Julian Cope "Droolian" (1990)

Droolian

release date: 1990

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]

producer: Ron Fair

label: Zippo Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Sqwubbsy" - 3. "Unisex Cathedral" - 5. "Safe Surfer" - 7. "Jellypop Perky Jean"

6th studio album by Julian Cope is his second sel-released album to follow his pompeous and disowned My Nation Underground (Oct. 1988). The album follows closely on the same path laid out with Skellington (1989) despite both pointing back on the '89-album as a kind of leftovers and at the same time laying out his future fully-formed style, which comes to full blossom on the successor Peggy Suicide (Apr. 1991) .

Droolian is a peculiar mix of spontaneous fanciful ideas - appearing as improvs and quite subtle arrangements. Cope demonstrates original ideas, although, he may have followed an urge - as a result of the lawsuit tried by Island Records [see Skellington] - just to record and release a complete album without the proper finish, which could have resulted in something closer to Peggy Suicide. As a curiosity Droolian contains "Safe Surfer", which on the '91-album is rearranged to "Safesurfer". Some tracks sound like complete improvs and at times Cope appears as an artist, who is about 100% on some (acid?) trip, which often create unconventional, not seldom quite funny, but also easily forgotten moments.

All in all, Droolian is funny, different, and flawed, and nevertheless worth a moment of your time.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "Skellington" (1989)

Skellington
release date: 1989
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: Julian Cope
label: Copeco / Zippo Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Robert Mitchum" - 5. "Out of My Mind on Dope & Speed" - 6. "Don't Crash Here" - 9. "Great White Wonder"

5th studio album by Julian Cope marks a big change of style. The album was recorded after Cope's disillusions with what he saw as an over-polished and over-produced My Nation Underground (Oct. 1988) before that album was even released. He did not like the end result and initiated his work with musical collaborator Donald Ross Skinner on Skellington, which was recorded over a span of only three days. Island Records refused to release the album, so Cope established his own label Copeco in order to release the album, later reissued on Zippo Records (Apr. 1990). He then ran into a legal law suit with his record company, Island Records, for neglecting his contractual obligations; however, Cope only released another lo-fi album Droolian, this time on the independent label Mofoco, and Island called it a day.
Skellington is anything but polished mainstream and over-produced pop / rock aimed to satisfy the same audience who had been targeted with the predecessor. It's neo-psychedelia above anything. Secondly, it's also an alt. rock and singer / songwriter album with the addition of a certain amount of satire with only Cope, Skinner and drummer Rooster Cosby performing on the album. A track like "Out of My Mind on Dope & Speed" perhaps says much about Cope's situation at this point of his career. The satirical element sometimes makes Cope sound like the closest one ever gets to a British version of Frank Zappa.
I think, its immediate strength is a spontaneous lightness of catchy tunes and hooks - it's playful and reflects the exact opposite of self-consciousness, in contrast to My Nation Underground. Above anything, it's quite interesting much like the successor, but still with some distance from being great.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Chumbawamba "WYSIWYG" (2000)

WYSIWYG
release date: Apr. 4, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Chumbawamba, Neil Ferguson
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I'm With Stupid" - 2. "Shake Baby Shake" - 3. "Pass It Along" - 11. "I'm Not Sorry, I Was Having Fun" - 14. "She's Got All the Friends"

9th studio album by Chumbawamba follows 2½ years after Tubthumber (1997) and it's their second album for EMI. Both in style and in lyrics, they have moved somewhat towards a mainstream pop / rock universe, although, it's also highly unconventional consisting of 25 tracks [!] with a total running time at 55 minutes, which leaves the average playing time per track just a little above two minutes. With short tracks in between more regular compositions, they still maintain their tongue-in-cheek British humour and enjoyable look on everyday life. Earlier albums had either more electronic edge and / or political harsher stands, but what I really miss here are the great catchy melodies.
In a way this is their The Beautiful South album. It's close to being sophisti-pop which is a long way from their anarcho-punk roots.
WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get... meaning: a barking dog?! I mean that has to be taken into consideration. The band has always had at least one foot in the (ultra-) left side of British politics and been an outspoken valve of some sort. The barking dog that tells you something isn't right [right?!]. And then with song titles here dealing with completely non-political issues, it becomes a wee bit odd. Where's the bite then?
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 1,5 / 5 stars ]

Chumbawamba "Tubthumper" (1997)

Tubthumper
release date: Sep. 23, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Chumbawamba, Neil Ferguson
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Tubthumping" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 2, "Amnesia" (4 / 5) - 3. "Drip Drip Drip" - 5. "The Good Ship Lifestyle" - 7. "Outsider" - 10. "Smalltown" - 12. "Scapegoat"
[ full album playlist ]

8th studio album by Chumbawamba and the first on a major label. The nine-piece band-collective here are: Lou Watts on vocals, keyboards and as "nippy winger", Danbert "The Cat" Nobacon on vocals and as 'goalkeeper', Paul Greco on bass and as 'solid centre-back', Boff on guitar, vocals and as 'midfield dynamo', Jude Abbott on trumpet, vocals and as 'tigerish left-back', Alice Nutter on vocals and as 'team coach', Dunstan Bruce on vocals, percussion and as 'opportunist striker', and Harry Hamer on drums, programming and as 'hardened sweeper'. Neil Ferguson is also credited as band-member, although not depicted on the inlay band photo - he is credited playing keyboards, guitars, sponge & bucket.

The album was not the first I heard with the band as I already knew Anarchy (1994), which didn't make me more interested at the time but when I saw the animation movie "Shrek", I rediscovered the band. Of course I noticed the track "Tubthumping" - everyone did. I rediscovered the '94 album again, and all of a sudden I got it, a bit bewildered as to why I didn't get it in the first place. Anyway, this one is pretty neat. The album was seen as the band's commercial breakthrough, which was a difficult move for an anarchist band, and many of their "old" supporters criticised the band for selling out by signing with EMI. Apparently, the band argued that they live in a commercial world and that all record labels including their former label didn't care about their ideas, political stands, but only found the band interesting because of the potential profit. I really enjoy this one, and it makes me think of the early 80s British project-band Carter USM and its use of electronic to create alt. dance in a combo with stylistic bonds to punk rock and with a social stand, which again goes back to the late 70s more straight punk rock bands like Angelic Upstarts, Crass, and the like.

Chumbawamba has a strong critical view on capitalism, our Western lifestyle and modern consumerism, and in that positions itself like many others on a political far left-wing but unlike many other spokesmen, they do it with intelligent use of humour, brilliant lyrics and great songs. So the fact that they make use of all possible styles in a huge blend makes it very much their own blend. It's for one thing highly original but also good songwriting - and that's what music is about isn't it?!

I find this the band's best album.

Recommendable.

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

Chumbawamba "Swingin' With Raymond" (1995)

Swingin' With Raymond
release date: 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Chumbawamba and Neil Ferguson
label: One Little Indian Records - nationality: England, UK

7th studio album by Chumbawamba and the last in a series to be released on One Little Indian. The album consists of two halves - tracks 1-6 being subtitled "Love" (apparently, with reference to the vinyl album's A-side), and the remaining tracks 7-13 are subtitled "Hate" (B-side of vinyl release). The first half consists of slow and harmonic folk pop compositions, whereas the second half are compositions of more powerful, energetic alt. rock compositions with clear bond to the anarcho-punk sub-culture. All songs are written with a typical good sense of musical skills, a certain amount of social awareness, and also typically for the band: a tip of satire.
I don't find it all bad, it proposes interesting lyrics but it doesn't really contain obvious great tracks and overall it disappoints in being neither this nor that.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Chumbawamba "Anarchy" (1994)

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

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

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

Chumbawamba "Shhh" (1992)

Shhh
release date: 1992
format: cd (2003 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: Mutt Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Shhh" - 4. "Behave" - 5. "Snip Snip Snip" - 6. "Look! No Strings!" - 11. "Stitch That"

5th studio album by Chumbawamba originally self-released on Agit Prop - reissued on Mutt as a 2 cd compilation with the album Slap!, which it follows two years after. Apparently, the album had a troublesome way to its final form. The band had recorded material for an album, they wanted to call "Jesus H. Christ", but due to non-legal samples the album was shelved, reworked and released in this form (which may explain why One Little Indian were unwilling to release it, as they did with the predecessor).
The style is much in the band's new-found shape of indie pop / alt. dance, and much against the band's normal subject-matter, the album is largely directing criticism on the censorship of the music industry, instead of (the usual) political and social motifs involving rights of everyday people.
Sampling plays a major part on an album that doesn't quite meet the expectations sat out on Slap! (1990) - yes, it contains bright and humorous lyrics, but I generally find it a bit unfocused and somewhere on the duller side of what they have previously succeeded with.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Chumbawamba "Never Mind the Ballots" (1987)

Never Mind the Ballots
release date: 1987
format: digital (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Come on Baby (Let's Do the Revolution)" - 3. "The Wasteland" - 6. "Mr. Heseltine Meets His Public" - 8. "...Here's the Rest of Your Life"

2nd studio album by Chumbawamba originally self-released on the band's own label Agit Prop and in '92 reissued on cd as a double disc compilation with the band's debut album as The First 2.
Never Mind the Ballots is a comment to modern politicians. The whole album is structured as two opposing politicians proposing their different stands but at the end of the album they are revealed as both basically wanting the same: they want weapon to either conquer others or defend themselves but in essence they want control over others. I like the story, the satire and the way its structured. It's definitely not an album for dancing, nor cosy small talk. It's... an interesting social and political comment, not unlike a theatrical radio-play. As music, however, it's not the most compelling treat, and when you examine the plot and the message, it becomes a wee bit naively exaggerated as always, when people become too one-eyed.

Chumbawamba "Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records" (1986)

Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records [debut]
release date: 1986
format: digital (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "a) Prologue; b) How to Get Your Band on Television" (4 / 5) - 2. "British Colonialism and the BBC: Flickering Pictures Hypotise" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Commercial Break" - 4. "Unilever: How to Succeed in Business" (4 / 5) - 5. "More Whitewashing" (4 / 5) - 6. "An Interlude: Beginning to Take It Back" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Dutiful Servants and Political Masters: Abolishing Slavery (And Reinventing It)" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Coca-Colanisation" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "…and in a Nutshell" - 10. "Invasion" (3 / 5)

Studio album debut by Chumbawamba originally released on the band's own label Agit Prop and reissued on cd in '92 as a double disc compilation together with the band's second album Never Mind the Ballots (1987) with the title: The First 2 (also on Agit Prop), and again reissued in '94 by One Little Indian. At this point the line-up counts 7 people all of which are only mentioned by their first name: Harry handling drums, vocals (guitar solo on "Slag Aid"), Alice Nutter on vocals, Boff on guitar, vocals, and clarinet, Mavis Dillon on bass, trumpet, French horn and vocals, Lou on vocals and guitar, Danbert Nobacon on vocals, and Dunst on whirlypipe and turntables.
I didn't hear of the band until around '94, and it seems the album gained little interest at the time of its release. Apparently and quite obviously, it's meant as a critical response to the whole Live Aid idea with artists in disguise of helping a whole continent in utmost poverty are basically only interested in promoting themselves. Listening to it today, it's actually quite ingenuously written, and with catchy melodies to support the harsh criticism. Just by looking at the track titles one may come to think of Dead Kennedys or Crass when they sing about the world in "the sick hands of capitalism". The strong satire has always been the band's trademark. Sometimes they share bonds with Dead Kennedys, Crass, Frank Zappa, but also Monty Python, which doesn't make it any worse.
It's more than enjoyable, and frankly, should be enlisted in all lists comprising the most interesting albums of modern pop music.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

1992 reissue as "First 2"

Tauchen - Prokopetz / DÖF "Codo... düse im Sauseschritt" (1983) (single)

"Codo... düse im Sauseschritt", 7'' single
release date: 1983
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Annette Humpe
label: WEA - nationality: Germany

Tracklist: A) "Codo" - - B) "Rein Gar Nix"

Single by Tauchen - Prokopetz / DÖF (aka Deutsch-Österreichisches Feingefühl). This project-band consisted of the two Austrian comedians Manfred O. 'Fredi' Tauchen and Joesi Prokopetz together with German new wave artists and sisters Annette Humpe (from Ideal) and (younger sister) Inga Humpe.

Monty Python "The Final Rip Off" (1987)

The Final Rip Off (compilation)
release date: Nov. 30, 1987
format: 2 lp vinyl (gatefold - MPD 1)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Andre Jacquemin
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by Monty Python released as a double vinyl album containing material from various sketches recorded from 1971-1987 after Virgin had achieved ownership rights of previously released material issued by Charisma Records.

Frank Zappa "Joe's Garage Act II & III" (1979)

Joe's Garage Act II & III
release date: Nov. 19, 1979
format: digital (2 lp)
[album rate: 2 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "A Token of My Extreme" - 7. "He Used to Cut the Grass" - 10. "A Little Green Rosetta"

No sooner than two months following Joe's Garage Act I, Zappa released Act II & III as a double vinyl album, and having already released the double lp, Sheik Yerbouti and two albums with 1970s unreleased material ("Orchestral Favorites" and "Sleep Dirt") in the year 1979, he was in his most productive period of his musical lifetime. Having said that, I don't think Joe's Garage is all that great. It has it moments, most of which is jazz rock, and I don't really like this style of his repertoire. In 1987 the three parts were released as a triple album box set, Joe's Garage Act I, II & III.

They Might Be Giants "Lincoln" (1988)

Lincoln
release Sep. 25, 1988
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Bill Krauss
label: Elektra - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Ana Ng" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Purple Toupee" - 5. "Cage & Aquarium" - 7. "Piece of Dirt" - 8. "Mr. Me" - 11. "I've Got a Match" - 12. "Santa's Beard" - 14. "They'll Need a Crane" (live on Letterman) - 15. "Shoehorn With Teeth" (live) - 17. "Snowball in Hell" (live)
[ full album ]

2nd studio album release by They Might Be Giants. This was the first album I heard and bought with the Boston-based duo, consisting of John Flansburgh (vocals, guitars) and John Linnell (vocals, accordion, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards).
Their style is indie pop and definitely alternative. Some tracks like "Ana Ng" - the first I heard on MTV back in '88, are punk rock / indie rock-styled, whereas others are more jazz influenced, but all their compositions often play with their special type of absurd humour, which may seem more European than traditional American and putting them close to creations by Monty Python, but also to earlier artists like The Goons and Spike Jones.
The album remains my absolute favourite by TMBG.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Residents "The King and Eye" (1989)

The King and Eye
release date: 1989
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Blue Suede Shoes" - 2. "The Baby King Part 1" - 3. "Don't Be Cruel" - 5. "All Shook Up" - 9. "Devil in Disguise" - 13. "The Baby King Part 3" - 14. "Little Sister" - 18. "The Baby King Part 4" - 20. "The Baby King Part 5"

A studio album by the American experimental art rock performance band The Residents. The album is made up of Elvis Presley songs, thus the title "The King and Eye" (with 'Eye' as both referring to 'I' and 'eye', with reference to the eye-symbol of The Residents). I believe, I found this on the library as I just wanted to check out the band. My initial thoughts were that it was way too bizarre, but then I somehow got caught by the satire of the stories in between songs titled "The Baby King" (Part 1-5), and then some of the tracks, despite the strangeness, felt interesting. According to wikipedia the album is narrated "Through the perspective of a father telling his children fables about a long dead king and his songs, and a poignant string of narrative interludes - "The Baby King" - the work hints at a darker side of the Elvis mystique and questions the spiritual nature of his reign. The album "incisively portrays Elvis's life and work as a misguided abandonment of innocence in favor of a sad yet comedic Oedipal journey," writes Jim Green". Apparently, this album is the last in a trilogy with each album investigating a specific period of time in American musical history. (link, in Italian)
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Frank Zappa "Joe's Garage Act I" (1979)

Joe's Garage Act I
release date: Sep. 17, 1979
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 2. "Joe's Garage" - 3. "Catholic Girls" - 5. "Fembot in a Wet T-Shirt" (live)

A rock opera or maybe better: a conceptual album in 3 parts. I don't think this is his best work. It appears as 'form over matter' - it seems to me that the story, the conceptual idea, and lyrics became too important.

Frank Zappa "Sheik Yerbouti" (1979)

Sheik Yerbouti (live)
release date: Mar. 3, 1979
format: vinyl 2 lp (gatefold - 88339) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Frank Zappa
label: CBS Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "I Have Been in You" - 2. "Flakes" - 3. "Broken Hearts Are for Assholes" - 6. "What Ever Happened to All the Fun in the World" - 7. "Rat Tomago" - 9. "Bobby Brown" - 11. "The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" - 15. "Dancin' Fool"

A double live album by Frank Zappa is made up of live recordings predominantly from concerts at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, Jan. '78. The recordings have been processed and re-engineered in the studio with over-dubbing. The title is a word-play and should be pronounced 'Shake Your Booty' - allegedly, inspired by KC and the Sunshine Band's disco hit "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" from 1976.
I've always been particular fond of this album. Maybe because it was the first that I listened to with Zappa because my older puchased this when it was released. I think, it really displays his great abilities: sharp satire, great pop songwriter, brilliant instrumentalist, and fascinating modern composer.

~ ~ ~

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.

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.

Frank Zappa / The Mothers of Invention "Mothermania - The Best of The Mothers" (1969)

Mothermania - The Best of The Mothers (compilation)
release date: Mar. 24, 1969
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

A rather funny album compiled by Zappa. The majority of the tracks may be found on first three albums by Mothers of Invention, however, the tracks on the compilation are alternate tracks with different lyrics and / or playing time.

Frank Zappa / The Mothers of Invention "We're Only in It for the Money" (1968)

We're Only in It for the Money
release date: Mar. 1968
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Are You Hung Up?" - 2. "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" - 3. "Concentration Moon" - 9. "Absolutely Free" - 10. "Flower Punk" - 12. "Nasal Rententive Calliope Music" - 19. "The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny"

The Mothers of Invention release. Back to musique concrete, or almost industrial, despite the style wasn't called that, and you can also tell from where Pink Floyd got their inspiration. This is hilarious and intelligent music, and also known as a satire on The Beatles and their Sgt. Pepper... album (just watch the German cover here). "Eh, are you hung-up?... Strung-up!... Outta sight, yeah!". Preceding The Orb and their "Fluffy Little Clouds", you know.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

German cover
with reference
to The Beatles