Superette - Tiger

Name: Superette
Album: Tiger
Year: 1996
Style: Brit-Pop, Shoegaze, Alternative
Similar Bands: Oasis, Love & Rockets, Sonic Youth, Flick, Pixies, Birdland, Mudhoney, Garbage
"One-Word" Review: Grimy Floor Rock with Dimension.
Based Out Of: Auckland, NZ
Label: Flying Nun

Cover, Liner Notes

Liner Notes, CD Back, CD

Supetette - Tiger (1996)

1. Kiss Someone 3:11 (single)
2. Touch Me 2:50 (Single)
3. Ugly Things 3:56
4. Saskatchewan 5:31
5. Bye Bye 3:41
6. Felo De Se 4:20
7. Cannibal 2:58
8. I Got Clean 3:26
9. Taiwan 3:17
10. Funny Weather 1:46
11. Killer Clown 3:48 (single)
12. Waves 3:22

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Greta Anderson - Drums, Vox (Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, Ben+Greta, Blue Marbles, The Pencils )
• Dave Mulcahy - Guitar, Vox, Piano, Photos (Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, MEDal, Mulchzoid, Kimo, Sexy Animals, Snakedog, Spider, Eskimo)
• Ben Howe - Bass, Vox, Guitar, Photos (Fang, Kimo,Ben+Greta, Blue Marbles, White Swan Black Swan, Smoothy, The Flinch, Every Person Must Unite)
• Nick Roughan - Engineer, Producer
• Rex Visible - Mastering
• Becky Nunes - Band Portrait

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Another unknown CD I picked up in a London Oxfam. Looks like they are a female drummer fronted band from New Zealand. I enjoy the jarring collection of styles on the cover with the dueling fonts of band name and album and a tiger in leaping action against a teal background. Seems like it will have a fun energy. The photos of the band in their recording/practice space gives the impression that they worked hard on the album, so I also assume it to be a high quality product.

Album Review: The music is heavy, fuzzy shoegazing brit pop, and vocal duties are shared, with the guys singing more than Greta. "Taiwan" has a definite Pixies feel. And "I Got Clean" oozes Sonic Youth. A couple of slower tracks also give them a depth as more than just a fuzzy alt band.

Seeing as I got this the same time I got the Stereobus album in a thrift store, it makes sense that they were donated together, as the previous owner must have been a fan of Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, since both bands formed after. They only had this album and an earlier EP (aside from numerous compilation appearances). They have gotten back together in the aughts to play again, and the album was reissued and expanded in 2018

Stand Out Track: Touch Me

Links:
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Music Net NZ
Elsewhere NZ - reissue
Flying Nun
Flying Out

Pop Will Eat Itself - This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS!

Name: Pop Will Eat Itself 
Album: This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS!
Year: 1989
Style: Electronic, Techno, Industrial, Rap
Similar Bands: Sigue Sigue Sputnik, EMF, B.A.D., M/A/R/R/S, Einsturzende Neubauten
"One-Word" Review: Eastern European Industrial Rap
Based Out Of: Stourbridge, England
Label: RCA, BMG

Cover & Record

This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS! (1989)

1. PWEI is a Four Letter Word - 1:12
2. Preaching to the Perverted 4:25
3. Wise Up Sucker 3:16 (single)
4. Sixteen Different Flavours of Hell 1:23
5. Inject Me 3:51
6. Can U Dig It? 4:31 (single)
7. The Fuses Have Been Lit 4:02 /
8. Poison to the Mind 0:57
9. Def Con One 3:59 (single, US #30 Mod Rock)
10. Radio P.W.E.I 3:37
11. Shortwave Transmission on "Up To The Minuteman Nine" 1:01
12. Satellite Ecstatica 3:33
13. Not Now James, We're Busy 3:08
14. Wake Up Time To Die 6:41

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Flood (Mark Ellis) - Producer, Mixing
• Dave Pine - Engineer & Re-Mix Engineer
• Karl Broadie - Asst. Engineer
• Robin Goodfellow - Engineer
• Mr. X & Mr. Y - Producer
• Mark Dodson - Additional Production
• D. Steele - Producer
• A. Cox - Producer
• Robert Gordon - Producer
• Cenzo Townshend - Engineer
• Frank Booth - Guitar (Situation B)
• Kerry The Buzzard Hammond - Guitar (Yeah God!)
• Twig the Wonder Kid - Backing Vox
• Mastermix - Turntables (Hardnoise, Beatmasters, Cookie Crew)
• DJ Winston (Hazel) - Turntables (Forgemasters, Supafix, The Step, Winston & Ross)
• Vestan Pance - Words & Music Pseudonym for PWEI
• This Is The Designerstar Republica - Sleeve Design, Artwork
• Phil Wolstenholme - Computer Images
• Kevin Cumings - Live Photos
• Craig Jennings - Worldwide Rep
• Paul Boswell -UK Agent
• Ian Copeland - US Agent
• Graham Crabb - Vox Keys (Golden Claw, Wild & Wondering, Je Suis Crabbi, Primitive Race, Vile Evils, Fuzz Townshend)
• Adam Mole - Keys, Programming  (Wild & Wondering, From Eden, Kut Loaf, Vile Evils)
• Richard March - Keys Programming (Wild & Wondering, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Charlatans UK, Wonder Stuff)
• Clint Mansell - Vox, Guitar (Wild & Wondering, From Eden, Buddah Boys Choir, Cerebral Fix, NIN, Lavish, Vile Evils)

Unknown-ness: I have heard of them, but i know not what they are like...from the artwork ( i do like how the initials PWEI make up the 5 "monsters" attacking the biohazard clock in the middle), and mention of BPMS on the back, i imagine some sort of future-techno EDM band, but for some reason, i think they may sound like Nitzer Ebb or Low Pop Suicide or Stabbing Westward...maybe part of the industrial KMFDM / Front 242 genre, which is not a reach from the formerly listed bands. 

Album Review: This one required some research, as the style of music had an origin in the UK and is called Grebo Rock, a subculture and genre, adopted from a slang term for long hair bikers and/or rock music fans in the late 80's. When grunge and brit pop took hold in the early - mid 90's PWEI was shuffled over to the Industrial sub-genre, but they were a posterband for the Grebo niche. Their big trivia bit is that they were the first Western independent band invited to play the Soviet Union in 1988. The songs on this album are similar to the back of the album: a collage of bits and pieces strung together with samples, turntables and beats that bear a strong association with cold, mechanical industrial sounds. Sometimes the vocals have melody, sometimes, they are like an Eastern European cold wave rap. Def Con One uses samples of "Funky Town" and "The Twilight Zone" among a string of other musical borrows. They are still around, as a 2020 tour was planned in NZ, alas, everything was postponed Mar/April to Oct, so maybe?

Stand Out Track: Def Con One

Links:
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album wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Spotify full album

website

touring NZ 2020 & playing this album in full

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under the radar

trouser Press

Cherry red records

(the) Rakes - Retreat EP

Band: The Rakes

Album: Retreat EP

Year: 2005

Style: Brit Pop, Angular Post Punk

Similar Bands: Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight, Futureheads, Bloc Party, Art Brut, Gang of Four, Strokes

"One-Word" Review: Angled Ricochet Bouncing

Based Out Of: London, England

Label: Dim Mak, V2 Music Limited

 Retreat EP - Cover & Back

Retreat EP - Liner Noted & CD

Retreat EP (2005)

1. Retreat 3:00
2. Strasbourg 2:31
3. Dark Clouds 2:58
4. 22 Grand Job 1:47
5. Something Clicked and I Fell Off the Edge 2:30
6. Retreat (Phones Remix) 5:45

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:
Paul Epworth - Producer, Remixing

Paul Schroeder - Producer

Anne Caruthers - Producer, Mixing

Simon John Roberts - Sleeve Design

Nick Pimental - Dim Mark Release Layout

Philip Morais - Management: CEC

Alan Donohoe - Vox (Groove Armada, The Champagne Campaign)

Jamie Hornsmith - Bass

Lasse Petersen - Drums (Dead Pixels, Wolf Gang)

Matthew Swinnerton - Guitar

Unknown-ness: I have a vague recollection of hearing about this band, but I don't know what genre they fell into. I am assuming general hard rock indie, just by the minimal packaging. But they do allow for a remix, so that probably makes them a little more dancy-electronic. Other than the co.uk website, marking them as British, there is not much else to go by.

Album Review: The Rakes lasted from 2003 – 2009, and produced 3 albums and this EP in that time. The three of the first four songs here come from their first album Capture / Release, the first and forth songs were singles. They have not done anything too big since the acclaim they received from their first album, when they were part of the Franz Ferdinand style angular post punk dance movement of the early-mid 00’s.

“Retreat” has a bass line to start the song, like it is being chipped away. Then a disco dance drum beat is added and the short, angular, menacing guitar chords create an art punk style song. The chorus chant, followed by the monotone countdown “wash-rinse-repeat” style chanting both borrow from the pop culture ushered in by Franz Ferdinand.

“Strasbourg” is a fast-strummed, jittery song with strokes like singing, guided vaguely by the guitar melody. The chorus is shouty, but it is a nice angsty release to the hooky verse. The music ends before the vocals finish out the final verse.

“Dark Clouds” begins with surf chords strummed over highly echoing/reverbed vocals. The vocals stay smooth and collected as they glide over a charging guitar attack. This song uses a lot of start stop guitar chords for a stuttering, chaotic effect. The vocals are darker and more sedated than the energetic music or other songs showcase.

“22 Grand Job” kicks right in with a pounding drum beat, and the vocals are layered over the music without consulting it like an Art Brut spoken-discussion song. It is a fun song, as the timing between vocals and music is spot on, even if the melodies (or lack of a vocal melody) don’t quite lineup. The guitar rises and falls like an ocean tide on time lapse photography.

“Something Clicked and I Fell Off the Edge” carries on the Art Brut spoken story idea of singing further with the dialog over choppy, distorted guitars. The chorus only consists of an “Ahh-WOOO.” The angular guitar that blends with the vocals is fun, as it would be solid work on its own. The variation of the chorus changes so that the Ah-Wo is layered in time with the main vocals saying “I need a cigarette / I need a drink.”

“Retreat (Phones Remix)” feels like Gang Of Four’s more recent work, with electronic bips peppered in a repetitive guitar hook. The dance drums are kicked up a digital notch and skitter more than on the single. The vocals feel a little more synthesized, and the melody is stripped down in a cold, sterile, dark wave style. At one point before dark wave characteristic twinkling bells are employed, the vocals get stuck skipping on the obvious word “repeat.” 

Stand Out Track: Strasbourg

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Where Are They Now 2013

Discogs

Allmusic

twitter...from 2009

(the) Music - Welcome to the North

Band: The Music

Album: Welcome to the North

Year: 2004

Style: Alt/Hair Metal, Brit-Pop

Similar Bands: Coldplay, Kasabian, Razorlight, Janes Addiction, Queensryche, Muse, Slaughter, Mr. Big, Franz Ferdinand, 

One Word Review: Updated Soaring Hair Metal

Based Out Of: Kippax, Leeds, UK

Label: Capitol

 Welcome to the North - Cover & Liner Notes/Photos

Welcome to the North - Liner Notes/Photos 

Welcome to the North - Liner Notes/Photos  

Welcome to the North - Liner Notes/Photos 

Welcome to the North - CD, Back and Cover Sticker

Welcome to the North (2004)

1. Welcome to the North 5:10
2. Freedom Fighters 3:44
3. Bleed From Within 6:28
4. Breakin' 3:58
5. Cessation  3:51
6. Fight the Feeling 4:12
7. Guide 4:13
8. Into the Night 3:59
9. I Need Love 3:46
10. One Way In, No Way Out 3:50
11. Open Your Mind/The Walls Get Smaller (Hidden) 12:00

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Brendan O'Brein - Producer, Mixing
Nick DiDia -Recording
Karl Egsieker - Second Engineer
Billy Bowers - Additional Engineering
Phil Martin - Assistant Engineer
Bob Ludwig - Mastering
Peter Saville - Creative Consultant
James Greenhow - Art Direction & Design
Tom Skipp - Art Direction & Design
Rachel Thomas - Set Design
Dan Tobin Smith - Cover Photography
Coalition Management - Managment
Ron Laffitte - A&R
Robert Harvey - Vox, Guitar (the Streets, The D.O.T)
Adam Nutter - Guitar
Stuart Coleman - Bass
Phil Jordan - Drums (Insense)

Unknown-ness: I’m not really sure why I bought this. But it was definitely the fact that it was on sale at Tower Records for the obscenely low price somewhere between 1.50 – 2.99. I’m sure I also either heard a couple of tracks there to want to buy the album, or I read comparisons of them to other Brit-Pop bands. But after that, I don’t really remember listening to the album or what any of the songs are like. 2004 puts it in the angular-chord heavy brit pop genre, but I’m not 100% sure. I’m gonna go with that, though for my guess.

Album Review: This band was, at one point, labeled the best unsigned band in Britain. But after two albums that saw a good deal of success, and a third of less praise (along with a singles & EP comp), the band called it quits in 2011. Part of the strain on the band was the singer’s addiction to drugs and later, alcohol. He cleaned up, but they never regained the momentum of the first two albums. The album does not really qualify as Brit-Pop, as it is louder, and heavier than what is typically defined as Brit-pop. The vocals are nasally and high and soar over the music rather than follow calculated melodies or hooks. The album is pretty bad.

“Welcome to the North” features a fuzzy distortion and a looping acoustic guitar in the beginning. It then blasts off with heavier guitars and a driving drum beat and nasally Janes Addiction-like vocals that just soar. At the base of it, there is a Franz Ferdinand style rhythm, but it is buried down beneath anthemic arena rock. The verse, if it stood alone, would categorize the band as Nu-Metal.

“Freedom Fighters” was the first single from the album. It begins with a “Life Is A Highway”/ “Ragdoll” drumbeat. Then aggressive guitars are layered overtop, and the high echoing vocals further cement the genre in metal/rock, rather than catchy brit-pop. The lead guitar in the instrumental tries to pull the style back into brit-pop territory, but it is too little and is outnumbered.

“Bleed From Within” starts with a quiet guitar looped in watery echo. The vocals begin in a power ballad style, reminding me of Queensryche. This is what Muse would be like without British Influence. I feel like this was a little ahead of its time, since this is the emo, angsty brooding style of music I’d expect to be used as background music for a tense CW show. It ends in a march of sorts, repeating lines, and reminds me briefly of some of XTC’s early vocal remixes.

“Breakin'” was also a single from the album. The song still features a heavy, buzzing electric guitar, but it follows a much more Brit-Poppy melody. The verse features more soaring vocals, which don’t sound very promising, but when it reaches the chorus, they tighten up and bolster the melody, rather than work against it, creating an almost catchy song. There is a bit of a jungle element in the percussive melody, and the breakdown features syllables of the vocals dissected and edited back together. But at the root of the song, the driving element is the “Eh-Oh’s” that repeat in the background throughout most of the song.

“Cessation” is driving in a head down sprint, The Rifles sort of way. The vocals are never changing aggressive, and go through twice before visiting the chorus, which is a dual layered in-the-round style that never lets the pace down. In fact, if anything the vocals get more intense after the chorus for a brief section.

“Fight the Feeling” slows things down with a dreamy and dark waltzing melody with slow drums, and sorrowful vocals that still soar. The guitar brightens the song up a little once it is added on the second round through, but it is still a song in mourning.

“Guide” starts out with an electric wavering pulse of a guitar. The vocals are much more sedated in a good way, and the actual melody in the back feels like classic pop. The vocals do eventually break out of their “slump,” especially in the hair metal like chorus (Mr. Big) but return in the next verse. In the end, the song cannot be saved

“Into the Night” is quieter and feels introspective. The chorus attempts to gain power and bump the song up to an aggressive, emotional tune (reminds me of After the Rain for no real reason)

“I Need Love” has a bit of a Brit-Dance-pop sound at the intro, with the hook sounding like a six-noted alarm and a danceable drum beat.  Even the vocals in the chorus sound like a repetitive alarm.

“One Way In, No Way Out” slowly stomps forward with an unstable drum beat, setting the pace for a wobbling, unsteady tempo. The song gains balance with the electric guitars and continues to soar with the slowish-stomping pace.

“Open Your Mind” wraps up the album with a calmer voice that reminds me of James at the beginning. Then the soaring emo enthusiasm sets in for the chorus and the song launches into an anthemic, echoing sing-a-along. This is the song that shaking young girls sing along to with all their might while clutching their hands together in front of their heart. It becomes a bombastic, powerful soapbox song toward the end, and at the 4 minute mark, it is over

“The Walls Get Smaller” is the hidden instrumental track on the album so at the 6 minute mark on track 11, it begins with a quiet guitar playing a sad, yet sinister melody to itself. A cold, eerie woodwind melody is overlaid, and the song treads a fine line between metal and prog rock. After a while of melody exploration, guitars overpower the song and take over as the driving force. Their energy increases into a wall of fury and the drums join the intense crescendo. It fades out into a residual hum and ends the album non-climactically. 

Stand Out Track: Breakin'

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Menswe@r - Nuisance

Name: Menswe@r

Album: Nuisance

Year: 1995

Style: Brit-Pop

Similar Bands: Oasis, Blur, Wire, Elastica, Kula Shaker, 

"One-Word" Review: Mediocre Bandwagon Britpop

Based Out Of: London, UK

Label: London Recordings, Laurel

 Nuisance - Cover, Liner Picts, CD, Inner Tray

Nuisance - Lyrics, Back

Nuisance (1995)

1. 125 West 3rd Street 3:05
2. I'll Manage Somehow 2:35
3. Sleeping In 4:42
4. Little Miss Pinpoint Eyes 2:06
5. Daydreamer 2:16
6. Hollywood Girl 2:18
7. Being Brave 4:02
8. Around You Again 3:23
9. The One 3:43
10. Stardust 2:55
11. Piece of Me 3:02
12. Stardust (Reprise)/Bones and Red Meat 14:39

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Johnny Dean - Vox, Percussion
Simon White - Guitar, Vox (Finlay Quaye)
Chris Gentry - Guitars (Vatican DC, Urban DK, Ali Love, Crest Mob, Facts About Funerals, )
Stuart Black - Bass, Guitars (Messiah, Bella Echos, Cockney Rejects)
Matt Everitt - Drums, Percussion (Pleasure Thieves, The Montrose Avenue)
Neill King - Producer, Arrangements
Russel Kearney - Recording Engineer
Simon Sheridan - Mix Engineer
Marc Waterman - Producer
Porl Fletcher - Organ/Keys/Piano, Arrangements, Flute
Gavyn Wright - String Arrangement
Nick Ingman - Arrangements
The Kick Horns - Horns
Sian Bell - Cello
Simon Fowler - Front Photo
FTP Creative Imaging - Image Manipulation
David Sims - Other Photography
Stylorouge - Design

Unknown-Ness: Sure, I remember Menswear. I was at the right age at the right time to enjoy all of Brit Pop’s glory. But I’ll be damned if I can remember when I bought this, or what it sounds like, beyond the general brit pop sound. Will I be surprised at the contents, and regret not fully embracing them when they were popular, or is it a throwaway band cashing in on the sound? Was there ever a second album? I cannot remember. All that aside, I like the name and their style is smooth and very “it” in the mid 90’s way.

Album Review: With the slightest of research, I was able to piece together that Menswear was a made to order suit. They were popular for their look and gained magazine cover status before they were declared a band or had a song written. And it sounds like they drove that one album, once it came out, into the ground with multiple singles and heavy promotion. But their second album, leaned away from Britpop into Country territory, was never released outside of Japan. The members never went on to be in anything as noteworthy as Menswear, but a few have and had their hands in popular band management (Bloc Party, Noah & The Whale).

“125 West 3rd Street” starts with reigned in fuzzy guitars and a general pop rock sound. The vocals are nothing memorable, and the chord progressions seem unnecessarily complex. This feels like album filler, not a good album starter. Although the end of the song features the whiny brit pop persona of La-La-La’s sung in a snotty voice over the basic melody.

“I'll Manage Somehow” features a staple on the brit-pop catalogue: the wah-wah guitar. This song is much catchier and the mediocre voice is forgiven with the dictionary melody. I can see the Kula Shaker comparison in this song.

“Sleeping In” starts out with a Monkees/Beatles/Ted Leo-like guitar hook, and the harmonies on the verse also harken back to classic, oldie-pop. The fuzz is not as thick on this tambourine tapping song. It is a nice, steadily driving song, with small rushed sections that fall back into the steady pace. But rather than stop the song at a nice condensed 2.30 song, they extend the chorus one last time, and stretch it out more than it needs to be…finishing the song up with a psychedelic guitar instrumental and accompanying soothing ahhhhhhs and even bringing horns into the production.

“Little Miss Pinpoint Eyes” has a much thicker British accent and is snottier in sound, like a nice marriage of Supergrass and Adam Ant. There is a bit of psych element with the harmonies, and wacky inflection in the lead vocals. But they keep their feet firmly in the present (90’s) with the fuzzed out guitars.

“Daydreamer” was the first single they released, and was their first song they had as a band. It continues the wacky spoken word vocals that are reminiscent of Adam Ant. The school yard mocking melody is reminiscent of Elastica, too.

“Hollywood Girl” is a bouncy, Jam-like song, if The Jam embraced the mid 80’s college radio, jangley pop phenomenon. It has a nice steady energy and more wah-wah guitars.  

“Being Brave” is slow and ballady, in a shoe-gazing way. As it grows, it becomes slightly more anthemic, and incorporates strings for an added sentiment. And they validate their British punch card with some Ba-Ba-Bas. It is a well-crafted song, but falls just short of being interesting.

“Around You Again” builds with energy at the beginning, reminding me of The Rifles with its blue collar appeal. But the drawn out, rolling melody of the second part of the chorus does not capitalize on the energy the verse generates.

“The One” is a bass driven song that chugs along once the instrumental intro relaxes. The soaring keyboard synth reminds me of boybands and Robbie Williams. The instrumental bridge, with revolving string section and motivational chord structure is well constructed, ending right into the verse with a perfect and anticipated fit. Produced slightly different, this would have been a solid hit for a pop-punk/emo-ey band of the mid 2000’s.

“Stardust” is a much more rocking song from the first introductory guitar chords. It builds on solid power pop notes, and touches ever so slightly into the wonderful melodies of Suede. The melodies are enhanced with the horn section as well. But the background ba-ba-ba’s actually detract from the song, as they are sharp, and up too far in the mix.

“Piece of Me” is another sentimental ballad, like Being Brave. This would be a good album ender, as it is the last noted song on the track listing and really takes things down a reflective notch with its peacefulness and tone. It features sad strings and an individually plucked guitar interlude amongst the acoustic strums.
“Stardust (Reprise)/Bones and Red Meat” faded up with the jovial horns, crashing piano, and fuzzy guitars we were familiar with one track back. It lasts for one instrumental minute (and 11 seconds) and we are met with that horrible secret device of hiding an additional song at the end of a track after 10 minutes of silence. At the 10:57 mark, a warbly carnival instrument section begins, with a side to side swaying melody, it feels like they are trying to suck the sound Blur captured on a few Modern Life tracks, even adding in breathy ah-ah-ah’s. It is a pleasant track, and I see how it doesn’t quite fit the template created by the rest of the album, but it’s a shame they had to hide it with that waste of space between it and the reprise.

Stand Out Track: Hollywood Girl

Links:
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Official Site
Guardian 2014 review
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Curiosity Killed the Cat - Keep Your Distance

Band: Curiosity Killed the Cat
Album: Keep Your Distance
Year: 1987
Style: Britpop, Smooth Jazz
Similar Bands: Duran Duran, ABC, Tears For Fears, Wham, The Fixx, Kenny G
"One-Word" Review: Doctor's-Office-Pop
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Phonogram LTD, Mercury

Keep Your Distance - Cover, Sleeve, Record

Keep Your Distance - Back, Liner Notes, Record

Keep Your Distance (1987)

1. Misfit 4:05
2. Down to Earth 4:20
3. Free 4:02
4. Know What You Know 3:52
5. Curiosity Killed the Cat 3:12/
6. Ordinary Day 3:53
7. Mile High 4:09
8. Red Lights 5:33
9. Shallow Memory 4:30

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot - Vox
Julian Godfrey Brookhouse - Guitar
Nicholas Bernard Thorp - Bass (Twilight Children)
Miguel Drummond - Drums
Toby Anderson - Keys
Stewart Levine - Producer

Sly Dunbar - Producer
Paul Staveley O'Duffy - Producer, Overdub
Robbie Shakespeare - Producer
Peter Smith - Producer
Dennis Weinreich - Overdub
The Unknown - Sleeve
Peter Anderson - Photography

Unknown-ness: I’ve never really heard of this band, but it does sound vaguely familiar. I got this record in the 2-for-1 pound bin in England, so I’m guessing they are a British band. It looks very mid 80’s, which is exactly when it is from. The angular titles seem random, not cool or fun like a New Wave band, and the dress of the band also puts them as some clean cut boy band. The back, with the logo and titles big does not help guess what their sound it, but it looks like it will be some dated foe-heavy rock band that might have seemed cutting edge for its time, but is laughably light now.

Album Review: “Misfit” right off has a Caribbean rhythm to it. It is very light and jazzy and synthesized. The vocals remind me of Tears for Fears, but the music reminds me of ABC or other smooth jazz pop bands. It is upbeat and is backed by a cast of female vocals too. Apparently this is the song that earned them the praises of Andy Warhol, who shot and was in the video for this song. This is the music destined to be in elevators and supermarkets. But for its time, I could see this really packing a punch on the charts.
“Down to Earth” continues with the dated sound of layers upon layers of synthesized instruments in a light airy island jazz genre. You can almost see the silk button-up shirts and baggy pleated pants by the members as they play this song. The sax does sound real, though. This reminds me what Duran Duran would sound like if they swapped their pop dance style for smooth jazz pop. Now this is not to say that songs are not good. They are very catchy, and the vocals are good, especially supported by the backing female chorus, which gives it a bit of a Talking Heads vibe.
“Free” is a little dark in its composition, thanks to the bass line and string accompaniment. A Sax comes in, and the image is changed to a dark, dingy night club where the women wear big shoulder padded dresses and the guys have skinny ties and tweed sport jackets. This song sounds simpler, and less complicated. It has a bit of a late 80’s Elvis Costello feel to it too. The chorus is just sha-ba-da-ba-dap syllables sung rapidly.
“Know What You Know” starts out like a Whitney Houston song with a Wham, “Careless Whisper” sax. The vocals oddly sound like the band Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, if you’ve heard of them. I like the chorus; it has a fun downbeat melody that gives it a slow sexy quality.
“Curiosity Killed the Cat” is a bit jazzier and upbeat, perhaps a bit like bored Madness. And the song reminds me of the little I know about ABC. The song uses the title in an unpredictable way in the chorus, followed by a list of adverbs sung by the female backing chorus. Apparently they played this song, and it landed them their record deal, which also stuck as their band name.

“Ordinary Day” is an island lounge song that has a bit of an old-person’s choice dance beat. The use of the horns is exciting, and reminds me of something Oingo Boingo would use, but the overall production wipes any organic connection the song might have hoped to have. Toward the end the song reminds me of late 80’s Phil Collins Genesis. Not very good.“Mile High” starts off with a slow slinky beat with a jangely guitar that reminds me of the Fixx. The song never progresses out from that slow, dark tempo. This does verge on World Music. This is what Wham would have sounded like with Roland from Tears for Fears fronting them.
“Red Lights” starts with a smooth drum beat and melt-a-way keys. Then enters that smooth jazz sax sound and a crystalline synth effect to further strip any tangible real instrument feel. The sax detracts from the song more than gives, it further dates the song, and diminishes the band’s musical taste for thinking it was needed.
“Shallow Memory” ends the record with what seems to start out as another mystical earthy smooth jazz number. The bass then picks up and the tempo is much more movement inducing. There are some harsh synth accents in the song, but at least it features the female backing vocals that add a nice depth to the song. The song is not tightly knit, rather it is a flowing song that feels like there is much room for improvisation, and the repetition allows for experimentation in different melodies for the same lyrics over the constant backing composition. And this song rides that wave of consistency through to a fade out.

Stand Out Track: Curiosity Killed the Cat

Links:Wiki

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2011 Walk In The park Festival

Crazyhead - Some Kind Of Fever

Name: Crazyhead
Album: Some Kind of Fever
Year: 1990
Style: Garage, Grebo (Great Britain midlands, pre-Grunge)
Similar Bands: Pop Will Eat Itself, The Wonder Stuff, Dramarama, Posies, Mission UK, Game Theory, Birdland.
"One-Word" Review: Thick-Sludgy-Jangle-Pop
Based Out Of: Leicester, England
Label: Black, FM Revolver, BMG,

Some Kind of Fever - Cover & Record

Some Kind of Fever - Back & Record

Some Kind Of Fever (1990)

1. Big Sister 3:05
2. Above Those Things 2:44
3. Everything's Alright 3:17
4. Magic Eye 4:53
5. I Can Do Anything 3:00/Movie Theme 3:59
6. Talk About You 3:29
7. Rome 2:18
8. Train 3:02
9. Some Kinda Fever 4:15

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:Kev Reverb (Kevin Bayliss) – Guitar, keyboards, sitar (Zodiac Mindwarp,
Anderson (Ian R. Anderson) – Vocals
Vom (Robert Morris) – Drums (Zodiac Mindwarp, Diesel Park West)
Fast Dick (Richard Bell) – Guitar
Porkbeast (Dr. Alex Peach) – Bass (Stressbitch)
Christina X (Christine Wigmore) – Bass (Timeless Banditz)

Pat Collier - Producer
Steve Nunn - Engineer
Jessica Corcoran - Engineer
Nick Muir - Hammond Organ (The Men They Couldn't Hang)
Nick Raybould - Artwork

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. But from the attitude and band picture on the front, I imagine this to sound a lot like Ugly Kid Joe. Maybe it’s just because the lead singer looks like Whitfield Crane to me. I like the totally 90’s hippie/grunge font of the band name, and the colored face collage on the back gives off a trippy, psychedelic vibe. I picked this up in a two-for-a-pound Oxfam charity shop in Reading, UK.

Album Review: “Big Sister” starts off with the grand appearance of pop-grunge. There are harmonized vocals singing out a fun brit-pop hook. There is a thickness to the song, which leads me to think of garage band music too. This is like Birdland-like rough Brit-Pop.
“Above Those Things” starts with generic thick jangley electric guitars, which all pauses to introduce the vocal melody. This song is more complex, and comes off like Game Theory or Let’s Active: layered harmonies and dense music. But it has a nice clean rock star finish.
“Everything's Alright” continues the thick music with complicated instrumentation and obviously British vocals. Actually there are a couple of times where this reminded me of Dramarama and/or Soul Asylum’s pre-fame songs.
“Magic Eye” is a slinky, pub-like, meandering song. It’s more of a drunken stumble than a psychedelic trip, as the title might otherwise suggest. In the end it spirals out of repetitive control, and even comes back for one more loop after a complete fade-out.
“I Can Do Anything” is filled with wah-wah guitars before the driving garage rock song kicks into auto pilot. This is a coked up, leg kicking, rock n’ roll with lots of yeah yeah yeahs.

“Movie Theme” starts out sounding like a simple Cheap Trick song, but that is only for the first chords. Then it slips into easy gear and brings back the sludginess of complex instrumentation. There is an underlying hook somewhere imbedded in the music that peaks its catchy head out once in a while, otherwise, it is all rocking jangle and fuzz. Then, at about 2:20 the song changes gears a bit and for just a few seconds, is bouncy and catchy…like a movie intermission. For the last minute of the song, there is dialogue mixed into the background, acting as just another level in the instrumentals
“Talk About You” is a little more recognizable as pop music, but still reliant on the jangley guitar. But the harmony in the chorus, which is just the title on repeat, is very catchy and upbeat. It actually kind of sounds like Fountains of Wayne’s “Bright Future in Sales.”
“Rome” starts right out with a catchy verse and is driven by the lead guitar. This would be a good song, except the slide guitar does not complement the song in the chorus. The song is a fast pace driving brit-pop song, but the slide guitar takes it in a different direction.
“Train” drives right out of the starting with a motivating guitar and drums. Then the lead guitar comes in for a lick (which used later, reminds me of Last Train to Clarksville” a little), and stops for the lead vocals to start. This sounds a lot more like British Jangle-Pop stuff from the 80’s than Alternative-Grunge.
“Some Kinda Fever” features a fade up to start the song. And the vocals begin, making the song sound like a snotty British angst song sung over a generic brit-pop melody that’s inflated with fuzzy guitars.

Stand-Out Track: Big Sister

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Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future

Name: Klaxons
Album: Myths of the Near Future
Year: 2007
Style: Indie Rock, New Rave, Brit-Pop
Similar Bands: Robbie Williams, Franz Ferdinand on Coke, Under the Influence of Giants, Blur, Jez Osborn (from Peep Show)
"One-Word" Review: Sound An Alarm Dance Pop

Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Geffen, Universal, EMI, Rinse

Myths of the Near Future - Cover, Back & Case Back

Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes & CD Tray

Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes / Lyrics & Insert

Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes / Lyrics & Insert

Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes / Lyrics

Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes / Lyrics & CD

Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes / Lyrics
Myths of the Near Future - Liner Notes / Lyrics

Myths of the Near Future(2007)

1. Two Receivers 4:20
2. Atlantis To Interzone 3:18
3. Golden Skans 2:47
4. Totem on the Timeline 2:43
5. As Above, So Below 3:57
6. Isle of Her 3:56
7. Gravity's Rainbow 2:39
8. Forgotten Works 3:27
9. Magick 3:32
10. It's Not Over Yet 3:37
11. Four Horsemen of 2012 2:18

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

James Ford - Producer, Mixing, Drums

Jimmy Robertson - Engineering, Mixing

Nick Terry - Mixing
Ed Shackleton -Recording

Jamie Reynolds - Bass, Vox, Lyrics, Artwork

James Righton - Keys, Vox

Simon Taylor - Guitar, Vox, Lyrics, Artwork

Steffan Halperin - Drums

Tony Beard - Managment

Jazz Summers - Management

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of this band, but fromt he cover artwork, I get the image of The Liars. But with their futurestic name and album title, I foresee a more electronic direction for the album. I used to love the game Klax, and there is actuall an image in their collage artwork that reminds me of the tile stacking game, so perhaps there is more to the future electronic style than just their name & album.

Album Review: “Two Receivers” begins with an epic drum rhythm that phases into song. There is an anxious repetitive keyboard echoing like an alarm in the background of this otherwise average indie song with an upbeat, dancy tempo. The song does have many layers of simple sounds which create a mass of depth in the music as well as vocal layers. It is almost too much chaos.
“Atlantis To Interzone” begins with an obvious rave style. Even the words DJ are used. An alarm rings out on repeat along with a female soulful voice repeating Oh-Oh-Oh’s. This is the chorus. The song is a bit like Peep Show's genre mocking song by Jez "This is Outrageous." The verse is just fast indie pop played at dance beat speed. Like a sped up Franz Ferdinand. This would have been a fun song to dance to at a show. The verse is a catchy little section, and is fast, yet is still the break in the driving, anxious tempo. They even employ surf-guitars in the instrumental break.
“Golden Skans” takes us back to a Robbie Williams like introduction and basic pop song. The speed is still speedy and driving, but it is less neurotic as the previous songs.
“Totem on the Timeline” starts with a simple driving drum beat. Then an angular bass line is added and the vocals fall somewhere between Blurs bouncy fun and Franz Ferdinand’s cool guy lounge-singing. This could be the band’s equivalent to a footballer’s chant-along number.
“As Above, So Below” features a reverberating guitar in the beginning giving a jittery feeling to the song. The song is bold and has a loud distorted blast as its bridge between verse and chorus. Then the song clears free and marches on with the verse. The template repeats, making a very catchy song until the end. All the templates overlap creating the chaotic musical thickness.
“Isle of Her” has the feeling of two melodies sung in the round with minimal music in the background, just driving the song along. It is organic but it feels like the song never quite gets to the place it is driving toward.

“Gravity's Rainbow” starts out with a dark driving bass line. Then angular drums and guitars are added, and the vocals are a higher pitch harmonized chorus, akin to the Bee Gees. The melody is a fun little rollercoaster, easy and fun to follow. There are some electronic pulses and effects that make me think of Braniac, but it is nothing that chaotic and calculated. The song builds all the way to the end playing grand finale with layering the vocals on top of one another.
“Forgotten Works” feels like a disco song at the get go. It is informal disco, updated as many angular dance bands have done in the recent past. The chorus is a very sing-songy chant rolling down the musical scale repeatedly.
“Magick” continues the Rave-music feeling with a loud horn honking in beat and electronic hooks repeating to drive you crazy. Then dance-band drums and vocals begin and there is a bit of evil carnival in the sound coming off the keyboard. There is a stop start breakdown which functions as the chorus before the dancy verse comes back in unrelenting force. It’s like a shorter hook than “Sandstorm,” and not quite as catchy, but similar: All that with angular vocals included. The song builds at the end with guitars shredding, the vocals get more intense and the beat loudens until it just cuts off all together.
“It's Not Over Yet” begins with an annoying alarm sounding keyboard hook. That disappears as the vocals begin, but return to form the bridge between verse and chorus. This song has high pitch vocals like the band Under the Influence Of Giants uses. But the verse is light and somewhat wispy as it easily glides by. As the end winds down, it evolves into something that reminds me of the mystic music when The Goonies find the treasure.
“Four Horsemen of 2012” is a heavy spoken/megaphone shouted song that still has an alarm sounding rhythm but is absent of much musical accomplishment and is more like the band letting off steam or just burning calories. It is definitely a fireball of energy all used up at the end of the run.

Stand Out Track: "Totem on the Timeline"

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(the) Enemy UK - We'll Live and Die in These Towns

Name: (the) Enemy UK
Album: We'll Live and Die in These Towns
Year: 2008
Style: Indie, Brit-pop
Similar Bands: Oasis, The Jam, Arctic Monkeys, The Rifles, Razorlight,
"One-Word" Review: angsty-Jam-inspired-pop
Based Out Of: Coventy, England
Label: Warner Bros.

We'll Live and Die in These Towns - Tray & Front Stickers (no cover)

We'll Live and Die in These Towns - Back & CD

We'll Live and Die in These Towns (2008)

1. Aggro 3:26
2. Away FromHere 3:03
3. Pressure 3:19
4. Had Enough 2:39
5. We'll Live and Die in These Towns 3:55
6. You're Not Alone 3:44
7. It's Not OK 3:36
8. Technodanceaphobic 2:34
9. 40 Days and 40 Nights 3:37
10. This Song 4:26
11. Happy Birthday Jane 3:01
12. Five Years (bonus track) 4:31
13. Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation (bonus track) 3:31

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:
Liam Watts - Drums
Andy Hopkins - Bass
Tom Clarke - Vox, Guitar, Keys, Strings
Matt Terry - Producer
John Davis - Mastering
James Dowdall - A&R
Owen Morris - Producer
Rose Noone - A&R

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of them. And from the minimal packaging, I can't say much. This is a cast off CD. All I know is that they are British & have a bunch of accolades from Brit music mags. I'm guessing they are poised to be an arena rock band, just don't know if its gonna be a fun band like Maximo Park or the Futureheads, or a lame duck like Snow Patrol or Coldplay.

Album Review: “Aggro” is a song that I actually have heard before, at least on Guitar Hero. It is a stomp punk number with a definite whiny brit-pop singing style and sense.
“Away From Here” is a driving brit pop song where the lyrics are more spoken than sung in a slightly aggressive fashion. This reminds me of the Rifles, even if this band came before them. This song just asks to be echoed throughout a football arena.
“Pressure” has a fun, bouncy bass line to begin with; slightly dark, and then brit pop wailing guitars are laid over top. The singing style is not unlike The Jam, it’s just a different voice; not quite as pleasant.
“Had Enough” had the vocal rhythm of My Sharona, but that is masked below continuous guitars. The harmonized chorus of the title is quite nice.
“We'll Live and Die in These Towns” begins with a sullen horn section, as if in tribute to the fallen. The vocals are much closer to the Jam here. They are very melodic and continuous over the uplifting music. It reminds me of a slower “Going Underground.”
“You're Not Alone” builds right from the beginning. It is slowly sung, but when it reaches the bridge, it becomes a fun bouncy anthemic pop song.
“It's Not OK” is nasally brit-pop-punk. There is a façade of anger in the vocals, but it just comes off as being whiny, rather than justified. The chorus is driving and a fun, more energetic reprise of the verse melody.

“Technodanceaphobic” is a bouncy, angsty song that is more for a mosh pit than a dance floor. Do people still call them “mosh pits?” It has the familiar Franz Ferdinand dance-drum track, and a three note bass line.
“40 Days and 40 Nights” features a lot of the start stop strumming guitars, a fun, rapid bass line and a steady drum beat. Nothing too unique, here; it’s just another brit pop song inspired by the post punk, low profile Jam-style bands.
“This Song” feels like a traditional, camp fire acoustic song. There is a message behind this song, trying to relate to the mass public in a very generic fashion. This too has a very anthemic quality to it. The vocals are spoken almost smoothly and kind of remind me of the Lightning Seeds a little bit.
“Happy Birthday Jane” is a light ballady song about making some girl, Jane feel better about her life. The birthday seems consequential. On the normal album, this is, apparenly the ending track, and it does nicely as such.
“Five Years” is the first of two bonus tracks. And it is a straight forward cover of Bowie.
“Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation” is also a bonus track. It is an angular dance brit-pop song. The energy in the vocals is nasally, but angsty. There is a back and forth Blur quality to this final track.

Stand Out Track: We'll Live and Die in These Towns

Links:
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Wikipedia
Allmusic
Enemy UK site
Enemy site
Fan Blog

Crimea - Lottery Winners on Acid

Name: Crimea
Album: Lottery Winners on Acid EP
Year: 2004
Style: Brit-Pop
Similar Bands: Destroyer, Shins, Supergrass
"One-Word" Review: Warbl-Raspy-Brit-Pop-Rock
Based Out Of: London
Label: Double Dragon Music

Lottery Winners on Acid - Cover, CD & Back
Lottery Winners on Acid - Liner Notes

Lottery Winners on Acid (2004)

1. White Russian Galaxy 3:15
2. Lottery Winners on Acid 3:37
3. Baby Boom 3:36
4. Bombay Sapphire Coma 3:45
5. Opposite Ends 4:17

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

Davey MacManus - Singer, Guitars, Producer (Crocketts)

Owen Hopkin - Drummer

Andrew Stafford - Keys

Joe Udwin - Bass

Andy Norton - Guitar

Tristin Norwell - Engineered

Stuart miller - Engineer

Tim Denman - Mastering

Stephen Taverner - Management

Lucy Bryant - Artwork Coordination

Mark Holley - Graphic Designer

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of these guys. This is another album from the CD-cleansing friend. From the ridiculous album title and two songs referencing alcohol, I'm guessing this is frat boy rock. This is only a five song EP, so there is not much sacrifice reviewing it.

Album Review: “White Russian Galaxy” is equally punchy and light. It is catchy, with a melody like the Shins, and the just-audible vocals (a little raspy like Destroyer) achieve importance and urgency. The keyboard and heavy guitars work together well in the chorus, along with the tambourine hand-clap percussion.
“Lottery Winners on Acid” is full of jangley swaggering “steel-drum” slide guitar. The keys bring delicateness to the fragile vocals, like a southern jug band version Daniel Johnston. The instrumental features a typical heavy electric prog/brit-guitar lick that I expect to hear in Suede. It is a very catchy song.
“Baby Boom” starts right off with the wailing British electric guitar. The vocals are light, breathy and warbly. This melody too, is very much like something the Shins produce.
“Bombay Sapphire Coma” is very liquid song, especially with the guitar effect. The vocals are mixed right up and out into the forefront of the track. The vocals are still raspy, but very melodic. All the elements come together with a minute to go, and the song becomes very anthemic with a chorus of vocals echoing the lyrics together. The song grows in production and sound right up to the sudden end.
“Opposite Ends” is darker and more mystical than the rest of the album. The verse vocals are spoken over the twinkling guitar melody in rhythm. The vocals remind me of the Artic Monkeys for some reason. The song is bold and strong with lots of fuzz and distortion under the anthemic vocals when it hits the chorus.

Stand-Out Track: White Russian Galaxy

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Altered Images - Pinky Blue

Name: Altered Images
Album: Pinky Blue
Year: 1982
Style: New Wave
Similar Bands: Nena, New Order, Missing Persons, Siouxie & The Banshees
"One Word" Review: Pixy-Wave
Based Out Of: Scotland
Label: Portrait, CBS

Pinky Blue - Cover & Tape

Pinky Blue (1982)

1. Pinky Blue 3:06
2. See Those Eyes 5:46
3. Forgotten 2:40
4. Little Brown Head 2:42
5. See You Later 3:21
6. Song Sung Blue 4:17
7. Funny Funny Me 3:25
8. Think That It Might 2:53
9. I Could be Happy 5:40
10. Jump Jump Jump 3:13
11. Goodnight and I Wish 4:10

Album Rating: 9.0

Members & Other Bands:
Clare Grogan - Vox (Universal Love School, MOVIE: Gregory's Girl, TV: Red Dwarf, East Enders)
Tony McDaid - Guitars
Tich Andeson - Drums
Johnny McElhone - Bass (Hipsway, Texas)
Jim Mckinven Guitars
Martain Rushnet - Producer

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of these guys, but I immediately liked the huge bold pink letters across the front, set on black, and the picture of the band was a big help and insight that this was definiely a quirky new wave act.

Album Review: “Pinky Blue” begins with watery jangely guitar that echoes like much of the “college radio” music from the time period possessed. The cutesy erratic female vocals bring to mind a pixy (Bjorkish, but not long & drawn out) or very young girl. But there is a lot of character in the voice, and it is quite captivating. The music is a looping array of hooks and repetitive chords played together. It reminds me of the little I know of Missing Persons.
“See Those Eyes” has another catchy repetitive hook in the beginning. Without the little pause between songs, this song could just be a continuation of Pinky Blue. They sound so similar, that it feels like it is just a slight variation of second verse of the first song. At any second, the first lyrics could be overlaid here. It carries with it a bit of a dark edge though; I get a slight similarity of New Order style composition buried just below the surface. Especially in the long drawn out instrumental break, with it’s skipping remix drum loop and a New Order stylized bass line.
“Forgotten” now feels like a remix of the previous song. In order, these songs are like one stream of consciousness based on one repeating childish melody. They are all good, just slight variations on each other.
“Little Brown Head” breaks up the continuum, with a different vocal approach and a different sound for the guitar, which lost some of its watery echo effect. However, the song still maintains a continuous attack: it begins driving and never lets up. There is no tempo changes in any of these songs: no down time. It is like these recordings have picked up mid-song, as if they are all sections of a longer single track.
“See You Later” is upbeat and happily expectant, as the title might suggest. It has a sly sexiness to it, as it awaits the next time its heroine will see her lover with recent happy memories to hang on to. It features more of the watery jangley guitars as made famous by 4-AD bands like Lush and Belly.
“Song Sung Blue” is a marching, drinking song. The melody is accented by the jagged, exaggerated vocals. But the whistles and one-note-at-a-time melody reminds me of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” Some of the vocal acrobats that the singer performs are very interesting, and it feels like a style that No Doubt used early on in their career.

“Funny Funny Me” starts side two with a difference. Right away, the song is broken up and staggered in its melody. It heavily involves a woodwind (recorder?) taking center stage. The song offers multiple variations on the base melody, which is a sung as a bunch of syllables in repetition. This reminds me of Architecture in Helsinki with its wacky, bare bones melody texture.
“Think That It Might” slows the tempo down with jangley guitars and an anthemic presentation of the vocals, which follow their own melody, rather than relying on the guitars and bass. The song is more mystical with vocal echoing effects and sparkling synth bells in the background.
“I Could be Happy” starts out with a simple drum machine loop, a driving one-note bass line and synth elements. Even the guitar is cut and pieced together electronically, making the track sound like a remix that New Order might have pieced together. This song makes me want to listen to Tiffany’s version of “I Think We’re Alone Now”. With the exception of the soaring U2 type guitar. About 3 minutes in, the vocals are mixed in, elegant and subdued when compared to the rest of the album, but they are just another piece of the song, and are not used to promote the melody for too long.
“Jump Jump Jump” feels like we’re just revisiting variations on a theme. Nothing new is offered here at the outset. A rollicking melody, echoing guitars and the same vocals flowing over the melody. For the first time on the album, toward the end of the song, I got a sample of vocals that remind me of an elfin version of Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Perhaps that is a good comparison, too.
“Goodnight and I Wish” is a lullabye of sorts. It is quiet and it stuggles to get moving, but it slinks along, dragging its foot. The vocals repeat quite a bit, but it is for the benefit of the song that they do. It is a pleasant song, and a satisfying way to wind down the record. It, more than any other song, reminds me of the genre of music put out from the 4-ad label.

Stand Out Track: Pinky Blue

Links:
Grogan's IMDB Page
Wikipedia
Allmusic
Myspace
Fan Page
Fanpage tripod
Trouser Press
Bubbyworld fan page

Gay Dad - Leisure Noise

Name: Gay Dad
Album: Leisure Noise
Year: 1999
Style: BritPop
Similar Bands: Radiohead, Suede, Big Star, Grandaddy, Travis
"One-Word" Review: 70's-reincarnate-brit-splosion
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: London Records, Sire

Leisure Noise - Cover, CD, Back (Advanced CD)

Leisure Noise (1999)

1. Dimstar - 5:14
2. Joy! - 5:00
3. Oh Jim - 2:46
4. My son Mystic 3:26
5. Black ghost 7:35
6. To Earth with Love 5:05
7. Dateline 4:43
8. Pathfinder 3:57
9. Different kind of blue 4:51
10. Jesus Christ 4:16

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:Cliff Jones - Guitar, Vox (Brutus)
Nicholas "Baz" Crowe - Drums (Brutus)
Charley Stone - Guitar (Salad)
Nigel Hoyle - Bass (Brutus, Gramercy)
James Riseboro - Keys
Tony Visconti - Producer (David Bowie, T-Rex)
Mark Firth - Engineer, Producer
Gary Langan - Producer, Sound Engineer (Art Of Noise)
Chris Hughes - Producer / Sound Engineer (Adam & The Ants)
Peter Saville - Artwork

Unknown-ness: I don’t remember when I got this CD, but I know I got it on the cheap as an advanced CD. I probably heard the hype that the band generated, while following bands like Blur, James, and the Lightning Seeds, and then found it in a used bin somewhere. Also adding to the appeal is the sleek, clean “road sign” artwork. I do not remember what it sounded like, or if I ever listened to it really, so it will be all new experiences this run through.

Album review: “Dimstar” quietly begins with a fade into an echoey dripping effect that places us in a cave, and a mystical synthesizer adds to the atmosphere. The Brit Pop guitars begin soaring and the driving drum beat takes us to the song proper. The vocals are smoothly gliding and moodless in pitch. Sort of like Radiohead or Suede without Yorke or Anderson’s unique voice. In the breakdown, the vocals become more shreikly spoken than sung, and the result offers a hard rock metal tone for the brief section. Fuzzed guitar ends the track and transitions right into “Joy!” which sounds muted after the guitars end. Again the vocals swoop across the instrumentation, and don’t precisely match up, but offer a good combination. This is as close to the Lightning seeds dance pop as they get, with the drum beat and electronic samples. Out of nowhere comes the chorus, completely different in style, production, and emotion from the rest of the song. His vocals are supplemented by harmonizing female vocals. The chorus is quite catchy, but the verse is what commands the song, and gives it an overall spacey feel. The vocals in the breakdown at the end of the song remind me of something that Blur might choose. “Oh Jim” starts as an acoustic lullaby, and then launches into a grand Big Star sounding chorus. “My son Mystic” is a straightforward, almost a throwaway brit-pop number, with forgettable melodies that you might expect to find on typical Gin-Blossoms radio. “Black ghost” is an epic 7.5 minute song that slowly creeps up from the beginning with its simple drum beat and guitar work. Synthesizers add to the mix, but they are straightforward single notes meant for melody rather than extravagance. The light vocals begin and the result is a light and airy psychedelic atmospheric piece. The song is more reliant on the musical sections and droning vibe that is created, rather than the 70’s rock feel that the vocals offer. The way that the vocals and music are combined reminds me of Grandaddy minus the electronics. A long quiet fade out ends the song.

“To Earth with Love” is the single that brought fame to the band, over a year before the album came out. The vocals are whiney to aggressive, and the song is a driving pop-rock tempo. It sounds a lot like U2. It has some catchy parts, but over all, it sounds very commercial. There is one saving aspect of the song, which are the backing vocals to in the chorus. The song feels a bit structureless, which may be a good, appealing thing, but it feels like a clips song of a Broadway show. “Dateline” is a strong, driving brit pop song with rushing guitars and great echoing keyboards. Unfortunately the vocals are a bit too shrill and 70’s in style for my liking. They are even a bit like Billy Corgan’s voice at times. The singer recaps his life in a timeline in the lyrics to the song. The musical breakdown features a piano and a very slowed down tempo from the rest of the song, and lasts for the remaining 1.5 minutes of the song. “Pathfinder” reverts back to the smooth vocals, with instances of the nasally sound. It is a quiet and feels like a very sentimental song. The smoothness in his vocals is abandoned for an Ours or Muse like propelling vocal. But it ends in the quieted smooth vocal sound. “Different kind of blue” starts off with a marching drum only portion and then adds light instruments, including a hushed vocal performance again. The production picks up in spurts, but over-all, it is a quiet, introspective song. He picks up the emotion and energy to his singing at to end the song, as the music soars up to a climactic and chaotic ending. “Jesus Christ” is a drum and piano inspirational tune sung like something from Travis. There is no tongue in cheek humor; it is a straightforward religious hero song. This is very much a downer to end the album on, even if the song is meant to be good. Okay, it sounds too much like a Christian rock song, I gots to turn it off.

Stand-Out Track: Joy!

Links:Wikipedia
Allmusic
Myspace
Guardian Article
Headcleaner Single Review
Epinions
Hip online
NME page
High Beam Article
Rate Your Music

(the) Mighty Lemon Drops - Laughter~ / Sound*

Name: (the) Mighty Lemon Drops
Album: Laughter~, Sound*
Year: 1989~, 1991*
Style: Brit-Pop
Similar Bands: Midnight Oil, INXS, The Alarm, Lilac Time
"One-Word" Review: Reliable-Pop
Based Out Of: UK
Label: Sire, Reprise, Warner

Laughter - Cover & Back & CD

Laughter - Interior & Liner Notes
Sound- Cover & Tape
Sound - Interior & Tape

Laughter (1989)~

1. At Midnight 4:29
2. Into the Heart of Love 2:56
3. Where Do We Go From Heaven 5:41
4. The Heartbreak Thing 6:18
5. One in a Million 4:37
6. Written In Fiction 3:35
7. Th Real World 5:53
8. All That I Can Do 4:32
9. Second Time Around 3:53
10. Beautiful Shame 3:31
11. Rumbletrain? 5:15

Sound (1991)*

1. Too High 3:48
2. Unkind 2:36
3. My Shadow Girl 3:20
4. Marry's Poem 1:29
5. Always 5:34/
6. Big Surprise 3:47
7. Cold, Cold Heart 4:01
8. Annabelle 3:12
9. You Don't Appreciate Anything 4:01
10. Colorful-Loving-Me 4:50
11. Ready, Steady, No! 2:45

Album Rating (1-10):~Laughter: 7.0
*Sound: 8.0

Members & Other Bands:Paul Marsh - Lead & Backing Vox (Active Restraint)~*
David Newton - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, vox (Active Restraint , The Wild Flowers, Revolux, Fonda)~*Auto-Harp,Keys*
Marcus Williams - Bass, vox~* Vibraphone*
Keith Rowley - Drums~*
Tony Linehan - Bass (Active Restraint)~
Stevie Lang - vox~
Rich E. - vox~
Ian Devaney - Brass~
Andy Morris - Brass~
Alex White - Keyboards~
Louis Jardim - Percussion~
Mark Wallis - Produced & Engineered~
Richard Evans - Asst. & Tape Jockey~
Tim Palmer - Producer~
Simon Vinestock - Engineer, Producer~
Sven Taits - Engineer~
Karl - Asst Engineer~
Simon Fowler - Photography~
Mick Lowe - Sleeve Design~
Simon Esplen - Sermon Management~*
Cerne Canning - Sermon Management~*
Andy Paley - Producer, Percussion, Keys,Harmonica, Auto-Harp*
Mark Linett - Record*
Rooster Cosby - Percussion*
Angelo Bruschini - Guitar*
Pete Peck - Asst*
Sarah - Asst*
Greg Jakobok - Sleeve*

Unknown-ness: I picked these albums up some years ago, although I do not remember how or when. Going through my CDS, I saw Laughter, and knew that I had a tape of their too, but I don’t think I ever listened to either. I know they were part of the twee- British movement in the late 80’s early 90’s, but I don’t really know their sound or them at all. Perhaps I heard of them through NME back in the early Blur following days, and got their albums through association…but again, there is no way to be sure.

Album Review: Laughter~The album starts off with “At Midnight.” Swirling electric echoes resonate and increase in volume. Drums kick in and march us through a foggy evening, representative of the track’s name. The vocal style is similar to Midnight Oil, and jangley guitars lighten them mood. The power behind the song makes it very anthemic. “Into the Heart of Love” starts off with a catchy guitar hook, and basic radio friendly song-format. The chorus through the chorus feels like the chanting of Midnight Oil again, otherwise, the verse is similar to INXS. But it is another very powerful song. “Where Do We Go from Heaven” makes me think of the Smiths….granted, I don’t know much about the Smiths either, but this song has the usage of a downturned syllable at the chorus’s end; which comes off dark. I know Morrissey is fond of using this style in his music. The end of the song kinda breaks down and loses cohesiveness as the chorus echoes and the music stops. “The Heartbreak Thing” picks up with warmer jangley guitars and punchy drums. The chorus is a fun rising and falling of melody. Big, long musical breaks (and the harmonica) make the song drag along for quite a bit longer than it needs to be. “One in a Million” is a slow moving quiet song. I imagine this to be the song the band plays to begin after an encore. Just the singer comes out for the first two minutes, then the rest of the band kicks in with more energy, and the song comes to fruition. It rides back and forth in its quiet and loud moments, making for a great concert moment, drawing the crowd back into the show. “Written in Fiction” features loud guitars and a fun, vibrant “brass” section too. Here his voice is more Hutchinson in verse and more Garret in the chorus (INXS & Midnight Oil respectively). “The Real World” carries the same fun, upbeat vibe from the previous track. It is a little more rocking, but still very positive, and brings the brass back in the chorus. There is a very rocking guitar solo about 2.30 in. Then after a minute or repetitive chorus chanting, a little breakdown comes in, but it just reverts back to the same, unchanged place. The song ends in a fade out, but an unusual minute long acoustic “hidden track” finishes out the song on the CD. “All That I Can Do” comes rocking back with the same ingredients: guitars, solo, brass accents, and a driving melody. “Second Time Around” uh-oh...there must be a scratch along this track…cause it is not playing very well….OK…scanning ahead to about 1:30 in the song…This song makes me feel like listening to Lilac Time or the Three O’clock, both bands I like a lot. The chorus is really good, and the song is simple in a very good way. It is a shame about the scratch; I think this may be my favorite track. It takes a bit to end, and then “Beautiful Shame” takes over boldly. It starts off simple too, verse over simple bass and guitar, and a skipping drum beat. And the chorus is a layered vocal effect, giving the sound a strong thickness. “Rumbletrain?” oozes the exact feeling of that image from the start of the chugging guitar and sliding sound of sawing strings. INXS vocals begin in this stomping, moving song. It sounds like a simple song, without many complicated parts, so it is simple in a bad way this time. Just as you think it is going to end early, it comes back loudly at first, and settles back into the same tired chorus. A bunch of soaring sound effects, talking, lead guitar and the steady drum & bass beat wind down the album, ending in a full on-stop.

Sound* “Too High” starts off the album with a chorus of church bells, then electric guitars kick in followed shortly with the drums. There is more raw, electric energy on the first few seconds of this song than on all of Laughter. It is a very catchy song, with fast vocals, that end with the title echoed over and over again. It winds down slowly, with more phantom vocals underplayed in the background. And a single bell (accompanied by a zoob-tube) ends the track. “Unkind” is a fast paced 60’s pop number. It is very catchy, straight forward track, with perfectly layered chord changes, and melodic vocals. And the song ends with a flurry of drums and repetitive vocals. “My Shadow Girl” is a 60’s psychedelic song. You can hear the wavering in his voice as he sings the word girl. The song is electrified with loud and heavy guitars at points, but over-all, it maintains the psych-effect. For all intent purposes, the song ends a minute before the track is done, and the song is jammed out on for another minute with heavy bass and electric guitars. “Marry's Poem” begins with electric sound effects, a catchy, jittery bass groove, xylophone and choral vocals in the background. It ends abruptly after a minute and a half with a kind of digital manual stop, and “Always” picks up after a count off. The tempo of the song is changing landscape. The loud and heavy chorus makes me think of a cheery Ned’s Atomic Dustbin. And the bare bones verse relies on the melody of the words. Without being too generic, this is a very British sounding song from the early 90’s Brit Pop era.

Side 2 begins with “Big Surprise;” a drums and dancy bass driven brit-pop song. The chorus again harkens back to the notion of 60’s psych hidden under the grandeur of 90’s production. It even reminds me a little of Game Theory. The song continues to end and restart, until it hits the psych heavy repetitive ending, which fades out and back in just when you expect it to be over. “Cold, Cold Heart” is a honky-tonk, bluesy song, set off with parallel harmonica and bass lines. This is the most INXS song on the album. It is a little long and repetitive for its own good, though. “Annabelle” (not related to the amazingly awesome Hail Social song by the same name) brings us back to the catchy 60’s jangley pop number. The pace, strength, and catchiness of this song in all its little sections make it stand out as the best track here. The bridge builds so amazingly in anticipation to the chorus of the drawn out crooning of the “Annabelle,” that you cannot wait for its delivery. “You Don't Appreciate Anything” features bass only, shortly followed by drums, and then typical shoe-gazer style guitars. This song feels like all the energy was drained out from the previous song. It is a head nodding tune, a ballad in its nature, hidden under brit-pop production. “Colorful-Loving-Me” is a throwback to their earlier material. It has a familiar guitar sound if you’re a Smiths fan (I think), and is more anthemic than anything else on the album. Its steady march goes on and on, well past its welcome. “Ready, Steady, No!” is the final statement from the band, heavy on the bouncy country bass. It fits in with “Cold Cold Heart” very well, but as a way to end the album, it feels like a poor representation. And the album ends with a fade out.

The evolution is somewhat in reverse when comparing these two albums in time line history with many other bands. Sound, the later release, is a much harder record than the previous Laughter. Perhaps it was just the style of production at those two times, but The Mighty Lemon Drops do both styles very well. They maintain their similarities to INXS through out both records (mostly in vocal style). They were a solid, reliable band, and I hope to pick up some more of their material if I see it in the used and discount bins along my travels.

Stand-Out Track:
~Second Time Around
*Annabelle

Links:

Mighty Lemon Drops - Wikipedia
Mighty Lemon Drops - Myspace
Mighty Lemon Drops - Allmusic
Mighty Lemon Drops - In Everything You Do - Archive
Mighty Lemon Drops - Trouser press
Mighty Lemon Drops - Last FM