Posted in Album Reviews

The Cars – Shake It Up (1981)

Posted on by Michael

On the first few songs from the album Shake It Up, The Cars immediately return to former glories.  “Since Your Gone” comes in hard, then mellows out at midtempo with what sounds like clipped handclaps. “Since you’re gone/I can’t help it/Everything’s a mess” sings Ocasek on a track that barely dented the US singles chart.  The title track is a new wave classic and dancefloor filler on 80s nights.  “Dance all night keep the beat/Don’t you worry ‘bout two left feet”.  The call to arms is amazingly the band’s first top 10 single, going to #3. Oddly, “I’m Not the One” would get remixed five years later and released as a single for their first Greatest Hits collection.

“Victim Of Love” has a retro 50s bop to it’s simple drum and keyboard lines that is later matched on “Think It Over” and its poppy chorus, a buzzing guitar that pops every few seconds. Darker is “This Could Be Love” as Ocasek sings “is this the kill, is this the thrill?”.  The thrills here are more understated and minimal, it would have not sounded out of place if it came out in indie rock dance boom of the early 2000s. It’s hard to live up to their early success and Shake It Up doesn’t seem to try.  Instead the band retreated into their newly build studio to tinker, delivering an understated album of new wave tracks that live in the dark shadows of the club.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Madonna – Like a Prayer (1989)

Posted on by Michael

Once again working with Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray on various songs, Madonna co-wrote/produced all the tracks on her landmark release, Like a Prayer.  The 1989 album sees a shift to more mature themes as Madonna tackles a failing marriage, her relationships with her family, the death of her mother, and religion.  The title track was the first single released with much hype on the back of a promotion with Pepsi that would end with just one airing of the infamous commercial. On the song, a choir humming emerges from the ether as Madonna sings, “life is a mystery…” In the verses, it’s just the choir and some twinkling background sounds before the chorus erupts with gospel singers.

“Express Yourself” appears here in a different form than the version on The Immaculate Collection. It sounds more joyous with added horns but loses the throbbing bassline on the female empowerment single that would go to #2 in the US with the line, “don’t go for second best, baby”. “Cherish” is one of Madonna’s most infectious singles. The charming song is the sound of a summer day with Madonna singing that “Romeo and Juliet they never felt this way I bet”.

Prince appears on three tracks, most prominently on the electro funk “Love Song”.  Surprisingly, two titans of music coming together brings very little heat. Better is the perky dance pop of “Till Death Do Us Part” whose music hides the lyrics of her failing marriage.  UK single “Dear Jessie” is a whimsical, lyrically psychedelic track that has a childlike simplicity to it.  In contrast, one of Madonna’s best album tracks is about the death of one of her friends from AIDs.  “Spanish Eyes” is a lovely, touching song that sees her voice reach for the lines “I light this candle and watch it throw/tears on my pillow” on this heartfelt ballad.

Like a Prayer sees Madonna grow as an artist, especially on failed single, “Oh Father”. Based on her feelings of her Mom dying while she was still a child, it speaks to her relationship with father and also an abusive male relationship.  The dramatic ballad reaches an empathic climax when Madonna sings, “Maybe someday/When I look back, I’ll be able to say/You didn’t mean to be cruel/Somebody hurt you too”.  It’s one of her best tracks but also broke her string of top 10 hits so doesn’t appear on greatest hits albums.  “Oh Father” is one of many powerful moments on an excellent pop album that further pushed Madonna even further into superstardom.

10/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly (2023)

Posted on by Michael

In between tours, Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten took time to write music that would become his debut solo album. Opening song “The Score” is the first song written for this album and like several other songs, the vocals sound similar to Leonard Cohen.  “Fairlies” is driven by an acoustic guitar, handclaps in the chorus snap along as he sings “I can live alone/happy, where I like to be”. “Salt Throwers off a Truck”, inspired by what he saw in New York City, the song sounds like an old Irish folk tale.

Eventually working with producer Dan Carey and Fontaines drummer Tom Coll, songs like “I Am So Far” were written in the drudgery of lockdown where Chatten was “seeking only answer/hearing only lies”. By contrast, “Bob’s Casino” is a breezy 60s easy listening track with complete horns.  Here, Chatten’s voice seems to drop even lower than his usual register to sound a bit like Johnny Cash, female vocals add to the 60s allusion.  Chaos for the Fly is a varied album, one that takes the foot off the Fontaines D.C. gas and let Chatten spread his wings a bit further. Even if it sounds like it was written in a tiny Madrid bedsit.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Kate Bush – Lionheart (1978)

Posted on by Michael

Released just 9 months after her debut, the record company wanted to jump on Kate Bush’s early success and quickly released Lionheart one out to the public.  Second single “Wow” is the standout with Kate just singing “Wow… unbelievable” in the chorus but here, she absolutely makes it believable.  Saving (one of) the best for last,  “Hammer Horror” features a dramatic, symphonic start before giving way to voice and piano but picks up again for the chorus.

First track, “Symphony in Blue” sees Kate singing of “the sort of blue between clouds, when the sun comes out”. “Oh England My Lionheart” has a harpsichord on it making it sound it could have come out 200 years ago whereas “Don’t Push Your Food on the Heartbrake” has a pounding piano and horn blasts. Lionheart is notable for being first to have Del Palmer performing on it who would then go on to play a significant role on nearly Kate Bush album after that.

Bush’s performance here is generally pretty good and the lyrics are mostly fine, it’s the music that lets the side down.  Too much of the time sounds middle of the road seventies smooth jazz that doesn’t contain any quirks or reach for much attention. In the end, Lionheart proves to be a slight step backwards at the beginning of Kate Bush’s long and storied musical career. 

6/10

Posted in Album Reviews

blur – The Ballad of Darren (Deluxe) (2023)

Posted on by Michael

blur came back in a big way in 2023.  Recent sold out stadium gigs plus a live streamed event where the band played the entirety of new album The Ballad of Darren. Alex James’ bass grooves were a highlight on several tracks, as he lounged on a sofa in short pants. The new release produced by James Ford sees the foursome in introspective mode with mainly slower, atmospheric tracks.  Damon’s voice sounds calm and laidback on nearly every track barring the single “St. Charles Square” that shows off the band’s punkier side with shouts and Graham Coxon’s guitar squalls.

First song, “The Ballad” is the reworking of an older Albarn track that his friend Darren encouraged him to go back and finish.  The electronic beat compliments the contemplative track. “Russian Strings” claims that “there’s nothing in the end, only dust/so turn the music up”.  “Barbaric” is a catchy, jangly guitar track that asks, “now where are we going?”.  “The Heights” adds dramatic strings and more of a solid beat from Dave Rowntree that eventually turns to static before shutting down completely.

The highlight of the album is first single, the anthemic “The Narcissist”.  Partly based on an acid trip from many years ago, Coxon adds vocals on the verses before the chorus breaks in with the infectious line, “I’ll be shining light in your eyes/you’ll probably shine it back on me”. The deluxe version adds two tracks including the much needed upbeat “The Rabbi” and a better album closer of “The Swan”.

On blur’s return, the tracks on The Ballad of Darren could use an injection of energy which makes the deluxe copy the go to version.  Some of the songs can blend into one another but several of the singles will be played in all future reunion gigs to an adoring crowd.  Now playing to an aging Britpop crowd, the mature slant to the songs will see many identifying with the messages, leaving behind the cheeky chappy character sketches of the band’s past.   

8/10