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September 23rd 2008 12:22
Dont you just love it when someone recommends an album to you and you have no preconception of what its going to sound like, or indeed, if youll actually enjoy it or not?
Todays review is the result of just that. An email in fact from my brother back in England telling me to download (legally of course!!!) Sonny Js Disastro. Thanks bro, its a corker.
Of late, theres been a severe lack of dance albums that are simply just fun. Disastro however oozes the stuff from start to finish. True, its all been done before, but the injection of life Sonny J has cut and pasted together makes for a gratifying listening experience.
The Liverpool born DJ owes more than a small debt to the likes of Fatboy Slim, The Go! Team and The Avalanches, with recycled vocals and sample heavy mash-ups the order of the day (the day could quite easily be one from the Big-Beat peak back in 1999). The sprinkling of pop, rock and 70s soul makes for an almost perfect summer album, with the irresistible radio friendly hits Cant Stop Moving (a direct nod to classic Motown) and Handsfree guaranteed to remain in your head for weeks on end whether you like it or not.
Quite what well think of this in 6 months time is another matter entirely (just when was the last time you dusted off your old copy of Fatboy Slims Youve Come A Long Way Baby?), but for now, Disastro is the perfect album to throw on when preparing for that big Saturday night on the town.
September 22nd 2008 12:35
Hello you good good people and welcome to week two of my take on the wonderful world of the album (or LP, 8 Track Cartridge, Cassette, CD, Download
depending on your age or preference)
Today Im aiming my sights firmly on one of this weeks and one of the years biggest releases
Kings of Leons fourth collection of American Southern rock in 5 years, Only by the Night.
Quick on the heels of last years well received Because of the Times album, the mighty Followills are back again, and rumours have been flowing for months regarding this to be a return to the Southern Roots sound that dominated their earlier releases, Youth & Young Manhood, and Aha Shake Heartbreak.
Well, whoever leaked such gossip sure got it all wrong, as Only By The Night is more of a continuation of the mature sound that dominated its predecessor, and an attempt to broaden both their musical soundscapes and fanbase via widescreen stadium rock.
The first half suggests a band pushing themselves harder and harder for global domination, particularly the opening trio of Closer, Crawl and Sex on Fire that pulsate and leave you wondering if the Kings can ever do no wrong.
Unfortunately, the answer lies just around the corner, with a middle section thats as far removed from their earlier work as possible, and verges close to mawkish U2 territory (church bells on a Kings of Leon track???) But before you unlock your I-Pod and head for something more rewarding, the stunning driving rock of Be Somebody draws you back in and reminds you why you fell in love with the Followill family in the first place.
Its been well documented that the band wanted to reward fans with some new material to accompany their recent Glastonbury headlining slot (which resulted in the lightning-speed recording of Only by the Night). Maybe a step back and more time in the studio will make album number 5 that little bit more special.
September 21st 2008 07:37
As promised earlier, this is today's second post and is a direct follow-up to Album # 6 (The Beach Boys' Smiley Smile).
Now don't get me wrong, I love The Beatles - along with the Pixies and Radiohead, they are a band I go back to time and again and never ever tire of... apart from Sgt Pepper that is!
Often referred to as the greatest album of all time, and most influential, I really can't see the appeal of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I first heard it back in 1987 on its 20th Anniversary when it's initial CD pressing made headline news. Until that point, I only really knew the fab-four through their early teen-screaming hits and was unaware of their mid to late sixties well crafted albums. Year's later while working in music retail, a work colleague recommended their White Album to me (the follow-up to Sgt Pepper) and I was hooked. Rubber Soul and Revolver also became favorites, and the rest of the back catalogue soon followed. But then (and now) Sgt Pepper leaves me feeling cold. Whether it's the hype or the fact I fall into the John Lennon camp of favorite Beatle (come on, we all have 1) I just don't know. It's a well known fact that Paul McCartney had more input on the album, and it certainly shows on the more bland pop offerings.
Also, don't be fooled into believing that this is some sort of concept album. Aside from the opening title track leading into Ringo's terrible trawl through With A Little Help From My Friends, it's a straight forward collection of varying in quality offerings. Despite McCartney taking credit for the ridiculous Sgt Pepper idea (of the band having fictitious musicians playing themselves) it's Lennon who (almost) saves the day. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is a trippy slice of acid-rock, and the carnival-feel of Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite is a world away from Sir Paul's irksome When I'm Sixty Four.
But despite being one of my least listened to releases from John, Paul, George & Ringo, Sgt Pepper does contain my all-time favorite song from the foursome. A Day In The Life, which ends the record, is a timeless piece of pure genius that saw Lennon at the peak of his writing powers. Its rising orchestration still gives me goose-bumps to this day, and McCartney's middle-section fits in quite magnificently. It's the perfect end to an im-perfect side 2.
One question that's always bugged me is this. Had Brian Wilson completed Smile back in 1967 before record company and inter-band conflicts forced him to scrap his magnum-opus, would Sgt Pepper be as fondly remembered as it is today? We'll never know the answer, but I have a sneaky suspicion Wilson would have been taking all the plaudits.
September 21st 2008 02:06
G'day people.
Today I will be looking at 2 albums (following yesterday's no-show by myself - please accept my apologies), 1 of which shaped the late 60s' musical landscape, the other which could have and for many reasons should have
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September 19th 2008 12:06
For today's musical trip, I am delving into the wonderful world of soundtracks - specifically those I write each month for Australia's best movie magazine, Filmink.
From time to time I will showcase some of the highlights and indeed lowlights I have had to endure whilst compiling my monthly page dedicated to the world of the moving image's sonic cousin
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September 18th 2008 12:57
Howdy people.
There was one item of news in the music world last week that made me think... "about bloody time!" - the news in question? Elbow winning the Mercury Music Prize
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September 17th 2008 11:42
Depending on where you are, good morning, good afternoon and good evening.
They say three is the magic number, (who they is I don't exactly know, but you know what I mean) so it seemed like the right thing to do to spotlight on a De La Soul classic for album # 3 in this never-ending (gulp) series of reviews
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September 16th 2008 08:45
Hello there music loving people and good day to you all.
Today's focus is on one of 2008's more impressive offerings so far, and without a doubt the debut of the year... MGMT's semi-psychedelic Oracular Spectacular
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September 15th 2008 12:17
Well, here goes folks. The first of what I hope will be a long fruitful relationship between myself and the music loving people of this world. Feel free to rant, rave and more importantly spread the word on the great art of Long Players.
So which piece of musical arrangements shall be the first to grace this historic blog? Some classic latter-day Beatles masterpiece? An influential Pixies release? Or even one of Radiohead's post-millenium talking points
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