News: NOW Yearbook Extra 1979

16 09 2022

NOW Yearbook Extra 1979 is a 3 CD (sadly no vinyl for these “extra” releases”) compilation, highlighting an additional 67 tracks from the charts of 1979, and acting as a companion piece to the recently released NOW Yearbook 1979 (orange vinyl / CD).

Now Yearbook 1979

As I constantly mention (on this blog, to my cats and to anyone who will listen), 1979 is my favourite year for music, so if I was in charge of compiling these collections they would be 10 CD sets at least. The main collection and now this “extra” companion compilation, collect some of the essential singles from the year, along with some less obvious (and sometimes skippable) tracks to highlight the diversity of the charts in 1979.

The three CDs contain some absolute classics – Kid by The Pretenders, Roxy Music’s Angel Eyes, Reasons to Be Cheerful (Pt. 3) by Ian Dury and The Blockheads, Sparks The Number One Song in Heaven, Lost in Music from Sister Sledge and that’s just disc one.

The first 12 songs on disc two would make a great new wave compilation in their own right. Featuring a run of amazing singles from The Jam, The Stranglers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash and the Skids finest single in my eyes, Working for the Yankee Dollar, plus one of my favourite singles from 1979, Milk and Alcohol by Dr. Feelgood.

Life in Tokyo by Japan and Electricity from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark hint at the electronic wave that was starting to crash into the charts, heralding the eventual new romantic movement that followed over the next few years.

Disc 3 has a few easy listening and novelty hits, but is otherwise filled to the brim with wonderful tracks such as Blondie’s Sunday Girl, Billy Joel’s Honesty (meaning The Boys Hughie Campbell will buy this compilation), plus Get It Right Next Time from Gerry Rafferty, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan by Marianne Faithfull, Toto’s Hold the Line, BA Robertson’s Knocked It Off and one of the last great Thin Lizzy singles Waiting for an Alibi.

So if you can’t afford (or invent) a time-machine, this wonderful compilation is the next best thing and it will transport you back to one of the great years for pop singles. Strap yourself in.

Buy NOW Yearbook Extra 1979 3 CD set from Amazon

Disc: 1

Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
Message in a Bottle – The Police
Union City Blue – Blondie
Kid – The Pretenders
Last Train to London – Electric Light Orchestra
Angel Eyes – Roxy Music
Them Heavy People – Kate Bush
Up the Junction – Squeeze
Diamond Smiles – The Boomtown Rats
Reasons to Be Cheerful (Pt. 3) – Ian Dury and The Blockheads
The Number One Song in Heaven – Sparks
The Runner – The Three Degrees
Dim All the Lights – Donna Summer
Lost in Music – Sister Sledge
My Feet Keep Dancing – Chic
Is It Love You’re After – Rose Royce
Gotta Go Home – Boney M.
Let’s Fly Away – Voyage
The Prince – Madness
Duke of Earl – Darts
Blue Peter – Mike Oldfield
Daytrip to Bangor (Didn’t We Have a Lovely Time) – Fiddler’s Dram

Disc: 2

The Sound of the Suburbs – The Members
Babylon’s Burning – The Ruts
Strange Town – The Jam
English Civil War – The Clash
Duchess – The Stranglers
Playground Twist – Siouxsie and the Banshees
Death Disco – Public Image Ltd
Working for the Yankee Dollar – Skids
Jimmy Jimmy – The Undertones
C’mon Everybody – Sex Pistols
Milk and Alcohol – Dr. Feelgood
Banana Splits – The Dickies
Time for Action – Secret Affair
Back of My Hand – Jags
The Loneliest Man in the World – The Tourists
Life in Tokyo – Japan
Electricity – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Take That to the Bank – Shalamar
This Is It – Dan Hartman
H.A.P.P.Y. Radio – Edwin Starr
It’s a Disco Night (Rock Don’t Stop) – The Isley Brothers
My Forbidden Lover – Chic
The Boss – Diana Ross
Take Me Home – Cher

Disc: 3

Sunday Girl – Blondie
Painter Man – Boney M.
My Simple Heart – The Three Degrees
Sail On – The Commodores
After the Love Has Gone – Earth, Wind & Fire
Just the Way You Are – Barry White
Honesty – Billy Joel
The Ballad of Lucy Jordan – Marianne Faithfull
Get It Right Next Time – Gerry Rafferty
Hold the Line – Toto
Whatever You Want – Status Quo
Waiting for an Alibi – Thin Lizzy
Car 67 – Driver 67
Knocked It Off – BA Robertson
Luton Airport – Cats U.K.
Some Girls – Racey
Get It – Darts
Who Were You With in the Moonlight – Dollar
Mirrors – Sally Oldfield
One Day at a Time – Lena Martell
Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney

Buy NOW Yearbook Extra 1979 3 CD set from Amazon


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Swing Out Sister: Blue Mood, Breakout And Beyond box-set review

22 06 2022

Swing Out Sister: Blue Mood, Breakout And Beyond – The Early Years Part 1 is an 8CD Box Set released by Cherry Red on July 29 2022.

Swing Out Sister - Blue Mood, Breakout & Beyond album cover

The collection contains Swing Out Sister’s ‘Early Years’, collecting the albums from 1985 – 1992 and on discs 5 to 8: B-Sides, 7” mixes, remixes and rare versions.

The albums included are It’s Better To Travel (1987), Kaleidoscope World (1989), Get In Touch With Yourself (1992) and Live At The Jazz Cafe (1993).

The booklet contains a full track annotation and rare memorabilia with illustrations by Corinne Drewery and sleeve notes by SDE writer Paul Sinclair, who has spoken to band members current and past.

Disc one is the bands debut, It’s Better To Travel. Opening with their signature song, Breakout, followed by my favourite Swing Out Sister track, Twilight World. The song contains so many of my favourite elements of the 80s – subtle percussion, iconic synths, real strings and a lovely mid-pace, caught between a 7″ and a 12″ arrangement. Adding Corinne’s instantly recognisable jazz-tinged vocals to the mix equals pop-heaven.

Swing Out Sister - It's Better To Travel

The album is a mix of up-tempo tracks and pop ballads. Surrender and Fooled By A Smile are superb singles, instantly transporting me back to a time of 4 TV channels, Top Of The Pops, Night Network and extended 12″ vinyl remixes. Album producer Paul O’Duffy cut his teeth in the club remix field, before moving on to the first albums by Hipsway and Curiosity Killed the Cat, and so was perfectly qualified to add pop, jazz and dance layers to this album.

Communion has always remained a personal favourite, with its lightness of touch and warm, late-night chorus, plus the percussion influenced by 80s Go-go rhythms from the USA. The slightly discordant switch in tempo just past the half-way mark, and the guitar on the outro section always hits the spot.

It’s Better To Travel is one of my favourite 80s vinyl albums, and well worth tracking down if you don’t own a copy.

Disc two contains Kaleidoscope World, with producer Paul O’Duffy remaining on board for this and the bands third album. Kaleidoscope World has more of a 60s feel, and a slightly wider musical palette. There also appears to have been a more extensive recording budget, with guest appearances from the likes of guitarists Vini Reilly (the Durutti Column, Pauline Murray) and Phil Palmer (Dire Straits, George Michael, David Sylvian) plus arrangements by Richard Niles and the legendary Jimmy Webb.

Swing Out Sister - Kaleidoscope World

You On My Mind continues in a similar vein to the debut album, but there is a definite switch away from synths to acoustic instruments, which suits the 60s mood that pervades many of the songs, such as Heart for Hire.

The synths do make a slight return on Waiting Game, whilst Precious Words has a touch of the lounge-music of The Girl From Ipanema.

The widescreen, adventurous pop arrangement of Masquerade is a revelation, and is my favourite track on the album.

There is a clear progression evident on Kaleidoscope World and the addition of new styles and fresh musicians definitely adds variety and new flavours to the mix.

On the band’s third album, Get In Touch With Yourself from 1992, Luís Jardim (known for his work with ZTT bands, and a fine percussionist) appears more prominently to replace the recently departed founding member Martin Jackson. The guest musicians list is shorter on album number three, giving a slightly less adventurous feel. Get In Touch With Yourself is still a good pop album, and contains one of their finest singles, Am I The Same Girl?, a rare Swing Out Sister cover version.

Swing Out Sister - Get In Touch With Yourself

Everyday Crime contains some delicious Shaft style guitar and an updating of the SOS template. Understand is a pop/Soul track that has stood the test of time, with some rich backing vocals.

Don’t Say The Word has an addictive drum pattern and Love Child feels like it was influenced by the rolling percussion and deep strings of Massive Attack’s Blue Lines album from the previous year.

Live At The Jazz Cafe was recorded in December 1992, and features a 10 piece band. You On My Mind works particularly well in a live setting, as does the jazzier, extended live take of Surrender. No surprises for my picking Twilight World as my favourite from the live album. The jazz-tinged arrangement shines a fresh light on this interesting reworking of such a wonderful song.

The remaining discs in the box-set collect remixes, single edits and b-sides. You want 7 mixes of Twilight World, you got it!

On the final disc (b-sides and edits) lie some gems. Coney Island Man is a lyric free, Burt Bacharach inspired piece. The Swing Out Sister cover of the classic Windmills of Your Mind is a piano and vocals version, recorded live for a radio station. Taxi Town harks back to the first album, with a heavier use of electronics. A slow-burning experimental piece, its unlike anything else released by the band.

This boxset brings together everything you need from this era of Swing Out Sisters career, and along with the informative sleeve-notes, makes this a must buy for fans of 80s and early 90s pop music.

Buy Swing Out Sister: Blue Mood, Breakout And Beyond – The Early Years Part 1 from Amazon

DISC ONE
ITS BETTER TO TRAVEL
Breakout
Twilight World (Superb, Superb, Mix)
After Hours
Blue Mood
Surrender
Fooled By A Smile
Communion
It’s Not Enough
Theme (From – ‘It’s Better To Travel’)

DISC TWO
KALEIDOSCOPE WORLD
You On My Mind
Where In The World?
Forever Blue
Heart For Hire
Tainted
Waiting Game
Precious Words
Masquerade
Between Strangers
The Kaleidoscope Affair
Precious Words – Instrumental
Forever Blue – String Mix
Masquerade – Instrumental

DISC THREE
GET IN TOUCH WITH YOURSELF
Get In Touch With Yourself
Am I The Same Girl?
Incomplete Without You
Everyday Crime
Circulate
Who Let the Love Out?
Understand
Notgonnachange
Don’t Say The Word
Love Child
Everyday Crime – Instrumental

DISC FOUR

LIVE AT THE JAZZ CAFE
Get In Touch With Yourself
You On My Mind
Surrender
Everyday Crime
Twilight World
Circulate
Am I The Same Girl?
Breakout
Notgonnachange
Who Let the Love Out / Expansions / Coney Island Man / Wives & Lovers?

DISC FIVE
MIXES
Blue Mood – Dubbed-Up Version
Blue Mood – Growler Mix
Breakout- A New Rockin’ Version
Breakout – NAD Mix
Breakout – Horny Version
Breakout – Carnival Mix
Fooled By A Smile – Ralph Mix
Fooled By A Smile – TV Mix
Breakout – American Instrumental Mix
Communion – Instrumental
Fooled By A Smile – Phi Phi Mix
Twilight World – Remix

DISC SIX

MORE MIXES
Twilight World – The World Travel Mix
Twilight World – Vocal Dub
Twilight World – Classical Dub
Twilight World – Instrumental
Twilight World – Beat Your Sister Dub
Surrender – Stuff Gun Mix
Surrender – Pop Stand Remix
Surrender – Roadrunner Mix
Precious Words – Orchestral Mix
Waiting Game – Extended Version
Waiting Game – Remix Edit
Waiting Game – Ultimix
Waiting Game – Dub

DISC SEVEN:

EVEN MORE MIXES
Where In The World? – Bongo Fury Mix
Where In The World? – Radical Mix
You On My Mind – Extended Version
Precious Words – Earth Bound Mix
Am I The Same Girl – Bubba’s Version
Notgonnachange – Classic Club
Notgonnachange – Classic Song Mix
Notgonnachange – Mix Of Drama
Notgonnachange – Dashi I Mix
Notgonnachange – O’Duffy’s 7-inch Mix
Notgonnachange – New Jack Swing Out Mix
Am I The Same Girl – Instrumental

DISC EIGHT:

B-SIDES / EDITS
Wake Me When It’s Over – B-Side
Dirty Money – B-Side
Who’s To Blame – B-Side
Another Lost Weekend – B-Side
Fever – B-Side
Coney Island Man – B-Side
Taxi Town – B-Side
Windmills Of Your Mind – ‘Where In The World’ Bonus Track
Spirit Moves – B-Side
I Can Hear You But Can’t See
Alone – Notgonnachange Bonus Track
Surrender – 7-inch Version
Twilight World – Single Edit
Notgonnachange – Edit
Circulate – Live Version (Japanese Single)

Buy Swing Out Sister: Blue Mood, Breakout And Beyond – The Early Years Part 1 from Amazon


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Al Stewart – Time Passages reissue review

2 09 2021

Cherry Red Records are releasing a deluxe 4 disc boxed set of Al Stewart’s 1978 album, Time Passages. A 2-CD version (without the extra live disc / 5.1 DVD) is also available.

The album has been newly remastered from the original first generation master tapes by Alan Parsons, and features bonus tracks, including single versions, demos and live tracks.

Disc four is a high resolution 96 Khz / 24-Bit 5.1 Alan Parsons surround sound mix, from the original multi-track tapes and the comprehensive booklet includes an exclusive interview with Al Stewart.

I (slightly) prefer Time Passages to it’s predecessor, the still wonderful Year Of The Cat. It captures that late 70s pop / rock feel so well.

The title track features some fine guitar work from Tim Renwick and the drums on the album are provided by Stuart Elliott (Kate Bush / Paul McCartney), with an appearance from the legendary Jeff Porcaro on the second track, Valentina Way.

Time Passages was recorded in Los Angeles, and the sound of the city seeps through on many of the tracks. The Palace of Versailles is an exception to this – with a European feel befitting the subject matter. Almost Lucy is driven by a fabulous percussion arrangement and contains one of the album’s most affecting vocal performances.

The acoustic flavoured Timeless Skies could have sat comfortably on one of America’s earlier albums. The second single from the album, Song on the Radio, has a delicious chorus, accompanied by a very much of it’s time sax solo. End of the Day is a gentle, jazzy end to the album. Disc one is complete with the up-tempo bonus track, Tonton Macoute, one of those songs where once you’ve heard it, it sticks in you brain for hours.

Disc two collects together single mixes, demos and live tracks. The demos are decent quality. Life In A Bottle reminds me a little of John Lennon in it’s arrangement. It’s a shame that a studio version of this song was not included on the main album. The Palace of Versailles demo is largely intact, but obviously lacking the final technicolour magic that would be applied by Alan Parsons.

The Hollywood Sign (on St. Stephen’s Day) aka TimeLess Skies finishes off the demo cuts (that also include an early demo of Tonton Macoute)

The remainder of disc two and the whole of disc 3 is made up of a good quality recording of Stewart’s show in Chicago from late October 1978. Al Stewart being a storyteller pays dividends in a live setting, with lots of gentle between song chat and background info for some of the tracks. Time Passages, The Palace of Versailles, a 10 minute Year of the Cat and The Pink Panther Theme (as a way of introducing the band) are my favourite live cuts in this collection.

Disc 4 (not supplied for review) contains the new high resolution 96 Khz / 24-Bit 5.1 surround sound mix & original re-mastered stereo mix By Alan Parsons. This is the definitive version of a classic late seventies album, that still hits the spot if you love music from this era.

Buy Al Stewart Time Passages (3CD/1DVD Limited Edition Box Set)
Buy Al Stewart Time Passages (2CD Expanded Edition) – remastered album + single mixes, 4 demos & 6 live tracks


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Aztec Camera – Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) boxset review

27 07 2021

Cherry Red Records are releasing Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) a 9 CD Aztec Camera boxset on 27 August 2021.

The set includes the following studio albums: Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990), Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (1995) plus In Concert 1984, Remixes, B-Sides And Live 1986-1988, Remixes, Rarities And Live 1990 and Live At Ronnie Scott’s.

The box set opens with Aztec Camera’s second album, 1984’s Knife, that was produced by Dire Straits Mark Knopfler. The Back Door To Heaven and the title track are my favourites from the album. This version also includes two versions of the Van Halen cover, Jump, that has picked up popularity as the years have passed since its initial release.

The second disc is In Concert, 1984, that includes songs from the band’s debut album, including Walk Out To Winter (two versions), We Could Send Letters and Oblivious.

The Love album from 1987 saw Roddy Frame expanding the band’s sound, working with legendary musicians such as bassist Marcus Miller and Steely Dan drummer Steve Gadd, and including production credits for David Frank (electro band The System) and Michael Jonzun of The Jonzun Crew. Love has a smooth sound that really fits the time of release. Deep & Wide & Tall has some sweet synth and vocal lines, and an 80s staple, timbale breaks! How Men Are is a classic Roddy Frame ballad, but the album will likely be remembered for the singles Somewhere In My Heart and Working in a Goldmine.

Disc Four contains Remixes, B-Sides And Live 1986-1988, that opens with three versions of Somewhere In My Heart, including a 7 minute 12″ remix. Other highlights include a silky version of Working in a Goldmine, recorded live at Pinewood Studios, and a glorious stripped down version of How Men Are from the ITV show that kept me from sleep way into the small hours over the weekend in the late 80s, Night Network.

1990’s Stray is probably the most eclectic Aztec Camera album. Stray still sounds delicious as do the Big Audio Dynamite / The Clash influenced Get Outta London and Good Morning Britain (that features Mick Jones). A bonus on this reissue is a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, that is a warm homage to the original.

“Make a promise, break a promise in the same day”

Disc Six is for the completists only, and a disc I will not play again in all likelihood, made up of seven versions of Good Morning Britain and a couple of other tracks from the era.

Live At Ronnie Scott’s works well as it is the majority of the concert at the legendary London Jazz Club from 1991 and is just Roddy Frame and Gary Sanctuary (piano and saxophone), so there is a real continuity in the performances. Spanish Horses and How Men Are work particularly well in this stripped back format.

The final two discs are the final two Aztec Camera studio albums. Dreamland is my favourite Aztec Camera album, and was produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Roddy Frame, with mixing duties delivered by Julian Mendelsohn. The Sakamoto influence in the sound is a welcome addition, and the album is worth investigating just for the track Black Lucia, one of Frame’s finest songs.

Spanish Horses is a masterclass and evokes the sound of early America (A Horse With No Name / Ventura Highway) but with a Catalonian twist. The production is widescreen, with lots of space and free from the shackles of the late 80s production. Pianos And Clocks also benefits from the Ryuichi effect, with an interesting keyboard run underpinning the song.

Vertigo is a fine pop song, with a playful arrangement that lifts the song to another level.

“Man, I’m going back
To where I’m captured and caressed
And life’s undressed and left where living belongs”

The Belle Of The Ball is a more traditional arrangement and performance to close the original album running order.

Aztec Camera’s final studio album Frestonia was released in 1995, with a powerful and warm production from Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. ZTT / ABC percussionist Luís Jardim makes several key contributions to the album, which has more of a full band sound than previous Aztec Camera albums, particularly on the opening track Rainy Season.

On The Avenue has a touch of the magic that constitutes a classic Paul McCartney song in it’s DNA and Imperfectly has a wonderful drum intro and moving organ lines throughout.

Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) is a great way to collect the majority of the albums from Aztec Camera, but you are still going to have to buy High Land, Hard Rain to complete the collection, trust me!

Buy Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) from Amazon

Disc One: Knife

  1. Still On Fire
  2. Just Like The USAhttps://amzn.to/3i9Ci3P
  3. Head Is Happy (Heart’s Insane)
  4. The Back Door To Heaven
  5. All I Need Is Everything
  6. Backwards And Forwards
  7. The Birth Of The True Knife
    Bonus Tracks
  8. All I Need Is Everything (7ʺ Edit)
  9. Jump
  10. All I Need Is Everything (Latin Mix)
  11. Jump (Loaded Version)

Disc Two: In Concert, 1984

  1. Walk Out To Winter (Live In Glasgow)
  2. The Bugle Sounds Again (Live In Glasgow)
  3. We Could Send Letters (Live In Glasgow)
  4. Backwards And Forwards (Live In Glasgow)
  5. Oblivious (Live In Glasgow)
  6. All I Need Is Everything (Live In Glasgow)
  7. The Boy Wonders (Live In Glasgow)
  8. Mattress Of Wire (Live In London)
  9. The Bugle Sounds Again (Live In London)
  10. The Birth Of The True (Live In London)
  11. Backwards And Forwards (Live In London)
  12. Walk Out To Winter (Live In London)

Disc Three: Love

  1. Deep & Wide & Tall
  2. How Men Are
  3. Everybody Is A Number One
  4. More Than A Law
  5. Somewhere In My Heart
  6. Working In A Goldmine
  7. One And One
  8. Paradise
  9. Killermont Street
    Bonus Tracks
  10. Bad Education
  11. The Red Flag

Disc Four: Remixes, B-Sides And Live 1986-1988

  1. Somewhere In My Heart (12ʺ Remix)
  2. Somewhere In My Heart (Eric Calvi Remix)
  3. Somewhere In My Heart (The Alternate Mix)
  4. Deep & Wide & Tall (Breakdown Mix)
  5. Deep & Wide & Tall (LP Edit)
  6. Everybody Is A Number One (Boston ’86 Version)
  7. Working In A Goldmine (Sax Version)
  8. Working In A Goldmine (Live at Pinewood)
  9. Somewhere In My Heart (Live at Pinewood)
  10. Killermont Street (Live In LA)
  11. Pillar To Post (Live In LA) 12 How Men Are (Night Network Live)
  12. Down The Dip (Live In Glasgow)
  13. Jump (Live In Glasgow)
  14. I Threw It All Away (Live In Bristol)
  15. Interview

Disc Five: Stray

  1. Stray
  2. The Crying Scene
  3. Get Outta London
  4. Over My Head
  5. Good Morning Britain
  6. How It Is
  7. The Gentle Kind
  8. Notting Hill Blues
  9. Song For A Friend
    Bonus Tracks
  10. Salvation
  11. True Colours

Disc Six: Remixes, Rarities And Live 1990

  1. Do I Love You?
  2. Good Morning Britain (7ʺ Mix)
  3. Good Morning Britain (Laylow Posse Hypno- Mix/Kitsch ‘N’ Sync Mix)
  4. Good Morning Britain (Laylow Posse Hypnomental/ Instrumental Mix)
  5. Good Morning Britain (Laylow Posse Hypno- Edit/Vocal Remix)
  6. Good Morning Britain (Mendelsohn Single Mix)
  7. Good Morning Britain (Morning Acid Mix)
  8. Consolation Prize (Live At Glasgow Barrowlands, August 4th, 1990)
  9. Good Morning Britain (Live At Glasgow Barrowlands, August 4th, 1990)

Disc Seven: Live At Ronnie Scott’s

  1. Birth Of The True
  2. Song For A Friend
  3. Killermont Street
  4. Spanish Horses
  5. Stray
  6. The Bugle Sounds Again
  7. Dolphins
  8. How Men Are
  9. Sister Ann
  10. Good Morning Britain
  11. Mattress Of Wire
  12. Let Your Love Decide
  13. Orchid Girl

Disc Eight: Dreamland

  1. Birds
  2. Safe In Sorrow
  3. Black Lucia
  4. Let Your Love Decide
  5. Spanish Horses
  6. Dream Sweet Dreams
  7. Pianos And Clocks
  8. Sister Ann
  9. Vertigo
  10. Valium Summer
  11. The Belle Of The Ball
    Bonus Tracks
  12. (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice
  13. Just Like The USA (Live in Barcelona)
  14. Let Your Love Decide (Edit)

Disc Nine: Frestonia

  1. Rainy Season
  2. Sun
  3. Crazy
  4. On The Avenue
  5. Imperfectly
  6. Debutante
  7. Beautiful Girl
  8. Phenomenal World
  9. Method Of Love
  10. Sunset
    Bonus Tracks
  11. The Crying Scene (Live At The Phoenix Festival, 1995)
  12. Black Lucia (Live At The Phoenix Festival, 1995)
  13. We Could Send Letters (Live At The Phoenix Festival, 1995)
  14. Rainy Season (Live At The Phoenix Festival, 1995)

Buy Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) from Amazon


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CousteauX – Stray Gods review

19 07 2021

Cousteau were a London based band active from 1999 to 2005, releasing three studio albums and known for the songs The Last Good Day of The Year and Mesmer.

Core Cousteau members Liam McKahey and Davey Ray Moor returned as CousteauX (it’s a silent X apparently!) in 2016 and after releasing their first album under the CousteauX name in 2017, are back in 2021 with a new album, Stray Gods.

As I mentioned in my review of 2017’s CousteauX album, this incarnation strays far from the lighter, more easy listening style of their early 90s music. This is often uneasy listening, and the experience is all the more stronger for it.

Cheap Perfume sets the template for much of the album. Stuttering guitar lines and a steady, mid-paced rhythm give way to a delicious chorus, with “that” voice in full flow. There is a real edge to latter day music from Liam and Davey, with dirty, sleazy guitar riffs often in evidence.

Love The Sinner has an inventively percussive pace, with duelling guitar and keyboard riffs below the deepest, simmering baritone, topped by a multi-layered chorus that Bowie would have been proud of. The demons win the battle in this song.

On first hearing Karen Don’t Be Sad, I was not aware it was a cover of a song written by Miley Cyrus, Wayne Coyne & Steven Drozd. I thought it was the band’s take on the recent “Karen” phenomenon. Or maybe a tribute to the great Karen Carpenter (there are strong Carpenter vibes on this song). But nope, got that wrong on both counts, though there is a slight possibility that my ears could be deceiving me, as I think there have been some slight lyric changes to reflect current events, so maybe my first instinct was true. I guess I will find out when I have the pressed CD in my possession.

The essence of the earlier band incarnation runs through Karen Don’t Be Sad , the most gentle, delicate piece on the album. Its a doozy. As is the 60s flavoured Yesterday Eyes, which simply oozes Monte Carlo spy thriller. The smooth, measured arrangement graced with a dreamy chorus that seeps into your soul. One of my song of the year contenders.

We head towards the half-way mark with the scene setting Bloom Overture that flows into When The Bloom Has Left The Rose, with Liam’s most emotional vocal performance on the album. At this point on Stray Gods, the weather is changing and a storm is clearly approaching. When The Bloom Has Left The Rose is stripped back, with heavy use of atmospherics and mood to convey the deep emotion.

The band take a rare excursion to a 70s sound with So Long Marianne, which has some subtle country leanings, and don’t shoot me, it reminds me a little of prime 70s Neil Diamond, even though it is in fact a Leonard Cohen song. I’m a sucker for this sort of rich arrangement, with Rhodes piano, slide guitar and soulful backing vocals, so this would always be an obvious favourite for me.

Praying For Rain is pure Americana, with bar-room piano solos, and a blues shuffle driving one of the album’s darkest pieces. None of the tracks feel rushed or cluttered on Stray Gods, there is always plenty of space for the songs to breathe and for the lyrics to do their work. This Thing Won’t Fly is a case in point, with a rich chorus escaping from the leisurely verse.

Electrical Storms In Berlin is unlike anything Liam and Davey have released before. The pace is funereal, and the crackling, atmospheric arrangement feels like the film score to a dark noir movie. Its a career highlight for the duo.

“Grabs of news and ballyhoo
drone on and on
dabs of truth ‘bout me and you
so long wrong and gone”

Hush Money is the heaviest track on Stray Gods, both musically and lyrically. Guitars and drums are the main ingredients on this track, with a blues swagger rarely heard from the duo.

The clouds clear for Stray Gods finale, with the gentle, tender torch-song In The Meantime. Stinging ride cymbals and deep synth strings sit atop the piano and double bass of the shifting moods that populate this album closer.

I loved the band’s return in 2017, but Stray Gods feels like a much more rounded, rich and complete piece of work, and is my favourite of the two duo albums. The mood and pace of the album twists and turns, with so much more variety shown by Liam and Davey this time around.

I say this everytime I review one of their album’s, and they always seem to ignore me, but I hope this is a run of new music. Don’t go splitting up on us again CousteauX!!!

Cheap Perfume
Love The Sinner
Karen Don’t Be Sad
Yesterday Eyes
Bloom Overture
When The Bloom Has Left The Rose
So Long Marianne
Praying For Rain
This Thing Won’t Fly
Electrical Storms In Berlin
Hush Money
In The Meantime

Released August 20, 2021

Voice: Liam McKahey
Songs & Production: Davey Ray Moor

Buy CousteauX Stray Gods (CD or download) from bandcamp

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Level 42 – The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 2 (1985-1989) boxset review

1 07 2021

Level 42 are releasing a 10 CD set titled The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 2 (1985-1989), that contains all the Level 42 albums from that era plus further discs containing B-Sides, 7” mixes, remixes and rare tracks.

Regarded as the bands most commercial period, this collection features all the hits from the era including Running in the Family, Lessons in Love and Leaving Me Now.

Discs 6 -10 contain all the B-Sides, 7” mixes, remixes and rare versions from 1985-1989. Level 42 – The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 2 was compiled in conjunction with Level 42 and band experts Paul Wallace, Paul Waller and Simon Carson.

The comprehensive sleeve notes were written by Record Collectors Daryl Easlea who has spoken to band members current and past.

The collection kicks off with the 1985 live album A Physical Presence on the first two discs. I spent my teenage years in Woolwich, but had moved away and so missed this tour, that included a show at The Coronet in Woolwich, one of the gigs featured on this album, along with tracks recorded at The Hexagon (Reading) and Goldiggers in Chippenham.

A Physical Presence captures the band at their jazz-funk peak, before the more mainstream success that followed with the next few albums. Highlights include a crowd-participating Turn It On and the flawless second disc, with six killer tracks in a row, including a powerful version of Hot Water.

World Machine saw the band start to move away from their signature style, towards a more electronic pop sound. Known for the massive hit singles – Something About You (a truly great pop song) and Leaving Me Now, other highlights include the sublime arrangement of the title track, the percussive Coup D’etat and the Rhodes driven Lying Still, with some wonderful Steely Dan sounding harmonies.

Disc four contains the Running In The Family album from 1987. The album opens with a staple of 80s nostalgia radio stations, Lessons In Love, which is simply one of the band’s finest singles. There is a real consistency in the song-writing and performances on this album, resulting in 5 of the 8 album tracks being released as singles.

“All the dreams that we were building
We never fulfilled them”

Children Say has a lovely refrain and other highlights include It’s Over, the band’s final UK Top 10 hit and album closer Freedom Someday. Brothers Phil and Boon Gould left the band after the release of Running In The Family.

Guitarist Alan Murphy (Kate Bush / Go West) and drummer Gary Husband joined for Staring at the Sun, the last studio album in this collection, which appears on disc five.

Heaven in My Hands was the biggest hit from the album, peaking at No12 in the UK single charts. I love Alan Murphy’s guitar style, particularly from his work with Kate Bush as well as his strong contributions to this album, sadly his only appearance with the band, as he died in 1989. Sting guitarist Dominic Miller also features on the album.

Staring at the Sun feels very different from earlier Level 42 albums, with a shift towards a more pop/rock sound. Key tracks include the top 30 single Take A Look (what a chorus, by the way), the addictive Silence and the rare later period instrumental Gresham Blues.

The final five discs round up b sides, 7″ and 12″ mixes plus live tracks from the period. My personal highlights from these tracks include one of my favourite 80s 12″ mixes, Something About You (Sisa Mix), World Machine (Shep Pettibone Remix), the very much of it’s time, drum-less Heaven In My Hands (Guitarpella Mix), the surprisingly effective “funky drummer” take of Take A Look (Remix) and the 2nd version of Starchild (Remix) on disc 9, that clocks in at nearly 8 minutes.

The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 2 (1985-1989) is a great way to collect the Level 42 albums from the most commercially successful period of the bands career, and is an 80s music fans dream.

Buy Level 42 – The Complete Polydor Years Volume Two on Amazon

Disc One: A Physical Presence (Part 1)

  1. Almost There
  2. Turn It On
  3. Mr. Pink
  4. Eyes Waterfalling
  5. Kansas City Milkman
  6. Follow Me
  7. Foundation And Empire

Disc Two: A Physical Presence (Part 2)

  1. The Chant Has Begun
  2. The Chinese Way
  3. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)
  4. Hot Water
  5. Love Games
  6. 88

Disc Three: World Machine

  1. World Machine
  2. Physical Presence
  3. Something About You
  4. Leaving Me Now
  5. I Sleep On My Heart
  6. It’s Not The Same For Us
  7. Dream Crazy
  8. Good Man In A Storm
  9. Coup D’etat
  10. Lying Still

Disc Four: Running In The Family

  1. Lessons In Love
  2. Children Say
  3. Running In The Family
  4. It’s Over
  5. To Be With You Again
  6. Two Solitudes (Everyone’s Love In The Air)
  7. Fashion Fever
  8. The Sleepwalkers
  9. Freedom Someday

Disc Five: Staring At The Sun

  1. Heaven In My Hands
  2. I Don’t Know Why
  3. Take A Look
  4. Over There
  5. Silence
  6. Tracie
  7. Staring At The Sun
  8. Two Hearts Collide
  9. Man
  10. Gresham Blues

Disc Six: 7” Singles

  1. Follow Me – Live – 7ʺ Remix
  2. Something About You – 7ʺ Version
  3. Leaving Me Now – 7ʺ Remix
  4. Running In The Family – 7ʺ Version
  5. To Be With You Again -7ʺ Version
  6. It’s Over – 7ʺ Remix
  7. Children Say – 7ʺ Remix
  8. Heaven In My Hands – 7ʺ Version
  9. Tracie – 7ʺ Version
  10. Take Care Of Yourself – 7ʺ Version

Disc Seven: B Sides

  1. Coup D’état – Version
  2. Something About You – U.S. Remix – Edit
  3. Micro Kid – Live – Full Length Version
  4. It’s Over – Instrumental
  5. Physical Presence – Live
  6. Starchild – Remix
  7. Three Words
  8. Silence – Live At The NEC Birmingham
  9. Man – Live At The NEC Birmingham

Disc Eight: 12” Singles & Remixes

  1. Something About You – Sisa Mix
  2. I Sleep On My Heart – Remix
  3. Lessons In Love – Extended Version
  4. Something About You – Shep Pettibone Remix
  5. Something About You – Instrumental
  6. World Machine – Shep Pettibone Remix
  7. World Machine – Dub
  8. Lessons In Love – Shep Pettibone Remix
  9. Lessons In Love – Dub Mix
  10. To Be With You Again – A.D.S.C. Mix
  11. To Be With You Again – Dub

Disc Nine: 12” Singles & Remixes

  1. It’s Over – Extended Remix
  2. Running In The Family – Dave ‘O’ Remix
  3. Children Say – Extended Remix
  4. Starchild – Remix
  5. Heaven In My Hands – Extended Version
  6. Heaven In My Hands – US Remix
  7. Take A Look – Extended Mix
  8. Tracie – Extended Mix
  9. Tracie – US Remix
  10. Take Care Of Yourself – Extended Version
  11. Take Care Of Yourself – Remix
  12. Starchild – Remix

Disc Ten: Bonus Tracks

  1. World Machine – Live Hammersmith Odeon 1985
  2. Leaving Me Now – Live Hammersmith Odeon 1985
  3. Something About You – Live Hammersmith Odeon 1985
  4. The Platinum Edition Megamix
  5. Lessons In Love – Shep’s Final Mix
  6. Running In The Family – HTL Dub
  7. Children Say – Slap Bass Mix
  8. Heaven In My Hands – Guitarpella Mix
  9. Take A Look – Remix
  10. Two Hearts Collide – 7ʺ Remix
  11. Two Hearts Collide – Extended Remix
  12. Take Care Of Yourself – Radio Edit
  13. Heaven In My Hands – Original Album Mix

Buy Level 42 – The Complete Polydor Years Volume Two on Amazon

Buy the previous box-set – Level 42 – The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 (1980-1984) from Amazon


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Level 42 – The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 (1980-1984) Review

31 01 2021

Level 42 are releasing a 10 CD set titled The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 (1980-1984), that contains all the Level 42 studio albums from that era plus 5 further discs containing B-Sides, 7” Mixes, remixes and rare tracks.

The collection was compiled in conjunction with Level 42 and band experts Paul Wallace, Paul Waller and Simon Carson. The sleeve notes are provided by Record Collector’s Daryl Easlea who has spoken to band members current and past. The booklet contains a full track annotation and pictures of rare memorabilia.

The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 opens with the band’s debut studio album from 1981, including singles Turn It On, Love Games and Starchild plus key album tracks such as Almost There with its tight rhythm guitar from the late Boon Gould. These early Level 42 albums also feature strong keyboard, synth and programming contributions from Wally Badarou (Robert Palmer / Power Station).

The second disc is The Early Tapes aka Strategy, which contains material recorded in 1980 and features a less polished, more raw production. Love Meeting Love evokes the memories of 80s bars and clubs and the jazz-funk of this era. Autumn (Paradise Is Free) recalls the work of mid-70s Stanley Clarke. One of the album’s many instrumentals 88 remained in the band’s live set for years to come, and is a highlight of their early catalogue.

The Pursuit Of Accidents was the bands third album, released in 1982. Like the first album, this was produced by Mike Vernon (Fleetwood Mac / Roachford / Eric Clapton) and saw Level 42 continuing to evolve its sound, attracting a more pop loving audience.

Singles Weave Your Spell, Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? and the band’s first top 30 hit (and one of their finest singles) The Chinese Way are included, along with the key album track Eyes Waterfalling, with is under-pinned by some of Phil Gould’s finest percussion work.

The next two discs feature my two favourite Level 42 albums. First up is Standing In The Light from 1983. The album perfectly captures the colourful pop / soul sound of this part of the 80s. Standing In The Light was produced by Earth, Wind & Fire’s Larry Dunn & Verdine White and includes the singles Micro Kid, Out of Sight, Out of Mind and the bands first top 10 hit The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) as well as the atmospheric I Want Eyes. Standing In The Light is one of the early eighties finest pop releases.

The final studio album in this set is True Colours from 1984. Produced by Ken Scott (David Bowie / Supertramp), this was a harder edged, more percussive sounding release. True Colours features two of my favourite Level 42 singles, The Chant Has Begun and Hot Water. Kouyate is a perfect example of the more powerful drum-led arrangements that decorate True Colours.

The remaining discs pull together bonus tracks, live cuts and remixes. I prefer having the albums in their original format and tracklisting, with bonus tracks presented separately, to mirror the experience of listening to the music as it was fist released.

Disc Six collects the bands 7” Singles, and includes a first CD release of the 7″ version of Level 42’s debut single Love Meeting Love. Disc Seven collects the B Sides.

The 8 and 9th discs consist of extended mixes and rarities. Highlights include a remix I had not heard before, by another of my favourite 80s dance acts, the I-Level remix of Micro Kid and on of my favourite extended mixes, the lively Hot Water (Mastermix).

Hot Water

The 10th and final disc contains bonus tracks. Along with lots of live tracks recorded at Regal Theatre, Hitchin (a venue long since demolished), the disc also includes the powerful Love Games (U.S. Remix).

The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 (1980-1984) is a perfect opportunity to collect all the early albums and key single tracks from Level 42 at a good price, and provides a musical snapshot of the jazz-funk, soul and pop scene of the early 1980s.

Buy Level 42 The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 (1980-1984) from Amazon

Disc One: Level 42

Turn It On
“43”
Why Are You Leaving?
Almost There
Heathrow
Love Games
Dune Tune
Starchild

Disc Two: The Early Tapes

Sandstorm
Love Meeting Love
Theme To Margaret
Autumn (Paradise Is Free)
Wings Of Love
Woman
Mr. Pink
88

Disc Three: The Pursuit Of Accidents

Weave Your Spell
The Pursuit Of Accidents
Last Chance
Are You Hearing (What I Hear)?
You Can’t Blame Louis
Eyes Waterfalling (The Prodigy)
Shapeshifter
The Chinese Way

Disc Four: Standing In The Light

Micro Kid
The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)
Out Of Sight Out Of Mind
Dance On Heavy Weather
A Pharaoh’s Dream (Of Endless Time)
Standing In The Light
I Want Eyes
People
The Machine Stops

Disc Five: True Colours

The Chant Has Begun
Kansas City Milkman
Seven Days
Hot Water
A Floating Life
True Believers
My Hero
Kouyate
Hours By The Window

Disc Six: 7” Singles

Love Meeting Love – (7ʺ Version) (First Time On CD)
(Flying On The) Wings Of Love (U.S. Mix – 7ʺ Edit)
Love Games (7ʺ Version)
Turn It On (7ʺ Version)
Starchild (7ʺ Remix)
Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? (7ʺ Version)
Weave Your Spell (7ʺ Remix)
The Chinese Way (7ʺ Version)
Out Of Sight Out Of Mind (7ʺ Version)
The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (7ʺ Version)
Micro Kid (7ʺ Version)
Hot Water (7ʺ Version)
The Chant Has Begun (7ʺ Edit)

Disc Seven: B Sides

Instrumental Love
Forty-Two
Beezer One
Foundation And Empire (Parts 1 & 2)
The Return Of The Handsome Rugged Man
Dune Tune (Live)
Love Games (Live)
88 (Live)
You Can’t Blame Louis (Remix – 7ʺ Version) (First Time On CD)
Can’t Walk You Home (7ʺ Version)
Can’t Walk You Home
Turn It On (Live)
Almost There (Edited Version)

Disc Eight: 12” Singles & Rarities

(Flying On The) Wings Of Love (U.S. Mix)
(Flying On The) Wings Of Love (Remix ’81)
Love Games (Full Length Version)
Turn It On (Full Length Version)
Starchild (Remix – Long Version)
Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? – (Extended Version)
Weave Your Spell (Extended Version)
The Chinese Way (Extended Version)
Out Of Sight Out Of Mind – (Extended Version)
You Can’t Blame Louis (Extended Remix)
The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (Extended Version)

Disc Nine: 12” Singles

Micro Kid (Extended Version) (First Time On CD)
Micro Kid (I-Level Remix)
The Chinese Way (New York Remix)
The Chinese Way (Dub)
Hot Water (Mastermix)
Standing In The Light (Extended Version)
Micro Kid (Specially Remixed Version)
Micro Kid (Dub Version)
The Chant Has Begun (Power Mix)
The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (Upfront Mix)

Disc Ten: Bonus Tracks

Love Games (U.S. Remix)
Sandstorm (Live May 1982)
Mr. Pink (Live May 1982)
It’s A Happening
The Chinese Way (Dub – Edit) (First Time On CD)
Last Chance (Extended Version)
Heathrow (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
Turn It On (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
Eyes Waterfalling (The Prodigy) (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
The Pursuit Of Accidents (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
Are You Hearing (What I Hear)? (Live At Regal Theatre, Hitchin)
Standing In The Light (7ʺ Version)
Goodbye Ray Schmidt-Volk

Buy Level 42 The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 1 (1980-1984) from Amazon


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News: The return of CousteauX

20 10 2020

CousteauX (formerly known as Cousteau) after a few years away are back, with a new album Stray Gods.

Cousteau were a London based band active from 1999 to 2005, releasing 3 studio albums and known for the songs The Last Good Day of The Year and Mesmer.

Core Cousteau members Liam McKahey and Davey Ray Moor returned as CousteauX in 2016 and after releasing their first album under the CousteauX name in 2017, and a series of well-received gigs, it all went quiet again and the band seemed to have disappeared. Until now.

Stray Gods will be available with songs being released via their website, one track at a time, with a choose your own price model. There is no news at this stage of a physical release (a vinyl release would be welcome!) but this is a good way to support the band and that will hopefully lead to further music.

Live stream gigs are also a possibility. Sign up to the band’s mailing list and follow them on their social media channels, on Facebook and Twitter.

For other music news, follow me on Twitter.


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News: Teardrop Explodes vinyl reissues

20 07 2019

UMC / Mercury are releasing the first two Teardrop Explodes albums on vinyl in August 2019.

Kilimanjaro (originally released in October 1980) features:

Ha Ha I’m Drowning
Sleeping Gas
Treason
Second Head
Reward
Poppies
Went Crazy
Brave Boys Keep Their Promises
Bouncing Babies
Books
The Thief of Baghdad
When I Dream

Pre-order the Kilimanjaro 2019 reissue on Amazon

Wilder (originally released in December 1981) features:

Bent Out of Shape
Colours Fly Away
Seven Views of Jerusalem
Pure Joy
Falling Down Around Me
The Culture Bunker
Passionate Friend
Tiny Children
Like Leila Khaled Said
…and the Fighting Takes Over
The Great Dominions

Pre-order the Wilder 2019 reissue on Amazon


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News: I-Level – albums available digitally for the first time

11 05 2019

I-Level were a 1980’s British Funk/Dance band who released two albums and eight singles between 1982 and 1985.

The trio had UK club hits with Minefield and Give Me from their first album, and are also remembered for the rare groove classic In The Sand from their second and final album Shake.

I-Level were Sam Jones on vocals, Joe Dworniak on bass & Duncan Bridgeman on keyboards. Jo & Duncan also appeared on John Foxx’s stunning 1981 album The Garden.

In early 2019 Give Me [U.S. Remix] featured on Gary Crowley’s Lost 80s compilation album, and shortly afterwards the two I-Level studio albums were released digitally for the first time. The albums are not available on CD but can be streamed and purchased via amazon (links below).

Download I-Level (1983) and Shake (1985) from Amazon.

The first I-Level album was a huge part of the soundtrack to my summer of 1982. I was a huge fan of the 12″ mix of single Teacher (sadly not included on this reissue), and I bought the album on vinyl.

There are so many great pop / dance tracks on the I-Level album. From the horn topped Minefield, with its wonderful jazz-funk bassline and the slow-burning ballad Heart Aglow, to the percussive Simmons-drum driven pop of Stone Heart, the debut I-Level album is 80s pop at its very best.

I love the arrangements on the first album, and Sam Jones soulful, often double-tracked vocals work so well with the electronic pop songs.

1985’s Shake has dated a little more than the debut, due to a heavy use of mid-80s sampling technology, but In The River and the more down-tempo In The Sand are classic pop singles, and worth investigating if you love eighties music.

So if you are a fan of early to mid-eighties pop, or are a fan of Level 42 or Seal, I can recommend the two I-Level albums.

Download I-Level (1983) and Shake (1985) from Amazon.

Follow I-Level on twitter @iLevelMusic.


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