Chumbawamba "Slap!" (1990)

Slap!
release date: Jul. 1990
format: cd (2003 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: Mutt Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Tiananmen Square" - 3. "Cartrouble" - 7. "Slap!" - 8. "That's How Grateful We Are"
[ full album ]

4th studio album by Chumbawamba originally released on the band's own label Agit-Prop (in '98 also reissued by One Little Indian). The Mutt Records label is also founded (in 2000) by Chumbawamba. Stylistically, this album marks a major change of sound and style, as the band has moved from its primary anarcho-punk style with influences from punk rock and folk to now embrace alt. dance, indie pop and dub.
The leap into a completely new style may seem enormous - fans have surely found it a radical change; but Chumbawamba doesn't just abide to commercialism or the accepted rules of capitalism. The songs reveal the band's political viewpoints as always, and they concentrate on contemporary political movements and episodes around the globe such as ultra-leftist Ulrikke Meinhof from (German) Red Army Faction [Rote Armee Fraktion], the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 in China, the situation in Northern Ireland, and the continued story-telling of reactions to former ultra-left Soviet under Stalin and life in Nazi German concentration camps during WW2.
Although, utilising the mechanisms of popular music, Chumbawamba stays loyal to its social and political viewpoints, and that mission is fully accomplished on Slap!, which proves to be the band's so far most harmonically sounding album to date. You may choose to just listen to the music, and that's a fine construction of various tunes with hooks and choruses, and you may let yourself linger on the lyrics and listen to stories about real people and crucial historical fragments.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Van Morrison "Hymns to the Silence" (1991)

Hymns to the Silence
release date: Sep. 1, 1991
format: 2 lp vinyl (849 026-1) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,58]
producer: Van Morrison
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Professional Jealousy" (5 / 5) - 2. "I'm Not Feeling It Anymore" (5 / 5) - 3. "Ordinary Life" (4 / 5) - 4. "Some Peace of Mind" (4 / 5) - 5. "So Complicated" - - B) 1. "I Can't Stop Loving You" (4 / 5) - 2. "Why Must I Always Explain?" (5 / 5) - 3. "Village Idiot" (5 / 5) - 4. "See Me Through, part 2 (Just a Closer Walk With Thee)" - 5. "Take Me Back" (5 / 5) - - C) 1. "By His Grace" - 2. "All Saints Day" - 3. "Hymns to the Silence" (5 / 5) - 4. "On Hyndford Street" (4 / 5) - 5. "Be Thou My Vision" - - D) 1. "Carrying a Torch" - 2. "Green Mansions" (4 / 5) - 3. "Pagan Streams" (4 / 5) - 4. "Quality Street" (5 / 5) - 5. "It Must Be You" (5 / 5) - 6. "I Need Your Kind of Loving" (4 / 5)

21st studio album by Van Morrison following one year after his great 20th album Enlightenment is a double album containing 21 new compositions. I'm a big fan of 'Van the Man', which comes through in the following, mind you. Although, I "only" own about 3/4 from his what... 40-45 studio albums (?), my musical taste includes all sorts of musical genres, styles and sub-genres. However, this album is one of my favourite albums of all styles and of all albums, and it will most likely always be that. It's beyond my recognition that e.g. Allmusic only direct 3,5 stars to this masterpiece. Avalon Sunset (1989) may be seen as his most pure and polished pop album but it receives a bit too much recognition, in my mind. I find that this even surpasses Enlightenment (1990), which by many is considered one of his best. I know that Avalon is extremely popular - many like it and not that many hold anything against it - and still not that many would be as bold to call it a masterpiece - this release is just that [period].
What I find works so well on this is the combination of several forces: it contains compositions that seem much in family with tracks that you'll find on his acclaimed No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986) and his more pop-minded Enlightenment (1990), and then you'll also find songs where he drifts into a musical dimension of sub-consciousness that reminds me of the strengths you'll find on Beautiful Vision (1982), Veedon Fleece (1974), and on Astral Weeks (1968). It's not an album that copies former successes, but here he dwells on compositional lines and arrangements of his past like a musical exploration.
In my view, this is not only his best studio release but also one of the most successful double albums and best 'pop / rock' albums in the history of modern music - that's how I feel about this album. I know it's a lot of roses and a completely subjective opinion but sometimes it may be right even so. The only reason I won't call it a 5 star release is because of a few songs that simply goes too far in the praising of (a) god. Yes, I'm aware of the title, and it's no real surprise that Van (especially during the 80s) could be a bit (over-)religious - but hey, that's Okay! I'm not judgemental. And it does seem that he has found a new faith after having released a couple of albums paying tribute to - if not exactly atheist conviction - non-religious spiritual philosophy. No, in fact, it's perfectly all right, I'm a very tolerant but non-religious person and I don't preach. I just don't adore a few of the songs... which explains that I cannot put it ahead of Talk Talk's best album and call it the best album of '91, but forced to pick just one album from that year (and the 90s overall) for a desert island trip - this would certainly be one of my top-3 albums.

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

Sigur Rós "Hlemmur" (OST) (2003)

Hlemmur (soundtrack)
release date: Aug. 20, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

4th studio release by Sigur Rós following only one year after ( ) is not a traditional studio album but an original soundtrack to a documentary movie about the main bus terminal in Reykjavik, "Hlemmur", by Ólafur Sveinsson (2002).

The music is more ambient than any of their previous albums, and it contains many short musical fragments all without vocals. It's not easily digested as stand-alone audiophile work.

The album was reissued as a boxset including the film on the band's own label Krúnk in 2007.

Stuart A. Staples "Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04" (2005)

Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 [debut]
release date: Jul. 18, 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Somerset House" (feat. Gina Foster) - 2. "Marseilles Sunshine" (feat. Gina Foster) - 3. "Say Something Now" - 3. "Friday Night" - 9. "She Don't Have to Be Good to Me" - 10. "I've Come a Long Way"

Solo studio album debut by lead vocalist Stuart A. Staples of Tindersticks is an album, which has been released at a time when the band is rumored on the verge of breaking up. As the title indicates, the tracks were recorded in the years 2003-2004 and could eventually have been indtended for release with the band but internal conflict led Staples to release the songs under his own name, however, still aided by individual Tindersticks members, such as guitarist Neil Fraser and keyboardist David Boulter, who both were part of the band Asphalt Ribbons together with Staples - a band which preceded the formation of Tindersticks. They appear together with some of the band's regular studio musicians, such as trumpeter Terry Edwards, and a few other studio musicians - including French multi-instrumentalist Yann Tiersen and drummer Thomas Belhom. In addition, British soul vocalist Gina Foster features on several tracks.

Stylistically, this isn't a huge difference to the music by Tindertsicks. However, the album still appears significantly simpler in the arrangements, which really suits the music and not least Staples' dark vocal, which in places stand very much alone without it seeming wrong in any way. Perhaps it was never the intention that these songs should be published as a single work, but it nevertheless proves to be a successful collection of songs that together form a coherent work without fillers, and in this way the album actually appears as a much stronger output than the band's most recent album Waiting for the Moon (2003), which should prove to be the bands final in its original line-up.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Kate Bush "Cloudbusting" (1985) (single)

Cloudbusting, 7'' single
release date: Oct. 4, 1985
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Kate Bush
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Cloudbusting" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Burning Bridge" (3 / 5)

2nd single taken from the album Hounds of Love.

Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine "White People and the Damage Done" (2013)

White People and the Damage Done
release date: Apr. 2, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Marshall Lawless
label: Alternative Tentacles - nationality: USA

[ full album ]

2nd studio album by Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine. With this album, Biafra and T.G.S.O.M. comes out as one of Biafra's better musical projects after his time in Dead Kennedys, and the music isn't that far from the old legendary band. Not that it's a simple return to 1980's formula of hardcore punk, but it's more like how you could imagine DK would have sounded had they stayed together. Compared to the debut from 2009, the production side has improved and there's a fine balance of hardcore punk combined with industrial rock and metal, some of which comes close to the music Biafra played with Lard, D.O.A., NoMeansNo, as well as with The Melvins, and then he hasn't stopped having a critical view on his home-country, which was more blurred on the predecessor The Audacity of Hype (2009). Marshall Lawless seems like Biafra's first choice for the production seat as he has produced albums for Biafra since the early 1990s whether Biafra played in collaboration projects, alone, or in more traditional band compounds, This is an improvement to the band's music, I think, and mostly because the material is more originally diverse.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

The Knife "Silent Shout" (2006)

Silent Shout
release date: Mar. 20, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: The Knife
label: Rabid Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Silent Shout" - 2. "Neverland" - 4. "We Share Our Mother's Health" (live) - 6. "Marble House" - 7. "Like a Pen" - 9. "Forest Families"

3rd studio album by The Knife also signals the third stylistic change by the duo. On this, they introduce minimal techno to their repertoire, and I'm not really a big fan of traditional techno but neither is this - it's more like a new ingredient.
Initially, I found the album too extravagant, too experimentally electronic, but I have come to appreciate it more and more. The thing is, The Knife is constantly in search of new untouched territory and they do it ever so skilfully. The tracks on the album are like a complex tapestry, a variety of pieces that fit together like a jigsaw, forming a special dimension of sound, and I like it. But it requires time and attention. This album was the first by The Knife to reach number #1 on the Swedish album chart list.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, The Observer, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]

The Cure "Concert - The Cure Live" (1984) (live)

FIXH 10

Concert - The Cure Live (live)
release date: Oct. 16, 1984
format: vinyl (FIXH 10)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Dave Allen [David M. Allen], The Cure
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

1st live album by The Cure. The album is quite fine as documentation. The tracks were recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, on May 9 & 10, 1984, and in Oxford, May 5, 1984. Although, the concerts were held after The Cure had been engaged in seeking out a new style, and after turning its back on gloomy gothic rock, this album, with the exception of three compositions, only document the old days with tracks from the band's first four albums. In that way the album seemed like a strange release. Anyway, when you know the first albums it's fine but also incoherent with tracks of synth pop in between.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Bloc Party "Intimacy Remixed" (2009)

Intimacy Remixed (remix)
release date: May 11, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist 1. "Ares (Villians Remix)" - 2. "Mercury (Hervé Is in Disarray Remix)" - 3. "Halo (We Have Band Remix)" - 4. "Biko (Mogwai Remix)" - 5. "Trojan Horse (John B Remix)" - 6. "Signs (Armand Van Helden Remix)" - 7. "One Month Off (Filthy Dukes Remix)" - 8. "Zephyrus (Phase One Remix)" - 9. "Talons (Phones RIP Remix)" (4 / 5) - 10. "Better Than Heaven (No Age Remix)" - 11. "Ion Square (Banjo or Freakout Remix)" - 12. "Letter to My Son (Gold Panda Remix)" - 13. "Your Visits Are Getting Shorter (Double D Remix)"

Remix album by Bloc Party. Again, a remix release of their latest studio album. This time I actually find it a welcome release. Stylistically, the band has moved into electronic and alt. dance, which makes this more of a digestible remix. Kele obviously has a certain something for club and dance, and this only adds to their new style. "Talons" is still a great track in this outfit.

The Durutti Column "LC" (1981)

LC
release date: Dec. 15, 1981
format: digital (fact 44)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,15]
producer: Stew Pickering and Vini Reilly
label: Factor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Sketch for Dawn I" (4 / 5) - 2. "Portrait for Frazer" - 3. "Jaqueline" (5 / 5) - 4. "Messidor" (4 / 5) - 5. "Sketch for Dawn II" (4 / 5) - 6. "Never Known" (5 / 5) - 7. "The Act Committed" (4 / 5) - 8. "Detail for Paul" (4 / 5) - 9. "The Missing Boy" (4,5 / 5) - 10. "The Sweet Cheat Gone" (4 / 5)

2nd album by The Durutti Column, where Reilly continues his own original style, which seems so unprovoked by anything else, and leaving music critics at the time with a difficult time labelling his music. LC (short for 'Lotta Continua' i.e. 'The fight continues') is one of his finest albums. "The Missing Boy" is written in memory of Reilly's late friend Ian Curtis (lead vocalist of Joy Division).
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

1996 Remastered Bonus Tracks Edition

Love Shop "Kærlighed og straf" (2014)

Kærlighed og straf
release date. Oct. 20, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm Music / Playground - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Bellavista regn" - 2. "I morgen" - 4. "Nede ved floden" - 5. "Danmark Bye-Bye" (4 / 5) (live) - 6. "Den længste drøm er alt for kort" (live) - 7. "Tåreflammer ned" - 9. "Evaklubben" - 10. "Du kyssede morgenlyset bort"

10th studio album by Love Shop, or: released as 'cause the band is in essence reduced to a Jens Unmack solo project. However, it's a playground for this talented Danish artist to release material that has a more uptempo pop / rock feel than his releases under own his name tend to be. The album is likely an attempt to follow the strong Skandinavisk lyst from 2012 with its stronger synthpop sound thanks to Mikkel Damgaard's keyboards and programming, which stir up the old soul of the band but also takes its sound further up stream.
My initial verdict was a luke-warm reception, and I found it like a lesser copy of the band's most recent album, but I have come to enjoy it much more and on its own premises. It's slightly less synthpop based and frankly more in the tradition of the classic Love Shop albums, which I first saw as an attempt to revive the past, but it turns out to work more than just Okay. I do think, Unmack, with the aid of Damgaard's keyboards and programming, successfully has found back to the playground that once was by adding new dimensions to the picture.
This album is a grower and a recommended listen.

Unfold video content <- click...

[ read more: www.jensunmack.dk ]

Last Dinosaurs "Back From the Dead" (2010)

Back From the Dead (EP) [debut]

release date: Feb. 26, 2010

format: digital (6 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]

producer: Jono Ma

label: Dew Process - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Honolulu" - 2. "As Far as You're Concerned" - 3. "Saturn" - 4. "Alps"

Studio ep debut by Australian quartet Last Dinosaurs consisting of the brothers Caskey: Sean on vocals and rhythm guitar and (younger brother) Lachlan on lead guitar and backing vocals together with bassist Sam Gethin-Jones and drummer Dan Koyama.

This Ep-debut is a melodic and energetic fusion of light-hearted melody-based indie pop with influence from a native pop / rock tradition, and with bonds to British / American and Japanese culture. The songs are well-executed - the only flaw is a tendency to over-simplify arrangements and song structure with an end result putting much focus on short hooks and chorus lines. That said, Last Dinosaurs are definitely worth checking out.

Lou Reed "Mistrial" (1986)

Mistrial
release date: Apr. 1986
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]
producer: Lou Reed, Fernando Saunders
label: RCA Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 3. "Outside" - 9. "I Remember You" - 10. "Tell It to Your Heart" (2,5 / 5)

14th studio album by Lou Reed follows two years after New Sensations (Apr. 1984), and it's simply one of his least favourable albums in his long career. The production side is poor with excessive bass and drums - a bit late, but even Lou made his bad 1980s typical sound. The previous album New Sensations already showcased his interest for incorporating new musical influences, which was a bit of a mixed bag but this is just bad. Lou Reed albums have often been either hits or misses, and this surely falls in the latter half as one of his poorest efforts. He makes use of synths and drum programming in a strange mix of pop / rock, new wave, and with elements from r&b, funk, and rap [!] (track #7 "The Original Wrapper" - another low point), which doesn't work (at all). Actually, I don't think, I have ever listened the whole album through in one take.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Chicago Tribune 2,5 / 5 stars ]

M.I.A. "Arular" (2005)

Arular [debut]
release date: Mar. 22, 2005
format: cd (XLCD 186)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: various
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Pull up the People" - 3. "Bucky Done Gun" - 4. "Sunshowers" - 8. "Bingo" - 9. "Hombre" - 13. "Galang"

Studio debut album by M.I.A. [birthname: Mathangi Arulpragasam] produced by Paul Byrne, Cavemen, Diplo, KW Griff, Richard X, Switch, Anthony Whiting, and Wizard. Before this, she was involved in documentary as a way of expression, and she was hired by Elastica - through her friendship with guitarist and vocalist Justine Frischmann - to cover the band's live tour in 2001. It was then Frischmann who let M.I.A. play with a Roland MC-505 sequencer on which she recorded several demoes that was eventually used to pursuade XL Recordings to invite her in to record some of her own music.

M.I.A. is both a reference to her birth name - often shortened to Maya - and to the abbreviation for Missing in Action. I didn't come across this album until around 2010, and only regret not to have heard it when it was released. Her following two albums are named after her parents. This one has its name after her father's political code name in the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS, a resistance group fighting for a free state, Tamil Eelam, in Sri Lanka).

I really enjoy her aggressive style, sometimes making me think of a more contemporary Lil' Kim, but with more sophisticated lyrics and music. The sampling and glitch pop tone is just another positive element and fusioned with electropop and grime, it's a nice and original cocktail. What's really impressive about M.I.A. is her involvement in her own music. She hasn't got a bunch of songwriters and composers but basically makes everything herself. The story is, she send a demo tape to several labels with XL Recordings being the only label to invite her in. Alledgedly, she knew from the very beginning exactly what she wanted and was so lucky to actually have it her own way. She also did her own cover art.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, The Guardian, The Independent, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Lost Sirens" (2013)

Lost Sirens
release date: Jan. 14, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: New Order and various
label: Rhino Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I'll Stay With You" - 2. "Sugarcane" - 3. "Recoil" - 4. "Californian Grass (Doomy)"

9th studio album by New Order released close to 8 years since their most recent studio album, Waiting for the Sirens' Call (Mar. 2005). Like that it's produced by New Order and various others - Stephen Street, Stuart Price and Jim Spencer are back as producers on a few tracks and then Mac Quayle and Swedish producer Tore Johansson is credited on tracks #6 and #2 respectively. After several years with rumours of a new album under way this was finally released in 2013 after the band had unofficially split due to controversies between vocalist Bernard Sumner and bassist Peter Hook. And speaking of a completely new collection of songs to show us a new direction since their mediocre 2005 album this isn't exactly that. All tracks were recorded in 2003-04 and are "outtakes" from Waiting for the Sirens' Call. These songs were intended to follow the 2005 release within a two-year period but the split that ended with founding member Peter Hook leaving the band in 2007 ended up delaying the release. So, almost a decade after the recordings it finally had was released after New Order officially had disbanded, and it actually proves to be a much better album than the shallow 2005 album. I think, it basically show how some recording take bad turns based on wrong decisions about what works and what people (band members? / producers? / managers?) think is the right thing to do. Initially, they chose another musical direction but this show us that the very same people were still capable of making good music. Still, it's not one of their best, and I rate it just above mediocre.

Still in 2007, after Peter Hook left New Order, he formed the band Freebass with ex-The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke, ex-The Stone Roses bassist Gary Mounfield and ex-Haven vocalist Gary Briggs. Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham formed the band Bad Lieutenant with vocalist Jake Evans, and Steve Morris featured as guest drummer. Tom Chapman, who would eventually substitute Peter Hook in the new formation of New Order also made guest appearances in this band.

In the fall of 2011 New Order reformed with a new line-up for a number of live performances, and in 2012 the Lost Sirens album was announced for an upcoming release, which led to new disputes with former bassist Peter Hook regarding copyrights, which further delayed the release another year.

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

Psyched Up Janis "Beats Me" (1997)

Beats Me
release date: Feb. 1997
format: cd (RECD 8707)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Craig Leon
label: Replay Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Dying Flame" (4 / 5) - 3. "Airhead" - 4. "The Stars Are Out" - 5. "Waiting to Grab" - 7. "Hopefully" - 14. "Where the Lights Won't Shine" (4 / 5)

2nd studio album by Psyched Up Janis released on Danish label, Replay offers 16 new tracks and is like the debut produced by Craig Leon. After the artistic success of Swell the band moved to England and signed with This Way Up / Universal for a follow-up album and drummer Jakob Bjerregaard left the trio, and the band is here reduced to a functional duo of Sune Wagner and Jakob Jørgensen. As for the album recordings Jesper Reginald (aka Yebo, member of Danish band Thau) plays drums and percussion - he became official member after the album release for a short period of time.
The music is generally gloomier compared to the debut. Some tracks show Sune Wagner's fascination for 1960s surf rock, and other tracks seem more alt. rock-styled as of sheer raging energy, and in connects the band with Pixies and Sonic Youth. "Dying Flame", "Airhead", and "Waiting to Grab" are close to the best tracks on the debut, whereas track #1, "Lo-Fi Industry" is more industrial with hints to Marilyn Manson and / or Sonic Youth. "Somebody Loves Ya" and "Hopefully" are surf rock-inspired and together with the fine "Where the Lights Won't Shine" they all point more to Wagner's future albums with The Raveonnettes (which is also visually underlined in the album cover).
The album was met by national enthusiasm - especially from critics, but it wasn't the international step forward that the record company or the band had set out for and after this they returned to Denmark. In the fall of '97 Psyched Up Janis signed with EMI-Medley although they were now back to being the duo of Sune Wagner and bassist Jørgensen they started out as, and Wagner took over playing all other instruments. An ever-changing line-up - and / or difficulties in finding a steady drummer didn't make prospects easier, and Sune Wagner may not have made it easier for other members to contribute as he was THE composer and artistic source within the band.
From my perspective, this is almost on par with the splendid debut.

Best of 1990:Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Ragged Glory" (1990)

Ragged Glory
release date: Sep. 9, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Neil Young & David Briggs
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Country Home" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "White Line" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Fuckin' Up" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Over and Over" (5 / 5) - 5. "Love to Burn" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Farmer John" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Mansion on the Hill" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Days That Used to Be" - 9. "Love and Only Love" (4 / 5) - 10. "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)"

20th studio album by Neil Young released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. This is one of my most beloved albums, not only by Neil Young, but of all the albums that I have in my collection. If Eldorado and Freedom had some grunge potential, this may be seen as another primary source to that style, but it's also one of the best garage rock albums ever released, and I would rather listen to this than any "clean" grunge album - this is IT! It's one of those rare albums that you can play on your car stereo riding long trips, in rain, snow or sunshine, and fits an evening perfectly drinking red wine and clearing the world of politics or whatever in good company. Damn it's so good! It's also very simple, and maybe that's why critics are somewhat reluctant in handing it 5 stars, although it was well-received. Like good wine, I think, in time this will only be rated higher and higher. All songs are written by Young except "Farmer John", which is a cover of a '60s r&b song by Don & Dewey but I doubt that version rocks like this. The album is the most recent Neil Young album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

1990 Favourite releases: 1. Neil Young Ragged Glory - 2. Van Morrison Enlightenment - 3. Sinéad O'Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Antony and the Johnsons "Swanlights" (2010)

Swanlights
release date: Oct. 11, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Antony Hegarty
label: Rough Trade - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "The Great White Ocean" - 3. "Ghost" - 4. "I'm in Love" - 8. "Thank You for Your Love" - 9. "Flétta" (feat. Björk)

4th studio album by Antony and the Johnsons following nearly two years after The Crying Light (Jan. 2009) - released by Secretly Canadian (Rough Trade for the European market). The style is somewhat unchanged with Antony's melancholic piano-founded mourning stories with less focus on traditional instrumentation in the exchange of orchestral arrangements with an end result that appears both touching on a neo-classical score and a more naked and simple expression. This way it appears as his most quiet and intimate so far. All tracks are (as usual) composed by Antony Hegarty except two written together with classical composer Nico Muhly, and the track "Flétta" co-written by Björk.
The album was generally met by critical acclaim, although, I just don't find that the album reach the height of its two giant predecessors and imho it just sits low in Antony's discography. I'm possibly missing some point here. I find that the stories are intact, Antony's voice also, there's lot's of sincerity and strong emotions but the strong compositions don't escape the surface.
[ allmusic.com, BBC Music, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5, Pitchfork 7,7 / 10 stars ]

The Beautiful South "Choke" (1989)

Choke
release date: Oct. 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Mike Hedges, The Beautiful South
label: Go! Discs - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Tonight I Fancy Myself" (4 / 5) - 3. "Let Love Speak Up Itself" - 4. "Should've Kept My Eyes Shut" - 5. "I've Come for My Award" - 8. "A Little Time" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 9. "Mother's Pride"

2nd studio album by The Beautiful South now with Briana Corrigan (featured as backing vocalist on the debut) as full member making the band a sextet (symbolised by the cover art). The style is more or less the same as on the debut. Only downside to another fine album is the production side of it. I mean, playing with piano, brass, horns and strings as in a sophisti-pop, chamber pop universe doesn't require much to make it warm and ambient-sounding - it just sounds a bit like a first take and as a single-layered production. And yes, the texts play a major part, I know, which is why I find it clearly above the average.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

"Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid" (1985)

Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid (compilation)
release date: Dec. 7, 1985
format: vinyl
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Little Steven and Arthur Baker
label: Manhattan Records - nationality: USA

Compilation album released in support of The Africa Fund, a charitable trust based in New York City and registered with the United Nations. The album only contains 7 tracks but it mentions 52 featuring artists with the addition of many starring names amongst the technical personnel.