A batch of Cross Rhythms reviewers consider the merits of 25 mainstream albums
2010
RPA &
The United Nations Of Sound
United Nations Of Sound
Parlophone
Richard Ashcroft was, of course, the
charismatic leader of The Verve, one of the more intriguing bands to
emerge from the 1990s Britpop scene. His moving, personal songwriting
and soulful voice set the band apart from their contemporaries and in
interviews, amongst hilarious claims about being able to fly, Ashcroft
occasionally spoke about God. After the record many consider to be
their best, 1997's 'Urban Hymns', the band split and Richard pursued a
rather middle of the road solo career and after a short-lived Verve
reunion in 2008 he returned this year with a new project, RPA &
The United Nations Of Sound. The 'P', as you might have guessed,
stands for Paul. Expectations were raised by the personnel - hip-hop
and R&B producer No ID, Reggie Dozier (brother of Motown's famed
Lamont Dozier), string arranger on Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall'
Benjamin Wright and some of the finest session musicians in the US.
But the album received a mauling from the mainstream press. Musically,
the record is a mixed bag ranging from string-drenched Verve-style
rockers, acoustic ballads and modern R&B-influenced numbers. But
it is Ashcroft's lyrics that prove really interesting. Take the
opening number "Are You Ready" where Ashcroft bellows out lines like
"Are you ready for the day?/He's gonna come back down to Earth/I hope
you're gonna pray" followed by "I've lived a life of sin and I heard
that us sinners have got a chance with him" and "Jesus, sweet Jesus
can't you hear?/Please don't leave us all alone living here with
fear". The Guardian newspaper's music reviewer Kitty Empire was moved
to write, "You would be forgiven for thinking he has actually
converted, so profuse are Ashcroft's beatitudes." Speaking of which,
there's a track on the album called "Beatitudes" although it's a
slightly ropey pun on beat/beatitude. There's even a track called
"Born Again" which is an uplifting pop rocker that, as one reviewer
noted, "contains so many religious references it can only be a matter
of time before [Ashcroft] dons a cassock". The highlight of the album
for me though is the beautiful acoustic-based "Glory" with the lyrics,
"Glory hallelujah, I think I'm coming through, yeah/Out of the black,
out of the blue, out of the old, into the new." You could almost be
listening to a Delirious? number sung in a grittier voice! 'United
Nations Of Sound' is a brave but slightly confused album both
musically and spiritually, and it is more likely that Ashcroft has
just found a new set of biblical imagery to use in his songwriting
rather than actually undergoing any conversion. Having said that, on
the best songs here he's right on the money.
Peter
Timmis
2010
Various
Yes We Can: Songs About Leaving Africa
Outhere
A
"concept compilation" is probably the best way to describe this album,
the theme of which is immigration - one of those hot topics it often
seems impossible to have an honest conversation about from any angle.
Rightly or wrongly, many young Africans feel that they don't have much
in the way of prospects at home, and so - like Norman Tebbit's father
before them - they decide to "get on their bikes" in search of work
overseas. 'Yes We Can' touches on every aspect of life for the many
Africans who either see escape as a way out of poverty, or who have
escaped and found that life abroad isn't all it was cracked up to be.
The often humiliating experience of having to spend days queuing up at
the embassy of the country of your choice with no guarantee of getting
that much-coveted visa; using a money transfer service to send funds
home (or to receive money from a relative abroad); disillusionment on
realising that the streets of the West aren't paved with gold;
homesickness. . . all these and more are covered here. The majority of
the acts on the album are rappers - Nigeria's Rapturous, Modenine and
Afrikan Boy; K'Naan from Somalia and Senegal's Daara J Family, to name
a few - which gives the album a strong urban feel which fits well with
the "life is a hustle" sentiment of much of it. There's a lot of
humour and a strong feeling of optimism here, even when dealing with
some really bleak issues. Even Afrikan Boy's "One day I went to Lidl"
earworm takes on a new meaning when heard alongside other songs about
being trapped in a foreign country and not being allowed to work to
support yourself! You won't draw any solid conclusions on immigration
by listening to this album. But hopefully, you will come away from it
with more empathy for the aliens in your midst.
George
Luke
2010
Jonsi
Go
Parlophone
"Go", the debut solo offering from
Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi, hit the shelves earlier this year. The album
bears all the hallmarks of Jonsi's regular gig including that ethereal
voice, but there are also some marked differences and progressions
from Sigur Ros's work to 'Go'. For one thing, the album seems more
direct. Opener "Go Do" bursts into life with an energetic, almost
summery, burst of flutes and drums. The mood of almost happy-go-lucky
invention continues throughout the album. "Animal Arithmetic" is
another strong effort, combining some of Jonsi's more usual textures
with something approaching a dance-rock vibe. Another diversion from
the work of Sigur Ros comes in Jonsi's use of the English language for
some of the lyrics in this song and others. The string arrangements of
the exceedingly talented Nico Muhly punctuate the album at various
points. On "Tornado" they reach stratospheric proportions, lifting the
song to one of the high points of the album. By the time the nine song
disc comes to a close, it is obvious that this is one of 2010's best
releases. More than just background music, this is thoughtful,
thought-provoking, textured music. Food for the ears, the heart and
the soul.
Haydon Spenceley
2010
Midlake
The Courage Of Others
Bella Union
The word
'pastoral', is being thrown about a lot of late, particularly in
relation to a new wave of pop bands that encapsulate dreamy folk, rich
harmonies and a desire for simpler times. It's a broad and perhaps
lazy term that has helped categorise and rationalise the unlikely
popularity of bands such as Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons and
Stornoway with their sound that belongs to a bygone era. This
'pastoral' music harks back to the 70's folk rock harmonies of Bread,
CSNY and The Moody Blues via the wistful acoustics of Nick Drake and
yet it carries its own, modern sound. Midlake find themselves
categorised alongside these other bands and yet the tone and feel of
this album sees them produce something that, if released in 1975 would
have sat very nicely next to something far more progressive, such as
Jethro Tull's 'Minstrel In The Gallery'. Some critics have unfairly
argued that, having taken four years, the scrapping of an entire set
of recordings and a stint as ex-Czars John Grant's backing band,
Midlake should have come up with something more than a record that
sounds 35 years old. But it's impossible to fake something this
genuine and so to begin a review pointing out the derivative elements
of Midlake's sound is simply me saying that Tim Smith's work on 'The
Courage Of Others' may be enough to rank him alongside some of the
songwriting greats of the last 40 years. There are some key ways in
which 'The Courage of Others' differs from 'Van Occupanther' - it has
no obvious single, it's far less abstractly introspective, its pace is
deliberately mid-tempo and the songs sound similar in such a way that
you could listen for twenty minutes before realising that five songs
appear to have blended into one. And yet many things remain and are
built upon - the songs contains all the beauty of their previous work
with a darker, more melancholy edge and the band are still willing to
confound expectations, not confined by traditional song structure and
form; the harmonies are more complex, and the flute is now an integral
instrument in the mix rather than a pretty novelty. Smith's lyrics are
more vulnerable and heart breaking than ever - on the title track he
mourns 'I will never have the courage of others/I will not approach
you at all/I was always taught to worry about the many things you
can't control'. His lyrics explore themes of purpose and connection,
the natural process of life and death and an the 'inexplicable' beauty
of the created order, singing at one point 'I've stood in awe of the
whole creation'. He tells stories of the land and of rivers, of
travellers seeking better fortune and the hope of a fresh start,
healing, loss and the passage of time. At a time where society is more
individualistic, greedy and far from God than ever before, these songs
evoke a very modern sense of isolation, self-doubt and a desire to
'get back to the garden'. There is also a sense of the desire for
meaning found in Ecclesiastes, particularly in 'Small Mountain' ('The
days count for nothing/Nothing that one understands') and 'Rulers,
Ruling All Things' 'Thinking the world was mine to lay hold of/I
breathed in the promise of maiden and man/But each had their illusions
to hold on to'). Crucially, Smith has not yet come to the same
conclusion as the teacher in Ecclesiastes 12:13 'The end of the
matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for
this is the whole duty of man.' Perhaps because his search for purpose
has not yet come 'to the end of the matter'. Midlake have been on a
mystical and musical journey that has seen them evolve from fuzzy,
avant-garde electronica to this, the pinnacle of their work so far and
a world away from where they started.
Ewan Jones
2010
Various
Highway To Hell
Mojo
This compilation was the
free give away sampler with the March 2010 issue of Mojo magazine and
a fascinating rag bag of Hell-based songs it is. They range from an
off-kilter "lounge metal" group called Hellsongs who take Slayer's
"Seasons In The Abyss" and turn it into something equally ghastly; the
gnarled, soulful voice of John Martyn intoning "I'd Rather Be The
Devil"; Godfather of soul James Brown screaming "we've got to make a
change" on "Hell", bizarrely recorded during the season in his career
when he was strung out on angel dust; heavy psych sounds from Canada's
Black Mountain with "Evil Ways"; and Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
performing on "Up Jumped The Devil" which demonstrates, to quote Mojo,
"Cave's romantic view of life, death, the blues and of course the
Devil to thunderous effect." It's this distorted view of Hell, as an
appealing alternative to boring old Heaven, where residents can
continue with their sinful fun, or as an ancient myth suitable for all
kinds of psych and prog freakouts which dominate this compilation.
There are a couple of tracks by Christian acts here, the obscure
quartet Lavice And Company offer a cut from the excellent compilation
'Good God: A Gospel Funk Hymnal' while there's a touch of wah-wah
flecked psychedelic gospel from The Soul Messengers & The Spirit
Of Israel. But most of the songs here have perspectives on the Devil
and Hell which are miles away from the teaching of Scripture. Possibly
most disappointing of all is Curtis Mayfield's "(Don't Worry) If
There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go". Largely through the
classic status that has been bestowed on Mayfield's song "People Get
Ready" there's a tendency to consider the late soul genius a
Christian. Mayfield appears in both Bil Carpenter's Uncloudy Days: The
Gospel Music Encyclopedia and Mark Allan Powell's Encyclopedia Of
Contemporary Christian Music. But in truth Mayfield's beliefs were
syncretistic and unless you're a hyper-liberal you'll find his song
here a concoction of theological error despite its delicious Chicago
soul groove.
Tony Cummings
2009
Mumford
& Sons
Sigh No More
Island
Mumford &
Sons stormed to popularity in autumn 2009 with a heady mix of country,
folk and bluegrass. Lead single "Little Lion Man" was named Hottest
Record In The World by Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe in October, and their
album 'Sigh No More' promptly went on to achieve platinum status. I
saw them in Belfast last September, both playing support to Laura
Marling and forming her backing band, and their visceral performance
was full of the most immediate melodies and bristling harmonies. 'Sigh
No More' is an album in the truest sense of the word in that it is a
captivating story from start to finish. It ebbs and flows perfectly
with its mixture of brutal introspection and bluegrass hoedowns. NME's
review astutely observes that "'Sigh No More' is basically an
indie-pop record in chunky knit clothing." The album begins
confidently with a solitary guitar and the rich harmonies that have
seen them likened to Crosby, Stills And Nash. There is an aggression
to tracks like "White Blank Page" and "Dust Bowl Dance", which is
married to captivating storytelling and then the ability to turn it
into a bluegrass infused party. They are at their most affecting on
"Timshel", where the beauty of their combined voices, the rousing
lyrics and simple melody make it a song that demands attention. Every
now and then a band comes along that are best enjoyed in communion and
that move people to emphatic reactions and quite frankly to the brink
of tears with their honest passion. Mumford & Sons seem to have
provided that experience for people, while gaining Radio 1 play
amongst the pop and R&B-heavy playlists. For the Christian among
us there is a certain level of intrigue relating to the lyrics. Before
long most Christians who owned the album would have probably heard
that lead singer Marcus Mumford grew up in the Vineyard Church. Yet
there is something deeper than this potentially lazy observation that
has seen many Christian music enthusiasts connect with the themes. On
opener "Sigh No More" Marcus sings, "Serve God, love me and men" and
then that "Love will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will
set you free". He sings of God with a warmth, passion and
vulnerability that makes me instinctively believe that he knows the
freedom that God can bring. Yet he clearly struggles as on "Winter
Winds" he speaks of "the shame that drove me from the God that I once
loved". Conversely again, on "Awake My Soul" he saves his most
powerful lyrics singing "In these bodies we will live/In these bodies
we will die/Where you invest your love is where you invest your life",
and then in the rousing chorus "You were made to meet your maker". I
think we all hope and know that this continuing story which he has let
his listeners into doesn't have to end with him turning his back on
God. For a band that has captured many imaginations with this stark
yet beautiful record, expectations will be high for their
follow-up.
Tom Whitman
2008
Oasis
Dig Out Your Soul
Big Brother
A few years ago in
an interview with a music magazine, Noel Gallagher complained that
every time he met Bono the U2 frontman would share the Gospel with
him. Noel was raised in a Catholic home but has always claimed to be
an atheist; despite this Oasis songs have often featured insightful
lyrics like "Some might say they don't believe in Heaven/Go and tell
it to the man who lives in Hell" on 1995's "Some Might Say". On this
album Noel appears to have developed an obsession with the Rapture. On
the album's third track "Waiting For The Rapture" Noel sings, "Heaven
must have sent you to save me for the rapture" and mentions "big love
falling from the sky" and on the Liam-sung track "The Turning" the
subject arises again. Musically, 'Dig Out Your Soul' was something of
a departure from earlier Oasis albums, the band had discovered drop D
guitar tuning and that combined with Zak Starkey's powerhouse drumming
led to a riff-heavy groove-laden sound. Best cuts from the record
include the eastern-tinged "To Be Where There's Life" that displays an
experimental side the group aren't often credited for and the swirling
"The Shock Of The Lightening" is a thrilling Who-like rocker. Now that
the Gallagher brothers' latest fight seems to have spelt the end for
Oasis Noel's inevitable solo career will be fascinating to see
unfold.
Peter Timmis
2008
Ben Folds
Way To Normal
Sony
Is it possible to
emotionally regress to the point where the songs that you wrote in
your mid-20s held more authenticity and maturity than the songs you
pen 15 years later? Ben Folds' latest would seem to provide evidence
to the affirmative. For the most part, 'Way To Normal' plays like the
break-up mix-tape of a bitter teenager in all the hormonal throes of a
failed relationship. The album is made all the more intriguing as
Folds' trademark humour hovers around the lowest common denominator
even more than usual, only occasionally showing hints of the wit and
word play prevalent in his past releases. Since splitting with Ben
Folds Five, the '90s three-piece in which he rose to fame as the
charismatic, endearing foul-mouthed band leader, Folds has not found
the same levels of success despite consistently excellent solo work;
as evidence of this, the BFF back catalogue still features heavily in
his live shows and his loyal fan base has not diminished, but probably
hasn't grown either. Having said that, no one can say Folds doesn't
have an ear for a catchy melody and 'Way To Normal' packs a real punch
that the gentler 'Songs For Silverman' lacked. Here, the piano is
battered, cymbals crash, bass fuzzes and the heavily compressed mix is
loud and in your face - "Dr Yang" has to be one of Folds' heaviest
songs, yet there's still room for the thoughtful Ben to shine through.
"Cologne" is a more reasoned, bitter-sweet song of regret - the kind
that every love-lorn troubadour wishes he'd come up with himself
whilst knowing that Ben probably wrote it in his sleep. Most of the
songs here were written post marriage break-up so instead of touching
tributes to his family that sweetened previous releases ("The
Luckiest", "Gracie", "Still Fighting It") we get the sour with very
little sweet to relieve the disappointment and bitterness - the
terribly titled "The Bitch Went Nuts" is the least subtle piece on
offer, and with a much darker streak of humour than ran through '97s
'Song For The Dumped'. "Kylie From Connecticut" is a melancholic album
closer and another of Ben's trademark "character" songs (in the
tradition of "Carrying Cathy", "Fred Jones Pt 2", "Annie Waits" and
"Give Judy My Notice"), but then the childish wordplay of "Effington"
is the equivalent of a master artist drawing a pair of breasts on a
bus stop. The album's strongest song is "You Don't Know Me", a catchy,
clever duet with the wonderful Regina Spektor. Its imaginative
arrangement and subtlety showcases what Folds can achieve when he
trades cursing for genuinely creative lyrical expression. This album
is an example of what happens when bitterness takes root and the fact
that it's not completely alienating brings some relief. Of course,
songwriting can be cathartic and expressing frustration through song
and with humour may well offer perspective and aid the healing process
- one hopes and wishes that Folds would be more open to forgiveness -
even with the awesome talent on show, all the resentment is starting
to look ugly.
Ewan Jones
2008
Bullet For
My Valentine
Scream Aim Fire
Jive
Wales has
always been known for its contribution to the musical wealth of the
world. Keeping this tradition up-to-date is a weighty responsibility
which has fallen partly to a four-piece from Bridgend formally known
as Jeff Killed John. They played covers by heavy metal heroes, but as
they began to write their own material a name change was called for,
and keeping the mean murder theme in there somewhere Bullet For My
Valentine was finally settled upon. A quick listen is all that's
needed to realise they do a fine job in keeping this generation's
Welsh musical tradition up to scratch. 'Scream Aim Fire' is their
second album released in 2008 and debuting at number four in the
Billboard 200. It's finely crafted to within an inch of its life,
precision is its hallmark, yet the album manages to rip, rock and roar
and has energy up to its gills. Their first album 'The Poison' was raw
without the extra care taken for 'Scream Aim Fire'; it's this extra
care that sets the album apart as a modern heavy metal classic.
Melodic tunes, compelling riffs and twin lead guitar played as neat as
a new pin set the album apart. The title track is the first song on
the album, it is a pretty realistic look at an army's front-line going
into action. The call goes out - "Over the top", the smoke is
blinding, hearts are pounding, then a question, "Will I meet my
maker?" Limbs are flying, men are crying. It's a bold song questioning
the morality of fighting. The young soldier contemplates the horror as
the death-toll grows higher. "God has spoken through his conscience."
The second song deals with death too, "Eye Of The Storm"; it's not
that Bullet are a death-metal band because they aren't, they're far
too skilful and musical for that, but they raise some serious issues
with their songs. In "Deliver Us From Evil", a phrase that Jesus
taught us to pray, they ask "will darkness turn to light?" In "Say
Goodnight" they tell us, "Heaven's waiting for you, just close your
eyes and say goodnight." All the songs say something that is artful
and it looks at first glance as if there may be some philosophy going
on in there that's worth a second look. But the songs don't stand too
much close scrutiny and some have a colander quality that's lyrically
leaky. Modern art has a similar structure, it can be what you want it
to be, what do you see in there? Well, that's what it is.
Paul Poulton
2008
Bon Iver
For Emma, For Ever Ago
Jagjagua
To get a
perspective on this album it is best to start somewhere near the end
and the first lines of the closing track "Re: Stacks", where Justin
Vernon sings, "This is my excavation, and today is kumran/Everything
that happens is from now on." Kumran is the site where the Dead Sea
Scrolls are believed to have been discovered in 1947, and Vernon uses
it as a metaphor for the excavation of his soul as he recorded this
album in the wake of two break-ups; that of his band and of a
relationship he was in at the time. It is an album of deep catharsis
delivered with an ethereal beauty. Locking himself away in the
solitude of a Wisconsin log cabin the album evolved over a period of
months. A big influence on the sound was the discovery and purchase of
a resonator guitar and coupled with the frequent use of falsetto
vocals, it creates a distinctive sound that marks out his
vulnerability. For an ethereal album it is far from dreamy, dealing
with themes of love, loss, growth and pain. Obscure lyrics and obtuse
metaphors pervade the album so as it isn't the details of Vernon's
journey that we learn of but the feelings. There is a sense of growing
through pain, as he invites us into the space he has created to
document it. There is a difficulty in connecting with some of the
lyrics, which could be down to Vernon's method of creating the vocal
melody first in a kind of gibberish fashion and afterwards
constructing the lyrics around the formed syllables. As I listened,
time and again it made me wonder whether there is another level to the
verse in Romans 12:15 that says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn". There is a sense in which his mourning on
this album is of strength to anyone who has experienced heartbreak. So
perhaps it's as true of this verse that we are to comfort and share
with those mourning in order to aid their grieving, but also that by
hearing others deal with their pain, our own heartbreak can be soothed
too. And that will always remain within the artist's ability to simply
connect. As Vernon sings at the end of the final song, "This is not
the sound of a new man or crispy realisation/It's the sound of the
unlocking and the lift away."
Tom Whitman
2005
Sigur Ros
Takk
EMI
The rise and rise of Sigur Ros in the
last decade is one of alternative rock's greatest stories. To all
intents and purposes, the concept of the band shouldn't really work:
undulations of guitar, bass, drums, strings and anything else the band
turn their hand to, all topped off by the almost pixie-like falsetto
yelping of singer Jonsi, over songs which often take more than five
minutes to reach their peak. This is without mentioning perhaps the
defining characteristic of the band, that the vocal parts of their
songs are presented in Icelandic, and Hopelandic (a made up, gibberish
language, which acts as another instrument in the band's armoury). So
far, so esoteric, right? But there is something about the music of
Sigur Ros. It's as if the four members, sometime between their 1994
inception and the release of 2005 album 'Takk', found a way to tap in
to a seam of atmosphere and beauty which very few other bands of their
generation have. Listening to the album, as it progresses serenely
through crescendos and diminuendos, sometimes visceral (see "Glossoli"
and "Saeglopur") sometimes sweet and innocent, as on the
glockenspiel-infused "Se Lest", the sense that something beautiful is
unfolding, perhaps even something of God, is never far from the
surface. It is no small wonder that tracks from this album have been
used in all manner of television adverts, and to soundtrack many
beautiful vistas in nature documentaries. It is also no surprise that
'Takk' catapulted Sigur Ros into rock's premier league, and into the
hearts and minds of listeners everywhere. Creativity and beauty in
music are concepts which will never grow old, and for those seeking a
conceptualisation and realisation of life, breath and hope, outside
the walls of the Church, 'Takk' is a fabulous place to start.
Haydon Spenceley
2005
The White
Stripes
Get Behind Me Satan
V2
What lurks in
the depths of Jack White's psyche is made a little plainer on The
White Stripes' fifth album, but only a little. The title is a quote
from Jesus who addressed Satan in the wilderness when being tempted.
(Not all Bibles translate it that way but the sense is there.) Jack
stated in a rare interview that "truth is the number one theme"
throughout the album, so it's worth noting that Satan sometimes sneaks
up on us like an angel of light or a wolf in sheep's clothing. "The
Denial Twist" gives some counselling to couples who struggle with each
other; Jack advises, "Turn a mountain into a mole", in other words you
may have been hurt but don't forget forgiveness. "The Nurse"
succinctly reminds us that "it's always in trust that the poison is
fed with a spoon". Good point. It's then that we remember Jesus also
said "Get behind me, Satan!" to his friend Peter. The White Stripes is
made up of married, then unmarried, couple Meg and Jack White,
divorced but continuing to work in the studio together. By the time
'Get Behind Me Satan' was being recorded the pair were ready for some
experimentation with instruments other than drums and guitar, hence we
find piano, marimba and timpani used throughout the 13 songs along
with some explosive guitars. Jack has the ability to use poor quality
instruments and still get an engaging sound out of them, showing his
class as a musician and artist. A poor workman may blame his tools but
Jack is no poor workman and sometimes searches out those cheapo
guitars that other guitarists look on with contempt. You will have
heard the bristling electric guitar riff on the album's opener "Blue
Orchid" as it was played almost to death on many FM radio stations.
Most bands need a lot more than drums, guitar and vocals to get their
songs up and running but somehow the Whites manage to get a satisfying
thick sound with minimum instruments. As a child Jack was an altar boy
and was going to become a priest but wasn't sure the seminary would
let him take his guitar and newly acquired amp. "I'm Lonely (But I
Ain't That Lonely Yet)" gives another hint of what makes Jack White
tick, there is certainly some humour involved along with a penchant
for things English, although he's American from Detroit. And largely,
hints are all we're going to get, if you're looking for a doctrinal
statement it's not there. Jack is wily enough to keep things
engagingly enigmatic.
Paul Poulton
2001
Tom Waits
Used Songs 1973-1980
Elektra/Rhino
Tom Waits'
debut album in 1973, the perversely titled 'Closing Time', came out of
nowhere. Many singer/songwriters cut their musical teeth in an obscure
high-school band or have a song or two recorded by an established
performer but Waits just appeared. Even in 1973 plastic studio bands
(The Monkees being best known) and mainstream formula pop acts were
dominating the charts but Tom Waits is a truly unique voice, in both
senses of the word. If grizzly bears could sing they would sound like
Tom Waits, but probably only if they had a serious nicotine habit. So
he growls but, let it be said, he does sing in tune. If you want a
quick comparison, think of Satchmo. Waits's musical voice owes more to
jazz and blues than pop and as a songwriter he looks back to the great
musical tradition of Broadway with every song telling a story.
"Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis" could end up as a set
text in a course on American poetry and "Jersey Girl" covers territory
that Springsteen was to travel. Probably the best known songs in this
set are "Ol' '55" which was covered by The Eagles and "Tom Traubert's
Blues", Waits's take on "Waltzin' Matilda". These 16 songs serve as a
useful introduction to the first phase of Waits's career. To quote
from Hal Willner's liner notes: "What we have here is Tom Wait's the
young balladeer, the storyteller, the poet, the jazz man, the rocker,
electric, acoustic, distorted, on key, off key, singing songs about
cars, girls, shaving cream, marriage, divorce, dancing, kissing,
fighting, dreams fulfilled, broken, or not even dreamt yet, pool,
cards, trees, the moon, perfume, black eyes . . . 16 Tom Waits from
the Asylum period (1973 - 1980)." And then he moved to Island and
started the next phase of his career with the incredible
'Swordfishtrombones' but that will have to wait. In a musical world
filled with formulaic pap we should treasure individual talents such
as Tom Waits. There is nothing explicitly Christian in any of these
songs but they do show us a spiritual man who, perhaps not even
realising it himself, is yearning for something better. Like Oscar
Wilde, Tom Waits may be in the gutter but is looking up at the
stars.
Steven Whitehead
1992
Eric
Clapton
Unplugged
Reprise/WEA
Whilst fellow
rock luminary Paul McCartney had already released a tentative limited
edition Unplugged album, it was Eric Clapton's live set from the MTV
franchise that launched acoustic music back into the stratosphere,
catching the imaginations of old rockers and budding teenage
guitarists alike. Clapton's career had recently been in the doldrums
after his pinnacle years with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream and
Derek And The Dominos. Gone was Clapton's slavish dedication to
honouring his blues forefathers in his musical output and, during the
years in which a dependency on heavy drugs and alcohol dominated his
life, his career seemed to go off the rails with a string of
lacklustre and latterly overproduced albums. Thankfully, after
managing to rid himself of his abuse demons, Clapton released the
critically acclaimed 'journeyman' in 1989 before taking his new found
verve to his beloved Royal Albert Hall to perform a long run of live
shows. With things on the up, Clapton and his exemplary band (amongst
them Allman Brothers pianist Chuck Leavell, percussionist to the rich
and famous Ray Cooper and Amen Corner founder Andy Fairweather-Low)
appeared before a small audience at the Bray Film Studios in Windsor
in January 1992 to perform a set that would redeem both man and music
in the eyes of his fans and win a legion of new listeners in the
process. Although Clapton was certainly in the right place at the
right time in terms of capitalising on the then fairly new MTV craze,
there are a number of other factors that contributed to the album
achieving cult status. From the word go, this particular live
performance was engagingly informal. Without sacrificing musical
professionalism, false starts, tune ups and the odd kazoo showed that
it was perfectly acceptable for rock legends to let their hair down.
This relaxed feel of the session undoubtedly led to Clapton taking a
few chances with the set list with little of his back catalogue making
an appearance - at least not without some heavy adaptation. This in
turn allowed a certain doffing of the cap to his blues influences in
the likes of Big Bill Broonzy's "Hey Hey", the Bessie Smith classic
"Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" as well as Robert Johnson
in "Walking Blues" and "Malted Milk", foreshadowing the tributary 'Me
& Mr Johnson' album a decade later. Proving the old adage true
that if an electric guitarist can handle the acoustic counterpart then
he really is a great guitarist, there is no doubting that Clapton is
on top form here. His guitar solo in "Old Love" sees him soaring to
the heights previously only deemed possible on his trademark Fender
Stratocaster and, as if further proof were needed, the constant
interchanging of guitars (and therefore playing styles) from steel
strung six string to classical guitar, dobro and 12 string, cement the
man's versatility. In addition, the new song "Lonely Stranger" sees
Clapton finally at ease with himself as a singer delivering a top
notch vocal performance that rivals his guitar work. Amongst the many
gems contained within its 61 minutes, this release will arguably be
remembered for two standout tracks. Firstly, a radical reworking of
the Derek And The Dominos classic "Layla" (prefixed by Clapton
challenging the audience to see if they can "spot this one") has the
audacity to amputate the guitar riff that made the song famous in the
first place replacing it with a laid back shuffle that was either seen
as a sacrilegious mickey take or the stuff of inspiration depending on
the listener's point of view. More seriously, Clapton's stunning
performance of the newly written "Tears In Heaven" - a tribute to his
four year old son Connor who died the previous year in tragic
circumstances - ultimately and quite rightly earned three of the
album's six Grammy Awards and saw the grieving father reach deep into
his soul (and perhaps the Christian faith he has always claimed to
own) to deliver the performance of his lifetime in an album that he
has yet to surpass.
Lins Honeyman