Trainspotting - Soundtrack

MINE

I have a bit of a weird feeling about this soundtrack.  On the one hand it features some great songs by some fantastic artists, songs I love to listen to over and over again.

On the other hand, it's the soundtrack to Trainspotting, a movie that has the honour of being the only movie with a scene in it I just can't watch.  Don't make me tell you which one.  But it involves Ewen Macgregor and a very dirty.... ooops, nearly threw up there.

I mean, I have no problem with Begbie glassing people and babies crawling across ceilings and heaps of the other totally gross-out stuff the movie's packed with.  But that scene?  I started watching it once, and only managed to get through it by closing my eyes and having someone tell me when it was safe to open them.  I've promised myself I'll never watch it again.

OK, I'll just listen to Lust For Life and wonder how I ever managed to walk the line between not choosing the three-piece suite on hire purchase - and not choosing heroin.  Glad I did.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

Some soundtracks are just background music used in order to add ambience or atmosphere to the visuals on screen.  Others help the viewer identify with the times the movie is representing.  Very few, however, can claim to be defining of a generation.  Like the movie, the Trainspotting soundtrack is one such set of songs.  Just as the movie consistently makes top lists around the globe, the soundtrack too has become one of the most popular of all time.

Director Danny Boyle used Iggy Pop's seminal Lust For Life to accompany the opening scene of the movie, so to use it to open the soundtrack was a no-brainer.  This track fairly pumps with urgent energy and as a scene-accompaniment, sets a very particular tone for the movie. 

However, the problem with soundtracks is that while particular songs go well with the visuals, it can mean the dynamics for an album can be all over the place.  For example, after starting with such a bang, track two, Brian Eno's Deep Blue Day, effectively dampens the energy of the first track.  This isn't to say it's a bad song, just misplaced.  This is followed by the seemingly Eno-inspired Primal Scream title track, a lengthy instrumental, again a great track, but at 10 plus minutes, overly long and out of place.

This is a small complaint, though, as Trainspotting features some of the best Britpop bands of the time such as Blur, Pulp and Elastica. While I'm a fan of Blur, it is actually Pulp's Mile End that is a surprising delight as is Elastica's 2:1.  But what Sleeper's cover of Blondie's Atomic is doing there is beyond me as it is almost a note-for-note copy of the original.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainspotting_(soundtrack) (the only information source available, folks)

Pulp - Different Class

MINE

I love this album - but I don't often listen to all of it.  That's because I love, love, love Common People, Disco 2000 and Sorted for E's and Wizz.  Now I will admit, Jarvis occasionally does that beat-poetry type singing - but not all the time, not all the way through the song, and he really can sing.  Like anything.

Pulp do that lovely electronica-guitar-dance-rock crossover stuff and were firm favourites when this came out, in 1995.  As I recall, I didn't actually buy this until a couple of years later.  It spent a lot of time in the CD player - but I will admit it's those three songs that get the most traffic.

I love the sardonic tones Jarvis gives to Common People, and the almost-fragility he imparts to lines in Sorted ('Cause I seem to have left an important part of my brain/ somewhere, somewhere in a field in Hampshire).  But Disco 2000 is my favourite.  I really, really wanted the DJ to play it for my 20th high school reunion 10 years ago, but the guy hadn't even heard of it.  Funny thing, next month is my 30th reunion.  But even though this time I have the job of putting together the music (I'm currently awash in bad late 70s-early80s pop) I don't think Disco 2000 has any relevance there any more.  Shame, because it's a damn good song.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

I’ve never been much of a fan of Pulp.  They were kind of on the radar back in the early 90s due more to the people I was sharing a house with than anything else.  They were big fans of just about everything British.  To be honest, lead vocalist Jarvis Cocker’s mannerisms annoyed me. 

But Mine reintroduced them to me.  While I still couldn’t exactly call myself a fan, I do now have a bit more respect for them.  They were kind of lumped into the Brit Pop category, along with a whole swag of bands and maybe this was why I never had much interest.  I’ve always been a big Blur fan but not many other bands in that list cut it for me.

There are some good tracks on Different Class, no doubt.  I think Mine has probably mentioned these already.  And there are a few album tracks that remind me of the Bowie during his Aladdin Sane period, which is cool.  But am I the only one who thinks Cocker is a bit of a wanker?

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.pulppeople.plus.com/

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen

YOURZ

I've made my love of Damon Albarn apparent in previous posts so there's no need for me to rehash it here.  Suffice to say, though, this is yet another piece of musical genius by the former Blur lead vocalist.  The double bonus is The Good, The Bad & The Queen is produced by one of my favourites as well, Danger Mouse, whose deft touch proves as potent here as it does on anything else he handles. 

But the bonuses just keep happening.  Ostensibly a super group, TGTBTQ also has Paul Simonon (former bass player for The Clash), guitarist Simon Tong (formerly of The Verve and various other bands) and afrofunk pioneer, Tony Allen on drums.

All the tracks on the album were co-written by Albarn and Simonon and sound something like a cross between latter Blur tracks and the pop of Albarn's other band, Gorillaz.  But there is no mistaking Simonon's influence and his blending of dubby lines with more straight-forward bass riffs.  It is perfectly suited to Tony Allen's simple but sharp drumming. 

The most enjoyable thing about this album is that it sounds like a band who've been playing together for some time, not cobbled together for this session.  It could have easily been a Damon Albarn solo record but the man is a serial collaborator with the results speaking for themselves.  Personally, I'd like to see this lineup continue but of course, this depends on whether Albarn can stop long enough for the others to catch up to him.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's really good, but even after several plays there isn't one song or moment that remains with me.  I mean, it's Damon, so I could listen to him sing the street directory.  And of course all the songs are beautifully put together and produced.  It's an album I could cheerfully listen to at home, in the car, or anytime, but there was no "Wow" moment in it for me.  Not that it's background music, it definitely rewards the careful listener, with hints of the Kinks among other trace elements in this semi-supergroup musical melange. 

Maybe it's because I'm so used to musical excellence from Damon that I find this altogether beautiful but with no particular piece that calls to me.  Not that that's a bad thing, you understand.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.thegoodthebadandthequeen.com/

Custard - Wisenheimer and Wahootie Fandango (double album special)

MINE

Listening to Custard today I was struck by how much of a Britpop band this strictly Aussie act sounds like.  Some of the songs have a Blur flavour, others remind me of Supergrass.  And given the bands were doing their thing at much the same time, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

What is a surprise to me is that I don't believe I've ever seen Custard.  But that's probably because they were touring at a time when i didn't do too much band-seeing, as I was preparing myself for a career change into radio by spending a lot of my time on a community radio station.  And not one that played music, but one that read printed material for the print handicapped.

Whatever the reason, I wish I had seen them.  They sound fun and bright and just damn good at what they do.  I did pick up Wisenheimer when I was at radio school in '96, and Apartment has been a firm favourite on my gymPod ever since I got it.  Just what you need to power you through the next set of weights...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

The last time I saw Custard live was when they were supporting Weezer on a national tour.  I remember thinking at the time it was completely appropriate these two bands should share a bill as they both write wonderfully skewed pop songs and feature enigmatic, idiosyncratic frontmen.  Residing in the musical territory somewhere between the aforementioned Weezer and the weird pop of The Pixies, Custard were a highlight of the Australian scene during the 90s.

I first heard them on a compilation called Youngblood, which featured unsigned Australian bands.  Their track, Rockfish Anna, showed their knack for writing pop gems full of clever riffs.  As later releases would show, the band could shift stylistically, often within the construct of a single song.  Instead of confusing the listener, this added  to overwhelming sense of fun this band projected and proved hard to resist.

Wisenhiemer/Wahootie Fandango is a special edition packaging of their first two major label albums.  Both are stylistically diverse and were seemingly at odds with the grunge movement of the time.  This, however, did not affect the popularity of the band, who became a firm live and festival favourites.  Despite this, the band had a hard time finding mainstream success.  This, more than anything else, led to them breaking up after a decade of hard work.

Listening back to both albums, I was reminded just how good they were but also of how they were a band out of their time.  I am sure if they were starting out today, their ironic sense of lyric and ability to construct simple-sounding, beautifully arranged pop songs would almost guarantee success.  It is unfortunate the powers that be at the time failed to see what a large part of the general public could.  But it is hardly so surprising.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.davidmccormack.com.au/

Blur - Parklife

YOURZ

There's an old saying those of a certain generation would be familiar with: you’re either a Beatles fan or a Stones fan. This divide is as narrow as Jagger’s skinny shoulders but so wide, it can tear families apart (okay, an exaggeration but not far from the truth).

For those of a younger generation, there's a similar divide between Blur and Oasis fans. For me there's no contest between the two. Simply put: Blur rule and Oasis suck. Thankfully, Mine has the same opinion. In fact, I doubt our marriage would have lasted if one of us had thought differently. There are some things that simply can’t work together.

Parklife was the real beginning of my love of this band. When it first came out, I was sharing a house with two girls who had an unswerving love of all things British and total control over the only stereo in the house. I had no choice: it was either enjoy the music they played or throw myself off the roof. Having to endure some of their selections for the umpteenth time often became a chore. However, with Blur, listening proved to be such a pleasure, I would indulge myself even if they weren’t home.

Parklife isn't my favourite Blur album. But then again, I don’t have a favourite. As far as I’m concerned, even if Blur were to make a really bad album, it would be light-years in front of anything Oasis could do. And that, my friends, is a huge divide.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

(Cockney accent) There are two main emotions I experience when I'm thinking about - PARKLIFE! (Sorry, I just have to channel the song when I'm writing about it.)

One is elation - for the title track, the sheer raunchery of Girls & Boys, for all-balls-out with Tracy Jacks and Magic America, and for This Is A Low (where elation mixes with reverential awe).

The other is frustration - that I can't walk up to the man who was a manager at HMV when I was a temp there in 1997 and say "SEE????"

Because he was Oasis and I was Blur. And I could say "Well those eyebrowed Mancunians have done bugger-all worthwhile since What's The Story. And while Blur did break up eventually they put in some damn fine albums right into the 2000s. Plus Damon Albarn??? Gorillaz? The Good, The Bad And The Queen? Film scores? WHO'S GOT CREDIBILITY NOW, DUDE?"

OK, I could be overreacting a bit. I guess I could say Parklife's not my favourite Blur album - even though it's got a bunch of great songs on it - but it was my first.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP


Click here for more info: http://www.blur.co.uk/home.php


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