Album Of The Week 2025 - Archive
Album Of The Week - 04/01/2025
Century Child - Nightwish
To kick off 2025 we have the third of my 18 Nightwish albums to be selected, the album, Century Child being the bands 4th studio album, released in 2002.
By the time this album came out in 2002, Nightwish were already well established on the metal scene and were big selling artists, especially in their native Finland where their previous album, Wishmaster (album of the week 01/07/2023) went to number 1.
As stated previously, Nightwish are a band that helped changed my opinion to metal back in the late 90’s prior to which it was not a genre that held much interest for me. Nightwish introduced me to the dark symphonic side of metal which blends rock guitars with melodic vocals, choral and orchestral effects. The mix, when done right, is powerful, atmospheric, grandiose and is generally very easy to listen to. Like any genre, there are plenty of bands that struggle to get it right but at the top of tree bands like Nightwish, Within Temptation and Epica have managed to gain massive followings and completely capture my attention.
The driving force behind Nightwish is keyboard player and principle songwriter, Toumas Holopainen whose music over the years has really set the template for the symphonic metal genre. With Century Child, I think it’s safe to say with his songwriting and the bands interpretation and influence Nightwish delivered a classic especially with the majestic vocal delivery of Tara Turunen.
The influences of film soundtrack and even musical theatre can be heard on Century Child, especially with some of the big vocal set pieces and its fitting that there is a cover of the Andrew Lloyd Webber penned Phantom Of The Opera. The beautiful ballad Forever Yours also sounds like a song that could easily grace the musical theatre with its heartfelt vocal.
However, this is a metal album with plenty of pounding rhythms, loud rock guitars with a full blown delivery given plenty of room in the mix leaving enough space for the superb vocals.
Century Child saw the debut of bass player and vocalist Marco Hietala with Nightwish and his presence was instant adding an extra dimension to the band, especially with his vocals which give a dramatic metal layer to the overall sound. His contribution has been so important to Nightwish that his absence from their most recent album, Yesterwynde, is evident and weakens the band in my opinion. There are many in the bands following who would love to see him back in the band but as time progresses that is looking unlikely.
Anyway, I digress.
Century Child is a powerhouse of an album and if you are looking to dip into the back catalogue of Nightwish then this a perfect album to dive into.
As per it’s predecessor, Century Child went to number 1 in the Finnish album charts as well as going into the top 5 in Germany and also hitting number 15 in Austria.
Two singles were released from Century Child, one of which, Bless The Child is the album opener and my first selected track.
Album Of The Week - 04/01/2025 - Track 2
The second selection from Century Child is another track from the album that has gained the status as a Nightwish classic.
Slaying The Dreamer see's Nightwish in full metal attack with this song, with a strong rhythm, dark lyric and the first outing from Marco on male vocals.
A dynamic song thats lost none of its impact in the last 23 years.
Album Of The Week - 04/01/2025 - Track 3
The third selection from Century Child is another track that has become a firm live favourite throughout the years.
Ever Dream captures both sides of Nightwish, the quiet ethereal beauty mixed with the powerful, bombastic anthemic rock. Ever Dream went to number 1 in Finland making it their 4th number 1 single in total.
Album Of The Week - 04/01/2025 - Track 4
The penultimate selection from Century Child is the excellent cover of the title track from the stage show Phantom Of The Opera.
The track gives full vent to the vocals of Marco Hietala alongside the soaring operatic virtuosity of Tarja Turenen. The drama and beauty of this song is a perfect fit for Nightwish.
Album Of The Week - 04/01/2025 - Track 5
Closing this week's album is the final track from Century Child, the epic Beauty Of The Beast.
Nightwish are very adept at delivering a symphonic metal opus and at over 10 minutes Beauty Of The Best highlights this perfectly.
With plenty of drama, orchestration and heartfelt vocals this is a grand end to a superb Nightwish album.
Album Of The Week - 11/01/2025
Wingmen - Wingmen
This week’s album is self titled debut, and so far, only release from Wingmen.
The band name comes from the fact that all 4 members are in well known bands in the punk / post punk world but they are not original members of these bands, although they have been part of their parent bands for many years. Wingmen are Baz Warne from the Stranglers (25 years), Leigh Hegarty from Ruts DC (18 years), Paul Gray from the Damned (4 spells over 45 years) and Marty Lowe from Johnny Moped (9 years).
Wingmen came about as a result of the Covid pandemic lockdown when musicians could not play live or meet up with band members to record, rehearse etc.
Initially the idea was conceived by Marty Love who contacted Paul Gray about doing something together then when discussing a guitarist and vocalist Leigh and Baz were contacted.
These 4 then got together online and started recording music at home which over time got put together to form the album we are looking at. Virtually all the music was written and recorded before they got together in person in a studio once the restrictions had started to ease.
There is a lot of punk rock pedigree with these 4 musicians and that shines through with this album and the influences of the Damned and Stranglers are there to be seen. Alongside is some really great guitar playing from Leigh Heggarty, something that has made him such a key member of Ruts DC.
The subject matter is current and relevant on the album, songs about the NHS, online trolls, Brexit, some treated with a fair degree of irony and mirth.
All 4 members had an active part in the songwriting making Wingmen and truly collaborative album. It is a truly punk rock veterans album for punk rock veterans.
Wingmen were snapped up by Cadiz Music who released the album to great acclaim and the band went down so well that a successful tour ensued.
Album Of The Week - 11/01/2025 - Track 2
The second selection from the Wingmen self titled album is the superbly insightful and acerbic Brits.
The song as a very "Damned" feel to it and is about our national pastime of complaining. The song rolls along with a great tempo and a cutting lyric, nothing to complain about here.
Album Of The Week - 11/01/2025 - Track 3
There is a very "Stranglers" feel to my latest selection from Wingmen with Backstage At The Opera.
This is a song attacking those self seeking experts, blessed in the arts of "me, me, me" who spout every conspiracy theory and self serving piece of knowledge to promote their own will and agenda. Basically this is a rant at every selfish stupid sod one has every encountered. Baz's diatribe at the end is beautifully cutting and ironic.
Album Of The Week - 11/01/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from Wingmen is a track that looks at the poor health (pardon the pun) of the NHS and the two tier system that we have in the UK. I Would If I Could is quite a sad reflection on the "have's and "have nots". An insightful track from an album packed with witty and ironic observations.
Album Of The Week - 11/01/2025 - Track 5
To bring Wingmen to a close is the final track on the album, It's Raining All Over England.
This is one of the more reflective tracks on the album and seems to be about someone who manages to escape trouble when its flying around. There is a Kinks feel to this song which shows the versitility of this punk veterans ensomble.
This is a good end to a very worthy album from this band of punk stalwarts.
Album Of The Week - 18/01/2025
Black Celebration – Depeche Mode
This week we look at the first of my 15 albums by Depeche Mode to be selected as my album of the week.
The roots of Depeche Mode go back to 1977 but it was in 1980 that they became Depeche Mode and took the first steps to becoming the massively successful and influential band we know them as today.
My first impressions of Depeche Mode when they started making an impact in the early 1980’s was that they were just another pop band jumping onto the synth bandwagon and I found their music very lightweight. Apart from Gary Numan and Ultravox, most of the synth based acts did little for me and I saw the music as trite and aimed at the teen audience. Musically I thought some of these acts were good musically but lyrically I found them shallow and the whole thing looked too polished. Coming from a background of punk this is not surprising in hindsight.
My opinion started to change when I heard the singles People Are People and Master And Servant. I liked this darker, edgier sound and the band had taken a very different direction following the departure of Vince Clarke.
It wasn’t until the late 1990’s that I actually bought anything by Depeche Mode and this was in the form of a couple of singles compilations and apart from the very early releases I liked what was on offer.
My first original studio album was 2005’s Playing The Angel which I think is a stunning album and from there I went into their back catalogue and found some really good albums.
This brings us to an album which in retrospect has been described as one of the pivotal and inspirational albums within the realms of electronic music. Released in 1986, Black Celebration captured the darker moods of the band as blatantly obvious from the title. The songs look into the darker moods and thoughts of the band with a result of bleak claustrophobia and mania which makes for an immersive listen. The arrangement of the album is key as the tracks flow into each other given an impression of a complete work rather than stand alone individual tracks.
However, there some more lighter, warmer songs on the album to add balance, this album is not completely singular in its approach either lyrically or musically.
The harder, more percussive synths running through the album reminded me of what Gary Numan did with his 1985 album, The Fury, and it could be said that these albums had the foundation for what became the industrial sub-genre of electronic music.
There are some tracks that I am not keen on, as is the case with most of my Depeche Mode albums, these are more ballad type songs where the vocals are done by Martin Gore. Although I like his song writing I have never been keen on his vocals, especially on the slower songs. Obviously this just about my preference and I don’t mean that as any slight, its purely down taste.
I think Depeche Mode have been very good at crossing genre’s with their music and have had an influence in the realms of goth rock, post-punk and alternative music in general and Black Celebration falls well within this cross genre approach.
Black Celebration reached number 4 in the UK album charts making it their highest placed of their 5 studio albums to date. Three single were also released from the album all of which hit the top 30 in the UK.
My first selection from the album is the opening and title track, Black Celebration.
Album Of The Week - 18/01/2025 - Track 2
My second selection from Black Celebration is a track the really delves into the darker side of the album.
Fly On The Window has a percussive bass synth running through it making it very rhythmic and topped with Dave Gahan's superp vocal delivery.
For me, this is what Depeche Mode do best.
Album Of The Week - 18/01/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from Black Celebration is one of the strongest tracks on the album and was actually the lead single from this release.
Stripped reached number 15 in the UK singles chart and showed how Depeche Mode were incorporating industrial influences into their music. With a strong rhythm and a lyric about getting back to basics this one of the real standout tracks on the album.
Album Of The Week - 18/01/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from Black Celebration is one of the warmer songs on the album.
The song has a simple theme of spending time at home with a loved one. In a way I am surprised this was not released as one of the singles from the album although it doesnt quite fit with the mood the Depeche Mode were creating within this release.
Album Of The Week - 18/01/2025 - Track 5
The final selection from this week's album is the closing track on Black Celebration.
There is cutting lyric to New Dress which looks at the irony of the media headlines that focus and influence public attention and opinion. Although written before the days of the internet and social media saturation this song has even more relevance today than it did back in 1986.
Album Of The Week - 25/01/2025
Rattus Norvegicus – The Stranglers
When I was 11 my family moved to an area called St. Budeaux in Plymouth and I became friends with a boy a couple of years older than me. Over the next couple of years this friend, Melvyn, and the late Radio 1 DJ John Peel introduced me some of the great music that was coming out under the banner of the “punk explosion”. Of all this music it was The Stranglers that really grabbed me first and by the time we reached 1978 I had bought their early singles and their Black And White album which I bought as soon as it came out. I then bought Rattus and it was subsequently confiscated by my father for a few months because he did not approve of his 12/13 year old son hearing some of the language (one instance of s**t and one f**k). I was smart enough by now though to keep their second album, No More Heroes, well away from him.
It was already set in my mind that The Stranglers were my favourite band and to this day (as I rapidly approach 60) that is still the case even though my music tastes have moved into other areas besides punk.
It is ironic that although Rattus Norvegicus is regarded as a landmark punk rock album the Stranglers never considered themselves a punk band. Compared to other bands of the day they were older, founder Jet Black was already in his 30’s, the band could actually play and they used keyboards although in time many of their contemporaries would do the same. In fact, the band had been gigging for almost 3 years by the time this album was released and they had honed 2 albums worth of material. Coming from the “pub rock” scene there was a harder edge to the their music and this sometimes abrasive edge was also backed with a perception of menace and an irony that was not always appreciated in the music industry and press. In terms of attitude they very easily fell under the umbrella of punk rock, a genre that by 1978 had started to take numerous different directions and already morphing into post-punk, new wave and goth.
With all the bad press the punk scene was getting it was often hard to separate the music from the image but once that is stripped away, Rattus reveals itself to be a very accomplished album.
It does not contain the same political attack as the debut album from the Clash, released a week before Rattus, or the same head on anger of the Sex Pistols only real album which didn’t not see the light of day for another 6 months. Rattus has a more oblique, observational approach lyrically focusing on volatile relationships, London life, the music industry and male attitudes to women. With the rumbling bass of Jean Jaques Burnel and the layers of keyboards from Dave Greenfield there is depth and power to the music, held together with tight drumming of Jet Black and the scratchy guitars of Hugh Cornwell.
Observations at the time were made that likened the Stranglers to the Doors, the seminal rock band spawned from the acid fuelled psychedelic blues rock of Los Angeles in the mid 1960’s. The comparisons are partially valid especially with the use of Hammond organ that so typified the early Stranglers sound. Ironically, keyboardist Dave Greenfield was not really aware of The Doors at the time and actually took inspiration from Rick Wakeman of progressive rock band Yes, an admission which would spark derision from the anti-prog punks of the day.
It is impossible for me give an unbiased view of Rattus Norvegicus but various music press outlets have gone on to state what an iconic album is has become in how it marked and shaped the development of alternative rock in the late 1970’s.
Rattus Norvegicus hit number 4 in the UK albums chart, a sign of what an exceptional debut album it was as well as the commercial impact punk rock was having. The album produced two singles, one of which, Peaches, went into the top 10 singles chart.
My first selection from the album is the opening track, Sometimes, a song about a volatile relationship.
Album Of The Week - 25/01/2025 - Track 2
My second selection from Rattus Norvegicus is the track that was released as the Stranglers debut single, (Get A) Grip (On Yourself).
The song is about their days as a fledgling band living in a squat and trying to get gigs. The single reached number 44 in the UK singles chart and is still seen a punk classic, 48 years after its release.
Album Of The Week - 25/01/2025 - Track 3
My third selection is one of the most infamous songs in the Stranglers back catalogue, the second single released from Rattus Norvegicus, Peaches.
Peaches is written from the perspective of a leary man ogling over scantily clad women on a beach. There is a real dark humour with the lyrics in the song but it was the lyrics that led to the BBC refusing to play it although an edited version was released for radio play. The song also led to quite a lot of negative press and accusations of sexism and misogyny. Some just didn’t get the irony.
The bass line is one of the most iconic from the era and is instantly recognisable and the song has become a Stranglers classic and a staple part of the live set.
Despite being shunned in some quarters, Peaches reached number 8 in the UK album charts.
Due to the potential controversy of the song, the single was released as a double A-side which also featured Go Buddy Go, one the first songs written by the Stranglers.
Album Of The Week - 25/01/2025 - Track 4
The penultimate selection from this week's album is another of the songs that has gone down as a Stranglers classic. Still loved live, Hanging Around has become a fixture of any Stranglers gig from the moment of the simple Hammond chords and JJ's prowling bass guitar kicks in.
Lyrically the song focuses on people and places familiar to the band in London in the mid Seventies.
Album Of The Week - 25/01/2025 - Track 5
I have always said that the closing track on an album can be the most important as it can make you want to go right back and play the album again. I realised this at an early age due to the final track on Rattus Norvegicus.
Down In The Sewer is far from being a 2 minute punk rant, instead its a 7 minute epic with some superb keyboard solo's which would be more akin to a prog rock track. The song is a true Stranglers classic in which the "sewer" is a metaphor for London and its a song that most fans put in their top 5 all time Stranglers songs.
To this day, it is another early Stranglers song that comes across superbly well live and we get to revel in the power of the song. Although a long track with some brilliant instrumental sections there no self indulgence at all.
Album Of The Week - 01/02/2025
5 Live 01 – The Stranglers
A bit like busses, you wait ages for a Stranglers album of the week and then you get two in succession.
Last week we had their debut from 1977 and this week we move on 24 years to the release of their live album, 5 Live 01.
Released in early 2001, this album was recorded on tour during 2000 with a set that included the live classics but also a good selection from the 1995 About Time album.
By 2000, the Stranglers were a 5 piece outfit which included Baz Warne who had joined the band that year and vocalist Paul Roberts, who along with guitarist John Ellis replaced Hugh Cornwell following his departure in 1990. Ellis left the band in 2000 and this live recording is the first release with Warne on guitar. Baz Warne slotted in perfectly and gelled with the fans immediately and took over lead vocals following the departure of Paul Roberts in 2006.
After 25 years Baz Warne is an integral part of the band and his creativity and impetus led to a commercial resurgence for the Stranglers and one that has seen no signs of waning since.
What is very telling with this live recording is there no songs from the 1997 album Written In Red or the 1998 release Coup De Grace, albums that many Stranglers did not look upon favourably. In hindsight, we have learnt that there was a real lack of unity in the band at this time with Roberts & Ellis directing creativity leading to a diluting of the intrinsic Stranglers sound, especially with Written In Red.
In that regard, 5 Live 01, album marks the start of the Strangles rejuvenation that has since produced 4 very good studio albums and a string of sold out tours, which again highlights what Baz Warne has added to the band and his writing partnership with Stranglers stalwart Jean Jaques Burnel.
Although 5 Live 01 had no commercial impact the recording is outstanding and captures the live feel of the band perfectly. I have seen them live many times and can honestly say that every gig has been nothing short of brilliant.
Unlike some live albums that get edited badly to fit a single disc release, 5 Live 01 is a double album covering the 25 songs of the 2000 live set.
There is not a comprehensive array of recordings online from this album but I will do my best to cover the album fairly during the week.
My first selection is the set opener, 5 Minutes which also contains a snippet to the walk on track, Walzinblack.
Album Of The Week - 01/02/2025 - Track 2
My second selection from this week's album is a song that has slipped under the radar to some degree with the Stranglers.
Taken from their About Time album the song Golden Boy captures the typical and iconic Stranglers sound and has a cutting lyric about the misplaced label of celebrity.
The third selection from 5 Live 01 is another track taken from the About Time album.
Paradise Row is about having the foundations of one's life pulled away and the uncertainty that brings.
There is a lovely keyboard melody from Dave Greenfield in this song that gives it a slightly psychdelic feel, again taping into those Doors references.
Album Of The Week - 01/02/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from 5 Live 01 is the track Genetix.
The song is a rare vocal outing for Dave Greenfield and contains on of the most complex drum sequences that Jet Black came up with during his time with the band.
This recording was recorded later but shows Jet in full flow and is good example of how this song comes across live.
Album Of The Week - 08/02/2025
Meds - Placebo
This week we have the first selection from my 9 albums by UK alternative / post-punk band Placebo with their 2006 release, Meds.
Meds is the fifth studio album from the band and the second one I had bought which was on the strength of their previous album, Sleeping With Ghosts, released in 2003.
Placebo very much passed me by in their earlier years, for some reason, but in 2003 I saw their video to the song The Bitter End and it was one of those occasions when a song can completely capture you. On the back of that I bought Sleeping With Ghosts and was hooked on their energetic post-punk sound, great guitars, a bass not lurking in the background and a vocal style that in ways reminded me of Peter Murphy from Bauhaus.
It’s the vocals of Brian Molka that make Placebo instantly recognisable, backed of course with his insightful lyrics and the superb song writing with the other band members, especially Stefan Olsdal, who with Molka has been a constant member of Placebo since 1994.
The songs are generally of a personal nature tackling themes of mental illness, sexuality, addiction and all of those issues that spring from those topics.
What I have found with Placebo is the sincerity and feeling that is delivered with each song, Molko does not hide anything with his vocal delivery.
For me, Placebo are very easy to listen to, there is plenty of melody and tunefulness to engage with and having a tight rhythm section aids this perfectly. However, there is also tons of intensity making there music completely immersive and engaging regardless of what subjects are being covered.
There are certainly some interesting influences that seep through, certainly elements of Bowie, The Cure and even some of the glam of T-Rex and wrapped up with a very contemporary post-punk mix gives and a captivating sound and feel.
Another striking element of Placebo is the musical directness and I can imagine that most of their output would come across well live. Unfortunately, I have not seen Placebo, on the two occasions they were due to play in Plymouth they cancelled due to illness.
Placebo have enjoyed an impressive and sustained level of commercial success in the UK and the album Meds carried this on.
As well as the typical guitar based songs on Meds there is some good use of keyboards to add layering and variety and overall Meds is full of good songs.
Meds reached number 7 in the UK album charts as well as performing very well across a lot of Europe. The album produced 4 singles, the first of which, Because I Want You, is my first selection this week.
Album Of The Week - 08/02/2025 - Track 2
The second selection from this weeks album is the opening and title track from the release.
Its a shorter track and it sets the tone for the album, as mentioned in my opening yesterday, there is a very powerful lyric on the song.
Meds was the fourth single released from the album and reached number 35 in the UK singles chart.
Album Of The Week - 08/02/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from Meds is the track Broken Promise.
This is probably one of my favourite songs from the album that builds from a quiet piano opening. The song features guest vocals from former REM frontman Michael Stipe which gives the song a lovely layered vocal.
Album Of The Week - 08/02/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from Meds is one of the more gentle, considered tracks on the album.
However, on top of the considered track that is Pierrot The Clown is a dark, powerful lyric about the destructiveness of an abusive relationship.
Album Of The Week - 08/02/2025 - Track 5
The final selection from Meds is the closing track, Running Up That Hill.
In my opinion, covering Kate Bush's music well is incredibly difficult but Placebo have managed it beautifully. What they have done is changed the focus and dynamic of the song and made it a much more vocal song. As a result the song is a stunning finale to this excellent album.
Album Of The Week - 15/02/2025
The Crossing – Big Country
This week go back to the very beginning for one of the most influential, and for a while, successful bands to come from the post-punk array of bands that sprung in the early 1980’s, bands that were bucking the trend of the rush towards synthesisers.
The Crossing is the debut album from the Scottish based band Big Country, a band that had been gathering attention as its founding member, Stuart Adamson, had been a key member in the punk band the Skids, a band that had enjoyed considerable success in the late 70’s.
The Crossing is the first of 8 albums that featured what is regarded as the classic line-up of Big Country but although dubbed a Scottish band, the rhythm section of Tony Butler on bass guitar and Mark Brzezicki are actually English. Their involvement in the band was initially as session musicians due to the fact that Stuart Adamson was struggling to the get the line up he wanted for the band. Rhythm For Hire (Butler & Brzezicki) were brought in for recording sessions to accompany Adamson and fellow founder and guitarist, Bruce Watson. The impact and chemistry of this accidental 4 piece was immediate and very soon new recording session were organised with replacement producer, Steve Lillywhite, who had already worked with up and coming Irish guitar band U2.
The results are there for all to see with The Crossing, an album packed of emotive, anthemic songs, driven by the dual guitars of Adamson and Watson. Extensive use of effects pedals and E-bow gives the album an atmospheric and celtic feel, which tapped into Adamson’s love of Scottish folk music. Nowhere is this more evident than on the song The Storm, a 6 minute epic about the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland. A number of the songs also used effects that gave the guitars a sound similar to bagpipes, but unlike their contemporaries, Runrig, they did not actually record with actual pipes.
The songs on The Crossing are largely of a personal nature but also with an historical slant, which again delves into folk tradition, all of which are encaptured within the overall celtic feel of the music and lyrics that paint very vivid, cinematic landscapes.
The Crossing reached number 3 in the UK album charts, an impressive feat for a debut rock album, and produced 4 singles, the first of which, a re-recorded version of Harvest Home was released 10 months prior to the album release.
Although Big Country’s sound evolved over the years, they will generally be associated with the Scottish celtic sound and style that makes The Crossing such a unique and iconic album.
I have to reitertate here, as in previous reviews of Big Country, I have seen them live many times, including the classic line up and can honestly say that every time they were superb and gave everything.
My first selection is the opening track from the album, In A Big Country, the third single released, reaching number 17 in the UK singles chart. The song is about hope within adversity and has become an iconic song in the Big Country repertoire.
Album Of The Week - 15/02/2025 - Track 2
The second selection from The Crossing is Harvest Home, the single of which was the debut Big Country release.
The version we hear was reworked from earlier sessions and highlights the iconic guitar styles that would become the signature of the band.
The song itself draws on the historical and contemporary periods and looks at the hardships of working life in Scotland, especially in the rural communities.
Album Of The Week - 15/02/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from The Crossing is a song that shows Stuart Adamson's love for folk music.
The Storm is a cinematic and emotic track steeped in Scottish history. Full of atmospheric guitars layered with E-bow effects which paints a picture of wind swept hills and rebellious conflicts on rain soaked nights.
Album Of The Week - 15/02/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from The Crossing is another track that has a very vivid, cinematic lyric.
Probably the darkest song on the album, Lost Patrol, has a brutal, cold lyric that depicts the indifference and callousness of an invading force.
The music itself, again, has some superb guitar and E-bow effects that makes this another tracked layered with atmosphere.
Album Of The Week - 15/02/2025 - Track 5
Its a very strong song that closes The Crossing, but unlike Stuart Adamson's punk roots this is no 2 minute thrash. Instead, Porrohman is just shy of 8 minutes full of dual guitars, strong rhythms and another lyric touching on the under belly of human existence.
The Crossing starts with the hope of In A Big Country but closes with the warning "save us all from love and hope".
In essence its a powerful end to a very powerful debut album from Big Country, an album that came to define the anthemic post punk sounds of the early 1980's.
Album Of The Week - 22/02/2025
Gach Sgeul (Every Story) – Julie Fowlis
We stay rooted in Scotland with this week’s album, the fourth studio album from acclaimed Scottish folk artist, Julie Fowlis.
Julie Fowlis was one of the earliest folk acts I came across when I started taking a greater in the genre. In 2007 I bought her second album, Cuilidh, and was instantly captivated by the tone of her voice and the delivery of her original and traditional songs in the native Gaelic tongue.
Since then I have been a keen follower of her music and I have all 5 of her solo albums plus the album Allt, by Julie alongside husband Éamon Doorley and Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre.
Cach Sgeul is a collection of tradition Scottish folk songs, all delivered in Scottish Gaelic and collectively they capture an air of peace, tradition and Scottish beauty.
As usual with Julie Fowlis, she is accompanied by some big names in the Scottish folk scene, including husband multi-instrumentalist and composer Eamon Doorley, Duncan Chisholm, Capercaille vocalist Karen Matheson and the folk collective RANT fiddles.
Listening to acts like Julie Fowlis, Runrig and other acts that sing in Gaelic, knowing the full meaning of lyrics is not always essential and these ethereal vocals deliver their own atmosphere and meaning. However, I find there is a real poetic beauty to be found in this wonderful language, thankfully, a language that is kept alive in the Celtic nations such as Ireland and Wales and even near me in Cornwall.
Gach Sgeul peaked at number 40 in Scottish album charts and 23 in the independent album charts.
As with all Julie Fowlis releases, Gach Sgeul is released on Machair Records, an independent label run by Fowlis and Doorley as an outlet for their music, giving the whole operation a real homegrown approach.
My first selection is the album opener A Ghaoil, Leig Dhachaigh Gum Mhathair Mi (Love, Let Me Home To My Mother. This is typical of the musical and vocal beauty and grace that Julie Fowlis consistently delivers.
Album Of The Week - 22/02/2025 - Track 2
My second selection from Gach Sgeul is the track An Roghainn Dain Do Eimhir XXII.
This is a song where the lyrics are drawn from a poem called The Choice by Sorley MacLean and set to music by Capercaille founding member, Donald Shaw.
Without having the lyrics to hand, the beauty and grace of the song comes through perfectly.
Album Of The Week - 22/02/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from this week's album is the track that is probably my favourite from the album.
For me, Julie Fowlis is at her very best when delivering the slow ballads and laments and this one, Do Chalum (To Calum) just gushes with Gaelic feeling and beauty.
Album Of The Week - 22/02/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from Gach Sguel is Puirt-À-Beul Set: Fodor Dha Na Gamhna Beaga.
Roughly translated this selection means "mouth music set of tunes". This uptempo tracks shows off the vocal and lyrical dexterity of Julie Fowlis and along with the pipes near the end of the set its gives the song a lovely, light Gaelic feel.
Album Of The Week - 22/02/2025 - Track 5
Closing this week's album is the final track on Gach Sgeul, the ethereal and beuatiful An Ròn / Ann an Caolas Od Odram (The Seal/In The Narrow of Od Odram).
The Seal song is sung from the perspective of a selkie, a shape shifting creature from Celtic mythology who can take the form of a human or seal.
The track is a truly gorgeous end to a fantasic album from Julie Fowlis.
Album Of The Week - 01/03/2025
Hill Of Thieves – Cara Dillon
We remain in the world of folk music with Irish singer/musician Cara Dillon and her fourth studio album, Hill Of Thieves, the first of my 7 Cara Dillon albums to be selected.
Although with deep Irish roots there is also a strong West Country (England) connection now with Cara. Back in 1995 she joined West Country folk group Equation which featured the Lakeman brothers, Seth, Sean and Sam along with Sean’s wife Kathryn Roberts and renowned Yorkshire folk artist Kate Rusby.
When Equation broke up, Cara continued to write and perform with husband Sam Lakeman and she is now a major name in the British folk music scene and do date has released 8 studio albums and 1 live album.
Released in 2009, Hill Of Thieves marked a return to music for Cara and Sam after a break following the birth of their twin sons in 2006 who were born prematurely and whose survival was uncertain at the time.
Musically, Hill Of Thieves was treated as an attempt to return to a more a traditional approach and as such 10 of the 11 tracks on the album are traditional songs with instrumentation lacking drums, bass, electric guitars and vocal backing, as are now often used in contemporary folk music.
This approach gives the whole album a purer folk feel and also allows Cara’s wonderful voice come to the fore which gives the lyrics plenty of space to be heard.
Like last week’s artist, Julie Fowlis, Cara has such a clear and distinctive voice that one can get lost in the vocals without actually worrying about the subject matter of the songs themselves.
From what I can remember, Hill Of Thieves was the first Cara Dillon album I bought after hearing a track on the Radio Two Folk Show. It was also the Lakeman connection that stoked my interest as I was already very keen on Seth Lakeman and his brother Sean’s partnership with Kathryn Roberts. My wife, Julie, and I saw Cara Dillon supporting Seth Lakeman at a gig in Plymouth in 2014 and since then I have kept up with her releases as well as going into the back catalogue.
Hill Of Thieves was a pivotal album for Cara and Sam as it was released on their own label, Charcoal Records following their decision not to renew with Rough Trade. The album peaked at number 69 in the UK album charts and number 7 in the independent charts. The album also gained acclaim at the Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2010 by being named as Album Of The Year.
My first selection from the album is then opening and title track, Hill Of Thieves, the only original song from the release.
Album Of The Week - 01/03/2025 - Track 2
My second selection from Hill Of Thieves is a traditional song thats origin goes back over 200 years.
The Parting Glass is believed to have its roots in Scotland and refers to the final drink before parting following a gathering of hospitality. It has been sung, recorded and referenced throughout the world of folk music but this quietly beautiful version by Cara Dillon is something special.
Album Of The Week - 01/03/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from this week's album is the traditional song False, False.
The earliest record of the song goes back to 1962 and this folk ballad of love and betrayal has been covered by multiple folk artists such as Ruth Notman, Siobhan Miller, Kris Drever and June Tabor. I love this version though by Cara Dillon and her gentle vocal carries a sensitivity and fragilily that really breathes life into this sorrowful song.
Album Of The Week - 01/03/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from Hill Of Thieves is the excellent track P Stands For Paddy (Lament For Johnny).
This is another traditonal song that has been covered countless times but what I like about this version is there is plenty of room for Sam Lakeman's musicianship to come to the fore.
Album Of The Week - 01/03/2025 - Track 5
My final selection from Hill Of Thieves is the closing track on the album, Fil, Fil a Run O.
This is a traditional Irish song which is delivered in the the Gaelic language of the island. It is believed to have originated in the 1700's and is a plea for the mother of a priest to return to the Catholic faith after switching allegiances to the Protestants.
One can see how even back then religious divides played a part in Irish culture.
This is a deeply moving song to close this excellent album from Cara Dillon.
Album Of The Week - 08/03/2025
Eden Roc – Ludovico Einaudi
We remain with the more subtle, gentler side of my collection this week with the 1999 release, Eden Roc from Italian composer/pianist, Ludovico Einaudi, the second of my 12 Einaudi albums to be selected.
Although he trained as a classical composer and spent his early years composing traditional classical pieces he now divides opinion as to whether his solo work can be classed as classical music at all.
As can be heard on Eden Roc and subsequent releases he incorporates other styles and influences into his music but throughout his albums there is a rhythm and tunefulness that makes the music very easy to listen to. Some describe the simplicity of the music as being “minimalist classical” and falls into the same category as the likes of Max Richter, Phillip Glass and even Avro Part. What I find distasteful is the snobbery that comes from some classical “experts” with their disparaging opinions and attitudes regarding Einaudi. Like any other genre of music, classical is a very broad brush incorporating a huge range of approaches and results.
As well as solo works Einaudi has also written music for film and television as the cinematic appeal is evident on this and other of his albums with its subtleness and ability to capture the attention whilst being quiet and understated.
For me, the appeal is how, in my opinion, Einaudi’s music is classical music for contemporary times and the sub-genre of “contemporary classical” is one I have drawn tio in recent years. Contemporary Classical is deemed to be music in the classical style released after 1945.
There is generally a slow, mediative pace to Einaudi’s pieces and there is plenty of that on Eden Roc. The music often has a melancholy to it that appeals greatly especially when the piano is accompanied by strings and electronic effects.
Einaudi is an incredibly successful artist and as I wrote for my Elements review on 12/11/2022, he is someone whose music many will have heard without knowing who he is.
This week’s UK classical artists chart features 8 of his albums and although Eden Roc is not one of them his albums are a constant on the chart.
Eden Roc itself peaked at number 8 in the UK Classical Artists chart and in total, to date, has spent 60 weeks on the chart.
I can easily say this is a good album to experience the wonderful music of this captivating composer.
My first selection is the album opener, Yerevan, a shorter piece named after the capital of Armenia. There is an Eastern feel to this gorgeous piece of music which pulls the listener into the album.
Album Of The Week - 08/03/2025 - Track 2
My second selecion from Eden Roc is the track Un Mondo A Parte (A World Apart)
This piece contains some of the more dramatic moments on the album but also balances this with some more lighter parts, highlighting the diversity of Einaudi's creations.
Album Of The Week - 08/03/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from Eden Roc is of the more well known Einaudi tracks, Nefeli.
The name derives from ancient Greek mythology and means cloud, representing the ethereal beauty and essence of the formations.
Album Of The Week - 08/03/2025 - Track 4
My penultimate selection from Eden Roc is one of my favourite tracks on the album.
At over 5 minutes Giorni Dispari is one of the longer pieces on the album and translates as Odd Days.
Album Of The Week - 08/03/2025 - Track 5
Bringing this week's album to a close is another beautifully melancholic piece.
At 8 minutes, the final track from Eden Roc, Exit is the longest track on the album with its slow, languid piano opening as it then opens to the strings to add layers to this wonderful song.
Its the perfect way to close this devine album from Ludovico Einaudi.
Album Of The Week - 15/03/2025
Night Of A Thousand Candles – The Men They Couldn’t Hang
We pick up the pace a little this week but as has been the case lately we have an album with its roots very much in the world of folk.
The Men They Couldn’t Hang (TMTCH) are a folk punk band that we first delved into in August 2023 with the comeback album Never Born To Follow.
This week we go back to the very beginning for TMTCH with their debut album, Night Of A Thousand Candles. In many ways this is a groundbreaking album in how it has a foot firmly planted in the realms of punk and folk and could be seen as a template for the folk punk bands that followed.
There is a real working class feel to the album and the general approach of the band throughout their albums over the years and it’s the historical context that gives their music a folk appeal.
With Night Of A Thousand Candles there is a rawness and a very “live” feel with singalong choruses and enough acoustic instrumentation to see the obvious influence of the Pogues and it was a reference by Shane McGowen that led to the band name.
Listening to this album in retrospect its interesting to see the roots of the band as it was not until 1996 that I bought my first album by the band after seeing them live on Plymouth Hoe.
Julie and I saw them again live in 2024 on their 40th anniversary tour and what was striking is that the same conviction and integrity is still evident despite the sad loss of founding member Stefan Cush.
As I look back through my albums by TMTCH its on their second album, How Green Is The Valley, that really got into their stride and polished off some of the edges of this release but that’s not in any way diminishing their debut effort.
The album produced two singles including a superb and immotive version of the 1976 folk song The Green Fields Of France which was actually their debut single.
Night Of A Thousand Candles peaked at number 91 in the UK album charts and number 1 in the independent album charts.
My first selection is the album opener, The Day After, a song with a dark, apocalyptic lyric.
My second selection from Night Of A Thousand Candles is a cover of a 1976 folk song but over time its a song that has become engrained as a TMTCH classic.
Green Fields Of France is a moving song about a person addressing the grave of a young man who died in the First World War. It's a very visual and emotional song with one of the best lyrics I have ever heard in an anti-war song.
Album Of The Week - 15/03/2025 - Track 3
My latest selection from this week's album is a track that appeared on the first CD release of Night Of A Thousand Candles.
Greenback Dollar is a cover of a song originally recorded in 1962 by American country/folk singer Hoyt Axton.
The song was released by TMTCH as a non-album single in 1985 then included in future releases of their debut album.
Album Of The Week - 15/03/2025 - Track 4
Today's offering from Night Of A Thousand Candles is a song that to this day is TMTCH favourite.
Ironmasters was the second of the two singles released from the album and tells the story of a workers union standing up the authorities.
The single reached number 1 in the UK indie charts following on the success of their debut single.
Album Of The Week - 15/03/2025 - Track 5
A little later than planned, my final selection from Night Of A Thousand Canldes is the song Scarlet Ribbons.
The song is the final one from the original release of the album and points to the celebration and loss from war. Its a very poignant song to close this excellent debut offer from The Men They Couldn't Hang.
Album Of The Week - 22/03/2025
Someplace Else – ShamRain
There is a change of direction this week as we have my only album by Finnish goth rock band ShamRain.
At the time of coming across this album I was delving a lot into gothic and dark metal and this band came to my attention, via an internet radio broadcast if I remember correctly.
As this is the only album I have by ShamRain I have nothing to compare it to but in itself, there is a melancholic beauty to this album with shades of progressive rock, akin to the direction Anathema were taking at the time. There are also shades of Placebo and comparisons have been made with Radiohead but as I know virtually nothing about them then I cannot comment.
The atmospheres on Someplace Else seem to be influenced by some of the earlier output of The Cure, especially Faith, and its telling that ShamRain have covered the Cure classic Charlotte Sometimes.
The pace of the album is slow, mournful with lots of emphasis on keyboards adding layers of atmosphere to sparse, melodic guitars and clean, well delivered vocals with some well placed ethereal female backing to add to the mix. There is plenty of goth tinged sadness to lose yourself in with the this album.
I have never pursued anything else by ShamRain but I enjoyed this album when I first got it and playing again it now there is plenty to enjoy with its 9 tracks.
Someplace Else, released in 2005, is the second of four full length albums released by ShamRain alongside a few EP’s and although they are showing as an active band there has been no album release since 2011. Also, there official web page has closed down and there is very little activity on their Facebook page.
My first selection is the album opener, Into Nothingness.
Album Of The Week - 22/03/2025 - Track 2
My second selection from Someplace Else is the track To Leave.
This was the song that introduced me to ShamRain and led to me buying this album.
There are shades of the Cure with this beautiful song and was a worthy introduction to the album.
Album Of The Week - 22/03/2025 - Track 3
There is a real feeling of beauty and melancholy with my latest selection from Someplace Else.
Laren U Freht Ona is a lament to a loved one with a song layered with keyboards, piano and cello, a gorgeous piece of music to pull at the heartstrings.
Album Of The Week - 22/03/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 22/03/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 29/03/2025
The Granite Way – Seth Lakeman
We return to my folk collection this week with the most recent studio album from Devon based fold artist Seth Lakeman. Released only a few weeks ago, on the 14th February 25, The Granite Way is the 13th studio album from Seth, the second to be selected as my album of the week from my collection of 16.
Coming from just outside of Plymouth, where I live, in a small village on the edge of Dartmoor, there is a feeling that Seth Lakeman is “one of our own”, a source of local pride. Like his brother, Sean who partners his wife Kathryn Roberts, he still lives locally and is his wife works as a nurse at our local hospital. Plymouth gigs for Seth always seem like homecoming shows and he often comments he only has a few miles go to get back inside his front door after playing at venues in Plymouth.
Much of his music is rooted in West Country folklore and his breakthrough album, Kitty Jay from 2004 drew very much on the influence and stories of Dartmoor, including the title track which has become a firm favourite in his now extensive back catalogue.
The Granite Way, in the same fashion, also draws on West Country stories and folklore and Seth has stated this album very much taps into the same roots and influences of Kitty Jay.
The Kitty Jay album was my first introduction to Seth Lakeman back in 2004 and in my opinion, this new offering is as good as anything he has released over his 23 years as a solo artist.
For me, his best albums have mix of the up tempo foot stompers alongside the emotive ballads that he delivers so well and The Granite Way ticks these boxes perfectly.
You can hear the folk rock influences which have featured on his best albums add the layers of variety, influences that for a while he put aside with the albums Tales From The Barrel House and, to a degree, Ballads Of The Broken Few (album of the week 08/07/2023).
No matter how good his recorded output is, its live that Seth really excels and this album has that live feel with his current touring band of Benji Kirkpatrick, Ben Nichols, Cormac Byrne and Alex Hart all featuring on the album.
I have seen Seth live many times and only a few weeks ago, on the 22nd February, Julie and I saw him play live at Exeter Cathedral as part of The Granite Way tour and it was a superb gig. With the big crowd and the acoustics of such a great venue the new songs from the album came across perfectly.
On delving into this album over the last 6 weeks I would say The Granite Way ranks as one of his best and keeps Seth Lakeman as one of the major in artists in UK folk scene.
As the first UK Folk chart published since the release of The Granite Way the album entered at number 6.
My first selection is typical Seth Lakeman, the up tempo song Louisa, which tells the story of the Lynmouth lifeboat and a daring rescue it carried out in 1899.
Album Of The Week - 29/03/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 29/03/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 29/03/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 29/03/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 05/04/2025
Time – Roseanna Ball
We stay firmly rooted in the world of folk music this week
with another Devon based artist.
Roseanna Ball came to my attention via the now sadly defunct
Folk Blokes TV Folk Show that aired for a couple of years on one of the more
obscure free to air TV channels.
Time is the fourth album from Roseanna Ball, released in
2016 and I must admit that although there are some very good moments on this record,
I have not kept up with her subsequent releases.
That is not taking anything away from Time though as there
is enough on the album for it to capture my attention. With her thoughtful
lyrics, musical ability over an array of instruments and soulful voice there is
plenty to enjoy.
There are hints of Americana within this album and its these
influences that have drawn comparisons with Alanis Morrisette and some of the renowned
American folk artists but as this is not a genre I know much about I cannot
comment.
Roseanna is credited with working with such folk music luminaries
as Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman and Phil Beer.
As mentioned above, Time is the only album I have Roseanna
but after 9 years I think I will take a look at some of her other work.
My first selection is the opening and title track, Time.
Album Of The Week - 05/04/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 05/04/2025 - Track 3
My third selection from Time is one of the more political songs on the album.The song seems to be aimed at the dismantling of the UK coal industry by Margaret Thatchers government in the 1980's and the subsequent social unrest.Down In The Depths is an excellent song with a very powerful lyric, of my favourites from the album.
Album Of The Week - 05/04/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 05/04/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 19/04/2025
30th Anniversary Gathering Live – The Alarm
This week’s album is a live album released by the current line-up of the Alarm to mark their 30th “Gathering” event.
I saw the Alarm about 12 months before this album was recorded and the format was very much the same. The band opened with a number of songs mainly drawn from recent albums and then the second half was a medley of classic Alarm songs.
What you get from this double album release is the drive and energy that still fuels Mike Peters to keep the Alarm alive, relevant and current.
For quite some time now the Alarm has featured James Stephenson on guitar and bass, a stalwart of the punk and alternative scene with bands such as Chelsea, The Cult and Generation X.
On drums is Steve Barnard (Smiley) whose impressive CV includes Robbie Williams, From The Jam and the revival of Joe Strummer with The Mescaleros.
The band now also includes Mike Peters wife, Jules Jones Peters, on keyboards but it’s the passion and blind determination of Mike Peters that keeps the Alarm constantly producing good albums and electric live performances.
All of this is against the backdrop of his battles with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and as a result Peters has been battling cancer for almost 30 years.
The energy and positivity that he brings to this can be heard via his music as well as the work he does for the Love Hope Strength Foundation which helps raise awareness and funds for research as well as encouraging donorship at the gigs.
In 2024 Peters was diagnosed with Richters Syndrome, a more aggressive and malignant form of the cancer and he has undergone revolutionary treatment that has put the cancer into remission although not officially cured.
While in the Christie Hospital, Manchester in early 2025 he continued to write new material for a new Alarm due to be released in June, Transition will mark what he calls his new life in the hope that the worst is now behind him.
Julie and I saw Mike Peters do a solo Alarm set as support to Big Country in late 2024 and his 45 minute set was one of most emotional and uplifting musical events I have ever witnessed.
For me, and many others, Mike Peters is a musical legend and the Alarm holds a special place in my music history and collection. The dedication and support can really be experienced when seeing the Alarm live, always a brilliant band on stage, the love from the crowd audience can be felt when Peters takes his guitar and starts to play.
There is very little quality clips available of this album online but I will try to select live versions that best represent the chosen songs.
My first selection is the song Forward, the title track from their last album, released in 2023, an album largely written while Mike Peters was again in hospital.
Album Of The Week - 19/04/2025 - Track 2
lbum Of The Week - 19/04/2025 - Track 3+
Album Of The Week - 19/04/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 26/04/2025
American History X (Soundtrack) – Anne Dudley
We dip into my soundtrack collection this week with the outstanding score for the powerful and disturbing film, American History X, composed by Anne Dudley.
Anne Dudley, as well as being a composer of multiple films and television productions is also a composer, pianist, keyboard player and was one of the core member of 1980’s synth band, Art Of Noise. Her route into film score composing was similar to many others, such as Hans Zimmer, whose roots were in pop and rock music.
The score to American History X is a brooding score to accompany a film that lifts the lid on white power and far right extremism in California. Although the film was written as a fictional drama the basis was drawn from the experiences of the writer, John McKenna.
The film, as well as being about the bigotry, violence and hatred of a far right group is also one of redemption.
The principal character, played by Edward Norton, is a skinhead in a gang based in Venice, Los Angeles. He is intelligent and articulate but has been blinded by racism and as the story unfolds we see how his views developed and in turn corrupted his younger brother.
While in prison, he see’s the hypocrisy of those who share his beliefs and he is also befriended by a black inmate who shows him a completely different perspective and therein begins the road to his redemption.
All the while, his younger brother is being tutored at school by a teacher who also helps him see the error and inconsistencies in his beliefs.
This film does not have a happy ending and neither should it as the path of bigotry and violence only ends one way.
Ann Dudley’s score to this film captures the drama and intensity but also the moments of hope.
Overall its an excellent soundtrack album and one I can highly recommend.
My first selection is the opening, title track to the album, a track with a wonderful choral section that gives the whole piece a reverential feel.
Album Of The Week - 26/04/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 26/04/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - Update
Today's entry is made with a heavy heart as earlier on Tuesday 29th April the news broke of the passing of Mike Peters.As I wrote only last week, Mike Peters has been battling various forms of blood cancer for 30 years and when initially we were told he was recovering the news of his death comes as a tragic blow.With The Alarm and Big Country he has been a major part of my music life for over 40 years, through epic songs, great albums and wonderful gigs.For of his musical achievements, what struck me about Mike Peters was his integrity and honesty and his complete devotion to everything he got involved in. This is especially true of the Love Hope Strength charity that he founded with his wife Jules and the fantastic work they did for fund raising and raising doner numbers.The word legend is bandied around far too often these days but I can think of nobody more deserving of that title than Mike Peters.Only back in January, did he finish work on what will now be the final Alarm album, Transformation and today, upon his passing this very personal song was posted to mark this very sad loss.
https://www.facebook.com/TheOfficialAlarm/videos/669275545844667
Album Of The Week 26/04/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week 26/04/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 03/05/2025
The Girl Who Couldn’t Fly – Kate Rusby
For the second time in four weeks we return to my folk collection for this week’s album with the second of my, so far, 10 albums from Yorkshire folk artist, Kate Rusby.
The Girl Who Couldn’t Fly, released in 2005, is the 5th studio album to be released by Kate and continued her run of quality albums that mixed traditional songs with her own compositions.
As I wrote in November 2023 for my album “20”, Kate Rusby was one of the artists who drew me into contemporary folk music with her angelic voice and songs of wonderful clarity. I particularly like her line the she “makes folk music for people who don’t like folk music”.
The Girl Who Couldn’t Fly contains an even mix of original and traditional songs and features an impressive array of musicians making up Kate’s band, including such names as Idlewild frontman Roddie Woomble, then husband John McCusker and Kris Drever.
There are a range of moods and themes on the album, from the gently playful to the quiet ballads but for me Kate always excels at the slower, more melancholic songs and its these songs where her voice really captures and captivates.
However, Kate Rusby in recent years has shown she has more than one string to her folky bow with 6 Christmas albums and a very successful album of covers in 2020 taking songs from The Cure, The Kinks, Bob Marley, Coldplay and Cyndi Lauper.
In April 2025, Kate released her first non-seasonal album in 6 years, When They Wouldn’t Look Up, an album yet to be added my collection at the time of writing.
The Girl Who Couldn’t Fly reached number 45 in the UK albums chart but has not featured in the UK folk chart this was only launched in September 2020 and as all of her albums was released on her label, Pure Records.
My first selection from the album is the playful album opener, Game Of All Fours, a song about a roving and deceptive card player.
Album Of The Week - 03/05/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 03/05/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 03/05/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 03/05/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 10/05/2025
Machine Code – MC16
This week we have some classic sounding punk rock from a band who released their debut album, Machine Code, earlier this year.
Although having been around for 5 years, gigging and releasing singles, it has taken some time for the right circumstances to allow Machine Code to see the light of day, and it would be fair to say, it was well worth the wait.
I had been aware of MC16 through coverage on website such as Vive Le Rock and Louder Than Bombs as well as the singles posted online.
It was therefore with some interest that I bought Machine Code and I have been very impressed with their debut offering.
At only 25 minutes, Machine Code is not interested in hanging around as it unloads its 10 short, sharp direct offerings.
The songs are topical and current ranging from the use/abuse of technology, the online world, the spread of information/disinformation, the political landscape and warfare. However, the album feels more like a commentary rather than pulpit preaching, as can be the case with some overtly pollical punk bands.
Musically, the songs are rhythmical yet powerful, plenty of strong rock melodies and some wonderfully infused reggae breaks. This diversity this fusion offers certainly takes one back to the early work of The Clash and the style embraced by The Ruts/Ruts DC. As I have often stated there is a natural and powerful blend when reggae and punk come together and that is one of the strengths of Machine Code.
There is no nostalgia with this album or any harking back to the glory days of punk, instead it’s a vibrant and current album tackling modern day themes within in the context of classic punk.
My first selection is the album opener Shoot Em Up, a commentary on modern conflict.
Album Of The Week - 10/05/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 10/05/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 10/05/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 10/05/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 17/05/2025
Sparkle In The Rain – Simple Minds
This week we take a look at one of the older albums in my collection, the 7th studio album from Simple Minds, Sparkle In The Rain.
Released in 1984, Sparkle In The Rain enjoyed major commercial success and set the band firmly in the realms of rock bands that were producing big anthemic songs with a punk related social conscientiousness. At the time their contemporaries, U2, Big Country and The Alarm were playing to big crowds and bucking the trend of the so called “hair metal” bands that had riffs but little substance. These band proved they could make accessible rock music and still have something say on the topics of the day.
As I wrote for my album of the week Big Music back in 2022, although I was aware of Simple Minds it wasn’t until 1985 with their Once Upon A Time that I really started taking notice of them. I had been listening to U2 for a few years by then and it was their style both musically and lyrically that captured my attention. The big guitar sounds of Charlie Burchill really captured my attention in the same way as Edge had managed to create a style that gave U2 such a distinctive signature sound.
The early, more electronic albums of Simple Minds completely passed me by and although I now have 18 of their albums in my collection I have not ventured into their earlier, more experimental output.
Sparkle In The Rain hit number 1 in the UK album chart, their first to do so and was surely aided by the 3 very strong singles that all went into the top 30 including the first single from the album, Waterfront. It was this single, with its strident and infectious bass line that made me sit up and take notice of the band and to this day it’s a firm live favourite.
Simple Minds have had a myriad of line up changes over the years but their sound has stayed true and clean, driven by the aforementioned Charlie Burchill and frontman Jim Kerr and it is testament to them that they are still playing to big crowds, putting out great albums and still sounding vibrant and relevant.
It is only fitting that my first selection is lead single from the album, Waterfront, which was inspired by the decline in the shipping industry in Glasgow. The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and was seen as a major breakthrough for the band.
Album Of The Week - 17/05/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 17/05/2025 - Track 3
Next up from Sparkle In The Rain is the track Speed Your Love To Me.
This was the second single taken from the album and in my opinion one of the strongest tracks on the album.
Its a song of hope, exuberance and positivity, an anthemic statement and a song that has stood the test of time.
Album Of The Week - 17/05/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 17/05/2025 - Track 5
Update 27/05/2025
Update 27/05/2025
Album Of The Week - Update 29/05/2025
Album Of Week - 31/05/2025
Sleepless Empire – Lacuna Coil
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This week we go back into my metal collection with the third of my nine albums to be selected by Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil with their latest offering Sleepless Empire.
Released in February of this year, Sleepless Empire ended a gap of 6 years between albums following their 2019 release Black Anima, ironically my previous Lacuna Coil album of the week from August 2024.
As I stated the first time I did a Lacuna Coil piece, it took me a while to take to the band back when I was delving into metal but their dual vocals and strong melodies pulled me in and I have kept current with their releases ever since.
It would be fair to say that since the 2009 album Shallow Life, (album of the week in March 2022) the band have been adopting a harder more direct approach and although not ditching gothic metal certainly incorporating other styles. The aggression in the vocal approach of Andrea Ferro has been notable giving a death metal tint alongside the balancing harmonious vocals of Cristina Scabbia.
However, its not just about the vocals, musically Lacuna Coil can pack some punch with the dual guitars adding real power to the strong melodies and its certainly a feature on Sleepless Empire.
From the opening song, The Siege to the close of Never Dawn, it’s a pretty relentless album but with plenty of strong riffs to hang upon and lots of guitar blasts to pummel the senses. Layers of well placed keyboards and ethereal backing vocals add depth and balance as well as the classic “beauty and beast” approach.
Lacuna Coil paint with a broad brush so at no point do the albums get boring and that is their real strength and that is the case with Sleepless Empire. By the bands own admission they were looking for a darker, heavier sound with this album and for me it sounds like a natural progression from Black Anima and 2016’s Delirium.
Sleepless Empire failed to chart in the UK which surprises me but the album did well in their native Italy as well as across Europe.
My first selection from the album is the opener, The Siege, which is excellent song and signposts the album perfectly.
Album Of Week - 31/05/2025 - Track 2
My seceond selection from Sleepless Empire is the third single taken from the album.
Oxygen is song of personal struggle and torment, a powerful song that highlights the tone and direction of the album.
Album Of Week - 31/05/2025 - Track 3
Album Of Week - 31/05/2025 - Track 4
Album Of Week - 31/05/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 07/06/2025
Without The Aid Of A Safety Net (Live) – Big Country
This we week we dip into the 6th Big Country album to be selected from my collection of 24 with the 1994 release, Without The Aid Of Safety Net, their first live album.
After what they stated as two “sludgy” albums, Big Country roared back in 1993 with their album, The Buffalo Skinners and it was a full on guitar driven rock album with power and the typical anthemic songs that they were known for. For me, even to this day it ranks as one of my favourite Big Country albums and one I never to tire of hearing.
To support the album Big Country toured the album extensively in what were a series of gigs that saw the band back to their very best and it’s the live setting that one really gets a true feel for the dynamic of Big Country. I can certainly say that in my time of following them I have always come away from one their gig feeling that they have given literally everything.
Released at the end of the UK dates, Without The Aid Of A Safety Net, is a 14 song edit of the set recorded at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow in December 93 and this original release opens with 5 acoustic songs before it moves into the full electric set. The combination highlights the actually quality of the songs and the enthusiasm from the stage is matched by the very lively crowd.
In 2005 the recording of the full Barrowland gig was released as a double album which features 24 songs in full including the 10 song acoustic “support” section.
This full set album was a very welcome addition to my collection as I consider this live album captures the true essence of Big Country including Stuart Adamson’s easy banter with the crowd. The full set contains 6 songs from The Buffalo Skinners album and the live setting highlights the power of the album tracks.
As well as the album releases there was also a DVD release of the same Barrowland show to offer a complete package to summarise The Buffalo Skinners tour.
The original release of Without The Aid Of A Safety Net reached number 35 in the UK album charts, a good performance for a live band and especially as by now Big Country had passed the peak of their commercial success if not their creative achievement.
The album had mixed reviews with the overall feeling that this was one for the fans only but given they were seen as past their best there seemed to be of little of value from such reviews.
My first selection is the set opener, the acoustic version of Harvest Home.
Album Of The Week - 07/06/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 07/06/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 07/06/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 07/06/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 07/06/2025 - Track 6
Album Of The Week - 14/06/2025
Battlecry – Two Steps From Hell
This week we delve into my soundtrack collection with one of my 4 four albums by composing duo who operated under the name of Two Steps From Hell.
Two Steps From Hell were an American based music production outfit that consisted of Norwegian composer Thomas Bergersen and English composer Nick Pheonix.
In 2006 they joined forces and wrote demo music for film trailers which was then licensed for use across the film industry and over time they wrote thousands of pieces for this purpose. Their music featured in trailers for big budget films such as Harry Potter, Star Trek and Pirates Of The Caribbean, pieces that were often highly dramatic with full orchestration and choirs.
In 2010, after building quite a cult following they made a collection of their demo’s available for public release with their debut album Invincible, a release that attracted much interest and even charted in the Belgian classical album charts.
In 2012 Two Steps From Hell released the album Skyworld which comprised of brand new material specifically for public release and the album we are featuring this week, Battlecry, released in 2015 was their 2nd album written purely for public release.
I first became aware of Two Steps From Hell when I started becoming interested in film score and choral music, especially the dramatic side which is where this project fits perfectly and especially with the Battlecry collection.
Battlecry consists of 26 pieces which have a common thread of the styles described above which delivers over 90 minutes of high impact orchestral and choral music, packed with anthemic, rhythmical segments mixed with more introspective moments for balance.
Although purists would dismiss this as being in any way related to classical music, as some do with film scores in general, Battlecry reached number 1 in the US and Belgian classical music album charts as well as number 44 in the UK independent album chart. This commercial success highlights the accessibility of the music, think of classical music for a rock audience.
In 2017 Two Steps From Hell released Battlecry Anthology, a 2 and a half hour instrumental and orchestral reworking of the original album. For the purposes of this review though I will concentrate on the original 2015 release.
In April of last year Nick Parker and Thomas Bergersen announced they would be pursuing their own solo projects effectively winding up Two Steps From Hell.
My opening selection from the album is the opening track, None Shall Live.
Album Of The Week - 14/06/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 14/06/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 14/06/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 14/06/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 28/06/2025
Wish – The Cure
This week’s album takes back to 1992 with the 9th studio album from The Cure, the fifth of my 16 Cure albums to be selected as my album of the week.
Many of my Cure albums were bought some time after release as I never followed their releases as enthusiastically as some other bands, for me they have never been “must buy on day of release”. As is the case with Wish, it was some time before I added this fine album to my collection.
By the time Wish was released in 1992 The Cure had established themselves as a major band, especially within the realms of alternative and gothic rock but their commercial success indicated a far broader appeal. I think this is largely down to the variety the band offered over the albums and a string of successful singles to back up the albums. The Cure had firmly been labelled as a “goth” band and although I have always been drawn to their more melancholic offerings they are capable of producing more lighter moments and no more is that seen than on Wish.
The previous album, Disintegration, released in 1989 has been regarded by many as one of The Cure’s best albums and it was rooted in gloomy goth they had been labelled with, in a way a kick back against the commercial success the band were enjoying so it was important that Wish did not become a carbon copy of Disintegration. With the mix of styles and approaches on the album and subsequent fact that Wish became The Cure’s first number 1 album in the UK proves that this album was pitched perfectly.
For me, I think it’s a superb collection, driven by Robert Smiths song writing and impassioned vocals and with a good mix of moods to offer a beautifully balanced album. There are tracks on this album such as Open, From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea and Letters To Elise that show me why I first started taking an interest in The Cure in the early 1980’s.
Ironically, Wish also features one of the Cure songs that does very little for me. Although Friday I’m In Love offers us a more whimsical and lighter perspective on the album and as a single it was very successful its one that I cannot say I am keen on. The previous song on the album, Doing The Unstuck, although a lighter offering is in my opinion a far better song but in terms of the balance it does lead well in Friday.
Anyway, the Wish album, as previously stated reached number 1 in the UK albums charts as well as producing two top 10 singles, Friday I’m In Love and the lead single High.
My first selection from the album is the opening track, Open, a superb track that in just under 7 minutes gives us a beautifully, layered goth rock lead into Wish.
Album Of The Week - 28/06/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 28/06/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 28/06/2025 - Track 4
Songs of unrequited love have often been the basis of great songs especially within the realms of gothic rock and today’s selection from Wish is a beautiful example of this.
A Letter To Elise was the third and final single released from Wish and it was my favourite of the three.
Album Of The Week - 28/06/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 05/07/2025
Live At The Apollo – The Stranglers
This week we have the seventh of my 56 Stranglers albums to be selected and the fourth live album to feature as an album of the week.
Live At The Apollo was recorded and released in 2010 and the CD release was alongside a concert DVD which featured the whole gig. The CD is a 17 track edit of the 23 song set list but surprisingly was not released separately in its own right, I feel a trick was missed there by the record company.
The London Apollo gig was the penultimate show in a 16 date Spring tour in 2010 on the back of the Decades Apart release, a 35 track compilation covering the full range of Stranglers releases at the time, from Rattus Norvegicus in 1977 to the Suite XI album in 2006.
By 2010 the Stranglers had reverted to a 4 piece line-up following the departure of Paul Roberts and with 10 years in the band Baz Warne took over vocal duties alongside Jean Jaques Burnel. It was felt by many followers that this line-up had reinvigorated and returned the band to a more classic look and approach.
This was certainly the case with the 2010 tour which had the look of a band in top form hitting the new material and classics with equal vigour and enthusiasm.
For the Decades Apart release the band recorded two new songs, one of which, Retro Rockets was released as a single and included in the setlist for the tour and although the song featured in the DVD recording it did not make the album edit.
I have seen the Stranglers many times over the years and its on stage and its in this setting that one can see how they have honed their craft over thousands of gigs. There is a sense of intensity at a Stranglers gig with the powerful bass, swirling keyboards and tight rhythms with the band getting into long runs of belting, driving songs.
This live album release gives a good impression of the above and for me highlights what a superb frontman Baz Warne became trying to fill what, for some, were the big shoes of Hugh Cornwell.
My first selection from the set is opener, Time To Die, a largely instrumental track with a spoken section based on the iconic closing scene from Blade Runner.
Album Of The Week - 05/07/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 05/07/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 05/07/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 05/07/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week - 12/07/2025
Aerial – Kate Bush
This week we feature the second of my six albums by the enigmatic and iconic singer/musician/songwriter Kate Bush.
It is almost a year since her album, 50 Words For Snow, was my album of the week and that being her most recent album, Aerial is the album that preceded this.
Released in 2005, Aerial is double album with a split theme, similar to 1985’s Hounds Of Love.
Ariel is comprised of the first disc A Sea Of Honey and the second A Sky Of Honey, the first being 7 unrelated songs while the A Sky Of Honey is based on the outdoors experience over a 24 hour period. Some releases have the second disc recorded as a single 42 minute piece whereas the release I have the 9 tracks are separated into individual pieces.
Kate Bush has been known to be highly experimental within her releases while keeping the music accessible with her finely crafted melodies and very unique vocal lines and Aerial keeps that approach front and centre.
What struck me with Aerial, was the variety of styles but for me, the leaning to “prog” was still very much in evidence, something I think was missing from aforementioned 50 Words For Snow.
It is on the second disc of Aerial, A Sky Of Honey, that the work delves more into the experimental with songs following a central theme told over a 24 hour period, songs that are backed with various birdsong as the album progresses through the daily cycle.
Not being an avid follower of Kate Bush, it was some time before Aeriel came into my collection but my wife, Julie, bought it upon release and was very enthused by the album.
As with my general experience of Kate Bush there are some moments that do not resonate with me, especially the more playful or “jazzy” moments but on the same score there are moments of staggering beauty within her music, which makes Aerial such a complete work.
The release of Aerial I have features the former entertainer Rolf Harris on two of the tracks but on a subsequent remastered version released in 2018 his parts have been removed following his conviction for sexual assault, the parts instead being performed by Kate’s son Albert (Bertie) Mackintosh.
Aerial reached number 3 in the UK album charts and was critically acclaimed as another outstanding album from Kate Bush. Given that Arial was Kate’s first new music for 12 years it was testament to her standing that her appeal and ability was able to produce such a well received album.
There was only 1 single released from Aerial, the album opener, King Of The Mountain and this will be my first selection.
Album Of The Week - 12/07/2025 - Track 2
Album Of The Week - 12/07/2025 - Track 3
Album Of The Week - 12/07/2025 - Track 4
Album Of The Week - 12/07/2025 - Track 5
Album Of The Week 19/07/2025
Grains Of Sand – The Mission
This week we have the fourth of my 19 albums by UK rock band The Mission with their 1990 release, Grains Of Sand.
The album is classed as a compilation album but in truth its more a companion piece to their earlier 1990 release, Carved In Sand.
Released in February 1990 Carved In Sand, for many, was regarded as The Mission’s finest work packed with goth rock anthemic classics and as such gained critical and commercial success, in truth, the peak of their commercial success.
As with any album, a band will have surplus songs that are either not quite good enough for the final cut or thematically may not fit. The creative streak of the band was in full evidence with Carved In Sand which in turn led to Grains Of Sand being released later in 1990 to give some of the extra tracks their own space.
Carved In Sand contains 7 original songs, 3 remixes and 2 covers, making it a valid album and in hindsight I wonder if Carved In Sand could have been a double album although would that have diluted the quality of the release, a question I cannot answer.
Of the 7 original songs there are some contenders that could easily be classed as Mission classics with their full on goth rock bombast, continuing the same intensity of the parent album, however the track Mercenary may have needed rethinking. It is a foul mouthed rant aimed at someone who had obviously wronged Wayne Hussey and it seems more than likely that the target of this song is his former bandmate from the Sisters Of Mercy, Andrew Eldritch.
In my opinion, Grains Of Sand is a valid release but with the additional covers and remixes there is a feeling the whole product may seem a little disjointed, as is often the case with compilations.
Given the “completest” nature of the album it is testament to the standing of the Mission at the time that the album reached number 28 in the UK album charts and the only single from the album, Hands Across The Ocean also reached number 28, in the UK singles chart.
It is fitting that my opening selection is the lead track, Hands Across The Ocean, a song that had a lighter feel than the bulk of the songs from the Carved In Sand session.
Album Of The Week 19/07/2025 - Track 2
The Mission have always been able to produce powerful and a cinematic style of anthemic rock, coupled with Wayne Hussey's often cutting lyrics and today's selection falls into that description perfectly.
The Grip Of Disease uses some very descriptive and tortuous lyrics to deliver a stinging song about the trappings of fame and those who are attracted to it for fames sake. As with many Mission songs, the religious referrences give it the goth rock atmosphere and mystery.
Album Of The Week 19/07/2025 - Track 3
My lastest selection from Grains In Sand is another powerful, full on goth rock Mission anthem that would have been very worthy of a place on Carved In Sand.
This song has a lyric full of conflict and angst and it sounds like this is another song about how the former band of Hussey and Adams, the Sisters Of Mercy, fractured in acimony with its frontman, Andrew Eldritch.
Album Of The Week 19/07/2025 - Track 4
Today's selection from Grains Of Sand is one of the 3 remixes on the album, one of which is the song Kingdom Come that was from the 1998 album Children. The original version featured as one of my selections in March 2023 but this mix changes the mood of the song completely. Its a piano led ballad which allows Wayne Hussey's beautiful lyric the space it deserves.
Album Of The Week 19/07/2025 - Track 5
My final selection this week is one of the new songs that didn't make the Carved In Sand album but surely good enough for the final album.
Bird Of Passage was released a b-side to Into The Blue but then was chosen to wrap up Grains Of Sand. Its one of those Mission songs that has beauty and grandeur and is a very fitting way to wrap up this week's selections.
Black Gold – Editors
This week we return to my Editors collection, the fourth of my 9 albums but the first since November 2022 with their release, Violence.
The Editors are a band that caught my attention back in 2005 when their second single, Munich, was getting a lot of attention which led to me buying their debut album, The Back Room. With their mix of indie rock and post-punk they seemed to be drawing from multiple influences that harked back to the early 1980’s with the raft of guitar driven bands that gained popularity at the time, bands that had the independence of punk with a less anarchic delivery. For me Editors reminded me of early U2 and its from that starting point my following of the band started.
I have kept up with their albums every since and it was with some enthusiasm that I greeted Black Gold.
Black Gold is a compilation album released in 2019 and the standard release featured 16 songs of which 13 were taken from their 6 albums to date and 3 new songs written specifically for this release.
A subsequent deluxe release featured a second disc containing 8 acoustic reworkings.
I often get a little sceptical about these sort of albums but with the 3 new songs and the acoustic disc there was care and thought with this release.
Of the 13 songs selected from the back catalogue, all were released as singles but on this album they have not been arranged in chronological order and I actually prefer this as opposed to just a “lift and dump”, again there seems to have been some thought given to the playing order.
Although the songs selected had a commercial slant, having been originally released as singles from their respective albums the 16 songs from the compilation highlights the bands complete comfort within their electronic and rock styles and how they have seamlessly fused these influences.
For the purposes I this review I will concentrate on the main release of the album.
Black Gold opens with a new song, Frankenstein, a song recorded during the sessions with electronic composer Blanck Mass and was subsequently released as a single and as such is my first selection this week.
Going Steady - Buzzcocks
Going Steady is a compilation album that feature’s 8 singles released between 1977 and 1979 and the associated B-sides.
By 1979 the band had gleaned a fair degree of commercial success with a run of singles, a number of which hit the top 40 as well as 3 successful albums.
Going Steady was put together by the record company, United Artists, as a way of introducing the band to America. However, despite some very positive reviews the album failed to make any impact in the US.
In early 1981, the Buzzcocks broke up following an aborted attempt to record a fourth studio album and subsequently Going Steady was re-released as a “best of” compilation, again to very favourable reviews.
For me, Going Steady is a great album as it mixes the dynamism of punk from the late 70’s and the gifted song writing ability of Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle. As a singles band, they were up there with the best of the punk bands of the era. It’s with their albums that I sensed something was slightly missing, even with their classic of the era, Love Bites.
What they did possess was an ear for a great tune and infused with some well placed Northern wit and irony, making them truly British and maybe that was what didn’t quite jell in America.
It would be 14 years before we saw any new material but when they did reform, they came back with the outstanding, Trade Test Transmissions, a complete and glorious return to their best, as covered back in July 2022 as an album of the week.
After all these years of being keen on the band, it is with some excitement that Julie and I will be seeing them as special guests of The Stranglers later this year.
Despite the accolades, Going Steady made no impression on the UK albums chart but to date it still remains a key milestone in their back catalogue.
As this album concentrates on the bands singles there is nothing other song to select first than Ever Fallen In Love, a single that perfectly captured the band at the time, reaching number 12 in the UK singles chart.
The Last Viking – Leaves Eyes
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As per my previous review of a Leaves Eyes album in September 23 (King Of Kings), the band was initially formed as a vehicle for ex-Theatre Of Tragedy vocalist Liv Kristine and her (then) husband, Alex Krull who is also a member of German metal band Atrocity. Leaves Eyes was to all intents and purposes Atrocity playing a mix of gothic and symphonic metal with the captivating voice of Liv Kristine.
By the time The Last Viking was released in 2020 the Leaves Eyes landscape had dramatically changed. Liv Kristine was sacked from the band in 2016, which also coincided with her matrimonial split from Alex Krull and the place on lead vocals had been taken by Finnish singer Elina Siirala who was vocalist with the metal band Angel Nation.
It was hard see Leaves Eyes maintaining their appeal without the iconic Liv Kristine but the first album with Elina, Sign Of The Dragonhead, proved she was an astute replacement. The band also acted quickly to re-record some of the tracks from King Of Kings, the last album with Liv on vocals as well as recording a brand EP to stamp the transition and embed Elina as the new vocalist.
With the 2020 release of The Last Viking, the second full length with Elina, the band sound had fully developed around her. There has been quite a revolving door of musicians within Leaves Eyes with Alex Krull being the constant member and foundation of the band but they have maintained a sound that makes them one the key symphonic metal bands.
With The Last Viking Leave Eyes stay within safe territory and do what they do best, which is very listenable, melodic, powerful metal. The album is packed with strong melodies, plenty of guitars, keyboards that give depth and of course, great vocals. Leaves Eyes also enjoy delving into the realms of Celtic folk and there are a few moments here that give variety while fiting with the subject of the album.
The balance between the death of vocals from Alex Krull and the soprano lead from Elina is spot on. Backing this we have male chants and excellent choral sections which ramps up the drama and makes the whole album a very pleasant experience.
Thematically, Leaves Eyes continue from the previous two albums with the Nordic and Viking elements and The Last Viking is basically a concept album focussing on the Norwegian King Harald III.
There are some very cinematic themes painted with the lyrics but it’s the actual vocal delivery that makes these songs so captivating while painting the historical landscapes.
I have followed Leaves Eyes since their debut, Lovelorn, in 2004 and have enjoyed the development of the band, each album has been good and The Last Viking is no exception.
The album made no impact commercially in the UK but did well across Europe where audiences seem a bit more receptive to this type of music.
My first selection from the album is the first full vocal track on the album, the anthemic Chain Of The Golden Horn.
Live At Celtic Connections 2000 - Runrig
As posted in my summary for The Last Dance in August 24, I have been collecting Runrig albums since 2003 when a passing interest turned into album buying and these albums made a massive impact on me.
Since that time I made a point of collecting all of their studio albums and also as many of their live albums as were available, as has been observed many times, it is live where Runrig really excelled.
This week’s recording, as per the title, was recorded at Runrig’s appearance at the Celtic Connections festival in 2000. The festival, founded in 1994, is a post Christmas collection of concerts, talks and workshops held across Glasgow and features a variety of Celtic arts and music from across the globe. Over the years it has become a major arts event drawing a whole host of artists and performers from across the folk and Celtic sphere.
With regards to Runrig, by 2000, singer/musician Bruce Guthro had been the frontman in the band for 2 years following the departure of the hugely popular Donnie Munro and the previous year Runrig had released their first album with Guthro, In Search Of Angels.
The album was well received and handled the change of lead singer superbly well with songs that continued the signature Runrig sound perfectly many of which went on to become staples of the Runrig live set.
For this performance Runrig took 4 songs from In Search Of Angels which fitted in beautifully with songs from the Donnie Munro era, with Bruce handling the delivery of these classics perfectly.
What we get with this recording is the atmosphere and Celtic beauty that Runrig are so adept with but always aware, they are a rock band and its guitars and keyboards that evoke the broad soundscapes that define the band.
In total there are 14 tracks on this recording including some the band classics and the usual mix of English and Gaelic sung songs.
My first selection is one of the four tracks from In Search Of Angels, the song Big Sky which quickly became a live favourite.
The Triumph Of Ruin – The Howling Void
This week we delve in one of my more obscure albums, one of my, so far, 2 albums by the American act, The Howling Void.
Although operating under a band name, The Howling Void is actually a one man project based in Texas and to date has released 8 albums and a number of EP’s. There is little information published online about the person concerned, only that he is called Ryan and goes by the name of R as a band member. Some of his releases credit other artists but again with scant information. The project is really about the music rather than the personalities involved.
The music itself sits within the category of doom metal and predominantly in the sub-genre of funeral doom. What this means to those not familiar with the nuances of metal sub-genres is that this music is slow, often long songs, drawn out with long deep powerful guitars, layers of synths with spoken or growled vocals. Lyrically the general theme is of doom (surprisingly) either personal or on a more general scale, often with a religious slant, all the while capturing an atmosphere of desperation, hopelessness and crushing sadness.
When its done right, I love this type of music and I have a number of albums that delve into the “doom” side of metal and like all music it can change, evolve and incorporate other styles. With The Howling Void there are moments of progressive and gothic metal which with The Triumph Of Ruin in particular makes for a captivating album.
The Triumph Of Ruin, released in 2016, was my first purchase from The Howling Void. After coming across some basic information online I delved into the album via the excellent Bandcamp. The album grabbed me right away with its beauty and power and my only criticism is that the vocals, which are spoken, are not high enough in the mix. However, that does not detract from what I feel is a superb album.
I am not going to dress this up, this album is no singalong pop music, as the title suggests, but if you have an interest in metal and want to delve into something a little bit different then I can highly recommend this album.
My first selection, from the 6 tracks on offer, is the album opener, Lord Of Barren Fields.
Sweet Evil Sun - Candlemass
We stay firmly within my metal collection this week with the most recent album from Swedish epic doom metal pioneers, Candlemass, with their 2022 release, Sweet Evil Sun, the first of my 6 Candlemass albums to be selected.
Candlemass first came to my attention back in 2005 with their single, Black Dwarf, taken from their self titled album released in that year.
It was at this time that I was really immersing in metal especially within the sub-genres of gothic/doom/symphonic and becoming aware of bands for the first time and in turn I became aware of Candlemass.
What drew me to them was the song Black Dwarf, taken from the album Candlemass, a powerful yet melodic song with instant guitar riffs and the captivating vocals of their enigmatic lead singer, Messiah (Eddie) Marcolin, a big presence within the band with his rock operatic style delivery.
Very quickly I added the album Candlemass to my collection and I have kept up with their albums ever since.
What became apparent very quickly is the quality of the music, despite a revolving door of vocalists and members leaving and rejoining the band including two break ups and reunions. The constant though within Candless is bassist and principle songwriter, Leif Edling, the real driving force of the band and creator of some excellent music.
The album we are focussing on this week is the second released by the band since the return of vocalist Johan Langquist in 2018, the original singer who did the vocals on the iconic debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, the album that in some ways set the template for epic doom metal.
Sweet Evil Sun is typical Candlemass with the slow to mid-tempo pace, repetitive yet melodic powerful guitar riffs, soaring clean vocals and in general, metal music that is very easy on the ear.
The album has 10 tracks and runs for just over 50 minutes with songs generally between 4 and 6 minutes so there is little indulgence but as often with Candlemass there are little nods to prog with some of the quieter breaks. It all adds up to an excellent listen from a band that have been labelled by some as the present day Black Sabbath and the influences of the prototype doom metal band are there to be seen. However, this does not Candlemass copyist in any way and over their career they have become one of the leading doom metal bands.
Commercially the album did well throughout Europe and reached number 19 in the UK rock charts.
My first selection from Sweet Evil Sun is the album opener, Wizard Of The Vortex.
As You Were – Show Of Hands
This week we return to my folk collection with the third selection from my 32 albums by Devon based folk duo Show Of Hands, the first selection from them in over 3 years.
Back at the turn of the early 2000’s Show Of Hands were one of the key acts that led to me getting more interested in folk based music after previously being introduced to folk based music via the Levellers.
In 2003 I bought my first Show Of Hands album, the studio recording, Country Life, and this was closely followed by Julie and I seeing them live at the Barbican Theatre in Plymouth. From this point we have both been avid followers of the band, seeing them live many times including 3 times on their farewell tour. The tour finale at Exeter Cathedral was one we will never forget, for its setting, set and poignancy of the event.
With an impressive back catalogue of recorded material, it is in the live setting that the warmth of Show Of Hands really comes to life, combining the excellent song writing of Steve Knightley, the instrumental genius of Phil Beer and the bass/vocals of long time collaborator Miranda Sykes. What you got with Show Of Hands live is a friendly and often amusing banter between Steve, Phil and the audience with some song background, anecdotes as well as their excellent musical delivery.
This week’s album, As You Were, was recorded during their Autumn tour in 2004 on the back of the Country Life album and their instrumental release, The Path, an album written about the beauty and splendour of the South West Coast Path.
During the tour, every gig was recorded and from these recordings the album was compiled. So what we get is the full feel of the tour with a 22 song setlist comprising of crowd favourites, traditional songs and covers which add variety to the set. This was the first tour to feature Miranda Sykes who went on to become regarded as the third member of Show Of Hands and although there were tours as a duo she became a valued part of the band right up to their end on 2024.
The song contents range from the personal to the political but every song is delivered with care, thought and sometimes with healthy doses of irony or scorn. However, there is a deep appreciation of roots with Show Of Hands, both musically and geographically with lots of references to the South West of England, which makes the music feel very personal having spent my entire life in the South West.
Show Of Hands has released some excellent live albums over the years and As You Were is up there with the best of them.
My first selection is the album opener, Longdog, a song about poaching but also the term “longdogs” is used to identify the Show Of Hands fanbase.
So, Who’s Paranoid
We return to my album of the week after a 1 week break with the first of my 11 Damned albums to be selected, the 2008 release, So, Who’s Paranoid.
The Damned are a band that, in my opinion, have always been very much on the same musical trajectory as The Stranglers.
They were one of the pioneers of the early punk sound from the mid Seventies but as punk evolved they incorporated other styles and influences and for the Damned they became a band that leaned heavily into gothic rock with shades of psychedelic and prog. For a genre that initially sneered at musicianship, The Damned showed moments of true musical ability but with the astute irony and humour that laced many of their finest songs.
Like many bands, there has been a revolving door of members but singer David Lett (Dave Vanian), guitarist Ray Burns (Captain Sensible), bassist Paul Gray and keyboardist Laurence Burrow (Monty Oxymoron) have been staples of the band over many years. It is the 30 year presence of Oxymoron that has certainly enhanced the psychedelic influences which have helped shape the band sound, like his name, psychedelic and punk being a prime oxymoron.
In 2023 the band saw the return of drummer Chris Millar (Rat Scabies) and given the previous acrimony this was a major turnaround which saw the band return to their 1980’s line up, a line up that produced some of the most iconic and groundbreaking Damned albums.
Going back to 2008 though, we saw the release of So, Who’s Paranoid, the bands 10th studio album and one that ended a 7 year gap between albums, following on from 2001’s outstanding release Grave Disorder.
The album was very much in keeping with the bands 80’s sound, drawing on the goth rock and tinges of psychedelic but still maintaining the defining Damned punk sound that make this a very definable Damned album.
I have always been drawn to the more “gothic” sound of the Damned and their 1995 release Phantasmagoria remains one of my favourite albums of theirs and therefore So, Who’s Paranoid really hit a chord with me upon release.
So, Who’s Paranoid was met with mixed reviews but the positive comments very much mirrored my own conclusions of the album.
For me, its very easy for bands with a long history to become nostalgic and formulaic but I have never found that with the Damned and in conclusion I think this album rates among the best the band have released. A fine album from a fine band.
So, Who’s Paranoid made no impression on the UK album chart but did hit number 32 in the independent album chart. The album featured 2 singles, one of which, Little Miss Disaster, was released 3 years before the album.
My first selection is opening track, A Nation Fit For Heroes.
Todays selection from So, Who's Paranoid has that classic Damned punk feel to it.
The up-tempo Danger To Yourself is a song about the privileged adrenaline thrill seekers who have impressive bank balances but challenged IQs, delivered with the Damned irony and humour.
Black & White 050505 – Simple Minds
This week we have the third of my 18 Simple Minds albums to be selected, the 2005 studio album Black & White 050505.
Although I have been following the band for 40 years, since their groundbreaking Once Upon A Time album, I have never been one to rush out and buy their albums on day of release and that was the case with Black & White 050505.
Therefore, it was with some surprise that when I did get the album I was instantly hit with what a great release it was.
In some ways, it should have been no surprise but after their previous two albums, Neon Lights and Cry had pretty much passed me by, Black & White reminded me of what I like best about the Simple Minds.
Throughout the album, we have the big anthemic songs, great emphasis on the guitars and keyboards, layers of atmosphere, the grandiose stadium rock topped off with Jim Kerr’s emotive vocals. It is a style that has come to symbolise the band as I commented on back in 2022 when their Big Music album was selected as an album of the week. In essence Black & White 050505 takes the band back firmly into their new wave, electronic rock roots.
The album features the creative core duo of Jim Kerr and Charlie Birchill alongside long time drummer Mel Gaynor and the usual revolving door of guest musicians but it is without doubt a “typical” Simple Minds album.
Whether the album would have won new fans is debatable but it certainly satisfied a lot of the existing, and still sizeable fan base, a fan base that to this day allows the band to sell out big tours playing to packed stadiums and arenas. It was certainly the case with me that it ignited my interest in the band and since the release of Black & White their subsequent albums have hit my collection much sooner.
Commercially, Black & White 050505, performed much better than their previous two albums with it hitting number 37 in the UK album charts and producing 3 standard release singles although only the lead single, Home, charted.
The reviews for the album were very positive with the general feeling that it was a return to form and its an opinion I cannot argue with though not discounting the merits of there previous releases that I mentioned earlier.
To clarify, inclusion of the 050505 in the album title is that it was the date the recording was completed and if was felt it would make the title more interesting.
As mentioned above, the song Home was the lead single and it’s a song which I rate as one of my all time favourite Simple Minds songs and as such, is my first selection from the album.
Real Life – Simple Minds
This week we stay with the Simple Minds as we have the fourth of my now 19 Simple Minds albums (following the addition of Live In The City Of Diamonds yesterday) to be selected with the 1991 album, Real Life.
Released a little under 2 years after their monumental album, Street Fighting Years, Real Life had a lot to live up to and given some of the reviews at the time, the album did not quite hit the heights of its esteemed predecessor.
Personally, I liked the album and its one that I actually bought soon after release as I had been staggered by how good the Street Fighting Years album was and to this day it would rate as one of my all time favourite albums.
As per last week’s album, the core trio of the band was Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, Mel Gaynor and joined a number of guest musicians but this was the first Simple Minds albums without founder member Mick MacNeil.
The Street Fighting Years album saw the band move away from the big stadium rock sound and although it still full of anthemic songs the style incorporated more celtic folk influences while there was a strong political and social slant.
With Real Life we saw a more radio friendly approach with a return to a more rock based sound while keeping some of the previous album’s influences. Lyrically the album felt more personal and introspective and with the backing female vocals some of the songs had a soulful or even gospel feel.
For me, Real Life seemed like it was tyring to merge the styles of Once Upon A Time and Street Fighting Years while moving the sound on and not falling into the trap of reinventing two incredible successful albums. In that respect I think the Simple Minds produced a good album that bridged the previous albums which saw a return to a more rock based sound with what followed with 1995’s Good News From The Next World.
All that being said, I liked Real Life upon release and still rate the album as a strong Simple Minds release.
Real Life hit number 2 in the UK album charts and produced 4 singles, all of which hit the top 40.
My first selection from the album is opening and title track, Real Life, the fourth single taken. It’s a powerful song with a very gritty, narrative lyric, a classic sounding Simple Minds song to kick off this collection.
Darkest White - Tristania
Darkest White, released in 2013 is the seventh and final full length studio album from a band that was instrumental in establishing the genre of gothic metal along with fellow Norwegians Theatre Of Tragedy.
Although there was quite a fluid lineup to the band, through their time they never lost that key Tristania sound that incorporated multiple vocal styles from female soprano, male death growls and clean vocals backed with the powerful, melodic guitars and synths. The band maintained the creative force of Einar Moen and Anders Hilde which certainly kept the spirit of the band true right through their 7 albums while the incorporation of Green Carnation vocalist Kjetil Nordhus added an extra dimension.
Darkest While was the second album to feature female vocals of Mariangela Demurtas who had seamlessly replaced Vibeke Stene following the release of the 2007’s Illumination album (album of the week 29/10/2022) so this album has a very settled and confident feel to it.
Subsequently Tristania delivered a very strong album with Darkest White which was very well received critically especially with its three pronged vocal approach.
I like the variation on the album and although true to their gothic metal roots they delve into the realms of doom/death adding to the layers of substance and versatility. There is some real dark driving metal on this album to compliment the melodic interludes.
At the time of release in 2013 I am sure the band did not know this would be their final album but Darkest White is a very good release to close the recording career of one the pioneering bands of the “beauty and the beast” style of gothic metal.
Tristania continued to play live after the album but following a tour cancellation in 2022 due to health reasons the band announced their cessation and in the intervening 3 years there been no mention of this changing.
My first selection is the album opener Number, a song that opens with shades of black/death metal indicating the variety the band are looking to deliver on the album.
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