WINGS - Wild Life (1971)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Jonathan Moss

This is a dish served cold, I mean a revenge review. Most critics seem to hate this album. This is free music, mate. A lo-fi, indie-flavored affair that surely was learned by heart by the likes of Stuart Murdoch. Now it sounds more interesting? This might as well be one of the best albums made by Paul Mc Cartney.

Be it the trance hard rock of "Mumbo" or the magnificient repetition in "Wild Life" ("Wild life, the animals in the zoo?" - Raw poetry, and a little bluessy brother to the epic "1985").. How can you dare love "Ram" as a creative, slightly off-key album and diss this first love affair with Wings as a piece of unfinished music? Also you have british Reggae! in 1971! If you listen to Bo Diddley's version you'll know that "Love Is Strange" NEEDED this treatment. 

The album was recorded mostly on first takes - what doesn't prevent the listener to get a fantastic wrapping sound (well you had some efficient engineers there like Alan Parsons himself), completely bass-driven, mostly acoustic with the piano up front, and also Denny Laine with his still shy guitar. And Linda! She did sing most of "I Am Your Singer" and she quite nails it (I'd love to listen to a Camera obscura cover of this) and fits the general "farm" vibe.

"Some People Never Know" is probably the masterpiece of the album, a classic hooks-galore Macca ballad, with some great percussion in the end. The details; this is a Beatles level song. "Tomorrow" is deceitfully simple and has beautiful vocal lines, and it ends in a soulful crescendo.. 

Just eight songs, including a glorious ending with "Dear Friend", Paul playing his most charming voice, piano tempting fingers, lazy violins, drowsy cymbals, and more... A fully rounded magic mini opera, supposed to make peace with Brother John.. So be it.. 

And Good Night.

THE SMITHS - Hatful of Hollow (1984)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Jonathan Moss

It ain't hard to imagine what a good companion The Smiths were in the 80s for loners, living misfits, anxious undeveloped artists and chronic grouches. After all, that includes a great slice of This World's population, probably yoursef, mate: think about it. Did I say eighties? Scratch that, some things never change.

And as I pick up this record and put it on the old turntable (a 1978 Pioneer, mind you) - I remember now those heart-wrenching lyrics by Paul Weller:

"Well she was the only girl I've ever loved

But my folks didn't dig her so much

I was young

This is serious

To me she was the world 

I thought I'd never live without her,

But I got by in time"

The thing is that The Jam delivered the drama with a pulsating beat, almost a dancing number. Complementary, perhaps like mixing strawberries and cheese (I saw Ratatouille).

That suggests me most of the early Smiths output, you have Morrissey and his subtle mumbling, holding a grudge against the world but in a casual manner: it will become either intense and invade you, and help you nurse that wound or keep you company while you pout; even make you smile when he decidedly becomes more acid: a voluntary retreat with a vengeance - and a low profile friend. Because unlike Weller, Moz wasn't keen to conquer The World or alert the masses about the disgrace of being another corporate fish. Not that he couldn't, he wouldn't even try. The enemy was much closer, and had your own face. And your desire:

"All the streets are crammed with things

eager to be held

I know what hands are for

and I'd like to help myself"

Man, that was lusty. Are you hiding behind a bush somewhere? Well, you're gonna do what's necessary to make it to the next morning ("Everybody's got to live their life/And God knows I've got to live mine") and try to stay safe in your own little world ("Why do I give valuable time/To people who don't care if I live or die?). Without a job or an intention to have it, just to live for the moment ("But I don't want a lover/I just want to be seen...oh...in the back of your car"). 

The sweet smell of surrender, without the pyschedelic spiders provided by Robert Smith.

And as that bouncy song by The Jam, the poetry pieces were surrounded by electric, sometimes repeating, other times jangling, compelling music. Johnny Marr and his crystal guitar; Andy Rourke and his funky bass. Great individual songs! Being this album a proper compilation (but a strange one, they'd only release one official album at the time), there was some interesting choices, BBC Recordings (God Bless them) and also a few singles. 

Singles! 

You'll see, a band only can be in the highest place of my ranking if they're proficient in singles. And The Smiths are one of those (as are The Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Who or The Jam). And you'll get here some notorious A-Sides and B-Sides, like "William It Was Really Nothing", with the classic Smiths sound (both joyful and sparkling, punctuated with a masterful bass) and Moz making the difference with a song about the little wonders of the suburbia.

I won't mention each song here, most are classics. "How Soon Is Now", with its psychedelic beat and a delight to dance alone in your dark room. Or "Girl Afraid" (Been there) and "Handsome Devil" with their great riffs. "These things take time", almost a Classic Rock number, or the great "What Difference Does It Make", with a full band, heavier, and its punching falsetto at the end. The beautiful melody of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now". Or "Accept Yourself" with its pretty details, and even some Rush reference (Listen!) lost in the music. We're all misfits, mate.

In the following years, The Smiths would become more aware about their own power, and would deliver definitive albums. But The Gospel is here, for the old fans, the new fans and everyone who's girl afraid and ready to enjoy a sunny afternoon in their room or in the darkness, stalking some undecided lover. Well, we got our worthwhile gift too, as this boy "Vivid and in his prime":

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the sacred wunderkind 

You took me behind a dis-used railway line 

And said "I know a place where we can go 

Where we are not known" 

And then you gave me something that I won't forget too soon "

THE PRETTY THINGS - Parachute (1970)

Review by: Jonathan Moss
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

S.F Sorrow is a great album, you guys should check it out if you haven’t! But maybe you shouldn’t take my advice, because even after ascertaining I enjoyed S.F Sorrow a lot I neglected to listen to anything else by The Pretty Things, I guess because whenever I felt tempted to listen to them I just put S.F Sorrow on. I kinda assumed the rest would be boring hard rock, and listening to Parachute I realise that was a mistake. 

So, this album came out after Sorrow and is similar in its ambition. It’s divided into two sides, and each one is different! Ambition! The first side is a suite comprising of short pop songs, and the second is longer bluesier material. I guess they heard Abbey Road and thought they could do the same but in reverse. Like Abbey Road the album doesn’t feel incohesive at all, because of the aesthetic of the The Pretty Things. The band show their presumably hard rock roots (I haven’t heard their earlier stuff and because I was assigned the album that comes straight after Sorrow I still don’t have to!) in having a really gruff, almost proto lo-fi sound. There’s also the psychedelia of it, though it’s much closer to being the psychedelia of Jim Morrison than the psychedelia of Syd Barrett, or perhaps a dialectic of both. It’s like a rainstorm on a marijuana farm. But true to the marijuana, the album can sound tender and tuneful as well, and whilst the album does have a pretty similar sound, this aspect keeps it from ever getting boring. Unless you’re just not into the album, in which case the whole thing will sound boring, or worse, intolerable! 

The band has a great sound to back this aesthetic up. The bassist is capable of some real heavy stuff, Phil May can go from a pretty falsetto to a bluesy whine, the guitarist isn’t incredibly innovative or original, but he has memorable riffs and a tasty tone. There’s drumming and keyboards as well, but those are more augments than the core sound, so fuck describing them! They’re competent! In aggregate it all mixes up to create a pleasurable style, not obnoxiously boorish or macho, though not exactly seeping depth either. 

Though speaking of depth, the album does open somewhat pretentiously with a song titled “Scene One”. It’s just the title though, the actual song is a tense number guided by a rumbling bass and staccato blasts of guitars (maybe even horns, i don’t really know), with urgent harmony vocals and a bluesy, wiry guitar line that wouldn’t sound out of place on More Songs about Buildings and Food. It gives the impression of a late paper boy paddling their bike down a steep hill; cartoon drama. “The Good Mr. Square” follows and relieves the tension, being a childish psych-pop song with Phil maybe doing a goofy impression of a soul singer, accompanied by a pleasant acoustic guitar shuffle and catchy, amiable bass guitar, with psychedelic harmony vocals and an ornate horn! “She Was Tall, She Was High” follows right after and is just tremendously catchy, Phil and his backup joyously singing the title of the song in a beatlesque fashion with guitars imitating sitars and a punchy, blues-pop riff, a horn again, though more playful this time. The song has a sort of tenseness underpinning it which makes it seem deeper than I imagine it is, maybe it’s the middle eight or whatever. “In The Square” contrasts this. It’s a melancholic tune containing byrdsy harmony vocals and a stately, clean electric guitar line, with a mourning sitar coming in, sounding kinda bluesy. The song feels like it should have a harpsichord but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t. “The Letter” is a cheery sounding song with a keyboard line which sounds like a flute, or like it could appear in a children’s show from the 60s. The guitar line is crunchy and catchy, with fun drumming as well and plaintive yet cocky vocals. Rain is a gripping blues rocker with well ace, catchy background vocals and passionate guitar playing. The song builds up to this though, showing it as the conclusion of the suite. There’s even clapping at the end! 

So, that’s the suite, it captures a lot of moods and presumably has a story line, though i didn’t pay attention to the lyrics. It’s a definite highlight of the album. The songs are catchy and stand out individually, though they’re all pretty short. 

“Miss Fay Regrets” opens up the second side, which is just songs, and it’s one of the lesser ones. But man, the song that comes after, it’s my favourite on the album! It’s called “Cries From The Midnight Circus” and it’s a nervous as fuck blues rocker with a positively malevolent vibe. It has a creepy bassline running throughout the whole thing which wouldn’t sound out of place in a Black Sabbath song. Phil May sounds like John Lennon on Plastic Ono Band, but better! (take that Lennon fanboys). The guitar increases in intensity throughout the song, till its squealing passionately like a drunk opera singer delivering their finest performance. The song has little details as well adding to its majesty, like the shaking percussion, subtle harmonica, swaggering bar piano and a really spacey, throbbing synth part (?) near the beginning of the song. There’s also that vocal style where it sounds like it’ been put under water like, to make the second sabbath comparison, on Planet Caravan. It’s bluesy and almost jazzy, with a really fantastic melody to boot, what a song! 

“Sickle Clowns” is another six minute song, but it’s pretty similar to Midnight Circus, maybe a bit poppier. Still a lot of fun, just not as impressive or memorable. No, what really rules is “Grass”, a melancholic blueser with gruff yet pretty vocals and a guitar line which is almost funky. There’s an exaggerated tragedy to the chorus, Phil is obviously putting on a performance, but the depressive solo which follows adds a bit of genuine emotion, like a lone car on a dark highway in a highly urban city. “She’s a Lover” is a neat song as well, with nice almost falsetto vocals and an aggressive acoustic guitar riff going throughout. “What’s The Use” is a short song which sounds almost ambient with its Asianic piano playing. Then the psychedelia soaked guitars and singing come in and make it sound a bit more normal for the album, with the chorus being kind of clunky and unmelodic actually. Not particularly to my liking, perhaps a leftover from the side one suite. “Parachute” is a beatlesy piece of bluesy melancholia with vocals that sound like they could have came from a dejected barbershop quartet. It’s a fine way to end the album, with the middle of the song getting almost majestic with -finally- a harpsichord (or harpsichord like instrument) and soaring guitar. 

So, hopefully I’ve made this album sound interesting and it’s definitely worth checking out, so go ahead and do it! Remember, reviews are basically just glorified advertisements so don’t just read this, listen to the damned album! 

RICHARD THOMPSON - Rumor and Sigh (1991)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Jonathan Moss

I am travelling while writing this review, on a hot spring day, oddly calm and just a tad older than Richard when he wrote these songs. In a way I feel we're travelling together. And it's a fantastic trip. 

There's a thing about solo artists in the days after the Great Music Decades. The nineties are a blur for me sometimes, I gotta admit. But many artists found their feet then by the end of the Bad Production Party of the late eighties. And I feel that as years go by it is more sensible to think of artists doing things on their own terms, their own timing and resources. After all who's buying records? Play for the Torrent Kids. They're the here and now. If the 80s were the Ego Decade these are the NobodyElse Times.

Richard is supposed to have made a great “mainstream friendly” album here. A deceiving trick I would say, as he reaches great heights in terms of subtlety while adhering to friendly hooks that only Fleetwood Mac might dream of. “Grey Walls” is an immense achievement in that category, and “I Dream Too Much” is the great tune Lindsay Buckingham never dreamt of. He stays on that nice tone, keyboard glares here and there, a shy secret weapon,  guitar-shaped. 

And after such mundane joy,  I arrive to my destination, evening starting to fall and shadows beginning to unfold, and Richard just manages to win my heart too. And he teaches me..

“Why must I plead with you darling/

For what's already mine”

And I've done that too, yeah... And he brings me an anthem for the years to come (“1952 Vincent Black Lightning”) or he reminds me how “God loves a drunk”. Who else would he love? A banker? Come on.

And he manages to end the affair with an awkward song, “Psycho street”, which ably marries a bass-laden part with poignant lyrics.. To move into the sweetest musical box chorus ever. Genius.

And that's the feat you know, that's the trip. A little joy, a little nastiness. And a shy guitar, and a voice of your own.

Oh I've arrived, lucky me for the brilliant company.  Wish you all the same and the trip is worth it. Godspeed!

MARILLION - This Strange Engine (1997)

Review by: Dina Levina
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

The man who gave birth to this album declared himself a Man of a Thousand Faces in the opening song, and I expected an adventure, varicolored and bizarre. However, the faces he presents here are all samely and somewhat Bon Jovi-ish. Pleasant but a tad pretentious lyrics-wise, the first song is more or less okay.

Then comes One Fine Day, a retro little thing about rain and hope, and I’m hoping for something to happen. Still, all I get is some preachy obscure message and melancholy music I try hard to enjoy, up until the second when the nice dramatic effect given by piano and strings is violently murdered by the olden guitar, and all hope goes to hell.

I’m waiting for something strange and fascinating, but as the lyrics say, “beginning to wonder if we'll wait in vain”.

After One Fine Day, we have 80 Days, all of them equally fine. ‘Tis an uplifting song in which the singer is gently trying to get sexual consent from someone while riding in a car. There is certain harmony in it, since this song is perfect for car rides, plain and optimistic. In the middle, someone from the horn section gets loose for a few seconds, but an invisible hand silences them quickly.

After the car ride we spend almost eight minutes in a meditative state in Estonia, being cosmic and monotonous. The xylophone is giving it a mysterious touch, the lyrics carry the same obscure wisdom the author is so desperate to preach. “I wonder if my rope's still hanging from the tree”, he wonders, and I feel eternal gloom grabbing me by the throat, attempting to drown me in string-ridden despair.

The jolly Bon Jovi vibes are back in An Accidental Man, the rope around my neck loosens, but my will to live and listen further is shaken. “It's not that I'm complaining, It's all the same to me”, sings the man, and I nod mournfully. It feels like being in a particularly claustrophobic Stephen King story - we’re still riding in that car, but the scenery doesn’t seem to change.

Preachy again, the song suddenly breaks out into something African in the line of The Lion King, which is nice and refreshing. Also, nice flute. The author declares repeatedly that he’s carrying a message of hope, and I still want to believe him - we have the last, thirty-minute long song ahead of us.

I regret to say that it fails me.

P.S: Phrases like “the womb of time” in poetry and lyrics must be punishable by death.

THE JIM CARROLL BAND - Catholic Boy (1980)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: B.B. Fultz

 

 

Well, somebody said once: "music, like life itself, is cyclic". So, that means we regularly need a reboot. Humans need to get back (to somewhere they feel like) home, and Music needs to go back to.. well, rock'n roll. Even the good ol' Beatles had in their short but meaningful career a return to roots ("Get back, Jojo!").

And Punk was the best reboot that Rock and Roll could think of, at the time at least, with all those Elton John wigs and Styx shining suits. But .. Do you remember that weird band from the late 80s, "Pop Will Eat Itself"? (You don't? Lucky you, but the name was great). Well, as any major movement, or government or world leader (Hey Romans, I'm looking at you!), no matter how big you get.. You're scheduled to fall down.

And "Punk ate itself". Or well the system ate it.. "streamlined it". But those who survived, those who reconfigured themselves, did great stuff at least for a longer while (Clash, Jam, Cure, etc). The Sex Pistols would apparently reject any "dinosaur rock" reference, but they ended up acknowledging people like Lennon or The Doors.

Thus, Best Punk learned to reconnect with the raw emotion of rock and roll, that was the key, more than any  plastic hairdo - enter Jim Carroll.

Jim was a writer, primarily. I bet that's how he established some bond with Patti Smith, with whom he got to play about 1978. "Catholic boy" is his band's first album. And let me tell you, as a quick spoiler, that it rocks (and pops!) really fine.

Jim's music in this album is good ol' rock and roll, with great poppy hooks and professional playing. It will turn up as a slow rocking tune in "Day And Night" (female vocals and all), like the early and best Bruce Springsteen. Or feverish and punkish in the opening classic, "Wicked Gravity" and also in  "Three Sisters". "People Who Died" is another fast rocker, featured on a LOT of movies out there. And the lyrics of course, cut to the bone, and the punk/joyful tone only adds to the wow factor: "Those are people who died, died/They were all my friends, and they died"..

"Crow" reminds me of The Stones' "Shattered" and it makes sense, being that the Stones' New Wavish album.

Highlights however are the more adventurous and moody songs like "City Drops Into The Night". Or The winding "It's Too Late" and its magnificent guitar work. "Catholic Boy" is a hell of a closer with that punctuating bass riff.

A hell of rock and roll album made with the heart by a Rocker, and of course a Writer. Read those lyrics, the guy will thank you from somewhere above or below where he's staying with the (other) People Who Died.

Keep on rockin'!

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIT: RUSH - Signals (1982)

Review by: Charly Saenz and Jonathan Moss

 

Rush have a reputation as a mediocre second generation prog rock band. Their reputation is similar to first gen prog band Emerson, Lake and Palmer, a lot of instrumental talent, but most of it wasted. While I would argue slightly with this appraisal of ELP, it's more or less completely accurate for Rush (or should that be Lifeson, Lee & Peart?). However, for a brief moment, Rush were one of the greatest bands in the world. This kind of started with Permanent Waves, but that was still too proggy and fillerish. Things got considerably better with Moving Pictures, which is a minor classic, featuring, lets get this strait, some gorgeous synth tones. However, it was only with their ninth studio album Signals that they managed completely to remove any prog influence and embrace beautiful art rockish new wave. You can hear this immediately in the guitar solos, which far from sounding generically heavy metal, are restrained and tasteful, and anyone who tells you otherwise is strait up deluded.

I know this is an incredibly uncool thing to say about Rush, but this is such a cool sounding album! Our friend Franco Micale has always argued to me that Rush had a slightly alt-rockish sound, and he's completely correct, especially on this album, with its catchy melodies and arpeggiated guitar riffs. The synth tones are absolutely blissful as well, they have an almost retro vibe to them, like 60s organs. But at the same time they also have a kind of futuristic vibe, retro-futurism if you will. Geddy's bass playing is great as well, fluid and melodic throughout, you can call him a frustrated lead guitarist if you want, but that whole idea is bullshit, and insulting to bass players. His vocals are certainly an acquired taste, he definitely sounds sincere throughout the album and manages to get the messages of Neil's lyrics across with passion. Speaking of Neil, while he is definitely overrated as a drummer, his work on Signals is graceful and accomplished.

There's a bold statement to start the album, a fierce proud synthesizer pattern that becomes a small symphony when Peart starts weaving the rhythm around with the usual perfect bassline by Geddy, and his controlled voice is the human beauty in the technically charged surroundings. "Subdivisions" is a rebellious chant detailing cold society oppression, The Machine.

"Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone" "

"The Analog Kid" starts off as a more direct rocker with the superb riff by Lifeson, but it's the otherworldly interaction among the three players here, and those tasty keyboards that send this song directly to heaven. No, this is not Prog Rock. This is plain old Rock with a new sound. It's definitely the most beautiful song on the album, the way Geddy sings “you move me you move me”, well, it moves me :P

And, as resident Rushologist Jonathan Hopkins says: "One time, I got really high and listened to the Analog Kid like 20 times in a row because I didn't realize I wasn't changing songs. It's a great song."

"Chemistry" reminds us how Rush were few of the mainstream acts of their time (Police also comes to mind) to incorporate reggae vibes successfully into their sound. So does "Digital Man" and the fantastic, catchy break:

"He'd love to spend the night in zion
He's been a long while in babylon
He'd like a lover's wings to fly on
To a tropic isle of avalon"

The song contains a wonderfully melodic and playful bassline, and the reggaeish guitar playing gives it an almost urban vibe. The song is downright groovy. The song also has a great chorus, feauturing some juttering, funky synth playing. Oh, and that guitar solo!

"The Weapon" might easily be one of those overlooked gems in the album. The opening synth melody is somewhat Devoish (New Traditionalists Devo), just real sort of warm and deep, with a kind of looping, computerish quality. Sci-fi, if you want us to make it sound lame. I guess, to make it sound cool to the kids, we'll call it proto-synthwave as well. The drone guitar weaves a luxury melody, and by the minute 4, it becomes bigger than life; the keyboards hardly appear as a symbol of modernity. The mid way point of the song, with its soaring guitar, sounds almost ambient. It's got that dark urban city vibe. The finale with the fading guitar is Beatle-level fantasy.

"New World Man" was the single of the album, made at the last minute to complete its tracklist. It's a strait rocker and it appealed to the masses. It opens with a fun goofy sounding synths, followed by some melodic, R.E.Mish guitar work. The chorus is super catchy as well, even if it does stray slightly into proggish pomposity. Still, when Geddy belts out “HE'S A NEW WORLD MAN” I just want to sing along.

The most delicate piece in the album, is without a doubt, "Losing It". The electric violin played by Ben Mink is the best introduction to some refined lyrics using the adequate dancer's metaphor to discuss time passing and crushed illusions:

"Some are born to move the world ---
To live their fantasies
But most of us just dream about
The things we'd like to be"

The synth pattern that opens the song and stays throughout is gentle and lullabyish, and the guitar tone has a mournful melancholic quality. The song does have a slightly arena-rockish sound during parts, but its fine, the cunts pull it off. It still doesn't fail to detract from the gentle quality of the song.

"Countdown" is a fine way to end the album, even if the clips from an actual countdown are cheesy as fuck. It features an ominous synth and guitar line working well together to make the song seem creepy. I guess this is to convey hour nerve racking a NASA launch would be, which, duh. Geddy's vocal melody manages to imbue the song with some sense of calm though, he just sounds so assertive and confident. There's a fun, squiggly little keyboard line later on, and the chorus is tense and memorable.

Signals might be considered a maligned album by many, but it meant a lot to many people, it stands right in the middle of Rush's career between their progressive beginnings, right after their breakthrough album and their newer stuff, who arguably abuses the 80s production a little bit. It's full of hooks, touching and meaningful lyrics.

But here, we're still at the perfect top. Exquisite keyboards, how to sound futuristic without being a cold bitch, and feeling without leaving the rock pulse.

Fuck you, Michael Strait. With Love, of course.

BENT KNEE - Shiny Eyed Babies (2014)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Avery Campbell

I was a little perplexed on first listen of this album, which genre is it? Were they drunk? Did they call a surrogate band in some tracks to meet deadlines? But well, this is the very nature of the band. They are an art rock band.

It's way nice that an artist can touch upon many genres, only, I think if they can really integrate them into a solid final product. Whether no frills metal ("Way Too Long") or more elaborate affairs ("Dry") they do their business well. They can do more commercial stuff, almost in the Coldplay field ("In God We Trust"). 

They can present unexpected twists within the same songs, which is fresh, but also a little tiring on repeated listens. "I'm Still Here" gets into Kate Bush territory, and they do it quite well, a really beautiful song.

In fact the second part of the album is a more subtle affair, Celtic touches and violins in "Sunshine" (and some crazy guitar in the crescendo just to assert the power). Some .. industrial? Rock traces in the second part of "Skin", to finish it off with a soft piano, once more.

A good album overall it suffers from the CD era trauma: too long; a little trimming would work wonders. Or just make up your playlist, that's The Modern World that I've learnt about!

THE DEL FUEGOS - The Longest Day (1984)

Review by: Syd Spence
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

There is this phenomenon I’ve noticed in both in myself and others. I like to call it the local band hyperbole. It’s when a band that is close to you by proximity, and thus you will exaggerate their abilities to everyone in earshot. I know i’ve done this with bands my friends were a part of and I know i’ve see this happen in others as well. You’ll gloss over all the problems and start waxing poetic about their not ready for prime time actuality. My guess is that by their proximity, you put a little more attachment to their sound then say, the recent mega band from a sea over. 

And that brings me to this little record, The Longest Day by The Del Fuegos. Even though this album is what? 30 years old and from the semi major city of Boston, It’s making me want to boast and brag like the Del Fuegos were born from my very loins... This though is an illusion.. This record is rough around the edges slice of retro rock done in the 80s. The fact that the Del Fuegos didn’t appear on the Rhino box set Children of Nuggets, is a crime. All of these songs would fit there nicely, with their “ I want to be in the ‘60s, but my production says I’m horribly stuck in the ‘80s”. In fact this record reminds me of a band featured on the children of Nuggets box set, The La’s. The La’s debut was filled with rough and tumble garage rocky songs. All of them were okay, but not great, except for their one big hit, “There She Goes”. The Del Fuegos’ debut is exactly like that except for a few differences. One they replace the jangle with light country influence, two, the La’s have a more polished production whereas, Del Fuegos sound like ‘80s indie production (it’s not as bad as Black Flag demos, but it’s not exactly REM either). Oh, and there is one major difference, there isn’t a masterstroke like “There She Goes” 

But gosh darnit, these guys sound so sincere, and authentic, and I’m sure they would have rocked local talent night at their nearest bar, but, but, but, let's get real, The Replacements do everything these guys do, and better. So If Children of Nuggets is your favorite Rhino Box set, GET THIS NOW. Everyone else get a Replacements record.

РАНЕТКИ (RANETKI) - Ранетки (Ranetki) (2008)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Dinar Khayrutdinov

Funny how commercial music can be totally impervious to their original country's culture. Or anything else for the matter. This music could have been made in Buenos Aires, Madrid or in Seattle, but well, the girls come from Russia (except Lena, the bass player who's from Poland: enough with the trivia).

They are bold enough to play a total “Satisfaction” ripoff in "Naslazhdajsja". Girls don't sing bad when they don't sing like a Powerpuff Army (chorus in "Mal'chishki - Kadety") and they don't scream (first track); in that case they are sound like my neighbour's wife when he doesn't cut the grass on sundays. These are efficient bubble-pop-fake-rockers, I guess. "Ej Ne Do Sna" stands out a little, with some interesting riff (only heard half of it but it was good). There are some ballads as expected. Not sure why "Serdce Ne Spit" has a slightly Brazilian vibe: does not work. 

"Alisa" is .. Rock and roll. It made me laugh out loud. Almost to the brink of tears. 

God this is a bit painful (I don't recommend to buy the album on vinyl) but Cheyenne is still way worse! By now the girls are older, let's hope they're moving to singer-songwriter stuff, we still need a new Joni Mitchell. Or Four!

ANN PEEBLES - I Can't Stand the Rain (1974)

Review by: Jonathan Moss
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

My introduction for this review can't hope to be as good to the introduction to this album. Based on the album cover and Wikipedia page I expected soul music and yet the title track decided to announce itself with a really strange, cool synth riff that wouldn't sound out of place in a some sort of electronic song, maybe Jean-Michel Jarre. Outside of this the song is soul but it’s a very strong soul number, featuring a passionate vocal performance which isn't without its nuance, such as the way Ann almost trembles the word “rain” in the chorus. Its very catchy as well, with a kind of triumphant vibe, and a melancholic undercurrent. With all that and the cool synth riff what more do you want from your soul?

Unfortunately the rest of the album for the most part really doesn't live up to it. The second song doesn't have a cool riff but still sounds almost identical in its instrumentation and vibe, even quoting the first song. It's not nearly as good, though it has some nice horn playing. For the most part this album is VERY similar instrumentally and vocally, featuring keyboards, strings, horns, electric guitars and some very good, punchy drumming, over which Ann Peebles delivers her passionate but tastefully restrained vocals. The songs are alls able to distinguish themselves in some way. “(You Keep Me) Hanging On” opens with a cool, suave guitar lick, “Run Run Run” has some boisterous horns, “If We Can't Trust Each Other” features bouncy, melodic keyboard playing, “A Love Vibration” particularly stands out with the punchy, fun drum playing and “You Got to Feed the Fire” has a groovy organ. Despite this the similarities of the songs can't help and the album gets a bit samey and boring.

This leaves three stand out tracks outside of the title one. “Until You Came Into My Life” is a very nice ballad with pretty guitar playing and strings. The organ playing sounds a bit like “A Lighter Shade of Pale” and I can imagine the song fitting perfectly over a dark, rainy scene in a gangster movie. The others are “I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse” and “One Way Street” which thankfully end the album, leaving it on a high note. “Playhouse” is a sassy, sexy song which lyrically is about a cheating husband (I think). The vocal performance is suitably biting, especially with the accompanying strings and horns, yet there's also some very nice subdued guitar playing which suggests the sadness and betrayal Ann Peebles must feel deep down about her husband being unfaithful. “One Way Street” has a great instrumental, with a glistening keyboard line opening it and a melodic piano line carrying it. It's a catchy song and Ann's vocal is strong as well, with that restrained passion I talked about earlier.

Overall this is a good album, with several stand out tracks. Despite this it's probably best served as background music, though hopefully you do pay close attention during the highlights.

OM - Advaitic Songs (2012)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Syd Spence

I admit I had never listened to Om before. However I feel it's interesting that they touch upon genres like Psychedelic rock and ambient in connection with diverse Metal flavors - and there's some spirituality in the air, too. Do they mix successfully the sacred sound with the doomy intensity of Metal? We will see.

 This album starts off with a severe prayer tone, a devotional female vocal that blends in with some bass heavy instrumentation, some apt soundtrack to a sequel for The Mummy movie. There are some rock guitar here and there, but the musical spine of this song is very simple and repetitive.  

 For “State of non Return” the morose rhythm is a little more metallic since the start; metallic for the very nature of the drumming and then because of the Traditional Metal band taking control immediately. Fans, rest assured, there’s some power in here. Curious, but the vocals never take off, they follow the lazy monotony. This is the way you transmit a message of Doom, for sure. There is a solid intermezzo with violins in conjunction with a classic rock drum pattern that is totally enthralling.

 “Gethsemane” has a false start and then it begins anew with a droney keyboard pattern that persists in the background. The male vocal, once more doesn’t stand out, which is good. “Sinai” has some creative drumming but it ain’t of much interest.

The closing theme is quite subtle, not really an epic exit in bombastic terms. Some religious chorus, this time a male voice and more violins.

THE AEROVONS - Resurrection (1969, recorded in 2003)

Review by: Avery Campbell
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

The Aerovons were an American psychedelic pop band who really liked The Beatles. No, I mean REALLY liked The Beatles. They liked The Beatles so much that they turned down a recording offer from Capitol Records because they wanted to be able to record in London. Somewhat miraculously, this stubbornly starry-eyed hero worship actually did eventually land them in Abbey Road to record their album, although it’d go unreleased until 2003.

Sound-wise, the album is pretty standard baroque psychedelic 60s pop. Nice harmonies, swirly string arrangements, piano, etc. In fact, standard might not be a strong enough word - some of this stuff is really derivative. Resurrection and Say Georgia make this clear almost immediately, borrowing heavily from Across the Universe and Oh Darling respectively, but the feeling of a band really excited by music but without much new to say permeates most of these tracks. They take a stab at the “ballad with stinging electric guitar” on Quotes and Photos, “doofy British music hall” on Bessy Goodheart, “lightly psychedelic hippie strummer” on The Years, and so on. All of these songs are competently written and performed, but they have trouble distinguishing themselves as more than a band writing songs in particular styles because those are the styles their favorite bands wrote in.

On the positive side, though, this album is certainly an enjoyable one. It’s a very pleasant listen, the production is excellent, and there are a few songs that manage to be pretty striking. My personal favorite is the opening “World of You”, a wonderfully orchestrated ballad and the major keeper here. Bessy Goodheart sounds quite a lot like both The Kinks and Lady Madonna, but is probably the catchiest song on the album, and She’s Not Dead also has a pretty solid chorus. The closing bonus track Here is quite lovely as well, despite being a little too obvious of a stab at a McCartney ballad.

So, while Resurrection is certainly an enjoyable album, I wouldn’t rate it as one those “lost 60s masterpieces” like Odessey and Oracle, Forever Changes, or Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina. More than anything, Resurrection makes me wish this band had stuck around long enough to put out more albums. There’s all the signs of a potentially excellent songwriting outfit once they’d matured a bit. After all, at the time our main songwriter here was 17, and what 17-year-old doesn’t want to be his hero? File this with the early Bee Gees albums, and that sort of thing, though the melodies are weaker here. Still, not a bad grab for lovers of obscure 60s pop.

PAUL SIMON - The Paul Simon Songbook (1965)

Review by: Charly Saenz

Album assigned by: Ifran Hidayatullah

After recording Simon & Garfunkel's first album, Paul Simon decided to take a trip through Europe, playing in clubs here and there (sometimes with Artie), to find his own inspiration and in the process also finding his first muse, Mary Chitty (whom we'll know as "Kathy"), a sweet and shy seventeen year old girl he fell in love with. 

It was 1965 and he recorded this solo album where Kathy even appears in the cover, including some songs that later would become part of the S&G repertoire. 

So this is it, a bohemian solo album of self-discovery and young love. There we find the gorgeous ballads, the most interesting probably being "Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall" (highly enhanced by the duo's version a year later) "Leaves that are green", about the passage of time from the view of an old man aged 22 and the S&G classics, "April Come She Will" (where I probably miss Art Garfunkel a bit) and of course, "Kathy's Song": Mary should be proud.

The two great classics for the duo, next year's "I Am A Rock" and "Sound Of Silence" in these naked performances add another dimension to the folk rock versions we know so well. The first one sounds more defiant every second as Paul reaches the conclusion and "Sound Of Silence" (in singular) becomes a protest song instead of a lament over miscommunication. In the same lyrical line, there's "A Most Peculiar Man" (it will work better in my opinion in the "Sounds Of Silence" album, also after the great "Richard Cory", the tracklist order matters, you know). 

"Side Of The Hill" is probably the jewel of the collection; a fantastic song on its own right, would later become the "Canticle", somehow lost in the beauty of the classic "Scarborough Fair". That song and the fantastic "Patterns" would be part of "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" in 1966. I think the "political" songs work better here than in S&G's first album, where the production didn't really help, and no production is better than inadequate production. "He was my brother", specially has a perfect tone. "A Simple Desultory Philippic" sounds like a live recording, and that does work for the acid and informal tone of the song (a sincere attempt at a Dylan style, who's even mentioned in the song). So this album, in songwriting terms, would be the base for the real success of Paul and Artie next year. All of the songs were here. Just needed that "folk rock" blessing (thank you, Byrds) and a witty producer. Kathy would not sit well with fame and would leave the boat, but the songs will stay forever and the mindless promise of love and only love... 

"And so you see I have come to doubt 

All that I once held as true 

I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you."

THE STOOGES - Metallic K.O. (1976)

ASSIGNED BY THE HOST: Great Live Albums
Review by: Charly Saenz

First thing I love about this album: it was recorded by a fan friend with an open reel machine: Cool. 

Want more? It began its story as a bootleg, in 1976, an important year as Punk scene was just getting stronger. And yes, many listeners will find Punk colors here, but beyond the attitude (and the "explicit" lyrics), what I find here is pure rock and roll.

I hear Jerry Lee Lewis, I hear the Doors (I would almost expect an "I've got my mojo risin'" on "Head On"), lots of raw rawk, no prisoners taken.

"Gimme Danger" is the kind of song you buy an album for. Its mid tempo is hot, it’s menacing, as Iggy, like a tired but anxious monster sings "There's nothing in my dreams/Just some ugly memories".. 

The thing is, obviously the Stooges had some massive fun onstage, and they didn't give a damn for anything except to play and play. Harder, dirtier. That's the spirit ("There's not enough chaos in music", said Jim M.), that's what you do when you're into this rock and roll business; you have fun, you have your say, and eventually they'll come to you, the fans, the believers. Even if it takes years to find out you ever existed.. 

And that's how you get stuff like "Rich Bitch", a song that is almost built brick by brick.. Live. Because it wouldn't work, the guys just kept missing the beat; but you have Iggy and he'll make it work, right? Incredibly long, but who cares? This is a serious bootleg, that's all. 

And there at the very end you get the "Louie Louie" we can only expect from Iggy and his partners. Three minutes of pure blood and sparks, a repetitive guitar, a somehow misplaced piano playing to fill in holes.. Not a plan here, indeed. We're going nowhere, we're just rocking. Gimme more. 

Nah, that's more than enough. Probably the only live albums that should exist are bootlegs, after all. And seven songs long, and let's go home.

Play it loud, baby.

A YEAR IN MUSIC: THE JAM - The Gift (1982)

A YEAR IN MUSIC: 1982
Review by: Charly Saenz

Some people have their faith, their religions and Bibles. Some other try to explain their fancy philosophy out there so they feel more alive, and thus make each day count (in Springsteen's words "At the end of every hard day, people find some reason to believe"). Well, we all do that in fact, sometimes putting those words in reviews. 

But when you're a kid, those things have little sense, and for me (as for many others) what did have sense was Music. So, The Jam were my religion, my little unknown cult with no other known followers, in a little town in South America, without Internet, some mixtapes borrowed or stolen and a few ragged lyrics books bought in dark places. Only The Who and The Kinks belonged in that same category for me, and I wore all their badges with honor in my handmade T-Shirts (and in my school folders, and in 1982 down here those British flags could get you in trouble, you know).

So, this is not another FLAC/MP3 album you will stream from your cool Tidal account, geezer, be respectful, this is The Jam's last album, no less. 

To start off the record, "Happy Together" deceptively sounds like we're on familiar ground, but it's quite obvious instead that they're moving in a more soulful direction. Great vocal harmonies, a galloping bass by Foxton. And a suspicious love song.. almost saying goodbye to their fans? "But I've got no wish to ever cause you pain/Cause there's enough in this world of sorrow/I've no wish to add some more to it"

"Ghosts" is a minimalistic gem, based on a thunderous bass (really, try this on some speakers at higher volume and they will distort heavily), and some horns slowly growing in the distance, leading another "call to arms" from Weller. But by now, Paul is such a mature man (and he was just 24!!) that he'll choose to talk about your demons inside, mate. And if there's a prayer I'll never forget, this is it: "One day you'll walk right out of this life/And then you'll wonder why you didn't try". 

In "Precious" you finally see where The Jam (Paul) is going. This music was more into the soul side, danceable, far away from punk and even Beatles influences. So we have those 70s R&B guitars, and horns! And man, do they sound fine. Though at the time, the song was heavily criticized, "Precious" was a great single, but sadly, anticipates that The Jam was not the group that Paul envisioned in his head for his future adventures..

"Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero" is one of those slightly (and unjustly) forgotten singles by The Jam. "Running On The Spot" is another highlight with its psychedelic atmosphere which seems like a leftover from "Sounds Affects" to stress Paul's social message, managing to merge in with the new sound of the band. "Carnation", one of Paul Weller's greatest classics, bears some stylized lyrics to talk those (horrible!) human emotions that are so easy to find in your own mirror. The middle part is gorgeous, acoustic, as is the piano part which always leads the melody. 

Now imagine you're living a dull life in your little neighborhood, being a housewife who's missing her teens, or the guy trapped in his office rut. Come listen to The Jam, and they'll put a gold lining around it to create an anthem about you (us): "Town Called Malice" and probably the greatest song about the simple life in the little town (if you don't count the magnificent Shangri-La of course).  And those words: "Better stop dreaming of the quiet life/'Cos it's the one we'll never know/And quit running for that runaway bus/'Cos rosey days are few/And stop apologizing for the things you've never done/'Cos time is short and life is cruel/But it's up to us to change/This Town Called Malice"

And to wrap things up, the title track, a simple statement for the last song in an album by The Jam; there would be singles after that but the message would somehow remain: Keep moving, and avoid "All the time that gets wasted hating".

I don't have much to say about "Trans Global Express" (too long), "Circus" (instrumental filler, mostly, nothing remarkable) and "The Planner Dream Goes Wrong" (a caribbean vibe? Come on!) but the rest is Prime Jam, which is something to say. Add some fantastic singles from the time, and you get a perfect lot. We're talking about a band with somewhat flawed albums, but hey, that's the case with many other bands (The Police!) and the best proof is their singles collection (A and B sides!) which goes to show these guys wrote and performed some of the best songs of their time. 

Kudos, Paul, for being one of the few who left the race when you were winning, to start from scratch (taking a big risk, which didn't always pay off by the way). And remember, you've got The Gift Of Life! Don't waste it! Keep movin'!

MARILLION - Anoraknophobia (2001)

Review by: Alex Alex
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

A long time ago, I remember, my boss bought himself a Rolex watch, made in China. He was immensely delighted in the purchase as the Chinese model was fifty times cheaper than the “original” one and no one of his friends was able to tell the difference. At that time, I remember, I thought my boss lacked the nobility or aristocracy which would have prevented him from having done such a vulgar and tasteless thing. It is only now that I realize how wrong I was.

A second story is that of my friend owning one of those early Android-powered tablets and feeling shame because he could not afford himself an Apple one. To cheer him up I used to tell him that in his cheap noname tablet everything works absolutely the same way as in the expensive IPad. See, I was saying: “Everything works the same as the Apple works”. I was not using the power of reasoning to the fullest – I could not see through the commercial haze. With the Apple market steadily losing its position, we are now able to see that there was and is something else, the design which both the Chinese super-cheap piece of shit and the Apple super-hipster piece of shit both, quite unknowingly, reflect.

Marillion is a group which deserves a real high praise.

Imagine a tribe of Neanderthal people meeting a tribe of some more advanced Neanderthal people. The more advanced tribe sits beside the fire playing some board game of their own invention. Now the less advanced tribe immediately recognizes the fun and the overall positive aspect of the game and wants to play, too. What options do they have?

1) Make up the board, the dices, all the other equipment and start messing up with it, as if playing, hoping the rules will come to them, somehow, during the play

2) Ask their local magician to invent the rules and wait until he does so, though he never ever saw the game

3) Learn the rules and the equipment from the more advanced tribe. In this process the tribes become equal, the tournaments will follow and the rules will soon become even better. (The imminent disadvantage of this, observable only in the computer era is not discussed here).

Marillion is a group which deserves a real high praise.

With my boss at a local bazaar here we are selling 'the legendary cucumbers'. As you are not going to visit our bazaar any time soon the secret, as you already know, is that they are the same as the 'ordinary cucumbers'. If you think my people are idiots it is your people who are them. One thing, however, can be measured in quantity: we do not bother to write 'ordinary', we just write 'cucumbers'. But we always write 'The Legendary Cucumbers'. And my girlfriend tells the legend in three languages.

Marillion is a group which deserves a real high praise.

One day we almost ran out of the legendary cucumbers and we asked the people to bring us some ordinary ones. Then we added them to the (almost exhausted) pile of the Legendary ones so everyone could buy to the fullest. That day no one was even buying the ordinary cucumbers! Everyone took a great pride in the fact that he (or his female) compensated with his own labor for the lack of the legendary fruit. That day the legendary cucumbers cost thrice their usual price! My boss was even able to buy himself an Ipad!

Marillion is a group which deserves a real high praise.

LENINE - O Dia Em Que Faremos Contato (1997)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães

This is a layman's review on a prominent Brazilian music album (Caetano himself recommended it, so go figure!). God bless you for reading. My lawyer is at the moment in Copacabana, so please don't sue me if I make too many mistakes or wrong assumptions.

The record starts off with "A Ponte", a phone modem dialing into the internet (hey, children, you probably don't know about this) and a boy talking about street music. "A Bridge" in english, in fact it indicates the intention of the album, to marry Brazilian popular music with Rock music elements, though, spoiler, it never attempts to betray its roots. Percussion is of course, the center of the music here, but there's a strong electronic beat to back it up.

  

"Hoje Eu Quero Sair Só" ("Today I Want To Go Out Alone") has a lovely intro with a laid back rock tone, Wah-Wah guitar effects in the distance. Great song, though a little over long. “Candeeiro Encantado" has a great bass line, and "Distantes Demais" is an inoffensive ballad that... has a total Tango feel (!) so it feels like home to me. "Que baque e esse" introduces itself as a piece of Hip hop music with a swirling guitar and vocal effects, and it mutates into an interesting mix with prominent horns included, slightly free-jazz in parts. “O Marco Marciano” instead begins with a raucous vocal part and doesn’t go anywhere from there.

The title track is a really an intoxicating song, with noises in the background, quite tribal and effective for the mistery of an extraterrestrial invasion. "Dois Olhos Negros" has a strong and well defined melody and nice work both for the rhythm guitar and the electric bits (with some hard rock riff at the end), it's probably my favourite of the lot. 

I'll say that it's an interesting album though I feel it's a little repetitive in parts, and though it tries for some fusion, it mostly uses rock instruments to give a different color to a good album of Brazilian popular music.

SANDY DENNY - The North Star Grassman and the Ravens (1971)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

The very first Sandy Denny's album I've ever listened to was a perfect match for that particular rainy night I picked for the experience, which was a great surprise in itself. As a good Led Zeppelin fan, I've known her name from her part in “Battle of Evermore”, in the over-the-top classical Led album Untitled IV. Sandy was one of the talented musicians behind the legendary band Fairport Convention, one of the pillars of british folk in the 60s, but her tribulations and problem-prone career made her leave the band and, making her long story short, eventually led to this delicate piece of work reviewed here. 

Denny's vocals are something close to amazing, matching the sophisticated, ethereal, a bit sad and quite dreamy mood of the record.

The starting track, “Late November”, starts following this album sophisticated trend, getting most of the artist's vocal talent and lyricism as well as displaying great instrumentals, such as guitar and drums. Following, we have Sandy's beautiful interpretation of traditional Irish folk song “Blackwaterside”. Then, we've got “The Sea Captain”, which follows the album dreamy, ethereal atmosphere.

“Down in the Flood” is a Bob Dylan cover that shakes you from the sweet melodies from before to a rockier corner, with great contribution of guitarist Richard Thompson, Denny's companion in Fairport Convention times. 

The fifth track is “John the Gun”, my favourite on this record. A combined effort of Denny's talent and Thompson's support, the song brings in great vocals, guitar riffs and lyrics. Definitely a must-listen, probably worth a spot in a future “Best Of”. 

“Next time around”, a sad love song showing Denny's vocal talent as well as a very interesting strings arrangement. The seventh track, “The Optimist”, sports a happier melody befitting the title and lifting the spirits after the previous sad song.

“Let’s jump the broomstick”, a version of Brenda Lee song, written by Charles Robbins, is another tribute made by Denny in the album and, such as Dylan's tribute in the fourth song, brings a different mood to the record, this time with a more country, pop way. 

Next comes “Wretched Wilbur” in a comeback to the folk, ethereal mood, which helps to introduce the title track “The North Star Grassman and The Ravens”. Another great piece of work, the song displays a darker approach as the lyrics seem to be a nice metaphor for death. The second must-listen in the album. Finally, there is “Crazy Lady Blues”, a nice song that gives the listener something more than the classical blues approach one should expect regarding the title, resulting in an upbeat, high-spirited way of finishing this journey to 70s brit-folk scene. 

If you are looking for folk music with a light atmosphere and amazing vocals, The North Star Grassman and The Ravens would be not only a good call, but also an inspiration to listen to Sandy Denny's solo work and to Fairport Convention.