taught throughout the world.

When the Incredible String Band toured the States in the late 60s May the Long Time Sun was always the closing song at their gigs.

They were invited to play Woodstock but didn't make the edit for the original film. Originally scheduled to play the more acoustic Friday evening as one of the headliners they were bumped to the heavy rock Saturday due to the famous rain and didn't go down so well. An opportunity lost.

The Woodstock setlist:
Invocation
The Letter
Gather Round
This Moment
Come With Me
When You Find Out Who You Are

Oddly no songs from "Hangman".

Closing Remarks

It is time to rest my case, your honour. I hope I have made a case strong enough for listeners to investigate, or reappraise, this most unusual and fascinating album.

After Hangman the band fell within the clutches of Scientology and despite some decent later albums and continuing good sales (much of the proceeds they invested in the Church) they gradually lost their edge:

Soon the new compositions began to lose their wild melodic beauty. In the studio, there were fewer moments of surprise and inspiration.

Joe Boyd 

The band broke up in 1974, both leading members going on to take up solo careers with the occasional short lived reunion. The enigmatic Licorice, like one of her front teeth, sadly went missing in the late 80s, presumed dead.


The full log this week:

~

1. Neil Young - On The Beach

2. Deep Purple - Machine Head

3. Cocteau Twins - Four Calendar Cafe

4. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun

5. Susumu Yokota - Sakura

6. The Incredible String Band -  The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

~

To read more about the Incredible String Band, along with all the other artists Joe Boyd managed and produced in the late 60s - Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Nick Drake, early Pink Floyd etc. I highly recommend his brilliant and very readable White Bicycles memoir.

Since you’re here…

… I have a small favour to ask. More people are reading my blog than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, I haven’t put up a paywall – I want to keep my journalism as open as I can. So you can see why I need to ask for your help. My independent, investigative journalism doesn't takes a lot of time, nor money and not much hard work to be honest. But I do it because it's fun and I learn a lot and I believe my perspective matters – because it might well be your perspective, too.

If everyone who reads my reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as no money at all, you can support 6 Album Sunday – and it only takes a second. Please sign up to my email alerts here. Thank you.

Read More

Log #85 - Is This Neil Young's Greatest Ever Album?

Is On The Beach Neil Young's greatest ever album? The middle of the so called "ditch" trilogy, On the Beach came out in 1974 between 1973's Time Fades Away and 1975's Tonight's The Night.

~

1. Neil Young - On The Beach

2. Deep Purple - Machine Head

3. Cocteau Twins - Four Calendar Cafe

4. Cocteau Twins - Treasure

5. Susuma Yokota - Sakura

6. Ludovico Einaudi -  In a Time Lapse

~

Heart of Gold put me in the middle of the road. Travelling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there.

Neil Young's off quoted statement explains his deliberate "sabotage" of a career that had reached commercial success with his Harvest album - the single Heart of Gold reached No. 1 in the US in April 1972.

As it happens this "sabotage" actually secured a long term reputation for unpredictable brilliance as he followed the (relatively) soft acoustic Harvest with these three albums of raw angry rock that many fans now consider collectively his greatest work.

The catalyst for the change was the death of his backing guitarist Danny Whitten from a heroin overdose in late 1972. Young had fired him from his band Crazy Horse and for many years afterwards blamed himself for Whitten's death.

Recorded live on tour without Whitten Time Fades Away is a raucous scattered selection of previously unreleased songs. Still unavailable on CD the album has unaccountably been dismissed by Young himself but remains a firm favourite of fans.

The tracks that went on to form Tonight's The Night were recorded in sessions following the Time Fades Away tour. By then Young had lost another colleague to heroin, roadie Bruce Berry who became the subject of the album's title track. Not originally intended for release the harrowing Tonight's The Night album eventually came out in 1975. 

With it's mix of rock, ballads and blues On The Beach is like a darker After The Goldrush showcasing Young's instrumental and lyric writing prowess. Rarely has he reached such heights since. 

On The Beach Tracklisting:

1. "Walk On"
2. "See the Sky About to Rain"
3. "Revolution Blues"
4. "For the Turnstiles"
5. "Vampire Blues"
6. "On the Beach"
7. "Motion Pictures"
8. "Ambulance Blues"

The album begins with a straight forward rocker Walk On. Next follows the beautiful See The Sky About To Rain which Young often performed solo on piano in concert. Here he is backed by Graham Nash on electric Wurlitzer keyboard with some echo effect. 

Revolution Blues is the heaviest track on the album. Recalling the horror that was Charles Manson (a subject Young would return to again in the future) Young barks: 

Remember your guard dog?

Well, I'm afraid that he's gone

It was such a drag to hear him whining all night long.

Well, I hear that Laurel Canyon is full of famous stars, 

but I hate them worse than lepers and I'll kill them in their cars.

For The Turnstiles features Young playing banjo in the same unique percussive style with which he plays acoustic guitar.

The band go all down and bluesy with the slow walking Vampire Blues. Young plays one of his most intriguing guitar solos since Southern Man and is backed by humming Hammond organ which recalls some of CSNY's best live work. Young sings cynically:

Good times are coming, I hear it everywhere I go.
Good times are coming, but they sure are coming slow.

The title track is a gorgeous slow blues which precedes the expansive guitar of the Zuma album:

All my pictures are falling
From the wall
Where I placed them yesterday

Motion Pictures is another very laid back acoustic based number with some gentle slide guitar and harmonica backing. The song was an ode to Neil Young's then wife Carrie Snodgress:

Well, all those people,
they think they got it made
But I wouldn't buy, sell, borrow or trade
Anything I have to be like one of them.

The final song is the sprawling 9 minute stream of consciousness acoustic masterpiece Ambulance Blues - up there with Thrasher, Last Trip to Tulsa and The Old Homestead as one of Young's greatest lyrical achievements. The guitar riff is unintentionally influenced by Bert Jansch's Needle of Death song (Young was a great fan of Jansch). 

That guy was so good. And years later, on On the Beach, I wrote the melody of "Ambulance Blues" by styling the guitar part completely on "Needle of Death". I wasn't even aware of it, and someone else drew my attention to it.

Young reminisces about the good old days:

Back in the old folky days
The air was magic when we played.

Digs at the critics:

So all you critics sit alone
You're no better than me
for what you've shown.
With your stomach pump and
your hook and ladder dreams
We could get together
for some scenes.

... and Richard Nixon again:

I never knew a man
could tell so many lies
He had a different story
for every set of eyes.
How can he remember
who he's talkin' to?
'Cause I know it ain't me,
and I hope it isn't you.

And takes a snipe at his CSNY colleagues not for the last time:

You're all just pissin'
in the wind
You don't know it but you are.
And there ain't nothin'
like a friend
Who can tell you
you're just pissin'
in the wind.

In 2008 Young treated fans by resurrecting this song during his epic World Tour:

So is it Young's best album? It's a close run thing. Young was on a very rich run of form at the time and produced a streak of classic albums between 1970 and 1975. You probably need to get them all:

1970 After The Goldrush
1972 Harvest
1973 Time Fades Away
1974 On The Beach
1975 Tonight's The Night
1975 Zuma

... but if I was forced to save one from the waves on my Desert Island I'd probably grab Zuma. Standby for a forthcoming album ranking listing.

~

Ed. What about the Journey Through The Past album?
Journey Through The Past is a rare and oft overlooked soundtrack album that strictly came between Harvest and the Ditch Trilogy. Released at the end of 1972 the double album comes from Young's random film of the same name and features various gig footage and studio outtakes including Buffalo Springfield and CSNY. Only one original track was included - a piano solo entitled Soldier.

Since you’re here… 

… I have a small favour to ask. No more people are reading the blog than ever and advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. But unlike many news organisations, I haven’t put up a paywall – I want to keep my journalism as open as I can. So you can see why I need to ask for your help. My independent, investigative journalism doesn't take much time, nor money, and little work to produce. I do it because its fun and I learn a lot and  believe my perspective matters – because it might well be your perspective, too. If everyone who reads my reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, we could have more great music in our futures. For no money at all you can support 6 Album Sunday and it only takes a second. Please sign up for email alerts here>>. 

Read More

Log #84 - Heaven or 'El(p)

Pure Class

Continuing an eclectic mix of music this week we have dance, blues, world, and prog. Record of the week comes in the shapely form of the Cocteau Twins. Many fans standby their early indie music as their best although I prefer the latter period albums, this one Heaven or Las Vegas, or Four Calendar Cafe.

They were very much of their time and were mainstays of the excellent 4AD label which I imagine is no more? (Actually, completely wrong there, 4AD is still going strong). Like a lot of the artists on the label the albums were beautifully presented with arty covers like the one featured here. In fact the dreamy blurry images used for the Cocteau Twins releases suited their dreamy and blurry music too. The whole act was pure class really. A band I'll continue to return to many times over the years.

So if you haven't heard them how would I describe the sound? It's unusual, unique and recognisable. The vocals are ghostly and the guitar is treated through a flanger or chorus. It's a lush poppy 80s sound. Closest contemporaries would be Stereolab or My Bloody Valentine. 

Probably the highest praise I can bestow upon the Cocteau Twins is they were one of those bands that stopped me in my tracks when I first heard them with a "What is that?"; I was a passenger in a friend's car and they put one of their albums on (I think it was Four Calendar Cafe) and it was one of those moments when you hear something new for the first time (I've had a similar experience with very few bands - Can were one, Stereolab another, and David Sylvian specifically with Secrets of the Beehive strangely too). 

Why not take a listen now? 

Random Rock Trivia Fact: Cocteau Twins lead singer Elizabeth Fraser had a romantic liaison with Jeff Buckley.

A small but perfectly formed discography:

Garlands (1982)

Head over Heels (1983)

Treasure (1984)

Victorialand (1986)

The Moon and the Melodies (1986)

Blue Bell Knoll (1988)

Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)

Four-Calendar Café (1993)

Milk & Kisses (1996)

God ELP us

Emerson Lake and Palmer are a hard listen. Even for fans of prog, as I am, they seemed to employ the least likeable elements of the form - pretentiousness, irrelevant classical references, and disconnected frantic solos. Three members who did really seem to be three separate musicians seeking to show off their musicianship and out do each other. Also no guitar - what's that about? 

The best tracks on this album (their debut - no chance they'd have got a record deal today) are the song based "singles" Take a Pebble and Lucky Man but even they sound terribly dated. The latter is a nice Greg Lake song but what is that closing organ "solo" all about? Even Keith Emerson wasn't a fan of this hastily recorded and subsequently iconic solo -

I didn’t think much of the solo. Honestly, it’s a lot of shit. 

Well, I've ignited your interest now haven't I? Here it is...

~

1. The Rhythm Kings - Struttin' Our Stuff

2. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

3. Carlos Barbosa-Lima - Chants for the Chief

4. Groove Armada - Vertigo

5. Emerson Lake and Palmer - ELP

6. Genesis -  Wind and Wuthering

~

Read More

Log #14 - David Bowie's Black Star a Year On

2016 began with the death of David Bowie in January and then continued with Prince and Leonard Cohen. The end of the year brought more musician deaths with the premature passing of George Michael and Rick Parfitt. These were the most famous names but of course there were other less mainstream losses in the music world which registered less comment, for example both Greg Lake and Keith Emerson from the fabled Emerson, Lake and Palmer prog rock pioneers.

Deaths are of course sad particularly so when premature - George Michael was only 53, Prince 57, and both David Bowie and Rick Parfitt were in their sixties. This sadness should really be irrespective of the fame of the person, our personal tastes in music, or our opinion of their importance or legacy, which is why it was a bit clumsy of radio personality Andy Kershaw to pour scorn upon George Michael mourners for elevating him to "greatness" when he was, in his opinion, nothing more than a lightweight and fleeting pop star...

Please spare me the predictable onion-from-pocket outpourings, claiming he was 'one of the greats'. No, he was not. (Really? Up there with Louis Armstrong, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Hank Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, Van Morrison? I could go on…)

On one hand he probably had a point urging us to keep a sense of perspective (the Princess Diana phenomenon of massive public grief for someone very famous who we felt like we knew?) but whereas our perspective is often directed by the media (George Michael died the same Christmas Day a Russian plane went down with 92 on board - terrorist deaths in Paris are given infinitely more coverage than far greater numbers dying daily in the Middle East) I think Kershaw is missing the point here. I haven't actually got any George Michael albums in my collection and personally agree that the music of Van Morrison or Jimi Hendrix is "greater". But personally is the key word here that just defines my taste. Without being a fan I can still appreciate the sense of public shock and the connection many people of my generation had with those Wham! songs which were ubiquitous growing up in the 80s. George Michael, like Prince and Bowie, sold a lot more records, and was a lot more famous, than Van Morrison for whatever reasons, and when Van passes on one day I don't expect to see much news about it as he is more a niche artist outside the mainstream who has never had massive public or commercial appeal.

David Bowie was one of those unique artists who enjoyed both commercial appeal and critical acclaim across most of a career that included many twists and turns, retirements and rebirths. Much has been written about his death and the release of the Black Star album. The two famously coincided within a couple of days of each other and were accompanied by some extremely disturbing and challenging videos. The events seemed part of an orchestrated master plan - and we shouldn't be surprised as he has done this sort of thing before in a way with the staged "artistic" deaths of his various 70s personas including "Ziggy Stardust" and "Aladdin Sane". Rarely has an artist been so in control of his marketing and image, right up to and including the end. A true shape shifting chameleon - sometimes adapting to the surroundings, but more often than not actually making them!

David Bowie through the ages - the ultimate pop chameleon

Nearly a year on from its release I was interested to hear the Black Star music with some (that word again) perspective. This is quite hard to do with some objectivity but the album is certainly interesting and unusual with strident rhythms, driving bass and modern jazz horns, combining in a wall of sound. It feels like one of those atmosphere albums without particularly memorable melodies or catchy singles - a far cry from his classic pop of the early 70s albeit with some resemblance to his later work with the likes of Fripp and Eno and Tin Machine. This is certainly the feeling with the "first side" of the album which includes the title track and Lazarus, the two tracks released with those videos, and with the much analysed lyrics (incidentally the CD album comes in a beautifully packaged cardboard housing but the black on black lyric insert is quite hard to read!).

Look up here, I’m in heaven
I’ve got scars that can’t be seen
I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen
Everybody knows me now. 

The whole album only clocks in at around an old school 35 minutes (which is great by the way) with seven tracks - the last couple being quite easy listening relatively including Dollar Days with lovely sax solo - and Bowie is in strong voice throughout. Whether this album will stand the test of time like my favourite all time Bowie album Hunky Dory remains to be seen but I am confident it will be one I'll return to.

You know,
I'll be free,
Just like that bluebird,
Now ain't that just like me. 

Bluebirds are thought to represent angels from heaven spreading joy and peace

Incidentally I also viewed an intriguing film recently - Velvet Goldmine starring Ewan MacGregor, Christian Bale and Jonathan Rhys Meyer. The film starts with Rhys Meyer's character, a glam pop star named Brian Slade, faking his own death on stage, disappearing into obscurity before making a comeback a decade later. I was at least half way through before I realised this was the David Bowie story, with supporting cast including Lou Reed and Iggy Pop.

Although what you are about to see is a work of fiction, it should nevertheless be played at maximum volume.

The above caption appears in the opening credits of the film, perhaps a witty slight of Bowie himself who reportedly refused to sanction the movie.

Brian Slade fakes his own death in Velvet Goldmine

A couple of new albums procured this Christmas - the other Whitest Boy Alive album Rules and JJ Cale's Naturally. Both sound as expected - no surprises. I also span Jurassic 5's LP album which has the amazingly catchy Schoolyard Concrete track. I guess this may be their most famous tune, if not it should be!

1. The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules
2. David Bowie - Black Star
3. Jurassic 5 - LP
4. JJ Cale - Naturally
5. Thievery Corporation - DJ Kicks
6. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

Read More

Log #13 - A Calexico Retrospective and a Nod to a Brilliant Music Discovery App

Tucson Roots and Americana band Calexico come out of the blue to dominate this week's listening (and a plug for the brilliant gnod music discovery website). An unplanned £1 charity shop purchase of the cover album (Garden Ruin) encouraged a retrospective taking in the celebrated Black Light, Feast of Wire, and Hot Rail albums. Garden Ruin is more mainstream than these earlier albums, sounding more like indie pop than their usual acoustic strumming and brass backed mariachi. At that price it represents a bargain addition to the collection with pleasant songs favourably commented upon by other house members, except for the heavy final track All Systems Red. Lucky Dime remains my personal favourite but I haven't nailed the famous song it reminds me of. 

My other choice for the playlist is the atmospheric Mexican flavoured instrumental Minas De Cobre (mines of copper) from Black Light. May I also recommend the recent live performance from the consistently excellent KEXP sessions series - some stripped down songs with insights from the very likeable band leader Joey Burns - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wznHyVvSvMM

I was thinking some more about the Arbouretum album - specifically thinking of other bands they sound like. Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Neil Young come to mind. But that doesn't quite do justice to the dirge and grunge of their wall of sound. Their guitars are even more distorted and the songs are very slow. I looked them up on the fascinating music map website (a way to discover new bands that are supposedly similar to others you like - and films and authors too via gnod.com). The selected band appears at the centre of the screen and other suggestions jostle for position around the centre (the closest being those most similar). It's a great website to play with. Below are the results for Arbouretum and surprisingly to me not many of the bands I was thinking of appear in this "music map", but many new ones to try out (which is the point of the website after all!).

Four Calendar Cafe by The Cocteau Twins is a very polished affair in comparison with last week's Treasure. Along with Heaven or Las Vegas this is one of my favourite albums by the Cocteaus, with catchy multi layered flanged guitar riffs (most evident in Summerhead) and trademark ethereal vocals that send a shiver down my spine. Think of a My Bloody Valentine wall of sound rather than Arbouretum. Hang on, I'm going to try the gnod trick on them too - it should have plenty of white space as there isn't much that sounds like these sonic pioneers.

So here are my six, for this Christmas day, Sunday, 25th December, 2016. Happy holidays and best wishes for a successful 2017.

1. Arbouretum - The Gathering
2. Calexico - Garden Ruin
3. Calexico - Black Light
4. Calexico - Hot Rail
5. Calexico - Feast of Wire
6. Cocteau Twins - Four Calendar Cafe

Read More

Log #12 - New Treasure Uncovered

Several times in my music listening life I've heard something for the first time which sounded like nothing else I had ever heard before. This happened with Can, Neil Young, David Sylvian, Stereolab, and Boards of Canada. I also remember getting a lift back from the North of England in a friend's car one evening and once again hearing something that sounded so different and original to my ears. The band was The Cocteau Twins and the albums we listened to on that long journey were Heaven or Las Vegas and Four Calendar Cafe. Those two fantastic albums are actually more produced and polished, and perhaps more accomplished actually than the earlier Treasure featured here which has more indie rock sensibilities typical of the era (1984). Not that there is anything very much typical about the Cocteau sound with Robin Guthrie's multi layered guitar effects and Elizabeth Frazer's ghostly vocals.

The Cocteau Twins are still the best by far at the 4AD ethereal dreamscape, thanks largely to the extraordinary voice of Liz Fraser. Somehow she's found a voice that falls completely outside 'Rock' or 'Pop'.

It's what we all looked like in the 80s

1. Arbouretum - The Gathering
2. Calexico - Garden Ruin
3. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure
4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Ramsay Midwood - Shootout at the Ok Chinese Restaurant
6. Cocteau Twins - Treasure

Calexico hail from Tucson, Arizona, and their music has a sense of place with their authentic Americana and Mariachi sound. I first heard them through a tremendous instrumental featured on a free CD I picked up with an Uncut magazine. The CD entitled Sounds of the New West was responsible for introducing me to many great Americana (or Alt-Country as it was termed in 1998) artists including The Handsome Family, Will Oldham, Vic Chesnutt and Lambchop.

Probably the greatest free CD ever given away with a magazine

Garden Ruin is actually a bit more mainstream than their earlier acclaimed albums Black Light, Feast of Wire, and Hot Rail and has been criticised by some die hard fans as such, but I still like it. I've chosen Lucky Dime for the playlist which has a lovely feel good vibe which really reminds me of a classic old tune but I can't decide if this is Santana's Black Magic Woman or Evil Ways or something by the Kinks, or is it the Beatles? I hope it comes to me and if it does I'll report back here later! This track isn't really typical Calexico and I wouldn't have recognised it as them without knowing, but as such indicates the tone of this album.

With such an "art" band as Roxy Music it is very easy to overlook the music and focus on their image as I did in Log #11. However after several more plays of For Your Pleasure, which is the only one of their albums I have, I'm realising they were actually good musicians and produced some excellent and original rock music which stands up well against many of their more revered contemporaries.

Really can't say I thought much of the Bon Iver album - the first I've heard from him. Very earnest navel gazing with an annoyingly high pitched voice. Maybe it's a grower if life isn't too short. His latest is one of the Best Albums of 2016 in our local Resident Records review apparently.

The Ramsay Midwood album was a favourite of tiny local pub, The Greys, which used to play it a lot a few year's back when it was regularly hosting many Americana and Roots bands. Without being too familiar with the individual tracks as yet, they all sound indistinguishable from each other but they also say that about Neil Young so it's not necessarily a bad thing at all.

Neil Young only has one solo, but it sure is a good one.

And we'll leave it there with Arbouretum who are a reincarnation of Crazy Horse if I've ever heard one!

Read More