Julian Cope "20 Mothers" (1995)

20 Mothers

release date: Aug. 28, 1995

format: cd (ECHCD 5)

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

producer: Julian Cope

label: Echo - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Wheelbarrow Man" (live) - 2. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" - 3. "Try Try Try" (Top of the Pops performance) - 4. "Stone Circles 'n' You" - 10. "Adam & Eve Hit the Road" - 15. "Senile Get" - 16. "The Lonely Guy"

11th studio album by Julian Cope is like the one year old predecessor Autogeddon released on the Chrysalis-owned sublabel Echo. With the album, Cope returns to his 'habit' of releasing extensive albums - 20 Mothers is nearly 72 minutes long and is divided into four 'phases', as was also the case with Peggy Suicide (Apr. 1991). His new album is similar to his most recent concept albums without it' being absolutely obvious where the focus lies, because it's more of a unifying album for all of Cope's thematic interests: climate and environment, the condition of our planet, consumerism, cars, religion, prehistoric cultures, and then as a more recent theme of his: stories from one's own lived life about family relationships. In the same way that themes are diverse, the music aspect is even more varied than on most of his other albums. Yes, there is the usual neo-psychedelia and space-rock, and then you'll also find indie rock, funk, and tracks with a clear folk touch, but also elements taken from Europop, synth-pop and rock & roll - in other words, the range is w--i---d----e, and the seemingly conceptual title, supported by the cover featuring family members - wife Dorian and friends, all of whom are actually mothers (as mentioned in the inlay) - then the album basically covers everything, and in that way it comes across as a bit of an all sorts mix - on all levels.

20 Mothers is by no means a bad album, the best side to it being Cope's stories, but at the same time it's somewhat incoherent and occasionally odd to listen to in its entirety.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

 

back cover: 
Julian with his
two daughters

inside:
Julian with family and friends
(wife Dorian on Julian's right)

Chet Baker "Embraceable You: Chet Baker Sings and Plays" (1995)

Embraceable You: Chet Baker Sings and Plays (compilation)

Release date: Jun. 19, 1995
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

This is a fine album if one hasn't got Chet in the collection. The songs are of the romantic and more melancholic type that was his biggest strength. His soft and clear voice and trumpet sounds much alike - in agony of love lost or a love never realised. The album contains 13 fine jazz ballads written by Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart, among others.

Elvis Costello & Bill Frisell "Deep Dead Blue" (1995) (live)

Deep Dead Blue (Live 25 June 95) (live)
release date: Aug. 14, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: ?
label: Warner Bros. / Nonesuch - nationality: England, UK

Collaboration live album by Elvis Costello and Bill Frisell recorded live at the Meltdown Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall RFH2, London, Jun. 25, 1995.

The album may be regarded as a Mini-album with its relatively short running time at just less than 27 minutes. It consists of seven tracks of which two are covers and only the title track is credited the duo (track #7).

Stylistically, it's primarily ballads of vocal jazz and jazz fusion, and Costello is alone credited his vocal and Frisell is alone credited his guitar work with no other musicians contributing. The American guitarist is very likely to be capable of playing anything but his primary domain is jazz fusion, and on this it's his touch with bolder melodic instrumental jazz.

Despite being really stripped down arrangements this concept works surprisingly well. Costello 'plays around' with his most intimate vocal with Frisell adding that swirling and appropriate foundation that makes it all sparkle.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Elvis Costello "Kojak Variety" (1995)

Kojak Variety
release date: May 9, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Elvis Costello and Kevin Killen
label: Warner Bros. Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Hidden Charms" ["Screamin' Jay" Hawkins] - 5. "Leave My Kitten Alone" [Little Willie John] - 6. "Everybody's Crying Mercy" [Mose Allison] - 9. "Must You Throw Dirt in My Face?" [Bill Anderson] - 11. "The Very Thought of You" [Ray Noble] - 15. "Days" [Ray Davies]

15th studio album by Elvis Costello following one year after Brutal Youth is an album consisting exclusively of cover versions of songs from traditional rhythm & blues, soul, beat and rock & roll - all songs from his youth. The album contains 15 tracks recorded in the period 1989-94 and they include songs (1-15) made famous by 'Screamin' Jay' Hawkins, Willie Dixon, The Supremes, Bob Dylan, Little Willie John, Mose Allison, Randy Newman, Little Richard, Louvin Brothers, James Carr, Nat 'King' Cole, Jesse Winchester, The Drifters, Aretha Franklin, and The Kinks. Costello's cover of "Days" by Ray Davies was recorded for the film "Until the end of the World" (1991) by Wim Wenders.

[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 2 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5, Blender, Mojo, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

Black Grape "It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah" (1995)

It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah [debut]

release date: Aug. 7, 1995

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]

producer: Danny Saber, Stephen Lironi, Shaun Ryder

label: Radioactive Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Reverend Black Grape" (4 / 5) - 2. "In the Name of the Father" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 3. "Tramazi Parti" (live on Later) - 4. "Kelly's Heroes" (official video 1 - official video 2) - 5. "Yeah Yeah Brother" - 6. "A Big Day in the North" - 8. "Submarine" - 9. "Shake Your Money"

Studio album debut by the Northern English quintet Black Grape released on the small independent American label Radioactive. The band was formed in 1993 on initiative of vocalist Shaun Ryder and dancer Bez [aka Mark Berry] shortly after the disbandment of the Happy Mondays. Together with vocalist Paul 'Kermit' Leveridge (of Ruthless Rap Assassins), guitarist Paul 'Wags' Wagstaff (Paris Angel), and drummer Ged Lynch (Ruthless Rap Assassins) they constitute Black Grape. However, this quintet nearly only contains two performing instrumentalists. Bez is credited 'vibes' but is commonly known as a dancer - at times equiped with maracas, so 'vibes' would mean something like good karma. Apart from sharing vocal roles, Paul Leveridge is credited as co-songwriter on half of the ten songs, whereas Ryder is songwriter and composer of all tracks, and that aside, no one else from the band are credited music on this album. Instead the music basically seems manufactured, organised and arranged by the producer-trio of Saber, Lironi, and Ryder. Co-producer Danny Saber is a multi-instrumentalist and here, he is credited on guitar, bass, and keyboards as well as being in charge of programming. He is also sound engineer and co-composer of four tracks. Other co-producer Stephen Lironi (guitarist & drummer of Altered Images) is credited on guitar and keyboards, and he is co-composer of two songs. Apart from that, other instrumentalists feature on some of the songs but it's quite evident that it's an album driven by Ryder and two multi-instrumentalists, and the perception of a band effort is merely a manufactured official image. According to Ryder (from his autobiography "Twisting My Melon"), American manager Gary Kurfirst had initially made contact with Ryder to hear what he was up to after The Mondays. Ryder had then sent him a few demos and Kurfirst had been ready to manage Ryder as solo artist but Ryder had wanted it to be a new band effort with Kurfirst then making the needed contacts. Just like Kermit and Ryder were on the same channel when speaking musical influenses, also Saber and Ryder had the same perception of how to arrange songs, and Lironi was there to secure a certain rock-feel to the songs as opposed to the bolder hip-hop direction ensured by Saber. In that sense, it's really just the right combination of musical talent to start with.

Naturally, the music shares traits with that of Happy Mondays. Some suggest it sounds more like a natural progression from Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (1990) than a move from the recent final album by The Mondays, and that's exactly what Ryder had wanted - also because his vision of Yes Please! (Oct 1992) had been an album based on the style from the '90-album, but then he had sort of been stoved away on that. With Ryder as the dominant figure - as both songwriter, composer, co-producer and vocalist - it's no wonder that it reminds people of his former project. Unfairly, Shaun is at times reduced to an original and creative songwriter with a highly distinctive vocal, but he's more than just that. Initially, he played the guitar with his younger brother Paul playing bass, and from the beginning of The Mondays, he shared composer-role with the rest of the band, which both underlines his ear for music structure as well as his role in Black Grape. Without Shaun there would've been no Happy Mondays nor a Black Grape - a name, which alledgedly comes from when they were to sign the release contract and the management opted for a band name before they would go any further and Kermit came in with a handful of black grapes, and Shaun then used the situation to get the contract settled.

Musically, the album comes out as a new original conglomerate of styles. It's alt. dance and indie pop in a bolder electronic shape than that of The Mondays, and it mixes elements from neo-psychedelia, funk and soul. A few of the songs, e.g. "A Big Day in the North", "Shake Well Before Opening" and "Yeah Yeah Brother" (actually written for the ...Yes Please! album) more strongly continues the style of The Happy Mondays with an acid house-tone but the overall sensation is that of a coherent whole of more uptempo funky alt. dance.

The title is almost like the answer to Pills 'n' Thrills... saying it's (probably) better to stay away from substance abuse, and then also suggesting that it's (again: probably) not really gonna go that way. Again, Ryder has given his accounts on how they were all on various substances, from Guiness, weed, and Temazis - "Tramazi Parti" is actually taken from 'Temazis' (name for 'Temazepam', which Ryder had recently discovered), but that would be granted as an album song - which had led them (back) to heroin. And the strong psychedelic colours of the front cover showing a pop art photo of the infamous terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez (aka Carlos the Jackal) follows closely in the footsteps of covers for Ryder's former band.

Music critics welcomed the album and it went straight to number #1 on the UK chart list. It was preceded by the the single release of track #1 peaking at #9, and the album was followed by two singles, tracks #2 and #4, respectively peaking at #8, and #17 in the UK.

I vividly recall the album as something I considered an improvement to the Happy Mondays. In retrospect, it hasn't faded all that much and still carries a certain amount of quality.

It may not be as significant as Pills 'n' Thrills... but I find it better as more poignant, better structured, showcasing better hooks, filled with great songs, explicit and funny lyrics, and then it's just one of my favourites of the nineties and therefore highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Vox 4,5 / 5, NME 5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo, Q Magazine 4 / 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 ]

Jack Frost "Snow Job" (1995)

Snow Job

release date: 1995

format: digital

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

producer: Steve Kilbey

label: Karmic Hit - nationality: Australia

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

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

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

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

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

Not recommended.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "SpiritoDiVino" (1995)

SpiritoDiVino (Italian version)
release date: May 27, 1995
format: cd (reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Voodoo voodoo" - 2. "Datemi una pompa" - 4. "Pane e sale" - 6. "Il volo" (4 / 5) - 7. "Senza rimorso" - 8. "Papà perché" - 9. "Così celeste"

7th studio album by Zucchero released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' follows 2½ years after the album Miserere (Oct. '92) is an album released in various different versions, and most issues contain 10 tracks. The English-versioned issue with the subtitle "Stray Cat in a Mad Dog City" is made according to the formula of the predecessor with six tracks with translated English lyrics and new titles as well as a quite different running order. A Spanish version was also issued with translated Spanish lyrics and a North American version with two older tracks replacing two tracks with Italian lyrics. All songs are written and composed by Zucchero except track #1 with music co-composed by Luciano Luisi, track #4 with lyrics by Franceso De Gregorio, tracks #7 & #8 with lyrics by Alberto Salerno and track #10 with lyrics by Jovanotti.
Style-wise the album is a step towards more pop soul and uptempo energy and it basically sounds more in tune with Oro incenso & birra from '89 than his most recent Miserere, which reeked of American soft rock and traditional r&b. With this Zucchero confirms his position as an international artist of contemporary rhythm & blues with a strong mainstream pop / rock appeal.

Recommended.

International English-
versioned issue

Björk "Post" (1995)

Post
release date: Jun. 15, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,94]
producer: Björk and Nellee Hooper
label: Mother Records - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Army of Me" - 2. "Hyper-Ballad" - 4. "It's Oh So Quiet" - 5. "Enjoy" - 7. "Isobel" - 8. "Possibly Maybe" - 9. "I Miss You"

2nd studio album by Björk. All tracks are produced by Björk, 7 tracks with Nellee Hooper, two with Graham Massey, two with Tricky and one with Howie B.
Stylistically, it's the natural follow-up to Debut with a slightly stronger trip hop element; however, it's still a huge blend of styles centered around electronic styles.
The album feature two of her best-fairing singles ever: "Army of Me" became her first top-10 single in the UK, but was later overtaken by "Hyper-Ballad" reaching #8 and "It's Oh so Quiet" - her highest ranked single ever at #4 on the UK single charts. The album is her best-selling album to date, and it reached #2 on the UK, the Australian and The Swedish albums chart lists.
Shortly after the release I found it slightly bettering her 93 album, and in terms of representing over-the-top production methods and embedded styles, it really is a glorious release. In retrospect, I find it - not as much a faded album, but perhaps compared to her strong debut, it does recycle many of its ideas, and is in that way the result of a strong matrix. Having said that, this is still one of her best albums and as such highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, The Guardian, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]

McAlmont & Butler "The Sound of... McAlmont & Butler" (1995)

The Sound of... McAlmont & Butler [debut]
release date: Nov. 27, 1995
format: box-set (2 lp vinyl + 2 cd + 1 dvd) (2015 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Bernard Butler
label: hut Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Yes (Full Version)" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "Although" - 6. "Disappointment / Interval" - 9. "How About You" - 12. "You Do"

Collaboration debut by McAlmont & Butler by the project-band of David McAlmont and Bernard Butler (ex-guitarist of Suede). McAlmont is songwriter and vocalist and Butler guitarist and keyboardist, and he has arranged, composed and produced the album.
After McAlmont's overlooked but great debut, McAlmont (1994), he found together with Butler on this project, which was received with mostly positive reviews and peaking at number #33 on the UK albums chart list. The album features a huge blend of genres and styles of pop / rock, art pop, r&b and neo-soul in a Dusty Springfield-kind of way. I do think that the huge mix of styles and what at times feels like a multi-layered sound are what keeps this from being a truly great pop album. The great "Yes" was quite a big hit, reaching number #8 on the national singles charts and together with "Disappointment" and "You Do" (second single from the album peaking at number #17) they are the finest tracks on what at a first glance may appear as a somewhat varied album, but after accustomising to the layered sound, it does resonate as a fine coherent album with strong bonds to productions of the '60s.
The duo, however, soon split after this release and individually they went back to pursue their solo careers; however, in 2001 they came back together again to release the sophomore Bring It Back (2002).
The 2015 remastered boxset on Edsel is a mighty fine issue which also includes a 12'' maxi single, the original album on cd with a bonus cd, a dvd containing music videos, live recordings, an interview, as well as a nice book.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Van Morrison "Days Like This" (1995)

Days Like This
release date: Jun. 20, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
produced: Van Morrison
label: Exile / Polydor - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Perfect Fit" - 2. "Russian Roulette" (4 / 5) - 3. "Raincheck" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "You Don't Know Me" - 5. "No Religion" - 6. "Underlying Depression" - 8. "Days Like This" - 10. "Melancholia" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 12. "In the Afternoon" (4 / 5) (live)

23rd studio album by Van Morrison released on Exile / Polydor produced by Van himself. His daughter Shana Morrison features as duet singer and on backing vocals on tracks #3, 4, 9, and 10 (the latter being the album's best track). Van may dwell on his back catalogue, and he may tend to be repetitious, but gosh doesn't he just know how to write good songs. The album was a bland experience at the time of the release. It is one of his most mainstream pop / rock crafted albums and it has a bit of the same polished sound as you'll find on Enlightenment (1990) and Avalon Sunset (1989), however, it also contains great songs that I wouldn't be without. "Russian Roulette", "Raincheck", "Underlying Depression", "Days Like This", "Melancholia", and "In the Afternoon" are all songs way above average. And that's really just Van in a nutshell: even when he just seems to cruise on auto-pilot, he always has an extra gear and something more to offer.

The The "Hanky Panky" (1995)

Hanky Panky

release date: Feb. 14, 1995

format: cd

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

producer: Matt Johnson & Bruce Lampcov

label: Epic Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Honky Tonkin' " - 3. "My Heart Would Know" - 5. "I'm a Long Gone Daddy" - 7. "I Saw the Light" - 9. "I Can't Get You Off of My Mind" - 11. "I Can't Escape From You"

5th studio album by The The follows two years year after Dusk and is anything but the natural follow-up but nonetheless a genuine Matt Johnson release, although, none of the songs were written or composed by Johnson. The album pays tribute to Hank Williams - only the arrangements are credited Johnson and (David) 'D. C.' Collard. After releasing two albums as an actual band, Johnson is here back as solo artist behind the project. The only recurring personnel is D.C. Collard credited treated melodica and arrangements, and co-producer Bruce Lampcov. The new backing band mostly only covers a stellar cast of American session musicians including guitarist Eric Schermerhorn (from Iggy Pop's backing band) and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey (from David Bowie's backing band), harmonica player Jim Fitting, and drummer Brian MacLeod (Chris Isaak, Wire Train, Sheryl Crow, etc.), which once again sees Johnson play with handpicked musicians instead of a steady band.

Hanky Panky is really something else, and then there's still Johnson's DNA all over despite also being original country songs. The album may contain eleven tracks but it runs for less than 34 minutes. A first glimpse of the front cover, and knowing of Johnson's sometimes biting satire in combination with the album title, which could sound like a pun hinting at the first track and / or the world of country as a genre, and you might mistake it as a bad joke of some sort. And I guess Johnson knew about people doubting his project - explaining why he has included a written statement in the inlay telling about his admiration for the genre as such and for Hank Williams in particular. So, don't be fooled, it's by no means a joke but deadly serious! Some would argue that Johnson probably recognised the loner in Williams' existence and his songwriting, and then Johnson himself faced a new beginning after relocating to the US and ending his relationship with Fiona Skinner.

The arrangements are at times with much remaining from the original songs, but mostly they are with due respect to the source but heavily re-arranged with a great deal of modern rock in mind.

My initial verdict had me (completely) reject Johnson's choice - it was simply too strange, and I guess a lot of fans felt the same, but you really have to hand it to Matt Johnson: he did what he felt like doing at the time, regardless other people's opinion - be it record label, critics, or fans.

In retrospect, the album naturally lands miles from his previous releases but it's by no means a mediocre album 'cause everything is done with respect and so much talent that it simply puts a new light on songs from a completely different genre. It's both art rock, blues rock and country rock all mixed with the essence of country, and frankly, overall, it's really a mighty fine release.

Hanky Panky wasn't exactly met like a new great album from The The by most critics, but who cares what they think, although, some have changed their initial opinion about the album over the years, which basically tell us that you only have to listen for yourself.

The album is not one of Johnson's best but it's still a recommended listen, also both as a tribute to a great songwriter as well as brilliant reinterpretations of classic country.

[ 👎allmusic.com 3 / 5, USA Today 3 / 4 stars ]

Salif Keita "Folon" [The Past] (1995)

Folon [The Past]
udgivet: 1995
format: cd
[vurdering: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Wally Badarou
selskab: Mango Records - nationalitet: Mali

Udvalgte numre: 1. "Tekere" (5 / 5) - 3. "Africa" - 4. "Myanyama" - 5. "Mandela" (4 / 5) - 6. "Sumun" - 7. "Seydou" - 8. "Dakan-Fe" - 9. "Folon"

4. internationale studiealbum af Salif Keita efter albummet Amen (1991) udgivet på Mango (underlabel til Island Records for deres 'world'-udgivelser) og produceret af Wally Badarou (Jean-Philippe Rykiel producerede spor #5 og #9).
Albummet var et af de første, jeg lyttede til af Keita. Nummeret "Tekere" er helt fantastisk og har den samme vidunderlige up-tempo afrikanske / mandé-stil, som jeg havde opdaget på forskellige udgivelser fra de tidlige 1980'ere med traditionel afrikansk folkemusik og / eller 'afrikansk jazz'. Keita spiller ikke selv nogen instrumenter, men komponerer og synger, og han har en strålende og varm sangstemme, der lyder som... ingen andre. Som oftest betegnes hans musik som world musik, hvilket jeg anser for at være et ekstremt dårlig mærkat for musik produceret og / eller udgivet i Afrika, Asien, Skandinavien, Sydamerika eller steder, der ikke er Europa eller USA. Keita laver mandé-folkemusik og afrikansk populærmusik inspireret af lokale traditioner og vestlig populærkultur, og han kombinerer elementer fra jazz, reggae, latin, blues... Oven i det, tilføjer han ofte en et element af 'dance'. Hvorfor findes der egentlig ikke en musikstil med betegnelsen 'folk dance'? For det er virkelig det, dette er... men ikke kun. På trods af at det er et album med (afrikanske, mandé) tekster, som jeg absolut ikke forstår et ord af, har jeg læst, at det vidunderlige nummer "Tekere" er en sang 'om jalousi, om at for meget jalousi let bliver til ondskabsfuldhed'. Uanset hvad, er musikken her ganske original og helt vidunderlig.
Folon er næsten lige så god som Amen og kommer naturligvis med en varm anbefaling.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stjerner ]

Natalie Merchant "Tigerlily" (1995)

Tigerlily [debut]
release date: Jun. 20, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Natalie Merchant
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "San Andreas Fault" - 2. "Wonder" - 3. "Beloved Wife" - 4. "River" - 5. "Carnival" - 7. "The Letter"

Studio solo debut by Natalie Merchant is written, performed and produced by Merchant herself. The change from the music by 10,000 Maniacs is hard to find on this, but apparently it wasn't about musical arguments she felt obliged to go solo.
I always found this particular album a bit challenging. Merchant's voice always adds that extra quality to any song, but the strong songs are just missing on this first attempt on her own, or: you may need to adjust expectations hoping for jangly pop tunes of Our Time in Eden (1992) to bolder singer / songwriter material. The track "River", a tribute to actor River Phoenix, is one of just a few great compositions on a strong and personal album that reveals her potential but also stays much in the shade.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 1,5 / 5 stars ]

Siouxsie and the Banshees "The Rapture" (1995)

The Rapture

release date: Jan. 16, 1995

format: cd (2014 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]

producer: John Cale; Siouxsie & The Banshees

label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "O Baby" (5 / 5) - 2. "Tearing Apart" - 3. "Stargazer" - 4. "Fall From Grace" - 5. "Not Forgotten" - 7. "The Lonely One" - 9. "Forever" - 11. "The Double Life"

11th studio album by Siouxsie & The Banshees (as the band is stylised here) released close to four years after Superstition (Jun. '91) is here with the same line-up with Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin, Budgie, Martin McCarrick, and Jon Klein. On the band's predecessor, they tempted with a synthpop / new wave producer in the shape of Stephen Hague, but here they have been even more daring by choosing the 'old' art rock icon, John Cale, here credited production of five of the album's total of twelve tracks. Since the breezy but absolutely fine Superstition, the band has released a single for the "Batman Returns" movie and for the singles compilation Twice Upon a Time - The Singles - both released in '92.

The Rapture was partially recorded already in '93 exclusively by the band, but it was then decided to hire Cale to record the remaining five tracks and to head the production of these in the spring of '94. Sonically, th is new collection is its own, as usual - and perhaps Polydor and the band themselves feared that by using Hague again, the new album could sound as a repetition, and in retrospect with the band's shifting expression from one album to another, the choice of Cale perhaps justified that by ensuring a new expression. Although, Cale practically only is credited less than half of the songs on the album by producing five tracks (tracks #1, #2, and #7-9), the album is promoted and billed as a John Cale-production. The band itself is credited production of the remaining seven tracks, but this is hardly ever mentioned when referring to The Rapture. In any case, the sound is darker compared to Peepshow (1988) and especially when comparing to Superstition yet without being exactly darkwave as on Tinderbox (1986). It's the kind of sound that also echoes Cale's own art rock releases with focus on rhythm instrumentation where the guitar has been put further in the back. In that way, the album is more in line with a well-known rock tradition - or perhaps closer to the mix of experimental Banshees productions and something more traditional.

Prior to the release, which added The Rapture to the band's long list of critically acclaimed releases, the song "O Baby" was issued for single release Dec. '94 peaking as number #34 on the domestic scene and as number #21 on the US Modern Rock singles list, after which the album followed to a new low and somewhat disappointing 33rd spot on the UK albums chart. Feb. '95, "Stargazer" followed as only the second but final single, and after that underperformed with a position as number #64, Polydor decided to end its contract with a band that had been on the label for all of the band's active years - meaning since Jun. '78, and thus for almost 17 years. On the following tour, guitarist Jon Klein was replaced by Knox Chandler, and about a year later as of Apr. '96, the core members of the band, Sioux, Severin, and Budgie, chose to disband Siouxsie and the Banshees. After this, Sioux and Budgie continued their joint music project, The Creatures, which in '99 released its third album, the critically acclaimed Anima Animus.

The Rapture is another fine collection, which sees the band introducing a new set of aspects. You'll both find tendencies towards synthpop and the more dance-friendly sound we meet on Superstition and also a darker and simpler sound structure tying thin threads with Tinderbox, and the again more complex structures point in the direction of Through the Looking Glass (1987). A new element, is a more traditional rock structure, and still everything is held together as a meaningful whole, which in essence is Siouxsie and the Banshees.

The 2014 remaster adds three bonus tracks to the track list: a mix of "O Baby", a demo, and a later track with new guitarist Chandler.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Select 4 / 5, Vox 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Woman's Gotta Have It" (1995)

Woman's Gotta Have It
release date: Oct. 24, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "6 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4,5 / 5) (single version) - 2. "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu" - 3. "Roof Rack" - 4. "My Dancing Days Are Done" - 7. "Wog" - 9. "Looking for a Way In" - 10. "7:20 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Cornershop following nearly two years after Hold On It Hurts (Dec.? 1993) is with songwiter and primary vocalist Tjinder Singh as producer.
With this, the band introduces an original style associated with the band on future albums, which is a huge mix of influences. It's a blend of South Asian folk / Indian folk, indie pop, alt. dance, funk and soul with bits of electronic - mostly sampling. It's also evident that the initial inspiration from alt. rock, noise rock and post-punk-influences are heavily reduced, or no longer present. The band remains a sextet but the line-up has changed as drummer Nick Simms has replaced David Chambers. At times, as e.g. on "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu", the band reveals a bond to the 'baggy / madchester' style with traits that ressemble the fusion-style of Happy Mondays.
All tracks are now written and composed by vocalist and bassist Tjinder Singh. The opening track, which is found in an alternate version at the end, is a modern classic.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

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US cover

Peter Murphy "Cascade" (1995)

Cascade
release date: Oct. 10, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Pascal Gabriel
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Mirror to My Woman's Mind" - 2. "Subway" - 3. "Gliding Like a Whale" - 6. "I'll Fall With Your Knife" (4,5 / 5) (live session) - 7. "The Scarlet Thing in You" - 8. "Wild Birds Flock to Me"

5th studio album by Peter Murphy following 3½ years after Holy Smoke (Apr. 1992), which saw him attempt more up-tempo and at times more mainstream compositions. Here, I think, producer Pascal Gabriel, who previously worked with Kitchens of Distinction (and later on productions for Goldfrapp, Marina and the Diamonds, and Bebel Gilberto), helps by adding a certain lightness and clearness to the album without losing the sense of alternative rock of it. Once again, but also for the last time in a decade, Paul Statham has co-written most of the songs with Murphy, who has made a slight turn towards deeper and more thoughtful compositions, which often works well with his dark and gloomy vocal. The album also stands as Murphy's final on the Beggars Banquet label.
The end result is a collection of songs that sound emotionally sincere without distinct post-punk and more low key gothic rock references. The album contains some really fine tracks and also a few mediocre ones with "I'll Fall With Your Knife" as a stand out and one of his absolute best songs ever. The fine "The Scarlet Thing in You" was chosen as single release.
All in all, I think this betters his '92 album and basically lands as his so far third best solo since his fine Love Hysteria and the fascinating debut..
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Bruce Springsteen "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (1995)

The Ghost of Tom Joad
release date: Nov. 21, 1995
format: cd (2005 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Plotkin
label: Sony Music Direct, Japan - nationality: USA

11th studio album by Bruce Springsteen originally released by Columbia Records. The album follows another live album by Springsteen, this time the obligatory live album for an MTV crowd, although, Bruce had it his way changing the channel's unplugged sessions to an "MTV Plugged" album.
This is a critically acclaimed move into his acoustic singer / songwriter tradition initiated on Nebraska (1982), and this is often mentioned as his natural follow-up to that album.
I didn't listen to it at all in the 90s and only came across the album in the new millennium, but it is a mighty fine collection of songs proving what a great songwriter Springsteen truly is, and it's easily an improvement to his two 92 studio releases.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Grant Hart "Ecce Homo" (1995)

Ecce Homo (live)

release date: Nov. 13, 1995

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: Mark Minkler

label: World Service - nationality: USA

Acoustic live album by Grant Hart is the recording of a solo concert held Oct. 13, 1994 at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle shortly after the disbandment of Nova Mob following a tour succeeding the band's eponymous album (released May '94).

Ecce Homo (the title referencing the perception of the flagellation of Jesus in Western Christianity) is with Hart at the centre of torment, once more left on his own - left with a presumed bitter taste - and it suitably only features Hart on vocal and acoustic guitar on 14 compositions. He performs his own songs written for Hüsker Dü, Nova Mob and for his solo releases, and despite only adding his strumming of the guitar, the performance well-documents his charismatic vocal and evident songwriter skills. From another perspective, the album is of course quite narrow with no traces of obvious post-production in the making, and it's the simple recording of a completely stripped-down-to-the-bone performance, which is what it is. It's no hi-fi state-of-the-art experience, and you need to address the story of Hüsker Dü, Nova Mob and Grant Hart, who has without doubt gone down in American music history as one its greats. And for that alone, Ecce Homo serves as a fine document.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Eva Dahlgren "Jag vill se min älskade komma från det vilda" (1995)

Jag vill se min älskade komma från det vilda
release date: 1995
format: cd (STAT 52)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,86]
producer: Eva Dahlgren, Anders Hillborg
label: The Record Station / BMG - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Stenmannen" - 3. "När en vild röd ros slår ut doftar hela skogen" - 8. "Innan kärleken kom" - 9. "Vild i min mun"

9th studio album by Eva Dahlgren is more of a collaboration work with classical composer and conductor (Per) Anders Hillborg. The album consists of 9 compositions all co-written by Dahlgren and Hillborg - with Dahlgren primarily contributing with lyrics and vocal for music composed by Hillborg. The music is performed by Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester ['Symphony Orchestre of the Swedish National Radio'], thus making this a rather different album by Dahlgren. Stylistically, it's not entirely chamber pop, which one might expect. There's simply too little traditional pop / rock elements present. It's more in a the genre of classical crossover, resembling the music by Sarah Brightman, and with clear links to modern musical, I think. The album gave her the Grammis prize 'Årets artist' ['Best artist of the year'] in 1995 for the album. It's interesting, however; I don't find it among her better albums.
One year after this release, Dahlgren officially spoke about her homosexuality, and she registered in full partnership with the Swedish designer and former model, Efva Attling, and in 2009 the two married.