Paranoid Android alone took pointers from The Beatles. DJ Shadow, Bohemian Rhapsody and The Pixies. The intro to 'Airbag', the album's torturous lead in was meant to "sound like a car crash Rock musicians are always saying such things - rarely do they equate with something as remarkable as 'OK Computer'; a 1990's landmark and a record whose symphonic scale expanded rock music's very vocabulary. (R.W. Mojo)
A History of Popular Music is based on and includes comments from Vox Magazine's 100 Records That Shook The World (1991). Where I have used lengthy extracts from Vox Magazine I have credited thus (Vox). The accompanying clips are sourced from Youtube and are there for purposes of familiarising the reader with the record in question.
Friday, 30 January 2015
99. In It For The Money. (L.P) Supergrass. 1997.
Three likely lads from Oxford survive Brit-Pop. Gone are the perky Chas & Dave-isms of the marvellous debut album 'Alright'; this splendid second album rocks, squalls and churns on monstrously infectious riffage. Despite feelgood hits like 'Sun Hits The Sky' and the lovely mope of 'Late In The Day', sales dipped. No matter, actually the band with the long sideburns were in it for the long haul. Classic British pop from an exuberant outfit. (D.P. Mojo).
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
98. Wrecking Ball. (L.P) Emmylou Harris. 1995.
Possibly Emmylou's least country album, 'Wrecking Ball is still a classic album from a classic artist. Producer Daniel Lanois places Harris in an all enveloping aural land-scape to create a mysterious and exhilarating vehicle for her remarkable vocal talents. Though traditionalist might prefer 'Blue Kentucky Girl' (1989) or 'Live At The Ryman' (1992), 'Wrecking Ball' is nonetheless remarkable. (Mojo).
'Wrecking Ball' by Emmylou Harris is not to be confused with the later song by Miley Cyrus that shares the same title. Emmylou's version of 'Wrecking Ball' is her interpretation of the Neil Young song. (CB)
97. Grand Prix. (L.P). Teenage Fanclub. 1995.
Terrible puns aside (Neil Jumg, Mellow Doubt), this was a return to form, with Scotland's Raymond McGinley, Norman Blake and Gerard Love passing the song writing baton assuredly on their only album for Geffen. The Byrdsian vocal harmonies and catchy melodies seem to come as naturally as a change in the seasons, adding romance and depth to songs such as sumptuous hit single 'Sparky's Dream'. (J.McN. Mojo)
96. American Recordings 1. (L.P) Johnny Cash.
Produced by Rick Rubin this was the record that brought Cash back to a contemporary audience. A hard, sparse acoustic set of some of his most affecting performances, including the former son-in-law Nick Lowe's 'The Beast In Me' and the man's own 'Nam vet story 'Drive On'; the terror is in the emotional mask Cash sings in, or more precisely, when it slips. (M.H. Mojo)
95. Grace. (L.P). Jeff Buckley. 1994.
My fave track from the album. Love the way he sings "Where are you tonight" at 1:55.
A hymn here, a camp show tune there, from Led Zep style epic to grunge explosion, the son of Tim Buckley's one completed work displays a brilliant musical mind wrestling his tremendous gifts into many shapes. Loaded with bravura and promise, angry, dazzling and touching where necessary, for once the cliché of First Album Syndrome - "Give 'em everything, we might not make another." - made tragic sense. (J.L. Mojo)
My fave track from the album. Love the way he sings "Where are you tonight" at 1:55.
Monday, 26 January 2015
94. Whatever. (L.P). Aimee Mann. 1993.
After three albums fronting Boston based outfit 'Til Tuesday, Mann delivered this articulately lovelorn debut solo album. Drawing praise from Roger McGuinn and Elvis Costello (the former is a guest on the record), it casts her as the songwriter's songwriter. Sparky single 'I Should Have Known' and emotive ballad '4th of July' pack just the right blend of vulnerability and strength. Brainy, distinctive and consistently singable. (J.McN. Mojo).
93. In Utero. (L.P). Nirvana. 1993.
Their major label debut 'Nevermind' may have changed the world, but over-familiarity means it tends to gather dust in most homes. It was certainly Kurt Cobain's albatross, hence Steve Albini's noisenik presence on what would be Nirvana's magnificent last blast. Torn between a punk style "fuck you" to fair weather fans and REM style accessibility, their conflict only makes this record more volatile and vital. (J.B. Mojo)
92. The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. (L.P). The Black Crowes. 1992.
Their successful Stones via Faces debut, 'Shake Your Money Maker', appeared in the twilight zone between '80s Glam Metal and '90s alternative rock. The following two years of stardom resulted in this complex, profound and elegant follow up. Darker, haunted and delving much deeper into their Southern rock heritage. (S.S) (Mojo).
This album is one of those "glad I took the gamble" purchases. I'd heard The Black Crowes version of 'Hard To Handle' from their first album and recognised their affinity with Faces era Rod Stewart and the bluesier side of The Stones. It was my kind of album and I still listen to The Black Crowes to this day. C.B.
91. Screamadelica. (L.P). Primal Scream. 1991.
The song titles on the album, 'Moving On Up', 'I'm Coming Down', 'Loaded', mapping a raver's trajectory, this pioneering rock and acid house infused album (Primal Scream's third) was not only a milestone of their career, but one of the cultural events of the '90s. With Andrew Weatherall and erstwhile Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller at the controls the Scream settle into a hedonistic groove and soar, well, Higher Than The Sun. Essential. (J McN) (Mojo)
I got into this album after hearing Primal Scream's version of the 13th Floor Elevators classic 'Slip Inside This House'. The Jimmy Miller production credit also sold it to me. The album achieved lasting recognition in the early 2000's when it was featured on a series of stamps recognising the great British albums. C.B.
Friday, 23 January 2015
90. Three Feet High And Rising. (L.P). De La Soul. 1989.
De La Soul came out of the New York suburbs, all designer sports wear and bling, just like all the other rap acts that were around at the time. Their first record 'Plug Tuning' was not a triumph, sounding more like a bad demo than a serious attempt at cashing in on the 'hip hop' market. A rethink of style, both musical and sartorial was called for. Out went the designer sports wear and sexist lyrics, replaced by baggy T's in tie dye and floral print. Humour was added to the mix and the 'Daisy Age' was born.
'Three Feet High And Rising' is a great record, critically acclaimed by the music press and the record buying public alike. In 2010 it was chosen by America's Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry and is on The Rolling Stone list of 200 Essential Rock Records and also their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The humour is all pervading, in the irony of the lyrics, the performance by the band and the construct of the album, presented as a weird TV game show, the type of which can only exist in your dreams. Songs about squirrels digging up the garden, 'Potholes On My Lawn', personal hygiene, 'A Little Bit of Soap' make Three Feet High And Rising a delight to listen to even a quarter of a century on.
Can you tell, I love this album.
89. Graceland. (L.P) Paul Simon. 1986.
With 'Graceland' Paul Simon pulled off the biggest comeback since Lazarus. His previous album, 1983's 'Hearts & Bones' had been the poorest selling album of his career. He had been listening to bootleg tapes of African music and decided to write songs inspired by what he was now hearing. With 'Graceland' Simon brought "World Music" to the mainstream
Whether it was an altruistic act on Simon's part is open to argument. Some believed that Simon had ripped off the sounds he had assimilated within his own music, The Specials' Jerry Dammers famously picketed Simon's Albert Hall gigs the following year. Others saw it as Simon bringing "World Music" into 6 million homes via 'Graceland'. Indeed, Simon's record label went on to release big selling albums by "World" artists such as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makebo, Blacksmith Black Mambazo and The Bhundu Boys.
88. Walk This Way. Run DMC. 1986.
Just when the average rock & pop fan thought he/she had Rap music sussed, along came a game changer such as 'Walk This Way'. No longer confined to the ghetto 'Rap' reached out to the wider world by assimilating its rock music rival and found itself a place on MTV.
'Rap' had borrowed from 'Rock' before, but never with as much success as Run DMC's version of 'Walk This Way'. The Aerosmith original was virtually rap itself given the quick-fire lyrics as sung by Steven Tyler. Run DMC added a little 'black attitude' to the song and scored a world wide hit with it, taking Tyler and Aerosmith along for the ride via the spoof video that became a MTV staple for years afterwards.
87. A History of Popular Music
Psychocandy. (L.P) The Jesus & Mary Chain. 1985.
Just when rock had been buried under an avalanche of synth-pop and the boots and leather trousers/pants had been shed for baggies and designer trainers, along came The Jesus & Mary Chain with 'Psychocandy'. The band, all back-combed hair and sullen faces eschewed image in favour of isolation and determination. A determination to drag rock music back to its nucleus of distorted guitars and doom laden vocals. They were apostles of noise in a world of noise abators, sworn enemies of the swarm of pop-poodles especially bred by Saturday morning kid's TV. Their gigs were never more than 15 minutes long, a wall of tooth-drilling feedback, concluded by a burst of violence. In the event it was triumphal, as complete a rock noise as the eighties produced. 'Never Understand', 'Just Like Honey', 'You Trip Me Up' and 'In A Hole' were huge noble cliffs of sound, brooding and brilliant...
86. New Years Day. U2, 1982.
Echo & The Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Big Country, The Waterboys and U2, all started out as punk bands and each came to the same conclusion, that the way forward was to explore the alternative route to stardom. Instead of playing in fast and steady, two minute spurts, the way forward was to slow it down (especially the guitars) to a majestic gait. In doing so, these bands and their acolytes (The Alarm and Silent Running) created a decidedly non American style that was Big, Cold, Calculating. It was Northern Glacial rock with epic pretensions, and deeply rooted in local traditions, the most notable being Celtic. this was New Era stadium rock, all swagger and spiritually uplifting. Trouble was that it could very easily be construed as patronising and escalate into a laying-on-of-hands proportions. (adapted from Vox).
85. This Charming Man. The Smiths. 1983.
In the opening line of their first single (Hand In Glove) The Smiths claimed that "the sun shone out of their behinds." On their second single, This Charming Man', they proved that it did. Here was the dawning of a massive cult, a band that would, before they had finished, make floppy fringes, vegetarianism, illiteracy and republicanism de rigour items for any self respecting indie rock fan.
'This Charming Man' is simultaneously brilliant and typical of their early output. it's all there; Johnny Marr's familiar yet-not-quite guitar classicism, Morrissey's introverted, knowing lyrics and loping, slightly folkish vocals. The individual components aren't that remarkable, yet mixed together and linked with whatever alchemy that flowed between guitarist and singer, they mesh into a thing of resonant beauty. Crucially too, The Smiths at this point made everything - the music, the look, the media, all of it - seem absolutely effortless. They made it OK for music to mean something again, to be important. (abridged from Vox)..
Friday, 16 January 2015
84. Relax. Frankie Goes To Hollywood. 1983.
The commercial success of FGTH and 'Relax' can be pinned down to two actions. Firstly the ban imposed on the record by the BBC, secondly the multiple formats that the record was released in.
'Relax' had already made the charts when BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read decided that the record was actually pornographic with its inclusion of the words suck and come. Not since Jane Birkin and her 'Je T' Aime Moi Non Plus' had a record profited so much from a BBC ban, 'Relax. topping the charts for a full five weeks and remaining in the chart for 48 weeks in total.
The record was made available in 7", 12", Picture Disc, Remixed versions, and Picture Sleeve versions during a sustained chart campaign by record company ZZT. Soon, "Frankie Says Relax' baggy 'T's were seen on every high street in the UK.
The record was made available in 7", 12", Picture Disc, Remixed versions, and Picture Sleeve versions during a sustained chart campaign by record company ZZT. Soon, "Frankie Says Relax' baggy 'T's were seen on every high street in the UK.
Singer Holly Johnson claimed it was "just a dance record", but producer Trevor Horn was nearer the mark when he explained "Frankie are about sex, reproduction and making it. All the things that excite teenagers."
83. Blue Monday. New Order. 1983.
Used to be that bands used technology in a covert fashion, using it to enhance their recordings, making them sound better without the technology taking a front seat. With 'Blue Monday' New Order changed all that and let the technology dictate what was recorded. The result, a rock record as hard as they come, a dance record more influential than any of its era and one of the greatest singles of any genre, ever made.
All of this took courage. New Order had a comfy, moody guitar band niché that 'Blue Monday' destroyed forever. And the band's bravery didn't end with their decision to try something new; the record itself takes outrageous risks. For instance, a full two and a half minutes of the record elapses before the vocal kicks in and that's a stunning eternity for a commercially aimed 45 record...
82. Murmur. (L.P). R.E.M. 1983.
America hadn't thrown up a decent underground band for a while, then without warning, from the deep south, Athens, Georgia, came R.E.M. The music critics loved them, comparing Peter Buck's guitar playing to that of Roger McGuinn and The Byrds and seeing Michael Stipe as the heir to Jim Morrison, the new Lizard King.
Stipe hadn't wanted to be famous and tried to keep his vocal input low key, mumbled lyrics, deep in the mix. 'Murmur' covers all points of the American musical compass from East to West, from blues to quasi-funk, from metal to country. Stipe wanted to be mysterious and on 'Murmur' he managed it. With a 'normal frontman R.E.M.would have just been a new Burritos/Creedence/Byrds impersonators. With Stipe they were the future of rock 'n' roll. (Vox)
81. The Message. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. 1982.
Not the first 'Rap' record (Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang was a hit before 'The Message' was released), but the first to address serious issues. Like all outstanding singles it threw down the gauntlet, setting new standards of excellence for all that followed.
While 'Rapper's Delight' had been a candy coated, easy to swallow confection, 'The Message' was sharp and unforgiving, armed and dangerous. The electro pulse of the music - nail hard - chrome bright - initiated the sensory stun session, and the lyrics finished the job. The starkly brutal portrayal of life under the bottom rung was new to pop and a boundary had been irretrievably pushed back. (Vox)
Whatever your views on 'Rap' there's no getting away from the excellence of this record. (CB)
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