AMADOU & MARIAM
WELCOME TO MALI
2008 – NONESUCH
Produced By MARC ANTOINE MOREAU, LAURENT JAIS & DAMON ALBARN
1. Sabali
2. Ce N’est Pas Bon
3. Magosa
4. Djama
5. Djuru
6. Je Te Kiffe (Feat. Juan Rozoff)
7. Masiteladi (Feat. -M-)
8. Africa (Feat. K’Naan)
9. Compagnon De La Vie
10. Unissons-Nous (Feat. Keziah Jones)
11. Bozos
12. I Follow You (Nia Na Fin)
13. Welcome To Mali
14. Batoma
15. Sebeke
Welcome To Mali is the sixth album from this talented duo from Mali, Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia. Both of them are blind, but it has never slowed them down. This is the follow up to their 2005 breakthrough, Dimanche A Bamako. This record did not fare as well, as there aren’t any immediate hits here, but man…there is some beautiful music on Welcome To Mali. The music here features more full arrangements than their earlier works, and includes elements of Cuban, African, Indian and rock guitars mixed into their traditional Malian sound. Most of the lyrics here are in French (the native language of Mali), but that’s okay…it all sounds great.
The best track here is the opener, “Sabali”. Also of note are the driving “Batoma”, “Africa” and “Je Te Kiffe”. Amadou plays some really excellent guitar on this record, and both are in fine voice. This album is not better than Dimanche A Bamako, or even the earlier Sou Ni Tile…but there is quite a lot to love here. The music sounds mostly festive, and the pair always keep things interesting. They’ve released only a pair of albums since this one, Follia in 2012 and La Confusion in 2017. Through the decade of the 2000’s, Amadou & Mariam were at the front of the world music scene, and rightfully so. Their discs never disappoint, and their musicianship is always first rate.
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FRIGHTENED RABBIT
THE WINTER OF MIXED DRINKS
2010 – FATCAT
Produced By PETER KATIS
1. Things
2. Swim Until You Can’t See Land
3. The Loneliness And The Scream
4. The Wrestle
5. Skip The Youth
6. Nothing Like You
7. Man / Bag Of Sand
8. Foot Shooter
9. Not Miserable
10. Living In Colour
11. Yes, I Would
Frightened Rabbit was a band that always sounded great, was sadly underrated, and for the most part, criminally ignored. Led by the talents of singer and lyricist Scott Hutchinson, this Scottish group made music that was dense, yet never overcrowded, that was tuneful and smart and catchy as hell. The Winter Of Mixed Drinks is their third album out of five, and marks the band’s first entry into in the US charts. But they always had a solid cult following, and for good reason. For the decade plus from 2006 through 2018, we were missing out on a band that really had something special brewing. Frightened Rabbit deserved better.
“Swim Until You Can’t See Land” is the best song here, but there are more than enough solid tracks to make this a good purchase. “The Loneliness And The Scream”, “Nothing Like You” and “Living In Colour” are smart and sound great as well. The music here is lovely, and Hutchinson’s vocals suit the material perfectly. The Midnight Organ Fight, the preceding record, is better by a bit…together, the two will make you wonder why these guys weren’t much more successful. Sadly, Frightened Rabbit’s days ended with Hutchinson’s suicide in 2018. A band that’s definitely worth checking out…beautiful stuff here.
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MANIC STREET PREACHERS
THIS IS MY TRUTH TELL ME YOURS
1998 – EPIC
Produced By MIKE HEDGES & DAVE ERINGA
1. The Everlasting
2. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
3. You Stole The Sun From My Heart
4. Ready For Drowning
5. Tsunami
6. My Little Empire
7. I’m Not Working
8. You’re Tender And You’re Tired
9. Born A Girl
10. Be Natural
11. Black Dog On My Shoulder
12. Nobody Loved You
13. S.Y.M.M.
One of the UK’s greatest bands…and maybe the most criminally ignored band in the US. Manic Street Preachers have been at it since 1992, with 14 studio albums that have received absolutely zero love in America. This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours is their fifth record, and follows up their two greatest works, The Holy Bible (1994) and Everything Must Go (1996). This was also their first number one album (in five countries), and the first to not contain any lyrics written by the late Richey Edwards. While not as strong as the pair that came before it, this still ranks as one of their best efforts. Musically, this is much more mellow than their previous works…but it still rocks.
There are several highlights here. “If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next” is great. “Tsunami”, “The Everlasting”, “Nobody Loved You”, and “You Stole The Sun From My Heart” are all terrific tracks, and make this well worth having. Manic Street Preachers have been at it since 1986, and have somehow never had a drop of American success. Strange that we’ve missed out on them, because they really are a great band. It’s never too late to make this discovery. The Manics rock, and The Manics have great songs. What’s not to love? A band I highly recommend, especially their records released between 1994 and 1998.
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CAT POWER
THE GREATEST
2006 – MATADOR
Produced By STUART SIKES
1. The Greatest
2. Living Proof
3. Lived In Bars
4. Could We
5. Empty Shell
6. Willie
7. Where Is My Love
8. The Moon
9. Islands
10. After It All
11. Hate
12. Love & Communication
13. Up And Gone
Cat Power is the stage name of American singer / songwriter Chan Marshall. Think a mellow version of Tori Amos, who had released a pair of albums by the time Marshall showed up with her 1995 debut. The Greatest (not a hits album) is her seventh album, and was her breakthrough record after her first six discs ended up as obscure works that not many heard. Rolling Stone named it as the 26th best album of the 2000’s, quite an honor for an indie female solo artist who had barely made a dent previously. The accolades were well deserved…and along with the previous effort, You Are Free, and 1998’s Moon Pix, Cat Power had become an artist that you simply had to hear.
You won’t find any hits on The Greatest…but you will find some really cool and catchy songs. “Empty Shell”, “After It All”, and “Could We” are highlights, and everything else is fine. Marshall has a sweet voice, and a really cool sense of what her music should sound like. So if you hear a song by her and like it, chances are you’ll like everything else. She’s released 11 studio albums, including three that consist of only covers (there’s nothing wrong with covering the music you love at all). Once you’ve discovered Cat Power, you’ll be hooked…her voice is wonderful, and her songs will definitely charm you. I recommend this…how could I not?
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SOULJA BOY
SOULJABOYTELLEM. COM
2007 – COLLIPARK
Produced By SOULJA BOY, MR. COLLIPARK, ARAB, LOS VEGAZ & THE PACKAGE STORE
1. Intro
2. Crank That (Soulja Boy)
3. Sidekick
4. Snap & Roll
5. Bapes (Feat. Arab)
6. Let Me Get Em
7. Donk
8. Yahhh! (Feat. Arab)
9. Pass It To Arab (Feat. Arab)
10. Soulja Girl (Feat. I15)
11. Booty Meat
12. Report Card (Feat. Arab)
13. She Thirsty
14. Don’t Get Mad
Oh man. And then there is this. Souljaboytellem. com is the debut album from Atlanta rapper Soulja Boy. This record charted heavily, thanks in huge part to the number one single “Crank That (Soulja Boy)”. Since 2007, he has released 8 studio albums, and a whopping 63 mixtapes. After listening to his first record, I’m not optimistic about the rest. The number of problems on this disc far outweigh the few positives. Soulja Boy has a flat delivery that suggests he would not be able to carry a tune if his life depended on it. The backing instrumental tracks are cheap and sound as if they are were added at the last minute as an afterthought, most of which seem as if they were performed on a cheap Casio. Not good.
The biggest issue, though, is Soulja Boy’s uncontrollable repetition. His idea of a chorus seems to be to take one or two words and pound them into your brain until you beg him to stop. He repeats the words “donk”, “bapes” and “pass it to Arab” (which are also, no surprise, song titles) so many times that you will want to jump into traffic. Lyrically, Soulja Boy seems to have little or nothing to say, and his words are mostly buried in the crappy instrumental work and his flat rapping skills. And did I mention the repetition? The only positives here are when his guests (Arab and the group i15) manage to get him away from the mic for a few seconds. This is simply not good stuff…my recommendation is that you leave it right there on the shelf.
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DAN ZANES AND FRIENDS
NUEVA YORK
2008 – FESTIVAL FIVE
Produced By DAN ZANES & ROB FRIEDMAN
1. El Pescador
2. Colas
3. Dame La Mano Paloma
4. Pollito Chicken
5. Verde Luz
6. Compadre Pedro Juan
7. Alba Mananera
8. Tambora De Los Morenos
9. La Bruja
10. Phone Call Home
11. El Pijul
12. Son Borinqueno
13. La Piragua
14. El Canario
15. Cuida El Agua
16. Palo Bonito
17. El Botellon
18. Mi Luna
Dan Zanes was, once upon a time, the lead singer of The Del Fuegos, one of the coolest American bands of the eighties. After the band split up in 1990, Zanes said, “The 80’s were over, we were over”. After a really good solo album in 1995 (Cool Down Time), Zanes resurfaced in 2000 with his group, Dan Zanes And Friends, which records music for children and families. Nueva York is their 8th studio album, and it was named Best Children’s Music Album by the Independent Music Awards. But don’t write this off as music for kids. Nuevo York is loaded with catchy songs, sung mostly in Spanish, with great hooks, great instrumental tracks, and fine vocals.
What makes this work is that the songs are not children’s songs…they are songs that anyone can enjoy, including children. This music is about as far away from the Fuego’s hit “Don’t Run Wild” as you can get…and this is a good thing. Zanes started playing this music when he had kids of his own and started hanging around other parents and their children. It’s passionate work, and it shows…this rocker is all grown up without becoming a standard singing bore. He’s been making this music for over two decades now, and all of it is worth taking a listen to. And just as an added bonus…your kids will probably enjoy it as well.
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This is your every once in a while reminder that not all music from Iceland involves Bjork. Sigur Ros has been quietly putting out strange and wonderful music since the mid nineties, with eight studio albums plus a pair of soundtracks. ( ) is their third album, and it was the first to be noticed in the US. Led by guitarist and singer Jonsi (who also plays a unique style of bowed guitar), this band makes uncommon music for uncommon people. Lyrics are sung in not only Icelandic, but also in a language made up by the band. And each track is untitled…the sub titles are used by the band to differentiate the songs from one another.
The music of Sigur Ros is most definitely post rock…the instrumentation is that of a typical rock band…and it sounds nothing like a typical rock band. This music is spatial and sparse…creating a soft atmosphere of sound. You definitely can’t dance to it, but you sure could make love to it. This music is beautiful, exciting, and relaxing without being the least bit boring. There is a warmth here that keeps you involved, and keeps you interested. Sigur Ros definitely does not rock, and Jonsi’s vocal style may take some getting used to, but this is a band, and an album, that is well worth taking the time to get into. Not for everyone, but if it’s for you, it’s well worth it.
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THE LIBERTINES
ANTHEMS FOR DOOMED YOUTH
2015 – HARVEST
Produced By JAKE GOSLING
1. Barbarians
2. Gunga Din
3. Fame And Fortune
4. Anthem For Doomed Youth
5. You’re My Waterloo
6. Belly Of The Beast
7. Iceman
8. Heart Of The Matter
9. Fury Of Chonburi
10. The Milkman’s Horse
11. Glasgow Coma Scale Blues
12. Dead For Love
13. Love On The Dole
14. Bucket Shop
15. Lust Of The Libertines
16. 7 Deadly Sins
The Libertines hail from London, and they sound like they do. After a pair of excellent albums, the band split up in 2004, and got back together a decade later. Anthems For Doomed Youth is their comeback album from 2015, released more than ten years after the previous effort. The first thing that comes to mind here is that they have an obvious admiration for The Clash, which is a really good thing. Considered to be more of a garage band than a punk band, they incorporate elements of both here. The songs are fast and filled with angst, well played and well thought out. Led by guitarists and singers Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, The Libertines get it right.
Anthems For Doomed Youth is not quite up to the standard the band set with their first two records, Up The Bracket and their self-titled second record. But this is still very good stuff. Bands tend to lose something when they break up and regroup, but The Libertines didn’t lose a lot. The best tracks here are “Heart Of The Matter”, “Glasgow Coma Scale Blues”, and “Gunga Din”. In the early 2000’s, The Libertines were one of England’s most exciting bands, and if nothing else, Anthems For Doomed Youth serves as a reminder of that. Definitely worth checking out…and if you like this one, you will absolutely want the other two.
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ERIC CLAPTON
PILGRIM
1998 – REPRISE
Produced By ERIC CLAPTON & SIMON CLIMIE
1. My Father’s Eyes
2. River Of Tears
3. Pilgrim
4. Broken Hearted
5. One Chance
6. Circus
7. Going Down Slow
8. Fall Like Rain
9. Born In Time
10. Sick And Tired
11. Needs His Woman
12. She’s Gone
13. You Were There
14. Inside Of Me
Eric Clapton became more and more predictable as the years…the decades…went by. His brand of blues after blues, interspersed with JJ Cale impersonations, grew more and more tiresome, to the point where I’d pretty much written him off. And then, from nowhere, came Pilgrim. His thirteenth solo album may very well be his finest work. Why? It’s not a blues album, in that he’s not doing his usual rehash of white boy Robert Johnson. It’s also not a Cale tribute album, because he does absolutely none of that here. The album was critically hated, simply because it’s not typical boring blues that Clapton had been putting out since the dawn of the Yardbirds. What it is is Clapton’s most interesting record ever. As in ever.
Pilgrim IS, in fact, a blues album. It’s just not what you are used to hearing from Slowhand. His playing here is beautiful, and his singing is understated…which is where his voice is at its very best. The critics were right about it not rocking…but that’s what’s actually so good about it. Clapton sets a mood here and sticks to it. It’s a sad record, but it’s also a beautiful record filled with lovely performances. This isn’t just Eric pounding out one blues after another…here, he actually took the time to make a lovely album of sad songs. And it works incredibly well. This has become my absolute favorite Clapton record, because of how restrained and emotional it is. Who would have though that in 1998, Eric Clapton would suddenly make this album? More than happy that he did.
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THE EXIES
INERTIA
2003 – VIRGIN
Produced By MATT SERLETIC
1. My Goddess
2. Without
3. Can’t Relate
4. Kickout
5. No Secrets
6. Inertia
7. Creeper Kamikaze
8. Calm & Collapsed
9. Lo-Fi
10. Irreversible
11. Genius
Fittingly, The Exies (short for The Existentialists) were named after a really vague John Lennon quote. Fitting, because memories of The Exies today are vague, at best. They released four albums between 2000 and 2007, and were never known as a major band, nor were they ever really famous. They had a pair of minor singles during their career, and that was about it before they wrapped it up in 2010. The one minor hit from Inertia, their second album, was “My Goddess”, which has always sounded like background music while waiting for the really great songs from that year to come on. So, yeah…this band was never a major force, and good for them that they stuck it out for as long as they did.
Don’t get me wrong…The Exies were not bad. They just never did anything to make themselves stand out. They were good enough players who just didn’t have great material to work with. “My Goddess” is the obvious highlight here (more for the video than anything else)…but there really isn’t much else to recommend. “Without” is okay. Everything else just kind of melts into the background. It’s not that it’s terrible, it’s simply unremarkable. The Exies ended in 2010 silently, and I’m pretty sure no one except their close fans even noticed. But don’t feel bad…a four album career that lasts over a decade is pretty good, especially for a group that ended up as invisible as this one. There has been worse. Much worse. (There has been a reunion this year...I don't think many people noticed.)
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