Sunday, 16 March 2025

Laibach "Opus Dei" 1987 ****

I'm visiting friends and family in Athens, where I am originally from. We were having dinner with friends, when one of them (also called Kostas) said he was going to leave early to go to a concert. I asked who's playing and he replied "Laibach" who I knew were one of his favorite bands. I'm not as big a fan as he is, but I think they're a very original and interesting band, and so I tagged along. The band was supposed to tour behind their classic Opus Dei LP, which I also happen to like a lot. It's become quite a trend for bands to perform a classic album in its entirety, followed by an encore featuring hits from the rest of their discography. I've been to such concerts by U2, The Who, Opeth, Arthur Lee and Love, etc. Laibach opted for something else: after an endlessly repeated drum loop that went on for an hour, they opened with some rather experimental, often discordant, songs, which I didn't recognize. As it turns out, these were early album cuts beloved by the fans, but not very likely to win over new ones. The presentation was nevertheless flawless: Milan Fras was half singing - half reciting slogans mimicking the language used by totalitarian regimes, while the screen presented  black & white film excerpts ranging from propaganda videos to news reel snippets to enigmatic weird stuff. After maybe 45' of this I was impressed but not won over, yet. It was the introduction of the second (female) singer that elevated the concert for me. Not only she added a more melodic semi-operatic element, but from that point on the discordant noise was toned way down and songs took on a more conventional structure while keeping all the typical Laibach traits: marching drums, Wagnerian keyboards, sharp riffs etc. A radical reworking of Dylan's "Ballad Of A Thin Man" gave way to their post punk cover of DAF's "Alle Gegen Alle". After a short intermission they continued with the songs from Opus Dei, followed by two remarkably beautiful ballads and an ironic but highly entertaining sing-along version of Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is" - at that point they had been playing for more than 2 hours without losing steam, having frontloaded their setlist with the "difficult" stuff at the start, and ending with the crowd pleasers. For the 2nd encore, they treated us to "Strange Fruit"; a menacing Billy Holiday cover that removed the melody and hit you hard with the lyrics while images of a bombed-out city (Berlin? Gaza? Mariupol?) played at the background. All in all, not a performance one is likely to forget any time soon.
I guess I should start with a short introduction: Laibach is art collective rather than just a rock band. Their music, interviews, performances, and record artwork, form an aesthetic that both simulates and satirizes the art favored by totalitarian regimes, drawing comparisons between pop culture and fascism without ever being explicit about it - indeed they embrace that esthetic with a straight face, leaving the listener to decide whether they're seriously influenced by fascism or mocking it; "We are fascists as much as Hitler was a painter" they've declared. The band was formed in Slovenia, then part of communist Yugoslavia, around 1980 - Laibach is the name Germans used for Slovenian capital Ljubljana during its occupation by the Nazis. The use of the German language and Nazi-style artwork must have been a red flag (pun unintended) to the commissars, but somehow they managed to overcome censorship. In the beginning their music was more experimental, but by the release of Opus Dei in 1987 they had hit the right balance, as evidenced by the two covers opening this CD: "Leben Heißt Leben" is a German language cover of pop hit "Live is Life" by Austrian band Opus. It features martial drumming and trumpets, operatic vocals, and heavy metal guitar soloing. The same elements, including the use of German, are employed for "Geburt Einer Nation", their infectious cover of Queen's "One Vision". Those two represent the most commercial/entertaining side of Laibach, but the rest of the album is also quite accessible: the industrial metal "Leben - Tod" reveals Laibach as the prototype for future successes by Rammstein, while "F.I.A.T." is more cinematic/orchestral. This is followed by "Opus Dei", which is basically the second cover of Opus' "Live Is Life". This one is sung in English; compared to the German version this is more epic, less dark and oppressive. "Trans-National" is more experimental and atonal, focusing on drums and electronics. "The Great Seal" is an orchestral piece evoking the more heroic moments of Hollywood soundtracks, culminating in a recitation of Churchill's famous "We shall fight them on the beaches" speech. The CD version of the album adds 4, then still unreleased, tracks written for the stage: Krst pod Triglavom: Baptism was a play about the defeat of pagan Slovenian Slavs in the hands of Christian Germans, and their subsequent forced mass Christianization. These tunes are much more experimental, featuring martial drumming, orchestral parts, and excessive use of samples. I'm not one to complain for free extras, but I have the feeling that these bonus tracks deduct rather than add to one's listening pleasure; they may be interesting, but way too different and less accessible than the vinyl version of Opus Dei. Only the last track ("Krst [Baptism]"), which basically mostly consists of slow and super loud drumming, blends well with the rest of the album. Interestingly, the band has just released a re-recorded version, featuring the current touring band with the dual vocal talents of Milan Fras and Marina Mårtensson. It was on sale during the concert, but I decided against buying it. Much as I liked the new singer, I can't imagine them improving on this. Opus Dei is a classic, hugely influential, album in the intersection of Goth, Industrial, Classical, and Metal genres, as well as a perfectly accessible introduction to a highly original, albeit "difficult" group. 5* for the LP version, 4* for the CD. 

***** for Leben Heißt Leben, Geburt Einer Nation, Opus Dei
**** for Leben - Tod, F.I.A.T., The Great Seal
*** for Trans-National, How The West Was Won, Herz-Felde, Koža (Skin), Krst (Baptism)
** for Jägerspiel
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Wednesday, 5 March 2025

UNCUT: The 500 Greatest Albums of The 2010's - Now...ranked!

This (almost) completes the Uncut Greatest Albums series: I got the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00's, and now 10's and beyond. There's also a "500 all-time greatest" volume which I'm not going to buy, seeing as everything is presumably includes in the individual by-decade volumes. These lists are always subjective, of course, but this specific one is particularly arbitrary. Not to mention that it includes a bunch of archive recordings of 60s -70s outtakes by Bob Dylan - have the last 15 years really been so musically poor that this list represents the best? To be honest, I haven't listened to most of these albums; I only own about 10% of this list, compared to 30% - 58% of the other decades' lists. You want to see how arbitrary this list is? Let's take the same magazine's Best Of list for a random year, say 2018. Number 1 (Low Double Negative) ends up on no.3 here; the top position among 2018 albums, so here we have an accord. Number 2 (Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Hope Downs) falls down to 109 (or the 10th among albums from 2018). Other Top 10 albums of the 2018 list (Spiritualized, Gruff Rhys, Christine and the Queens) disappear completely from the "500 Greatest" of the decade. You might of course say it's a matter of hindsight, but to me it seems like someone compiled a random list out of the top of their heads. They include late career albums by artists that peaked decades ago like Dylan, Bowie and Leonard Cohen (I'd also put Nick Cave in that category, even though he's not that old) but very few future classics; maybe we'll still be listening to Arctic Monkeys or Lana Del Ray after 20 or 30 years, but most of the rest seem like filler; like they had 100 true classics and then randomly chose 400 albums out of the few thousand that got 4-star reviews and added them to the list. Check for yourself:

1. David Bowie – Blackstar - 2016
2. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly – 2015
4. Low – Double Negative – 2018
5. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool – 2016
6. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker – 2016
7. My Bloody Valentine – m b v – 2013
8. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away – 2013
9. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen – 2019
10. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream – 2017
11. Taylor Swift – 1989/ 1989 (Taylor’s Version) – 2014/ 2023
12. Tame Impala – Currents – 2015
13. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell – 2019
15. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising – 2019
16. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver – 2011
18. Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel – 2019
19. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell – 2015
20. Arctic Monkeys – AM – 2013
22. D’Angelo – Black Messiah – 2014
23. Beyoncé – Lemonade – 2016
24. Low – C’mon – 2011
25. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange – 2012
26. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit – 2015
27. Boards of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest – 2013
28. Beak - > > > - 2018
29. The National – Trouble Will Find Me – 2013
30. Robyn – Body Talk – 2010
31. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – 2010
32. Solange – A Seat at the Table – 2016
33. Ty Segall – Freedom’s Goblin – 2018
34. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories – 2013
35. Peter Perrett – How the West was Won – 2017
36. Slowdive – Slowdive – 2017
37. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake – 2011
38. Bob Dylan – Tempest – 2012
39. Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter – 2016
40. Destroyer – Kaputt – 2011
41. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo – 2011
42. Brian Eno – The Ship – 2016
43. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains – 2019
44. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour – 2018
45. Oh Sees – Floating Coffin – 2013
46. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas – 2012
47. Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965-1966 – 2015
48. Bon Iver – 22, A Million – 2016
49. Metronomy – The English Riviera – 2011
50. Lorde – Melodrama – 2017
51. Jessica Pratt – On Your Own Love Again – 2015
52. Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps – 2017
53. Grimes – Art Angels – 2015
54. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues – 2011
55. Bill Callahan – Apocalypse – 2011
56. Richard Dawson – Peasant – 2017
57. Keren Ann – 101 – 2011
58. Caven of Anti-Matter – Hormone Lemonade – 2018
59. The Breeders – All Nerve – 2018
60. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear – 2015
62. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City – 2013
63. Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds in Country Music – 2014
64. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening – 2010
65. Taylor Swift – Folklore – 2020
66. Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate – 2016
67. Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol 14: More Blood, More Tracks – 2018
68. Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color – 2015
69. Janelle Monae – The Archandroid – 2010
70. Scott Walker – Bish Bosch – 2012
71. Connan Mockasin – Forever Dolphin Love – 2011
72. The National – High Violet – 2010
73. Cate Le Bon – Mug Museum – 2013
74. Melody’s Echo Chamber – Bon Voyage – 2018
75. Gwenno – Le Kov – 2018
76. Wilco – The Whole Love – 2011
77. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher – 2020
78. Bill Fay – Life Is People – 2012
79. Jason Isbell – Southeastern – 2013
80. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs – 2010
81. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride – 2019
82. The National – Sleep Well Beast – 2017
83. Jake Xerxes Fussell – Out of Sight – 2019
84. Gwenno – Y Dydd Olaf – 2014
85. Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo – 2011
86. Arctic Monkeys – The Car – 2022
87. Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino – 2018
88. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars – 2019
89. Melody’s Echo Chamber – Melody’s Echo Chamber – 2012
90. Aphex Twin – Syro – 2014
91. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and The Harvest – 2011
92. Yo La Tengo – There’s a Riot Going On – 2018
93. Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia – 2020
94. Underworld – Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future – 2016
95. Wilco – Ode to Joy – 2019
96. Drive-By Truckers – American Band – 2016
97. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – And Now For the Whatchamacallit – 2019
98. The Specials – Encore – 2019
99. Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar – 2018
100. The Weather Station – Ignorance – 2021
101. The Raconteurs – Help Us Stranger – 2019
102. Ride – Weather Diaries – 2017
103. Kamasi Washington – The Epic – 2015
104. The Fall – Your Future Our Clutter – 2010
105. Fleet Foxes – Crack Up – 2017
106. The Magnetic Fields – 50 Song Memoir – 2017
107. The Durutti Column – A Paean to Wilson – 2010
108. Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You – 2022
109. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Hope Downs – 2018
110. Lump – Lump – 2018
111. Pete and the Pirates – One Thousand Pictures – 2011
112. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial – 2016
113. Kate Bush – 50 Words for Snow – 2011
114. Sharon Van Etten – Are We There – 2014
115. Our Broken Garden – Golden Sea – 2010
116. Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here – 2010
117. Allison Russell – Outside Child – 2021
118. Self Esteem – Prioritise Pleasure – 2021
119. The Pastels – Slow Summits – 2013
120. John Murry – The Graceless Age – 2012
121. Cigarettes After Sex – Cigarettes After Sex – 2017
122. The Black Keys – El Camino – 2011
123. Sleaford Mods – UK Grim – 2022
124. Joan Shelley – Like the River Loves the Sea – 2019
125. Family of the Year – Loma Vista – 2012
126. New Order – Music Complete – 2015
127. Angel Olsen – My Woman – 2016
128. Sophie – Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides – 2018
129. Ariel Pink – Pom Pom – 2014
130. The Beach Boys – The Smile Sessions – 2011
131. Michael Chapman – True North – 2019
132. Black Country New Road – Ants From Up There – 2022
133. Okkervil River – Away – 2016
134. Haim – Days Are Gone – 2013
135. Bon Iver – I, I – 2019
137. Wild Beasts – Smother – 2011
138. Beyoncé – 4 – 2011
139. John Murry – A Short History of Decay – 2017
140. Bicep – Bicep – 2017
141. Killing Joke – MMXII – 2012
142. Beck – Morning Phase – 2014
143. Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool – 2015
144. Sacred Paws – Run Around the Sun – 2019
145. Kali Malone – The Sacrificial Code – 2019
146. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan – 2012
147. Drake – Take Care – 2011
148. Drive-By Truckers – The Unravelling – 2020
149. Solange – When I Get Home – 2019
150. The Pierces – You & I – 2011
151. Stornoway – Beachcomber’s Windowsill – 2010
152. Beyoncé – Beyoncé – 2012
153. Lightships – Electric Cables – 2012
154. Scissor Sisters – Night Work – 2010
155. Dexys – One Day I’m Going to Soar – 2012
156. Beyoncé – Renaissance – 2022
157. Jerry Joseph – The Beautiful Madness – 2020
158. Big Thief – Two Hands – 2019
159. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Who Killed Sgt Pepper? – 2010
160. Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place – You’re Doomed, Be Nice – 2016
161. Chuck Prophet – Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins – 2017
162. Aldous Harding – Designer – 2019
163. Starcrawler – Devour You – 2019
164. Ashley Monroe – Like a Rose – 2013
165. Daniel Blumberg – Minus – 2018
166. Public Access TV – Never Enough – 2016
167. Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time – 2013
168. Snow Palms – Origin & Echo – 2017
169. Goldfrapp – Tales of Us – 2013
170. Arooj Aftab – Vulture Prince – 2021
171. Thee Oh Sees – A Weird Exits – 2016
172. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory – 2012
173. Pixies – Beneath the Eyrie – 2019
174. Ryley Walker – Course In Fable – 2021
175. Steve Gunn – Other You – 2021
176. Nils Frahm – Spaces – 2013
177. Tweedy – Sukierae – 2014
178. Tom Waits – Bad As Me – 2011
179. MGMT – Congratulations – 2010
180. Neil Young – Le Noise – 2010
181. Nisennenmondai – Live at Clouds Hill – 2015
182. Natalie Bergman – Mercy – 2021
183. Lily Allen – No Shame – 2018
184. Ambrose Akinmusire – On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment – 2020
185. The Killers – Pressure Machine – 2021
186. Dumb – Seeing Green – 2018
187. Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete – 2014
188. La Roux – Trouble In Paradise – 2014
189. Tina Dico – Whispers – 2014
190. Richard Dawson – 2020 – 2019
191. Tribes – Baby – 2011
192. Frank Ocean – Blonde – 2016
193. Bill Callahan – Dream River – 2013
194. The Lost Brothers – Halfway Towards a Healing – 2018
195. Tegan and Sara – Heartthrob – 2013
197. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Polygondwanaland – 2017
198. Hiss Golden Messenger – Poor Moon – 2012
200. King – We Are King – 2016
201. Haim – Women in Music Pt. III – 2020
202. North Mississippi Allstars – World Boogie is Coming – 2013
203. Sons of Kemet – Your Queen is a Reptile – 2018
204. Chris Forsyth – All Time Present – 2019
205. Neil Young/ Crazy Horse – Americana – 2012
206. Lianne La Havas – Blood – 2015
207. Alvvays – Blue Rev – 2022
208. Randy Newman – Dark Matter – 2017
209. Azita – Disturbing the Air – 2011
210. Daniel Avery – Drone Logic – 2013
211. Dexys – Let the Record Show: Dexys do Irish and Country Soul – 2016
212. Wednesday – Rat Saw God – 2023
213. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972 – 2011
214. Jim O’Rourke – Simple Songs – 2015
215. William D Drake – The Rising of the Lights – 2011
216. The Black Keys – Turn Blue – 2014
217. Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend – 2021
218. Gary Daly – Gone From Here – 2019
219. Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy – 2010
220. Mark Peters – Innerland – 2017
221. Tim Bernardes – Mil Coisas Invisiveis – 2022
222. Simon Felice – Simon Felice – 2011
223. Randy Newman – The Randy Newman Songbook Vol 2 – 2011
224. David Bowie – The Next Day – 2013
225. John Prine – The Tree of Forgiveness – 2018
226. Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence – 2014
227. Various Artists – Wandelweiser Und So Weiter – 2012
228. Bitchin Bajas – Bajas Fresh – 2017
229. Patti Smith – Banga – 2012
230. Lonelady – Hinterland – 2015
231. Crayola Lectern – The Fall & Rise Of… - 2013
232. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines? – 2011
233. Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – 2019
234. Young Fathers – White Men Are Black Men, Too – 2015
235. A Winged Victory For The Sullen – A Winged Victory For The Sullen – 2011
236. Agnes Obel – Aventime – 2013
237. Anaïs Mitchell – Hadestown – 2010
238. Suuns – Images Du Futur – 2013
239. Skepta – Konnichiwa – 2016
240. Rihanna – Loud – 2010
241. The Shins – Port of Morrow – 2012
242. Ryley Walker – Primrose Green – 2015
243. Paul Simon – Seven Psalms – 2023
244. The Knife – Shaking the Habitual – 2013
245. Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive – 2024
246. Hinds – The Prettiest Curse – 2020
247. Odetta Hartman – 222 – 2015
248. Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd – 2023
249. The Walkmen – Heaven – 2012
250. Modern Nature – How to Live – 2019
251. Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny Haha – 2021
252. Drake – If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late – 2015
253. Maribou State – Kingdoms in Colour – 2018
254. Tame Impala – Lonerism – 2012
255. Alastair Galbraith – Mass – 2010
256. John Cale – Mercy – 2023
257. Kim Gordon – No Home Record – 2019
258. Alison Moyet – Other – 2017
259. Kurt Vile – Wakin on a Pretty Daze – 2013
260. Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) – 2013
261. Pye Corner Audio – Sleep Games – 2012
262. Cass McCombs – Big Wheel and Others – 2013
264. Idles – Brutalism – 2017
265. Takashi Masubuchi – Disappearing Foliage – 2018
266. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two – 2011
267. Jamie xx – In Colour – 2015
268. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin – 2023
269. East River Pipe – We Live in Rented Rooms – 2011
270. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Wig Out at Jagbags – 2014
271. ARP – Zebra – 2018
272. Sleaford Mods – Divide and Exit – 2014
273. Pye Corner Audio – Stasis – 2016
274. Beach House – Bloom – 2012
275. Sleaford Mods – English Tapas – 2017
276. Manic Street Preachers – Futurology – 2014
277. Julia Holter – Loud City Song – 2013
278. John Cale – M:Fans – 2016
279. Destroyer – Poison Season – 2015
280. Lorde – Pure Heroine – 2013
281. SG Goodman – Teeth Marks – 2022
282. The Rural Alberta Advantage – The Rise and Fall – 2023
283. Tyler, the Creator – Flower Boy – 2017
284. Hiss Golden Messenger – Haw – 2013
285. London Grammar – If You Wait – 2013
286. Rina Sawayama – Sawayama – 2020
287. Chris Price – Stop Talking – 2017
288. Noname – Telefone – 2016
289. Rich Ruth – Water Still Flows – 2024
290. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service - 2016
291. Sweet Baboo – Wild Imagination – 2017
292. The 1075 – A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships – 2018
293. Gruff Rhys – American Interior – 2014
294. Sarah Davichi – August Harp – 2014
295. Woods – Bend Beyond – 2012
296. Matthew Dear – Black City – 2010
297. Eat Static – Dead Planet – 2015
298. Joanna Newsom – Divers – 2015
299. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest – 2010
300. Snow Palms – Intervals – 2012
301. Hontatedori – Konata Kanata – 2018
302. Big Thief – Masterpiece – 2016
303. Frank Turner – No Man’s Land – 2019
304. Jessica Pratt – Quiet Signs – 2019
305. Brockhampton – Saturation II – 2017
306. Dumb – Club Nites – 2019
307. Taylor Swift – Evermore – 2020
308. Marconi Union – Ghost Stations – 2016
309. Peter Perrett – Humanworld – 2019
310. Boz Scaggs – Memphis – 2013
311. Disclosure – Settle – 2013
312. Rebecca Gates & the Consortium – The Float – 2012
313. Beirut – The Rip Tide – 2011
314. James – All the Colours Of You – 2021
315. Arborist – Home Burial – 2016
316. Band of Horses – Infinite Arms – 2010
317. Metronomy – Love Letters – 2014
318. Low – Ones and Sixes – 2015
319. Sean O’Hagan – Radum Calls, Radum Calls – 2019
320. Lindstrom – Smalhans – 2012
321. Snapped Ankles – Stunning Luxury – 2019
322. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – 2013
323. Graham Coxon – A + E – 2012
324. Carla Morrison – Amor Supremo – 2015
325. Horse Lords – As It Happened: Horse Lords Live – 2024
326. Stornoway – Bonxie – 2015
327. James Tenney – Changes: 64 Studies for 6 Harps – 2019
328. Lambchop – Flotus – 2016
329. Olivia Rodrigo – Guts – 2023
330. The Bathers – Sirenesque – 2023
331. Badbadnotgood and Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul – 2015
332. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball – 2012
333. King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath The Moon – 2013
334. John Grant – Art of the Lie – 2024
335. SZA – CTRL – 2017
336. These New Puritans – Hidden – 2010
337. Songhoy Blues – Music in Exile – 2015
338. Lonelady – Nerve Up – 2010
339. Robyn Hitchcock – Robyn Hitchcock – 2017
340. Kevin Morby – Singing Saw – 2016
341. Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What – 2011
342. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – The French Press – 2017
343. Richmond Fontaine – The High Country – 2011
344. Cashier No 9 – To the Death of Fun – 2011
345. Jeff Tweedy – Together at Last – 2017
346. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention – 2022
347. Charli XCX – Brat – 2024
348. Japandroids – Celebration Rock – 2012
349. Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters – 2020
350. Mark Stoermer – Filthy Apes and Lions – 2017
351. Loney Dear – Hall Music – 2011
352. Saint Etienne – Home Counties – 2017
353. Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B – 2022
354. Lindstrøm – It’s Alright Between Us As It Is – 2017
355. Snail Mail – Lush – 2018
356. Cate Le Bon – Reward – 2019
357. Alexander Tucker – Third Mouth – 2012
358. The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding – 2017
359. Nagisa Ni Te – A Long Swim – 2014
360. Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over the Country Club – 2021
361. Stornoway – Dig the Mountain! – 2023
362. Shellac – Dude Incredible – 2014
363. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me – 2010
364. Fuzz – II – 2015
365. Connan Mockasin – Jassbusters – 2018
366. Paul Buchanan – Mid Air – 2012
367. Los Campesinos! – No Blues – 2013
368. Agnes Obel – Philharmonics – 2010
369. Echo Ladies – Pink Noise – 2018
370. Manic Street Preachers – Postcards From a Young Man – 2010
371. Ty Segall – Ty Segall – 2017
372. Bill Fay – Who is the Sender? – 2015
373. Merchandise – After the End – 2014
374. Lucinda Williams – Blessed – 2011
375. Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters – 2021
376. Wooden Wand – Farmer’s Corner – 2014
377. Junip – Fields – 2010
378. Susanne Sundfor – Music for People in Trouble – 2017
379. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – 2015
380. Slowcoaches – Nothing Gives – 2016
381. Dennis Johnson – November – 2013
383. Paramore – After Laughter – 2017
384. Sexual Objects – Cucumber – 2010
385. Autechre – Elseq 1-5 –C2016
386. Stephen Malkmus – Groove Denied – 2019
387. Aquaserge – laisse ça être – 2017
388. Robert Plant – Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar – 2014
389. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach – 2010
390. Lindstrøm & Christabelle – Real Life is No Cool – 2010
391. Belbury Poly – The Belbury Tales – 2012
392. Boygenius – The Record – 2023
393. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood – 2024
395. Olafur Arnalds - …And They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness – 2010
396. Beak> - >> - 2012
397. Beak> - >>>> - 2024
398. Alvvays – Alvvays – 2014
399. Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman – 2020
400. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die – 2012
401. White Denim – D – 2011
402. Sleaford Mods – Retweeted – 2014
403. Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles – 2019
404. Charles Lloyd & The Marvels – I Long to See You – 2016
405. Vic Goddard and the Subway Sect – Moments Like These – 2021
406. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression – 2016
407. Blur – The Magic Whip – 2015
408. Chappel Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – 2023
409. Ezra Furman – All of Us Flames – 2022
410. Moses Sumney – Aromanticism – 2017
411. Broadcast – Berberian Sound Studio – 2013
412. Anderson .Paak – Malibu – 2016
413. The Dead C – Rare Ravers – 2019
414. Black Midi – Schlagenheim – 2019
415. Roddy Frame – Seven Dials – 2014
416. Max Richter – Sleep – 2015
417. The Murder Capital – When I Have Fears – 2019
418. Cass McCombs – Wit’s End – 2011
419. Atoms For Peace – Amok – 2013
420. Silk Sonic – An Evening with Silk Sonic – 2021
421. Mhysa – Fantasii – 2017
422. Ellen Arkbro – For Organ and Brass – 2017
423. Benjamin Gibbard – Former Lives – 2012
424. Ben Watt – Hendra – 2014
425. Sunn O))) – Life Metal – 2019
426. Eiko Ishibashi – The Dreams My Bones Dream – 2018
427. My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall – 2015
428. Frazey Road – U Kin B The Sun – 2020
429. Paul Weller – Wake Up The Nation – 2010
430. Tierra Whack – Whack World – 2018
431. Rihanna – Anti – 2016
432. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book – 2016
433. Julia Holter – Ekstasis – 2012
434. Metronomy – Metronomy Forever – 2019
435. The Early Years – II – 2016
436. Sexual Objects – Marshmallow – 2017
437. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi-Love – 2015
438. Darkstar – News From Nowhere – 2013
439. Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle – 2013
440. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us – 2024
441. Organum – Raven – 2018
442. Patrick Watson – Adventures in Your Own Backyard – 2012
443. Damon Albarn – Everyday Robots – 2014
444. Skinny Lister – Forge and Flagon – 2012
445. The Hotelier – Home, Like Noplace Is There – 2014
446. St Vincent – Masseducation – 2018
447. Tenniscoats – Papa’s Ear – 2012
448. Beth Orton – Weather Alive – 2022
449. Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear – 2014
450. Tirzah – Devotion – 2018
451. Corrupted – Garten Der Unbewusstheit – 2011
452. Flying Saucer Attack – Instrumentals 2015 – 2015
453. Josh T Pearson – Last of the Country Gentlemen – 2011
454. Disappears – Pre Language – 2012
455. Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart – 2013
456. Joan As Policewoman – The Classic – 2014
457. Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place – 2011
458. Richard Dawson – The Ruby Cord – 2022
459. Alexandria – Cut of Cloth – 2017
460. Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans – 2014
461. Mirroring – Foreign Body – 2012
462. Steven Wilson – Hand, Cannot, Erase – 2015
463. Honeyblood – Honeyblood – 2014
464. Julie Byrne – Not Even Happiness – 2017
465. Jenny Lewis – On the Line – 2019
466. Devo – Something for Everybody – 2010
467. Anna Van Hausswolff – The Miraculous – 2015
468. Valerie June – The Order of Time – 2017
469. Kutiman – 6AM – 2016
470. Paul McCartney – Egypt Station – 2018
471. Iggy Pop – Free – 2019
472. Julianna Barwick – Healing is a Miracle – 2020
473. Eddie Marcon – Kura-Kura Kurage – 2018
474. Phosphorescent – Muchacho – 2013
475. Four Tet – New Energy – 2017
476. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity – 2016
477. Oh Wonder – Oh Wonder – 2015
478. Primitive Parts – Primitive Parts – 2015
479. The Wedding Present – Valentina – 2012
480. Phosphorescent – C’est La Vie – 2018
481. Horse Lords – Comradely Objects – 2022
482. Bright Eyes – Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was – 2020
483. Cornershop – England is a Garden – 2020
484. Sarah Davachi – Gave In Rest – 2018
485. Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens – 2017
486. Brian Eno – Lux – 2012
487. Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg – 2021
488. Parekh & Singh – Ocean – 2016
489. Thee Oh Sees – Putrifiers II – 2012
490. The Coral – The Curse of Love – 2014
491. Floating Points – Crush – 2019
492. Arch Garrison – I Will Be a Pilgrim – 2014
493. The Magnetic Fields – Love at the Bottom of the Sea – 2012
494. William Tyler – Modern Country – 2016
495. Perfume Genius – No Shape – 2017
496. Taylor Swift – Red – 2012
497. Jan St Werner – Spectric Acid – 2017
498. The Declines – The Imperial – 2019
499. Joan Shelley – The Spur – 2022
500. Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy - 2011
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Tuesday, 25 February 2025

The Blue Diamonds "Ramona" 1959-1971(rec) 1998(comp)***

I found this CD at the bargains section of my local record store, and bought it along with a few others virtually given away for the price of €1. Obviously these wasn't stuff I actively wanted, but I bought them to close some gaps in my collection. This CD in particular, is my first indo-rock album. I did already have other albums by Dutch-Indonesian bands, such as Massada and The Bintangs, but "indo-rock" is not just about the ethnicity of the bands but about a local music genre that functioned as a predecessor to Dutch rock, more or less as skiffle did in UK. It always amazed me, why rock'n'roll should be imported to The Netherlands via its Asian minority, when the Dutch people were culturally, ethnically, and geographically much closer to America. There are explanations, which I'll get to later. Anyway, I got to thinking of how these Indonesians got here at the first place, and how and why a small nation like the Dutch became masters of an empire including Indonesia. Pretty soon I fell into a rabbit hole, navigating from one online encyclopedia to the next. The story is very very dimly related to the record at hand, so feel free to skip the red letters if you just want to know more about The Blue Diamonds. So, the formation of the Dutch East Indies colony has its roots in the late 16th century and the fight between the Dutch and Portuguese over control of the spice trade. In Greek we have a saying about that, it goes "two donkeys fought over someone else's barn". Anyway, an Amsterdam-based capitalist venture called the East India Company (VOC) acquired by the Dutch state the spice monopoly for the region, as well as the right to wage war, dispense justice, found colonies, and annex foreign territories - by the sole virtue of being white and better armed. They started, of course, with the so-called Spice Islands (aka Moluccas). Back then, Europeans named places after the products they could snatch from them; for example in Africa there was a Gold Coast (now Ghana), an Ivory Coast (still called by that name), and a Slave Coast (comprised by parts of modern-day Benin, Nigeria, and Togo). The Dutch had, of course, their own Gold Coast colony in Ghana, and their Slave Coast colony in Benin - both initially run by the Dutch West India Company (GWC) formed shortly after the VOC and operating in a similar manner. Back to the spice islands, it turned out that the locals didn't have much interest in the heavy Dutch garments and other goods the Dutch had to trade, and much preferred to deal with the English and Portuguese. Solution: massacre them all and occupy their lands. As much as 95% of the inhabitants of nutmeg-producing Banda Islands were killed by the soldiers of governor-general Jan Pieterszoon Coen, while the rest of them were enslaved. The population of the islands was then replenished with slaves from Java and other places with VOC presence. VOC rule was supplanted in 1800 by the Batavian Republic, and later its successor the Kingdom of The Netherlands, which kept adding to their overseas territories using much the same methods that the VOC did, until it encompassed all of what is today known as Indonesia. This was lost to the Japanese during World War II, after which the Dutch returned only to face an insurrection by the local populace. There was fierce fighting - in my city there is a modest monument commemorating the locals who died for "freedom" in the war of 1945-1949 meaning of course not the freedom fighters but the occupation troops; how ironic is that? In the end the Dutch withdrew and the country gained its independence in 1949. At which time, almost all the Dutch left the country along with most of the Indos, a.k.a. people of mixed ethnicity or Indonesians who may have held positions in the colonial army or administration, and possessed the Dutch citizenship. The brothers Ruud and Riem de Wolff were among them. Like many Indonesians, they had a rich and varied musical education, which included influences from other Pacific islands such as Hawaii, music from American army stations radio (short wave stations from Australia and the Philippines), as well as the local Kroncong music, a distant descendant of the proto-fados which were brought there by Portuguese sailors centuries ago. Nowadays, despite racial differences, Indo people are the most assimilated minority in The Netherlands. But in those early years, they tended to form their own communities. At the time, Dutch radio was dominated by local folk and pop styles as well as German and French music. Some youths discovered American music (probably brought by American GIs stationed in nearby Germany?) but they were listeners rather than players. Being far more cosmopolitan and musically inclined than the locals, it was up to Indo rockers like the Tielman Brothers from Breda and the Wolff brothers from Driebergen to form the first "rock" bands - I'm using quotation marks, as "indo rock" wasn't rock per se. It was far more influenced by American 50's pop and country; in the case of the Wolff brothers duo (under the moniker of The Blue Diamonds) that meant specifically The Everly Brothers. Their debut 7' (Decca Records, 1959) was a cover of The Everly's "('Til) I Kissed You". It's included here along with other Everly tunes like "Let It Be Me" and "Cathy's Clown". Their second single was a cover of Neil Sedaka's "Oh Carol", while the closest this CD comes to rock'n'roll is Buddy Holly cover "That'll Be The Day". Their most famous song was "Ramona" originally written for a film with Dolores del Río, and a big hit for "singing cowboy" Gene Autry in 1928. The Blue Diamonds' version is sped up, with nice harmonies. It became the first record to sell 250.000 copies in The Netherlands, not to mention a million in Germany, as well as the first Dutch single to enter the Top 100 in the USA. This is followed by a couple of songs made famous by Bing Crosby ("Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" and the cha cha-style "In a Little Spanish Town", another tune from the 20's ("Rio Nights"), and a bouncy swing number ("Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop"). Next to that, they cover contemporary hits from around the globe ("Lady Sunshine Und Mister Moon" Germany, "Sukiyaki" Japan, Roy Orbison's "Dream Baby"). "Little Ship" is a little-known song written by the songwriting team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, known primarily for the hits they wrote for Elvis. Basically the brothers were very versatile with the material they chose, investing every song with their trademark harmonies. Their regular live group didn't usually record with them - at the insistence of record companies, all instruments were handled by "professional" musicians who played in various orchestras of the time. This may account for the rich sound and production values of the singles, but also for a marked lack of excitement compared to real rock-'n'-roll groups. The above mentioned songs were all released between 1959 and 1963. In 1964, The Beatles and Rolling Stones arrived to Holland ushering the Nederbeat era, spearheaded by a bunch of bands from The Hague (The Motions, Golden Earrings, Q65 etc) playing in a much harder style than The Blue Diamonds. Yet these persevered: two songs here denote 1971 as their release year, although the sound doesn't show any progression compared to the earlier tracks. These are slightly sped-up versions of Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa" and the old spiritual "Down By The Riverside" albeit with completely different lyrics. Purely on musical terms, there's not much to recommend here: it's pleasant-sounding (if you like oldies) and fairly well-played, but it consists of covers, mostly similar of inferior to the original versions. There is, nevertheless, a historical and sentimental value to these recordings; especially for millions of Dutch who lived through this period.

*** for ('Til) I Kissed You, Cathy's Clown, Ramona, In A Little Spanish Town, Rio Nights, Dream Baby, Lady Sunshine Und Mister Moon, Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop, That'll Be The Day, Mona Lisa, Down By The Riverside

** for Oh Carol, Let It Be Me, Have I Told You Lately That I Love You, Little Ship, Sukiyaki

 

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Tuesday, 18 February 2025

The Brian Jonestown Massacre "The Future Is Your Past" 2023****

I recently saw The Brian Jonestown massacre at 013 Pop podium, in Tilburg. Coincidentally, this was only three months after seeing their old frenemies (as presented in the famous Dig! documentary), Dandy Warhols. Since the two concerts weren't so far apart, the similarities and differences between  the two bands became more pronounced: musically, both bands seem to derive inspiration from the psychedelic 60s. The DW include more funk and electronic elements while The BJM have a more classicist approach. Both bands veer into experimental psychedelia, but not too far. Both have catchy songs, but only one found success, and the reason is probably their stage presence: The DW have a very energetic live act, while BJM singer/bandleader Anton Newcomb just stood on the side of the stage, facing the band rather than the audience, barely bothering to interact with anyone. Who was front and center, at the position of the frontman? the maracas player - no kidding, the band has a full-time maracas player! (OK, he occasionally also plays the tambourine). Not to mention 3 guitarists, including Anton himself. At some point, the keyboard player also took up a guitar, which brought us to a total of 46 strings: three 12-string guitars, a 6-string, and a bass playing onstage. A new record among concerts I have witnessed; the previous one belonged to Joanna Newsom and her band: Joanna Newsom plays the harp, which is a 34-string instrument, yet she comes second in this weird contest. In the end, Anton had a few angry words with his guitarist, and left without playing an encore. "Classic Anton" was the remark of the girl standing next to me. Now I know why he he needs so many guitarists in the touring band - they must quit on him all the time! 
Anyway, from the abundance of goodies at the merchandise stand (everything except vinyl, which they had run out of) I chose two CDs at random: this (because it was their latest) and an older one, because it contained the biggest amount of songs. It sounds about how I expected it to: as always, quality songwriting with nods to 60's garage and psychedelia, especially The Velvet Underground but also The Yardbirds, Stones, Doors, and early Pink Floyd. Also many similarities to the indie/shoegaze scene, but probably weren't influenced by them as they are contemporaries - The BJM have been around for 35 years now! The Future Is Your Past is their 20th LP; it was written along with its predecessor during the COVID-19 lockdown. Supposedly this ended a period of writers' block for him. Writers' block? the guy had released one album per year in the six years that preceded the pandemic! Anyway, during the pandemic Newcomb locked himself in the studio and came out with two virtually finished albums. Fire Doesn’t Grow on Trees was released first, and got slightly superior reviews, but the songs on The Future Is Your Past are no leftovers. Indeed it is a consistently good and varied collection, which makes me think that there's probably much more where it came from, left behind on the cutting room floor. Opener "Do Rainbows Have Ends" is a catchy melodic song with jangly guitars sporting a somewhat drawling vocal. This is followed by "Nothing Can Stop the Sound" another mid-tempo song with swirling Doors-y organ. I love the consistent and emphatic repetition of the title, which also makes for a great slogan. My girlfriend said it reminded her of Joy Division, which I wouldn't have thought of myself, but yes; the keyboards and vocal are similar - of course Joy Division were also massively influenced by The Velvet Underground and The Doors. "The Light Is About to Change" is a boogie with a heavy groove, while "Fudge"s dreamy intro gives way to hazy shoegaze psychedelia. These are followed by a bunch of slower, more experimental, tunes: "Cross Eyed Gods" (atmospheric, almost gothic) and "As the Carousel Swings" (strongly reminiscent of VU, of the John Cale period). "The Mother of All Fuckers" is a bit more drony/noisy, while "All the Feels" sounds like a Syd Barrett tune. The album picks up speed with a short and fast garage rocker ("Your Mind Is My Cafe"), and closes with "Stuck to Yous", a plaintive ballad slowly gathering steam to bring the album to a turbulent finale. I haven't listened to BJM's full discography, but this may be one of their best, and certainly most accessible, albums. The band included two songs from it in their setlist in the Tilburg concert, so these are the ones I chose as sample videos for this post. Enjoy!
**** for Do Rainbows Have Ends, Nothing Can Stop the Sound, Fudge, As the Carousel Swings, Your Mind Is My Cafe, Stuck to Yous
*** for The Light Is About to Change, Cross Eyed Gods, The Mother of All Fuckers, All the Feels
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Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Fandango "Fandango-Joe Lynn Turner" 1978-1980 (rec) 1981(comp)***

I saw this LP at an Amsterdam record store a few weeks ago; I think it was the first time I came across an album by Fandango. I knew them by name as being Joe Lynn Turner's first band, before Rainbow, but was never curious enough to actively seek them out and listen to their music. Then I got this record in my hands, and knew I had to have it. Why? Maybe I have a strange sense of humor but I couldn't stop laughing when I realized that Fandango's guitarist (and co-writer of most of their songs) was... Rick Blakemore! Get it? Turner started his professional career next to Rick Blakemore and got famous singing for Ritchie Blackmore! What are the odds? Apparently Blakemore also convinced Lynn Turner to change his name - his real name was Joe Linquito. So if someone asks you who was Rainbow's Italian-American singer, don't immediately say Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald Padavona). There were two of them! Sandwiched between the two Italians, Englishman Graham Bonnet didn't last long; supposedly his voice was not a good fit for a hard rock band, but I think the main reason was that his hair was too short (more about hair later). Serendipitously, Blackmore went looking for a new singer just when Fandango called it quits; not only they had had four albums without a hit, they were also in desperate financial state when their tour van, along with all their equipment, was stolen from them. This specific compilation was released in 1981, alongside the first Rainbow LP with Turner, Difficult To Cure. It shamelessly capitalizes on the Rainbow connection, featuring the singer (in three poses!) on the front cover, and giving him equal billing with the band as "Fandango-Joe Lynn Turner lead singer Rainbow". The compilers start with 3 songs from the band's fourth and last LP, Cadillac (1980). Not surprising, as these are most similar to the commercial pop-metal hybrid of late-era Rainbow. "Blame It On The Night" is a radio friendly opener with some disco touches production-wise. "Rock 'N Roll You" and "Hypnotized" feature nice guitar riffs and prominent keyboards reminiscent of... well, Rainbow, while "Stranger" is a more laid back piece, again with some disco elements. 1979's One Night Stand is even less hard rock and more Foreigner-style AOR. The guitar is still prominent but the emphasis is on the harmonies and synths; songs here include ballad "I Would Never Leave", synth-heavy rockers "Thief In The Night" and "Little Cherie", and the more Southern rock oriented "One Night Stand" - despite the fact that they originally came from New Jersey, Fandango are sometimes mentioned as a Southern rock band. I don't hear it a lot, but probably that was less because of the music, and more because they often played in support of Southern rockers like The Allman Brothers and Marshall Tucker Band. From 1978's Last Kiss we get the smooth eponymous track and "Feel The Pain" - the latter is almost spoiled by an extremely long synth intro but gradually morphs into a pleasant rocker a la Reo Speedwagon. For some reason, the compilation completely omits the band's 1977 eponymous debut. - according to allmusic.com, that one sounded as if it was inspired by Boston and The Eagles in equal measure. Oh, and the bit about the hair: I was amazed to learn that Joe Lynn Turner, one of the stars of the so-called "hair metal" scene of the 80's, had actually lost his hair from alopecia at the age of 3, and had been wearing wigs all his life - until he finally came clean in 2022. Can you imagine spending all your life trying to keep a secret like that, fearing it could ruin your career? Not that anyone would notice in 1980; look at the back cover, don't they all look like they're wearing wigs? Anyway, about Fandango: I find their sound quite pleasant to listen to; it's obviously geared towards commercial radio: slick harmonies, melodic keyboards and skillful guitar solos, all polished to perfection. It's a wonder that they didn't have a hit when their songs sound so similar to the chart toppers of the day. Maybe what stops me from giving them a 4th star is a sense that they'd been trying too hard for a hit, mimicking all the successful FM radio bands instead of developing a style of their own. If nevertheless you feel nostalgic for the AOR sounds of the mid-70s/early 80's, if you can't get enough of Boston, Toto, Starship, Foreigner etc., then Fandango will be right up your alley.

*** for Blame It On The Night, Rock 'N Roll You, Hypnotized, Thief In The Night, Feel The Pain, Last Kiss, One Night Stand

** for I Would Never Leave, Little Cherie, Stranger

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Thursday, 6 February 2025

Iggy Pop "Every Loser" 2023****

I wrote in a recent post about The Stones' latest LP that Andrew Watt seems to be the current go-to person for 80-year old rockers trying to regain their mojo. That was not exactly true: Iggy and Ozzy were "only" 75 when they teamed up with Watt. In any case, all these albums were very well received, so it seems like Watt is on his way to be the new Rick Rubin - remember when everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash to Metallica to Mick Jagger used to turn to Rubin in order to revive their career? Nevertheless, whoever the producer is, it all boils down to the songs. In the case of The Stones, I had the nagging sense that those lacked inspiration, that they could have been written in "Rolling Stones style" by an imitator. But if there's one person who is completely inimitable, that would be Iggy Pop. Who else could have started a record by singing "I’ve got a dick and two balls/that’s more than you all"? Maybe Turbonegro, but then they wouldn't be able to pull off the rest of Iggy's feats here. "Frenzy", the foul-mouthed opener of the album, is the first of a number of hard-rocking punk anthems here. Others include the Stooges pastiche "Modern Day Ripoff" and storming satirical "Neo-Punk" featuring Travis Barker of the quintessential neo-pop-punk band Blink182. Iggy's convincing return to the aggressive style of his youth despite his 75 years is impressive, and it's what most reviewers focused on. Not taking into account the Stooges reunions, it's been 20 years since he'd played so loudly, and those albums (Beat' Em Up and Skull Ring) aren't fondly remembered by anyone. What makes a difference here is that, instead of a second rate metal band, he's backed by an all star cast including Watt himself as well as members of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns 'N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Jane's Addiction, Foo Fighters etc. Thankfully though, it's not all pedal-to-the-floor metal; instead we get something in the style of every period of Iggy's career, including his collaborations with David Bowie and his 1990 return to form Brick By Brick, which many think -and I'm inclined to agree- is the album most resembling Every Loser. Hard rocker "All the Way Down" for example reminds me of "Home", especially in the chorus. A more 80's new wave vibe permeates tracks like "Comments" and "Strung Out Johnny" which are nevertheless better in every way than anything Iggy produced in the 80's  - with the obvious exception of "The Passenger". The latter is easily the highlight of the album, a vivid portrait of addiction sung in Iggy's classic baritone featuring melodic synth lines and an upbeat chorus. "Morning Show" is melancholic and poetic, reminiscent of "Livin' On The Edge Of Night" (again from Brick By Brick). "New Atlantis" is an atmospheric love song to his adopted home town of Miami, while there are also two jazzy spoken word interludes ("The News for Andy" and "My Animus"). Closer "The Regency" also starts off like an a moody ballad but quickly gathers steam turning into an angry new wave rocker reminiscent of his Bowie years. Lyrically, despite the occasional silliness and profanity, Every Loser is full of wit and astute observations informed by experience - the unique experience of being Iggy Pop: taking every drug known to man, ignoring propriety, always giving in to your primal urges instead of following conventions, and being rewarded for all of that with the admiration of your peers and a devoted fan base. "Every loser needs a bit of joy" he sings; he may not be a loser but he sure sounds like he's having a whole lot of joy rocking out, refusing to grow old, and just being true to himself. That's the secret of his success; unlike The Stones who delivered a meticulously crafted record that was years in the making, all Iggy needs is a sympathetic band and some nice production touches, and there he is, at 75, with one of the best albums of his career.

***** for Strung Out Johnny

**** for Frenzy, New Atlantis, Modern Day Ripoff, Morning Show, All the Way Down, Comments

*** for The News for Andy, Neo Punk, My Animus, The Regency

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Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Frijid Pink "Frijid Pink" 1970 (CD reissue 1991)****

Another surprise choice by random selection that forced me to re-appraise this band I hadn't initially given proper due. Even before buying this CD, I've had this 7' single which I bought Lord knows when or where but it must have been really cheap because I'm not really into buying singles. Anyway, that 7' had "House Of The Rising Sun" B/W a cover of Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel". I was drawn to the novelty of hearing these hard rock versions of overfamiliar oldies, and even though I later bought the CD reissue of Frijid Pink's debut I put it aside and played the single instead, since that already contained the two songs that stood out on first listen of the CD. That was a mistake, albeit a rather common one - Frijid Pink (according to a former band member, the name meant to convey "cold excellence") were condemned to one hit wonder status: their version of "House Of The Rising Sun" made the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic selling more than a million copies, but subsequent releases either just made the Top 100 or failed to chart at all. Certainly, their version of the song falls short of the classic one by The Animals; but not by that wide a margin. Singer Tom Beaudry gives a formidable performance, and Gary Ray Thompson's heavy guitar is dominant throughout, but to me the hero of this version is drummer Rick Stevers who drives the song as surely as Carmine Appice did with Vanilla Fudge covers of contemporary pop classics. The problem being with FP's most famous song sounding too similar to VF, a band renowned for covering other people's music, when in fact FP were much more original. Actually, the rest of the album consists of original compositions, while "House Of The Rising Sun" was an afterthought, recorded at the studio as a filler to bring the album duration up to the usual LP standards. The arrangement is too good to be an on-the-spot thing, so I guess it must have been part of their live repertoire; every band has these covers they play live but rarely include in their albums, but such was the quality of this specific accidental recording that it became the band's signature tune. But what of the rest of the album? Well, most of the songs are blues based: "I'm on My Way" is a rockabilly boogie, while "Drivin' Blues" sounds like a heavier John Mayall or maybe Savoy Brown, and "Boozin' Blues" is a slow blues number with great guitar and lots of piano, reminiscent of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. This blues influence had me convinced that FJ must have been British; when I looked up their bio for the purpose of this review I was really surprised to learn they actually came from Detroit, Michigan. But then, that also makes sense: Detroit at the time produced some really loud and heavy rock bands like MC5, Stooges, SRC, Amboy Dukes, Grand Funk etc. The more garagey tracks with loud drums and distorted fuzz guitar certainly belong to that family: "Crying Shame", "Tell Me Why" and "End of the Line". Somehow FP aren't committed to history as paragons of the Detroit sound like the aforementioned bands. They must have been quite popular at the time, though, as apparently visiting bands like Led Zeppelin actually used to open for FP when they played in Detroit. Opener "God Gave Me You" is a soulful quasi-ballad with a bit of a Southern rock feel, while, at 7,5 minutes, "I Want to Be Your Lover" is the longest track here, a heavy blues jam a la Free or indeed Led Zeppelin. The CD reissue adds two bonus tracks, previously released on 7' single only: "Heartbreak Hotel" is an exciting hard rock rendition of the old Elvis chestnut, and "Music for the People" a soulful Southern rock-style ballad with a gospel-like chorus. All in all, this would make for a fine addition to one's record collection - that is, if one's interested in that late 60's-early 70's heavy blues/prog sound; Frijid Pink is very good, but very much of its time all the same. The band went on to produce a few more albums which I now realize are quite respected in psychedelic/prog rock collectors' circles. So not a "one hit wonder" at all, as I thought they were. I'll investigate them further, and let you know of my findings...

***** for House of the Rising Sun
**** for I'm on My Way, Drivin' Blues, Tell Me Why, End of the Line, Boozin' Blues, Heartbreak Hotel, Music for the People
*** for God Gave Me You, Crying Shame, I Want to Be Your Lover
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Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Fontaines D.C. "Skinty Fia" 2022****

I recently saw Fontaines D.C. live for the first time at Amsterdam's AFAS stage - a sold-out two-day event, as befits one of the best new (or the most hyped, take your pick) bands of the last decade. Their dynamic performance lived up to my expectations, especially cocky kilt-wearing frontman Grian Chatten who was shouting the lyrics while jumping and prancing up and down the stage. Not a great communicator; he hardly spoke a few words to the audience, but he did try to get them to shout "Free Palestine" during his performance of "Too Real" off the band's debut. A risky move, seeing as this was at the time a touchy subject in Amsterdam, after the ruckus with the street fights between Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans and pro-Palestine youths a few days prior to the concert. To make their feelings more clear, the band also hang a big Palestinian flag onstage in front of their console. Since that fact wasn't mentioned in any of the reviews of previous day's concert, I suppose they had just become aware of recent events, and that -true to the fighting spirit of their lyrics- they spontaneously decided to ignore possible backlash and come out in support of what they believe to be a just cause.
If I'm not mistaken, Skinty Fia found the band living in London instead of their native Dublin. Not that it's in any way an English album: if Dublin was the protagonist of their debut Dogrel, this one deals with Ireland from an expat's point of view. Don't expect any jigs and reels, though - the closer they get to old-timey folk is the accordion on the forlorn ballad "The Couple Across the Way". But they do, for the first time, include songs with Gaelic titles: apparently "Skinty Fia" is an odd swearword that translates as "the damnation of the deer"; the title track has a pure 80's goth intro with low bass, dancefloor beat and sharp guitar bursts. The second Gaelic-titled track is opener "In ár gCroíthe go deo" (meaning "in our hearts forever"). It was inspired by a recent story Grian read about; a British woman of Irish heritage was to be buried with a gravestone bearing this phrase but the Church of England prohibited it, because any use of the Irish language was considered "too political". The meaning of the lyrics isn't perfectly clear to me, but the song is defined by a beautiful and somewhat rueful chorus, including nice harmonies. The band's sound is usually described as "post-punk", which sounds correct if somewhat vague. There are similarities to 80's bands like Joy Division, The Cure, and The Fall - the latter because of the half-sung half-spoken vocals. The band also acknowledge a debt to My Bloody Valentine and their shoegaze brethren; this is more evident in this specific album, which comes off as more atmospheric and less punky than its predecessors. Not forgetting some electronic and hip hop elements, as well as a Pogues influence - at least concerning the lyricism, poetic mood, and everpresent underlying Irishness. My favorite tracks here also include the Smiths-like single "Jackie Down the Line" as well as "Roman Holiday" and "I Love You" - like Cure in one of their relatively sunnier days. I'm less impressed by their hazy atmospheric pieces "Bloomsday" and "Nabokov", though they work well as closers of each LP side. I rarely come across a recent album which I can tell will stand the test of time, but Skinty Fia has, in my opinion, "future classic" written all over it.
**** for In ár gCroíthe go deo, Big Shot, Jackie Down the Line, Roman Holiday, Skinty Fia, I Love You
*** for How Cold Love Is, Bloomsday, The Couple Across the Way, Nabokov
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