Stevie Wonder – Music Of My Mind (1972)
Music Of My Mind was a turning point in Stevie Wonder’s career. After several Motown hits in the 60s, he was given full creative control for the first time with this album. That meant he was able to bring in electronic music pioneers, Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff along with their TONTO synthesizer. The results are immediate on the dirty funk synths and bass of “Love Having You Around”, a groovy track about a partner with the mantra “everyday I want to fly my kite”.
The first single was an edited version of the heartfelt 8 minute album version “Superwoman”. The first half of the song, Wonder sings of a partner who wants to be a movie star then the second he sings of not having her around. With the first couple of tracks coming in at extended times, there is still room for pop songs. The hard to believe it was not a single, “I Love Every Little Thing About You” is joyous soulful pop confection.
Second single “Keep on Running” is excitement from the get go. An underlying piano noise keeps the tension until the funky chorus appears. It’s an exhilarating soul track to get people moving. Album closer “Evil” has an epic sound, like a Sunday morning gospel song put through synthesizers. On Music Of My Mind, It’s not only remarkable that Wonder plays most of the instruments but that these warm, joyful, and beautiful songs rarely appear on Greatest Hits albums. They are instead mostly confined to this 1972 album that kicked off his run of classic albums.
9/10
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us (2024)
“F**ck the world” are the first lyrics heard on Vampire Weekend’s fifth album, Only God Was Above Us. Even with that lyric, the song starts off slow then really picks up with a galloping beat and furious strings a stringing. Like several songs on the album, “Classical” has a rap beat at it’s heart then adds some jazzy horns. The Surfer, cowritten with former band member Rostam Badmanglig, also has a hip hop feel though this time it’s more of a lazy, hazy beat. Koenig’s art school lyrics reach their heights on Mary Boone, the New York art dealer and collector on a track that also incorporates Soul II Soul’s smash “Back to Life”.
Where the album really shines on Ezra Koenig’s songs is the instrumentation of the main trio, including drummer Chris Thomson and bassist Chris Baio. The piano break on first single “Capricorn”, the jazzy bass of “Connect”, the excellent drumming of “Hope” is what really stands out on the 10 track album. While the second half drags slightly, the album never really falls off the tracks and there are plenty of terrific moments like the ones mentioned. The preppy New York aesthetic is still there but they also travel downtown to add excellent jazz and rap elements as the band expands their sound.
8/10
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Kaleidoscope (1980)
After releasing Join Hands in 1979, it’s safe to say Siouxsie and the Banshees were in disarray. Both guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris left the band on the day the album was released. Siouxsie and Steven Severin would then regroup and bring in new drummer Budgie who became a mainstay along with guitarist John McGeoch for their first release of the 80s, Kaleidoscope.
The first single was a sarcastic take on the drama the band had endured. “Happy House” is one of their best tracks – gloomy with pop sensibilities that went into the UK top 20. Here, Siouxsie deadpans that that happy house is “such fun” and that “it never rains”. A bass riff played through electronics powers “Tenant” that dispenses any of tongue in cheek joy that precedes it, it’s the happy house at night when the squatters move in. Downbeat with glitchy beats, “Lunar Camel” could have come out in the last 10 years and been hailed as innovative.
“Hybrid” puts the drumbeat front and centre, with a ringing guitar and wailing horn. While there is a lot going on musically, the song is always locked down and the quieter moments are quite lovely. Second single “Christine” is another highlight. Lyrics by Severin, the song chronicles the split personality of Christine Sizemore over an acoustic guitar strum and chugging bassline. It’s just one of many tracks that create an atmosphere all their own on a highly influential album. Kaleidoscope would see Siouxsie and the Banshees continue to move well past their punk origins into helping form the underground music world of the 1980s.
9/10
Bob Dylan – Planet Waves (1974)
In late 1973, Bob Dylan entered the studio with old friends The Band to work on songs that would become Planet Waves. For the most part, gone are the voice of the generation songs that defined his 60s output. Instead, “You Angel You” uses lyrical clichés on lines like “the way you walk and the way you talk” but is played with energetic country rock making it a winner. “Tough Mama” is a bit funky with some terrific organ work from Garth Hudson and opening “On A Night Like This” works as a country tinged uptempo folk song.
Dylan’s ode to to one of his sons, “Forever Young” appears in two different versions with the slower version working as a lullaby. “Dirge” takes in a classic dirgy melody as he sings that he has “paid the price of solitude, but at least I’m out of debt”. Album closer “Wedding Song” is a terrific acoustic song in the older Dylan style but replaces the politics with love.
Surprisingly, this is the first Bob Dylan album to go to #1 in the US where it stayed for for four weeks starting in mid February, 1974. His first release for Asylum Records after leaving his longtime Columbia home, Planet Waves is greatly benefited by the playing of The Band who help elevate an album of OK songs. Like 1970’s New Morning, this is another album of decent 70s singer songwriter tracks but nothing that could be called essential.
6.5/10
The Light Appears 