What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

As recommended by Yessmiths on the Introductions board.

2004 solo album from some-time Chilli Pepper.

Much quieter and more introspective than I'd expected. This is one of his cluster of '04 releases, and is a good album which has gone on to the Buy List.

Thanks Smithsmeister...

[Tiggi]

Streamed from Spotify.

Magnificent gloomy Post-Punk from 1981.

Fits with the Killing Joke, & Psychedelic Furs school of music.

[yessmiths]

I hadn't put two & two together. You're both a Yes, and a Smiths fan ?!

Classic song BTW...

yep!

here's my last.fm
http://www.last.fm/user/yessmiths

[CRAZY-HORSE]

MENTAL AS ANYTHING "CATS AND DOGS" 1981.(vinyl)

the mentals were having hits in Australia and across the Tasman Sea in NZ 5yrs prior to the world wide smash hit 'live it up'.
this is their third album,their first two were released in 1980.
the mentals formed at art college in the second half of the 1970s...the reason...not to make a living out of music but to buy beer on weekends because the life of a college student was tough then. they ended up designing all their album/singles covers, choreographed their videos, and several members of the group now hold art exhibitions of their paintings.
much like 'huey lewis and the news', the Mentals were/are not great musicians or vocalists but they know how to write infectious pop songs.
their music is pop tinged with a splash of country and added new wave beats. their songs tend to be of a light hearted nature and they have never taken themselves seriously. most of the songs on here deal with drinking,drugs,picking up girls,cars etc...the usual things that Aussie guys in that era thought about,so it is not surprising that they were huge at the time. one song on the album 'berserk warriors' is a tongue in cheek look at the marraige split of Anna/Bjorn from ABBA and a war between the two Vikings.
Elvis Costello toured here in 1981 and the mentals were his national support act, he then took then back to UK with him and they toured with him there, he also produced their follow up single to this album 'i didnt mean to be mean'.
sadly there are only 5 links to this album,the best song not one of them..Doh!
the album reached #3 here in oz, #2 NZ and #44 Canada, foru singles made the Aussie charts:
If you leave me(can i come too) #4
too many times #6
berserk warriors #30
got hit #12

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

best track:Sad Poetry
worst track: Hararei I Akarana (only because im not a fan of instrumentals)

tracks:

1....too Many Times***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_X3KmWUog4 (live)
2....Walking On Rails**
3....If You Leave Me(can i come too)***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSGtg26-TpU (video)
4....Berserk Warriors**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpu12PXG4rA (video)
5....Let's Cook**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywi0H-zPoyw (live)
6....Got Hit**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCJCZjvGplQ (video)
7....Ready For You Now**
8....Lookin' For Bird**
9....Chemical Travel***
10..Catalina's Reward**
11..Psychadelic Peace Lamp*
12..Sad Poetry***
13..Hararei I Akarana*

3s-4
2s-7
1s-2

rating 2.0

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Seriously, how can you not like Life In A Northern Town? A song written of Nick Drake and perform magnificently on SNL in that first clip. Probably bought the album on that song and the rest turns out quite well with three songs I love and only one I didn't care for. The U.K. group only had a three album span and this is the only one I have. The album made it to #20 in the states with that leadoff single at #7 (#15) U.K.) and a follow up of the discofied The Love Parade bombing out at #36.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Bound To Be

Best Track - Life In A Northern Town

A Salvation Army band played
And the children drank lemonade
And the morning lasted all day,
All day
And through an open window came
Like Sinatra in a younger day,
Pushing the town away
Ah -

(Chant)
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.

They sat on the stoney ground
And he took a cigarette out
And everyone else came down
To listen.
He said "In winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze
With John F. Kennedy
And the Beatles."

(Chant)
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
Ah hey ma ma ma
All the work shut down.

The evening had turned to rain
Watch the water roll down the drain,
As we followed him down
To the station
And though he never would wave goodbye,
You could see it written in his eyes
As the train rolled out of sight
Bye-bye.

(Chant)
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.

1) Life In A Northern Town - ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xyQ5jBJx5g
2) The Edge Of Forever - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QJFUC7ztHc
3) (Johnny) New Light - **
4) In Places On The Run - **
5) This World - ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMphZZGCKTs
6) Bound To Be - *
7) Moving On - **
8) The Love Parade - **
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dis191uHCZQ
9) The Party - ***
10) One Dream - **

3's - 3
2's - 6
1's - 1

Grade - 2.2

[Thraak]

[video=youtube;gFbjXr5YTEk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFbjXr5YTEk&playnext=1&list=PLCC74E9CD9E5D8BAF&index=41[/video]
(From the 'Live Wood' album of 1994- a must have for any collection!)

Ah, nice to hear Weller again. Used to play it non-stop when I first discovered it. One of the best live albums of all time for me. Theres no other period in Weller's career than matches up to his early 90s output prior to his success with 'Stanley Road' album. During this time, he was a free spirit and was almost like starting a new career considering NOBODY wanted to sign him in the late 80s after SC broke up.

Many artists would crumble at the prospect of this but Weller really set a example by reinventing himself, first partially with his self titled 1992 solo debut, but more importantly with his seminal 1993 'Wild Wood' album. The difference between the first two albums was that his debut was more of a fusion of Style Council left-overs and a sort of half merge into his Wild Wood sound. Whereas, the 'Wild Wood' album itself was a case of stop feeling sorry for yourself, pick up your guitar and write some of the most introspective tunes of your career and see where it goes- a much more stripped down feel to the album. My uncle once 'famously' commented that the album sounded as though Weller was sitting in your front room with a guitar playing to you, it was that intimate a record.

His father, the late John Weller was instrumental in encouraging him and supporting him throughout this period and does not get recognition of his efforts. It's worth noting that throughout this period Weller was just discovering guys like Neil Young for the first time and even dabbling in artists such as Public Enemy so its clear he was opening up musically, which is always a good thing!

I think this 'golden period' lasted until about 1995 shortly after 'Stanley Road' was released. I love that album as well but I think it was around this time that he got his confidence/ego back and with the rise of Britpop and it's championing of him made him return to a more rock-based less introspective format and his music, whilst still enjoyable has been a different story since. I hate to say this but sometimes in an artists life when they are going through a really hard time it can be the most productive and they can write some of the most beautiful music ever known to man. One particular song called 'Country' from the Wild Wood album which wasn't a single is one of the most incredibly sincere, moving and beautiful tracks I've ever heard in my life. Also, the title track 'Wild Wood' is a very self-conscious song & lyrically like a self commentary of sorts- like he is sending himself a message via his own music whilst offering a solution to other people at the same time.

[video=youtube;XmDK6i3H6og]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmDK6i3H6og[/video]

To conclude, I think that once the Britpop explosion happened and he was made hip once again, he kind of got a bit too big headed and I think his music suffered as a result. While I'm a fan of all his material, I think the only album that has come close (in parts) to regaining the atmosphere and mood of the Wild Wood album. I was really excited when it came out as I thought he was on the verge of another marathon of amazing albums but wasn't a fan of his subsequent release.

Wow, I just posted a whole rant about Weller! Back to the subject matter; the live album 'Live Wood' mostly recorded at Civic Hall, Wolverhampton and Royal Albert Hall, London is the definitive live album of Weller's for me and if you haven't heard it or the Wild Wood record itself, I recommend you obtain a copy now. There is some rare outings for songs such as 'Bull Rush' from his debut album and many others which do not feature in his live set these days. Since the release and huge success of the 'Stanley Road' album a lot of his earlier songs were surpassed by the hits from that album which is a shame. Don't miss out.

Close with another beautiful track from the 'Wild Wood' album. Bit more beefed up live but captures his raw mood at the time.
[video=youtube;WrkNF1gAFw8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrkNF1gAFw8[/video]

[CRAZY-HORSE]

great post Mr.Soul!!!
i think you're almost spot on with your assessment, thankfully though, i think '22dreams' and 'wake up the nation' are welcome returns to form, i think the new band he has employed over the last three or four years have helped get him back on track again. he's also sober again nowadays and on a health kick,well thats what he said when i spoke to him when i met him a couple of months ago,and that always helps with the creative juices.
im actually listening to 'wake up the nation' as i type this...its one of those that grows on you the more you listen to it...mind you, PW could record his flatulance and i'd buy it and say it was good, so im not sure if im the right person to comment on Mr.Weller.

if you havent seen his 'live at Braehead' dvd from around 2002ish, i suggest you go and watch it, its great rock music with a handful of Jam classics thrown in the mix.
ive just ordered the new 'find the torch,burn the plans' live dvd recorded earlier this year, cant wait to get it as the 'wake up the nation' tracks sound better live than the studio versions...IMHO.

you had tickets to see him didnt you?...when's that show coming up?

[Thraak]

Yes, maybe I should give 'Wake Up The Nation' a bit more time to see if it does grow on me. First impressions of the album was that he was just putting too much an emphasis on trying to emulate a 60s sound, at least on the singles. Funnily enough, I've just changed rooms and found a handful of Weller dvds hidden away which Ive still got to watch, 'Braehead' is one of them! Along with the '22 Dreams Live' dvd as well.

No, I didn't have tickets for his gig. Combination of xmas presents and work meant I had to call it a day in terms of gigs for the year so couldnt go to his gig at the SECC on Sat 4th. I'll get round to seeing him eventually!

Out and about earlier, decided to revisit this excellent album courtesy of the Ipod
[video=youtube;pVFx3vaHxGk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVFx3vaHxGk[/video]

[Music Head]

^^

yes that is an excellent album

[Thraak]

Indeed it is :nod:. They released another two albums, 'Adventure' (1978) & comeback album 'Television' (1992) but neither lived up to the brilliance of the debut. The interweaving guitar play on that album is just incredible.

[video=youtube;ZW9PUHNbX2Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW9PUHNbX2Y[/video]

The Fall are an underrated band, as is this album 'The Infotainment Scan' from 1993. Mark E Smith is one of a kind.