Chaos and creation in the backyard / McCartney, Paul
Nothing shows how difficult the legacy of having been in a hugely influential band is than Paul McCartney’s solo career. From the uneven output of Wings in the 70s, to treacly pop duets in the 80s & coasting in the 90s, he made a renaissance in the late 1997 with ‘Flaming Pie, but it’s this low key effort with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich that equates to some of his best work. Low key, reflective, & intimate with McCartney playing nearly all the instruments himself, it’s reminiscent of his first solo effort ‘McCartney’ & nearly all of the songs could have easily appeared on any late period Beatles album. Well worth a look. (Mark)

Milo goes to college / Descendents
Fueled by “rejection, food, coffee, girls, fishing and food,” the Descendents sprang up during the halcyon days of the Los Angeles punk scene. This is their 2nd album from 1982, a 15-songs-in-22-minutes blast of adolescent angst, despair and joy. (Neil P.)

 

 

I am the cosmos / Bell, Chris
Co-founder of Big Star, one of the most influential cult bands in rock, the troubled Bell left that band after their first album (1972’s “#1 Record”) and spent the next 6 years struggling with depression & drifting in and out of music, before dying in a car accident late one night. Various tracks were recorded during this period, but the only thing released commercially was the single ‘I am the Cosmos’. 15 years after his death Rykodisc compiled all his unreleased demos into one album, a melodic & lyrically poignant masterpiece that only hinted at the depths of his talent. Highlights include the epic Badfinger-meets-Pink Floyd downer of the title track, the aching beautiful ‘You & your sister’ (which features Big Star bandmate Alex Chilton on backing vocals), the spiritual ‘Look up’, & ‘Speed of sound’. A lost classic. (Mark)

Black cherry / Goldfrapp
The gentle electronica and whistling of debut Felt Mountain was more like an kitsch airport lounge than utopia to me, so the sexy glitter and glam of the next two albums was a total surprise. Both Black Cherry (2003) and slightly poppier Supernature (2005) have perfect dance-pop tunes – the crunching industrial ‘Train’, dance anthem ‘Ride a white horse’, and wonderful retro disco songs ‘Strict machine’ and ‘Ooh la la (which share a suspiciously similar backing beat). Both albums also have slower atmospheric pieces that create other worlds, set amidst deep honey, hairy trees, trembling stars, velvet and lip gloss. As Alison Goldfrapp sings, “wonderful electric.” (Karen)

Third ; Sister lovers / Big Star
The antithesis of fake rock-opera angst like Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ this is the real deal, the sound of someone’s personal disintegration set to music. Helmed by Alex Chilton, Big Star released 2 critically acclaimed albums in the early 70s, which sunk without a trace due to a bankrupt record label and failed distribution deals. Re-grouping in 1974 Chilton recorded this baroque masterpiece that was never officially sequenced & went unreleased for 4 years, before slowly gathering a cult reputation. Filled with unfinished arrangements, reverb laded vocals, squalls of feedback, & swirling string sections this hugely influential album sounds like it was recorded just yesterday rather than over 30 years ago. Swinging between the psychic torment of the haunting ‘Holocaust’, the sarcasm of ‘Thank you friends’, and the baroque sadness of ‘Take care’, the album was a blueprint for modern ‘alternative rock’ with the countless bands and styles it spawned. This 1992 Rykodisc release finally sequences the album as it was intended, and includes all of the material recorded at the time. Harrowing yet hypnotic. (Mark) [New 3-Disc Edition ‘Complete Third’ here].

Bavarian fruit bread / Sandoval, Hope
Somnambulant folk music from Ex-Mazzy Star singer. Most of it sounds like it’s being played at the wrong speed, but bossa nova rhythms, lounge style vocals, the odd harmonica, and Bert Jansch’s guitar work liven up some of the tracks, avoiding the overt naval-gazing that Mazzy Star could sometimes be guilty of. Great for rainy mornings. (Mark)

 

The life pursuit / Belle and Sebastian
This is surely Glaswegian folk-pop’s finest hour. Rabid fans may cite the back catalogue but Stuart, Stevie and the rest have put out their best work yet here, combining the snappy, confident arrangements of ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’ with some of Stuart’s most poignant and poetic lyrics to date. A thumping good listen. (Thomas)

 

Young for eternity / Subways (Musical group)
While most UK bands these days reach back to the 80s for their influences, this UK trio’s influences rest firmly in the Britpop of Oasis’ first 2 albums, & bands such as Elastica & Lush. Winners of the best unsigned band competition at the 2004 Glastonbury festival, their 2005 debut has charmed UK critics. Catchy guitar driven songs bounce around boy-girl vocals. While they may not be breaking any new ground, the bands adrenaline and energy lend support to some of the lesser songs and the best of them (Oh yeah, 1am, With you, & Rock n roll Queen) jump right out, proving that just plain rock and roll can still sound fresh. A band worth watching. (Mark) [Note: This version is the 2020 ’15th anniversary limited edition’ with a Bonus Disc of B-Sides & Rarities]

Corinne Bailey Rae [2 CD] / Rae, Corinne Bailey
A great debut album that sounds like the greatest hits of a lost 70’s diva, full of smooth gorgeous vocals, funky rhythms and melodic songs. A new UK soul sensation being compared to Billie Holiday, but her voice is more like a combination of Macy Gray and early Fiona Apple. She became only the 4th female British act in history to have her first album debut at number 1. Nominated for 3 Brit Awards and 3 Grammys this is one album that lives up to all the critical attention. Great tracks like ‘Like a star’, ‘Trouble sleeping’ & ‘Put your records on’ stick in your head and won’t leave. Timeless sounding Soul with touches of Alicia Keys like rhythms, an amazing voice, lush harmonies and just great original song-writing make this one of the year’s best. A name to watch. Highly recommended. (Mark) [Note: This is the 2007 Special Edition reissue, with a Bonus Disc of B-Sides & Rarities]

Without a song : the 9/11 concert / Rollins, Sonny
Perhaps the last significant link to the late 1940s New York scene, Sonny Rollins (along with John Coltrane) is probably the last tenor saxophonist in jazz to have an instantly identifiable sound which few have been able to approximate. His classic albums of the 50s and 60s have overshadowed much of what he has done since the end of the 60s with many critics lamenting that to hear him at his best you have to see him in concert. Living in Manhattan at the time of the 9/11 attacks he was booked to perform in Boston a few days later. Despite having misgivings about performing, this album shows him at the top of his game which validates the critics’ opinions. A prime example of how art can lift the human spirit in times of great tragedy. (Robert)

Alright, still.. / Allen, Lily
Lily Allen was hailed as the ‘next’ Arctic Monkeys (i.e the next big thing to come out of MySpace). A bit similar to singer Nellie McKay, in that the playful ska beats and sugary summer rhythms hide Allen’s amusing, sometimes vicious, lyrics that take shots at (mostly) ex-boyfriends, catty girls in clubs, bureaucrats, jeans that don’t fit & spaghetti Bolognese. (Mark)

Welcome home ; Everything’s different now / ‘Til Tuesday
Before singer Aimee Mann went solo she fronted the band ‘Til Tuesday & this, their third & final album from 1988, showcases her development as a writer since the bands inception. Every song shows off her talent as a lyricist and her gift for melody. Most of the songs are about loss & break-ups, but the upbeat music hides a lot of the melancholy. Highlights include ‘Rip in heaven’, ‘The other end of the telescope’ (co-written with Elvis Costello) & the poignant ‘J is for Jules’ written after her break-up with singer Jules Shear. This album, which got lost in the grunge explosion of the late 80s, is arguably finer and more consistent than her first solo efforts. (Mark)

French Toast live at Chez Nous / French Toast
I first saw this group, French toast, playing at Maria Pia’s in Thorndon, and thought they were great. Their CD ‘French toast live at Chez Nous’ is very easy listening music, and I think the lead singer does some of the great French hit standards really well. A lovely CD to relax to. (Chris Q)

 

 

Broken boy soldiers / Raconteurs
More than just a side project, White-Striper Jack White’s collaboration with power-popper Brendan Benson is a team effort that showcases a different side of his talent. Drawing its musical reference points from the early 70s radio guitar bands, it’s worth checking out even if you never got into the White Stripes. (Mark)

 

Meds / Placebo
Once again Brian Molko’s distinctive voice is at the centre of this solid fifth album. Electronic touches (notably on the closer ‘Song to say goodbye’) vary their usual fast song/slow song dynamic. A stripped down feel means most of the songs don’t grow on you until a few listens, and while lyrically the songs may not be as strong as previous efforts, the album has plenty of sleeper tracks. (Mark)

Nixon [bonus DVD] / Lambchop
Beautiful music and angry words (I think it’s quite an old recording but it’s still fantastic). (Ellie B.) [Note: This edition is the 2010 CD/DVD Reissue]

Taking the long way / Dixie Chicks
‘Everybody likes the Dixie Chicks’ was a tag line in a T.V show a while back, and everybody seemed to – until they had the effrontery to express an anti-Bush political opinion. Pretty soon people were burning their CDs, & right wing country music stations refused to play their music. To their credit they never backed down and the latest album moves away from the bluegrass feel of their previous effort to a more mature pop sound. Def Jam producer Rick Rubin helms the production, which features songwriting collaborations with Jayhawk Gary Louris, Pete Yorn, Sheryl Crow & N.Z’s own Neil Finn. Tracks like ‘Not ready to make nice’ highlight a strong collection of personal ballads that show their growth as writers and singers. (Mark)

Reflection eternal / Kweli, Talib
Although the Hip-Hop industry is dominated by commercial heavyweights such as 50 Cent, Talib Kweli is one of the most lyrically gifted and greatest MCs of this era. Kweli combines with DJ Hi-Tek forming Reflection Eternal bringing Hip-Hop to its essence, not touching on the glamour life of a Hip-Hop superstar but rather exploring more meaningful issues such as the harsh realities of ghetto life and the lacklustre skills of most MCs today. Kweli rhymes more poetically than other MCs and is versatile enough to switch up his ‘flo’ which collaborates effectively with the beats provided exclusively by DJ Hi-Tek. The practice of using a sole producer is rare today, however Hi-Tek provides basic yet powerful beats which rarely implement samples, which is in vogue today thanks to producers such as Kanye West. This gives the album a raw underground feeling which compliments Kweli’s honest and hard-hitting lyrics perfectly. Collaborations with De La Soul, Xzibit and especially Mos Def (A throwback to the days of Blackstar) give Talib Kweli like minded MCs to rhyme with and spread a meaningful message through Hip-Hop. This is Hip-Hop without the ‘bling’, without the guns, and without the money obsession. If the Hip-Hop you listen to contains this you can surely do without it, hear the real voice of HipHop, hear Talib Kweli. (Johnny).

Timeless love / Robinson, Smokey
Supposedly Bob Dylan once called Smokey Robinson ‘America’s greatest living poet’ & in a career dating back to the 1960s he has written some of the greatest ‘pop’ music songs of the 20th century in his tenure as Motown’s lead songwriter and his own solo career. Albums of standards these days seem the purview of old hacks (Rod Stewart) & young hacks (Jamie Cullum, Michael Buble) but Robinson lends some dignity to the proceedings, reinterpreting songs from some of the singers he grew up listening to, and at 66 his ageless voice still runs circles around most other singers. (Mark)

The road to Escondido / Cale, J. J.
In 2006 J.J Cale and Eric Clapton teamed up to create ‘The road to Escondido’. Eleven of the 14 tracks are Cale originals although the styles of both Clapton and J.J Cale are easily recognisable. The combination of Eric Clapton’s guitar and JJ Cale’s easy rhythms make the CD very listenable. (Julie)

One more drifter in the snow / Mann, Aimee
Christmas albums are usually churned out without much thought for a quick earner, or to fulfil a contractual obligation, and Aimee Mann and Christmas don’t really seem to go together – unless you count the dour druggie song ‘Clean up for Christmas’. However Mann has delivered an album that’s more enjoyable than her last, the monotonous concept album The Forgotten Arm. A kind of tribute to the slower paced jazzy 50’s Christmas albums from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Peggy Lee, the album drifts languorously through some old favourites, some obscurities (Jimmy Webb’s ‘Whatever happened to Christmas’) and some new ones (‘Calling on Mary’ and from her husband Michael Penn ‘Christmastime’). Musically it doesn’t sound that much different than her other albums, with mellow organs, odd instruments and strings, as she typically adds a melancholic refrain to the season of Christmas. (Mark)