Barry Ryan "We Did It Together" (1970) (single)

We Did It Together, 7'' single

release date: 1970

format: vinyl

[single rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]

producer: Paul Ryan

label: Polydor - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "We Did It Together" - - B) "Lay Down"

Single release by English songwriter (and photographer), Barry Ryan (Sapherson, aka Barry Davison) of the twin-brother duo 'Paul & Barry Ryan'. This single seems to stem from a time when Barry had concentrated on a solo career while twin-brother Paul assisted him in writing songs and producing, and the title track somehow appear like a most fitting desription of how the two brothers found their way in show business.

This particular Danish print probably comes from my older brother's record collection. I do recall playing this at 7-12 years of age, but it never caught my interest. Stylewise, it sounds much inspired by The Walker Brothers with a love for heavy orchestrated arrangements. Barry and Paul did experience som success after Barry went solo, e.g. with the single hit "Eloise" (1968) (much later also a hit for punk rock band The Damned).

~ ~ ~

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

Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter "Saved!" (2023)

SAVED! [debut]

release date: Oct. 20, 2023

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 2 / 5] [1,88]

producer: 'Brother' Seth Manchester

label: Perpetual Flame Ministries - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "All of My Friends Are Going to Hell"

Studio album debut as Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter (aka Kristin Hayter), who released four full-length albums from 2017 to 2021 under the name of Lingua Ignota - the final album being Sinner Get Ready (Aug. 2021). SAVED! is like her recent releases on the Sargent House label engineered by (now: 'Brother') Seth Manchester. Hayter's Lingua Ignota project was centered around a neo-classical darkwave style with obvious bonds to the music by Diamanda Galás, whereas the change of project-name signals a change of style. Musically, Hayter still makes anything but ordinary pop music - SAVED! has been labelled 'Southern Gospel' and / or 'Appalachian Music', but in any case it's still highly experimental and bonded to darkwave. The album consists of 11 tracks, which are all arranged, recorded, and mixed as if stemming from early twentieth century recordings. Instrumentally, it's quite simple with banjo and piano as only other dominating instruments apart from Hayter's lamenting vocal, which is much less aggressive than her albums as Lingua Ignota, and the production and mixing aspects quite obviously seek to present the music as recorded on a cheap ancient device of some sort. Deliberately, the volume goes up and down, there are cut-ups and fall-outs in sound, and everything is kept as an amateur's first take.

Regardless making music as this or that project, Hayter seems determined to explore Christian holy scriptures, and on this she examines the theme of salvation. The album has been met by critical acclaim, despite speaking to an extremely cult-like audience. From the reviews I've read it appears that critics agree on describing the music here as extreme, with little variation, and as challenging. Critics also note Hayter's artistic determination to stand out and go her very own way, which in some cases stand in the way of actually dealing with musical qualities as such. I find that only few actually describe the music they hear on this as beautiful, delicate, majestic, whatever. Appealing would suffice but that is hardly the point because it's not. Hayter is put in a 'holy' and exclusive category, where form over matter is all there is. In any case, it is an extremely coherent album, and that's of course a positive trait, but there are no tracks on this that will satisfy a hope of finding music you would want as background music for dancing, resting, or for an intimate dinner for two - I guess, this is where the term challenging enters the description. And hey, it's really not intimate at all, and it doesn't scream sing-along potential! In fact, imho, and at best, I find it extreme... but mostly also extremely dreadful. 👉This is form over matter, it's the Emperor's new clothes and there's no way, I'll recommend this!👈

[ The Line of Best Fit, Uncut 4 / 5, Pitchfork 7,5 / 10, Exclaim 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Tex Ritter "Songs of the Golden West" (1961)

Songs of the Golden West

release date: 1961

format: vinyl (SREG 1001) (1966 reissue)

[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]

producer: Lee Gillette

label: Regal - nationality: USA

Studio album by Tex Ritter originally titled Hillbilly Heaven and released in 1961 by Capitol Records. Already in '61, the album was issued with the title Songs of the Golden West in New Zealand, also with the same cover as this UK reissue. This version was again reissued in '69 in Australia and in the UK, now with a new cover, and another issue with the title Deck of Cards was also reissued in the UK. All of these different issues, however, has the same tracklisting as the original album from 1961.

The album was part of my parents' record collection, and I only got this after my dad's passing in 2016. I don't recall this from my childhood, and I think my dad purchased this at some point during the 1990s at a time when he had begun listening to country music and especially the music by Willie Nelson and Jim Reeves.

Sten & Stanley "Får jag följa dig en bit på vägen" (1967) (single)

Får jag följa dig en bit på vägen, 7'' single

release date: 1967

format: vinyl (F77005)

[single rate: 2 / 5] [2,12]

producer: ?

label: Decca - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: A) "Får jag följa dig en bit på vägen" - - B) "Kapten Kidd"

Single release by Swedish schlager and 'dansband' Sten & Stanley named after two of the founding members Sten Nilsson and Stanley Gransström. The two songs stem from two albums, the title song is taken from Röd var din mund, and the B-side is found on Sten & Stanley's australiska sångbok, both released in 1967.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and it's a single I knew of at age 6-10 but never really enjoyed - probably because it's styled as schlager music.

~ ~ ~

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

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 ]

John Frusciante "PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone" (2012)

PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone
release date: Sep. 24, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 2 / 5]

Track highlights: 2. "Hear Say" - 4. "Ratiug" - 6. "Mistakes" - 8. "Central" - 10. "After the Ending"

9th full-length solo album by John Frusciante follows The Empyrian (2009), and here he has really changed his style. The predecessor was stylistically unique, much like all his albums have been, but normally still close to its immediate predecessor, but on this you may hear what could be a natural consequence of his many recent collaboration works with Omar Rodríguez-López. This is much more of experimental electronic art rock than just regular alt. rock. Gone is also any traces of singer / songwriter, and what remains is his touch of neo-psychedelic. In some places, I think, there is musique concrete and in that way it shares bonds with works by Frank Zappa.
I have tried but I just don't like it.

Arctic Monkeys "Humbug" (2009)

Humbug
release date: Aug. 24, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "My Propeller" (3 / 5)

3rd studio album by Arctic Monkeys.
I find that the album is a rather huge disappointment. It's more like: "Say what!!? Left-handed, or just AM now without pilot?? Alex Turner decided to have someone else decide for a change."
The album hasn't even got one great song, and it's like you sense there's another agenda than sending out new songs. It's more like a statement from a highly popular band. They've already been lauded prize winners and both music critics and the audience love the band, so is this just to say: "Sod off, we do the unexpected. Have an American come in and produce, and take over our sound, so no one knows what happened!?" I dunno, I just don't like the result. The style is still indie garage rock but this time with a clear psychedelic element in a heavy and much darker production.
Not recommended.

Pearl Jam "Binaural" (2000)

Binaural
release date:  May 16, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,48]
producer: Tchad Blake, Pearl Jam
label: Epic Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 7. "Insignificance" (3 / 5) - 9. "Grievance" (2,5 / 5) - 12. "Soon Forget" (3 / 5)

6th studio album by Pearl Jam and the first album since the debut not to be produced with Brendan O'Brien. A natural consequence of this is a change of style, and the album is the band's so far most experimental studio release. Especially three songs entirely written and composed by the band's rhythm guitarist, Stone Gossard, and the second track by bassist Jeff Ament are just... something else. The rest are at best mediocre Pearl Jam sound-a-likes. Eddie Vedder is as usual the one who provides almost all lyrics and the majority of the compositions, but even his contributions here are lesser works. One of his songs, "Soon Forget" anticipates his fine solo album Ukulele Songs from 2011.

To me, this is the band's least favourable and simply not recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

"Erotic Lounge (Vol. 1)" (2003)

"Erotic Lounge (Vol. 1)", 2cd compilation
release date: Apr. 8, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5]

Album excerpts: Disc 1) 1. Tosca "Honey (Spatone 1 Dub)" - Disc 2) 4. The Maxwell Implosion "The Upper Left Hand"

A 2 cd compilation album of primarily electronic, lounge, and trip hop. Disc 1 is labelled "Soft & Lazy", and Disc 2 "Quick & Dirty". It's not really any good. Erotic Lounge is a rather vast category of music of varied quality and I've heard many poor attempts of the genre. There's simply way too much new age in it for my taste.

Kashmir "Trespassers" (2010)

Trespassers
release date: Feb. 1, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,05]
producer: Kashmir, Andy Wallace, John O'Mahony
label: Columbia Records / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Mouthful of Wasps" (2,5 / 5) - 2. "Intruder" (3 / 5) - 3. "Mantaray"

6th studio album by Kashmir is yet another not so original album release with music strongly inspired by (mostly British) artists like Radiohead, Coldplay and bits of new stylistic elements in its universe taken from post-punk revival artists like Editors and Interpol. The track "Mouthful of Wasps" featuring Oh Land on vocals was played so often on the national radio stations P3 and P4 that I had to turn off my radio - it's simply not a fine song - at the best it's mediocre (this album isn't even that), and that's really a fitting label for this copy-band, but don't say that to a Dane - they are so proud of Kashmir, and Eistrup is such a gifted songwriter (there). The bass, guitar and drum lines are Radiohead-founded to a degree that makes me wonder: WHY not try something else??? And no, I don't mean when you add a piano-sequence from a Coldplay track! That doesn't make it any better.

The Style Council "Modernism: A New Decade" (1998)

Modernism: A New Decade
release date: Oct. 26, 1998
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,02]
producer: The Style Council
label: PolyGram - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 6. "That Spiritual Feeling"

5th and final studio album by The Style Council - an album the record label rejected upon its completion in 1989, which led to band splitting up. The bands first three albums had all sold very well in the UK, all reaching at least #2 on the national charts list but the fourth album Confessions of a Pop Group only made it to #15, so what made the band risk a major stylistic change, was not accepted by the label. However, here it is - released a decade after its completion. Apparently, Weller said that the band should have split two-three years before they actually did, meaning before or after recording The Cost of Living (1987). Anyway, this is strange. Not for its time, but for being a release by a sophisti-pop band. And then again: thinking of how well Everything but the Girl made their move from sophist-pop to dance-pop and electronic, would make this an accepted decision. However, Paul Weller and Co. simply weren't accustomed with the genre nor did they get the same and perfect helping hand from someone who knew about the style they boarded. Na, this is weak, though, not worse than the band's '87 album, but frankly, it shouldn't have been released.
[ allmusic.com 1,5 / 5 stars ]

Kashmir "Cruzential" (1996)

Cruzential
release date: 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,15]
producer: Ron Saint Germain
label: Sony - nationality: Denmark

2nd studio album by Kashmir. Stylistically, the band continue its copy-paste of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam blend of alt. rock and grunge rock. It's not really original, and like the debut really not recommended.

Peace, Love & Pitbulls "Red Sonic Underwear" (1994)

Red Sonic Underwear
release date: 1994
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]
producer: Peace, Love & Pitbulls
label: MVG Records - nationality: The Netherlands / Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Itch"
[ full album ]

2nd studio album by the Thåström-led Swedish/Dutch band Peace, Love & Pitbulls. Founding member Peter Lööf left the band in '93 and was subsequently replaced by Peter Puders.
Stylistically, the band continues on the same path of industrial metal and musically, there's even less interesting bits on this compared to the likewise mediocre debut.
In 1995 Peter Puders left the band again, and PL&P would continue for another two years as a trio.
Not recommended.

Kashmir "Travelogue" (1994)

Travelogue
release date: Feb. 17, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,05]
producer: Poul Martin Bonde
label: Start Electric - nationality: Denmark

Studio debut album by the Danish alt.rock, indie rock and grunge rock trio Kashmir, consisting of Kasper Eistrup on vocals and lead guitar, Mads Tunebjerg on bass, and with Asger Techau on drums. Stylistically, the band base its sound on Red Hot Chili Peppers funky alt. rock style in a mix with grunge rock from Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins. On the national scene, however, the band experienced huge success with its releases, and Kashmir found itself in a league with the best new rock artists especially including (better and more original bands like) Dizzy Mizz Lizzy and Psyched Up Janis - the latter being my personal favorites.
To me, this is pastiche alt. rock and not recommended :-/

The Knife, Mt. Sims, and Planningtorock "Tomorrow, in a Year" (2010)

Tomorrow, in a Year
release date: Feb. 1, 2010
format: digital (2 cd)
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]

Track highlight: Disc 2) 3. "Colouring of Pigeons"

A studio collaboration double album released as The Knife, Mt. Sims, and Planningtorock. The album is the studio version of the homonymous opera performed by Danish performance act Hotel Pro Forma based on Charles Darwin's 'On the Origin of the Species'. The collaboration artists have written the opera together with Planningtorock [aka Janine Rostron, English electronic musician] who participate in the music recordings but only has co-written music for two tracks, Mt. Sims [aka Matthew Sims, American (electronic) musician] who co-wrote most of the material with The Knife, who was involved in all compositions. Several traditional opera performers participate on the vocal side of the album. The music is experimental modern classical, or electronic opera and as such very different from what The Knife has released before.
I think, to fully appreciate the album, one has to be open to sub-genres of traditional opera as well as experimental music in general. It may not make much sense if you are a fan of synthpop only or techno for that matter. I must admit that the album needs more than just attention to digest. I find it interesting but difficult to enjoy in one take. I think, the music would suit fine as background noise if you are a creative painter, designer, or sculptor, or perhaps as a soundtrack.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Drowned in Sound 5 / 5 stars ]

Jean-Michel Jarre "Rendez-vous" (1986)

Rendez-vous
release date: Apr. 1986
format: cd (2015 remaster)
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]
producer: Jean Michel Jarre
label: Sony Music - nationality: France

Tracklist: 1. "First rendez-vous" - 2. "Second rendez-vous" - 3. "Third rendez-vous" - 4. "Fourth rendez-vous" - 5. "Fifth rendez-vous" - 6. "Last rendez-vous (Ron's Piece)"

8th studio album release by 'Jean Michel' Jarre originally released on Disques Dreyfus. Before this, he released the album Music for Supermarkets in 1983, Zoolook in '84, as well as a live album from a concert in China. Of course I heard and listened to those albums but I never really liked his new more popular style initiated with Magnetic Fields from 1981. With this he continues his progressive synthpop by exploring more popular musical territory, he had touched on his '81 and '84 albums. He has moved away from an entirely experimental and more minimalist form, removed guitars and vocals and instead added more synths to his soundscape.
Especially the track "Fourth Rendez-vous" was a popular single from this album.
Instead of pursuing an artistic approach, it seems he fell for the popularity (and money?) that his new age pop songs attracted. In the early 1980s TV channels enthusiastically stumbled over each other to record and transmit his gigantic live concerts and performances soothed in laser light shows with millions of spectators. I simply disliked his progressive electropop and synthesizer pop ballads, and this album isn't any better. He dwells on musical themes and loops he created in the 1970s by adding electronic drums, and keyboard bass-lines to make it more funky or disco-like. This is muzak when it's mostly just annoyingly neutral.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine "The Audacity of Hype" (2009)

The Audacity of Hype [debut]
release date: Oct. 20, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]
producer: Jello Biafra
label: Alternative Tentacles - nationality: USA

Studio debut by Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine. The album is an actual band release after Biafra's most recent spoken word album In the Grip of Official Treason (2006), and his involvement in various collaboration works, and releases with industrial metal band Pigface. The style seems like a clone of whatever he has been involved in since the late 1970s, which is a huge pothole of punk-related music. This is hardcore punk, and as such the closest one could imagine would have been the result if Dead Kennedys had stayed an active band, although, there's some industrial rock to it, which mostly points to Biafra's former band, Lard. It's also tight alt. rock, but I don't find it that interesting, as it just sounds like angry old men / punk rockers, who don't have much new to say and the tracks are simply too much alike making it much on par with Sieg Howdy!.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Chumbawamba "English Rebel Songs 1381-1914" (1988)

English Rebel Songs 1381-1914
release date: 1988
format: cd (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK

3rd studio album by Chumbawamba originally released on Agit Prop is really something else. It's the band's traditional folk music ('folklore') and a cappella interpretations of traditional British workers' folk songs. Apparently, the band re-recorded the songs in 2003 and released the album as English Rebel Songs 1381-1984, an album containing the addition of two songs.
Allmusic.com hasn't reviewed the original release but the site has handed the new 2003 version 4 / 5 stars, although, claiming "Fifteen years on, they've learned a lot more about their voices, about music, and about the world." But still, I cannot grant it more than half the amount of stars. It must have been a huge turning point for any fan of this band, who up until this nearly only played anarcho punk rock and here they suddenly play traditional folk music without other instrumentation than their singing voices. The predecessor Never Mind the Ballots (1987) introduced a different approach to music with narrating style, but still it was presented with strong satire and social awareness. This has only the social awareness, and no satire, and no strong criticism.
I think, you have to be (more than) just a bit interested in ancient music to embrace this collection of songs.
Not recommendable.

Jello Biafra With The Melvins "Sieg Howdy!" (2005)

Sieg Howdy!
release date: Sep. 27, 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,14]
producer: Ali G. North, Marshall Lawless
label: Alternative Tentacles - nationality: USA

[ full album ]

2nd collaboration album release by Jello Biafra With The Melvins after the 2004 album Never Breathe What You Can't See. The music here doesn't have the same playful approach to music. Stylistically, this is raw hardcore punk close to the metal universe associated with The Melvins and Canadian band NoMeansNo. Of course, with Jello Biafra writting lyrics and bashing out the songs there's a heavy satirical element but it sounds more like a return to the sound of Lard (and / or Ministry) and another time and place. I don't really enjoy this release.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

The Style Council "Confessions of a Pop Group" (1988)

Confessions of a Pop Group
release date: Jun. 20, 1988
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,12]
producer: Paul Weller, Mick Talbot
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "It's a Very Deep Sea" - 2. "The Story of Someone's Shoe" - 7. "Why I Went Missing" - 8. "How She Threw It All Away" - 10. "Confessions 1, 2 & 3"

4th full-length studio album by The Style Council. After releasing Our Favourite Shop in '85 the band released a third album The Cost of Loving in '87, which may be seen as the band's low point. I honestly didn't think they would continue much longer after that, but this is an improvement. Technically, it's superior to anything they have released but it doesn't bring about anything new and sometimes it sounds more like an anachronism. With 'do-bi-doo' backing vocals, greasy slick harmonies that make one think of The Carpenters, and a strange but often use of marimbas... What is this, Mr. Weller? The New Manhattan Transfers? The 'soul' and originality has nearly disappeared completely and what remains is pastiche pop, or lounge when it's least daring. This is below mediocre, and the album became the last studio release before the band split up in 1989. A final album had been recorded prior to the disbandment; however, it wasn't released until 1998. Paul Weller and Dee C. Lee married in 1987.
[ allmusic.com 1 / 5 stars! ]