Posted in Paper Chase

Franz Kafka – The Trial

Posted on by Michael

The Trial is Franz Kafa’s novel originally published posthumously in 1925.  The book tells of Josef K who is accused of a crime by two government men who appear in his rooming house one morning, the crime is never revealed. Josef then meets several people who appear in his life to help but he never gets anywhere, never fully understands what he’s been accused of or how to clear his name.

The Kafka world in The Trial is a dream like fog. It always seems dark, everything happens in the shadows. Confusing scenes of going to court located in an apartment, being let in by a woman who is not part of the court. Towards the end of the novel, he visits a church and is lectured by the priest who knows all about him and his case.  The man who he was supposed meet there never appears. The surreal story illustrates the red tape of bureaucracy, the facelessness of the system, not knowing who to talk to.  A century later, The Trial is still an intriguing read, one where very little is ever truly revealed.

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Siouxsie and the Banshees – A Kiss In The Dreamhouse (1982)

Posted on by Michael

Recording of Siouxsie and the Banshees fifth album started in May, 1982. Long hours in the studio fueled by a flurry of love, drugs and alcohol sees the band record the experimental A Kiss In The Dreamhouse. The dark and foreboding sound of “Cascade” opens the album with various sound effects swirling in the background, Siouxsie singing “Echoing the revolver/Emptying into my mouth”. “Obsession” is more stripped down but no less dark – a spooky atmosphere surrounds it, this contrasts with the recorder opening and shimmering guitar sound of “Green Fingers”.

Serious topics are explored on “Circle” – the circle of abuse and pain spins around and around. Based on the book, the pounding drums of “Painted Bird” drive home the story of bizarre animal abuse. The band even manages to sing about S+M, dominance and death on the single “Melt!” The dark sounds do provide brighter moments. The percussive sound of “She’s A Carnival”, complete with organ outro, and the (maybe) gothic dance craze described on “Slowdive” add a dash of fun. A Kiss In The Dreamhouse is a rollicking bit of dark theatre that still entices 40+ years later.

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Courtney Barnett – Creature Of Habit (2026)

Posted on by Michael

Creature of Habit is the new album from Australian transplant Courtney Barnett, now living in LA. The album centrepiece, “Mantis”, was co-written with Stella Mozgawa who co-produces and plays on all the tracks. As the verses tumble out one after another, Barnett is hyper aware as she sings “Organizing all my thoughts, making them rhyme”. Inward looking is a major theme throughout the album, “Rip this thing out of my head (please be patient)” goes first track “Stay In Your Lane” and as she sings on “Sugar Plum”, “I’m in over my head”.

The pronounced bass on “Sugar Plum” turns to technicolour over layers of guitars when she sings that she’s “looking forward to some brighter days”. Though introspective, the album is never down. Songs such as the thoughtful “Wonder” spring to life and the repetition of closing track “Another Beautiful Day” turns it into a mantra. While it’s hard to pinpoint a truly great song, Creature Of Habit is chockful of very good tracks. Another Courtney Barnett album that stands tall upon repeated listens.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

David Bowie – Tonight (1984)

Posted on by Michael

After the mammoth success of the Let’s Dance album just one year earlier, David Bowie and record company rush released Tonight. Instead of trying to duplicate that success with producer Nile Rodgers, Bowie decided to work with Derek Bramble and Hugh Padgham as engineer. At nine tracks, five of them covers, Tonight is a hodgepodge release. 

The album starts off promisingly with the crisp drumbeat of “Loving The Alien”. The track has a great build-up to the chorus on the song name that would later serve as the title of the box set for the years 1983-1988.  That promise is also seen on punchy first single “Blue Jean”. The lyrically simple song about girls is amped up on the high end with horns and on the low subtle end with the marimba. The upbeat pop track went top 10 around the world.

The rest of the album does not live up to those two moments. Three of the songs were originally done by Iggy Pop including the reggae influenced title track that sees Bowie singing with Tina Turner. Bowie also turns his attention to The Beach Boys with an atrocious version of “God Only Knows” that does much damage to one of rock and roll’s greatest love songs. Instead of working as a cohesive whole, much of Tonight feels like it’s slapped together, throwing songs at the wall to see what sticks. On this release, much of it doesn’t stick at all.

5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Bob Dylan – Desire (1976)

Posted on by Michael

1975 was a high praise year for Bob Dylan, coming off the critical success of both Blood On The Tracks and The Basement Tapes recorded with The Band. In 1976, Desire was the next Dylan release and was also successful. Critically acclaimed, the album eventually made it to #1 in the US. Two additions to the sound make Desire a warm record to revisit 50 years later.  Emmylou Harris sings back-up throughout the album and the violin playing of Scarlet Rivera really stands out especially on tracks like the quest for riches saga of “Isis”.

Many of the tracks were co-written with Jacques Levy including the playful rhyming of “Mozambique” and the flamenco sound of “Romance In Durango”. “Black Diamond Bay” about a volcano erupting on a tiny island is high quality pop songwriting, “she sheds a tear and then begins to pray/as the fire burns on and the smoke drifts away”.  The album closes with the personal “Sara” about Dylan’s then wife.

The standout track is the first single, “Hurricane”.  The song tells the true story of boxer Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter who was wrongfully convicted of murder before eventually having the charges overturned years later. A powerful storytelling song where the outstanding musicianship behind Dylan matches his passion for the tragedy of the charges.  Desire is a really terrific mid 70s period Dylan album.

9/10