CD’s: Glasvegas ‘Later…When The Tv Turns To Static’,
Babyshambles ‘Sequel To The Prequel’, Phillious Williams ‘Stay Ugly Beautiful’,
Charlotte Gainsbourg ‘5:55’ and Songdog ‘Bacharach & Kerouac (All You Gotta
Do Is Press Play)’.
The 3rd Glasvegas album proper arrived in deluxe
format with a DVD containing live performances, interview and videos, all in a
lovely book bound presentation, though the contents of the book amount to
little more than a lyric book. The album itself, though much better than the
second album still sees the band fail to deliver on their early promise, though
only just so. Musically this is a more complete offering, the overall sound
pushes sonics with reverb and feedback and a generally cacophonous feel. As a
whole if flows well and the softer moments sit low fi enough to add to the
feel. However lyrically it’s a bit cumbersome (although truly heartfelt) and
for me James Allen’s heavy Scottish brogue occasionally get’s to be too much. I’m
probably nitpicking, the album as a whole is worthy, it just feels that the
band have come up just short again. Except for the bonus DVD that is. The band
runs through the new album in a 19th century church somewhere in
Glasgow, and a mighty fine thing it is too, the songs benefitting from a softer
and subtler presentation.
Also there with a 3rd album (and first for 6
years) are Babyshambles. It’s no letdown but also moves the band on no further
than the previous album did. Pete has still produced better post Libs records
than Carl despite his well documented issues with, well many things really. There’s
gonna be no new fans won but if you’ve followed what’s come before then you’ll
like this one too.
Also this week I came across Charlotte Gainsbourg's 2006 CD
‘5:55’ at a boot sale, I think I paid 50p for it. With songs written by Jarvis
Cocker, Neil Hannon and Air and produced by Nigel Godrich it can’t fail to be
fine thing and is a bargain worth every one of the 50 pennies I paid for it.
Also into my possession came a fine Songdog sampler assembled for me by a
friend, a double disc best of, beautifully handmade packaging and also a very
fine thing. I’ve only got through one disc one of it so far but mightily
enjoyed it and I’ll definitely investigate the band further.
CD find of the week though is Phillious Williams’s first
proper band CD which I picked up from Leigh On Sea bar/eatery Ten Green Bottles.
This version is a limited edition CD with four extra tracks, not sure how the
final version being launched in a few weeks time will differ (the main album
has just 7 tracks, more of a mini album really) but it’ll be hard to improve on
it. I’m already familiar with many of the songs and am well pleased with
versions offered up; if you’re fan of anything that’s quality you should go for
this. It’s a punk, rock’n’roll, country and spaghetti western hybrid. The
version of ‘Teenage Punk Queen’ deserves to be heard everywhere, and though two
of the bonus tracks are instrumentals they are indeed superb instrumentals, ‘Ride
Boldly Ride’ clocking in at nearly 10 minutes but feeling like half of that.
Not just my favourite CD of the week but one of the best this year too. You can
get it here ….
or indeed the
previously mentioned Ten Green Bottles if you’re that way inclined.
On vinyl I’ve also acquired the new Pixies 10” EP, which I’d
burned to CD the moment my FLAC download had arrived at my inbox a couple of
days previously. I’m loving these new Pixies tracks. Yes they lack some of the
intensity of original Pixies stuff but then again this is what you’d hope the
band would sound like if they carried on making music over the last 20 years.
There a lot more pop sensibility on display, in fact an almost sunny Californian
feel to some of it, but the edge is still there too. Great stuff. Snap up the
vinyl while (if) you still can, there’s only 5,000 worldwide.
And finally coming my way via downloads this week. Though
first of all I’ll explain my stance on downloads. I don’t agree with something
for nothing, artists need income in order to survive and develop and flourish.
However a guy like me can only spend so much on music and there’s just so much
I read about that I wanna hear. So, I’ll often download, mostly by torrent,
things I want to hear but just can’t risk the cash on. If I like it, I’ll buy
it, always, as most recently with the mighty fine Daughn Gibson. Or in the case
of the Beach Boys new box set, If I’ve already invested heavily in an artist who
then releases something containing stuff I already 90% have I may download the
bonus stuff. The CD ‘Made In California’ set contains one disc of previously unreleased/unheard
or rare stuff, and none of its essential. It’s a fine set in whole, particularly
if you don’t own previous Beach Boys box sets. But if you do, then save your
money. I’ve also had the Arctic Monkeys new album (which I’d already
pre-ordered); I’ve not listened yet but I’ll talk about it when the CD turns
up. And I’ve investigatively downloaded the 1975’s debut too, not listened to
it either but I may mention it once I have.
So apart from further working towards completing an exhaustive
trawl through Martin Stephenson’s complete recordings, that this week is my
musically acquired life. Some of this will be in a rapidly approaching podcast.
Ian
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