My Bloody Valentine "You Made Me Realise" (ep) (1988)

You Made Me Realise (ep)

release date: Aug. 8, 1988

format: cd (1990 reissue)

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

producer: My Bloody Valentine

label: Creation Records - nationality: Ireland

Tracklist: 1. "You Made Me Realise" - 2. "Slow" - 3. "Thorn" - 4. "Cigarette in Your Bed" - 5. "Drive It All Over Me"

Ep by Irish band My Bloody Valentine following the Ecstacy (Nov. 1987) mini-album, which was the first album to feature Bilinda Butcher, who had replaced vocalist David Conway after his own decision to leave the band in early '87. Initially, the ep was exclusively released on vinyl, and from 1990 as a cd. Half of the songs also ended up on the North American version of the compilation ep Feed Me With Your Kiss (Nov. 1988) released on Mercury.

It's quite telling how the style of the band evolves from one release to another. The style of The New Record by My Bloody Valentine ep (Sep. 1988) introduced a style closer to that of The Jesus and Mary Chain, and that is pretty much still the case here, although, it also reveals some news. Where "You Made Me Realise" and "Slow" are pure noise pop songs, which both comes the closest to style of The Jesus and Mary Chain here, the three remainders sound more like a fusion of 1960s surf rock and a jangle pop influence from The Smiths. Overall, there's now much more room for bass and heavier drums, and the production sound has generally improved.

Hüsker Dü "Warehouse: Songs and Stories" (1987)

Warehouse: Songs and Stories
release date: Jan. 19, 1987
format: cd (1992 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,22]
producer: Bob Mould & Grant Hart
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "These Important Years" - 2. "Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope" - 3. "Standing in the Rain" - 5. "Ice Cold Ice" (4,5 / 5) (live 2012) - 7. "Could You Be the One?" (4 / 5) (live) - 9. "Friend, You've Got to Fall" (4 / 5) - 10. "Visionary" - 11. "She Floated Away" - 12. "Bed of Nails" - 14. "It's Not Peculiar" (4,5 / 5) - 16. "No Reservations" (5 / 5) - 17. "Turn It Around" ( 4 / 5) - 18. "She's a Woman (And Now He Is a Man)" (live) - 19. "Up in the Air" (5 / 5) [ cover by Heidi Berry ]

6th and final studio album by Hüsker Dü follows only 10 months after Candy Apple Grey (Mar. '86) and was originally released as a double vinyl album produced by Bob Mould and Grant Hart who practically divide the writing credits between them - 11-9 in Mould's favor on the total of 20 tracks, but with a more equal share by the two than earlier (according to Grant, Mould made sure there he maintained a 55/45 % advantage in the numbers of songs represented by the two). Prior to the recording sessions Hart was both diagnosed Hepatitis C and HIV-positive - the latter diagnosis proving incorrect after the band split in '87.

The style is not far from what is found on Candy Apple Grey. Perhaps this is less folk rock-inspired and focusing more on alt. rock and power pop with some links to the near past of punk rock. The album has always been my favourite by the band, and to me, this also shows Mould as the more harmony-founded and Hart as the more complex songwriter of the band. Tensions between Mould and Hart had long led to increased tension - some suggest that Mould could no longer accept Hart's drug addiction - others that Hart proved to be Mould's equal and challenged Mould's role as leader. Fact is, the band dissolved at some point during its '87-tour, while Hart was undergoing methadone-treatment. The album received wide-spead acclaim and it's the only Hüsker Dü album enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Three singles were issued to promote the album: Track #7 and track #18, followed by track #5.

After the split, bassist Greg Norton stopped as a musician and concentrated on a life running a restaurant business for the next two decades after which he returned to music in 2006 in the band The Gang Font. The two songwriters continued their individual careers in music. Grant Hart released his solo debut album Intolerance (1989) and then founded and continued in the band Nova Mob for two album releases before again returning to a solo career. Bob Mould released two solo albums Workbook (1989) and Black Sheets of Rain (1990) before forming the trio Sugar for three album releases after which he also returned to a solo career.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3 / 5, 👍Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1987 Favourite releases: 1. The Smiths Strangeways, Here We Come - 2. U2 The Joshua Tree - 3. Hüsker Dü Warehouse: Songs and Stories

Honeyblood "Honeyblood" (2014)

Honeyblood [debut]
release date: Jul. 14, 2014
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,13]

Track highlights: 1. "Fall Forever" (4 / 5) (live as a duo) - 2. "Super Rat" (BBC studio) - 5. "Killer Bangs" (4 / 5) - 10. "Fortune Cookie" - 12. "Braid Burn Valley"

Studio debut album by the Scottish duo Honeyblood released on FatCat Records and produced by Peter Katis and Honeyblood. The duo consist of Shona McVicar on drums, percussion, and additional vocals and Stina (Marie Claire) Tweeddale on vocals, piano, and guitar, and they play their own indie pop with a lot of shoegaze, some dream pop with references to American 90s bands like The Breeders, Throwing Muses and bits of PJ Harvey and The Smiths, just to establish their style. Sometimes they play with a certain punk rock or grunge rock inspiration and at other times it's just more indie pop, jangle pop-styled with some garage rock. On their FaceB00k profile they call it 'crunch pop'. Well... perhaps that's what it is. Anyway, to realise a full album with enough diversity they had producer Peter Katis play "electronic percussion", Kit Karlson keyboard, and Eric Sanderson bass. I only just bought the digital album, but it continues where the fine single "Killer Bangs" left us, so I think it's good but not really great. For one thing, it's too simple, but what really makes it a difficult first release is the duo's use of too much recycling from other artists. They play well, and with a lot of energy but with little originality. I will be looking out for the follow-up album, however.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Siouxsie and the Banshees "The Thorn EP" (1984) (ep)

The Thorn EP, ep

release date: Oct. 19, 1984

format: digital (2004 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]

producer: Mike Hedges, Siouxsie and the Banshees

label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Overground" - 2. "Voices (On the Air)" - 3. "Placebo Effect" - 4. "Red Over White"

EP release by Siouxsie and the Banshees and the band's first release after Robert Smith left the band and therefore also the first album with John Valentine Carruthers as new guitarist. The EP contains four tracks, all of which have previously been issued. "Overground" is thus available in album version on the debut The Scream (1978), "Voices (On the Air)" has previously only been released as the B-side "Voices" to the band's first single "Hong Kong Garden" (Aug. '78), "Placebo Effect" may be found on the band's second album Join Hands (1979), and "Red Over White" was B-side to the single "Israel" (Nov. '80). All tracks here have been recorded in new 'symphonic' arrangements with the band attempting to incorporate strings in its soundscape - something they would refine on the band's following album Tinderbox (1986).

The Thorn EP is quite an interesting outing, which clearly shows the band's search for a new sound. SATB had always been and practically were challenged throughout the band's long career in holding on to guitarists. The band had already displayed several great guitarists, and this was another characteristic that followed the band from start to finish. Either the guitarists chose to leave themselves, or they were dismissed, but none of the band's many excellent guitarists featured on no more than three studio albums in succession. The band's sound depends heavily on a distinctive guitar sound, and with Robert Smith in the band that sound was naturally different from when John McGeoch played beforehand, and with Carruthers it's again necessary to saddle up - and in this way The Thorn Ep nicely documents a search for cultivating the band's sound and to incorporate their new guitarist into a natural process, which finds a more rooted sound on the following album.

The EP is not in itself a masterful outing but is exciting as something diverse in between big albums, where the band proves to bridge from energetic post-punk towards more sophisticated art pop.

The Thorn EP was originally only released on vinyl - later came an independent digital issue, but the EP is also available as a separate CD on the compilation album Downside Up (2004).

Big Country "The Crossing" (1983)

The Crossing [debut]
release date: Jul. 19, 1983
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,25]
producer: Steve Lillywhite
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "In a Big Country" 4,5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Inwards" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Chance" - 4. "1000 Stars" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 5. "The Storm" (4 / 5) - 6. "Harvest Home" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Close Action" (4 / 5) - 9. "Fields of Fire (400 Miles)" (4,5 / 5) - 10. "Porrohman" (4,5 / 5)

Studio album debut by Big Country consisting of Stuart Adamson on lead vocals, lead guitar, piano, and e-bow, Bruce Watson on guitar, mandolin, e-bow, and backing vocals, Tony Butler on bass and backing vocals, and with Mark Brzezicki on drums, percussion, and backing vocals. The band was initially formed as a trio and then a quintet with various other members but always featuring Watson and Adamson, the latter having only just left Skids. All tracks here are credited the band, although, it's evident that Adamson dominate and continue his style from Skids only adding new dimensions to his vocals and guitar playing. Both Adamson and Watson are among the first to bring in the e-bow in contemporary pop / rock, an instrument which basically enables the guitar to replace synths, and which became more popular in the late 80s and early '90s. Adamson was already known for his special guitar sound when playing in Skids but with Big Country he goes further making his guitar resemble that of Scottish bag-pibes (an analogy he hates).
The style is hard to narrow in but the band plays with high energy, which at the time was labelled new wave, however, that hardly suffice, as the band blends celtic rock with elements from new wave and contemporary pop / rock, and nearly all band members came from a background in punk rock - today, I would reckon that a combo of alt. rock and celtic rock would be more fitting labels. I used to only have the album on cassette, but have played it from '83 to "modern days" without ever tiring of the sound. Stuart Adamson's importance as one of the shining stars of popular music has only increased since then, and his playing style was copied in many years to come. The album is one of my absolute favourites and a modern classic.
This is Big Country's masterpiece.
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

1983 Favourite releases: 1. New Order Power, Corruption & Lies - 2. Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones - 3. Big Country The Crossing

Bauhaus "Swing the Heartache: The BBC Sessions (1989)

Swing the Heartache: The BBC Sessions (compilation)
release date: Jul. 18, 1989
format: vinyl 2 lp (BEGA 103) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: ['BBC Radio broadcast recordings']
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

A double compilation album by Bauhaus released six years after the band split in '83.

I never really played the album that much, as it contains no big surprises. Of course, being recordings for radio broadcasts, the tracks are different from the studio album releases but they don't add much new, nor tell another story. So basically, this is just a collector's item.

The cover art photo is by Tansy Spinks (photograph from Covent Garden, London).
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Church "Remote Luxury" (1984)

vinyludgave,
Carrere

Remote Luxury (compilation)
release date: 1984
format: vinyl (CAL 213) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: The Church; John Bee
label: Carrere Records - nationality: Australia

Tracklist: 1. "Constant in Opal" - 2. "Violet Town" - 3. "No Explanation" (4 / 5) - 4. "10,000 Miles" - 5. "Maybe These Boys" - 6. "Into My Hands" (4 / 5) - 7. "A Month of Sundays" - 8. "Volumes" - 9. "Shadow Cabinet" - 10. "Remote Luxury" (4 / 5)

A compilation by The Church, which probably has to be seen in light of the fact that the band only just signed with Warner Bros., who decided to promote the band by releasing a compilation from the two 5-track EPs Remote Luxury (1984) and Persia (1984). Rather than choosing a release where the tracks from both EPs were in continuation of each other, the company chose to mix the albums. Somehow, at the same time, the band's former company, Carrere, managed to make an agreement to release the album under their own name in Europe.

The Remote Luxury Ep released in Feb. '84 (Content: 1. "Maybe These Boys" - 2. "10,000 Miles" - 3. "Into My Hands" - 4. "A Month of Sundays" - 5. "Remote Luxury "), and the Persia EP released Aug. '84 (content: 1. "Constant in Opal" - 2. "Volumes" - 3. "No Explanation" - 4. "Violet Town" - 5. "Shadow Cabinet" ).

Stylistically, there are few changes since the studio album Seance (1983) with less focus on the progressive and the neo-psychedelic elements but the album is a super fine release from these fantastic Aussies.

Original eps:

Remote Luxury (ep) Feb. 1984		Persia (ep) Aug. 1984

Compilation on Warner:

Remote Luxury

Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros "Rock Art and the X-Ray Style" (1999)

Rock Art and the X-Ray Style [debut]
release date: Nov. 2, 1999
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Antony Genn
label: Mercury Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Sandpaper Blues" - 3. "X-Ray Style" - 4. "Techno D-Day" - 5. "The Road to Rock 'n' Roll" - 6. "Nitcomb" (5 / 5) - 7. "Diggin' the New" - 9. "Yalla Yalla" (5 / 5) - 10. "Willesden to Cricklewood" (4 / 5)

Studio debut by Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. Or: 'debut' because although the album was the band's first album release, it might as well be filed as the third Joe Strummer solo album. The fact is that it's released one decade after his solo album Earthquake Weather, which was totally overlooked, and after having faced a huge failure in continuing with The Clash. He didn't have much luck in harvesting recognition for his solo works, and he began working together with The Pogues. He produced their album Hell's Ditch (1991) and for some time replaced their lead vocalist Shane MacGowan (unable to perform because of alcoholism). Having had a few minor parts in full length movies, Strummer was also engaged in various film projects in the late 1980s and 90s, e.g. "Mystery Train" (1989) by Jim Jarmusch, and "I Hired a Contract Killer" (1990) by Aki Kaurismäki. He also worked together with the band Black Grape, as well as writing music with a backing band called The Latino Rockabilly War as well as Joe Strummer & the Astro Physicians. And in this way, Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros is basically just another of his many projects gathering various musicians, and the main force and musical writer in all these projects is Strummer, which in a way explains this as a mere solo release.
Together with The Mescaleros, Strummer finally seemed to have found the right backing band, and this album is a fine and recommendable return to form. Critics found it difficult to come to terms with its pop / rock style and the huge stylistic blends with more contemporary music. The track "Yalla Yalla" is a wonderful example of Joe's willingness to experiment with styles and genres, and basically, it's a rather light track filled with... absolute joy.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

XTC "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" (1983) (single)

Love on a Farmboy's Wages, 7'' single
release date: Sep. 19, 1983
format: vinyl (105 882-100)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: Steve Nye and XTC
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" - 2. "In Loving Memory of a Name" - - B) 1. "Desert Island" - 2. "Toys"

Single release by XTC from the album Mummer (1983). Both of the two A-side tracks are included on the original album - here with two B-side tracks that would later be included on the 2014 remaster.

PJ Harvey "Uh Huh Her" (2004)

Uh Huh Her
release date: May 31, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: PJ Harvey
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Life and Death of Mr Badmouth" - 2. "Shame" - 3. "Who the Fuck" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 4. "Pocket Knife" - 5. "The Letter" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 9. "You Come Through" - 10. "It's You" (live) - 14. "The Darker Days of Me and Him" (4 / 5)

6th studio album by PJ Harvey released on Island Records and produced by Harvey herself. The album is a return to what she found a strength on 4-Track Demos (1993), which basically was herself playing, singing and producing. From various interviews and articles it seems like she felt trapped in the studio sessions prior to this. The albums To Bring You My Love (1995), Is This Desire? (1998), and Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea (2000) had been difficult and hard work with many people involved in the finalising process - not just several producers but also engineers and studio musicians, so she wanted more control of her music, and this is almost done like her demo album with herself playing all instruments apart from drums, which were added and played by Rob Ellis after her own recordings like were some backing vocals. In this way, it's like a produced version of her own demo takes.
At first, I found it a strange and lesser release, but it's actually more than just fine. I understand this progress as I also feel that her 2000 album was slightly overproduced for her style and it didn't focus on her musical strengths but in a sense amplified and extended her natural soundscape beyond necessary. The album comes out like a more straight, simple, raw, but also an open and "tender" work compared to her most raw and simple album releases Dry (1992) and 4-Track Demos (1993).
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Mokoomba "Rising Tide" (2012)

Rising Tide
release date: May 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Poney Gross
label: Igloo Records - nationality: Zimbabwe

Track highlights: 1. "Njoka" - 4. "Mwile" - 5. "Misozi" - 8. "Ndundule"

Studio album by Afro-funk, jit and urban grooves band Mokoomba from Zimbabwe. This is truly music with many sources. You can spot African traditional folk, reggae, funk and a mix of r&b with hip hop and parts of jazz making it sheer fusion music, but the term fusion often refers to popular music in a Western tradition - this is really not, although, the term would be suited here if not it was so undefinable, like an umbrella term used when you can't really tell exactly what it is. Afro-funk seems more precise, and from my perspective, this is better than traditional funk, which is a genre I have never liked much.

BEST OF 2000:PJ Harvey "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea" (2000)

Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
release date: Oct. 24, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: produced by PJ Harvey, Rob Ellis, Mick Harvey
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Big Exit" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 2. "Good Fortune" (4 / 5) - 3. "A Place Called Home" (4 / 5) - 4. "One Line" - 5. "Beautiful Feeling" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" (4 / 5) (live on BBC) - 7. "This Mess We're In" [feat. Thom Yorke] (5 / 5) - 8. "You Said Something" - 9. "Kamikaze" (4 / 5) - 10. "This Is Love" (4 / 5) - 11. "Horses in My Dreams" - 12. "We Float" (4,5 / 5)

5th studio album by PJ Harvey is just: wonderful! I believe this album finally wore down my cd-player that year. What a brilliant album by lovely Polly Jean. I recall my musical experience as this album was always in / out of the cd-player, and I haven't really repaired the player since 'cause now I just play my cds from a back-up hard-drive and the cd-player collects dust. At first I fell for and adored "The Whores Hustle..." and I heard it over and over again until other songs began to shine, and they just kept coming. In my mind this is her finest album so far, although I don't like it that much anymore - it's simply too familiar. Many consider the slow and romantic To Bring You My Love (1995) as her finest. I just find that too dull and extravagant - too theatrical. I really like her the best when she's more electric as on Rid of Me (1993) or on the garage rock-styled debut Dry (1990). This album really combines her strengths: the narrative lyrics in an alternative rock, singer / songwriter package with both harmony and guitar-based loudness. And although it's worn, it's not worn out, and it will revive of course, only for the time being, I consider it "sleeping". The only negative side to it is that it's a bit too polished and somewhat soaked in a heavy production sound, which may tend to drag the attention tending to emphasize form over matter. Nonetheless, the album is her best effort ever. With the album PJ Harvey was nominated to and won for the first time the Mercury Prize Award for "Best album from the UK and Ireland" in 2001. The album is the 3rd PJ Harvey to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone and NME 4,5 / 5 stars ]

2000 Favourite releases: 1. PJ Harvey Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea - 2. Susana Baca Eco de sombras - 3. Olesen-Olesen Der er brev fra onkel Bob i Amerika

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~
"This Mess We're In"

"Can you hear them?
The helicopters?
I'm in New York
No need for words now
We sit in silence
You look me
In the eye directly
You met me
I think it's Wednesday
The evening
The mess we're in and
The city sun sets over me

Night and day
I dream of
Making-love
To you now baby
Love-making
On-screen
Impossible dream
And I have seen
The sunrise
Over the river
The freeway
Reminding
Of this mess we're in and
The city sun sets over me

What were you wanting?
I just want to say
Don't ever change now baby
And thank you
I don't think we will meet again
And you must leave now
Before the sunrise
Above skyscrapers
The sin and
This mess we're in and
The city sun sets over me"

~ ~ ~

Mellemblond "Mellemblond" (2008) (ep)

Mellemblond, ep

release date: Jan. 1, 2008

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]

producer: Adrian Aurelius & Mellemblond

label: Auditorium / A:larm - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Ishånd" - 2. "Jeg rør' dig ikke mer' " - 3. "Træernes triumf" - 4. "Dage og nætter" - 5. "Ingen bilers horn"

5-track ep album debut by Mellemblond consisting of songwriter Kristoffer Munck Mortensen on guitar, and vocals, Jens Hein on bass, Silas Tinglef on drums, Jarno Varstad on jew's harp, and with Jacob Munck Mortensen on trombone.

The style is clearly neo-psychedelic with indie pop or indie folk and the songs are nicely held together by Munck Mortensen's poignant narration and unique lyrics with a certain bond to Steppeulvene and Eik Skalø.

Despite this was the band's first album release, I have only found this after the second full-length album Lysvågen (2013).

Mellemblond

~ ~ ~

Mellemblond is a Danish band (2006?) from Copenhagen. With initial changes the band came to consist of Kristoffer Munck Mortensen (vocals & guitar), Mads Brinch (guitar), Jens Hein (bass), Adrian Aurelius (drums), Silas Tinglef (drums). After 2012 the band name refers to Kristoffer Munck Mortensen's one-man music project with studio aid from many of the former band members. The musical style was initially neo-psychedelic singer / songwriter (the music centered on Kristoffer's lyrics) and blues rock, and some swamp rock, but it has evolved to a more quiet and simple version of the psychedelic style and a more accentuated singer / songwriter profile with lyrics in Danish. I also think that you may hear Steppeulvene - maybe in the nasal vocal of Kristoffer Munck Mortensen resembling that of Eik Skalø, and also somewhat in the swamp-like (Creedence Clearwater?) distorted guitar sound that is mostly heard on the debut album. 

~ ~ ~

The Sound "Thunder Up" (1987)

Thunder Up
release date: Dec. 1987
format: vinyl (BiaS 53) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: The Sound & Nick Robbins
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Acceleration Group" (4 / 5) - 2. "Hand of Love" - 3. "Barria Alta" - 4. "Kinetic" (4 / 5) - 5. "Iron Years" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Prove Me Wrong" (4 / 5) - 2. "Shut Up and Shut Down" (4 / 5) - 3. "Web of Wicked Ways" (4 / 5) - 4. "I Give You Pain" - 5. "You've Got a Way" (4 / 5)

5th and final studio album release by The Sound released on Belgian label Play It Again Sam (PIAS). After this, the band split and primary musical composer Adrian Borland shortly after continued as a solo artist. I really enjoy(ed) this album. I know that some critics suggest this is a minor work, although, not all agree. It seems like fans were split when this came out. Some wanted The Sound to return to their initial stage, being a genuine post-punk band rooted in punk rock and others found it an exiting progression. I for one hold it dearly.
"Acceleration Group" is a nice energetic The Sound track, and then it has one of those brilliant guitar solos by Adrian Borland that just makes the blood run with electricity.
"Hand of Love" has lots of horns, and I love them. Initially, back then, I thought horns was too... corny, too polished, and not The Sound as I had come to know them. This is much more an Adrian Borland solo track when thinking of his material after the disbandment, and the track could easily have been fitted on one of his solo albums.
"Barria Alta" is a fine progressive track centred around Adrian's fragile and here: talking voice. I also like the way his guitar complements his voice, and although, it's not the best track of the album it's not bad at all.
"Kinetic" was one of my favourite tracks from the album then, and it's still a strong lightning angry burst of energy - and as usual with The Sound / Adrian Borland: the opposite feel in the chorus as when the sun comes out after the thunder, a step to pause the electricity, and... air. Love it.
"Iron Years" is another track that more than suggests that Adrian is in control. It also reflects the darkness within, and that he struggles with life. Again, beautifully orchestrated with horns and Adrian's sharp and fragile guitar, adding its "vocal".
"Prove Me Wrong" is more like a classic The Sound track from one of their first albums. Drums, bass, guitar, and vocals are the bricks, and white energy is the fine result.
"Shut Up and Shut Down" is a different kind of song. It's very dark and sinister. It's progressive, and it has a wonderful build up to a fantastic guitar chorus culminating in "I feel like a summer thuuuundér!". In the verses, the bass plays around and makes a fine backbone. The last "Thundeeeer!" explodes in energy. "It's gonna break. BREAK!!" Wonderful.
"Web of Wicked Ways" is the beautiful but dis-illusionist track, perhaps about... living life with too many secrets. Although you really have good intentions and just strife for the good, skeletons pile up in your closet. It's like a curse and things keep turning out as a mess. I have no experience with this but I understand that maybe that's Adrian's "Web of Wicked Ways". It's a great track from the hands of Adrian Borland, and I've always loved it.
"I Give You Pain" is again on the progressive side, and as it often happens with Adrian, it's a song with lots of personal suffering. Pain. Today it makes me think of The Doors and their track "The End". It's not a copy but it could be inspired by that. It starts nice and fine, at first almost making no sound, and in the end, it's almost just noise.
"You've Got a Way" is a majestic way to end not only the album but also The Sound. The song is both sad and uplifting, and when Adrian's voice leaves, his guitar continues and ends the song brilliantly.

For me, this is just as colourful and poignant as any other album by this original British band, and therefore find it essential and highly recommended.

[ collectors' item ]

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~

"Web of Wicked Ways"

"Maybe the life you're leading is not the right one Because you shudder as the clouds cross the sun And all your good reasons they still feel wrong You're a mesh of secrets it's where our trust's gone Into the web of wicked ways Down in the web of wicked ways It's a sin to have these sad days lying in a bed of bad ways

Seems like hope against hope Will they both lose Look at the life you're leading, girl it is what you choose If you don't break this curse, then we'll see it all crushed The web of wicked ways is worse than all of us This is the web of wicked ways And you're in the web of wicked ways It's a sin to have these sad days lying in a bed of bad ways A web of wicked ways"

~ ~ ~

Morrissey "Kill Uncle" (1991)

Kill Uncle
release date: Mar. 4, 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: HMV - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Our Frank" - 5. "King Leer" - 6. "Found Found Found" - 7. "Driving Your Girlfriend Home" - 8. "The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye"

2nd solo studio album by Morrissey. The album was a big disappointment, I remember. Not that the lyrics are very different from what Morrissey did on the debut 3 years earlier but the music is his most pop-influenced album and perhaps due to a production seat occupied by the duo Langer-Winstanley who has almost become synonymous with mainstream pop / rock through their work with various artists like Madness, Dexy's Midnight Runners, China Crisis, Hothouse Flowers, and Elvis Costello in his most polished period. Not that these artists are only associated with pop / rock nor mainstream music, but the albums produced by Langer-Winstanley often happen to be in a category of 'teeth-less' [dull] pop, regardless what other styles the artists have been known for. So no, I wasn't glad about this album. Luckily, it remains the only album with this duo in charge of the production.
Another negative point is the fact that the fabulous work with Vini Reilly wasn't continued as Reilly wanted no part of the fuss with a shining star and simply was more interested in pursuing his own musical ways, so what's really striking on this, is the lack of guitars. Instead of having Stephen Street writing the music Morrissey worked together with Mark E. Nevin (former Fairground Attractions guitarist) who composed most of the music on the album. After this Morrissey released Your Arsenal which in many ways would prove to be more of a natural successor to his fine debut.
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds "Murder Ballads" (1996)

Murder Ballads
release date: Feb. 5, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Victor Van Vugt, The Bad Seeds
label: Mute Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "Stagger Lee" - 3. "Henry Lee" (feat. PJ Harvey) (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (feat. Kylie Minogue) (live) - 7. "The Kindness of Strangers" - 10. "Death Is Not the End" (live)

9th studio album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds follows two years after Let Love In is a return to the style of The Good Son (1990) with focus on piano-founded tracks and ballads. The album feature two prominent guest artists: PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue, the latter singing a duet with Nick Cave on the album's biggest hit single "Where the Wild Roses Grow", but I have always liked the duet with Cave and Harvey better. On the final track, a Bob Dylan cover, several guests feature: Anita Lane, Kylie Minogue, PJ Harvey, and Shane MacGowan on additional vocals. Generally, I think this is one of the band's better albums. The album is included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
Rumour has it that Cave and Harvey virtually initiated a short-lived love affair, which had its birth from the moment when they recorded the music video for their duet - all done in one take and without much direction. The relationship came to an abrupt end as Harvey turned Cave down, which may be heard on his subsequent The Boatman's Call (1997) [about their relationship].
[ allmusic.com, Record Collector, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 ]

PJ Harvey "Is This Desire?" (1998)

Is This Desire?
release date: Sep. 29, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Flood, Polly Jean Harvey and Head
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Angelene" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Sky Lit Up" (live) - 3. "The Wind" (live on Later) - 4. "My Beautiful Leah" - 5. "A Perfect Day Elise" - 8. "The Garden" (4 / 5) - 12. "Is This Desire?" (4 / 5)

4th studio album by PJ Harvey released on Island Records and produced by by Flood [Mark Ellis], Head [Howard Bullivant], and PJ Harvey. This was the first album I bought with PJ Harvey, although, not the first I listened to. At the time I found it interesting, yet not as good as I think of it nowadays. My knowledge of her music was limited but I really enjoyed her first albums better, so I soon purchased Rid of Me and Dry (1992). It's clear that she has come a way since her blasting and raw first releases, and that's also what makes this a really fine album. I think, that it combines her previous and somewhat overrated [!] but (still) critically acclaimed album To Bring You My Love (1995) and the debut Dry, but also brings her music into a new phase of alt. rock singer / songwriter music with inspiration from trip-hop ("The Wind") and electronic ("No Girl So Sweet") without actually attributing those styles to the album as such. Thanks to the producer panel with different approaches and her studio musicians, she threads new territory with more complex music that really comes into place on the following album. A track like "The Garden" is stylistically as taken from her brilliant 2000 release Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Housemartins "London 0 Hull 4" (1986)

org. vinyl cover

London 0 Hull 4 [debut]
release date: Jul. 1986
format: vinyl (207817) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: John Williams
label: Go! Discs / Chrysalis- nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Happy Hour" (5 / 5) - 2. "Get Up Off Our Knees" - 3. "Flag Day" - 4. "Anxious" - 5 "Reverends Revenge" - 6. "Sitting On A Fence" - 8. "Over There" - 11. "Lean On Me"

Studio debut album by The Housemartins consisting of founding members Paul Heaton (credited as P.d. Heaton) on vocals and Stan Cullimore on guitar, with Norman Cook on bass and Hugh Whitaker playing drums. This was, however, not the initial line-up, which was nothing more than a duo with Heaton and Cullimore playing together from around 1983. Later on, other members were recruited and again replaced until these four guys made up the band at some point in 1985. The album title refers to Heaton's assertion that the Housemartins only was the fourth best band in Hull, i.e. Hull now had four great bands compared to none from London (the three other and better bands, apparently were: Red Guitars, Everything but the Girl, and The Gargoyles).
I no longer recall when I was introduced to the band, but I acquired the album shortly after its release. I guess, I was looking for other bands playing like Aztec Camera, Everything but the Girl and / or The Smiths, and the cover art suggested a style of alternative pop / rock, indie pop and / or jangle pop. The music is not similar, although, one may call it jangle pop and not unlike Aztec Camera and The Smiths. This is just in a much more positive spirit and played on buckets full of charm and tongue-in-cheek humour. Just take a look at the front cover of the cd version, which contains four extra tracks, and a small subtitle argues that the album contains a total of 16 songs - but 17 hits... Perhaps hinting at the abundance of great music or that the band itself aside from the great tunes is but another hit. However, they don't even need the great lyrics, as one of the most potent tracks, "Reverends Revenge", is an instrumental just blasting off on sheer energy and fine harmonies.
Enlisting the highlights of the album should basically enlist all tracks, that's how good this is. The album was actually so great that they could only disappoint with a future follow-up, which they... then did. Anyway, I was immediately hooked, and the album became one of my absolute favourites of 1986 and of the entire 80s.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Record Collector 4 / 5, Sputnikmusic 3,5 / 5 stars ]

<  alternate cover >

cd cover
w/ 4 extra tracks

Gianna Nannini "Profumo" (1986)

Profumo
release date: 1986
format: vinyl (SMRL 6359)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Conny Plank & Gianna Nannini
label: Dischi Ricordi - nationality: Italy

7th studio album by Italian artist Gianna Nannini.