XTC "Go 2" (1978)

Go 2
release date: Oct. 6, 1978
format: vinyl (1984 reissue) / cd (2001 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: John Leckie
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!)" - 2. "Battery Brides (Andy Paints Brian)" - 4. "Crowded Room" - 6. "Red" - 7. "Beatown" - 9. "Jumping in Gomorrah" - *13. "Are You Reciving Me?"
* Bonus track on 2001 remaster

2nd studio album by XTC released on Virgin and produced by John Leckie, who also produced the debut. Stylistically, this is already a big leap into something else despite being released only nine months after the debut album. This is a much more art rock and art punk release where the band really experiments in the writing process. The keyboards are given much stronger focus, and two songs are credited keyboardist Barry Andrews, who would leave the band at the end of the year. Although, sharing the same producer as on the debut, the album is clearly better balanced with a more dynamic result. In fact, Leckie harvested great appraisal for his dynamic production and became a bit of a shining producer-star after this.
I recall judging this as a rather poor follow-up to the splendid debut, as you may argue that in only contains about 3-4 fine tracks - with the majority of the remainders being somewhat below average. But this is on a mere superficial level. If you're looking for the strong and similar shaped album as the debut with its sharp and quirky new wave blasts, you will likely end up being disappointed. Like I was.
Go 2 really reflects the overall transition the band always found themselves in - never resting in a style, never on repeat, and always inspired by new ways of expression, trying something... else. The strong energetic and melodic new wave tracks are here replaced by experimental art rock, but if you're able to put ordinary song patterns aside and look at it as an innovative and original album with stylistic elements of zolo, which had its highs in the late 70s and early 1980s, you may consider this as a very strong and fascinating release.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 2 / 5 stars ]

Joy Division "Atmosphere" (1980) (single)

Atmosphere, 12'' single
release date: Sep. 1980
format: vinyl (FACUS 2) / digital
[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Martin Hannett
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Atmosphere" (4 / 5) - - B) "She's Lost Control"

Single release by Joy Division released as 7'' single, Mar. '80. The first version was released with "Dead Souls" as B-side (Mar. '80). Originally the single was only released in France as "Licht und Blindheit" as a limited edition with "Dead Souls" as the B-side but in the aftermath it was released with "She's Lost Control" in an alternate version from what appears on Unknown Pleasures (and the US-version has "Atmosphere" as the B-side). The A-side track only appears on compilation albums. It's the only song apart from "Love Will Tear Us Apart" that was followed by a music video. In this case it was made posthumously by the Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn who also later made the full length feature film "Control" (2007) [IMDb, and clip from the film] based on a novel "Touching from a Distance" by Ian Curtis' wife, Deborah Curtis.
The imported issue I purchased is from the first UK pressings with (UK) printed on back cover and with the info "re-released in the United Kingdom" on labels - as it's not the first 7'' issue.

Turboweekend "Night Shift" (2007)

"Night Shift" [debut]
release date: Sep. 24, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]
producer: Turboweekend, Martin Høgild
label: Copenhagen Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 3. "Multiple Voices" - 4. "Glowing Vision" (4 / 5) - 6. "Into You"

Studio debut album by the Danish band Turboweekend.

Lise Westzynthius "Heavy Dream" (2002)

Heavy Dream [debut]

release date: Sep. 9, 2002

format: cd

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,04]

producer: Rune Schjøtt, Henrik Balling, Nikolaj Nørlund, Lise Westzynthius

label: Auditorium - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Based on a True Story" - 2. "Heavy Dream" - 5. "Still Life in Sthlm" - 8. "Élite" - 10. "The Spectral Psalm"

Studio album debut by Lise Westzynthius following the disbandment of indie-pop band Luksus in 2001, after which the band's two primary songwriters and vocalists Westzynthius and Mikael Simpson initiated solo careers. Westzynthius shortly played with Nikolaj Nørlund in his project-band Rhonda Harris - and she takes a solid part of the album The Trouble with Rhonda Harris (2001). Simpson debuted in May 2002 with the self-released album Os to + lidt ro 2002.

Heavy Dream is a more quiet turn from what Luksus played, and it comes out as something quite original in an electronic art pop style with focus on singer / songwriter material - actually, much in the same way Simpson examined on his debut. Westzynthius sings in a light, delicate, spheric vocal, which doesn't vary much from track to track and over the span of the album, where it both proves fine and giving, although, it also appears with too little to offer on its own terms. At times she does sound a bit like Nina Persson from The Cardigans. Heavy Dream is nevertheless an approved debut, and Westzynthius is definitely an artist to look out for, although, the album stands a bit in the shadow of Simpson's stronger solo debut.

Iggy Pop "The Idiot" (1977)

The Idiot [debut]
release date: Mar. 18, 1977
format: vinyl (1984 reissue) / cd (2014 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: David Bowie
label: RCA Records - nationality: USA

Solo debut album by Iggy Pop after the break-up of The Stooges in 1974 is produced and co-written by David Bowie.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 5 / 5, Blender, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

BEST OF 1980:Joy Division "Closer" (1980)

Closer
release date: Jul. 17, 1980
format: vinyl (FACT XXV / FACT 25) / cd (1988 reissue)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,92]
producer: Martin Hannett
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Atrocity Exhibition" (5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Isolation" - 3. "Passover" - 4. "Colony" - 5. "A Means to an End" - - B) 1. "Heart and Soul" (live) - 2. "Twenty Four Hours" (5 / 5) - 3. "The Eternal" (5 / 5) - 4. "Decades" (5 / 5)

2nd and final studio album Joy Division is the equally stunning follow-up to the brilliant debut, and once again it features Martin Hannett as producer. The music has changed and seem much more mature but still it's unquestionable Joy Division and what a progression from the debut! The first track "Atrocity Exhibition" [a title with reference to a novel by J.G. Ballard "The Atrocity Exhibition") is a fantastic emotional journey where Stephen and Bernard proves their worth. This was the first track I ever heard with the band and it completely blew me over. I don't know if I've heard the debut or this one the most, as I loved them both.
Closer was better received by music fans and critics but the band could not continue without its iconic front figure. The overall theme in the lyrics of Ian Curtis is about... death. The cover of a tomb, selected before Curtis' untimely death, underlines the motif in an almost prophetic way. The album was released exactly two months after Ian's death. Ned Raggett of Allmusic.com today writes "Joy Division were at the height of their powers on Closer, equaling and arguably bettering the astonishing Unknown Pleasures, that's how accomplished the four members were. Rock, however defined, rarely seems and sounds so important, so vital, and so impossible to resist or ignore as here."
Like the debut, the album is rightfully enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, NME, Select, Uncut, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone Album Guide 5 / 5 stars ]

1980 Favourite releases: 1. Joy Division Closer - 2. Kliché Supertanker - 3. The Jam Sound Affects

John Mogensen "Stop en halv" (1972)

Stop en halv
release date: 1972
format: vinyl (JMLP 1543)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: John Mogensen, Jørgen Kleinert
label: Play Records - nationality: Denmark

2nd solo studio album by Danish troubadour and singer / songwriter of Danish folk pop John Mogensen [aka John Louis Hansen - May 5, 1928 - Apr. 10, 1977] former member of the popular Danish quartet, Four Jacks (active years: 1956-1964).

The album was one of my own first vinyl purchases as a young teenager (age 10-12).

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

The Jam "Setting Sons" (1979)

Setting Sons
release date: Nov. 16, 1979
format: vinyl (2383 559) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,72]
producer: Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1."Girl on the Phone" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Thick as Thieves" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Private Hell" (4 / 5) - 4. "Little Boy Soldiers" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Wasteland" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Burning Sky" (5 / 5) - 2. "Smithers-Jones" (4 / 5) - 3. "Saturday's Kids" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "The Eton Rifles" (4 / 5) - 5. "Heat Wave" (4 / 5)

4th studio album by The Jam released on Polydor and produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven. The album continues the style and the same high level of quality from All Mod Cons (1978). This was the first album I bought with the band and I must have played it more than 1.000 times. Also, like the predecessor most tracks are written by Paul Weller, and it contains a cover-version. This time it's the Holland-Dozier soul track composition, "Heat wave" (made famous by Martha and the Vandellas), here in an even more upbeat new wave version.
Setting Sons is another classic album by The Jam without a single weak track, and throughout time, I've had various favourite tracks from this release. Back then, my initial favourites were "Saturday Kids" and "Thick as Thieves". Five to ten years after, I think it was "Burning Sky" and "Girl on the Phone". Nowadays, I would be tempted to choose "Little Boy Soldiers".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5 ]

1979 Favourite releases: 1. Joy Division Unknown Pleasures - 2. The Jam Setting Sons - 3. The Clash London Calling

Adam and the Ants "Kings of the Wild Frontier" (1980)

Kings of the Wild Frontier
release date: Nov. 3, 1980
format: vinyl (CBS 84549) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,85]
producer: Chris Hughes
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Dog Eat Dog" - 2. " 'Antmusic' " (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Ants Invasion" (live) - - B) 1. "Kings of the Wild Frontier" - 2. "The Magnificent Five" (live) - 5. "Making History"

2nd album by Adam and the Ants released 11 months after the debut but having changed the band line-up completely since then. In Jan. 1980 guitarist Matthew Ashman, bassist Leigh Gorman and drummer Dave Barbe left to form the band Bow Wow Wow with vocalist Annabella Lwin leaving Adam Ant with no other members than himself. He soon teamed up with guitarist Marco Pirroni (aka Marco Francesco Andrea Pirroni, who had played with Siouxsie and the Banshees), bassist Kevin Mooney and two new drummers: Terry Lee Miall and Merrick (aka Chris Hughes, who would later be a rather well-known music producer, and who also produced this album). Instead of writing all songs on his own, Ant has written all songs with guitarist Pirroni as main musical composer and the end result is quite different from the songs on the debut.
This was the album that brought the band its fame and it's also my first acquisition of the band. New guitarist Marco Pirroni, who came into the band after releasing the debut, is put in front with his surf rock inspired guitar sound and then the band utilises two drummers to enable a characteristic Indian chants sound. At the time, Adam and the Ants were most likely seen as making post-punk and new wave music, but in retrospect, it's also evident that they were one of the first bands to initiate the new romantic era despite their slightly "off topic" style. Musically, it doesn't hold very well today, but in music history, there aren't that many popular albums with such an original and defining sound as this. It simply sounds like nothing else.
The album ended up topping the UK albums chart list and was preceded with two hit singles: Kings of the Wild Frontier charting at number #2 on the singles charts, and just prior to the album release, "Dog Eat Dog" peaked at number #4. Following the album release, " 'Antmusic' " peaked at number #2, so Adam and the Ants were really on everyone's lips, and the album was met by critical acclaim. Kings of the Wild Frontier is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Here Before You Die".
Back in the day, it was a great, wild, and a startling album - nowadays, I find it interesting but also a bit of an anachronism.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Boston "Boston" (1976)

Boston [debut]
release date: Aug. 25, 1976
format: vinyl (EPC 81611)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: John Boylan, Tom Scholz
label: Epic Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "More Than a Feeling" (5 / 5) (org. video) - 3. "Foreplay / Long Time"

Studio album debut by American AOR (Adult Oriented Rock), pop / rock band Boston from... Boston. The band consists of musical composer, lyricist and lead guitarist Tom Scholz, lead vocalist Brad Delp, rhythm guitarist Barry Goudreau, bass player Fran Sheehan, and drummer Sib Hashian; however, the actual recordings for the album were almost only done by Scholz playing most instruments himself as he had done on the demo-tape, he had recorded in his basement and that the record label directors explicitly had wanted the studio recordings to sound like. Boston was launched like a band but basically was a musical project by master-mind, Tom Scholz.
Stylistically, it's also labelled as hard rock but in essence it's probably more accurately to call it melodic rock with strong influences from classical music, which again bare much of the same stylistic influences as music by earlier works by British bands like Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, and Jethro Tull.
Musically, it has become known for one song only, which is THE song of the band but it does contain other fine compositions, although, none except "Long Time" are truly memorable compositions.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, PopMatters 4 / 5 stars ]

Jean-Michel Jarre "Equinoxe" (1978)

Equinoxe
release date: Dec. 1978
format: cd (2014 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Jean Michel Jarre
label: Sony Music - nationality: France

Tracklist: 1. "Equinoxe Part 1" - 2. "Equinoxe Part 2" - 3. "Equinoxe Part 3" - 4. "Equinoxe Part 4" - 5. "Equinoxe Part 5" - 6. "Equinoxe Part 6" - 7. "Equinoxe Part 7" - 8. "Equinoxe Part 8"

4th studio album release by Jean-Michel Jarre originally released on Disques Dreyfus. The style is a continued development of progressive electronic and synth from the predecessor Oxygène (1976) and together they form the artistic high-point of Jarre's studio albums. After the success with these two albums he continued in a more popular style with focus on electropop synthesizer sequences.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Oh Land "Fauna" (2008)

Fauna [debut]
release date: Nov. 10, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,50]
producer: Oh Land, Kasper Bjørke
label: Fake Diamond - nationality: Denmark

Studio debut album by Oh Land [aka Nanna Øland Fabricius]. The style is art pop with elements of glitch pop closely related to the music of other Scandinavian artists like Björk, Lykke Li, Amanda Jenssen, and Lise Westzynthius. I find it somewhat interesting but often without much to offer but ideas and form.

Deep Purple "Deep Purple in Rock" (1970)

Deep Purple in Rock
release date: Jun. 3, 1970
format: cd (2008 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Deep Purple
label: Warner Bros., Japan - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Speed King" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Bloodsucker" (4 / 5) - 3. "Child in Time" (5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Flight of the Rat" - 2. "Into the Fire"

4th studio album by Deep Purple originally released on Harvest introduces the heydays of the band in a new line-up aka the 'Mark II' era. The 'Mark I' version of the band had Rod Evans on vocals and Nick Simper playing bass, but in the summer of 1969 the two were replaced by Ian Gillan on vocals and with Roger Glover on bass after a dispute of what direction to take after Deep Purple III (1969). Listening to the band's first three releases, it's not easy to hear that this is the same band. Of course it's also a radically changed band, although, the lead guitarist, drummer and keyboardist remain the same. They had simply agreed to choose a direction into hard rock and Ian Gillan and Roger Glover were just the right people to pick for that mission.
The album became the band's first major success peaking at number #4 in the UK but topping the albums chart lists in Austria, Norway and Germany, as well as facing critical acclaim from critics.
Upon hearing this album from 2014, what's most striking is the secure output and style they manage to establish at this early stage of hard rock. The psychedelic and experimental rock is completely gone. I've never been a hard rock or heavy metal fan but I do like the tightness of the tracks and the unique melodic arrangements of most songs on the album. The A-side of the vinyl version is without doubt the strongest. It consists of only three tracks, ending with "Child in Time" which is a marvellous progressive, hard rock composition that has more in common with Led Zeppelin than their earlier Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and American sources of inspiration. Here they turn more British in a way by being a more direct and original band.
The album is rightfully enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Black Sabbath "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (1973)

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
release date: Dec. 1973
format: vinyl (1974 issue) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Black Sabbath
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: England, UK

5th studio album by Black Sabbath originally released by World Wide Associates (WWA) in the UK and by Vertigo in the EU and internationally except for the American market where Warner released the album.

BEST OF 1972:David Bowie "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" (1972)

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
release date: Jun. 6, 1972
format: vinyl (1983 reissue - NL 83843) / cd (2002 remaster)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,84]
producer: David Bowie, Ken Scott
label: RCA International - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Five Years" - 2. "Soul Love" - 3. "Moonage Daydream" - 4. "Starman" (5 / 5) - 5. "It Ain't Easy" - - B) 1. "Lady Stardust" - 2. "Star" (5 / 5) - 3. "Hang on to Yourself" - 4. "Ziggy Stardust" (5 / 5) - 5. "Suffragette City" (5 / 5) - 6. "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"

5th studio album by David Bowie originally released on RCA Victor is co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, and it's simply one of the most acclaimed rock albums ever.

Compared to Hunky Dory it's a tighter glam rock album than the predominantly art rock style of Hunky Dory, although, half of the album apparently was written before the '71 album. The style and sound, would probably not have been the same - having released the songs earlier. The album sort of combines everything good about art rock - The Velvet Underground / Lou Reed inspiration ("Suffragette City", "Star"), ballad blues rock Led Zeppelin ("Moonage Daydream"), glam rock tightness of T. Rex ("Soul Love", "Hang on to Yourself"), and Bowie's ability to write great pop songs using what's needed.

Yes, the album is one of rock's greatest and most lauded albums, and needless to say, it figures on various best of-lists encompassing the best of the best of modern music. Among these it's included on Time Magazine's "All-Time 100 Albums", it's number #35 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" and naturally, it's included in "1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die".

Back then, it fared quite well - although, it didn't go as high as its predecessor - making it to number #5 on the national chart list. Elsewhere around the world, including The US, the album was Bowie's commercially best performing album. Although, only 12 years of age, I knew of the album around '77 because of my older brother who had bought the vinyl album. I just don't recall him playing it that much, but I have always loved it, and I have always considered it Bowie's best - also in retrospect.

In 2002, EMI released the "30th Anniversary 2CD Edition" consisting of a new remaster of the original album and a bonus disc of 12 tracks with demos, alternate versions and outtakes.

The album has been analysed and commented a thousand times over, and it's one of those albums you can always put on to make people listen in awe.

This album is a must.

[ allmusic.com, Pitchfork 5 / 5, PopMatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]

1972 Favourite releases: 1. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - 2. Lou Reed Transformer - 3. Jethro Tull Thick as a Brick

"30th Anniversary 2CD Edition"
2002 remaster

Deep Purple "Deep Purple" (1969)

Deep Purple
release date: Jun. 1969
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Derek Lawrence
label: Harvest Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Chasing Shadows" - 5. "Why Didn't Rosemary?"

3rd studio album by Deep Purple is also known as 'Deep Purple III', and its the last album to feature the original line-up of the band. Stylistically, the band experiments even more on this one, or at least so it seems. Arguments during studio recordings on what direction to choose finally led to a change of band members after the release. The band had faced huge success playing both psychedelic rock inspired by Jimi Hendrix but also for contributing with an experimental progressive rock attitude, which is strongest on this album. Basically, the band had been on a search for their trademark over the first three albums, exploring a vast variety of styles and genres without really making it any clearer. The original line-up would later become known as the 'Mark I' constitution of the band, but already one month after the album release, both vocalist Rod Evans and bassist Nick Simper would be replaced to turn the band in the direction of hard rock.
I don't fancy this album nor their take on what one may see as a classical music fusion approach. Numerous of artist did that at the time. Also, another great British act, Pink Floyd started out playing highly experimental rock progressive rock and psychedelic rock before finding their own unique sound.
I find this to be somewhat dull, uninspiring experiments, and perhaps more accurately something that sounds more like mere studio improvisations. One of the most fascinating things about the album is its front cover showing a detail of the right panel of the triptych 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' painted in the late 15th century by Dutch master Hieronymus Bosch.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, PopMatters 3/ 5 stars ]