Random Review #119 McAlmont & Butler - The Sound Of....

C4S5CD5 Before the dawn of the digital world buying albums had an element of risk involved when it came to new artists. You would hear the first single and in most cases other than magazine review, and maybe the odd radio show playing a random album track you were buying blind.

Although I was aware of Bernard Butlers work in Suede I had never been a fan, and I had no idea who the chameleon like creature going by the name of David McAlmontwas or had done prior to this record, but I knew the first single from the album Yes was utterly incredible. It started like a jet plane taking off and then soars like Diana Ross and The Supremes on the wildest speed trip ever. Butler rings every ounce of sound that he could from his guitar, whilst McAlmont tries to out sing Butler by finding notes from his voice that hadn’t been charted yet! Sadly it was all downhill from here the album peaks with the first track and never really recovers. The voice and the guitar are still there but the song writing doesn’t match that of Yes. You have to wait until track ten and You’ll Lose A Good Thing which finds McAlmont accompanied by nothing but a Hammond organ lamenting the breakup of a relationship, it’s simple, emotional, and classy. The last track You Do nearly rescues the album but 3 tracks don’t make an album and overall it’s a disappointment.

McAlmont and Butler would split before getting back together for one more album Bring It Back, before Butler went onto be a top producer and songwriter for the likes of Duffy. McAlmont would continue to release solo music that receive critical acclaim without ever obtaining the level of mainstream success McAlmont and Butler received.

Although in the world of Spotify, iTunes, Last.fm etc it’s easier to ‘try before you buy’ with regard to music but I still like to buy CD’s ‘blind’ sometimes every now and again you might get a duff one but the anticipation of listening to a CD for the first time and not know what you are going to get is an experience still worth hanging on to.

Mark 5/10

Random Review #118 Steve Earle - The Hard Way

C11S2CD6 Anybody that thinks The Dirt the story of Motley Crue is the Rock and Roll bible that takes the world of excesses to the maximum needs to read Hardcore Troubadour, The Life and Near Death of Steve Earle the biography by Lauren St John, 7 or 8 marriages (twice to the same woman) drink, heroin addiction, jail for drug possession and if you believe the Steve Earle by the C.I.A for his left wing views. Beat that Motley Crue!

Earle started as a country artist, moved into the world of country rock before hitting full on rock mode (just before he was jailed)  sober and clean (and happily married at last) he now produces intelligent, music that falls into the Americana genre very nicely, although of late he has experimented with loops and drum machines. He has also turned his hand to acting, playing reformed drug addict and counsellor Waylon in the HBO series The Wire, and a published author, his second fictional book has just be published, he seems to be in a great place and using his addiction tendencies to channel great quality work irrespective of the media.

This album sees Earle moving from country to country rock and although using heavily he hadn’t quite fallen into the abyss that would land him in jail. It’s a strong album with Earle in confident mood, his next release would be Copperhead Road which would bring him to the attention to the masses and this feels like Earle trying the country rock jacket on for size before he bought it. The Other Kind, Country Girl are Earle at his finest rocking out, When The People Find Out is powered along by a gospel choir and over the entire album has very few dips. I can’t review this album without mentioning the track Billy Austin, Earle has been for many years a campaigner for the abolishment of the Death Penalty in the US and can often be seen protesting at the gates of the jails on execution nights. Billy Austin is written in the first party from the point of view of a death row prisoner, it isn’t sentimental it is a very honest account but it makes you realise the futility of death in any format. It is a really powerful piece of writing that makes me sit upright and listen every time I hear it. Whatever your views you can’t not be moved by this song incredible.

Earle continues to tour and produce top class music whether on his own, with the Dukes his backing band, his Wife (Alison Moorer) or even sometimes with his son Justin Townes Earle  (both successful artist in their own right) and if you haven’t seen he’s worth a trip out.

Mark 7/10

Random Review #117 Tom McRae - Just Like Blood

C4S6CD6 My iTunes library tells that I have 1109 different artists in my collection which surprised me, but if I had to list my top ten then Tom McRae would always feature in it. Where he features in that list might vary from time to time but I couldn’t imagine ever being without his music.

The first thing that struck me when I pulled this CD off the shelf is that Tom has short hair that may sound weird but it’s a very young looking Tom that is featured in the slip case and then I realised that this album was released in 2002, nearly 10 years ago which makes the maturity that you will find in the music even more remarkable.

This was Tom’s second album and after the positive reviews of his self-titled debut it was much anticipated by both media and fans and I suspect the one his record label suspected might launch him into every household in the UK. It is a fabulous album and it still amazes me that it didn’t catapult him into Damien Rice territory as it’s that good. Looking back maybe Blowers Daughter being used in the soundtrack for Closer was the thing that broke Damien Rice and wonder if some film had picked one of Tom’s songs say You Only Disappear for that pivotal moment in the film where the audience is holding its breath wondering whether the impossible good looking couple will ever get together then maybe Tom may have ended up in supermarket trolleys around the UK and on the conveyor belt to multi-million selling success. Well we’ll never know what might have happened but if only...

So the music where do I start? Well maybe the aforementioned You Only Disappear which is still my favourite Tom McRae song, I won’t attempt to interrupt Tom’s lyrics but to me it’s a song about a lost love and one of the most beautiful songs I own. Anybody lucky enough to have seen Tom live may have seen him open a show with Mermaid Blues unaccompanied, with nothing but Tom voice and a silent audience this is an incredible experience and a moment of live music I count myself lucky to have witnessed. On the Album Mermaid Blues is followed by Karaoke Soul and back to back make a killer combination. Other highlights for me are Ghost of a Shark and Walking 2 Hawaii but I could, and have, waxed lyrically about this album and Tom McRae for hours so I’ll stop there.

Tom McRae is presently without a record label which is a crime, but he continues to make music (and many other items) available through his website. His live performances are brilliant with Tom’s bone dry sense of humour making the evening 3 parts musical genius and 1 part stand up comedian.

I’ll finish this blog with an apology, I know Tom followers me on twitter (whether he reads my tweets is another thing), but if you are reading this Tom hopefully I have done you album justice and if not I apologise profusely.

Mark 9/10

Random Review #116 Saffire The Blues Uppity Blues Women - LIve And Uppity

C10S1CD6 I always worry when I first number I pull out of my music listening lottery is number 9 or 10 as I know it’s a good chance that it’s a Blues album and although I used to listen to a lot of Blues I haven’t for  a long time. I still like and appreciate Blues, I guess that I just prefer to listen to other types of music now. I was right about the genre and interestingly I CD I didn’t choose to buy. This album was brought to my attention by a friend of mine who discovered it on a listening post in a big CD store in Florida whilst I was carrying out a CD version of ‘Supermarket Sweep’ that I have often re-enacted in America depending on the exchange rate! She came across and said I had to buy it the music was great and lyrics hilarious. So in the basket it went with a multitude of others. I think I have played it a couple of times in the last 10 years but truthfully I haven’t really paid as much attention to it as it deserves and so again my enforced listening process has given me an opportunity to listen to something I wouldn’t have picked myself.

As the title implies the Artists are Women but I would disagree with the Uppity part, these are three middle aged woman having a great time, they know what they want (and more of THAT later) and they know how to party! It’s recorded live and it’s acoustic blues, piano, upright bass and guitar with the three women sharing lead vocals depending on the tracks. The between song banter is as interesting as the songs to be honest you get three woman who are totally at ease with themselves their musical partners and with want they do, and that is really endearing, but I can’t do a review of this album without talking about the subject matter of the songs as this is what makes this blues album different from the rest!

Their songs cover a lot of the regular Blues subjects, love, sex, partying, and hard times but are written from the perspective of middle aged woman with sense of humour that will make you at least smile but more likely laugh out loud. Cold Pizza and Warm Beer reflects on the morning after the party, when the kitchen looks like a bomb site, You Can Have My Husband is a warning to a woman as to which one of the singers 2 men she can have, and Mr Insurance Man is straight out of a Carry On film or a Benny Hill sketch as the lyrics talk about ‘coming round’ and ‘showing me the size of your premium’. Yet all of these pale into insignificance to the raucous ‘Silver Beaver’ The title says it all there is no innuendo here it’s full on and not subtle. I laughed out loud and I’m smiling now as write this. Watch the video if you dare

 

I doubt I will listen to this CD for another few years but it really cheered me up this week.

Mark 7/10