Another week closer to death partially tempered by a varied array of music, to whit:
Heavy Jelly ‘I Keep Singing That Same Old Song’ - I’d love to lay claim to having an orig 45 of this staggering record but alas, I’ve only my battered ‘Nice Enough To Eat’ LP version, which still rocks despite the amount of abuse it’s suffered since I bought it in ‘76. I too keep singing the same old song but, believe me, this 1969 Guy Stevens’ produced one-off is one of the seven wonders of rock and roll (and don’t ask me to name the other six, Lauren). For me the greatest individual track Island ever released, and that’s saying something;
Bruce Springsteen ‘Letter To You’ - formulaic Boss but none the worse for that (providing you’re a fan of course); if this 20th studio effort sounds more Dylanesque in places than he has done for decades, that’s probably because three of the songs predate his first LP! Needless to say, the mighty E Street Band (back on board for the first time in six years) provide sterling support. This enlivened an otherwise tedious Friday;
Grateful Dead ‘Europe ‘72’ - rock’s first single artist triple live album (or was it?) features mostly songs never recorded in studio, some of which (‘He’s Gone’, ‘China Cat Sunflower’, ‘Jack Straw’, Ramble on Rose’) are as good as anything the Dead ever did. This is up there with ‘Live/Dead’ for me;
Led Zeppelin ‘III’ - hadn’t played this for years. These days it’s the less epic tracks that resonate most: Friends, Tangerine, That’s The Way and Hats Off To (Roy) Harper in particular. I’ve now a mind to compile an acoustic Zep playlist for personal pleasure. That’ll leave ‘Presence’ (my fave Zep LP) pretty redundant, but hey ho;
Black Flag ‘Nervous Breakdown’ & ‘Six Pack’ EPs - raw, primitive, seminal Californian punk at its primeval best. Like all great punk EPs, each plays shorter than the average single;
Alice Cooper ‘Killer’ - their best album. The look and sound of the band at this time (including the subtle string arrangements) prefigured Bowie’s Ziggy phase without a doubt. The title track is truly magnificent: Furnier never sang better and the band interaction is from another planet. But the rest of the record cooks too. Check out ‘Desperado’ for example. How could anyone else dare write a song with that title after this;
The Who ‘Live At Leeds’ - great as the expanded edition is, the original six track LP is the version to cherish: fifty years on, it still rocks like a rabid Staffy. Play My Generation then Magic Bus at full volume and die happy;
Foo Fighters ‘One By One’ - however derivative Grohl may seem after the above, he’s keeping the hard rock flag flying high with this fine band;
John Martyn ‘One World’ - nice guy John’s eighth LP was probably his last wholly satisfying full length release. Stunningly well recorded too;
Earth, Wind & Fire S/T and ‘The Need Of Love’ - the first two albums from Maurice White’s soul megaband-in-waiting let loose a much freer and naturally funky sound than their better known stuff. Think prime War with hints of Sly and B,S & T and you’re there;
Kevin Coyne & Dagmar Krause ‘Babble’ - easy listening, not. As lyrically harrowing as ‘Berlin’ but with a closer to home (Corrie?) feel, this is one of those albums to play once every ten years then try to forget, not because it’s bad (it’s great) but because it’s potential mindfuck. Coyne used to be an institutional nurse and boy, does it show;
The Jones Girls ‘Get As Much Love As You Can’ - cool and classy Philly soul from ‘81;
The Glitter Band ‘Hey!’ - never let it be said that I’m frightened to admit to gaps in taste, but hey (no pun intended), I happen to like the very distinctive sound this band made, the vile nonceries of any former associates notwithstanding. It’s too easy to forget the string of fine hit singles they scored on their own, some of which regale this first LP from 1974. Glam was innovative beyond the obvious Bolan and Ziggy base, not that you’d know it from the recent Sky Arts doc that mentioned neither Glitter (understandably) or Elton (unforgivably). Barely more than a cursory mention of Slade as well, despite Noddy’s commentary. Who compiles these things?
Jethro Tull ‘50 For 50’ - this 3CD box is good value and a good one-stop-shop for the uninitiated, even if it can’t fail to exhibit Tull’s gradual artistic decline after the late 70s. With many of its tracks set out chronologically, few may get as far as the patchy third disc, thus missing out on Locomotive Breath which is cynically placed at the very end of the set;
Soft Machine ‘Peel Sessions’ - sadly, the first disc of my 1990 Strange Fruit set has succumbed to CD rot and is unplayable (bye bye Moon In June:-(), but I’m still able to play the belting version of ‘As If’ which epitomises the best of the Softs’ jazz side. Phil Howard’s drumming is amazing;
Aztec Camera ‘Love’ - Roddy Frame’s closest brush with world domination is dated with trebley 80s production values but chockfull of fine songs nonetheless.
Jazz and classical shit following in second post.
Oh, must I keep remembering? It’s time I closed the door...
Dave W x
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