July 2009

Welcome music lovers.

Well, it had to happen but this month I write to you in a slightly desultory state of mind. Despite some diligent research (hours spent in record stores, online and listening to music), I regret to advise that I have been unable to find a decent album to profile as the Album of the Month. I simply dont really love any of the new albums Ive bought in the last couple of months.

Therefore, rather than lower the quality of the Nevstar Music Guide, I shall exercise my artists prerogative to NOT profile an unrewarding album thereby preserving the quality and integrity of this stately offering. However, please feel free to suggest anything that has been released recently that is worthy of inordinate praise. Over to you dear readers.

But, dont feel short-changed my faithful followers as I have not one, but TWO Top Ten lists for you this month. One as a result of a recent media event and a second as a response to last months Top Ten.

So with that off my chest, its straight into the classic album of the month (no shortage of material on this list!).


Essential Classic Album

Johnny Cash : Live at Folsom Prison (1968)

"Hello, Im Johnny Cash."

These are the opening words of Johnny Cash - Live at Folsom Prison, an album which at the time represented a huge gamble, but ending up relaunching a disintergrating career and becoming his most beloved album of all time.

Johnny Cash is widely remembered and categorised as a country singer, but this really mis-states his importance and influence. With his deep, distinctive baritone voice, Cash sat astride the symbiotic relationship between country and the emergent sound of rock and roll. Starting his career at the famous Sun Records, he developed into one of the labels biggest stars in the late 50s with his distinctive rockabilly tracks. However, he didnt handle the success that came his way, descending into a destructive downward career spin fuelled by alcohol and drug dependencies.

With the help of June Carter, he emerged clean and Christian but realised his fan base was mainly the downtrodden and depressed. He thus decided to record a live album at Folsom Prison. Columbia Records were dead set against it. 'No one buys live albums', they steadfastedly maintained. Just like James Brown about the same time (with Live at The Apollo), Cash insisted and was ultimately proven correct as it became a massive critical and commercial success.

The album can trace its roots to 1953 when Cash saw a film called Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. It prompted him to write a song about what he perceived prison life might be like. The story goes that he thus received lots of letters from prison inmates requesting him to come and play the song live at the prison.

Live at Folsom Prison is a cracking album and its the selection of tracks which makes it. His hit singles (Ring of Fire, Cry Cry Cry et al) are mostly missing. Instead he plays songs filled with stories directed towards the prison audience, some sympathetic, others not. He starts with the title track, which is an absolutely stonking song, particularly the classic lyric "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die". Its followed by three more prison tinged songs, Busted, Dark as a Dungeon and I Still Miss Someone. The fifth track though is the best. Cocaine Blues is probably his greatest of all Cash songs. Check out the first two lines:

"Early one morning, while making the rounds;
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down."

These are not the words of a pin-up teen idol. The Man in Black, even with God in his corner, definitely had a dark side and the audience knows it and loves him all the more for it. The album continues on including a section consisting of quiet ballad numbers and then a trio of songs with his wife June Carter. There are moments of levity (25 Min To Go) and solemnity (Joe Bean), and interspersed between the songs are sections of dialogue emphasising the affinity that Cash has with his audience.

In his long and notable career, this is arguably the pinnacle. A man playing his heart out in front of thousands of adoring if not law-abiding fans.

Best Track : Cocaine Blues

Listen to or buy here.

If you like this try :

Johnny Cash : Live at San Quentin

Johnny Cash : American Recordings III - Solitary Man
BB King : Live at San Quentin


Top Ten List

One regular reader really enjoyed the Top Ten list last month featuring the best of 1969 but claimed that 1989 was also a stellar year which is worthy of attention. Finding such a prompting irresistible, I did a little checking of my own collection. Sure enough, while I think its possibly a tad shy of the quality of 1969, there is no denying that the list is inordinately strong. So lets check out:

The Top Ten Albums from 1989

10. Midnight Oil : Blue Sky Mining
This album has a special place in my memory as it was my first ever CD. 1500 odd later is still gets played a lot more than most of those that followed onto my shelves. Probably their peak artistically with a magnificent set of tracks. Some quiet, some loud, all interesting.
Best track : Bedlam Bridge
Hidden Gem : One Country

9. XTC : Oranges and Lemons
XTC are not widely known but ask most pop artists from the 90s who were their major influences, and most would recite XTC somewhere near the top. An inordinately talented British institution, Oranges and Lemons was the best album from a catalog of nearly a dozen records. Immaculate lush production amplifies and reasonates amidst some near perfect pop songs.
Best Track : Mayor Of Simpleton
Hidden Gem : King For A Day

8. New Order : Technique
Few bands survive the death of their lead singer. Except New Order. Not many gave the survivors of Joy Division much hope of success following the untimely death of lead singer Ian Curtis. But not only did they survive, they re-emerged with a completely new and mesmerising sound showcased most spectacularly on Technique. The popularity of robotic synthesised dance beats known throughout House music can be traced directly to this album.
Best Track : Fine Time
Hidden Gem : Run

7. Depeche Mode : Violator
Depeche Mode were one of the most innovative and original bands of the mid 80s developing a sound based exclusively around the synthesiser. In 1989 they released Violator which consists of a terrific set of songs. Easily their most accomplished record.
Best Track : World In My Eyes
Hidden Gem : Personal Jesus

6. Lou Reed : New York
Probably the finest recording of his solo career, New York features Lou Reed in a somewhat cynical wry mood authoring a number of fascinating vignettes about the famous metropolis and its citizens. A witty and charming effort.
Best Track : Romeo Had Juliette
Hidden Gem : Endless Cycle

5. N.W.A. : Straight Outta Compton
Along with Public Enemy, N.W.A were the forefront of the popularisation of rap and Straight Outta Compton is possibly the most influential and important gangsta rap album of all time. Not much of a fan myself, but any music fan can appreciate its importance.
Best Track : Straight Outta Compton
Hidden Gem : Express Yourself

4. John Lee Hooker : The Healer
One of the undoubted giants of the blues, John Lee Hooker returned in 1989 with a collaborative effort featuring duos with a number of contemporary artists such as Santana, Bonnie Raitt, and Los Lobos. An excellent introduction for those looking to sample the undoubted charms of this emotionally resonant music.

3. The Pixies : Doolittle
It is certainly notable in compiling this list that several important bands recorded their best work in 1989 and The Pixies are no exception. A ground breaking indie-alternative band, The Pixies were never better than in this ferocious 1989 effort. An out and out classic and definitely the best place to start if you are unfamiliar with them.
Best Track : Here Comes Your Man
Hidden Gem : Gouge Away

2. The Cure : Distintegration
Again, the pinnacle of the bands career, Disintegration was the best album of The Cure's distinguished recording career. Not quite as morbid as some other releases, Disintegration sees them in almost a playful mood with some charming pop songs accompanying the soaring epics they became famous for. Outstanding.
Best Track : Pictures of You
Hidden Gem : Lullaby

1. Stone Roses : Stone Roses
It cant be a bad year when one of your all time favourite albums is released. I have written at length about the Stone Roses debut album before but its worth repeating and once again reflecting on its charms. A faultless, near perfect pop record featuring a synthesis of dance and rock. Immaculate. Simply immaculate.
Best Track : Waterfall
Hidden Gem : Made of Stone

And once again, the list of those albums left out testifies to the strength of the Top Ten. Other albums recorded in 1989 included such fine records as :

Madonna : Like A Prayer
Tom Petty : Full Moon Fever
Neil Young : Freedom
Aerosmith : Pump
Black Crowes : Shake Your Money Maker
The The : Mind Bomb
Beastie Boys : Pauls Boutique
Don Henley : End of Innocence
Travelling Wilburys : Vol I


Top Ten List Numero Deux

Like many, the news of Michael Jacksons death came as a surprise. Not a big surprise certainly but a surprise nonetheless. What followed was the standard reaction to a rock stars death; tributes from any and everyone, non-stop around the clock programmes, legal wrangles about his estate, and as always, a rush to buy anything ever recorded by the former artist. The latter always astonishes me. There were reports the next day of people LINING up at Real Groovy to lay their hands on Michael Jackson albums. Perhaps there is a explanation, but I find this completely irrational behaviour. If you are such a huge fan of Michael Jackson that you would take time off work to queue up at a record store, wouldnt you already own his recorded output? Im not a huge fan, but as with most self-respecting music fans, I own copies of Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad. The first two are absolute classics, the latter competent and everything since is one step above unlistenable. I thought about profiling one of his albums but everyone is probably sick of Michael Jackson material, so how about a minor tribute listing the Top Ten Michael Jackson songs to remind us that despite his sometimes bewildering personal life, musically at least, he was, at times, a visionary genuis.

The Top Ten Michael Jackson songs (with video evidence of course) are :

10) Rock With You (from Off The Wall)
The second single from Off The Wall, Rock With You sold two million copies so Im probably not along in liking it. A slower more languid track than others from the album, Rock With You is eminently likeable and showcases Jackson's improving vocals. It definitely has sufficient staying power to make this Top Ten list.
See video here.

9) We Are The World - USA For Africa
Often forgotten amidst all his solo work was that Jackson found time to co-author this track (with Lionel Richie) which only became the fastest selling single in pop history. The song is perhaps not his best work (I quite like the verses but not the chorus), but no one can begrudge the millions it raised for African famine relief. Worth watching if only for the array of stars who are in fine voice (even Willie Nelson!).
See video here.

8) Wanna Be Startin Something (from Thriller)
The lead song and fourth Top Ten single from Thriller (it would finish with an astonishing seven), Wanna Be Startin Something was an inspired choice as it set the template for what was to come. Following the work from Off The Wall which was catchy but light, Wanna Be Startin Something features a similarly funky danceable track with impressive instrumentation overlaid by some rather sharp, pointed lyrics targeting the Hollywood gossip industry.
See live video here.

7) Dirty Diana (from Bad)
Not sure what it is, but have always liked this song. It starts quietly and builds tension to that sudden outpouring of emotion with that exhalation "Dirty DIANA, aaahh". Brilliant. Sure it wouldve been dynamic live. Off the album Bad which was certainly not Thriller but is well worth owning.
See video here.

6) Dont Stop Till You Get Enough (from Off The Wall)
Not only an eminently catchy song, but the first single from Off The Wall was a very important one blazing the path that would turn him into a global superstar. DSTYGE represented a cross-over disco hit with a funky beat overlaid with immaculate pop vocals.
See video here.

5) Beat It (from Thriller)
The first single from Thriller and a barnstorming track. Jackson expanded his repertoire significantly from Off The Wall fusing dance beats with a noticeably harder rockier sound. Featuring a stellar drum track and guitar solo from none other than Eddie Van Halen, Beat It is certainly one of his more unforgettable songs. The video is worth watching for the dancing alone. My goodness that man could move. He out-dances a whole suite of professional dancers. Outstanding.
See video here.

4) Man In The Mirror (from Bad)
Another number one single (he had an amazing 13 in total), Man In The Mirror also gathered critical acclaim being nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1987. Demonstrating increased social consciousness, Michael with the help of a gospel choir makes the very concise point that solving some of the worlds large problems all starts with the person referred to by the perpendicular pronoun. The video is a bit overwrought, but the song is very strong.
See video here.

3) Blame It On The Boogie (from The Jacksons album Destiny)
A terrific track which remains to this day an absolute staple of dance DJs worldwide. Michael's vocals are imbued with such energy and enthusiasm that you cant help but start moving your feet. Funnily enough the song was also released by an otherwise anonymous English singer-songwriter Mick Jackson in 1978. But its the Jacksons' version which will endure for a long time to come.
See video here featuring a fantastic afro on Michael.

2) Thriller (from Thriller)
An absolutely ground-breaking song which is overshadowed (just) by one of the most famous if not best videos of all-time. The song is fantastic somehow combining an affecting boogie beat, with an eerie movie score and a catchy singalong chorus. The track also ends memorably with the uniquely chilling monologue from Mr Horror himself, Vincent Price. And then what can you say about the video. A story in its own right, this 14 min production ably demonstrated what could be done with the new artform of music videos. Eminently rewatchable again and again for the story, the dancing, the make-up, or simply to see Michael Jackson stuffing his face with popcorn on a movie date just like any other teenager would. Directed by John Landis of Animal House and Blues Brothers fame it is an integral part of pop culture. Beyond essential.
See video here (go on you really should watch it in its entirety).

and the number one track of Michael Jacksons catalog is............

1) Billie Jean (from Thriller)
It takes a fairly special song to top this list but Billie Jean rightly sits at the summit of Michael Jackson's best works. Billie Jean is simply special. An anguished tale written by Michael himself and produced by the legendary Quincy Jones, Billie Jean is reportedly based on a personal experience where a mentally ill female fan alleged that Michael Jackson had fathered one of her children. Despite the disturbing lyrics, the song was a monster smash sitting atop the US single charts for an astonishing seven weeks. The song is notable also for the hypnotic backing beat which has to be one of the best and most original of all time.
See video here.

So there you have it. What do you think? Have I missed any? Let me know your thoughts on Michael Jacksons best efforts.

Thats it for another month. Perhaps a word from Michael Jackson himself to end this missive:

"There's nothing like being on stage.You cant put it into words. When the light hits you, there's a certain spirit you feel. I dont like coming off."

Probably explains more about the actual guy than one hundred tabloid articles.

Until next month.

The Nevstar!

June 2009

Album of the Month

The Doves : Kingdom of Rust

A common childhood refrain to a perceived injustice is to claim that it is unfair. My mother always used to respond "Life's unfair" which to a ten year old is not only inarguable but ultimately depressing. It shatters youthful preconceptions of some heavenly court of arbitration to right obvious wrongs. But then we learn as we age that the advice was particulary sage. Toast falls buttered side down, those with lesser talent may get promoted ahead of you at school or sports, and it seems that great bands often languish in relative obscurity while Miley Cyrus has her own movie.

But sometimes the best bands do rise to critical if not widespread acclaim and adulation. And one such band is The Doves, whose fourth album, Kingdom of Rust is this June's Album of the Month.

The Doves had a long road to the top with more than a few roadblocks. Their roots can be traced to a 90s dance act named Sub Sub whose music studio burnt down taking with it most of their tapes. Resisting the obvious temptation to say they rose from the ashes, the band reformed as The Doves and promptly released two stunning minor masterpieces in Lost Souls (2000) and The Last Broadcast (2002). Each consisted of a wide range of lush, shimmering songs; atmospheric and melodic efforts with dance-like rhythms building tension and then subtly allaying it. They met with critical but not widespread popular acclaim.

They returned in 2005 with Lost Cities which I felt was not quite to the same standards but sold much more strongly (proving once again that I know nothing). The world had changed and with the success of bands like Elbow, Coldplay and Snow Patrol, they now found that there was a market for well orchestrated, subtly layered, cleverly constructed atmospheric pop. And no one does this better than the Doves.

Now they return with their fourth album, Kingdom of Rust which is the equal if not surpassing anything else they have written. Opener Jetstream is a stunner. Plaintive Radioheadesque vocals accompany Massive Attackish minimalist soundtrack for the first two verses before the full talents of the band are let loose in a spontaneous outburst of passion and purity. Lead singer Jimi Goodwin depicts it as the soundtrack to the end of Bladerunner which tops any effort I could muster to describe its impact.

What follows is equally mesmerising. The title track follows next and its a song which recalls their first two albums with a lilting, mesmerising guitar line accompanised by soaring vocals. But the record is more than a repeat of the past. They experiment with a Phil Spectorish Wall of Sound approach in 10:03, and an almost progressive rock era effort in Birds Flew Backwards. Furthermore, the album arguably has the best material at the end. Compulsion has a extremely catchy funky beat, which is followed by the hard fuzzier rock guitars in House of Mirrors which are a treat. The album closes with the excellent Lifelines, which rises to a peak, holds its breath before finally exhaling and lapsing into a silence that we want to instantly fill by replaying the album from the start.

Like most great albums, Kingdom of Rust takes a while to really grab hold of your senses. Its charms slowly seep to the core of your musical sensibilities. But once it reaches your heart, it wont let it go, and you too will be a fan forever.

Listen to it or buy here:

Try this if you like :

The Verve
New Order
Coldplay

If you like this try :

Elbow : Leaders Of The Free World
My Morning Jackets : It Still Moves


Essential Classic Album

Jeff Buckley : Grace

Some albums have an erie quality, as if the protagonist almost anticipates their own death. Amongst the list would be Closer by Joy Divison, Pink Moon by Nick Drake, From A Basement On the Hill by Elliott Smith and The Holy Bible released by Manic Street Preachers shortly before the disappearance of Richey James. However, perhaps none is more poignant and more achingly wistful than the only album by Jeff Buckley entitled Grace. For someone with a voice of an angel, he ascended back to heaven to join them all too quickly leaving us only with this otherworldy album.

Buckley was the son of 1960's folk hero Tim Buckley, and seem destined for fame. Yet at the age of 30, in mysterious circumstances, he drowned, leaving only one complete recorded album. But its impact is hard to overstate and it consistently ranks in various Top 100 of all time lists. It is soaring and magnificent at times, then quiet and introspective at others. It demands and should be heard before we depart this physical world.

The album however must be listened to in isolation from the circumstances that followed it. Its not a last will and testament, but rather an ambitious debut album showcasing Buckleys range and virtuosity. Faced with his first blank canvas, the artist opts to record his many and varied ideas. While others start in black and white, Buckley demonstrates he has full command of all the colours on his palette right from the start. As such the album has elements of jazz, funk, pop and rock yet it never feels forced or unnatural as he melds the different elements and instruments. Thus we have ghostly opener Mojo Pin, the very Red Hot Chillish sounding So Real, the Britpopish title track Grace and then the psychedelicish closer Dream Brother.

But the standout track is Buckley's brilliant take on the Leonard Cohen track Hallelujah. Since its recording it has instantly become the definitive version upon which all others will be judged. Angst and yearning are subtly mixed with hope and optimism leaving a track which is simultaneously uplifting and depressing. One of the few songs that can genuinely bring a tear to the eye just by listening to its mournful tones. Please note its the song I want played as my casket is carried from my funeral.

Like Buddy Holly, we listen to his music and sometime wonder what such a prodigious talent wouldve gone on to achieve. If this was the entree, what would the main be like? But ultimately this is self-defeating. We should take the opposite approach and give thanks that we live in a world which he also briefly Grace(d).

Listen to it or buy here:

Try this if you like:

Van Morrison

If you like this try :

Elliott Smith : From a Basement On The Hill
Nick Drake : Pink Moon
Grant Lee Buffalo : Fuzzy

Top Ten List

The late 60s were possibly the most fertile period of musical creativity in the history of popular music. Perhaps it was the coincidental emergence of some terrific musical talents, the convergence of peak output of some amazing bands or maybe it was simply the great drugs! Regardless of the reason, much of our musical heritage can be traced to the events of some forty years ago. As such, I thought it might be fun to look back and muse with hindsight on what the Top Ten Albums from 1969 were. It turned out to be a lot harder than I thought. Anyway, here is the Nevstars :

Top Ten Albums From 1969

10. Kick Out The Jams / MC5
The debut album from Detroit based MC5, this is one of the most riotious, kick-ass, live albums ever to be recorded on vinyl. It is perhaps the prototype for garage rock bands ever since demonstrating the simple art of playing rock and roll music very fast and very loud. The history of punk starts here.

Key tracks : Ramblin Rose, Kick Out The Jams

9. Bayou Country : Credence Clearwater Revival
Southern rockers CCR recorded not one but TWO great albums in 1969 with Bayou County being quickly followed by the excellent Green River. However, this is the Nevstars favourite with the band at the peak of their considerable powers.

Key Tracks : Born On The Bayou, Run Through The Jungle, Who'll Stop The Rain

8. Stand ! : Sly & The Family Stone
Perhaps one of the most important records of the 60s. A raucus mixture of black and white musical influences, pop, soul, rock and funk with Sly standing in the middle of the whirlwind of musical ideas orchestrating and commanding like a virtuoso composer. A racial album illustrating what we can all do together. Essential.

Key Tracks : Everyday People, Stand!, I Want To Take You Higher

NB : Yes, Everyday People IS the same song that Toyota now use for their adverts. I cannot muster sufficient scorn for the practice of diluting such a powerful societal statement to a soundtrack to sell cars.

7. Live at San Quentin : Johnny Cash
The essential companion album to its more famous brethren, Live at Folsom Prison. This set is better in some respects, more shambolic in others. The best moment is when Cash sings a song entitled San Quentin written especially for the occasion. It nearly causes a riot the first time he plays it, and so he assuredly plays it again for good measure. "San Quentin, I hate every inch of you."

Key Tracks : San Quentin, I Walk The Line, A Boy Named Sue

6. The Stooges : The Stooges
Along with MC5, the Stooges demonstrated either a complete lack of respect for rock and roll, or somehow distilled its essence into three minutes of blistering sound. Iggy at his most obnoxious (which is a good thing). Would be in the Top 3 in virtually any other year.

Key Tracks : 1969, I Wanna Be Your Dog.

5 : Bitches Brew : Miles Davies
Considered by some to be the finest jazz album of all time, but less controversially it is certainly the starting point of a genre that became known as jazz - rock fusion. An ideal entry point for rockers interested in getting into jazz, and similarly very influential on rock musicians of the time. A wonder.

Key Tracks : Bitches Brew, Miles Runs The Voodoo Down

4. Let it Bleed : Rolling Stones
Amidst tough competition, the Stones effort from 1969 stands easily amongst this esteemed company coming during perhaps their most creative and important period. Tense and brooding yet also magnificent.

Key Tracks : Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler, You Cant Always Get What You Want

3. The Velvet Underground : The Velvet Underground
The Velvets recorded their third album in the summer of 1969. More sparse, mellow and melancholy than their first two albums, it demonstrates a direction that Lou Reed would follow in his solo albums. Here he creates interesting characters and sets them free, wondering and recording what happens to them in their interaction with the world at large.

Key Tracks : Pale Blue Eyes, Candy Says

2. Abbey Road : Beatles

It wasnt always easy, but the Beatles made it through to 1969 and delivered an outstanding recorded album one more time, somehow summoning enough civility to exit in style. Its stands as their last recorded album (Let It Be was recorded before but released after), but this was no coasting into the sunset. Abbey Road is a masterpiece containing layers of sounds and ideas letting everyone know that they truly had no peers before or since.

Key Tracks : Something, Because, The End

1. Led Zepellin II : Led Zepellin

It takes a mighty fine album to knock the Beatles from Number 1 but a certain band called Led Zepellin somehow managed it. Like CCR, they were very prolific in 1969 recording two albums (Led Zep I appearing earlier in the year). Great as Led Zep I was, establishing the template for a heavier guitar sound, Led Zep II is the masterpiece. A dramatic, swaggering, posturing and preening effort which elevated them to superstardom where they would remain forever. Beyond essential.

Key Tracks : Whole Lotta Love, Ramble On

Look forward to comments and criticisms of the Top Ten, but my first defence is likely to be that it was impossible. I changed the order of the Top four alone about ten times. The quality of any Top Ten list is probably determined more though by what you had to leave out. Here the list is long and distinguished. Some of the other albums released in 1969 include:

Blind Faith : Blind Faith
Dusty in Memphis : Dusty Springfield
Crosby Stills & Nash : Crosby Stills & Nash
Green River : Credence Clearwater Revival
In The Court Of The Crimson King / King Crimson
The Band / The Band
Led Zepellin I : Led Zepellin
Tommy : The Who

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere : Neil Young

On The Threshold of a Dream : Moody Blues

Five Leaves Left - Nick Drake

Arthur (Or The Decline and Fall Of The British Empire) : The Kinks

Wow, there is a great record collection right there. Have I missed any?

Thats all for this month.

Nevstar

May 2009

Welcome to the May edition of the Nevstar Music Guide. Apologies for the lateness of arrival. Its all happening as they say. Anyway, onto the good stuff.

Album Of The Month

The Horrors - Primary Colours

In the disposable pop culture of the new century, there are rarely second acts. If you dont hit it big the first time, there is no ability to hit the reset button and try another tack. Except that is, if you are The Horrors. After a debut album which was all look and no substance, The Horrors have ditched the make-up, wild hair, and cartoonish antics of their tepid debut album and produced (with a little help), an extraordinary sonical recalibration. That effort is the Album of The Month, entitled Primary Colours.

The Horrors debut album (Strange House) two years ago was all flash. They had a carefully calibrated look designed to appeal to 17 year old male art school students. Its not that they couldnt play, simply they seemed to chose not to, as if it would aversely impact their 'coolness'. The song were without energy, passion or intent. I played it once and not since. However, given a further recording opportunity, they have produced a stunning second album with the assistance of regular Portishead producer Geoff Barrow.

The list of influences is broad, compelling and immediately obvious. There is the almost ritual nod to the likes of Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine. However the lead vocals also hint towards The Cure, Human League or Depeche Mode, while some of the arrangements make liberal use of the back catalogs of bands like Neu! or Can from the German Krautrock era. But its all seamlessely entwined in a set of languid yet urgent tracks, which paradoxically reach great heights by plunging into the depths of despair. This is not an album to play if you are feeling depressed at home by yourself.

The first track is Mirror's Image which is the most overtly Joy Division influenced effort complete with Ian Curtis like weariness and ambivalence. But lest we feel shortchanged, the second track, presciently entitled Three Decades, ups the energy, tempo and atmospherics. Its the culmination of three decades of bands trying to recapture the energy and sound of the early nu-wave acts and doesnt disappoint. An early highlight. More is to follow with nods towards the Cure (Who Can Say), the Pyschedelic Furs (Scarlet Fields) and even the Smiths (Do You Remember). But the overall impact is thrilling rather than nostalgic. A band playing music it loves for its own sake and not for others. Its wrapping the sounds and feelings of our youth into an easily accessible memory stick for easy future access, reminding us of what we love and why we love. My favourite track is the rollicking I Cant Control Myself which is the most overtly guitar based track complete with driving rhythms and studious nonchalance.

The album comes to a close all too soon with the first single, Sea Within A Sea, an eight minute epic which strides out boldly from the shore, seeking new shores to conquer and leaving us gasping for hints about what the future holds beyond that tantalising horizon. For an album rooted in the past, it does a pretty good job of making us wonder about our futures.

Best Track : I Cant Control Myself

Listen to or buy here.

Try it if you like :

Joy Division : Closer
My Bloody Valentine : Loveless
Jesus & The Mary Chain : Psychocandy

If You like this try :

White Lies : White Lies
The Editors : The Back Room
Interpol : Our Love To Admire


Essential Classic Album

Simon & Garfunkel : Bridge Over Troubled Water

'Leave them wanting more' is a common refrain in the entertainment industry. Regrettably, few artists manage to leave at the top. Whether addicted to fame or fortune, most bands continue to produce albums when they should make way for other talent. A shining exception is the extremely talented duo Simon & Garfunkel who recorded a handful of albums culminating in the magnificent Bridge Over Troubled Water which they never attempted to top. It was No 1 in the United States for ten weeks and has sold over 25 million copies. With the duo scheduled to tour NZ shortly, it seems timely to reconsider this, their finest work.

Simon & Garfunkel featured two quite diverse talents. Paul Simon was the talented lyrcist while Art Garfunkel had one of the most distinctive and memorable high falsetto tenor voices of all his folk rock contemporaries. When combined with Simon's lower register voice, we are treated to one of rock music's greatest harmonies. On many occasions it sounds like only one person is singing in common with bands like The Everly Brothers. It is perhaps appropriate that one of the final tracks is a live cover of one of the latter's finest songs (Bye Bye Love).

The album starts with the title track, a candidate for one of the greatest rock songs ever written. Its a track with a religious undercurrent as the protagonist (perhaps God?) offers himself as a bridge over troubled waters. It was originally only two verses but the producer encouraged Simon to pen a third verse ("Sail on silver bird, sail on by") which gives the song a stately presence and increases its grandeur. Amidst the turmoil of the late 60's, it hinted at movements towards reconciliation amongst divergent streams of a warring society.

Yet, its what follows, that marks the album out for greatness. The major achievement is the diversity of the album. There is the first experimentation with African rhythms by Paul Simon in El Condor Pasa. We find bongo drums predominating in the singalong favourite, Cecilia. Then there is the magnificent, almost epic drums in The Boxer (a personal favourite), while the quieter moments in So Long Frank Lloyd Wright are exquisite. And you would be hard pressed to write a catchier tune than Baby Driver, nor a more indolent melody than The Only Living Boy in New York. And then album proves its timeless nature with Keep The Customer Satisfied, an anthem for the consumerism of the 00's if ever there was one. Its an album rich in both texture and scope.

Creative differences between the two led to a mutually agreed temporary separation which became permanent as they undertook different projects. They have reformed from time to do concert tours but have (so far) resisted the temptation to record another studio album. This writer, for one, hopes they never do. It would nice for Bridge Over Troubled Waters to remain their final statement.

Listen to or buy here.

Best Track : The Boxer

If you like this try :

Simon & Garfunkel : Bookends
Crosby Stills & Nash : Deja Vu

Buffalo Springfield : Buffalo Springfield Again

The Byrds : Hey Mr Tambourine Man

Top Ten List

May is New Zealand music month and therefore I thought this month, we would look back on some of the greatest of all kiwi songs; those that have morphed into iconic Kiwi anthems. The definition of an anthem is hard to nail down but to paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart, you know it when you hear it. So what songs are great kiwi anthems; the ones that everyone knows and loves? Well here is the Nevstars Top Ten Kiwi anthems.

Top Ten Kiwi Anthems

10. April Sun in Cuba - Dragon (1978)
Hailing from NZ, Dragon moved to Australia in the mid 70s and produced a string of crowd pleasing stadium anthems, none bigger than April Sun in Cuba. Marc Hunters terrific vocals belt out the perfect song to sing along with as you head out of the city for a long weekend at one of our beautiful beaches. "Im tired of the city life; summer's on the run."
Ample evidence of their charm and talents on display in their video here.

9. She's A Mod - Ray Columbus & The Invaders (1964)
Nothing less than the sound of the British Invasion sung with a kiwi accent. Ray Columbus could've contributed nothing else and he would still be remembered to this day for this one brilliant single. Bouncing with energy and complete with its own dance, this is a certainly a formidable kiwi anthem.
See grainy video here.

8. Counting The Beat - Swingers (1981)
It only takes one song to become kiwi icons, and The Swingers managed it with this deceptively simple, catchy yet incredibly enduring song. Written by former Split Enz member Phil Judd, almost 30 years later, virtually no one under five years old is unaware of its charm. Went to No 1 in both Australia and NZ. See video here.

7. Home Again - Shihad
Of all the songs on the list, this is probably the one you most need to see live to truly appreciate its power and charm on a bunch of kiwis. Guaranteed to make any overseas based NZer instantly homesick. That band that famously and heroically decided that they would rather be massive in New Zealand than a passing fad globally. Comes complete with terrific quirky NZ video. See here.

6. Whaling - DD SMash (1984)
One song that certainly cannot be left out is the remarkable Whaling penned by Dave Dobbyn during his time with the band DD Smash. Released in the same year that Dave Dobbyn was arrested for inciting a riot (hows that for living the rock and roll ethos!), Whaling remains a treasured kiwi single, sung by generations old and young at parties, weddings and concerts to this day. Video can be seen here.

5. If It Werent For Your Gumboots - Fred Dagg
John Clarke's famous alter ego made lots of impact when he first appeared on the nations screens in 1975. But perhaps none is as enduring as the very Kiwi song, If It Werent For Your Gumboots. Sources report that Clarke made the song by altering Billy Connolly's The Welly Song. Regardless of its origins, its place in NZs aural history is assured. Short snapshot of the song here. Its counterpart, We Dont Know How Lucky We Are should also be sung by every kiwi at least once a year. Its video is essential viewing.

And for those who to this day do not know what 'pleurisy' ("you will have a dose of the flu or even pleurisy"), the Nevstar can now reveal what you might get if you dont wear your gumboots. Pleurisy is in fact an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. When the inflamed pleural layers rub against each other as the lungs fill, it can cause a sharp pain. It is usually caused by an infection which could be obtained if you arent wearing your gumboots! Who said the Nevstar Music Guide is not educational!

4. I Got You - Split Enz (1980)
Their breakthrough hit which went on to become their most iconic and treasured song. While its arguable as to whether its their best song, something about it resonated immediately with the NZ public and saw it leap straight to No 1 on the singles chart. Notably more 'poppie' than previous Enz efforts perhaps reflecting the increased influence of Neil Finn, one of NZs finest ever songwriters.
See video here.

3. Loyal - Dave Dobbyn (1988)
You could make a really good case for this becoming the NZ national anthem sung proudly before test matches as our black national flag waves proudly. Slightly sullied by association with the losing Americas Cup campaign, this song will be played and sung by generations of Kiwis long after the memory of that loss has past.
See video here.

2. Bliss - The Dudes (1980)

'Its not the drinking, but the way we're drinking' intones the ALAC advert. Well, is it any surprise that the nation has a drinking problem when one of our most iconic songs contains the pivotal lyric "Drink yourself more bliss"! A terrific, anthemic, crowd-pleasing singalong played at the conclusion of just about every 21st Ive ever been to. Cmon, the song starts with (if I have this right), 'yah, ya ya ya yahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ya ya ya yahhhhhhhhhhh'. Hows that for great songwriting! See video here.

It should also be noted that this is Dave Dobbyn's third entry in the list and you could easily name another dozen worthy of consideration (eg Right First Time, Be Mine Tonight, Slice of Heaven, Outlook for Thursday). The man is a living kiwi legend.

1. Why Does Love Do This To Me? - The Exponents (1992)

I cant recall a No. 1 in the Nevstar Music Guide that was so evident nor so inarguable. Its the one kiwi song that every Kiwi knows all the words to. An absolute iconic, joyous, electric three minutes of perfect pop music. Reportedly took the same time to write as it does to sing and simple to learn on a guitar. Everyone has their own story of singing it amongst fellow kiwis but my favourite memory was during the Wellington Sevens. At halftime, they put songs on for the crowd to singalong to but the music stops once the game resumes. WDLDTTM was played towards the end of the day at halftime of a game, but when the music stopped, this time the singing continued. Without any musical accompaniement, 27,000 people continued singing to the end of the song. Now THATS a kiwi anthem!

See video here.

So, whats the verdict? Agree, disagree? Feel some other songs should be considered as NZ kiwi anthems? Send me an email or leave a comment.

Thats all for this month.

Nevstar

April 2009

Album of the Month

Easy Come, Easy Go : Marianne Faithfull

Easy Come, Easy Go is the sort of album the Nevstar usually avoids. The industry is replete with formerly great artists resorting to doing cover versions of songs written by others. Few are worthy of listening too, and even fewer are worth investing your hard earned dollars in. However this is an exception. Marianne Faithfull has collected a large and talented band to assist her interpretation of a number of excellent songs with a diverse group of guest vocalists.

Most people know Marianne Faithfull's story. Former teen beauty star turned pop star who became the girlfriend of Mick Jagger, she turned in and tuned out the 60s eventually suffering from addictions to heroin and alcohol. Following her outstanding comeback album in 1979, Broken English, she fills her days in the new century interpreting the works of others. Such cover collections rely on two essential elements; a good selection of songs matching the vocalists talent, and the quality of the backing band. Both are abundance here. The band, numbering 16 players on the first track alone, are in excellent form with crackling, precise playing. The songs are both eclectic and mesmerising, aptly matching her vocal talents while exploring a variety of styles.

There is the beguiling opening Down From Dover written by none other than Dolly Parton which ably matches Faithfulls world weary vocals with a wistful yearning. Its a cracking opening, but merely an entree to the delights to follow. The third track, Solitude is a effort penned by none other than the Duke of Jazz, Duke Ellington. It features a bevy of mournful clarinets and is so slow that you can barely wait for each additional note. Then follows the terrific track The Crane Wife 3 which is a song by the indie favourite, The Decemberists. It features the redoubtable Nick Cave on accompanying vocals which is the perfect choice as its a song Cave could easily have written. It is thus probably the highlight of the album. The title track that follows however is also a stonking good tune, recreating the days of cabaret shows in speak-easies in the 30s. Fabulous.

There is more to follow though including appearances by Jarvis Cocker, Rufus Wainwright and the everlasting Keith Richards along with songs written by such luminaries as Brian Eno, Smokey Robinson, Merle Haggard and even Morrissey.

The album is now available in New Zealand as a deluxe 2 CD edition but was originally only available as a ten track single CD. The first of the two CDs is superior to the second but both are worth having in your collection. They are great tonic for the soul in these tough and trying times.

Listen to or purchase here :

If you like this try :

Strange Weather : Marianne Faithfull
Dusty In Memphis : Dusty Springfield


Essential Classic Album

Kind Of Blue : Miles Davis

Jazz can be a difficult genre to love for the uninitiated. Its lack of structure often makes it a challenging listen. Yet at its best, when played by the finest musicians on the planet, jazz uniquely creates a moment and a memory, sonically reassuring doubts and derisions, alternatively setting or soothing your mood. If you are not a jazz fan, the best place to start your future love affair with this extraordinarily broad category is the landmark album from Miles Davis, Kind of Blue. On the 50th anniversary of it release, lets investigate and profile this amazing treasure.

Featuring only five tracks, all written by Miles Davis, Kind of Blue firstly features perhaps one of the finest collection of jazz musicians ever to fill one room. Davis, a world class trumpet player in his own right, had spent a lot of time in the mid 50s performing with the incomparable saxophonist, John Coltrane. These two were joined for this session by five others, all of whom belong in the jazz Hall of Fame; Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), Wynton Kelly & Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and James Cobb (drums).

Kind of Blue features only five tracks running about 45 minutes in total. Amazingly, the entire recording session lasted a mere nine hours over two sessions and only six takes were required for the five songs. (only Flamenco Sketches required two takes). Also, as was his practice at the time, Davis presented the songs to the musicians on the day they recorded the sessions. As such, the entire album has a lounge act feel to it; an immediacy and intimacy as we are introduced to the sounds at the same time as the instrumentalists. It is music to luxuriate in either bearing close examination or as a background to work or play.

The recording has been called by no less a source than All Music Guide, as the pinnacle of modal jazz where - 'tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality'. It is music where the musicians strive express themselves through their instruments in a way that they could not possibly vocalise. Its sexy and seductive, yet restrained and reflective.

With some musical genres, there is rigorous debate about what is the genre's greatest album. Blues purists may debate the merits of Muddy Waters versus Robert Johnson. Rock critics may argue the merits of Stones, Beatles, Radiohead, Dylan or REM. Similarly with classical, country, punk or pop. But for one genre, there is absolutely no discussion. The greatest jazz album of all time is Kind of Blue by Miles Davis.

Listen to or purchase here :

If you like this try :

Birth Of The Cool : Miles Davis
A Love Supreme : John Coltrane


Top Ten

Well, I made a little mistake. Last month, while profiling the outstanding Together Alone by Crowded House, the Nevstar noted that it was in my All Time Top Ten albums. This triggered the perhaps inevitable query from a couple of readers, "so what are Favourite Albums of all Time?". Gulp.

Its an intensely personal question and one I've been avoiding a little as its an obvious Top Ten list to do. Nothing opens a writer to ridicule more than attempting to list their favourite albums if for no other reason that it invites the question - "how can you leave out (insert one of a million albums here)?" Its the ultimate Top Ten list and as such, is never perfect, always evolving.

As its my list, I will add a couple of provisos. Firstly, have excluded from consideration any album that has been released in the last five years. You cannot have an all time favourite album until you have had at least five, if not ten years to see how it ages. Entries from The Doves (The Last Broadcast) , Franz Ferdinand (Franz Ferdinand), British Sea Power (Decline of British Sea Power), and Muse (Origin of Symmetry) are potential candidates in the future but excluded from consideration here. Secondly, its important to point out that this is a subjective list, not objective. I am NOT claiming these are the greatest albums of all time, merely my favourite. No greatest albums of all time would dare leave out The Beatles! But with those in place lets check out :

The Nevstar's Top Ten Favourite Albums of All Time

10. Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs : Derek & Dominoes
The finest white blues albums of all time, we finally have Eric Clapton showcasing his otherwordly guitar talent to some intensely personal songs. Profiled in Nevstar Music Guide in March 2008. See here.

Best Track : Layla
Hidden Gem : Bell Bottom Blues

9. Together Alone : Crowded House
As profiled last month, Neil Finns finest hour featuring 14 incredible tracks which Neil himself opined that he would find hard to better. A must have for any serious music collector.

Best Track : Pineapple Head
Hidden Gem : Nails In My Feet

8. Highway 61 Revisited : Bob Dylan
The first Dylan album I ever heard, and still my favourite. One of the greatest rock songs of all time (Like A Rolling Stone) opens Dylans first fully fledged electric offering. The soundtrack of a generation, setting the standard for others to follow. Few would come close to emulating.

Best Track : Like A Rolling Stone
Hidden Gem : Ballad Of A Thin Man

7. Live at Folsom Prison : Johnny Cash
The album which relaunched his career, Live at Folsom Prison showcases all that was great about Johnny Cash; his gravelly voice, his clever songwriting and his rapport with all his fans, even those that are convicts.

Best Track : Cocaine Blues
Hidden Gem : Joe Bean

6. The Bends : Radiohead
An immaculate album which is clearly evolving into a modern classic. Thom Yorke's plaintive vocals accompany this downbeat set of songs which are somehow never sad. Arguably not topped by them or any other band.

Best Track : Fake Plastic Trees
Hidden Gem : Street Spirit (Fade Out)

5. 16 Lovers Lane : Go Betweens
I cannot recommend this effort highly enough. A faultless set of perfect pop songs ruminating on the capriciousness of love and relationships. Sublime. Profiled earlier here.

Best Track : Love Goes On
Hidden Gem : Quiet Heart

4. Born to Run : Bruce Springsteen
Down to his last chance to prove the prophesy of being the 'future of rock and roll', Springsteen finally delivered. An amazing record vocalising the thoughts and dreams of a generation to a stonking soundtrack.

Best Track : Thunder Road
Hidden Gem : Jungleland

3. Who's Next : The Who
A terrific band at the apogee of their powers, musically, vocally and lyrically. At times raw and thunderous, at others, restrained and thoughtful. One of the greatest rock albums. Profiled here.

Best Track : Wont Get Fooled Again
Hidden Gem : The Song Is Over

2. Definitely Maybe : Oasis
A debut album of power, vivacity and sneer all at once. An impeccable suite of tracks, most of which make you want to pick up and learn a guitar. Scaled heights they would never approach again, but who cares.

Best Track : Rock n Roll Star
Hidden Gem : Cigarettes and Alcohol

and the Nevstar's favourite album of all time is .........

1. Stone Roses : The Stone Roses
A note perfect debut album effortlessly combining the best of all British music that came before it and influencing a generation that followed after it. I never tire of playing it. I hope I never will. Profiled in greater depth here.

Best Track : Waterfall
Hidden Gem : This Is The One

Phew, now thats off my chest, I feel much better. But the Nevstar Music Guide is supposed to be interactive. Why dont you send me your Top Ten list? There is no right or wrong, just ten albums that you absolutely love. Go on, take ten minutes out of your day to think about your absolute favourite albums and create your own list of musical majesty. Leave a comment with your Top Ten list (anonymous if you prefer) so we can see and enjoy them or send me an email. Love to see what turns you on.

Thats it for another Nevstar Music Guide. Hope you enjoy it reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Nevstar

March 2009

Album Of The Month

Ladyhawke : Ladyhawke

It is arguably the hardest thing to accomplish in popular music. To write a great hook. That little 2-8 word ditty that reverberates in the listeners consciousness causing them firstly to sing along, and secondly to sing or hum it to themselves. All great music is replete with short codas of compelling melodies, notes or sounds. Even great classical music is built around great hooks (Da Da Da Dahhhhh!). Some do it effortlessly (The Beatles, Prince), while others go a lifetime of music production only producing one (The Final Countdown anyone?). Well our very own Ladyhawke (aka Pip Brown) has produced more than one. Her eponymous debut album contains twelve songs each and every one replete with its own distinctive hook.

Ladyhawke is a NZ solo artist currently trying to break into the tough UK market. She started her musical career with two friends as a grunge act named Two Lane Blacktop (not a bad name that) which she described as a cross between Iggy Pop and The Clash. She then split from the band and renamed herself Ladyhawke after a character played by Michelle Pfeiffer in a 1985 movie of the same name.

And she certainly seems to have found her niche. Her debut album is an absolute delight. Listening to it is like a catching a train rolling through the eighties. Its comfortable, languid and relaxing with much to see on both sides of the carriage. The first track, Magic sounds like a long lost New Order track from the early 80s. Then the third track My Delirium reverts to something more akin to The Bangles. It is followed by Better Than Sunday which belongs to the genre encompassing the robotic 80s synth pop like Human League or Gary Numan. But its all there, the aforementioned hooks, super synthesiser sounds, catchy lumpy beats, smooth and sophisticated vocals and layer upon layer of perfect production. Particular delights are the gorgeous My Delirium (video here), the ruinously catchy Back Of The Van and the cracking closer Morning Dreams.

The music is not the most original in the world but it is quite a trick to make something new instantly familiar and capable of being sung along to. In a world where we often expect more and receive less from our favourite bands, check out this unassuming kiwi lady who delivers more pop pleasures on one album than the Spice Girls managed in a career.

Listen or purchase here :

Try it if you like:
Blondie
The Bangles
The Pretenders

If you like this try :
The Ting Tings....................We Started Nothing
New York Pony Club...............Fantastic Playroom
CSS.................................Cansei Der Ser Sexy


Essential Classic Album

Together Alone : Crowded House

While writing about Ladyhawke, I kept trying to think of other Kiwi songsmiths who have the knack of writing great pop hits. A few come to mind. Jordan Luck is certainly there, as is Dave Dobbyn and probably the likes of Shona Laing, Bic Runga and Tim Finn. But probably the best songwriter we have produced is Tim's little brother, a certain Mr Neil Finn. So what better opportunity to highlight his finest achievement, Crowded House's Together Alone which sits comfortably in the Nevstars Top Ten Albums of All Time.

Crowded House were a deliberate attempt by Neil to move away from the complex sound of Split Enz. Their first two albums comprised simple pop songs with traditional song structures but great hooks. The third album, Woodface, with Tim Finn now added to the lineup was a significant step up with some more complex instrumentation, and lyrical intensity going up a notch. Combined with the best melody of a duo since Simon & Garfunkel, it is an outstanding album.

Faced with trying to top this effort, the band retired to a bach out on Aucklands West Coast and set about recording Together Alone. With the assistance of ex-Killing Joke member Youth as producer, what they came up with is their most complex yet most satisfying album. It features heavier guitars (some even recalling the Split Enz sound), and a heavy Pacific Island/Maori influence. Combined with gorgeous hooks, enticing and challenging lyrics, and exceptional variety, it is a record that stands frequent and repeated playings. There are numerous great songs on this record.

Rumours or apocryphal stories suggest that Neil himself considers Pineapple Head to be the finest song he ever wrote which is certainly saying something. It definitely stands tall, but then again Together Alone is a forest with all the songs standing tall seeking attention. There is the rocking In My Command, the Norwegian Wood ish (a high compliment) Nails In My Feet, the punkish Black & White Boy, the wondrous Fingers of Love, the aforementioned Pineapple Head followed by my other favourites like Locked Out, Private Universe, the single Distant Sun, Skin Feeling and then the gigantic closing track Together Alone. It really is an embarrassment of riches. Its why you should NEVER buy a Crowded House greatest hits because by all rights, this entire album would fill one side of it. It certainly proved hard to top as they waited fourteen years until 2007 before attempting a follow-up. Perhaps Neil knew that he could do no more with this format and needed to go in another direction.

The Nevstar still recalls the experience of buying this album when it came out. I asked the Marbecks attendant if it was any good. He replied that if Woodface was this close (holding his thumb and index figure an inch apart), then Together Alone was this close, upon which he closed his fingers almost together. The implication was clear. Perfection in a musical album is unobtainable, but Together Alone is close. Awfully close.

Listen to or purchase CD/mp3 here

If you like this try :
Crowded Face...........Woodface
The Stone Roses........The Stone Roses
The Beatles..............Rubber Soul

Top Ten List

There is a great scene in the film High Fidelity. Barry harrasses a potential client for asking for I Just Called To Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder and then asks the others for the Top Ten Worst Musical crimes perpetrated by formerly great artists. I was thinking of this when reading some recent reviews of Bruce Springsteens latest album which has been universally panned as tepid and dull. So what are the worst albums recorded by otherwise great artists? The Nevstar Top Ten this month is therefore the :

Top Ten Worst Albums from Otherwise Great Artists

10) Pearl Jam - Yield
I may be in the minority, as I dont consider Pearl Jam a great band, but they certainly sold a lot of albums and many consider Ten to be the pinnacle of grunge alongside Nirvana's Nevermind. So be it, but if they are that great, I challenge their fans to justify this effort. For a rock band, they dont seem to rock much and spend most of the album singing dull, soul-less folk ballads. Yawn.

9) David Bowie - Tonight
Following on from his multi-platinum smash Lets Dance, Bowie seems uncharacteristically idea-less on the album Tonight. Perhaps dance music is just not really his thing. Album is to be avoided almost completely. Just download the track Blue Jean.

8) Beatles -Yellow Submarine
As big a fan of The Beatles as I am, not everything they produced is essential. Yellow Submarine came at the height of the period of self-indulgent drug excess. Yellow Submarine is almost unlistenable particularly the second half. While the title track is perhaps the best known Beatles song (anyone over the age of five probably knows it), that is no excuse for subjecting loyal fans to the meaningless lyricless meandering of the last six tracks. Maybe it makes more sense on LSD.

7) The Rolling Stones - Dirty Work
With 26 studio albums, its perhaps inevitable that the worlds greatest rock band produced the odd dud. The eighties generally were a creative black hole for the Stones with only Tattoo You considered worthy of owning. Dirty Work was a comeback of sorts after three years away from each other and several solo albums. The whole album sounds tired and forced with little of the swerve and vigour which made them so compelling.

6) Muddy Waters - Electric Mud
For an artist normally fastidious about his sound, Muddy definitely succumbed to commercial pressure here. To build on his new found popularity with whites as a result of the British blues explosion, Chess re-recorded some Muddy Waters classics as electric guitar driven psychedelic tracks. Bad idea. A musical crime against humanity.

5) Pink Floyd - The Final Cut
There are a couple of albums from the Floyd which are, to put it nicely, hard work. The Final Cut is foremost among them. It is a dense and intense experience which easy to switch off and hard to love. Some claim it to be a triumph; others the final indulgence.

NB : I havent included the post Roger Waters albums for consideration as its not really the Floyd without him but listening to The Division Bell the first and only time was a lost hour of my life never to be recovered.

4) Bob Dylan - Self Portrait
Most artists yearn to be loved. Bob Dylan seems to have spent half his career trying to lose his audience and there is no better example than Self Portrait. A sprawling, cryptic, self-indulgent double album, Self Portrait came at the end of a period of incredible creativity and perhaps represents a singular upraised finger to those idolising him. This is one Dylan album which should definitely be avoided (along with Under The Red Sky).

3) The Clash - Cut The Crap
The sound of a band trying to recapture their youth ten years too late. Its almost unthinkable that a band that produced the essential classic London Calling which is brimful of diverse musical ideas, could also produce this. Formulaic, rote, lacking in charm, and a complete absence of originality. In fact an almost perfect replica of the trite that punk was supposed to replace. Even completists shouldnt own it on principle.

2) Lou Reed - Metal Machine Man
No album is worse than Metal Machine Man. The great Lou Reed, the grounding influence of Velvet Underground and issuer of some remarkable solo albums (Transformer, Berlin, New York) has one album in his catalog that defies comprehension. Its variously been described as the logical endpost for heavy metal, a precursor to industrial metal or simply the worst in-joke in music history. The album basically consists of two guitars' feedback being played at different speeds. The last of the four sided double album is 1.8 seconds of this looped continuously. It would be difficult to record anything more annoying (although Frank Zappa certainly tried). Like any art, people try to find some meaning in it, but they probably havent listened to it very much. If nothing else, its a great conversational piece.

1) Neil Young - Everybody's Rockin
Nosing out Lou Reed more on quantity than quality (or lack thereof) is the indisputably great Neil Young. Now lets be clear, I really rate Neil Young as my fawning review of his BDO performance will attest (see here) but of all the great artists in the list, none have produced more crap albums than Neil Young. And to David Geffen's immense disappointment, they were all released on his label during the 80s. Choosing one is difficult but lets examine the choices; Re-ac-tor (half baked confused effort with Neil understandably more focused on his recently disabled son), Trans (a futuristic mess), Everybody's Rockin (a tribute rockabilly album?), Old Ways (an ill-timed return to country rock when the country was getting into MTV), and Landing on Water (arguably the best which isnt saying much). At a push, we will go with Everybody's Rockin, an inexcusable, lamentable, mystifying effort at showcasing the Americana rockabilly genre.

If there was any doubt, all you need to say as the Prosecution is "Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks" and present the album cover:

What was he thinking?

So there you have it, the worst albums by the greatest artists. Have I missed any? Send me an email or leave a comment.


Feedback from Top Ten
I had a lot of great feedback from last months top ten which asked which were the most influential albums of all time. The most commonly cited albums appear below. Without passing comment on the merits of each, you could certainly make a case for any of the following being very influential and worthy of inclusion on such a list.


Suede - Suede
Nirvana - Nevermind
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
Paul Simon - Graceland
Pink Floyd - Piper at Gates of Dawn
Bob Marley - Exodus
New Order - Technique

February 2009

Album of the Month

Feed The Animals - Girl Talk

It takes a rare talent to copy something and make it original. But that is just what mash-up experts Girl Talk have done on their fourth album, Feed The Animals. In a direct affont to the music industry, this album consists of nothing original comprising only of several hundred samples, all mashed together into a glorious kaleidoscope of the last 50 years of recorded music. It is a full sized smorgasboard of sound featuring just about every genre of music mashed together into a soundtrack of our musical lives. In all, they mix an estimated (or admitted), 322 different samples into the fourteen tracks somehow managing to grab the best moments of a truly mind-altering number of songs. And I thought I had a big collection of music.

And so what we find amongst the fourteen tracks is a cornucopia of the well known surrounded by less known. There is heavy metal and hair metal, hard rock and cheesy pop, rap and rock, disco and dance. You spend half the album tapping your toes, and the other half trying to name the song where that three note coda comes from. See here for Wikipedia's efforts to catalog some of the samples used.

The modus operandi is mainly the seguing of gangsta rap and hip hop spoken lyrics over familar pop hits. The harsh and provocative musings of black rappers is transcended somewhat when accompanied by the dulcet tones of Come on Eileen. The angry and inciteful language of Public Enemy is somewhat tempered by being intoduced by Heart's Magic Man. Its an intoxicating mixture and if you dont like something, wait ten seconds for the next familiar track to kick in. Its like a rapid fire game of Play Station's Buzz as you try and name that tune.

My personal favourite sample used has to be the drum intro to Rick Astley's toxic Never Gonna Give You Up which abruptly finishes just before Astley gets to sing. Now THAT is a someone who understands music as I always have a notion to stop that track as soon as I hear that drum roll. But to get some inkling of the range of artists, here are the ones used in the first minute of the fourth track "Whats It All About", Beyonce, DJ Funk, Queen, Beastie Boys, Phil Collins, Busta Rhymes, The Police and The Cure. Not a collection of artists you probably listen to on your way to work.

Producer Gregg Gillis paid no royalties on the samples he used, (how could he possibly), striking an extremely liberal interpretation on the 'fair use' principle of copyright law. In turn he has made the music available for whatever you think its worth. Click here to access the download and pay whatever amount you want. Click on $0.00 if for no other reason to see the list of options for reasons why you wont pay one brass wazoo for something so good. Download it now, but how about rewarding his creativity by parting with a few of your hard earned dollars.

The mash-up has developed into an artform in its own right. Like most art it runs the range from magnificent glorious masterpieces to cover-your-eyes awful. Where does Girl Talk's effort fit on that scale? Well if Feed The Animals was a painting, we would be gazing at it in a world class gallery and buying a book on it while exiting the gift shop. Its that good.


Essential Classic Album

It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back - Public Enemy

It all begins here. If you want an insight to understanding the immensity of emotion that rap induces in its followers, put this album on your turntable. Its the essential and only rap album you need. Giving voice to a nation of disaffected youths, it is the soundtrack of a forgetten and downtrodden generation urging, cajoling, nay demanding, that they rise up and allow their voices to be heard. Rarely has a record so accurately captured the provocative and rebellious attitude of an entire race.

Chuck D and Flavour Flav did not invent rap but they certainly focused its power as a political force in its own right. Combining elements of free jazz, funk and hip hop with sharp and insightful lyrics, it is the equivalent of an Inauguration Speech for the other America. Those that arent living the American dream of BBQ's and baseball. Those for whom cops are tormentors, not protectors. Those whose only dream is to live till their thirties.

There are a number of standout tracks amongst the overtly political track list, but my personal favourites are the anthemic, confrontational "Dont Believe The Hype" and then the last track "Party for Your Right To Fight" which neatly encapsulates the urgency and motivation behind the call to arms. Revolutions start with the voicing of dissatisfaction with the ruling elite.

It is twenty years since the album is released. One would guess that its power would be diminished in these slightly more enlightened times when a black kid can actually aspire to become President of the United States. But that is plainly short-sighted and if we cant see, we cant care. The problems they sing about are still issues of the day as blacks in America are still, in large part, a disenfranchised creed. This is their political manifesto reinterpreting and updating James Brown's "Im Black and Im Proud".

The album starts with a quote from Malcolm X, the full version of which is

"It's just like when you've got some coffee that's too black, which means it's too strong. What do you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. But if you pour too much cream in it, you won't even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak. It used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep."

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back is thus the lyrical equivalent of that cup of black coffee; powerful, strong, united and boiling hot.

Top Ten List

While writing about Public Enemy, it struck me that there is a difference between the greatest albums and the most influential. Sometimes an album will blaze a trail only for others to successfully follow. Its like cutting a track up a mountain only to see someone else scale that mountain and claim the spoils of glory and everlasting fame.

So it set me thinking as to what were the most INFLUENTIAL albums of all time. Albums that created a musical genre, changed the way musicians play, or simply made a lot of kids want to pick up a guitar. Its an immensely subjective and emotive issue, but here are the Nevstar's

Top Ten Most Influential Albums of All Time

10. Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions
Its influence cannot be underestimated. You basically had a white country boy with a 'black' voice, steeped in gospel rockabilly and country playing speeded up blues. It was nothing less than the template for rock and roll, which became kinda big.

9. Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
Music has disappeared up its collective arse in the early 70s only for that comfort to be shattered by four misogynist punks (in both senses of the word). Rock and roll was exciting again, as rock dinosaurs met their very own meteorite.

8. Public Enemy - Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
As above, nothing less than a riotous call to arms. Rappers and their music can change the world.

7. Herbie Hancock - Headhunters
All keyboardists prior to performing probably offer a silent prayer to the master of fusion who changed the way keyboards and pianos would be played forever more.

6. Miles Davis - A Kind Of Blue
Not an exaggeration to say that every jazz album released since owes it a debt. Took musicianship to a whole new level and demanded that jazz players obtain a very high level of competence before practicing their art. 50 years after its release, its still the best jazz album of all time without any question.

5. Led Zepellin - Led Zepellin I
I listed about three or four different Led Zep albums in this slot (II, IV and Physical Graffiti have worthy claims as well), but ultimately it was their first album which provided the template for two dominating musical trends. The launch of heavy rock (which became ultimately heavy metal), and the worship of guitar gods.

4. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
Again, arguably not their best album, but certainly their most influential. Effectively created the template for all electronica music combining repeating melodic loops with incessant rhythms and understated vocals. Immensely enjoyable and accessible to this day.

3. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
That the power of electric rock and roll should return was an anaethma to the flower power folkies; but having one of their own spearhead the drive was too much to handle. Booed lustily after plugging in, Dylan showed us a new direction home and proved that you sometimes need to leave your fans behind.

2. The Beatles - Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles arguably made better albums (Revolver for one) but this was by far their most influential. It is ground zero for two rather important musical trends. The first was the use of the studio as separate instrument. Most bands recorded output was indistinguishable from their live act; The Beatles deliberately set out to create music that could not be performed live using a wide array of studio tricks and techniques. Secondly, they started the whole issue of a concept album which was expanded upon by all manner of 70s acts.

1. Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground & Nico
As the saying goes, not many people bought the album, but those that did, started their own bands. The very definition of influential. In a setting provided by art house supremo Andy Warhol, Lou Reed and his colleagues settled in and recorded an immensely personal and reflective album. Featuring songs pushing the boundaries of social commentary and sexual realism, it is a perfect record. Their recorded output led to everything from punk to the predominance of singer-songwriters.

Honourable mentions:

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars
Robert Johnson - King of Delta Blues Guitar
Marvin Gaye - Whats Going On
Primal Scream - Screamadelica
Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Spice Girls - Spice (yes I know, but it set the standard for modern marketing of music abhorrent as that may seem)

Thats it for another month. Hope you have enjoyed the latest Nevstar Music Guide. Leave a comment on any of the above if you want to comment, criticize or compliment, and please forward to any other like-minded music fans.

Nevstar