Neil Young "Psychedelic Pill" (2012)

Psychedelic Pill
release date: Oct. 30, 2012
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Neil Young, John Hanlon and Mark Humphreys
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: Disc 1: 1. "Driftin' Back" - 2. "Psychedelic Pill" - 3. "Ramada Inn" - 4. "Born in Ontario" - Disc 2: 2. "She's Always Dancing" - 3. "For the Love of Man" - 4. "Walk Like a Giant"

33rd studio album by Neil Young recorded with Crazy Horse is released only 4½ months after his collaboration studio album with Crazy Horse Americana, once again proving Young's vitality. Every now and then Young slows down - two years pass on and then he puts out two albums in the same year - back on track! Where Americana was a bunch of old songs and covers in new arrangements, this is brand new material from the man himself, and I can't help thinking that this was the album he really put all efforts in that year. Not only is it an album of new compositions - it's also Young's first 2-disc album, and with a playing time at more than 1 hour and 27 mins, it's his longest studio album to date; although it 'only' contains 9 tracks. Two of the compositions have a playing time above 16 mins. and the very first track has a playing time at 27:36 mins [!].
With its distorted 'psychedelic rock' sound, the album makes me think of Broken Arrow and an older album like Rust Never Sleeps both also with Crazy Horse. It has the same distorted feedback sound, as one will find on Broken Arrow and yet it dwells likewise throughout the single tracks as opposed to the more 'rock'-fussed albums Ragged Glory and Weld with Crazy Horse. And although, he also made Americana this year together with Crazy Horse the style here is really not linked in any way with the former release from this year, which compared to this sounds more like less worked-through material - something that could have stayed in the studio. However, their get-together work for Americana was probably what was needed to create this one, 'cause here they sound like the tight unit they used to be.
The album may not contain great single hits - it's more like one organic type of thing that grows, evolves and changes its direction running through a field, sometimes rapidly, sometimes in slow-motion while reviving some of the same elements one will find on some the quartet's familiar pieces.
I really enjoy this one and think of it as Neil Young's best studio album in more than a decade.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Mogwai "Kicking a Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs Remixed" (1998)

Kicking a Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs Remixed (remix album)

release date: May 18, 1998

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC - 2001 reissue)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]

producer: Mogwai & various

label: Mogwai self-relase - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Like Herod (Hood Remix)" - 7. "Mogwai Fear Satan (Surgeon Remix)" - 10. "Mogwai Fear Satan (Mogwai Remix)" - 12. "Mogwai Fear Satan (My Bloody Valentine Remix)"

Remix album by Mogwai primarily of compositions from the band's debut album Young Team (1997). Originally the album was released as a ten track album on Eye Q Records, but after the label had closed the album was expanded by another two tracks and it was released as a 2-cd album with the two new remixes on disc 2 as the final version, track #12 is a 16 minute long version of "Mogwai Fear Satan" - the original being 10 seconds longer.

Most of the compositions have been heavily altered and mostly into electronic dance or with an ear for old school techno rave. You may argue that the point in making a remix album with songs that sound much like the original seems wrong, but when the end result is music of a completely other genre, it's also a natural source of criticism. It's experimental and daring and some ideas and even whole compositions are made with some success, but overall it doesn't fit that well in the band's discography - it's more of an oddity. Best remixes here are actually Mogwai's own mix of "Mogwai Fear Satan" only bettered by Kevin Shield's (My Bloody Valentine) daring but aso highly original version.

Collector's item only.

[ bandcamp ]

LCD Soundsystem "Sound of Silver" (2007)

Sound of Silver
release date: Mar. 12, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: The DFA [Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA Records Japan - nationality:

Track highlights: 1. "Get Innocuous!" - 2. "Time to Get Away" - 3. "North American Scum" - 4. "Someone Great" (5 / 5) - 6. "Us V Them"

2nd full studio album by LCD Soundsystem in a Japanese edition including 3 bonus tracks.
It's really not that different from the debut album as they still make use of various influences - on the first three tracks one will hear funk and alt. dance / dance-punk pointing to a more standard rock-outing, but with the track "Someone Great" the album takes a turn towards indietronics and synth pop, which is nicely continued on "All My Friends" before returning to a funky rhythmic conglomerate of all their styles blending funk, electro-disco, synth pop and dance-punk in just one song: "Us V Them". The standard album closer "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" is another "weird"-styled track building on a singer / songwriter tradition that makes me think of Lou Reed.
The Japanese edition of the album continues with two (much alike) remixes of the album track "North American Scum" and "Hippie Priest Bum-Out" - all of which are danceable tunes without being really memorable.
The huge blend is really not bad at all - it's highly original, though you may need to reserve time to digest this fusion of styles. It strikes me that the band re-use bits and pieces one will find in the late 1970s varying from the disco sound to more new wave- and art pop-oriented artists - from American artists like Donna Summer, Blondie, Talking Heads, Devo and The B-52's to British David Bowie, Altered Images, Human League and Gang Of Four.
Sound of Silver was met by positive reviews and nominated a Grammy Award for Best Electronic / Dance album of the year [handed to We Are the Night by The Chemical Brothers], and it's included in "1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die".
I really enjoy this album, although, I don't find it all that homogeneous, and "Someone Great" is a marvellous track.
[ allmusic.com, Spin 4,5 / 5, NME, Q, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Divine Comedy "Promenade" (1994)

Promenade

release date: Mar. 28, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Neil Hannon, Darren Allison
label: Setanta Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Going Downhill Fast" - 3. "The Booklovers" - 6. "Don't Look Down" - 7. "When the Lights Go Out All Over Europe" (4 / 5) (live) - 8. "The Summerhouse" - 11. "Tonight We Fly" (4 / 5) (live)

3rd studio album by The Divine Comedy. This was the first really critically acclaimed album by Neil Hannon. Commercially, he still didn't reach any major sales but the critics and a growing crowd of fans hailed Hannon after this his first conceptual album. The entire album is about two lovers meeting one day at the seaside. The style is as its predecessor chamber pop but this time with much more use of strings and orchestrated symphonic arrangements.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Jon Hopkins "Immunity" (2013)

Immunity
release date: Jun. 3, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Jon Hopkins
label: Domino Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "We Disappear" - 2. "Open Eye Signal" - 3. "Breathe This Air" - 4. "Collider" (official shorter video) - 7. "Sun Harmonics"

4th studio album by London-based Jon Hopkins. The album is my first acquaintance with Hopkins, and not my last. Musically, it's a blend of styles within pure electronica. It encompasses house elements commonly known as minimal house - a blend of house and tech house, characterised by simpler compositions with loans from IDM and glitch pop, usually without or with little focus on traditional lyrics and instead making use of vocal arrangements in the shape of musical instrument. The album consists of eight distinctive tracks, although, the album really works as one whole - one long composition. I really like its organic sound(s), which makes me think of both Icelandic post rockers Sigur Rós and glitch pop múm fused with a neo-classical and progressive rock approach of say Mike Oldfield despite being far from any of those, really.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, The Observer, NME 4 /5 stars ]

Paul Weller "Sonik Kicks" (2012)

Sonik Kicks
release date: Mar. 26, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Paul Weller, Simon Dine
label: Universal Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "The Attic" - 6. "That Dangerous Age" - 8. "Dragonfly"

11th studio album by Paul Weller, again with producer Simon Dine is a bit of a new turning point. This is his first album with an element of electronic. Sometimes the blend of pop soul and electro pop / indietronica works fine or OK, as on "The Attic", and on "That Dangerous Age", and "Dragonfly", but at other times it falls flat like on "Kling I Klang", and "Sleep of the Serene". The album sold well, reaching #1 on the UK album charts list, but to me this is no less than his least appealing and least successful solo album to date.

Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Robin Guthrie "Imperial" (2003)

Imperial [debut]

release date: Mar. 24, 2003

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]

producer: Robin Guthrie

label: Bella Union - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Imperial" - 2. "Freefall" - 9. "Elemental"

Studio album debut as soloist by Robin Guthrie, former guitarist of Cocteau Twins and released on the label founded by Guthrie and former bandmate Simon Raymonde in '97 - their first release being Raymonde's only solo album Blame Someone Else (1997). It's been exactly seven years since the final album by Cocteau Twins and since then Guthrie has primarily produced and featured on other artists' releases. He also took part in the dream pop project Violet Indiana from 2000 to 2006 together with vocalist Siobhan de Maré, and they ended up releasing two full-length studio albums, some singles and two eps, but Imperial is Guthrie's first actual solo album.

Not surprisingly, it contains instrumental compositions built on guitar with bold use of reverb, echo and delay effects to create ten primarily ambient compositions.

Guthrie is an original guitarist and a unique sound wizard but an overall verdict of his spacious creations doesn't ring any bells shouting "masterpiece!" or "fantastic!". It's nice to hear from him (again) but I guess a lot of people and especially the old fans of the Twins had hoped for more; or just something else. It all sounds very fine, but with no obvious differences from track to track it quickly sounds like music for meditation or compositions with missing layers, or perhaps music for visual art. In fact, Guthrie would later on establish himself as productive composer of soundtracks, but until then, this is... a start.

[ 👌allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Cardigans "Long Gone Before Daylight" (2003)

Long Gone Before Daylight
release date: Mar. 24, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: Per Sunding and The Cardigans

label: Stockholm Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "You're the Storm" (3 / 5) - 7. "For What It's Worth" (3 / 5) - 9. "Live and Learn" (3 / 5)

5th studio album by The Cardigans. It took the band 5 years to put this album together and rumours had it that the band was history and no new material would be released. Vocalist Nina Persson was involved in her side-project A Camp and the bassist Magnus Sveningsson in his own project Righteous Boy, however, the band continues in the style from the predecessor, Gran Turismo with a slower more traditional pop / rock but also a new folk rock or country rock style that seem bound to an American musical tradition. In my opinion, this is their least interesting effort.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Ukendt Kunstner "Den anden side" (2016)

Den anden side
release date: Feb. 29, 2016
format: digital (11 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Jens Ole McCoy
label: Sony BMG Music - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Den anden side" (4 / 5) - 2. "Lige nu" (feat. S!vas) - 3. "Mand over bord" (feat. Track72) - 4. "Lange nætter" - 5. "Et andet niveau" (feat. Kesi) - 6. "Ingen hører" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Baby" - 8. "Ingen problemer" (4 / 5) - 9. "Soma" - 10. "Jesu blod" - 11. "Overleve" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Danish duo Ukendt Kunstner consisting of rapper Hans Phillip and musical composer and producer Jens Ole McCoy. Alas, later in 2016 the two announced that they would stop working as Ukendt Kunstner. They have truly renewed hip hop and rap on a national level with an international and unique sound. They have managed to add new dimensions to the tradition of Danish lyrics with poetic narratives on everyday life bound together with a distinct simple and yet broad sound. They shall truly be missed.
The album is slightly more stripped down and laid-back compared to the debut, and it displays an even stronger emphasis on the lyrical side - it's way up there, almost as great, maybe even better? Perhaps in a matter of months I will consider this bettering the 2014 album but for now it's clearly the best Danish album in 2016.
I have awaited a cd version of the album, but it never came and most likely never will be issued. Unfortunately. This new tendency seem to be the new way to launch albums, and Den anden side has only been issued as a download album at 320kps. Why no FLAC-files or high fidelity formats for people who care about sound quality?
[ Gaffa.dk, Berlingske 4 / 6 stars ]

2016 Favourite releases: 1. Tindersticks The Waiting Room - 2. Ukendt Kunstner Den anden side - 3. Bob Mould Patch the Sky

Gangway "Compendium - Greatest Hits" (1998)

Compendium - Greatest Hits, compilation

release date: Jan. 28, 1998

format: digital (18 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

producer: various

label: BMG - nationality: Denmark

Compilation album by Danish synthpop band Gangway following the band's decision to call it quits in Sep. 1997 after poor sales numbers of their seventh studio album That's Life (Sep. 1996).

The album ums it up: Gangway was more than just 'one-hit wonders' - a term that was attributed the band after "My Girl and Me" open the doors to the British market in '86 but they weren't themselves aware of music business strategies and too many times ended up with people seing profit rather than a talent that needed nursing. The story is long, and it's full of examples of how you also need luck on your side, but the music is there to testify their talent. In the end the band was a trio consisting of songwriter and main composer Henrik Balling, keyboardist and other composer Torben Johansen, and vocalist Allan Jensen.

The eighteen songs here stem from all their seven studio albums from 1984 to 1996. They are mixed with one another but all show us the element of pop as a common denominator, and although, they have played with jangle pop, indie pop, r&b, and synthpop there's a positive spirit running through it all.

The debut album The Twist is only represented by one song: "Yellow", and their '96 finale only delivers two songs - revealing some of the feelings they have for that. The other albums deliver three songs each, except for The Quiet Boy Ate the Whole Cake (1991), which is the only be represented with four songs - again telling what that album means, and I'm completely with them: it was their best.

John Mayer "Continuum" (2006)

Continuum
release date: Oct. 16, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]
producer: John Mayer and Steve Jordan
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Waiting on the World to Change" - 2. "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" - 3. "Belief" - 4. "Gravity" (live) - 5. "The Heart of Life" - 6. "Vultures" (live) - 7. "Stop This Train" - 9. "Bold as Love" (love) - 12. "I'm Gonna Find Another You"

3th studio album by John Mayer released 3 years since his most recent studio album Heavier Things is co-produced by Mayer and studio musician (drummer and bassist) Steve Jordan, who has produced and worked with primarily artist of singer / songwriter, r&b and folk rock.
The album marks a bit of a new start for Mayer, who has been seen as someone walking in the footsteps of legendary artists of blues rock but so far hasn't been able to make that album that wraps it all up and instead found himself in the spotlight of a huge fan base of primarily young white pop / rock enthusiasts. what I mean by 'new start' is an evident attempt to go full in on folk, r&b, blues rock - spread his wings as a full-blown singer / songwriter.
To my liking, the songs here are completely produced without slick horn sections, heavy violin arrangements and soft and honey-dripping keys. instead it comes out as a fine blend of traditional genres and styles building on the best of the 1960s, 70s and 80s combined. There are hints from jazz, traditional rhythm & blues, folk and roots rock. And pop / rock is there as well, 'cause you can't take that away from someone singing that coarse and yet clean, but the end result is overwhelmingly compact with a clear message of chosen direction and homogeneous style. The album contain one cover song: "Bold as Love" by Hendrix, and it's really so fitting.
The only malice, if any, is that several songs display Mayer's many sources. Without 1960s Hendrix, and Clapton, 1970s and 80s Ray Vaughan and Andy Summers [listen to "Belief"] it's really hard to imagine someone like John Mayer, and some songs simply sound as paraphrases built on his idols.
Anyhow, in selecting the album's highlights it's quite a difficult job, as the album is basically without fillers.
The album was generally met by positive reviews - it was nominated and won in the category Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards.
It's simply my favourite John Mayer studio release. From all his fine attempts this stand as the one album where he manages to keep focus through and through.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Mojo 4 / 5, Blender 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Fun Boy Three "The More I See (The Less I Believe)" (1982) (single)

The More I See (The Less I Believe), 7'' single
release date: 1982
format: vinyl (CHS 2664)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Fun Boy Three
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "The More I See (The Less I Believe)" - - B) "?"

Single release by the trio Fun Boy Three taken from the band's forthcoming second album Waiting (1983). The trio consists of the three former vocalists of The Specials, Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staple.

Julian Cope "The Skellington Chronicles" (1993)

The Skellington Chronicles

release date: Jun. 1993

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,26]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Ma-Gog - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: [see Skellington 1] [from Skellington 2] 13. "Electrical Stormgirl" - 16. "I've Got My T.V. & My Pills" - 25. "London Underground"

9th studio album by Julian Cope chronologically following Jehovakill (Oct. '92) with certain reservations, as the album here contains the entire original lo-fi album Skellington from '89 in its original version and in addition to that, the continuation Skellington 2 or: Skellington 2: He's Back... and This Time It's Personal! All 25 tracks are contained on a single CD with a total playing time of just over 71 minutes. As the first part, Skellington 2 was also recorded over just two days and here released on Cope's own company Ma-Gog. However, the most recent release with Cope is the album Rite (Feb. '93), credited Cope & Donald Ross Skinner.

Musically, it's 'just' more of the same - mainly Cope alone accompanied by acoustic guitar and with contributions from Donald Ross Skinner and Mark 'Rooster' Cosby in a mix of folk rock and psychedelic folk with tracks of varying length - however, half of the songs are just under two minutes.

The album was re-released in '99 on Cope's label, the former Ma-Gog Records, now Head Heritage, under the name Ye Skellington Chronicles [except one track of more than 8 minutes with a slightly different style containing more distinct krautrock and space rock, and instead added a newer live track and an uncredited version of "Trampolene"]. In 2018, Skellington 3 followed ('only' with twelve new tracks) with the subtitle "The All-New 21st Century Adventures of Skellington" as the provisional end of the Skellington series.

The album serves as an example of Cope's idea of creating music in the moment as flowing ideas and musical improvs - which you will also find on Rite - but it is rather far from contemporary albums like Jehovakill (1992) and Autogeddon (1994). The second part of the "Skellington" series is, albeit recorded in the same spirit, an even more experimental continuation, which probably appeals more to hardcore fans.

This album can't be recommended as a start, but it contains quite fine moments.

Skellington 2: He's Back...

LCD Soundsystem "Introns" (2006)

Introns
release date: Mar. 13, 2006
format: digital (10 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: The DFA [Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Yr City's a Sucker" - 2. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House (Soulwax Shibuya Mix)" - 5. "Slowdive (XFM Session)" - 10. "Too Much Love (Rub 'n' Tug Mix)"

Remix album by LCD Soundsystem released as a digital download album only. The album compiles a number of B-sides and remixes from the band's eponymous debut album and associated singles. Apparently, the front cover shows [band leader] James Murphy's (vinyl) record collection. Three of the tracks are from a session recorded for the London radio station XFM. The session version of "Slowdive", a Siouxsie and the Banshees cover, was originally on the "Disco Infiltrator" single. The album consists of 10 tracks with an extensive playing time above the hour.
It's quite fine collection of dance-oriented tracks, also because some of the remix tracks are quite original - without being truly groundbreaking, but it may be seen as a kind of a positive gesture from this creative band. Both "Disco infiltrator" and "Tribulations" comes in quite different remix versions, and "Slowdive" is a rather original cover that falls completely within this band's sound.

Bauhaus "Go Away White" (2008)

Go Away White
release date: Mar. 10, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,64]
producer: Bauhaus
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: England, UK

5th and final studio album by Bauhaus released 25 years following Burning From the Inside (1983).

The style is not a return to the heydays of the 1980s but more of a combination of the styles Peter Murphy and Love and Rockets have been involved with in recent years, thus making it an alt. rock, neo-psychedelia release with gothic rock references. The album became a reality after several years with attempts of reuniting the band. The first reunion period took place in 1998 when they put together a "Resurrection Tour" and a new best of album Crackle was released by Beggars Banquet - the band also recorded a new song, included in the film soundtrack for the animated sci-fi movie "Heavy Metal 2000" (a follow-up sequel to the iconic "Heavy Metal" from 1981). However, both Murphy and Love and Rockets continued to concentrate on their separate projects, and it wasn't until late 2005 that they once again found time for new concerts, and a new unification came about. They had played several concerts together over a longer period of time, and in 2006 the quartet went as far as to begin writing new songs again with the intent to release a new album. But the monkey was back and what had split the band 25 years earlier, once again led to a final disbandment allegedly even before releasing the new album.
Go Away White isn't all bad, I just don't find it of great interest, and just think that Love and Rockets and Peter Murphy respectively both have made better and more interesting albums than this.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Mojo, Rolling Stone, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

The Church "Priest = Aura" (1992)

Priest = Aura
release date: Mar. 10, 1992
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: The Church & Gavin MacKillop
label: Arista Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Aura" - 2. "Ripple" - 3. "Paradox" - 4. "Lustre" - 5. "Swan Lake" - 6. "Feel" - 8. "Kings" - 11. "The Disillusionist" - 13. "Chaos" - 14. "Film"

7th studio album by The Church following two years after Gold Afternoon Fix (Feb. 1990) and after some time spent rethinking the band's musical direction is a reasonably long affair with fourteen tracks and a total running length of 65 minutes. Drummer Richard Ploog had left the band after the 1990 album and Jay Dee Daugherty, of the Patti Smith Group, had been a substitute on the subsequent tour, and he has now officially become a member of a band who faced another problem as the band's guitarist, Peter Koppes decided to leave The Church just as the album had been finished. However, Koppes agreed to stick around long enough for the end of the band's subsequent tour. Apparently, Koppes had long felt redundant in the creative process, with Steve Kilbey and Marty Wilson-Piper mostly taking control of all relevant decisions.

With the album, we are talking about a decidedly stylistic U-turn, a significant denial of the mainstream appeal the group previously felt pushed into and that's something which clearly separates this one from all of the band's most recent three albums. In relation to the longer-lasting musical quartet called The Church, this album actually marks the end to just that.

With clear neo-psychedelic and experimental tendencies with ambient elements, the release was met with lukewarm reviews and a commercial success that was the appropriate echo. Over time, however, the album has gained a completely different status as something of a game-changer and nothing less than a significant cornerstone in the band's entire discography.

Admittedly, I also dismissed the album myself at the time, just as the majority of critics did in the immediate aftermath of its release, but over the past decades I've bowed in the dust and finally realized the qualities it truly contains. Despite being formed in a time when the band's primary songwriter, Steve Kilbey, found solace in heroin, at a time when he and Marty Wilson-Piper's compositions were heavily inspired by free association and studio improvs - something that must also be seen in contrast to the label's earlier interference in the musical process - in that light, the album actually sounds much of a unified whole, containing many fine compositions. The song "Chaos" (with a length of more than 9 mins.) - reportedly with reference to Kilbey's life situation at the time - may be seen as an example of the new initiatives in relation to songwriting.

Imho, this album is no less than the band's best since the compilation Remote Luxury (1984) - and since Seance (Jun. 1983) when speaking pure studio albums.

Fine recommendation.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone Album Guide 4 / 5, Entertainment Weekly 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

Robbie Robertson "Contact From the Underworld of Redboy" (1998)

Contact From the Underworld of Redboy
release date: Mar. 10, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Howard Bernstein
label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The Sound Is Fading" - 3. "Making a Noise" - 4. "Unbound" (4 / 5) - 5. "Sacrifice" - 6. "Rattlebone" (4 / 5) - 9 "Stomp Dance (Unity)"

4th studio album by Robbie Robertson when also including his soundtrack album Music for the Native Americans (1994). The sound of his former colleagues of The Band and its great and vast musical legacy still lives on a bunch of albums, and if you don't really know The Band, you should at least check out one of the most legendary live albums, The Last Waltz (1978), either on DVD or as a music album.

Robbie released his solo debut Robbie Robertson (1987) and once again fascinated the world of popular music. Everyone wanted to work with him after that and "we" all yearned for a follow-up that never seemed to come. Storyville (1991) proved to be a bit of the difficult sophomore album. After creating a fine blend of styles he fell for the music of too many others and was so inspired by the sound and music of the Scottish band, The Blue Nile that he simply had to copy and paste on his second album and basically just forgot to make his own music. After that he then made the album of his heart and blood: Music for the Native Americans (1994), which was very well-received in the US but quite frankly is to say it politely: a difficult listen. Not that it's bad, it's just very 'native American' and with little sign of traditional popular music to it... And then - BOOM - he releases this fantastic inspiring album on which he (again) makes his own brew of all his music influences and reveals at least a new one: 'electronica'. 

Had it not been for its inconsistency, I'd rate it higher - it really contains some great tunes that stay with you. This has become one of my favourite albums by this great Indian blooded everlasting old-timer who needs to make more music, or: release more often.

1998 Favorite releases: 1. Grant Lee Buffalo Jubilee - 2. Mark Hollis Mark Hollis - 3. Robbie Robertson Contact From the Underworld of Redboy

U2 "No Line on the Horizon" (2009)

No Line on the Horizon
release date: Mar. 9, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois, Steve Lillywhite
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "No Line on the Horizon" - 5. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" (4 / 5) - 9. "White as Snow"

12th studio album by U2 follows 4½ years after How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Nov. 2004). The album is released on Island and this time they bring together a collaboration work by their best known producers: Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite.
The album was met by luke-warm reviews, but for the first time in a long period, I actually think they manage quite Okay in creating what comes out as a true cohesive work, as opposed to putting a few single hits together with half-finished and / or lesser works of art. Another thing that strikes me is that the album doesn't contain the usual two to three hit singles - there's only one! - but then the lows are considerably stronger making it a generally better album compared to their last four albums. Since Achtung Baby (1991) the band could easily have cut down on the album flow and released eps or singles only, but for once they prove that they still know how to make music.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Blender, Rolling Stone, 👎Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

Mazzy Star "She Hangs Brightly" (1990)

She Hangs Brightly
release date: May 21, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: David Roback
label: Rough Trade Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Halah" - 2. "Blue Flower" (live on Later) - 3. "Ride It On" - 6. "Give You My Lovin' " - 7. "Be My Angel" - 10. "Free"

Studio album debut by American indie rock band Mazzy Star, which basically is the continued project of the band Opal (initially named Clay Allison) - a band with Kendra Smith (of The Dream Syndicate) on vocals and bass, and after her departure, the remaining members changed name to Mazzy Star, which here is made up by songwriter and main musical composer David Roback (former member of The Rain Parade), who is credited as guitarist, keyboardist and pianist, Hope Sandoval on acoustic guitar, organ, harmonica, xylophone, and drummer Keith Mitchell. Allegedly, Sandoval replaced Smith in Opal for the live tour after the band's debut album, and after some time touring as that unit, and as they were still contractually bound to a follow-up to the debut with songs composed and written by Smith / Roback ready to be recorded, but Sandoval had also initiated a composer partnership with Roback, and the decision was then made to trade the Opal follow-up contract with Rough Trade for the debut release with a bunch of new songs by Mazzy Star.

Stylistically, the band stands out as one of the prominent artists of what became known as the style of Shoegaze / Dream Pop with strong bonds and influence from 'noise rock' and the sound of Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine. The sound is stripped from the element of noise rock and instead Mazzy Star focusses on the moody side, which also connects them with Cocteau Twins, who on the other hand played with a more layered wall-of-sound to create their visceral sound. Mazzy Star may start as a band but is primarily held together by its two songwriters, Sandoval and Roback, and the music is related to the Paisley Underground movement with bands like The Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Green on Red, and Thin White Rope amongst others. Hope Sandoval has her very own singing style and melancholic sound with bonds to Nico, Marianne Faithfull and Leonard Cohen, and followers like Cat Power and Lana Del Rey is mentioned as singers who owe much of their singing style to Sandoval.

I really enjoy the songs by Sandoval and Roback, who support each other quite nicely. Sandoval's almost mourning vocal is a fine balanced blend of periods and styles, but all with focus on a certain melancholy, and Roback's swirling guitar is another fine blend with reminiscence of Velvet Underground, The Byrds, Stooges, and then also contemporaries like Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), Jim & William Reid (The Jesus & Mary Chain) and Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine), and the production sound of She Hangs Brightly is somewhere in the neighbourhood of the same bands with strong spacious feedback on both vocal and guitars helps creating that "dreamy" atmosphere, which paved way for the style of dream pop.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, NME, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Select 5 / 5 stars ]

Dolores O'Riordan "Are You Listening?" (2007)

Are You Listening? [debut]
release date: May 8, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Dolores O'Riordan and Dan Brodbeck
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Ordinary Day" - 2. "When We Were Young" (4 / 5) - 3. "In the Garden" - 7. "Apple of My Eye" - 12. "Ecstasy"

Solo debut album by Dolores O'Riordan after some years without releasing studio albums with her primary band The Cranberries who's most recent album Wake Up and Smell the Coffee from 2001, which didn't receive the best reviews, and after a time working on new material the band then announced (2003) that they would take a hiatus as The Cranberries leaving room for individual projects. During this time O'Riordan found herself involved in various projects, e.g. together with Zucchero on his album Zucchero & Co. (2004), with Angelo Badalamenti on two songs for a soundtrack and various other projects until she started working on her first solo album.
The album features a collection of songs, all written by O'Riordan, which have only little in common with the best selling songs by The Cranberries but which ultimately are not far from what the band released on its 2 most recent studio albums before 2007. The focus is on mainstream pop / rock combined with celtic rock and some alt. rock elements scattered around the album. The clearly best track "When We Were Young" is perhaps closest in style with the more traditional material by her band, and could easily have been included on either of the first two albums by The Cranberries.
Generally, I find it a bit difficult to digest as a whole - the songs simply point in all kinds of directions, but it's not just a mediocre release. There are simply too many fine traits and songs here.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Blondie "At the BBC" (2010) (live)

At the BBC (live)
release date: Oct. 4, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: ?
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: USA

[ concert extract ]

Live album by Blondie released more than 30 years following the recordings. The album is from one concert arranged by BBC Radio 1 at The Apollo Theatre, Glasgow on Dec. 31, 1979. Although, the concert was held at a relatively early point of its career, the band still manages to put together a fine collection of strong tunes.
The album was released as a double disc containing a dvd with most tracks from the concert and a few sessions from Top of The Pops, which makes it a fine bargain. Soundwise: well, it's from a period where punk rock had pointed very strictly that it should be authentic / garage-like, so this is not over-produced - actually it leaves out the producer credits, and it may just likely have been recorded as is without any major editing - and refreshingly far from modern times' X-factor productions, and in a way more than adequate.
It's a fine release showcasing the special new wave and mainstream pop / rock blend that Blondie represented without ever being pure art rock, dirty enough to be punk or new wave but they really understood how to appeal to more than a minor set of fans incorporating inspiration from a huge variety of styles and genres, and actually producing highly original music.

PowerSolo "It's Raceday ... and Your Pussy Is GUT!!!" (2004)

It's Raceday... and Your Pussy Is GUT!!!
release date: Mar. 8, 2004
format: vinyl (FROG 036-1) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: The Great Nalna, Jesper Reginal, PowerSolo
label: Crunchy Frog - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Baby You Ain't Looking Right" - 2. "Kat Nazer (Powersoul)" (4 / 5) - 4. "Juanito" (4 / 5) - 5. "Oak Tree Girl"

2nd studio album by PowerSolo is much better than the debut from 2001. The brothers Petersen (Jesper Reginal and Ulrik, "The Great Nalna"), co-founders of Crunchy Frog and former drummer of Thau, have both helped producing the album, and that really lifts the music to another level. The band members credited here are: Atomic Child (aka Bo Hjort Jeppesen) on guitars, bass, lap steel, and backing vocals, JCBenz (aka Jens Søndergaard) on drums and percussion, and with Kim Kix (Kim Hjort Jeppesen) on lead vocal, guitars and 'dawghouse' bass.
"Kat Nazer", which was included on the debut really sounds much better on this album. The music of PowerSolo is still a blend of all kinds of styles and influences. Compared to the debut, this has less country rock and psychedelic rock elements and is instead pulled in new directions of more melodic indie pop with inspiration from surf rock and Mexican traditional folk. The first half of the album is clearly the best, and it points to an album at 3,5 or even 4 stars. However, the second half tend to reproduce what sounds like mere improvisations and are like silly songs, which probably was a lot of fun recording in the recording studio, but the result is not really brilliant. I think, not only band and record label but also most critics had expected the band to go a lot further with this album. They really deserved (and still do deserve) much more credit than paid, but that's part of the business. The album didn't bring the success, but luckily PowerSolo kept making music.

The track "Juanito" was used in a French commercial for SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) [National French Rail company], and the track "Baby You Ain't Looking Right" found its way to a Ford commercial, AND "Kat Nazer" was used in a Heineken commercial.

Arcade Fire "Neon Bible" (2007)

Neon Bible
release date: Mar. 3, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,33]
producer: Arcade Fire
label: Merge Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 2. "Keep the Car Running" (4 / 5) - 3. "Neon Bible" - 6. "Ocean of Noise" - 7. "The Well and the Lighthouse" - 9. "Windowsill" - 10. "No Cars Go" (4 / 5)
[ full album ]

2nd studio album release by Arcade Fire. The band has been expanded by drummer Jeremy Gara, and violinist Sarah Neufeld. Stylistically, the band has moved towards a more wholesome rock-sound, with Funeral being more wild this sees the band take on a more traditional approach.
Yes, it's nicely produced - at times I find it too mainstream-sounding. It probably contain fine lyrics but my initial feelings about it are bland, as I had set my expectations higher.
And of course the album could only disappoint with the meteor-like approach by the debut. It comes out 2½ years after the fabulous debut, and no, it does not live up to that, alas. Frankly, I find it a bit of a difficult listen. I soon tire of Butler's vocal, which I find stay much in the same performance, and the arrangements don't stir up anything - nor my interest. Still, there are some fine songs here, but overall, it fails as to hand me substantial evidence as to why I should consider this band the new big thing - but they were!
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Blues Brothers "The Definitive Collection" (1992)

The Definitive Collection (compilation)
release date: 1992
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Bob Tischler, Paul Shaffer
label: Atlantic - nationality: USA

Compilation album by The Blues Brothers mainly produced by Tischler and compiled by Michael A. Mazzareila.
The album comprises many of the duo's better tracks and despite containing 20 tracks, I simply find that too many essential tracks are missing out, and it's also a bit strange to include two tracks from the original motion picture soundtrack The Blues Brothers - one (great track) by Ray Charles and another (fine song) by Aretha Franklin, when Aykroyd and Belushi do not feature on those tracks. The album simply doesn't match its title.