(15 minutes later.) Err….
(10 minutes after that.) Mmm…
(5 minutes after that.) First up today was:
(# 574) Chris Cornell
– Carry On (2007)
Released during Soundgarden’s period of inactivity whilst simultaneously
being a member of Audioslave (does that make this a double solo album?) Cornell
released this very much underrated gem. An album of mainly straight ahead
rock with some surprises up its sleeve, No Such Thing gets things off to a
crackling start, Safe And Sound could easily pass for a Eric Clapton solo track,
a slowed down cover of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean is extremely effective and
Your Soul Today has a nice Black Crowes feel to it. You Know My Name, aka the
theme to Casino Royale, is one of the finest Bond tracks ever recorded and the
funky Today that follows is a delight.
If, like me, you were underwhelmed by his unbelievably twee Eurphoria
Morning and too scared to listen to Scream, don’t deny yourself the opportunity
to hear this.
(# 575) McAltmont
& Butler – The Sound Of McAltmont & Butler (1995)
After he left British indie darlings Suede in 1994, Bernard
Butler hooked up with soul singer David McAltmont and eventually released this
absolute beauty. More soul than rock,
the album kicks off with the magnificent Yes with McAltmont’s sublime falsetto
vocals meshing wonderfully with Butler’s understated yet inspired played and a
majestic orchestral backing. What’s The
Excuse This Time? and Don’t Call It Soul both sound like a long lost Prince
tracks, especially vocally and You Lose A Good Thing ends the album on a
suitably dramatic note. But the
highlight of this album is the brilliant Disappointment/Interval a near 9
minute ebb and flow epic with McAltmont’s passionate vocals matched by masses
of crunching guitars, electric organs and just about everything else.
(# 576) Mark Lanegan –
The Winding Sheet (1990)
Until he released this album, Lanegan was known solely as
the lead vocalist of The Screaming Trees.
This was his first solo album and marked the first time he launched his
magnificent, smoke mixed with gravel vocals on the type of slower material for
which he is more often known and celebrated today. Lanegan wrote most of the material with future
Dinosaur Jr guitarist Mike Johnson all mostly mid to slow tempo material with
throbbing bass and clearly picked out guitar lines so as not to divert attention
from that voice. Down In The Dark
features Nirvana’s Curt Cobain whose guitar and vocals seemingly is an attempt to sound like the Meat
Puppets. Cobain and Nirvana bassist
Kirst Novoselic also joined Lanegan for this album’s most famous track, a cover
of Where Did You Sleep Last Night which Nirvana were to subsequently include in
their celebrated Unplugged In New York City set.
(# 577) Peter
Townshend – Empty Glass (1980)
This was the first proper Townshend album full of tracks
that were better than those released on The Who’s Face Dances the following
year. The, at times, pointed lyrics
provide the listener with a fascinating insight on this troubled era in Townshend’s
life as he battled with alcoholism, the death of Keith Moon, doubts about the continuing
relevancy of his band and other issues. The
music is majestic. Rough Boys is a hard
rocking opener, Let My Love Open The Door one of the most tender songs he’s
ever written and Jools And Jim is an angry tirade directed at the British music
press, especially Julie Parsons of the NME. Keep On Working sounds like a
mantra he employed to not fall into depression during this time and the closing
trio of A Little Is Enough, the title track and Gonna Get Ya is Townshend at
his best.
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