I have reviews to write and new music to listen to. I know I do.
But, right now, listening to Tindersticks 'Live In Glasgow', just reminds me of how wonderful their live show was last year and hopefully will be again in July at the Serpentine Sessions.
Can't stop listening. Someone else make music this good then..
Saturday 30 May 2009
Thursday 28 May 2009
Grizzly Bear 'Veckatimest'
Once bitten, twice shy. Around a year ago, I listened to the Fleet Foxes LP a few times, wasn't all that impressed and blogged about how it was a pleasant enough folky My Morning Jacket style effort but that it was majorly over-hyped. It didn't take me long to realise how wrong I was and I did admit my error several times on these pages, but I felt very silly nonetheless.
In terms of hype and potential mainstream-crossover-potential, 'Veckatimest' from Brooklyn four-piece Grizzly Bear, could be this year's 'Fleet Foxes', or so they say. Firstly, I should say it doesn't really sound much like Fleet Foxes, and certainly nothing at all like Bon Iver, which was a claim I saw presented in a local 'record shop' the other day. There is a vague similarity with the former, in that both bands mix a folky sound with Beach Boys style pop harmonies but I'd be surprised if this crosses over as much as 'Fleet Foxes' did, simply because there are no big catchy ballads in the style of 'He Doesn't Know Why' or 'Your Protector'. Its a more 'difficult' record in many ways.
"Our haven on the Southern point is calling us" is the first line of the anthemic drum-heavy opener, followed by the piano-led, catchy as hell 'Two Weeks'. These two tracks are as upbeat and immediate as things get. From here, the record shifts into an intricate soundscape that is at times beautiful to listen to, but at other times hard to engage with.
Melodies drift in and out, along with harmonies and loops. 'Dory', for example, has an ambient feel reminiscent of Animal Collective but is underpinned by a harsh electric guitar riff. 'Cheerleader' starts off with a bouncy bassline but twists into a rich and soulful groove with harmonies and a choir.
Every style under the sun is here somewhere and this is undoubtably a meticulously envisaged and executed piece of work. It is never less than a pleasure to listen to, but I wonder how many times in the future I am going to feel a desire to listen to a record that is such hard work, reveals so little of itself and is at times just as distant and isolated as the tiny island where it was recorded.
The pop flourishes at the start of the album will make you try hard to warm to it, but this is a challenging record that will require a lot of your time. For some that may be a good thing, but it left me feeling just a little disappointed.
6.7
In terms of hype and potential mainstream-crossover-potential, 'Veckatimest' from Brooklyn four-piece Grizzly Bear, could be this year's 'Fleet Foxes', or so they say. Firstly, I should say it doesn't really sound much like Fleet Foxes, and certainly nothing at all like Bon Iver, which was a claim I saw presented in a local 'record shop' the other day. There is a vague similarity with the former, in that both bands mix a folky sound with Beach Boys style pop harmonies but I'd be surprised if this crosses over as much as 'Fleet Foxes' did, simply because there are no big catchy ballads in the style of 'He Doesn't Know Why' or 'Your Protector'. Its a more 'difficult' record in many ways.
"Our haven on the Southern point is calling us" is the first line of the anthemic drum-heavy opener, followed by the piano-led, catchy as hell 'Two Weeks'. These two tracks are as upbeat and immediate as things get. From here, the record shifts into an intricate soundscape that is at times beautiful to listen to, but at other times hard to engage with.
Melodies drift in and out, along with harmonies and loops. 'Dory', for example, has an ambient feel reminiscent of Animal Collective but is underpinned by a harsh electric guitar riff. 'Cheerleader' starts off with a bouncy bassline but twists into a rich and soulful groove with harmonies and a choir.
Every style under the sun is here somewhere and this is undoubtably a meticulously envisaged and executed piece of work. It is never less than a pleasure to listen to, but I wonder how many times in the future I am going to feel a desire to listen to a record that is such hard work, reveals so little of itself and is at times just as distant and isolated as the tiny island where it was recorded.
The pop flourishes at the start of the album will make you try hard to warm to it, but this is a challenging record that will require a lot of your time. For some that may be a good thing, but it left me feeling just a little disappointed.
6.7
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Fanfarlo 'Resevoir' special edition
T&G has had an extremely busy week at work thus far. Yes, I do have to go to work to earn the money to buy the records that I write about here. Just not fair.
My listening so far this week has been dominated by the new Grizzly Bear LP (review soon) and the Fanfarlo album that is probably UK record of the year so far. The latter is now out on a supremely limited (500) edition, hand-packaged by the band, only available from Rough Trade shops and website. Suggest you get this now.
More on both records soon...
My listening so far this week has been dominated by the new Grizzly Bear LP (review soon) and the Fanfarlo album that is probably UK record of the year so far. The latter is now out on a supremely limited (500) edition, hand-packaged by the band, only available from Rough Trade shops and website. Suggest you get this now.
More on both records soon...
Sunday 24 May 2009
Bob Dylan 'Together Through Life'
..probably the only UK Number 1 album that I will review this year, or most likely even listen to.
I had a major Bob Dylan phase a few years ago. I think this happens to everyone at some point in their lives. For a while I only wanted to listen to Dylan and going through his career's work discovering all the gems and the duds was a real joy. I even had a fondness for some of his later work, its easy to love the 60s stuff but tucked away in his late 70s/ early 80s output were a couple of diamonds, including the utterly gorgeous 'Every Grain Of Sand'.
This phase lasted until I saw Dylan play live. This was monumentally disappointing for me, even though I knew pretty much what to expect. From what I could make out, his band jammed for an hour and a half, occasionally I realised which song Dylan was singing. There are apparently special nights when Dylan might play guitar, play a song like 'Every Grain of Sand' or 'Gotta Serve Somebody' or just generally seem more interested than usual. The show I saw wasn't one of them. I saw Kris Kristofferson play live a few years back, I'm not a fan of his but it was a captivating night where he told stories, charmed the audience and played stripped down renditions of his songs. Hard to know why Dylan can't/won't do something like that.
Since 'Time Out Of Mind', Dylan's records seemed to have declined in quality with each release, but even 2006's 'Modern Times' had the regal 'Nettie Moore' and the triumphant 'Workingman's Blues', so I had some hope for this record.
Unfortunately it is one of Dylan's poorest efforts. A lazy, tired sounding record that few would give the time of day if it was not a Bob Dylan album. His band play a mid-tempo blues throughout the album and Dylan sings with a voice that is now little more than a rasp and a gurgle over the top. Its fine, Dylan is clearly enjoying singing old-style blues numbers each night but there is nothing of a superior quality here and nothing that would make you feel anything in particular.
Contrary to what has been written in some music magazines, it isn't a lot of fun either and it certainly isn't "a blast". Uncut wrote the following about the song 'If You Ever Go To Houston'...."the band kick up dust like people who turn up at a party and before you know it are blowing doors off the hinges, juggling cats and running around with their hair on fire". Funny that, because all I hear is a mid-tempo, ultra repetitive blues with some vaguely humourous lyrics sung by a guy having some fun.
Thats all. No more, no less. Nothing to get excited about here.
5.6
['Together Through Life' is out now on Columbia. As if you didn't know.]
I had a major Bob Dylan phase a few years ago. I think this happens to everyone at some point in their lives. For a while I only wanted to listen to Dylan and going through his career's work discovering all the gems and the duds was a real joy. I even had a fondness for some of his later work, its easy to love the 60s stuff but tucked away in his late 70s/ early 80s output were a couple of diamonds, including the utterly gorgeous 'Every Grain Of Sand'.
This phase lasted until I saw Dylan play live. This was monumentally disappointing for me, even though I knew pretty much what to expect. From what I could make out, his band jammed for an hour and a half, occasionally I realised which song Dylan was singing. There are apparently special nights when Dylan might play guitar, play a song like 'Every Grain of Sand' or 'Gotta Serve Somebody' or just generally seem more interested than usual. The show I saw wasn't one of them. I saw Kris Kristofferson play live a few years back, I'm not a fan of his but it was a captivating night where he told stories, charmed the audience and played stripped down renditions of his songs. Hard to know why Dylan can't/won't do something like that.
Since 'Time Out Of Mind', Dylan's records seemed to have declined in quality with each release, but even 2006's 'Modern Times' had the regal 'Nettie Moore' and the triumphant 'Workingman's Blues', so I had some hope for this record.
Unfortunately it is one of Dylan's poorest efforts. A lazy, tired sounding record that few would give the time of day if it was not a Bob Dylan album. His band play a mid-tempo blues throughout the album and Dylan sings with a voice that is now little more than a rasp and a gurgle over the top. Its fine, Dylan is clearly enjoying singing old-style blues numbers each night but there is nothing of a superior quality here and nothing that would make you feel anything in particular.
Contrary to what has been written in some music magazines, it isn't a lot of fun either and it certainly isn't "a blast". Uncut wrote the following about the song 'If You Ever Go To Houston'...."the band kick up dust like people who turn up at a party and before you know it are blowing doors off the hinges, juggling cats and running around with their hair on fire". Funny that, because all I hear is a mid-tempo, ultra repetitive blues with some vaguely humourous lyrics sung by a guy having some fun.
Thats all. No more, no less. Nothing to get excited about here.
5.6
['Together Through Life' is out now on Columbia. As if you didn't know.]
Friday 22 May 2009
Goodbye Plan B
2003 suddenly seems like a long, long time ago.
I took a week off in Feb 2003, to basically follow Low around the country for a week, partly with my friend Jason. We saw them play four times and had a great time touring record shops in the cities we visited. Almost all of those record shops are now closed. I also remember discovering a couple of new magazines back then...
'Comes With A Smile' was a terrific fanzine, which seemed to focus mainly on bands I really liked...or bands that I would learn to love after reading about them in CWAS. I became a subscriber and was so upset when CWAS folded back in 2006.
'Foggy Notions' was a decent indie mag from Ireland. No new issues have appeared since 2008 although it is to relaunch as an online mag soon.
'Careless Talk Costs Lives', edited by Everett True, became 'Plan B' which was the last bastion of quality alternative music mags. It was sometimes a little too alternative for my own tastes (I often hadn't heard of a lot of the artists featured) but I discovered several new bands through it and always bought it. It was a magazine that reviewed albums honestly and passionately, which is more than can be said about certain other more mainstream magazines that I have heard various horror stories about.
June's Plan B will be the last. Its another sad day.
Keep buying records people, before this gets even worse.
I took a week off in Feb 2003, to basically follow Low around the country for a week, partly with my friend Jason. We saw them play four times and had a great time touring record shops in the cities we visited. Almost all of those record shops are now closed. I also remember discovering a couple of new magazines back then...
'Comes With A Smile' was a terrific fanzine, which seemed to focus mainly on bands I really liked...or bands that I would learn to love after reading about them in CWAS. I became a subscriber and was so upset when CWAS folded back in 2006.
'Foggy Notions' was a decent indie mag from Ireland. No new issues have appeared since 2008 although it is to relaunch as an online mag soon.
'Careless Talk Costs Lives', edited by Everett True, became 'Plan B' which was the last bastion of quality alternative music mags. It was sometimes a little too alternative for my own tastes (I often hadn't heard of a lot of the artists featured) but I discovered several new bands through it and always bought it. It was a magazine that reviewed albums honestly and passionately, which is more than can be said about certain other more mainstream magazines that I have heard various horror stories about.
June's Plan B will be the last. Its another sad day.
Keep buying records people, before this gets even worse.
Thursday 21 May 2009
Mark Kozelek 'Lost Verses, Live'
Mark Kozelek continues his quest to become known as the most prolific recording artist around at the moment. Since April last year, he has released, by my count, a studio album, a covers album, FOUR live albums including this one and a book with a live EP. A lot of this stuff has been non-essential and just when you get to the point where you think "why am I still buying all these live LPs', 'Lost Verses' makes everything fall into place.
Recorded live at various venues in the U.S and Europe over the last year, 'Lost Verses' feature Kozelek playing his songs on guitar with only second guitarist Phil Carney accompanying him. The cd packaging bills this as a "greatest hits" set, but it is nothing of the sort, there is only one Red House Painters song and eight of the tracks are from last year's 'April' album. Kozelek 'solo' gigs can be hit and miss affairs and it often depends on the venue. I saw him play the Bar Academy in Islington a few years ago and poor sound combined with an audience who were more interested in ordering drinks than listening to the music combined to make it a poor show, but in more refined surroundings, these shows can be pure gold. This is why Kozelek's show at The Union Chapel in July should be excellent and why these recordings, with some from The First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia and The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, sound so good.
The songs are clearly recorded and sound so melancholy and stark. Rather than concentrating on individual songs, the record works as one whole piece especially with Kozelek's good humoured (and this isn't always the case when you see him live!) banter between songs. The songs from 'April' work so well like this, 'Heron Blue' is full of tension and 'Harper Road' is warm and homely, sung beautifully by Kozelek. Perhaps best of all is a brief, haunting version of 'Salvadore Sanchez', Kozelek's song about a deceased boxer.
I'm not sure why this album works better than the other live albums he has put out recently, maybe it indicates what a superb record 'April' is, but you'll find yourself playing this again and again and enjoying the flow of the music. It may even be the best introduction to Kozelek's music that there is.
This is music to lose yourself in.
9.0
['Lost Verses' is out now on cd from Caldo Verde, it will be released in June on vinyl with a free EP of bonus tracks. Kozelek plays The Union Chapel in July.]
Recorded live at various venues in the U.S and Europe over the last year, 'Lost Verses' feature Kozelek playing his songs on guitar with only second guitarist Phil Carney accompanying him. The cd packaging bills this as a "greatest hits" set, but it is nothing of the sort, there is only one Red House Painters song and eight of the tracks are from last year's 'April' album. Kozelek 'solo' gigs can be hit and miss affairs and it often depends on the venue. I saw him play the Bar Academy in Islington a few years ago and poor sound combined with an audience who were more interested in ordering drinks than listening to the music combined to make it a poor show, but in more refined surroundings, these shows can be pure gold. This is why Kozelek's show at The Union Chapel in July should be excellent and why these recordings, with some from The First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia and The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, sound so good.
The songs are clearly recorded and sound so melancholy and stark. Rather than concentrating on individual songs, the record works as one whole piece especially with Kozelek's good humoured (and this isn't always the case when you see him live!) banter between songs. The songs from 'April' work so well like this, 'Heron Blue' is full of tension and 'Harper Road' is warm and homely, sung beautifully by Kozelek. Perhaps best of all is a brief, haunting version of 'Salvadore Sanchez', Kozelek's song about a deceased boxer.
I'm not sure why this album works better than the other live albums he has put out recently, maybe it indicates what a superb record 'April' is, but you'll find yourself playing this again and again and enjoying the flow of the music. It may even be the best introduction to Kozelek's music that there is.
This is music to lose yourself in.
9.0
['Lost Verses' is out now on cd from Caldo Verde, it will be released in June on vinyl with a free EP of bonus tracks. Kozelek plays The Union Chapel in July.]
Tuesday 19 May 2009
Jason Lytle 'Yours Truly The Commuter'
Jason Lytle, one-time Grandaddy frontman, returns with a new album which sounds so much like a Grandaddy record that you have to wonder why he needed to go solo.
Obviously the dreamy, floating vocals are still there but so is the mix of electronics and acoustics, sad vocals over jaunty melodies and the feeling, present on the last two Grandaddy albums, that an opportunity has been missed ever so slightly.
Lytle starts off with his most strident song, the title track, with its "I may be limping/ but I'm coming home" refrain and some crunchy guitar. The album is frontloaded with the livelier radio-friendly tunes, including 'It's The Weekend', which sounds like something by the Wannadies used by Sky Sports in the mid 90s.
The better stuff is the more experimental, 'This Song is the Mute Button' is minimal and stark and 'Brand New Sun' is the electro-folk cousin of Grandaddy's 'Now Its On'.
This is a really nice sounding record. Lyrically, Lytle offers a critique of the stresses and strains of the modern world, a good subject from someone who has recently escaped it all to live in the Countryside. He sounds at peace here and has made a breezy, enjoyable record that doesn't challenge but will please his fans.
7.2
['Yours Truly The Commuter' is out now on cd/LP from Anti]
Obviously the dreamy, floating vocals are still there but so is the mix of electronics and acoustics, sad vocals over jaunty melodies and the feeling, present on the last two Grandaddy albums, that an opportunity has been missed ever so slightly.
Lytle starts off with his most strident song, the title track, with its "I may be limping/ but I'm coming home" refrain and some crunchy guitar. The album is frontloaded with the livelier radio-friendly tunes, including 'It's The Weekend', which sounds like something by the Wannadies used by Sky Sports in the mid 90s.
The better stuff is the more experimental, 'This Song is the Mute Button' is minimal and stark and 'Brand New Sun' is the electro-folk cousin of Grandaddy's 'Now Its On'.
This is a really nice sounding record. Lyrically, Lytle offers a critique of the stresses and strains of the modern world, a good subject from someone who has recently escaped it all to live in the Countryside. He sounds at peace here and has made a breezy, enjoyable record that doesn't challenge but will please his fans.
7.2
['Yours Truly The Commuter' is out now on cd/LP from Anti]
Saturday 16 May 2009
God Help The Girl 'God Help The Girl'
So I obtained a promo of God Help The Girl, the new project from Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch. It is a story set to music, with a film to follow, sung by Stuart and several guest vocalists. Murdoch has been working on this for some time, as evidenced by the fact that two of the songs here originally appeared on Belle & Sebastian's excellent 'The Life Pursuit' sung by Murdoch, although they were penned with this project and another singer in mind.
The trouble with concept pieces like this is that it can be difficult to devote attention equally to enjoying the music and following the story. This was a slight problem on the Decemberists' superb 'The Hazards of Love' and is more of an issue here, largely because the three female vocalists have relatively similar voices. The story centres around the main character, Eve, who is voiced by Catherine Ireton, sings "there is no way I'm looking for a boyfriend" and then proceeds to fall in and out of love as the record progresses.
Musically, the sound is lush. Lots of piano and lots and lots of strings, it was recorded with a 45 piece orchestra. All sounds fantasic, yet somehow I found it deeply....annoying and at times it reminded me of an episode of 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'. Much of it is fine, 'Pretty Eve In The Tub', sung by Murdoch over a plink-plonk piano is funny, sinister and then beautiful, 'Come Monday Night' is a torch song for those who feel overworked, underpaid and overstressed and is sung with much warmth by Ireton and 'I'll Have To Dance With Cassie' (which should really be the finale) is a joyous 'let's do the show right here' stomp.
But, what could be a great EP is fleshed out into an inconsistent and repetitive LP. There is a truly dismal karaoke re-working of B&S's 'Funny Little Frog, inconsequential instrumentals and fluff like 'I Just Want His Jeans'. One of the record's strongest aspects, the blend of Murdoch's and Ireton's voices, is underused with show-tune 'Hiding Neath My Umbrella' being the only real duet.
Its a shame, because this is a great concept, on paper it sounds great but on record doesn't quite cut it. The film on the other hand, may well be brilliant.
6.0
['God Help The Girl' is out in June on Rough Trade in UK and Matador in US. There is a pre-order deal with bonus tracks etc. check out www.godhelpthegirl.com ]
The trouble with concept pieces like this is that it can be difficult to devote attention equally to enjoying the music and following the story. This was a slight problem on the Decemberists' superb 'The Hazards of Love' and is more of an issue here, largely because the three female vocalists have relatively similar voices. The story centres around the main character, Eve, who is voiced by Catherine Ireton, sings "there is no way I'm looking for a boyfriend" and then proceeds to fall in and out of love as the record progresses.
Musically, the sound is lush. Lots of piano and lots and lots of strings, it was recorded with a 45 piece orchestra. All sounds fantasic, yet somehow I found it deeply....annoying and at times it reminded me of an episode of 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'. Much of it is fine, 'Pretty Eve In The Tub', sung by Murdoch over a plink-plonk piano is funny, sinister and then beautiful, 'Come Monday Night' is a torch song for those who feel overworked, underpaid and overstressed and is sung with much warmth by Ireton and 'I'll Have To Dance With Cassie' (which should really be the finale) is a joyous 'let's do the show right here' stomp.
But, what could be a great EP is fleshed out into an inconsistent and repetitive LP. There is a truly dismal karaoke re-working of B&S's 'Funny Little Frog, inconsequential instrumentals and fluff like 'I Just Want His Jeans'. One of the record's strongest aspects, the blend of Murdoch's and Ireton's voices, is underused with show-tune 'Hiding Neath My Umbrella' being the only real duet.
Its a shame, because this is a great concept, on paper it sounds great but on record doesn't quite cut it. The film on the other hand, may well be brilliant.
6.0
['God Help The Girl' is out in June on Rough Trade in UK and Matador in US. There is a pre-order deal with bonus tracks etc. check out www.godhelpthegirl.com ]
Friday 15 May 2009
Bill Callahan UK dates
Finally...the man responsible for easily the finest album of the year so far is touring the UK. Bill Callahan returns to the Union Chapel on August 19th. Having seen him play there back in 2003 and enjoyed a stunning gig, I will be there in August. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketweb.
He will also play Duke of Yorks in Brighton on August 18th, the Stereo in Glasgow on the 23rd andthe Thekla in Bristol on the 26th.
Hope Jim White is on the drums..
He will also play Duke of Yorks in Brighton on August 18th, the Stereo in Glasgow on the 23rd andthe Thekla in Bristol on the 26th.
Hope Jim White is on the drums..
back from holiday
Tracks&Gigs is back from a week's holiday!
Unfortunately this was supposed to have been kicked off by seeing Morrissey live at the Albert Hall on Monday, but he cancelled so I have nothing to report on that.
Have now got lots of catching up to do on various new releases and a couple of promos so expect a lot of posts in the next couple of days..
Unfortunately this was supposed to have been kicked off by seeing Morrissey live at the Albert Hall on Monday, but he cancelled so I have nothing to report on that.
Have now got lots of catching up to do on various new releases and a couple of promos so expect a lot of posts in the next couple of days..
Friday 8 May 2009
new Twilight Sad song and tour
T&G favourites The Twilight Sad are finally close to releasing their long awaited second album, the follow up to 2007's awesome 'Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters'. No release date yet, but September is the rumour.
Gideon Coe played a song from the album, entitled 'Downstairs', on wednesday night on 6 Music. You can hear the song by using the 'listen again' feature on said radio station's website. It sounds unsurprisingly brilliant, tense, dark and powerful. There's definitely a bit of Joy Division in there. Sounds like they have gone with the slow, brooding sound that they used on the 'Here It Never Snowed...' EP but who knows what the rest of the record sounds like?
Well, if you want to know, you may well find out some more by attending one of the recently announced UK gigs listed below...
13 May - Rainbow, Birmingham, UK
14 May - Water Margin, Brighton, UK (The Great Escape)
15 May - Audio, Brighton, UK (The Great Escape)
17 May - Bullingdon Arms, Oxford, UK
19 May - Joiners Arms, Southampton, UK
20 May - Fleece, Bristol, UK
21 May - Stag & Dagger, London, UK
22 May - Stag & Dagger, Leeds, UK
23 May - Stag & Dagger, Glasgow, UK
Gideon Coe played a song from the album, entitled 'Downstairs', on wednesday night on 6 Music. You can hear the song by using the 'listen again' feature on said radio station's website. It sounds unsurprisingly brilliant, tense, dark and powerful. There's definitely a bit of Joy Division in there. Sounds like they have gone with the slow, brooding sound that they used on the 'Here It Never Snowed...' EP but who knows what the rest of the record sounds like?
Well, if you want to know, you may well find out some more by attending one of the recently announced UK gigs listed below...
13 May - Rainbow, Birmingham, UK
14 May - Water Margin, Brighton, UK (The Great Escape)
15 May - Audio, Brighton, UK (The Great Escape)
17 May - Bullingdon Arms, Oxford, UK
19 May - Joiners Arms, Southampton, UK
20 May - Fleece, Bristol, UK
21 May - Stag & Dagger, London, UK
22 May - Stag & Dagger, Leeds, UK
23 May - Stag & Dagger, Glasgow, UK
Thursday 7 May 2009
Single of the Week
runner up this week is Stuart Murdoch's 'God Help The Girl' project's 'Come Monday Night', which I blogged about in April..
BUT...single of the week...and on 4AD is..
Broken Records 'Until The Earth Begins To Part'
I blogged about these super Scotsmen in January and they are going to be HUGE. This single is a thing of wonder, soaring, uplifting and quite quite glorious. Trouble is, all the bands I want to compare them to (with the exception of Arcade Fire) are horribly unfashionable (hang on, are Arcade Fire fashionable now?) so I am going to whisper the following words. del. amitri. the. waterboys. Yes! Its the BIG MUSIC!
Enough. Single of the Week! Out on 4AD on Monday on lovely vinyl and horrible download. They're playing the ICA in June don't ya know. Can't wait for the album.
BUT...single of the week...and on 4AD is..
Broken Records 'Until The Earth Begins To Part'
I blogged about these super Scotsmen in January and they are going to be HUGE. This single is a thing of wonder, soaring, uplifting and quite quite glorious. Trouble is, all the bands I want to compare them to (with the exception of Arcade Fire) are horribly unfashionable (hang on, are Arcade Fire fashionable now?) so I am going to whisper the following words. del. amitri. the. waterboys. Yes! Its the BIG MUSIC!
Enough. Single of the Week! Out on 4AD on Monday on lovely vinyl and horrible download. They're playing the ICA in June don't ya know. Can't wait for the album.
Morrissey 'Maladjusted - re-presentation'
Unlike with 'Southpaw Grammar', I don't have particular memories of listening to 'Maladjusted' all that much first time around. I do recall that I had a promo and was fond of the lawyer-baiting 'Sorrow Will Come In The End', finding it amusing and brave (not so brave to pull it from the final release though!) and I thought 'Alma Matters' was an ok single, catchy but slight. Since news of this re-issue/representation etc etc broke, I have read nothing but condemnation of 'Maladjusted' and pretty universal acceptance of the view that this is Morrissey's worst album, a shambolic mess. So, with some trepedation, I purchased it anyway and have been listening to it a lot this past week.
As with 'Southpaw..' Morrissey has tinkered with the track listing, a more serious tinkering this time. Five songs are added, two removed and in this case this really does have the effect of creating a very different sounding album. The two songs removed are both "character" songs whereas the songs that come in feel more personal, and this, along with the frequently used piano and acoustic guitar creates a record that is ballad-heavy and much much lighter that 'Southpaw..' or any of Morrissey's music since.
Generally it works well. The first two tracks (the title track and 'Ambitious Outsiders') are atypically dark but 'Trouble Loves Me' which follows is beautiful. A rich ballad on a par with some Smiths classics it has humour too ("on the flesh rampage/ at your age"). There are a fair few songs which follow this formula... sad lyrics, acoustic guitar, piano and Morrissey singing more softly than he often does, more his "I Know Its Over" voice than his "Panic" voice. 'Lost' is excellent too and I wonder why it was omitted from the original album, perhaps the lyrics ("if i see you and i tell you/ that i've watched you/ don't make fun of me later/ cos i'm just lost") were deemed unsuitable to musical trends and national moods in 1997, but when did Morrissey ever want to fit in?
Perhaps the slight problem here is a lack of variety. Most of the songs are sorrowful, dignified and pleasant to the ear. 'He Cried', 'Now I Am A Was' and 'Wide To Receive' all blend into one a little. 'This Is Not Your Country' is a thoughtful, slow ballad about Northern Ireland and 'Satan Rejected My Soul' is livelier but 'Alma Matters' and 'I Can Have Both' are Mozz by numbers.
Other reviews I have read of 'Maladjusted', especially a one-star review (in both senses) in Uncut have dismissed the album as lazy and lacking in ideas and tunes. Its nothing of the sort, Morrissey evidently put a lot of effort into this record and his singing is superb. He could have put ten of the sad, mournful ballads onto one album and it would have been one of his best but would anyone in 1997 have wanted to hear that anyway?
This re-presentation is another excellent release, beautifully packaged and with more illuminating sleeve notes. 'Maladjusted' is nowhere near as bad as most people will have you believe.
7.4
['Maladjusted' is out now. Morrissey plays the Albert Hall next week!]
As with 'Southpaw..' Morrissey has tinkered with the track listing, a more serious tinkering this time. Five songs are added, two removed and in this case this really does have the effect of creating a very different sounding album. The two songs removed are both "character" songs whereas the songs that come in feel more personal, and this, along with the frequently used piano and acoustic guitar creates a record that is ballad-heavy and much much lighter that 'Southpaw..' or any of Morrissey's music since.
Generally it works well. The first two tracks (the title track and 'Ambitious Outsiders') are atypically dark but 'Trouble Loves Me' which follows is beautiful. A rich ballad on a par with some Smiths classics it has humour too ("on the flesh rampage/ at your age"). There are a fair few songs which follow this formula... sad lyrics, acoustic guitar, piano and Morrissey singing more softly than he often does, more his "I Know Its Over" voice than his "Panic" voice. 'Lost' is excellent too and I wonder why it was omitted from the original album, perhaps the lyrics ("if i see you and i tell you/ that i've watched you/ don't make fun of me later/ cos i'm just lost") were deemed unsuitable to musical trends and national moods in 1997, but when did Morrissey ever want to fit in?
Perhaps the slight problem here is a lack of variety. Most of the songs are sorrowful, dignified and pleasant to the ear. 'He Cried', 'Now I Am A Was' and 'Wide To Receive' all blend into one a little. 'This Is Not Your Country' is a thoughtful, slow ballad about Northern Ireland and 'Satan Rejected My Soul' is livelier but 'Alma Matters' and 'I Can Have Both' are Mozz by numbers.
Other reviews I have read of 'Maladjusted', especially a one-star review (in both senses) in Uncut have dismissed the album as lazy and lacking in ideas and tunes. Its nothing of the sort, Morrissey evidently put a lot of effort into this record and his singing is superb. He could have put ten of the sad, mournful ballads onto one album and it would have been one of his best but would anyone in 1997 have wanted to hear that anyway?
This re-presentation is another excellent release, beautifully packaged and with more illuminating sleeve notes. 'Maladjusted' is nowhere near as bad as most people will have you believe.
7.4
['Maladjusted' is out now. Morrissey plays the Albert Hall next week!]
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Serpentine Sessions
Surely the gig of the year will take place in London on July 1st as Tindersticks play Hyde Park as part of the 'Serpentine Sessions' series of gigs.
Nice to see a series of gigs with multiple bands playing that is focussing on bands on independent labels. The headliners over the three nights are Tindersticks, Regina Spektor and Bon Iver with more bands for each night to be announced soon.
Full details here
http://www.serpentinesessions.com/home/index.aspx
It does sound like a great concept, and having seen Tindersticks play an absolutely amazing outdoor show at Somerset House in 2002, I already have tickets for 1 July and suggest you get some too...
Nice to see a series of gigs with multiple bands playing that is focussing on bands on independent labels. The headliners over the three nights are Tindersticks, Regina Spektor and Bon Iver with more bands for each night to be announced soon.
Full details here
http://www.serpentinesessions.com/home/index.aspx
It does sound like a great concept, and having seen Tindersticks play an absolutely amazing outdoor show at Somerset House in 2002, I already have tickets for 1 July and suggest you get some too...
Friday 1 May 2009
Morrissey 'Southpaw Grammar' re-presentation
In 1994, Morrissey released 'Vauxhall and I', an excellent and consistent record that mixed Morrissey's perspective on his various troubles at the time with some lighter, character-based songs such as career-highlight 'Now My Heart Is Full' with its "loafing oafs in all night chemists". As I was a bit too young to fully appreciate The Smiths back in the 80s, this was the album that made me grow to love Morrissey's songs and I look back on 'Vauxhall and I' with nostalgia now. Its hard to believe it was 15 years ago.
Just a year later, when Steven Patrick came to record the follow up album, Britpop was in full swing. He could have attempted a bandwagon-jump and made an album full of cheeky ditties about loveable cockney rogues....but it was never likely that he would want to do that and so came 'Southpaw Grammar', a difficult album then and a record that was all but written off by the music press at the time. For me, it was a seriously under-rated collection of songs. If my memory serves me correctly it was released on a bank holiday and I remember playing it and thinking "thank goodness, he hasn't done what the NME would have wanted him to do".
'Southpaw Grammar' contained some of the most powerful songs of Morrissey's career. Just eight songs long and bookended by two ten-minute epics, it was as far from 'Parklife' as could be. It is also one of the most musically-minded Morrissey albums. Recorded with simply two guitars, a bass and drums, it is murky and claustrophobic but on the long songs in particular, the drums and guitars are given free reign to such an extent that the swirling coda to the 11-minute 'The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils' is thrilling even without any input from SPM himself.
On the original release, the middle section of the album contained the shorter, more comercial sounding songs and here on this 're-presentation', Morrissey front-loads the album with these songs...possibly the only thing that could have saved it commercially at the time. It starts, then, with a spring in the step, 'The Boy Racer' is typical Morrissey knock-about.."he thinks he's got the whole world in his hands/ standing at the urinal", while 'Dagenham Dave' ("I love Karen/ I love Sharon/ on the windowscreen") could have been on any 90s Mozzer album, but is fun nonetheless. Elsewhere, 'Just Do Your Best and Don't Worry' offers re-assurance to a friend and 'Reader Meet Author' may just contain yet another attack on the NME.
This time around then, the darker, longer and more majestic songs ('The Operation', 'Southpaw' and the magnificent 'The Teachers...') come later, only for a couple of songs that didn't make the original cut to close the album. 'You Should Have Been Nice to Me' is the best, light and wistful, its a mystery why it was left off back in '95.
The other new additions don't really add to the record that much but what make this re-release even more essential is the new artwork, with some nice photos of Mozz and more importantly, the simply enthralling sleeve notes written by the man himself which reveal much about Morrissey at the time and also show that if he ever penned a memoir, it would be likely to rival 'Chronicles'.
I hadn't played 'Southpaw Grammar' much in the last few years and now I wonder why that is. It is a great record, powerful and triumphant, one of his best. It serves as evidence that sometimes an album is judged on how it fits in with the times, rather than on its quality. Morrissey went on to make 'Maladjusted' two years later before taking a seven year sabbatical. I'll take a look at the re-issued 'Maladjusted' next week.
9.0
['Southpaw Grammar' has been re-presented by Morrissey and is out now on beautifully packaged cd]
Just a year later, when Steven Patrick came to record the follow up album, Britpop was in full swing. He could have attempted a bandwagon-jump and made an album full of cheeky ditties about loveable cockney rogues....but it was never likely that he would want to do that and so came 'Southpaw Grammar', a difficult album then and a record that was all but written off by the music press at the time. For me, it was a seriously under-rated collection of songs. If my memory serves me correctly it was released on a bank holiday and I remember playing it and thinking "thank goodness, he hasn't done what the NME would have wanted him to do".
'Southpaw Grammar' contained some of the most powerful songs of Morrissey's career. Just eight songs long and bookended by two ten-minute epics, it was as far from 'Parklife' as could be. It is also one of the most musically-minded Morrissey albums. Recorded with simply two guitars, a bass and drums, it is murky and claustrophobic but on the long songs in particular, the drums and guitars are given free reign to such an extent that the swirling coda to the 11-minute 'The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils' is thrilling even without any input from SPM himself.
On the original release, the middle section of the album contained the shorter, more comercial sounding songs and here on this 're-presentation', Morrissey front-loads the album with these songs...possibly the only thing that could have saved it commercially at the time. It starts, then, with a spring in the step, 'The Boy Racer' is typical Morrissey knock-about.."he thinks he's got the whole world in his hands/ standing at the urinal", while 'Dagenham Dave' ("I love Karen/ I love Sharon/ on the windowscreen") could have been on any 90s Mozzer album, but is fun nonetheless. Elsewhere, 'Just Do Your Best and Don't Worry' offers re-assurance to a friend and 'Reader Meet Author' may just contain yet another attack on the NME.
This time around then, the darker, longer and more majestic songs ('The Operation', 'Southpaw' and the magnificent 'The Teachers...') come later, only for a couple of songs that didn't make the original cut to close the album. 'You Should Have Been Nice to Me' is the best, light and wistful, its a mystery why it was left off back in '95.
The other new additions don't really add to the record that much but what make this re-release even more essential is the new artwork, with some nice photos of Mozz and more importantly, the simply enthralling sleeve notes written by the man himself which reveal much about Morrissey at the time and also show that if he ever penned a memoir, it would be likely to rival 'Chronicles'.
I hadn't played 'Southpaw Grammar' much in the last few years and now I wonder why that is. It is a great record, powerful and triumphant, one of his best. It serves as evidence that sometimes an album is judged on how it fits in with the times, rather than on its quality. Morrissey went on to make 'Maladjusted' two years later before taking a seven year sabbatical. I'll take a look at the re-issued 'Maladjusted' next week.
9.0
['Southpaw Grammar' has been re-presented by Morrissey and is out now on beautifully packaged cd]
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