FAIRPORT CONVENTION
CHRONICLES
2005-ISLAND
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. Time Will Show The Wiser
2. If (Stomp)
3. Chelsea Morning
4. Reno, Nevada
5. She Moves Through The Fair
6. Fotheringay
7. Tale In Hard Time
8. Meet On The Ledge
9. Cajun Woman
10. A Sailor’s Life
11. Si Tu Dois Partir
12. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
13. The Ballad Of Easy Rider
14. Come All Ye
15. Matty Groves
16. Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood
1. Tam Lin
2. Farewell, Farewell
3. The Flowers Of The Forest
4. Poor Will And The Jolly Hangman
5. Sloth
6. Walk Awhile
7.Now Be Thankful
8. Sir Patrick Spens
9. The Bonny Black Hare
10. John Lee
11. Rosie
12. Tokyo
13. Bring ‘Em Down
14. Down In The Flood (Live)
15. Dirty Linen (Live)
16. Rising For The Moon
17. White Dress
18. Stranger To Himself
Fairport Convention has been going at it for going on 50 years now, but the focus of this collection is their peak period between 1968 and 1976. Acknowledged as the first British folk rock band, Fairport gave us both Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny, and a slew of breathtakingly amazing material. During this eight year period, Fairport released 11 albums, including the classics Unhalfbricking and Liege & Lief. (This album should not be confused with an early compilation of the same name released during the 1970’s.) And, despite an ever changing lineup (there were 18 different members by 1972 alone), their output remained consistently great.
This is the best of that period, and should be considered essential for anyone not wanting to dig up the individual albums. The selections are all well chosen, so there isn’t a single weak track: but you’ll be won over by “A Sailor’s Life”, “Tam Lin”, “Meet On The Ledge”…basically, everything. Fairport gets lost in the shuffle when there are conversations about great British bands, but they are deserving of a place alongside The Beatles, The Stones, The Who and The Kinks. If you only have one Fairport album, get this one. An excellent overview of a great career.
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POI DOG PONDERING
1988-COLUMBIA
Produced By POI DOG PONDERING & MIKE STEWART
1. Living With The Dreaming Body
2. Fall Upon Me
3. Postcard From A Dream (Toast And Jelly)
4. Pulling Touch
5. Sound Of Water
6. Fact Of Life
7. Circle Around The Sun
8. Aloha Honolulu
9. Wood Guitar
10. Falling
An interesting band. Poi Dog Pondering was formed in Hawaii in the mid 80’s, then moved to Austin to record their debut album. And it’s a truly interesting debut, incorporating many of the native Hawaiian styles the band learned playing the streets of the island, and the more traditional rock sounds from members who grabbed ahold along the way. The band can rock (“Wood Guitar”), but they also have a playful side that doesn’t allow them…or you…to forget just where they came from. And that’s the ultimate charm of this album.
The centerpiece of the album is “Pulling Touch”, a really beautiful song that pulls all of the cultural differences together as one. Overall, the album is nearly perfect (the part where they sing about toast and jelly gets a bit silly), and shows that there is room for the non-traditional in the world of rock. The band still plays today as more of a collective out of Chicago playing a more electronic brand of music, but the early days most clearly draw on their Hawaiian roots, and make for the most fun listening. Pick up this one, and the follow up Volo Volo, and you’ll be all set to go.
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HOLE
LIVE THROUGH THIS
1994-GEFFEN
Produced By PAUL Q KOLDERIE & SEAN SLADE
1. Violet
2. Miss World
3. Plump
4. Asking For It
5. Jennifer’s Body
6. Doll Parts
7. Credit In The Straight World
8. Softer, Softest
9. She Walks On Me
10. I Think That I Would Die
11. Gutless
12. Olympia
The questions surrounding this album may never be answered. For me, the main one is, how much did Kurt Cobain really have to do with pretty much every aspect of this album? Courtney Love had released a few dribbles of crap prior to her marriage to Cobain, then stunned the world with Live Through This (released, by the way, just four days after her husband’s body was found), and then shows that she can’t write another decent song to save her life. The sound and feel of Nirvana is all over this album, and Love never got even close to this level of songwriting, performance, or anything else, either before or after its release. And in that way, this album should make you feel just a little creeped out.
However, all of that aside, Live Through This is also an excellent album. Somehow. Despite Love’s shortcomings (her vocal range, her songwriting ability), the album soars. “Doll Parts” was the hit, and it’s pure 1994 magic. “Miss World”, “Jennifer’s Body”, and a Young Marble Giants cover, “Credit In The Straight World” are all excellent. Regardless of who Courtney Love is, or where this album came from, it’s still an excellent record, and an important piece of what music in the 90’s really was.
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TEMPLE OF THE DOG
1991-A&M
Produced By RICK PARASHAR & TEMPLE OF THE DOG
1. Say Hello 2 Heaven
2. Reach Down
3. Hunger Strike
4. Pushin’ Forward Back
5. Call Me A Dog
6. Times Of Trouble
7. Wooden Jesus
8. Your Saviour
9. Four Walled World
10. All Night Thing
Temple Of The Dog is a rare thing: an album, by a supergroup recorded before any of the bands represented were big, and before even the genre with which they were all identified was technically born. Temple Of The Dog is a tribute to Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood, who had died of a heroin overdose in 1990. His roommate, Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, brough in his bandmate Matt Cameron and Mother Love Bone’s Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament. They were joined by outsiders Mike McCready and Eddie Vedder , and recorded their only album later in 1990. It was released in 1991, sold a few copies, and was forgotten. Then in 1992 with the sudden surge of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, the album became a hot commodity.
Musically, what you are hearing is pretty much the formation of Pearl Jam, but with Cornell’s voice and songs. Given the subject matter, the album is understandably sad, helping to form the grunge reputation. The big hit was “Hunger Strike”, basically a duet between Cornell and Vedder (his only lead vocal on the album). “Say Hello 2 Heaven” and “Pushin’ Forward Back” are highlights as well, but “Hunger Strike” is the song that really strikes the chord. There are some pretty muddy moments, but it’s overall a fine album. Temple Of The Dog was put on a permanent hiatus afterward, overshadowed by the bigger and ongoing successes of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. An important moment in the formation of Pearl Jam, and of the grunge period in general.
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MODEST MOUSE
THE MOON AND ANTARCTICA
2000-EPIC
Produced By BRIAN DECK & SIMON ASKEW
1. 3rd Planet
2. Gravity Rides Everything
3. Dark Center Of The Universe
4. Perfect Disguise
5. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
6. A Different City
7. The Cold Part
8. Alone Down There
9. The Stars Are Projectors
10. Wild Packs Of Family Dogs
11. Paper Thin Walls
12. I Came As A Rat
13. Lives
14. Life Like Weeds
15. What People Are Made Of
16. 3rd Planet (BBC Radio Edit)
17. Perfect Disguise
18. Custom Concern
19. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
Yep…I do like me some Modest Mouse. A band that has never compromised its sound, not when they signed a major label deal, and not when they accidentally scored a big hit song with “Float On”. They’ve been disliked by Rolling Stone, loved feverishly by their fans, and been labeled as “quirky” by just about everyone. The Moon And Antarctica is their third album, and the first on a major label. The album took a stunning five months to record, but the time wasn’t spent polishing the band’s sound, but in getting just the right sounds. The album is about space and the afterlife, which is pretty desolate subject matter…but Modest Mouse keeps it interesting.
Like all early Modest Mouse albums, there weren’t any hits, but there were a lot of excellent tracks. In fact, it’s the album as a whole that makes everything work. The band isn’t for everyone, and can be an acquired taste, but once you’re hooked, you’re hooked. And this is a great album to start with. Even better…singer Isaac Brock hated the album, so he re-mixed and re-mastered it in 2004. The last 4 tracks are BBC1 Radio tracks added during the remix. A new album cover was added as well. If you can find this version, it’s even better than the original.
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ROY ACUFF
COLUMBIA HISTORIC EDITION
1985-COLUMBIA
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. The Streamlined Cannon Ball
2. Lonesome Old River Blues
3. You’re The Only Star (In My Blue Heaven)
4. Wabash Cannon Ball
5. Drifting Too Far From The Shore
6. Steel Guitar Blues
7. Ida Red
8. I’ll Be Alone
9. Low And Lonely
10. When I Lay My Burden Down
11. Wonder Is All I Do
12. Weary Lonesome Blues
13. New Greenback Dollar
14. Freight Train Blues
15. The Heart That Was Broken For Me
16. The Southbound Train
Take a listen to this, then take a listen to 5 minutes of modern country, and you’ll ask yourself one question: what the hell happened? Roy Acuff, who died in 1992, was The King Of Country. His career was highly successful from the 1930’s to the 1950’s, with his popularity dwindling as the 60’s were born. These tracks were all recorded between 1936 and 1951, and every one of them is impeccable. Six off the tracks were first time releases, making the collection even better. Songs like “Wabash Cannon Ball”, “Freight Train Blues”, and “When I Lay My Burden Down” should be a part of everyone’s collection, never to be forgotten.
Acuff may not be well known outside of country circles now, but he was once one of the biggest names in the genre. In 1962, he became the first living member to be inducted in the Country Music Hall Of Fame, and he was a mainstay at the Opry until he died in the 90’s. This collection compiles his time with Columbia Records, which ended in 1952. Acuff was one of the very best ever in country music, and this collection gets everything about the man right.
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Of dying history
ROY ACUFF
COLUMBIA HISTORIC EDITION
1985-COLUMBIA
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. The Streamlined Cannon Ball
2. Lonesome Old River Blues
3. You’re The Only Star (In My Blue Heaven)
4. Wabash Cannon Ball
5. Drifting Too Far From The Shore
6. Steel Guitar Blues
7. Ida Red
8. I’ll Be Alone
9. Low And Lonely
10. When I Lay My Burden Down
11. Wonder Is All I Do
12. Weary Lonesome Blues
13. New Greenback Dollar
14. Freight Train Blues
15. The Heart That Was Broken For Me
16. The Southbound Train
Take a listen to this, then take a listen to 5 minutes of modern country, and you’ll ask yourself one question: what the hell happened? Roy Acuff, who died in 1992, was The King Of Country. His career was highly successful from the 1930’s to the 1950’s, with his popularity dwindling as the 60’s were born. These tracks were all recorded between 1936 and 1951, and every one of them is impeccable. Six off the tracks were first time releases, making the collection even better. Songs like “Wabash Cannon Ball”, “Freight Train Blues”, and “When I Lay My Burden Down” should be a part of everyone’s collection, never to be forgotten.
Acuff may not be well known outside of country circles now, but he was once one of the biggest names in the genre. In 1962, he became the first living member to be inducted in the Country Music Hall Of Fame, and he was a mainstay at the Opry until he died in the 90’s. This collection compiles his time with Columbia Records, which ended in 1952. Acuff was one of the very best ever in country music, and this collection gets everything about the man right.
I think the only thing I know by him is Wabash Cannon Ball, although I've seen and heard his name all over the place forever. I'm going to have to listen to him.
THE NATIONAL
HIGH VIOLET
2010-4AD
Produced By THE NATIONAL
1. Terrible Love
2. Sorrow
3. Anyone’s Ghost
4. Little Faith
5. Afraid Of Everyone
6. Bloodbuzz Ohio
7. Lemonworld
8. Runaway
9. Conversation 16
10. England
11. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
Formed in 1999 in Cincinnati, The National may not be the happiest band in the world…but that’s always been part of what makes them exceptional. Their first three albums are very good, and their fourth, Boxer, is easily one of the finest albums in the last two decades. High Violet may be even better than that, and it has to rank so far as one of the best albums of the 2010’s. The band has been compared favorably to Joy Division, Wilco, and Leonard Cohen. Believe it…The National are that good, and they keep getting better and better.
The immediate standout tracks are “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, “Anyone’s Ghost”, and “Terrible Love” “Afraid Of Love” features an appearance by Sufjan Stevens. Singer Matt Berninger has a strong baritone delivery that fits the music of the band perfectly, and the songwriting is shared between Berninger and the Dessner brothers Aaron and Bryce, guitar playing twins. The rhythm section are also brothers, Scott and Bryan Devendorf. If you haven’t discovered The National yet, do so. You’ll thank me later.
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JAMES BROWN
LIVE AT THE APOLLO
1963-POLYDOR
Produced By JAMES BROWN
1. Introduction To James Brown & The Famous Flames By Fats Gonder
2. I’ll Go Crazy
3. Try Me
4. Think
5. I Don’t Mind
6. Lost Someone
7. Medley: Please, Please, Please/You’ve Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Want Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You, Yes I Do/Strange Things happen/Bewildered/Please, Please, Please
8. Night Train
James Brown funded the recording of Live At The Apollo himself, and he fought his label tooth and nail to have it released. Live albums weren’t big in 1963, and live albums containing no new material was unheard of. Brown persisted, and 50 years later, Live At The Apollo is still one of the greatest live albums of all time. Brown is not just good here, he’s on fire. Possessed. Out of his mind with a good time. His band is absolutely flawless, and Brown whips from song to song faster than anyone ine the audience could probably comprehend. That is, with one exception.
The centerpiece is obviously “Lost Someone”. After whipping through each of the first four songs in less than two and a half minutes each, “Lost Someone” is almost eleven minutes of pure James Brown perfection. By the end of the song, Brown has the crowd screaming in ecstasy at his every move. There is no doubt who owned the Apollo on that night in 1962. The song never wants to end, and you won’t want it to. But it does, as Brown rolls seamlessly into a dizzying six minute medley containing eight more songs. Live At The Apollo is the first great rock & soul live album. It’s a treasure, for sure.
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SUPERTRAMP
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA
1979-A&M
Produced By SUPERTRAMP & PETER HENDERSON
1. Gone Hollywood
2. The Logical Song
3. Goodbye Stranger
4. Breakfast In America
5. Oh Darling
6. Take The Long Way Home
7. Lord Is It Mine
8. Just Another Nervous Wreck
9. Casual Conversations
10. Child Of Vision
On their first five albums, Supertramp had established themselves as a kind of progressive rock lite band. When the concept for Breakfast In America went out the window, they decided to just record a collection of fun songs, a decision that worked well. There are a number of very catchy hits here: “The Logical Songs”, “Goodbye Stranger”, “Take The Long Way Home”, and the title track were all monster hits for the band, and made them the big thing of 1979. That rolling piano was everywhere on the album, and Supertramp had achieved the point of the album nicely: it was a fun record.
But the problems on this album were insurmountable. Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson had found it impossible to work together. “The Logical Song” was sounding outwardly pretentious. The band had reduced itself to being a keyboard band…there is almost no guitar on Breakfast In America, a huge no no for 1979. Worst of all, Hodgson ‘s voice had gone up what seemed like two octaves: his singing here is so high as to be just past borderline ridiculous. After the shine of the hits wore off, what we were left with was a wreck of an album by a wreck of a band. Hodgson left after one more less successful album and became an insignificant solo artist. Supertramp broke up in 1989 and have had two unnoticed reunions, both without Hodgson. The band has released 5 albums since this one…to a silent and empty auditorium.
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