covering other artists' material as penning original songs, and he straddles a smart mix of originals and covers here. Two brilliant Bob Dylan songs appear among the opening tracks: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" sees a return to the eclectic, energetic experimentation of Ferry's early albums with Roxy Music as a lush modern swirl of instruments mingles with the singer's stylized vocals and throwback harmonica; "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" completes the Dylan pair, as Ferry intones with confidence and again takes up harmonica over Colin Good's rolling piano. The reverent Leadbelly cover "Goodnight Irene" reimagines Ferry as a kind of blues troubadour. "One Way Love" sees the Drifters' song reworked as a squall of distorted guitars and keyboards. Almost half of Frantic's songs originated from late-'90s sessions with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Stewart is given a co-writer credit for these songs. Though the Stewart songs tend to favor edginess over songwriting, a few of them manage to break through the bombast. "Goddess of Love" is probably the best song about Marilyn Monroe since Kitchens of Distinction's "When in Heaven," and there's a passing musical resemblance to that great song. "Hiroshima" works like an ominous take on Roxy Music's synth-heavy Avalon period, with raging guitar dynamics contributed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Roxy Music fans will find more reasons to rejoice with the superb album closer, "I Thought," which was co-written with Brian Eno, who sings backing vocals and plays keyboards. Some listeners might suggest that an album this varied has an identity crisis, but with standout tracks as glorious as the Dylan covers and the Eno closer, Frantic is a fascinating addition to Bryan Ferry's accomplished discography.
Bryan Ferry - Frantic
Frantic manages to touch upon virtually every musical style of Bryan Ferry's career. Ferry has proved to be as interested in
covering other artists' material as penning original songs, and he straddles a smart mix of originals and covers here. Two brilliant Bob Dylan songs appear among the opening tracks: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" sees a return to the eclectic, energetic experimentation of Ferry's early albums with Roxy Music as a lush modern swirl of instruments mingles with the singer's stylized vocals and throwback harmonica; "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" completes the Dylan pair, as Ferry intones with confidence and again takes up harmonica over Colin Good's rolling piano. The reverent Leadbelly cover "Goodnight Irene" reimagines Ferry as a kind of blues troubadour. "One Way Love" sees the Drifters' song reworked as a squall of distorted guitars and keyboards. Almost half of Frantic's songs originated from late-'90s sessions with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Stewart is given a co-writer credit for these songs. Though the Stewart songs tend to favor edginess over songwriting, a few of them manage to break through the bombast. "Goddess of Love" is probably the best song about Marilyn Monroe since Kitchens of Distinction's "When in Heaven," and there's a passing musical resemblance to that great song. "Hiroshima" works like an ominous take on Roxy Music's synth-heavy Avalon period, with raging guitar dynamics contributed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Roxy Music fans will find more reasons to rejoice with the superb album closer, "I Thought," which was co-written with Brian Eno, who sings backing vocals and plays keyboards. Some listeners might suggest that an album this varied has an identity crisis, but with standout tracks as glorious as the Dylan covers and the Eno closer, Frantic is a fascinating addition to Bryan Ferry's accomplished discography.
covering other artists' material as penning original songs, and he straddles a smart mix of originals and covers here. Two brilliant Bob Dylan songs appear among the opening tracks: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" sees a return to the eclectic, energetic experimentation of Ferry's early albums with Roxy Music as a lush modern swirl of instruments mingles with the singer's stylized vocals and throwback harmonica; "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" completes the Dylan pair, as Ferry intones with confidence and again takes up harmonica over Colin Good's rolling piano. The reverent Leadbelly cover "Goodnight Irene" reimagines Ferry as a kind of blues troubadour. "One Way Love" sees the Drifters' song reworked as a squall of distorted guitars and keyboards. Almost half of Frantic's songs originated from late-'90s sessions with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Stewart is given a co-writer credit for these songs. Though the Stewart songs tend to favor edginess over songwriting, a few of them manage to break through the bombast. "Goddess of Love" is probably the best song about Marilyn Monroe since Kitchens of Distinction's "When in Heaven," and there's a passing musical resemblance to that great song. "Hiroshima" works like an ominous take on Roxy Music's synth-heavy Avalon period, with raging guitar dynamics contributed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Roxy Music fans will find more reasons to rejoice with the superb album closer, "I Thought," which was co-written with Brian Eno, who sings backing vocals and plays keyboards. Some listeners might suggest that an album this varied has an identity crisis, but with standout tracks as glorious as the Dylan covers and the Eno closer, Frantic is a fascinating addition to Bryan Ferry's accomplished discography.
Tom Petty - Wildflowers
As you listen to Wildflowers, Tom Petty's first new album in three years and his first ever for Warner Bros., you may be struck by a certain quality, new for Petty but nonetheless familiar. The predominance of the twangy rhythm guit
ar; the high-pitched, nasal singing; the irresistibly catchy pop hooks; and the melancholy lyrics straining for a spiritual significance just beyond their grasp--all these elements make Petty sound as if he were a Beatle imitating Bob Dylan. Then you may realize that Wildflowers resembles nothing so much as a George Harrison solo album. That's not such a bad thing; Harrison (Petty's old bandmate in the Traveling Wilburys) has a knack for giving moody spiritualism a pop tunefulness. It's just that Harrison on his own is a second-tier rock & roll figure whose best work is long behind him, and that's pretty much the case with Petty as well. Only with appropriately reduced expectations can one enjoy Wildflowers for what it is.
ar; the high-pitched, nasal singing; the irresistibly catchy pop hooks; and the melancholy lyrics straining for a spiritual significance just beyond their grasp--all these elements make Petty sound as if he were a Beatle imitating Bob Dylan. Then you may realize that Wildflowers resembles nothing so much as a George Harrison solo album. That's not such a bad thing; Harrison (Petty's old bandmate in the Traveling Wilburys) has a knack for giving moody spiritualism a pop tunefulness. It's just that Harrison on his own is a second-tier rock & roll figure whose best work is long behind him, and that's pretty much the case with Petty as well. Only with appropriately reduced expectations can one enjoy Wildflowers for what it is.
Jet - Shine On
In the last few years we've seen a surge to recreate several genres. Mars Volta made
lengthy jams cool again and bands like Jet brought back old school ballsy rock. While I can't say anything Jet does at this point is revolutionary, since they aren't adding anything new to their recreation, Jet has improved. If you haven't heard a song from Jet before then you are probably deaf. Over the last few years Jet has been featured in every type of commercial as well as being a non-stop staple on rock and alternative radio. With their long awaited, yet triumphant return, Jet will once again be everywhere.
lengthy jams cool again and bands like Jet brought back old school ballsy rock. While I can't say anything Jet does at this point is revolutionary, since they aren't adding anything new to their recreation, Jet has improved. If you haven't heard a song from Jet before then you are probably deaf. Over the last few years Jet has been featured in every type of commercial as well as being a non-stop staple on rock and alternative radio. With their long awaited, yet triumphant return, Jet will once again be everywhere.
Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean Basically?
Easily the high point of the Chameleons' fascination with digital
delays, pedals, and making the studio an instrument, the band's second album still is seen by many a fan as being just a little too lost in the production to have the same impact as Script of the Bridge did, despite equally excellent songs. The decision must ultimately be the listener's, but in the end the production argument is much more a quibble than a condemnation -- no matter how you look at it, What Does Anything Mean? Basically and proved to be that rarity of sophomore albums, something that at once made the band all the more unique in its sound while avoiding a repetition of earlier work. Ironically, the first track, "Silence, Sea and Sky," turned out to be the least Chameleons-like track ever, being only a two-minute synth intro piece played by Mark BurgessDave Fielding. But with the gentle intro to the absolutely wonderful "Perfumed Garden," lyrically one of Burgess' best nostalgic pieces, it rapidly becomes clear exactly which band is doing this. The empathetic fire that infused Burgess' words for songs like "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)," a poetic attack on the Thatcher government, finds itself matched as always by brilliant playing all around. John Lever's command of the drums continues to impress, and Fielding and Reg Smithies remain guitarists par excellence; the searing, sky-bound solo on "Return of the Roughnecks" alone is a treasure. The sublime combination of the rushing "Looking Inwardly" and the soaring, blasting rip "One Flesh," leading into a relaxed instrumental coda, anchors the second side, while "P.S. Goodbye" provides a lovely, melancholic conclusion to an astounding record. CD copies include the 1981 "In Shreds"/"Nostalgia" single as bonus tracks.
delays, pedals, and making the studio an instrument, the band's second album still is seen by many a fan as being just a little too lost in the production to have the same impact as Script of the Bridge did, despite equally excellent songs. The decision must ultimately be the listener's, but in the end the production argument is much more a quibble than a condemnation -- no matter how you look at it, What Does Anything Mean? Basically and proved to be that rarity of sophomore albums, something that at once made the band all the more unique in its sound while avoiding a repetition of earlier work. Ironically, the first track, "Silence, Sea and Sky," turned out to be the least Chameleons-like track ever, being only a two-minute synth intro piece played by Mark BurgessDave Fielding. But with the gentle intro to the absolutely wonderful "Perfumed Garden," lyrically one of Burgess' best nostalgic pieces, it rapidly becomes clear exactly which band is doing this. The empathetic fire that infused Burgess' words for songs like "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)," a poetic attack on the Thatcher government, finds itself matched as always by brilliant playing all around. John Lever's command of the drums continues to impress, and Fielding and Reg Smithies remain guitarists par excellence; the searing, sky-bound solo on "Return of the Roughnecks" alone is a treasure. The sublime combination of the rushing "Looking Inwardly" and the soaring, blasting rip "One Flesh," leading into a relaxed instrumental coda, anchors the second side, while "P.S. Goodbye" provides a lovely, melancholic conclusion to an astounding record. CD copies include the 1981 "In Shreds"/"Nostalgia" single as bonus tracks.
Meatloaf - Bat Out Of Hell
There is a series of 60-minute documentaries entitled Classic Albums and each one takes a small peek into what it takes to make a classic album. I got lucky. I got to see how Bat Out Of Hell was made. If there was ever an example of catching lightning in a bottle, this is it. In a time period when the last thing that would sell is a rock album that borders on theatrical, Bat Out Of Hell managed to defy everyone.
Iggy pop - Rude & Nude
Coming months after Naughty Little Doggie, this collection also finds Pop looking back on his life. While Doggie had a yearning quality, this is more balls-to-the wall, with the edgy musician ripping through his catalog with a fierceness and single-mindedness. The Asheton brothers' absence is glaring on the Stooges cuts, but the solo stuff is rough magic.
Cure - Bloodflowers
Closer to a ten than a nine, Bloodflowers is an excellent album. While it's highs are never as high as those found on Disintegration ("Disintegration", "The Same Deep Water As You", "Plainsong", "Pictures Of You"), it also lacks Disintegration's lows (the out-of-place "Lovesong" and "Lullaby"). A very sold listen with only one real flaw: Watching Me Fall is perhaps a minute or two too long. The title track is one of my favourite Cure songs of all time -- and that, my friends, is saying something.
Robyn Hitchcock - Moss Elixir
Those open to a full dose of Hitchcock's latest prescription will need Moss Elixir's limited-edition and quietly superior vinyl-only companion, Mossy Liquor. Besides alternate versions (some with strings and piano) of six Moss Elixir numbers – including "Alright, Yeah" translated into Swedish and a longer but no less beautiful "Heliotrope" – Mossy Liquor doles out six extra songs, most notably "Trilobite," which details several eons of paleontology in three comical minutes.
Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night
This is the Fleetwood Mac that I remember as a little boy in the 80's. The
musical layers in this CD are what make the Mac stand out and succeed. Without a doubt though "Seven Wonders" is the jewel of the album. I can hear it over and over (and I have) and it never looses its' love, never looses its' validity and it never looses its' meaning. We've all been in a certain place where we reckon with ourself and know that we'll never match it again, no matter where we go. The meanings laced in the songs on this album are very palatible and this is its' strength. Inidividuals can listen to the album as individuals.
musical layers in this CD are what make the Mac stand out and succeed. Without a doubt though "Seven Wonders" is the jewel of the album. I can hear it over and over (and I have) and it never looses its' love, never looses its' validity and it never looses its' meaning. We've all been in a certain place where we reckon with ourself and know that we'll never match it again, no matter where we go. The meanings laced in the songs on this album are very palatible and this is its' strength. Inidividuals can listen to the album as individuals.
Children Of Men - Soundtracks
Finally -- the definitive version of Joe South's "Hush" (sorry, Kula Shaker). With a cornucopia of genres and artists, this could be the best film soundtrack of 2006. Junior Parker's beatnik take on the Beatles' psychedelic opus "Tomorrow Never Knows" is cooler than sunglasses. And the fact that King Crimson's proggy anthem "Court of the Crimson King" showed up is as awesome as it is weird. John Lennon's rehearsal take of "Bring on the Lucie" is so intimate you'll feel like you were sitting in. And the Kills, the Libertines and Jarvis Cocker keep things fresher than a new pair of kicks.
Eagles - Desperado
There is a long way between the recording of this album and many of our lives today but make no mistake_ this is one of there very best. This has truly stood the test of time and will live on as surly as any Beatles album. while some albumsx from this time sound dated, this sounds as fresh as the days it was recorded. I'll always love it and even my kids do.
Ani DiFranco - Out Of Range
notes: Personnel: Ani DiFranco (vocals, acoustic, steel & electric guitar, piano, percussion); Andy Stochansky (vocals, dumbek, drums); Scot Fisher (accordion); Colleen Allen (saxophone); Sara McElcheran (trumpet); Stephen Donald (trombone); Chris Brown (piano); Alisdair Jones (bass). Recorded at 1:2:1 Recording Studios, Toronto, Canada in December 1993. 1994's OUT OF
RANGE, quite possibly the finest of Ani DiFranco's many albums, finds the outspoken Buffalo, New York-based singer-songwriter moving away from the explicit political statements of her earlier records. Here she further explores the more autobiographical terrain of this album's immediate predecessor, PUDDLE DIVE, while also expanding on that album's tentative steps into a full-band sound. Although OUT OF RANGE still contains several voice-and-guitar pieces, Andy Stochansky's drumming and percussion are better integrated. Keyboards and horns also make guest appearances. Overall, the intimate, not-quite-lo-fi album sounds not unlike Liz Phair's EXILE IN GUYVILLE, a fact that probably helped trend-sniffing music journalists finally notice DiFranco-four years and six albums into her career. The astonishingly good songwriting, particularly on the stirring "Face Up and Sing" and the winsome "The Diner," undoubtedly helped as well. This is one of the '90s finest singer-songwriter albums.
RANGE, quite possibly the finest of Ani DiFranco's many albums, finds the outspoken Buffalo, New York-based singer-songwriter moving away from the explicit political statements of her earlier records. Here she further explores the more autobiographical terrain of this album's immediate predecessor, PUDDLE DIVE, while also expanding on that album's tentative steps into a full-band sound. Although OUT OF RANGE still contains several voice-and-guitar pieces, Andy Stochansky's drumming and percussion are better integrated. Keyboards and horns also make guest appearances. Overall, the intimate, not-quite-lo-fi album sounds not unlike Liz Phair's EXILE IN GUYVILLE, a fact that probably helped trend-sniffing music journalists finally notice DiFranco-four years and six albums into her career. The astonishingly good songwriting, particularly on the stirring "Face Up and Sing" and the winsome "The Diner," undoubtedly helped as well. This is one of the '90s finest singer-songwriter albums.
Patti Smith - Horses
Track List
01 Cubano Chant.mp3
02 Aja.mp3
03 Time out of My Mind.mp3
04 Godwhacker.mp3
05 Caves of Altamira.mp3
06 Black Cow.mp3
07 Babylon Sisters.mp3
08 Slang of Ages.mp3
09 Peg.mp3
10 Home at Last.mp3
11 Steely Dan Show.mp3
12 Janie Runaway.mp3
13 Haitian Divorce.mp3
14 Things I Miss the Most.mp3
15 Parker's Band.mp3
16 Josie.mp3
17 Kid Charlemagne.mp3
18 Don't Make Me Alive.mp3
19 My Old School.mp3
20 FM.mp3
01 Cubano Chant.mp3
02 Aja.mp3
03 Time out of My Mind.mp3
04 Godwhacker.mp3
05 Caves of Altamira.mp3
06 Black Cow.mp3
07 Babylon Sisters.mp3
08 Slang of Ages.mp3
09 Peg.mp3
10 Home at Last.mp3
11 Steely Dan Show.mp3
12 Janie Runaway.mp3
13 Haitian Divorce.mp3
14 Things I Miss the Most.mp3
15 Parker's Band.mp3
16 Josie.mp3
17 Kid Charlemagne.mp3
18 Don't Make Me Alive.mp3
19 My Old School.mp3
20 FM.mp3
review:There's a reason some things are clichés. My choice of Patti Smith's Horses as an irreplaceable desert island keepsake must appear such a pandering to the canon that I winced when I settled on it. Although to be honest, as much as there were other candidates to consider, I really had little option when it came right down to it. Over the accelerating years, I've bought this album in vinyl form, cassette, and on CD (in England, Calgary Alberta, and Vancouver respectively).
