Brittany Howard "What Now" (2024)

What Now

release date: Feb. 9, 2024

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: Brittany Howard, Shawn Everett

label: Island - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Earth Sign" - 2. "I Don't" - 3. "What Now" - 4. "Red Flags" - 5. "To Be Still" - 8. "Prove It to You" - 9. "Samson" - 11. "Power to Undo" - 12. "Every Color in Blue"

2nd solo album by Brittany Howard is the more than four year old follow-up to Jaime (Sep. 2019). Bassist Zac Cockrell of Alabama Shakes is credited on this, just as he featured on her solo debut, which also counts drummer Nate Smith as recurring musician. The album was generally made with only a handful of performers, which include the two keyboardists, Lloyd Buchanan and Paul Horton, and aside from these four only guitarist Brad Williams and trumpeter Rod McGaha feature on two songs each.

What Now is showcasing all the various styles Howard seems influenced by, but under her guidance it never feels as too many styles have been involved. Actually, to me, this is a bit like echoing how Prince used to arrange songs with that little detail that this is ever so much better. What Now simply appears as Brittany Howard's best release in her post-Alabama Shakes period. Now why doesn't she release music more often?! Ah well, better have a great album than one with only a few good songs, and this one is a most delightful release despite containing songs about negative aspects of life such as climate changes, global crisis, and political climate / turmoil of her home country, and then: these are appropriate subjects to address at the current time, so better deal with what's at stake. And thanks to Howard's musicality, she manages to wrap her songs up in great music and ultimately, simply hands us one of this year's best albums.

This is highly recommended and one to pay attention to.

[ allmusic.com Mojo, NME 4 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 8,3 / 10, Uncut 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Tindersticks "No Treasure but Hope" (2019)

die-cut vinyl cover

No Treasure but Hope
release date: Nov. 15, 2019
format: vinyl (LTD. die-cut clear vinyl) / digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,85]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog / City Slang - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "For the Beauty" - 2. "The Amputees" (4 / 5) - 3. "Trees Fall" - 4. "Pinky in the Daylight" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Take Care in Your Dreams" - 8. "The Old Mans Gait" - 9. "Tough Love"

12th studio album by Tindersticks released nearly four years following the fine The Waiting Room (Jan. 2016), and like that, this one is produced by lead vocalist and main composer Stuart A. Staples. Since 2016 the band has released the live-album Philharmonie de Paris (Feb. 2016) and the soundtrack Minute Bodies - The Intimate World of F. Percy Smith (2017) [a documentary by Staples] in collaboration with the two French musicians, percusionist Thomas Belhom, and pianist and composer Christine Ott. Apart from that, Staples also released his second solo album Arrhythmia (2018) and he also recorded another soundtrack for a Claire Denis' film, High Life (Apr. 2019) - which shows that neither band nor Staples has been on a long break.

The current Tindersticks-quintet, consisting of Stuart Staples, guitarist Neil Fraser, bassist Dan McKinna, multi-instrumentalist David Boulter, and percussionist Earl Harvin all continue where they left us in 2016 with a hardly noticeable change of style with compositions reflecting a bolder use of strings as well as being slightly less jazz-oriented. By doing so, the album places itself at the centre of the most recent four studio albums by Tindersticks - meaning albums released from 2010 to 2016. The single tracks on this could virtually have been handpicked and replaced on any of the arbitrary four albums without disturbing a sense of coherency. Instead of a recording applying state-of-the-art multi-layered production method, the band instead recorded these songs live in the studio. And keeping that information in mind, this collection only appear even stronger, perhaps more vivid. There's still a maintained variation from song to song, but the end result is that of a tight and quite narrrow expression. It may not be the band's most daring nor their most original album, but in a way you could argue it sort of sums up all the qualities they have come up with in recent years: by creating their very own aesthetic of beauty within a strong chamber pop soundscape with a noticeable influence and inspiration from the world of jazz - utilising old-fashioned recording methods - ultimately ensures they don't sound like any other band around.

Cover and artwork are here credited Staples and his wife Suzanne Osborne.

No Treasure but Hope is yet another quality release by Tindersticks.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5, Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

digital cover

Brittany Howard "Jaime" (2019)

Jaime [debut]
release date: Sep. 20, 2019
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: Brittany Howard
label: ATO Records - nationality:

Track highlights: 2. "He Loves Me" (live session) - 3. "Georgia" - 4. "Stay High" (live session) - 6. "Short and Sweet" - 7. "13th Century Metal" (live session) - 9. "Goat Head" - 10. "Presence"

Studio solo debut album by Alabama Shakes front-figure, Brittany Howard. Well, actually she made the full-length album work already in Sep. 2015 under the moniker of Thunderbitch, which was more of a musical project, where Jaime should be regarded as her actual solo debut. Howard is in complete control as she has written and composed all tracks and also produced it.
In Alabama Shakes the music is a tight mixture of warm and energetic r&b, blues rock, and soul, which also is a mixture you will find here, but on top of that this is much more complex in terms of styles. She blends all that with jazz rock, hip hop, contemporary r&b, and art pop to make her own conglomerate of styles and genres and succeeding without sounding forced or too varied.
Jaime has been met by critical acclaim and it peaked at number #13 on the US Billboard 200 and topping the US Americana / Folk albums chart list.
The musical arrangements and stylistic complexity immediately had me thinking of St. Vincent, but it's rather unfair to point at comparisons 'cause Howard only proves her artistic originality and worth, which pays tribute to the American heritage of great artists of jazz, soul, r&b as well as a great variety of modern performers of pop music.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Trille "Altid har jeg længsel" (1979)

Altid har jeg længsel

release date: 1979

format: vinyl (EXL 30.008 - gatefold)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]

producer: Trille & Anders Koppel

label: Exlibris - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: A) 1. "Trækfuglen" - 2. "Sig noget" - 3. "Altid har jeg længsel" - - B) 2. "Gi' lidt mere tid" - 4. "Under den høje himmel"

Studio album by Danish singer / songwriter Trille is with its bolder jazz rock-arrangements a more uptempo pop-version than her stripped-down tunes found on Hej søster from 1976. Trille is credited all songs but she is here accompanied by a handful of great musicians, which count guitarist Ole Fick (Burnin Red Ivanhoe), keyboardist Anders Koppel (Savage Rose, Bazaar), bassist Jens Rugsted (Savage Rose, Rugsted/Kreutzfeldt), bassist Hugo Rasmussen, and drummer Alex Riel (Alex Riel Trio, Ben Webster Quartet, Savage Rose...), in other words: a more than ordinarily solid backing band.

The album shows a much more complex Trille than her reputation allows. This is all held in a jazz rock sphere with elements from traditional rock, from a singer / songwriter and folk tradition but also from more contemporary pop / rock at times mixed with blues, with funk, or undefineable world music.

At this point of her career, I think Trille may have hoped for a better reception - it seems she was caught in a certain role as protest singer - not a pop / rock artist, and despite its obvious qualities, Altid har jeg længsel is a bit of a forgotten / neglected album, which showcase Trille as an artist with something to offer.

Talk Talk "Asides Besides" (1998)

Asides Besides (compilation)
release date: Apr. 20, 1998
format: digital (2-disc)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

A 2 cd compilation by Talk Talk is like most other compilations with the band issued by EMI. This was released shortly after Mark Hollis released his eponymous solo album in January on Verve Records. Most tracks here are original Talk Talk compositions in (heavily) altered versions labelled "Extended Version", "Extended Remix", "12'' Mix", "Dub Mix", "Dance Mix", "U.S. Mix", "Demo Version", or just "Edit"... Yes, the old label surely understood how to make profit. Everything, of course, is released without the band's consent, and to make the responsible staff even less sympathetic, they chose to release the album only a few months following the release of Mark Hollis' first and only solo album - using that as promotion to harvest a bit more... The band had sued and won the case against EMI with its release of the album History Revisited (1991, see Natural History...), but here EMI 'only' release the same remixed songs on an album, claiming it's 'demo material'... And my guess - as well as that of EMI - is that the band members simply wouldn't go through another lengthy law suit, so you may ask yourself, who ended up winning the case.
The songs are there - a few of them have been made into extended versions by the band's co-composer and main producer throughout the band's career, Tim Friese-Greene, but the majority of the tracks are edited by EMI engineering staff.
Especially, the older compositions sounds truly fine, but it's also a mixed bag with so many compositions tampered with, and frankly, the studio albums are there, and they're all you need.

Talk Talk "The Very Best of Talk Talk" (1997)

The Very Best of Talk Talk (compilation)
release date: Jan. 27, 1997
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Another best of compilation album by Talk Talk released by the band's former label EMI, much against the will of the band, and at a time when rumours suggest that Mark Hollis is making studio recordings to be released as a new studio album on Polydor.
Actually, this is basically bootleg material and perhaps shouldn't be purchased as the artist hardly will see a penny, but... now that it's here... the album is an even better compilation of Talk Talk material than the 12 track 1990 issue Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk - also on EMI. This revised issue contains 16 tracks of which 9 are identical to the ones on the 1990 album. How on earth they didn't include "Happiness Is Easy" on this must be a blunder. But then again: This is mere profit thinking. By having two almost identical best of albums on the same label, they have better chances in selling both. Sadly, Mark Hollis & Co. never stood behind the selection of songs to figure on any best of album, so this is all we have, except for the full album releases, which we naturally purchased, right!? The album is a fine collection, although, several songs are missing and the lack of chronological order also disturbs my feelings towards it. It's also with some regret to listen to an album that you know consists of songs that have been edited without the band's consent. A few fine B-sides have also found their way on this - securing both general interest and the interest from the fan base.

John Mayer "Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles" (2008) (live)

Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles (live)
release date: Jul. 1, 2008
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Chad Franscoviak, John Mayer, Steve Jordan
label: Columbia - nationality: USA

4th live album by John Mayer - or his fourth live album released on cd 'cause in 2004 he released a series of four downloadable albums (making this his (eigth live album) from four consecutive live concerts all from August that year: As/is Mountain View, CA, As/is Houston, TX, As/is Cleveland/Cincinnati, OH and As/is Philadelphia, PA. In Oct. 2004 As/is a double cd was released containing selected tracks from these four concerts, and in Nov. 2005 he released the live album Try! released as John Mayer Trio with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino with recordings from live concerts from the Fall of 2005.
Where the Light Is is a double live album containing the recordings of a live concert held at L.A. Live Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Dec. 8, 2007 - the album has also been released as a music concert film on dvd like Any Given Thursday before that. Disc 1 consists of 13 tracks of which the first five songs are acoustic songs, and the following eight are with John Mayer Trio (five of these also appear on the album Try!) - all paying maximum attention on blues rock . Two of these are Jimi Hendrix' compositions: track #7 "Wait Until Tomorrow" and track #13 "Bold as Love". Another two of the eight compositions by the Trio "Who Did You Think I Was" and "Good Love Is on the Way" sound as if written by Hendrix, and "Come When I Call", "Out of My Mind" and "Vultures" sound more like Clapton inspired by Muddy Waters, but at the bottom-line they're all eight blues rock-shaped and as such performed.
Disc 2 consists of nine tracks - eight taken from his most recent studio release Continuum - all blending his pop / rock repertoire with acoustic folk rock, fusion rock (e.g. "Belief") and blues rock.
It seems that Mayer shines so much more when playing live, and this album only serves to document just that. He embraces blues rock and plays with clear influences from jazz, traditional r&b and folk rock when playing these songs live, and at the same time he distances himself from his early studio albums of mere polished pop / rock.
The album is easily his so far best live album, and as such a highly recommendable album.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

BEST OF 1991:Talk Talk "Laughing Stock" (1991)

org. vinyl cover

Laughing Stock
release date: Nov. 19, 1991
format: vinyl (847 717-1) / cd (1999 remaster)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,86]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: Verve / Polydor - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Myrrhman" (5 / 5) - 2. "Ascension Day" (5 / 5) - 3. "After the Flood" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Taphead" (4 / 5) - 5. "New Grass" (5 / 5) - 6. "Runeii" (5 / 5)

5th and final studio album by Talk Talk originally released on the Polydor sub-label Verve Records. After the band's controversy with former label EMI, bassist Paul Webb left the band, officially reducing Talk Talk to a duo of Mark Hollis and drummer Lee Harris, but practically, Harris had left Talk Talk before recording the album. The band had become a one-man project, but Harris is still credited as band member because he was hired as session musician, and the 'real' duo of Talk Talk was rather one consisting of Hollis and producer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist Tim Friese-Greene, although he never was an official member of Talk Talk.
The music on Laughing Stock is the extended journey to what was initiated on The Colour of Spring (1986) and much bolder heard on Spirit of Eden (1988). It's like one long coherent composition, although, there are 6 tracks on the album. The music is inter-woven jazz rock, art rock, and / or experimental but ultimately post-rock compositions with thematic ideas as foundation to improvisations.
Of all the great Talk Talk albums, I have always loved this album the most. Alas, the vinyl pressing of the release is not impressively manufactured. The sound is too low and the quality of the record is poor. This is the sort of album you just need to own on optical disc because of the minimal and spatial sound. Hollis was never the arch typical star of the music industry - he always distanced himself from the media circus, be it TV, reporters and-the-like, and he only reluctantly agreed to make music videos to some of the band's singles - as he didn't believe in the whole idea of promoting music.
Laughing Stock was met by positive reviews but Hollis had no intentions of touring to promote the album, very much like it had been the issue with the previous album(s). By 1992 Hollis dissolved the band and withdrew from music to concentrate on his family. However, he would go on to release one critically acclaimed solo album, the eponymous Mark Hollis in 1998 - produced, only to fulfil the contractual obligations of the two albums record deal with Polydor. Unfortunately, he hasn't released music since. He was embraced as a gifted singer and songwriter, and although, he could have continued as a famous solo artist, producer and/or songwriter, Hollis just wanted no part of the business. Paul Webb and Lee Harris went on to launch their duo-project .O.rang - for two full-length albums after which Paul Webb founded his own (acclaimed) project Rustin Man, and Tim Friese-Greene initiated his solo project Heligoland. Both .O.rang and Heligoland expose some of the experimental ideas you'll find resonating with Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock.
Sigur Rós has played Talk Talk compositions when playing live, and alongside many bands of the mid- and late 90s (Mogwai, Recoil, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Radiohead, Portishead - yes, the list goes on) they have found much of their inspiration in Talk Talk and especially the band's last two albums that have come to stand like cornerstones of the modern music era.
To me, Laughing Stock is an album that I have always listened to - never a year without it - and I find it a modern masterpiece.
[ allmusic.com, Sputnikmusic 5 / 5, Q Magazine, Select 4 / 5 stars ]

1991 Favourite releases: 1. Talk Talk Laughing Stock - 2. Van Morrison Hymns to the Silence - 3. Kitchens of Distinction Strange Free World


[ collectors' item - plus €100,- and up for VG+ ]

1999 cd remaster

John Mayer "Any Given Thursday" (2003) (live)

Any Given Thursday (live)
release date: Feb. 11, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: John Alagia
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights, Disc 1: 2. "No Such Thing" - 3. "Back to You" - 4. "City Love" - 5. "Something's Missing" - 7. "Message in a Bottle" - 8. "Love Song For No One" - - Disc 2: 1. "Why Georgia" - 2. "Your Body Is a Wonderland" - 3. "My Stupid Mouth" - 7. "Neon"

1st live album by John Mayer is a double disc with a playing time above 1 hour and 40 mins. recorded Sep. 12, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama as a 4-piece band consisting of John Mayer on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Michael Chaves on keyboards, guitars and backing vocals, David LaBruyere on bass and with Stephen Chopek on drums and percussion.
The album primarily features tracks from his studio debut and his forthcoming second album (to be released Sep. 2003) only. But however familiar the playlist may seem these songs come much more to life on this occasion proving what a talented artist Mayer really is. Both the two cover songs "Message in a Bottle" by The Police and "Lenny" by Stevie Ray Vaughan showcase Mayer as a man of rock music - pop / rock and blues rock. He pays tribute to two of his great influences, and he does that by making their songs vibrant and contemporary.
This album is easily Mayer's so far best. He's a fine instrumentalist - most people already knew that, but without the multi-layered studio sound he sounds so much better playing with charms, energy and skills, just having a good time picking his guitar and displaying his fascination for jazz and blues rock.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Talk Talk "Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk" (1990)

Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk (compilation)
release date: May 1990
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Colin Thurston, Tim Friese-Greene, Rhett Davies
label: Parlophone / EMI - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by Talk Talk is the band's first best of release issued by EMI as the band was sacked from the record label after having released Spirit of Eden (Sep. 1988), which was anything than what EMI had hoped for.
The original issue contains 12 tracks but as early as of Jul. 1990, 14 tracks re-issues were released for the Japanese and North American markets. In 2004, EMI re-issued the album as The Essential, although with an identical tracklist of the original 12 track issue. In 2007, EMI launched a 2-disc issue based on the original UK release containing a bonus DVD with video versions for the European market. This was reissued by EMI in 2013 - but now with the title Natural History 1982 - 1988. Talking about milking the sacred cow!
Needless say, the album is both an album for everyone else as well as a collectors' item. Lead vocalist and frontman of the band, Mark Hollis, alledgedly said of the album that EMI compiled the album entirely without the band's consent, and that he didn't like the idea of best of albums in the first place.
A year later, EMI also released the album History Revisited - The Remixes - once again made without having informed the band, and what's seems even worse: EMI had the 10 tracks remixed in new extended versions without involving the band when altering its music. As a consequence, Mark Hollis and the band sued EMI for having remixed their songs without asking for permission of the band - and the band won the case, which among other things meant that the company was obliged "to withdraw and destroy all remaining copies of the album" [VOX, 1998].
Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk is nevertheless a fine collection of songs, but as Mark Hollis also commented [in Melody Maker, Sep. 7, 1991] about an album he wouldn't release: "It certainly wasn't the selection of tracks I would have liked even if there had to be one".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Talk Talk "Spirit of Eden" (1988)

1988 cd

Spirit of Eden
release date: Sep. 16, 1988
format: cd (2003 remaster) / vinyl + dvd (2012 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: Parlophone (EMI) - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "The Rainbow / Eden / Desire" (4 / 5) - 2. "Inheritance" - 3. "I Believe in You" (4 / 5) - 4. "Wealth" (4 / 5)
[ in memoriam: rehearsal tape ]

4th studio album by Talk Talk following 2½ years after The Colour of Spring (Feb. 1986) is the band's final studio release of new material on EMI, and it's literally 'something else'. In the aftermath of the '86 album Talk Talk had experienced a stronger popularity but at the same time frontman Mark Hollis had no desire of the implications of stardom - actually he found out that he didn't want to tour anymore - a decision which ultimately had deep consequences for the band that basically ended up being a Hollis and Friese-Greene project with the latter only taking part as co-composer and never officially entering the projct. All tracks are co-written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene as was the case on the predecessor, but the style has evolved to something completely new. The first track is divided into three parts, which have been merged into one composition on the 2003 remastered version where it has a running time of more than 23 min - originally the entire A-side on the vinyl issue. Comparing the debut to this, is like listening to two completely different bands, but by following the band's stylistic progression through its second and third albums it makes much more sense. The style is like a natural development of what they were looking at on The Colour of Spring, and what they have produced here is music in a style that wasn't given a term until a decade later: post-rock, although, that specific term and style may lead to another discussion. There are slow progressive art rock and jazz rock elements, but that's far from telling the whole story. It's a play with composition from a new perspective, and both Hollis and Friese-Greene took inspiration from jazz and classical music. And that was not what fans and music lovers expected from a band, who had recently released an album of international interest.
By music critics, the album was met by lukewarm reviews and an almost total rejection from record buyers. The label, EMI, felt that the band neglected its contractual obligations by recording something 'so anti-commercial' and even tried a law-suit against the band at court but [thankfully] the label lost the case. However, as a consequence, the band's contract with EMI was terminated. By the end of the year, bassist Paul Webb left the band.
I recall, I also felt 'betrayed' by a band that I had other hopes for. I actually purchased the vinyl album shortly after its release, but never really listened to it - or: I tried, but I never came even close to thinking anything positive about it - that is, back then. About another three years later, I actually resold the album in a pile with other gems, in trade for quick cash, so I could afford one or two new albums [gosh, what stupidity!]. I guess, the sound and style of this was way ahead of its time - not many were prepared for it, and neither was I.
From a modern perspective, the band, and Mark Hollis in particular, are now praised for the ground-breaking musical content, which has inspired post-rock artists like Sigur Rós, Mogwai, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor a whole decade later, but surely without Talk Talk and without Spirit of Eden and the successor, the music by these later artists seems rather unlikely. As much as I hate to admit it, I would perhaps have rated this 2 / 5 stars back in '88. Today, I find it a 4,5 album, and yes! I eventually got myself a new 2012 reissue on vinyl. And I have to add, the 2012 pressing is better than the original 'cause EMI made some poor vinyl pressings in the late 80s, which also is the case with the band's final album.
A highly recommended album!
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Sound 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1988 Favourite releases: 1. Chet Baker Memories: Chet Baker in Tokyo - 2. R.E.M. Green - 3. Talk Talk Spirit of Eden

     

org. vinyl cover
(same as 2012 reissue)

2003 remaster

Terence Trent D'arby "Vibrator" (1995)

Vibrator
release date: Jun. 1, 1995
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,27]
producer: Terence Trent D'Arby
label: Columbia Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 3. "Holding on to You" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "We Don't Have That Much Time Together" - 8. "If You Go Before Me"

4th studio album by Terence Trent D'Arby continue its style from Symphony or Damn (1993), only it doesn't contain compositions on the same high level. It sounds and feels much like leftovers from his previous work. Together with Neither Fish Nor Flesh from '89, I find this his least interesting album, and the one that makes me think of Prince the most, and I'm not a fan of his. This is only just mediocre. This is one huge blend of styles: funk, soul , pop / rock, r&b, well even jazz is represented here making it fusion jazz rock. It seems he's almost trying to embrace all styles and genres, which can only lead to the style of... confusion [!].
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Select 1 / 5 stars ]

Andy Summers "XYZ" (1987)

XYZ [debut]
release date: Dec. 1987
format: vinyl (254 783-1) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Andy Summers, David Hentschel
label: MCA Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Love Is the Strangest Way" - 2. "How Many Days?" - 3. "Almost There" - 4. "Eyes of a Stranger" - 6. "Scary Voices" - 7. "Nowhere" - 10. "Hold Me"

Solo studio album debut by former The Police guitarist, Andy Summers (aka Andrew James Somers) who had previously released two collaboration albums with Robert Fripp: I Advance Masked (1982) and Bewitched (1984), and contributed on soundtracks for films: The Wild Life (1984), 2010 (1984) and for the TV-series "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986). Aside from being primary songwriter and composer - four tracks (tracks #2, #7, #8, and #10) are co-composed with producer Hentschel, who also provides keyboards and drum programming - Summers is credited as vocalist, which actually works more than just Okay, however, it's nevertheless his first and only album on which he provides lead vocals.

Musically, this isn't closely linked to the music by The Police. In fact, it has more in common with music by John Cale and Peter Gabriel with its bolder fusion rock and jazz fusion elements and a more obvious art rock approach. Yes, you can easily detect the guitar-sound of Summers, which has always made me wonder why he was never credited the music by The Police, 'cause how could Sting have written and arranged the songs telling Andy how to play the guitar?!

"Love Is the Strangest Thing" is the only single taken from an album, which wasn't exactly met by positive reviews, and it was basically seen as a commercial failure, which didn't have MCA invest further in Summers' career.

Personally, I purchased the album only to hear what the great guitarist of The Police could do on his own. Had I listened to it first, I may not have used money on it but I'm glad I did. No, it didn't sell and it wasn't met by acclaim, but in retrospect, I do think it's much better than rumour has it. Summers may have givin up singing after this, and because of this - the following tour and the sales numbers from the album didn't exactly encourage him to persue a career as vocalist, which I think is a shame. On this, he actually comes close to the sonic of Peter Gabriel. The music is close to that - perhaps too close - which may have had critics reject it as an original work.

XYZ is Summers' first solo album. It didn't turn out as intended - the music industry leeds its own unpredictable life. Overall, I think it's worth much more than a listen or two. It's flaw isn't because of the production sound, the mixing, nor in the song material but may likely be a result of missing personnel. A featuring artist (say Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, John Cale) here and there could likely have lifted this album from obscurity and brought it into the starlight. I do believe this very album is an example of how there's only a thin line between failure and success. "How Many Days" and "Nowhere" are both strong enough to make it to popular radio choices, but they weren't chosen as singles. The album is more than a decent first one out. It could arguably have been better arranged but the song material is there.

[ 👎allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

The Raybeats "Guitar Beat" (1981)

Guitar Beat [debut]
release date: 1981
format: digital (expanded reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Martin Rushent
label: PVC Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Tight Turn" - 2. "Big Black Sneakers" - 3. "Tone Zone" - 5. "B-Gas Rickshaw" - 6. "International Operator" - 8. "Calhoun Surf" (4 / 5) - 11. "Guitar Beat" - 13. "Holiday Inn Spain" (Bonus track)

Studio album debut by American band The Raybeats released on PVC Records and produced by British engineer and producer Martin Rushent in England. The album came out as an anachronism while the world of popular music was either pop / rock, disco, mainstream pop, contemporary r&b, new romantic, new wave, or post-punk-minded, but this is mostly pure surf rock as played primarily in the US in the 1950's. Some tracks contain elements of no wave and jazz fusion, and it's an exclusively instrumental release. I guess, most people never really knew about the album, and it was only by chance that I stumbled on it in 1982 or '83 when it was still a new album. A friend of mine had bought the album in a local record store with mostly punk rock music, and I remember finding it quite interesting but never really great, but fine enough to keep a copy on cassette for years. The version I refer to here is an extended cd with two bonus tracks. Unfortunately, they changed the original track listing, which seems like a major blunt - although, a quite typical label decision.
The Raybeats released one more album before disbanding in '84.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Radiohead "Amnesiac" (2001)

Amnesiac
release date: Jun. 4, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Nigel Godrich, Radiohead
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Pyramid Song" - 6. "Knives Out" - 8. "Dollars and Cents"

5th studio album by Radiohead are in fact compositions recorded at the same sessions as Kid A. Thom Yorke has also described it as "another take on Kid A, a form of explanation." Or, one could argue that these recordings are much as the other disc of what could have been a double cd release, only this is even more experimental in style. The album was met by positive reviews and it also topped the albums chart list in the UK and making it to top-3 in many countries around the world. This is also included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

I like it and find it one of the band's better albums but I don't quite see it on par with Kid A.

[ allmusic.com, Slant, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, NME, Sputnikmusic 4 / 5 stars ]

Radiohead "Kid A" (2000)

Kid A
release date: Oct. 3, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Nigel Godrich, Radiohead
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Kid A" - 3. "The National Anthem" - 4. "How to Disappear Completely" - 6. "Optimistic" - 8. "Idioteque" - 9. "Morning Bell"

4th studio album by Radiohead released nearly three and half years after the band's acclaimed OK Computer (Jun. '97).

On this new album they really step into new musical territory within art rock and the alt. rock genre, and it showcases a completely different sound, which incorporates jazz-rock elements and perhaps doesn't have the same immediate appeal by challenging traditional song structure. The album was initially met by luke-warm reviews but these were somehow silenced as the album was nominated for and won several prestigious musical prizes.
My initial thoughts about it told me that the predecessor contains some great compositions that are unmatched on this, however, I have come to understand the importance of Radiohead as a band of a new era. Undoubtedly, the '97 album contains more classic hit material and familiar songs, but as an overall verdict, there's no doubt that I enjoy this album much more for its stronger experimental approach and also for placing Radiohead alongside other great post-rock artists. Kid A is a musical statement and a natural source to inspiration, which I find is traceable to the music by Talk Talk and that band's last two albums. To me, this is where Radiohead becomes one of the most fascinating British bands of modern times. Kid A is also the third Radiohead album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

[ allmusic.com, Drowned in Sound 5 / 5, Spin 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

Joan As Police Woman "Real Life" (2006)

Real Life [debut]

release date: Jun. 12, 2006

format: digital (2007 Deluxe Edition) (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,70]

producer: Bryce Goggin, Joan Wasser

label: Reveal Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Real Life" - 2. "Eternal Flame" (4 / 5) - 3. "Feed the Light" - 5. "I Defy" (4 / 5) - 7. "Christobel" - 8. "Save Me" - *12. "Broken Eyes"

* Bonus track on 2007 Deluxe Edition

Studio album debut by Joan As Police Woman (aka Joan Wasser) following the 2005 EP debut (Joan As Police Woman. Joan Wasser previously played violin in Boston-founded The Dambuilders, later in Those Bastard Souls she also sang, and while playing in that band her boyfriend Jeff Buckley tragically drowned in 1997 - the album Debt & Departure (1999) was made processing the untimely death of Buckley. In '99 she joined and played viola in the supporting band for Antony and the Johnsons and she also contributed on I Am a Bird Now (Feb. 2005) but she initiated her solo career under the name of Joan As Police Woman in 2002 - perhaps inspired by Antony Hegarty and their role in Antony and the Johnsons as a band act alias in place of a solo career. Hegarty contributes on Wasser's "I Defy", which is co-written by Hegarty. All other tracks are credited Wasser alone.

Real Life appears as anything but a debut, as it feels and sounds extremely solid and confident despite its unique blend of styles and a play with fragility at the very core. It's jazz rock inspired indie pop with traits of singer / songwriter folk and Wasser sings and croons with her secure vocal as she never did anything else. At times she sounds like a kindred spirit to the Wainwright siblings.

The album came somewhat out of the blue but in retrospect it stands as a highly acclaimed debut. The standard album is a ten-track album with a running time clocking in at 38 minutes, and the 2007 Deluxe Edition adds another six tracks making it a 53 minutes release.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Pitchfork 8,1 / 10, The Guardian, MusicOMH 4 / 5, Spin 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Frank Zappa "Apostrophe (')" (1974)

Apostrophe (')
release date: Mar. 22, 1974
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" - 2. "Nanook Rubs It" (alt. version) - 5. "Cosmik Debris" - 7. "Apostrophe"

18th studio album by Zappa! And his best selling album.
This is still a fine album, and very much in family with his albums released from 1973, with Over-Nite Sensation, to his last albums of the decade with Joe's Garage II & III (1979). The music is experimental rock with elements of jazz rock / rock fusion, and the ever presence of satire.

Frank Zappa / The Mothers "Over-Nite Sensation" (1973)

Over-Nite Sensation
release date: Sep. 7, 1973
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Camarillo Brillo" - 3. "Dirty Love" - 5. "Zoomby Woof" - 7. "Montana"

Released as 'Frank Zappa & the Mothers'. This was the last Mothers of Invention studio album, although, practically, it's the 17th Frank Zappa album! The album was probably the first big commercial success as it sold Gold in the US. Thematically, it's primarily about sex, and the music is experimental rock, art rock, and fusion rock.

Entrance "Entrance" (1977)

Entrance [debut]

release date: Nov. 1977

format: vinyl (MLP 15612 - gatefold)

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

producer: Entrance

label: Metronome - nationality: Denmark

Studio album debut by Danish jazz-fusion band Entrance founded by trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg (also credited on keyboard, piano, and flugelhorn), keyboardist Kenneth Knudsen, saxophonist Jesper Nehammer, bassist Bo Stief, and percussionist Kasper Winding. The album contains eight compositions, four on each side, and with Mikkelborg composer of four tracks, and Knudsen and Winding of two each.

Entrance play their own original version of jazz fusion inspired by Weather Report, Santana, Miles Davis, and other acts playing world fusion.

This particular album stands as a cornerstone in Danish music, and paved way for individual international careers for especially Mikkelborg, Knudsen, and Stief.