Topic: Go dig out an old album, give it a listen, and report back

[the good half]

Anybody familiar with this McCulloch less Bunnymen album. When I started listening to them I was quickly hooked, but knew little of them. On a trip to America with the family when I was about 17 I picked this up. Immediatley I knew that the voice was very different. Checking credits I realised this was a different Bunnymen. Seargent and Pattenson were there, De Freitas had died - but Sir Ian was absent. However I gave it a chance - and it was great.
After Ocean Rain, released in May of '84, I couldn't imagine Echo & The Bunnymen putting together another album with such an amazing array of strong tracks. Their self titled album, released in July of '89, had some good tracks, but most of them ended up sounding more like pop rock than the edgy, alternative style that defined the band's earlier work (New Direction is a wonderful exception). So when Ian McCulloch left the band, there was absolutely no reason to believe that the next Echo & The Bunnymen album would be of any consequence whatsoever. I bought Reverberation anyway, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Anybody like it/got it/hate it?

[ewok-red]

Anybody familiar with this McCulloch less Bunnymen album. When I started listening to them I was quickly hooked, but knew little of them. On a trip to America with the family when I was about 17 I picked this up. Immediatley I knew that the voice was very different. Checking credits I realised this was a different Bunnymen. Seargent and Pattenson were there, De Freitas had died - but Sir Ian was absent. However I gave it a chance - and it was great.
After Ocean Rain, released in May of '84, I couldn't imagine Echo & The Bunnymen putting together another album with such an amazing array of strong tracks. Their self titled album, released in July of '89, had some good tracks, but most of them ended up sounding more like pop rock than the edgy, alternative style that defined the band's earlier work (New Direction is a wonderful exception). So when Ian McCulloch left the band, there was absolutely no reason to believe that the next Echo & The Bunnymen album would be of any consequence whatsoever. I bought Reverberation anyway, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Anybody like it/got it/hate it?

well well, i did not even know that it existed.

[the good half]

well well, i did not even know that it existed.

I know. Like to hear a bit more from Echo fans on here. But it's very real. And NOT at all rubbish.

[the good half]

Borrowed my pals iPod for a long train journey. We have similar tastes, but was chuffed to find this album on it.
On it's relaese, many raised an eyebrow at the very obvious comparisons between the voice of singer Martin Rossiter and that of Morrissey.
However, the strenght of the songs Sleep Well Tonight, Olympian, Haunted By You and London, Can You Wait? won out and Gene were very deservedly established as fine song smiths (no pun). Their look never that convincing (one NME reviewer I remember describing guitarist Nick Masons haircut as looking like it fell on him from out of a tree) but their melodic sensibilities were clear.

Anyway, just read that they split in 2001. Had no clue. But did see them play Dublins Tivoli theatre supported by (the great 'Revelino' - whos album I would put up here but few outside Ireland would know) and they were excellent.

Anybody have any memories. Another BritPop combo who couldn't make the grade?

Gene - Olympian

[Buster 'Hook Hand' Bluth]

I loved Gene, especially that first album and the follow up, Drawn To the Deep End, which was amazing. Got a bit samey after that. Will dig those out...

[Victor]

Anybody familiar with this McCulloch less Bunnymen album. When I started listening to them I was quickly hooked, but knew little of them. On a trip to America with the family when I was about 17 I picked this up. Immediatley I knew that the voice was very different. Checking credits I realised this was a different Bunnymen. Seargent and Pattenson were there, De Freitas had died - but Sir Ian was absent. However I gave it a chance - and it was great.
After Ocean Rain, released in May of '84, I couldn't imagine Echo & The Bunnymen putting together another album with such an amazing array of strong tracks. Their self titled album, released in July of '89, had some good tracks, but most of them ended up sounding more like pop rock than the edgy, alternative style that defined the band's earlier work (New Direction is a wonderful exception). So when Ian McCulloch left the band, there was absolutely no reason to believe that the next Echo & The Bunnymen album would be of any consequence whatsoever. I bought Reverberation anyway, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Anybody like it/got it/hate it?

I knew the guy who sang on that album   Noel Burke lived in the university area in Belfast at the same time as I did ...  we both played in bands and knew eachother to speak to ... Noel sang for a band called St Vitus Dance who were very good and .... dare I say it ... slightly bunnymen influenced   next I heard they were off to Liverpool as they'd been signed by  Probe records .... I bought their debut album (Love me , Love my dogma   irish humour ) ... which was a minor hit this side of the Irish sea.. next thing I hear he's singing for the bunnies .... must have been a dream come true for him even if it didn't last too long

personally I like the album although without McCullough it doesn't sound like the Bunnymen

[Nick110581]

Had The Charlatans album Some Friendly on earlier.

Great record.

[The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society]

started singing 'one' when i woke up so got me in the mood for a bit of metallica so lobbed And Justice... on fucking prime album!

[The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society]

started singing 'one' when i woke up so got me in the mood for a bit of metallica so lobbed And Justice... on fucking prime album!

which has lead to this

[Dread Breath]

Piper at the Gates of Dawn by Pink Floyd

Their best album if you ask me: the only fully formed album that involved Syd Barrett. Listening to it now and it seems to have been dreamt up in a hallucinogenic dream somewhere between Alice in Wonderland and Arthurian England, with a sprinkle of Buddhism and schizophrenic paronia on top.

Barrett was a superb songwriter, but it's fairly clear listening to the lyrics on Piper that he was on a one way track to a place from where there was no exit. He was later to inspire people as widely diverse as Stuart Cope and Jason Spaceman.

Read where one critic said something like: "there was one truly great album recorded in Abbey Road studios in 1967, but it wasn't the erratic Sergeant Peppers album by the Beatles, it was Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn."

Pretty much sums it up.

[RedmeisterOZ]

Always revisiting old albums, here's two from this week:

Howlin' Wolf: "The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions"
                      (featuring Howlin' Wolf, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts)
   

                                              
Carlos Santana: "Caravanserai"



                         
                                 

[luisgarcia080904]

Brought back out the Verve A Northern Soul album to put on my mp3 forgot how good it was,,,,
2 of their best songs on it,On your own and History,,,well worth a listen

[ConnieLFC]

Joe Jackson's "Night and Day" - played it to death back when it came out and just spent the weekend copying it from that old cassette to CD; stuck in the brain ever since.  Absolutely brilliant from start to finish - for anyone in their late 30s-mid 40s, do yerself a favor and throw it on again....

[mig]

anyone else here a punk fan? just dug out Punks Not Dead by The Exploited earlier today. it still sounds amazing! raw and fast, played as punk should be.

top class album. on par with bollocks in my book.

[nige]

Just saw this about THe Triffids in the new Music for 2006 thread :

Born Sandy is the pick of their albums, followed by the Black Swan, and their "Live at Stockholm" set is a cracker. Their early stuff suffered from shit production, unfortunately. Calenture which followed Born Sandy was perhaps overproduced, and the songwriting was a trifle uneven for McComb's standards, though it still had one of the best songs written in "Trick of the Light". 

David McComb also released a stunning solo album before he died, Love of Will.....David McComb is easily the best songwriter Australia has produced, and that is saying something.

I just dug out Calenture and gave it my first listen for well over10 years.

Man what a breath-taking album.

Superb. Not original stylistically, just wonderfully individual, haunting songs.

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

Just saw this about THe Triffids in the new Music for 2006 thread :

I just dug out Calenture and gave it my first listen for well over10 years.

Man what a breath-taking album.

Superb. Not original stylistically, just wonderfully individual, haunting songs.

Nige, couldn't agree more, as you doubtlessly know if you've read the other thread, but is it better than the Black Swan, it's a hard hard call. 

[What a Video]

After catching some Clash documentary on TV, I attempted to get through the whole of 'Sandinista!' for the first time in a while, as it's the only Clash album that I don't listen to on a fairly regular basis. 

I've come to the conclusion that 'Sandinista!' is the musical equivalent of Luis Garcia.  There are moments that make you wonder what on god's green earth could the band have possibly been thinking when recording some of these songs immediately followed by songs that make you wonder how on earth anyone will ever do anything this good again.

I guess having Something About England and Somebody Got Murdered up their sleeves made it easier to take speculative shots like Ivan Meets GI Joe.

[Julio]

pink floyd "meddle" is a great one to dig out, for obvious reasons to us reds of course, but "echoes" is another tune that deserves respect. love their 20-odd minute songs, but "fearless" is the highlight.

anything by the smiths is a great shout, well in there paul.

as for any others that tickled my fancy, how about "moon safari" by air, "five leaves left" by nick drake and for a hip-hop mood, "liquid swords" by the gza. forget about nwa, they are fuckin amateurs compared to the wu-tang.

oh yeah, and ANYTHING by the beatles, cos you know when you don't listen to them for a while then stick any one of their albums on.....

magic.

[Dread Breath]

Just saw this about THe Triffids in the new Music for 2006 thread :

I just dug out Calenture and gave it my first listen for well over10 years.

Man what a breath-taking album.

Superb. Not original stylistically, just wonderfully individual, haunting songs.

Yeah, Calenture has some great tracks on it.....do think it is uneven parts, though. My opinion is that Born Sandy is easily their best album: not a weak track on it, and just a tour de force of pure songwriting genius. The Triffids are a criminally underrated band: there is a true story of The Triffids being awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Western Australian music awards, which were held at this swish club in Perth. The only band member present was Jill Birt, and when she went up to pick up the award it was realised the only reason she was there was because she was working there.....as a waitress. She still had her uniform on, and was working at the place to make ends meet.

The Black Swan is the first recorded attempt of an Australian band trying to do hip hop; this was a country/rock/pop band that was trying to do hip hop...recorded in 1989! David McComb had incredibly diverse influences....and was a huge fan of West Coast acts like NWA when he and The Triffids were recording The Black Swan. (which is, by the way, the emblem of their native Western Australia)

David McComb's death has left a yawning gap in the ranks of quality Australian songwriters.....there aren't that many about, and he was at the very least near the top of the tree.

[Shaun101]

shed 7-a maximum high.
fantastic.

What an stonker of a record that was! Brilliant in fact.

[Dread Breath]

Nige, couldn't agree more, as you doubtlessly know if you've read the other thread, but is it better than the Black Swan, it's a hard hard call. 

I do believe that Amanda Brown from The Go Betweens played on Hometown Farewell Kiss on Calenture......The Go Betweens were another stunning and under rated act from Australia, whose Best of album contains some of the best pop tunes of all time. Frankly some of the tunes made by McLennan/Forster would give Lennon/McCartney a run for their money.....but that is not to say that they are as original as those constructed by David McComb, especially the McComb of Born Sandy. Smack and booze claimed another musical heavyweight in McComb, and by the time he carked it he was truly heavyweight after the course of steroids he had after his heart transplant.

[Dread Breath]

For fans of the show 24, they should recognise the names McLennan-Forster from the fourth series.....the producer of 24 is a huge fan.

[hooded claw]

for a hip-hop mood, "liquid swords" by the gza. forget about nwa, they are fuckin amateurs compared to the wu-tang.

That's a great shout. A stone-cold classic, and one of the few hip hop albums I can stomach all the way through. 'Cuban Linx' is a stormer too, but LS remains one of my top albums of all time. It got me through some very tough times.

Get those Shogun Assassin refs...

[Thommo's Beak]

Had a moment like this when I listened to the "Last Meal" by Snoop Dogg, hadn't heard it for a while and had forgotten how many good songs where on it.

[NickoH]

Downloaded Guns N Roses - Appettite for Destruction and burned to CD (I have it on the original tape)..........

Still sounds fucking brilliant and before Axl's ego kicked in and they went a bit shite.

Raw, full of energy and excitement - what a debut album

Appettite For Destruction is the second-largest selling debut album of all time (over 15 million copies sold worldwide) - so I am told.

1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It's So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O' Mine
10. You're Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

Drug fuelled punk and metal from out of LA........

[hooded claw]

Just dug out the Smiths' final album, Strangeways Here We Come, from 1987, and was amazed at just how good it still sounds. The first seven songs are all classics, and while it tails off a little, it's only slightly weaker than the start of the album.

Paint A Vulgar Picture is probably my favourite track on that album- very resonant, given the interminable reissue repackage cycle that has ensued... so wouldn't agree it's part of a tailing off.

Anyway, a minor quibble in a good thread- my choice would be



1. Middle
2. Born In '69
3. On A Rope
4. Young Livers
5. Drop Out
6. Used
7. Ball Lightning
8. Fat Lip
9. Suit City
10. Heater Hands
11. Misbeaten
12. Come See Some Saw
13. Salt Future
14. Burnt Alive

Full-on turbocharged rock and roll. Balls to the wall, pedal to the metal, a blast from start to end. I think a few tracks made it as singles, and the album scored well in the end-of-year polls, but this was adrenaline through the breastbone at the time. Sharp as their quiffs and switchblades.
And yes, it still sounds fucking awesome.

OOH!
YEAH!
I WANT IT!

[Des Lynam]

Anyway, a minor quibble in a good thread- my choice would be



1. Middle
2. Born In '69
3. On A Rope
4. Young Livers
5. Drop Out
6. Used
7. Ball Lightning
8. Fat Lip
9. Suit City
10. Heater Hands
11. Misbeaten
12. Come See Some Saw
13. Salt Future
14. Burnt Alive

Full-on turbocharged rock and roll. Balls to the wall, pedal to the metal, a blast from start to end. I think a few tracks made it as singles, and the album scored well in the end-of-year polls, but this was adrenaline through the breastbone at the time. Sharp as their quiffs and switchblades.
And yes, it still sounds fucking awesome.

OOH!
YEAH!
I WANT IT!

Mmmmm, Mr Claw, one is intrigued...which ones would you reccommend to "purchase" , as a taster?

[hooded claw]

Mmmmm, Mr Claw, one is intrigued...which ones would you reccommend to "purchase" , as a taster?

If one were *purchasing*, I'd advise the first four as a handy intro   

[Jai]

Paint A Vulgar Picture is probably my favourite track on that album- very resonant, given the interminable reissue repackage cycle that has ensued... so wouldn't agree it's part of a tailing off.

Anyway, a minor quibble in a good thread- my choice would be



1. Middle
2. Born In '69
3. On A Rope
4. Young Livers
5. Drop Out
6. Used
7. Ball Lightning
8. Fat Lip
9. Suit City
10. Heater Hands
11. Misbeaten
12. Come See Some Saw
13. Salt Future
14. Burnt Alive

Full-on turbocharged rock and roll. Balls to the wall, pedal to the metal, a blast from start to end. I think a few tracks made it as singles, and the album scored well in the end-of-year polls, but this was adrenaline through the breastbone at the time. Sharp as their quiffs and switchblades.
And yes, it still sounds fucking awesome.

OOH!
YEAH!
I WANT IT!

Nice one Claw. I saw their final show on Halloween, it was amazing. If you don't have their last album "Live from Camp X-Ray" (which is actually a studio album) you should pick it up. I live in the same neigborhood as the Rocket felllas and see them around a lot. The lead singer, John Reese has a weekly spot on our local radio station where he plays all of his favourite bands which you can listen to online. Click the Swami link at the bottom to check it out:

http://www.fm949sd.com/aod/aod.cfm

[Des Lynam]

If one were *purchasing*, I'd advise the first four as a handy intro   

Thanks  Just in the *purchasing* process as we speak

[hooded claw]

Nice one Claw. I saw their final show on Halloween, it was amazing. If you don't have their last album "Live from Camp X-Ray" (which is actually a studio album) you should pick it up. I live in the same neigborhood as the Rocket felllas and see them around a lot. The lead singer, John Reese has a weekly spot on our local radio station where he plays all of his favourite bands which you can listen to online. Click the Swami link at the bottom to check it out:

http://www.fm949sd.com/aod/aod.cfm

You jammy swine 

I didn't know they'd split up, so thanks for the update. They must have been incredible live- I've heard all sorts of legendary stories about onstage raffles mid-gig , and Speedo breathing fire- and didn't they allow anyone with a Rocket tattoo in for free? I remember the NME/Maker getting very excited about them mid-90s; just found The Young Livers single-and its pretty literal cover - in the other room. Will definitely get that album and check out Speedo's show.
Cheers! 

[Jai]

Yeah, they did let anyone with a Rocket Tattoo in for free providing the club would allow it. The fire-breathing, tiger-print outfit and slimy moustache stories are all true. Those swami show links are actually archived so you can download or play them as one big mp3

[hooded claw]

Yeah, they did let anyone with a Rocket Tattoo in for free providing the club would allow it. The fire-breathing, tiger-print outfit and slimy moustache stories are all true. Those swami show links are actually archived so you can download or play them as one big mp3

Madmen 

What else would you recommend of theirs, apart from the Camp XRay album?

[Jai]

Group Sounds is a really good one too but my personal favourite is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003KYE/qid=1145656287/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/103-5666460-6549469?v=glance&s=music

John Reese was also in a band called Drive Like Jehu with Rick Froberg who also fronted the recently disbanded and equally ass-kicking (...er, yeah) Hot Snakes (which if you like Rocket you should definitely check out). I consider Drive Like Jehu one of the most powerful and innovative bands in the history of rock music. And that's saying something because I've always been obsessed with music. They are a bit too intense for some people but if I could make any recommendation to an open-minded music fan I would suggest these 2 albums:

[hooded claw]

Group Sounds is a really good one too but my personal favourite is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003KYE/qid=1145656287/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/103-5666460-6549469?v=glance&s=music

John Reese was also in a band called Drive Like Jehu with Rick Froberg who also fronted the recently disbanded and equally ass-kicking (...er, yeah) Hot Snakes (which if you like Rocket you should definitely check out). I consider Drive Like Jehu one of the most power and innovative bands in the history of rock music. And that's saying something because I've always been obsessed with music. They are a bit too intense for some people but if I could make any recommendation to an open-minded music fan I would suggest these 2 albums:

Some of their stuff is import-only in the UK- will investigate. Downloading Group Sounds as we speak... I've actually got some Hot Snakes already- had no idea about the RFTC link 

Cheers for the info and reccies- some spending is needed 

[Jai]

Yeah, John Reese played guitar for the Hot Snakes too. I won't get into all the musical links related to that band because I'd be typing all day. Anyway, hope you like em' 

[Des Lynam]

Mr Claw, I've just discovered a new "favorite" band of mine. I knew I'd heard "On A Rope" before, (hence my intrigue).

However, Rocket From The Crypt do indeed rock as much as I remembered/hoped.

Thanks for the inadvertent heads up

[hooded claw]

Mr Claw, I've just discovered a new "favorite" band of mine. I knew I'd heard "On A Rope" before, (hence my intrigue).

However, Rocket From The Crypt do indeed rock as much as I remembered/hoped.

Thanks for the inadvertent heads up

Well I owe you one for the files last week   

They rock like a bastard, don't they?

[Des Lynam]

Well I owe you one for the files last week   

No worries at all mate, anytime

They rock like a bastard, don't they?

That fine sir, is an understatement to the extreme

[Jai]

While we're on the subject of RFTC I have to post the Born in 69' video. Pure cinematic genius.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?search=rocket+from+the+crypt&v=b7MKPZpiFR0