Michael

De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising (2023 Edition)

Posted on May 1, 2025 by Michael

Formed while going to high school in New York, De La Soul was a trio of Posdnuos, Maseo and Trugoy the Dove (RIP). Catching the attention of producer Prince Paul, the group released their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising in 1989, smack in the middle of the golden age of hip hop. The album as a kaleidoscope of styles using samples from jazz, funk, soul, psychedelia, and rock records. Collaborating with like minded groups A Tribe Called Quest and The Jungle Brothers, De La Soul introduced their sound called the D.A.I.S.Y age (Da Inner Sound Y’all) to the rap community.

Based on a Schoolhouse Rock! track, “The Magic Number” is an effervescent song where “De La Soul posse consist of three/And that’s the magic number”. “Eye Know” takes a Steely Dan sample from “Peg” and adds horns from a Mad Lads’ track and Otis Redding’s whistling for a new sound as bright as a sunny day. “Tread Water” sees the trio introduce members of the animal community with a beat that keeps the story moving before the Hall and Oates sampling “Say No Go” tackles the crack epidemic sweeping through their neighbourhood.

“Me Myself and I” was the band’s first and only top 40 hit, it’s the one that helped their tape make into ghetto blasters in high schools around the world. The track sees each member sing about their own unique personality and style, downplaying the hippie image that was attached to them at the time. “De la soul is from the soul/and in fact I can’t deny../and from me, myself and I”. On that hit single and throughout the album – the band along with Prince Paul revel in a sophisticated and experimental sound that keeps it light and youthful. The sample heavy album was held back from digital release for years as they worked out agreements to clear samples (or make slight changes) that Tommy Boy Records originally neglected to bother with. Regarded as an 80s classic album, an all time great rap disc, and included in the US Library of Congress – 3 Feet High and Rising is a cultural landmark recording.

10/10

Album Reviews

Metallica – Kill ‘Em All (1983)

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Michael

They’ve been playing sold out shows in stadiums around the world for 30 years now but starting out, Metallica was an unknown metal thrash band based in San Francisco. After kicking out original guitarist Dave Mustaine due to addiction issues, the band added Kirk Hammett to the core line-up of drummer Lars Ulrich, singer/guitarist James Hetfield and bassist Cliff Burton. Hammet joined the band in New York for the recording of their debut album, Kill ‘Em All released on Megaforce Records in 1983.

Regarded as one of the key members of the big four of thrash metal alongside Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax – there are several hardcore songs on the debut including “Phantom Lord” and “Motorbreath”. Still, there is much to like for non-hardcore metal fans. Thundering drums and guitar start “Hit the Lights” and the simple chorus makes it an anthem about their fans. At almost 7 minutes, “Seek & Destroy” is just as anthemic with it’s heavy riffing and another anthem like chorus.

Mustaine’s hands can still be felt on the debut as he gets a co-writing credit on four tracks including the epic “The Four Horsemen”. It has a classic rock feel in parts with galloping drums and chugging guitars. “Jump In The Fire” sees Hetfield employ a seventies hard rock vocal with a circling guitar riff on one of the first songs the band ever wrote. It’s funny to think that as Michael Jackson, The Police and Men At Work tore up the charts – young metalheads nationwide were already banging their heads to Metallica and their classic debut – Kill ‘Em All.

9/10

Album Reviews

Throwing Muses – Midnight Concessions (2025)

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Michael

18 months after she released her last solo album, Kristin Hersh returns with her band Throwing Muses for the cleverly titled Midnight Concessions. The album takes on a southern gothic, swamp like feel where the air is thick and heavy. Along with her usual bandmates, David Narcizo on drums and Bernard Georges on bass, the cello of Pete Harvey plays a big role on the album. Songs like the darkly atmospheric “Theremini” have the strings play a prominent role.

“Summer of Love” sees Hersh push the guitar into the forefront as she sings, “finally life as it should have been” which is in contrast to “South Coast” where she sings, “Go down without a fight/No dawn without a light”. On the second half of the album, “Sally’s Beauty” has a hazy, almost eerie feel whereas “Albatross” is more immediate and in the listener’s face where she implores us to “just survive”. While affecting in some spots, there is not enough of those moments on Moonlight Concessions to really make it a great record.

6.5/10

Album Reviews

The Police – Synchronicity (2CD Deluxe Version) (2024)

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Michael

The last album that British trio The Police recorded is the one that sent them into the stratosphere. Released in 1983, Synchronicity is one of the classic albums of the 80s, with the chiseled jawlines of the band members appearing in videos, posters, magazines around the world. The album recorded at AIR studios in Montserrat by producer Hugh Padghan was fraught with infighting and the band recording their parts in separate rooms. In contrast to these well known stories, in interviews included in the CD booklet, the band is highly complimentary to what each member brought to the sound of the album.

Arguably one of the most backloaded albums in the history of rock music, Synchronicity starts with the tension of the title track (part I); a bit new wave, scientific, and a lot of energy. Carl Jung’s theory of synchronicity is never far away from Sting’s lyrical inspiration. “Walking In Your Footsteps” switches the sound to African percussion courtesy of drummer Stewart Copeland while singer/bass player Sting sings of the extinct dinosaurs. With Sting taking writing credits for most of the tracks on the album, Andy Summers is the writer on “Mother”, the most decisive track on the album. A screeching bit of a post punk that is at odds with the radio friendly sounds of the rest of the album.

The first side closes with part II of the title track that was released as a single and the best true rock moment on the album. “Synchronicity II” tells of a man living an anxiety ridden suburban existence that is juxtaposed with the image of a monster rising out of a Scottish lake. The next track is rated as one of the most played radio songs ever recorded. While on first listen, “Every Breath You Take” is a song of love, it is on repeated listens that the sinister side of a stalker emerges. Andy Summer’s guitar helps power the song that is one of the signature songs of the 80s.

Two more big hits follow on songs that would go top ten around the world. The piano driven tension on “King of Pain” is as unsettling as Sting’s lyrics about “a black spot on the sun today” and a “black hat caught in a high tree top”. “Wrapped Around Your Finger” is another song about control that makes many mythological references. The album closes with the tender band favourite, “Tea In The Sahara” while the CD version of the original album closes with the comparatively slight, “Murder By Numbers” which also appears here.

The second disc in this collection is a mix of B-sides, unreleased tracks, and live versions. A bit of a mix bag, the songs included are not exclusive to the Synchronicity era with songs like “Message In A Bottle” and “Walking On The Moon” appearing in live versions. The B-sides included are more straight up rock songs including Andy Summers’ “Truth Hits Everybody (remix)” with a terrific rumbling bass. Best are the backing track versions for “Roxanne” and “Every Breath You Take” that punches up the piano not as noticeable on the regular version.

Synchronicity – 9/10

Extras – 7.5/10

Paper Chase

Peter Ames Carlin – The Name Of This Band Is R.E.M.

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Michael

After writing about such musical artists as Paul McCartney and Paul Simon, experienced rock and roll author Peter Ames Carlin turned his attention to R.E.M. for the biography, The Name Of This Band IS R.E.M. released in late 2024. Covering the band’s history from childhood to their first concert in an old converted church in Athens GA and later onto superstardom. The band had a quick rise in the music world from bar band to capturing Rolling Stone magazine’s album of the year in 1983 for their first release, Murmur. They stayed at indie label IRS Records through the mid-80s before switching to Warner Brothers Records. The band was soon on a collision course with rock supremacy as albums such as Out Of Time and Automatic For The People topped the charts around the world.

Throughout the book, Carlin emphasis what a great bunch of guys the band is even as they navigate the murky world of the music business and fame. A few casualties appear along the way including their former manager Jefferson Holt who has been virtually erased from their story. Other stories include those around them that tried to get R.E.M. to go for a more commercial sound or at least produce a video that MTV would actually show as they steadily accumulated album sales. The band also grappled with fickle early fans who were not happy as Michael Stipe’s singing voice could actually be heard above the music and not lost in an ocean of mumbles as they moved away from some of their more underground music philosophies. While the members of R.E.M. did not participate in the book, they did not block Carlin from interviewing various friends and associates. It’s a fascinating account of one America’s truly great rock and roll bands.

9/10