Category Archives: Pop
CULT CLASSIC: TEENAGE FANCLUB-BANDWAGONESQUE.
Cult Classic: Teenage Fanclub-Bandwagonesque. Hardly ever does commercial success and critical acclaim come overnight for a band. Instead, it often takes a couple of albums before a band hits their stride. That was the case with the Teenage Fanclub. It wasn’t until the Teenage Fanclub released their third album Bandwagonesque in November 1991 that commercial …
SHE CAME FROM LIVERPOOL! MERSEYSIDE GIRL-POP 1962-1968.
She Came From Liverpool! Merseyside Girl-Pop 1962-1968. Label: Ace Records. Over the last few years, Ace Records has turned its attention to the music released by the British beat girls in the sixties and early seventies. This music made its way onto compilations like Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970 and Scratch My Back! …
THE LONDON AMERICAN LABEL YEAR BY YEAR 1967.
The London American Label Year By Year 1967. Label: Ace Records. For a generation of British teenagers who embarked upon a lifelong love affair with music during the fifties and sixties, the London American Recordings will forever have a place in their heart. London American Recordings was the label that introduced a British music lovers …
CULT CLASSIC: THE DAMNED-THE BLACK ALBUM.
THE DAMNED-THE BLACK ALBUM. By 1980, change was afoot for The Damned. This wasn’t new. The last four years had been turbulent for The Damned. Their lineup had been fluid since The Damned were formed in 1976. Members came and went, and after the release of their most disappointing album, Music For Pleasure Rat Scabies …
CULT CLASSIC: HAL BRADBURY-THIS IS LOVE.
Cult Classic: Hal Bradbury-This Is Love. During the late-seventies and early eighties the Hawaiian music scene was thriving, and generation of artists were making a name for themselves. Many of these artists would go onto release albums. Everyone from songwriters, session musicians and owners of recording studios were enjoying the benefits of the mini-boom. However, …
MUSIC FROM JARVIS COCKER’S SUNDAY SERVICE.
Music From Jarvis Cocker’s Sunday Service. Label: Ace Records. When it was announced in 2010, that former Pulp frontman, and songwriter-in-chief, Jarvis Cocker, was about to present a show on BBC 6 Music, his statement of intent was posted on the Corporation’s website: “It is my intention to fill these hours with as much dodgy …
THE STAINED GLASS-THE STORY BEHIND ONE OF SAN FRANCISCO’S SEMINAL LOST GROUPS.
The Stained Glass-The Story Behind One Of San Francisco’s Seminal Lost Groups. Sometimes, and despite their undoubtable talent, a band or artist fails to make the impact that their music deserves and It’s only much later, that critics and record buyers belatedly realise how innovative they were. That was the case with The Stained Glass, who originally, started life as …
CULT CLASSIC: TIM MAIA-DISCO CLUB.
Cult Classic-Tim Maia-Disco Club. By 1978, Tim Maia had released nine albums since his 1970 eponymous debut, and although some of these album had been released to critical acclaim and were a commercial success, the charismatic Brazilian singer found himself financially embarrassed. Things had been going from bad to worse over the last few years …
YESTERDAY HAS GONE-THE SONGS OF TEDDY RANDAZZO.
Yesterday Has Gone-The Songs Of Teddy Randazzo. Label: Ace Records. The name Teddy Randazzo means different things to different people. To some, he’s the singer who had Billboard 100 hits with 1958s Little Serenade, 1960s The Way Of A Clown and Big Wide World in 1963. He featured in rock revues alongside Chuck Berry and …
CULT CLASSIC: SKEETER DAVIS-LET ME GET CLOSE TO YOU.
Cult Classic: Skeeter Davis-Let Me Get Close To You. Nowadays, Skeeter Davis is remembered and regarded as one of country music’s pioneers. She was one of the first women in country music to enjoy commercial success as a solo artist. This proved to be a game-changer. Skeeter Davis paved the way for several generations of …
AMERICAN TUNES-SONGS BY PAUL SIMON.
American Tunes-Songs By Paul Simon. Label: Ace Records. Ace Record’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful Songwriter Series is one of their longest-running compilation series. It’s featured songs by such luminaries as Burt Bacharach, Harry Nilsson, Dan Penn, Serge Gainsbourg and Tony Hatch. There’s also been compilations featuring the music of some of the greatest songwriting …
SHEL’S GIRLS-FROM THE PLANET RECORDS VAULTS.
Shel’s Girls-From The Planet Records Vaults. Ace Records. During the sixties and into the early seventies, Chicago-born Shel Talmy was one of the most successful and innovative producers working in the British music industry. He had arrived in Britain from Los Angeles in 1962, as a twenty-five year old. By then, his dreams of becoming …
CLASSIC ALBUM: GEORGE HARRISON-ALL THINGS MUST PASS
Classic Album: George Harrison-All Things Must Pass On the ‘10th’ of April 1970, Paul McCartney announced his departure from The Beatles. This signalled the end of The Beatles, and start of his solo career, which began a week later, when Paul McCartney he released his debut album McCartney. Meanwhile, The Beatles were in the process of releasing …
50 YEARS AGO IN 1969 DAVID AXELROD RELEASED SONGS OF EXPERIENCE.
50 Years Ago in 1969 David Axelrod Released Songs Of Experience. By 1968, composer, musicians and producer David Axelrod was just about to embark upon a solo career after nine years working in the music industry. Buoyed by the experimental climate of popular music, David Axelrod wrote and recorded what was akin to a suite-like …
IN 1984 THE BLUE NILE RELEASED A WALK ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS.
In 1984 The Blue Nile Released A Walk Across The Rooftops. Some albums are like old friends, and that is the case with The Blue Nile’s debut album A Walk Across The Rooftops. It’s an album I’ve treasured and loved for over three decades, and has I been a faithful companion in an ever-changing musical world. A Walk Across The Rooftops …
35 YEARS AGO IN 1984 LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS RELEASED RATTLESNAKES.
35 Years Ago In 1984 Lloyd Cole and The Commotions Released Rattlesnake.s During the eighties, Lloyd Cole and The Commotions were, without doubt, one of the finest purveyors of perfect pop, releasing a triumvirate of critically acclaimed albums during a six year period, and becoming one of the most successful Scottish bands of the past forty years. The Lloyd Cole and …
THE MONKEES-HEAD
The Monkees-Head. Label: Rhino. On September the ‘8th’ 1965, the Daily Variety contained an advert that said: “Folk & Roll Musicians-Singers for acting roles in new TV series.” This was a new sitcom that had been written by Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider about a struggling rock band from Los Angeles. The new sitcom would …
BEAUTIFUL FREAKS-WAVING OUR FLAG HIGH, WAVE ON, WAVE ON: MUSIC FROM THE ORIGINAL COUNTER CULTURE
Beautiful Freaks-Waving Our Flag High, Wave On, Wave On: Music From The Original Counter Culture. Label: TAD. The TAD label recently released Beautiful Freaks-Waving Our Flag High, Wave On, Wave On: Music From The Original Counter Culture, which is another lovingly curated compilation that is a cut above the competition. This eighteen track, two CD celebration …
THE DAISY AGE.
The Daisy Age. Label: Ace Records. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. When is a movement not a movement? When it’s the Daisy Age, which was never really a movement. It’s been described more like an ethos or set of principles that for a short while, pervaded into hip hop, R&B and even pop. The ironic …
TABANSI SAMPLER.
Tabansi Sampler. Label: BBE Africa. Release Date: ‘30th’ August 2019. Over the next two years, BBE Africa, an imprint of BBE Music, will release around sixty albums from the Tabansi Records vaults. This is part of their Tabansi Gold reissue series, which got underway recently, and is a reminder of what’s the most important, influential …
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