Having lived through, and been very much a part of the Mod Revival scene in the late 70s and early 80s, the only band I’d seen live or really heard of from this collection was Purple Hearts. They were quite popular at the time among my friends, and they recorded several fairly iconic albums such as Beat That and Head On Collision Time, featuring the Mod classic Frustration.
Paul McCartney – Driving Rain
It must be really difficult constantly being compared to somebody, like your father for example, but even more so if that somebody is your younger self. McCartney set such a high standard with his first solo LP, McCartney, RAM and then the initial Wings offerings including the excellent Band On The Run, that any dip in form seems amplified and somehow more disappointing. I actively avoided a lot of it as I preferred to remember one of my heroes at his very best. Was that unfair? Was I wrong to do so? Let’s find out….
Echo And The Bunnymen – Heaven Up Here
Heaven Up Here was released on Korova in 1981 and was, by all measures, a success – a top 10 album in the UK, an entry in the US Billboard album charts, and it spawned two singles, A Promise and Over The Wall.
Dollar Brand Trio – Anatomy Of A South African Village
Just a shade under 15 minutes, Anatamoy starts off with a single piano playing traditional jazz style over the thrumb of mingling voices in the audience. You can almost smell the cigarette smoke.
Michael Nyman – The Kiss and Other Movements
Imagine a Peter Greenaway movie, personified, going into Pete Townshend’s Lifehouse. The result would be the biorhythm and undulating classical melody of Michael Nyman.
Attacco Decente – The Baby Within Us Marches On
All or Nothing! Records, 1988 A difficult to describe band and quite obscure it seems, Attacco Decente were around from 1984 to 1996, a long enough time to have heard of them, you’d think. The sleeve notes might give us a clue what to expect here – Flamenco Guitar, Attacco Harp (the harp, one assumes, that gave the band half of its name), Tiple (a plucked string chordophone!), Appalachian Dulcimer, 12-String Guitar and Penny Whistle. And that’s just one member, Mark Allen ! However, whilst that does indeed set us up for a flavour of what is to come, it […]
XTC – Skylarking – Virgin 1986
Close your eyes, imagine laying on a rug in a field, mid summer. You can smell the freshly cut grass, the flowers, and hear the insects buzzing around, the crickets and barking dogs. It’s the English Summer perfectly captured in sampled sound and droning organ. Summer’s Cauldron is a perfect introduction to the album. It sets the theme brilliantly and you know something special is about to happen.
Random Release
Each week (or so) I’ll be clicking on the Random Item link for my collection in Discogs.com – whatever comes up I’ll feature/review on this blog. Mostly a way of reminding me what I’ve actually got in my collection (you’ll probably know that feeling) . First one up this week!
The Who Sell Out – Deluxe Box Set Announced
The new trend of releasing physical media in deluxe, collectable packaging with added goodies and extra music continues, with The Who’s excellent Sell Out album getting the full treatment this April. Pre-order at all good record shops – and/or check back here on release for a full review.