Thanks for hanging in there. I’m sure you’ve noticed – these are the records I can’t muster much interest in either way. Can’t hate ‘em, certainly can’t love ’em. With a lot of these records – the big ones, the ones you couldn’t miss, you were supposed to like as a music fan – it’s not that they’re worthless. I couldn’t honestly place them any lower. I see there’s something there. Something that consensus picked up on. But it’s just not enough. And you develop this grudge from continually being told this is as good as it gets, and you’re thinking ‘no, that can’t be. If this is as good as it gets these days, I just don’t want to hear it’. Then the hate starts… But be forewarned, the change comes at 199. See you there!
Third week’s roundup (270-226): 7 songs that stick out of the mud, 7 songs I proudly proclaim my picks of the week.
1. Pat Metheny: Travels
A folk / gospel chord progression which sounds as old as the hills, an evocative melody. That’s all Metheny needs on this equally sad and uplifting track. Just some subtle drums and bass, and his acoustic guitar. He’s not so much soloing, as examining the different links in the melody line one by one. Tells you a lot of what you really need to know about life.
2. The Hives: Main offender
Funny to think, two (the two?) of the most snarling and plain entertaining slabs of garage rock in the garage rock revival which started from about 2001, had to be reissued from a Hives record released the year earlier. There wasn’t any scene to welcome these nuggets in 2000. In the grand garage rock tradition, the band had nothing further to add, but that didn’t stop them from milking it for all it was worth. In case you’re wondering, the cartoon quality adds to its appeal.
3. Mark Knopfler: One more matinee
See, this is what craft can do. You need to know a whole lot about chords to write a song like this. And it’s worth it. On a record mired in boredom, Knopfler takes time out to reflect on aging cabaret singers still hoping there’s a silver lining coming. The heart is that wonderful moment when the melody opens up into that ‘Something’s going to happen to make your whole life better’ part.
4. Cristina Branco: Ausente
Gaze into this abyss of human sorrow and you can be forgiven for jumping in. I know I’m picking a lot of these slow and sad songs as highlights – don’t know if it’s coincidence or if it says something about me. This has beautiful, florid piano playing supporting a defining diva (in the good sense) performance from Branco. The twists and turns give me shivers.
5. Slumber Party: Sooner or later
Wonderfully groovy and insouciant VU-pop. It certainly makes the most of those strummed chords, but with a winning chorus melody (I sing along!) and some deft Sterling Morrison soloing, I’d forgive them most things (releasing a sorry record on the back of this single for instance). It’s not given to anyone to build something so coolly naïve and straightforwardly rocking.
6. The Hives: Hate to say I told you so
See 2.
7. Keith Caputo: Just Be
If even white men can get the blues, then Life of Agony-singers can get the melody. All the things I wrote about the record this comes from are true, but I can’t deny the carefree frolicking piano, the heavenly banks of strings (so syrupy) and backing vocals, and the singing (that falsetto in the bridge!). Maybe this is what guilty pleasures are made of. A twee delight.
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Cue Lou Reed: Well hey(man), that's just a lie, It's a lie she tells her friends. 'cause the real song, the real song Where she won't even admit to herself
OK, OK, that’s not the whole story. I also made myself a Whitney Houston Sings Her Greatest Ballads – compilation: 1. Saving all my love for you 2. Greatest love of all 3. One moment in time 4. I have nothing 5. I will always love you 6. Run to you 7. All at once 8. Where do broken hearts go 9. Didn’t we almost have it all 10. My love is your love
A nice, low-key (just piano, occasional electric guitar and saxophone) tribute record. It drifts in and out of focus. Only one track I would really come back to (‘Only yesterday’ – great solo piano improvisation), but it all drifts by amiably. Not exactly on fire, but not bad, certainly not bad.
At its best: Only yesterday
259. Françoise Hardy: Clair-obscur
Just some French fluff (with Iggy Pop on Everly Brothers covers).
At its best: La saison des pluies
258. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Dust to gold
I used to have a small selection of Nusrat etc records, but it dawned on me I’d never play ‘em. Maybe I was reading too many Robert Plant interviews or something… As for this posthumous record of 4 15 minute performances: Is it really good? Probably Will I ever be in the mood to enjoy it? Never say never, but it’s doubtful. Once again, my loss.
257. Whitney Houston: The greatest hits
You haven’t lived until you’ve heard the Hex Hector remix of ‘I will always love you’. It feels like making it out of a car crash alive, and sucking the air into your lungs and thinking ‘No more wasted time, now I know what it means to live’. Other than that, she has some serviceable ballads. This could have been a nice 10 track compilation, but at 35 songs, including many remixes, what a bore.
At its best: Saving all my love for you, Greatest love of all, One moment in time, I have nothing, I will always love you, Run to you, All at once, Where do broken hearts go, Didn’t we almost have it all, My love is your love
256. Low / Dirty 3: In the fishtank
I could never understand the modern music fan’s fondness for something/anything really slow and dreamy. This team-up between two of the genre’s slow rollers does little for me. But I have to admit, amidst a lot of 2000’s unnecessary records, they’ve got their thing down.
255. Megadeth: Capitol punishment
Listening to this counter-chronological overview you get a glimpse of a well-adjusted adult playing tough devolving into a mean son of a bitch. Of course it happened the other way around, if it happened at all. I wasn’t familiar with Megadeth, and it was at first a relief to hear how hookladen and tuneful this compilation (1985-2000) is. But then again, after a while, that’s exactly what kinda turned me off. There’s strong stuff here, but I wanted more of the complicated guitar arpeggio stuff and less choruses. Still, it rocks. Menacingly.
At its best: Kill the king, Dread and the fugitive mind, Almost honest, Trust, Symphony of destruction, Hangar 18
254. King Crimson: The construkction of light
I tried to get into this, but to no avail. It’s just harsh and unpleasant stuff. I mean, even more so.
At its best: Just like the day, Travels (this one’s really beautiful actually)
252. Anoushka Shankar: Anourag
I’m illiterate when it comes to Indian classical music, so what I say about this record may be completely misguided. But this record is just on the tipping line: there’s nothing wrong with it, in fact I probably couldn’t tell it apart from a Ravi Shankar record in a blind test. I think Ravi chose these pieces, arranged them and plays on the album, so that’s understandable. But it fails to move me. After several spins I’m still on the outside of the music. I don’t know why.
251. Waterboys: Rock in the weary land
Of all the overbearing big music merchants, Mike Scott has something which makes me give him more leeway than most. This record stays on path for the first 15 minutes, with a powerful and sincere big sound and looong tracks. ‘My love is my rock in the weary land’ – how self-important can you get? But somehow he makes it stick – just. After that it’s slim pickings and hollow choruses though. It’s simply not one of his more inspired records
At its best: Let it happen, My love is my rock in the weary land, It’s all gone
