Category: Album Reviews

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Simple Minds – Real To Real Cacophony (1979)

Posted on by Michael

In 1979, Simple Minds were keen to quickly follow-up their debut album that they were not happy with a mere seven months later. Once again working with producer John Leckie, the Glaswegians decamped to Rockfield Studios in Wales to record what would become Real To Real Cacophony.  The first track, “Real To Real” sees synths firing out signals for a disco in another world. “Carnival (Shelter in a Suitcase)” has a circus keyboard with a solid rhythm section behind it on a song that fits in well with the post punk movement. “Calling Your Name” has a similar sound but adds dancefloor moves.

The only single released from the album was “Changeling” that has a more straightforward guitar riff.  Better is “Premonition” that has elements of the band’s sound that they would take to stadiums in the mid 80s, not to mention a sound that U2 would also further develop. Along with these tracks, several instrumentals appear including the ominous “Cacophony”.  On Real To Real Cacophony, the band does what it wanted to do by moving their sound in a more art pop direction that takes in heroes like Roxy Music and Bowie but also creates their own world.

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Kaiser Chiefs – Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album (2024)

Posted on by Michael

The Kaiser Chiefs make it easy to remind you how many albums they have recorded on The Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Albums.  Easy it is with barely a moment that is not sugary to consume like cotton candy. “Beautiful Girl” has a light guitar riff on a track whose chorus sounds ripped from a One Direction outtake. The legendary Nile Rodgers co-writes first single “Feeling Alright” that rides a bass groove as Ricky Wilson sings, “No one you love is ever dead/they’re always in your head/in your heart dancing”.

“Burning in Flames” sounds ready to be sampled as an EDM anthem while “How 2 Dance” sounds spot on like the band Black Kids circa 2008. Towards the end, the album starts to drift with several unmemorable songs before rebounding with “The Lads”.  Now well into their forties, the group sounds like a band half their age.  Whether that’s a positive or negative depends on how much you enjoy fluffy indie dance rock.

6/10

Posted in Album Reviews

St. Vincent – All Born Screaming (2024)

Posted on by Michael

On her seventh studio album, All Born Screaming, St. Vincent (Annie Clark) takes on full production duties for the first time. Several notable guests on the album include Dave Grohl who adds a pummeling quality to “Flea” and Cate le Bon on the title track that has touch of Vampire Weekend for the first half, breaks free with a sped up heartbeat beat in the middle before ending in electronic abyss.

The album begins with the distant beats of “Hell is Near” that mixes live instrumentation with electronics. Also featuring the drums of Grohl, “Broken Man” has a strut made for the industrial dancefloor. Clark brings the vibe down a notch with the James Bond like “Violent Times” that has a great vocal plus the laid back reggae vibe of “So Many Planets” about searching for a place to belong.  As an album, All Born Screaming far more often than not brings the substance along with the impeccable style.  

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Julia Holter – Something In The Room She Moves (2024)

Posted on by Michael

Like everyone over the last few years, Julia Holter has had her fair share of challenges.  Becoming a mother during COVID, contracting the virus and losing her voice, plus the loss of family including her 18 year old nephew. Pitchfork lists her newest album, Something In The Room She Moves as “experimental” which is an apt term.  Melding jazz, ambient, RnB, etc into a blend that drifts along dreamily over the 50+ minute running time.

First single and song, “Sun Girl” creates a disorienting sensation including a bit of a jazz feel. The title track turns on sophisticated RnB with a touch of Kate Bush where she sings, “What I seek could be so nice” on one of the album’s highlights. “Spinning” has thumping percussion with a 70s synth that does that retro yet futuristic thing with a catchy chorus where Holter sings “I’m in the way/the tears are mine”.

Like her past albums, there is a lot to like on Something In the Room She Moves including the soft touch of closing track “Who Brings Me”.  The album as a whole can be a laidback challenge to listen as she experiments (there’s that word again) with sound and atmosphere.  Somehow, Julia Holter always makes it compelling with a desire to hear more of what she’s working on.  Adding a more straightforward, for her at least, couple of songs would make it a bit more accessible to a wider audience but for many, we’re happy to follow where she takes us.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

The Lovin’ Spoonful – Greatest Hits (2000)

Posted on by Michael

The New York based 60s folk rock group The Lovin’ Spoonful released their first single, the #9 single “Do You Believe In Magic” in July of 1960. The track sees singer John Sebastian talk of the pure joy of music and leads off their Greatest Hits album from 2000.  Coming in at a generous 26 songs, three of the first five tracks are classic 60s folk pop songs. “Daydream” has an old timey feel complete with a whistle bit for fans to join in.  The easy going “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind” captures the hardship of having to choose between two potential partners in a situation that is “not often easy and not often kind”.

Those songs see The Lovin’ Spoonful at their best, much of the rest of the album is a pleasant batch of songs that sound like they could be strummed around a beach campfire or appear in the background of a movie. Another top ten hit, “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice” has a nice melody, “Darling Be Home Soon” adds strings/horns on an introspective soundtrack song, and “Jug Band Music” is a fun upbeat number. The one standout from this is arguably their best song – “Summer In the City”.  The track captures the essence of New York City in the stifling heat of the summer complete with car horns honking, “but at night it’s a different world/go out and find a girl”.  The grit and coolness of the city oozes out of the #1 hit.

Within a few short years, the group over.  Complications due to founder/guitarist Val Yanovsky’s arrest for marijuana in 1966 helped in the demise with Sebastian leaving a couple years later. Drummer Joe Butler carried on the band’s name for one more album where he was the only original member. Surprisingly it turned out a very good ending track for this compilation with “Never Going Back”.  Over the last 50 years, The Lovin’ Spoonful’s handful of hits have lived on forever on AM radio.

7/10