MUSIC REVIEWS 2001
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1999 Music Reviews
2000 Music Reviews
A
Adam & The Ants Prince Charming (Columbia)
Ryan Adams Gold (Lost Highway)
B
Bastian Ready (Virgin)
Björk Vespertine (WEA/Electra)
Bran Van 3000 Discosis (Virgin)
C
Café Del Mar Volumen Seis
cEvin Key The Ghost of Each Room
Cocteau Twins Stars and Topsoil (4AD)
Nat King Cole Penthouse Serenade (Capitol)
Cold 13 Ways To Bleed on Stage (Uni/Interscope)D
Demon Midnight Funk (Sony)
Neil Diamond Hot August Nights (MCA)
Disturbed The Sickness
Djivan Gasparyan Moon Shines At NightG
Serge Gainsbourg I love Serge (Mercury)
Gnac Biscuit Barrel Fashion (Poptones)
Goldfrapp Felt Mountain (Mute)J
Janet Jackson All For You (Virgin)
Michael Jackson Invincible (Epic)
JJ72 JJ72 (Sony)
Elton John Songs from the West Coast (Mercury)
K
Kelis Wanderland (Virgin)
DJ Krush Zen (Sony)
L
Lil' Kim The Notorious Kim
Ministry Greatest Fits (Warner)
M
Missy Elliot Missy E… So Addictive (Electra)
N
New Order Get Ready (London)
Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor Come What May (Interscope)
P
Peaches The Teaches of Peaches (Kity-Yo)
Phoenix United (Source/Astralwerks)
Plaid Double Figure (Warp Records)
R
Rachid Taha Made in Medina (Universal)
Ramasutra The East Infection (Tox)
Relative Ash Out Time With You (Island)
S
Spiritualized Let It Come Down (Spaceman)
V
Various Bollywood Funk (Outcaste)
Various Sampled (Virgin)
Various/Mark B: Harlem World (Heroes and Villains)
Violet Indiana Roulette (Bella Union)
Vive La Fête République Populaire
For other music reviews check out my friend's excellent site: freelance writer and editor Will Fulford-Jones (Time Out, TNT). The Wiseacre Music Reviews Will has also written some of the reviews for 2000…
ADAM & THE ANTS PRINCE CHARMING (Columbia)
reviewed 17-09-01
With all this return to the 80's crap going on, could this possibly mean an Antmusic revival? Just how far ahead of their time were they? Picasso Visita El Planeta De Los Simios (or to those of us who failed spanish 101, Picasso Visits The Planet Of The Apes.) Seems pretty relative now, what with ape fever going round. (No, not like Outbreak.) Adam and his insect buddies created a style that was truly all their own. From punk to pout, Prince Charming saw the moving away from the tribal double drummer flavour started on the preceeding Kings of the Wild Frontier. Their sound was growing to included the spagetti westernesque 5 Guns West, Earth Wind and Fire-style brass, and the way ahead of itself Ant Rap. This was even before Blondie decided to rap her way to Rapture. Adam's main message? Have fun. Have a lot of fun, and make sure you look good doing it. Now that's not at all bad advice. And what about Stand and Deliver? Perhaps the perfect ultimatium for our post-millenium world. (And yes, like all Antmusic there is a sexual innuendo in there.) Ant Music For Sex People, Sex Music For Ant People. Though this was to be their final venture before Mr. Ant went solo (and on to less greener pastures), Prince Charming holds up extremely well some 20 years later.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexRYAN ADAMS GOLD (Lost Highway)
reviewed 16-10-01
"You don't get to hear the shit that's horrible," said Ryan Adams recently, when it was put to him that his level of quality control is remarkable given his work rate. In the last 12 months, Adams has issued the his first solo set, the gorgeous Heartbreaker; remixed, re-recorded and released Pneumonia, the lost album from his previous band Whiskeytown; and now put out with this 16-track monster. At a time when it takes most bands six months just to edit a video, three albums in a year is a remarkable statistic. But when you learn that both Pneumonia and Gold (initial copies of which come with a five-track bonus disc) would have been double CDs without Lost Highway's intervention, and that he has two more finished albums waiting in the wings, it seems positively maniacal. But while Adams' work rate is miraculous enough, it's not as miraculous as the fact that the aforementioned quality control monitor is still switched on. For Gold - more from the Adams Romantic Chronicles, yet largely upbeat compared to Heartbreaker - is another fabulous record from a man whose excellence is becoming taken for granted. Original it ain't, mind. New York, New York starts with a nick from Pinball Wizard before turning into a Stones outtake, Firecracker's harmonica is more Dylan than Dylan, and Answering Bell owes Van Morrison a large scotch. And that's just the first three tracks. Still, you don't come to Adams records for invention; you come for songs that flick between catchy and contemplative, linked mostly by a searing lyrical frankness and enviable melodic smarts. And on the likes of Harder Now That It's Over, When The Stars Go Blue and lovely closer Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard, he delivers. In spades. As with every Adams release, it isn't perfect. Here, the skippable bit is one three-song stretch midway through the record (the drawn-out Nobody's Girl, lame piano ballad Sylvia Plath, and Enemy Fire, which sounds like it was "written" in the length of time it took to record). But mostly, this is stellar stuff, gutty and real, music that gets to the heart of the matter. We may not get to hear all the horrible shit, Ryan. But what we do get sounds pretty damn fine.
Will Fulford-Jones
back to indexBASTIAN READY (Virgin)
reviewed 16-03-01
Bastian is yet another fabulous musician to emerge from Amsterdam. His debut album, Ready, is basically funk in a retro, electro kind of way, and is really rather impressive. Not least because Alex Gopher who has worked with the likes of Daft Punk and Air, remastered the album (apart from current single You've Got My Love). Personally, I'm not a great fan of the 'electro eighties' but Bastian cleverly steals elements from otherwise nauseuous songs such as Rockwell's I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me and reinvents them. Great from start to finish, there are some absolute gems on this album recorded last summer in the city. The album kicks in with the second, and title, track Ready. And once you get images of Rolf Harris doing the sound effects in You've Got My Love out of your head, it's delightfully catchy in a So in Love with You (Duke) kind of way. My favourite is the long, laid back Love is Incredible which would be a great summer sound and the upbeat People Change. And watch out for the hidden track at the end of the CD after Game Over. A must for all funkers. And if you're interested in music from Amsterdam then this is definitely one to pick up. Squelchy fat beats, and smooth vocals - fab!
Pip FarquharsonBJÖRK VESPERTINE (Wea/Elektra)
reviewed 17-09-01
The icelandic one cometh. Like all Björk's work, it takes time to get to know it, to understand it, to really surrender yourself to it. First there is the initial listen. The curious topography of a foreign planet. You, the spaceship, orbiting this new, unexplored frontier. You circle around again surveying the textures and shadings. The songs take turns peeking their heads out. As curious about you as you them. This calls for a closer look. Landing your craft and checking your fuel supply, it's time for the headphones. An all senses tour of Björkland. Through the quirky landscape of clicks, beeps and blurps you wander. Björk's voice rises over the horizon like the sun, illuminating all you see, hear and feel. Oh so glorious to feel the warmth of the sun on your face. To let the warmth fill you completely. Choirs radiate from the core of the sun. Strange beautiful creatures scamper through your field of vision. Purple vapors swirling all around you, drawing you deeper and deeper. All this and you haven't even had a look at the lyrics. Raw yet refined, intimate yet distant, profound yet frivolous. The stones of a path leading up to a cozy warm coccoon, inviting you to curl up inside. When she opens her mouth to sing it's as though she is opening up her entire being. A valley of unsurpassed beauty. There is no way to ignore the tidal wave of emotions generated from Vespertine. Whether you choose for a solo journey, or with a crew of your intimates (or both) the experience will leave you undeniably enlightened.
Plaid Fandango
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BRAN VAN 3000 DISCOSIS (Virgin)
reviewed 16-06-01
Glee the 1996 debut of Montreal-based music collective Bran van 3000 contains one of my favourite ever songs, Drinking in LA (as well as the excellent Afrodiziac). Believe you me, the follow-up, Discosis, was long and eagerly awaited. Not to mention that along the way the collective picked up some pretty major fans. Youssou N'dour for one who would listen to Glee whilst touring and actually asked to appear on Discosis (he's on two tracks). Other notables include old school reggae and dance hall king Eek-A-Mouse and Dimitri from just up the road (Paris). Plus, producers include Ric Ocasek (who did wonders on Weezer's debut album and used to be in The Cars) and Mark Spike' tent whose credits include Massive Attack, Björk, Madonna and erm… Oasis. And remixers include MJ Cole and the excellent Demon. Sadly perhaps though a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth… And whilst half of it could indeed be savoured in a gorgeous, mapley syrup kind of way, the other half could simply be pissed out… Top tracks include Loop Me, Discosis, Speed, Loaded, Montrèal and Senegal (the latter two featuring Youssou and contributing to the overall world music feel this album has, certainly compared to Glee). Pièce de resistance of the whole album though features the late, great Curtis Mayfield who collaborated on Astounded (vinyl junkies watch out for the excellent Eric Kupper Mix). It's fabulous and a reminder that 70s disco is the cure for a broken heart. Finally, for the record (no pun intended) I haven't been able to listen to tracks 14-17 because the CDs fucked already. So maybe the maple syrup vs piss percentage isn't quite 50-50. Feel free to let me know…
Pip Farquharson
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CAFÉ DEL MAR VOLUMEN SEIS
reviewed 01-02-01
Looking for that perfect post-New Year's pre-Valentine's day CD? That CD destined to become OUR CD - with that special someone you undoubtly hooked up with at midnight on New Year's Eve. The same someone you're hoping lasts at least until Valentines Day because let's face it, no one likes to be single with VD. Well this just maybe what you're looking for, unless of course your new liason is more on the Sid and Nancy side. Like the cover suggests, this musical journey starts on the beach at sunset, snuggling together as the sun dips further and further. As the night begins so does your descent into the groove zone. With the stars as your ceiling, lie back and slip away. This is the natural E. Warning: There will be heavy petting. So why resist? Surrender! (So there's sand in your underwear...) You are in the process of creating a memory, of creating your history. Everything you are experiencing right now is becoming part of who you are. YOU ARE LIVING YOUR HISTORY. So you'd better make it count. If you can just hang on 'til the 14th of February, make it work, find some way to not fuck it up, then yes this CD could become that treasured icon of commitment. (If not, it will be the perfect post breakup soundtrack, accommpanied of course by a bottle of Jack Daniels.) Tracks that make the difference: Lux Northern Lights, Deep and Wide Easy Rider, Aromabar Winter Pagent, Bedrock Beautiful Strange, Bent Swollen, hell even the Moby and Bush tracks are worth mentioning. Just go out and buy it...
Plaid Fandango
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cEVIN KEY THE GHOST OF EACH ROOM
reviewed 16-08-01
My only question is what if you live in a studio? Do you only get one ghost? That would really suck because after hearing this CD you will want to find the biggest house possible to inhabit. This is gazing into a crystal ball and getting a glimpse of the future. A symphonic seance to facilitate contact with audio of past, present and of audio yet to come. Textually morphing from seductive, throbbing sequences (recalling Keyıs pioneering efforts with the very phat Skinny Puppy) to the bleeps and blips of present day noise engineers Plaid and Squarepusher and then beyond the land of Autechre, across the forbidden zone. Weıve only heard rumours of what lies beyond, of whatıs really out there, of Sanctuary. We fantasize and dream. The elders tell stories to the children. A mixture of myths and ideals. Only the truly adventurous of heart dare to venture beyond the forbidden zone in search of this "Sanctuary". Until now noone has ever returned, fueling the seed of longing in those left behind. The Ghost is like Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys. A message sent from the future into the past to save us from ourselves.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexCOCTEAU TWINS STARS AND TOPSOIL (4AD)
reviewed 01-02-01
This new Twins compilation gives us an evolutionary overview of the Cocteau's sejour with indie darling label 4AD. There are no new tracks, no unreleased ones, no alternative versions. So why bother? Well there are no adequate words to do it justice. It's like the word love is a pale comparison to the actual feeling. And in the course of Cocteau evolution, Ms Fraser has redefined (or perhaps undefined) so many words, in her very own very special way naturally. Everyone who listens to the Cocteau's has a favourite way to do so: on headphones biking (Lorelei), in the bathtub (Pink Orange Red), bearskin-rug-in-front-of-an-open- fire sex (Orange Appled), post-coital bearskin-rug-in-front-of-an -open-fire sex (Pandora), on a rooftop with red wine (Pale Clouded White), driving through the countryside in autumn with the windows rolled all the way down (Heaven or Las Vegas), the wee hours of the night by candlelight (The Thinner the Air), a trip to the zoo (Sugar Hiccup), by train at sunset from Florence to Nice (Aikea-Guinea), a nighttime walk in the woods (Blind Dumb Deaf), a cup of tea in the afternoon (Cico Buff), sunrise on the beach (Watchlar). Whatever stage you need to set, one thing is for sure every track included here speaks like a muse. Full of subtle nuances and inspiration, interpretation left up to the listener. The Twins evolved over time in their own way. Carving out their own niche they continued forward regardless of the outside world. So why bother?! Because this music is oh so very special.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexCOLD 13 WAYS TO BLEED ON STAGE (Uni/Interscope)
reviewed 16-07-01
This is a CD I'm reluctant to admit I like. I mean REALLY like. Maybe because it's all a bit too obvious. Or perhaps because Fred Durst had something to do with it. In any case Cold have managed to put out a kick ass CD. (Maybe I'm reluctant because Cold make you want to use the term "kick ass".) You've heard it all before. It's a little bit Pearl Jam, a little bit STP, a bit Bush, Papa Roach, Disturbed, etc. But what sets it apart is their knack for melody. In amongst the power guitar chords and angst there are these really catchy easy to sing-a-long melodies. I think they call that "Radio Friendly"? Also Cure-esque guitars throughout give it that perfect 2001 meets 1980's retro thing happening in so much music now. 13 Ways sneaks up on you, invading your subconscience, till you find yourself unwilling to listen to anything else. (Well maybe except Peaches.) "I can't explain the way I feel," screams singer Scooter, but he sure is trying hard. It's that "oh so tortured" thing speaking to the misunderstood teenager in us. There are some really beautiful layered vocals throughout, showing a talent for arranging (something this genre could use more of.) Of course you have the hoaky piano intro on She Said (otherwise a great song.) I guess it's there to show sensitivity but comes across more like "we take ourselves too seriously". Not to mention the unnecessary female screeching on Witch. Regardless, the core is powerful enough to overlook such things. Cold are on their way to being the next Korn (in popularity I mean.) Hopefully they won't lose sight of the music on their rise to superstardom. Their next could really be the cat's meow.
Plaid Fandango
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NAT KING COLE PENTHOUSE SERENADE (Capitol)
reviewed 01-05-01
If you manage to recover from that broken heart, Penthouse Serenade is a definite must. This is cocktail hour at it's finest. Mr. Cole is most often thought of as a vocalist but his first love was the piano. And like first loves, they hold a very special place in our hearts… Stepping off the elevator you hear a distant piano. Checking your watch (you're late as usual) the music draws you in. As you enter the lounge it mingles with the low hum of voices and clinking martini glasses. Gazing around you locate Mr Rightnow and make your way across the dance floor, past the gent tickling the ivories (Somebody Loves Me), to join him. "What will it be?" asks the waiter. "Vodka lime" you answer, casting your glance first at your beloved, lingering for a few delicious moments then continuing to the spectacular view from the giant picture window to your right. The night is alive with stars and the twinkling lights of the city far below. The waiter returns with your drink. A couple at the next table head for the dance floor as you recognize the tune - Once in a Blue Moon. The hours melt away. The conversation: witty, flirtatious,effortless. The music: sensitive, romantic, sincere and never tacky. The company: beautiful, graceful, adoring. The waiter approaches, you feel a hand on your knee. Nothing obscene, just a secret gesture for the two of you. With the waiter right there, the hand moves a little higher... "I'm sorry, what did you say?" you ask. Trying to focus your attention on the waiter and not the hand heading north. "We're closing now, Sir." Oh is that all? You thought they were going to cut you off, or chuck you out for public groping. Fear not for this is The Technicolor Zone.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexDEMON MIDNIGHT FUNK (Sony)
reviewed 16-02-01
Midnight Funk is exactly that. A CD to stick on in the early hours in the morning to create an upbeat - yet mellow - come down - or get down - vibe. The debut album of French DJ/Producer, Demon, Midnight Funk is a mix of melodic house blended with a range of styles from hip hop to funk and electro. As it all seamlessly blends from start to finish (and can happily be left on repeat all day but still sound fresh) it's quite hard to pick up distinguishable tracks (erm… especially at 2 in the morning and a few hours before Shark is delivered to the printers). However, tracks that do stand out are Lil'Fuck (Etienne de Crecy and Demon Funkasized Version); the title track Midnight Funk (one you want to be having a big ol' fuck along to or have playing while you're driving through the nightime streets of Paris); the disco driven 1970s reminiscer Blunted People with its gorgeously squelchy strangled duck sounds; and Streets (still driving…). The absolute pièce de resistance and a very good reason to get the album has to be however, the excellent You Are My High - destined to be on the dancefloors for a long, long time. Longer than ol' lazy ass me anyways.
Pip Farquharson
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NEIL DIAMOND HOT AUGUST NIGHT (MCA)
reviewed 01-08-01
What's the name of that Dolly Parton song? A Diamond in a Rhinestone World. Nothing could be truer prophet Parton! This city having a long history with diamonds, seeing as how it is August, and hoping for it to be a HOT one, naturally you'd turn to Neil. This rerelease of that classic concert at the Greek Theater, contains three previously unreleased tracks originally deleted due to the time constraints of vinyl. Oh let that Diamond shine, Diamond style! This CD just doesn't taste of summer, it IS summer: hot, sweaty, sexy. The Jewish kid from Brooklyn who penned Red Red Wine (that's right, UB40 didn't write it) and Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon has an impressive catalogue. This concert consists of his material up to 1972, before Neil went to America for his Love on the Rocks. Just a man and his music on stage doing what he does best. And with the utmost sincerity, I might add. Solitary Man, Sweet Caroline, Play Me, Shilo, Cracklin' Rosie, I Am… I Said. They're all here. Simple music with catchy melodies and honest storytelling-style text. Songs so pure they feel as though they were divinely birthed from Neil's guitar. Perhaps Neil went on to record lesser material (the E.T. theme Heartlight comes to mind) but his roots are strong and deep proving that a Diamond is everyone's best friend. (Or at least a favourite cousin that visits all the time.)
Plaid Fandango
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DISTURBED THE SICKNESS
reviewed 01-03-01
If this planetary craziness is hitting you extra hard, then perhaps you need something heavier than Ms Kim to fight back with. Disturbed are poised on the brink of a major breakthrough. Are you disturbed? I know I am. This is the type of CD which causes parents to be concerned about the mental health of their adolecent teen as they sing along with Violence Fetish, Fear, Numb, Conflict. Blending metal, crossover metal, electro, the boys from Chicago punch it up. The windy city has been in desperate need of something new and heavy to join the ranks of Ministry and Oprah. And while you might feel like you've heard this before, (there are lots of "Oh this song kind of sounds like...") the strength of singer David Draiman (a dead ringer for Hannibal Lector's little brother) holds it together. All the ingredients for a cake are found in other places, the secret is in how much of each you choose to include. The only track not worth half a cup of gatorade, is the cover version of Tears for Fears Shout. I must confess this obligatory trend for one cover song per CD (Orgy, Fear Factory, Machine Head, Coal Chamber etc) escapes me. Mediocre is the only word to describe it. If you can't cover like Marilyn Manson did Sweet Dreams, don't bother. Apart from that one track, the songs here are tight and hard. And if Saturn is giving you as much trouble as me, this provides the perfect aggressive edge to propel that "Fuck You Saturn" from your lips.
Plaid Fandango
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SERGE GAINSBOURG I LOVE SERGE (Mercury)
reviewed 01-07-01
They say there is no substitute for the real thing. 98% of the time I would agree. However this collection of remixed Serge Gainsbourg tunes may just fall in that remaining 2%. Or maybe not as a substitute but rather a suitable alternative. The original records from Monsieur Gainsbourg (France's original dirty old man) have a certain something you can't quite describe, something so… so… so Serge. All of the remixes fulfill their duty as Electronicagainsbourg. And while the opening track Ballade de Melody Nelson, remixed by Howie B, promises brilliance, some feel just like filler and a few fall well short of the originals (i.e. Bonnie & Clyde… but I don't think anyone could remix that and create something better than the original.) Maybe it's the simplicity that's lacking, that intimate breathing room so characteristic of Mr. Gainsbourg. In any case you have to take this CD as a whole for what it is. And that means great chilled out party music… It also works as the perfect photo shoot soundtrack. If anything this collection will make you seek out Serge's other CDs. Always a good thing! Many people only know the classic Jane Birkin/Serge duet Je t'aime… moi non plus, here refreshingly almost unrecognizably reworked by Dzihan & Kamien. The Orb manage to do Requiem pour un c… justice as does Stratus' L'hotel particulier. One thing's for certain, anyway you shake, bake or mix him, Serge is still one uniquely cool dude.
Plaid Fandango
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reviewed 16-03-01
Slipping
in and out dreaming, the foggy hours of early early morning caressing you.
Consciousness elusive, haunting, hunting. Where does rational thought end
and emotional overdrive begin? Djivan Gasparyan is an experienced guide through
these bermuda triangle like waters. His IS the Pied Piper. Playing the duduk
(an armenian oboe-like instrument dating back some 3000 years) he charms and
hypnotizes the serpent in us all with such sublime subtlety in every breath.
With music like this, time and space become irrelevant. Though this recording
is from 1993 it has an eternal timelessness which seems to resonate from within
the music itself. A national hero in his native Armenia, Djivan first became
known in the west through an appearance on Peter Gabriel's Passion
(music from The Last Temptation of Christ). His music is also used
in one track on the Gladiator soundtrack. Moon Shines at Night
consists of 8 instrumental tracks and two with vocals.Though the duduk has
a strange ability to sound almost voice-like, creating unearthly stunning
duets, it is sparce - yet not empty. Meditative, melancholic, mystical, magical,
mirthful, mmm mmm good. It's a bit like trying to describe the most beautiful
sunset you've ever seen. Try as you might, there is no adequate way. There
is no comparison to the actual experience.Plaid Fandango
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GNAC BISCUIT BARREL FASHION (Poptones)
reviewed 16-04-01
There is lounge music and there is lounge music. GNAC (whose favourite colour is mauve) exists somewhere in the outer limits of the genre. Sentimental retro kitsch wallpaper (with fucking great song titles to boot). Take the track Bad Dancers Collide. It is exactly the type of music you'd be stumbling and fumbling to in beginning dance 101. Uncomfortable Modes of Transport brings to mind rowing a boat on the autobahn à la Harold Budd. Venture into The Neen Scene for a little Michael Nyman meets Kraftwerk. Need some music for the instrumental contemplative montage sequence of a mid 1970s French film? Give Eighteenth Century Quiz Show a try. Or how about The Amstel Diamond Fraudsters, a Jean-Michel Jarre meets Air in an elevator. The Duritti Column buying cocktails for Andreas Vollenweider in Constraints. But the most brilliant title has to be I think I think too much too. Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant! The track itself doesn't disappoint either with a sort of Plaid/Kruder and Dorfmeister do silent movie sountracks. Lots of xylophones, twinkling bells and sun shining through tree branches. Perfect music for dreaming about long picnics by a babbling brook with someone named Arend Hofman. Overall, GNAC's latest offering delivers exactly what the title promises - Biscuit Barrel Fashion. And what is that you may ask? Fuck if I know, but it sure sounds good.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexGOLDFRAPP FELT MOUNTAIN (Mute)
reviewed 16-05-01
Well well well. At long last we have a CD that joins the elevated (as in Mt. Everest) prestigious place of honour held by few other CDs. Goldfrapp has managed to reach the summit to hang with Portishead, Lamb, Cocteau Twins, and Tricky. That honoured "timeless" or "classic" label slapped, stamped and slung all over this baby. Guaranteed to satifisfy (even if he/she doesn't). Felt Mountain is just that: majestic, magical, mystical… and a soft place to fall. A true gift from Mother Nature. Throw out all your other CDs. Set your player on repeat and make sure you've paid your electric bill. This will be the gift of choice for all your friends for the next long while. Everyone will succumb. No need to even give a sales pitch. Like a 1957 Mustang, this puppy will never depreciate in value. Never will you be going through your CDs in 5 years time, and wonder why you have this blissful beauty. In fact it will most likely still be on the top of your play pile.
Top 5 mellow slightly melancholic layaround with friends CDs.
1. Portishead Dummy
2. Cocteau Twins Treasure
3. Goldfrapp Felt Mountain
4. Tricky Maxinquaye*
5. Lamb Lamb
Plaid Fandango
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* Alison Goldfrapp guest vocaled on this album.
JANET JACKSON ALL FOR YOU (Virgin)
reviewed 16-05-01
Forget about Plato, Aristotle and Freud. It's all about the Tao of Janet. The summer of Janet Jaxsontential? Perhaps. All For You. Concept One: Carpe Diem. It's all for you, if you make a move… and… Come on get [it?] up, before I change me mind. Concept Two: Living in the moment. Baby would you mind undressing me, making me feel sexy, while in the moment. Concept Three: You are at one with everything. And I'm gonna, kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you, feel you deep inside me ooh. Concept Four: Honesty to others but most of all to yourself. Don't act like you don't know the truth… the truth will set you free… let it go ooh child. Concept Five: You hold the key to your own boundries. Gotta be strong… but you must give trust a try. Concept Six: To show your weakness is to show your strength. I spoil them when I'm in love, give them what they dream of, sometimes it's not a good thing, but I'm blind. Concept Seven: It's not what you say, it's what you do. Concept Eight: Service to others comes back tenfold. (Ask a once legendary singer/songwriter i.e. Carly Simon to guest on your CD, knowing the exposure would help her sagging career, and at the same time give you serious artistic credibility.) And the most important of all. Concept Nine: Don't take yourself too seriously. Even your mistakes (i.e. giggles) are worth using as samples. I'm about to change my vibe, today the sun's gonna shine, cause I made up my mind, that today will be the start of better days. Praise be to the Feather, the Sun and the Holy Jackson.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexMICHAEL JACKSON INVINCIBLE (Epice)
reviewed 01-11-01
It's a big deal, the new Michael Jackson record. Such a big deal that Epic Records spent a reputed $21 million on its recording. Such a big deal that it's backed by one of the music industry's biggest ever marketing campaigns. Such a big deal that... er, single You Rock My World stalled at number two behind a record by a onetime soap actress that had already been out for a month. Unfortunately for the purposes of this column, it's also such a big deal that Epic Records haven't sent out any advance review copies to the press ("not until Monday 29," replied a weary flunky at the PR company, clearly sick of being asked). Fear of piracy is being claimed as the reason, although a few cynics have murmured that the situation bears an uncanny resemblance to the way Hollywood refused to countenance any press screenings for The Avengers, where the fear was less piracy and more horrible reviews. The few reviews of Invincible that have appeared in the press have come courtesy of quick, one-time-only playback sessions at the label's HQ, a less than ideal environment in which to pass critical judgment. They've also been almost entirely negative. You may have gathered by now that The Wiseacre wasn't among those invited to a playback (and I did try, honest). And so all I have to go on is what you have to go on: single You Rock My World, a not-too-bad affair notable mostly for its video, in which the ghastly extent of Jackson's cosmetic surgery is sporadically revealed from beneath his trilby. Other than that, no idea, I'm afraid. It could sound like Marilyn Manson for all I know. Invincible's in the shops now. If it's any good, I'll review it next week. If not, I won't. Can't say fairer than that. But in the meantime, a tenner says it's not a patch on Off The Wall.
Will Fulford-Jones
back to indexJJ72 JJ72 (Sony)
reviewed 16-02-01
Barely out of their teens, Irish rock threesome JJ72 are the latest hype. The three are vocalist Mark Greaney; accident-prone drummer Fergal Matthews, and bassist Hillary Woods ("discovered" in a school production of Sweeney Todd). More Coldplay than Coldcut, and not too dissimilar to a greener Gomez, their music is basically simple guitar music. Succinct lyrics throughout: "True love has no simplicity" (Oxygen), the delivery ranges from angry, raging tracks (Surrender and Snow) - with vocals reminiscent of early Stiff Little Fingers - to sensitive, sweetly melodic sounds (the aforementioned Oxygen, and Willow: both incidentally accompanied by some moving string arrangements), and the powerful Not Like You. Although some tracks sound instantly familiar on first play, the album does need to improve with age (stick it on repeat all day and you'll see the hype is well founded). If you like guitar bands, you'll love this even though some of the tracks can be a bit dreary. These are early days and they're only going to go on bigger and better things (but erm… don't quote me on that if they don't).
Pip Farquharson
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ELTON JOHN SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST (Mercury)
reviewed 16-10-01
It may come as some surprise to readers under the age of 35. But, believe it or not, there was a time when Elton John didn't only make absolutely fucking dreadful records. That time was the early 1970s; listen to albums such as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and the terrific Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy now, and you can't help but wonder why Elton's spent the last quarter-century trying to out-crap himself with each succeeding release. To his credit, Elton admitted in a recent interview that his last 25 years' worth of albums stink worse than ten-year-old stilton. And so, inspired by the back-to-basics approach to recording adhered to by - of all people - Ryan Adams, Elton's decided that he wants to sound like good ol' piano man Elton again, rather than the schmaltzy, cornball Elton we all know and despise. But while old habits are hard to break, they're also pretty tough to reassume. Though Songs From The West Coast sees Elton return to a relatively stripped-back sound, with piano to the fore, the production still has a nasty Hollywood sheen to it (single I Want Love, for one). And while Elton has, for once, come up with some decent tunes, Bernie Taupin's lyrics are truly shocking throughout, though nowhere are they worse than on opener The Emperor's New Clothes. Songs From The West Coast is an improvement, granted. But, well, could it have really got much worse?
Will Fulford-Jones
back to indexKELIS WANDERLAND (Virgin)
reviewed 01-11-01
It's Kelis's album, this. No doubt about it. It's got her name on the front of the sleeve, her picture on its cover and her face all over the video for its lead-off single. And now we've cleared that up, we can move onto the next definitive fact about Wanderland: specifically, that the best bits about it appear to have less to do with Kelis and more to do with her producers, the all-conquering Neptunes, aka N*E*R*D, aka Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo. Parts of Wanderland are dazzling: the siren backing track to Young, Fresh n' New, the shuffling funk of Digital World, the scratch n' shift electro-meets-R&B of Easy Come, Easy Go. Unfortunately, they're too often the garnish on an otherwise unappetising dish: vocally unengaging, lyrically forgettable and - strangely, given that Kelis found fame with a song whose chorus repeatedly screamed "I hate you so much right now" - lacking in attitude. The producers fulfil their role as the spark plugs. Unfortunately, the engine they're firing is less V8 and more v. average, and all that's left wandering after a trip around Wanderland is the listener's attention. shit, Ryan. But what we do get sounds pretty damn fine.
Will Fulford-Jones
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DJ KRUSH ZEN (Sony)
reviewed 16-07-01
Zen is the sixth album by the Japanese maestro of both blurring and expanding the boundaries of trip hop and hip hop. Some of it is a fine example of his excellence; the rest um… not, shall we say. It veers between the sensuous Danger of Love (co-written by and featuring Zap Mama) and With Grace (co-written by and featuring N'Dea Davenport) and songs which can be likened to either a cow giving birth on the set of a James Bond movie (Endless Railway), a hamster having horrible things done to it (Duck Chase), or Grace Jones on heroin (Paradise Bird Theory). Plus, the obligatory hip 'fuckin' this, fuckin' that' hop offerings which burst in just when you're getting all mellow and stoned… Candle Chant (A Tribute) is worth a mention, however, for Krush's musical composition - though the lyrics/vocals by BOSS, THE MC (in capitals, sic) don't quite work… Incidentally, DJ Krush has just been over here on his European Tour (playing at the Paradiso on Wed 4 July). A tour without mishaps unfortunately. Firstly his fetish for pickled plums rendered him way into the excess baggage bracket at Narita Airport and he had to unload them before he'd even left Japan (fortunately, they were carried over on another flight for him by management. Aaahhh…). And then in Heidelberg his co-DJ, DJ Hide, had his bag of 80 records stolen and was unable to play the tour. That sucks… But not as much as Krush on his pickled plums.
If anyone knows about the stolen bag of records (hell, Heidelberg's not that far) phone: 00 81-3-3378-4802 fax: 00 81-3-3378-4773 or e-mail: sus@aurora.ocn.ne.jp
Pip Farquharson
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LIL' KIM THE NOTORIOUS KIM
reviewed 01-03-01
We all can feel the effects of all this crazy planetary insanity occuring in the cosmos. What's a person to do? Well Lil' Kim might not be THE artist of the new millenium, but she might be the artist of this cosmic chaos. Ms Kimberly Jones is nasty. I'm not sure she'd be so interesting if she was rapping about flowers and fluffy poodles, but she certainly has a way with the F word. I can't really take her very seriously but this CD is groovy, funky and full of catchy chatter (swearing has never sounded so good). There is a great sample of Pat Benatar's Heartbreaker on Don't Mess With Me. Of course there are many many guest artists: Mary J. Blige, Sisqo, Lil' Cease, and most notably Grace Jones comes out of hibernation to provide her ultra coolness to Revolution. It's like they all live in one big student-style house, a sort of animal house of rap. When one is recording you just see who is home, and voila. And while Kim is the flavour of the month (and yes How Many Licks Does It Take?) where will she be 3 years from now? She could take the Queen Latifah route into acting, or the Vanity avenue of Jesus? Some how I keep picturing La Petite Kim sipping tea in a Chanel dressing gown, speaking with a crisp english accent to rival Julie Andrews. Who knows where the planets will lead us.
Plaid Fandango
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MINISTRY GREATEST FITS (Warner)
reviewed 01-08-01
Never trust a junkie. Well everyone's favourite is back. Is this collection just fulfilling contractual obligations or is it simply a scam to score some cash to score? There is the inclusion of the new What About Us? featured in the new Speilberg film A.I. where Al and the boys make a cameo. Enough to justify a greatest FITS? Well not really. What does justify it though, is that Ministry have dared to go where no band would think of going. Ministry created a whole new genre. (Unfortunately they are still the only ones IN that genre.) This is a grouping of historical Ministry from 1987, ignoring the first two albums. The 1986 Twitch saw the turning of the then synthelectropop Ministry into the beast we know today. In 1988 The Land of Rape and Honey completed the transformation. This was raw, dirty, abrasive, glorious (like sandpaper on your genitals.) It would have been cool to have included a number from the first CD but redone in the NOW Ministry style. I know frontman Al Jorgenson slags it off as ³an abortion² but there are some numbers on it, if redone, could have really been worthy. (I don't care what you say Al Every Day Is Halloween is brilliant.) Instead we have the standard classics laid before us: Stigmata, N.W.O., Just One Fix, Jesus Built My Hotrod etc. proving that there is only one Ministry. Though Burning Inside is absent, there is a great live version of So What and the curious cover of Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay. So was this CD really necessary? Or would a box set have been better? Or a CD single with a few bonus tracks? Last I heard Al broke into the studio and stole all the equipment to buy crack. Hmmm.
Plaid Fandango
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MISSY ELLIOT MISSY E… SO ADDICTIVE (Electra)
reviewed 01-06-01
Miss E is back. And the first thing she tells us is that she is going to give us beats we ain't heard before. I'm not sure that she fully understood what she was saying. Not to say that the CD doesn't kick some ass, cuz it does. But it's not all THAT new. Missy does what the others do, but only she does it way better. No, I mean WAY better. She is definitely not standing still. Miss E (with the help of her production partner in crime Timbaland) does take more risks with her music than any other in the genre. Which, for some reason, gives everyone else permission to be more experimental. In the video version of Get ur freak on , the number is sandwiched between a split Lick Shots. The abrupt style change makes Freak even more amazing, and stylistically delivers Missy's promise of giving us something we haven't heard. On the CD however, they are simply back to back and with a lame fade out. A bit disappointing but given that they are both very cool numbers, I'm prepared to let it slide. I guess because it's Missy, I just expect that much more. And for the most part she delivers... the CD IS highly addictive. (I don't want no One Minute Man. We hear ya Missy.) On several tracks there is a great musical flashback to really early Prince. Perhaps Missy should have asked the purple one to guest on a track or two (seems she's got everyone else to). Or maybe Missy needs to meet Peaches? And could someone please tell me what the credit on the sleeve for nails is all about? The cover is just a headshot?!
Plaid Fandango
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NEW ORDER GET READY (London)
reviewed 01-10-01
Get Ready? Ha. We've been ready for almost a decade. Whether the title of New Order's seventh album is in any way ironic is unknown, but it does seem ridiculous for a band who've spent eight years away, for reasons that even they struggle to explain, to title their album thus. What's perhaps more ridiculous is just how worthwhile Get Ready is. Comeback albums usually inspire a peculiar mix of emotions that sit somewhere between dread and embarrassment. Get Ready, while no classic, is some way better than that. Those hoping for the New Order of old should stay home and stick on Substance, the best best-of of the last 20 years. Get Ready still sounds like New Order - Peter Hook's outlandish bass solos see to that, as does the irrepressible sense of melody that pervades everything - but it's a rockier New Order. Gutty single Crystal is fairly indicative of what to expect - its chunkiness is best reprised on Primitive Notion - but this isn't a one-note record, as evidenced by the likes of the delicious Vicious Streak. Downers? Bernard Sumner's lyrics remain as endearingly half-arsed as ever, and both Slow Jam and the Primal Scream-featuring Rock The Shack let the side down something rotten. But still, this is plenty better than we had any right to expect. Turns out they were ready all along.
Will Fulford-Jones
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NICOLE KIDMAN and EWAN MCGREGOR COME WHAT MAY (Interscope)
reviewed 01-10-01
Context, it would seem, is everything. In context, this is a lovely climax to a fabulously over-the-top movie (Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge, if you've been living in a cave for the past few weeks). Out of context, it's soggy-arsed, Broadway-lite bollocks (the album version), or dull, clunky, Europop bollocks (the radio edit). See the movie. Ignore the soundtrack.
Will Fulford-Jones
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PEACHES THE TEACHES OF PEACHES (Kity-Yo)
reviewed 01-06-01
I'm not so sure Eve was tempted by an apple. It's a lot more logical that she was lured off course by a far more lurid fruit, and my guess would be Peaches. Yep, I'm sure this sweet and juicy vixen vexed our poor Eve, opening her up (all the way) to the glories of masturbation and beyond. "Adam never made me feel that..." No shit. Thus when Eve asked wannabe studmuffin Adam to join her in the salacious peach flesh, it was more of an invitation into a world of skintight pink rubber, strap-ons and multiple orgasms. And did God really get mad? I don't think so. God's reaction was most likely "What took you so long?" The garden of Eden (or in Peaches case swapping Toronto for Berlin) has never looked, sounded or tasted so sweet. The Teaches of Peaches brings to mind art school performance art. I'm not sure if refreshing is the right word, but given the overproduced state of music today, this CD is a welcome return to simplicity. It's startling, raw, minimalistic music/noise eminating from Peaches groovebox, mixed with her spoken/sung/yelled lyrics. It's not so much what you do, but how you do it. And who could resist Fuck the Pain Away? Yes it's all about sex, sex and more sex. Cum Undun, Hot Rod, Lovertits... well you get the idea. No doubt Peaches' teaching (as Adam and Eve discovered) demands lots of extra credit.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexPHOENIX UNITED (Source/Astralwerks)
reviewed 01-05-01
As a very wise Gibb once penned "How can you mend a broken heart?" Or perhaps just a sqeezed-so-hard-it's-deeply-bruised heart. How do you manage to fall out of love? How to fight that drug like addiction to that four letter word and the pain of not having someone. There is always the elimination of said party, if you happen to have a pistol handy. Though I must say this option has it's drawbacks, and lots of potential complications. Then there is always the possibility of self-elimination. But before you resort to such measures, give Phoenix a listen. This French foursome offer up an extrodinary schizophrenic tour de force with United. There are some justifiable comparisions to fellow labelmates Air, but these guys soar up and out of our atmosphere. The eighties influence throughout i s quite frankly, scary. Scary because it sounds so good. Handclaps, dry drums, Van Halen guitars and saxophones? Sound good? Well yes. Maybe it's the disposible fluffy facade which automatically lowers your guard leaving you vulnerable to some really poignant lyrics. The true power of pop music. The singer's voice has something weirdly Paul Simonesque, but in a good way. (Yes that IS possible.) It's like a bad day that never ends... feels like I' m buried yet I'm still alive... I'm losing my balance on the tightrope... if I ever feel better, remind me to spend some good time with you… you can give me your number, when it's all over I'll let you know… All the while grooving along, eerily soothing. Just when you think you know where it's going, it doesn't. Sound familiar? Have faith and never lose hope. Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, your heart will too.
Plaid Fandago
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PLAID DOUBLE FIGURE (Warp Records)
reviewed 16-06-01
It was bound to happen. I've had to take Peaches out of my CD player. The withdrawl soothed only by this, the latest release from Plaid. Besides having the best name for a band ever, you have to love the music. An epic journey into another dimension. This offering from Plaid closes a reverse trilogy which started with the brilliant Not For Three's. I'm not sure why it's reversed. But then again I shouldn't waste valuble listening time on such questions. Definitely the boys are exploring more introspective territory, flowing topographically from jagged quirky peaks to melancholic meadows. There are nods to early Depeche Mode, Duritti Column, Mark Isham and a certain spiritual spacial quality found on David Sylvian's Dead Bees on a Cake. Make no mistake about it, this is pure Plaid. A futuristic mosaic of the first degree. Plaid create their own universe to discover and destroy as they please. This music feels so personal to me, and by that I mean private. Or maybe intimate is a better word. Filling out the vast space inside my head with sublime subtlety. A science fiction of simplicity reminiscent of the type of electro pop which flavoured the early eighties. Sincetta, Zamami, Ooh Be Do and Porn Coconut Co are stand out numbers of what ultimately feels like one 70 minute track. It's difficult to dissect it and not feel like you're cheating the other numbers. At the end it's hard to remember where you began. And yes, that IS a good thing.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexRACHID TAHA MADE IN MEDINA (Universal)
reviewed 16-04-01
The term "world music" draws to mind middle-aged pseudo-hippy yuppie types looking for redemption in Buddha, Bali, and the occassional passive listen into the "exotic" and "fascinating" music of the "third world". Where the liner notes always have an introduction by some stupid fuck, gushing about the raw beauty in this music, and how he (or she) is so grateful this "primitive" music was "discovered" (Like Columbus "discovered" America?). Like the music hasn't already been around for thousands of years, being enjoyed and appreciated by generations. Pathetic or what? That's all about to change. Our perception of global distance has been greatly altered through the ease of travel, internet, mobile telephones etc. Nowhere is really faraway anymore. Made in Medina is a bold CD leading the way. Algerian singer Rachid Taha takes this from here, that from there and some of that from way over there, to create a most delicious cocktail you can sip while contemplating the redefinition of world music. Mixing traditional instruments, samples, dance rhythms, political lyrics with a brilliant production, it's… it's… it's Chebical (a little bit Chemical Brothers, a little bit Cheb Khaled). The opening track, Barra Barra isn't just a stunning premonition, it IS the future. The world just got smaller. So surrender your borders and give yourself up to the realization that there is no longer us and them. We are all taking refuge in the shade of the umbrella called humankind.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexRAMASTURA THE EAST INFECTION (Tox)
reviewed 01-04-01
A dear friend of mine from Montréal who introduced me to Bran van 3000 (for which I'm eternally grateful) slipped me another gem from the hip French-Canadian city. The East Infection is the debut album of Ramachandra Borcar (aka DJ Ram). Though debut be it, DJ Ram is no small fish. He's played in clubs around the world and secured opening spots for artists such as Björk, The Asian Dub Foundation, and The Chemical Brothers. And the lucky chap is obviously doing very well… He has currently escaped the minus 32 degrees Celsius of Montréal for 40 degrees in the volcanic, shark-infested island of Reunion off the coast of Madagascar, drinking Dodo (the local beer named after the extinct bird) in 'Bar Jungle' whose walls and bar itself are literally giant aquariums full of tropical fish… (Somehow think I'm in the wrong job.) Anyway, The East Infection is as it sounds - an exotic and eclectic mix of musical styles ranging from Big Beat to Bhangra with a variety of vocalists: one minute it's The The, the next Pink Floyd, the next Dead can Dance, the next Sangeeta… And one minute you're in India, another in Brighton, and another… you realise you're actually just in Amsterdam. DJ Ram has written all the songs himself (apart from the opening track, a beautiful film soundtrack, The Story of O). Other great tracks are the driving Marder (the first single released from the album) and Snake in the Garden ("you're just a goldfish in a bowl"). Yep.
Pip Farquharson
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RELATIVE ASH OUR TIME WITH YOU (ISLAND)
reviewed 01-09-01
An extra-strong-espresso-high-octane-tabasco enema. Celibacy is not a substitute for fidelity. And I don't care what you hippy health fools say, carob does not satisfy like chocolate. Does Grandma smoke too much? Is Uncle Tom a pervert? Does cousin Jimmy really play with dolls? Relativity factor? ZERO. Ashes ashes we all fall down. What IS relative these days? Stupidity threatens to tear this planet apart. Like the proverbial lamb to the slaughter our "civilized" approach to life leaves a lot to be desired. Why is it we seem to have forgotten the most important and basic rule? Do unto others as we'd have them do unto us. Our Time With You? How about your time with you? In those private moments alone, do you like the company you keep? What will you be remembered for? World peace starts with the individual, in other words… you! The soundtrack of our lives? Probably sounds something like this. In fact listening to Relative Ash is akin to the apocalypse of now. A black sheep (or lamb if you prefer) of the 5th order. But I assure you a very, very, very relative one. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
Plaid Fandango
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SPIRITUALIZED LET IT COME DOWN (Spaceman)
reviewed 01-10-01
When Public Enemy advised listeners to bring the noise, you can bet Jason Pierce was all ears. Pierce started in Spacemen 3, with whom he tried to make as much noise as possible using a guitar and a box of effects pedals. He then left to form Spiritualized, with whom he's continued to make as much noise as possible, only with a greater variety of instruments. But now, Pierce has surpassed himself. Ages in the making, on many levels Let It Come Down is the ultimate realisation of his vision. It's a sprawling work, drenched in guitars, drums, orchestras, choirs, kitchen sinks… over 100 instruments on some tracks. If he carries on at this rate, the band will end up bigger than the audience. It's wild, overwhelming, an extraordinary feat; a Pierce de resistance, if you will.That's not to say, though, that it's all great. But we may as well start with the great bits. Single Stop Your Crying, say, whose gospel feel is echoed throughout Let It Come Down. The Straight And The Narrow is delicious, as is the ponderous I Didn't Mean To Hurt You, while Lord Can You Hear Me is as lovely as a song as you'll hear all year. But much of Let It Come Down is simply smothered by its maniacal scale. Pierce has the songs, sure. But in arranging everything to within an inch of its life, he comes across like a cook in the kitchen who can't quite get the balance of his ingredients right and so keeps adding more of everything into the pot in the hope that he'll find the recipe. But in doing so, he loses track of what he put in to start with, and ends up with a damn mess. Sometimes, this approach pays surprising dividends, as on the belting The Twelve Steps. But more often, as on tracks like raucous opener On Fire and the could've-been-beautiful Don't Just Do Something, it begins entrancingly but all ends in tears. And ultimately, you wish someone had pointed out to Pierce that sometimes, size isn't everything, and that less really can be more. Frustrating, all told.
Will Fulford-Jones
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VARIOUS SAMPLED (Virgin)
reviewed 01-09-01
Just when you've spent hours traipsing around a zillion record stores and fairs, flipping through piles of old vinyl, searching for the original tracks sampled in contemporary music, someone goes and does it for you… Sampled is a compilation of 40 original soul, funk, jazz and disco tracks. As well as being a great to have purely for interest's sake it is also, simply a great collection of songs. And there are also quite a few suprises…
And here's just a sample of some of the tracks:Carol Williams Love is You aka Spiller Groove Jet
Jimmy Bo Horne Let Me Be Your Lover aka Stereo MCs Connected
Chaka Khan Fate aka Stardust Music Sounds Better With You
Chic Soup for One aka Modjo Lady
Patti Page Old Cape Cod aka Groove Armada At the River
Vera Hall Troubled So Hard aka Moby Natural Blues
Billy Cobham Stratus aka Massive Attack Safe from Harm
Highly recommended.
Pip Farquharson
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VARIOUS: BOLLYWOOD FUNK (Outcaste)
reviewed 16-03-01
Ever wonder where they get the music you hear in indian restaurants? Ever dream in animation? Ever wish you had music to accompany your entrance? Ever imagine a young mother Therese getting down and funky? Ever wonder what the REAL effects of global warming are? Well this particular CD just might satisfy every possible question in this train (or be it derailment) of thought. Sounds like someone left the television on in the back room of the indian run corner store. Don't worry, it's just gran watching a Bollywood film festival! Hooray (do the ray way.) Bollywood has been churning out films by the dozen for what seems like forever. India has a huge film industry, the most prolific in the world. This compilation contains 15 tracks taken from different Bollywood films. These tracks are a cocktail of 70's TV theme tunes, epic outtakes from James Bond films and the movie Elvis never made called Taj Mahal. Surreal doesn't even begin to describe it. This is a sampler's paradise, though the only problem is, which part to sample. Every track is filled with so many precious moments far exceeding the boundries of ordinary kitsch. The only thing missing is the actual visuals themselves. If you've ever seen a Bollywood film you'll know what Ii mean. If you haven't had the pleasure yet... well lets just say seeing is believing.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexVARIOUS/MARK B: HARLEM WORLD (Heroes and Villains)
Reviewed: 01-11-01
Check out the shelves of any music megastore, and it's hard not to come to the conclusion that the world needs another old skool rap compilation like Gerard Houllier needs a full English breakfast, 40 Marlboros and a touchline seat at a Liverpool penalty shootout. However, even Gerard might find it hard to resist this impeccable set, compiled by Mark B and guaranteed, in the immortal words of Big Bank Hank, to rock a party till the early light. It's nine tracks of the finest vintage New York hip hop from the obscure likes of Family Four, Boogie Boys and Little Starsky, back when the main aim of New York hip hop was not bragging about the size of your uzi but laying down a belting groove, talking bollocks over the top and getting people to dance to it. "We want to party, dance and boogie all damn night," offer Zulu Nation and Cosmic Force on the ace Zulu Nation Throwdown. "Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do-do-do". Quite.
Will Fulford-Jones
back to indexVIOLET INDIANA ROULETTE (Bella Union)
reviewed 01-07-01
Robin Guthrie set himself the seemingly impossible task of starting a new band with a female singer. After years of redefining music with Cocteau Twins (his signature sedimentary soundscapes perfectly coupled with Liz Fraser's unique vocalizations) what do you do next to escape the shadow of your former self? What seems to make it harder, is that CTwins inspire some of the most devoted fans this side of Jim Jones. The question of "How could HE work with another woman?" blah blah blah. It's like the Morrissey/Marr thing. Who the fuck really cares? Fear not for Mr. Guthrie is poised on the edge of greatness. The opening track Air Kissing recalls the music of the Twins' Touch Upon Touch, and Beth Orton-style vocals but when you get to the chorus that all changes. By the third song Sundance, you realize that you have no choice but to surrender to Violet Indiana as an entity unto itself. This is a great lesson in freeing yourself from the burden of expectations. Violet Indiana is a cocktail of Portishead, Twin Peaks, Mazzy Star and Goldfrapp. Siobhan de Maré (ex Mono) is a sensitive, melancholic (without being pathetic) soulful, torch singer of sorts. The music here is wonderfully minimal and spacious. Musically Robin has really grown, letting go of the need to overproduce. He really lets everything breathe. A perfect CD for that lazy summer Sunday bed picnic. Naturally there are moments of Cocteauesque guitars, but being that they are such wonderful sounds it's such a pleasure to enjoy them in a new context. This proves Robin's brilliance as a musician and producer is bright enough to illuminate even the deepest shadow.
Plaid Fandango
back to indexVIVE LA FÊTE! RÉPUBLIQUE POPULAIRE
reviewed 16-08-01
What the fuck is going on here?! I feel like Iım being forced through a wormhole arriving in a parallel universe when Yoko Ono is a French chanteuse and video games are still stuck at atari pong. Vive La Fête IS the wormhole. (Actually theyıre Belgian, but is there really a difference?). Iım not sure when this music would be appropriate, but Iım sure there must be a time. Itıs like someone threw Book of Love, Plastic Ono Band, Altered Images, and Visage into a blender. Like one of those health food concoctions, it looks scary and smells a tad strange but is really, really really good for you. The first sip is a terrifying unknown fantastical journey into the outer limits. Once youıve managed to surpress the gag reflex, you realize "hey that wasnıt so bad." After a second less timid swig your body begins to adjust to the strange new taste. Never mind that weird chunky texture happening. By the time the tumbler is half drained youıre energized and start smiling like an imbecile. Once completely downed, you find it hard to contain your enthousiasm. This is SCRUMDIDILYUMPTIOUS! Everyone should try this. Everyone MUST try this. This is the taste sensation to cure the world. Heal... mother earth... heal. Open your heart! Let love rule! Yes Vive La Fête!!! (For the faint of heart and sticks in the mud, best to opt for black coffee.)
Plaid Fandango
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