history

Legends LED ZEPPELIN Released Their Second Breakthrough Album 50 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

Classics from the past…

21 October 2019

50 years ago, on 22 October 1969, rock icons LED ZEPPELIN released their second LP, simply called ‘Led Zeppelin II‘ in the US and nine days later, on 31 October in the UK. Their blues rock sound got heavier and rawer. Six of the nine songs were written by the band, while the other three were reinterpretations of Chicago blues songs by Willie Dixon (‘Whole Lotta Love‘ and ‘Bring It On Home‘) and Howlin’ Wolf (‘The Lemon Song’). As usual, no song
of the LP was released as a single in the UK (never was during their whole career). But outside the UK the band released ‘Whole Lotta Love‘ successfully as a single.

LED ZEPPELIN II was a huge commercial triumph. The group’s first number one LP in both the UK and the US. The album’s cover designer David Juniper was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 1970. By 1999 the highly influential longplayer had sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.

Highlights…

– WHOLE LOTTA LOVE –

– MOBY DICK –
(Live version including John Bonham‘s extended drum solo – London 1970)

– HEARTBREAKER –
(Live version Madison Square Garden, New York in 1973)

Album in full…

.
LED ZEPPELIN: Facebook – Website – All Albums

KATE BUSH Released Her Sixth Album ‘THE SENSUAL WORLD’ 30 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

16 October 2019

30 years ago today, on 16 October 1989, legendary singer/songwriter and innovative performer KATE BUSH released her sixth, triumphant album ‘THE SENSUAL WORLD‘.
The ever eccentric and noise-exploring Bush sings about falling in love with a computer, dressing up as a firework, and dancing with a dictator and the intriguing music translated
her wayward views bizarrely fitting, yet accessible. Never a dull moment with Kate Bush!

AllMusic wrote: “An enchanting songstress, Kate Bush reflects the most heavenly views of love on the aptly titled The Sensual World. The follow-up to Hounds of Love features Bush unafraid to be a temptress, vocally and lyrically. She’s a romantic, frolicking over lust and love, but also a lover of life and its spirituality… She possesses maternal warmth that’s surely inviting, and it’s something that’s made her one of the most prolific female singer/songwriters to emerge during the 1980s. She’s never belonged to a core scene. Bush’s intelligence, both as an artist and as a woman, undoubtedly casts her in a league of her own.” Full review here. Score: 4.5/5

The singles/clips…

– THE SENSUAL WORLD –

– THIS WOMAN’S WORK –

– LOVE AND ANGER –

Album in full…

.
KATE BUSH: Facebook

U2 Scored Their 2nd No 1 LP In The UK 35 Years Ago With ‘THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE’…

Posted on by JL

13 October 2019

35 years ago today, on 13 October 1984, Irish mega rockers U2 scored their second
No 1 album in the UK with their fourth studio album ‘THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE’.
The band hired two musical experts, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, to help them with
their experimentation with a more ambient and abstract sound. The album’s title is
a reference to ‘The Unforgettable Fire‘, an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 by the USA. The longplayer also topped the charts in
New-Zealand and Australia and peaked at #12 in America.

The two singles…

– PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE) –

‘THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE’

U2: Wesbite – Facebook

JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION Released Barbed Garage Blues Album ‘ORANGE’ 25 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

12 October 2019

On 12 October 1994, today 25 years ago JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION released
their fourth studio album LP ORANGE. A boiling collection of barbed blues crackerjacks, smoking garage crackers and some nasty psychobilly rockers. The Village Voice ranked the album #16 on their best of 1994 list while NME named it the 16th best album of that year.

AllMusic was euphoric: ” ‘Orange’ is almost entirely new sonic terrain, but it keeps the trio’s trademark sweaty, musical terrorism and hedonistic rage upfront… Drummer Russell Simins meets Spencer and Judah Bauer’s guitars with cracking snares and breaking beats, rolling
them out like staccato machine-gun fire yet perfectly on the one… The sound feels just like
electricity actively coursing through the spine… Funk, hypnotic thrashing white-boy blues, and punk fistfight one another for dominance … Orange is the most commercially successful set JBSE ever turned in, but that’s beside the point. In the 21st century, it sounds every bit as messed up, necessary, and frenzied as it did in 1993.” Full review here. Score: 4/5

Here’s the smashing single BELLBOTTOMS (without the LP’s strings)…

And here the album in full…
(original tracklist: #1 – #13)

.
JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION: All Albums

FRANK ZAPPA Released His First Solo Album ‘HOT RATS’ 50 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

11 October 2019

Eccentric music genius FRANK ZAPPA released his first solo LP called ‘HOT RATS’ on
10 October 1969, 50 years ago. Zappa called it a ‘movie for the ears’ as five of the six
jazz influenced compositions were instrumental. Only ‘Willie the Pimp‘, the opening track featured vocals by his equally kooky mate and legend Captain Beefheart. The only member of Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention band who played on the record was multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood.

AllMusic wrote: “Aside from the experimental side project Lumpy Gravy, Hot Rats was the first album Frank Zappa recorded as a solo artist sans the Mothers, though he continued to employ previous collaborators, most notably multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood. The result is a classic of the genre. Hot Rats’ genius lies in the way it fuses the compositional sophistication of jazz with rock’s down-and-dirty attitude, there’s a real looseness and grit to the three lengthy jams, and a surprising, wry elegance to the three shorter, tightly arranged numbers… Zappa is unquestionably the star of the show. Hot Rats still sizzles; few albums originating on the rock side of jazz-rock fusion flowed so freely between both sides of the equation, or achieved such unwavering excitement and energy.” Full review here. Score: 4.5/5

Album in full…

.
FRANK ZAPPA: Facebook

SUEDE Released Their Masterpiece Album ‘ DOG MAN STAR’ 25 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

Classics from the past…

10 October 2019

25 years ago, on 10 October 1994, British rockers SUEDE released their magnum opus DOG MAN STAR. Their second and final album with guitarist and co-songwriter Bernard Butler who left even before the final recordings were over. It’s a fabulous record with a series of outstanding songs that went much farther than the Britpop label. David Bowie and Roxy Music‘s glam and glitter influences were obvious but in the end it was a 100% Suede album in all its theatrical and melodramatic structure and resonance with Brett Anderson as the bona fide rock star in the middle. Definitely my favorite Suede LP.

All Music wrote: “As it stands, Dog Man Star is a strangely seductive record, filled with remarkable musical peaks, from the Bowie-esque stomp of “New Generation” to the stately ballads “The Wild Ones” and “Still Life,” which are both reminiscent of Scott Walker. And while Suede may choose to wear their influences on their sleeve, they synthesize them in a totally original way, making Dog Man Star a singularly tragic and romantic album.”
Full review here. Score: 4/5

Singles/clips…

– NEW GENERATION –

– THE WILD ONES –

– WE ARE THE PIGS –

And their own Bolero called ‘STILL LIFE‘…

Album in full…
(Original tracklist: #1 -#12)

.
SUEDE: Website – Facebook


Back sleeve

THE KINKS Released Memorable Album ‘ARTHUR (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire)’ 50 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

Classics from the past…

9 October 2019

50 years ago, on 10 October 1969, British legends THE KINKS released their seventh and one of their most memorable longplayers of their career with ARTHUR (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire). Singer/songwriter Ray Davies constructed the concept album as the soundtrack to a Granada Television play and developed the storyline with novelist Julian Mitchell but in the end the TV production never came about. The whole story’s main character was based on a certain Arthur Morgan, a London carpet-layer, actually, the Davies’ brothers brother-in-law who’s real name was Arthur Anning, who moved to Australia shortly after World War II. Despite being highly praised by the UK
and the US music press the LP was not a commercial success.

AllMusic wrote: “Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) extends the British-oriented themes of Village Green Preservation Society, telling the story of a London man’s decision to move to Australia during the aftermath of World War II… It’s a detailed and loving song cycle, capturing the minutiae of suburban life, the numbing effect of bureaucracy, and the horrors of war… The music makes the words cut deeper, and the songs never stray too far from the album’s subject, making Arthur one of the most effective concept albums in rock history, as well as one of the best and most influential British pop records of its era.”
Full review here. Score: 5/5

You certainly know this key track and single…

Album in full…
(Original tracklist: #1 – #10)

.
THE KINKS: All Albums – Facebook


Back sleeve

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN Released Their Third Album ‘AUTOMATIC’ 30 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

9 October 2019

30 years ago, on 9 October 1989, Scottish fuzzy feedback legends THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN released their third longplayer ‘AUTOMATIC‘. The band was reduced to brothers William and Jim Reid assisted by a drum machine and a synthesizer replacing the bass guitar. The only other credited musician was Richard Thomas who joined the band as a drummer on tour. Although the critics had mixed feelings about the record’s production, in the long term ‘Automatic‘ became a fan’s favourite. With single ‘Head On‘ (later covered by Pixies) the duo even scored their most successful single in America so far back then. Overall it was one of their rockiest album ever.

Los Angeles Times wrote: “They might have hit it with their third album. The Jesus and Mary Chain still works the same few rock archetypes–blues, Velvet Underground two-chord rise and fall, Stooges grunge riffs, Ramones bubble-gum punk–and this time, the Reids really make it sing and surge and soar.“Automatic’s” power is its faith in simplicity and its inspiration is in the way it sabotages the structures it celebrates. William Reid approaches the guitar as a flamethrower, and by the end of the album he’s trashed the terrain in just about every track,” like the climactic shoot-out in an over-the-top apocalyptic battle movie. Full review here. Score: 4/5

The two singles…

– HEAD ON –

– BLUES FROM A GUN –

Album in full…
(original tracklist: #1 – #10)

.
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN: Facebook


Back sleeve

R.E.M. Released 9th Album ‘MONSTER’ 25 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

27 September 2019

25 years ago today, on 27 September 1994, Athens legends R.E.M. released their ninth album MONSTER. After their highly accessible and triumphant longplayers Out Of Time (1991) and Automatic For The People (1992) the band went back to their rougher and more distorted sound of earlier days. Also lyrically the songs were far more personal and more complex than before. An overall captivating, fervid and vehement accomplishment. One of their best achievements.

ROLLING STONE wrote: ” ‘Monster’ is one urgent-sounding album, and that’s as it should be; what the band has to say here is urgent, politesse be damned. Monster is concerned, in song after song, with problems of identity. It explores how important having a stable sense of one’s own identity can be and how up for grabs identities have become in our postmodern media hothouse, where it’s possible to slip on a new persona as easily as a new look and couture can mean anything from Paris fashions to body piercing to a sex change. The concept of reality itself is being called into question: Is this my life or an incredible virtual simulation?”. Full review: here. Score: 4.5

All 5 Singles/clips…

– WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY KENNETH? –

– BANG AND BLAME –

– STRANGE CURRENCIES –

.

– CRUSH WITH EYELINER –

– TONGUE –

Album in full…

.
REM: Facebook

25 Years Ago MASSIVE ATTACK Released Their Second Longplayer ‘PROTECTION’…

Posted on by JL

26 September 2019

Trip-hop legends MASSIVE ATTACK released their second longplayer PROTECTION on
26 September 1994, 25 years ago. Although it seemed nearly impossible to match their groundbreaking debut classic Blue Lines this follow-up contained a series of significant tracks, enough to make it a critical and commercial success. The album peaked at #4 in the UK and #19 in the US.

AllMusic wrote: “Massive Attack’s sophomore effort could never be as stunning as Blue Lines, and a slight drop in production and songwriting quality made the comparisons easy. Still, from the first two songs Protection sounds worthy of their debut. The opening title track is pure excellence, with melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats perfectly complementing the transcendent vocals of Tracey Thorn… Tricky, another soon-to-be-solo performer, makes his breakout on this record, with blunted performances on “Karmacoma,” another highlight, as well as “Eurochild.” But even though the production is just as intriguing as on Blue Lines, there’s a bit lacking here. Massive Attack doesn’t summon quite the emotional power they did previously…” Full review here. Score: 4/5

Key tracks…

– KARMACOMA –
(My all-time fav MA track with vocals by Tricky)

– PROTECTION –
(Vocals by Tracey Thorn)

– SPYING GLASS –

Album in full…

.
MASSIVE ATTACK: Facebook – All Albums