Jean-Michel Jarre "Oxygène 3" (2016)

Oxygène 3
release date: Dec. 3, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Jean-Michel Jarre
label: Columbia / Sony Music - nationality: France

Tracklist: 1. "Oxygène (Part 14)" - 2. "Oxygène (Part 15)" - 3. "Oxygène (Part 16)" - 4. "Oxygène (Part 17)" - 5. "Oxygène (Part 18)" - 6. "Oxygène (Part 19)" - 7. "Oxygène (Part 20)"

18th (or so) studio album by French electronic pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, who here makes his third sequel to his famous Oxygène from 1976. The most apparent reason to release the album is perhaps that he can celebrate a 40 years anniversary of his first album in the series.
Stylistically, he continues in the same style of progressive ambient electronica that links the three albums together.
The first album was unique and it has its own unequalled position in music history. The second turned out as a fine rework on the basis of his masterpiece without repeating the model. It was both full of references but also shaped with innovative new elements that made it more than just a remake. Oxygène 3 feels on the other hand as more like a remix of the first two journeys. Jarre obviously tries to do what he did on Oxygène 7-13, but simply too bluntly, and the album sounds more like new interpretations of the other two without adding new originality to the project. It's fine but I just don't think, it reaches the qualities of the two predecessors.
It's far from poor or mediocre though, and the music may serve as an example of Jarre at his best, 'cause this style is ultimately what makes him interesting as an artist - not most of his synthpop releases of the 1980s when he became an international pop star. The whole genre of electronic owes so much to his music, and with this he demonstrates the capabilities other artists found inspiring.
It is his least interesting part of the three "Oxygène" albums but nevertheless an album that deserves attention.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Amy Winehouse "Frank" (2003)

original cover

Frank [debut]
release date: Oct. 20, 2003
format: 2 cd (2008 reissue - Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,94]
producer: Gordon Williams; Salaam Remi
label: Universal Island - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: Disc 1) 1. "Intro / Stronger Than Me" - 2. "You Sent Me Flying" - 3. "Know You Now" - 4. "Fuck Me Pumps" - 5. "I Heard Love Is Blind" - 7. "(There Is) No Greater Love" (aol live session) - 8. "In My Bed" - 9. "Take the Box" - 11. "What Is It About Men?" - 12. "Help Yourself" - 13. "Amy Amy Amy / Outro" - 'Brother' (hidden track) / 'Mr Magic (Through the Smoke)' (hidden track)
Disc 2) 1. "Take the Box" (Original Demo) - 2. "You Sent Me Flying" (Original Demo) - 3. "I Heard Love Is Blind" (Original Demo) - 4. "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Original Demo) - 5. "What Is It" (Original Demo) - 6. "Teach Me Tonight" (live) (Hootenanny) - 9. "Stronger Than Me" (live) (Later with Jools Holland) - 10. "I Heard Love Is Blind" (Live at the Concorde, Brighton) - 11. "Take the Box" (Live at the Concorde, Brighton) - 12. "In My Bed" (Live at the Concorde, Brighton) - 13. "Mr Magic" (Janice Long Session) - 14. "(There Is) No Greater Love" (Janice Long Session)

Studio album debut by Amy (Jade) Winehouse (born Sep. 1983 in Southgate, London) originally released on Island Records is made with several producers where the two main forces are Gordon Williams (aka Commissioner Gordon) and Salaam Remi (aka The Chameleon), who are both credited as producers of six of the standard album's thirteen compositions either alone or together. Winehouse herself, Matt Rowe, Jimmy Hogarth and Jony Rockstar are all credited as co-producers.
Stylistically, the album represents a huge mix of styles and genres with vocal jazz, rhythm & blues, and soul at the core of most compositions, although, it's difficult not also to mention pop soul and neo-soul and perhaps the all-American standards of the 1950s and 60s as one of the major inspirational sources. Additionally, the album title both refers to Winehouse's lyrics as well as hinting at one of her childhood idols: Frank Sinatra.
Winehouse has written the majority of the lyrics and composed the songs in collaboration with either Salaam Remi (5 songs), Gordon Williams (3 songs), and Donovan Jackson (3 songs) plus a variety of others. The album also contains two classic jazz compositions (tracks #6 and #7). The Deluxe Edition contains a Bonus disc of 18 additional songs - consisting of B-sides, live recordings and extended mixes of songs from the album.
The album went as high as to number #13 on the UK charts, and although, none of the four single releases from the album made it any higher than #57 on the national singles chart, the album was nominated the Mercury Prize in 2004 and Winehouse was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for her songwriting and she was nominated British Female Solo Artist and British Urban Act at the Brit Awards also in 2004.
Following Winehouse's death, the album re-entered the albums chart and went to number #3.
Frank is the fine and yet somewhat incoherent debut by one of Britain's most talented songwriters and vocalists of the modern era. Winehouse sings with ease and so much soul that it's a thrill - despite, production-wise, being a bit messy, as if the people in charge were unable to decide whether it was made for the vast pop masses or for lovers of vocal jazz. Winehouse herself was left dissatisfied about the album production, which she among other things described "a shambles made by idiots". You really have to grant her that the included demos on the Bonus Disc support her by revealing the strength of several songs appear to have been over-produced beyond recognition. E.g. the brilliant demo recording of "You Sent Me Flying" has completely lost the strong tenderness and vocal power of the original, and the same quality may also be said about all the other four demos. Perhaps, too many chefs were involved in the making of her debut? They simply had no idea of the kind of magic they were holding in their hands, so they felt forced to re-arrange and produce raw material into something else. Unfortunately.
That said, Frank is still a very very fine debut by Amy Winehouse.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5, PopMatters 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5 stars ]

2008 2-Disc
Deluxe Edition

"Sexy & Dirty House Music Vol. 1" (2011)

Sexy & Dirty House Music Vol. 1 (compilation)
release date: Oct. 19, 2011
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Album excerpts: 1. Johny S "Can't Get Enough (Original Mix)" - 5. Chantola "Chicago (I Need You) (Original Mix)" - 8. Johny S "Smooth Operator (Chantola Remix)"

A compilation album of club house. This may be a series in many volumes, but this specific album is surprisingly quite good.

Nat King Cole "Skip to My Lou" (1962) (single)

Skip to My Lou, 7'' single

release date: 1962

format: vinyl (4F 189)

[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]

producer: ?

label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) "Skip to My Lou" - - B) "Wolverton Mountain"

Single release by Nat King Cole with a traditional arranged by Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole, and a song by Merle Kilgore as B-side.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and it's a song I vividly remember from my childhood 'though it's not one of Cole's most memorable singles but still a song that will forever be associated with the great Nat King Cole.

~ ~ ~

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

Happy Mondays "Bummed" (1988)

Bummed

release date: Nov. 1988

format: cd (2000 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]

producer: Martin Hannett

label: Factory / London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Country Song" - 2. "Moving in With" - 3. "Mad Cyril" - 5. "Performance" (studio session) - 6. "Brain Dead" - 7. "Wrote for Luck" - 9. "Do It Better"

2nd full-length studio album by Happy Mondays follows 1½ years after Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People... (Apr. 1987) and is made with Factory-label's acclaimed producer, Martin Hannett. The band consists of the usual five: vocalist Shaun Ryder, his younger brother Paul on bass, Mark Day on guitar, Paul Davis on keyboards, (Gary) 'Gaz' Whelan on drums, and with Mark 'Bez' Berry on percussion. All ten songs are credited the band but it's commonly known that Shaun wrote the lyrics 'cause "the rest of 'em can't be arsed". Btw. the song "Lazyitis" (track #10) is basically "Ticket to Ride" by The Beatles with new lyrics and nearly unrecognisable arrangement.

Musically, it's a huge move from the debut and the band has progressed from being an indie rock band to one founded on a mix of styles, including alt. dance, indie pop, soul, funk, and neo-psychedelia making Happy Mondays one of the original bands behind the baggy / madchester style it should later be known as. The band also went by the alias The Mondays or 'The 24 Hour Party People' and they were one of many artists and bands playing at the famous The Haçienda music club founded by Factory and New Order in unison. Together with The Stone Roses and 808 State - all originating from Greater Manchester - they all produced dance-oriented music with various stylistic elements. The Stone Roses played alt. dance founded on jangle pop and indie rock, and 808 State built their sound on electronica, and then a number of other artists soon emerged on the scene. Producer Martin Hannett to some extent proves his worth here after having been recognised for his minimalist, dark and strict sound when engineering the soundscape for Joy Division less than a decade ago. Shaun Ryder recounts in his autobiography "Twisting My Melon" (2011) how he had been excited to have Hannett produce the album, as Ryder had been a big fan of the Joy Division productions and were thrilled to see what Hannett would come up with. Perhaps John Cale produced the debut album one year earlier with the intend to approach something with a more distinct art rock sound, and as a contrast to that, the sound here weaves in and out of focus making room for a multi-coloured palette, and on top of that, Shaun Ryder bounces freely in his original mumbling narrating style. Ryder describes it as the first really good album of theirs despite memories of recording sessions with drugs all over the place. And Hannett perhaps being the most experimental when Ryder and Bez introduced everyone to E.

The album doesn't contain noteworthy obvious hits, although "Wrote for Luck" had been chosen for single release in late October and is highly characteristic for the band, but it really launched its own life and positioned the band up the charts a bit later when it was released in a re-mixed version as "W.F.L." (official video) by Paul Oakenfold and Vince Clarke. Bummed was met by positive reviews, although, its status as a stylistic cornerstone has only added to its value. The album is included in "1001 Albums You Must hear Before You Die" and is quite an enjoyable ride. Nonetheless, it's mighty fine but given its position, I have never really fancied it all that much, and frankly, I find The Stone Roses debut a greater musical achievement. With Bummed, Happy Mondays may have landed their sound (not the same as found their feet!) but to me, their successor, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (Apr. 1990) clearly betters this one.

The front cover is an edited photo of lead vocalist Shaun Ryder when "off his tits", as he probably would describe it.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, NME 4,5 / 5, Mojo, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Trentemøller "Lost" (2013)

Lost

release date: Sep. 23, 2013

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Anders Trentemøller

label: In My Room - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "The Dream" (feat. Low) - 2. "Gravity" (feat. Jana Hunter) - 3. "Still on Fire" - 4. "Candy Tongue" (feat. Marie Fisker) - 6. "Never Stop Running" (feat. Jonny Pierce) - 7. "River of Life" (feat. Ghost Society) - 9. "Come Undone" (feat. Kazu Makino) - 10. "Deceive" (feat. Sune Rose Wagner) (official video)

3rd studio album by Trentemøller follows 3½ years after Into the Great Wide Yonder and is like that produced by Trentemøller and released through his own label In My Room.

His previous releases, including the DJ Mix album Harbour Boat Trips 01 - Copenhagen by Trentemøller from 2009 all have the traits of deep house electronic experimental style, building heavily on progressive compositions and all held in a primarily instrumental style. This marks a complete turn-around with Lost as 7 out of 12 tracks are composed using more traditional melody structure with vocal performances and making it all touch on synth pop in darkwave territory. Anders Trentemøller is not well-known for his vocal capabilities and therefore he has made use of various featuring vocalists. The American artists Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker (both from the band Low) feature on vocals together with their band on track #1; American artist Jana Hunter is featuring vocalist on track #2 together with Danish guitarist Lisbet Fritze; Danish vocalist Marie Fisker adds vocals on track #4 - she also featured on Trantemøller's 2009 and 2010 albums - American vocalist Jonathan Pierce (of The Drums) feature on track #6; the Danish band Ghost Society feature on track #7; Japanese artist Kazu Makino is featuring vocalist on track #9; and Danish artist Sune Rose Wagner (of The Raveonettes) is featuring vocalist on track #10. All featuring vocalists are also credited the songwriting on the songs, on which they feature.

Lost marks a considerable change of style in Trentemøller's discography. The album is not a strong coherent whole - some of his instrumental compositions could without difficulty have been included on his previous albums without stirring the whole picture, and here they could be mistaken for sound artefacts or just misplaced intermissions, but on the other hand they also contribute in binding together the various and differently sounding compositions with vocals - or at least: attempting to glue the strictly individual songs into one artistic package.

Altogether, Lost is no less than Trentemøller's so far most succesful album.

Recommended.

[ bandcamp ]

[ allmusic.com, UnderTheRader 4 / 5, TheLineOfBestFit 8,5 / 10, Pitchfork 6.4 / 10 stars ]

De efterladte "Alvorsord og etagevask" (2013)

digipack cover

Alvorsord og etagevask
release date: Sep. 30, 2013
format: cd (melo 011)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,05]
producer: De Efterladte and Boi Holm
label: Melodika - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Alting om igen" (live session) - 2. "Kursiv" - 3. "Fugleskræmsel" - 4. "Levende hegn" - 5. "Der hænger en uro" - 6. "U.t." - 9. "Håbet kommer til byen" - 10. "Du fandt ikke dig selv"

2nd studio album by the Danish singer / songwriter duo De efterladte released on Melodika and produced by 'the band' with Boi Holm. The debut album Traditionen utro (2011) introduced a simpler musical soundscape than lyricist & vocalist Peter H. Olesen and guitarist Michael Lund played when performing for the brothers Olesen-Olesen, and on the duo's second album this is simplified to a greater extent. Here, the additional backing band is scarcely noticeable - as what you mostly hear is Olesen's vocal on top of Lund's twangy or acoustically sounding guitars.
The debut was met by positive reviews and is a fine and interesting album that most of their countrymen simply ignored. Unfortunately, they do not appeal to a broader public, which also may have been the reason as to why Peter H. Olesen and his brother Henrik decided to call it a day with their fine project Olesen-Olesen after 7 studio albums released over a ten year period. Now one can only hope this duo will ignore low sales and just embrace the fine reviews that their albums receive.
Alvorsord og etagevask was met by critical acclaim and songwriter Peter Olesen was nominated the critics' prize Steppeulven for Årets tekstforfatter [songwriter of the year].
Peter is making brilliant music with guitarist Michael Lund and their style is largely influenced and associated with singer / songwriter and alt. folk, and a more dominant sound of americana on this particular release. Olesen narrates in his usual melancholic way about simple things in life and Lund adds a beautiful surf guitar creating an ambient and spherical touch almost completely without bass and drums or other instrumentation except for quiet percussion, synthesizer noice and glockenspiel. Peter Olesen has always written quite unique lyrics, and has a strong poetic profile. It's almost as if this has become even more accentuated with the new duo, and he often reminds me of the late Danish poet Dan Turrell.
This album is an even stronger release than their fine debut, and it's no less than one of my absolute favourite releases of 2013.
[ Gaffa.dk 6 / 6, Berlingske, Undertoner 5 / 6 stars ]

Efterklang "Parades" (2007)

Parades
release date: Oct. 15, 2007
format: digital (11 File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Casper Clausen, Mads Brauer
label: The Leaf Label / Rumraket - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Mirador" - 3. "Him Poe Poe"

2nd full-length album by Danish electronic, experimental and post-rock band Efterklang. Here the band is the same quintet, who released the debut album Tripper in 2004: vocalist Casper Clausen, keyboardist Mads Brauer, bassist Rasmus Stolberg, pianist Rune Mølgaard and drummer / percussionist Thomas Husmer.
The album has its focus on progressive instrumental parts with an end-result that sounds as if inspired by Sigur Ròs, Björk, Talk Talk and with some inspiration from modern classical. The album was generally met by acclaim from international music critics, but apart from the the track "Mirador" I have always found it long and without much to offer. Where Tripper sounded refreshing and bound to a form of simplicity, Parades overflows and nearly drowns in pompeous arrangements.
[ bandcamp ]
[ Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5, PopMatters, NME 3,5 / 5, Drowned in Sound 5/ 5 stars ]

The Durutti Column "Tempus fugit" (2004)

Tempus fugit
release date: May 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]

Track highlights: 2. "Shooting" - 3. "Lullaby 4 Nina" (4 / 5) - 6. "Violence" - 8. "Love Song on Quattro" - 9. "Tempus fugit" - 10. "The Man Who Knows" - 11. "Slipping Away" - 14. "Salford Harmonics"

14th studio album by The Durutti Column is a 15-track release issued on Kooky Records produced by Laurie Laptop [aka Laurie Lexicon, aka Laurie Keith] and Vini Reilly. The album has its own distinct dreampop style. Before this, Reilly released the album Someone Else's Party (2003), in homage of his late mother. This album is entirely made by Reilly and it seems like an extraordinary personal and quiet, almost meditative, release, often done with unusual strumming on acoustic guitar. Only other performer on the album is Jill Taylor who adds vocal harmonies to many tracks. The album's title refers to the songs, and is underlined in the front cover, showing Reilly's conception of how 'time flees'.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Marilyn Manson "Antichrist Superstar" (1996)

Antichrist Superstar
release date: Oct. 8, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Sean Beavan, Marilyn Manson, Dave Ogilvie, Trent Reznor
label: Interscope - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" - 2. "The Beautiful People" - 4. "Tourniquet" - 7. "Deformography" - 12. "Antichrist Superstar" - 15. "The Reflecting God" -

2nd studio album by American industrial metal band Marilyn Manson originally released by Nothing Records. Guitarist Daisy Berkowitz (aka Scott Putesky) left the band while still recording the album with bassist Twiggy Ramirez, vocalist Marilyn Manson, additional musicians Danny Lohner and Robin Finck, as well as both co-producers Sean Beavan and Trent Reznor taking over the remaining guitar recordings.
Stylistically, the album marks a shift to a harder, simpler and in many ways more traditional hard rock style with loans from punk rock, gothic rock and metal rock. The band has left, what I find a murky, style and also the many samples and instead focused on a clearer industrial form, which has been praised by many. The two single releases (tracks #2 and #4) were both promoted with (acclaimed) music videos directed by Canadian-Italian director Floria Sigismondi. The album is regarded as the band's breakthrough album, and it was nominated and awarded several prizes. It's also the so far only Marilyn Manson album to be enlisted in "1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die."
The album is not a favourite of mine but I do acknowledge the musical qualities of the album, although, I find it hard to listen to in its entirety. Tracks #1, #2 and #4 are the clearly best tracks here, and they all have a distinct punk rock influence, whereas several other tracks are more metal rock-founded, and therefore, from my perspective, less interesting; however, as a whole, I find it quite amusing / disturbing and clearly the band's best effort.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Spin 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Pixies "EP1" (2013) (ep)

EP1, ep
release date: Sep. 3, 2013
format: digital (4 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Gil Norton
label: non-label (self-released) - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Andro Queen" (2,5 / 5) - 2. "Another Toe in the Ocean" (4 / 5) - 3. "Indie Cindy" (3 / 5) - 4. "What Goes Boom" (3,5 / 5)

Ep release by Pixies is the band's first own material in more than 20 years, and it's the first original material from Pixies without bassist Kim Deal, who quit the band before recording the new songs. EP1 is intended to be the first in a row of self-released eps. The band had re-united back in 2003 with the original line-up and played its first concerts in 2004, and the following years Pixies toured most of the world playing its back catalogue. The band [Black Francis] denied that they were planning to record new material as Deal was against it. After her departure, the band toured without a new band member and for this ep, Ding (Simon 'Dingo' Archer) is credited as bassist but never officially included in the band. This means Pixies is reduced to a trio consisting of lead vocalist, guitarist and lyrical composer, Black Francis, Joey Santiago on lead guitar and David Lovering on drums.
The new material was received by luke-warm to a mostly negative response.
It's not near great, but I don't think it's all that bad. The band still plays with strong vibrant energy and the songs reminds us about a great past. The best thing about these four new songs is that Pixies are back!
[ NME, Under the Radar 3 / 5, PopMatters, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5, SputnikMusic 2 / 5 stars ]

Marilyn Manson "Smells Like Children" (1995) (ep)

Smells Like Children, ep
release date: Oct. 24, 1995
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,16]
producer: Trent Reznor
label: Nothing Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 6. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - 9. "I Put a Spell on You"

Studio ep by the band Marilyn Manson, which by now also consists of bassist Twiggy Ramirez (aka Jeordie Osbourne White) and new drummer Ginger Fish (aka Kenneth Robert Wilson). The album is filed and issued as an ep, although, it enlists 16 tracks and rightfully consists of 10 ordinary tracks, but with a playing time at above 54 mins, it seems like a rather long ep.
Stylistically, it's very much in the same ball game as the debut album. And the only reason I wanted to listen to this in the first place was because of the inclusion of 3 cover songs: The Eurythmics song "Sweet Dreams" , Screamin'Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You" and the Patti Smith composition "Rock 'n' Roll Nigger", none of which come close enough to the quality of the original versions.
However, I think, this is even worse than the debut, and I can't really find any reasons for listening to the album.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Tom Waits "Real Gone" (2004)

Real Gone
release date: Oct. 5, 2004
format: cd / 2 lp vinyl (2017 remastered & remixed) (180g)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
label: ANTI- - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Hoist That Rag" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 3. "Sins of the Father" - 4. "Shake It" - 5. "Don't Go Into That Barn" - 9. "Circus" - 10. "Trampled Rose" (live) - 12. "Baby Gonna Leave Me" - 14. "Make It Rain" (live on Letterman) - 15. "Day After Tomorrow" (live)

16th studio album by Tom Waits - his fourth after changing to ANTI- - following 2½ years after the double release Blood Money and Alice (May 2002).

Real Gone brings to mind Bone Machine (1992) and The Black Rider (1993) in the way that it's about experimental rock but also in a theatrical blues rock style, which partly distances the album from the fine Mule Variations (1999) and at the same time, it also appears as something new with a different rhythm section - as Waits' own "Clang-Boom-Steam" [also the title of track #13] vocal beatbox as background instrumentation - that mix modern styles with an echo of hip-hop and alt. rock.
The Kurt Weil influence from his 2002 releases is somewhat more absent here, whereas you sense a reference to Don Van Vliet. Waits and Brennan's oldest son, Casey Waits is as alt. metal drummer Brain [aka Brian Kei Mantia] both credited drums and percussion on several tracks. Waits' two other children, the eldest, Kellesimone, and the youngest, Sullivan, are also credited as 'production crew' and for 'grub and lug' [food etc.]. A newer element is the clearer use of electric guitar - played by Marc Ribbot (of Lounge Lizards) - on most tracks, which also helps to create a tinge of experimental blues.

The album even overtook the chart success of Mule Variations and peaked at number #28, the highest for a Waits album on the US Billboard 200, and landed as number #16 in the UK, number #2 in Norway, in addition to several top-10 positions around the world.

My first impression of the album was not positive, but over time I have found it quite a lot better and overall I think it's a significantly better album than Blood Money / Alice and The Black Rider, and what it really shows me, is how Waits' albums are all potential favourites. When you dig into (perhaps) any of his many albums, you potentially discover a window of hidden beauty. It's strange and bewildering, but I guess you know, if you dig.

Recommended.

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

The Stone Roses "Elephant Stone" (1988) (single)

Elephant Stone, cd single
release date: Oct. 1988
format: cd (1990 reissue)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Peter Hook
label: Silvertone - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Elephant Stone" - 2. "Full Fathom Five" - 3. "The Hardest Thing in the World" - 4. "Elephant Stone" (7'' Version)

Single release by The Stone Roses produced by New Order bassist Peter Hook. It was originally released in 7'' and 12'' vinyl versions with the cd being a re-issue with an altered track listing of the 12''.
None of these tracks would feature on the forthcoming debut album released in March '89.
The front cover is - like most releases by the band - artwork by John Squire, who is also the band's musical composer.

Jensen "One Fine Day" (2001)

One Fine Day [debut]

release date: Mar. 2001

format: cd

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

producer: Kasper Winding

label: Virgin Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "One Fine Day" - 2. "When You Smile" - 5. "Spring" - 6. "In Between"

Studio solo debut by Allan (Bondo) Jensen former vocalist of Gangway with an album released under the name of Jensen. The album is produced by Kasper Winding who also produced the final album by Gangway: That's Life (Sep. 1996). All eleven songs are credited Jensen - which is mildly surprising as he except from two to three songs exclusively delivered vocal throughout the discography of Gangway, and producer Winding is additionally (only) credited engineering and some backing vocals. The album has a total running time of 40 minutes.

Stylewise, it doesn't fall far from what Gangway delivered on their '96 album - with less focus on electronica and synthpop it's more of a softer version of contemporary pop with focus on melodic harmonies, and then the lyrics are all without the ironic tone that always stuck to the lyrics by Henrik Balling.

The title track, which was picked as promotional single, experienced some airplay, and that's also the best track on an album that mostly places itself in an anonymous corner without intentions to stir up anything, except perhaps good vibes. The album cover art - front, back, and tray - underlines the positivity of Jensen's mood: it's all about smiles, sunny weather and being happy all over.

After a good start the album soon comes to a stand-still and never really reveal anything but intentions to spread universal happiness via sugary arrangements and Jensen's expressionless vocal topping generic pop songs of little originality.

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] [3,22]

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 here it's in a re-arranged version with much more focus on bass, and apart from that it's an album with nine new compositions.

Where the band started out as a jangle pop-oriented and alt dance-band, they now mix more styles and the jangle pop element has been subdued. Instead, they now blend funk, surf rock ("Russell"), indie pop and neo-psychedelia, which ultimately makes it a rather complex mix of styles. 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. Several songs, however, contain elements from various styles that are sort of mashed together, which in many ways forecast what was to come. "Russell" may be surf rock-inspired but it also contains funk, skilfully crafted by Paul Ryder's repetitious bass-line, and then on top Shaun Ryder now contribute with his speak-singing style, and we have a true Happy Mondays tune. Ryder no longer sounds like a clone of Ian Curtis and Feargal Sharkey but quite clearly has found his own foundation. Both album title and the song titles already here reflect how Ryder comes up with his lyrics. The album title appears to be Ryder's invention from three different associations that he just put after another - 'Squirrel and G-man' being the nicknames for the parents to one of the members, 'Twenty Hour Party People' is someone's reference to Ryder and his mates, and 'Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)' should be another one's exclamation upon finding Ryder, Bez et al completely tripping on acid. And then the songs: "Kuff Dam" is Ryder's rephrasing of a porn title misspelled backwards, "Tart Tart" refers to a particult girl, although, as in nearly all cases, the song itself isn't about anyone or anything in particular. This also goes for "Olive Oil", which was the nickname for someone's girlfriend, who had asked Ryder if he would write a song about her - to which he alledgedly answered that he didn't write like that but he could name a song after her.

I have absolutely no idea whatsoever about what Cale thought of it - the band and song potential - but luckily he didn't spoil too much, although, it probably could have been a much better end result with a producer in touch with the current dance scene - say New Order's Bernard Sumner, who was mentioned but weren't available - instead of someone with a reputation. You can only ask yourself if it would have been another "Blue Monday"-moment had Sumner been hired...

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 as a new step towards their more defining sound but as a stand-alone experience, this album is simply just not strong 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 (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 ]