Damien Dempsey "Seize the Day" (2003)

Seize the Day

udgivet: 16. maj 2003

format: cd

[vurdering: 4 / 5] [3,78]

producer: John Reynolds

selskab: Clear Records - nationalitet: Irland

Udvalgte numre: 1. "Negative Vibes" - 2. "Ghosts of Overdoses" - 3. "It's All Good" (live) - 4. "Factories" - 5. "Jar Song" - 6. "Celtic Tiger" - 7. "Apple of My Eye" - 11. "Seize the Day"

2. studiealbum fra den irske sanger og sangskriver Damien Dempsey som efterfølger til They Don't Teach This Shit at School (mar. 2000). Albummet er udgivet på Dempsey og producer John Reynolds' eget, nu hedengangne, pladeselskab. Navnet Damien Dempsey ringer måske ikke en klokke hos mange, men han er blevet intet mindre end et nationalikon i Irland. Det skyldes hans mange albums, der blander traditionel folkemusik og historiefortælling med et moderne livssyn samtidig med, at han har forstået at bygge bro mellem moderne folk-pop og en mere traditionelt funderet sangskrivning. Sinéad O’Connor er med på kor på tre af sangene (numrene #1, #3 og #6). Forud for indspilningen albummet inviterede O’Connor Dempsey med som opvarmning på en turné, hvor hun optrådte med noget af det materiale, der senere kom til at fylde hendes irske folk-album Sean-Nós Nua (okt. 2002). John Reynolds har produceret og / eller spillet på størstedelen af O’Connors albums, og han fik efter sigende øjnene op for Dempsey, da O’Connor havde rost hans talent som sangskriver. Dempsey spiller en slags moderniseret irsk folkemusik, der trækker tråde til både The Dubliners og The Pogues, eller rettere: Shane MacGowan - endnu en kunstner med hjertet bankende for irske traditioner og et irsk ikon i egen person, selvom han blev født og opvoksede i England.

Seize the Day er et fremragende album med sange om arbejderklassens moderne liv og sange om det, der virkelig betyder noget i livet - og så har Dempsey en fin og blid vokal. Sangen "It’s All Good" er også med på O’Connors album Collaborations (2005). En anmeldelse i Paste Magazine af Andy Whitman (fra 2004) siger en del om Dempseys status: "Den irske sjæl er en notorisk flygtig størrelse. Van Morrison har den - i hvert fald når han stadig gider. Sinéad O’Connor har den. Bono - trods alle hans mange ubestrideligt musikalske kvaliteter - har den ikke. Den 29-årige Dublin-indfødte Damien Dempsey, han har den, og hans næsten tøjlede passion og råstyrke løfter sangene på hans andet album 'Seize the Day' fra det gode til det ofte sublime."

Varmt anbefalet.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, 👉Paste Magazine 3,5 / 5, Sputnik Music 4,5 / 5 stjerner ]

alt. 2004 cover

Illeborg & Lysdal "Hjertekamre" (2004)

Hjertekamre

release date: 2004

format: cd (APCD 60067)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]

producer: Jens Lysdal

label: ArtPeople - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Hjertekamre" - 2. "Kan ikke huske" - 3. "Den mælkehvide måne" - 5. "På må og få" - 9. "Alt kan gå i stå" - 11. "Paradis"

Collaboration album by the two folk and singer / songwriter soloists Laura Illeborg and Jens Lysdal. Admittedly, neither have taken up much space in my music collection, as I have always found it difficult to listen to Danish contemporary soft folk which mostly comes with bonds to a schlager genre I associate with kitch and an indefinable ingredient of something non-professional, which of course is completely ungrounded and also is an undeserved criticism. I have no idea from where that has its foundation, but when consciously approaching music you tend to reject, for whatever reason and all because of a judgemental position, not to forget (ugly) double-standards - meaning: the poorest reasons of all, then you should instead try to be more open-minded and focus on a want to dig out an understanding of the obvious qualities that many others see so easily.

The sudden death of Laura Illeborg early October this year made me curious about her music, as I simply had no idea of what she had produced. Illeborg only lived to be 55 years of age but she has made a solid list of releases in what I understand is a varied discography. Initially, she performed as backing vocalist on various releases for a vast number of artists from all genres and styles, and from 1996 as soloist - her debut album is Lyv mig natten lys (1996) - as collaborator, and featuring vocalist, she has long gone ensured her name in Danish music history. Jens Lysdal is likewise an artist who started out accompanying others, primarily as guitarist and backing vocalist, after which he initiated a solo career with A Matter of Time (1995). Lysdal is a multi-facetted musician with roots in jazz, folk, country, and everything in between and close by, and in company with Illeborg the two showcase a wide repertoire in a soft corner of contemporary Danish folk. And I do enjoy it. The album contains 11 songs of which nine have lyrics by Illebord and music by Lysdal. Track #8 is co-written by Lysdal, and the end-track is exclusively credited Lysdal, who also performs as multi-instrumentalist and as producer. Stylewise, you could label it ballads with elements from jazz, pop, and folk, and it's music arranged with a classic set of minimal instrumentation, focusing on vocal, electric (jazz) guitar, bass, percussion and a small doze of keyboard. It's music made with melancholy as a centre point but balanced with a lightness running through the whole album. Some songs stand more alone as quiet vocal performances, while others engage with more tempo without being uptempo arrangements.

Laura Illeborg performs with her strong original vocal, and she obviously masters the slow intimate parts as well as more uptempo pop variants. No wonder, she has a long record as featuring vocalist in the studio, and together, Illeborg and Lysdal appear like a strong duo. In Illeborg's discography, the album follows what may be regarded as her national breakthrough, the album Lidt in Love (2002), and it's succeeded by the well-received album God vagt (2007).

Hjertekamre is a solid and well-executed album in the soft corner of folk that should appeal to fans of jazz, ballads, and folk.

Mariza "Fado em mim" (2002)

Fado em mim [debut]

release date: Apr. 2002

format: cd (2016 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Jorge Fernando, Tiago Machado

label: Warner Music Portugal / Parlophone - nationality: Portugal

Track highlights: 1. "Loucura" - 2. "Poetas" - 3. "Chuva" - 4. "Maria Lisboa" - 5. "Ó gente da minha terra" - 6. "Que Deus me perdoe" - 8. "Terra d'água" - 9. "Oiça lá ó Senhor Vinho" - 11. "Oxalá" - 12. "Barco negro"

Studio album debut by Portuguese Mariza (aka Marisa dos Reis Nunes) originally released on Dutch label World Connection residing in Haarlem.

Mariza skyrocketed into Portuguese fame via this very album, although, no national label paid any interest in the music as she was an unproven artist; however, Mariza has soon become one of the most valued performers of the traditional fado.

Fado em mim is not only the essence of a national genre, it's also beautifully arranged and displaying elegance and sophistication on the highest level.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Toumani Diabaté "The Mande Variations" (2008)

The Mande Variations
release date: Feb. 25, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Nick Gold
label: World Circuit - nationality: Mali

Track highlights: 1. "Si Naani" (4 / 5) - 2. "Elyne Road" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Ali Farka Toure" - 4. "Kaouding Cissoko" (4 / 5) - 5. "Ismael Drame" (4 / 5) - 6. "Djourou Kara Nany" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Cantelowes" (4 / 5)

Studio album by Toumani Diabaté released on World Circuit is a mighty fine solo album featuring Diabaté's wonderful kora play. The style is close to the collaboration works with Ali Farka Touré, which may also be seen in the reference in the homage track #3.

Toumani Diabaté "Boulevard de l'Indépendance" (2006)

Boulevard de l'Indépendance
release date: Jul. 25, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Nick Gold
label: World Circuit - nationality: Mali

Studio album by Toumani Diabaté released under the name of Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra is the third and final of three albums on World Circuit in the "Hotel Mandé Sessions" series initiated by the fabulous collaboration album In the Heart of the Moon (2005) by Ali Farka Touré and Diabaté - and like that, this is also produced by Nick Gold.
The music is energetic, full of drums and horns, and seems quite similar to that of another great Malian musician: Salif Keita. It's rather far from his works with Ali Farka Touré. Here the kora plays a secondary part as a rhythm and / or background instrument to orchestrated music featuring vocals, brass and traditional instruments of the Mandé folk tradition.

Best of 2005:Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté "In the Heart of the Moon" (2005)

2021 vinyl reissue

In the Heart of the Moon [debut]
release date: Sep. 13, 2005
format: cd / 2lp vinyl (2021 reissue)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,88]
producer: Nick Gold
label: World Circuit - nationality: Mali

Tracklist: 1. "Debe" (5 / 5) (live in Brussels) - 2. "Kala" (4 / 5) - 3. "Mamadou Boutiquier" (5 / 5) - 4. "Monsieur le Maire de Niafunké" (4 / 5) - 5. "Kaira" (4 / 5) - 6. "Simbo" - 7. "Ai Ga Bani" - 8. "Soumbou Ya Ya" - 9. "Naweye Toro" - 10. "Kadi Kadi" - 11. "Gomni" (4 / 5) - 12. "Hawa Dolo"

G R E A T! That's what this is. It's the collaboration debut by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, two Malian musicians. The music is delicate, surreal and haunting. What rhythm, and what wonderful dreamy tunes these guys produce! Splendid music - and highly addictive. Play it when you drive to or from work, or just anywhere, when you read, or when you make love - just play it, and listen. It's extremely soothing for body and mind. I give it my warmest recommendations, and… I only need more of that kind! On this, Touré plays guitar and Diabeté plays the 21-stringed African kora, which is responsible for the spiderweb-like strings on this amazing release. The album received world-wide recognition and led to a World Live Tour with the two playing in Europe and USA.
Touré had been politically engaged and became mayor of the local town of Nianfunké in 2004, and although there are 25 years between these two musicians and they do sound as if having played together for years, when in fact the album was recorded without initial rehearsals and without Touré and Diabeté had played together for more than 3 hours in total over a span of 15 years.
Diabaté was 40 and Touré 65 years of age when this album was released, and most sadly, Touré died Mar. 2006 as a 66-year-old, only just experiencing the international acclaim this album was attributed. The album is the first in a series of three albums commonly known as the "Hotel Mandé Sessions" - the second would be Tourés last solo album Savane (released posthumously, Jul. 17, 2006) and Diabeté's Boulevard de l'Independence (credited Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra was released Jul. 25, 2006).

EDIT Jan. 2022:
I only just received a vinyl copy of the album. Alas, the album wasn't released on vinyl until 2012. The vendor sold it filed as a 2012 issue, but it turns out, it's a 2021 re-issue. Anyway, the album is for me a cornerstone in 'world music' and simply is one of those must-have releases I wish more people knew of.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

2005 Favourite releases: 1. Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabeté In the Heart of the Moon - 2. Sigur Rós Takk... - 3. Kent Du & jag döden

original CD front

Sinéad O'Connor "Theology" (2007)

Theology

release date: Jun. 18, 2007

format: 2 cd

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,77]

producer: Steve Cooney; RonTom

label: Ministry Of Sound - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: Disc 1 'Dublin Sessions', 1. "Something Beautiful" (live actoustic) - 3. "Out of the Depths" (live acoustic) - 4. "Dark I Am Yet Lovely"

Disc 2, 'London Sessions', 1. "Something Beautiful" - 3. "Out of the Depths" - 4. "33" - 7. "If You Had a Vineyard" - 8. "The Glory of Jah"

8th studio album by Sinéad O'Connor following nearly two years after the reggae-tribute album Throw Down Your Arms (Oct. 2005). The album is a 2-disc cd release with the first disc titled "Dublin Sessions". This is produced by Steve Cooney and co-produced by Graham Bolger and Sinéad O'Connor. Disc 2 is titled "London Sessions" and is produced by RonTom [aka Ronald Tomlinson]. The unusual thing about the 2-disc album format is that both discs almost comes with identical tracklistings. That is, the track order is slightly changed and only two songs are unique, one on each disc, with the major differences being that the "Dublin Sessions" are acoustically arranged songs and the "London Sessions" are more traditionally arranged as soft pop / rock songs. The album is quite lengthy with 90 minutes total running time, and then it basically comes without any memorable songs. It's not so much that the songs are all religious hymns - as I do fancy Van Morrison even when he is most explicitly touching on religion because his music usually is founded on great songs and catchy arrangements, however, this is simply not the case with Theology, which easily comes out as O'Connor's least favourable album to date. If you say plan on adding a release by O'Connor to your music collection, this is simply not where you should look. It should read avoid! Except if you're into say Christian pop / rock music and you're actually in search of soft pop / rock religious hymns. "But you point to track highlights of the album!", you may argue. Agreed, but they're not great. Not any of them, only better compared to the other songs on the album. Perhaps it's actually mediocre and should be granted 2,5 / 5 but I just like O'Connor's singing qualities, and they're still here, somewhere.

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, 👍Uncut, PopMatters, Slant 3 / 5, 🤯Rolling Stone 1 / 5, Spin 2 / 5 stars ]

Kraftwerk "Tour de France Soundtracks" (2003)

Tour de France Soundtracks

release date: Aug. 4, 2003

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]

producer: Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider

label: EMI - nationality: Germany

Track highlights: 2. "Tour de France Étape 1" - 3. "Tour de France Étape 2" - 7. "Aéro Dynamik" - 9. "Elektro Kardiogramm" - 12. "Tour de France" (4 / 5) (officiel video)

11th and final studio album by Kraftwerk released a full twelve years after The Mix (1991) - and seventeen [!] years after Electric Cafe (1986), which stands as their most recent album with completely new material. This final outing is also the band's only album with a line-up consisting of Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider together with the two new members of Fritz Hilpert (who in '87 replaced Wolfgang Flür) and Henning Schmitz, who after ' The 91 album replaced Fernando Abrantes (who had only just replaced Karl Bartos). The album is as all the band's albums from '74 and onwards also released in a remastered 2009 version, and for that, it was issued with the shorter title, Tour de France for the simple reason that it had been created to the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first Tour de France. At the same time, it also happens to be the 20th anniversary of the band's first edition of the title track. The album consists of 12 compositions with a total running time at approx. 56 minutes.

Stylewise, the band here presents a new sound based on basic elements from their previous albums but now with an implementation of techno, for which the band itself is seen as a major inspiration, and which in a way provides the music with a breath of fresh air. Most lyrics are written in collaboration between Ralf Hütter and French songwriter Maxime Schmitt.

The album was generally met by positively reviews and it ended up topping the German albums chart as the band's only. It reached number #7 in Sweden, number #21 in the UK, and a position as number #3 on the US Top Dance/Electronic albums chart, although it didn't chart on the Billboard 200, as the band's only album to date. A total of four tracks were selected for single releases: "Tour de France 2003" (Jul. 2003), which contains four different versions of the title track - none of which appear on the album (which basically is in keeping with the multiple versions of the original "Tour de France" single from '83), "Elektro Kardiogramm" (released as a promo single) in a 'Radio Mix' version, "Aéro Dynamik" released in 2004 as "Aerodynamik" for a single with the track in four different mixes, again, all of which differ from the album version and "Aerodynamik + La Forme Remixes" released 2007. The first single peaked at number #50 on the German singles chart, which was bettered by a number #20 in the UK.

The album stands as Kraftwerk's final with new material, although several releases have followed, e.g. the live album Minimum-Maximum from 2005, the box set Der Katalog (2009), the live box set 3-D Der Katalog (2017) and most recently, the exclusively digital release Remixes (2020). The band has maintained regular live tours up to the present day, despite one of the band's founders, Florian Schneider left the band in 2009 and then later in 2020 died at the age of 73.

The title track has iconic status and fits fantastically as an underlay for cycling, but the album is a slightly odd conglomerate with few other highlights and quite a bit of filler material, but it's nevertheless still worth to know off.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Siouxsie and the Banshees "Voices on the Air (The Peel Sessions)" (2006)

Voices on the Air (The Peel Sessions) (compilation)

release date: Oct. 23, 2006

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: diverse

label: Polydor / Universal / BBC - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: (1. session, 29/11/79): 1. "Love in a Void" (anden liveoptræden '79) - 2. "Mirage" - 3. "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)" - (2. session, 6/2/78): 5. "Hong Kong Garden" - 6. "Overground" - 7. "Carcass" - 8. "Helter / Skelter" - (3. session, 9/4/79): 10. "Playground Twist" - 11. "Regal Zone" - (4. session, 10/2/81): 13. "Halloween" - 14. "Voodoo Dolly" - 16. "Into the Light" - (5. session, 21/1/86): 17. "Candyman" - 19. "Lands End"

Compilation album by Siouxsie and the Banshees from Polydor / Universal who just keep finding material to issue with a band they didn't see as commercial enough while active on the label. Here, however, it's not another best of, which looks like many others but a collective work of all the band's appearances on John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show over the years from 1977 to 1986. The John Peel Sessions is a legendary radio show existing from 1967 until Peel's death in 2004, and it includes more than 4,000 recordings by more than 2,000 artists. The album here comprises a total of 19 tracks spread over five appearances, where the only two regulars from all five recordings are vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steven Severin. The first three sessions, Nov. 29, 1977 (tracks #1-4), Feb. 6, 1978 (tracks #5-8), and Apr. 9, 1979 (tracks #9-12) respectively, sees John McKay on guitar and Kenny Morris on drums. The fourth session recorded 10/2-1981 (tracks #13-16) is with John McGeogh on guitar and Budgie on drums, and the fifth and final session Jan. 21, 1986 (tracks #17-19) is with John Valentine Carruthers on guitar.

It's mainly the band's earlier period you'll find documented here - with only three tracks are taken from the band's seventh album, Tinderbox (1986), the remaining 16 tracks (apart from one track by The Creatures) may be found in studio versions on the band's first four albums.

Voices on the Air (The Peel Sessions) is obviously a collector's item, as the recordings have not previously been broadcast together. The band's first Peel Session was independently released as an ep in '87 (on cd in '89), the second session released in '89 - both are collected on a compilation from '91.

The album is fine musical historic release, virtually showcasing the band before any label had a contract ready, and with the BBC's limited sound studio with a single sound track available, it's really the documentation of pure rawness, white noise, and electric energy flowing from one of the most notable British bands who instantly managed the progression from punk rock and into the wider scene of post-punk.

The album is dedicated BBC radio presenter John Peel (1939-2004) and producer John Walters (1938-2001, who was producer on many Peel Sessions, but not on the tracks on the album mentioned here).

From the band's BBC performances, there also exists a later rather extensive 3 CD + 1 DVD box set (with around 85 tracks), Siouxsie and the Banshees at the BBC released in 2009, which in addition to the five Peel Sessions also includes other radio-broadcast concerts and television appearances.

Recommended connoisseurs.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Chet Baker "My Funny Valentine [Essential Jazz Masters]" (2006)

My Funny Valentine [Essential Jazz Masters] (compilation)

release date: 2006

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5]

Compilation album by Chet Baker, which seems like a reissue but is filed as a 2006 album release, however, all tracks must have been recorded in the 1950s and/or 1960s, which is quite evident from the mono recordings. It features live sessions, hard bop jazz, as well as his romantic cool jazz ballads including one vocal jazz track, which sort of comprises all his styles but also makes it a very uneven compilation of songs.

Elvis Costello "The Best of Elvis Costello - The First 10 Years" (2007)

The Best of Elvis Costello - The First 10 Years (compilation)
release date: May 1, 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 4,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Hip-O Records - nationality: England, UK

Best of compilation by Elvis Costello compiled by Costello himself is a strong contender to the best single disc compilation around with his earliest - and best - material. The selection starts off from the debut album My Aim Is True (1977) and ends with his last album released on F-Beat, Blood & Chocolate (1986). A couple of fine things about the album is how all studio releases except (the shallow) Goodbye Cruel World (1984) from this ten year period are represented, and that the songs appear in chronological order. The total of 22 tracks is made up from three taken from Costello's first three albums, My Aim..., This Year's Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979), then two from albums 4 and 5, Get Happy!! (1980) and Trust (1981), one composition from his 6th, Almost Blue (1981), then again three from his 7th, Imperial Bedroom (1982), two from his 8th, Punch the Clock (1983), two from his 10th, King of America (1986), and one song from his 11th, Blood & Chocolate. Of course there's no way he would be able to satisfy everyone's taste and personally; I miss more from Get Happy!! and Blood & Chocolate and I could live without few of the selected, but ultimately, it's impossible to pick 22 tracks only, and when going for 1-3 songs from these albums, it's a pretty decent job.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Cat Power "The Greatest" (2006)

The Greatest
release date: Jan. 9, 2006
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Stuart Sikes
label: Matador / P-Vine Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The Greatest" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 2. "Living Proof" (live on Letterman) - 3. "Lived in Bars" (officiel video) (live on Later) - 5. "Empty Shell" - 6. "Willie" - 7. "Where Is My Love" (officiel video) - 12. "Love & Communication"

7th studio album by Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) following a full three years after You Are Free (Feb. 2003). Like all Power's other albums, The Greatest is in the quieter end of folk rock and singer / songwriter genre with elements from alt. country and traditional blues. What's new here is especially a far more indie pop-tinged series of songs in larger-than-usual arrangements, which by that don't have 'the usual' clear lo-fi touch. The album therefore seems more airy, varied and lighter than most of her other albums, which have often carried an excessive heavy melancholic mood. The songs here appear brighter and lighter, even though Power's vocals are not that different and without ever displaying the big register, but which nevertheless has its own qualities, which are mainly rooted in a charismatic hoarse and occasionally almost whispering intonation, which can lead thoughts to Lana Del Rey and Hope Sandoval with a common starting point in Laura Nyro.

The Greatest is Cat Power's highest-charting album to date on the US Billboard 200 peaking at number #34, but it reached number #20 in Australia and at number #45 in the UK. The album won the Alternative Shortlist Music Prize (an award running from 2001 to 2007) ahead of names such as Band of Horses, Joanna Newsom, and Tom Waits - an award for which her 2003 album was also nominated without running with the award.

Imho, The Greatest is Powers best album to date and therefore also a recommended place to delve into the special universe of Cat Power.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME, Q 3 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,9 / 10 stars ]

Cat Power "The Covers Record" (2000)

The Covers Record

release date: Mar. 21, 2000

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer: non-produced

label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - 7. "I Found a Reason" - 12. "Sea of Love"

5th studio album by Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall [pronounced 'shawn], aka Charlyn Marie Marshall) following 1½ years after the album Moon Pix (1998), which is cited by many as her first significant studio album.

The Covers Records is, to no surprise, a collection of covers by many diverse artists. You'll find tracks by famous artists such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and the Velvet Underground, tracks made famous by Nina Simone and Mae West, and there are tracks by (to most) more unknown names such as Phil Phillips, Papa Charlie Jackson, and Michael Hurley. There's also room for a reinterpretation of Cat Power's own track "In This Hole", previously released on What Would the Community Think, Power's third album and Marshall's first on Matador released in '96 while Power was still associated with the name of Chan Marshall's band, although in practice she had already gone solo here.

The album is entirely acoustic and stripped down to a minimal of instrumentation and most probably also recorded on a single recording track with only Chan Marshall singing and playing guitar. On some tracks, it's her piano that is only accompaniment, and only on "Salty Dog" the participation of guitarist Matt Sweeney is heard. Typically, for Cat Power, no producer is indicated on the album, and in this case it's probably only sound engineers who have set up microphones and then started and finished the recording.

It's restrained to lo-fi regardless the original arrangements and therefore most tracks fall quite far from their original expression. It's Chan Marshall solo, and it's heartfelt, but maybe also a bit one-sided - at least for my liking. The album garnered some good reviews, but it's not among my favourites. Admittedly, Marshall has an insistent melodic vocal and sings with great emotion, making all the songs her own. For me, the problem is that the tracks slide (too much) into each other and end up sounding one-stringed, and she's just not an instrumentalist virtouso or (for that matter) a singer with a big register. If you're not familiar with Cat Power, I will recommend listening to her predecessor, Moon Pix or the successor You Are Free (2003), which may be regarded as her commercial breakthrough.

[ allmusic.com, NME, Spin 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Robert Forster "The Evangelist" (2008)

The Evangelist

release date: Apr. 21, 2008

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]

producer: Mark Wallis & Dave Ruffy

label: Tuition - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "If It Rains" - 2. "Demon Days" (solo live) - 3. "Pandanus" - 4. "Did She Overtake You" - 5. "The Evangelist" - 6. "Let Your Light in, Babe" - 9. "It Ain't Easy" - 10. "From Ghost Town"

5th studio album by Robert Forster is his follow-up to Warm Nights (Sep. 1996) and thus released a full 12 years after his most recent solo album - and there are a various reasons to that [see The Friends of Rachel Worth, album #7 by The Go-Betweens], which among others things involves the re-formation of The Go-Betweens in '99 and, in particular, the sudden death of Forster's musical friend, Grant McLennan, May 2006. The two songwriters had begun work on what should have been the band's tenth album together, and three of these are included here - as tracks #2, #6, and #9. One year following McLennan's death, Forster resumed his solo career with a series of concerts featuring Adele Pickvance and Glenn Thompson, and in the autumn of 2007 the trio returned to the same studio in London where they had recorded the band's final Oceans Apart (2005) in company of McLennan and producers Wallis and Ruffy, now to record this very album.

Musically, it doesn't fall far from the band's final outing, and in Forster's solo discography it's perhaps a little cleaner than most his other albums, although lyrically it naturally includes the grief over his painful loss. The album also stands a bit on its own in that it contains much of the soul and colours of The Go-Betweens and in that way positions itself somewhere in between Forster solo and the band, which also was put to rest with the passing of McLennan. And by containing tracks written for the band, it's bound to be very special. Nearly all Forster's solo albums have a certain unfinished quality to them, but The Evangelist appears quite elaborated as a whole, and together with his solo debut Danger in the Past (1990) this clearly stands as one of his best. Then is it even Forster's best solo? And yes, I think it is - and then it's probably his only solo album, which was partly made with the help of McLennan.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Slant 4 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 7,6 / 10, Uncut 5 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Sinéad O'Connor "Throw Down Your Arms" (2005)

Throw Down Your Arms

release date: Oct. 4. 2005

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]

producer: Sly and Robbie

label: Chocolate and Vanilla - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 2. "Marcus Garvey" - 4. "He Prayed" - 6. "Curly Locks" - 8. "Prophet Has Arise" - 9. "Downpressor Man" - 10. "Throw Down Your Arms" - 12. "War"

7th studio album by Sinéad O'Connor follows three years after the fine but mostly neglected Sean-Nós Nua (Oct. 2002), and much like was the case with the former, this album consists of newly arranged cover songs. Before this she released the 2-disc compilation She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty (Sep. 2003) consisting of 'rare' recordings (soundtrack songs, collaborations, B-sides) and one cd consisting of a live concert from 2002. O'Connor had been outspoken about this being her final album. It does make sense in the way it was launched and the scope of it, but obviously she changed her mind about this. Also, earlier this year the compilation Collaborations (Jun. 2005) was released by EMI / Capitol - basically a collection of songs O'Connor had made with other artists while signed on Ensign / Chrysalis.

Throw Down Your Arms is O'Connor paying tribute to the genre of reggae. She had early on in her career been influenced by reggae, and later on she also found comfort in the culture of rastafari. The album is one of a few without John Reynolds, and instead the album has been recorded in Kingston, Jamaica and produced by the legendary duo of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, who also plays drums and bass on the album.

As a Sinéad O'Connor release the album does fall far from her initial records, and also when comparing with Universal Mother (1994) and Faith and Courage (2000), but as a tribute to a whole genre it works quite fine. It doesn't add much to the great selection of songs but of course O'Connor's vocal provides a certain novelty that turns it into something more.

For me, the album has a touch of obscurity to it that both makes it interesting / fascinating and worth checking out, and then it only really makes me wanna listen to the originals, which in a way isn't a bad thing. That could be said about her Am I Not Your Girl? album, but this is actually paying tribute to the originals instead of being something entirely diverse. It's not bad and then it's neither great.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Blender, 👉The Guardian 3 / 5, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Oceans Apart" (2005)

Oceans Apart
release date: May 3, 2005
format: 2 cd (Deluxe)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Mark Wallis and David Ruffy
label: Lo-Max Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Here Comes a City" - 2. "Finding You" - 3. "Born to a Family" - 4. "No Reason to Cry" - 6. "Darlinghurst Nights" - 7. "Lavender" - 8. "The Statue" - 9. "This Night's for You" - 10. "The Mountains Near Dellray"

9th and the irrevocably final studio album by The Go-Betweens following just over two years after Bright Yellow Bright Orange (Feb. 2003) sees a reunion with producer Mark Wallis, who stood behind the acclaimed 16 Lovers Lane (1988). The 2 CD Deluxe edition comes with the addition of a live recording from The Barbican Concert Hall, London, Jun. 27, 2004.

For once, the quartet is intact compared to their most recent album but what makes the biggest difference here is concerning the actual production of the album. Forster and McLennan themselves were in complete control when producing the band's last two outings, and these are both quite good, but when listening to Oceans Apart, you clearly sense the bond to 16 Lovers Lane. It's not just similar, as it doesn't merely copy what was successful on the '88 album but the new collection of songs has a presence of the same 'multi-layering' without obvious attempts in reproducing the instrumental contributions by Amanda Brown and John Willstead of yesterday.

Another significant positive quality is that it feels and sounds like a band effort, whereas the two previous albums had an unmistakable imprint of the Forster / McLennan guitar duo weaving on all tracks. Here, it's as if bass, keyboards, additional guitars, and drums all contribute to colour the whole picture and, overall, create a sonic complexity that fits together ever so nicely. That said, the songs demonstrate the two songwriters' abilities as skilled storytellers and the end product is no less than the band's second best studio album - ever.

Oceans Apart won the prize for best Adult Contemporary Album at the Australian Grammy Awards in 2005 - first time happing for Forster and McLennan - and as a new experience, the album made its mark on the albums chartc in a number of countries besides Australia. Two tracks were released as singles: tracks #1 and #2, which didn't garner significant chart entries. And that's maybe not too strange, because it's the album itself that appears as a coherent strong album, basically without fillers. It's just extraordinary well-made from start to finish.

Unfortunately, just as the band was finally experiencing growing international recognition - again, the project was brutally interrupted when Grant McLennan suddenly died of a cardiac arrest around the anniversary of the album's release on May 6, 2006. With McLennan's passing, The Go-Betweens ended for good and Robert Forster returned to his solo career and subsequently released the album The Evangelist (Apr. 2008). In 2007, two recurring awards were founded: an annual prestigious Australian honour award "Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award", as well as the annual 1-year music scholarship "Grant McLennan Fellowship" awarded emerging talents in Queensland.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Blender, Uncut 4 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo 5 / 5 stars ]

Lisa Gerrard "The Silver Tree" (2006)

The Silver Tree

release date: Dec. 5, 2006

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC - 2007 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,88]

producer: David Badrick & Lisa Gerrard

label: Rubber Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "In Exile" - 2. "Shadow Hunter" - 4. "The Sea Whisperer" - 6. "Space Weaver" - 8. "Serenity" - 10. "Towards the Tower" - 12. "Devotion"

2nd solo album by Australian artist Lisa Gerrard follows more than a decade after her solo debut The Mirror Pool (Aug. 1995). This doesn't by any means suggest that Gerrard isn't a highly productive artist. She often releases music with collaborating artists, and she has made a golden career from her engagements as soundtrack composer. In '96 she released a so far final studio album, Spiritchaser with the duo-project Dead Can Dance (together with Brendan Perry). In '98 she released the collaboration album Duality with Pieter Bourke, and also with Bourke, she made the soundtrack to Michael Mann's The Insider (1999), the soundtrack to Ridley Scott's The Gladiator (2000) composed with Hans Zimmer - an accomplishment that sky-rocketed her composer value - and again with Bourke she composed the soundtrack to the biographical sports drama Ali (2001), the soundtrack to Whalerider (2003), the collaboration album Immortal Memory together with Patrick Cassidy (2004), and the soundtrack Salem's Lot (2004) with Christopher Gordon to a TV-series. And it doesn't stop with this, as Gerrard has also delivered compositions and vocals to songs appearing on various other releases including TV-series, movies, documentaries and as performing guest on other artists' releases.

Lisa Gerrard works on a classical arena with trained classical intrumentalists and composers, but she also works with artists from a "popular" music culture, the experimental electronic music scene and often on music labeled as neo-classical. On top of this, Gerrard has made it her trademark to blend national folklore from various parts of the world, and not seldom you will find traces of music inspired by traditional folk from the Balkan area - sometimes incorporating tones from an Arabian / Middle East tradition - all brought together in an original colourful blend with her timeless ethereal signature. She has become an acclaimed vocalist with a vocal range of three octaves, and when performing her own songs, she often sings in her own made-up language, sometimes referred to as 'glossolalia'.

The Silver Tree was nominated the Best Album Prize at the Australian Music Awards in 2006, and it may be an album that brings many of her former releases to mind, but it's not a matter of picking bits and pieces from her past and mixing it all together anew. It's more the result of a skilled artist's inspiration overflown with her quality trademarks that makes it a highly original album. It's both electronic, ambient and neo-classical, and not necessarily styles that are present in all 14 compositions. As in styles, the songs vary in tempo, in cadence, in mood but it's all cleverly woven together with Gerrard's delicate touch - be it in the arrangements of the single composition or in the tone of her singing voice. The tracks also vary in running times with the shortest playing for only 1½ minute and the longest for more than 10 minutes. In between there's nearly everything. It may be based on electronic rhythm beats, on hymn-like ambience, or progressive darkwave, but still it remarkably works as a coherent release.

I've always fancied the music with Gerrard's partecipation and it never ceases to amase me, and it always reminds me, what an absolute great artist she is! She has been awarded many prizes for her work, but in my mind, she is way to overlooked an artist and deserves much more recognition - as composer, as vocalist, and as performing artist.

Highly recommended!

Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint "The River in Reverse" (2006)

The River in Reverse

release date: Jun. 6, 2006

format: digital (13 x Files, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: Joe Henry (exec. produced by Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint)

label: Verve Forecast: - nationality: England, UK / USA

Track highlights: 1. "On Your Way Down" - 2. "Nearer to You" - 4. "The Sharpest Thorn" - 5. "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?" - 6. "The River in Reverse" - 7. "Freedom for the Stallion" - 11. "All These Things"

Collaboration album by Elvis Costello and New Orleans-based songwriter, composer, record producer, pianist and composer, Allen Toussaint, who is a familiar name of traditional American rhythm & blues.

Toussaint had previously contributed as pianist on Costello's "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" for his Spike album, and the two had earlier discussed the possibility of a collaboration work, but it wasn't until the hurricane, Katrina flooded New Orleans in 2005 that Costello was concerned about Toussaint, as he was one of many affected artists of the disaster. Both was involved in benefit concerts and Costello initially thought of and performed with Toussaint's song "Freedom for the Stallion" after which the two was paired for live concerts, which ultimately led to Costello suggesting that they made an album together. And in that way The River in Reverse is a requiem on the New Orleans tragedy. Except for the title song, which is written and composed by Costello, the remaining 12 compositions are reworkings of songs composed by Toussaint - a few with new lyrics by Costello.

The result is actually really good. Toussaint has composed lively and traditional music, and Costello delivers some a vocal performance on the majority of the songs with warmt and emotions that at times make me think of Van Morrison. It's a quite different arena than Costello's recent collaborations: Painted From Memory (1998) with Burt Bacharach, and Deep Dead Blue (1995) with Bill Frisell, but it's by no means a left-handed work or a lesser experience - it's just... different, mostly because this album is a genuinely rhythm & blues album, which again shows us how easily Costello adapts to different styles. Not that he masters everything, but I don't think he believes there's a style or genre he cannot handle.

This is a warm and delightful album.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 6,1 / 10 stars ]

Band of Horses "Cease to Begin" (2007)

Cease to Begin

release date: Oct. 9, 2007

format: cd (SPCD 745)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,22]

producer: Phil Ek

label: Sub Pop Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Is There a Ghost" (5 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 2. "Ode to LRC" - 3. "No One's Gonna Love You" (5 / 5) (live on Letterman - acoustic live) - 4. "Detlef Schrempf" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 5. "The General Specific" - 7. "Islands on the Coast" - 8. "Marry Song" - 9. "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands" (4,5 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Band of Horses following 1½ after the fine Everything All the Time (Mar. 2006) is like that produced by Phil Ek and released on Sub Pop. Since the recording of the debut album the band has changed its line-up more than once, and played as a quintet, a quartet and now reduced to a trio with only remaining member, founder Ben Bridwell. On this he constitutes the band with bassist & guitarist Rob Hampton and drummer Creighton Barrett - both replacing founding members Chris Early and Tim Meinig for the promotion tour of the debut in 2006. Guitarist and keyboardist Joe Arnone only stayed for the 2006 tour, after which the band recruited keyboardist Ryan Monroe as additional musician for an upcoming 2007 tour and for the recording sessions for this album. He was, however, together with guitarist Tyler Ramsey and bassist Bill Reynolds included as new official members after the album release, whci meant the band was soon back as a sextet.

Musically, the album follows close on path laid out with the debut, although, this seems more like a bolder folk rock and country rock release thanks to more focus on electric guitars. The album still leaves room for a varied collection of songs, some are laidback and country-like, others harsh electric folk rock and the first track is an indie pop-shaped grower, but the overall sensation of a strong coherent whole is further accentuated. The album consists of ten tracks - and here comes the least favourable thing about this new album: it only upholds a total running time at 34:50 minutes!

After an acclaimed and strong debut they actually do even better. It's more than an ordinary artistic achievement to make something that both bonds so nicely with the preceeding release and yet improve their sound, which again proves how Ben Bridwell as only remaning member is the band's leader and driving force.

Cease to Begin is their best and it's highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, NME, Blender, Q Magazine, 👍Spin 4 / 5, Pitchfork 7.7 / 10 stars ]

2007 Favourite releases: 1. Bloc Party A Weekend in the City - 2. Band of Horses Cease to Begin - 3. Natasja I Danmark er jeg født

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Band of Horses "Everything All the Time" (2006)

Everything All the Time [debut]

release date: Mar. 21, 2006

format: cd ( SPCD 690)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]

producer: Phil Ek

label: Sub Pop Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The First Song" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Wicked Gil" - 3. "Our Swords" - 4. "The Funeral" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Great Salt Lake" (4,5 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 7. "Weed Party" (acoustic live) - 10. "St. Augustine"

Studio album debut by Seattle-based indie folk quintet Band of Horses. The band was originally formed as a trio consisting of lead vocalist & guitarist Ben [Benjamin] Bridwell, bassist Chris Early and drummer Tim Meinig. Later it was expanded to a quartet with vocalist & guitarist Mat Brooke, who had been band leader in Carissa's Wierd, where Bridwell had stepped in at a later stage as substitution of a missing drummer and later as bassist, but in this project, Bridwell appears as the band's unofficial leader. Before joining Carissa's Wierd, Bridwell worked on his record label-project Brown Records and without much training he jumped in as the band's drummer on the band's second album You Should Be at Home Here from 2001. He then became stable drummer in the band and also appears on its acclaimed final studio album Songs About Leaving (2002), after which he changed to bass, guitar and backing vocals for the final live album I Before E from 2004.

All songs here are credited the band, but all lyrics (except two songs by Brooke) are written by Bridwell. The album is, however, the only by the band in this line-up, which also includes Carissa Wierd's final drummer Sera Cahoone, who appears on three tracks but basically just for the album recordings. Shortly after finishing these recordings, both Early and Meinig left the band and for the promotion tour the group reformed in a new line-up with the inclusion of three new members: guitarist & keyboardist Joe Arnone, guitarist & bassist Rob Hampton, and drummer Creighton Barrett but already as of Jul. 2006, also Mat Brooke left the band after which he became co-founder of the Seattle-project Grand Archives.

On this the band's first full-length album, the playlist is made up of several reworks of compositions that had previously been issued on the Band of Horses ep (also titled Tour EP) released, a self-released issue from 2005 sold at concerts, which consisted of three demo takes and three live recordings. Five of those songs appear here in (new) studio versions. The three demo tracks all apear here in re-arranged versions with new titles - "Savannah Part One" is here shortened to "Part One", "The Snow Fall" is here titled "The First Song", and "For Wicked Gil" is here titled "Wicked Gil". Two of the three live recordings appear here in studio versions - "The Great Salt Lake", which has kept its title intact, and "Billion Day Funeral", which here is simply titled "Funeral".

Stylewise, Band of Horses play an uptempo, simple yet modernised folk rock and indie rock with an obvious love for harmony-driven Neil Young classics, but without the sligtest sensation of plagiarism. They have, however, been associated with acts like R.E.M., Slowdive, The Shins and others, as well as been accused of not being original enough. Fact is, you don't have to be an original to make great music. All great stars have copied and "stolen" inspiration from others, and that's what Band of Horses do so well on Everything All the Time. The single songs all sound highly original in their own rights and the whole album showcases a long list of stylistic variations but the magic enters as it all combined becomes one whole that only soothes: Band of Horses. There's no copy, only the original.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Blender, Drowned in Sound, Uncut 4 / 5, Pitchfork 8.8 / 10 stars ]