Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "Sailing on the Seven Seas" (1991) (single)

Sailing on the Seven Seas, cd single
release date: Mar. 18, 1991
format: cd
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: OMD
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Sailing on the Seven Seas" - 2. "Floating on the Seven Seas" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Sailing on the Seven Seas (Larrabee Mix)" - 4. "Sugartax"

Single release from the forthcoming album Sugar Tax by OMD. The cd single consists of two tracks (#2 and #3), which are variations of the title track plus the track "Sugar Tax" that never found its way to the album. The style is a combo of synthpop and dance pop, which emphasises drums and keyboards in a very simple and repetitious manner.
The single sold well, positioned the band and made way for the forthcoming album. I can't say that it's a truly great track and I only bought it around 2012 in a second-hand store for next to nothing.

BEST OF 1996:Bob Mould "Bob Mould" (1996)

Bob Mould
release date: Apr. 30, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,18]
producer: Bob Mould
label: Rykodisc / Creation Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Anymore Time Between" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "I Hate Alternative Rock" (4 / 5) - 4. "Next Time That You Leave" - 5. "Egøverride" (5 / 5) (official video) - 8. "Deep Karma Canyon" - 9. "Art Crisis" (5 / 5) - 10. "Roll Over and Die" (acoustic live version with interview)

3rd studio album by Bob Mould as solo artist following 6 years after the album Black Sheets of Rain (1990). However, in the mean-time he has released three albums with the band Sugar and most recently its final album File Under: Easy Listening (Sep. 1994). The self-titled release (aka the 'Hubcap' album, which btw. is not a photo of a hubcap) is not his debut album but probably has to do with his desire to have a new start after the short-lived period with the project-band Sugar, which kind of explains the six year gap since his last solo album.
In my mind, Bob's third solo-album is his best ever and it's also his most homogeneous album but it's also one of his last really good releases for a long period of time, reminding us that he was THE auteur of Hüsker Dü. The successor The Last Dog and Pony Show (1998) signaled an end but he kept releasing and experimenting with styles and ways of expression. However, in 2012, he would go on and release a very strong comeback album Silver Age, which, I think, musically has a lot in common with this one. It sort of combines the melodic simplicity of Copper Blue with more obscure elements from F.U.E.L. and especially the darker Black Sheets of Rain. I must've played this album... a 1.000 times or more - and often way too loud. I just hope my ears survive better than Bob's.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

1996 Favourite releases: 1. Bob Mould Bob Mould - 2. Fatboy Slim Better Living Through Chemistry - 3. Ryuichi Sakamoto 1996

The Smiths "Singles" (1995)

Singles (compilation)

release date: Feb. 20, 1995
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: WEA / Warner Music Group - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by The Smiths with 18 tracks. This is a pretty decent attempt to make a best of collection with all The Smiths' A-side singles. It's a very nice thing the way the single tracks are listed in accordance to the date of release of each single. The only thing missing here are the B-sides, as it's commonly known that they very often were on par with the A-sides and not seldom weren't album tracks.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5 stars ]

Lisa Ekdahl / Peter Nordahl Trio "When Did You Leave Heaven" (1995)

When Did You Leave Heaven
release date: Oct. 13, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Patrik Boman and Peter Nordahl
label: Arietta Discs - nationality: Sweden

1st collaboration album released as Lisa Ekdahl / Peter Nordahl Trio. The album comes in various editions - and it's also issued as a Lisa Ekdahl solo album without mentioning that it's actually a collaboration album.
The extremely popular Swede shows her love for the big vocal jazz standards. The album is fine but not really great. Too many better vocal jazz singers have made their golden versions. Although the music in essence is jazz it becomes easy listening or lounge with Lisa's fresh and innocent voice (lest we forget her Swedish English), which almost makes the tracks less interesting. Fine for a night in company when you just need background music that doesn't stir up anything.

Tindersticks "Falling Down a Mountain" (2010)

Falling Down a Mountain
release date: Jan. 25, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Falling Down a Mountain" - 2. "Keep You Beautiful" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Harmony Around My Table" - 5. "She Rode Me Down" - 7. "Black Smoke" - 9. "Factory Girls"

8th studio album by Tindersticks close to two years after The Hungry Saw (Apr. 2008) is the band's first and only studio album on 4AD Records. The band is now officially back as a sextet after having been reduced to a trio for a short period from 2006 to 2008 with Stuart Staples, Neil Fraser, and David Boulter from the original line-up. Here the three are now joined by the three new members: guitarist David Kitt, bassist Dan McKinna, who also played with the trio on the band's 2008 album as additional studio musician, and American drummer Earl Harvin [officiel trailer].

The band now continues a stronger experimental style, and the album has a distinct influence from jazz, which is to be more pronounced on subsequent albums.

Falling Down a Mountain received a better reception than its predecessor, The Hungry Saw, but in 2010, although, back in 2010, I saw it as just another slightly boring and uninspiring album from a band I had previously been much more excited about. However, I also admit to having changed my attitude towards the album, which a few years later I came to see in a somewhat more positive light than my original verdict told me. Best track here is undoubtedly "Keep You Beautiful", although other tracks are worth knowing. A slightly original tone and a more laid-back jazz feel hovers on top of the entire album, which may be seen as a new and welcome move as opposed to the more compact arrangements with grandiose orchestral strings that you'll notice on the band's previous albums.

The album cover is an excerpt from a painting by Stuart Staples' wife, Suzanne Osborne.

[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5, Spin, Drowned in Sound 3, 5 / 5 stars ]

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds "The Boatman's Call" (1997)

The Boatman's Call
release date: Mar. 4, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Flood, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
label: Mute Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Into My Arms" (4 / 5) - 3. "People Ain't No Good" - 4. "Brompton Oratory" (4 / 5) - 5. "There Is a Kingdom" - 6. "(Are You) The One I've Been Waiting For?" (4 / 5) - 7. "Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere?" - 8. "West Country Girl" - 9. "Black Hair" - 12. "Green Eyes"

10th studio album by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds follows only one year after Murder Ballads is a 12 track album. This is the first in a long series of albums where new band member, Warren Ellis on violin, accordion and piano contributes to a new stylistic approach. The album is an even more quiet one from The Bad Seeds, as it's entirely piano-based ballads and basically sounds much like a solo singer / songwriter release by Nick Cave.
My initial verdict made me reject it for the first decade, but I have come to see it as a major work by Cave, and despite the fact that I don't find that obvious many great tracks on the album, I still rate it higher than Murder Ballads, because of a generally higher level and the album comes out as a quite coherent collection of songs.
The album was generally met by critical acclaim and many critics labelled the album one of Cave's most successful releases - it is also included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". The strong emotional stories seem made in the aftermath, a troublesome time for Cave as PJ Harvey had let him go prior to the recordings of some of the songs. The songs "West Country Girl", "Black Hair" and "Green Eyes" are said to have lyrics about PJ Harvey [see: Cave interview in The Guardian, and wikipedia ].
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Uncut, Record Collector 5 / 5 stars ]

The Cure "Lullaby" (Remix) (1989) (single)

FICSP 29, Ltd. nb.
clear disc #2844
(my copy)

Lullaby (Remix), 7'' single
release date: Apr. 1989
format: vinyl (clear vinyl - FICSP29, #2844)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Robert Smith, Dave Allen [David M. Allen]
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Lullaby (Remix)" - - B) "Babble"

7'' single by The Cure released in a normal edition with the album version of the track "Lullaby", but also in this Limited numbered clear disc Remix version of the track.

[ collectors' item - clear vinyl, ltd. numbered edition in PVC sleeve - from ~ €120,- ]

Grand Avenue "She" (2005)

She
release date: Aug. 22, 2005
format: cd (EMI 3380622)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Bryce Goggin & Grand Avenue
label: EMI - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "On Your Side" (4 / 5) - 2. "Playground" - 3. "The City's on Fire" - 5. "Beautiful Mistake" - 6. "After the Rain" - 10. "She" [non-album version]

2nd studio album by Grand Avenue released two years after the debut is the highly anticipated follow-up to a fine debut. The style is basically the same, although, the sound has become more sophisticated, multi-layered, but still founded on guitars and Rasmus Walter's characteristic and fine vocal. The album is produced by Bryce Googin who has previously worked with The Lemonheads, Apples in Stereo, Madder Rose, and Joan as a Police Woman (aka Joan Wasser). Wasser plays viola and has arranged the strings for the album, and Fred Kevorkian, who has worked with major artists such as Sonic Youth, Lloyd Cole, Cassandra Wilson, etc., has mastered the album. So, things are pretty much laid out for an expected international album release that wouldn't go unnoticed. And She does start off on the highest level - again, much like on the debut with promises of greatness, but it also drops too soon in quality. It never becomes poor or mediocre, but occasionally it does link a bit too much to the sound of Coldplay, R.E.M. and U2 instead of presenting an original sound.
She is not really what critics and album buyers had hoped for, I believe. The band, and perhaps especially, lead vocalist Rasmus Walter undoubtedly has potential, but the songs are not quite there. Grand Avenue puts itself somewhere in between pop / rock, soft rock of British origin and American soft rock built on a blues rock tradition - and mostly just performs better when they seem most inspired by the American touch, which has strangely, but unfortunately, been subdued on this particular album with an American producer. The cover art is credited Rasmus Walter's twin-brother Anders, who also directed music videos for the band.
Grand Avenue is still a promising act that would do better if they didn't try so hard to make R.E.M.- or U2-music. She is an album with international sound but at the same time also presents an uneven collection of songs with a little too much fill.
[ Gaffa.dk 3 / 6 stars ]

Bloc Party "Four" (2012)

Four
release date: Aug. 20, 2012
format: cd (LTD.)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Alex Newport
label: Frenchkiss Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "So He Begins to Lie" (4 / 5) (live in Sydney) - 2. "3x3" (live) - 3. "Octopus" - 4. "Real Talk" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Kettling" (5 / 5) (live) - 6. "Day Four" (live) - 8. "V.A.L.I.S." - 10. "Truth" - 11. "The Healing" - 14. "Leaf Skeleton" (Bonus Track)

4th studio album release by Bloc Party precisely four years after Intimacy (2008) welcomes noise rock and grindcore producer Alex Newport. Now, Bloc party has sent out a new "remix" album after each new studio album, so the easy title here simply refers to their full length studio efforts. Since the predecessor, rumours have suggested that the band had come to an end, that they were left with no record contract, that all but the lead vocalist would start a new band, etc. What remains is that the band members have spent time working with other artists, and vocalist Kele Okereke has had time to release his fine solo debut album, The Boxer (2010) and an ep, The Hunter (2011).
Time has passed but the style is still alt. dance and alt. rock. It's not a move back to their initial post-punk but several tracks have a more hard rock attitude than heard before, and it suits them well. You really have to hand it to these guys: they are blasting instrumentalists, wow! I still love their soundscape - the way they are able to build up a wall of sound that takes you in all directions before throwing itself off the cliffs at Land's End. Despite their play with synth and alt. dance, Russell Lissack's guitar has still a very prominent place in their sound, which makes me think of inspiration in John Frusciante ("Real Talk"), Smashing Pumpkins ("Kettling"), and Deftones ("We Are Not Good People"). I sometimes wish they would spent a bit more energy on the sound they stumble on / end up finding and producing, but they're always on the go to something and somewhere else. So what's next? For all I know, it can't be bad. Bloc Party has often made surprising moves and released singles, I didn't enjoy all that much, but their studio albums has not yet disappointed!
The Limited Edition offers two bonus tracks and 'an extensive 32 pages booklet.' They have made it a tradition of theirs to make these Limited Edition releases issued simultaneously as regular versions - and yes, they may just offer another two tracks, but very often at the same price as normal issues, so I always purchase these.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Observer, Drowned in Sound 4 / 5, Slant 2,5 / 5 stars ]

The Cranberries "Bury the Hatchet" (1999)

Bury the Hatchet
release date: Apr. 19, 1999
format: 2 cd (2000 special edition)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: The Cranberries and Benedict Fenner
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Animal Instinct" - 2. "Loud and Clear" - 3. "Promises" - 4. "You and Me" - 5. "Just My Imagination" - 6. "Shattered" - 11. "Delilah"

4th studio album by The Cranberries released after a short hiatus - the band had faced poor reviews despite fine record sales with the previous album, To the Faithful Departed from 1996, and O'Riordan went through a period of stress-related illness, and she also gave needed time off the limelight as she have birth to her first child.
Bury the Hatchet is co-produced with a new producer and the sound and style has changed quite noticeable. Gone are the obvious links to alt. rock and almost also to the bold dream pop that characterised their previous releases, and instead this new album comes out as a more thoughtful and sincere album focusing on celtic rock with a stronger folk rock style and also more mainstream pop / rock references with jangle pop elements.
The album suffers, a bit like the predecessor, of a lack of consistent quality throughout, but the lows have clearly been levelled up, and it turns out much of a whole, and in that way easily betters the '96 album. The first four songs here are actually quite fine compositions pointing to something truly fine. The quality drops a bit in the second part and towards the end, and a track like "Copycat" sounds much like an outtake from the '96 album. Having said that, this is still a much better album than their last effort, and it's also a release with one of Ireland's most poignant voices and songwriters and as such an album clearly above the majority of mainstream pop / rock releases.
The 2000 Special Edition has been issued with the subtitle "The Complete Sessions" and feature a second disc containing five bonus tracks and seven previously unreleased live songs recorded in Paris Dec. 9, 1999.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, USA Today 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Tracey Thorn "Love and Its Opposite" (2010)

Love and Its Opposite
release date: May 18, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Ewan Pearson
label: Strange Feeling Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Oh, the Divorces!" - 2. "Long White Dress" - 3. "Hormones" - 10. "Swimming"

3rd studio album by Tracey Thorn following her 2007 comeback solo Out of the Woods, which also had Ewan Pearson in the producer seat. The album offers 10 tracks with a total running time at just above 37 mins.
Stylistically, Thorn doesn't stir up things by embracing new styles. It's however, a clear change from her 2007 album that followed the style of recent releases by Everything but the Girl with a clear focus on electronica, but it's still a well-known formula from the now 47-year old Brit. It may be filed as indie pop, but mostly what I hear is folk pop and chamber pop, which isn't far from the sound earlier employed by her former band-project with Ben Watt before embracing electronic downtempo and trip hop and as such relate to music she played in the 1980s and 90s.
As the title indicates, the songs dwell on relationships, and it's always nice to hear new songs from Thorn, although, the album doesn't better her fine 2007 comeback album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Voss / Torp "Den store lysfest" (1987)

Den store lysfest [debut]
release date: Apr. 18, 1987
format: vinyl (451075 1)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Voss, Torp, Blöndal
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

Studio debut and only album by duo-project Voss / Torp - the remains of the trio Voss Torp Brill produced by the duo together with Icelandic producer Hjörtur Blöndal, who also produced the trio's album ++Dobbelt Plus (1984). Neither Johnny Voss nor Nils Torp were famous for their vocal performances in the band Kliché and there was an obvious lack of great vocals on the 1984 album with Anders Brill - this fact has quite clearly paved the way for including better vocals on this album, hence the three featuring artists: Steffen Brandt, Nanna, and Peter Belli, who also appear on the front cover and who really add that extra to the album. Having said that, the album simply lacks great songs.

Sigur Rós "Hvarf - Heim" (2007)

Hvarf - Heim (compilation)
release date: Nov. 6, 2007
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Sigur Rós
label: EMI - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights, disc 1: 1. "Salka" - 2. "Hljómalind" - 4. "Von"

Compilation album by Sigur Rós is both a compilation of previously unreleased compositions and the band's first official live album. The first disc, titled "Hvarf" is the collection of previously unreleased studio recordings from the years 1995 (tracks #4, 5), 1999 (track #2), 2000 (track #3) and 2002 (track #1) and it has a total running time of just below 37 mins. The first three tracks are previously unreleased compositions, whereas the last two songs both were released on the '97 album Von. The second disc, "Heim" ['Home'] contains six acoustic live recordings of tracks from earlier albums as "live performances recorded in Iceland 2006-2007" and its running time is just below 36 mins.

The style of the the studio recordings are not far from Ágætus byrjun (1999), although, they originate from various recording sessions, and it's my general impression that the songs here are more experimental ambient like what you'll find on ( ) from 2002, which means they are without the bolder dream pop element you'll will find on their most recent studio album, Takk... from 2005. Although, the first disc contains previously unreleased compositions the album should still be regarded as a compilation since the material originates from the band's early period and doesn't reflect the transitions they have made since then. It's still a fine collection of early compositions that serve to show us a more detailed view on their foundation in experimental art rock and early post rock.

Ben Watt "Spring" (2014) (single)

Spring, single
release date: Mar. 10, 2014
format: digital
[single rate: 4 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Spring"

1st single from the new full album Hendra by Ben Watt, released Apr. 14, 2014. Ben is married to Tracey Thorn and together they have been Everything but the Girl for approx. 30 years. This is a fine moody singer / songwriter folk pop solo release with promises of greatness.
[ benwatt.com ]

M.I.A. "Matangi" (2013)

Matangi
release date: Nov. 5, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: various
label: N.E.E.T. Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "MATANGI" - 3. "Only 1 U" - 4. "Warriors" - 5. "Come Walk with Me" - 6. "aTENTion" - 8. "Bad Girls" (4 / 5) - 10. "Double Bubble Trouble" - 12. "Bring the Noize" - 15. "Sexodus" (feat. The Weeknd)

4th studio album by M.I.A. following the 2010 release of M/\Y/\. The album is released on her own label N.E.E.T. through Interscope Records and as usual with a long list of exclusive producers to put their mark on the single tracks. The title is like her 2010 album a variant of her real name (Mathangi Arulpragasam), which also refers to the Hindu goddess, Matangi.

The album sounds more like a return to her style from before M/\Y/\ with more pop-founded compositions built on the uk hip-hop and electropop she is associated with.

It's fine, almost on par with her previous album, and it has some great tracks, but it also contains a number of compositions of lesser quality without being poor, I think.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone, Slant 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5, The Independent 5 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "Unplugged" (1993) (live)

Unplugged (live)
release date: Jun. 15, 1993
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "The Old Laughing Lady" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Mr. Soul" - 3. "World on a String" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Pocahontas" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Stringman" - 6. "Like a Hurricane" (4 / 5) - 7. "The Needle and the Damage Done" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Helpless" - 9. "Harvest Moon" (4 / 5) - 10. "Transformer Man" (2 / 5) - 11. "Unknown Legend" (4 / 5) - 12. "Look Out for My Love" - 13. "Long May You Run" (3,5 / 5) - 14. "From Hank to Hendrix" (3,5 / 5)

Neil live on MTV. Of course he did an 'unplugged' album in the '90s like all major artists in those days. The album is again like a documentation of his live abilities. This time it's almost unassisted, just Neil and his instruments, whether he accompanies himself on guitar, harmonica, banjo, organ, or on piano. It's a fine collection of songs but some of the tracks are found in better versions on other live releases, i.e. his gigantic song "Like a Hurricane" is not the best version recorded but it's fine to hear him in a totally different and very condensed version.

Kashmir "Cruzential" (1996)

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

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

Mellemblond "Et øje" (2012), single

Et øje, single
release date: Nov. 12, 2012
format: digital
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]

Single track: "Et øje"

A fine single release by Mellemblond from the band's forthcoming album. This shows the continued change of style more evidently away from the distorted guitars and simple production into more contemporary champer pop. Here the lead vocalist Kristoffer Munck Mortensen sounds more like Danish Lars H.U.G. than the late Eik Skaløe from Steppeulvene as he tended do assimilate on the debut.

M.I.A. "/\/\ /\ Y /\" (2010)

/\/\ /\ Y /\
release date: Jul. 13, 2010
format: cd (XLCD 497)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,70]
producer: various
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Steppin Up" - 3. "XXXO" - 4. "Teqkilla" - 7. "It Takes a Muscle" (4 / 5) - 8. "It Iz What It Iz" - 9. "Born Free" - 11. "Tell Me Why"

3rd studio album by M.I.A. released on her own label N.E.E.T. through XL Recordings and Interscope Records. The album is named after herself, Mathangi Arulpragasam, or just "Maya", which is also the correct way to pronounce her artist name, M.I.A.

I find the album more complex than the fine Kala (2007), and initially found this a lesser album, but it really contains some fine tracks. Stylistically, this is not like her 2007 album, but more electronically-founded with glitch pop, electroclash, and what may be identified as industrial - some also call it synth punk or noise pop. Anyway, it is more 'noisy' and probably less mainstream oriented, and I think of it as her second best album. It really makes sense that it's more complex - giving the fact that it's about herself. It reflects her life, her struggles with identity, the Sri-Lankan (violent) background, and her view and feelings about love and politics, which is a bit of a mouthful. And therefore it can only be complex, and anything but polished.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Slant 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Spin 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express" (1986)

Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express

release date: Mar. 1986

format: cd (1996 remaster) / 2 cd (2004 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]

producer: The Go-Betweens & Richard Preston

label: Beggars Banquet / Lo-Max Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Spring Rain" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Ghost and the Black Hat" - 3. "The Wrong Road" - 5. "Twin Layers of Lightning" - 6. "In the Core of the Flame" - 7. "Head Full of Steam" (4 / 5) - 9. "Palm Sunday (On Board the SS Within)"

4th studio album by The Go-Betweens released two years following Spring Hill Fair (1984) is the band's second consecutive album as a quartet. It's the band's first on Beggars Banquet, and the album release may have been delayed as they had previously signed with Elektra, who then closed its UK division in the middle of the recording sessions leaving the band with a newly recorded album but no record label. Luckily, they were then approached by Beggars Banquet with a recording deal for three albums in total.

The standard album contains ten tracks. The enhanced 2 cd issue contains an additional 11 tracks as well as the music videos for tracks #1 and #7. For the first time around the album is produced by the band who brought in Richard Preston as sound engineer, which means they were in control of what they wanted. Also, it's made without various additional musicians thrown in here and there, although, Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl who made friends with the band) is worth mentioning as she sings backing vocals on tracks #7 and #10.

Soundwise, it's bond to Before Hollywood (1983) as being both a more scraped down album than the predecessor but also with more varied arrangements. For the first time, the band makes use of a strings section with music arranged by Audrey Riley (who should later work with Coldplay). It's an album reflecting more inward and quiet music than more obvious pop harmonies, and there's a stronger sensation of folk rock sound on all compositions.

The album was well-received and saw many music critics' positive reviews hailing the album as one of the band's absolute best. However, as with most other albums by The Go-Betweens, the album failed to approach anything near top-10 anywhere. It's listed as number #62 on the Australian charts and with no entry figures anywhere else. "Spring Rain" and "Head Full of Steam" were released as the two singles from the album without noteworthy charts. Perhaps the band would have been better off had they signed with Warner or another big label to help them promote their music 'cause critics really loved the band, but then they probably would if presented with such an offer.

I have always found this a transitional album - certainly not poor or a lesser release as it's the band's so far best. For once they seem to have found their own path away from the stronger indie rock type of compositions with bonds to Velvet Underground, The Byrds and Tom Verlaine as heard on the sophomore album and the lighter pop / rock songs with bolder mainstream appeal, which is most clearly heard on the band's sixth studio album from 1988. Liberty Bell provides a bunch of playful songs that reek a new-found lightness and strong coherence.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender 4 / 5, NME, Select, Uncut 5 / 5 stars ]