AZTEC CAMERA-LOVE.

dereksmusicblog ♦ July 20, 2011 ♦ Leave a comment

AZTEC CAMERA-LOVE.

Back in 1988, I went to a music festival, and one of the bands that I saw that day, were Aztec Camera. I’d been invited along to this festival by a good friend of mine. The idea, was that we’d make a weekend of it. So on the Friday night, we decamped to one of our favorite watering holes, and decided to celebrate the arrival of the weekend. Not a good idea. What started as just a few liveners to celebrate the passing of another boring week at work, turned into an all-nighter. So the next morning, two very fragile guys, arrived outside a crumbling football stadium good and early, awaiting our other two “friends.” Having arrived a bit too early, we were among the first to arrive, the advantage was, we heard Aztec Camera soundcheck. Quite simply, they were brilliant. A good day awaited us we thought. Yes, the music was good, Aztec Camera and Deacon Blue played brilliant sets, Aswad were average and the Bhundu Boys instantly forgettable. Overall we enjoyed the music, the company was, well, that’s another story, and to round of the day, we ate in one of the city’s worst restaurants. That I’m still here to tell the tale, is testament to my constitution, not to the skill of the chef.  Even though I’d long been a fan of Aztec Camera, that concert was the first time I saw them live. They’re a band that produced some great music, and in this article, I’ll tell you about their career and their 1987 album Love.

Aztec Camera were formed in 1980, with Roddy Frame being the mainstay of the band. When the band were formed, Roddy Frame played guitar and was vocalist, Campbell Owens was the bassist and Dave Mulholland the drummer. During the band’s lifetime, members would come and go. Eventually, Roddy Frame was the only original member. He was the driving force of the band, and wrote most of their songs. Later, Aztec Camera consisted of just Frame and session musicians.

The first anyone heard of Aztec Camera, was when one of their songs appeared on a cassette featuring unsigned bands on the Pungent Record label, which was released by the Fumes Fanzine. This fanzine was a champion of unsigned Glasgow bands, and had helped several Glasgow bands before they were signed by labels.

March 1981, saw the band release their debut single on Postcards Records, the now legendary Glasgow based indie label. On the single were We Could Send Letters and Just Like Gold. Just Like Gold also featured on the C81 compilation cassette which was given away with music weekly NME. On C81, the version of Just Like Gold was an acoustic version. Aztec Camera released their second, and final single on Postcard Records Mattress of Wire. After this, they signed to Rough Trade, then an aspiring indie label.

High Land, Hard Rain was the group’s debut album, released in April 1983. On its release, it was well received by music critics, who welcomed what was a highly mature debut album. The album reached number twenty-two in the UK album charts.  Three singles were released from the album, and Oblivious was the most successful, reaching number eighteen in the UK singles charts. However, this was after the single had been rereleased. Originally, it failed to even trouble the top forty.

The following year, 1984, saw Aztec Camera release their second album Knife. It was recorded at Air Studios and produced by Mark Knopler, of Dire Straits. Knopfler’s addition resulted in a much more sophisticated sounding album of songs written by Roddy Frame. When it was released, it reached number fourteen in the UK album charts. By now, Frame had established his reputation of one the UK’s best young songwriters. His music was a must for impoverished students living in bedsits, who grew to view Frame one of the spokesman for their generation. 

Three years passed before Aztec Camera released another album. This album was Love, which this article is about. Love was released in 1987, and my opinion, was the group’s finest album. Much had changed with Love, the style was slightly different, and many of the songs were hook laden and radio friendly. The production was slicker, and all of this, led to some fans saying the group had sold out, and forgotten their roots. One of the reason for the change in style was that both the band and their record company wanted to break into the lucrative American market. Sadly, Love failed to make any impact on America, but reached number ten in the UK album charts. Somewhere In My Heart, a single from the album, gave the band their biggest single, reaching number three in the UK singles chart. Overall, the album had proved a success, it had brought the group new fans, given them a top ten album and single. However, what many people forget, is that including Frame, six producers were used to complete Love. Shortly, I’ll tell you just why, Love is such a good album.

After the release of Love, Aztec Camera never really achieved the same success. In many ways, that was their most successful period. Their next album Stray, was released in June 1990. It featured a wide range of songs and types of music. The production on the album was much more subtle than on Love. However, the album only reached number twenty-two in the UK album charts.  Good Morning Britain, a single taken from the album, gave the band their final top twenty single, reaching number nineteen in the singles chart.

A further three years passed before Aztec Camera released another album. Dreamland was released in May 1993. It reached number twenty-one in the UK album charts, but none of the three singles entered the top forty. One of them, Birds, failed to chart. 

Aztec Camera released their final album Frestonia, in November 1995. Its release was a low-key affair, and the album failed to chart. Neither did Sun, the only single released from the album. After the failure of both the album and single, Frame left WEA ,his record label, and decided to record under his own name. After six albums in fifteen years, Aztec Camera were no more. Roddy Frame continues to record and tour, and since the demise of Aztec Camera, has released several studio and live albums.

Having told you about Aztec Camera’s career, I will now tell you about their third album Love. Love opens with Deep and Wide and Tall, a rousing start to the album. Straight away, the sound is loud and joyous, a mixture of guitars and drums, Roddy Frame sings accompanied by backing singers. It’s catchy and hook laden. From Frame’s call and response between him and the backing singers, the fuller drum sound and glorious guitar playing, this truly, is a career highpoint for Frame. Every time I hear the song, I’m transported back to that soundcheck, and can hear Frame and company belting out this song proudly. It still sounds as good today, as that day in 1988.

After such an upbeat and rousing start, Frame drops the tempo and changes the mood with How Men Are. It shows a very different side to him. The lyrics are thoughtful, and certainly make you think. They deal with love and how sometimes, certain actions can despoil such a beautiful thing. What Frame is trying to say is that maybe, what many people refer to as love, isn’t true love, which is unselfish and unconditional. With something so precious and beautiful, you’d never hurt someone you love, and maybe, the word love, is bandied about too easily. How Men Are benefits from an understated quality, that matches the melancholy mood of the song. A piano and guitar accompany Frame, whose voice is strong and clear. It’s as if he’s taking pride in such insightful lyrics. During the song, Frame’s guitar playing is subtle, and again, he’s accompanied by some brilliant backing vocalists whose voices ooze soulfulness. Their addition is a masterstroke, making a good track, even better. 

Everybody Is Number One sees the joyous, upbeat nature of Deep and Wide and Tall return. It’s a track that possesses an infectiousness. This is apparent from the opening bars, when Frame is joined by backing vocalists, then the drums play, guitars join the fray. By now, it’s a musical equivalent of carnival. The band sound as if they’re enjoying singing and playing the tracks. Trumpets sound, backing vocalists, soulfully interject, the temperature by now soaring. Frame by now, is like a musical Pied Piper. You can almost imagine everyone joyously following him round the recording studio, as he gives, what is, one the best performances on Love.

Thankfully, Roddy decides to lower the tempo again at the start of More Than A Law. This is a track that showcases Frame’s talents as a songwriter. When you listen carefully to the lyrics, you can’t help but admire Frame’s ability to write lyrics which keep you enthralled, awaiting the next verse hungrily. Here, he writes about when someone falls out of love with you, and the way you feel, and how, regardless of wealth and power, we all feel the same way. His rendition of the song starts brightly, guitars jangle, drums play, and in the background, a piano plays. It’s only once he sings, that the mood changes, it’s palpable, you can almost sense the loss. As he starts to sing, he’s joined by a backing vocalist, and they enter into call and response. Thereafter, the band play really beautifully behind Frame. Unlike many people, I don’t think the sound is too polished, here, the arrangement is perfect for the song. By adding trumpets to the track, it adds something to the track, their interjection is the equivalent of musical punctuation. As always, Frame’s guitar playing is masterful, and every musicians contributes to this heartfelt and beautiful song.

Next is the song that gave Aztec Camera their biggest selling single, Somewhere In My Heart. It’s a song that for me, is one of the band’s best ever tracks. The best way to describe it, is an explosion of joyousness. From the saxophone sounding the track’s arrival, and the promise of four minutes of musical magic, the track is a rollicking example of pop perfection. A saxophone sounds, drums play and Roddy Frame sings, the tempo is fast, the sound glorious and joyous. His vocal is clear and loud, and sits at the front of the mix. He sounds proud of his song, and behind him, drums, bass, keyboards saxophone and guitars combine brilliantly. During the track Frame becomes a guitar hero, playing a sublime solo, that manages to improve this slice of pop perfection. As the track ends, I’m left wondering how could Aztec Camera produce fantastic songs like this and not end up a much more successful band?

It seems on Love we go from an uptempo track, to a much more laid back track. When you hear the introduction to Working In A Goldmine, you think that this is going to be another slower, subdued track. You end up half right. This track veers between slow and thoughtful, to much more upbeat sound. At the start, the tempo is slow, just guitars, and spacious drums play. Frame’s vocal starts slowly, he too, leaves space in his vocal, as if building up the drama. Then, as your settling in, enjoying the track, he ups the tempo, the arrangement fills out. Drums play, Frame sings faster and louder, backing singers join in, and it’s a different song completely. There’s a soulfulness to parts of the song, especially when the backing vocalist enter. What you’ve heard is song of two parts. It’s a much longer song, and one where Frame tries new things, new things that work, and prove highly effective.

One On One is another very different song on Love. From the first time I heard the album, I’ve always been in two minds about this song. Part of me likes the song, and sees some quality in it, the other part, shies away from the song, thinking it lacks the quality of the other songs on Love. It begins quickly, and when Frame sings, his vocal is quite different. It’s higher and quicker, and the track has a kind of 1980s’ electro sound, that sounds slightly dated. Frame is joined by Carol Thompson on vocals, and they sing the song like a duet. Their voices blend well, and they sing the song well. The arrangement only features drums, keyboards, percussion and guitars. However, they combine to produce quite a full sound, which is augmented by backing vocalists. Overall, One On One is a pleasant enough track, but it lacks the depth of other tracks on this album, and parts of the arrangement haven’t aged well.

When Paradise starts, it almost sweeps gracefully, with an elegance. The arrangement is understated, as the track begins. Frame, when he sings, produces an emotion laden performance. His voice is gentler than on other tracks, quieter as well. As the track progresses, I’m enthralled by the beauty and tenderness of the lyrics. Like Frame’s vocal, the arrangement has a similar subtly. Not once, do the rest of the band threaten to overpower his vocal. Drums play in the background, a guitar plays, keyboards sweep adding to the mix. The bass is plucked sparingly. Backing singers, again augment Frame’s vocal, filing out the sound. Later in the song, a wonderful guitar solo is played by Frame. Unlike other solos, this one is gentle, played subtly and with care. Towards the end of the track, backing vocalists play a bigger part, their voices uniting beautifully, as this lovely track draws to a close.

Love ends with Killermont Street, a song that namechecks a street in Glasgow. Like Paradise, we see a much different Frame. He sings the lyrics tenderly, lyrics which, if you listen carefully, have an element of humor as well. As the track begins, he sings slowly, accompanied just by acoustic guitar. This suits the songs. Then drums join in, playing slowly and steadily, providing the track’s heartbeat. Later, a piano plays, providing the finishing touches to what is tender song, telling of life within the great city of Glasgow.

It seems hard to believe that Love was released twenty-four years ago. I find it hard to believe, as it only seems like yesterday I first bought the album. During the intervening years, I’ve spent many a happy hour listening to Love, and other Aztec Camera albums. Love however, was to me, Aztec Camera’s finest album. It features nine songs, eight of which are of the highest quality. Each of these songs was written by Roddy Frame, one of the finest songwriters of his generation. For fifteen years, he produced some wonderful music, on six albums. Looking back on his career, I’m saddened that his career wasn’t more successful. With talent like Frame’s he should have been much more successful than he was. Aztec Camera was, eventually, just Roddy Frame, but during those fifteen years, he was fortunate to work with some highly talented musicians and producers, all of whom contributed something towards the group’s wonderful music. Should you never have heard Love, or any of Aztec Camera’s music, Love is a wonderful starting point, for you. If you want an overview of their career, there are several compilations available of Aztec Camera’s music, which will allow you to hear some of their best music, music I’m sure you’ll thoroughly enjoy. Standout Tracks: Everybody Is Number One, More Than A Law, Somewhere In My Heart and Working In A Goldmine.

AZTEC CAMERA-LOVE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4pWcVPUybE