The Pleasures of the Royal Courts (1976)

Sometimes you have to break the old patterns - leave everything and start a new life somewhere else, singing loud in the grocery store or listen to music from the Middle Ages and to top it all, write a blog post about it.

Classical music has never been my thing, I've done tame attempts to learn to appreciate it, but have always failed. With "classical music" I reflexively mean music from the 1600s onwards - Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi and the other guys. But you go back even further, the 11-, 12- and 1300s, well, then it suddenly becomes interesting. Medieval music. Music of knights. Music of thieves(?).

Perhaps it is that it's often simpler music than the rather complex orchestral pieces that were created later. Fewer instruments. Not a bunch of different parallel parts. Not an orchestra with 50 members. The simple suits me better. Moreover, there are quite cool instruments, different kinds of flutes and horns, small portable organs, simple drums, harp. And some vocals on that.

David Munrow, director

I really know nothing about the epoch from a musical point of view. The companies who released these kind of LPs probably knew that, as the back of the covers are filled with facts. If you have the energy to read it. Personally, I read it quite absentmindedly while I appreciate the music.

On this particular LP, The Early Music Consort of London plays, and the director is David Munrow, apparently a legendary figure in the niche. He tragically committed suicide the same year this album was released. On the album, there is early music from, amongst others, Spain, Italy, Germany and Burgundy, from the 12s to the 1500s. When this record is spinning on the turntable I disappear from the living room and find myself sitting by a long table in an old castle, eating wild boar with a sword, ready to be swung. And that you also often find these kind of albums for $ 1 doesn't make things worse.


Tracklist

Side A
1. The Courtly Art Of The Trouveres: 7:26
(A) Rondeau, Tant con je vivrai
(B) La sexte real estampie
(C) Ductia
(D) Quant je voy YVER
(E) Fines amouretes ai
(F) Souvent souspire mon the speaks
2. The Burgundian Court Of Philip The Good 9:31
(A) Lower Dance, Falling con misuras
(B) Ballade, Entre vous noviaux Maries
(C) Chanson, Vergine Bella
3. The German Court Of Emperor Maximilian 7:19
(A) Isbruck, ich muss dich lassen
(B) SpanyolerTancz And Hopper Dancz
(C) Nun wollt ih horen neue March '

Side B
1 The Italian Music of the Medici Court 10:17
(A) O fallace speranza
(B) Tua volsi esser semper mai
(C) E quando andarete al monte
(D) Zorzi
(E) Pavana into passe e mezzo
(F) de la saltarello Pavana
(G) La Manfrolina
(H) El Pomo de lo Pomaro
(I) La Rocha electricity Fuso
(J) Non e tempo
2. The Spanish Courts In The Early 16th Century 11:00
(A) primera y segunda Recercadas
(B) La tricotea Samartun
(C) Diferenciassobre 'La Dama le demanda'
(D) Rodrigo Martine
(E) Ay triste que vengo
(F) Pase electricity Agoa ma Julieta

Blondie - "Parallel Lines" (1978)

For a long time I was suspicious towards Blondie. All I'd heard was Heart Of Glass, sure, a cool song that found its way into my childhood through a dance competition at a disco where my brother won it, but still a relatively commercial disco song that the musically conscious Markus couldn't quite accept as a member in the collection. Blondie was a band that created commercial pop that amused the masses. Nothing for the connoisseur. This idea lingered on until quite recently. I was of course wrong, as so often when it comes to ideas about music you never actually heard. Blondie created, at least on Parallel Lines, really nice stuff. And yes, I have come to understand that music that speaks to the masses can actually be pretty good.

Of course, Blondie is the name of the band and not the singer, as I and so many others have believed. The singer is Debbie Harry.

When I first listened to this album I realized that I actually knew one other song with the band, One Way Or Another, was one of many hits from the album. I was only six years old when it was released, so obviously it is this song together with Heart Of Glass which have been best transferred to later generations.

The Australian Mike Chapman has produced the album and he has described that Blondie was the worst band he's ever worked with in terms of musical knowledge / performance. He urged several members to focus on songwriting instead of playing. But thanks to studio technique (I guess) I don't notice this. The atmosphere in the studio wasn't the best either, since none of the band members really liked each other, according to Chapman, besides Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of course, who were a couple.

Anyway, the record contains a string of pearls. It's usually described as a pop / new wave album, and I think you can clearly hear traces of punk in several of the songs. Heart Of Glass is not a representative song of the album, as it is quite alone in its disco sound. Half of the songs were released as singles, but my favorites are among those who wasn't - the more evocative and calm Fade Away And Radiate and the Bowie smelling Pretty Baby.

In general an up-tempo, cocaine-soaked, record with many qualitative songs. Debbie and Chris Stein got a few years later so severe drug problems that they more or less lost everything they owned, according to what I read on the reliable source internet. But in 1978, life was still pretty fun.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Hanging On The Telephone 2:17
2. One Way Or Another 3:31
3. Picture This 2:53
4. Fade Away And Radiate 3:57
5. Pretty Baby 3:16
6. Know Bur I Do not Know 3:53

Side B
1. 11:59 3:19
2. Will Anything Happen? 2:55
3. Sunday Girl 3:01
4. Heart Of Glass 3:54
5. I'm Gonna Love You Too 2:03
6. Just Go Away 3:21

Talking Heads - "True Stories" (1986)

A soundtrack, one would think, to David Byrne's film of the same name. But it's not, it's the Talking Heads version of the songs from the film. In the film they were sung by the actors. David Byrne apparently regretted this album, he felt that the songs should be performed by the actors and noone else, but the financiers of the film thought differently.

And as Byrne, I'm not completely satisfied with True Stories either. The band began to see the end of its existence, the relations between the members had been better, something that perhaps was reflected in the band's production the last years. Generally the album feels rather superficial, I guess the songs are quite OK, but they make no deeper foot prints and have never done. I got the album in my teens, and even in those more (musically) uncritical years it was no favorite of mine. It's a pretty fast-paced and energetic album, almost rocky, and it's easy to sing along to the songs if that's your fablesse. One of the band's biggest hits is found on the LP, Wild Wild Life. But I don't know, even if you hear it's Talking Heads, clear echoes from earlier works are heard, it feels pretty uninspired. According to my sources (yes, internet), much of the music was created from previous leftovers.

I like the last three, more quieter songs, the best. They are those which awaken some feelings. So, True Stories - no need in the collection, Talking Heads had done much better and more interesting albums earlier. The most interesting thing with the LP is perhaps, in a way, the song Radio Head, which named another band.

And I have not seen the film. Maybe I should do that, almost 30 years after its creation.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Love For Sale 4:30
2. Puzzlin' Evidence 5:32
3. Hey Now 3:42
4. Papa Legba 5:54

Side B
1. Wild Wild Life 3:39
2. Radio Head 3:14
3. Dream Operator 4:39
4. People Like Us 4:26
5. City Of Dreams 5:06

Kate & Anna McGarrigle (1975)

Why not continue on the theme of artists from Montreal? The sisters Kate & Anna McGarrigle were born in Montreal but grew up in the village of Saint Sauveur des Monts, a short distance away. In my world they are well-known, probably thanks to two of their albums that existed in my parents' record collection during my childhood (albums that are now in my record collection). But fact is surprisingly many Montrealers don't know about them. It never stops to surprise me. But perhaps a big city like Montreal offers so many different artists having existed over the years, so it's easy to be forgotten.

The eponymous debut album was released in 1975. At that time the sisters had sung together since the first half of the 60s. The fact is that Kate was studying engineering at McGill University in Montreal in the 60's, where my wife is now working. Oh yes. Anna studied at art school, also in Montreal. They began performing together and sang their own songs, and continued to sing together until Kate's death in 2010.

The sisters sang mostly in English but on their records there are always a few songs in French as well (they've done one album with only French songs). On the debut album the B-side opens with my old favorite Complainte Pour Ste-Catherine which is in French.

The album is generally quite acclaimed, Allmusic gives it for example 5 stars. But the sisters never became particularly commercially successful or got high spots in the charts. Perhaps the folk niche is a little too small. Personally I think it's an OK album, with some highs and some lows. Their most famous song, Heart Like A Wheel, which many other artists have done covers of, is very beautiful and sad. The mentioned Complainte Pour Ste-Catherine is also really groovy, Swimming Song is another favorite, a funny song. But there are some more boring numbers which pass through my ears without wanting to stay. Many skillful and famous musicians play on the album, but the focus is undoubtedly on the sisters' singing.

Finally, a bit of gossip. There is a connection between the artist in my last post, Leonard Cohen, and today's, in addition to both descending from Montreal. Kate McGarrigle is the mother of the artist Rufus Wainwright. Leonard Cohen has a daughter named Lorca Cohen. Lorca and Rufus have a child together. In other words, Leonard Cohen and Kate McGarrigle were related, in a way. Since Rufus is gay this arrangement got a little more attention than normal.

Kate & Anna McGarrigle's debut album can be recommended if you like folk. The sound is fairly basic, and their vocals are not hidden behind any sound walls. Which is good and bad. Don't get me wrong, they sing really well and the harmonies are beautiful, but sometimes I miss a slightly larger soundscape and fuller production. But that's just me.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Kiss And Say Goodbye 2:47
2. My Town 2:57
3. Blues In D 2:43
4. Heart Like A Wheel 3:08
5. You Foolish 3:02
6. (Talk To Me Of) Mendocino 3:08

Side B
1. Complainte Pour Ste-Catherine 2:48
2. Tell My Sister 3:37
3. Swimming Song 2:26
4. Jigsaw Puzzle Of Life 2:29
5. Go Leave 3:19
6. Travellin' On For Jesus 2:42

Leonard Cohen - "Songs From A Room" (1969)

One of my new hometown Montreal's pride is, of course, Leonard Cohen. He actually lived not so far from where I live, and still has his old apartment, according to local sources. Perhaps I have even passed by the apartment, or even himself, without being aware of it. Apparently he lives much of the year in California, according to the same sources, but still spends some time in his old hometown. It would be interesting to exchange a few words with him, for me anyway, maybe not for him. But I'm (perhaps fortunately) too much of a coward to dare to approach him, if I would see him. A cowardice we can rephrase to "respect for the privacy of others".

Songs From A Room was Cohen's second album. It has a relatively spartan sound compared to the debut album and later creations, which is also reflected in the minimalist cover. Apparently some of Cohen's friends criticized him for, what they believed, the over production of the first album (an opinion I don't share). So producer Bob Johnston saw it as his task to protect Cohen's song ideas from too many influences from surrounding musicians. The album was recorded in Nashville. In fact, Cohen began the recording in Hollywood the previous year with David Crosby as producer, something that obviously didn't work out.

The album opens with the classic Bird On A Wire, one of Cohen's best-known and most loved songs. It is followed by Story Of Isaac which has the biblical story of Isaac, whom God commanded to kill his son, as its theme. Cohen has said that it's a protest song against the Vietnam War that was going on at this time. My personal favorite is The Partisan, which is a cover of the French song La Complainte du Partisan, especially the French-singing female choir is beautiful.

Cohen lived for some years in the 60s on the Greek island of Hydra together with his then girlfriend, the Norweigan girl Marianne Ihlen. She was a great inspiration to Cohen, for example the classic So Long Marianne from the debut album is about her. Marianne is the woman who appears on the back of the cover, a photo from their room on Hydra. Bird On A Wire was also written on Hydra, inspired by birds that were sitting on the newly drawn telephone lines on the island.

Cohen is considered to be one of the singer songwriters who has had the greatest impact in the domain of popular music, along with Dylan and Paul Simon. He is more or less a living legend today. Songs From A Room is hard not to like. But sure, I wouldn't mind a bit more "produced" sound, after a while it can feel a little monotonous, maybe a little boring, with the sparse arrangements the album offers. Cohen began his artistic career as a poet and writer, so you can with a good conscience focus on the lyrics instead, if you find the melodies a bit dreary after a while.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Bird On A Wire 3:26
2. Story Of Isaac 3:35
3. A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes 3:12
4. The Partisan 3:26
5. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy 3:39

Side B
1. The Old Revolution 4:46
2. The Butcher 3:17
3. You Know Who I Am 3:28
4. Lady Midnight 2:56
5. Tonight I Will Be Fine 3:47

KISS - "Hotter Than Hell" (1974)

Listening to this album is like hearing an echo from my childhood. KISS was my older brother's favorites the years before adolescence, which means the band is one of my first musical memories. I remember when my brother and three of his friends painted themselves and dressed up like the idols, grabbed their wooden fake guitars, rigged the "drum kit" on the ping-pong table, invited the neighborhood kids and mimed to KISS. The highlight was when the drummer took a few handfuls of 1-cent-a-piece candy and threw out over the audience. Personally, I had a broken camera and pretended to be a journalist to the band's chagrin. When they pretended to kick me off the stage my mom sreamed angrily from the stairs to "let Markus be!" which of course disturbed the concert experience.

Hotter Than Hell was the band's second album and was released only a half a year after the debut album. This was before KISS became the commercial product machine they later turned into, in my eyes they were still primarily a rock n'roll band in 1974. And overall it's a pretty good album. My old favorite songs Parasite, Goin' Blind, Comin' Home and Strange Ways are mixed with some not as good.

The album was recorded in Los Angeles with the same producers as on the first album. The band, where all the members were from New York, didn't like Los Angeles. And they seem not entirely happy with the finished result as they have in interviews been reluctant if they used the right producers. The idea was to capture and reproduce the band's heaviness and energy from live shows, but the question is whether they succeeded. And to add difficulties, the label Casablanca no longer had a contract with Warner Bros. regarding distribution, which thereby became problematic. As a consequence the album didn't sell as well as the people involved had hoped. 1977 it was awarded with a gold record, though, after 500,000 copies sold.

Of my four favorite songs no less than three are written by Ace (with the help of Paul on Comin' Home). However, he hadn't the self-confidence at the time to sing himself, and instead let the other band members do this. But he was a good songwriter, and of the members later simultaneously released solo albums, his is reagarded as the best by most people.

Over the years, Paul and especially Gene, have been regarded as "the bad guys", mainly concerning their treatment of Peter and Ace and their clear focus on the commercialization of the band with millions of products. Peter and Ace have often been seen as the heroes. At the same time, Peter and Ace had during many years relatively severe drug problems which affected their behavior and priorities, and they were certainly quite difficult to handle. In an interview Gene mentions, for example, how they had to be quick to record Aces parts early in the day before he passed out. So there are probably several angles concerning this part of the KISStory...

Hotter Than Hell is a pretty good album, and was created by a band that was still primarily a band. If you like to Glam / Rockn'roll / Metal from the 70's chances are you'll like this record. It's not as heavy as Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath from the same time, many of KISS' fans were children, so it's both lighter and more accessible, and sure enough, a little more superficial.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Got To Choose 3:54
2. Parasite 3:01
3. Goin' Blind 3:36
4. Hotter Than Hell 3:31
5. Let Me Go, Rock And Roll 2:14

Side B
1. All The Way 3:18
2. Watchin' You 3:43
3. Mainline 3:50
4. Comin' Home 2:37
5. Strange Ways 3:18

Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood - "Did You Ever?" (1971)

Nancy and Lee did many great songs together, but some of what they did could also be a bit cheesy and too much of a jokey country & western. On this album they treat you with quite a lot of the later, but fortunately enough the album also contains a few really cool creations.

This was the duo's second, and last, album together. Lee lived by this time in Sweden and three years had passed since the pair's first album.

In general I like Lee's solo albums better as they don't have the same glossy surface. But on side A you fortunately get the epic duet Arkansas Coal (Suite) where the couple goes a little more outside the box and offers a tragic story with death and a drama in the mines, in which Nancy is the daughter and Lee the father. This track is a nice break of the general smiley athmosphere on the album, with a different sound and structure and airier soundscapes.

Side B opens with the equally tragic Down From Dover sung by Dolly Parton in the original version. I've noticed that many people seem to like Parton's version better, personally I'm so used to hearing Nancy and Lee sing it, so I like this version best. The true highlight of the B-side is the song Big Red Balloon. A really cool song which is humorous without getting too humurous. Perhaps the highlight of the whole album.

Maybe Lee's departure in his big red balloon from his nagging wife was a mirror image of the reality. This was anyway Nancy and Lee's last album together. The album's last song Got It Together Again is interesting and a bit funny. A large part of it is a conversation between the couple, which in any case sounds like a pretty spontaneous and unrehearsed dialogue, where Nancy amongst other things wishes they could do to another album together. We also get to know that Lee is 42 years old and has two childdren. The song ends with Lee asking if Nancy is done and if he can go back to Sweden now, before he finishes with a Swedish "Hej då!" ("Goodbye!"),

The album was released the year after in the US, then named "Lee and Nancy Again" and with a different song order.

Tracklist

Side A
1. Did You Ever?
2. Toe tippy
3. Back On The Road
4. Arkansas Coal (Suite)
5. Congratulations

Side B
1. Down From Dover
2. Train Friendship
3. Paris Summer
4. Big Red Balloon
5. Got It Together Again

Sly & The Family Stone - "Stand!" (1969)

In 1969 they could make music. At least on the basis of Stand! which contains classics like the title track, I Want To Take You Higher, Sing A Simple Song, Everyday People and You Can Make It If You Try. A number of songs on one and the same album an artist could proudly present after a lifelong career.

This album was more difficult than you might expect to find. In Sweden I was looking a long time in various used record stores without success, it wasn't until last summer's relocation to Montreal I found it here instead. This was Sly & The Family Stone's fourth album and it's considered by many, including several of the band members, to be their career's peak. The band consisted at the time of the siblings Sylvester (Sly), Freddie and Rose Stone and a number of their friends. They are considered to be the first major American band with a mixed gender and ethnic setup.

It's really not much to argue about when it comes to the album, OK, the songs Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey and Sex Machine are not really to my taste, a little bit too much of lengthy jams. But otherwise it's impossible to criticize the album. It's funky, souly, energetic and danceable. The melodies are really irresistible. Another groovy album for the musically and politically aware party. Music that in any case makes me happy and urges me to move my body (to my children's wild protests. Hey, I dance really cool!!!).

A few years later, the band released the album There's A Riot Goin' On, which is also really good. But in 1969 it started to go downhill on a personal level for many of the band members, especially Sly himself. Although the Stone siblings came from a church background, an intensive abuse of various drugs, mainly cocaine (and PCP, according to Wikipedia), started. Sly is said to have constantly carried around a violin case filled with drugs. This meant that the production rate was slowed down, the band missed gigs or interrupted them earlier than planned etc. Sly became increasingly difficult to deal with and he's had a rather troubled life until today. This also affected the relationships within the band in a negative way, and band members began after a while to be replaced.

But of this you notice nothing on Stand!. Definitely a recommendation. A classic.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Stand! 3:08
2. Do not Call Me Nigger, Whitey 5:58
3. Somebody's Watching You 3:20
4. Sing A Simple Song 3:56

Side B
1. Everyday People 2:21
2. Sex Machine 13:34
3. You Can Make It If You Try 3:37

Bakverk 80 (1979)

In his early teens, my brother was a punk rocker, and so a number of LPs with the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Crass and others found their way into our parental home. And Bakverk 80. An album where three different Swedish punk bands contribute - KSMB, Travolta Kids and Incest Brothers. Of these, the first mentioned band became the most famous, and their later album Rika Barn Leka Bäst many hold as one of the best Swedish albums ever made. But now it was 1979, and all three bands were at the beginnings of their careers. The label MNW recorded and released the album.

A few words on the title. Bakverk 80 means Pastry 80 or Cake 80. This is a play with the word Stålverk 80, which means Steelworks 80. This was a grand industrial project in northern Sweden that never became reality,

I will brag a little about my cousin Stefan, he was the lead singer and bassist of Incest Brothers, which means he is the family's celebrity. He then continued his musical career in the band Trekant and later Köttgrottorna, yes, the legendary Swedish punk band. That of course means that I can't be objective when I judge the contributions of Incest Brothers on the album, I can't do anything but to praise these songs. Blood is thicker than objective facts.

Personally, I have never been into punk rock, although as younger I enjoyed some of the Sex Pistols songs (I like The Clash, however, but have never felt that they belong to the punk genre). Therefore, Bakverk 80 isn't  really my bag. But it's an interesting historical document. They seem to be so angry. Angry at the system. Angry at the politicians. Angry at the average Joe. Angry at everything. It's fairly aggressive music, as punk rock usually is, I guess. It's also very politically aware. Although the punks distanced themselves from the Swedish progg (I think), which was a leftish political music genre in the 70s, very critical of the system, I see a lot of similarities. Both genres are extremly critical of the political system and the passivation of the population. There are also clear influences from the political left in the texts on Bakverk 80. So really, it's just the musical frame that's different. A bit simpler, more direct, more aggressive and shorter songs. But the message and the views are the same.

Incest Brothers' songs are the best. But someone else might think Travolta Kids' songs are the most interesting. That someone might notice a bit more melodic music, more interesting song ideas and a band that maybe was a little ahead of their companions in the art of songwriting. Perhaps he would like the song Titta På Den Här and even say it's the best song on the album? I don't agree of course. Incest Brothers rules.

Bakverk 80 is perhaps not an album I will play very often, I find punk rock too loud, too noisy and too angry. But the album is fun as a historical document. And since my cousin is involved, it will never leave my record collection.


Tracklist

Side A

KSMB
1. Bohman 2:19
2. ABAB 2:02
3. Hårding 1:52
4. Militärlåten 1:14
5. Förortsbarn 2:07
6. Jag Vill Dö 2:13
7. MUF 1:58

Travolta Kids
8. Sune 2:37
9. Tryck På Knappen 1:36
10. Tunnbrödsrulle 2:07

Side B

Travolta Kids
1. Nick Carter 1:38
2. Bli Polis 1:47
3. Bill Å Bull 1:27
4. Titta På Den Här 1:53

Incest Brothers
5. Lördagspunk 1:22
6. Discofnask 2:53
7. Oskyldig 1:56
8. Pubertetsproblem 2:19
9. Svensson 1:54
10. Arbetslös 2:10

Talking Heads - "Little Creatures" (1985)

I've had this album since my early teens, so it has been there a long time. Talking Heads is one of the bands that I generally appreciate more as an adult than as a teenager. Usually it's the opposite, the music I listened to in my teens is more difficult to listen as an adult. Maybe I wasn't quite ready for Talking Heads and their not always uncomplicated creations as the younger version of myself.

However, to Little Creatures I relate in much of the same way now as I did 30 years ago. Maybe it's because the record is one of the more accessible the band created. Gone are the sound walls from Remain in Light, no dark neurosis à la Fear of Music. Little Creatures is more of a pop album, yes, almost a party album. Indeed, next time I have a party, I will play this record, it's going to work just fine. And people will dance.

The sound is a return to the more simple production from the band's early albums. Yes, some songs could find a spot at 77, their first album. It's airy - bass, drums and guitar are in the center with various additional instruments here and there. But these never dominate, and as mentioned, we are far from the sound of e.g. Remain in Light. But fear not, as usual it sounds very much Talking Heads even though the record is quite different than the previous ones. The big difference is that there is quite happy and accesible music at Little Creatures. Where are all neurotic vibes? And this even though David Byrne has more or less written all music single handed. Maybe he was unusually happy.

This does not make Little Creatures a bad record. It's a good album with some Talking Heads classics as icing on the cake, I of course think of the opening and closing tracks - And She Was and Road To Nowhere. And She Was is a real pop gem that makes me think of REM's song Stand, and Road To Nowhere is one of my favorite songs with Talking Heads. In between those we are treated to a mixed bag where my highlight is Walk It Down while Television Man could perhaps be a little shorter. We should be thankful that Talking Heads avoided being lured into the typical 80's production. The sound of Little Creatures is timeless and it could have been produced today. It's nice with an album from the 80's that sounds good.

This is the record with Talking Heads that has sold most, so apprently it was of the taste of quite a few (a couple of millions). I have understood, though, that some hard core fans regard this album as the beginning of the downfall for Talking Heads. I don't agree. Sure, to be Talking Heads it's an unusually happy and easygoing album, but it's still a lot more challenging than Like A Virgin, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go or Take On Me that were also played in 1985. Little Creatures, qualitative new wave pop for the savvy music lover.

Tracklist

Side A
1. And She Was 3:36
2. Give Me Back My Name 3:20
3. Creatures Of Love 4:12
4. The Lady Don't Mind 4:03
5. Perfect World 4:26

Side B
1. Stay Up Late 3:51
2. Walk It Down 4:42
3. Television Man 6:10
4. Road To Nowhere 4:19

Pink Floyd - "The Wall" (1979)

When I listen to The Wall I understand why it has never been one of my favorite albums with Pink Floyd. It's a two-minded, almost schizophrenic, experience to take part of this creation. You've got these beautiful harmonies, but with an obsessive insistence a minor chord always finds its way into the song and darkens it. Take a song like Mother, The Thin Ice, or really any song on the album - a beautiful melody but with a text that is sad, depressive and often aggressive. The hit Another Brick in the Wall has a really catchy chorus, where the bass and the guitar create a really nice groove. But then there are those children's voices that sing about the school's oppression ...

So it continues the whole album through. Now, there are many fine records with lyrics that have sad themes, but what colors The Wall is Roger Waters often aggressive, accusatory and desperate voice. It's not subtle, sad songs, it's pitch-dark anguish.

It strikes me how different The Wall is compared to everything Pink Floyd had previously created, yet it sounds very much Pink Floyd. Contradictory, yes, but true. We are far from Dark Side Of The Moon or Wish You Were Here, I guess the closest in sound is Animals. But The Wall is more desperate, harder, darker, more bombastic and lack songs that are over 5 minutes long. If Animals is a bitter reflection on our society, The Wall is Waters' self-therapy.

However, one can hear traces of Pink Floyd's earlier works. Take the druggy introduction to Empty Spaces, which could have been on a record like Wish You Were Here or why not More. Or the song Is There Anybody Out There? which I never liked, but that is far beyond what we usually describe as music. And when I hear the extremely bombastic Bring The Boys Back Home I come to think of Atom Heart Mother, with its choirs and orchestral arrangements.

The album was released in 1979, the film had its premiere in 1982 where the music to some extent is different (different mixes, Bob Geldof sings on some songs, etc.). The story in brief is a rock star's growing isolation from the outside world and his mental collapse. My new hometown Montreal has a part in The Wall. It was at a concert in this city that Roger Waters spat a person in the audience in the face, an event that was almost traumatic for Waters and got him thinking on his and the band's increasing isolation from their fans.

Many argue that The Wall is a solo album by Roger Waters, which there is some truth in. Gilmour is co-author of only three songs, and keyboardist Richard Wright quit the group during the recording (but was hired as a musician during the tour).

The Wall is described as a rock opera. I choose to call it a musical, and just like that it belongs to the same genre as Sound Of Music and Jesus Christ Superstar. As a musical (or rock opera), it has a lot of theatrical elements that lower the experience for me. I don't know if it's music I listen to, or a play I experience. I find it hard to distinguish between the film and the album. Is the album a soundtrack to the film, or was the film created on the basis of the album? I'm really two-minded about this album.


Tracklist

Side A
1. In The Flesh?
2. The Thin Ice
3. Another Brick in the Wall Part 1
4. The Happiest Days Of Our Lives
5. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2
6. Mother

Side B
1. Goodbye Blue Sky
2. Empty Space
3. Young Lust
4. One Of My Turns
5. Don't Leave Me Now
6. Another Brick in the Wall Part 3
7. Goodbye World Cruel World

Side C
1. Hey You
2. Is There Anybody Out There?
3. Nobody Home
4. Vera
5. Bring The Boys Back Home
6. Comfortably Numb

Side D
1. The Show Must Go On
2. In The Flesh
3. Run Like Hell
4. Waiting For The Worms
5. Stop
6. The Trial
7. Outside The Wall

Kytäjä - "II" (2013)

My move to Montreal has meant that I've had to study French intensively during the spring, therefore the blog has been quite for a while. With the completion of the studies, life can now return to normal. To compensate for the absence, I'll today focus on a really groovy album from the Finnish deep and ancient forests.

I bought Kytäjä's album on chance, at some internet store's vinyl sale. The description of the music sounded cool, but the band I didn't know at all. It rested quite a long time in my shelf before I finally gave it a chance. I must honestly say that my expectations were not that high, music from Finland is not one of my areas of expertise, and I'm a bit suspicious of the Finnish people's gloomy mood.

But imagine my surprise when I listened to it. It's a really, really cool album, far from a depressive Finnish existence in a strange black and white movie. Definitions are difficult, and Kytäjäs music isn't easy to sort into any genre. A little bit of prog, some ambient, kind of a jazzy feeling (sometimes), some world music, it's relaxed, it's beautiful, it's interesting, it's instrumental (except for a song sung in Finnish) and it's damn good. Currently one of my favorite records. Somewhere on the net it's defined as eclectic prog. What do I know. The final song Horizon Painters is anyway a nice tribute to Brian Eno, the time before his journeys into ambient (think Here Come the Warm Jets). I think.

Kytäjä is / was a Finnish duo consisting of Jamo Alho and Janne Lastumäk, the band's name is the name of the village where they spent their teenage years. At the album, which is their second, they've got a bunch of fellow musicians. In addition to the traditional drums, guitar and bass you'll get flute and oboe, amongst other instruments. The record is really good throughout, the only weak track according to me, is the one with song, Song To The Sea. Perhaps it is my inexperience in hearing songs in Finnish that plays a part in this. Generally it is quite airy arrangement with much room left to move in, which is pleasant to the ears.

Anyway, Kytäjas second album can be warmly recommended to all. It gives life a pretty relaxed atmosphere, while at the same time inviting to focused listening thanks to its high quality and interesting arrangements.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Sailing Stones / Vaeltavat Kivet 2:34
2. Time and Tide Wait For No One / Päivi Kuluu, Varjo Venyy 4:02
3. 65 Knots / 65 Solmua 2:58
4. August Dove / Elokuun Kyyhkyset 3:36
5. Under The Sails / Purjeiden All 4:25
6. Sandy Island / Sandy Island 4:25

Side B
1. Fishermen / Kalastajat 3:39
2. Song To The Sea / Laulu Merelle 4:59
3. Indian Paths / Intiaanimatkat 4:42
4. Moon Shines, Dead Rides / Kuu Paistaa, Kuollut Ajaa 3:02
5. Horizon Painters / Taivaanrannan Maalarit 5:33

Pink Floyd - "The Endless River" (2014)

Now that the worst hype has died down around Pink Floyd's latest, and last, album, maybe it's time to take a look at it. Did it fullfill the expectations?

Personally, I didn't really have any expectations. The two preceding albums - A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994) - were no more than OK and it would be much to ask that they suddenly, 20 years later, would create a masterpiece à la their 70's creations .

The Endless River is described by the two remaining band members, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, as a tribute / swan song for keyboardist Richard Wright, who died in 2008. The foundation of the album are leftovers from the recording of The Division Bell, in this case different synth loops / chords played by Wright. Approximately 20 hours of material, that they have listened through and picked out the goodies. Then adding guitars, bass, drums, etc., thus creating new songs. The album is instrumental except the last song Louder Than Words.

The album has a spacious, friendly and soft sound. Roger Waters' bitter reflections are long gone. However, the music is quite featureless and sometimes even a bit characterless. A song like Shine On You Crazy Diamond could perhaps be compared in its sound with some of the music on The Endless River, with the difference that the former has a much clearer idea and focus. One reason is surely that The Endless River is (almost) completely instrumental, songs without vocals require a higher degree of shape and form to not flow out as background music, as the music of The Endless River tend to do.

I'll also admit that I instinctively am skeptical of recording leftover material, something inside me says it probably was a reason they chose not to use it, from the start. In this case, though, I primarely experience it as a nice gesture towards Wright, to actually let his music get a last chance to reach out to the listeners. I have always regarded Wright as Pink Floyd's George Harrison, he didn't write many songs, but the ones he did were often really, really good. But still, this is left over material they chose not to use in 1994.

That Wright is somehow the main character on this record and the knowledge that this is Pink Floyd's last album colors it with a certain sadness. Isn't it sad to think that the institution Pink Floyd now has created its last works? It's a band that has been around for many years of our lives. The realization that everything has an end is sad sometimes. This arouses feelings in me because I myself have just moved from Sweden, left friends, job and family and the grief this means. Something that I am reminded of by The Endless River. And that I get older. I'm not so young anymore as when I discovered Pink Floyd and explored their various albums in the music room at the city library in Uppsala, Sweden. Those days are gone.

Overall, an OK album, but no more. The music has a tendency to become too much of background music and it's in periods hard to stay focused, if you don't actually choose to let it be background music, of course. The songs probably need a bit more of a distinct character to appeal to me more. But still, it has its place in the collection, as it is the last Pink Floyd will ever release (according to Gilmour). Personal favorite is Anisina.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Things Left Unsaid 4:24
2. It's What We Do 6:21
3. Ebb And Flow 1:50

Side B
1. Sum 4:49
2. Skin 2:37
3. Unsung 1:06
4. Anisina 3:15

Side C
1. The Lost Art Of Conversation 1:43
2. On Noodle Street 1:42
3. Night Light 1:42
4. Allons-Y (1) 1:56
5. Autumn '68 1:35
6. Allons-Y (2) 1:35
7. Talkin 'Hawkin' 3:25

Side D
1. Calling 3:38
2. Eyes to Pearls 1:51
3. Surfacing 2:46
4. Louder Than Words 6:32

Alt J - "An Awesome Wave" (2012)

Time to leave my recent theme with lightly dressed women and passable music. Today's theme is a really groovy album which currently is played a lot in my home, a new favorite in the collection. Alt J is a British bands and An Awesome Wave was their debut album.

I got the band recommended by a neighbour who also handed me the album (on CD) for a few weeks loan. The experience was so positive that I made sure to get the LP as a Christmas gift this year. Alt J is described as an indie rock band, or an alternative band. That might be the case, I don't really know how to sound to earn a label like that. But in any case it's music with a twist. Not least because the singer Joe Newman has a somewhat odd voice.

I hear a lot of progressive influences on the album. For example, the a capella following the intro. It is like hearing Gentle Giant in the 2010s. I really like this a cappella even though allmusic.com seems to hate it. Sometimes the music is described as art rock, but I experience that genre often as a bit more "difficult" than Alt J. Although there are many songs that are quite different from normal commercial radio songs on An Awesome Wave, they are far from difficult. Quite the opposite, I find the LP very welcoming, bright and friendly. Alt J seems to be a laid back and relaxed bunch of dudes, not difficult and depressed suicide candidates. When one enters An Awesome Wave, you enter into a nice dreamy but mostly uptempo world.

Alt J has managed the feat to create an album that is high quality and interesting throughout, and it's easy to sit and listen to it without getting bored. If Kate Bush was a man, and a member of a rock band, I think it could sound like this.

Can be mentioned that the drummer Thom Green has an 80% deafness due to a genetic desease he's suffering from. At any time he faces total deafness, I read in an interview with him. And if someone is wondering, it's the Ganges delta on the cover.

I absolutely recommend the album, both to those who only listen to the commercial radio and to those who claim they are musical connoisseurs of a higher rank. An Awesome Wave is an album I think everyone can appreciate.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Intro
2. Interlude
3. Tesselate
4. Breezeblocks
5. Interlude
6. Something Good
7. Dissolve Me

Side B
1. Matilda
2. MS
3. Fitzpleasure
4. Interlude
5. Bloodflood
6. Taro

Playboy Record Artists (1977)

Let me say right away that this is trash. And not in the way as a music genre. Sure, it's a matter of taste what music you like, and maybe someone gets upset when I call this album trash. But I do it again. It's trash.

So why do I have it in my collection? Guess once. Right. I thought it would be cool to own an album from the label Playboy Records. Especially as it has the Playboy Bunny in the "O". And because I thought the label was cool, I had a hope that the music would be just as cool. But I was wrong. That the record also cost about 3 dollars of course facilitated the purchase (as usual).

Playboy Records was of course linked to Hugh Hefner's empire, but nowhere near as successful as his other products. The artists they had on the label wasn't particularly popular, the music they focused on - soft rock ballads and country & western - wasn't particularly popular. And just as written on this blog one expects maybe something more challenging and provoking from an album that Playboy released. But no, instead many record buyers probably, just like me, became quite disappointed in the content. The most challenging with this LP is coping to listen to it straight through. Not one naked woman in sight.

The music on the album is - yes! - soft rock ballads and country & western. None of these genres is a favorite of mine, and I find actually not a single good song on the album (OK, the song Runaway is listenable, originally sung by Del Shannon in 1961). The artists are also completely unfamiliar to me - Barbi Benton, Mickey Gilley, Charlie Kulis and so on. And that same names appear on many songs I guess shows that the width of artists was probably not that great.

But still, I think it's a bit fun with an album from Playboy Records, so I'll probably keep it. It's only released in Sweden which, as a Swede, also makes me want to keep it. Got to support you home country. Playboy Records doesn't exist anymore, anyone surprised?


Tracklist

Side A
1. Barbi Brenton - Is not That Just The Way (That Life Goes Down) 2:55
2. Mickey Gilley - Bring It Home To Me 2:20
3. Current - Classica's Love Song (Part I) 3:06
4. Wynn Stewart - Lonely Rain 2:45
5. Hamilton, Joe Frank & Dennison -Don't Fight The Hands (That Need You) 3:05
6. Mickey Gilley & Barbi Benton - Let's Sing A Song Together 2:08

Side B
1. Mickey Gilley & Barbi Benton - Role You Like A Wheel 2:09
2. Barbi Benton - The Teddy Bear Song 2:54
3. Hamilton, Joe Frank & Dennison - Now That I've Got You 3:38
4. Charlie Kulis - Runaway 2:48
5. Mickey Gilley - Honky Tonk Wine 2:30
6. Debbie Campbell - Please Tell Him That I Said Hello 3:11

Exitos Del Verano ("Summer Hits") (1976)

This morning it was -17 C. At night there will be -32. January darkness. We need to brighten ourselves with the sun, beaches and lightly dressed girls. Maybe life will be a little easier then. Or not. Looking at my last post, a new trend can be seen - LP covers as substitutes for porn magazines (or websites). Perhaps I should have a blog solely dedicated to such covers? It would certainly increase the number of readers.

I found this album in a second hand shop in Uppsala, Sweden, and I bought it only because I thought the cover felt quite bizarre. The price was around 3 USD which of course made the purchase easier. If you open the fold-out cover you'll find a number of vacation pictures from Spain with information on where they were taken, mostly Baleares and Costa Brava. This made me think this was some kind of promotional LP for Spain, perhaps issued by the Spanish tourism authority. Therefore it felt quite strange to see a couple of almost naked girls on the cover. But it was released in 1976 and I thought perhaps it was entirely appropriate and politically correct that authorities at the time did things like that.

I don't still think the Spanish tourism authority released this album, instead the hot girls of course are put there to attract buyers. Which obviously worked in my case. Why there are photos from Spanish tourist resorts on the inside I don't know, maybe the authorities sponsored the album. Exitos Del Verano seems to be a series of albums with covers of hits, many with album covers in the same style as today's. Why change a winning formula?

The music? There are a number of covers, summer hits if you should believe the cover, where my home country Sweden is represented by ABBA and the song Fernando. Most songs can be put in the trash can, but some nice tracks can be found. Fly Robin Fly by the German band Silver Convention is cool and groovy 70s disco (number 1 on a number of lists 1975). And I like the powerful Tornero by the Italian band I Santo California from 1974. The B-side's opening track La Ramona is also enjoyable, maybe not good, but funny. I don't know this song, and it is difficult to find information about it online. The only thing I manage to find is that a comedian by the name of Fernando Esteso had a hit with a song by that name, so maybe it's that one.

Again, these are covers, which generally doesn't sound as good as the originals. This is true also for this LP. I therefore see no reason to buy this album for the music, it's better to acquire the original songs. The only reason to buy the album would be for the cover, I suppose. But personally, I of course appreciate the record for its songs, just as I like the articles in Playboy.

Imagine my surprise when I noticed that it was sold on ebay for around 50 USD. Which brings me a lot of releif as I can also argue that this is a financial investment, which apparently has paid off quite well.

The Youtube links below are to the original songs, I didn't find this record's cover versions.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Bye, Bye Fraulein 4:04
2. Fly Robin Fly 5:32
3. Volare 2:49
4. Echame A Mi La Culpa 3:35
5. Save Your Kisses for Me 3:54
6. Quiero 2:50

Side B
1. La Romana 3:36
2. Viva America 3:55
3. Tornero 4:09
4. Paloma Blanca 3:16
5. Fernando 4:12
6. Abrazame 3:45