Music Notes October 2010
And here’s this month’s musical things of interest to me:
1. Nick Kent – Apathy for the Devil.
I was too young for Kent’s glory days at the New musical Express, but this is almost as good. Kent’s account of the 70s. A massive ego to be sure, but with some amazing stories. If you read The Dark Stuff you’ll enjoy this one too.
2. Warpaint – The Fool
I hate to say, it’s one of the dumbest band names since the Ting Tings, but I do like the music. Moody, post punk. The feeling reminds me of Sigur Rós. I can’t exactly say why I like it, but I do. Check out the version of Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” they recorded for the Warchild Series
3. Bob Dylan – The Widmark Demos
Normally we judge a performer by the regular output. But with Dylan, we get an opportunity to judge him by the stuff he didn’t release. With the latest entry in the Bootleg Series, we get to hear demo versions of songs Dylan recorded on Freewheeling, and The Times they are-a Changing, plus a lot of stuff that never made it to record (15 out of the 47 songs have never been released). Lovely
4. The Jim Jones Revue – Burn Down Your House
Rawk ’n’ Roll in its purest form. Sonics + Johnny Thunders + Little Richard + a whole lot more. Buy this album and them buy everything you can get your hands on.
5. Emily Barker – “Nostalgia” (Theme from Wallander)
OK, I’m a sucker for British mystery stories, even though these ones are adaptations of Swedish author Henning Menkell’s. Kenneth Branaugh is outstanding – the best work he’;s done in years. But what grabs you is the haunting theme music. Barker’s an Australian folk singer. It’s perfect for the down beat series.
6. Tricky – Mixed-Race
The tragedy of having a perfect debut is that every subsequent work will be compared it it. Thus Tricky’s Maximquay tops his latest Mixed Race, but don’t fear this is still very listenable, and includes some cool guest spots (inc. Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream). December 12 at the Mod Club in Toronto.
7. Keith Richards - Life.
I’m not sure if that’s ironic or not. A book about Keith’s life. Now Keith has lived a pretty full life, but it’s also a mystery as to how he’s still got it when so many have fallen by the wayside. I suppose I’ll wait for the movie to come out.
8. Band of Joy -Band of Joy
I was never a Zeppelin fan. As a child of 77 I was obliged to hate them, but I later came to grant them a kind of grudging respect. They did what they did well. Now, Robert Plant, I both respect and admire. Mostly because he seems unafraid to take risks rather than just recycle Zeppelin’s greatest hits. The collaboration with Alison Krause was masterful, and this is pretty close. Well worth a listen if you’re a fan of the rootsy sound Plant is into. Hell, even if you’re not, give it a listen. It may convince you.
9. PJ Harvey -4 Track Demos
15 years ago I was taking a trip round the Cabot Trail with my friend Helen, and I popped this tape into the cassette player. We got through, maybe, one-and-a-half songs before she told me to turn it off. Yeah, Polly is a bit harrowing on this collection, but hell, it’s worth it to hear these stripped down versions of “Rid of Me” and the rest.
10. The Cribs – Ignore the Ignorant
The Cribs’ fourth album sees Johnny Marr join the lads, and what a joy it is. Not that the Cribs needed it, but Marr’s touch adds a little je ne sais quoi.
