My mom played this vinyl many times and it gets under my skin. Tunes, fragments of it still vibrates in my ears even after 30 and so years. “By dawn’s first light i’ll come back to your room again/With my carnation hidden by the packages/I’m carrying, something/I’m carrying something for you…” Just like that. “People pass me by on my imaginary street/Ordinary people it’s impossible to meet/Holding conversations that are always incomplete/Well, I don’t know/Oh where are there places to go/Someone somewhere has to know/I don’t know…” Songs to humming along a lifetime. Just like “Girlfriend” or “With A Little Luck”. And I’m pretty sure, a guy named Michael Jackson learned this songs – and lesson – as well. But I love McCarney and I love this whole album from “”Cafe on the Left Bank” to “Famous Groupies” or from the “Backwards Traveller” to “Deliver Your Children” and I just can name all the 14 tracks of the original release. Worth to mention the over 6 minutes of “”Morse Moose and the Grey Goose” with Funky and Psychedelic infusions. On the re-issued and remastered release from 1993 there’s two bonus tracks: “Girls’ School” and “Mull of Kintyre”, this second one becoming the UK’s biggest-selling not charting single, even outstripping The Beatles’ largest seller “She Loves You”. Read more Wings – London Town (1978)
Reviews
Van Der Graaf Generator – A Grounding in Numbers (2011)
Released on 14 March 2011, this date written as 3,14 comprises the first three digits of the number Pi. The second track, “Mathematics”, refers to “Euler’s identity” known as the mathematical poem and the trio consisted of Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton and Guy Evansin moved on to a new label, Esoteric Records. I have to admit, I missed the previous two albums – “Present” (2005) and “Trisector” (2008) – meantime, David Jackson quit the band after releasing “Present”, but Hammill, Banton and Evansin seems to feel quite alright together and the new set of 13 tracks sounds strong as the good old stuffs, but strangely also refreshing.
When I was absolutely convinced that the actual British scene is consisted exclusively by a bunch of kids with stupid haircuts, sponsored clothing and complete lack of inspiration, this old guys showed me otherwise. Perhaps “A Grounding in Numbers” is not another “H to He, Who Am the Only One” and actually I miss Jackson’s saxophone and flute, but the new material is a nice trip back to the 70s, but still looking forward. Read more Van Der Graaf Generator – A Grounding in Numbers (2011)
10 best albums of 2010
2010, musically speaking, it wasn’t a year of crisis, the music industry seems to be trying to cover excessive losses due to piracy by the avalanche of products brought to the market. I do not know how effective this approach is, but I know that in 2010 I wrote about over 300 albums and listened, well, many more. And this trend keeps rising this year.
In April I discovered the album “Blackjazz” by the Norwegian Shining and till “Ipsissimus” of Zorn/Moonchild in October I was firmly convinced that it is the album of the year. That does not mean that at the time between were not materials worth to mention. There were plenty. The quantity floods of products to the market fortunately didn’t buried for good the quality products. Yet.
10 titles, however, is frustratingly few to be fair. Some good titles are left out of this so-called classification, sorry guys, I love and respect all of you! I put this 10 titles in alphabetical order because all of them deserves maximum attention. Well, I do not make my “critics choice” with one eye on Billboard and the other one on eMpTyV, but what the hell?! I still believe that music is more than an accessory of the business that grew out from it. Music is not only for legs or ears, but for soul.
Mick Jagger – She’s The Boss (1985)
Did Jagger felt himself lonely at the top back in 85? It’s hard to believe while Jagger gathered around him an extended gang of musicians like this: the prolific Bill Laswell on bass guitar and synthesizer; Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Eddie Martinez, Nile Rodgers and G. E. Smith on guitars; also on bass guitar he had Bernard Edwards, Colin Hodgkinson and Robbie Shakespeare; playing keyboards, synthesizers, organ and piano there was Herbie Hancock, Jan Hammer, Guy Fletcher, Wally Badarou, Ron Magness, Chuck Leavell and Robert Sabino; on drums were pumping Sly Dunbar, Steve Ferrone , Anton Fig, Michael Shrieve and Tony Thompson and Ray Cooper, Anton Fier and Daniel Ponce delivered percussion while Aïyb Dieng played the shaker. Lenny Pickett played on the saxophone and Bernard Fowler, Fonzi Thornton and Alfa Pickett sung backing vocals. Sir Michael Philip Jagger got half a life? It’s even harder to believe, Jagger took at least double share of everything he could get. And I really and literally mean everything. Read more Mick Jagger – She’s The Boss (1985)
Midnight Oil – Diesel And Dust (1987)
“The time has come/To say fair’s fair/To pay the rent/To pay our share/The time has come/A fact’s a fact/It belongs to them/Let’s give it back/How can we dance when our earth is turning/How do we sleep while our beds are burning”. Well, if you didn’t sung this song ever, if you don’t memorized this lyrics long time ago, really man, where do you lived? And even if we’re in 2011 everything is still goddamn actual. I can go further with “Put down that weapon or we’ll all be gone/You can’t hide nowhere with the torchlight on/And it happens to be an emergency/Some things aren’t meant to be/Some things don’t come for free” or “Your dreamworld is just about to end” and Peter Garrett seems to had back than a magic crystal ball.
It’s not fair, rather productive, to compare an apple to a kiwi, neither one band to another, but Midnight Oil was always what R.E.M. never could and never will be. If the uncertain label of “politically correct” is really applicable for any band, I would name Midnight Oil without any hesitation. And they were “Rockly correct” as well. Read more Midnight Oil – Diesel And Dust (1987)
Kreidler – Tank (2011)
While the British scene still suffers the trauma of The Beatles or even worst, uninspired kids are sweating reproducing the riffs of Iron Maiden from the 80s, the originally humorous term of “Krautrock” still bring to the surface interesting products. Bands like the two fraction of Faust released very intense materials lately, “Faust is Last” last year from the group of Jochen Irmler, Lars Paukstat, Steven W. Lobdell, Michael Stoll and Jan Fride and this year Jean-Hervé Péron and Zappi W. Diermaier with contribution from British artists Geraldine Swayne and James Johnston released “Something Dirty”.
Kreidler was founded in 1994 in Dusseldorf and they combines electronic and analog instruments to create a blend of Post Rock with Electronic Music. Maybe their not at the same level of creativity as Tangerine Dream, Faust, Can, Amon Düül II or Ash Ra Tempel, but still, their tenth album is a nice intercourse in the good old Krautrock traditions and holds some interesting moments for the listeners. Read more Kreidler – Tank (2011)
Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You (2011)
Three years I waited for the second DIOYY? album and now I can breathe realesed: it was worth it. The exuberant energy, the pumping life, their pulse that is entirely lacking in many other products lately, is still there and still alive . Maybe even edgy and crushing. The incendiary mixture of Dance Punk, Indie Rock, New Rave and Synthpop works flawlessly and this time, the boys delivered 10 excellent songs and a perfect album.
Established in Reading in 2006 by James Rushent – vocals, bass guitar, guitar, synthesizers and Dan Coop – synthesizers, the formula was completed with Rob Bloomfield – drums, bass, guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals, and in 2007 the band was joined by Morgan Quaintance – guitar. Their debut album was released in 2008, and “You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into” climbed to number 48 of the British album charts. Read more Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You (2011)
Boris with Merzbow – Klatter (2011)
Boris is probably the best known name in the area of the experimental music in Japan. The band formed in 1992 in Tokyo and since 1996 released 17 albums and collaborated with dozens of artists on various projects. Last time they worked with Ian Astbury (from The Cult) on “BXI” last year. Merzbow is the stage name of Japanese Masami Akita inspired by the artwork entitled “Merzbau” by the German artist Kurt Schwitters, and Akita since 1979 is involved in all sorts of musical experiments and avant-garde projects of Noise and Dark Ambient music, he released more than 350 recordings since.
It’s no way that a collaboration between Boris and Merzbow not to work out at least interesting. Read more Boris with Merzbow – Klatter (2011)
Mountain Man – Grief (2011)
In a world where everyone trying so hard to be “post” something, anything, it is refreshing to find an album, a band, which is something pure, simple and straight. In this case angry Hardcore, in the very charming old school way, directly from the kidneys, incisive and powerful.
Joshua Smith, Jesse Menard and Patrick Murphy pick up where Last Lights left off, and on this “Grief” we’ve got 17 very concise and convincing tracks. Interestingly, we have actually four pieces of “Denial”, 3 pieces of “Anger”, 3 pieces of “Bargaining”, 4 pieces of “Depression” and 2 of “Acceptance”. Exciting approach.
The songs have a duration from 46 seconds up to 2 minutes and 29 seconds. Very well done.
Excellent material, It’s been years I guess since I didn’t heard something good as this in it’s gender. Read more Mountain Man – Grief (2011)
OK Go – Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky Extra Nice Edition (2010)
Despre OK Go şi acest „Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky” am scris în data de 20 ianuarie şi atunci, la primele ascultări cred că i-am subapreciat. Mi-a plăcut materialul şi atunci, dar ca foarte puţine discuri din ultimii ani, „Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky” s-a lipit la propriu de mp3 playerul meu, săptămâni la rând l-am tot ascultat şi re-ascultat şi de-a lungul anului am revenit la el în repetate rânduri.
Am păţit cu OK Go cam ce am păţit cu Kings Of Leon şi al lor „Only By the Night” anul trecut.
Piesele de pe albumul „Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky” toate au farmec, au şarm, au câte un cârlig, infuziile şi reflexiile diferite prind o culoare aparte în interpretarea, re-interpretarea şi viziunea celor din OK Go.
Această ediţie „extra drăguţă” conţine Read more OK Go – Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky Extra Nice Edition (2010)
