ANITA BAKER-RAPTURE.
ANITA BAKER-RAPTURE.
Ever since I was young, I have always liked soul music, and back in 1986 one of my all-time favorite soul albums was released. The album was Rapture by Anita Baker. Rapture was Anita Baker’s second album and was her breakthrough album. Also, in my opinion, it is Baker’s best album to date. Rapture went on to sell eight million copies, five million of those in the United States alone. The album earned Anita Baker two Grammy Awards, and one for Sweet Love, the first track on the album. Anita Baker’s debut album Songstress sold over four-hundred thousand copies, yet she still did not know whether she could make it as a singer. Indeed, after The success of Songstress she was still was unsure whether she should give up her job as a legal secretary. All I can say is that I am glad that Anita Baker decided to give up being a legal secretary, the legal industry’s loss was music’s gain.
When I listened to this album recently, I was struck by the fact that this album has a timeless quality, one never tires of hearing it, and it still sounds as fresh as it did twenty five years ago. Anita Baker undoubtedly has had an effect on all of the female soul singers that followed in her wake. One thinks of some of the recent nu-soul female vocalists like Maysa Leak, Angie Stone, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu and one can see that Baker has influenced them and their sound. However, Baker follows in a long line of female soul singers from leading luminaries including Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Minnie Riperton and Diana Ross, to lesser known, but still fabulous singers including Marlena Shaw and Esther Phillips. But what makes Rapture such a fabulous and special album? Well if you read on, I will tell you why.
The opening track on Rapture is Sweet Love, and what a way to start an album. Rapture is a fantastic track that allows Baker and her musician to showcase their considerable talents. The song is a love song with beautiful lyrics, it is about being in love and being scared of losing the one you love. These are sentiments that many people will be able to relate to. Baker co-wrote the words and music to Rapture along with Louis A. Johnson and Gary Bias. This demonstrated that Baker is not just a talented vocalist, but a talented songwriter as well
You Bring Me Joy is the next track on the album. This is another love song and is a celebration of being in love and Baker expresses the gratitude one feels when in a loving and stable relationship. The lyrics, like Rapture are beautiful and Baker’s delivery of the song is fantastic.
The next song Caught Up In the Rapture, like the previous two songs deals with love, and being in love. From the opening bars to the finish, this is, for me, the best track on the album. It is a thing of beauty, a tale of how two lovers meet and one’s feelings for the other. This is a slow track, and the backing musicians bring out the song’s beauty, playing around Baker’s stunning vocal, complimenting Baker’s performance. The drums and percussion section especially, go a long way to making this track the success it was.
Been So Long is written by Baker herself. Here one can hear a real vintage jazz sound, that brings to mind previous singers like Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday. What I like about this track is Baker’s phrasing of the lyrics and how she uses space to let the song breath, which helps the impact of the song. Although this song is not of the quality of the first three tracks, it is still a good song. The problem Baker has here is the songs are of such a high quality that when the quality drops, even slightly, it is noticeable straight away.
Mystery is the next track is a cover of a Manhattan Transfer song. Baker’s version surpasses the original easily. From the finger popping of the intro to the outro, this is nearly five minutes of quality soul. Anita’s sultry voice weaves a tail of love gone wrong. It is a tale of woe and regret, about two people trying to recapture the love they have lost, and one is trying to find out why the other can’t give love another chance. This is a glorious song that one never tires of hearing.
No One In the World is the equal of anything on the album. The lyrics, and Baker’s delivery, are complimented by the backing vocalists, and there is almost an element of call and response in the way that they compliment each other. This is a luscious love song that when you listen to it, still has a freshness about it. It would not be out of place on any album being released today by a female vocalist. Marti Sharron’s words and and Ken Hirsch’s music are truly a masterpiece, that comes alive when sung by Anita Baker.
The penultimate song on Rapture is Same Ole Love. Here we have a change of tempo that finds Baker singing in appreciation of a lover. It is an uptempo song that allows both Baker and a very tight backing band to show what they are capable of. Interestingly, although this is an uptempo song both Baker and her band allow the song to breath at the start, and then gradually they up the tempo. She delivers the song beautifully and the song is a joyous one where she serenades her lover in appreciation of the things he does for her and what means to her. Truly this is a lovely song that keeps up the high standard of the rest of the album.
The final song on this album is Watch Your Step. This is another upbeat song which sounds like an open letter to an errant lover. Baker warns him that she has met his type before, and that one day it will be him that ends up being hurt one day. This song includes the lyric about the errant lover that you “change your mind like revolving door, change your women like you change your clothes”. In this song Baker has summed up her man and then goes on to warn him that she has met his type before. Anita Baker wrote the words and music for this song, and I have always wondered if this song is based on a personal experience. Regardless of whether this is the case, I am sure that many women will nod their heads when they hear this lyric, and say well said Anita.
So, I hope that once you have read this review of Rapture that should you not own a copy that you will be inspired to go out and buy it. If, however, you have this album in your collection, I hope that this review makes you dig out the album and listen to it again. In both cases you will not be disappointed, as this truly is one of the finest soul albums of the past thirty years. Anita Baker is a great artist, and Rapture is her finest album, this makes the album a good starting point for anyone wanting to find out more about Anita Baker and her wonderful music. The only thing that worries me about this album, is that it is now twenty-five years old, and what I would like to know is where did the time go?
ANITA BAKER-RAPTURE.
ANNIE BARKER-MOUNTAINS AND TUMULT.
ANNIE BARKER-MOUNTAINS AND TUMULT.
I first came across Annie Barker in 2007 when she released her debut album Mountains and Tumult. One of the reasons that I was interested in this album was that it was produced, mixed and mastered by Robin Guthrie, formerly of the Cocteau Twins, one of my favorite groups. Guthrie also played guitar, bass and drums on the album. When I bought this album I was immediately hooked. However, straight away people started making comparisons with Guthrie’s former Cocteau Twin member Liz Fraser. Whilst, it is true that both Barker and Fraser’s voices have an ethereal quality, there is a difference in both singer’s styles. Having heard the album and enjoyed it, I decided to find out more about Annie Barker and this is what I found out.
In the past, Annie Barker’s mother said that Annie could sing before she could even speak. Even from a young age it was clear that Annie was going to become a singer. It was her way of expressing herself. So whilst in school, she trained her voice in jazz, classical through being in various musical groups, as well as studying theatre. Whilst growing up in Los Angeles, Annie worked not only in television, but also in theatre and film. Remarkably, her acting career started when she was only three years old. Annie believes that training as an actor allowed her to explore her emotional self, which she believes was beneficial to her later career as a singer.
What I find amazing about the Annie Barker story, is that whilst she was planning Mountains and Tumult she built her own recording studio from scratch. As if that was not enough, she also learnt how to play the various instruments that you will hear on this album, studied and learnt how music production and the workings of the music business, as well as the ethics of the manufacturing process and about also about design. Clearly Annie Barker is a remarkable lady. The reason she had to do this was that at the start of the project that became Mountains and Tumult, she could not find people who she says could “express her vision”. Thus, Annie decided to take matters into her own hands and started her own record label, Beautiful Revolution Records. The idea behind this was to give her independence in the creative process.
Later, Annie met Robin Guthrie. This must have been a dream for her as a long time Cocteau Twin fan. She had grown up loving the Cocteau Twins’ music, especially Liz Fraser’s voice. Obviously, meeting Guthrie must have had a huge affect on Annie, being able to work with one of her heroes. It clearly must have been a meeting of minds, and Guthrie’s involvement with Mountains and Tumult has helped to bring out the potential that Annie Barker quite clearly had. Annie believes her music represents the ups and downs we all face whilst traveling through life and is “an opportunity to be loss or more or less me”.
So what of the album Mountains and Tumult? There are ten tracks on the album, and the first thing that strikes you when you listen to this album, is Annie’s voice. It quite literally has the ability to send shivers down your spine. There is, as I said before, an ethereal quality to it, it is a voice that draws you in, and holds your attention. You find yourself spellbound by her voice, wondering what the next song will bring.
The first song on the album is Kissed Me when you hear the introduction sounds very like the Cocteau Twins. However, when Annie’s voice kicks in there is a noticeable difference. Although there is a similar ethereal sound to Barker and Fraser’s voices, Annie sings in a different key to Liz Fraser, and her voice has a wide range. The instrumentation by Guthrie has a Cocteau Twins-esque feel to it, but Annie makes the sound her own. The song has a slow tempo and is a beautiful start to the album.
The second song Revolutionary Rock “N’ Roll has a different sound to it, Barkers’s voice is stronger and there is a bigger sound present, with Barker singing above the instruments. In some ways it sounds as if she is having to force her vocal to be heard over the instruments, which have a somewhat retro feel to them. This is a good song in a different vain to the previous one.
The next song Pretty Boy Game has more in common with Kissed me than the previous one, Revolutionary Rock “N’ Roll. It is a lovely slow song which seems to deal with the subject of love and rejection. The lyrics are beautiful, albeit tinged with a sadness, pointing to failed relationships, and love gone wrong.
Gripped With That Leg to me, is the standout track on the album. The lyrics are heart-achingly beautiful, and tell a story, that when you read the lyrics you wonder who the song is about and wonder what trauma they suffered. I found myself wanting to know more, who this happened to, when did it happened and why did it happen? One can speculate about what the song is about, I’ll leave it to you to decide.
Elliots’s Song comes a close second to Gripped With That Leg. Again it is a slow song and one that Barker’s voice can do justice to. That ethereal quality is so apparent here, and on this song, there is no comparison with Fraser. Barker’s voice is unique. Here the subject matter appears to deal with the death of a loved one, possible a lover, past or present. It is remarkable how Barker has turned such a devastatingly subject matter into such a beautiful song. Here she is a story-teller and the song will tug at your heart-strings, it certain did with me.
Beautiful Life is another slow song, and here Annie sings the song in a slightly different key, showing the versatility of her voice. This is a love song, about a woman scared of losing the love of her life. She is scared of making a mistake and losing the most important thing in her life. Yet again, this a beautiful song that is one of my favorites and a song that I could see receiving radio play. However, sadly the album remains a sort of cult album, loved by a few people, unknown by the majority of music fans.
When you listen to the next song Sausage Fingers you find Annie singing a slow song which have slightly surreal lyrics. She sings about “sausage fingers walking through a Roman facade”. However, when you listen to the lyrics she seem to be about meeting a past lover and the feeling of rejection when they ignore her, and when she speaks to them they treat her badly, ignoring their previous relationship mocking her father. This is a song that you have to listen to a couple of times to hear and feel its impact. Like a lot of Annie’s songs, It is a song that paints a picture, and allows you to visualize the protagonists involved. This is one of the beauties of Barker’s music, her ability to paint a picture using music.
I Want, the eighth song on the album, finds Guthrie and Barker re-introducing a bigger sound. When you study the lyrics you find yourself speculating about the subject matter of the song. Quite clearly, the song has a sexual theme, and some of the references lead one to speculate whether the song is about conflict regarding sexuality. The conclusion one could draw, is that the song’s solution to the problem is a menage a trois, keeping both the parties the subject of the song is torn between happy. This is an interesting song that Annie sings well.
The penultimate song on the album is the title track Mountains and Tumults. It is a beautiful, slow, atmospheric, song. Barker sings it well and draws the listeners in with her dream-like voice. However, when one studies the lyrics closely, the song is about a woman being badly treated by a man she can’t help but love and want to give herself to. The song finishes with Barker singing about the realization that she should not let him drain her flower, because once he has finished with her “there’ll be none left for the real one”. This is poignant song that Barker sings well and that has the ability to let the listener feel her pain.
The final song on the album Amphetamine Dream, has a Cocteau Twins feel about it. This is a song about a drug influenced relationship where the characters exist in a state of squalor, and eventually, she decides to end the relationship, and having done that, realizes the power “she wields” and “how it feels to hurt a man with the power she wields”. This is a song about a how it dawns on a woman that she is worth more than the situation she is in. It is a good song, well sung by Barker, with a strong narrative.
So Mountains and Tumult is to me an excellent debut album. It is one that is worth buying if you have not already got it in your collection. If you are a Cocteau Twins fan this will definitely interest you, because of Robin Guthrie’s involvement and the comparisons between Annie Barker and Liz Fraser. To me, Barker’s voice has similarities to Fraser’s, but that is no bad thing. Liz Fraser has a great voice and has influenced many female vocalists and has obviously influenced Barker. However, Barker’s style is different, and Barker is a talented songwriter who is capable of telling a story, and bringing a song to life. My final word on Annie Barker is that I hope that she will bring an another album out soon, as it has been four years since the release of Mountains and Tumult. I like many people who are fans of her music, and appreciate her work, want to here more from her, and hear how her music has evolved in the past four years. So hurry up Annie, we are all here and waiting, for some more of your wonderful music.
ANNIE BARKER.
FEINA-A STAR OF THE FUTURE?
FEINA-A STAR OF THE FUTURE?
The one thing about music is that now and again you discover new talent, someone that you have never heard before, someone that you just know should have a great future in front of them. However, we all know about the strange vagaries of the music industry, and how that sometimes real talent fails to shine through, that great artists do not get the breaks or commercial success that they deserver. That is often the case with “an aspiring pop artist” like Feina.
Feina’s songs are a mixture of her own songs and cover versions. The first song Bad Character has a new and fresh and Feina’s voice carries the song reasonaby well.It’s Over has a retro, new-wave, sound, while Circles has potential. The instrumental Space Anomaly has a very different sound to the previous tracks. Last Regrets (“Acoustic Fan Dub”) and Fruits Basket “(Acoustic Cover”) are similar sounding songs.
We R Who We R is a rasonabele cover version of the Kesha track The final track California Gurls, is a decent cover version.
As yet,Feina is not signed to a record label, but has recorded a demo. It’s too soon to say whether she is a star of the future.
JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT ME
Hi to everyone who reads this. My name is Derek Anderson, I’m 50, single and live in Scotland. My main interest in life is music. I am and always have been, immersed in music. Music is what I love. It means so much to me, it brings back memories, changes the way I feel and has been a constant throughout my life. Throughout my life, music has provided a soundtrack to my life. Some people have photograph albums, I have a music collection. My love of music, and my desire to share that love of music is why I decided to launch this blog. Each day, I put up new material for you all to read. So each day, when you look at this blog, you’ll always find something new. I also write the Rodion G.A. blog, which I recently launched. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it too.
My musical tastes are wide and varied. I enjoy most musical genres, and my music collection reflects that. There must be 3,500 CDs, box sets and vinyl. I’m fast running out of room, and I’m becoming submerged in CDs and LPs.
My taste in music is eclectic to say the least. Within my collection there is everything from classic rock, Nordic Wave, progressive rock and Krautrock right through to avant-garde, experimental, indie, folk and ambient. That’s not forgetting dub, jazz and free jazz. If pushed to pick my favourite albums, it would have to be The Blue Nile’s quartet of pop perfection. Then I’d mention albums by The Bathers, Can, Harmonia, Neu!, Cluster, Primal Scream, Dr. John, Tim Buckley, John Martyn, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. I could go on and on.
I decided to write this blog as I’ve been immersed in music throughout my life although my life has taken a few twists and turns. Originally, I studied business studies, over twenty five years ago, then later in life, I decided to branch out, try something different. This lead to me studying first social sciences and then English Law. That resulted in me gaining a 2:1 in English Law. However, regardless of what I’ve done in life, music has been what I’ve always loved. This lead to me writing this blog, something I enjoy doing.
I review all sorts of music on this blog. As you’ll have realised, I review all genres of music. As long as its good music, I’ll review it. I try to review an eclectic selection of music, whether compilations or albums.
Should you enjoy an article so much that you want to to re-blog or repost it then please ask my permission to do so. The copyright to all the articles belong to me. I’ve nothing against anyone reposting or re-blogging an article, that’s great, just as long as you ask permission and then credit me for it. Remember, I own the copyright, both moral and legal copyright. Anyone reposting an article, must ask before doing so. Once permission has been granted, then they can repost it, if they credit me.
If you want something reviewed, just get in touch and I’ll tell you where to send a CD or LP. I’m always interested to hear from new artists.
My other interests are reading, technology and football. I have supported St Mirren FC all my life, and I’m delighted that we won the League Cup in 2013. That means I must be the eternal optimist. Anything else you want to know just ask. Enjoy the blog, and remember, it’s “the music blog, where music matters.”
TERRY CALLIER-LIFETIME.
TERRY CALLIER-LIFETIME.
I first came across Terry Callier’s music in about 1999, I was listening to a Northern Soul compilation Just Keep On Dancing-Chess Northern Soul, a Kent/Ace Records release, and on this album was this fabulous track Look At Me Now. Straight away, I had to find out more about Terry Callier. Luckily, when I visited my local independent record shop and asked whether they had anything by Terry Callier, I was shown a recent compilation Essential, The Very Best of Terry Callier. I had to have it, I had to hear more by Terry Callier, find out more about his music. When I took it home and played it, I was immediately hooked. All I could think of was, why have I not heard of this guy, after all, here is a great singer and songwriter, who combines soul and jazz music so beautifully. From then on, everywhere I went, I looked out for Terry Callier albums. Over time, I was able to buy all of his back catalogue.
Then in September of 1999 Callier brought out a new album. Thankfully, I was able to get a copy on the day it was released and that album was Lifetime. Lifetime is my favorite of Terry Callier’s later albums, shortly followed by 1998’s Timepeace. Obviously, Callier has produced many albums stretching back to 1964’s The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier and in my opinion Lifeline is comparable to just about any of Callier’s earlier work. However, for now, I will review Lifetime.
There are twelve tracks on Lifetime and the first track on the album When My Lady Danced is a beautiful love song, which is even more effective in that the track is mostly acoustic. Listening to the lyrics, one can’t fail to be moved by them, by their beauty and depth.
The second song Sunset Boulevard is another slow song, and for me is one of the best songs on the album. I once saw Terry Callier in concert, and when he played Sunset Boulevard, it was one of the highlights of the set. I can say in all honestly that concert was the most moving experience of my long concert-going career. That night I was struck immediately by Callier’s humility. It is a pity that many less talented musicians than Terry Callier, don’t take a leaf out of his book.
The next song on this album Holding On, is just about worth the price of the album. This track is a faster song that the two preceding tracks and for me one of he highlights of the track is Gary Plummley’s tenor saxophone playing which works round Callier’s vocal and adds to the effectiveness of the song.
When the Music is Gone is the next track on the album, and when I first listened to the lyrics I was immediately struck by their beauty and sentiment. Again, the track is complimented by Rich Fudoli’s tenor and soprano saxophone playing and John McLean’s electric guitar playing. Callier for this album put together what can only be described as a crack team of musicians and as usual, this album features Glasgow virtuoso guitarist, Jim Mullen, who has been at Callier’s side throughout his comeback.
The next song on the album is When A Lark Is Singing. Interestingly, the song is co-written by Callier’s daughter Sundiata and once again is another song with the most beautiful lyrics. On this album Callier’s songwriting is second to none. He wrote five of the songs himself, and co-wrote the remaining seven. Interestingly, the weakest song on the album 4 Miles sees Callier collaborate with six others, and the song a tribute to the late Miles Davis is the poorest on the album. Miles Davis was a hero on his music and an influence on his work. It is just a pity that this tribute to Davis is not a better song.
The seventh track on the album Love Can Do, fittingly sees Callier duet with Beth Orton, as Callier had previously appeared on Orton’s album Central Reservation. This is another acoustic song and Callier and Orton’s voices compliment each other and bring out the beauty and tenderness of the lyrics.
Fix the Blame is the next song and the tempo increases, and finds Callier passionately singing some very poweful lyrics. This shows the versatility of Terry Callier, in that one minute he can be singing tender love songs and the next he is belting out a song packed with social comment.
The next two tracks are my personal favorites on this album. First comes I Don’t Want To See Myself a song that starts slowly and with just Callier and backing vocalists The Visual Ministry Choir , accompanied by the musicians playing softly in the background. Then the tempo changes and Callier launches into joyous lyrics filled with hope, gratitude and love. Complimenting Callier’s strong vocal performance is Gary Plummley’s sublime tenor saxophone solo, which lifts a good song to a great song. All in all, this is a masterful performance that to me, is the highlight of the album. The tempo keeps up on the next track Nobody But Yourself Paul Wertico’s drums keep a steady beat that Callier sings around. The lyrics are thoughtful and the band really are at the top of their game, this track being a demonstration of the way Callier’s band perform live in concert. Should you ever get the opportunity to see Terry Callier live, do so, it is almost a life changing experience.
Coming Up From Babylon is the next track and here the tempo starts relatively slowly, with Callier singing lyrics that have a spiritual narrative. This could be a disaster, but Terry Callier’s performance ensures that this a strong song and he delivers the song powerfully and passionately.
The final song on the album is the title track Lifetime. This is another track where Callier’s spirituality is apparent. When one listens to the lyrics they are so beautiful that they tug on the heart-strings, it is song that manages to combine both spirituality and romance. In my opinion this is one of the finest songs that Terry Callier has ever written, comparable even with the songs he recorded on the Cadet label between 1972-1974. I would even go as far as to say that Lifetime must be one of the most beautiful songs written in the past twenty years.
So if you have never heard Terry Callier’s music, I urge you to go out and buy two albums to start of with. Firstly, you should buy this album, as you will be privileged to hear Terry Callier’s finest album since his much heralded come back. This truly is a stunning album, crammed full of beautiful songs that are beautifully written, arranged and performed. You will not only get to hear Terry Callier, but you will also hear a wonderful band, at the top of their game. The second album you should buy is Essential, The Very Best of Terry Callier which has seventeen of his best songs that he recorded for the Cadet label. If you buy those two albums i am sure you will go on to explore all of Terry Callier’s back catalogue and that you will cherish his music as much as I do.
GREAT ALBUM COVERS VOLUME 1: 15 OF THE BEST
GREAT ALBUM COVERS VOLUME 1: 15 OF THE BEST.
Recently, whilst looking through a large number of old albums, I was struck by how many great album covers I came across. Funnily enough, not every great album cover I came across was to be found on an album that one would call a classic album. In many cases the album covers were found on albums that I would classify as good albums, but by no means life-changing albums, they were hardly Pet Sounds, Dark Side of the Moon or Screamadlica.
The other thing that struck me was that with the advent of the CD a great album cover’s impact is lost because of the smaller size of the artwork within the CD case. Nowadays, I wonder if as much care is taken over an albums artwork and ponder the question are there are many classic album covers being produced than there were when i first started buying vinyl. Over thirty years ago, when I first start buying albums, when you bought an album with great artwork such as Out of the Blue by The Electric Light Orchestra it was like holding your own personal piece of art, even better if it was a gatefold sleeve. So in this article the first of a series I intend to do, I will pick fifteen of my favorite album covers of all time and I will rate them out of ten. I hope that the readers of this site will enjoy this article and should they wish to pick their own favorite covers, I hope they will send them into the site.
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA-OUT OF THE BLUE.
When preparing to write this article I spent some time firstly, thinking about what were my favorite album covers of all time and secondly what are the widely acknowledged classic album covers of all time? People have spent time researching this subject with a great deal of thoroughness and have even written books about the subject, for example, Classic Album Covers of the 60s: Over 200 of the Best Covers of the Decade byStorm Thorgerson and The Greatest Album Covers of All Time by Barry Miles, Grant Scott and Johnny Morgan. Obviously there are certain album covers that most people will concede are classic album covers for example The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band which was designed by Peter Blake and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon designed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell, known as Hipgnosis.
THE BEATLES-SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND.
PINK FLOYD-DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.
Other acknowledged classic album covers include David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane and The Clash’s London Calling which was designed by Ray Lowry and inspired by an old Elvis Presley debut album cover.
DAVID BOWIE-ALADDIN SANE.
THE CLASH-LONDON CALLING.
ELVIS PRESLEY-ELVIS PRESLEY.
However, like most people I have my own personal favorite album covers and here are the first fifteen of them. These albums have some wonderful music in them and cover a wide range of music genres and I can recommend any of them. As mentioned previously, some may not be classic albums that no collection ought to be without, but they are good albums made by good musicians and are worth listening to.
The first classic album cover I have chosen is Screamadelica by Primal Scream, an album which i have previously reviewed when the 20th Anniversary Box Set was released earlier this year. Screamadelica was the third Primal Scream studio album and was released in 1991, and the album cover was designed by the late Paul Cannel. Cannel’s design has been so widely recognised as a classic that The Royal Mail even issued a set of stamps with his design on it. To me, this design is one of the best album covers not just of the 1990’s, but all time. For those who have never heard Screamadelica the standout tracks are Moving On Up, Higher Than the Sun, Loaded, Damaged and I’m Coming Down. My verdict is great album and great cover. Classic 9/10
PRIMAL SCREAM-SCREAMADELICA.
The second album that I have chosen to feature is the ABC album The Lexicon of Love. Trevor Horn produced the album which was ABC’s debut and also a concept album. This cover is one I have always admire since the album’s release in 1982. Again, this is not just a great cover but a great album. It is easily one of the finest albums of the early 1980’s and is the best album by far, that ABC ever produced. This seemed to be the high-point in ABC’s career and they never, again, produced anything of the quality of The Lexicon of Love. Martin Fry’s vocals and the musicianship of the various personnel involved, including the various session musicians (many of whom played on many ZTT productions) and Trevor Horn’s slick production make this one of the decades best albums. Key tracks include: Poison Arrow, Tears Are Not Enough, The Look of Love (Part One) and All of My Heart. 8/10
ABC LEXICON OF LOVE.
The third album cover I would like to feature is The Beatles album Revolver. The reason I have decided to feature this album cover is that it is that Revolver is widely held to the first psychedelic albums produced and within the album the listener is taken on a musical journey where the music’s mood changes and George Martin’s production sees a manipulation of the sounds involved and new hitherto seen instruments and sounds finding their way onto the album. One only has to listen to the sitar on Love You To and the way the guitars are blurred on She Said, She Said. The cover was designed by Klaus Voorman a german artist and bass player and is part line-drawing and part collage and is my favorite Beatles cover. Standout tracks: Taxman, I’m Only Sleeping, She Said, She Said, Dr Robert and Got To Get You Into My Life. 8/10
THE BEATLES-REVOLVER.
The fourth album cover I would like to feature is Little Feat’s fourth album Feat’s Don’t Fail Me which was released in 1974. Little Feat are one of the most under-rated bands of the 1970’s and their most widely known and highly acclaimed albums is Dixie Chicken, a great album and one incidentally, with another great album cover. Little Feat, at that time, were a great live band and they attempted to replicate their New Orleans influenced live sound onto Feats Don’t Fail Me. Lowell George’s totally distinctive vocals and guitar playing are complemented by guest backing vocalists Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris. The cover was designed by Neon Park. Sadly, Lowell George lost interest in Little Feat and died in 1979. Standout Tracks: Rock and Roll Doctor, Oh Atlanta, Down the Road and Feats Don’t Fail Me Now. 7/10
LITTLE FEAT-FEATS DON’T FAIL ME NOW.
The fifth cover I will feature now is Teenage Fanclub’s album Bandwagonesque. Bandwagonesque was released in 1991 and was their third album and is recognized as the album that brought the band to the attention of the wider music-buying public. Produced by Don Fleming the mini-masterpiece that emerged is a nod to great groups such as The Byrds and Big Star who have influenced many Glasgow bands including Teenage Fanclub. Over the decade the band produced other great albums, notably Grand Prix and Songs From Northern Britain, either of which are a good introduction to one of Scotland’s finest bands. Standout Tracks: The Concept, What You Do To Me, Sidewinder and Alchoholiday. Should anyone get the chance to see Teenage Fanclub live, my advice is simple, go along, you will be assured of a fantastic live performance from a band that nowadays is at the top of their game. 8/10
TEENAGE FANCLUB-BANDWAGONESQUE.
The sixth album cover that is a particular favorite of mine is The Blue Nile’s second album Hats which was released in 1989. The Blue Nile to many people are one of the most underrated bands of the last thirty years. In the past twenty-five The Blue Nile have only released four albums. They are hardly the most productive of bands, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality. Hats to me is the best Blue Nile album, and is the perfect introduction to one of Scotland’s finest bands. The album explores the trials and tribulations of romantic love. I will not spend too much time reviewing this album as I plan to review the album and Blue Nile’s other albums in greater detail at a later date. Regarding the cover, it was changed for the slightly for the American market, as The Blue Nile had very little profile in America. In fact, their American record company went as far taking out an advert in a music paper with a telephone number that people could ring and they would then receive a free copy of Hats. My advice here to anyone who has never heard The Blue Nile is simple, go out and buy Hats and then invest in their other three albums. Standout tracks: Over the Hillside, Let’s Go Out Tonight and Saturday Night. 9/10
THE BLUE NILE-HATS
The seventh album I wish to feature in this article is the Sly and the Family Stone album There’s A Riot Goin’ On. There’s A Riot Goin’ On was released in 1971 and is a change in sound from their previous album Stand which had a psychedlic soul sound, whereas this album has a harder, funkier sound. Gone was the much more melodic sound that had served the band well, until then. However, There’s A Riot Goin’ On features what must be the band’s most recognizable song Family Affair. The album was an immediate success selling over 500, 000 copies in the first year. Funnily enough, the album was not as that well received on its release, but subsequently has been recognized as a classic album. The cover was features a black, white and red American flag with suns instead of stars which Stone later explained was meant to represent people of all colours. The photomontage on the album’s cover is designed by artist Lynn Ames. There’s A Riot Goin’ On and Stand are god introductions to Sly and the Family Stone. Standout Tracks: Luv ‘N’ Haight, Family Affair and
Runnin’ Away. 7/10
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON.
The eight album cover that I feel is worth featuring is Nightmares On Wax’s album Carboot Soul. The artwork on the album was created by Lee McMillan (Monkee) and is one the best album covers of the 1990s. This is, in my opinion, one of the best chill-out or downtempo albums that was released. It was released back in April 1999 on Warp Records and is the fruits of George “Herbs” Evelyn’s crate-digging exploits far and wide, trying to find those hidden gems that go towards making the Nightmares On Wax sound its very own. On the album you find string sounds that have a beautiful retro sound, sweet vocal choruses and a lovely laid-back hip hop sound that is inimitable. All Evelyn needed to make this glorious album was a drum machine and a shedload of lovely vinyl. However, unlike his imitators, vocals, keyboards guitar and bass are all recorded live. Like certain albums of yesteryear, this album has a glorious summer feel about it. So if you have not heard this album, I urge to go out straight away, and part with your hard-earned cash, you won’t be disappointed. Standout Tracks: Les Nuits, Ethnic Majority, Morse, Jorge and Survival. 9/10
NIGHTMARES ON WAX-CARBOOT SOUL.
The ninth album cover that I will feature is The Smith’s second album Meat Is Murder, which was released in February 1985. Meat Is Murder differs from the eponymous debut in that this is a much more political album than its predecessor. Included in the album are the anti-corporal punishment songs Barbarism Begins At Home and Rusholme Ruffians. The best known track is obviously the title track Meat Is Murder, the pro-vegetarianism track and rumor has it that Morrissey would not allow the other band members to eat meat. Two other classic Smith’s songs This Joke Isn’t Funny Any More and How Soon Is Now are to be found on this album. The cover is an edited still from Emile de Antonio’s 1969 documentary In the Year of the Pig, which traced the origins of the Vietnam war. Standout Tracks: This Joke Isn’t Funny Any More How Soon Is Now and Meat Is Murder. 8/10
THE SMITHS-MEAT IS MURDER.
The tenth of album I will feature is Terry Callier’s album What Color Is Love. This is one of a trio of albums Callier recorded for Cadet Records in between 1972 and 1974. Sadly, Callier’s music failed to an impact commercially. He continued to record and perform until 1983, when he became the only musician to quit music to become a computer programmer and look after his young daughter. However, Callier made an unexpected comeback and recoded with Beth Orton on her Trailer Park album. Since then, Callier has produced a number of albums and for the listener who has never heard Callier’s work a good start is Essential, a compilation of his early work on Cadet, which features the best of the music he produced for the Cadet label. For those wishing to try his more recent work, I would recommend Lifetime and Timepeace, two fantastic album which showcase Callier’s considerable talents. At a later date i will feature Terry Callier in more detail as he has produced some great music at different times of his life. Regarding What Color Is Love, Joel Brodsky is responsible for the photograph that features on the album’s cover. This cover is one of my favorites of all the albums I own. The standard of Callier’s vocals, the musicianship and songwriting on this album are of the highest standard and for anyone thinking of buying this album, I can wholly recommend doing so, it is a worth addition to any collection and will lead to a lifetime love affair with Callier’s music. Standout tracks: Dancing Girl, What Color Is Love, Just As Long As We’re In Love and I’d Rather Be With You. 9/10
TERRY CALLIER-WHAT COLOR IS LOVE.
Number eleven on this list of favorite album covers is Steely Dan’s Gaucho album. This album was originally released back in 1980 and demonstrates the considerable lengths that Donald Fagen and Walter Becker went to whilst trying to achieve perfection within the studio using the available recording methods. When making Gaucho in excess of forty-two musicians were used and the band were beset with problems regarding the creative direction that should be taken. This is Steely Dan’s concept album, two words that usually send a shiver down the record buying public’s spine. The album is said to be seven inter-related stories about seven wanna-bee hipsters.
When one listens to the album what Steely Dan delivered, it is probably their most polished album. When released Gaucho was given favorable reviews by many reviewers. Commercially the album was a great success. The quality of the album is comparable to the rest of Steely Dan’s back catalogue, even though this was a departure in style for them. The sound is much changed and gone are the complex chord changes to be found on previous albums. In its place there is a much more pared down sound with a much more of a jazz influence to the sound, although Steely Dan have always been inspired by jazz. Indeed Fagen and Becker clearly listened to Miles Davis who believed sometimes that music is improved by what is left out of a song, and that space could add to a song’s impact. The artwork was designed by Susanne Walsh and has great visual impact. Standout tracks: Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen and Gaucho. 7/10
STEELY DAN-GAUCHO.
The twelth album in the first installment of this series of great album covers is the Grace Jones album Nightclubbing. This album cover had to make the cut for its sheer visual impact alone. Released in 1981, it was Jones’ fifth album and her second of her post disco albums and was the album that saw Jones make a breakthrough commercially reaching number 35 in the UK charts. Three singles were released from Nightclubbing, the first Demolition Man is a cover of a Police song, the second was Pull Up To the Bumper, is one of Jones’ best tracks and still sounds good today. The final single was I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango). The album is a melting pot in styles and influences ranging from disco, funk, reggae and bossa nova. It is worth pointing out that Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespear aka reggae duo Sly and Robbie, were part of the team of musicians to feature on the album, and their contribution as a rhythm section make the album much stronger than it would have been without them. Sly and Robbie have featured on many other artists ranging from Black Uhuru and Jimmy Cliff to Mick Jagger Madonna. The album cover for Nightclubbing was painted by Jean Paul Goode and remains one of the most striking album covers of the past thirty years. Standout tracks: Walking In the Rain, Pull Up To the Bumper and I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango). 7/10
GRACE JONES-NIGHTCLUBBING.
Number thirteen on my list of favorite album covers is The Stone Roses debut album The Stones Roses. It was released in June 1988, and produced by John Leckie. To support the album The Stone Roses played a number of high profile concerts and very quickly The Stone Roses became one of the biggest bands of the Madchester era. Nearly twenty-five years later, this album is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. It certainly is the greatest album of the Madchester scene.
Sadly, after such a promising debut, The Stone Roses failed to achieve the same level of success. Their second album Second Coming was nowhere near as good, and after that the group split, both Ian Brown and John Squire went on to become a solo artists and Mani later joined the Primal Scream.
Away from music, John Squire became a highly successful artist and was responsible for designing the album cover for the band’s debut album. Squire was greatly influenced by Jackson Pollock abstract expressionist style when designing the album cover. Squire has since gone on to have successful exhibitions.
Brown and Squire proved to be very talented songwriters and the album is crammed full of great songs. When you listen to the album you are struck by the power and quality of Brown’s vocals, Squire’s is an extremely talented guitarist. The Stone Roses were one of the greatest live bands of their time. When one watches Brown on stage at the time I am struck by his sullenness and his sheer confidence. One only has to witness him spread his arms wide and confidently declare “I am the resurrection and I am the light”. Then in come the rest of the band Squire and guitar and the top-class rhythm section of Mani and Reni.
The sad thing about the Stone Roses story is that they only recorded two albums, and even then, Second Coming failed to live up to their debut album. When asked about the possibility of the band reforming, it seems highly unlikely that will ever happen. However, we are fortunate that The Stone Roses made such a brilliant album, which is much more that many bands ever achieve in a far longer career. Standout tracks: I Wanna Be Adored, She Bangs A Drum , Made of Stone and I Am the Resurrection. 8/10
THE STONE ROSES_THE STONE ROSES.
Number fourteen on my list of favorite album covers is the Talk Talk album Spirit of Eden which was released in 1988 and is easily Talk Talk’s magnum opus. The album is widely recognized as a masterpiece and is the cumulation of numerous musicians performing a multitude of various instruments, much of which was totally improvised. As is often the case, the album was not a commercial success. Throughout Talk Talk’s career Mark Hollis was was heavily influenced by jazz musicians such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane and classical composer Claude Debussy and these influences are apparent on Spirit of Eden. The album has a serene quality to it, and the album is noted for its tranquil soundscapes. Hollis’s believes that his lyrics although they feature religious and spiritual references are more humanitarian and he tends to eschew from stating that they are representative of one religion. Overall, this is a beautiful album to sit and relax to, each time you listen to it, you will hear something different and it is an album that you will return to time and time again, each time noticing a nuance that you failed to notice the previous time that you listened to this album. If you do not have this album in your record collection, I strongly recommend that you go out and buy it straight away, you will not regret doing so. Standout tracks: Eden, Desire and I Believe I You. 9/10
TALK TALK-SPIRIT OF EDEN.
The fifteenth and final album cover that I will feature in this installment of my favourite album covers is Donald Byrd’s album Street Lady. Street Lady was released in 1973 and is one of Donald Byrd’s best albums of the 1970’s. The album and its cover designed byMike Salisbury are typical of the Blaxploitation albums of that time, such as Isaac Hayes Shaft, Bobby Womacks’s Across 110th Street or Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly. This album brims over with wah-wah guitars, electric pianos, plentiful percussion, fantastic flute solos and catchy vocals. This is another concept album, one that Larry Mizell composed, produced and arranged. Street Lady tells the story of an independent prostitute and if you listen to this album and you are transplanted to a different time and place, where you will find yourself striding alongside Detective John Shaft, clad in the loudest of suits, wearing a wide-brimmed hat set at a jaunty angle and a pair of platform shoes upon your feet, alongside pimps and hustlers aplenty. This is definitely an album that is worth checking out, and if you do you will be hooked. Who knows, maybe you will even buy a loud polyester suit and a pair of platform shoes as well! Standout tracks: Lansana’s Priestess, Miss Kane and Woman of the World. 8/10
DONALD BYRD-STREET LADY.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this article, it is the first of a series that I intend to do. My intention is not to pick obvious album covers and to look at albums that the casual and serious music buyer may not be familiar with, and in doing so, introduce you to some great new music. After all, isn’t it fantastic when you discover a new and wonderful record? If you are anything like me, the last thing you want to do when you come across something new and wonderful is keep it to yourself, no you want to share it with everyone. So if anyone out there has a wonderful album cover that just so happens to have some great music on it, don’t keep it to yourself, come on here and tell everyone about it. Tell me and others why this is such a great record and then we can tell other people about it. So if anyone has anything they want to share, come onto this site and tell us about it, and then we can all know about it.
Finally, I have really enjoyed doing the research for this article and I have learnt so much about the music I have written about, and I hope that by you having taken the time to read this article, and others on this blog, that you know more about the wonderful music that I have had the privilege of writing about. If you have enjoyed this article, keep looking at this blog, I will be putting new articles up on a daily basis and I would welcome your comments and feedback. So if you have enjoyed the music, don’t keep it to yourselves, and if you have enjoyed this article and others on the blog, don’t keep it to yourselves, tell your friends and get them to tell their friends.
THE BATHERS-PANDEMONIA
THE BATHERS-PANDEMONIA.
The Bathers are one of these groups who never have received the acclaim that their wonderful music deserves. This demonstrates how unfair the music industry can be when, nowadays, made for television artists, receive publicity way beyond their talent, and sell huge quantities of mediocre music. Sadly, The Bathers meanwhile remain one of the music industries best kept secrets known about only be those who treasure their albums and await hungrily for news of their next album.
It is hard to believe that Pandemonia was released back in 1999,because the album still sounds as fresh as it did back then, as the album has a timeless quality about it. Back in 1999, on first listen I was smitten by the quality of the songwriting, musicianship and of course, Chris Thomson’s voice. There are fourteen songs on the album and remarkably, each one of those songs manages to keep up the same high quality. From the opening track Twenty Two until the final track, Pandemonia, each track fails to disappoint.
The lyrics to the opening track Twenty Two when read, may seem just examples of basic rhyming couplets, but Chris Thomson’s interpretation ensures they paint a picture in the listener’s mind that has the same effect as a good short story or mini-movie. Twenty Two is a tale of adoration and admiration, and yes love, but is it from afar? Dreamless is the second track and is easily one of the standout tracks on the album. The lyrics about love lost are both heartfelt and beautiful, and cannot fail to tug on the listener’s heartstrings.
My favourite track on Pandemonia is the fourth track The Belle Sisters. There is much to admire about this track, Callum McNairs’ guitar, Thomson’s vocal and the lyrics. The lyrics are both beautiful and surreal, after all, what could the lyric “when she held out her hands she was holding an accidental halo hunger and a horses head”. Whatever it means, it adds to the lyrics and makes it one of my favourite Bathers’ tracks.
Tequila Mockingbird is a beautiful song, where Catherine Leroy’s voice beautifully compliments Chris Thomson’s perfectly. Just when you think that the roller-coaster your emotions are experiencing on whilst listening to this album is slowing down, along comes Sundown and Longing, a song so hauntingly beautiful that the listener feels the hurt the subject of the song has experienced and longs to share it with them and take their hurt away.
The Captives is another song about relationships, deceit and love lost, and maybe even regret. Yes, songs about this subject matter may be ten-a-penny, but not many feature such powerful lyrics and have a band and vocalist at the top of their game, that we have here with The Bathers and The Captives. This is one of the faster songs on the album and shows that Thomson and the band are capable of delivering regardless of the tempo of the song.
Last Night I Loved You is a song that tells a story, once that at one time in our lives we have all experienced. When I listened to the lyrics I smiled, as I recognised the emotions that the writer is experiencing, the hurt and pain, just wanting as he says “the healing to begin”. The final track is Pandemonia and is the magnus opus of the album, lasting just over 13 minutes. Some people might believe this to be a mistake, an example of over-indulgence that could spoil the album. However, this is not the case, if anything, Pandemonia with the various parts to it, is the perfect way to finish this album, bringing to an end one hour of beautiful music by a band who sadly have never hit the commercial heights that their wonderful music deserves.
So if you happen to see a copy of Pandemonia, or any album by The Bathers, my advice is buy it, take it home and you will treasure it and want to hear more of The Bathers back catalogue. If you are lucky enough to find a copy of this album, don’t keep it to yourself, tell your friends, and get them to tell their friends, maybe then we can get The Bathers the commercial acclaim they deserve.
PRIMAL SCREAM-SCREAMADELICA 20TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET.
PRIMAL SCREAM-SCREAMADELICA 20TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET.
On 14th March the Screamadelica 20th Anniversary Box Set was released. Thank you! I had waited patiently since November when this was first announced. When I opened it, I was not disappointed. It truly is a thing of beauty. However, I am not just talking about the great music you will hear when you either put on the lovely double vinyl album or the four CDs within the box set. Also, to be found within this great box set are four pieces of the late and great Paul Cannel’s artwork, a book containing an interview of Bobby Gillespie by James Brown (no not that one, if it was a medium would be required) of Loaded fame/infamy a DVD of the Scream in concert, a T-shirt, and 
a DJ Slip Mat. There is also a DVD included in the Box Set which features the making of Screamadelica and fans will enjoy this I’m sure. The box everything is contained is almost like a piece of modern sculpture and has that wonderful logo on the front. It is well made and looks great.
The remastering of the original album really is fantastic. Listening to the Screamadelica disc I can hear things that I did not hear on the original album and other things much clearly. There is a real depth and clarity to the music and the album really comes alive. I can recommend this remaster to anyone, especially those who have neither heard of the album nor Primal Scream.
So getting to the music, what are the standout tracks. Well perm any one from eleven as there are no bad tracks on Screamadelica which can not be said about many albums. Personally, I love the contrast between the slower tracks Damaged and Higher Than the Sun, whereas tracks like Movin’ On Up and Don’t Fight It, Feel It are more uptempo. The lyrics to Damaged are beautiful and thoughtful and makes me wonder whether they are personal to Bobby or one of the band. This tenderness shows a different side to Primal Scream, whereas Movin’ On Up and Don’t Fight It, Feel It are feelgood tracks that make you happy and want to dance. When you listen to the whole album it is hard to believe that it is now twenty years old and, unlike many of us, it has aged better.
The Dixie Narco EP is the second disc and is well worth a listen and I love all the tracks. The two slow songs are Stone My Soul and Carry Me Home. Both songs show a different side of the band as both songs are slow and Bobby’s voice sounds world-weary and the lyrics sound personal especially on Carry Me Home. Screamadelica is the last of the four songs and at just under eleven minutes is an intriguing contrast to the slower songs on the EP, and is a joyous journey of sounds that life the spirits and massage the soul. This second CD is well worth a listen and those unfamiliar with the band will be surprised by variety and quality of the songs.
The third CD contains various remixes of the tracks on Screamadelica and like all remixes some work and others do not. The best of the remixes are the Farley Mix of Loaded, the 7″ mix of Come Together, Higher Than the Sun (Higher Than the Orb) and Don’t Fight It (High, High, High). The one that does not work for me is Come Together (Terry Farley 12′ Extended Mix) which has a somewhat frantic feel to it and the vocals seem to sit to far back in the mix and are overwhelmed by other elements of the mix. That said, there will be some people who love that mix and aren’t keen on the ones I prefer, so each to their own.
The fourth and final disc features the Scream live in LA and kicks off with Movin’ On Up and features amongst others Don’t Fight It, Feel It, I’m Losing More (Than I’ll Ever Have), Damaged and Screamadelica. The first nine tracks I enjoyed but the last two Cold Turkey and No Fun I did not. They to me, seemed out of place on this disc and waste precious space for better tracks. Again, personal opinion so make your own mind up.
So was the wait worth it? Definitely and in my opinion whether you are a Primal Scream fan of old, or a younger fan go out and buy this box set now. Although it’s a bit pricey it is well worth buying but, be quick there are only 5000 out there.
PRIMAL SCREAM-SCREAMADELICA 20TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET.
dereksmusicblog
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