Trentemøller "Into the Great Wide Yonder" (2010)

Into the Great Wide Yonder

release date: May 31, 2010

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]

producer: Anders Trentemøller

label: In My Room - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "The Mash and the Fury" - 2. "Sycamore Feeling" (feat. Marie Fisker) - 3. "Past the Beginning of the End" - 4. "Shades of Marble" - 6. "Häxan" - 8. "Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!!" - 10. "Tide" (feat. Solveig Sandnes)

2nd full-length studio album by Trentemøller follows some 3½ years after The Last Resort (Oct. 2006) is his first album to be released on his new-founded label, In My Room. More recently he released the DJ mixes Harbour Boat Trips 01 in 2009 as well as a long list of remixes - for which he is renowned.

Into the Great Wide Yonder marks a change of style - although his trademark has continuously been not to conform and musically always be on the move, in search of new sounds and styles to incorporate. This time he has embraced and paired two opposites: on one side and half of the tracks, more traditional song structures with vocals, verse and chorus, and on the other side experimental and instrumental downtempo techno.

It's not as much the introduction of vocal arrangements that makes this a step forward, and in my ears: an improvement. It's more so his ability to make it one whole, where both musical ends are held together in a tight and original mix. The progressive parts and the rhythm patterns glues it all together. Also, he collaborate with singer / songwriters like Marie Fisker, Solveig Sandnes, Nana Øland Fabricious (aka Oh Land), and Mikael Simpson, Josephine Philip and Fyfe Dangerfield (of Guillemots) who add lyrics (and vocals) and compositions to his arrangements.

It's not an immediate favourite of mine, but I think this is his so far most coherent album.

[ bandcamp ]

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Beat "Special Beat Service" (1982)

Special Beat Service
release date: Sep. 30, 1982
format: cd (1987 reissue) / digital (2012 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Bob Sargeant
label: I.R.S. / Shout! Factory - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Confess" (4 / 5) - 2. "Jeanette" - 4. "Sole Salvation" (4 / 5) - 5. "Spar Wid Me" - 7. "Save It for Later" - 9. "Pato and Roger a Go Talk" - 10. "Sugar & Stress" - 11. "End of the Party" - 12. "Ackee 1-2-3"

3rd and final studio album by The Beat originally released on Go Feet and as the first two albums produced by Bob Sargeant. Since Wha'ppen? from '81 the sextet has been expanded to an octet by the addition of Wesley Magoogan on clarinet & saxophone and by Dave 'Blockhead' Wright on piano & keyboards. Once again, the band has changed its style and musical output, although, the foundation are more or less the same. With the 1980 debut album I Just Can't Stop It the band blasted in on the albums chart list in the UK with strong biting lyrics and tight ska revival with bold bits of new wave - on the following '81 album they found back to the roots of ska and related styles of reggae and r&b and subdued new wave ingredients. On this, they sort of put it all together in a new melting pot with the addition of synthpop and / or early shapes of sophisti-pop, although, it still remains 2-tone ska revival.
All in all, the album is more of a coherent whole than its predecessor, but there's quite a long distance from the debut to this one where the arrangements include bolder use of keyboards and horn sections. Nonetheless, the album is still very much in the spirit of The Beat - there's the ever-present political and social awareness that bonds with The Specials and The Selector - and more so than e.g. Madness and Bad Manners, who appears as having a similar starting point, but here, The Beat makes use of styles and arrangements that associates it with acts like Elvis Costello and especially Squeeze.
The album wasn't the critical nor commercial success they had witnessed with its two former albums, and only 6 months later, The Beat was no more. Internal conflicts and different ideas on musical direction ended one of the strongest and most successful bands of ska revival. The two vocal frontmen, Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling soon after founded another interesting band, General Public, and guitarist Andy Cox and bassist David Steele teamed up with vocalist Roland Gift and formed Fine Young Cannibals.

Happy Mondays "Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People..." (1987)

Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People... [debut]

release date: Apr. 1987

format: digital (1990 reissue)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,82]

producer: John Cale

label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Kuff Dam" - 2. "Tart Tart" - 4. "Russell" - 5. "Olive Oil" - 8. "Oasis" - 9. "24 Hr Party People"

Studio album debut by Happy Mondays with the full title: Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) is recorded by John Cale for Factory Records.

The band is the same stable sextet who released the 1985 Forty Five EP. The track "Oasis" also appears on the ep but apart from that it's an album with nine new compositions.

Where the band started out as a jangle pop-oriented alt dance-band, they now mix several styles and the jangle pop has been subdued. Instead they blend funk, surf rock ("Russell"), indie pop and neo-psychedelia, which ultimately makes it a rather complex style. It's not really an example of a coherent collection of songs, and it's somewhat difficult to find a common denominator but it's also clear that the songs appear quite originally crafted despite obvious loans from other artists.

The album was met by positive reviews but generally lacked to attract music buyers as it sold quite poorly.

In a music historical perspective, it's quite fascinating but as a stand-alone experience, this album is simply not good enough.

[ Shaun Ryder interview about the origines of the band, The Haçienda, the production of the album etc.]

The Church "Magician Among the Spirits" (1996)

Magician Among the Spirits

release date: Aug. 19, 1996

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: The Church & Simon Polinski

label: Deep Karma / White - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Welcome" - 2. "Comedown" - 5. "Ladyboy" - 7. "The Further Adventures of the Time Being" - 9. "Magician Among the Spirits" - 10. "Afterimage"

9th studio album by The Church released on the band's own newly formed label Deep Karma with help from Mushroom Records and sub-label White for the Australian market only. The album was released through other distributors for international and US releases and was re-released in '99 in an expanded and re-arranged edition.

Following Sometime Anywhere (May 1994) The Church were left without a record deal, but Kilbey and Wilson-Piper were still keen to continue, and together with Tim Powles, who took part in the '94 album, the three constitute the band here. Peter Koppes appears on some tracks as 'special guest star'.

On the album, the group continues the musical journey into the more experimental alt. rock they started with Priest = Aura (Mar. 1992) with a clear neo-psychedelic touch with inspiration from German krautrock and British gothic rock but also with some distance to the '94 album and it's tighter production and rhythm programming. The title is with reference to the magician, Harry Houdini - also featuring on the front cover - Houdini is also mentioned among many other famous people on the track "Welcome" and again on "The Further Adventures of the Time Being" - a track with reference to "The Time Being" from the double CD edition of the '94 album. The themes are typical Kilbey-universe, the metaphysical and the spiritual, and the compositions are once again relatively long - varying from four to fourteen minutes, but typically more than five minutes long and thus far from radio-friendly sizes.

With this, The Church cements the transition from mainstream pop / rock to the alternative arena and at the same time it's also a testimony that the group composes and makes music for their own interests rather than commercial reward. The album was (as usual) met by positive reviews, but unfortunately spawned new financial difficulties as the band had set up their own label in order to release the album at all, however, collaboration deals with US distributors going bankrupt meant no profit from all sales in North America, and the band soon found itself more than ever on the brink of a disbandment.

The album appears as one of the group's artistic highlights and follows closely in the wake of the fine '92 album - nice to know of.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Cliff Martinez "Drive" (OST) (2011)

Drive (OST) (soundtrack)
release date: Sep. 27, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx "Nightcall" - 2. Desire "Under Your Spell" (4 / 5) - 3. College "A Real Hero (feat. Electric Youth)" (4 / 5) - 4. Riz Ortolani "Oh My Love (feat. Katyna Ranieri)" - 5. Chromatics "Tick of the Clock" - 6. Cliff Martinez "Rubber Head" - 7. Cliff Martinez "I Drive" - 14. Cliff Martinez "Hammer" - 19. Cliff Martinez "Bride of Deluxe"

Original Soundtrack album made for the fine full length feature film "Drive" (2011) directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. This is a fine soundtrack, only, I wish they would have made it as a 2-disc release, or in two versions. The thing is, Cliff Martinez is a great composer of film music BUT the first 5 tracks are of other artists doing their electronic synth pop as "normal" pop music, and they are fine tracks. The remaining 14 tracks are Martinez' own film score, which are totally different in style, and what makes it a difficult listen. His music is instrumental ambient progressive electronic (no pop) close to modern classical.
[ film trailer ]

Anna Ternheim "Separation Road" (2006)

Separation Road

release date: Sep. 27, 2006

format: digital

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

producer: Andreas Dahlbäck & Anna Ternheim

label: Universal Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Girl Laying Down" - 3. "Today Is a Good Day" - 8. "Feels Like Sand" - 11. "Halfway to Fivepoints"

2nd studio album from Anna Ternheim released two years after the debut Somebody Outside. The album simply topped the Swedish albums chart, while the single "Girl Laying Down" ended up somewhat in the shadow at number #48 on the singles list. The album came out to a mixed reception in the Swedish music press.

Compared to an uneven debut with highlights, there isn't much innovation found on her follow-up in terms of style - perhaps it's slightly more of a coherent collection of songs of similar colour and style. However, I do miss the really fine compositions, and after several spins, I think most of all that Ternheim on this sounds like a Swedish version of Danish singer / songwriter Tina Dickow. And I don't think of that as a compliment. Both artists have large fan bases throughout all of Scandinavia, but I'm not one of them. I can't help but feel left with a feeling that it's mostly a poor copy of better, especially American artists, and really, if an artist insists on singing in English, it just has to be more convincing, as for instance Ane Brun much more successfully unfolds songs in English, because otherwise: why not sing in your mother tongue?! Perhaps, it would be a considerable improvement. With this, Ternheim fails to live up to the expectations that many had for a sequel.

Not recommended.

[ 👎Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

The Breeders "Fate to Fatal" (2009) (ep)

Fate to Fatal, ep
release date: Apr. 21, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,24]
producer: Ben Mumphrey, Steve Albini, Gareth Parton
label: Period Music* - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Fate to Fatal" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "The Last Time" (feat. Mark Lanegan) - 3. "Chances Are" - 4. "Pinnacle Hollow"

Ep release by The Breeders and their first not to be issued on 4AD. Although, only released one year after Mountain Battles, the ep demonstrates another style with more focus on more traditional rock, which may be seen on 3 of the 4 songs. Only the title track sounds like something that would have fitted nicely on the 2007 album, whereas the others are slower and much more pop / rock and folk rock-shaped. The track "The Last Time" sounds like something by The National - here with Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan on lead vocals. The Bob Marley cover "Chances Are" is fine with its lo-fi sound / minimal instrumentation performed as a doo wop ballad with clear focus on lyrical output, and the closing song "Pinnacle Hollow" is basically a folk rock song with more folk than rock sounding like a jam session in the early 70s with Buffalo Springfield and in that way is afar from any song on the 2007 album and any other songs by The Breeders making this ep a bit of a mixed bag.

Marilyn Manson "Portrait of an American Family" (1994)

Portrait of an American Family
release date: Jul. 19, 1994
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,32]
producer: Trent Reznor
label: Nothing / Interscope - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 5. "Cyclops" - 7. "Get Your Gunn" - 8. "Wrapped in Plastic"

Studio debut album by American metal rock band Marilyn Manson produced by Nine Inch Nails' front figure Trent Reznor and released through his newly founded label Nothing Records. At this stage Marilyn Manson was now seen as a band, although, it was initially named Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids from 1989, which included founding member Marilyn Manson [aka Brian Warner] on vocals with guitarist Daisy Berkowitz [aka Scott Putesky] and bassist Olivia Newton Bundy [aka Brian Tutunick]. From around 1990 Bundy left and was replaced by Gidget Gein [aka Brad Stewart], and from around '91 the band also included keyboardist Madonna Wayne [aka Stephen Bier] and drummer Sara Lee Lucas [aka Fred Streithorst]. The band name was shortened to Marilyn Manson in '92 when the five initiated the works on what would be this album - initially titled "The Manson Family Album", but the band was very unsatisfied with the production sound and contacted Reznor who accepted to rework the recordings at what point Gein was replaced by the band's roadie Twiggy Ramirez [aka Jeordie Osbourne White] due to Gein's heroin addiction.
Stylistically, it's industrial metal and alt. metal, which incorporates various samples on almost all tracks, and thematically, the band keeps to compositions and songs drawing its attention on the hypocrisy of American lifestyle.
The early works by Marilyn Manson nor this album has never been a personal favourite of mine. It's simply too heavy metal-based for my liking, and I reject the music like I do with albums by Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Metalica, Korn and many others who deal with heavy metal, as I never was a fan of the metal 'circus'. The only reason I ever came around this album is because of my interest in the band's later works with a stronger gothic rock tone pointing at some of the 1980s post-punk artists, and because I do like some alt. metal bands, who incorporate elements from the world of alt. rock, post rock or punk-rock, and then I really like the videos Marilyn Manson made together with Canadian-Italian director Floria Sigismondi.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

Outkast "Speakerboxxx / The Love Below" (2003)

Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
release date: Sep. 23, 2003
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: André 3000, Big Boi [Outkast]
label: Arista - nationality: USA

Track highlights: Disc 1: 2. "Ghetto Musick" - 5. "The Way You Move" (feat. Sleepy Brown) - 9. "Church" - 13. "Knowing" - 16. "Reset" (feat. Khujo & Cee Lo Green) - - Disc 2: 4. "Happy Valentine's Day" - 5. "Spread" - 7. "Prototype" - 9. "Hey Ya!" (5 / 5) - 10. "Roses"

5th studio album by Outkast originally released by LaFace Records is like the predecessor Stankonia a release where André 3000 [André Benjamin] and Big Boi [Antwan Patton] has taken increasingly more control. The album is the band's most ambitious to date - released as a double disc cd with two hours and 14 mins. playing time. Unable to agree on which musical shape or direction to settle for led the duo to the decision to release two albums as one, where André and Big Boi would have the final say for their own disc on the double release. Big Boi is credited as songwriter on the majority of the songs on disc 1, labelled "Speakerboxxx", and André 3000 as songwriter on the songs on disc 2, "The Love Below".
The "Speakerboxxx" disc is the genre-wise most hip hop-styled collection and perhaps the disc where Outkast sounds the most like themselves keeping to known ingredients and continuing from where the left on Stankonia, although, with Outkast you know they explore and incorporate a great deal. They also use a lot of sampling, which is done very nicely. On "The Love Below" they thread on new territories, experiment and expand the genre further than before by implementing jazz and funk. André 3000 takes the band into the discotheque, and with songs like "Hey Ya!" and "Roses" they enter the charts everywhere, but it's also the most diverse and most experimental disc on the album.
The album is the band's best-selling album to date topping the US Billboard 200 list but also selling Diamond (which is 10 x Platinum; the album actually sold 11 x Platinum in the US alone: more than 11 million copies), and it received wide-spread acclaim and won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year; and it's enlisted on numerous best of lists, including "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" as the second by the band.
The album was my first with the band, and for some time, I thought of it as their best, but after becoming familiar with their earlier albums and style, I think of it as a fine but rather peculiar and difficult great achievement.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender, The Guardian 5 / 5, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Breeders "Mountain Battles" (2007)

Mountain Battles
release date: Apr. 7, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: non-produced*
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Overglazed" - 2. "Bang On" - 4. "We're Gonna Rise" - 5. "German Studies" - 8. "Walk It Off" (live) - 12. "It's the Love" (live)

4th and so far final studio album by The Breeders is not attributed producer credits - much in their usual way paying little attention on after-processing. Engineers and recorder credits include Steve Albini, Erika Larsen, Ben Mumphrey and Manny Nieto. Although, Kim and Kelley recorded initial sessions for a new album as early as in 2002 after having just released Title TK, a reunion tour with Pixies and several new studio sessions in various locations delayed the process. In 2007 guitarist Richard Presley left the band and the final recording sessions for the album is therefore only with Kim and Kelley Deal on guitar.
The album may be seen as a fine and natural successor to Title TK with its likewise focus on proto-punk influences and close to garage rock-styled noise pop. Basically, I think this is the album by The Breeders that comes closest to the sound of Pixies when thinking of a combo of Surfer Rosa and Title TK. It doesn't stir up things or excel in high energy guitar distortion as the predecessor, but it balances a demo-sound and typical quirkiness of the Deal sisters nicely within a sonic sphere with equal amounts of rock tradition and artistic originality. Some songs may come close to what sounds like retakes on early Pixies compositions ["German Studies" and "Walk It Off"], but all in all, I think the album is more typical for what represents Kim Deal, and imho that can't be bad.
The Breeders hasn't stopped touring, although, no new albums so far has been released. In 2012 the band re-united in the original Last Splash line-up with the Deal sisters, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson, and the album was reissued in a comprehensive 3-disc edition titled LSXX. In 2016 rumours suggested that the band was doing studio rehearsals, which would imply that a new album is on its way.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Spin, NME 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Lisa Ekdahl "Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile" (2008)

Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile
release date: Mar. 23, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Mathias Blomdahl; Tobias Froberg (4, 6)
label: RCA Victor / Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile" (live) - 2. "I Don't Mind" - 6. "Don't Stop" - 7. "When"

7th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl is a more laid back album with hints of easy listening without being boring 'cause it's like her debut filled with interesting songs and fine melodies only this time all songs are in English. It's not the continued journey into a bolder folk pop and uptempo style as her most recent album Pärlor av glas (2006). Instead she returns to a subtler style of jazz pop and folk pop. It's not the first time she has recorded music with English lyrics, as her two albums with Peter Nordahl Trio were cover versions of old classic, but this is the first time she releases a full album of her own songs entirely in English. Her accent may be charming but it's also annoying (not unlike Björk), and frankly she's just so much better in Swedish.

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté "Ali & Toumani" (2010)

Ali & Toumani
release date: Feb. 23, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Nick Gold
label: World Circuit - nationality: Mali

2nd and final album for the collaboration work of Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté. The album was actually recorded in June 2005 shortly after the release of the acclaimed In the Heart of the Moon (2005) but somehow the album wasn't released until 2010 - four years after the death of Touré.
The album follows closely in the footsteps laid out on the debut by partly containing traditional Mandé folk songs arranged by either of the two or together, and also songs composed by Diabaté and Touré. Altogether, Ali & Toumani is yet another beautiful collection of songs by these two wonderful artists.
[ Uncut Magazine review ]

Eddie Vedder "Into the Wild" (OST) (2007)

Into the Wild (OST) (soundtrack)
release date: Sep. 18, 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]
producer: Adam Kasper, Eddie Vedder
label: J Records - nationality: USA

Studio solo debut album by Eddie Vedder, vocalist and frontman of Pearl Jam, is a soundtrack album for the movie "Into the Wild" (2007) by Sean Penn. The album is not a big revelation but it's nice to hear Vedder who has one of the best voices in modern rock, and here he shows a new side as singer / songwriter and folk singer. The album just lacks the really good and interesting songs.

The Killers "Battle Born" (2012)

Battle Born
release date: Sep. 18, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Steve Lillywhite, Damian Taylor (et al)

label: Island Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Flesh and Bone" (live on Letterman) - 2. "Runaways" (4 / 5) - 3. "The Way It Was" - 6. "Deadlines and Commitments" - 7. "Miss Atomic Bomb"

[ full album ]

4th studio album by The Killers following four years after the band's previous studio album Day & Age (2008). Since that, they released the live album Live From the Royal Albert Hall (2009). The album features several names to the producer role with Steve Lillywhite on 6 out of a total of 12 tracks, Damian Taylor on 5, Brendan O'Brien on 4, and with the band, Stuart Price and Daniel Lanois all producing one track each. With the turn to both Lillywhite and O'Brien they sort of return to a more alt. rock sound than they intended with their previous album.

I think, the album betters Day & Age. Actually, it shows some of the same energy as the debut, only the style is more shaped in an American (say Bruce Springsteen) rock tradition here - often referred to as heartland rock. Tracks #2, #3, and #7 are included on the best of album Direct Hits (2013).
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Peter Bastian "Bastians Ballader" (2016)

Bastians Ballader
release date: Jun. 1, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,40]
producer: Peter Bastian
label: non label release - nationality: Denmark

[ PB about the album & Nikola Jankov - PB about the musicians on the album - short clip ]

Studio album by Danish clarinettist (the late) Peter Bastian is a self-realised album containing Bastian's own interpretations of Balkan music. His decision to make the album was made in the aftermath of being diagnosed with acute leukaemia in 2014. As he states about the album on his homepage (www.peterbastian.dk) "Main focus is on the tragic Bulgarian wedding ballad, but I have also chosen to play some Romanian Doinas and a Turkish Taksim. Some Danish and Norwegian folklore have also found their way [to the album]." The songs are inspired by original folk songs, but all arrangements are credited Bastian and his two Norwegian associates on the album: Gabriel Fliflet on accordion and Olav Tveitane on double bass, acoustic guitar, and cittern.
The story of the musical fascination of Peter Bastian is forever bound in modern Danish music - be it classical, jazz or folk. Although, Balkan folklore really isn't what I prefer to listen to, I simply adore this album. Through many years I have read books by and listened to Bastian - his deep insight in philosophy and music history and theory on many occasions. I have listened to the music by the jazz fusion and world band Bazaar of which he was a founding and long time member, and I have always admired his mission and ability to make difficult matters appear easier to understand.
Bastian's long time friendship with legendary Hungarian (master) clarinettist Nikola Jankov is all over this album. It's an album with a strong love for traditional folk music, and Bastian is a supreme instrumentalist. I mean, I never found the clarinet appealing in any way, but his passion and sense for sonic perfection captures my musical interest and love for music on a scale like the music by Mozart, Beethoven or Puccini.
Although, not a favourite genre, I still find this highly recommendable.

[ Peter Bastian plays on straw ]

The Jezabels "Synthia" (2016)

Synthia
release date: Feb. 12, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Lachlan Mitchell
label: Dine Alone Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "My Love Is My Disease" - 4. "Unnatural" - 7. "Pleasure Drive"

3rd full-length studio album by Australian band The Jezabels is a slight turn towards a more dreampop and art pop universe with less focus on indie pop as they were labeled with The Brink from 2014. Actually, it's closer to the style of the 2011 debut The Prisoner, which is a bit of a shame. I really liked their initial eps being all more rock-shaped than the debut, and thus: this one too. But Synthia is clearly better than the debut, as it's better produced and generally has a higher standard of quality to it. Only, I think it lacks great songs.
Despite reaching number #4 on the national album charts list - two positions lower than the band's first two albums - the album has generated more than mere positive reviews. Both allmusic.com and Sputnikmusic see this as the band's best, British The Guardian calls it 'an opus' - in fact only the Australian edition of Rolling Stone hands it 3,5 / 5 stars.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, SputnikMusic 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Veronica Maggio "Den första är alltid gratis" (2016)

Den första är alltid gratis
release date: May 6, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,90]
producer: Povel Olsson; Klas Gullbrand; mfl.
label: Universal Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Den första är alltid gratis" (5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Vi mot världen" (4 / 5) - 4. "Dom sa!" - 5. "Gjord av sten" - 6. "Svart sommar" - 7. "Ayahuasca" - 8. "Verkligheten" - 9. "Storma tills vi dör" - 10. "Play och sen repeat"

5th studio album by Veronica Maggio is like the predecessor Handen i fickan fast jag bryr mig (2013) produced by various people - but in particular by Povel Olsson and Klas Gullbrand, who have both produced 4 of a total of 12 tracks each, and the music is composed by an even bolder versatile group of people, although both Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, Klas Gullbrand, and Povel Olsson are credited on several tracks. The title translates to 'The First Is Always for Free'.

The album topped the albums chart in Sweden as Maggio's third consecutive, and it's a really fine collection of songs, which in many ways sounds more like the natural sequel to Satan i gatan from 2011. Personally, I think her most recent 2013 album was a bit grey and not really particularly outstanding, to keep it politely. On this, on the other hand, Maggio appears to be back in uptempo gear with several sing-a-long choruses that somehow suit her best. Compared to her most recent albums, this one sounds more electropop-founded as opposed to the chamber pop feel found on the predecessor.

Now, Maggio may not possess the widest vocal range, but her voice works more than sufficiently when mixed with catchy patterns, and then she doesn't try one bit to imitate anyone else, which in contemporary pop culture is a seldom quality to hang on to.

The title track is one of her absolute best songs, but the album as such comes with a bunch of other strong songs and all in all, it's easily no less than Maggio's second best to date, basically changeling her 2011 album as her finest.

Highly recommended.

[ Gaffa.dk, Göteborgs-Posten 4 / 5 stars ]

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' "Shake" (2001)

Shake (Italian version)
release date: Sep. 14, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Sento le campane" - 4. "Ali d'oro (with John Lee Hooker)" - 5. "Ahum" - 6. "Scintille" - 7. "Baila Sexy Thing" - 8. "Dindondio" - 10. "Shake"

9th studio album by Zucchero is released by 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' and it follows three years after his most recent studio album BlueSugar. In '99 Polydor released the compilation Overdose (d'amore / The Ballads with a mix of Italian and English-versioned ballads. Shake doesn't signal big changes to the formula. The album is released on the same label he has been with since his debut, and it's his sixth consecutive (seventh so far) to be produced by Rustici. The international version comes with six translated songs out of a total of eleven compositions and it also has a different running order (also a Spanish / Mexican and a US bonus track version was released).
The album seems like a pumped up pop / rock release, which points in too many directions. Predominantly, it has fast blues rock tracks and slow ballads, and then it contains pop soul and a relatively new addition to his repertoire: dance pop or: italo pop compositions. Ultimately, it turns out as a show-off thing to satisfy a broader international audience. The track "Ali d'oro" with John Lee Hooker was Hooker's last studio recording before his death (Jun. 2001).
The album is not really bad. Zucchero is too fine an artist to make nonsense and he is a remarkable songwriter with a nose for song structure. The downside to it is that it mostly sounds like Zucchero on cruise control. He wants to make a new album - he starts the engine and swings the bus on to the motorway where he swims like a fish in familiar waters. It may not impose too many speculations - he knows this ballgame, and it you get what you get: a new bunch of swinging Zucchero, which is not the same as brand new material. He lends, borrows and steals from his own back catalogue. The manager doesn't mind, the fans don't mind, so why care? The album is Zucchero's sixths consecutive number #1 album in Italy, it's his second to top the charts in Switzerland, and it's his album that has spawned the largest number of single releases with six selected songs (tracks #7, #5, #8, #1, #9 and #6) (something he would copy with albums released in 2016 and in 2019). The first single (track #7) is his so far only second single to top the charts in Italy, and it was made in various other versions: one "Baila Morena" featuring the Mexican band Maná topped the charts in France in 2006.
So, in terms of sold copies and exposure, Shake is definitely another grand success of his, so why change anything? Well, fans who look for artistic and musical nuances may not be overwhelmed. I guess, Zucchero cares but also thinks he will do what he feels is the right thing to do. I'm not overly enthusiastic about his recent albums and direction but I must admit that he continues to spit out delicious compositions. However my luke-warm enthusiasm for his recent works, Shake is admittedly another fine album, and I truly prefer any album by this man to the most recent musical direction by artists like Bowie, Depeche Mode or U2 - any day, but that remains a complete other story.
I cannot hand this my warmest recomendation - and for a first purchase with his music I will instead gladly direct anyone to his earlier works, which still dominate his 'best of' releases anyway.
Note: The front cover is identical for the various versions. It comes with two dedications: 'Dedicated to Mr. John Lee Hooker' and with: 'In Memory of Angiolino Figliè'.

Frank Black "Frank Black Francis" (2004)

Frank Black Francis
release date: Oct. 12, 2004
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,66]
producer: Two Pale Boys
label: SpinART - nationality: USA

2-disc album by Frank Black released after Pixies had re-united in 2003 and was in a process of releasing new material. Disc 1 "Black Francis demos" are Black's actual demo recordings prior to the first Pixies recording session in 1987. Disc 2 "Frank Black Francis" sees Black reworking a selection of familiar Pixies songs together with Keith Moliné and Andy Diagram from David Thomas and Two Pale Boys.
This is neither a new studio album or a traditional compilation album, although, it contains material which could put the album in both categories. The first disc is 'extra material' one would expect on a deluxe edition of the Come on Pilgrim ep and disc 2 is much more in the tradition of new album releases as it contains completely new interpretations of his own songs, and then all songs have been released before... It also contains a rather unnecessary almost 15 min version of "Planet of Sound", which spins 2:07 in its original version [what?!]. These new recordings are made in subtle 'folk rock' and 'singer / songwriter' shapes, which really alienate them from the originals. They are not entirely bad, but after a while I still end up thinking "so?". It's great classic energetic outbursts tied down to sell an album and to 'milk the sacred cow', as Biafra would've put it. Fact is, Pixies re-united in 2003, played some gigs and went as far to start recording new material. First they released a bunch a live albums, then they released a couple of singles - all self-released material - to have their share. Their former label, 4AD milked its share by releasing the compilation album Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies and Frank Black released this one to get his crunchy bit while the band was on everyone's lips again. Musically, disc 1 is a bland experience. There are good reasons as to why demo recordings don't do that well. I mean, of course people want to see the sketches of Da Vinci and Picasso, but why pay a lot of attention to someone humming in his or her bedroom to lay down ideas to elaborate on and have band members fix it all to make it unique and worthwhile in a studio?! Had it been solo originals, it would equal the aforementioned comparison, but Pixies was much more than Frank Black's sketches. This is purely for documentary purpose. Or, if you happen to be one true Pixies hardcore fan, and I'm not really that.
Only disappointed.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5, Q 2 / 5 stars ]

Ukendt Under Andet Navn "Ekskursion" (2012) (ep)

Ekskursion, ep
release date: Jun. 12, 2012
format: cd (ukendt 002)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Troels Bech, Henrik Olesen
label: non-label - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Håb i respirator, drømme i drop" - 3. "Centralnervesystem" - 5. "Far vel hjem" - 7. "Sangen synger sig selv"

2nd solo ep by Henrik Olesen (from Olesen-Olesen) under the moniker of Ukendt Under Andet Navn is a 7-track ep with a running time at just under 18 minutes. All songs are played by Olesen and Bech (who also produced for Olesen-Olesen for their 2003 album), and Thomas Thomsen participate and is credited as co-producer on three songs (tracks #4, #5, and #7).
Musically, it's different from the ep-debut from 2010 by being darker and with a certain post-punk feel - either thanks to electronic drums and / or synthpop keyboards and a simplistic melodic drive (especially tracks #2, #3, and #7).
The simplicity, or: minimalist production is a trait the album shares with the 2010 debut, but apart from that it has a different feel and soundscape, which makes me think of inspiration from early New Order, Depeche Mode and late Joy Division - bands that also were formative in creating Henrik and brother Peter H. Olesen's earliest bands, Sort-Hvide Landskaber and Greene, and a few tracks sound as if they could have been included on the Greene debut from 1992 or the Olesen-Olesen debut Indenlands udenbys from 1997.
A short but altogether fine collection of original compositions where the music feels like the dominant part.

The Breeders "Title TK" (2002)

Title TK
release date: May 20, 2002
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Steve Albini
label: 4Ad Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Little Fury" - 2. "London Song" - 3. "Off You" - 4. "The She" - 5. "Too Alive" - 6. "Son of Three" - 7. "Put on a Side" - 10. "Forced to Drive" - 12. "Huffer"

3rd studio album by The Breeders released 9 years [!] after the predecessor, the successful and acclaimed Last Splash. The title is a general expression for "title to come". A small decade without releasing noteworthy new material has its grounds, and the band is also a whole new set of people. The Breeders has always been a Kim Deal project-band - an outlet for her writing creativity. Pixies, which was her main band had been buried by frontman Black Francis in early '93, which should've given Deal room for playing with The Breeders, but Kelley Deal's drug abuse probably got in the way for the project. Anyhow, Kim founded the band The Amps (also with drummer Jim Macpherson), and The Breeders was a shelved project. Basically, what happened was that The Amps, who had been on tour since the release of the debut album Pacer in '95, had its name changed to The Breeders at some point in '96. The Amps consisted of Deal / Macpherson and with Luis Lerma on bass and Nate Farley on guitar. Deal had awaited Josephine Wiggs and Kelley's return but when Wiggs announced she was not in a position to rejoin The Breeders, Kim simply changed the band's name, which would hand them a broader repertoire, and with the addition of violinist Carrie Bradley the band now played as The Breeders. By late '98 Kelley rejoined while Macpherson left, and in 2000 both Lerma and Farley had left. Rumour has it that it wasn't just Kelley, who had a drug abuse - Kim had her problems and made regular studio work a challenging task, a point that was confirmed by Mark Freegard, who co-produced Last Splash when he found it impossible to work with Kim on sessions that should have been first takes on a follow-up album in '97. In '99 Kim had written new songs and to avoid conflicts with other musicians, she intended to make a solo album. She recorded several songs playing all instruments herself with Kelley in a supporting role but the idea of having to tour made her decide to find a group to play with. In 2000 the Breeders was a project consisting of the Deal sisters assisted by bassist Mando Lopez and guitarist Richard Presley from hardcore punk band Fear, and with Jose Medeles on drums.
Naturally, after 9 years and a lot of U-turns along the way this is not just the follow-up to the fine 93 album. How could it possibly be that? My reaction to the album was not a positive one. I had looked for news about the band and simply found it sheer stupidity not to release a follow-up within the first 5 years - they just didn't understand the importance of that 2nd album. And when it finally came, it was so far from the strengths of Last Splash. I had no idea of what the band had been through, but it's not really a bad album after all. It's biggest asset is that once you get the feel of it, it has a very uniform sound. I think, intentionally, it sounds more like session recordings - or even demo versions - without additional production editing or mixing to make it sound more vivid and alive, which in many ways link it more directly than almost any releases of the 90s to the proto-punk of the late 1960s and early 70s and with bands like Velvet Underground, The Stooges and Patti Smith.
It's not really a great album, but it certainly is a strong and individualised collection of songs, which in a most natural way bonds with Pixies, The Amps, all the 'noise rock' bands but also the whole grunge rock era of the 90s. And that's also a kind of a weakness 'cause by 2002 it does already sound dated - as something that should have been released in the mid-90s when proto-punk references were much more present. Regardless of being a Kim Deal project band, The Breeders has proven with Title TK that it's the most natural link between noise pop and alt. rock of the modern era and art rock and proto-punk some 30 years earlier, and in that respect this album is worth more than just a listen or two.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Tindersticks "Minute Bodies: The Intimate World of F. Percy Smith" (2017)

Minute Bodies: The Intimate World of F. Percy Smith (soundtrack)
release date: Jun. 9, 2017
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,02]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog / City Slang - nationality: England, UK

Soundtrack album by Tindersticks to a film directed and written by Stuart A. Staples about British film pioneer and photographer Frank Percy Smith. The album is credited 'Tindersticks with Thomas Belhom and Christine Ott', and both French musicians, Belhom and Ott, have previously appeared on Tindersticks releases. Drummer Belhom appeared on both of Staples' first solo releases, the band's 2008 album The Hungry Saw, as well as on several soundtrack albums by Tindersticks. Composer and multi-instrumentalist Christine Ott first played with Tindersticks on the soundtrack to Claire Denis' 35 Rhums (2008) and then also on the soundtrack to Denis's film Les salauds (2013), and she appears here with her 'specialty instrument', Ondes martenot, as pianist, on Fender Rhodes, and as vocalist.

The album consists of 15 mainly instrumentals of varying length from 1:34 to 8:25 minutes and they are all experimental ambient with an electronic touch.

As an album, it relates to other Tinderstick soundtracks in that it may also be seen as neo-classical works, largely created as a supplement to a visual expression.

[ Film-trailer - "The Strangler" / "Percy's Dream" ]

Frank Black "Teenager of the Year" (1994)

Teenager of the Year
release date: May 24, 1994
format: cd (1999 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Eric Drew Feldman, Frank Black, Alistair Clay
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Whatever Happened to Pong?" - 2. "Thalassocracy" - 3. "(I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain" - 5. "The Vanishing Spies" - 6. "Speedy Marie" - 7. "Headache" (4 / 5) (live) - 11. "Fiddle Riddle" - 14. "I Could Stay Here Forever" - 16. "Superabound" - 17. "Big Red" - 20. "Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band"

2nd solo studio album by Frank Black is a true long-player at 62 min. playing time and containing 22 tracks (with several tracks under 2 min. and 10 tracks over 3 mins) thus being released as a double vinyl lp. Like on his debut, former Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago feature on several tracks but the musical backbone is once again co-producer Eric Drew Feldman on bass & keyboards and Nick Vincent on drums.
Stylistically, Black may not introduce a lot of new styles here - he excels in what he does best: playing alt. rock and indie rock - at the time often referred to as college rock, but the album is something else than his first solo album where he sort of just did what he had been used to do. And lyrically, he just continues to sing about whatever pops up in his weird super-sub-conscious fantasy. Yes, it's songs about video-games, comics' and cartoon characters, space, UFOs and what lies in between [!]... Quite often it's rather funny, though. The album is very varied incorporating not only inspiration from other genres and styles but by adding elements from 1960s surf rock, folk rock, 70s art rock and of course punk rock. Sometimes he even sounds inspired by more traditional folk as exemplified in "Superabound" and "Sir Rockaby", but without pointing in all directions he somehow manages to keep it all together thanks to a simple production sound without too much post-recording rework and by altogether containing all the various styles in his special universe of alt. rock.
Admittedly, I rejected the album in '94. I did try listening to it - more than once - but I just didn't get it. To me, it was too noisy and without direction and appeal. I dunno. I guess I felt the same way about Trompe le monde by Pixies when I first heard that one. There's something confrontational about his music that may cause people to keep it out, perhaps. Anyway, for me this is an album that has taken more than a usual amount time to settle and to adjust to. But I have. From a 2010-perspective I can't really understand why I didn't just embrace the album as the continued journey out of Pixies - kind of together with what The Breeders did.
The album contains a lot of fine tracks and great bits, and overall, it's quite an accomplishment, where I feel completely in line with Al Wesel of Rolling Stone when he sums up that: "The songs switch gears so much that you're never sure where you might end up, but the ride is always exhilarating." At the time of its release, the album was met by fine but also luke-warm reviews; however, time has really rocketed the album up on many best of charts, and it's also included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, NME, Select, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Happy Mondays "Forty Five EP" (1985) (ep)

Forty Five EP, ep

release date: Sep. 1985

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,17]

producer: Mike Pickering

label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Delightful" (4 / 5) - 2. "This Feeling" (2,5 / 5) - 3. "Oasis" (3 / 5)

3-track ep debut by Happy Mondays is the band's first release after being put on contract by Factory Records. Producer Mike Pickering worked as a DJ at The Haçienda dance and nightclub in Manchester, and he saw the band's potential after having listened to a demo-tape by the band, who at this point toured with New Order. At this point Happy Mondays is already a stable sextet consisting of the Ryder brothers: singer and guitarist Shaun and bassist Paul together with lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, drummer Gary Whelan, and dancer / percussionnist Bez [aka Mark Berry].

Musically, it's not yet the "baggy / madchester"-style they should later be associated with. Instead they play dance-friendly indie pop with bold stylistic elements from jangle pop. The ep has also been recognised as "The Delightful ep" with its title referring to the first and also easily best track of the release. 

Frank Black "Frank Black" (1993)

Frank Black [debut]
release date: Mar. 8, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Eric Drew Feldman, Frank Black
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Los Angeles" - 2. "I Heard Ramona Sing" - 3. "Hang on to Your Ego" - 8. "Ten Percenter" - 13. "Adda Lee" - 15. "Don't Ya Rile 'Em"

Studio album solo debut by Frank Black, aka Black Francis, which used to be his moniker while band leader of Pixies, aka Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV [actual birth name!] released only a few months after Black had announced the break-up of Pixies, which apparently had come as a surprise to the other members of the band. Musically, it follows close in the tradition of Pixies' material and also as a follow-up to its last album Trompe le monde (1991). Joey Santiago of Pixies feature on additional guitar, and Black's two foremost musical associates here are co-producer Eric Drew Feldman (former Pere Ubu and Captain Beefheart) on bass and keyboards and with Nick Vincent on drums and percussion.
I recall listening to the album by chance in the early 90s finding it superficial and of no particular interest. I think, I had been taken so much by surprise by the split of a great band and also found the band's last album of less interest - at the time - that I simply rejected this, thinking the band had been great with Doolittle and not really again after that. A few years later I changed by view on Pixies last album but never found this one in close relation to that. It's obvious that it's rather close to the soul of the band, but I don't find this one particular successful, and have come to regard it as Black's urge to show the others how he was somewhere else - already releasing his own material as if to say: "Pixies is all over with - just look where I'm heading!" - or something.
It does for sure seem unfinished - like an album in the making, and I have always regarded it as something just above the mediocre... for some reason.'Cause when I compare it to the last two albums by Pixies it's really not far from those - not considerably poorer. I think, it's major problem is that it almost only summarizes what Pixies stood for. Too many compositions stand so close to what has already been issued by his former band - here new songs have their own specific arrangements. That's true, but they still sound like remakes, and that's the problem about this album. Black doesn't do something else than going through the motions - just for himself this time. Perhaps it's actual problem is that it's his break-up album where he just wants something to shove in the face of his former associates saying "We used to do this together, now I do it on my own (and we all know it's the same shite)".
I'm not overly pleased about it, though I can't really say it's near bad. I just don't play it often and can only say that I do not agree with Heather Phares at allmusic.com.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Jack Frost "Snow Job" (1995)

Snow Job

release date: 1995

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]

producer: Steve Kilbey

label: Karmic Hit - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Jack Frost Blues" - 5. "You Don't Know" - 6. "Weightless and Wild" - 8. "Cousin / Angel"

2nd studio album by the duo-project Jack Frost consisting of Steve Kilbey (of The Church) and Grant McLennan (formerly The Go-Betweens) following three years after the self-titled debut. The project had lived on for a short period of time in '93 after which the two members went back to their own material. Since then, McLennan released his double album Horsebreaker Star (Dec. '94) and Kilbey has only just been released from the label Arista after the unsuccesful Somewhere Anytime (May '94) by The Church. So in early '95 the two found time to revive their common project. And very much to the same procedure as they launched with the debut, they didn't spend hours in writing and composing songs but more or less brought up ideas and recorded tracks in the studio - much according to the spontaneous songwriting and composing approach utilised by Kilbey at this point of his career. The duo has written and composed 13 tracks and they are assisted by Kilbey's brother Russell credited on organ, backing vocals and as sound engineer, and together with drummer Tim Powles of The Church they are the performing musicians on the album.

Compared to the debut, this is a looser type of album and it ultimately appears as a more incoherent whole. Gone are the jangle-pop and indie pop bits and pieces from the debut, which also pointed in a bunch of directions, but instead of showcasing diferent styles for individual tracks, Snow Job is mostly one huge mix of styles carrying stronger traits of the solo works by Kilbey, and it's simply difficult to sense a presence of and contributions from McLennan. Both McLennan and Kilbey were at this point using heavy drugs, and several songs may refer to their experiences with drugs, e.g. "Aviatrix", "Running From the Body", "Weightless and Wild" and "Haze".

Much like the debut, the album didn't attract much attention, and the project was soon put to a halt.

McLennan produced and played guitar on his sister, Sally McLennan's self-titled and only album from '96 (also with partecipation of Tim Powles and Russell Kilbey) before continuing his solo career and initiating what would result in his fourth and final solo album In Your Bright Ray (1997). Steve Kilbey also returned to his solo career but also began writing songs for the upcoming ninth studio album by The Church, Magician Among the Spirits (1997).

Not recommended.