What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

JIM JAMES "uniform clarity"

release date:  5th October

chart highs: no chart info

the My Morning Jacket front man's second solo set for 2018...
this one is an acoustic version of that 'wall of distortion' sounding 
"uniform distortion" album...
this one also contains two extra tracks...
so yes, clarity in the title says it all. its crystal clear compared to the previous one...
Jim sounds a lot like Dylan on this album which I love...
favourite on the other album is the favourite on this one also...
I wasn't sure how the album would pan out as I loved the distortion album but I need not
have worried because....

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

worst track:  it will work out
best track: better late than never





tracks:

1....just a fool ***
2....you got to Rome ***
3....out of time **
4....throwback ***
5....no secrets ***
6....yes to everything **
7....no use waiting ***
8....all in your head ***
9....better late than never ***
10....over and over ***
11..too good to be true **
12..it will work out **
13..flash in the pan ***

3s - 8
2s - 5
1s - 0

rating: 2.6

[CRAZY-HORSE]

NEIL & LIAM FINN "lightsleeper"

release date:  24th August

chart highs:  NZ  #8,  AU #21, UK  #83

was in anticipation when I heard this one was on the way because I love Neil's
back catalogue, and Liam, I own a couple  of his alt-folk/soft alt rock albums...
album opens with a dreamy, laidback, meandering tune and to be honest, the album
really doesn't go too much further up hill from there...
most of the tracks are passable, but barely, and with that said, there are a couple of
cool tunes that a genuinely cool Finn tunes...
I think it might be a grower that requires a lot of listens to absorb but I don't have
that luxury on this occasion...

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track:  prelude
favourite track:  listen





tracks:

1....prelude *
2....meet me in the air *
3....wheres my room *
4....anger plays a part **
5....listen **
6....any other way **
7....back to life **
8....hiding place **
9....ghosts **
10..we know what it means **
11..hold her close **

3s - 0
2s - 8
1s - 3

rating:  1.7

[CRAZY-HORSE]

JACK LADDER & THE DREAMLANDERS "blue poles"

release date:  May 7th 2018

chart highs:  AU #86

I love the surprise element when you buy an album because you obviously
loved it when you listened to it but by time you get back round to it you cannot
remember what it sounded like, well this is one of those albums for me...
Aussie band....
fifth album, first ive heard....
vocally, a cross between Bowie and Cave...
lyrically, and musically it has Cave written all over it...
melodic, deep, dark, moody, but enjoyable...

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

worst track:  blue mirror
favourite track: Susan 





tracks:

1....cant stay ***
2....dates ***
3....Susan ***
4....I-N-M **
5....blue mirror **
6....tell it like it is **
7....white flag **
8....feel brand new ***
9....merciful reply **

3s - 4
2s - 5
1s - 0

rating: 2.4

[CRAZY-HORSE]

DURAN DURAN  "notorious"  cd,  1986:

the band's fourth of fourteen and my fourth and last purchase...
not sure why I didn't buy anymore albums after this one as they have always been
a very good band...
down to a three piece prior to recording this one, Taylor the drummer basically gave up
on the music industry and pursued other interests...
Taylor the guitarist only appeared as a guest muso on a few tracks as he wanted to pursue
a career in music on his own...
good solid songs on here, nothing anywhere near as catchy as "rio" or "girls on film" etc etc....
my favourite album of the ones I own, no filler, no stupid synth instrumentals...

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

worst track:  proposition
favourite track: meet El Presidente 





tracks:

1....notorious ***
2....American science **
3....skin trade ***
4....a matter of feeling ***
5....hold me **
6....vertigo **
7....so misled **
8....meet El Presidente ***
9....winter marches on **
10..proposition **

3s - 4
2s - 6
1s - 0

rating:  2.4

[CRAZY-HORSE]

TRAVIS  "good feeling"  cd,  1997

Scottish Alt band...
debut album...
chart high: UK #9....
big album was the follow up "the man who" which contained the huge hit 
"why does it always rain on me"...remember it/them????
album starts off with an almost Oasis sound happening, not surprising as the Gallagher
brothers influenced just about every UK band who emerged between 95-99....
album then, after several tunes, heads into the familiar territory of the laid back jingle-jangle
sounds they were better known for on the follow up album...
album finished up with three piano based ballads...
a very good album, in fact, its my favourite of the three studio albums of their I own...

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

worst track:  mid summer nights dreamin'
best song:  tied to the 90s





tracks:

1....all I want to do is rock **
2....U-16 girls **
3....the line is fine ***
4....good day to die **
5....good feeling ***
6....mid summers night dreamin' **
7....tied to the 90's ***
8....I love you anyways ***
9....happy **
10..more than us ***
11..falling down **
12..funny thing **

3s - 5
2s - 7
1s - 0

rating:  2.4

[CRAZY-HORSE]

BLONDIE "parallel lines"  vinyl,  1978

chart high:  US #6, AU #2, CAN #2, UK #1

the band's third of eleven releases, I own two plus a compilation...
hadn't heard any Blondie for a long while so I was eager to hear how they fare
after a hiatus from my record player...
the album that really broke the band to a worldwide audience with the mega-hit
"heart of glass"....
very versatile band showing off their punk, new wave, pop, 60's pop and disco skills...
my opinion of this album and possibly the band in general is still the same as it always
was, lots of brilliant tracks but offset with filler and not so good tunes...
that said, when they were good, they were bloody good and that makes up for the bad IMO...

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst song: fade away and radiate
favourite track: heart of glass





tracks:

1....hanging on the telephone ***
2....one way or another ***
3....picture this ***
4....fade away and radiate *
5....pretty baby *
6....I know but I don't know **
7....11:59 **
8....will anything happen? *
9....sunday girl ***
10..heart of glass ***
11..im gonna love you too **
12..just go away **

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

rating: 2.2

[CRAZY-HORSE]

RICHARD ASHCROFT "keys to the world"  cd,  2006

third solo album from The Verve front man....
I only own this and "urban hymns", was never a big fan
so I guess the drugs didn't work for me....
always found both his and Verve's music to be patchy to say the least,
always a couple of great tracks on the albums but also filler, this one is no
different...
some nice acoustic tracks on here and a few that sound like The Verve...
album peaked at #2 in his homeland, where he remains popular to this day...

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst song:  music is power
best track: sweet brother Malcom 





tracks:

1....why not nothing? **
2....music is power *
3....break the night with colour ***
4....words just get in the way *
5....keys to the world *
6....sweet brother Malcom ***
7....cry 'til the morning **
8....why do lovers? ***
9....simple song **
10..world keeps turning **

3s - 3
2s - 4
1s - 3
 
rating: 2.0

[CRAZY-HORSE]

SPIN DOCTORS "turn it upside down"  cd,  1994

chart highs:  #28 US,  #3 UK

American alt-rock band...
second album of six, only one I own....
funk,, dance feature predominantly on this one...
also some of their alt rock sounds which sound like the quieter
moments of Pearl Jam's grunge sound...
the singer even sounds like Eddie Vedder at times...
the Canadian version of the album contains a cover of CCR's
"have you ever seen the rain?"...
nothing I love on here,just a lot of likes and a few dislikes...

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst song: biscuit head
favourite song: Mary Jane





tracks:

1....big fat funky booty **
2....you let your heart go too fast **
3....Cleopatra's Cat **
4....Hungry Harmed's **
5....biscuit head *
6....indifference **
7....bags of dirt **
8....Mary Jane **
9....more than meets the ear **
10..Laraby's Gang **
11..at this hour *
12..someday, all this will be road *
13.beasts in the woods *

3s - 0
2s - 9
1s - 4

rating: 1.6

[CRAZY-HORSE]

DAVE EDMUNDS "repeat when necessary" vinyl 1979:

chart high:  #39 UK,  #54 US

Rockpile are the band here so not sure why he even recorded under his own name???
mostly covers but a few originals written for him by others..
the biggest of those was "girls talk" by Elvis Costello and the original version of
"queen of hearts" made successful by Juice Newton in the early 1980s...
Huey Lewis even wrote one for him, Bad Is Bad...
the interesting thing for me with Edmunds is that he is always linked with Nick Lowe 
because of Rockpile and Elvis Costello because he was involved with both him and Lowe
on and off over the years, and all three artists were never that successful but had their moments
in the charts yet their careers are forever entwined as one...
a good album of New Wave/Rockabilly tunes..

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track: goodbye mister good guy
best track: queen of hearts





tracks:

1....girls talk ***
2....crawling from the wreckage ***
3....the creature from the black lagoon **
4....sweet little sister *
5....dynamite ***
6....queen of hearts ***
7....home in my hand **
8....goodbye mister good buy *
9....take me for a little while *
10..we were both wrong **
11..bad is bad **

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

rating: 2.0

[CRAZY-HORSE]

PETER TOSH  "legalize it" cd,  1976

chart high (LOL): #199 US

I already own Marley's "legend", UB40's "signing off" and Eddie's "killer on the rampage"
along with an eight track Desmond Dekker 'ep', but that's as far as my knowledge of Reggae goes,
unless of course you count the UK Ska of the late 70s/early 80s....
back to the album at hand....
one of Bob's original Wailers....
his debut solo set..
it been on constant rotation since I bought it a week ago...
a solid collection of songs about love, peace, life and ganja...
I love at least half this album, like the remainder...


favourite track: