Essential Classic Album

Simon & Garfunkel : Bridge Over Troubled Water
 

'Leave them wanting more' is a common refrain in the entertainment industry. Regrettably, few artists manage to leave at the top. Whether addicted to fame or fortune, most bands continue to produce albums when they should make way for other talent. A shining exception is the extremely talented duo Simon & Garfunkel who recorded a handful of albums culminating in the magnificent Bridge Over Troubled Water which they never attempted to top. It was No 1 in the United States for ten weeks and has sold over 25 million copies. With the duo scheduled to tour NZ shortly, it seems timely to reconsider this, their finest work.

Simon & Garfunkel featured two quite diverse talents. Paul Simon was the talented lyrcist while Art Gartfunkel had one of the most distinctive and memorable high falsetto tenor voices of all his folk rock contemporaries. When combined with Simon's lower register voice, we are treated to one of rock music's greatest harmonies. On many occasions it sounds like only one person is singing in common with bands like The Everly Brothers. It is perhaps appropriate that one of the final tracks is a live cover of one of the latter's finest songs (Bye Bye Love).

The album starts with the title track, a candidate for one of the greatest rock songs ever written. Its a track with a religious undercurrent as the protagonist (perhaps God?) offers himself as a bridge over troubled waters. It was originally only two verses but the producer encouraged Simon to pen a third verse ("Sail on silver bird, sail on by") which gives the song a stately presence and increases its grandeur. Amidst the turmoil of the late 60's, it hinted at movements towards reconciliation amongst divergent streams of a warring society.

Yet, its what follows, that marks the album out for greatness. The major achievement is the diversity of the album. There is the first experimentation with African rhythms by Paul Simon in El Condor Pasa. We find bongo drums predominating in the singalong favourite, Cecilia. Then there is the magnificent, almost epic drums in The Boxer (a personal favourite), while the quieter moments in So Long Frank Lloyd Wright are exquisite. And you would be hard pressed to write a catchier tune than Baby Driver, nor a more indolent melody than The Only Living Boy in New York. And then album proves its timeless nature with Keep The Customer Satisfied, an anthem for the consumerism of the 00's if ever there was one. Its an album rich in both texture and scope.

Creative differences between the two led to a mutually agreed temporary separation which became permanent as they undertook different projects. They have reformed from time to do concert tours but have (so far) resisted the temptation to record another studio album. This writer, for one, hopes they never do. It would nice for Bridge Over Troubled Waters to remain their final statement.

Listen to or buy here.

Best Track : The Boxer

If you like this try :

Simon & Garfunkel : Bookends

Crosby Stills & Nash : Deja Vu

Buffalo Springfield : Buffalo Springfield Again

The Byrds : Hey Mr Tambourine Man

 

Top Ten List

May is New Zealand music month and therefore I thought this month, we would look back on some of the greatest of all kiwi songs; those that have morphed into iconic Kiwi anthems. The definition of an anthem is hard to nail down but to paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart, you know it when you hear it. So what songs are great kiwi anthems; the ones that everyone knows and loves? Well here is the Nevstars Top Ten Kiwi anthems.

Top Ten Kiwi Anthems

10. April Sun in Cuba - Dragon (1978)

Hailing from NZ, Dragon moved to Australia in the mid 70s and produced a string of crowd pleasing stadium anthems, none bigger than April Sun in Cuba. Marc Hunters terrific vocals belt out the perfect song to sing along with as you head out of the city for a long weekend at one of our beautiful beaches. "Im tired of the city life; summer's on the run."

Ample evidence of their charm and talents on display in their video here.

9. She's A Mod - Ray Columbus & The Invaders (1964)

Nothing less than the sound of the British Invasion sung with a kiwi accent. Ray Columbus could've contributed nothing else and he would still be remembered to this day for this one brilliant single. Bouncing with energy and complete with its own dance, this is a certainly a formidable kiwi anthem.

See grainy video here.

8. Counting The Beat - Swingers (1981)

It only takes one song to become kiwi icons, and The Swingers managed it with this deceptively simple, catchy yet incredibly enduring song. Written by former Split Enz member Phil Judd, almost 30 years later, virtually no one under five years old is unaware of its charm. Went to No 1 in both Australia and NZ. See video here.

7. Home Again - Shihad

Of all the songs on the list, this is probably the one you most need to see live to truly appreciate its power and charm on a bunch of kiwis. Guaranteed to make any overseas based NZer instantly homesick. That band that famously and heroically decided that they would rather be massive in New Zealand than a passing fad globally. Comes complete with terrific quirky NZ video. See here.

6. Whaling - DD SMash (1984)

One song that certainly cannot be left out is the remarkable Whaling penned by Dave Dobbyn during his time with the band DD Smash. Released in the same year that Dave Dobbyn was arrested for inciting a riot (hows that for living the rock and roll ethos!), Whaling remains a treasured kiwi single, sung by generations old and young at parties, weddings and concerts to this day. Video can be seen here.

5. If It Werent For Your Gumboots - Fred Dagg

John Clarke's famous alter ego made lots of impact when he first appeared on the nations screens in 1975. But perhaps none is as enduring as the very Kiwi song, If It Werent For Your Gumboots. Sources report that Clarke made the song by altering Billy Connolly's The Welly Song. Regardless of its origins, its place in NZs aural history is assured. Short snapshot of the song here. Its counterpart, We Dont Know How Lucky We Are should also be sung by every kiwi at least once a year. Its video is essential viewing.

And for those who to this day do not know what 'pleurisy' ("you will have a dose of the flu or even pleurisy"), the Nevstar can now reveal what you might get if you dont wear your gumboots. Pleurisy is in fact an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. When the inflamed pleural layers rub against each other as the lungs fill, it can cause a sharp pain. It is usually caused by an infection which could be obtained if you arent wearing your gumboots! Who said the Nevstar Music Guide is not educational!

4. I Got You - Split Enz (1980)

Their breakthrough hit which went on to become their most iconic and treasured song. While its arguable as to whether its their best song, something about it resonated immediately with the NZ public and saw it leap straight to No 1 on the singles chart. Notably more 'poppie' than previous Enz efforts perhaps reflecting the increased influence of Neil Finn, one of NZs finest ever songwriters.

See video here.

3. Loyal - Dave Dobbyn (1988)

You could make a really good case for this becoming the NZ national anthem sung proudly before test matches as our black national flag waves proudly. Slightly sullied by association with the losing Americas Cup campaign, this song will be played and sung by generations of Kiwis long after the memory of that loss has past.

See video here.

2. Bliss - The Dudes (1980)

'Its not the drinking, but the way we're drinking' intones the ALAC advert. Well, is it any surprise that the nation has a drinking problem when one of our most iconic songs contains the pivotal lyric "Drink yourself more bliss"! A terrific, anthemic, crowd-pleasing singalong played at the conclusion of just about every 21st Ive ever been to. Cmon, the song starts with (if I have this right), 'yah, ya ya ya yahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ya ya ya yahhhhhhhhhhh'. Hows that for great songwriting! See video here.

It should also be noted that this is Dave Dobbyn's third entry in the list and you could easily name another dozen worthy of consideration (eg Right First Time, Be Mine Tonight, Slice of Heaven, Outlook for Thursday). The man is a living kiwi legend.

1. Why Does Love Do This To Me? - The Exponents (1992)

I cant recall a No. 1 in the Nevstar Music Guide that was so evident nor so inarguable. Its the one kiwi song that every Kiwi knows all the words to. An absolute iconic, joyous, electric three minutes of perfect pop music. Reportedly took the same time to write as it does to sing and simple to learn on a guitar. Everyone has their own story of singing it amongst fellow kiwis but my favourite memory was during the Wellington Sevens. At halftime, they put songs on for the crowd to singalong to but the music stops once the game resumes. WDLDTTM was played towards the end of the day at halftime of a game, but when the music stopped, this time the singing continued. Without any musical accompaniement, 27,000 people continued singing to the end of the song. Now THATS a kiwi anthem!Album of the Month

Easy Come, Easy Go : Marianne Faithfull

Easy Come, Easy Go is the sort of album the Nevstar usually avoids. The industry is replete with formerly great artists resorting to doing cover versions of songs written by others. Few are worthy of listening too, and even fewer are worth investing your hard earned dollars in. However this is an exception. Marianne Faithfull has collected a large and talented band to assist her interpretation of a number of excellent songs with a diverse group of guest vocalists.

Most people know Marianne Faithfull's story. Former teen beauty star turned pop star who became the girlfriend of Mick Jagger, she turned in and tuned out the 60s eventually suffering from addictions to heroin and alcohol. Following her outstanding comeback album in 1979, Broken English, she fills her days in the new century interpreting the works of others. Such cover collections rely on two essential elements; a good selection of songs matching the vocalists talent, and the quality of the backing band. Both are abundance here. The band, numbering 16 players on the first track alone, are in excellent form with crackling, precise playing. The songs are both eclectic and mesmerising, aptly matching her vocal talents while exploring a variety of styles.

There is the beguiling opening Down From Dover written by none other than Dolly Parton which ably matches Faithfulls world weary vocals with a wistful yearning. Its a cracking opening, but merely an entree to the delights to follow. The third track, Solitude is a effort penned by none other than the Duke of Jazz, Duke Ellington. It features a bevy of mournful clarinets and is so slow that you can barely wait for each additional note. Then follows the terrific track The Crane Wife 3 which is a song by the indie favourite, The Decemberists. It features the redoubtable Nick Cave on accompanying vocals which is the perfect choice as its a song Cave could easily have written. It is thus probably the highlight of the album. The title track that follows however is also a stonking good tune, recreating the days of cabaret shows in speak-easies in the 30s. Fabulous.

There is more to follow though including appearances by Jarvis Cocker, Rufus Wainwright and the everlasting Keith Richards along with songs written by such luminaries as Brian Eno, Smokey Robinson, Merle Haggard and even Morrissey.

The album is now available in New Zealand as a deluxe 2 CD edition but was originally only available as a ten track single CD. The first of the two CDs is superior to the second but both are worth having in your collection. They are great tonic for the soul in these tough and trying times.

Listen to or purchase here :

If you like this try :

Strange Weather : Marianne Faithfull

Dusty In Memphis : Dusty Springfield

 

 

Essential Classic Album

A Kind Of Blue : Miles Davis
 

Jazz can be a difficult genre to love for the uninitiated. Its lack of structure often makes it a challenging listen. Yet at its best, when played by the finest musicians on the planet, jazz uniquely creates a moment and a memory, sonically reassuring doubts and derisions, alternatively setting or soothing your mood. If you are not a jazz fan, the best place to start your future love affair with this extraordinarily broad category is the landmark album from Miles Davis, Kind of Blue. On the 50th anniversary of it release, lets investigate and profile this amazing treasure.

Featuring only five tracks, all written by Miles Davis, A Kind of Blue firstly features perhaps one of the finest collection of jazz musicians ever to fill one room. Davis, a world class trumpet player in his own right, had spent a lot of time in the mid 50s performing with the incomparable saxophonist, John Coltrane. These two were joined for this session by five others, all of whom belong in the jazz Hall of Fame; Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), Wynton Kelly & Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and James Cobb (drums).

Kind of Blue features only five tracks running about 45 minutes in total. Amazingly, the entire recording session lasted a mere nine hours over two sessions and only six takes were required for the five songs. (only Flamenco Sketches required two takes). Also, as was his practice at the time, Davis presented the songs to the musicians on the day they recorded the sessions. As such, the entire album has a lounge act feel to it; an immediacy and intimacy as we are introduced to the sounds at the same time as the instrumentalists. It is music to luxuriate in either bearing close examination or as a background to work or play.

The recording has been called by no less a source than All Music Guide, as the pinnacle of modal jazz where - 'tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality'. It is music where the musicians strive express themselves through their instruments in a way that they could not possibly vocalise. Its sexy and seductive, yet restrained and reflective.

With some musical genres, there is rigorous debate about what is the genre's greatest album. Blues purists may debate the merits of Muddy Waters versus Robert Johnson. Rock critics may argue the merits of Stones, Beatles, Radiohead, Dylan or REM. Similarly with classical, country, punk or pop. But for one genre, there is absolutely no discussion. The greatest jazz album of all time is Kind of Blue by Miles Davis.

Listen to or purchase here :

If you like this try :

Birth Of The Cool : Miles Davis

A Love Supreme : John Coltrane

Top Ten
 

Well, I made a little mistake. Last month, while profiling the outstanding Together Alone by Crowded House, the Nevstar noted that it was in my All Time Top Ten albums. This triggered the perhaps inevitable query from a couple of readers, "so what are Favourite Albums of all Time?". Gulp.

Its an intensely personal question and one I've been avoiding a little as its an obvious Top Ten list to do. Nothing opens a writer to ridicule more than attempting to list their favourite albums if for no other reason that it invites the question - "how can you leave out (insert one of a million albums here)?" Its the ultimate Top Ten list and as such, is never perfect, always evolving.

As its my list, I will add a couple of provisos. Firstly, have excluded from consideration any album that has been released in the last five years. You cannot have an all time favourite album until you have had at least five, if not ten years to see how it ages. Entries from The Doves (The Last Broadcast) , Franz Ferdinand (Franz Ferdinand), British Sea Power (Decline of British Sea Power), and Muse (Origin of Symmetry) are potential candidates in the future but excluded from consideration here. Secondly, its important to point out that this is a subjective list, not objective. I am NOT claiming these are the greatest albums of all time, merely my favourite. No greatest albums of all time would dare leave out The Beatles! But with those in place lets check out :

The Nevstar's Top Ten Favourite Albums of All Time

10. Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs : Derek & Dominoes

The finest white blues albums of all time, we finally have Eric Clapton showcasing his otherwordly guitar talent to some intensely personal songs. Profiled in Nevstar Music Guide in March 2008. See here.

Best Track : Layla

Hidden Gem : Bell Bottom Blues

9. Together Alone : Crowded House

As profiled last month, Neil Finns finest hour featuring 14 incredible tracks which Neil himself opined that he would find hard to better. A must have for any serious music collector.

Best Track : Pineapple Head

Hidden Gem : Nails In My Feet

8. Highway 61 Revisited : Bob Dylan

The first Dylan album I ever heard, and still my favourite. One of the greatest rock songs of all time (Like A Rolling Stone) opens Dylans first fully fledged electric offering. The soundtrack of a generation, setting the standard for others to follow. Few would come close to emulating.

Best Track : Like A Rolling Stone

Hidden Gem : Ballad Of A Thin Man

7. Live at Folsom Prison : Johnny Cash

The album which relaunched his career, Live at Folsom Prison showcases all that was great about Johnny Cash; his gravelly voice, his clever songwriting and his rapport with all his fans, even those that are convicts.

Best Track : Cocaine Blues

Hidden Gem : Joe Bean

6. The Bends : Radiohead

An immaculate album which is clearly evolving into a modern classic. Thom Yorke's plaintive vocals accompany this downbeat set of songs which are somehow never sad. Arguably not topped by them or any other band.

Best Track : Fake Plastic Trees

Hidden Gem : Street Spirit (Fade Out)

5. 16 Lovers Lane : Go Betweens

I cannot recommend this effort highly enough. A faultless set of perfect pop songs ruminating on the capriciousness of love and relationships. Sublime. Profiled earlier here.

Best Track : Love Goes On

Hidden Gem : Quiet Heart

4. Born to Run : Bruce Springsteen

Down to his last chance to prove the prophesy of being the 'future of rock and roll', Springsteen finally delivered. An amazing record vocalising the thoughts and dreams of a generation to a stonking soundtrack.

Best Track : Thunder Road

Hidden Gem : Jungleland

3. Who's Next : The Who

A terrific band at the apogee of their powers, musically, vocally and lyrically. At times raw and thunderous, at others, restrained and thoughtful. One of the greatest rock albums. Profiled here.

Best Track : Wont Get Fooled Again

Hidden Gem : The Song Is Over

2. Definitely Maybe : Oasis

A debut album of power, vivacity and sneer all at once. An impeccable suite of tracks, most of which make you want to pick up and learn a guitar. Scaled heights they would never approach again, but who cares.

Best Track : Rock n Roll Star

Hidden Gem : Cigarettes and Alcohol

and the Nevstar's favourite album of all time is .........

1. Stone Roses : The Stone Roses

A note perfect debut album effortlessly combining the best of all British music that came before it and influencing a generation that followed after it. I never tire of playing it. I hope I never will. Profiled in greater depth here.

Best Track : Waterfall

Hidden Gem : This Is The One

Phew, now thats off my chest, I feel much better. But the Nevstar Music Guide is supposed to be interactive. Why dont you send me your Top Ten list? There is no right or wrong, just ten albums that you absolutely love. Go on, take ten minutes out of your day to think about your absolute favourite albums and create your own list of musical majesty. Leave a comment with your Top Ten list (anonymous if you prefer) so we can see and enjoy them or send me an email. Love to see what turns you on.

Thats it for another Nevstar Music Guide. Hope you enjoy it reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

 

 

 

Album Of The Month

 

Ladyhawke : Ladyhawke

It is arguably the hardest thing to accomplish in popular music. To write a great hook. That little 2-8 word ditty that reverberates in the listeners consciousness causing them firstly sing along, and secondly sing or hum it to themselves. All great music is replete with short codas of compelling melodies, notes or sounds. Even great classical music is built around great hooks (Da Da Da Dahhhhh!). Some do it effortlessly (The Beatles, Prince), while others go a lifetime of music production only producing one (The Final Countdown anyone?). Well our very own Ladyhawke (aka Pip Brown) has produced more than one. Her eponymous debut album contains twelve songs each and every one replete with its own distinctive hook.

Ladyhawke is a NZ solo artist currently trying to break into the tough UK market. She started her musical career with two friends as a grunge act named Two Lane Blacktop (not a bad name that) which she described as a cross between Iggy Pop and The Clash. She then split from the band and renamed herself Ladyhawke after a character played by Michelle Pfeiffer in a 1985 movie of the same name.

And she certainly seems to have found her niche. Her debut album is an absolute delight. Listening to it is like a catching a train rolling through the eighties. Its comfortable, languid and relaxing with much to see on both sides of the carriage. The first track, Magic sounds like a long lost New Order track from the early 80s. Then the third track My Delirium reverts to something more akin to The Bangles. It is followed by Better Than Sunday which belongs to the genre encompassing the robotic 80s synth pop like Human League or Gary Numan. But its all there, the aforementioned hooks, super synthesiser sounds, catchy lumpy beats, smooth and sophisticated vocals and layer upon layer of perfect production. Particular delights are the gorgeous My Delirium (video here), the ruinously catchy Back Of The Van and the cracking closer Morning Dreams.

The music is not the most original in the world but it is quite a trick to make something new instantly familiar and capable of being sung along to. In a world where we often expect more and receive less from our favourite bands, check out this unassuming kiwi lady who delivers more pop pleasures on one album than the Spice Girls managed in a career.

Listen or purchase here :

Try it if you like:

Blondie

The Bangles

The Pretenders

If you like this try :

The Ting Tings....................We Started Nothing

New York Pony Club...............Fantastic Playroom

CSS.................................Cansei Der Ser Sexy

 

Essential Classic Album

Together Alone : Crowded House

While writing about Ladyhawke, I kept trying to think of other Kiwi songsmiths who have the knack of writing great pop hits. A few come to mind. Jordan Luck is certainly there, as is Dave Dobbyn and probably the likes of Shona Laing, Bic Runga and Tim Finn. But probably the best songwriter we have produced is Tim's little brother, a certain Mr Neil Finn. So what better opportunity to highlight his finest achievement, Crowded House's Together Alone which sits comfortably in the Nevstars Top Ten Albums of All Time.

Crowded House were a deliberate attempt by Neil to move away from the complex sound of Split Enz. Their first two albums comprised simple pop songs with traditional song structures but great hooks. The third album, Woodface, with Tim Finn now added to the lineup was a significant step up with some more complex instrumentation, and lyrical intensity going up a notch. Combined with the best melody of a duo since Simon & Garfunkel, it is an outstanding album.

Faced with trying to top this effort, the band retired to a bach out on Aucklands West Coast and set about recording Together Alone. With the assistance of ex-Killing Joke member Youth as producer, what they came up with is their most complex yet most satisfying album. It features heavier guitars (some even recalling the Split Enz sound), and a heavy Pacific Island/Maori influence. Combined with gorgeous hooks, enticing and challenging lyrics, and exceptional variety, it is a record that stands frequent and repeated playings. There are numerous great songs on this record.

Rumours or apocryphal stories suggest that Neil himself considers Pineapple Head to be the finest song he ever wrote which is certainly saying something. It definitely stands tall, but then again Together Alone is a forest with all the songs standing tall seeking attention. There is the rocking In My Command, the Norwegian Wood ish (a high compliment) Nails In My Feet, the punkish Black & White Boy, the wondrous Fingers of Love, the aforementioned Pineapple Head followed by my other favourites like Locked Out, Private Universe, the single Distant Sun, Skin Feeling and then the gigantic closing track Together Alone. It really is an embarrassment of riches. Its why you should NEVER buy a Crowded House greatest hits because by all rights, this entire album would fill one side of it. It certainly proved hard to top as they waited fourteen years until 2007 before attempting a follow-up. Perhaps Neil knew that he could do no more with this format and needed to go in another direction.

The Nevstar still recalls the experience of buying this album when it came out. I asked the Marbecks attendant if it was any good. He replied that if Woodface was this close (holding his thumb and index figure an inch apart), then Together Alone was this close, upon which he closed his fingers almost together. The implication was clear. Perfection in a musical album is unobtainable, but Together Alone is close. Awfully close.

Listen to or purchase CD/mp3 here

If you like this try :

Crowded Face...........Woodface

The Stone Roses........The Stone Roses

The Beatles..............Rubber Soul

Top Ten List

There is a great scene in the film High Fidelity. Barry harrasses a potential client for asking for I Just Called To Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder and then asks the others for the Top Ten Worst Musical crimes perpetrated by formerly great artists. I was thinking of this when reading some recent reviews of Bruce Springsteens latest album which has been universally panned as tepid and dull. So what are the worst albums recorded by otherwise great artists? The Nevstar Top Ten this month is therefore the :

Top Ten Worst Albums from Otherwise Great Artists

10) Pearl Jam - Yield

I may be in the minority, as I dont consider Pearl Jam a great band, but they certainly sold a lot of albums and many consider Ten to be the pinnacle of grunge alongside Nirvana's Nevermind. So be it, but if they are that great, I challenge their fans to justify this effort. For a rock band, they dont seem to rock much and spend most of the album singing dull, soul-less folk ballads. Yawn.

9) David Bowie - Tonight

Following on from his multi-platinum smash Lets Dance, Bowie seems uncharacteristically idea-less on the album Tonight. Perhaps dance music is just not really his thing. Album is to be avoided completely. Just download the track Blue Jean.

8) Beatles -Yellow Submarine

As big a fan of The Beatles as I am, not everything they produced is essential. Yellow Submarine came at the height of the period of self-indulgent drug exess. Yellow Submarine is almost unlistenable particularly the second half. While the title track is perhaps the best known Beatles song (anyone over the age of five probably knows it), that is no excuse for subjecting loyal fans to a meaningless lyricless meandering of the last six tracks. Maybe it makes more sense on LSD.

7) The Rolling Stones - Dirty Work

With 26 studio albums, its perhaps inevitable that the worlds greatest rock band produced the odd dud. The eighties generally were a creative black hole for the Stones with only Tattoo You considered worthy of owning. Dirty Work was a comeback of sorts after three years away from each other and several solo albums. The whole album sounds tired and forced with little of the swerve and vigour which made them so compelling.

6) Muddy Waters - Electric Mud

For an artist normally fastidious about his sound, Muddy definitely succumbed to commercial pressure here. To build on his new found popularity with whites as a result of the British blues explosion, Chess re-recorded some Muddy Waters classics as electric guitar driven psychedelic tracks. Bad idea. A musical crime against humanity.

5) Pink Floyd - The Final Cut

There are a couple of albums from the Floyd which are, to put it nicely, hard work. The Final Cut is foremost among them. It is a dense and intense experience which easy to switch off and hard to love. Some claim it to be a triumph; others the final indulgence.

NB : I havent included the post Roger Waters albums for consideration as its not really the Floyd without him but listening to The Division Bell the first and only time was a lost hour of my life never to be recovered.

4) Bob Dylan - Self Portrait

Most artists yearn to be loved. Bob Dylan seems to have spent half his career trying to lose his audience and there is no better example than Self Portrait. A sprawling, cryptic, self-indulgent double album, Self Portrait came at the end of a period of incredible creativity and perhaps represents a singular upraised finger to those idolising him. This is one Dylan album which should definitely be avoided (along with Under The Red Sky).

3) The Clash - Cut The Crap

The sound of a band trying to recapture their youth ten years too late. Its almost unthinkable that a band that produced the essential classic London Calling which is brimful of diverse musical ideas, could also produce this. Formulaic, rote, lacking in charm, and a complete absence of originality. In fact an almost perfect replica of the trite that punk was supposed to replace. Even completists shouldnt own it on principle.

2) Lou Reed - Metal Machine Man

No album is worse than Metal Machine Man. The great Lou Reed, the grounding influence of Velvet Underground and issuer of some remarkable solo albums (Transformer, Berlin, New York) has one album in his catalog that defies comprehension. Its variously been described as the logical endpost for heavy metal, a precursor to industrial metal or simply the worst in-joke in music history. The album basically consists of two guitars' feedback being played at different speeds. The last of the four sided double album is 1.8 seconds of this looped continuously. It would be difficult to record anything more annoying (although Frank Zappa certainly tried). Like any art, people try to find some meaning in it, but they probably havent listened to it very much. If nothing else, its a great conversational piece.

1) Neil Young - Everybody's Rockin

Nosing out Lou Reed more on quantity than quality (or lack thereof) is the indisputably great Neil Young. Now lets be clear, I really rate Neil Young as my fawning review of his BDO performance will attest (see here) but of all the great artists in the list, none have produced more crap albums than Neil Young. And to David Geffen's immense disappointment, they were all released on his label during the 80s. Choosing one is difficult but lets examine the choices; Re-ac-tor (half baked confused effort with Neil understandably more focused on his recently disabled son), Trans (a futuristic mess), Everybody's Rockin (a tribute rockabilly album?), Old Ways (an ill-timed return to country rock when the country was getting into MTV), and Landing on Water (arguably the best which isnt saying much). At a push, we will go with Everybody's Rockin, an inexcusable, lamentable, mystifying effort at showcasing the Americana rockabilly genre.

If there was any doubt, all you need to say as the Prosecution is "Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks" and present the album cover:

 

 

The Top Ten Most Influential Albums of All Time

10. Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions
Its influence cannot be underestimated. You basically had a white country boy with a 'black' voice, steeped in gospel rockabilly and country playing speeded up blues. It was nothing less than the template for rock and roll, which became kinda big.
 

9. Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
Music has disappeared up its collective arse in the early 70s only for that comfort to be shattered by four misogynist punks (in both senses of the word). Rock and roll was exciting again, as rock dinosaurs met their very own meteorite.

8. Public Enemy - Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
As above, nothing less than a riotous call to arms. Rappers and their music can change the world.

7. Herbie Hancock - Headhunters
All keyboardists prior to performing probably offer a silent prayer to the master of fusion who changed the way keyboards and pianos would be played forever more.

6. Miles Davis - A Kind Of Blue
Not an exaggeration to say that every jazz album released since owes it a debt. Took musicianship to a whole new level and demanded that jazz players obtain a very high level of competence before practicing their art. 50 years after its release, its still the best jazz album of all time without any question.

5. Led Zepellin - Led Zepellin I
I listed about three or four different Led Zep albums in this slot (II, IV and Physical Graffiti have worthy claims as well), but ultimately it was their first album which provided the template for two dominating musical trends. The launch of heavy rock (which became ultimately heavy metal), and the worship of guitar gods.

4. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
Again, arguably not their best album, but certainly their most influential. Effectively created the template for all electronica music combining repeating melodic loops with incessant rhythms and understated vocals. Immensely enjoyable and accessible to this day.

3. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
That the power of electric rock and roll should return was an anaethma to the flower power folkies; but having one of their own spearhead the drive was too much to handle. Booed lustily after plugging in, Dylan showed us a new direction home and proved that you sometimes need to leave your fans behind.

2. The Beatles - Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles arguably made better albums (Revolver for one) but this was by far their most influential. It is ground zero for two rather important musical trends. The first was the use of the studio as separate instrument. Most bands recorded output was indistinguishable from their live act; The Beatles deliberately set out to create music that could not be performed live using a wide array of studio tricks and techniques. Secondly, they started the whole issue of a concept album which was expanded upon by all manner of 70s acts.

1. Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground & Nico
As the saying goes, not many people bought the album, but those that did, started their own bands. The very definition of influential. In a setting provided by art house supremo Andy Warhol, Lou Reed and his colleagues settled in and recorded an immensely personal and reflective album. Featuring songs pushing the boundaries of social commentary and sexual realism, it is a perfect record. Their recorded output led to everything from punk to the predominance of singer-songwriters.

Honourable mentions:

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars
Robert Johnson - King of Delta Blues Guitar
Marvin Gaye - Whats Going On
Primal Scream - Screamadelica
Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Spice Girls - Spice (yes I know, but it set the standard for modern marketing of music abhorrent as that may seem)

November 2008


Album of the Month

Glasvegas : Glasvegas

Lester Bangs wrote in 1970: "Personally, I believe that real Rock n Roll may be on the way out.....what we will have instead is a small island of new free music surrounded by some good reworkings of past idioms and a vast sargasso sea of absolute garbage." Bangs wrote some great stuff, but THAT is brilliant. Regrettably, he was exactly right.

There is nothing new in rock and roll. It has all been done before. An art form that has now been around for over 50 years, is incapable of surprising. Any and all bands are instantly compared to a laundry list of 'influences'. Arguably grunge was the last innovation in rock and that is marginal (ask Neil Young). So until someone more talented than Jimi Hendrix comes along (long odds indeed), then people will continue to play guitars in the same way they always have. The only truly original music in the last 30 years is probably rap music. Rock and roll is an industry of nostalgia. The biggest grossing group last year was The Rolling Stones (debut album 1962).

So there is no 'future' of rock and roll. Only the past. But with such a glorious past, there is heaps of material to reinterpret, rework and weld to some relevant and topical lyrical poetry. The artists worthy of our attention today are those with confidence about their sound and whose lyrics accurately capture the age we live in for better or worse. Glasvegas are such a band.

They hail from Scotland and came to the attention of Alan McGee, the head of Creation records. In a story made for reviews like this, he spotted Glasvegas in the same club which he first saw Oasis and declared them to be "f**king brilliant". Their live act is strikingly confident and unadorned with baseless attention seeking (see example here). They feature massive drums, thrilling guitars and pounding rhythms. Somehow they have got this down on record and their debut album is similarly outstanding. It is gigantic yet tender. Magnificent yet intimate, loud yet quiet. On the requisite laundry list of influences, you can say they capture some of the best moments of space rock bands such as Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips, the moods, rhythm and timing of Joy Division and the psychedelic visions of Dandy Warhols.


Glasvegas seem to acknowledge that they must reinterpret the past. Yet they go further back than most. One of the album's most haunting yet inspired moments is Stabbed. The intimately simple and haunting backdrop is none other than the delightful Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven; yet it is accompanied by lyrics outlining the protagonists response to a situation where he is faced by the propsect of being stabbed by an unruly Glaswegian mob. It contrasts starkly with the stunning opener, Flowers and Football Tops which derives its story from the premediated killing of 15 year old Kris Donald who was dragged from his home and murdered by five men.

The topics imply that this is a dark album, but its not. Its hopeful and inspiring. You have to lie on your back in order to see the stars. As such, it seems appropriate that the last track truly sounds like the soundtrack to the colonisation of those very stars.

Listen or purchase here.

Best Track : Daddy's Gone

Try this if you like :

Joy Division
Jesus & The Mary Chain
The Clash

If you like this try :

Interpol................................Turn On The Bright Lights
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.........BRMC



Essential Classic Album

The Beatles : Rubber Soul

The British Invasion was arguably the most important period in the history of recorded rock and roll. In a classic case of selling coals to Newcastle, a bunch of young bands from Britain repackaged American music and took it back to a downcast America struggling to cope with the death of their young president.

There were two strains which influenced the great British invasion and each was represented respectively by the two most successful bands. The Beatles modelled their sound (and looks) on the traditional rock and roll emerging out of the late 50s. Elvis Presley posturing, Buddy Holly structures, Chuck Berry rhythms, and girl group harmonies can be found in their early albums. A markedly different strain can be heard in the Rolling Stones who took their sound from the harder rhythm and blues scene featuring Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson.
Thus early Beatles albums featured a mixture of covers and original compositions all closely following the standard rock and roll template albeit with a verve and enthusiasm unparalled at the time. But on Rubber Soul, the band reached a crossroads and started the trend which would see their recorded output get progressively more sophisticated over time. Indeed they were one of the few bands who continued to broaden their musical horizons while maintaining their popularity.


Firstly, on Rubber Soul, The Beatles noticeably expanded their sound from traditional drums, bass and guitar using more complicated folk-rock arrangements. The album was released around the time they made the decision to stop touring which freed them from the constraining task of having to reproduce the songs on stage. Thus we hear The Beatles incorporating elements of other innovators of the time such as The Byrds, Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys. We have George Harrison playing a sitar on Norwegian Wood and the absolutely gorgeous piano instrumental break in In My Life. Furthermore, it was the first album featuring only original compositions from the band themselves, 12 from Lennon/McCartney and 2 from George Harrison If I Needed Someone and Think For Yourself.

The legend has it that it was Dylan who implored them to take their fresh sound and complement it with more intelligent lyrics. Allegedly drug use became a lot more prevalent amongst the band as well perhaps 'assisting' the creative output. What is certain is that the band has moved well beyond She Loves You. Rubber Soul is the first album to contain some songs which are NOT romantically themed (Nowhere Man, Drive My Car). Plus those with romantic themes are much more satisfying (Norwegian Wood, I'm Looking Through You, Girl). And we have the band recording an entire verse in French (Michelle); un accomplissement magnifique!

In keeping with their transition to an albums based band, Rubber Soul is also the first that should be listened to as an album rather than a collection of singles. No singles were released from the album which is unheard of both then and now. But the album is still unmistakably the Beatles, replete with lovely harmonies, toe-tapping rhythms and infectious enthusiasm.

The best song in this reviewers opinion is Norwegian Wood. Penned by Lennon, it apparently hints at an affair which is not successfully consummated. Its full of ambiguity and intrigue. Who was the girl? Why tell someone to sit when there is no chair? Why did he sleep in the bath? Complemented by the first use of a sitar on a rock record, its an incredible two minutes of your life.
The Beatles would go on to record two of the greatest albums of all time in Revolver and Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. But Rubber Soul is arguably a more important album as it marks the moment in time where they stopped making music and started producing art.

Best Track : Norwegian Wood.

Purchase here

If You Like This Try :

The Byrds.......................Mr Tambourine Man
Bob Dylan.......................Blonde on Blonde
Buffalo Springfield............Buffalo Springfield



Top Ten List

Writing about Rubber Soul made me review all over again why The Beatles were so brilliant. They had it all. Perfect chemistry, sublime writing, lovely harmonies, and some of the best songs ever recorded. I then had a dangerous thought; what were their 'BEST' songs? At once you recoil from the task. Its like asking a ten year old which was their favourite Christmas. But, as we have said, the Nevstar Music Guide is about answering the difficult questions. So, your intrepid correspondent will try and objectively determine :

The Top Ten Beatles Songs of All Time

10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - off the album The Beatles (aka The White Album)
One notable point to make about The Beatles is that they featured not two but three great writers. George Harrison penned a couple of songs every album and his output stands up very well against probably the greatest song writing duo of all time. This is one of his best, a terrific song which was covered extremely well by The Jeff Healey Band.

See here for version of the song accompanied by montage of Beatles photos.

9. She Loves You - Past Masters Vol 1
Their fourth single and one of their most memorable. A nearly perfect rock and roll record. Catchy, fast and furious. Not released on their original albums but on virtually every Greatest Hits collection since.

See here for live performance accompanied by several thousand screaming girls.

NB The two Past Masters albums capture all the songs the Beatles released as singles but were not included on their 13 albums. If you own these two AND all the albums, you have every song the Beatles ever recorded and released.

8. Something - Abbey Road
An absolutely spell-binding release showcasing the otherworldliness of their songwriting towards the end of their career.

See video here.

7. I Should've Known Better - A Hard Days Night
Ive always had a soft spot for this song; its eminently catchy (hardly unique amongst their output), but there is that sensational mouth organ that opens the song that hooks you straight away. Superb stuff.

See clip from A Hard Days Night here.

6. Yesterday - Help!
Hardly very original including this amongst a Top Ten list as its widely regarded as one of their best moments. According to Guinness Book of Records it is the most covered song of all time so its just not just me that likes it. Paul awoke one night with the melody in his head and scrambled to get it on tape. Legend has it that the first two lines originally started as "Scrambled eggs, Oh, baby how I love your legs." One wonders whether it would have been as memorable had that survived.

See solo performance by Paul here (with only intermittent screams).

5. Across The Universe - Let It Be
Not as widely known, as some others, but Across The Universe is definitely in the Top 5. A haunting, beautiful, tear-inducing song, it showcases the considerable Indian influence on the Beatles later in their careers. A cover version by Fiona Apple is used to absolute perfection at the end of the very clever film "Pleasantville". "Nothings going to change my world."

Watch video set to song here.

4. Eleanor Rigby - Revolver
Historians debate the influence of drug taking on the Beatles recorded output. There is no doubt they were taking a lot of drugs, and certainly one wonders how you could produce this sort of material WITHOUT taking a lot of LSD. No matter, we are blessed with its presence for all eternity (and it will take as long to get sick of it). The delightful and appropriate use of strings is a highlight of their catalog.

Creative unoffical video here (after a 30 sec intro).

3. Twist and Shout - Please Please Me
Not an original composition, but the last song of their first album is definitely one of THE Beatles tracks. You could make a convincing case that this is the only song in the world that is guaranteed to get everyone to dance at a wedding. Interestingly, George Martin left the song to the end of the long 12 hour recording session to get the hoarseness he wanted in the vocals. Best use in a movie has to be the St Patricks Day Parade in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. A great movie moment.

Just as a treat; here is that Ferris Bueller segment here!

2. Norwegian Wood - Rubber Soul

As discussed above, Norwegian Wood is a brilliant track and the first sign that they were leaving their contemporaries far behind.

Some interesting Beatles images accompanying track here.

1. A Day In The Life - Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
Few songs can be said to be entirely unlike any other. Bohemian Rhapsody is perhaps one, and A Day In The Life is certainly another. The product of two distinct half songs with the first and last verse penned by John and the middle eight bars by Paul. It easily highlights the distinct differences between the two; John is quiet, moody and deeper in thought, Paul bouncy, melodic and gregarious. The magic of the Beatles is the combination of the two as their post-Beatles work attests. Lennon's solo work is depressing often scary; McCartney's too insubstantial and fluffy, even bordering on inane at times. However together, tempering each others excesses, we have the thoughtfulness and intelligence of Lennon combined with the energy, melody and enthusiasm of McCartney. The distinct parts of A Day In The Life are joined by a 24 bar bridge written by George Martin featuring a rising crescendo from a full orchesta. A second such crescendo brings the song to a climax pausing for a moment before the final, striking, crashing E Minor chord which continues to resonate for over a minute. Its arguably the finest note in recorded music history.

An interesting video here

"What?" I hear folks exclaim. No room for Revolution, Eight Days A Week, A Hard Days Night, Let It Be, Love Me Do, Help!, Get Back, Long and Winding Road, Paperback Writer, Strawberry Field, Penny Lane, It Wont Be Long, Till There Was You, or Hey Jude! I know !!
You can tell a bands quality by what is left out of a list of its Greatest Songs.

Agree or disagree vehemently? What are your favourite Beatles songs of all time ? Leave a comment or email me here

Until next month. Remember to hug your loved ones often and not go long without listening to your favourite music. You never know the last time you will get to do either.

Nevstar.

 

The Nevstar Music Guide Issue No. 7

Album of the Month

American Music Club The Golden Age

All great art has multiple layers. The genius of Shakespeare is that it entertained the masses of Elizabethan Britain and yet its intricacies remain studied to this day by scholars around the world. Books have been written about Mona Lisa. Who was she, why is she smiling, what happened to her eyebrows? Great art thus satisfies us on numerous levels. The album of the month, The Golden Age by American Music Club, is an example of music as art; it is filled with layers of meaning and enjoyment.

American Music Club was founded in 1983 and is led by singer/songwriter Mark Eitzel. They have recorded nine albums in this time, mixing a wide range of American musical styles, but predominately releasing poignant, quiet and bittersweet compositions ruminating on lifes challenges and inspirations. They argurably reached a pinnacle of fame with two albums in the early 1990’s in Everclear (1991) and Mercury (1993). Since then, they have recorded spasmodically, not helped by Eitzel’s problem with heavy drinking. They had arguably been overtaken by other practictioners of the quiet, introspective singer songwriter genre such as Elliot Smith and The Eels.

However, they have returned to their former heights with an exceptionally agreeable release this year in The Golden Age. It is an wonderful album, quietly working its way into your good graces. It can be listened to at a very superficial level as a likeable example of warm and captivating background music. But it simultaneously demands greater attention to its thoughtful lyrics and underlying themes.

The song Window to World ably demonstrates its multi-level charms. It is set in a bar atop the World Trade Centre but the song moves through its character observations without addressing the impending doom hanging in the background. Is he referring to the fact that we all sit under an inevitable death sentence, or simply that we must enjoys life’s pleasures since the unknowable Black Swan event may be upon us all too soon.

I similarly enjoyed Who You Are, One Step Ahead and Decibels And The Little Pills which each have their own undercurrents of wry social observations combined with questions directed towards your soul. But none of the songs are boring, and many reveal additional depth upon repeated listens.

In todays disposable pop culture, tis rare an album where an artist demands to be listened to, not only because the experience is pleasurable, but because he actually has something to say.

Hear samples or buy CD here :


Best Track : One Step Ahead

Listen To If You Like : Jeff Buckley
Nick Cave


If You Like This Try : Brendan Benson………….Lapalco
Nick Drake……………Pink Moon
The Eels………………..Beautiful Freak
Grant Lee Buffalo……..Fuzzy
Elliott Smith………………..Either/Or



Essential Classic Album

Derek & The Dominoes : Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)

It was Robert Johnson, one of the blues forefathers, who sketched out the essence of the blues in a track called Preachin' Blues.

The blues is a low-down achin' heart disease
Like consumption killing me by degrees

The blues, at is purest, is the soundtrack to pain and suffering. White artists who loved the blues struggled to capture its authenticity as they hadnt suffered true heartache or depression. One shining exception however is Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and The Dominoes. It is without doubt, the finest ‘white’ blues album of all time, and a fascinating glimpse into a tormented soul.

Eric Clapton was an avid, almost maniacal blues fan. He once claimed not to want to talk to any fellow musician if they had not heard of the aforementioned Robert Johnson. At 18, his axemanship was already legendary and he played in a succession of great 60s’ white blues bands including the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith. It was following this in 1970 that he had the misfortune to fall in love with a certain Patti Boyd. Unfortunately Patti was, at the time, married to his best friend, former Beatle George Martin.

We can only begin to speculate on how this affected him but while this must have been excruciating for Clapton, it resulted in his production of perhaps his finest record. In association with an all-star band including Duane Allman, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs is a passionate public outpouring of Clapton’s love for an unobtainable woman. Mixing several original compositions with some traditional blues standards, a white musician was finally able to give the blues the correct treatment. Indeed, perhaps the most solemn moment is his painful rendition of Freddy Kings blues standard Have You Ever Loved A Women, a song he could surely have written himself given how apt the lyrics are:

“Have you ever loved a woman
So much that you tremble in pain
Knowing all the time yeah
That she bears another mans name”

My favourite track is Nobody Knows You When You’re Down. Starting with a classic blues guitar chord, it descends into an outpouring of emotion from a tormented soul. Arguably all of Clapton’s best music came when he was experience suffering and regret. Tears in Heaven, written following the tragic death of his son, is another example.

The title track is obviously known to everyone and a contender for greatest rock song of all time. But the album is far more than a one hit wonder. It mixes some traditional slow blues with other more uptempo compositions. So while it remains a reminder of the torment suffered by the protaganist it also is a time capsule of a great era in British music highlighting the development of blues that had been undertaken by the new generation of artists. If you arent a blues fan, this might be the record to start your love of this emotionally rich music.

Hear samples or buy CD here :

Best Track : Nobody Knows You When You’re Down

If You Like This Try : Cream…………Fresh Cream
John Mayall……….Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton
Them………Them Featuring Van Morrison


Nevstar Top Ten

Compiling a list of top movie soundtracks last month led me to think about that other audio-visual medium. The humble television has been around for over 60 years and in that time, tens of thousands of shows have been introduced by a short snippet of music. But which snippets are the best ? Compiling a list proved harder than I expected. My criteria was that I automatically excluded songs which were hit songs in their own right which straight away eliminated Friends (The Rembrandts, I’ll Be There For You), That 70’s Show (Big Star, In The Streets) and CSI (The Who, Wont Get Fooled Again). No, we are looking at original compositions that are instantly recognisable and familiar to all those who watched. So, in reverse order to help build suspense, here are my thoughts on :

Top Ten Television Theme Songs Of All Time

10. The Flintstones : watch
I felt I had to include one cartoon series. I lingered over The Simpsons, briefly comtemplated Hong Kong Phoeey (No. 1 Super Guy!), but ultimately felt that The Flintsone’s “Meet The Flintstones’ had it all. With an iconic ‘Yabba Dabba Do’, the show kicks off with a 22-man jazz band and five singers playing to a montage of Fred heading home from work before taking the family to a drive-in movie. Unforgettable, timeless, and perfectly representative of the shows charm. Parodied absolutely brilliantly in one of the best ever Simpsons episodes, Marge v The Monorail.

9. Auf Wiedersehn Pet : listen
Perhaps not as well known as some of the others but Auf Wiedersehn Pet features not one but TWO great songs to bookend this fantastic BBC drama. The opening credits are set to “Breaking Away” and highlights the plight of blue collar workers trying to escape the rigours of Margaret Thatchers Britain. The closing credits of “That’s Livin All Right” are more upbeat and celebrate the joys of working class living. The latter was so popular that it made it to number three in the UK pop charts. Both songs were written and performed by Joe Fagin. Any a useless piece of trivia. Both of the opening and closing title songs are exactly the same length in duration to the second! See more details here http://www.aufpet.com/music.htm

8. The Muppet Show : watch
“Its time to play the music, its time to light the lights”. An irresistible opening stanza remisicent of the big stageshow showtime extravaganzas which the lovable Muppets dreamed of but never quite produced. Every epsiode started with so much hope, but soon descends into adorable carnage with Kermit a beacon of respectability forlornly trying to maintain a semblance of professionalism.

7. Dallas : watch
Its harder to be memorable without lyrics to sing along to but the Dallas theme song is pretty hard to forget. A big, bold and brassy theme song capturing the essence of a big, bold brassy show. Unforgettable opening montage is brilliantly accompanied by this bold show stopper of a theme song.

6. Bonanza : watch
Perhaps the first TV theme show I can remember and one I don’t think I will ever forget. Dun da dun dun da dun da dun dun dun dah dah ! Captures the wide open spirit of frontier land and evokes a thousand images of the hardened heroes of the praire rolling into town.

5. The Greatest American Hero : watch
It was a monster smash song which accompanied this reluctant superhero’s expoits. A great piece of 80’s music which is tailor made for singing loudly late at night. Notable for having two verses such was the strength of the intro.

4. The Beverly Hillbillies : watch
A great, simply great TV theme song. Somehow mixes in the original plot premise (this is story of a man named Jed), with a character summary (poor mountaineer who barely kept his family fed), a reference to the shows title (loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Hills that is) sung in an authentic hillbilly spirit. Brilliant. The show was to be introduced with a generic bluegrass instrumental but in post-production, the theme song we know and love was added. Notable for having a different closing theme song which was also catchy and funny. “Y’all come back now y’hear.”

3. Hill Street Blues : watch
A groundbreaking TV show had a groundbreaking theme song. I think this is an irresistible piece of music and a brilliant entrée to a great show. The music has perhaps endured as well as the show which is really saying something. Those opening piano notes are hypnotic.

2. MASH : watch
Originally a piece accompanied by lyrics in the Robert Altman movie of the same name, the TV introduction dropped the lyrics which possibly made it into a more appropriate TV theme song (not many TV execs want a show introduced by the lyric ‘suicide is painless’ !). The first shot of Radar looking up at the choppers as the music starts is one of the great opening shots in the history of television. In an alternative universe, probably couldve been No.1.

But the Number 1, TV theme song of All Time is :

1. Cheers : watch
Ultimately, after much soul-searching I settled on Cheers as the best TV theme song. The name of the song is “Where Everyone Knows Your Name” and it was penned by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo. It is possibly the perfect TV theme song. It is instantly recognisable. It is catchy, simple and enduring. It makes you want to sit down and visit Cheers and as such is perfectly representative of the show. It is a snapshot of simpler times that we all secretly yearn for. As such I think it is the best TV theme song of all time.


And so, let the debate begin. Got some different ideas on best TV theme shows. Send it in, and can highlight some of them in the next epiosde. Goodness knows it was hard enough narrowing it down to ten. How can I have left off WKRP in Cincinnati !


Reader Feedback

Last months Top Ten list featuring the Top Ten Movie Soundtracks of All Time generated quite a bit of heated debate and vitrolic commentary. Seems some were bemused to the point of indignation that someone with a Y chromosome could construct a list featuring Dirty Dancing AND The Sound Of Music! That aside, had some great feedback and quite a few readers added their own favourites. Some notable ones were :


1. Forrest Gump
Perhaps the most egregious omission from the list was the fantastic double album that accompanied Forrest Gump’s personal progress through and in American History. It easily and beautifully captures the evolution of American music from Elvis Presley through to Bob Seger.

2. Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
Although mentioned in last month’s guide, this deserves its own recognition as a stunning soundtrack. Iggy’s I Wanna Be Your Dog is a notable highlight and its notable how easily songs my artists as diverse as James Brown and Robbie Williams sit alongside each other.

3. Grosse Point Blank
One that never crossed my mind, but on reflection is right up there. A great collection of songs from bands like The Clash, Specials and Violent Femmes played throughout this terrific John Cusack comedy hit. See track list here.

4. West Side Story
West Side Story is an extremely popular and enduring soundtrack to a similarly popular and enduring movie. It spent a phenomenal 54 weeks at #1 on the US album charts which is believed to be a record. Gee Office Krupke! I have blanked out all knowledge of it due to prolonged and repeated exposure to it as a child.

5. O Brother Where Art Thou
This extremely original Coen Brothers film features a great soundtrack which is emblematic of Depression era American folk music. However the songs are original efforts with old timey feeling from contemporary artists such as Alison Knauss and Gillian Welch. It subsequently won a Grammy for Album of the Year.

6. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
A reader, who shall remain nameless, suggested that this soundtrack was far superior to Dirty Dancing. The score did win the 1970 Academy Award for best music and best song for the familiar Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head by Hal David and Burt Bacharach which went to No.1 in the US in Jan 1970. I stand by my original picks but taste is subjective. (There you go Dad, are you happy now?)




The Nevstar Music Guide Issue No. 3

Welcome back to my new favourite hobby; writing the Nevstar Music Guide for you, my devoted and faithful readers. This months issue highlights a top release from a New Zealand band, profiles an album that is awfully close to my favourite of all time, and we check out Nevstar’s Top Ten for 2007 which should provide adequate material for stocking fillers. If you’re a first time reader, welcome; if you’re a regular, welcome back.

Album of the Month

The Phoenix Foundation Happy Ending

It can be cogently argued that this is a golden age for NZ music. Local music content, without a quota system, is around 23% of commercial radio airplay. The charts are widely populated with NZ RnB type acts, local roots/dub bands are headlining music festivals, and there are a number of interesting power pop / rock bands on the summer circuits. The diversity of the offerings is as impressive as the depth and quality.

And then there are acts which defy easy generalisation such as Wellington based Phoenix Foundation. They have recently released an extremely thoughtful and vibrant album that is well worth checking out or gifting to your nearest and dearest for Christmas.

Happy Ending is hopefully more of a beginning than an end. This is their third release following Pegasus (2003) and Horsepower (2005) which met with critical if not much commercial success. Since their last album, there have been babies, solo albums and scoring over half of the soundtrack to film festival favourite, Eagle v Shark. However, they are evidently not short of ideas, electing to quickly release an album on that bastion of the New Zealand music scene, Flying Nun. It is an album with an extremely wide contrast in styles and influences thus shattering any pre-conceived expectations.

The album starts with two strong guitar based tracks in Bright Grey and Bleaching Sun. It then veers into atmospheric territory with quiet pianos and ghostly vocals on Slumber Party before venturing deeper into the abyss with call-and-response vocals highlighted in Gandalf. On it goes, sampling briefly a number of music influences, yet retaining a sense of melody and lightness of touch. We are even treated to a side dish of country-folk in No One Will Believe Me When Im Dead before the album gets really strange.

It is towards the end that the album vaults into another dimension delivering a trio of tracks heavily influenced by the prog rock era. Omerta is a mesmerising instrumental which would not be out of place on early Pink Floyd or Yes albums. It is followed by two similar efforts (Burning Wreck, Sugar) but now featuring some embedded vocals to complement the orchestral compositions. Then, abruptly it closes, and in 12 tracks taking less than an hour we have somehow traversed from local indie guitar pop to music from the dark side of the moon. Yet it is quintessentially New Zealand and a welcome addition to the Flying Nun catalog.

Don’t be put off by the childish painting on the cover. Happy Ending is a musical delight and a strong contender for NZ album of the year.

Hear samples or buy CD here :

Best Track : Bright Grey

If You Like This Try : Voom Hello Are You There ?
The Veils The Runaway Found


Classic Album

The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (1989)

There are great albums, there are classic albums and then there are ESSENTIAL albums. Albums that no self-respecting music fan should be without. Albums that are a product of their era yet are simultaneously timeless. Albums that transcend the dross of the music ‘business’ and glide into the ethereal world of high art. The Stone Roses eponymous debut album is such an album and perhaps one of the finest releases of the last 30 years.

For a cherished summer in 1990 following its release, The Stone Rose were THE band. Their concert on Spike Island is considered the apogee of their fame, an iconic rock moment, where 27,000 baggy trousered followers of the dance/rock amalgamation grooved under the hot British sun. The Roses had somehow managed to create an album which is note perfect yet achieves the formidable task of combining the verve and energy of dance music with the structure of guitar based pop.

“I don’t have to sell my soul; he’s already in me” sings Ian Brown at the start of the first track, I Wanna Be Adored, thus establishing his ‘devilish’ talent. We are instantly uplifted and transformed rejoicing in a band so assured and confident in their own talent. There is the pop perfection of Waterfall followed immediately by Don’t Stop which is the same track played backwards. The album pauses with Elizabeth My Dear as the band demonstrate their republican tendencies to the traditional arrangement Scarborough Fair made popular by Simon & Garfunkel. The second half matches the first with gems such as Made of Stone and This Is The One before the album is brought to its stunning conclusion with the epic I Am The Resurrection.

I don’t think Im a talented enough writer to capture how good this album is nor adequately express my admiration for this extraordinary piece of art. Others do a better job particularly this excellent PopMatters review. I especially liked this part:

“Go now and buy it. I don't know what it will cost you down your local record shop, but its value is more than the price label says and thank the Lord that albums are not priced like pieces of art, or you'd never be able to afford a copy.”

The Stone Roses story doesnt have a happy ending. A bitter contract dispute prevented the release of a follow up to the debut album for five years. Once The Second Coming emerged in 1994, the world had changed. Britpop had hit the charts led by a group of one word named bands such as Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede who, ironically, were heavily influenced by The Stone Roses. But it matters little. Their place in history was already assured. Few come as close to touching perfection.



Hear samples or buy CD here :

Best Track : Waterfall

If You Like This Try : The Stone Roses Second Coming
Crowded House Together Alone
The Doves Lost Souls




Top Ten List

What better way to wrap up the year, but to reflect on the best albums to emerge from 2007. After a couple of relatively disappointing years, this year’s crop is top notch with several outstanding releases. I easily had 20-25 albums on my initial shortlist. But as a service to you, have whittled them down to ten super stocking fillers for the festive season. So this months Top Ten list is

The Nevstar’s Top Ten Albums for 2007

1. Wincing The Night Away – The Shins
A tough choice, but the best album of the year for me was this unforgettable release by US indie band, The Shins. Emerging into the mainstream after a celebrity endorsement from a certain Natalie Portman, The Shins produced their best album so far. A stunning collection of tunes steeped in subtle yet soaring melodies.

Listen To It If You Like : REM

2. 23 – Blonde Redhead
I love this album. I couldn’t stop playing it. It starts with a mesmerising track that seems to synthesizes brain waves like baroque music of the 1500-1600’s. What follows is a superb collection of dream-like vocals accompanying constantly evolving backing tracks. Not to be missed.

Listen To It If You Like : The Flaming Lips

3. From Here We Go Sublime – The Field
As outlined in an earlier addition of the Nevstar Music Guide, this is one of the best electronica albums I have come across. A debut album from a Swedish ambient producer, this mixture of chillout and trance is mesmerising. A slow-burning classic which is probably very danceable given the right ‘enhancements’.

Listen To It If You Like : Ambient Dance Music


4. Turn The Lights Out – The Pony’s
As a friend pointed out, Turn The Lights Out is probably the best album Flying Nun never released. You would swear it was produced in Dunedin in the late 80’s. Fuzzy guitars supported by driving drums and understated vocals.

Listen To It If You Like : Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds


5. Happy Ending – The Phoenix Foundation
See review above.

Listen To It If You Like : The Veils


6. Neon Bible – Arcade Fire
I really wanted to put this higher but there is no room in the Top 5. Indie favourites, Arcade Fire returned with the most accomplished album to date. It is certainly one that needs to be played a few times to appreciate, but on repeated listens tracks like Intervention, featuring an orgasmic church organ, are to be cherished. Don’t miss at next years Big Day out.

Listen To It If You Like : Death Cab For Cutie



7. Under The Blacklight – Rilo Kiley
A terrific collection of sunny pop tunes with dark themes by a band that deserves to be better known. Buy it for your cousin instead of Britney’s latest.

Listen To It If You Like : Fleetwood Mac

8. Infinity on High – Fall Out Boy
I have no idea what ‘emo’ is yet record stores now devote an entire section to it. Emotive rock music ? Isnt that a tautology ? To paraphrase one William Joel, ‘its still rock and roll to me’. Regardless, Infinity on High is a terrific collection of strong, ‘emotive’ tracks which will soon have you singing ‘emotivally’.

Listen To It If You Like : Green Day

9. Baby 81 - BRMC
After a bewildering yet interesting diversion into a country-folk album (Howl), the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club returned to its core with a hard driving, dirtier collection of guitar based tracks. While immaculately produced, it retains enough dirt beneath its finger nails.

Listen To It If You Like : Jesus And The Mary Chain

10. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon

In a just world, Spoon would be leading stadium sized crowds singing their inspirational rock ‘n roll. But they languish in obscurity while we are force fed ANOTHER Rod Stewart collection this Christmas. Strike back. Encourage contemporary creative bands by buying their albums. You wont regret it.

Listen To It If You Like : The Pixies, Pavement


A number of other worthy albums caught my attention this year.
Thus the next ten, in alphabetical order, are :

Apples in Stereo New Magnetic Wonder
Airbourne Runnin Wild
Buffalo Tom Three Easy Pieces
Justice  (Cross)
Kaiser Chiefs Yours Truly, Angry Mob
Manic Street Preachers Send Away The Tigers
The National Boxer
Reverend & The Makers State of Things
White Stripes Icky Thump


What was your favourite album(s) for 2007 ?

Reader Comment :

Once again, had some great feedback on One Hit Wonders that I had missed. So here’s a list of some other terrific tracks which are the band’s only lasting contribution to the tapestry of music history.

1. Eye of the Tiger Survivor
Ohmigod, how could I have forgotten this one ! A seminal song immortalised in Rocky III. One of the best songs to play when you are flagging on the treadmill.

2. Send Me An Angel – Real Life
A great track with a terrific drum solo. Number 1 in NZ and around the world, and nary a drum bashed in anger from them again.

3. How Bizarre OMC
NZ also has its share of one-hit wonders, none bigger than this catchy tune which brought OMC ultimate riches and then ultimately bankruptcy.

4. Funky Town Pseudo Echo
Another great 80’s track for which we are still waiting for a followup.

5. Twisted Sister We’re Not Gonna Take It
An automatic entry in the list of Greatest Hair metal songs of all time although arguably not a one hit wonder. Watch the terrific video featuring Mark Metcalf parodying his ‘Niedemeyer’ character from Animal House here. At the end you can just hear samples from the same movie.

6. My Sharona The Knack
A deceptively simple yet unbelievably catchy track.

7. Come On Eileen Dexys Midnight Runners
Played without question at every single university party held in the early 90’s

8. Jump Around House of Pain
Played without question at every single university party held in the early 2000’s !

9. I Touch Myself The Divinyls
A memorable track, none more so than as the backing track when Austin Powers out ‘mojos’ the Fembots in Austin Powers.

10. Bette Davis Eyes Kim carnes
Perhaps a bit harsh to call this a one-hit wonder but merits inclusion for no other reason that to talk about her voice. Listen to what 3 packs a day can do for your vocal cords.

And a prize to the best feedback received so far which I will include in its entirety to avoid misquoting or paraphrasing.

“Angels - Robbie Williams rocked, and always gets the crowd joining in…..oops, it wasn’t a one hit wonder….but for the sake of us all it should have been!!”

That’s it for this month. Please take the time to forward on the email to any other music fans who might like to be introduced to a couple of interesting albums every month. They just need to email me at neville.giles@hanover.co.nz to be added to the distribution list.

Coming in January : Nevstar’s Top Ten Concerts in Rock n Roll HistoryNevstar Music Guide #2
Well, feedback from the first Nevstar Music Guide was neither distressingly negative nor full of personal invective and received the sum total of zero death threats or abusive letters. Taking these non-negatives as an endorsement of the idea (if not the literary value), I will carry on. And so behold, Issue No. 2 of the Nevstar Music Guide.

Album of the Month

The Field: From Here We Go Sublime

As you will no doubt discover, through repeated iterations of the Nevstar Music Guide, my preference is towards guitar-based music. Perhaps its a legacy of a lifetime's frustration at my non-rockstar status. My definition of dance music was simply anything I could air guitar to. However my tastes are evolving and some of the best electronica / dance genre find their way onto my stereo from time to time. This month's album is one such effort and probably the best electronica album I have come across.

The Field is Alex Wilner, a Swedish ambient techno producer, who has produced a debut album, From Here We Go Sublime, that envelopes you in a wall of ambient noise which is both relaxing and inspiring. The tracks, while quite distinct, do follow a similar outline. A dance music type bass track is overlaid with repeated, tuneful samples which subtly evolve note by note, slowly ebbing and flowing like the tide. The tracks are languid and relaxing, not ever attaining a climax or peak. They sound like they can be p layed forever; an eternal loop as a soundtrack to life’s merry-go-round. And then, on occasion, the beat stops - as in A Paw In My Face where it is replaced by an teasingly familiar yet gorgeous guitar snippet. Indeed, it is from none other than Lionel Richie’s nauseous ‘Hello’. Any producer who can make me delight in Lionel Richie is obviously supremely talented.

There are a number of stand out tracks including the shimmering opener 'Over The Ice' or the dance funk of 'Silent' but my favourite is the nine minute epic, 'The Deal'. Starting with an authoritative bass beat which supplements the atmospheric tension, Wilner slowly adds in other features including a gospelish, backing vocal which ghosts in and out of the scene he has created. The mood rises and falls throughout, never definitively rising to great heights, nor establishing morbid lows. Until it nears the ten minute mark when it abruptly stops. It’s a beating heart, witness to our highs and lows, until finally it beats no more.

The album may be tough to find in New Zealand but order from offshore or online if you must. You should not be without it. It will accompany any activity when you are in a reflective mood, from staring at the ocean to staring at the ceiling.

I came across The Field via the best music website which is www.metacritic.com. This is must stop for those trying to filter out all newly released music. Metacritic compiles reviews of albums available on various websites and gives the album a score out of 100 based on those reviews. Its not foolproof, but universal acclaim by a wide range of music critics is not a bad place to start finding the best music. The Field is currently the Top album for all 2007 with a score of 90 / 100. But don’t take my word for it, or theirs. Seek it out yourself and prepare to be dazzled.


Best Track : The Deal

Listen To If You Like : St Germain Tourist

If You Like This Try : Royskopp Melody AM
Brian Eno Ambient 1 : Music For Airports

Essential Classic Album

The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966)

No music or artist exists in a vacuum. All artists stand on the shoulders of those that came before them melding and reworking ideas to suit their particular taste or talent. On occasions, artists inspire their contemporaries as well, goading them to aim higher in a virtuous positive feedback loop. One of my favourite examples is the impact the Beatles had on Brian Wilson and the best of all Beach Boys' albums, Pet Sounds.

The Beach Boys were a successful West Coast band in the early 60’s. They combined elements of surfer music, doo wop harmonies and Phil Spector arrangements into a string of early 60’s hit songs. The songs were catchy but not particularly original and Brian grew frustrated at their lack of musical advancement.

The exhaustive touring demand by Capital Records to support the albums took its toll on Brian who finally cracked. He announced that he no longer wanted to tour and was replaced for concerts by a certain Glenn Campbell ! Thus Brian retired to the solace of the studio seeking musical inspiration. It took a while, but it was a record from four likely lads from across the ocean that did the trick.

Upon hearing the new Beatles album, Rubber Soul, Brian would later recall :

"When I first heard it, I flipped. It felt like it all belonged together. Rubber Soul was a collection of songs ... that somehow went together like no album ever made before, and I was very impressed. I said, 'That's it. I really am challenged to do a great album.' ”

So as the Beach Boys toured Japan, Brian toiled away in the studio seeking to match the Beatles efforts.
The resulting album is a wonder. It sounds so simple yet is amazingly intricate and complex. It contains layers of music incorporating lush arrangements of traditional instruments alongside all sorts of Brian’s ‘pet’ sounds. There are literally dogs barking, bicycle bells ringing, and reportedly Coke Cans jingling to accompany a multitude of horns, organs, guitars and flutes. Elements of early Beach Boys are also present with their trademark falsetto melodies, carefree attitudes and odes to beautiful albeit unobtainable women.

But it is so much more as well. There is a sharp lyrical contrast between the idyllic life Brian envisages from the first line of 'Wouldn’t it be Nice' to the melancholy reflection at the end with 'Caroline No'. In between we are carried away by the 'Sloop John B' before Brian reflects forlornly that maybe 'I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times'. The album was so good that they could afford to leave off 'Good Vibrations'. The best track to these ears is the sublime 'God Only Knows' which is absolutely one of the most beautiful love songs ever recorded.

The record sold poorly, mainly because Capital records didn’t know how to promote an album rather than a collection of hit songs. Or maybe it bombed because it was sleeved in an obvious candidate for Worst Album Cover of all Time. Regardless, it is now rightly recognised as their best moment and all music fans, serious or casual, should make its acquaintance.

And the effect on The Beatles ? Paul McCartney calls Pet Sounds his favourite album. It inspired him to go back into the studio and start work on an album called Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. You may have heard of it.

Best Track : God Only Knows

If You Like This Try : The Beatles Rubber Soul
Love Forever Changes

Top Ten One Hit Wonders Of All Time

This month in our Top Ten list, I have compiled my Top Ten one hit wonders. So often a band contributes an absolutely unforgettable song only to then disappear without a trace. Still these ten songs can consider themselves part of music history, their place in the pantheon of great tracks firmly established.

1. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina And The Waves
A foot stomping, butt kicking, riotous call to arms. First song on Barry’s ‘Monday Morning’ compilation in High Fidelity. Praise indeed.

2. Video Killed The Radio Star – The Buggles
A terrific track outlining a particularly poignant moment in music history.

3. You Get What You Give - New Radicals
Great track hinting at a band that could offer so much more. But name other song they wrote.

4. I Ran – Flock of Seagulls
One of my favourite tracks from the 80’s. Fantastic 2 minute long intro as well.

5. Europe – The Final Countdown
A parody comedy show once ran a series of mock headlines. One of which was “Europe’s Greatest Hits rumoured to include The Final Countdown” ! Enough said.

6. Whip It – Devo
Marginal inclusion for the reason that they actually did produce a couple of half decent albums, but this is their one and only hit song.

7. Tubthumping – Chubawamba
Still played to this day at every sports event around the world. ‘I get knocked down…’

8. Mickey – Toni Basil
Personally, I can barely stand this song, but put it on at any party and watch the girls get up to dance.

9. It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls
One of the all time great disco songs. A great 1-2 punch with Mickey if a party is flagging.

10. Who Let The Dogs Out – Baha Men
Perhaps one of the all time great ‘joke’ songs (followed closely by I’m Too Sexy and Shaddup Your Face).


What are your favourite One Hit Wonders ?

Reader Comment :

Thanks for those who took the time to send me some helpful suggestions and other great covers. The first top ten list provoked lots of comment. In fact the Top Ten list generated the most feedback of anything proving that nothing provokes a point of contention than a subjective Top Ten list. Seems there is a wide range of beloved covers. Here is a sample of some of those suggested by my informed group of readers that you might want to check out.

1. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor
Prince who ? Startling version which might also qualify under One Hit Wonders above.

2. Tainted Love – Soft Cell
Surely the definition of great cover is that you were unaware it was in fact a cover. Tainted Love was composed by Ed Cobb of the Four Tops and recorded in 1964 by Gloria Jones.

3. Summertime Blues – The Who
The Who make this Eddie Cochran song their own especially on their live album Live at Leeds.

4. All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix
Suggested by more than one reader. A great version by the legendary left-hander.

5. With a Little Help From My Friends – Joe Cocker
Not sure if better than original but probably sounded great when he sung it in front of 500,000 people at Woodstock!

6. Throw Your Arms Around The Word – Eddie Vedder
An interesting take on this classic Hunters & Collectors track

7. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm
A grittier, tougher version of a Michael Jackson track.

8. Common People – William Shatner
The Captain provides his own rather unique interpretation of this classic Pulp track.

9. Hurt – Johnny Cash
Another song that the Man In Black made his own. Nine Inch Nails wrote the original.

10. Stairway to Heaven – Rodrigo Y Gabriela
While Rolf Harris made a mockery of this all time classic, Rodrigo Y Gabriela complete a terrific dueling guitar based instrumental version. Check out the YouTube video.


Thanks for all the other feedback which was very entertaining and helpful. Keep it coming. Lots of constructive suggestions particularly those who suggested linking to samples of the songs or albums.

That’s it for this month. Please take the time to forward on the email to any other music fans who might like to be introduced to a couple of interesting albums every month. They just need to email me at neville.giles@hanover.co.nz to be added to the distribution list.

Coming in December : Nevstar’s Top Ten Albums for 2007

That’s it for this month. Let’s leave the last word to the immortal Rick James

“You can't have rock and roll without drugs, you can't have rock and roll without sex.”

Amen
Nevstar
The Nevstar Music Guide No.1

Welcome to my first monthly newsletter aiming to introduce you to some great music. The discovery of a great album is one of lifes joys. But with a bewildering array of recorded music released each and every week, how do you find those special albums?

My idea is to help filter out some of the unworthy by introducing you to some albums that I have particularly enjoyed. Every month I will highlight a new release and a classic album which may enhance your collection. The final item will be a Top Ten list on a different theme each month. You wont like everything I recommend but hopefully you will like enough to keep reading.

In attempting to write about music, I am however, consistently humbled by two great quotes.

"Most rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, for people who can't read" - Frank Zappa

“Writing about music is as pointless as dancing about architecture” - Unknown

So with these warnings fairly heeded, here is the Nevstar Music Guide Issue No. 1.

Album of the Month

Rilo Kiley Under The Blacklight

Rilo Kiley are a four piece indie band hailing from California who have operated under the radar before this their fourth release. Amidst misplaced calls from some hardcore fans of ‘selling out’, they have released Under The Blacklight which is an excellent slice of indie pop with intelligent lyrics and darker thematic undertones. The songs bear a familiarity borne of the replication of several musical influences including 80’s pop, some 60’s soul and the reflective, considered moods of other indie pop.

The force behind the band is Jenny Lewis who writes most of the songs and provides lead vocals for all but one. She is blessed with a perfectly clear and lucid voice which amplifies this superb set of songs. Her voice, which sounds a bit like Alanis Morrisette (in a good way!), has an hypnotic impact which diverts your attention from the strength of the songs. Yet it is the lyrics which ensure the albums has legs. Exploring themes of sex and love, drinking and dying; the album has sinister undertones to accompany the pristine vocals. Thus I found plenty to like about this release where the eleven songs never outstay their welcome.

The best track is Close Call which opens with a jaunty guitar line and a lovely melody but a tormented set of lyrics which include the album’s best line “funny thing about money for sex, you might get rich but you can die from it”. Thus it continues combining effortlessly the ability to make you tap your feet, while investigating the darker side of life.


Best Track : Close Call

Listen To If You Like : Fleetwood Mac Rumours
REM Automatic For The People

If You Like This Try : Death Cab For Cutie Transatlanticism
The Shins Wincing The Night Away

Essential Classic Album

Marianne Faithfull Broken English (1979)

Marianne Faithfull is a poster child of 60’s. She vaulted into the public consciousness as a stunningly beautiful young women singing a heartfelt solo version of the Jagger-Richards composition “As Tears Go By” which was a hit for her a full year before the Stones released it themselves. She was a long time girlfriend of Mick Jagger but descended into a personal hell with addictions to both heroin, alcohol and cocaine at different times. There are rumours that several Stones songs were inspired by Marianne. One urban legend surrounds her emergence from a drug-induced coma. In response to a question about whether she should quit, she said that “Wild Horses couldn’t drag me away” giving the Stones the title line to another hit song.

By the end of the 60’s, Marianne Faithfull was burnt out and disappeared from public view. So it came as a great surprise that she reappeared in 1979 with one of the great comeback albums of all time. Broken English is an absolute dark masterpiece. It is the sound of someone who is tired of life with a voice seeped in the misery of drug and alcohol addictions. Gone was her beautiful clear tones to be replaced by vocal chords assaulted by whiskey, cigarettes and drugs. The songs match the despair; tales of woe and misery, disillusionment and loss. It is not an album to cheer you up. It is one to play late at night, with a whiskey bottle in one hand and a cigarette in the other while you reflect on shattered dreams, broken promises or unrequited love.

The title track may be known to most as she pours her heart out. The long drawn out sneer as she sings Broken English is an early highlight. The other well known track is the Ballad of Lucy Jordan which narrates the tale of a suburban housewife reflecting on what may have been. However my pick for the best track is the sensational cover of Working Class Hero. The John Lennon penned track is given the full treatment as Faithfull sings it with equal doses of sneer and depair. It puts to shame the recent attempt by Manic Street Preachers (a hidden track on their last album Send Away The Tigers) who sing it with far too much brightness and levity.

She has done some other albums and some acting from time to time, but nothing matches her effort on Broken English. There is some irony in the fact that a poster child for 60’s excess produced one of the greatest albums of the 70’s.



Best Track : Working Class Hero


If You Like This Try : Frank Sinatra Sings Only For The Lonely
Joni Mitchell Blue
Pulp This Is Hardcore

Top Ten Covers of All Time

Covers are normally an anaethma. Why reproduce the song if you have nothing further to add to the original. Several horrific efforts will annoy me for a long time. Think of Rolf Harris destroying Stairway to Heaven or Madonna assassinating American Pie. But occasionally, an artist does justice to an original version and occasionally improves it. So here are my Top Ten Covers of All Time.

1. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
Top by a long way. The definitive version of this Leonard Cohen classic. Listen out for the sigh before the music starts.

2. Working Class Hero – Marianne Faithfull
See above

3. You Really Got Me Now – Van Halen
The Kinks just didn’t quite rock hard enough. Eddie put that right.

4. One - Johnny Cash
Maybe not better than the original but this haunting version by The Man In Black brings a whole new level of pathos to the song.

5. Helter Skelter - U2
“This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We’re stealing it back.” Mission accomplised Paul.

6. Mr Tambourine Man – The Byrds
Jim McGuinn’s eclectic 12 string guitar takes this Dylan composition into psychedelia.

7. My Way – Sid Vicious
The perfect song to encapsulate Sid’s attitude to life (short though it was).

8. Wild Thing – Jimi Hendrix
Hendrix did more than one great cover in his time, but this is my favourite. A stonking version of the Troggs one hit wonder.

9. Comfortably Numb – Scissor Sisters
Who would’ve thought this Pink Floyd track would suit a gay, electro-dance version.

10. Pinball Wizard – Elton John
Not really a cover as he sang on the Tommy movie soundtrack but Elton does a superb version of this Who track. His version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is a close second.


What are your favourite cover versions ? Email me your suggestions and will include the best in a future edition. Any other feedback also greatly appreciated.

That’s it for this month. Please forward this to all music fans who might like to be introduced to a couple of interesting albums every month. To be added to the distribution list, please email me at neville.giles@hanover.co.nz.