The late explosive soul man James Brown (1933-2006) released one
of his biggest and best know hits with IT’S A MAN’S MAN WORLD
today 60 years ago, on 16 February 1961.
It was written by Brown and Betty Jean Newsome.
The single whent to No 8 in the US, and to No 13
in the UK.
Rolling Stone Magazine characterized the lyrics as “biblically chauvinistic“; attributing all the works of modern civilization — the car, the train, the boat, and the electric light — to the efforts of men, but claim that it all would “mean nothing without a woman or a girl”
Band: THE BLUETONES Who: Britpop legends from London Active: 1993–2011, 2015–present
Album: EXPECTING TO FLY Released: 12 February 1996
25 years ago today Score: #1 in the UK – platinum
25 years ago
Q magazine wrote: “Perhaps the most accomplished rock debut album since
The Stone Roses in 1989, Expecting to Fly avoids the usual primitive drive of
first recordings, in favour of technical brilliance and adventurous songwriting.
A classic rock album.”
Artist: RYAN THOMAS SMELLE Who: Canadian singer/songwriter with an acoustic approach to storytelling, using
hook-laden songs in the areas of folk, alternative, North Americana and pop. His use of heartfelt lyrics and emotional undertones allow his music to be relatable and identifiable by intertwining his songs with everyday personal experiences.
RTS: “Some songs are stories of moments from our life. As a songwriter, this short
and sweet lyrical tale is a snapshot of a love’s farewell and how we can stew in the
feelings.
Every once in a while I’ll dive into an old song book to see if I could retool a song, and I found this gem. Simple yet visual in its story. The bones were tracked in my own studio and when I shared them with Johnny Dee at Highfield Studios, another vision was unleashed and produced with more swagger. The final product runs parallel to my normal folk singer-songwriter flair with an element of alt pop.”
TUTV: Vocally Ryan Thomas Smelle reminds me of The National’s Matt Berninger‘s tranquillising hush-hush timbre, which benefits the heartrending emotions and
the saddening nature of NothingLeft Of My Heart downright.
Acoustic and electric guitar sparks, think Mark Knopfler, paint cloudy images.
This is a melancholic reverie for silent pondering and soul-searching reflection.
A touching and moving ballad.
Harrison‘s backing musicians on the song include Eric Clapton and
the entire Delaney & Bonnie and Friends band, with whom he had toured
during the final months of the Beatles. Harrison co-produced the recording
with Phil Spector.
I guess lots of people only know DEXYS (previously named Dexys Midnight Runners) from their giant 1982 hit Come On Eileen (more than 806 million streams on Spotify), but the now 72-year-old mastermind Kevin Rowland has done so much more in his 52 years in the music biz.
The most recent Dexys album The Feminine Divine,came out in 2023. A masterly crafted record featuring a song called MY SUBMISSION, one of the best love ballads I ever heard.
Happy Valentine.
[Verse 1] And I will worship and adore
In every way
And I will do as you will
[Chorus] Oh I’m yours
I crave your smile
And I always will
You, you, you are everything
You, you, you are my world
And I, I will give you all you want and more, so please
[Verse 2]
Now you own me
I’m trusting all to you
I’m scared, but I’m excited
You could disown me if you choose
And leave me completely alone
I’m trusting all to you
You have the power now
I hope you will look after me and I will be your pet, to do with as you will
[Chorus] Oh, I’m yours
I crave your smile
And I, always will
You, you, you are everything
You, you, you are my world
And I, I, I’ll dedicate my life to serving you
The eccentric fairy-tale rockers THE FLAMING LIPS, led by their psychedelic
priest Wayne Coyne are around since 1983 (oh my, I had no clue it was that long).
They have fascinated their fans with 17 albums (so far).
As a longtime fan myself, I dare to say that their concerts are even better than their records, as I experienced once more last year in Antwerp, Belgium. A visual and sonic spectacle.
Band: VILLANELLE Who: Fresh Brit-rock trio led
by Liam Gallagher‘s son Gene.
New single: PLACEBO
Their 3rd one following last year’s first two, Hinge and Measly Means.
All 3 songs will feature on their debut EP, named ‘Measly Means’. Out on
May 6th.
Gallagher: “‘Placebo’ is about heightened visualisations of post-session anxiety.”
I’m sure his father hasn’t a clue what his son is saying here. To be honest I
have no clue myself.
TUTV: Villanelle like it raw and rough, straight in your face. Placebo is a ripping-riff wallop. Gene Gallagher doesn’t follow in his father’s band footsteps. His motto is more like ‘tonight I’m a grunge star‘.
Yep, his band don’t look back in anger to the Nirvana days. They’re definitly, maybe fans of Kurt Cobain‘s unpolished and unbridled exuberance and they are great pupils at it. Mind you, they’re influenced, but they aren’t replicaters. Villanelle smell like teen spirit their own way, sonically, vocaly and lyrically. They will go places.
Press info: “The new album captures the messy, cathartic energy of transformation. Written in the aftermath of the pandemic, the record is shaped by grief, uncertainty,
and a deep love for music and friendship. Songs wrestle with identity, memory, and growing up, balancing bratty catharsis with tenderness and reflection.”
TUTV: Indie-pendent guitar pop is back. Actually, it never was gone whatsoever,
but the electric-powered 6-string scene is prominently present lately, way more than before. Remember Sports, Dream Nails, Ratboys, The Belair Lip Bombs, Fanclubwallet, Sprints, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Wet Leg, Vuce Vera, Lime Gardeb, and way more other bands crank up their guitars to vitalize their cacthy pop tunes.
No artificial ballyhoo, no ersatz hurry-skurry, no phony posing. They all keep it
simple, direct, fresh and whipped-up. They do not pretend to be the next big thing.
They act inspired by their gut-feeling and insatiable knack for spine-tingling, kicky
music. The Refrigerator features all those plugged-in characteristics. Remember
Sports are in excellent condition to compete in this sonic discipline.
Btw, while writing this, it dawned on me that all the aforementioned bands are
female-fronted ones. Coincidence? No idea, but it shows that rockin’ girl power
is back. Supercool!
