Stuart A. Staples "Leaving Songs" (2006)

Leaving Songs
release date: May 29, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Goodbye to Old Friends" - 2. "There Is a Path" - 3. "Which Way the Wind" - 4. "This Road Is Long" (Duet sung with Maria McKee) - 5. "One More Time" - 7. "That Leaving Feeling" (Duet sung with Lhasa de Sela) (4 / 5) - 10. "Pulling in to the Sea"

2nd solo outing by Stuart A. Staples following his solo debut Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 from 2005 is as the title indicates a 'farewell album'. Like his debut, this was made with the aid from Staples' old associates from the band Asphalt Ribbons, and who both took part in the formation of Tindersticks: guitarist Neil Fraser and keyboardist David Boulter. Other former acquaintances count drummer Thomas Belhom, trumpeter and saxophonist Terry Edwards, and vocalist Gina Foster. In addition, two of the songs are formed as duets, one features Maria McKee, the other features Lhasa de Sela.

The album is a fine small departure from Staples' first solo with a stronger sense of a collection that were written and recorded within a continuous period, where both lyrics and music revolve around the same themes. The album has more of the well-known chamber pop arrangements from Tindersticks back again, but it's still a more scraped-down version and simpler than the band's most recent albums, which were heavily instrumented in places. To me, this sound more like linked to Simple Pleasure (1999) and Curtains (1997). Here, the songs may be bloated and grandiose, while the whole is kept quite strict and simple.

Leaving Songs is once again better than Tindersticks have proved to be lately, and perhaps with this, Staples cements that an era has come to an end and a new one may take its beginning. In any case, the band Tindersticks is from hereon founded on the cast Staples welcomed on his solo albums.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "Our Time in Eden" (1992)

Our Time in Eden
release date: Sep. 29, 1992
format: vinyl (7559-61385-1) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]
producer: Paul Fox
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Noah's Dove" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "These Are Days" (5 / 5) - 3. "Eden" (live) - 4. "Few and Far Between" (live) - 5. "Stockton Gala Days" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) (MTV unplugged) - 6. "Gold Rush Brides" - 7. "Jezebel" (4 / 5) - 8. "How You've Grown" (4 / 5) - 9. "Candy Everybody Wants" (4,5 / 5) - 10. "Tolerance" - 11. "Circle Dream" - 12. "If You Intend" (4 / 5) - 13. "I'm Not the Man"

5th studio album by 10,000 Maniacs released on Elektra, and the final album with new material to feature Nathalie Merchant on lead vocals. Before this they released their first compilation album Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983, which compiles their earliest recordings: the ep Human Conflict number Five from 1982, and the self-released debut album Secrets of the I Ching (1983). Paul Fox is new producer on this one, and I simply consider this the best produced album with 10,000 Maniacs. The album is my only vinyl release with the band. I already had In My Tribe (1987) on cassette, which until then was my favourite album with the band, and these two albums are the band's master works, being much alike, without being repetitive, but both albums have that special tone, which has to do with Nathalie's narrating melancholic, yet strong voice, and the band's trademark of blending folk, jangle pop and pop / rock into a great mixture with banjo, mandolin, violin, and percussion. On this, brass sections is an additional element, which helps shaping this as their best-sounding album with great melodic catchy songs.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

1992 Favourite releases: 1. Morrissey Your Arsenal - 2. 10.000 Maniacs Our Time in Eden - 3. Adrian Borland Brittle Heaven

Sting "Bring on the Night" (1986) (live)

Bring on the Night (live)
release date: Jul. 1, 1986
format: digital (2 lp)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Sting, Kim Turner
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Bring on the Night / When the World Is Running Down..." - 2. "Consider Me Gone" - 4. "We Work the Black Seam" - 5. "Driven to Tears" - 7. "Tea in the Sahara" - 8. "Moon Over Bourbon Street" - 10. "Another Day" - 11. "Children's Crusade"

2nd solo album by Sting is a double live album featuring tracks from his recent solo debut and several tracks by The Police. The production sound doesn't reveal a lot of studio re-mixing, which means it's very authentic as live recordings.
The inclusion of various compositions by The Police basically serves to document Sting's progression towards a more jazz-influenced sound. Yes, the material is there, undoubtedly, it consists of a number of great compositions, and the (star) backing band personnel including Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, and Omar Hakim doesn't come short on jazz - but as a contemporary pop / rock release I find it a bit tedious. It contains long jazz solos, which makes it a bit dreary in the long run, and I never was a big fan of fusion jazz.
[ used to own on vinyl ].
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Sanne Salomonsen "Where Blue Begins" (1991)

Where Blue Begins
release date: Apr. 1991
format: vinyl (211 817)
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,62]
producer: Jim Gaines, Sanne Salomonsen
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Denmark

8th studio album by Sanne Salomonsen recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, is her second consecutive album with English lyrics and it's an album of cover songs only.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "The Best Of" (1988)

The Best Of (compilation)
release date: Mar. 12, 1988
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

First official best of compilation album by OMD. The vinyl issue contains fourteen tracks, whereas the cassette and cd issues contain eighteen all spanning the band's career from 1980-88.
The album was issued as the band struggled in finding the right form - something the band members always seemed to have disagreed on. The critically acclaimed first four albums were all experimental in some ways, and they all contained simple pop-shaped songs, which brought them radio play and a growing crowd, but after a more direct shift towards a mainstream pop universe the band also experienced a decline in sales numbers in its studio albums, although, several single releases fared quite well.
The album was more than well-received as it reached #2 on the national albums chart list, and OMD subsequently launched on a US tour promoting the album as supporting act for Depeche Mode.
The album is a fine collection, although, I find it focusing way too heavy on the band's later career with only 8 tracks from the band's first classic 4 albums, whereas the remaining 10 tracks are taken from 3 [minor] studio albums, one soundtrack and with one previously unreleased song.
By the end of the tour the two Weir brothers left the band, and also unsatisfied with the musical direction of the band it also had co-founder Paul Humphreys calling it a day, basically leaving OMD as an Andy McCluskey solo project.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Veto "Everything Is Amplified" (2011)

Everything Is Amplified
release date: Feb. 28, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Veto
label: RCA Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "You're Hard to Get" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Am I Awake Or Should I Wake Up" - 3. "This Is Not" (4 / 5) - 8. "Take It Outside"

3rd studio album by Veto who continues its heavy / hard indietronica style. The rhythm section is tight and the band's trademark. Compared to another Danish act of the genre, Turboweekend, Veto has a more simple, yet more danceable sound, which simply rely on sound, but also a weaker lyrical side, which at times simply ruin the impression.

I think, the album starts off as their so far album out, but then falls after track #3 and just never reach the same fine level. Perhaps as a consequence to this the band has only released another two eps after this.

M.I.A. "Kala" (2007)

Kala
release date: Aug. 21, 2007
format: cd
[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: various
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Bamboo Banga" - 2. "Bird Flu" (4 / 5) - 3. "Boyz" (4 / 5) - 4. "Jimmy" - 5. "Hussel" (feat. Afrikan Boy) - 8. "World Town" - 10. "XR2" - 11. "Paper Planes" (4 / 5) - 12. "Come Around" (feat. Timbaland)

2nd studio album by M.I.A. Her debut album Arular (2005) was with reference to her father, and this is dedicated her mother, named Kala. Her third album /\/\ /\ Y /\ (aka 'Maya') (2010), succeeding this one, is literally her own.

I first came across her in 2008 after she had released the single "Paper Planes" taken from this very album. The track is (like most of her music) great uk hip hop dance-pop electropop fused with grime (making it very different from American hip hop) and some glitch pop, and then that track is very cleverly sampled from the song "Straight to Hell" by The Clash. Her style is unique, and then she utilizes her music to speak openly about Sri Lanka vs. India vs. England vs. how the world ignores the impotent political situation in her parents' foster land. Other great tracks from the album are "Bird Flu" and "Boyz", which were both composed, recorded, and arranged in the process of travelling. M.I.A. had laid the foundation of the songs at home, then left to various parts of the world and each new place she rearranged bits, wrote new stuff and added new instrumentation to the individual song making them real world tunes.

In my mind, this is her best album and also one of the most interesting releases in 2007, although, she's really a great singles artist, as her albums are more than just interesting but also lack consistency or homogeneity.

The album ended up on many best of lists including number #1 on Rolling Stone's best albums of the year. And quite deservedly, the album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Paul Weller "Paul Weller" (1992)

Paul Weller [debut]
release date: Sep. 1, 1992
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Paul Weller, Brendan Lynch
label: Go! Discs / London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Uh Huh Oh Yeh!" - 2. "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" - 5. "Remember How We Started" - 6. "Above the Clouds" - 11. "Bitterness Rising"

Solo studio debut by Paul Weller after leaving The Style Council, and after leaving behind various stylistic attempts. This is a better effort than his last releases with The Style Council. On this, he continues his fascination for pop soul but blends it nicely within a modern context of jazz pop influences and mod revival elements, which again links to his glorious days in The Jam. He makes an original blend without making it sound entirely as sophisti-pop, and he builds songs with a stronger sense of singer / songwriter and mature pop / rock. It's still a first sketch with hints pointing here and there, but generally it's just nice to hear him challenge his talent on his own instead of wasting time on polished posh. This is his first solo album in a long journey that propels him up to current time. Some tracks sound like shaped for The Style Council and in that way makes it a half success.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

Grant-Lee Phillips "Virginia Creeper" (2004)

Virginia Creeper
release date: Feb. 24, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Grant-Lee Phillips
label: Zoë Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Mona Lisa" (4 / 5) - 2. "Waking Memory" - 3. "Lily-a-Passion" (4 / 5) - 4. "Dirty Secret" - 5. "Always Friends" - 6. "Calamity Jane" - 7. "Josephine of the Swamps" - 8. "Far End of the Night" - 9. "Susanna Little" (5 / 5) - 10. "Wish I Knew" - 11. "Hickory Wind"

3rd solo album by Grant-Lee Phillips released 2½ years following Mobilize (Aug. 2001) is Phillips back as sole producer on his own songs, which comes out as soft folk rock destilled in a slow and skilful way.
I really love his coolness and 'I don't mind'-attitude. Not only has he written all but one track on the album, he has also put himself in the production seat, and he sings lead vocals, plays the banjo, guitar, and piano. I think, he likes to do things his own way. He makes alternative singer / songwriter indie folk rock in his own narrating way with touches of americana. I also like how he explores different genres from time to time. You never know what kind of music he releases but somehow the albums are always a compound of interesting songs, which in a way is how mature artists often operate, although, not many musicians dare to be that honest and just follow their heart. Although, Mobilize was a mighty fine album Virginia Creeper is easily his so far best solo work proving he does more than well on his own.
Track highlights' are all eleven songs - this is naturally highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, PopMatters, Uncut 4 / 5, Mojo 4,5 / 5 stars ]

2004 Favourite releases: 1. Arcade Fire Funeral - 2. The Streets A Grand Don't Come for Free - 3. Grant-Lee Phillips Virginia Creeper

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~
"Mona Lisa"

"You're the last of your kind, Mona Lisa
With a wink of your eye,
Ya make it all right
Oh there's more left to life, Mona Lisa
Let me take you along for the ride

Aint nothin' that stays the same
Won't ask it a' you
Just that burgundy smile you wore yesterday
Say ya won't ever lose

I been down, I been worse
Mona Lisa
Came in last, came in first
But it all gathers dirt, Mona Lisa
'Fore ya bathe in the light

Aint nothin' that stays the same
Won't ask it a' you
Just that burgundy smile you wore yesterday
Say ya won't ever lose

Oh ya taught me this much, Mona Lisa
I done set it aside
For when you need the same magic touch
For for when you need remindin'

Aint nothin' that stays the same
Won't ask it a' you
Just that burgundy smile you wore yesterday
Say ya won't ever lose
Just that burgundy smile you wore yesterday
Say ya won't ever lose"

~ ~ ~

"Susanna Little"

"Sussana Little, Sussana Little
Gone 'fore I ever arrived
Questions that stream through my own Creek blood
The odyssey of your life

A motherless child, you were torn from your home
By decree of the county affairs
Good Christians, they gave you a lily-white dress
And they shorn back that Indian hair

Told ya 'study your Bible, be silent and still
And take to the ways of the whites'
Nothin' they offered could break down your will
For you ran for the gates one night

Sussana Little, Sussana Little
Gone 'fore I ever arrived
Questions that stream through my own Creek blood
Stories that keep you alive

Your daddy, Joe Little, had woes of his own
Drink was much stronger than greed
But some in the city felt native red hands
Were no place to let rest a deed

Oklahoma was rich with the stench of black oil
And the men who came there to drill
In the sun baked clay of Indian lands
There, in the desolate fields

Sussana Little, Sussana Little
Gone 'fore I ever arrived
Questions that stream through my own creek blood
Songs that'a keep you alive

Mysterious crimes, oh they swept through the county
Waving the finger of blame
Eyes turned to Joe Little
A couple too many of acres land to his name

No one would have heard the lone shot in the night
They never posted his bail
Big Joey Little, he never walked out
Of Sheriff Stanton's jail

Sussana Little, Sussana Little
Gone 'fore I ever arrived
Questions that stream through my own Creek blood
The odyssey of your life

For all of the lives you lived this far
No part of you could have known
The evil hearts of the men who would fetch ya
One night by the side of the road

The moon, it grew dark and the frost would form
Before ya finally were found
Chained to a log in a torn white dress
Shakin wild eyed on the ground

Sussana Little, Sussana Little
Gone 'fore I ever arrived
Questions that stream through my own creek blood
Such were the trials of your life...

Yet in the years to come, you took a man
Raised five of your own
And for a spell it was as almost as though
The light of justice had shown

The hand that had written this part but for you
And made it all plenty hard
Gave you a gusher, a well spring of oil
There in your own back yard

So pile them kids in the plush back seat
Ridin shotgun in the Packard to town
With your man, Tom Fisher, one hand on the wheel
The other on your knee now

Sussana Little, Sussana Little
Gone 'fore I ever arrived
Questions that stream through my own Creek blood
The odyssey of your life

:Sussana Little
:Sussana Little"

~ ~ ~

Mellemblond "Ude af mine hænder" (2009)

Ude af mine hænder [debut]
release date: Jan. 26, 2009
format: cd (TBL 125)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Adrian Aurelius & Mellemblond
label: Auditorium / A:larm - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1."Lyd over land" - 2. "Alle veje" - 3. "Ishånd" - 4. "Minder om lys" - 6. "Jeg rør' dig ikke mer' " - 8. "Lille fugl" - 12. "Dråbeglans"

Studio album debut by the Danish band Mellemblond following one year after the 5-track ep debut Mellemblond was actually pretty well-received - at least in the Danish press. The audience and the radio stations have not read the reviews, I guess, 'cause you hardly ever heard the album on any stations, which is really sad but that's how it is, and that's how it's always been in tiny Denmark: The established names [have labels to pay to] get airplay - the rest are too strange, undefined, and lack similarities with international names, or whatever motifs reason this attitude. Anyhow, two of the tracks (#3 and #6) are also found on the debut ep.

My first impression of this album was rather bland but I rapidly changed mind to really like it. An initial verdict had me settled on 'interesting' and a mediocre 2,5 to 3 stars. Then after less than two months I was much more generous and rated the album 3,5 out of 5. They have a distinct style, and despite the simplistic and deliberate lo-fi production sound - which adds a garage rock feel to it - it really suits the songs in a way that makes me think of the legendary Danish band Steppeulvene and their 1967 debut Hip - also thanks to singer (and main composer) and guitarist Kristoffer Munck Mortensen's vocal - in a mix with early Dire Straits and great swamp rockers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, although, that's not suffice as the music is highly original despite the bonds to the past.

This was the first album I listened to by Mellemblond.

Not their best but more than fine.

[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

The Church "Heyday" (1985)

Heyday
release date: Nov. 1985
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Peter Walsh
label: EMI - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Myrrh" - 2. "Tristesse" - 3. "Already Yesterday" (video) - 4. "Columbus" (video) - 8. "Disenchanted"

4th studio album by The Church follows nearly 2½ years after Seance (Jun. 1983) and it's the band's first under contract with Warner Bros. The album was released by EMI in Europe and Australasia.

For the first time, the front cover reveals the four members of the band on an album cover [top left corner shows Marty Wilson-Piper, Steve Kilbey, Richard Ploog and Peter Koppes].

I've always had mixed feelings about this album. I had already followed the band for some years and really enjoyed their original sound and style but with this I think some of their uniqueness vanished as they - with aid from a new record label management - apparently aimed for a broader audience.

The album is fine, more so so, without obvious great tracks.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Veto "Crushing Digits" (2008)

Crushing Digits
release date: May 5, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Veto; Carsten Heller & Veto (2, 3, 8)
label: RCA Records / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Blackout" - 2. "Built to Fail" - 3. "Shake" - 4. "You Say Yes, I Say Yes" (4 / 5) - 5. "Crooks" - 6. "Digits" - 8. "You Can't Afford It"

2nd studio album by Veto. This is a move towards a more distinct sound based on indietronica, and it's clearly the band's best effort so far. Veto consists of Troels Abrahamsen on lead vocals and keyboards, David Krogh Andersen on guitar, Jens Skov Thomsen on bass and backing vocals, Mark Lee on guitar and keyboards, and with Mads Hasager on drums.
The music is the band's strongest asset, and the lyrics sometimes draws too much attention because of Danish-English grammar, which unfortunately is an issue on later releases as well. However, this is (thank 'god') not Bob Dylan, hence, the vocal is a mere instrument, but basically, I really enjoy the energy, and the output they produce, and that's what matter here. It's quite original and definitely has something to offer, although, the quality of the songs varies somewhat throughout the album.

Elisabeth "Elisabeth" (1985)

Elisabeth [debut]

release date: (Jan.?) 1985

format: vinyl (GENLP 145) / cd (1998 reissue)

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

producer: Finn Verwohlt

label: Genlyd - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: A) 1. "En sømand som dig" - 3. "Hud mod hud" - 5. "Tågedage" - - B) 3. "Sidste cigaret" - 4. "En torsdag i livet"

Solo album debut by Elisabeth (aka Elisabeth Gjerluff Nielsen) after disbanding Voxpop in '83. The song "Tågedage" is one of her first songs, which debuted on the soundtrack to the 1984 John Hilbard film "Suzanne & Leonard".

Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Weld" (1991) (live)

Weld (live)
release date: Nov. 23, 1991
format: 2 cd (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,25]
producer: Neil Young, David Briggs, Billy Talbot
label: Reprise Records, Germany - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: Disc 1: 1. "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" (4 / 5) - 2. "Crime in the City" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Blowin' in the Wind" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Welfare Mothers" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Love to Burn" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Cinnamon Girl" (5 / 5) - 7. "Mansion on the Hill" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Fuckin' Up" (4,5 / 5)
Disc 2: 1. "Cortez the Killer" (5 / 5) - 2. "Powderfinger" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Love and Only Love" (4 / 5) - 4. "Rockin' in the Free World" (4 / 5) - 5. "Like a Hurricane" (5 / 5) - 6. "Farmer John" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Tonight's the Night" (4 / 5) - 8. "Roll Another Number (For the Road)" (3,5 / 5)

Live album released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse recorded in Apr. 1991 as Young & Crazy Horse were on promotion tour with the Ragged Glory album as part of the North American tour. The album is recorded 'as is' without studio dubs nor with other musicians except for Neil Young & Crazy Horse, who aside from the man himself consists of Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro on guitar, Univox Stringman synthesizer and vocals, Billy Talbot on bass and vocals and with Ralph Molina on drums and vocals. Initially, the album was released in a 25,000 copy limited 3-disc edition titled Arc Weld with the 3rd disc made up of guitar feedback called "Arc".
In my mind this is the best live album by Neil Young. I know many of the old school fans who love him for his folk rock and singer / songwriter period do not agree. I'm from the punk rock period, and I love Neil Young playing garage rock... also. This is simply a great live manifest of a great live performer and a fabulous songwriter, and it's the album by Neil Young that I have played the most. The average playing time of the individual tracks is somewhere around 7+ minutes - the shortest being "Cinnamon Girl" at 'only' 4:47....
I first copied the album to a cassette, back in the early '90s, after finding a copy at the local library, and I played it over and over again before finally buying the album on cd - I then wore the cd-player down, listening to this. Although the songs may be found in their original studio versions on various Young albums dating from the earliest '70s to the latest Ragged Glory, these tracks are just all new because they are played with intuition and improvisations and they come to live in a never before heard version that shows these old guys as young at heart, and they play as if it was their last ever show together. Just listen to "Cinnamon Girl", a track that is already a classic pop / rock song, and here it's even like: "waoo, they even managed to make that one better!". Even Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" sounds refreshingly new performed here in an 'upgraded' version. It's simply amazing how this 4-piece band is able to play so... voluminously.
Just give me this album, Ragged Glory, This Note's for You, On the Beach, After the Gold Rush, and Everybody Knows...... and then of course the 8-disc box Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963–1972). Seven releases, that's about all you really need from Neil Young, the rest are just minor to really fine works, but this... this is one of the absolute best live albums of rock that you will ever find.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Kate Bush "Rocket Man" (1991) (single)

Rocket Man, 7'' single
release date: Nov. 22, 1991
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Kate Bush
label: Mercury Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)" - - B) 1. "Candle in the Wind" (2,5 / 5) - 2. "Candle in the Wind (instr.)" (2 / 5)

Single release by Kate Bush, which was part of the Elton John / Bernie Taupin tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin (1991). I don't recall why or when I bought the single, and have never played it much.

Wilmer X "Klubb Bongo" (1989)

Klubb Bongo
release date: 1989
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: Magnus Frykberg & Nisse Hellberg
label: EMI Svenska AB - nationality: Sweden

9th studio album by Wilmer X. The album is not more than what you would expect from this band, but still they do just that so well. Nisse Hellberg on vocals and guitar writes music for the band and he IS almost Wilmer X much like Springsteen is expected to lead the E Street Band. My Swedish is not as good as my English. but the significance of narrating entirely in Swedish is really priceless for this particular band. They play so well and tight, but playing a traditional American blues rock would have been a disadvantage if not with the Swedish lyrics.

His Name Is Alive "The Dirt Eaters" (1992)

The Dirt Eaters, ep
release date: Apr. 20, 1992
format: vinyl (BAD 2005)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]
producer: His Name Is Alive
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Ep release by American experimental rock and dream pop band His Name Is Alive released on British label 4AD Records.

The Pogues "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" (1988)

If I Should Fall From Grace With God
release date: Jan. 18, 1988
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Steve Lillywhite
label: Pogue Mahone / Warner Music Group - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" (4 / 5) - 2. "Turkish Song of the Damned" (4 / 5) - 3. "Bottle of Smoke" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Fairytale of New York" (feat. Kirsty MacColl) (5 / 5) - 5. "Metropolis" (4 / 5) - 6. "Thousands Are Sailing" (4 / 5) - *7. "South Australia" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Fiesta" (5 / 5) - 9. "Medley" ('The Recruiting Sergeant' / 'The Rocky Road to Dublin' / 'The Galway Races') (4 / 5) - 10. "Streets of Sorrow / Birmingham Six" (3,5 / 5) - 11. "Lullaby of London" (4 / 5) - *12. "The Battle March Medley" (2,5 / 5) - 13. "Sit Down by the Fire" (3,5 / 5) - 14. "The Broad Majestic Shannon" (4,5 / 5) - 15. "Worms"
* Bonus track on cd issue

3rd full studio album by The Pogues marks one of the bigger changes in the members list of the band. Founding member, bassist and backing vocalist Cait O'Riordan left the band after marrying Elvis Costello in 1986. On bass she was replaced by Darryl Hunt, but also multi-instrumentalist Terry Woods was a new member. The band's label Stiff Records was no more and the band founded their own label Pogue Mahone but the distribution part was handled by Warner Music Group in Europe and by Island Records in the US, which launched the album with an entirely different cover. The original vinyl album contains 13 tracks of which two are traditionals, 9 are written by Shane MacGowan, one by Jem Finer, and one by new guitarist Phil Chevron. The original cd version contains 15 tracks and a 2004 reissue 19 tracks. The band now consists of eight members. The album is the band's highest ranked album in the UK making it to number #3 on the national album charts, and it contains its best selling single ever: "Fairytale of New York" (written by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer), which would turn out as a very popular Christmas song. The album is one of the band's best ever, and it's deservedly included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com hands it 4,5 / 5, Mojo and Sounds 5 / 5, NME 10 / 10, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

The Sugarcubes "Birthday" (1987) (single)

Birthday, 12'' single
release date: Oct. 1987
format: vinyl (12 tp 7)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Ray Shulman & Derek Birkett
label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Tracklist: A) 1. "Birthday" (5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Birthday" (Icelandic) (4 / 5) - 2. "Cat" (Icelandic)

Single release by The Sugarcubes, and the band's first international single, as well as its perhaps biggest (?) international hit featured on their forthcoming debut album Life's Too Good (Apr. '88). The band consists of vocalist Björk Guðmundsdóttir, vocalist and trumpeter Einar Örn (Benediktsson), guitarist Thór (aka Þór Eldon Jónsson), bassist Bragi (Ólafsson) and drummer Siggi (aka Sigtryggur Baldursson) - both Björk, Örn and Siggi had played together in the band Kukl from which they broke out around '86 to from The Sugarcubes.

I remember the song being played almost everywhere, at record stores, and at cafés when it was released, and I puchased it during school holiday in October when it was just being released, as I thought it was a fabulous song, and I could hardly wait until they released an album.

Birthday, CD single

release date: Dec. 1987
format: cd (7tp7cd)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Ray Shulman & Derek Birkett
label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Tracklist: A) 1. "Birthday" (5 / 5) - 2. "Motorcrash" - 3. "Cat" (Icelandic) - 4. "Birthday" (Icelandic) (4 / 5)

CD single issue released two months following the vinyl editions. The single contains the bonus track "Motorcrash", like the title track, taken from the upcoming debut album Life's Too Good (1988).

Kate Bush "The Sensual World" (1989)

The Sensual World
release date: Oct. 16, 1989
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Kate Bush
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Sensual World" - 2. "Love and Anger" - 5. "Heads We're Dancing" - 10. "This Woman's Work"

6th studio album by Kate Bush who seems to put another year in between each of her new albums. This is her so far least art pop and most mainstream pop / rock-shaped album. It was well-received by both the press and by fans making it reach number #2 on the UK album charts list but I don't find it really great.
I think, it's a rather transparent album with nothing really great to offer except from repeating some of the arrangements that worked before; although, it's still obvious that the Kate Bush has a talent for writing complex songs and performing with something rare as pure grace.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Kinks "The Ultimate Collection" (1989)

The Ultimate Collection (compilation)
release date: 1989
format: 2 lp vinyl (gatefold)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Castle Communications - nationality: England, UK

2 lp best of compilation album by The Kinks in a 'The Collector Series' imprint of an Australian import.

Thom Yorke "The Eraser" (2006)

The Eraser [debut]
release date: Jul. 10, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Nigel Godrich
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Eraser" - 2. "Analyse" - 3. "The Clock" - 4. "Black Swan" (4 / 5) - 6. "Atoms for Peace" (5 / 5) (live) - 8. "Harrowdown Hill"

Studio solo album debut by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, who has worked with the 'usual' Radiohead producer, Nigel Godrich, also credited for 'extra instrumentation'. Yorke's associate from the band, multi-instrumentalist, Jonny Greenwood also features on piano on the album's title track. Aside from these two, most tracks only have music composed, programmed, played and sung by Yorke himself. The style is electronic glitch pop with hints of post-rock. It took me more than a few listens to fully appreciate the album, but I kept returning to it 'cause it just had something highly original and insisting. However, the track "Atoms for Peace" immediately caught my attention. It's a haunting and utmost beautiful composition, which needs full volume. The album was nominated the Mercury Prize in 2006 (won by Arctic Monkeys for the debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not). Great music for driving.
[ allmusic.com, Uncut, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Veto "There's A Beat In All Machines" (2006)

There's a Beat in All Machines [debut]
release date: Feb. 27, 2006
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,56]
producer: Veto
label: Tabu Records / Sony - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Can You See Anything" - 3. "You Are a Knife" - 4. "Cannibal" - 6. "Short Fused"

Full studio debut album by Veto. The style is less indie rock and more indietronica compared to the band's debut ep from 2005, although, it still contains traces of post punk revival. It also includes the two best tracks from the ep, here enlisted as #3, and #4.
Without having obvious great tracks and also being both this and that, I somehow think, the album points to a more original path.

Sigur Rós "Takk..." (2005)

Takk...
release date: Sep. 12, 2005
format: cd (2009 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,36]
producer: Sigur Rós and Ken Thomas
label: Krúnk / EMI - nationality: Iceland

Tracklist: 1. "Takk..." - 2. "Glósóli" (5 / 5) - 3. "Hoppípolla" (5 / 5) - 4. "Með blóðnasir" - 5. "Sé lest" - 6. "Sæglópur" (5 / 5) (live) - 7. "Milanó" - 8. "Gong" - 9. "Andvari" - 10. "Svo hljótt" - 11. "Heysátan"

4th studio album by Sigur Rós following three years after ( ) (aka the 'brackets' album) here released on EMI Records and produced by Sigur Rós and Ken Thomas as was the case with their two previous studio albums. Since the 2002 album the band also released the soundtrack album Hlemmur (2003).

This is easily their so far best album and it's one of my top-3 favourites by this amazing band. It successfully combines the ethereal ambience of ( ) (2002) with a new combination of dream pop and stronger focus on vocal progressive arrangements, which should later be continued in 2008 with Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust.

Highly recommended!

[ allmusic.com, NME, Blender, Uncut, The Guardian, Q Magazine 4 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

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

The Cure "The Head On The Door" (1985)

FIXH 11

The Head on the Door
release date: Aug. 13, 1985
format: vinyl (FIXH 11) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Robert Smith, David M. Allen
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "In Between Days" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Kyoto Song" (3 / 5) - 3. "The Blood" - 4. "Six Different Ways" - 5. "Push" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "The Baby Screams" - 2. "Close to Me" (4 / 5) - 3. "A Night Like This" - 4. "Screw" (1,5 / 5) - 5. "Sinking"

6th studio album by The Cure signals a new start for the band after their move away from dark post-punk and gothic rock, as this is really neither despite its often labelled as such. It's hard to categorise but neo-psychedelia and alt. rock are more suitable styles. Since the previous album The Top (May 1984), which nearly showed us a one-man band, The Cure is now a quintet consisting of songwriter Robert Smith on guitars and lead vocal, Laurence Tolhurst on keyboards, and the new members Porl Thompson on guitars and keyboards, Boris Williams on drums and percussion, and a much welcomed return of bassist Simon Gallup.
The album has a highly original sound, dominated by Smith's characteristic voice and flanger-distorted guitar even though it's a band with plenty of keyboards. I recall the summer of '85 when the single "In Between Days" was played on national radio all the time. It was mostly great to see the band become massively popular with a distinct sound, but at the same time a bit sad to witness the progression from cult to mainstream. I really enjoyed this album at the time and many saw this as the rebirth of a band. Before this, The Cure had mostly been a cult band for the few, but it now embraces a whole new and much broader audience. My favourite track then was "Push" with Smith's soaring guitar, but despite the album was an immediate favourite, I also tired soon of the new incarnation of The Cure.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender, Rolling Stone Album Guide 4 / 5 stars ]

Ella Fitzgerald "The Best of the Song Books" (1993)

The Best of the Song Books (compilation)

release date: 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Verve Records - nationality: USA

A compilation album with Ella Fitzgerald released on Verve Records. This selection of 16 tracks is taken from The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books, a 16-CD box set from 1993. All recordings were remastered from the original LP sources. Although, far from sufficient this is another fine primarily vocal jazz collection.

Jean Michel Jarre "Waiting for Cousteau" (1990)

Waiting for Cousteau
release date: Jun. 11, 1990
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Jean Michel Jarre
label: Polydor / Disques Dreyfus - nationality: France

Track highlights: 4. "Waiting for Cousteau"

10th studio album by 'Jean Michel' Jarre released after his most recent album Revolutions (1988) is a somewhat unusual album from Jarre. It's not just music of his ordinary progressive, synthpop with complex compositions but for the most part builds on simple instrumental harmonies and chorus-lines - at least when it comes to 3/4 of the album's tracks.
Frankly, I find the first three tracks more than just boring with the first "Calypso" as a near disastrously naive and tedious composition, but the fourth and final (title) track, with its playing time at almost 47 mins [!], is the album's true gem. It's a slow progressive ambient and new age composition, where Jarre dwells at small changes of sound. I often come to think of Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" upon listening to this track as it opens a simplistic tone and through various loops extends itself like an organic wall or pond of simple yet rather complex music, but again: a rather unconventional composition for Jarre. However, this final track saves the whole album.
[ allmusic.com hands it 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Dire Straits "Extendedanc'EP'lay" (1982) (ep)

Extendedanc'EP'lay, 12'' ep
release date: Jan. 10, 1983
format: vinyl (6400 766)
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Mark Knopfler
label: Vertigo Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Twisting by the Pool" (4 / 5) - 2. "Badges, Posters, Stickers, T-Shirts" (2,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Two Young Lovers" (2,5 / 5) - 2. "If I Had You" (3 / 5)

4-track ep by Dire Straits. The ep is also referred to as the Twisting by the Pool ep, as it was also released as a 7'' single with the first track as title. After releasing the Love Over Gold album, drummer Pick Withers left the band, and this ep features his replacement, Terry Williams. The ep signals a return to a more simple rock & roll inspired pop / rock sound where the new progressive element is absent. Track 1 was a major singles hit, but aside from that the ep doesn't contain memorable material.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Siouxsie and the Banshees "Superstition" (1991)

Superstition

release date: Jun. 10, 1991

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Stephen Hague

label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Kiss Them for Me" (5 / 5) - 2. "Fear (Of the Unknown)" (remix) - 3. "Cry" - 4. "Drifter" - 5. "Little Sister" - 6. "Shadowtime" (4 / 5) - 9. "Silver Waterfalls" - 11. "The Ghost in You"

10th studio album by Siouxsie & The Banshees (as the band is stylised here) is released nearly three full years after Peepshow (Sep. 1988) and that's with a new experienced producer - something the band otherwise has been a bit reluctant about, since Mike Hedges and the band have been close collaborators on this job since '83 [Tinderbox from '86 is exclusively produced by the band]. Hague has established his name over several years in the '80s as a successful producer for especially British synthpop artists such as Pet Shop Boys, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, New Order, Erasure, and was most recently as co-producer on Robbie Robertson's Storyville-album (1991) (recorded earlier this year, but released on a later occasion). Mike Hedges and the band was especially known for a special darkwave tone with ties to post-punk, and here it's obvious that the band with Hague as producer has taken the full step into another stylistic universe.

Stylistically, you won't find many similarities with Pet Shop Boys, New Order, or any other of the aforementioned artists on Superstition, but the album clearly appears as a purer art pop and especially as an alt. dance outing. The band's line-up for once remains the quintet consisting of Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin, Budgie, Martin McCarrick, and Jon Klein as the one we met three years earlier, although, the hiatus in between album releases has given the band members the opportunity to work on other projects. After their last live tour, Steven Severin made the soundtrack Visions of Ecstacy (1989) (for a short film), Siouxsie and Budgie released their critically acclaimed second album as The Creatures, Boomerang (1989), an album they also found time to promote via a following tour, and in May '91 the two married. Martin McCarrick featured on both releases and also found time to resume his work as studio musician on various albums, including Marc Almond's Jacques (1989), This Mortail Coil's final album Blood (1991). Jon Klein was occupied as film director on "Doctor Jeep" (1990), a promotional video for Sisters of Mercy, and together with Barry Andrews (of XTC / Shriekback), Matthew Seligman, and Kevin Wilkinson (of Waterboys), he formed the project, Illuminati.

Much as usual, the new album garnered positive reviews, although Allmusic, among others, weren't exactly enthusiastic, and the album marked a so far worst performance with a 25th position on the national charts. Although, the first single "Kiss Them for Me" may only have peaked at number #32 nationally, it simply topped the US Alternative Airplay chart, just as "Peek-a-boo" from Peepshow had done - and the song also reached an 8th place on the Dance Club Songs list - also in the US.

The two songs "Shadowtime" and "Fear (Of the Unknown)" were respectively chosen as the second and third singles from the album without achieving notable positions on a national scene, but they also performed better than fine on the other side of the Atlantic with positions as no. #13 and #12 on the Alternative Airplay list - so the Americans had caught sight and ears of the band (Superstition, ranked at no. #65, is the highest ranked album from the band on the Billboard 200).

Imho, the album may not be one of the band's absolute best, but they've made so many really good albums that less will do, and it's still the band's best since Hyaena (1984). Again, The Banshees deserve great credit for being highly innovative and at the same time anchored in an unmistakable tone, which is theirs and their only.

Highly recommended.

[ 👎allmusic.com 3 / 5, Q Magazine, Select 4 / 5 stars ]

Veto "I Will Not Listen" (2005)

I Will Not Listen, ep
release date: Sep. 10, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,90]
producer: Veto
label: Tabu Records / Playground - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "You Are a Knife" - 3. "Cannibal" - 5. "Reset"

Studio debut release by Veto is a self-produced 5-track ep. The style is indie rock and indietronica combined. Some of the tracks sound like inspired by Bloc Party or Radiohead and / or mostly indie rock and post punk revival bands, thus lacking some originality.

Bryan Ferry "In Your Mind" (1977)

In Your Mind

release date: Feb. 1977

format: vinyl / cd (2007 reissue)

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

producer: Bryan Ferry, Steve Nye

label: E.G. - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. This Is Tomorrow" - 5. "Tokyo Joe" - 7. "Rock of Ages"

4th solo album by Bryan Ferry and his first of oroginal material since the disbandment of Roxy Music in 1976 after which he released the solo album Let's Stick Together (Sep. 1976).

Peace, Love & Pitbulls "Peace, Love and Pitbulls" (1992)

Peace, Love and Pitbulls [debut]
release date: 1992
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,38]
producer: Thåström and Cybersank (aka Sanken Sandqvist)
label: MVG Records - nationality: The Netherlands / Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "(I'm The) Radio King-Kong" - 2. "Do the Monkey (Hitch-Hike to Mars)"

Studio album debut by Swedish/Dutch band Peace, Love & Pitbulls - a project-band formed by Joakim Thåström on lead vocals and sampling, Peter Lööf on rap and backing vocals, Rikard Sporrong on guitar and with Niklas Hellberg on sampling and programming. The album is released by the MNW sublabel MVG Records, and the main album producers are Thåstróm and Cybersank, but also band member Niklas Hellberg and The Pittbulls are credited for producing on three of the album's twelve tracks. Both band and album was received as a Thåström project-band, although, it officially was a band formed in Amsterdam in '92.
Musically, the band primarily engages in industrial metal, and the music is allegedly inspired by Einstürzende Neubauten and Swedish metal band Entombed.
I recall, coming across the album in the early 90s and thinking of it as a long shot from what I associated with Thåström. He had taken on a much more aggressive alt. rock and industrial rock style on his first two solo albums, but this is a quite remarkable turn in a new direction.
I never liked this much, but the band is said to have inspired Marilyn Manson in shaping their initial style. To me, this only serves to document the stylistic changes Thåström went through after having left Imperiet behind and for the first time in two decades was free to go in whatever musical direction he wanted, and with the move to Amsterdam, he obviously wanted to make a clean start.
Not recommended.

Chumbawamba "Anarchy" (1994)

Anarchy
release date: 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Chumbawamba, Neil Ferguson
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Give the Anarchist a Cigarette" - 2. "Timebomb" - 6. "Love Me" - 7. "Georgina" - 10. "This Year's Thing" - 11. "Mouthful of Shit" (live) - 12. "Enough Is Enough"
[ full album ]

6th studio album by Chumbawamba following Shhh (1992) is the band's first album not to be released on its own label Agit Prop. The band continues its change of style far from their early stage with protest songs of folk and (anarcho) punk rock to a more dance-minded style, as introduced on the fourth album Slap! (1990).
Here the subjects and themes are homophobia, strikes, fascism, music, and movies. I recall having heard the album back in the mid-90s and rejected it as... uninteresting. A decade later I rediscovered the album and now found it quite the contrary. Time changes everything. One day I may even like death-metal... [Hope not!] Sometimes Chumbawamba sounds like The Stranglers, sometimes like Carter USM, or The Beautiful South, or even their American "brothers" in They Might Be Giants, and then at other times it's more like pure Monty Python. Anyway, I like their blend of electronic, cheesy vocal harmonies as played in folk pop or sophisti-pop, and then sometimes they turn up the satire or the energy, which makes it a huge mix of influences and yet somehow they succeed in keeping everything nicely together.
The album generally received fair to positive reviews and it sold better than any previous albums by the band. The singles Timebomb and Enough Is Enough both charted in top-100 on the singles charts in the UK, and the album peaked at #29 on the national albums list making this a bit of a commercial success.
This is clearly the band's so far, and perhaps best ever studio album, imho.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Tracey Thorn "Out of the Woods" (2007)

Out of the Woods
release date: Mar. 5, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Ewan Pearson
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Here It Comes Again" - 2. "A-Z" - 3. "It's All True" - 5. "Hands Up to the Ceiling" - 9. "Grand Canyon" - 10. "By Piccadilly Station I Sat Down and Wept" - 11. "Raise the Roof"

2nd solo album by Tracey Thorn released after Everything but the Girl has been put on a longtime halt. Ewan Pearson has produced 6 of 11 tracks, Tom Gandey two songs, and Charles Webster, Martin Wheeler and Alex Santos are all credited for producing one track each. It's been more than 7 years since her last album, Temperamental from 1999 with future husband Ben Watt [Thorn and Watt were married in 2008]. In the meantime Thorn has given birth to and helped raising three children, and this is the long-awaited comeback.
Musically, Thorn combines alt. dance and downtempo associated with EBTG on their last three albums of the late 90s with a softer tone of typical synthpop sound with traces of chamber pop. The album is far from her solo debut, A Distant Shore from 1982, and it would have been a surprising attempt to follow that in style. Out of the Woods is of course a delicate sonic experience, and I guess the biggest single characteristic about the album is its diversity. Some songs are strong synthpop compositions, others are club-like downtempo songs that tastes of Temperamental (1999) and Walking Wounded (1996) and then others have a distinct sophisti-pop quality that takes us further back down the road with Everything but the Girl. On top of it all, Thorn binds it all together with her melancholic alto vocal, which hasn't dated one bit. Cleverly, she narrates about familiar tales that circle around love and relationships. In fact, the album just takes off as if she hadn't been out - or: in the woods.
The album is a pleasant return from one of England's finest voices of popular music and a very recommendable album.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

The Beautiful South "0898 Beautiful South" (1992)

0898 Beautiful South
release date: Mar. 1992
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Jon Kelly, The Beautiful South
label: Go! Discs - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Old Red Eyes Is Back" (acoustic live version) - 2. "We Are Each Other" (3,5 / 5) (live) - 3. "The Rocking Chair" - 4. "We'll Deal With You Later" - 6. "36D" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "I'm Your No.1 Fan" - 11. "You Play Glockenspiel, I'll Play Drums"

3rd studio album by The Beautiful South with a new producer, which basically is the best thing about the album. The band line-up as a sextet remain the same as on the previous album, but it's the last to feature Briana Corrigan, who left the band in '92 to pursue a solo career. This was the first album I bought with the band, and I always found it rather good, but also a bit on the dull side, which is hard to explain. Maybe it just stays a bit too much on the same track, and then, despite several good compositions, the best being "We Are Each Other", I don't find that it contains any really great tracks. Mind you, this is, however, by no means a mediocre or irrelevant album.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Talk Talk "The Colour of Spring" (1986)

The Colour of Spring
release date: Mar. 1986
format: vinyl (1A 062-24 0491 1) / cd (2003 remaster)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,52]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Happiness Is Easy" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "I Don't Believe in You" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Life's What You Make It" (5 / 5) - 4. "April 5th" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Living in Another World" (4 / 5) - 6. "Give It Up" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Chameleon Day" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Time It's Time" (5 / 5)

3rd studio album by Talk Talk and the band's major commercial breakthrough as well as critically acclaimed album. The trio remains the same, only with the fourth unofficial member, Tim Friese-Greene in a more dominant role as the band's (unaccredited) keyboardist, who has co-written all tracks together with Mark Hollis. The sound and style has changed to an undefinable mix of art pop, chamber pop, and synthpop albeit with less focus on synths and a tentative addition of 'progressiveness' without being traditional progressive pop or pop / rock but basically foreshadowing what would later be labelled post rock - something that should materialise even further on the band's fourth album Spirit of Eden (1988) - an album many misinterpreted as "strange" at first, but something that wasn't understood and fully recognised until after Sigur Rós, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Mogwai had distilled that style about a decade later.
The Colour of Spring is quite naturally included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", although, it remains the only by Talk Talk on that list.
The album was the first that I purchased by Talk Talk, and at the time I found it fine and a bit complex for my liking at the age of 21, but I have always enjoyed it, and over the years, only increasingly more. The single release of "Life's What You Make It" became an international hit, and it is a great track, however, throughout the years, I have always loved the end-track "Time It's Time" the most, and I have never felt that its playing time of 8:15 mins. ever was one second too long. In fact, I've always thought and wished that it should be longer.
Nowadays, I consider this album a modern masterpiece that I shall never tire of. Some day it may even replace The Smiths and their masterpiece on my personal year-best-album-list. But really, this isn't even the best album from Talk Talk, imho.
My vinyl pressing is by French Pathé Marconi (sub-label of EMI), and the cd is a 2003 remaster released by EMI.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1986 Favourite releases: 1. The Smiths The Queen Is Dead - 2. Talk Talk The Colour of Spring - 3. R.E.M. Lifes Rich Pageant

2003 remaster