This week’s listens:
Little Village S/T - despite overproduction verging on the ludicrous, this one-off album by a veritable supergroup of greats retains some charm and, natch, good songs. But oh, could this have been so much better;
Gong ‘Angels Egg’ - over Daevid Allen’s wacky conceptual ethos was one of the tightest bands of the seventies, and - particularly here and its follow up - is heart, technique and incredible music that defies its age;
Bob Dylan ‘Time Out Of Mind’ (‘Fragments’ remix) - I’ve invested in the new Bootleg Series box dedicated to this but haven’t yet played much of it aside from the new, stripped down version of the original record and some of the outtakes. For once, I’m impressed with a remix, so much so that I’ve enjoyed this album more than ever before. I’ll play more next week;
Rodney Crowell ‘Ain’t Living Long Like This’ - assured solo debut from the seasoned country pro, blessed with a stellar lineup of backing musicians including the great James Burton;
John Mayall ‘Blues From Laurel Canyon’ - Mayall’s first post-Bluesbreakers album is one of his best;
The Red Crayola with The Familiar Ugly ‘The Parable Of Arable Land’ - I remember first hearing this as a Radar reissue in 1978 and nearly falling off my seat, so radical did it sound. When I realised it had been recorded over a decade previously, I simply couldn’t believe it. It still sounds incredible, its six “songs” falling out of and into sheer noise melee, making them seem less out there than they actually were - and are;
Little Feat ‘Time Loves A Hero’ - by album #6 the Feat had become much slicker and less swampy. Much as I love their earlier albums, it’s this one I want to play most;
Metallica ‘Ride The Lightning’ and ‘Master Of Puppets’ - I’ve kind of lost interest in Metallica since they slowed down (!) but their early albums can still thrill me;
Yes ‘Drama’ - half turkey, half okay, and hitherto destined to stay on my LP shelf until my post-demise house clearance (a while away yet, I hope). Life really is too short and there is so much music still to enjoy;
Simple Minds ‘Real to Real Cacophony’ - after a middling debut, Simple Minds went on to make four excellent, kraut-like albums starting with this one;
Dave Rowntree ‘Radio Days’ - pleasing debut by Blur’s quiet man, sounding much like that band’s lower keyed material but with enough individuality and charm to come across than much more than a typical drummer’s solo album. This is a genuinely good record;
Carly Simon ‘Anticipation’ - timeless sophomore album from Carly, whose muse always seems to lag behind Joni Mitchell and Carole King in critical terms. Unfairly, I think;
Hawkwind ‘In Search Of Space’ - I really should like this, but (‘Master Of The Universe’ aside) it just doesn’t do it for me. Yet I love Gong. Maybe that “wacky conceptual ethos” I referred to before is what’s missing here? Whatever, I find this rather ordinary;
Camel ‘Nude’ - oh dear. Like many fine 70s acts, Camel declined big time in the 80s. This hasn’t aged well;
Buzzcocks ‘A Different Kind Of Tension’ (second side) - the angst-ridden five song sequence ending in the remarkable ‘I Believe’ is Pete Shelley’s finest achievement, and that’s from a die-hard fan of Buzzcocks’ Devoto era;
The Chieftains ‘IV’ - before selling out on iffy collaborative albums with other (largely non-folk) artists, The Chieftains made some fine traditional albums ripe with sincerity, emotion and vim. This is their best one I think, though any of their first six records is worth knowing;
Count Basie ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’ - big band jazz at its most visceral;
Schubert: Symphony no.3 (VPO/Carlos Klieber) - charmless and overdriven performance by an overrated conductor;
Schubert: Symphony no.3 (Cologne RSO/Gunter Wand) - the same music given an equally teutonic approach but with loads more subtlety;
Haydn: Symphony no.93 (NYPO/Bernstein) - atypically measured take on the first of Haydn’s London symphonies by Lenny, but his affection for the music shines through;
Haydn: Piano Sonata no.20 in C minor (Paul Lewis) - music that should be better known, played with style and taste;
Beethoven: Piano Concerto no.4 (Perahia/Concertgebouw/Haitink) - one of those wonderful records where everything seems just right.
There is no love in this world anymore.
Dave x
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