Roxy Music - The Best Of Roxy Music

MINE

I got introduced to Roxy Music thanks to a young couple I babysat for when I was about 14.  While I used to mostly watch TV, eat and hope that neither of their two young sons would wake up, I also used to rifle through their record collection.  And they must have been pretty hip, because I became enraptured by the creepily-posed Jerry Hall on the front of Siren.  So I played it, and was hooked.  

I've been around a lot of this music most of my life, but I seem to recall this hazs been because my partners own the albums - not me.  Although I never bought any of either the band's albums or Bryan Ferry's solo work, this compilation was a no-brainer purchase for us.  But it does mean we need another best-of - Ferry solo.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

Roxy Music existed as a new wave band before the term was even coined.  Or maybe they are the link between glam and new wave.  Either way, they're the sort of band who people or love or hate.  There really is no middle ground.

There is probably a lot that could be said about Brian's Ferry and Eno (I didn't think there were enough Brian's in the world for two to end up in the same band together).  But I'm not going to bore readers with too much.  Suffice to say, this pairing, along with the rest of the members of the band, produced some of the most innovative music of their time, inspiring slavish adoration from fans and absolute derision from just about everyone else. 

As you would expect, this collection covers everything from their early days through to the heady days of their most successful release, Avalon, the album that probably inspired more new wave artists than just about any other.  It certainly inspired a lot of the fashion, although Ferry was one of the few who could pull off the satorially elegant look without looking like either a dandy or a right pratt. 

I don't really have a favourite Roxy Music period, although I can remember staring at the front cover of Country Life a lot - it inspired a lot of, erm shall we say, teenage boy fevers...  Lets leave it at that, okay?  While there are so many fine tracks on this album, I particularly love Virginia Plain, Love Is The Drug (I know no other song that uses the word t'aint), Street Life and Re-Make/Re-Model.  And their cover of Jealous Guy is almost as good as Lennon's.  Note I did say almost...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.roxymusic.co.uk/

John Lennon - Shaved Fish

MINE

This is kind of the quintessential solo Lennon album.  However much Double Fantasy and Rock'n'Roll reverberated through my life (neither of which I own), it's these songs that mean so much to me.

I guess people of our generation always remember where we were when we heard about it.  Because it was early December and summer, I was with a couple of friends at a local swimming spot in Canberra, where I grew up.  My friend Karen and I had taken an air mattress out on the lake and were splashing about happily while our friend David went back to the car to turn up the music.  I'll never forget how he called us in to shore - we thought he might have hurt himself or something.  But as we came closer he shouted out "John Lennon's been shot!" and so we just packed up everything and went home, to mourn.

Much more than Elvis a few years earlier, this was the death that pierced my musical heart.  At that stage I was firmly a Lennon Beatles fan, budding anarchist that I was, well before my shift to gentle George.  These days I'm bound to acknowledge his many flaws.  Massive talent so often breeds massive ego.

There's so much on Shaved Fish to love.  But thirty years after his death, and thirty-five since this was released, I'm desperately sad to realise none of the things he Imagined have come true.  In many ways, this is a world the worse for wear, not the better for progress.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

For a long time, it was said there are two types of music lovers in the world: Beatles fans or Stones fans.  While it is perfectly acceptable to like both bands, it is also nearly impossible to like them equally.  Me, I'm a Beatles fan, of this I have no doubt.

Of course, the divisions don't stop at being a Beatles fan.  Oh no, that would be way too easy.  There are subsets within this set: Lennon fans, McCartney fans or Harrison fans.  I can't imagine anyone who calls themselves a Beatles fan wanting to identify themselves in the Starr subset but who knows, they might be out there. (Mine says: oh yes, I knew one once - very weird guy)

If push comes to shove, I consider myself a McCartney fan.  I love his voice and his songs.  I love his personality and his musical abilities.  I love that he wrote my favourite Bond theme, Live And Let Die, and that had the balls to do the dreadful Mull Of Kintyre.  My favourite Beatles songs are mostly ones he wrote and sang (Yesterday, Michelle, Lady Madonna).  But as I've said previously in this blog, I have a hard time with being pigeon-holed.  I guess this is basically because I'm a loner and I'm non-competitive.  (Mine says: unless he's racing someone for a parking spot, folks!)

But having said all this, in my usual long-winded way, Lennon's songs are as important to me, although in much different ways, as McCartney.  Lennon had a way of being able to condense complex ideas into such poignant, powerful lyrics, much more so than McCartney has ever been able to do.  His deft turns of phrase and projection was able to tap in to the collective mindset of a generation

So, now we come to Shaved Fish.  Finally.  This is pretty much a compilation of singles released by John Lennon from the late 60s to the mid-70s.  It is an absolutely superb example of Lennon's songwriting, which, unlike typical McCartney tracks, are more socio-political and include many lyrical references to his personal philosophies (Imagine, Give Peace A Chance, Instant Karma, Power To The People).  It also details his battle with drugs (Cold Turkey), his search for higher states (Mindgames) and his ability to write beautiful pop (#9 Dream). 

No, I don't really care for being pigeon-holed.  Just like I don't care for the idea of borders.  As the great man says:

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope some day you'll join us

And the world will be as one

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information go to http://www.johnlennon.com/ (one of the many sites available)

Marianne Faithful - Broken English/Strange Weather

MINE

I bought this double CD for Broken English, which was part of the soundtrack to my high school years and which everybody (except me) owned in 1980.  The singles - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan and the title track - were also much-played on the jukebox of the bar I frequented with work collegues, my first year out of high school.  And when I look at the album cover it's Lucy that runs through my head.

In fact, I bought the CD as a birthday present for myself, the year I turned 37.  Although I haven't yet, like her, dashed my hopes of driving through Paris in a sports car, with the warm wind in my hair.  Although I'd be hoping for a Parisian driver, as every time I've been in Paris I've been convinced the drivers there are protected by some kind of force field not available to mere mortals like myself.

As for the rest of the album, I love Brain Drain "you go on and on/ Like a bloodstain" and Guilt, plus her terrrific version of John Lennon's Working Class Hero.  And of course there's the oh-so-shocking  Why D'Ya Do It? which as I recall was banned in Australia when the album first came out (it has the C-word in it along with some pretty graphic sexual imagery) and even now I'm sure would raise an eyebrow or two.

The other album, Strange Weather, isn't really my kind of thing, as it's more a nod to Brecht and Weill - kind of modern Cabaret.  But Broken English?

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

Unlike dear Mine, I'm not at all familiar with Broken English (the album).  But I do remember Broken English (the song) and The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan.  The lyrics to the latter always stuck me as sad and desperate, something I never wanted to be at any age.  It also makes a great case for believing you are never too old to do something new, which is a personal philosophy of mine.

I have to concede Broken English has a lot going for it, from the iconic cover art through to the album tracks I'd not heard before.  Her version of Lennon's Working Class Hero is a stunning retelling while the controversial Why D'ya Do It is awesomely vitriolic and still packs a powerful punch.

The second half of this collection, Strange Weather, could best be described as cabaret for the seriously depressed.  Small relief comes from a few tracks, specifically Sign Of Judgement, Love Life And Money and her cover of the Stones classic, As Tears Go By, which she imbues with a heavy melancholia. (Mine says: Marianne actually had the first chart success with this tune in '64 before the Stones did their own version in '65, so this is a cover of her own version to be persnickety - as I often am)

So, is it really two albums for the price of one?  For me, it isn't but it's certainly worth the cost for Broken English alone.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP 

For more information: http://www.mariannefaithfull.org.uk/

Frank Sinatra - New York, New York

MINE

Well, it's Frank.  I mean, what can you say about the man?  He's the guy who does for singing what Fred Astaire does for dancing - makes it look effortless and natural.  Until you try doing it, that is.  Which is why I ended up with a sore throat when I tried to sing along with Strangers In The Night. 

I bought this CD because I felt the lack of Frank in my collection.  And just because I don't play it that often, doesn't mean I don't love it - mostly.  OK, I'm not partial to the fact that he cuts the reference to cocaine out of I Get A Kick Out Of You.  His version of Yesterday is less than inspiring, and let's just draw a veil over Mrs Robinson, shall we?  But I love, love, love his duet with daughter Nancy in Something Stupid.

I have to share with you my thought process in listening to Summer Wind.  You see, I was on my way home from work to a meal which is cooked for me by YourZ.  My shift ends at 6.30 pm  and with a drive of anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour I'm usually pretty ready for dinner by the time I walk in.  And that night, with Frank in the background, I got to feeling all Mad Men about it.  I felt like calling him up and asking him to mix us a pitcher of martinis, and stopping off for some flowers to  show the little man how much I appreciate him. (YourZ sez: hmmm... careful now.)  Fortunately, I resisted the temptation, because Don Draper I ain't.  Much more Peggy Olson, actually, without the whole getting-pregnant-but-ignoring-it schtick she managed in Season One.

Um, I was writing a review, wasn't I?  Oh well, that's Frank for you. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

As Mine says, it's Frank Sinatra.  There are very few artists, either living or dead, who still inspire such passionate outpourings of devotion (Elvis, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and John Lennon immediately spring to mind).  The sheer length of his career eclipses these, to say nothing for his multi-faceted talents as an singer, producer, actor and businessman.  And just talk to my mother if you want an opinion on his looks.  She will get a faraway look in her eyes and resorts to using words like 'dreamy'.  It is positively scary.

When listening back to this album of standards (and, in a few cases, substandards, as Mine also mentions), I can't help be transported back to a time when I was a pre-teen and my mother, who played piano and organ, would spend hours playing variations of many of these.  My parents were big Mancini fans and while I heard a lot of these tracks many times, none were ever sang as effortlessly as Frank seemed to do.  I doubt very much if there will be a voice like his again. 

The other thing about Frank is he didn't work with crap musicians.  Every note played, even on the dodgy covers, is played with absolute perfection.  A faultless band for a peerless voice.  It doesn't get any better than ol blue eyes himself.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

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

The Breeders - Pod

YOURZ

There was a time when Pod was never filed away because it was always the next choice to be played.  It was one of THE must have CDs if you wanted your collection to have any sort of indie credibility.  Mind you, this was 20 years ago when things like 'indie credibility' meant a lot more to me than it probably should have.  But then, acceptance from my peers was also very high on my list of 'must haves'.  The older we get, the less we give a shit about small stuff like this.

I'm really glad Pod has stayed in my collection for all those years, though.  Listening back to it reminds me of some fantastic days, particularly of making music and hanging out with a great bunch of creative, talented and generally awesome people.  The Steve Albini-produced track list includes quite possibly the best Beatles cover ever in 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun'.  And while the production could only be described as minimal, at best, it also served as a no-nonsense template for the great swathe of bands who took this ideal and ran with it.  Of the 12 tracks, 9 come in under the 3 minute mark and a third of these under the 2 minutes.

It was head Breeder Kim Deal's links to her day job as The Pixies bass player that got this side-project noticed.  This could have been a bit of a disaster if Deal's song writing hadn't stood up.  But thankfully it did and still does.  And while history will record their more commercial followup, the mega-selling Last Splash, as the best this band has to offer.  But for me, it will always be Pod.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I wonder how Steve Albini feels about having this on his CV now?  When I read those words - "Engineered by Steve Albini" - before listening to Pod I thought, well, it'll have to sound good at least.  How wrong I was.

Let me paint you a picture.  YourZ and I live in a small apartment building (four apartments, two up, two down) on a dual-carriageway road in a beachside suburb of Sydney.  We live on a hill, and therefore the garages are underneath the apartments - a good way underneath, in fact, dug into the hill.  The buildings on either side of us are the same, and that means a proliferation of garage bands.  YourZ has rocked the suburbs on many an occasion, there's a sort of heavy-metalish band next door and I think in the mansion a few doors down there's a bit of a vanity band (I've heard them do Roxanne by the Police and Madonna's Like A Virgin and both really not that well so you get my drift).

The sound produced by the Breeders on Pod reminds me of listening to a garage band through the doors.  The vocals are unintelligible, there's always someone off-key because there's no fold-back, and what you can mostly hear is the drums, which sound strangely flat.  I've read they recorded it in a week, and had money left over to do other stuff.  And it sounds like it, with the exception of their version of Happiness Is A Warm Gun which I don't think would have upset John Lennon too much.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/thebreeders

Gorillaz - Demon Days Special Edition with bonus DVD

MINE

I love this album, I love Gorillaz, I can't wait for the new album, but it does piss me off how these special edition CDs muck up our storage. We have a lovely set of drawers that fit three rows of CDs across beautifully - except when confronted by albums like this. And while Damon Albarn's responsible for yet another of these misfits - our limited-edition copy of Blur's 13 - many others conspire to annoy collectors. I'm looking at you, Radiohead. And you, Nick Cave.

Anyway, back to Demon Days. Inspirational, joyous, musically layered and how about them special guests? Neneh Cherry, Dennis Hopper, Shaun Ryder, Ike Turner... not bad for an animated band. Featuring the vocal stylings of the man who's definitely on my list. You know, THAT list. I can't really write about this album because it just makes me want to listen to it. Or to play our DVD of Demon Days Live which never gets old. I guess I could give you an indication of how much this album has affected our lives by telling you that the "Feels Good" refrain from Feel Good Inc has entered our lexicon for any two-word or two-syllable communication. As in "mustard" or "Yes, dear". You know, it goes "dum, da-da-da DA DA - yes, dear" And if you don't, go out and buy this album. NOW. You won't regret it. I'm off to YouTube the videos.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (put it on repeat all day)


YOURZ

Let me say it from the outset. Damon Albarn can do no wrong.

If I were any other way inclined, Damon would probably top my ‘To-Do’ list simply because of the sheer musical joy he's provided me over the years. This is how simple it is for me. Forget Lennon, forget Dylan, Springsteen or maybe even Strummer. Damon Albarn can do no wrong.

I’m sure the man, if he heard this statement, would scoff and say it's far from the truth. And maybe it is. But then, maybe it's just the sort of thing someone who really can do no wrong would say. It's cyclic, you see. (And you can also see I’ve thought about this far too much).

I’m not usually given to sweeping statements, but I believe his track record speaks for itself. Not only do you have his first band, Blur, to know how good he is, then there's the brilliant Mali Music, The Good, The Bad & The Queen and the opera Monkey: Journey To The West.

Then there's Gorillaz.

On paper, the idea of a virtual band starring four cartoon characters sounds like it could be an opening for ridicule and worse. In reality, Albarn’s intent was to highlight how manufactured pop music had become and in doing so, introduced the world to smart, genre-hopping music that spearheaded success around the globe on the back of their first album. The irony was delicious. As a result, Gorillaz were awarded an entry in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the Most Successful Virtual Band ever. Yeah, Josie & The Pussycats this ain't.

Demon Days, their second proper album, improved on their winning formula and resulted in even greater success around the globe. The Demon Days Live DVD, a run through of the album from start to finish, and shot over 5 sold-out shows in Manchester, is quite simply one of the best live concert pieces I’ve ever seen.

But then, I guess if you’ve read this far, you’d realise you’re talking to one of the converted and while a Gorillaz record might not be a religious experience, it's damned close.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP, waaaaay up…



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

In our collection, we also have Gorillaz, G-Sides, Laika Come Home and D-Sides as well as the DVDs Phase One: Celebrity Take Down, Demon Days Live and Bananaz