Pretenders - Pretenders

MINE

In the same way as the pouty sneer of Debbie Harry told the teenage me girls could legitimately front a rock band, the spiky sneer of Chrissie Hynde told me you didn't have to be a blonde to do it.  But for some reason I ended up with Parellel Lines on vinyl and not Pretenders - probably due to teenage budgetary restrictions more than anything else.

I missed out on seeing the band when they toured Australia in early 1984, when she and Jim Kerr from Simple Minds first got together at the Narara music festival, as I was overseas at the time.  But I remember seeing them in 1986 at the Brisbane Festival Hall, a massive venue, I think supported by Do Re Mi in what would have been a meeting of angular-faced brunettes!  Pretenders were electrifying, despite the relatively early hour for a concert - mid-afternoon, as I recall, due to the at-the-time laws about having people leaving a venue late at night.  Ah, Queensland in the 80s - it truly was another country.

We only got this CD a short time ago, and I've really enjoyed having it around.  We have Learning to Crawl on vinyl (two copies, I think) and I'm also looking forward to hearing that again shortly.  Yes, we finally did it - bought a turntable!  Anyway, I love Chrissy's trademark voice, those choppy, jangly guitar sounds - I love this album, raw and untried as they were.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

In 1980, thanks to the wonderful music show Countdown, I was first introduced to the Pretenders by way of their first hit in Australia, Brass In Pocket.  The video featured a suitably attired Chrissy Hynde as a waitress in a grimy cafe and looking all kohl-eyed and sexy.  It was fuel for a punk lad's fire.

It wasn't until a couple of years later, when I was earning my own money, that I went and got Pretenders and the imaginatively-titled followup, Pretenders II.  Both albums became some of my favourites, particularly when cruising around in my old Chevy.  In fact, it kind of became a battle of the Chrissys as I was also a big fan of The Divinyls around the same time.  Both Chrissy Hynde and Chrissie Amphlett were two women who not only looked suitably punk and sexy at the same time, but could hold their own in a rock band. 

There's a lot to like about this album.  The cover of The Kinks Stop Your Sobbing is better than the original, in my opinion.  And tracks like Precious, Kid, Private Life and Mystery Achievement (all personal favorites) not only proved Hynde could write great songs but added a more dynamic feminine perspective to the mostly male-dominated punk scene.  But best of all, Pretenders still sounds as good today as it did when it first came out.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information go to http://www.thepretenders.com/

Teenage Fanclub - Grand Prix

MINE

I knew this story would have to come out some day.  It's one of those moments I'll remember for ever, and to this day it elicits a wince and a blush when I think about that night.

I can't remember what year it was (91? 92?) but I think it was the Bandwagonesque tour, well before Grand Prix came out.  While I didn't own the album (hey, why not?  It's even better than Grand Prix as I recall) I did love the songs and was determined to see them play.  As luck would have it, they were performing at my local pub (I've seen many international acts there but Selinas doesn't operate as a band venue any more, more's the pity.)  I couldn't get anyone else to come with me, as that was my heyday of dance dance dance and all my friends at the time thought jangly Kinks-evoking guitar-based pop was so several years ago, so I bought myself a solo ticket.  No biggie, I'd done that plenty of times.

I was a single girl then, and prone to party hard.  As I had done that week. When the evening rolled around I was feeling a little weary, so I thought I'd have myself a disco nap, set the alarm and left the light on (my sure-fire way of ensuring I'd wake up).  And woke up at 3 am, when I'm sure the band were into their fourth or fifth post-gig drink.

I can laugh about it now, but I've never seen them live.  DAMN IT ALL...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

It wasn't until I started doing a little bit of research for this review that I realised I've actually seen Teenage Fanclub at the 1994 Big Day Out, when it was still at Sydney Showgrounds (a much more intimate location).  On the same day, I also saw Soundgarden, The Breeders, Smashing Pumpkins and The Ramones, so hopefully you can understand why the poor old Fannies slipped back into the forgotten recesses of my memory.

The thing that gets me about listening to Grand Prix (and, in fact, just about anything by Teenage Fanclub) is the fact this is a band from Glasgow.  The harmonies, sound and production are pure West Coast, reminiscent of everything from The Beach Boys and The Byrds to contemporaries The Posies and Urge Overkill (who were also on the bill at that magical BDO all those years ago).  These are one of the bands I heard much of over the years but never actually owned anything by them.  Bandwagonesque was probably the most discussed among my peers at the time, but this comes a close second.  I mean, how can you go past the pure bliss that is Sparky's Dream, for instance.  There is so much to like about this, I can't help but smile when I listen to it.  It probably means we have to add yet another few discs to that growing list, Mine.

Now, if only I could actually remember that show all those years ago...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.teenagefanclub.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/