Posted in Album Reviews

Madonna – True Blue (1986)

Posted on by Michael

The third Madonna album released in June 1986 cemented her as an 80s superstar, right up there with Prince and Michael Jackson.  True Blue contained 5 hit singles and went to number one across the world.  A staggering achievement for the still 27-year-old who was fresh into a marriage to actor Sean Penn.  Even with all the tabloid headlines and endless distractions, the determined popstar co-wrote and produced every track on the album along with Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard.

True Blue opens with the unmistakable string arrangement of “Papa Don’t Preach”. The controversial song about a woman opening up to her dad and deciding what she wants to do with an unplanned pregnancy regardless of what others think.  The tumbling drums of “Open Your Heart” open up the infectious dance pop track. Ballad “Live to Tell” from the Sean Penn movie At Close Range was the album’s opening single and went to #1 in several countries. A touching vocal performance is most effective in the bridge when the music fades and Madonna’s voice comes back in. 

The title track is an upbeat 50sish pop track is a lighthearted romp that sees Madonna happily sing, “I searched the whole world for someone like you”. The #3 US single was sadly left off the Immaculate Collection hits collection released a few years later.  Final single, “La Isla Bonita” started as an instrumental for Michael Jackson that was turned down before Madonna turned it into a Latin flavoured, slightly melancholic track that recalls time spent on the tropical paradise of San Pedro.

What makes True Blue a step up from Like a Virgin is the quality of its album tracks.  Songs like “Where’s the Party” and “Jimmy Jimmy” are not such a drastic departure from the more famous singles.  These songs are as good as pop music gets in the 1980s and continued Madonna’s successful run of singles.

9.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Suede – Autofiction (2022)

Posted on by Michael

In the 1990s, Suede brought much glamour to the Britpop scene. The band eschewed the lad culture of some of their contemporaries and often times made sweeping grand gestures. After 2002’s A New Morning, the band went on hiatus before releasing Bloodsports 11 years later. Since then, Suede Mach II has released three further albums including the latest Autofiction which by singer Brett Anderson’s accounts, is the band’s punk rock album.

The album starts with single, “She Still Leads Me On” and a scratchy guitar riff courtesy of Richard Oakes. Anderson manages to make a song about his mother anthemic with the line, “But I loved her with my last breath…”  “15 Again” blisters like a much younger band.  A couple of songs adopt a talk/singing style such as “Personality Disorder” and “Shadow Self”. Bass and drums powers “Black Ice” that is a bit more ramshackle than the band typically sounds as Anderson sings, “we’re on the black ice with no headlights”.

In typical Suede fashion, the word “petrol” appears a few times in the lyrics, but Anderson often paints beautiful images such as the “brief pale light on the bedroom walls” on “Personality Disorder”. A couple of songs such as “It’s Always the Quiet Ones” gets darker and takes on a bit of a goth feel but still bangs out a skyward reaching chorus. Produced by longtime associate Ed Buller, Autofiction is another fine addition to the Suede catalogue on an album that rocks harder than most other 30-year-old bands can muster.

8/10

Posted in Paper Chase

Q3 Read It 2022

Posted on by Michael

The third book in the A Song of Fire and Ice series, A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin won several awards after being published in 2000.  This section of the story contains several weddings including Joffrey’s, Tyrion’s, and the dreaded red wedding. The latter is no less shocking having seen it on TV and now reading about it.  In other chapters, the Night’s Watch are on the move back to the wall, Khaleesi marches onwards, and Arya travels with the Hound in one of the novel’s best plotlines.  This epic book rivals the first for its staggering achievement and thrilling action.

10/10

Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most popular books that gets recommended as a must read.  It has sold over 20 million copies and translated into 24 different languages.  The powerful first half of the book describing day to day life in a German concentration camp is a must read to discover the power of human resilience in devastating circumstances. The second half describes Frankl’s logotherapy philosophy.  Frankl’s main message here is that people must find something to live for and that will help them survive anything, even the horrors of a concentration camp.

8/10

Steven Hyden’s book This Isn’t Happening goes into great detail on the band Radiohead surrounding the recording and release of their seminal Kid A album in 2000.  Recognized as one of the top albums of the aughts, Kid A is a recording that was initially panned by critics and many fans alike.  The book also takes in the history of the band leading up to Kid A as well as the aftermath of their recordings and career.  Hyden is a knowledgeable music writer and here he has created a fascinating look at a polarizing album.

9/10

Prairiefire Magazine – Winter 2021-22, Volume 42 No. 4