Album Of The Week - Archive 2022

 

Album Of The Week 18/12/2021 - Traiveller's Joy by Emily Smith

My new album of the week is Traivellers's Joy by Scottish folk musician Emily Smith.

She first came to my attention via the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show, an excellent weekly program which has introduced me to some outstanding folk music.

Traivellers Joy came out in 2011 and its one of three of her albums I have, she writes lovely melodic folk songs and delivers with a crystal clear vocal. She is partnered musically with her husband Jamie McClennen who also produced this album.

If folk music is your thing then this album may be worth checking out.

Album Of The Week 25/12/2021 - Where We're Bound by Show Of Hands

Firstly, hope you are having a lovely Christmas.

This week's Album Of The Week is another folk album from my collection, Where We're Bound by Show Of Hands.

This is a setlist album released in 2018 and features some of the songs from their Duo tour in that year.

The songs on this album are re-recorded ones from their first 5 albums and recorded live in the studio as they were played on stage, so no effects, overdubs and the like.

Julie and I have seen Show Of Hands many times live and they are excellent whether playing with a band, a trio or as duo. They were one of the first bands I got into when I started delving into folk music when I was in my late 30's. They are equally adept at delivering historic songs, a political commentary or a more personal, introspective song.

This album is a very good intro for anybody discovering Show Of Hands and features a couple of favourite early songs, The Bristol Slaver and The Preacher.

Album Of The Week - 01/01/2022

Breaking Point - Clan Of Xymox

Firstly, a happy New Year to you all.

A change of direction as this week's album is Breaking Point by Dutch band Clan Of Xymox.

This was the first studio album of theirs I bought after delving into their Best Of compilation and was impressed enough to investigate them further. Producing a  combination of gothic rock, electronics and incorporating dance beats they were seen as the pioneers of the "darkwave" but their early work completely passed me by.

Breaking Point is their 11th studio album released in 2006 and featured one single, Weak In My Knees.

Album Of The Week - 08/01/2022

Musique - Theatre Of Tragedy

This week's offering is Musique by Theatre Of Tragedy, an album and band I love.

By the time this album came out in 2000, this their 4th album, they had moved away from their original goth/doom metal sound and into a more Euro electronic/rock based approach which was incredibly catchy and easy on the ear. As per their previous albums the vocals were handled in a male/female presentation with Raymond Rohonyi mainly speaking the male parts while Liv Kristine added her beautiful female vocals to give depth and melody.

There is power, melody and beauty in this album and although its primarily a rock album I think it has general appeal as its far removed from their metal roots.

Album Of The Week - 15/01/2022

Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M.

This week’s selection is the fourth studio album from R.E.M., Life’s Rich Pageant, released in 1986.

This is a fairly recent addition to my collection as I didn’t start buying their albums until their compilation album, Eponymous, was released in 1988 when I was aware of tracks such as The One I Love, It’s The End Of The World and Orange Crush which were regularly played on the radio and in the clubs I used to go to.

Life’s Rich Pageant contains one of my favourite songs from this period, Fall One Me, and typifies the REM trademark sound that attracted me, Michael Stipes melodious and often mournful vocals and Peter Buck’s jangly, delayed guitar sound which to me sounded in the same style as Johnny Marr of The Smiths.

Anyway, Life’s Rich Pageant was a welcome if somewhat delayed addition my collection and I will enjoy delving into it again this week.

Album Of The Week 22/01/2022

We Are The League - Anti-Nowhere League

This week’s selection is one of the most controversial albums in my collection, We Are The League, the debut album by the  notorious punk band, the Anti-Nowhere League.

Released in 1982, this album had a big impact due to its challenging, expletive laden songs as the band ripped through 12 basic, raw observations delivering Animal’s (Nick Culmer) insightful commentary on the daker side life.

There is a huge amount of “tongue in cheek” viewpoints here and some unhealthy doses of biting humour and this album was, and still is, marmite to many who are into punk.

Animal has made a statement via the band website that he is not the person portrayed in these songs, they are based on events, people and attitudes he has witnessed but none the less these songs and this album is not for everyone as it pulls no punches.

Some may be aware of the song So What, initially released as a b-side to their cover of The Streets Of London, copies of which were seized by the Obscene Publications Squad upon release in 1981. Mass attention was later drawn to the song when covered by Metallic as a b-side and then on an album of covers they released which went on to become a number one album.

Animal was asked by Metallic to guest with them at Wembley Arena to sing So What and it was this that lead to him getting the band active again so the song did them a lot of good in the long run.

There are some great songs on this album and I still enjoy it to this day though I am more aware of the irony in it now as 56 year old as opposed to when I first heard it back in the early 80’s.

I have only seen them live once, supporting Motorhead, but their set was very enjoyable with Animal playing the punk rock front man brilliantly.

Album Of The Week 05/02/2022

Jagged - Gary Numan

A real powerhouse album this week from one my favourite artists, Jagged by Gary Numan.

Released in 2006 after a gap of 6 years from his previous album, Jagged was Numan’s 15^th album and 4^th following his turn around album, Sacrifice.

Jagged continues in the same vein as its predecessor, Pure, with a powerful, harsh industrial style mixed with introspective haunting moments and some classic Numan style big choruses.

Again produced with long standing collaborator Ade Fenton, this partnership really highlights Numan’s skill as a song writer and innovative electronic musician.

Lyrically, religion, the human condition, state of mind paint the pictures of this album and the aftermath of a still birth are still present in themes also portrayed in Pure.

The album didn’t have the commercial impact of Pure, mainly due to the large gap between albums and subsequent loss of momentum, partially brought about by spending time as a new father and letting the music slide.

Numan does very little wrong in my eyes (there have a been a couple of things I won’t mention here) and I think this album is great. I was impressed when it came out 16 years ago and I am equally impressed with it today.

For people who think of Numan as Cars and Are Friends Electric, this is a good place to dip your toe back in to sample the more industrial, gothic, anthemic material.

The album produced one single, In A Dark Place.

Album Of Week - 12/02/2022

Better Than Death by New Today

A lesser known selection this week as we delve into the realms of goth rock/darkwave.

This is an American band I discovered via the excellent online resource, Bandcamp.

Better Than Death was one of their recommendations and I was suitably impressed to buy the album. Like a lot of bands in this genre the roots go back to the early influences of Joy Division, The Cure, Bauhaus and the like. With atmospheric synths, deep melodic sultry bass lines, electronic drums and sparse guitars it provides an interesting listen.

You may not be aware of New Today but if you like the bands mentioned above then this may be worth a listen.

Album Of The Week - 19/02/2022

Quartet – Ultravox

It would be fair to say that when this album was released in 1982 I had little interest in or knowledge of Ultravox. My interest in electronic music began and ended with Gary Numan, little else caught my imagination.

Come 1984 that had changed when a friend from college, Sandra, lent me this album and it was one those light bulb moments. As soon as the opening track, Reap The Wild Wind,  started I was hooked. The deep, prominent bass, the sweeping synths and Midge Ure’s vocal grabbed me and kept me for the remainder of the album.

Very soon afterwards I added the album to my collection and it still rates as one of my all time favourites.

I have since added further Ultravox albums to my collection and have seen them live, and they did not disappoint.

I am delighted that this classic has come up as my album of the week and I feel it certainly does not sound like a 40 year old album.

Quartet reached number 4 in the album charts and produced 4 singles.

Album Of The Week - 26/02/2022

Elizium – Fields Of The Nephilim

It took me a long time to really appreciate the Fields Of The Nephilim which in hindsight is a surprise. Gothic/Alternative rock makes up a large part of my collection and when I finally bought a FOTN album it was like “why have I been ignoring you”. Also, having got into NFD, a band formed by former members of Fields it was an excuse to look at their older work.

So, my album of the week is the third album from Fields Of The Nephilim, Elizium, which reached number 22 in the album charts in 1990.

An album of primarily lengthy tracks that ebb and flow from the up-tempo to the quieter, meandering moments. Carl McCoy’s impassioned vocals and the sweeping guitars give this album a majesty while the quieter moments drift into a psychedelic realm making the whole album a very enjoyable listen.

Album Of The Week - 05/03/2022

My Head Is An Animal – Of Monsters And Men

The debut album from Icelandic indie/folk band Of Monsters And Men, an album that grabbed me due to extensive radio play. At the time of release I was listening to Absolute Radio a lot and tracks from this album were getting a lot of exposure and favourable reviews.

It was the single Little Talks that lodged itself in my mind with its dual vocal approach and very catchy horns.

One of the big attractions for me with this album is it sensitivity and fragility especially the tracks where the vocals of Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir take centre stage.

The mix of indie and folk really works for me on this album and I find it a very enjoyable and an easy listen. 

The album reached number 3 in the UK album charts and produced 4 singles, the first of which, Little Talks, as mentioned above peaked at number 12.

I am delighted for this excuse to dig this charming album out again.

Album Of The Week - 12/03/2022

The 13^th Chapter by The Dreamside

This week’s album is The 13^th Chapter by Dutch gothic rock/metal band The Dreamside.

This is the second album of theirs I bought back in 2009/10 after previously obtaining Spin Moon Magic and being very impressed. At the time I was listening to a lot of gothic/symphonic/dark metal and The Dreamside fitted into my tastes at this point.

The Dreamside have never made the impact in the UK that some of their contemporaries have managed such as Nightwish and Within Temptation but that takes nothing away from the quality of their output which generally gets wider attention in The Netherlands, Germany and the Scandinavian countries.

Although their most recent albums lean towards the gothic side of rock and metal they do incorporate elements of dance, industrial, electronic/synth pop giving them a variety and depth of interest on their albums.

The 13^th Chapter is an album of remixes and alternative versions released in 2007 and followed the previously mentioned Spin Moon Magic. The fact that they are remixes gives the album freedom to delve into the genres and styles that I have quoted above.

Album Of The Week - 19/03/2022

Shallow Life - Lacuna Coil

This week’s album is the 2009 release, Shallow Life by Italian metal band Lacuna Coil.

Shallow Life is the bands fifth album and by the time this came out the band had shifted into a more harder metal sound away from the more intricate gothic metal sound of their earlier releases.

During the time from 2000 to 2010 when I was really delving into metal I could not make my mind up about them but by the time this one came out I was really keen on them.

Shallow Life is a powerful album but not hard to listen to, some great melodies and themes to catch onto along with the dual male/female vocals of Andrea Ferro and the highly respected Christina Scabbia.

I saw Lacuna Coil live at the Exeter Lemongrove a number of years ago and was highly impressed and they certainly exceeded my expectations.

Lacuna Coil have had some success in this country unlike other gothic metal bands and I think their progression into a more mainstream metal sound has aided this.

Shallow Life peaked at number 42 in the UK album charts and number 25 in their homeland.

The album produced 4 singles, the first of which, Spellbound, can be watched via their video below.

Although I do not pursue metal as I once did I still really like Lacuna Coil and of the 8 albums of theirs I have Shallow Life is up there as one of the best.

Album Of The Week - 26/03/2022

Shaking The Tree – Peter Gabriel

I became really aware of Peter Gabriel back in the 1980’s when he released a number of singles from his number one album So. Until then I had no real knowledge of his earlier work except for the songs Solsbury Hill and Games Without Frontiers and I did not know he was a former member of progressive rock band Genesis.

Genesis were never on my listening radar but when I heard his solo tracks such as Sledgehammer, Red Rain and Big Time I was very impressed but the deal clincher was the stunningly beautiful duet with Kate Bush, Don’t Give Up

I was also aware of the protest song Biko, written about the murdered South African anti-apartheid activist Steven Biko who died in police custody in South Africa in 1977. The situation in South Africa was big news at the time and the song highlighted the brutality of the evil regime ruling South Africa at the time.

So with all of this in mind, I bought Shaking The Tree in about 1991 and it remains an album I like very much to this day.

I have not pursued his other work, except for the album So but if this album is representative of this his work up to 1990 then its incredibly impressive.

Album Of The Week - 02/04/2022

Collapse Into Now – R.E.M.

The second R.E.M. album to be selected as my album of the week is the bands final studio album, their fifteenth in total, released in 2011.

By the time the album was released it had been announced the band were calling it a day due to numerous reasons, frustrations with the record industry for one and a general acknowledgement of when enough is enough.

There is no doubting that they finished on a high with an album that captures the essence and sound of R.E.M. over the years perfectly, from the opening up tempo Discoverer to the quieter moments of Oh My Heart.

As usual the album contains some very poignant moments which Michael Stipe delivers with heart wrenching beauty to the completely random high speed delivery as per Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter.

For R.E.M. fans there is something for everyone in this album.

The band later stated that there are lyrical clues within the album to point to the winding up of the band and the album cover itself signals a goodbye with Stipe’s hand held aloft in a gesture of farewell. This album was the only one to feature the band members on the cover.

Unlike many other bands, the prospect of a reunion have been firmly put to bed and for a band that ploughed their own furrow and did not follow trends it would seem almost undignified if that were to happen.

The album produced 5 singles into total and peaked at number 5 in the UK album charts.

Album Of The Week  - 09/04/2022

Forever Is The World - Theatre Of Tragedy

The seventh and final studio album from Norwegian gothic metal band Theatre Of Tragedy.

Forever Is The World continued in the same manner as its predecessor, Storm, in that the band returned to their classic gothic metal style as per their breakthrough album, Aegis.

This was second album to feature the vocals of Nell Sigland following the acrimonious departure of Liv Kristine in 2003 and to be fair she did a great job which was always going to be difficult after the success enjoyed with Liv Kristine.

I have enjoyed all 7 of their albums but when they announced they wanted to move away from the electronic/industrial sound and back to classic gothic metal I was delighted and they finished their career on a real high note.

Soon after the album was released male vocalist, Raymond Rohonyi announced Forever Is The World would be his last with the band and the band called it a day in 2011 stating the pressures of families and work made it impossible for them to continue.

I think Forever Is The World is a superb end to their recording career as they stayed firmly in the style of metal that got me interested in the genre in the first place.  A mix of melodic female vocals and harsh male responses, sweeping choruses and piano and synth backed dual guitars. There are no indulgent solo’s here, its all about the melodies, songs and atmospheres and despite the sadness of it being their last album its one that I love.

Album Of The Week - 16/04/2022

From Here – New Model Army

The fifteenth and most recent album from New Model Army.

A band that have been classed as punk, post-punk, goth and even folk, its all these styles and influences that make them such an interesting and enjoyable band to listen to, never dull and repetitive.

Despite many line up changes, as expected from a band well past its 40^th anniversary, New Model Army have always retained a distinctive sound and energy which makes From Here as valid an album as their debut, Vengeance.

From my days of going to the alternative and punk clubs I have always liked New Model Army and when this album came out I was very impressed, time has not distilled them in any way.

From Here peaked at number 13 in the UK album charts which highlights the strong following they still enjoy.

As usual, subjects cover world events, politics, social commentaries and more personal, spiritual subjects.

Album Of The Week - 23/04/2022

Divine Madness – Madness

I never really took to the Ska revival of the late 70’s as at the time I was immersed in punk and new wave but after hearing punk bands delve into reggae and ska I started seeing it in a different light.

I bought this 1992 compilation album soon after its release as when I saw the track listing it made me realise how many of their singles I actually liked.  The infectious rhythms and down to earth lyrics delivered by the very likeable Suggs made me appreciate Madness in a way I had originally overlooked.

This compilation covers their singles released from 1979 to 1986, a period of incredible success for the band that made them one of the top UK acts. It is testament to the them that they are still going strong to this day after 12 studio albums and many sold out tours.

Divine Madness peaked at number 1 in the UK charts and I suspect I am not the only person who saw this album as an introduction into one of the most iconic and enduring UK bands.

Album Of The Week - 30/04/2022

Indestructible – Rancid 

This week’s album is the 2002 album Indestructible from the American punk/ska band Rancid.

I have never really got into American punk in the same way as I did with the British bands as a lot of it sounded more like Brit Pop or Pop Punk to me and it was a genre that just never grabbed me but there have been a few exceptions and one of them is Rancid.

Rancid make it clear of their admiration for The Clash and the vocal style of Tim Arrnstrong certainly has nuances of Joe Strummer. What I like about Rancid is how they delve into Ska and occasionally Reggae to give them an interesting variation and this is what attracted me to them in the mid 1990’s.

Indestructible is their 6^th studio and it came as a pleasant surprise as I was not keen on their previous offering, the self titled Rancid album which took on a more hardcore sound and just didn’t work for me. Indestructible was a return to a more trademark sound, fast yet melodic and interjected with some of the ska based tracks that they really excel at.

What I find hard to believe is that as I write this, the album 20 years old but that is more about the perception and passage of time more than the album itself.

Indestructible peaked at number 29 in the UK album and highlights their strong following over here.

Album Of The Week - 07/05/2022

No Going Back – Stiff Little Fingers

This week’s album keeps with the punk or punk orientated theme as we have the 10^th and most recent album from Stiff Little Fingers.

SLF would count as being one of my favourite bands and one that has been with me since the early days of me getting into punk and new wave and when I heard John Peel play tracks such as Suspect Device and Alternative Ulster I was hooked.

Stiff Little Fingers have always remained consistently strong in their sound and approach to music, driven by the passionate, down to earth Jake Burns and the band line-up has been fairly consistent as having not too many changes of personnel since their debut album was released in 1979.

No Going Back is typical of their more modern sound since the band got back together in 1987 after a 5 year break. Much of the lyrical influence is cantered current affairs and those in power and position rarely escape the backlash, more often than not deserved. There are also songs of a more personal nature to keep the balance but No Going Back is delivered with same conviction of the early days.

It would be fair to say the band have mellowed over the years but the music is still genuine and what you hear today is a band that has been honing its craft for over 40 years.

Stiff Little Fingers are a band I have seen live a few times, always very good and the real passion of strength of their music is perfect for the live setting.

No Going Back peaked at number 28 in the UK charts and also performed very well in the rock and independent charts. It is one of 16 SLF albums in my collection including the 10 studio album plus a few live and compilation releases.

Album Of The Week 14/05/2022

Libertine – Liv Kristine

In rock and metal circles Liv Kristine is known as the joint vocalist in the pioneering gothic metal band Theatre Of Tragedy and following her acrimonious dismissal from them as the vocalist in symphonic metal band Leaves Eyes, formed with her then husband Alex Krull.

During her career within these bands she has also released 5 solo albums of varying quality which has allowed her to explore a more commercial sound though primarily staying in the general realm of rock.

I first became aware of her when I bought my first Theatre Of Tragedy album back in 1999 and it was the gorgeous vocals of Liv Kristine that grabbed my attention.

Since then I have kept up with her output in both of the bands mentioned above and her solo albums and although her solo work has not enjoyed the same success its still had enough to keep me interested.

Libertine is Liv’s 4^th solo album but I actually didn’t buy until after her following album, Vervain, had come out and I was so impressed I decided to back track and get it. The album is a melodic rock album and features contributions from her band members in Leaves Eyes and therefore bears similarities to their sound, especially their first album, Lovelorn.

The strength of Libertine is the melodies overlaid with Liv’s distinct and excellent vocals.

Album Of The Week - 21/05/2022

Fight The Good Fight – The Interrupters

We are back in the realms of ska punk this week with the 3^rd album from the American band, The Interrupters.

I became aware of them after reading a piece on the Viva Le Rock web page (see more here) and had a listen to a few of their songs. My immediate thought was Rancid and as it transpired this album is produced by Tim Armstrong of Rancid.

Fight The Good The Fight was released in 2018 and although it didn’t make much of an impact here it did very well in the US indie charts. In the UK,  Kerrang magazine nominated as its album of the week, kudos indeed for a band whose main genre often comes in for some derision.

Personally, I think this album is excellent, the mix between ska and punk is spot on. The songs are catchy and very listenable, lyrically sound in its approach. I think the ska elements are more pronounced than say a Rancid album with about half the songs having a ska beat and its also a good segway into the genre itself.

At the moment, Fight The Good Fight is the only Interrupters album I own but with a new album due out in August I will certainly be adding more of their output to my collection.

Album Of The Week - 28/05/2022

The Book Of Souls: Live Chapter – Iron Maiden

The first live album to be selected for my album of the week and the first of my 19 Iron Maiden albums.

Released in November 2017 this is a recent addition to my collection as until buying this I had no Iron Maiden live albums, only concert DVD’s.

The Book Of Souls: Live Chapter was recorded during 2016/17 at various shows during the Book Of Souls tour so its not an actual show but overall highlights of the tour. When listening to a live album I generally prefer to hear a single show as you get that one off uniqueness of that particular event but that takes nothing away from this album.

As usual with Iron Maiden attention goes to quality and detail making this a well produced album with plenty of clarity and power of the live event. Six of the 17 tracks are from The Book Of Souls album with a spattering of their older classics, as one would expect from a band with such an extensive catalogue of material.

This album hit number 17 in the album charts which is no surprise given Maiden’s long history of commercial success for both their studio and live albums.

What this album highlights is that after all the years together there is no loss of passion and drive within the band to put out quality albums and back it up with searing live performances which is why they still pack out stadiums all over the world. All the more impressive from a collection of chaps now into their 60’s coping with the demands of touring and the energetic live shows they put on.

Album Of The Week - 04/06/2022

Neverland – The Mission

Neverland is the sixth studio album by The Mission, released in 1995.

By the time this came out I had drifted from the band as I was disappointed with the previous album, Masque, and felt they had reached their peak with the classic Carved In Sand album which saw them gain commercial and critical success with their anthemic brand of gothic rock.

The Mission were down to one original member for this album, Wayne Hussey, but ironically Neverland does actually retain some signature Mission songs and styles. In their lighter moments elements of The Cure can be heard and that is no bad thing in my opinion.

I bought Neverland from a market stall on a very hot Summer day in Cheltenham and when I got to play it I was very impressed as I had not bought a Mission album between their 3^rd release, Carved In Sand, and their 8^th album Aura in 2001.

In a way, this album was part of me rediscovering The Mission and I now have 18 of their albums including studio, live and compilation releases.

Neverland contains an interesting variation in styles and tempos and the dual combination of guitars from Wayne Hussey and long time guitarist Mark Thwaite helps create some wonderful atmospheres throughout the album. I would say that although this is a goth rock album there is a broad appeal to Neverland.

Neverland peaked at number 58 in the UK album charts and produced 3 singles which had minimal commercial success.

Album Of The Week - 11/06/2022

Battlefield Dance Floor – Show Of Hands

Back to the realms of folk music this week, the first folk album drawn this year.

Battlefield Dance Floor is the most recent album of original material by Show Of Hands, released in 2019 and greeted with very favourable reviews and commercial success. The album peaked at number 48 in the UK album charts and has regularly featured in the Official UK Album Charts as well.

As a side note the Official Folk Album Chart is published on the first Monday of each month and is an excellent reference point for what is happening in the world of folk music.

https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/folk-albums-chart/

At its core, Show Of Hands are the duo of song writer / singer / instrumentalist Steve Knightly and folk legend, multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer but now accompanied by bass playing vocalist Miranda Sykes and more recently acclaimed percussionist Cormac Byrne who has added a whole new dimension to the band, especially live.

Although a folk album, like most contemporary folk artists, they use modern techniques and instrumentation to keep the music current while not forgetting its more traditional roots.

Anyway, I digress, as usual for a Show Of Hands album there is plenty of variety in terns of sounds, styles and lyrics including a couple of very good covers. Phil Beer takes the vocal lead on one of the songs and there is a song by Kirsty Merryn which features Steve Knightly which has been included and this song, Forfarshire, is one of many highlights here.

Battlefield Dance Floor, as much as any Show Of Hands albums, encapsulates everything that got me into Show Of Hands 17 years ago when I started to seriously get into contemporary folk music.

Album Of The Week 18/06/2022

Big Music – Simple Minds

If there was ever an album that encapsulated its contents by its title more clearly then its not in my collection. Big Music is exactly what this 12 track album by the Simple Mind is.

Released in 2014 Big Music is the 16^th studio album by the Simple Minds and it was one of those albums that grabbed me from my first listen. Typical of the sound they have developed since the mid eighties this album is full of anthemic guitars, grand keyboards, a driving bass and rhythm section laying the foundation for Jim Kerr’s heartfelt vocals.

Simple Minds were often compared with U2, Big Country and other acts who got labelled as “conscience rock” and although I was aware of them it wasn’t until they hit the big time with songs like Ghost Dancing and Alive And Kicking that I stated really taking notice. It was the “new wave/post punk” sound and the social commentary approach of some of the songs that lead me to buying their 1985 album Once Upon A Time. It was then that I could clearly see the comparisons with U2 and although there was quite a bit of crossover in style and subject matter I never had them down as mere copyists. Also, I believe that both bands had arrived at their mid 1980’s point from different starting points, U2 were more from punk origins whereas Simple Minds had come from a more electronic direction, similar to early Ultravox.

Back to Big Music though, by the time this was released Simple Minds had developed a very definite signature style and sound, some called it bombastic and grandiose, others labelled it as stadium rock but whatever labels were assigned, positive or negative, it’s a style which I very much like in the Simple Minds.

I saw Simple Minds on the Big Music tour at the Plymouth Pavilions and they were excellent and its often been said that its live where the Simple Minds really come into their own with their bold, anthemic sound.

Big Music peaked at number 12 in the UK album charts and produced 3 singles, none of which charted.

Big Music is one of 17 Simple Minds albums in my collection and its one I rate very highly.

There is also a very good Big Music tour album recorded during the 2015 tour which is well worth checking out if you have a couple of hours to spare.

Album Of The Week - 25/06/2022

Three Imaginary Boys - The Cure

A new addition to my collection yet an old album.

This album was bought for me as a gift and was requested basically to bring my Cure collection of studio albums up to date.

There is a rawness to this album which hints at what they were capable of but did not give much of a clue as to the gothic road they would go down in the next few albums and the impact they would have. In places this album seems to lean more towards XTC than the Joy Division style that was to come.

Following its release, Robert Smith voiced his unhappiness with the album, its production and light feel. For all this though it was greeted enthusiastically by the music press of the day and those promoting post-punk and new wave bands.

For me, I didn’t start taking notice of them until they had developed into their more gloomy sound but that is not say there are bits of this album I like but it does not rate as one of my favourites or one I regularly visit. I have often seen this album as the blueprint for the “indie” sound that was just around the corner and there is new wave element here similar to some of the Buzzcocks earlier works.

The album reached number 44 in UK album charts which is an impressive feat for a debut album and one that did not have a major lead single. It would be fair to say that DJ’s like the late John Peel certainly aided The Cure in the early days.

Album Of The Week - 09/07/2022

Cures What Ails Ya – The Longest Johns

This week’s album sees us diving back into the realms of folk with Bristol band, The Lonest Johns.

This quartet deliver their brand of nautical infused folk music with a nod, wink and subtle slice of irony, longing for a ship fairing life that is destined not to be theirs.

The singing of shanties has gained some mainstream appreciation in recent years with the phenomenal success of Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends but this offering from The Longest Johns offers up their own compositions, delivered with a healthy helping of wit and humour alongside some very infectious toe tapping tunes.

This album is guaranteed to shake off your barnacles, wash your hull and brace your mainsail (not that I have any idea what any of that means). Cool, hip, rock and roll it is not but it is great fun none the less

Cures What Ails Ya is the 3^rd studio album by The Longest Johns and was released in 2020 spending 15 weeks in the Official Folk Albums Chart peaking at number 5.

Album Of The Week - 16/07/2022

Brand New Age - U.K. Subs

This week’s album comes from the long standing punk stalwarts the U.K. Subs.

I first got into the Sub when I was at school and I bought their debut album and their debut live album soon after release. When Brand New Age was originally released in 1980 my version was in clear vinyl as was the fashion back then for multi format, multi coloured vinyl releases.

Brand New Age saw the Subs at the peak of their commercial success, reaching number 18 in the UK album charts and the album produced two top 30 singles, Warhead and Teenage.

Looking back on this album I would say it was a pivotal album linking the 1976/77 punk bands with the second wave, so called UK82 punk bands that were starting to emerge at the time. The Subs had their feet firmly planted in both camps.

There are definite references to that scene within this album and there also some metal influences with the mid-paced, guitar heavy tracks, again a sound that would dominate the UK82 bands, especially the likes of Discharge, Exploited and GBH.

Lyrically and thematically though this is a punk rock album and to this day its an album I really like and although there have been a few low points with the Subs this album is a classic.

It also quite fitting that at the time of the release their 23^rd and final studio album one of their best albums emerges as my album of the week.

As an amusing footnote, The U.K. Subs were one the first bands Julie and I saw together almost 30 years ago and to say that she was not impressed would be an understatement. Anyway, no harm was done as she later went on to marry me and we are still together although we did not do our first wedding dance to a Subs song.

Album Of The Week - 23/07/2022

Trade Test Transmissions - Buzzcocks

Staying within the realms of punk rock this week, we have, in my opinion, one of the best albums ever released by one of the founding fathers of UK punk, the Buzzcocks.

In their earlier days I had viewed the Buzzcocks as a very good singles band, as their 1979 album Singles – Going Steady had proven but their albums I thought were a bit inconsistent.

In 1981 the band called it a day but despite various reunions there was little recorded output from them until 1993 when Trade Test Transmissions was released. It marked a gap of 14 years, their previous album, A Different Kind Of Tension, being released in 1979.

The 1993 line-up still contained the core members of Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle, and when they played the Cooperage in Plymouth of that year I went along, mainly out of nostalgia. I was blown away by how good they were and bought this album at the gig.

Trade Test Transmissions grabbed me from the opening, it was one of those instant impact albums, one where you know you have bagged a classic right away.

The Buzzcocks are not a punk band that delves much into political and social subjects, instead they focus on more personal matters and issues of the heart, but whatever the subject they are delivered with catchy, melodic, guitar driven songs. Lyrically, there is often a degree of irony and humour which adds to the personal feel and allowing the listener to relate to the particular situation.

For me, on this album they found a consistency through the entire album and there are no weak songs or filler.

The album made no impact commercially but others I have spoken with have said they rate Trade Test Transmissions as their best album, but like all things relating to music its all about opinions.

The album produced 2 extended play releases and also included the song Alive Tonight from their 1991 EP release.

Sadly, Pete Shelley died in 2018 but Steve Diggle has kept the band going by taking on the vocal duties and recruiting a new guitarist and the band are still touring.

Album Of The Week - 30/07/2022

Super Black Market Clash - The Clash

Staying within the realms of punk rock, this week’s offering, Super Black Market Clash, is a compilation album released in 1993, a 21 track collection of rare recordings, b -sides and non album tracks spanning their recording career from 1977 to 1982 but tellingly does not include the ill fated and short lived Cut The Crap recordings after the band had imploded following the sacking of Mick Jones.

Super Black Market Clash is actually an extension of the 1980 release Black Market Clash, initially issued on 10 inch vinyl but only containing 9 of the tracks compared to the 21 on this later extended release.

This compilation vividly highlights all the various styles and influences that The Clash embraced over their brief but influential recording career and for me, it was their forays into dub and reggae that caught my imagination. Their influence cannot be understated when you consider the amount of punk bands that incorporate ska and reggae into their sound, a mix that I have always enjoyed.

The cover for this album features a picture of the DJ, film maker and musician Don Letts who in the early days of punk would play reggae tracks between band sets and was very influential in forging the links between punk and reggae, to the point where the late, great Bob Marley acknowledged this with his song Punky Reggae Party. Following the sacking of Mick Jones from The Clash, along with Don Letts he formed the band Big Audio Dynamite who would continue the fusion of all these influences and elements into their early albums.

As a teenager The Clash were a massive influence on my musical tastes and remain one of my favourite bands. For me, the variation in styles and sounds appealed greatly while never losing their political edge and sense of social justice and inclusion.

To this day The Clash are still a widely respected band and the influential song writing duo of Mick Jones and the sadly departed Joe Strummer still garners great admiration.

Album Of The Week - 06/08/2022

Billy Connolly's Musical Tour Of Scotland - Billy Connolly, Ralph McTell, Graham Preskett

After 3 weeks of punk a complete change of direction and pace this week with the first soundtrack album to be selected and by coincidence the first soundtrack album I ever bought.

Billy Connolly’s Musical Tour Of Scotland was the music that accompanied his highly acclaimed television series World Tour Of Scotland, a 6 part series in which he was filmed  while on tour in Scotland and each programme had excerpts of live performances alongside clips of him travelling through the country and talking about places of interest. The programme was backed by some wonderful music and this music really made an impression on me and was a small introduction into the world of folk music.

The album itself is predominantly traditional songs that have been re-arranged alongside a couple of songs written by folk musician Ralph McTell who some may know from the song Streets Of London. The music on this album was also played by Ralph McTell alongside Billy Connolly and soundtrack musician Graham Preskett who also produced the album. The music on the album highlights what a good musician Billy Connolly actually is and although he is best known as a comedian he started out as a folk musician and had some success alongside Gerry Rafferty in the band The Humblebums.

Billy Connolly’s Musical Tour Of Scotland has a gorgeous celtic feel that captures the beauty, ruggedness and expanse of Scotland and accompanies the series perfectly but like many soundtrack albums it can be enjoyed independently on its own merits.

Album Of The Week - 13/08/2022

Automatic For The People - R.E.M.

This week’s album is Automatic For The People by American alternative rock band R.E.M., their 8^th studio album and the third R.E.M. album be to selected as an album of the week.

Released in 1992 I remember well the impact this album had generally and on me personally. By the time of its release I had become very keen on the band and after hearing lead single, Drive, I was looking forward greatly to the album and I was not disappointed.

What I like about R.E.M. is that for all of their commercial success they have never diluted their approach as an “alternative” band and musically there never seemed to be any compromise and that is where, in my opinion, they retained great integrity.

Automatic For The People was their second consecutive number 1 UK album continuing on from the success of Out Of Time from 1991 and the frequency and quality of releases indicates the rich vein of creativity and hard work being put in at the time. By now R.E.M. were big news and their huge commercial success had moved them firmly into the mainstream selling millions of albums, big tours and regulars on day time radio.

The strength of this album for me is the variation and mix of the typical alt rock songs and the more whimsical and obscure, slower paced tracks, this is certainly not a one directional album although generally it is the slower, darker songs that maybe seem to take the lead on the album.

As mentioned above, the album peaked at number 1 in the UK album charts and produced 6 singles which seems an awful lot. I am not sure why such a successful album would require 6 single releases and whether this was record company of band driven, I do not know but all bar the final single, Find A River, reached the UK top 40 singles chart so there was a demand for these releases.

As I mentioned in previous weeks, I have a great liking for R.E.M. and I have 21 of their albums making them joint 5^th in my collection.

Album Of The Week - 20/08/2022

Damien: Omen II (Soundtrack) - Jerry Goldsmith

We are moving into the realm of film soundtracks this week, a genre I have been interested in for a few years alongside a liking for more contemporary classical and orchestral musical and films are a rich source of listening material as many have big, orchestral scores.

This weeks selection is the soundtrack to Damien: Omen II, the second part of the Omen trilogy which was released over a 5 year period from 1976 and 1981. The Omen trilogy was seen as landmark horror films and gained much acclaim and are now viewed as horror classics. For those not familiar with the films they tell the story of the birth of the anti-Christ and his rise and subsequent fall from power.

The music for all 3 films was written by renowned American composer and conductor Jerry Goldsmith whose list of films scores is extensive over a career that started in the 1950’s and continued to the early 2000’s and he was working up until 2003 before he died in 2004 at the age of 75.

All of the film scores in my collection are from films I have seen and most that I have on DVD so there is a connection to the music although some film scores can easily be listened to without knowing the film, the quality of the music is enough in itself to capture and hold the attention of the listener.

I like scores with the big orchestral sound and especially the ones that also include the grand, epic choral arrangements and that is certainly the case with the 3 Omen films.

There is at times a mania and a frenzy with the arrangements on this album and the underlying tension of gathering power as the principle character, Damien Thorn, becomes aware of, then accepts and embraces who he is and what he will become. The music leaps along then lulls into quiet refrains before picking up again, the Satanic choirs rising, announcing and celebrating the arrival of the anti-Christ.

It’s a great score, laced with a mixture of textures and atmospheres but always with an underlying feeling of the sinister.

Album Of The Week - 27/08/2022

Big Noise Transmission – Gary Numan

 

After 6 months we have another Gary Numan album as my album of the week and this week’s selection is the first of a number of his live albums in my collection.

Big Noise Transmission was released in 2012 and came on the back of 2011 studio album Dead Son Rising, his first for 5 years.

Big Noise Transmission, unlike many live albums which are a compilation of numerous gigs, is a complete live show, recorded in late 2011 in Manchester.

As is the case with  Gary Numan gigs, certainly since the start of his resurgence in 1994, the focus is on new material with a few old favourites added for balance. You do not get anything from his called middle years when his appeal and creativity were in decline (that is not to say there were not some very good albums during this period). Of the 19 tracks on offer here 11 are post 1994.

For those only familiar with Numan’s early, commercially successful work, hearing him live now some are often surprised by the style and sound he now employs. Still an electronic musician the sound now though is far more hard edged, industrial with semblances of gothic rock in the vein of Nine Inch Nails, Die Krupps and the like. As always with Numan though there is balance and contrast which is why his output from 1978 to 1982 fits so well into his current style and comes across so well in a live setting.

Big Noise Transmission was released as a live concert film as well as a double album and gives the full visual impact of a Numan gig.

Album Of The Week - 03/09/2022

The Weight Of Your Love - Editors

This week’s album is the fourth studio album from alternative/indie rock band, Editors.

Released in 2013, The Weight Of Your Love was the first album following the departure of guitarist Chris Ubanowicz from the band and it was his style and sound that had given the band a very distinctive sound especially on their first two albums.

The Weight Of Your Love saw a return to a more conventional alt-rock sound after the electronic experimentation of their previous album, In This Light And On This Evening.

For me, I put Editors in the same vein as two of my other favourite bands, R.E.M. and U2 with their distinctive guitar driven sound but also being unafraid to experiment and delve into other areas. Lyrically, Tom Smith reminds me of  Michael Stipe in that they are often oblique and one can draw many things from the songs and that is the case very much with this album although the central theme is of love in its many forms.

With Tom Smith’s style of vocal delivery and the often dark, melancholy of the music there were comparisons with Joy Division in the early days and although I can see this I think their sound goes far beyond this although firmly in the sphere of alternative rock/post punk.

Although I have liked and own all 6 of the Editors studio albums to date (new album, number 7, EBM is due for release later this month) The Weight Of Your Love really hit me after I was a little underwhelmed with its predecessor. The focus back on the guitar, great rhythms and some wonderful orchestration gives a depth and maturity to the album. It was one of those what I call “instant” albums, it had me from the first listen.

The Weight Of Your Love peaked at number 6 in the UK albums chart and produced 5 singles, none of which entered the UK singles chart which confirms for me that Editors are in their element as an album band.

They are also an excellent live band although I have only seen them once but it was a special one as my daughter, Laura, accompanied me when they played at Plymouth Pavilions.

Album Of The Week - 24/09/2022

Casting Shadows - Wolfsheim

After a 2 week break its good to back with a new album of the week.

This week’s offering is from German electronic duo Wolfsheim and this album was in fact their final album, released in 2003.

It was my liking of artists like Gary Numan and Depeche Mode that lead me to Wolfsheim but more noticeably it was the act Covenant that Wolfsheim reminded me of but I cannot remember exactly where I came across their music, some electronic music website I assume but memory fails me.

I do remember I bought this album on the back of hearing just one track and on this occasion (unlike many others) it was a good choice.

There is a definite 1980’s New Romantic/New Wave feel to this album, strong rhythms, very melodic with a slightly melancholic vocal delivery. They paint some beautiful synth textures throughout this album making it a very pleasing listen.

The year after Casting Shadows was released the duo of Markus Reinhardt and Peter Heppner effectively ended Wolfsheim after a legal dispute meant no further releases or work could be made under the name of the Wolfsheim without the participation of the other. In my opinion a great shame given the strength of this, their final album.

Album Of The Week - 01/10/2022

Revelations - Fields Of The Nephilim

This week’s selection is the second of the five Fields Of The Nephilim albums in my collection, the 1993 compilation Revelations.

This was the second FOTN album I bought after being very impressed with 2005’s Mourning Sun. I picked up this album which is a compilation of their first 3 albums and singles from 1986, a period which for many was the peak of the bands creativity and cemented their place as a key alternative/gothic rock band.

As an introduction to FOTN this is a great album but also what is on offer in the genre of gothic rock more widely, they can easily be described as standard bearers, the light and shade of baritone vocals, intricate layered guitars, atmospheric keys and strident rhythms alongside the slower, more introspective moments.

At 75 minutes this is an album that demands attention but there are plenty of good things to catch and hold the attention. The 12 tracks on offer with this release include the 7 singles, or versions of, released from 1986 to 1990.

Album Of The Week - 08/10/2022

October Rust - Type O Negative

This week’s album see’s us staying in the realms of the gothic but more in the direction of metal as we delve into the fourth studio album by American band Type O Negative, October Rust.

This was the second album of theirs I acquired after being impressed with their 1999 release, World Coming Down which was one of my first forays into the atmospheric and gloomy depths of gothic and doom metal. In a way it was a natural progression from my overall liking of gothic rock with bands like the Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission and The Cult, the later of which had incorporated a more mainstream rock sound into their albums by the time we got to the late 1980’s.

The subject matter for most of TON’s output was typically love, life, death, the tragedy of lost romance and the torments of the mind although they were often known for injections of humour and were no strangers to the tongue in cheek approach to the genre, a genre which can often be seen to take itself very seriously at times.

As is often the case within gothic and doom metal there are nods of respect to Black Sabbath who are regarded by some as the forefathers of doom metal.

Type O Negative also make no secret of their love of the Beatles and this can be heard within some the melodies they produce.

October Rust enjoyed some considerable critical and commercial success reaching 26 in the UK album charts as well as going top 10 across Europe. The album also produced 4 singles including the 1960’s influenced My Girlfriends Girlfriend which showed their more playful, humorous side.

In total there are 15 tracks on this album with 11 of them being full length tracks and the other 4 short bursts of dialogue and studio comments. Only two of the 11 full length tracks are under 5 minutes which includes a cover of Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl, one of the more up tempo songs on the album. For me, the real strength of this album is in the slow, melodic, doom laden tracks where the down tuned guitars and Peter Steele’s deep, baritone voice comes into their own.

In 2010, founder, vocalist and bass player, Peter Steele passed away at the age of 48 due to sepsis and heart problems and subsequently Type O Negative ceased as a band as the remaining members had no interest in continuing without him.

Album Of The Week 15/10/2022

Quintessentials - U.K. Subs

It seems fitting that this week’s album is by the U.K. Subs given that one of their former members, the highly regarded drummer Steve Roberts took his own life this week. He drummed with them during 3 periods including their very successful period in the early 1980’s.

This week’s album is their 1997 release Quintessentials and saw the band in top form following a run of poorer albums in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

For me, the Subs are always at their best when delivering short, sharp, full on punk rock songs, with great guitar riffs, powerful rhythms and Charlie Harper delivering his insightful, often cutting observations on life, society and the stream of incompetent politicians this country seems to be plagued with. In short they are a top drawer British punk band that have stood the test of time. The album Quintessentials has all the ingredients for a good Subs album and the fact that long standing guitarist Nicky Garrett plays on this album only adds to its pedigree.

This year the U.K. Subs released the final ever album, Reverse Engineering, to bring down a recording career that lasted for 43 years, not bad for a punk band that did not get great commercial sales for most of their career so earned their dues playing live year in year out.

Quintessentials is one of 17 U.K. Subs albums in my collection and the second one to be selected as an album of the week and its one I always enjoy listening to and although it came out after the peak of their commercial success that should not diminish its standing within their catalogue of studio albums.

Album Of The Week 22/10/2022

In This Light And On This Evening - Editors

This week we are again delving into the Editors with their 2009 release In This Light And On This Evening.

This being their 3^rd studio album, it was an album that took the band in a direction away from the guitar based sound of their 2 previous releases. In This Light And On This Evening has a greater reliance on synths and is far more electronic in its overall approach and atmosphere.

What hadn’t changed though was the ability to deliver very melodic yet big anthemic sounds and with this album being produced by the highly acclaimed producer Floor who has produced the likes of Gary Numan, U2, The Cure and Depeche Mode, to name but a few, it was evident where the Editors wanted to go with this album.

I must admit though my first listen of this album was a bit of a surprise and although lead single, Papillon, gave a taster I was not expecting the big shift. Once I had given it a few listens the album really grabbed me so I am delighted it has become an album of the week for me.

Although the album produced 3 singles, Papillon was the only one to have charted but for me, the real strength of the Editors is their albums.

As per it’s predecessor, In This Light And On This Evening went to number 1 in the UK album charts and highlighted that the change in direction had done nothing to diminish their appeal and emphasised that this not a band who were going to stick to a proven formula.

It is ironic that their most recent album, EBM, released in September has again gone back to the more electronic style and it is another superb album.

Singer, guitarist, lyric writer Tom Smith said that lyrically In This Light And On This Evening is primary about London and the busyness of the album reflects the constant hum of the city.

As someone who rarely visits London I cannot really comment on that but it in no way diminishes the impact of this album for me.

As mentioned in September, this was the final album to feature Chris Urbanowicz whose distinctive guitars had given the first 2 albums such an identifiable sound but in a way its telling that even back then the Editors were keen to develop and explore even on the back of the two incredibly successful albums.

Album Of The Week - 29/10/2022

Illumination - Tristania

For the final album of October 22 we find ourselves back in the realm of gothic metal, this time from Norway’s Tristania and their 2007 album Illumination.

This was their 5th studio album and was their final album to feature original female singer Vibeke Stein who left the band to focus on her family and career shortly after its release. By this time influential co-founder Morten Veland had also left to form Sirenia, a band in name but really a self driven solo project. This was also the last album to feature original bassist Rune Osterhus and by the time their 6^th album Rubicon was released 3 years later the band line up would be considerably different.

With Illumination, Tristania had by now a very established sound and style, gothic metal with three vocal styles incorporated, clean and harsh male vocals and soprano female vocals with some subtle (?) death metal influences. Generally the music is very melodic and mid-tempo with layers of synths to add depth and a balance to the dual guitars. The layers of female vocals at times produces an almost choral effect but without drifting into the softer reaches of symphonic metal.

Illumination is well produced album and all the layers come through well, unlike some metal albums that can feel muddy and messy.

For me, Illumination made an instant impact as I had been a little disappointed with the harshness of their previous release, Ashes, whereas Illumination has all the elements that attracted me to the band back in 1999 when I bought their debut album, Widows Weeds.

Another point I have to make is that this style of music, gothic rock and metal, can sometimes feel a bit contrived and can border on the cheesy but thankfully there is none of that with this album or Tristania in general.

In September of this year the band announced they were disbanding and although there had been some live performances their last album was released back in 2013 so 9 years with no recorded output. It is  therefore quite fitting that one of my favourite albums of theirs has been drawn as my album of the week.

Album Of The Week 05/11/2022

The Madness Continues - 1919

1919 are a band originally formed in 1980 very much in the style of post punk but after 1 album and a couple of ep’s the band folded in 1986.

Thanks to ongoing interest in the band’s material founding member Mark Tighe resumed band activity in 1994 and along with 2 new members and original drummer Mick Reed the band went into the studio and recorded a live session album. The fruits of that session were released under the name of The Madness Continues and was the first album I bought by the band.

I became aware of them via a gothic rock website and a sampler put together by its founder, Oscar Terramortis, and this was enough for me to buy the album.

I was immediately grabbed by the directness of the music, the pounding, urgent, almost tribal drumming and a guitar reminiscent of the early Killing Joke albums. Vocals by Rio Goldhammer have a John Lydon style with its intense delivery which compliments the band style perfectly.

As an introduction to this reformed version of 1919 it is a superb album.

Since putting out this self released album the band have gone on to put out 3 more albums which has fully justified the decision for 1919 to relaunch band activities.

Two months before the release of their 2017 album, Bloodline, their first album after signing with Westwood Records it was announced that original guitarist and founding member, Mark Tighe died at the age of 56 after a short illness due to cancer. Knowing he was ill it was at his wish that band continue following his passing and true to this Bloodline was released in 2017 and since then further albums Futurcide and Citizens Of Nowhere have been released.

Album Of The Week - 12/11/2022

A complete change of tone and direction this week as we move into the realms of minimalist or contemporary classical and the first album by Ludovico Einaudi to be selected from my collection.

I have often said that for many he is the person whose music you have heard many times but you have never heard of him. Obviously that is a simplification but his music is wide ranging and can be found in films, television and often used as incidental background music in documentaries and sporting events.

This weeks album, Elements, is his 12^th studio album and 1 of 11 in my collection. It was the third Einaudi album I bought after stumbling across his previous album, In A Time Lapse and then his double compilation album, Islands.

What captured me initially was how the atmospheres created by such simple melodies played on a piano could be so engaging. Add cello, violin, splashes of electronics and the effects and the results can be completely captivating. Put on a pair of headphones, block out all other sounds and let the music wash over you and the full impact of Einaudi’s compositions can be fully appreciated.

Einaudi’s music often splits opinion, hugely popular and commercially successful but some classical music critics are quite scathing about his music and one went as far as to say it was nothing more than bland pop music. To me, that speaks more of the snobbery that can permeate classical music and which can actually push people away from the genre. The same level of divide also exists around orchestral film scores but that is a debate for another time.

Einaudi took inspiration from nature, the four elements and life when composing the pieces that made the Elements album but as I found with this type of music, each listener can take so many things from each piece and the album in general.

Elements was released in 2015 and peaked at number 12 in the UK album charts and in the UK official classical charts, as of this week, it is one of seven Einaudi albums in the top 50, standing at number 36 after spending 356 weeks on the chart.  A level of success that has seen Ludovico Einaudi described as the worlds most successful living composer.

Julie and I saw Ludovico Einaudi perform at the Plymouth Pavilions in November 2016 and the music came across perfectly in the live setting with Einaudi on piano and his small collection of musicians creating the same beautiful, melodic, mediative and sometimes melancholic atmospheres perfectly.

Album Of The Week - 20/11/2022

Violence - Editors

For the third time in as many months we have an album from the Editors as the album of the week.

This week’s selection is their 6^th studio album, Violence, released in 2018 and for me it was an instant hit, the album grabbed me from the first listen and has stayed with me as a very good album. There is a variety and depth on this album which has been the case with the Editors especially with the albums where they have blended their electronic influences into their more rock orientated sound. If ever there was a band to encapsulate the meaning and feel of the post-punk genre then the Editors are that band and Violence is an archetypal post-punk album.

The album was co-produced by Blanck Mass (Benjamin Power), a producer renowned for his work within electronic music and the influence with this album gives the overall result an electronic ingredient that compliments but does not dominate as may be said of their most recent album, EBM, or former album of the week, In This Light And On This Evening.

In 2019 a remixed and reworked version of Violence was released under the title of the Blanck Mass Sessions which took 6 of the tracks from the album into a more experimental electronic direction.

It is telling of the importance to the bands direction and dynamic that earlier this year Blanck Mass joined the Editors as full time member after working with the band again on the EBM album.

Violence produced 4 singles and the album peaked at number 6 in the UK album charts and continued the run of the all of their albums hitting the top 10.

Despite their tendency to move from rock to electronic and never shy away from experimentation the ability to write and deliver music which captures and holds the attention never diminishes regardless of whether it’s a quiet introspective piano and vocal song or a full on anthemic guitar driven track and that is again evident on this album.

Album Of The Week - 26/11/2022

                                                    Storm - Theatre Of Tragedy

For the third time year we have an album from Norwegian band Theatre Of Tragedy as our album of the week and this week’s selection is their penultimate album Storm.

Released in 2006 this was the first of two studio albums, the other being Forever Is The World (album of the week 09/04/22) to feature vocalist Nell Sigland who replaced Liv Kristine after she was sacked from the band in 2003. It was never going to be easy replacing such an iconic vocalist but many bands have done so successfully and Theatre Of Tragedy were no exception.

Prior to its release the band had said they wanted to move back to a more traditional goth rock/metal sound after the electronic rock of their previous albums Assembly and Musique (album of the week 08/01/22) and saw this album as a natural successor to Aegis which many saw as a landmark album in the sphere of gothic rock and metal.

The opening and title track from Storm was released prior to the albums launch to give a feel of the direction the band were going in and its overall melody and feel appealed greatly to me and indeed did have the same feel as Aegis without it being a copy. This time the language of the vocals was modern English unlike the more arcane style on Aegis.

Nell’s vocals fitted perfectly with the band and although distinct not far removed from the ethereal atmospheres employed by her predecessor. The overall feel of this album is melodic and although the emphasis is on the dual guitars they are layered with keyboards and piano and the male vocals are clean and spoken, no harsh growls as per their first two albums. All this contributes to a tuneful, album full of catchy melodies that actually resembles gothic rock more than metal.

I bought the album as soon as it came out and was hooked from the start and its still one of my “return to” albums when I want to listen to Theatre Of Tragedy.

Album Of The Week - 03/12/2022

Saturday Night Sunday Morning - The Stranglers

So far since starting this blog in December 2021 it has surprised me that a Stranglers album has not been drawn as an album of the week given the fact that I have 55 of their albums, which is only equalled in my collection by Gary Numan.

Anyway, that has now changed and this week’s album is their 1993 release, Saturday Night Sunday Morning. The album was recorded at the Alexandra Palace in 1991 at the end of the “10 Tour” and as it transpired this was vocalist / guitarist Hugh Cornwell’s final gig with the band. As such, this makes Saturday Night Sunday Morning a pivotal album in the Stranglers legacy.

A minority of Stranglers fans consider this point to be the end of the band but like many other bands who have had to replace a front man, The Stranglers have gone on to further success with good albums and a strong following but where the band have always excelled is live and that is certainly the case in the post Cornwell era.

I saw the band on this tour at the Cornwall Coliseum in 1991 and very much enjoyed the gig but at the time there was no hint that Hugh Cornwell was considering leaving the Stranglers. He later stated that he believed that band had gone as far as they could creatively but given the direction the band were taking and his subsequent solo output if would seem that he wanted to take the band in a more commercial direction, away from the post-punk / alternative space they had occupied in the late 70’s and 80’s. Although with albums like Feline, Aural Sculpture and Dreamtime the band were already into a more polished and commercial sound although strong musical accomplishment has been a feature since the 1977 debut album, Rattus Norvegicus.

I could write reams about this and the merits of the split and the Stranglers continuing without him but that would distract from the album itself.

Saturday Night Sunday Morning is a good summary of where the band were in the early 90’s but this edited version of their set I have always felt lacked a little punch. Some reviews stated it felt like the band were “going through the motions” but I also feel the recording does not capture the intensity of sound experienced at a Stranglers gig, it seems almost a little too polished. My other negative about this album is that although it was recorded on the tour for the “10” album there is only one track from the album in this edited live recording, the lead single from “10”, 96 Tears.

So with this album, we have 12 very well known Stranglers songs making this more a “live greatest hits” rather than a tour set album.

I would therefore, consider this an album with limited appeal and really one for Stranglers fans only but for all of that there are some very good moments on the album but it could have been a lot better. However, there is also a DVD release of this album and actually seeing them perform adds far more than the CD release. I think my real criticism is that it should have been a double album release and captured the entire gig but maybe cost and demand played a part.

If you watch the video you will see the band drafted in a rhythm guitarist for this tour who was none other than John Ellis who was previously in the Vibrators and also worked with Stranglers bassist Jean Jacques Burnell on his Euroman Cometh album and tour. Maybe there was a glimpse of the future here as well. Following the bands decision to continue without Hugh Cornwell they recruited 2 new members, one of which was John Ellis who by then was well known to the band and fans and he stayed with the Stranglers for 10 years.

Album Of The Week - Update

It seems like the fate that during the week that the first Stranglers album gets drawn as my album of the week the band loses its founding member, the drummer Jet Black.

Although he hasn't played with the band since 2015 and retired a couple of years later he was still connected and involved with the Stranglers.

For me, they were the band that changed and shaped the core of my music listening from the age of 12 right up to the present day. Via my friend, Melvyn, and the late John Peel I was introduced to punk and new wave back in late 1977 but it was The Stranglers that made the biggest impression on me and they soon became my favourite band. Now, as a 57 year old, through the line up changes, the variations in sound, the experimentation, they have remained my favourite band and hold a very dear place in my musical heart. Punk, post-punk, alternative music makes up the bulk of my music collection and I see The Stranglers as the foundation that supports all of that.

Back in 2020 Dave Greenfield passed away and now Jet has joined him leaving a great sadness within the Stranglers community but also the acknowledgement that they were a major part of an innovotive, enduring, challenging band that helped define the punk era and became so much more as the genre evolved and morphed. The Stranglers have been credited with releasing the first "post punk" album, the 1978 release Black and White and ironically the genre has experienced a real resurgence in recent years and their later releases of Norfolk Coast, Suite XVI, Giants and Dark Matters are superb albums which could be perfectly described as post punk albums.

Jet Black deserves massive credit for the legacy he leaves behind and he will be greatly missed by the entire familyinblack.

 Album Of The Week - 10/12/2022

Machine + Soul - Gary Numan

This week’s album takes us back to 1992 and along with the Stranglers, the artist I have been following the longest, Gary Numan.

The album Machine + Soul see’s Gary Numan continuing in a style that had been prevalent with previous albums such as Metal Rhythm, Outland and Strange Charm, a rock / electronic hybrid with some jazz / funk elements which was, by his own admission, aimed at getting radio play. With the 3 previously mentioned releases the dark, electronic element was still a key foundation to the style but not so with Machine + Soul.

Unfortunately for Numan, this album marks the real low point in his career. Struggling creatively, low morale and lack of confidence in his own abilities, poorly attended tours, no radio play and deep in debt caused by those expensive tours and his own label, Numa, leaking money. Since then Numan has slated this album and fans generally consider this to be his weakest album,  and I would agree with that.

To be fair, there are some good moments on this album but overall it is lacking the trademark Numan darkness, emotion and intensity and coupled with its very American, chart friendly sound it feels unlike a Numan album. Where the real Numan moments come through then its fine but they are just not enough to lift the album beyond the ordinary.

The album included a cover of the Prince song, U Got The Look, and I make no secret of the fact that I do not like his music but this cover is a real low point on the album and in Numan’s career generally. Numan later stated that he felt he was struggling so much by this time that he was ready to quit music given the direction he had gone in recent years which culminated with the release of Machine + Soul.

The following year an extended version of the album was released and I think it adds more layers and improves on the original to a degree.

Thankfully, in 1994 he went back to basics and released Sacrifice, an album he took complete control over, and adopted a far more electronic / industrial sound the rest is history. He has been on an upward trajectory ever since.

Machine & Soul peaked at number 42 in the UK album charts and produced 3 singles, two of which hit the lower reaches of the UK singles chart.

Album Of The Week - 17/12/2022

                             Head Full Of Magic, Shoes Full Of Rain - Merry Hell

To mark 1 year of my “album of the week” blog we are back in the realms of folk or more accurately contemporary folk which it where we started in December 21..

This weeks album is Head Full Of Magic, Shoes Full Of Rain by folk rock band Merry Hell.

Hailing from Wigan (U.K.) and formed by the 3 brothers John, Bob and Andrew Kettle, Merry Hell have become one of the big names on the UK folk scene with 6 albums behind them and the reputation for being one of the best live acts on the circuit. As yet I not experienced them live but hope to do so at some point.

They combine a mix of electric and acoustic guitars with banjo and fiddle to give that contemporary feel and with an excellent mix of political, personal, social and humorous lyrics they always manage to serve up plenty of variety on their albums. They are as adept at delivering a heart wrenching ballad as they are full on folk rock stomp. Whatever they do though they always deliver with real feeling and with a sense of hope.

 I got into them after hearing the track There’s A Ghost In Our House and immediately bought the album of the same name and from there went into their back catalogue which is how I came across, this, their second album.

Vocals are delivered in a dual male & female format with Andrew Kettle take the lead and female vocals by Virginia Kettle who is the wife of the guitarist, John.

 Head Full Of Magic, Shoes Full Of Rain was released in 2013 and followed up strongly on their acclaimed debut, Blink…And You Miss It.

If you have not heard of them I would say they would appeal to those who have a general liking for modern folk rock and with their mix I would liken them to the Oysterband or The Men They Couldn’t Hang.

Album Of The Week - 24/12/2022

Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers - Levellers

We stay with a folk rock based theme this week as my album of the week comes from the folk rock pioneers, Levellers. The first of my 21 albums by them to be drawn as my album of the week is their first live album, Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers.

The album was put together on the back of their Zeitgeist tour in 1995, an album which went to number 1 and really catapulted the band as one of the biggest names in the mid 90’s.

The title of the album comes from the lyric of The Road, a track that appeared on their breakthrough album Levelling The Land and is appropriate for this live album.

By the time of its release the Levellers had four albums behind them but they had really come into their own with their live performances, high energy, politically fuelled and delivered with absolute conviction making them one the best live acts of the time.

At the record company insistence the album title also included the words “Best Live” before the main title and in all truth that is what the album is, a “Best Of” compilation taken from various gigs in 1995. It lacks the flow of a single show recording making it feel like a compilation album but to be fair many live albums are pieced together over multiple shows.

Of the 14 tracks on the album 7 are from Levelling The Land and only 3 from Zeitgeist which shows the direction the record company wanted to go with the album.

For all of that though this captures the band at what they do best, standing on a stage playing for a crowd, delivering a heady mix of folk influenced, punk attitude music that never fails to disappoint. I have been fortunate enough to see them a few times, most recently in November 2021 and it was my first gig following lock down and the lifting of all restrictions on gathering. It was a perfect gig to welcome back live music.

I have been fan of the Levellers since 1991 when a friend played me the song One Way and within days I bought the Levelling The Land album which I thought was fantastic (and still do). I saw them live shortly after that and for me it’s the mix of punk and folk that grabbed me, socially and politically aware in their lyrics but also enough personal songs so as not to become lecturing and the music itself, electric and acoustic guitars and great fiddle playing that adds such atmosphere and melody. I know for many they are “marmite” but over 30 years they have become one of my favourite bands and became another route into folk music.

Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers continued a run of impressive commercial success and peaked at number 13 in the UK album charts, not bad for a very non-commercial band.

Album Of The Week - 31/12/2022

Big Country – At The BBC: The Best Of The BBC Recordings

We bring the year to a close with another first this week, the first selection from another of my favourite bands, Big Country, and again, it’s a predominately live recording.

Big Country: At The BCC was originally released in 2013 as a triple CD and DVD release which is now very hard to get hold of but the version I have is a reduced double album version featuring sessions done for John Peel and David Jenson as well as selections from live performances broadcast by the BBC from 1983 to 1989.

I have loved Big Country since 1983 when I first heard the single release of In A Big Country and I was already aware of them due to Stuart Adamson who formed Big Country and who had been pivotal in developing the unique guitar sound of Scottish punk band The Skids. I was very keen on The Skids and was therefore naturally interested to see what Stuart Adamson was going to do with his new band.

As with last week’s band, Big Country, were an excellent live band with the dual guitars of Adamson and fellow band founder, Bruce Watson, creating wonderful riffs and melodies and producing anthems to capture crowds and have them singing along to the choruses.

There was always a real connection between band and audience and Stuart Adamson was always very conversational during their gigs and Big Country always portrayed a sound of love and hope in their songs.

Big Country enjoyed considerable commercial success during the period this collection covers with all 4 of their studio albums hitting the top 10 in the UK album charts.

With their big guitar sound, anthemic atmospheres and socially conscience lyrics they were compared with the likes of U2, The Alarm and the Simple Minds and now they are regarded as one of the iconic new wave or post-punk bands of the era.

Big Country are still performing and consist of founding members Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki and also feature Bruce Watson’s son Jamie on guitars and they are still a good live band.

However, Big Country wouldn’t have existed without Stuart Adamson, a wonderful song writer and outstanding guitarist whose distinctive sound shaped the early Big Country albums and gave them that Celtic feel which would become the signature style.

Sadly, Adamson took his own life in December 2001 after a relapse into alcoholism and he was known to suffer with depression.

His legacy through Big Country lives on and his flame and passion for the band is kept alive by the current line-up.

I have seen Big Country a number of times, especially during their most productive and creative period but I have also seem them twice when they were fronted by Mike Peters from The Alarm. On each occasion they were outstanding and I hope to see the current line up at some stage in the not too distant future.