FEATURE: Music Technology Breakthroughs: Part One: The iPod

FEATURE:

 

 

Music Technology Breakthroughs

IMAGE CREDIT: Jessa ZG 

Part One: The iPod

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THIS will be a brief series…

 IMAGE CREDIT: Ian Barnard

but I am interested in how music technology and devices have changed through the years. We all have quite sophisticated mobile phones where we can stream music and enjoy film/T.V. on a portable and handy device. I think we take this convenience for granted because, years ago, the technology was not quite as sophisticated. That is not to say that, at the time, various technological breakthroughs did not astound people! In future editions, I am going to look at the Sony Walkman, Pro Tools and other important innovations/technological steps. I grew up listening to music through a Sony Walkman, and then I upgraded to the C.D. Walkman/device. That said, they were quite prone to skipping the C.D.s, and one had to employ some patience when listening through one. I might cover them too but, as I headed to sixth form college in 1999, the main technology was the C.D. player. I think mobile phones were starting to get a bit more sophisticated - but nothing like we have in 2020! Even though me and my friends could listen to music through portable devices, we were very sociable when it came to sharing music. Often was the time when I would be handed some earphones to listen to some music from Blink-182 or Limp Bizkit – it was that Nu-Metal sort of time; looking back and the music has not aged that well! I went to university in 2001 and, about a month after I started, the iPod was born.

The first model was released on 23rd October, 2001. I wonder whether there will be anything happening to mark its twentieth anniversary next year? I think the iPod is one of the biggest leaps in terms of music technology and how we experience music in general. The iPod is a line of portable media players and multi-purpose pocket computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. By 2019, only the iPod Touch (7th generation) remained in production. Although its peak and popularity was relatively short-lived, I think the iPod directly influenced the smartphone and how we experience music on the go now. I will bring in an article that discusses the influence and importance of the iPod but, grabbing from the Wikipedia page concerning the iPod, and we can see why the device was created and how it changed the marketplace:

“The iPod was released in late 2001.[8] The iPod line came from Apple's "digital hub" category, when the company began creating software for the growing market of personal digital devices. Digital cameras, camcorders, and organizers had well-established mainstream markets, but the company found existing digital music players "big and clunky or small and useless" with user interfaces that were "unbelievably awful,"[9] so Apple decided to develop its own. As ordered by CEO Steve Jobs, Apple's hardware engineering chief Jon Rubinstein assembled a team of engineers to design the iPod line, including hardware engineers Tony Fadell and Michael Dhuey,[10] and design engineer Sir Jonathan Ive.[9] Rubinstein had already discovered the Toshiba hard disk drive while meeting with an Apple supplier in Japan, and purchased the rights to it for Apple, and had also already worked out how the screen, battery, and other key elements would work”.

Although the later models of the iPod increased the GB capacity to 256, the original model of 2001 contained a 5 GB hard drive that could hold a thousand songs. This was a major breakthrough! Beforehand, we could only really play a single album on  portable C.D. player, and I don’t think there was anything quite as revolutionary as the iPod prior to its 2001 release. The idea that one could create a huge music library and take that around with them was mind-blowing! Because the music was digital, one did not have to constantly stop when the C.D. skipped, and we didn’t have to carry albums around with us so we could swap them out when one ended. There was a slight guilt moving to a digital realm and digesting music that way, but I was still buying a lot of C.D.s in 2001 – and continued to do so for many years. Although the iPod cost $399 when it was released in 2001, I do think that the price was not too extreme. Consider the capacity of the device and how much of a step on it was from any other device. One could store a thousand tracks, and, with its sleek design, it was very handy and desirable. I guess, if one looks at the longevity and impact of portable cassette and C.D. players, then the iPod is relatively short-lived.

When it came out, it was prone to competition and, even though Apple developed the iPod and increased its capacity and brought in new features, the market did open up. Spotify was created in 2006 so, when it developed a following, it sort of did what the iPod did: the user could create playlists and shuffle through tracks. I think streaming sites like Spotify definitely took a lead from iPod in the way individuals could create their own playlists and have this huge digital library where they could shuffle the tracks and did not have to rely on the rigidity of the album. Some might say that the iPod had a detrimental impact on the album, in the sense people could buy individual tracks from iTunes and they did not have to buy the whole thing. I think there was still an enormous demand for albums but, as technology was advancing, it offered people the opportunity to enjoy and experience music in a whole new way. The first article I want to bring in provides great resource when discussing the impact and selling points of the iPod:

“The real advantage of the iPod was its integration with iTunes. Unlike other MP3 players, which required users to drag music files into folders, iTunes allowed you to sync your music automatically to an iPod. Apple’s integration of hardware and software made the user experience much easier than what other devices of the time offered.

 The iPod changed the world of music, in several ways. While the Sony Walkman democratized music listening in the streets, or during your commute, you still needed to carry around cassette tapes. These took up space, and were especially susceptible to dust and lint from your pockets. With the iPod, you can carry your entire music collection in your pocket (unless your music collection is as big as mine, that is). No longer do you have to decide before you go out of the house or on a trip what music you might want to listen to and remember to bring those tapes. And, with the ability to now download music from the cloud, you may never even have to worry about what you have synced to your iPod; you may be able to download the music you want when you want to listen to it. The importance of the iPod is therefore not only the device, but the entire ecosystem that it depends on. From iTunes on your computer to iCloud, the iPod is one link in a chain that brings music to your ears.

And the iPod changed the world of music in another way: it brought the idea of “shuffle” to listeners. With the iPod, and iTunes, you can listen to music at random. Instead of making choices, you can let fate choose what you listen to. In some ways, this approach to listening to songs devoid of their context in albums—not that different from radio, just without the DJ’s grating voice and the loud commercials—has helped speed the erosion of music sales. No longer approaching music as albums, listeners have taken to buying individual songs, from the iTunes Store, Amazon.com, and other places”.

I think that it would be cool, nearly twenty years since the iPod was introduced, that there was a modern design more in keeping with the original. One can buy the iPod Touch, but I loved the original iPod because of its design and the fact that it was just about the music. Although the original was sort of lacking in different functions and menu options, I do think that a twentieth anniversary edition could be launched that had a large capacity and lots of options, but it would be a standalone music-playing device. As this article explores, the iPod was a real game-changing product:

"The iPod truly ushered in the era of portable digital consumer electronics, much as the Walkman did for analog audio," states Jordan Selburn, principal analyst of consumer electronics at IHS-iSuppli.

In just 10 years the iPod has been so influential that the word has come to represent a portable digital music player in the same way "Hoover" dominates the vacuum cleaner market. Apple wasn't the first to introduce such a device, so why has the iPod brand dominated all others?

"The iPod wasn't the first MP3 player out there — before it came out I'd used models from Rio for my runs — but it took the shortcomings inherent in the existing products in the market and improved on them," explains Jonathan Seff, executive editor, Macworld. "It held much more music than a typical MP3 player, and its use of FireWire meant transfer speeds much faster than the slow 12Mbps USB everyone else was using," Seff continues. "Plus the combo of hardware and software (iTunes) made it easier to use than much of what else was out there. And in very little time, the iPod took over the digital music player section of the market."

 The iPod's design is iconic. Design museums around the world display iPods proudly. Apple's senior vice president of industrial design, Jonathan Ive, has earned multiple awards and accolades.

"One of the major reasons for the iPod's success is its unique design, which is simple and aesthetically appealing, making use of high-quality materials like stainless steel," says Dr. Peter Zec, CEO and intellectual and creative head of red dot. "The Apple Industrial Design Team, led by Jonathan Ive, focuses on strict and sustainable design politics: The first iPod fitted perfectly into Apple's product family of that time — just like the latest models do, which pick up today's unibody design of the iMac or MacBook Pro.

"The simplicity of the iPod's design speaks for itself: There are no unnecessary buttons or wheels, just one single element to navigate intuitively through the product's entire music library”.

I am going to look at various musical software and hardware devices in future instalments, but I wanted to start with the iPod: something that was a big part of my late-teenage years and, at the time, was an enormous treat! The price of the iPod did come down and the capacity increased so that music lovers could have a bigger library in their pocket! At a time when we compile playlists and have an assortment of music on our phones, we must give a nod to the humble-yet-pioneering iPod! In 2001, this intriguing device came along that people clambered after and embraced – even though it was expensive. All these years later, and we can realise and appreciate how the iPod…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Apple

MADE a huge impact.

FEATURE: Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure: Michael Jackson – Earth Song

FEATURE:

 

Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure

Michael Jackson – Earth Song

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MAYBE there is something…

inherently ‘guilty pleasure’ about listening to any song from Michael Jackson at all. A lot of his music has been blacklisted by radio and, after allegations of sexual abuse, there has been an unease about playing his music. I have heard a few of his songs mentioned by radio stations. In any case, I am simply judging the song and not the artists here and, in 1995, Jackson released HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It comprises two discs: HIStory Begins - a greatest hits compilation - and HIStory Continues - comprising new material written and produced by Jackson and collaborators. The album is really interesting and there are plenty of terrific songs to be found. Many critics have been divided regarding the quality of music across the album; one song that has really split people is Earth Song. It was taken as the third single from the album and it was not surprising hearing Jackson cover subjects like the natural world and depletion. A few of his songs have tackled social and politic subjects – such as We Are the World -, so one could not accuse him of jumping on a bandwagon or say that he was being inauthentic. I remember when the video was released and being played on music T.V.

The stirring images of dead animals and destruction really did leave a mark, and I think Earth Song is one of Jackson’s most committed and intense vocal performances. Released on 27th November, 1995, the single celebrated twenty-five years recently. I wonder, since the song’s release, the messages have been taken to heart and we have actually made any progress! Certainly, we are hearing about the impact of global warming and we definitely need to make improvements and think more carefully about how we are treating the planet! With production from David Foster and Bill Bottrell, this was the first time Jackson wrote a song about the environment and animal rights; the video received a Grammy nomination in 1997 and it hit the Christmas top spot in the U.K. in 1995. If Jackson received supportive nods from environmental agencies and bodies that supported animal welfare, there has been a slightly less effusive and warm response from music critics through the years. Some have accused him of being overly-dramatic and insincere. One can definitely feel Jackson’s anger and upset, and I think Earth Song was a case of a big artist putting into the limelight themes that were not being discussed in music much. Looking around in 2020, and how many big artists are using their platform to highlight the plight of our environment and putting out these stirring images and messages?! One infamous ‘criticism’ of the song occurred on 19th February, 1996, when Jackson performed Earth Song at the BRIT Awards; he was there to collect a special Artist of a Generation award.

During the performance, singer Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) ran onstage without permission, lifted his shirt and pretended to break wind, before giving Jackson the V-sign. It was a funny moment, but I think there was this sense of derision and mocking from a lot of the music community regarding Jackson’s song and whether it was pure; if, maybe, as a mega-famous and rich artist, he should be singing about environmental issues when he was touring the world by plane and, to an extent, contributing to the issue. Looking at the official Michael Jackson site, and we get some more details regarding the song and its legacy:

“Written in a hotel in Austria while on tour, “Earth Song” was a passionate plea for environmental awareness in the face of unchecked global development. “I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of the Planet Earth. And for me, this is Earth’s Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man’s mismanagement of the Earth,” Jackson said of the song. “And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, I think earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it’s about some of the joys of the planet as well. But this is my chance to pretty much let people hear the voice of the planet.”

The “Earth Song” short film features stark footage of Michael and native people around the world witnessing acts of natural devastation. Burnt-out forests, dead animals on the African savannah and war-torn neighborhoods are shown as Michael and other citizens of the world drop to their knees and grab the earth beneath them. Suddenly, the earth shakes and violent winds blow as Michael sings the final verse of the song, and the planet is magically restored.

The short film earned Michael Jackson the Doris Day Music Award from the Humane Society’s Genesis Awards in 1996. One year later, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. It is one of 12 of Michael’s short films to be VEVO Certified for more than 100 million views”.

I think Earth Song is as relevant twenty-five years after its release as ever and, as I said, I wonder whether we have learned anything from the song. Many people do see Earth Song as a guilty pleasure because it is quite heavy and many are not a fan of Jackson when he is more political. Whereas songs such as Heal the World (from Dangerous, 1991) are syrupier, there is a real sense of power and aggression to Earth Song that means it stays in the memory longer and you stand to attention. Maybe we will never hear Earth Song played again on radio because of the controversy regarding Jackson and his reputation, but it is a fantastic track that is brilliantly performed and produced. I think, because of its important lyrics and the relevance of the song today, we should definitely give Earth Song…

ANOTHER spin.

FEATURE: On Such a Timeless Flight: Kate Bush’s Cover of Elton John’s Rocket Man

FEATURE:

 

 

On Such a Timeless Flight

Kate Bush’s Cover of Elton John’s Rocket Man

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WHEN we talk about Kate Bush and her music…

we do not often discuss cover versions and her interpretative skills. Most of her work has been original songs but, when she has taken on someone else’s music, the results are largely stunning. I particularly love her version of The Man I Love by Ira and George Gershwin. She recorded that song for (the) The Glory of Gershwin album in 1994. Bush brought a smoky and sensuous vocal to the song. One of my favourite cover versions appeared as the B-side to King of the Mountain in 2005 when she tackled Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing. Bush recorded her version in 1993/1994 for Davy Spillane's 1994 album, A Place Among the Stones. The track was left off the Spillane album as it didn't fit with the sound of the rest of the record. I really like the breadth of Bush’s covers and the fact she wasn’t afraid of moving into different genes and areas. Elton John is an idol of Bush’s, and she has always had a huge love for his music. She recorded a decent version of Candle in the Wind which appeared as the B-side to the song I want to discuss. Rocket Man is one of Elton John’s best-known songs and I can see the appeal of covering it! One can find it on the album, The Other Sides, and there has been a divide in opinion regarding its status.

Some have called it a weaker version of the original whilst others have highlighted it as a great cover. I think there is more love for it than anything, but I feel Bush’s take on Rocket Man is fascinating! The original is suitably dramatic and epic, whilst Bush gives it a lighter touch with a cover that steps into Reggae and Calypso. The fact that she did not skew the lyrics to change the pronoun gives Rocket Man a little bit of mystery. I like it when female artists take on songs originally recorded by men – and vice versa -, and there is a lot of affection and respect for an Elton John classic. Bush’s version first appeared on the 1989 album, Two Rooms, which was a collection of Elton John/Bernie Taupin covers by popular artists. Bush released it as a single in November 1991 and it reached number-twelve in the U.K. charts. This article from the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia provides interview snippets where she discussed the song and Elton John:

 “From the age of 11, Elton John was my biggest hero. I loved his music, had all his albums and I hoped one day I'd play the piano like him (I still do). When I asked to be involved in this project and was given the choice of a track it was like being asked 'would you like to fulfill a dream? would you like to be Rocket Man?'... yes, I would. (Two Rooms liner notes, 1991)

I was really knocked out to be asked to be involved with this project, because I was such a big fan of Elton's when I was little. I really loved his stuff. It's like he's my biggest hero, really. And when I was just starting to write songs, he was the only songwriter I knew of that played the piano and sang and wrote songs. So he was very much my idol, and one of my favourite songs of his was 'Rocket Man'. Now, if I had known then that I would have been asked to be involved in this project, I would have just died… They basically said, 'Would we like to be involved?' I could choose which track I wanted… 'Rocket Man' was my favourite. And I hoped it hadn't gone, actually – I hoped no one else was going to do it… I actually haven't heard the original for a very long time. 'A long, long time' (laughs). It was just that I wanted to do it differently. I do think that if you cover records, you should try and make them different. It's like remaking movies: you've got to try and give it something that makes it worth re-releasing. And the reggae treatment just seemed to happen, really. I just tried to put the chords together on the piano, and it just seemed to want to take off in the choruses. So we gave it the reggae treatment. It's even more extraordinary (that the song was a hit) because we actually recorded the track over two years ago. Probably just after my last telly appearance. We were quite astounded when they wanted to release it as a single just recently. (BBC Radio 1 interview, 14 December 1991).

I remember buying this when it came out as a single by Elton John. I couldn’t stop playing it - I loved it so much. Most artists in the mid seventies played guitar but Elton played piano and I dreamed of being able to play like him. Years later in 1989, Elton and Bernie Taupin were putting together an album called Two Rooms, which was a collection of cover versions of their songs, each featuring a different singer. To my delight they asked me to be involved and I chose Rocket Man. They gave me complete creative control and although it was a bit daunting to be let loose on one of my favourite tracks ever, it was really exciting. I wanted to make it different from the original and thought it could be fun to turn it into a reggae version. It meant a great deal to me that they chose it to be the first single release from the album.

That meant I also had the chance to direct the video which I loved doing - making it a performance video, shot on black and white film, featuring all the musicians and... the Moon!

Alan Murphy played guitars on the track. He was a truly special musician and a very dear friend. Tragically, he died just before we made the video so he wasn’t able to be there with us but you’ll see his guitar was placed on an empty chair to show he was there in spirit. (KateBush.com, February 2019)”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Elton John in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: John Swannell

It is great that Bush selected Rocket Man for consideration, as she gives the song a new lease of life. I like her take and the fact she does not change the lyrics. One gets a new angle to the song, and the video is really cool. Maybe it is my favourite cover version from her – though I do really like The Man I Love -, and it could have been easy to make the song too overwrought and sad. Instead, she manages to add some colour and kick to the song whilst retaining its emotions and seriousness. Kate Bush is no stranger to a cover version and, through her career, she has reinterpreted songs from The Beatles, Steely Dan and other artists…but I really love her connection to Elton John and what she did on Rocket Man. As I have said before, the two worked together on Snowed in at Wheeler Street on Bush’s 2011 album, 50 Words for Snow. I wonder whether Elton John will every cover any Kate Bush songs, as he has a lot of affection for her music! It must have been nervy for Bush to cover a song by a musical hero of hers and, whilst Candle in the Wind is not a great improvement on the original, she is more successful on Rocket Man. If you have not checked out Kate Bush’s version of Rocket Man then please do so, as she reimagines one of Elton John’s greatest songs…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1991/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Cummins

IN her own inimitable way.

FEATURE: Monoliths and Billboards to Silent Videos: Big, Small and Somewhere In Between: The Album Promotional Campaign

FEATURE:

 

 

Monoliths and Billboards to Silent Videos

IN THIS PHOTO: AC/DC finding a new way to promote their latest album, Power Up  

Big, Small and Somewhere In Between: The Album Promotional Campaign

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IN an age where there are more ways…

The #AF6 release campaign is next level. https://t.co/ryfveVUTx8

— Arcade Fire Tube (@ArcadeFireTube) December 1, 2020

to get your music out to people, artists have found different avenues to put their stuff out there. Before the Internet and social media, there were some interesting campaigns and artists taking advantage of the media - but I am thinking about a wider sphere than that. I think, even without the Internet, artists have found innovative ways to promote their album. I bring up this subject because, around the world, mysterious metal monoliths have appeared around the world. Many are linking it to a possible approaching sixth album from Canadian band, Arcade Fire. Win Butler from the band says there has been creativity in the camp, so I would not be shocked if the group put out some new work early next year. As of the time of this article (8th December) there has been no official announcement, but it does seem like a stunt that has been taken on by copycats - it may be Arcade Fire who started it but it is unlikely. Even if this worldwide ‘craze’ is nor down to them, Arcade Fire are no strangers when it comes to a great marketing campaign. Many remember the precision and work they put into the drive for Reflektor - and that yielded chart success for them. This article from The Hollywood Reporter explains more about how the relatively small band made a big impression with their promotional ideas for Reflektor:

“The fact that Arcade Fire's fourth album, Reflektor, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart was no fluke. A captivating lead-up has been afoot for months, building buzz for the release via secret shows, cryptic emblem street art and a cross-platform launch of the title track and lead single.

Scott Rodger, the band's manager, is quick to note that this is not merely a marketing campaign. "It's about how do you present a project to people to take notice," he tells The Hollywood Reporter. "There's an ocean of information out there. … It's the world we're living in where we have to tune into it to find a better way to connect with people and make sure they're aware that something's coming. And if the music is good enough, then you'll win through."

When first conceiving the rollout with the band and labels, what was the initial scope of the creative?

Scott Rodger: We don't spend any more or less than the average record company would on a mid- to lower-sized act. All we [asked] is: How do you engage not only your fans, but just try and get noticed? We're in an information overload, but just to be recognized you have to be more creative and do things in a way that people will talk about socially -- online but also in the physical world. How do you become one of those things that people talk about?

If you look at an Arcade Fire -- they're a small band that's punching above their weight. You've got a Pearl Jam release, a Katy Perry release, an Eminem release and a Lady Gaga release, and we're sandwiched right in the middle. We're nowhere near anywhere as big as those acts, so how do you play in that world? How do you get a smaller act some kind of global visibility? That was the thought process behind the campaign”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @stereophototyp/Unsplash

I do think that the huge social media numbers of the biggest acts helps when it comes to getting their music out there. If you are a lot smaller, then that means it is harder to rely on social media alone. We have print musical media, but I think the Internet is a more potent and influential marketing force. I admire Arcade Fire and how they are operating. The band followed Reflektor’s campaign with an even bigger and more inventive one for Everything Now . That album came out in 2017, and the sheer amount of work put into promoting it in a very different way was amazing! Many artists feel like they need to go to these lengths and stand out because competition is a lot fiercer, and it is tougher to get an album out there and selling big if you do not put in this work. One huge artist who is going big this year is Paul McCartney. His album, McCartney III, is out on 18th December. There was this run-up to the announcement with mysterious dice posts on social media. People were speculating what it could mean and whether it was a re-release coming but, then, we learned that it was tied to McCartney III – the album cover features a dice. Over the past week or two, there have been these #12DaysOfPaul videos with billboards being put up featuring songs/music notation from the album.

🎲 4️⃣ 🎲#12DaysOfPaul @AmazonMusic pic.twitter.com/LpO5i6OG0Z

— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) December 7, 2020

The work required to put this all together is amazing but, with very little in the way of musical promotion and singles, there has been this interesting campaign. Even someone as established as McCartney is not resting on his laurels and doing things in an ordinary way! He put out a trailer for the album, which is something a lot of artists do. Even though big marketing campaigns can be very expensive, I really like them. Here is a list of some other big campaigns and, from Michael Jackson floating a statue of himself down the Thames in 1995, to Katy Perry promoting the lead single from her 2017 album, Witness, by hanging disco balls from global landmarks, we have seen these huge and original ways of publishing music in a fresh way. Not every artist can afford to do this but, for some, releasing no music at all and dropping an album with no notice has proved very effective. This is true of Beyoncé when she released her eponymous album in 2013 with no real fanfare. Many might think that the development of the Internet and social media has made it easier to craft intricate and mysterious campaigns but, as this article explores, Radiohead utilised the Internet brilliantly in its infancy:

“2000’s Kid A was already highly anticipated, but Radiohead’s decision to market the album entirely online, making it the first album to be done in such a way, made the anticipation that much greater. A small addition to fan sites called an ‘iBlip’ was created, making it possible for fans to briefly preview clips and pre-order the album.

Not satisfied with changing the way albums were marketed, Radiohead changed the way albums were bought just seven years later. When they announced the release of In Rainbows, they decided to take a completely new approach. In addition to letting fans purchase the album ‘the old fashioned way’, the band also made available an option to buy the album for the low, low price of absolutely nothing.

Sparking the popularity of the ‘pay as you want’ movement, the group’s adventure proved quite fruitful, with Thom Yorke saying two months after the album’s release that he made more money from the digital sales of In Rainbows than the digital sales of all other Radiohead albums combined”.

 Whilst some artists have used the outdoors to get their message across and some have not done a marketing campaign to create an element of surprise, U2 are a band that have had mixed success with their campaigns. This interesting article discusses how the band’s partnership with Apple has led to some differing opinions:

“U2 actually have two album releases worth discussing in this piece, but for two opposing reasons… let’s tackle How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb first.

Released in 2004, the Irish band teamed up with Apple for the release of their highly anticipated 11th studio album.

The partnership was pretty simple but highly effective with Apple making limited edition black and red iPods (the ones with the turning wheel, for the uninitiated), prepopulated with U2’s entire discography (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb inclusive), in addition to unreleased songs from the band.

In 2004, Apple wasn’t the global giant that it is today, but they still saw an opportunity to partner with U2 in a way we seldom saw 14 years ago, and seldom see today.

And finally, as it pertains to U2’s Songs of Innocence, this may be more of a case of overindulging in old practices than genuine innovation.

I remember waking up one morning and suddenly not being able to download any new music onto my space-deprived iPhone 5C. Why, you might ask? Because Bono and Apple were back at it again – prepopulating iPods and iPhones with the former’s 13th studio album, Songs of Innocence.

For U2 fans, it must have been like Christmas come early when the band and, now, tech giant CEO Tim Cook announced the move, at the company’s iPhone 6 event. However, if you’re not a hardcore U2 fan (like myself), you were most likely left with a bad taste in your mouth – especially if didn’t know how to get rid of it straightaway.

The publicity stunt was done by both parties in the aim of making Songs of Innocence “the largest album release of all time,” but at what cost?”.

Away from the rather extravagant and hugely complicated, there are simpler ways of whipping up intrigue. On social media, one sees a lot of artists posting silent videos or little segments of songs. This is becoming more common.

We may get a quick visual with no audio, or there is a ten-second clip of a song – maybe a montage instead. Some might say that this is not revealing a lot and it is too much of a tease, but we are in an age where artists are putting out five or six tracks before an album comes out. Some say less is more regarding campaigns – McCartney III and a lack of singles is an example -, whilst others feel that a lot of tweets and Instagram posts is the way to reach as many people as possible. I could have done this as a larger feature and compare social media campaigns and see how effective various strategies are but, as I follow a lot of artists, there are different approaches. I do like tease campaigns where we get little snippets, photos and countdowns, but I am not overly-keen on lots of singles coming before an album, as it sort of takes away some momentum and element of surprise. I suppose, with streaming sites paying so little, trying to push as much music as possible prior to an album release is a way for artists to try and recoup some of the money spent making an album in the first place. There were some excellent campaigns last year that showed real initiative but, in a year when there has been a shift and things are very odd, the marketing cycles for many artists has been unusual in 2020.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @coolmilo/Unsplash

Lockdown and general division has meant that there has been less chance for artists to play on T.V. shows and do interviews further afield. Many would have liked to do big billboard campaigns or been a bit more outward-facing but, as we have been confined, they have adapted and utilised the Internet and video-streaming in a way that they might not have otherwise considered. Many artists have performed from their home with small little sets – Laura Marling did a few -, whilst other artists have streamed from empty venues; some have performed virtual gigs with quite elaborate and funky sets. As much as anything, artists have bonded closer with their fans and there has been this real sort of intimacy – even if we are far apart from one another. Other musicians have delayed their albums because of lockdown and race riots. This article explains how two huge Pop artists, Dua Lipa and Rita Ora, have adapted in 2020. Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia was delayed and, for such a big and energetic album, she would have wanted to play around the world. As we discover, she found ways around being disconnected physically from fans:

“Phil Christie is president of Warner Records UK, which recently released Dua Lipa’s second studio album, Future Nostalgia. That album was originally scheduled for release on 3rd April 2020 but was brought forward by two weeks after leaking online, coming just at the start of the global lockdown.

Christie explains that the label had serious doubts over what to do. “We’d always planned to put the album out in early April, but when we saw how serious things were getting with COVID-19, there were some conversations around whether this was still the right timing for an album like this,” he says.

The main concern, Christie explains, was how an album of joyful pop music was going to land tonally. “It’s such an uplifting album, and there was so much tragedy around us and we didn’t want to be insensitive to that,” he says. “But after conversations with Dua and her management, we all agreed to keep going – and we actually ended up bringing it forward a week after a leak.”

This, clearly, had a huge effect on the album’s promotional roll-out, with Dua Lipa unable to travel for promotional appearances, to tour or even to visit a photographer. Obviously, this was far from ideal. And yet Christie says that the situation made the label “look at creative ways of doing things and to be more dynamic and opportunistic in our thinking”.

“In many ways, we have also followed Dua’s lead,” he says. “We’ve helped her amplify non-traditional tactics like performing from her flat, live streaming, podcasts and joining other artist livestreams.”

He adds, “Traditional promo spots like The Late Late Show with James Corden have become opportunities for innovation. Because she couldn’t travel, Dua did her first at-home performance with her band via split-screen and that really resonated with people and took on a life outside of the show itself. It’s definitely helped that Dua is such a natural communicator as she always finds ways to speak to her fans in an authentic and personable way.”

Rita Ora’s ‘How To Be Lonely’ interactive experience is a fascinating example of how marketing plans can adapt to – and even thrive in – the lockdown, with a planned physical exhibition based around the video for her track of the same name being forced to move exclusively online.

Sean Ward, audience manager at Atlantic Records UK, explains how the switch happened.

“When I first saw the deck that Wonderland [the agency who partnered on the exhibition] had sent over detailing the build, I mentioned to management it would be fantastic to digitise, as only a small amount of people in the London area would have been able to see it in person,” he says. “When we realised it would not be possible for anyone to attend, I started to pursue the digital alternative. Myself and a videographer went down to the site and shot and filmed each room in detail so we had a super-accurate representation of the interior. I then sent all footage to the developers at Pretty Good Digital and worked in collaboration with Warner Music’s Firepit Tech to complete the brief.” The reaction, he explains, has been “incredibly positive”.

From Taylor Swift utilising different methods to promote her 2020 album, folklore – releasing it on a cassette version and using technology to personally thank her fans – to smaller artists who are finding unique and new ways to highlight their work, I am really fascinated by the album promotional campaign and how various artists tackle it. Whether they put out teaser videos or erect metal monoliths (yet to be confirmed) around the globe, even a year as bad and restricting as 2020 has shown that this has not…

HINDEDRED artists’ imagination and scope!

FEATURE: Spotlight: Pale Waves

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

Pale Waves

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FOR the last couple of Spotlight features…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Heather Baron-Gracie of Pale Waves

I have been focusing on acts who have quite a large fanbase but are, maybe, not as played as well-known as they deserve to be! This week, I wanted to throw some light on Pale Waves. They are an Indie-Pop band from Manchester who formed in 2014. Pale Waves were  originally founded  as ‘Creek’ when lead singer and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie met drummer Ciara Doran while attending university in Manchester. The band’s line-up was completed by the addition of guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood. I first heard of Pale Waves when they released their debut single, There’s a Honey. The band have come on strides since their formation in 2017. The BBC included them in their Sound of 2018 poll; NME have thrown them a lot of love and, on 14th September, 2018, they released their debut album, My Mind Makes Noises. I am going to bring in a glowing review for that album in a second but, as we look to 2021, there is good news for Pale Waves fans as the band will release their second studio album, Who Am I? on 12th February through Dirty Hit. It is going to be a great album and I think the band have grown stronger since their debut – a new track like Change are really exciting! I am looking forward to the new album; the band will definitely acquire a lot of new fans. Although some critics were not too hot on their debut album, there were those who found a lot to love.

In their excellent review, this is what DORK wrote:

“For all the polished perfection, though, there are three tracks that underpin a debut with genuine emotion too. Sort-of-title-track ‘Noises’ appears early, its honesty bringing the barriers down in a disarming admission that connects all the dots. It plays spectacularly against the record’s true beating heart, ‘Drive’. Running on fight or flight adrenaline, it’s the counterpart which opens up new worlds - choosing to push onwards and upwards rather than look down at the fall below. As a shorthand for Pale Waves’ unstoppable rise, it’s note perfect.

It’s ‘Karl (I Wonder What It’s Like To Die)’ that will do the damage, though. Featuring frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie and a single acoustic guitar, it’s a track so raw that - against the sheen of the album around it - genuinely shocks. Lyrically both intimately heart-warming and utterly devastating, it’s never mawkish or trite. Less a closing track, it’s more a full-stop - the only way to slam the breaks on a record that otherwise might keep throwing out bangers until the end of time.

‘My Mind Makes Noises’ isn’t a grand concept album. It’s not challenging the bleeding edge, or attempting to make huge statements about the world around it. It’s a personal document on a grand scale - a collection of doubts and dreams exploding onto the biggest possible stage. Staggeringly effective at what it sets out to achieve, its greatest strength comes in never trying to be something it isn’t. In understanding exactly who they are, Pale Waves just broke orbit. Next stop – anywhere”.

I want to bring in a couple of interviews with the band that reflects where they are now and where they are headed. In an interview with DIY, Heather Baron-Gracie discussed the upcoming album and how relocating to L.A. has helped the music:

“Decamping to Los Angeles on her own, Heather says the decision changed the course of the album, and led the band to make what she describes as “the best thing we've ever created”. Indeed, the singer speaks of Pale Waves’ upcoming release with the same confidence and swagger that she’s developed on stage over the last year. “That first album has given us this foundation, and done so much for us,” she reflects. “It's got us to where we are now. But I'm just excited to release the second album, because this second album... it’s just something else.

“It's a beast of its own kind,” she beams. “It's a lot more open, and I’m less hidden. It's a lot more vulnerable; I actually sound like I have a voice in this. I've talked about real shit that's happening with the world, it's not just a few romantic songs with some fancy metaphors to hide behind. It's me talking about things that are going on in society, and things about me that people might find uncomfortable. The subject matter is a lot more intense, but really important.”

 “This is my time to really speak up about my sexuality, and be open about it,” Heather says, referring to another new track ‘She’s My Religion’, which she teased on social media recently with the caption: ‘gay anthem’. “That's what's so different with this second album,” she continues. “I'm a lot more open about that, and I feel like it's going to really help the fans too. We have so many gay and queer fans and you need a place to go and to feel connected, and I can [provide] that. I might as well speak the truth with what's going on in my life.”

“I'm a very closed-off person, and I don't really like opening up,” she continues. “The only time I'll open up is in the music. [On album two] I knew I had to embrace myself and give myself to people more in the music. That's what I did on this album. There are so many gay anthems!”

If the Manchester quartet’s new effort does what Heather hopes - and believes - it should, then the as-yet-untitled release should turn Pale Waves into bona fide big time stars, ones who really mean something to an increasingly large amount of people. Yet, though the singer is still as likeable as those early days, timidly playing ‘There’s A Honey’ to crowds far larger than their minimal experience, there’s an undeniable confidence to her now, too”.

I think Who Am I? is going to be a real breakthrough and change for Pale Waves. I think every band changes between their debut and second album - but a lot of has happened in the camp that has affected their direction and mood. I want to bring in a feature from NME, where the band talked about a near-fatal bus crash that almost ended their careers:

“Ah, yes. The crash. It’s hard not to frame Pale Waves’ second album ‘Who Am I?’ around such a devastating moment. In February 2020, the band’s tour bus was involved in a near-fatal road accident, their double-decker skidding off an icy road and rolling into a ditch as they travelled between shows from Sweden to Germany. The band – Ciara Doran (drums), Hugo Silvani (guitar) and Charlie Woods (bass) – survived and escaped any life-altering physical injuries, as did their crew.

Heather wasn’t on the bus that night. She’d flown ahead with her girlfriend to the next show, who was wary about the drive; she had implored the rest to do the same.

While Pale Waves previously drew on synth-pop tricks cribbed from their heroes The Cure and The Cocteau Twins, ‘Who Am I?’ embraces the pop-rock sensibilities that have brewed since their teens. Imagine Taylor Swift and Courtney Love belting Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ at a karaoke dive bar, egged on by Alanis Morissette and ’90s indie icon Liz Phair, who are necking shots at the bar. It sounds an unlikely combination – but also fun, right?

In terms of direction, it does seem like Pale Waves are bringing in more attitude and edge. I was fascinated to read that Avril Lavigne, strangely, is a source of reference and inspiration for their upcoming album!

“I know there are a lot of my fans that love Avril so I know they’re gonna dissect my album and know what I’ve pulled from Avril,” Heather laughs. “But I went back to my roots with this album with someone like Alanis as well. She’s just unapologetic, and I wanted to be like that in this album.”

There was more drama to navigate, though, as the writing duo of Heather and Ciara was broken for ‘Who Am I?’ when Heather said that the songwriting needed a shake-up. Since meeting at the BIMM (British and Irish Music) Institute in Manchester as teens, the pair had penned almost every song together – Heather taking on a writing role, while Ciara focuses on production. This album, however, sees new songwriters and session musicians coming into the creative process.

What remains on ‘Who Am I?’ is something far gnarlier. ‘You Don’t Own Me’s gritty riffs sound like they’re peeled from the tables of trashy bar they were conceived in, while ‘I Just Needed You’’s dream-grunge picks up where Smashing Pumpkins left off. Their pop leanings are never abandoned though, with ‘Run To’s spritely chorus and ‘She’s My Religion’”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jenn Five for NME

I am glad that Pale Waves can repair after a horrific bus crash and I know that 2021 will be a productive one for them. They would have liked Who Am I? to have arrived this year and that to be followed by tour dates but, like all musicians, things have had to change. Let’s hope that they do get the chance to play some festivals in the summer, as it seems like the record has some big anthems and plenty of moments where fans can sing along and rally behind the band. I know the group have a lot of supporters behind them, but they also seem still to be a bit of a hidden treasure. I am looking forward to seeing where they go and what they can achieve. At the moment, they are awaiting the response of their second album but, soon enough, they will be touring internationally and commanding some big stages! I shall leave things there, and I would encourage people to check out Pale Waves and follow their music. They are an exciting act that have had a fairly tough last year or too but, with an album due in February, they have a lot to look forward to! I think Who Am I? will get a bigger response than My Mind Makes Noises. 2020 has been a bit of an odd and disruptive one but, like all musicians, 2021 looks set to be…

A brighter year for Pale Waves.

________________

Follow Pale Waves

Official:

https://www.palewaves.co.uk/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/palewaves

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/palewaves

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/palewaves/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0wOej91SVqB1zcYkW6xUtA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk4nuvE6HzYw1g8UBsutag

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow

FEATURE:

 

 

Vinyl Corner

Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow

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I have been listening to Jefferson Airplane…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jefferson Airplane photographed by Herb Greene in San Francisco in 1966 (top row from left: Jack Casady, Grace Slick and Marty Balin; bottom row from left: Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner and Spencer Dryden).

since I was a child, and I never realised that Somebody to Love, and White Rabbit were from the same album! Surrealistic Pillow, the American band’s second album, was released in February 1967 - and I think it is one of the best albums of the late-1960s. The 1966 debut, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, was a good album, but the terrific Surrealistic Pillow was the first to feature Grace Slick on vocals and Spencer Dryden on drums. Slick’s introduction especially reinvigorated the band and her track, White Rabbit, is a true classic! I think the album is packed with wonderful songs. It is no wonder that it reached number-three on the Billboard album chart. The album is not only one of the finest Psychedelic Rock albums of the 1960s, but it is an album that has appeared in many critics’ lists of the best albums ever. It is amazing that Surrealistic Pillow is such a cohesive record considering the personnel changes in 1966. Original drummer Alexander ‘Skip’ Spence had left the band in mid-1966. He was replaced by Spencer Dryden, a Los Angeles Jazz drummer. Grace Slick, formerly a member of the band The Great Society, joined Jefferson Airplane in the autumn of 1966. Slick and Dryden, together with the male lead vocalist, Marty Balin, guitarist-vocalist-songwriter Paul Kantner, lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, and bassist Jack Casady formed the band’s core – and it would remain as such until the early-1970s.

I would encourage people to buy Surrealistic Pillow on vinyl as  it is a phenomenal album and one filled with such stunning songwriting! The entire band are incredible, but I especially love the power of Grace Slick’s vocals! In their review, AllMusic said the following about Surrealistic Pillow:

“The second album by Jefferson Airplane, Surrealistic Pillow was a groundbreaking piece of folk-rock-based psychedelia, and it hit like a shot heard round the world; where the later efforts from bands like the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and especially, the Charlatans, were initially not too much more than cult successes, Surrealistic Pillow rode the pop charts for most of 1967, soaring into that rarefied Top Five region occupied by the likes of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and so on, to which few American rock acts apart from the Byrds had been able to lay claim since 1964. And decades later the album still comes off as strong as any of those artists' best work. From the Top Ten singles "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" to the sublime "Embryonic Journey," the sensibilities are fierce, the material manages to be both melodic and complex (and it rocks, too), and the performances, sparked by new member Grace Slick on most of the lead vocals, are inspired, helped along by Jerry Garcia (serving as spiritual and musical advisor and sometimes guitarist). Every song is a perfectly cut diamond, too perfect in the eyes of the bandmembers, who felt that following the direction of producer Rick Jarrard and working within three- and four-minute running times, and delivering carefully sung accompaniments and succinct solos, resulted in a record that didn't represent their real sound.

Regardless, they did wonderful things with the music within that framework, and the only pity is that RCA didn't record for official release any of the group's shows from the same era, when this material made up the bulk of their repertory. That way the live versions, with the band's creativity unrestricted, could be compared and contrasted with the record. The songwriting was spread around between Marty Balin, Slick, Paul Kantner, and Jorma Kaukonen, and Slick and Balin (who never had a prettier song than "Today," which he'd actually written for Tony Bennett) shared the vocals; the whole album was resplendent in a happy balance of all of these creative elements, before excessive experimentation (musical and chemical) began affecting the band's ability to do a straightforward song. The group never made a better album, and few artists from the era ever did”.

I have been playing Surrealistic Pillow quite a bit over the past few days, as I think it is one of those albums that has survived through the decades and could be picked up by anyone now. By that, I mean one does not need to remember the album from the first time or have knowledge of Psychedelic Rock at all. Before finishing off, I want to bring in an article from The Observer from 2017 where they looked back on Surrealistic Pillow fifty years after its release. It is a fascinating album that, as the article notes, has many great moments away from the hits:

“Although the media generally fixated on Slick, listening to the Airplane one had to wonder who actually was the lead singer of the band.

At any moment there could be three—Marty Balin, Grace Slick, Paul Kantner—or four, as Kaukonen would join in from time to time, as well as offering the occasional songwriting gem like “Good Shepherd” (from 1969’s Volunteers). Their voices would swoop and weave, circling, chasing each other, until ultimately coming together like a ragged Wagnerian choir. Meanwhile, Kaukonen’s snaky lead guitar smoldered with blues and stinging tremolo overtones that threatened to obliterate the song altogether.

Beyond the hits, Surrealistic Pillow offered a wide assortment of songs strung together like a bright glittering chunky necklace of love beads. Written by the tragic Skip Spence, the Airplane’s drummer who jumped ship to form the fabled but doomed Moby Grape, “My Best Friend” evoked the Mamas and the Papas’ lilting sound as Slick and Balin’s vocals volleyed playfully back and forth on the song’s coda.

The introspective “Comin’ Back to Me” is a perfect example of ’60s-style mind-melting musical meandering. Following this momentary bout of belly-button gazing, “3/5’s of a Mile in 10 Seconds,” as its title (randomly inspired by a newspaper headline seen by Balin) suggests, smokes like a patch of freshly laid rubber, bursting with the kind of fire and edge that was previously the domain of Brit invasion bands like the Stones, Kinks and the Who.

Play Surrealistic Pillow loud and in its entirety. It unfolds from song to song like a strange flower whose aural perfume continues to intoxicate 50 years on”.

Go and grab the magnificent Surrealistic Pillow on vinyl and play an absolute classic! I love the dreaminess and drama mixing together; the fact that lead vocals are shared although, to me, Grace Slick is the most prominent and memorable performer. It has been a pleasure revisiting such a…

INFLUENCIAL album.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: Tom Wait Gems

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

Tom Wait Gems

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AS the legendary Tom Waits…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Dylan

is seventy-one today (7th December), I wanted to put out a birthday Lockdown Playlist (any old excuse!). I am keeping the title of this piece because someone, somewhere is in lockdown - or, at the very least, there is a restriction in movement, so keeping it as a lockdown-themed playlist is apt. This one is all about the iconic songwriter who, to me, has one of the greatest and most distinct voices in all of music. I really love his music and feel that Waits is one of the most accomplished and fascinating songwriters we have ever seen. Rather than give a biography and quotes, I shall let the legend do the talking! On his birthday, have a listen to a Lockdown Playlist that tips a hat to…

ONE of music’s absolute best humans.

FEATURE: From Utah Saints and Natalia Kills Through to The Organon Mix: Kate Bush’s Catalogue and the Sampling and Remixing Potential

FEATURE:

 

 

From Utah Saints and Natalia Kills Through to The Organon Mix

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush shot in February 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz 

Kate Bush’s Catalogue and the Sampling and Remixing Potential

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WE got to experience some Kate Bush songs…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton 

remixed on The Other Sides in 2019. Listening to those got me thinking about her work in general and how it has been reworked and repurposed by other people. Not to strip and pick through Bush’s catalogue for any song that can be sampled or remixed, but looking at the list of those who have sampled some of her tracks makes for amazing reading! I was not aware of the artists who have spliced in Kate Bush music into their songs, but I feel there is even more room for some of her great songs to work into modern tracks – and across all genres of the modern scene. Among those who have sampled Kate Bush, we have Wuthering Heights in Free by Natalia Kills (2011); Cloudbusting in Something Good by Utah Saints (1992); Wow in Slaves by Rum & Black (1991); Feel It in Feel It by Scroobius Pip (ft. Natasha Fox) (2011), and Houdini in Join the Groove by Mad Riley (2015). It is good to see that Bush gives clearance so that artists can use her music. Looking at the list of the ninety-four that have sampled her, and there are a lot of lesser-known and obscure artists on the list. That suggests that the cost of getting clearance is quite low but, more than anything, I wonder how many people have heard a lot of the songs that contain Kate Bush samples.

I guess Something Good by Utah Saints is the most known and heard – but I have never been a big fan of that song at all; it is not quite as good a track as it could be! It may step on the heels of a recent feature where I discussed how there should be a Kate Bush tribute album….it has been a while since one was done and, with so many artists owing a debt, there would be enough demand for a fresh album. I think the days of prolific sampling are gone, just because it is hard to get clearance and rights to use songs; many estates and artists will charge a lot to those who which to sample their songs. There has been some widespread sampling of Bush’s songs, but the fact there are many small artists doing it, perhaps, means there is not the sort of recognition and understanding as there could be. I think it would be wonderful if larger artists were to sample her work. I feel Hip-Hop is a genre that samples less than it did in the 1980s and 1990s and, with artists like Big Boi name-checking Bush as influential, it would be marvellous to hear one of her tracks infused into one of his songs! Although some of the underrated Bush tracks have been sampled, there are whole swathes of her work that, if sampled, would sound cool in a new context - but it would also be a nice way of introducing her work to new people.

On every album, there are tracks that are almost born to be sampled; intriguing cuts that have a great sound and flavour. From The Kick Inside, Them Heavy People stands out as one that has huge potential. The chorus seems like a mantra and has a rolling, hypnotic quality. Full House off of Lionheart is a quirky and energetic song that could give a new song a real kick and, in the process, people would be made aware of one of Bush most-underrated albums! Never for Ever’s Blow Away (For Bill), and The Wedding List are songs that are rarely played and, as they are unique and full of nuance, I am surprised more people have not used these tracks and worked them into their own. The Dreaming is packed with unusual and eclectic sounds that, to me, are ripe for sampling! I will reiterate my point when I say people shouldn’t pillage Bush’s work; only that there are so many of her songs that have this magic that could be infused into a modern song and give them extra spice and quality. Sat in Your Lap, Pull Out the Pin, Night of the Swallow, and Get Out of My House are extraordinary songs that have multiple passages and moments that could be taken from The Dreaming and reworked beautifully. I don’t think any album is sacred but, even with a record as good as Hounds of Love, I think artists can sample from it without denting its impact – so long as they use the sample effectively and tastefully. From that album, The Big Sky from the first side seems evocative and perfect; Waking the Witch, and Jig of Life from The Ninth Wave are such rich and interesting songs that one would love to hear them in a new form.

Not only can samples of Kate Bush’s music open her catalogue to new people but, on lesser-celebrated albums, others can take songs/sounds from them and we can see them in a new light. The Red Shoes is one such album and, whilst songs such as Why Should I Love You? have been sampled already, Rubberband Girl, Eat the Music, and Top of the City are full of life and colours that I feel would sound wonderful integrated into an original song! Even though Aerial, and 50 Words for Snow are calmer and more contemplative in their tone, there are gorgeous songs from those albums that would inject purity, beauty and a fresh lease to other people’s songs. King of the Mountain, How to Be Invisible, Prelude, and Aerial Tal from the former stand out; Misty, and Wild Man from the latter are brilliant. I have been thinking a lot about the golden age of Hip-Hop and how, a) not many of Bush’s songs pre-1989/1993 were used by artists in this genre and b) how improved and excellent it would have been to hear a track like Moving (from The Kick Inside), or All the Love (from The Dreaming) adding something immense to a Hip-Hop song! Maybe there is a sense from modern artists that touching Bush’s work would be disrespectful or that the original tracks are best left untouched. People cover her songs as a way of affection and respect, so there is not a lot of difference using a sample.

When Hip-Hop and Rap albums contained a lot of different samples – everyone from Beastie Boys to De La Soul did it -, the listener heard this clash of sounds and artists and, in the process, they were introduced to music they might not have otherwise discovered. Also, I think samples give songs new layers and add an almost filmic touch. There are conversations happening in the background and one can hear new nuance and resonance when an older sample is united with a contemporary track. Maybe 2021 will see more Kate Bush samples being used but, as I said at the start, most of the artists who have sampled Bush are quite minor and don’t get played a lot. The same logic applies to remixes. There have been some remixes through the years but, in the same way as artists cover Kate Bush songs to give them their own stamp, I would love to hear certain tracks remixed. I don’t think the fanbase would be disappointed and, if anything, we would get to hear particular tracks in a new light. I will not do a list of the songs that would sound good remixed, but there are songs from Never for Ever, and The Sensual World that spring to mind. There has been a lot of time and admiration for Bush’s music through 2020 and, whilst there have not been a load of covers – oddly, Radiohead seems to be one of the most-covered major acts this year! -, there have been a few. Some fans are uneasy about hearing covers and feel they do not add much to the original and, whilst I feel some of the ‘acclaimed’ Bush covers are overrated, it is always nice hearing artists add their own interpretation to a particular song – and how different artists have differing angles on the same song! In the feature I recently wrote about a Kate Bush tribute album, I think a lot of those artists could sample Kate Bush and it would be incredible. From Guy Garvey, to Solange, through to St. Vincent and Tricky, these celebrated artists could bring some of Kate Bush’s lesser-exposed songs…

IN THIS PHOTO: St. Vincent/PHOTO CREDIT: Scandeberg for GQ

TO the mainstream.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: The Cream of Philadelphia

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: The exceptional Philadelphia-born singer-songwriter, Jill Scott 

The Cream of Philadelphia

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BECAUSE one of the greatest…

 IN THIS PHOTO: The cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/PHOTO CREDIT: Rex

T.V. shows of all time, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is coming back to the BBC, I wanted to mark that with a Lockdown Playlist – albeit slightly tenuously. This article from the BBC tells us more about its return:

“It will be the first time since 2004 that the hit nineties comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will be back on the BBC. The classic series, which launched 30 years ago and originally aired on BBC Two in the UK, will drop on BBC iPlayer on New Year’s Day with all 148 episodes from six seasons available to watch.

It launched the screen career of Will Smith who plays a fictionalised version of himself that famously moves to live in Bel-Air, California with his Auntie and Uncle (starring Janet Hubert/Daphne Maxwell Reid and the late James Avery, alongside Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, and Tatyana M. Ali, as Smith’s cousins and Joseph Marcell as the butler Geoffrey).

With its signature blend of hilarity and sincerity, it is recognised as one of the most iconic sitcoms of the 90s, and has remained culturally relevant - influencing writers and actors from all over the world ever since it first aired. Decades later, the series continues to appeal to future generations”.

Because the titular character (played by Will Smith) hailed from West Philadelphia (“Born and raised…”), I have put together a playlist of artists who call Philadelphia, Pennsylvania home - or those who moved there (I will also put in a song from DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and Will Smith in order to bookend the playlist with the main man himself!). This Lockdown Playlist is all about some truly great artists from the…

CITY of Philly.

FEATURE: Modern Heroines: PART Twenty-Three: Haim

FEATURE:

 

 

Modern Heroines

PHOTO CREDIT: Reto Schmid

Part Twenty-Three: Haim

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THIS weekend finds me...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Drew Le Fore Escriva/The Guardian

putting out an extra edition of Modern Heroines: where I nod to an all-female group/female artists who has the promise to be an icon of the future. This time, I wanted to throw some light on the incredible Haim – and I will finish with a playlist that collects together their very best songs. I am going to source from a few interviews but, right now, I want to nod to their most-recent album. Women in Music Pt. III ranks alongside this year’s absolute best and it has won enormous critical praise. This year has been an exceptional one for music but, to me, I think the very best has come from women. That may sound all-sweeping and vague, but I have been blown away more by female artists than the men. Haim’s Women in Music Pt. III was preceded by three singles that did not appear on the album – Summer Girl, Now I’m in It., and Hallelujah. These are amazing tracks, and the fact they were not on the standard release of the album of 26th June shows that the U.S. trio had ample inspiration! The Californian Haim consist Este Haim (bass guitar and vocals), Danielle Haim (lead vocals, guitar, and drums), and Alana Haim (guitars, keyboards, and vocals), and their third studio album is a masterful work! Their previous album, Something to Tell You, arrived in 2017 and, to many, did not contain the same pop and excitement as their 2013 debut, Days Are Gone.

Even though some noted Women in Music Pt. III contains a few stuffed songs and one too many sonic experiments, the risks that Haim took were worth it.! They maintain an aspect of their summery vibe and brightness, but there is more variation and genre-splicing on their third studio album. The reviews for Women in Music Pt. III are sensational! This is what AllMusic had to say when they assessed the album:

“They sound intimately familiar with depression in all its states, whether they're turning away from the wearying, pointless challenge to prove themselves to men in media and the music industry on "Man from the Magazine," sinking into isolation on the oddly comforting standout "I Know Alone," or emerging from the darkness on "Now I'm in It," a slow-building anthem that could be the album's statement of purpose. Women in Music Pt. III's creative process echoes its feeling of growing agency. For the first time, Danielle took on production duties alongside Rechtshaid and Rostam Batmanglij, and impressionistic touches like the seagulls and alarm clocks that embellish "Up from a Dream" or the way the guitar and saxophones drift through "Los Angeles" echo Batmanglij's dreamy musical memoir Half-Light. HAIM let each song and each mood be exactly what it needs to be, making for a collection of moments that are more interesting and real than if they'd attempted a more uniform sound across the album.

The band's love for the '90s is as strong as ever on the Roxette-like "Another Try" and "3 AM"'s flirty homage to the era's R&B. Their singer/songwriter and folk-pop roots get their due on "Hallelujah" and the gorgeous "Leaning on You," a pair of songs that unite the sisters' voices and struggles in perfect harmony. The lightness HAIM use to combat the heavy things going on in their lives reaches its peak at the album's end: Written in the wake of Rechtshaid's diagnosis, "Summer Girl," taps into memories of the good times to get through the bad ones and borrows the effortlessness of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side," but trades that song's aloofness for unconditional love. Sprawling and intimate, breezy and affecting, Women in Music Pt. III is a low-key triumph”.

I do love the originality of Haim’s music, but I also love how they can evoke memories and sounds of different decades in a single album! It is so rewarding and pleasing listening to their music and, after such a strong third album, I feel they will get even better! This is what The Guardian remarked when they reviewed Women in Music Pt. III:

“Melancholy and aimlessness are a change in pace for three sisters known for their vivid Fleetwood Mac homages, taut pop rhythms and arresting demands for clarity. Danielle, bassist Este and guitarist Alana all experienced depression while writing Women in Music Pt III, which they once might have sublimated with euphoric pop. Instead, they translate desolation into richly searching music, putting familiar sounds through their distinctive filter: fluttering G-funk (3am), homages to Walk on the Wild Side (Summer Girl) and Joni Mitchell at her most seething (Man from the Magazine, an acoustic riposte to a leering journalist), and Led Zep bounce (Up From a Dream).

PHOTO CREDIT: Burak Cingi 

They subvert pastiche with explosive yet contained production – agitated rhythms, corroded riffs, unexpected celluloid-melt transitions – that suggests Danielle bristling against her own limitations, yet never inhibits a massive chorus. The Steps turns a petulant stomp into an anthem of frustration, while a cathartic scream crests through the hook of All That Ever Mattered. The familiar becomes bracing. The album is also their first real foray into detailed emotional songwriting, Danielle outlining a visceral sense of disconnect from signs in dreams that nobody can read, strangers’ beds and estranged lovers’ clothes. By leaning into the lows, Haim open up bold frontiers”.

Haim have been nominated in the Album of the Year category for next year’s GRAMMY Awards, but they have also had their track, The Steps, nominated in the Best Rock Performance field! This year’s category is all-women – which marks a progressive and positive step. Taking on the likes of Fiona Apple and Brittany Howard, there will be some tough competition indeed! Some have suggested Haim cannot be categorised as ‘Rock’ band and that they are quite lightweight compared with male bands. The GRAMMY nods not only proves they are a bona fide Rock band, but they are joined by some fantastic women. I think some of Rock’s most exciting and interesting music is being made by women at the moment – Jehnny Beth and Anna Calvi are among the biggest names.

I want to drop in my first interview, as it is an illuminating one from late last year – new music was coming from Haim, but we did not know about Women in Music Pt. III. They discussed (with The Guardian) the mixed reaction to their second album; we also learned about their earlier life and inspirations, in addition to how they were perceived as not being Rock enough by some radio stations:

“Before they started writing songs, Haim were obsessed with LA rock folklore, reading books about Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills and Nash, and forensically studying episodes of VH1’s Behind the Music. When people started taking interest in their own band – before topping 2013’s BBC Sound Of... poll, they would often play covers with their parents, under the name Rockinhaim – they felt prepared after an adolescence imbued in the history of California music.

“The Valley is still not cool but it’s such a big part of who we are, we ride or die for it,” says Este as we pull up round the corner from their family home. “Growing up, we were surrounded by these virtuoso musicians; not the actual stars who lived in Beverly Hills or wherever you get the actual stars, but like the back-up guitarist for Pink Floyd or a session player for Pat Benatar; it was unpretentious, and these people would show up at our house and want to jam.”

That early musical proficiency and confidence around older wizened rockers quickly defined Haim as artists. Emerging at a time when musicians tend to be introverted, electronic and serious (and guitar music has been declared dead so many times the coroner is hoarse) they have bucked every trend: a band of brash, accomplished female musicians playing classic rock while gaining a reputation as professional goofs, whether that’s with their choreographed dance-routine tour announcements or photobombing Liam Payne at the Brit awards.

“I mean,” Danielle continues, “there was definitely a time when we wanted to be on the rock stations, and they were saying that we weren’t rock enough, which felt like a big slap in the face, especially when they play so many bands that make the same shit as us but they’re men and they play them.”

“What rock bands don’t understand about us, is that we make fun of ourselves; we love to have fun but sometimes that makes people think we don’t take music seriously,” says Alana as the sisters start to rile each other up.

“Yeah! I can go toe-to-toe with any male rock band and blow them out of the water,” shouts Este”.

NME spoke with Haim when they were promoting Women in Music Pt. III, and there is fascinating revelation regarding some personal struggles they have been through in addition to the way they have evolved as a unit through the years. I want to bring in a couple of segments from the interview: one which notes how, despite all they have been through, there is optimism in their latest album; another nods at the ongoing gender imbalance at festivals and how Haim are a prime example of the wonderful music being made by women – I should really say ‘womxn’ as a mark of respect and inclusion:

“There are moments of optimism peppered throughout the album, though. If ‘I Know Alone’ was hiding your head in your hands, ‘I’ve Been Down’ is fighting your way out of the fog of depression with your head held high. “It was more…” Danielle begins, before starting to half-sing while punching imaginary demons out of the way: “‘I’m gonna get this out of this, get the fuck out of my way!’”

‘Leaning on You’, a lovely folk moment, sums up the tight bond that the three sisters share. Over jangling ‘70s guitars, the sisters sing in tight-knit harmonies with lyrics that’ll give you warm fuzzies: “You take care of us when I make it tough” and “So won’t you let me know / If I’m not alone / Leaning on you”.

With headlining festivals comes the discussion of gender balanced line-ups. British bands like Foals and The 1975 have said that they want to only play festivals with equal representation. Is it as much of a conversation in the US?

“I mean, it’s definitely one that we’ve been having with our agents,” answers Danielle. “It feels kind of like a slap in the face. I’m gonna mince who it was, but I saw some quote from a festival booker that was like: ‘There’s just not enough women.’ And it’s like, what are you fucking talking about?”

Haim have consistently lifted up other womxn in the music industry. Their Sister Sister Sister tour in support of ‘Something To Tell You’ featured only female support acts, bringing Lizzo, Maggie Rogers and Grace Carter on the road with them. In 2018, Haim fired their booking agent after discovering a male band at the same level on the line-up was getting paid 10 times more than what they were. Given that they’re so outspoken, would they ever consider including inclusivity riders in their contracts?

“I mean… it’s like all these festivals, it shouldn’t even be a question,” Alana says. “Why is it even a thing? Book women. Just do it.”

“It really is kind of laughable, right? That it’s even a thing. It’s crazy. I think women make the best rock music,” Este adds. “There, I said it!”

I want to bring in one more interview, as I feel it is important to get some information and words from Haim themselves - just to show what they are about and why they are so awesome.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Hill/Getty Images

It has been a year of ups and downs for them – like everyone -, but when Haim spoke to Variety they talked about one of the best thing about their music videos (except for ones filmed during the pandemic): the simplicity of them walking the streets singing along to their songs:

“Fans who didn’t make it to the shows were transfixed by music videos from a group that’s made the best use of them by anyone since the golden age of OK Go. No Rube Goldbergian contraptions or stop-motion gimmicks are necessary, though, to pique interest in the Haim sisters: Their best videos, historically, have had them walking, whether it was the “Want You Back” clip in which they stroll down a strangely deserted Ventura Boulevard at the magic hour, or the recent Anderson-directed “Summer Girl” that comically depicts the liberating peeling off of endless layers of clothing while they stroll past L.A. landmarks like the New Beverly Cinema, Bookstar in Studio City or, of course, Canter’s (site of their first backroom gig, where they were paid in matzo ball soup).

“Honestly, I never thought that a thing that I do every day — walk — would make such an impact on people, but I guess we’re super good at walking,” deadpans Alana. “And we’re from Los Angeles, so that’s an oxymoron. No one does that here — songs have been written about such things,” she says (alluding to Missing Persons’ KROQ classic “Walking in L.A.”). Thanks to Haim, there may be a whole flyover nation that has mistakenly come to think of Los Angeles as a pedestrian town.

I alluded to the fact that Women in Music Pt. III was born out of some bleak times; we learn more about the struggles and how, despite them, the sisters have created some great, uplifting music:

“Many of these songs were born out of a dark time that befell all three women after they returned from their last tour in 2018. Danielle’s boyfriend and the group’s co-producer, Ariel Rechtshaid, was fighting cancer. Este continued to grapple with her long-standing Type 1 diabetes. And Alana had lost one of her best friends in a car accident immediately before going out on tour, something she hadn’t processed and grieved until coming off the road. All were dealing with a postpartum, post-tour letdown that allowed them their first downtime since the group started. These are the sorts of circumstances that led to lines like: “It takes all that I got not to f–k this up, so let me know if I’m not alone.”

“We’re self-aware enough to know that sometimes we’re not the best at communicating,” says Este. “It’s this weird dichotomy that we tend to tell each other everything, and then wear the emotions of each other. So when one of us is feeling glum or blue, the other two tend to join that person in their loneliness. If I know that, do I really want to divulge how I’m feeling, if I know that my family is going to feel that way too? For me, at least, it was a big push and pull: I wanted to be able to share my experience, but was also conscious that my sisters were not feeling in the best headspace. We are so close, but we still felt lonely and isolated at the same time.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Elizabeth Weinberg for The New York Times 

Yet when it came to recording, joy returned in a big way. Danielle says, “It was the most fun we’ve had making an album, and the most spontaneously that we’ve ever made music. This is my favorite album we’ve made, and I hope that people can hear that confidence. We wrote a lot of these songs in this dark place, but we had this lightness making the recorded music — I mean, it’s bizarre”.

I do think that Haim are going to be future legends and, in such a great year for music, they have put out one of the very best albums. With some of the best Rock music being made by women, I feel bands like Haim will lead a charge when it comes to festival line-ups adopting a more gender-balanced line-up. Above all, Haim are helping make the genre more eclectic and emotionally rich. I feel that, on future albums, Haim will continue to hone and improve. They are a remarkable force and, with such a close bond existing between the sisters, I feel they will be together for decades more to come! If you have not heard the music of Haim then do investigate their music and throw some love their way. I have put a playlist in at the bottom of this feature to highlight the power and incredible music…

OF the amazing Haim.

FEATURE: Eat the Music: Kate Bush: 2020-2021

FEATURE:

 

 

Eat the Music

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional photo for The Sensual World (1989)/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari 

Kate Bush: 2020-2021

___________

THIS will be a short one…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush at her family’s home in East Wickham, London in September 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Moorhouse/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Whilst I have plenty of Kate Bush features going up before the very end of this year, I wanted to sort of look back and forward at the same time. This year has been a very busy one in terms of Kate Bush. Although there have been no new songs put into the world, there has been this flurry of activity and attention! As I write this (2nd December), there is a magazine coming out from Record Collector that, as the title suggests, is about collectable music and rarities. I am going to do a few features off the back of that in the next week or so but, looking back, and it is amazing to see all the love that Bush’s music has inspired. I have said it before but, when we look at iconic artists still with us, how many inspire such impassioned following and fascination?! Even though Bush’s last album was released nine years ago, people are still interested in her and there are legions of new people discovering her music. I wonder whether she is aware of just how many people on social media throw love at her music and how much discussion there is! Every day, there is this wave of affection and  fascination. I have already written features around MOJO and PROG publishing these wonderful features and spreads dedicated to Kate Bush. Not only have these magazines opened Bush’s music to people who might not have known about her, but we all have learned more about an inspiring and enigmatic talent.

In addition to these great magazines revolving around Bush’s wonder, as three of her albums have celebrated big anniversaries this year – Never for Ever (forty), Hounds of Love (thirty-five), Aerial (fifteen) –, this has provoked a lot of focus on the remarkable music. I am not sure whether there will be anything else arriving this year regarding Bush and her music but I have been thinking back on everything that has come and the sheer size of respect there is for her! This year has been a really tough one and I wonder whether Bush’s music has provided comfort for people who are struggling. For me, I am listening even more because her songs do inspire strength and a sense of protection. I know that many people who only associated Bush with albums such as Hounds of Love have dug deeper and are discovering albums and revelations that alluded them previously. It goes to show that an artist does not need to put out albums regularly or saturate social media with endless posts to get people listening and paying attention! The power and influence of Bush’s music is clear and, as I have also noted in a previous feature, I do feel that other artists have injected a bit of Kate Bush into their own sounds. Now, more than ever, there are so many who are incorporating some D.N.A. of Bush and are moved by her music.

This sort of gets me back to a subject that I have broached a few times: the relative restrictions that radio stations place on her work. I do hope that stations broaden their remit and widen their net when it comes to Kate Bush in 2021. As much as I love the songs of Hounds of Love and the singles that we often hear, it is baffling that only a small number of her songs are ever played. If this year has proved anything regarding Bush, it is that all of her music affects people. I don’t think we should easily define any artist and, for one as broad and fascinating as Bush, it is a pity that radio playlists are so predictable and formulaic when it comes to her music! This sort of makes me wonder what next year has in store. There aren’t any huge anniversaries regarding her albums – The Whole Story (her greatest hits package) turns thirty-five, whilst 50 Words for Snow is ten -, but I feel there will be a lot of focus still on Kate Bush. It is exciting to think what will come and how her music will reach fresh ears. I know there is at least one book coming out next year - and I think that we will see more come onto the market.

Maybe there will be more magazines that spotlight Bush or an aspect of her career but, really, people want to know whether there will be another album. I do not want to suggest or predict, but it would be a perfect follow-up to a bad year if Bush was to announce another album – maybe one for the autumn or winter 2021. It will be a very interesting year, and certainly one better than 2020! I am amazed that there has been so much Bush-related material put out but I am not shocked. It is so heartening and inspiring seeing so many people come across her music and modern artists tackling her work – and other simply acknowledging how much she means to them! There is a lot to look forward to next year, and I do feel that we will get some interesting books, magazines and other Kate Bush-themed goodies out! Perhaps there will be a new album but, before then, I would urge people to listen to what is already out there and dive as deep as you can! If radio stations are ridiculously narrow in terms of their representation, the listener has a lot more freedom and flexibility. Kate Bush herself could not have envisaged that her music would reach so many people and would be so cherished this many years down the line. I think about Bush in 1977 recording The Kick Inside (her debut) album; something she had always dreamed of but, really, there was no dreams of fame or long-term goals. Could she imagined such passion for her music in 2020?! Nearly forty-three years after the album came out, her army fans has grown and grown! As 2021 comes into view, we will all watch…

 

WITH great interest.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: A Christmas Party Mix

FEATURE:

 

The Lockdown Playlist

PHOTO CREDIT: @paullywooten/Unsplash 

A Christmas Party Mix

___________

I have done a few…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @thoughtcatalog/Unsplash

Christmas-related mixes but, inspired by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Sleigh Home: Rave Safe mix (I have included quite a few of their tunes here) and BBC Radio 2’s all-day Christmas playlist (both from 1st December), I wanted to compile a playlist of some great tunes that, whilst not necessarily all related to Christmas, have that party spirit and should get you in the mood! It has been a rotten year in so many ways so, for many reasons, we do not some cheerier music and some great vibes. This Lockdown Playlist – I know lockdown is over here, but some people are still locked in – is all about songs that will bring some energy and smiles. Sit back and enjoy some…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @dioseptiann/Unsplash

CRACKING tunes.

FEATURE: A Buyer’s Guide: Part Thirty-Two: Luther Vandross

FEATURE:

 

 

A Buyer’s Guide

Part Thirty-Two: Luther Vandross

___________

THIS A Buyer’s Guide…

concerns the incredible music of the much-missed Luther Vandross. The American singer, songwriter and record producer was an in-demand background vocalist for several different artists including Todd Rundgren, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, and Donna Summer. I really love his albums and it is not surprising that people called Vandross one of the greatest singers of his generation! His music will live forever and we will never see anyone with his amazing voice and passion again. To honour the great man, I have recommended four essential albums; an underrated album of his worth investigation; his final album and, to top it off, a book that is a useful companion. Here is a node, salute and a compassionate look at the music of…

ONE of the finest singers ever.

___________

The Four Essential Albums

 

Never Too Much

Release Date: 12th August, 1981

Label: Epic

Producers: Luther Vandross/Larkin Arnold (exec.)

Standout Tracks: Don’t You Know That?/You Stopped Loving Me/A House Is Not a Home

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Luther-Vandross-Never-Too-Much/master/130344

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1B4oPgG5ljWTRxsKcTHAYn?si=RwuXm097Suy2WLCUlY_b6g

Review:

“The debut solo album from Luther Vandross featured one outstanding song after another. Vandross concocts a bouncy, vibrant flow on his up-tempo numbers and an intimate, emotional connection on his moderate grooves and his lone ballad. The title track stormed up the Billboard R&B charts to number one where it remained for two weeks. The mellow groove of "Don't You Know That," which checked in at number ten, was the second single. "Sugar and Spice" had less of an impact on the charts due to its short stay of six weeks. However, this feverish number gets all the juices flowing as does the unreleased "I've Been Working." Also featured on this set is the sentimental number "You Stopped Loving Me." The song was written by Vandross but initially released by Roberta Flack; both versions stand tall. "A House Is Not a Home" is the only ballad, and an elegant one it is, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally sung by Dionne Warwick nearly 20 years prior. Vandross orchestrates a contemporary masterpiece with this vintage number. Though it was never an official release by the label, it's a quiet storm jewel. In addition to his many music credits, Vandross was a featured guest vocalist with the progressive band Change. The same vocal savvy and smooth styling that the New York City native exhibited on songs like "Searching" and "Glow of Love" resurface here. This is one of the better R&B albums of the early '80s” – AllMusic

Choice Cut: Never Too Much

Forever, for Always, for Love

Release Date: 21st September, 1982

Label: Epic

Producers: Larkin Arnold (exec.)/Luther Vandross

Standout Tracks: Bad Boy /Having a Party/You’re the Sweetest One/She Loves Me Back

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Luther-Vandross-Forever-For-Always-For-Love/release/123359

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/3oG1ai7tyPHOm2w2ZkjpLi?si=y9dwJSRFTlugrkj3-oKP4w

Review:

“The most gifted male pop-soul singer of his generation, Luther Vandross has broken away from the macho chest-beating of the likes of Teddy Pendergrass by crooning instead of roaring at moments of high passion. Forever, for Always, for Love, his second solo album, hits emotional peaks when the singer is choking back his feelings in broken, soft-spoken phrases that transform intense sexuality into pure emotion.

The romantically atmospheric style of Vandross’ self-production perfectly complements his intimate, vulnerable delivery. The title cut, in which Vandross elaborates his passion with quivering redundancy, twirling the phrase “forever, for always, for love” over and over and savoring its nuances, is a gem of soft-focus, pyrotechnical pop singing and production. And “She Loves Me Back” rekindles the flame of Vandross’ first hit, “Never Too Much.”

A connoisseur of pop-soul oldies, Vandross also revives the Temptations’ “Since I Lost My Baby” and Sam Cooke’s “Having a Party” in suave, handsome settings. By comparison, Vandross’ original songs are amorphous mood pieces built more around vocal arrangements than thematic concepts. And the relaxed, hovering atmosphere of Vandross’ productions are likewise more singer- than song-oriented. But by bending the conventions of pop to serve his vocal whims, Vandross has helped to expand and enrich a tradition that had become too locked into formulas” – Rolling Stone

Choice Cut: Since I Lost My Baby

The Night I Fell in Love

Release Date: 8th March, 1985

Label: Epic

Producers: Luther Vandross/Marcus Miller

Standout Tracks: 'Til My Baby Comes Home/It’s Over Now/Wait for Love

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Luther-Vandross-The-Night-I-Fell-In-Love/master/155534

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/20okHMjdnVL1rDtgPo81vY?si=SaXQNvi7RvqY0yT4LvljhQ

Review:

“Still, this is an eminently listenable album that skillfully evokes the light, romantic mood Vandross is so fond of. The LP hits its stride with a cover of Brenda Russell’s “If Only for One Night,” where Vandross’ brokenvoiced, pianissimo pleading is set against tinkling piano rills and a whispering synth. Demonstrating his unsurpassed skill with vocal arrangements, Vandross takes the sophisticated samba of Stevie Wonder’s “Creepin'” at the half-whisper of Brazilian pop. The addition of multitracked voices and the rhythmic singing of the female backup singers make a very tasty reading. This record’s remarkable polish is also the result of the sympathetic work of singers and musician-arrangers who have been with Vandross since his first LP. Nat Adderley Jr.’s string, rhythm and synth arrangements are particularly apt on the beautifully orchestrated dreamscape of “Other Side of the World” – Rolling Stone

Choice Cut: If Only for One Night

Luther Vandross

Release Date: 19th June, 2001 (U.S.)

Label: J

Producers: Luther Vandross (exec.)/Clive Davis (exec.)/Nat Adderley, Jr./AllStar/Jon B./Babyface/Eddie Berkeley/Warryn Campbell/Shep Crawford/Eddie F./Keir Gist/Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence/Darren Lighty/Marcus Miller/Soulshock/The Underdogs/Junior Vasquez

Standout Tracks: Can Heaven Wait/I’d Rather/Any Day Now

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Luther-Vandross-Luther-Vandross/master/310325

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2YPEpjWlezCbj9jizr6ZeS?si=JFv7vNc8T2uELsg72u-UKg

Review:

“Luther's career has spanned three decades. He made his first breakthrough with "Everybody Rejoice (A Brand New Day)", which he wrote for the hit Broadway musical 'The Wiz' which was later remade for the big screen with an all star cast which included Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. He has had several successful collaborations over the years with the likes of Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson, just to a name a few. Mr Vandross is also a renowned producer, songwriter and arranger and has penned soul classics such as "Power of Love/Love Power" and "Secret Love".

Luther Vandross, his 15th solo album, doesn't disappoint. The opening track "Take You Out" (already a big hit in the clubs), sets the mood as Luther takes you through a journey of love, sorrow and life. "Bring your heart to time" is the stand out ballad of the album, closely followed by the haunting "Heaven can wait". However don't be fooled into thinking that this is just another album of romantic love songs; Luther forges his way into the new millennium with the upbeat, no messing r & b track "How do I tell her". He doesn't forget his roots either; we are taken on a trip down memory lane with "Let's make tonight the night", a track reminiscent of the funky soul of the 80's, the music that really brought him to our attention.

With this album Luther has stepped into the 21st century with style. He's combined his classic soul sound with the new digitised r & b beat, therefore cleverly pleasing his die-hard fans and also paving the way for a new generation of followers. Luther is undisputedly still the king of soul ballads but he is also recognised as a force to be reckoned with on the new r & b scene. He was recently awarded the Music Of Black Origin (MOBO) Lifetime Achievement Award. I think we can safely say that Luther's lifetime achievements are far from over” – BBC

Choice Cut: Take You Out

The Underrated Gem

 

Never Let Me Go

Release Date: 26th May, 1993 (U.S.)

Labels: Epic/Legacy

Producers: Luther Vandross/Marcus Miller

Standout Tracks: Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)/Can't Be Doin' That Now/Hustle

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Luther-Vandross-Never-Let-Me-Go/master/253447

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/6LKej6X33QEOH1IIL9FWX5?si=05H4vLT2Tam6h82oRUzxvA

Review:

“Save for 1985’s ”The Night I Fell in Love,” Luther Vandross’ albums always come this close to perfection — and Never Let Me Go is no exception. As always, his enunciation is eloquent, his phrasing fierce; and the R&B as smooth as glass. This time Luther stumbles where he usually triumphs, on covers: in this case, a three-song medley that opens with the Bee Gees’ ”How Deep Is Your Love” — a cappella. It’s hard to hear the man who turned Dionne Warwick’s ”A House Is Not a Home” into his own heart-wrenching signature tune now drawing material from as cheesy a place as the ”Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack” – Entertainment Weekly

Choice Cut: Heaven Knows

The Final Album

 

Dance with My Father

Release Date: 10th June, 2003

Label: J

Producers: Luther Vandross (also exec.)/Nat Adderley Jr./Shep Crawford/Marcus Miller

Standout Tracks: Think About You/The Closer I Get to You/Right in the Middle

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Luther-Vandross-Dance-With-My-Father/master/166303

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/43Ci8cugIRwfmkXEyEgfVM?si=XDs-cEm2Q2aNeLWzCXMCNA

Review:

“Luther Vandross pours his heart and soul into Dance with My Father's title track, an ambitious kickoff single that misrepresents an album where most highlights are down-tempo. Vandross' own serious ailment at the time of the single's release makes the song's references to absent loved ones even more poignant. In top form at the time of recording, he is able to deliver the song with a voice strong enough to handle the monolithic sentimentality of the lyrics and Richard Marx's swollen production. The six-minute, sensual quiet storm "The Closer I Get to You" is the other high-profile track, a duet with Beyoncé Knowles holding her own with Vandross' perfect phrasing. The rest of the album's winners are the most restrained numbers, often with Marcus Miller or Vandross himself in the producer's chair. The Vandross-helmed "If I Didn't Know Better" is a complex combination of bitterness and vulnerability, with Vandross confronting a two-timing lover. Miller's "She Saw You" borrows heavily from Timbaland's production style, adding a tasteful Wes Montgomery-toned guitar to surround another story of betrayal. Superstar R&B album conventions being what they are, Busta Rhymes' and Foxy Brown's guest spots feel more mandatory than necessary, but Queen Latifah's contribution to "Hit It Again" is welcome and inspired. Tacked onto the end of the album, "They Said You Needed Me" is a silly, light calypso and also the one true dud. Dance with My Father isn't able to maintain the high standards it often achieves, but Vandross' voice is always compelling and the background singers live up to the superior arrangements throughout. With nearly 70 minutes of music on the disc to choose from, more savvy listeners will be able to program their CD players for a more focused and rewarding listen” – AllMusic

Choice Cut: Dance with My Father

The Luther Vandross Book

 

Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross

Author: Craig Seymour

Publication Date: 20th December, 2017

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Synopsis:

“"Seymour's brilliant book is like a great Luther song: elegantly written, effortlessly executed and eloquently delivered." - Michael Eric Dyson "Craig Seymour paints an intimate portrait of the man behind some of the most beautiful love songs of our time...Full of juicy anecdotes, fast-paced writing, and interesting analysis, the book reveals surprising new dimensions of this much-beloved balladeer." - E. Lynn Harris "...a sympathetic look at the most popular soul singer of his generation" - New York Daily News On July 1, 2005, the world lost one of the greatest R&B vocalists of all time, Luther Vandross. He left a legacy of some of the most enduring love songs of our age: “Here and Now,” “Superstar,” “If Only For One Night,” and “A House Is Not A Home.” The notoriously secretive star also left behind many questions such as the real-life inspiration behind all of those yearning love songs. The newly updated and expanded edition of Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross takes you deep inside the singer’s private world. It chronicles his underdog journey from the projects of New York City’s Lower East Side to the top of the charts, selling more than 20 million albums along the way. The book details Luther’s triumphs, as well as his struggles: his battle with weight; his feuds with Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, and En Vogue; the 1986 car accident that killed his best friend and nearly destroyed his career; and the rumors about his sexuality that followed him throughout his life. The book offers specific new details about Luther’s love life that will help illuminate the private pain of the man who brought the world so much joy” – Amazon.co.uk

Order: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Luther-Life-Longing-Vandross/dp/1974001490/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YPUV1UQTKEID&dchild=1&keywords=luther+vandross+book&qid=1606897016&s=books&sprefix=luther+vandross%2Caps%2C160&sr=1-1

FEATURE: Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure: Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles

FEATURE:

 

 

Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure

Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles

___________

HERE is a song that can divide people…

and I have seen it mentioned on some pages that list guilty pleasure songs. Released on 12th February, 2002, Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles is a song that was popular at the time but, maybe, some feel has not aged too well! I have a lot of time for the song, and the energy of Carlton’s piano and vocal definitely invests you and means that it stands up to repeated listens. Produced by Curtis Schweitzer and Ron Fair, the song was released as the lead single for Carlton's album, Be Not Nobody (2002). This song was a huge hit for Carlton and, in 2002, you heard it everywhere on the radio! To date, it remains her biggest hit in the United States - and her only single to reach the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100. I am not surprised A Thousand Miles got to the top-ten in many countries – including the U.K. – and went to the top of the charts in Australia. I always see the year 2002 as a year being dominated by heavy albums and more experimental artists. The likes of The Streets, Queens of the Stone Age, Beck, and Red Hot Chili Peppers brought out great albums, but there was this band of great Pop and slightly lighter music that was providing a good balance – Coldplay released A Rush of Blood to the Head in 2002.

Interestingly, Vanessa Carlton wanted the song to be called Interlude, but she faced resistance from the head of A&R Records, Ron Fair. There must have been some doubts from the record label when it came to releasing A Thousand Miles as a single. In July 2002, Norah Jones released her piano-led song, Don’t Know Why, and that was a huge success and features vulnerable and tender vocals. I think some would have wanted Carlton to release a different single because A Thousand Miles is piano-led and quite vulnerable but, clearly, there was something about this type of music that resonated with fans and critics at the time! The charm and sweetness of the song was felt by critics; there were a lot of positive reviews for A Thousand Miles in 2002 and, whilst it is the standout from her Be Not Nobody album, she did release other terrific songs like Ordinary Day - there was a definite hunger and demand for her music. Because there were quite a few songwriters producing more downbeat and tormented songs, having artists like Carlton provided a great option away from slightly heavier music. Those critics who disliked A Thousand Miles in 2002 and continue to do so remarked how there is little substance to the song; she does not have much to say and it doesn’t have the emotional weight and songwriting sharpness one might look for. I really appreciate A Thousand Miles and, in a music scene of 2002 that was varied and exciting, there was plenty of room for Vanessa Carlton and her terrific sound.

I feel the track sound good now and it is not one of those songs from the time that has aged badly and only captured a particular moment. With Pop music still providing ample misery and anxiety, we do need more music that has a sense of spirit and optimism! One cannot doubt the sincerity and conviction with which Carlton delivers A Thousand Miles, and Be Not Nobody is full of solid songwriting and quality. Some reviewers have noted how there are songs on the album that evoke songwriters like Tori Amos and Fiona Apple, and whilst Carlton did not have the same sort of edge and sexuality as contemporaries like Christina Aguilera, I think she was a refreshing artist who was honest and earnest – and did not feel the need to get raunchier or change her style to adapt to the times/mainstream! For anyone who feels that A Thousand Miles is a bit weak and a guilty pleasure then I would advise them to have a rethink. The song is instantly catchy and it can definitely put you in a better mood! It sounded brilliant and original in 2002 and, even though musicians like Tori Amos and Regina Spektor are a little more compelling and varied when it comes to their music, it is unfair to make comparisons. A Thousand Miles is a quality song - and one that should be played and covered a lot more! Her sixth studio album, Love Is an Art, was released in April and it received some positive reviews. Rather than judge the song or write it off as a guilty pleasure, play A Thousand Miles and…

SURRENDER to its charms.

FEATURE: Globe Alone: Creativity in a Time of Lockdown and Solitude

FEATURE:

 

 

Globe Alone

IN THIS PHOTO: Charli XCX wrote her album, how i’m feeling now, whilst in self-isolation

Creativity in a Time of Lockdown and Solitude

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THIS is a subject that I don’t think…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @craftedbygc/Unsplash

has been raised much but, as this year has been extraordinary, it is very different for songwriters. Someone mentioned it on Twitter – I don’t recall who -, but the fact that many songwriters have not been able to collaborate in the same way and have been performing less has altered their productivity. We could go into the whole psychology about how the changed mindsets and mental-health of musicians contributes to the way they process and produce music. I guess touring takes up a lot of the year and it can be tough creating music on the road. Maybe some artists have a better time of it but, as many have been stuck at home, they have been writing more. Judging by what has been produced this year in terms of singles and albums, the pandemic has not necessarily led to a moodier and darker sound. In fact, many have reacted to the dislocation and struggle with tracks to elevate and lift the mood! I think this mirror’s people’s listening habits. I have heard from more than one musician how a lack of social interaction and performance has meant that their creativity has increased. Some might say that time alone to reflect would lead to an increase in output but, considering there is still so much stress, uncertainty and darkness around, I would have assumed the opposite! That said, my output has increased a little bit! I think writing can be quite a useful distraction and it focuses all that nervousness and anxiety into something useful.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @dangribbin/Unsplash

Many artists have found inspiration from the way people have come together during lockdown and, even though the lockdown has ended in England, we are still not back to normal. We can sort of get together virtually and, so long as they are socially distanced, artists can get into studios and combine with producers and musicians. I am not suggesting that every musician in the world is alone and they are not able to work in a manner similar to last year. It is obvious that most have had to isolate and have not been in a room of vibing fans from live crowds (and got inspiration that way). One artist who has definitely seen her output up over the past few months is Billie Eilish. Maybe there is something to do with having more time to concentrate on writing but, even in a very scary and solitary time, she has been writing hard – as this article from NME explains:

“Billie Eilish has revealed she has 16 new songs in the works with brother and producer Finneas.

In the fourth edition of her annual retrospective interview with Vanity Fair, Eilish, now 18, opened up about identity, using her platform for good, the tumultuous year that’s been 2020, and how she’s been filling the time – working on new music.

“Right now I have 16,” the singer responded when asked how many songs she was currently working on. “We’ve been working. And I love them all.”

Eilish also discussed feeling more confident in her songwriting abilities, advocating for herself and communicating her ideas.

“I think Finneas and I have just seriously really gotten in the groove. We do it so fast,” she explained

“There was a period of time, a month ago or something, we were just texting the label like, ‘Song done, another song done, another song done.’ So, I’m so much better at it. I love it so much more. I actually really do enjoy it now and I do feel like I’m pretty good at it now”.

I am fairly new to the link between solitude and creativity; I had never really thought that there was a relationship. This year, I was expecting new music to be quite downcast and lacking energy. Similarly, I felt artists would shrink away and they would wait until the pandemic passed until they put out new stuff. The opposite seems to be true. Some albums were pushed forward – such as Laura Marling’s, Song for Our Daughter -, whereas the likes of Charli XCX and Paul McCartney have recorded albums in lockdown! In the most challenging time musicians have faced, the music that has been put out is amazing! Not only is the consistency and quality terrific, but there have been surprise releases and albums coming sooner than we anticipated! I do wonder whether the need to find some optimism and purpose at a time when many feel tired and worried has spurred some extra creativity?! I wonder whether next year will see any transition and difference. Will a gradual return to normality mean that creativity levels change? I do know that artists will want to go back to performing as much as possible, but I feel many will try and find more time than normal to write and spend time creating. I guess one positive that has come from the coronavirus and lockdown is many artists have turned to writing and channelling their conflicting emotions into some sensational music! Although collaboration is essential and can be the key to unlocking creativity, solitude can also provoke a lot of  soul-searching and brilliant work. This article explains more and raises some interesting findings:

“You can benefit from interacting and brainstorming with others, but awesome creative work can be achieved by shutting out the outside world, whilst you insanely focus on your craft.

Research by Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi author of Flow (The Psychology of Optimal Experience) found that exceptional creators are more likely to be introverted.

PHOTO CREDIT: @katstokes_/Unsplash 

The best creative minds are flexible, and spend quality time working alone, but they don’t ignore the value of other ideas.

n physics, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and James Clerk Maxwell, three of the greatest creative contributors, worked almost entirely alone.

They profited from other people’s ideas not in direct collaboration, but by reading research papers and books.

In music, Michael Jackson and Roger Waters needed the input of Quincy Jones and David Gilmour, respectively, to produce a great product.

For artist Louise Bourgeois, aloneness was the raw material of art.

She writes: “After the tremendous effort you put in here, solitude, even prolonged solitude, can only be of very great benefit. Your work may well be more arduous than it was in the studio, but it will also be more personal.”

You can lose yourself in your work, when you are consciously in the flow without distraction. Louise further says:

“Solitude, a rest from responsibilities, and peace of mind, will do you more good than the atmosphere of the studio and the conversations which, generally speaking, are a waste of time”.

Although this article from The Atlantic concerns the lesson author Dorthe Nors took from Ingmar Bergman, I think a lot of what was written can directly be applied to musicians. There is something about solitude and being alone that can make a big difference:

“And then there’s the fact that he emphasizes “solitude”—that the artistic process unfolds in the lonely hours. That’s when the work happens. You have to control the creative energy that you've got. You have to discipline yourself to fulfill it. And that work only happens alone.

Solitude, I think, heightens artistic receptivity in a way that can be challenging and painful. When you sit there, alone and working, you get thrown back on yourself. Your life and your emotions, what you think and what you feel, are constantly being thrown back on you. And then the “too much humanity” feeling is even stronger: you can't run away from yourself. You can't run away from your emotions and your memory and the material you're working on. Artistic solitude is a decision to turn and face these feelings, to sit with them for long periods of time.

PHOTO CREDIT: @tinamosquito/Unsplash 

It takes the courage to be there. You run into your own pettiness. Your own cowardice. You run into all kinds of ugly sides of yourself. But the things that you've experienced in your life become the writing that you do. And there's no easy way to get to it, if you want to write literary fiction.

And that's what Bergman and other Swedish writers have taught me—to stay in that painful zone, discipline myself through it to get where I want.

I reckon there should be more articles written about solitude and creativity that is tied to music. As I started by saying, there are artists who have written so much more and have seen their creativity levels peak when they have been forced away from others and locked away. Naturally, the opposite is true for many people - and one cannot say that everyone works the same when it comes to solitude and how they approach writing. I was interested in exploring the subject of solitude/being alone and whether that can be beneficial in terms of the music bring produced. It has been a very tough year but, remarkably, the music put out has been among the best we have seen for years! From amazing albums recorded in lockdown such as Charli XCX’s how i’m feeling now to memorable singles, it has been a very busy and interesting year. Let’s hope that artists can tour soon and get into studios in a less restrictive ways. Aside from some online collaborations, I think many artists have had to adapt to a new way of writing. For many who might have written in teams previously, I think some time alone has made them write more independently and personally - and, rather than absorb dark emotions and the fear around the world, many have turned that into something wonderfully revealing and moving. I would not advice enforced and prolonged periods of solitude to see how the music scene changes going forward but, in one of the strangest and hardest years we will ever see, some disconnection and isolation has…

LED to some phenomenal music.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: Amazing Hidden, Secret or Bonus Tracks

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Janet Jackson in 1993/PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock 

Amazing Hidden, Secret or Bonus Tracks

___________

IT may seem slightly redundant…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lauryn Hill photographed in New York City in 1998/PHOTO CREDIT: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images

producing a playlist with album hidden tracks as, in the age of streaming, that sort of mystery and surprise has sort of gone – and I can’t recall the last time an artist put a hidden track on an album! That said, I am fascinated by the hidden track. Also included in this playlist are great bonus tracks, songs that may not have appeared on a vinyl tracklisting (but then featured on C.D. versions), and those tracks that did not feature on the original studio album but, due to demand, made it onto re-releases. You may have to excuse tracks where the hidden track is also included – rather than them being separate, they are paired with the final track of that album -, but I think this playlist makes for interesting listening! Here are some cool tracks where artists slipped them after the listed album tracks or, as I said, they appeared on different versions of the same album (if you have trouble accessing any of the tracks in the playlist below, you can access it here or search Spotify for ‘The Lockdown Playlist: Amazing Best Hidden, Secret or Bonus Tracks’). It would have been cool if I included a hidden track of my own composition at the end but that would take needless effort! This is an assortment of tracks for those who were patient when they bought their albums, kept the record spinning and discovered…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana in 1991

A hidden gem!

FEATURE: Minnie, Moony, Vicious, Vicious, Buddy Holly, Sandy Denny: Kate Bush’s Blow Away (For Bill)

FEATURE:

 

 

Minnie, Moony, Vicious, Vicious, Buddy Holly, Sandy Denny

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush during The Tour of Life in 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Max Browne

Kate Bush’s Blow Away (For Bill)

___________

I have covered a very special Kate Bush song…

before when talking about Never for Ever (the album it is taken from). The one I am referring to is Blow Away – or, as it should be known, Blow Away (For Bill). It is a track with a sad background. The Kate Bush Encyclopaedia is on hand to explain who the exceptional Bill Duffield was:

“Lighting director for the Tour Of Life. On 2 April 1979, after a show at the Poole Arts Centre in Dorset, the equipment had been loaded for the journey to the next date, and Bill Duffield was having a last look around the stage area to make sure nothing had been left behind. Someone had left an open panel inhe flooring. As Bill crossed the stage he tripped and fell 17 feet onto a concrete floor under the stage. He was rushed to the hospital but tragically died a week later.

It was just prior to the official start of the Tour Of Life. A decision had to be made whether or not the tour would continue. The general consensus was that Bill would have wanted the show to go on. Less than a month later, on 12 May 1979, in the midst of the final days of the tour, Kate performed a memorial concert for Bill Duffield at the Hammersmith Odeon. Also appearing were special guests Peter Gabriel and Steve Harley, who had each worked with Duffield in the past”.

The fact that Bush, in some way, dedicated a song to a member of her tour crew is really touching and wonderful! There are other people mentioned in the song – as I shall explore and explain soon -, but Blow Away (For Bill) is the third track on Never for Ever, and it arrives in the middle of a run of three very beautiful songs – Delius (or Delius (Song of Summer), and All We Ever Look For are either side. I have seen a few sites and magazines rank Blow Away (For Bill) as one of Kate Bush’s best songs – MOJO listed it as their forty-first favourite songs (out of fifty) of hers.

There is the painful background of the song’s title and the death of someone who meant a lot to Bush. When it comes to exploring the various figures mentioned in Blow Away (For Bill), we get to ‘meet’ various departed musicians. Another article in Kate Bush Encyclopaedia provides us with times when Bush discussed the song:

“'Blow Away' is a comfort for the fear of dying and for those of us who believe that music is perhaps an exception to the 'Never For Ever' rule. (Kate Bush Club newsletter, September 1980)

So there's comfort for the guy in my band, as when he dies, he'll go "Hi, Jimi!" It's very tongue-in-cheek, but it's a great thought that if a musician dies, his soul will join all the other musicians and a poet will join all the Dylan Thomases and all that.

None of those people [who have had near-death experiences] are frightened by death anymore. It's almost something they're looking forward to. All of us have such a deep fear of death. It's the ultimate unknown, at the same time it's our ultimate purpose. That's what we're here for. So I thought this thing about the death-fear. I like to think I'm coming to terms with it, and other people are too. The song was really written after someone very special died.

Although the song had been formulating before and had to be written as a comfort to those people who are afraid of dying, there was also this idea of the music, energies in us that aren't physical: art, the love in people. It can't die, because where does it go? It seems really that music could carry on in radio form, radio waves... There are people who swear they can pick up symphonies from Chopin, Schubert. We're really transient, everything to do with us is transient, except for these non-physical things that we don't even control... (Kris Needs, 'Lassie'. Zigzag (UK), November 1985)”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush during The Tour of Life in 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Max Browne

I really like Blow Away (For Bill), but some critics have singled it out as being quite weak and throwaway. In the sense that it reveals very little about Bush and it is a song that tells of departed famous musicians, it is not as memorable and important as, say, Don McLean’s American Pie – one where an iconic and departed musician, Buddy Holly, is very much at the heart of it. I love the ethereal nature of Blow Away (For Bill) and how gorgeous Bush’s voice is! She layers her vocals and we get these nice rises and echoes that make the song seem ghostly and far-away. I think the track is brilliantly arranged so that we get this spectral sense; Blow Away (For Bill) is also very grounded and affecting. It is a shame the track could not have been released as a single but, as I often say, there had to be limits and Bush might not have wanted too many tracks taken from Never for Ever – even though only three singles were released from the album. Even though Blow Away (For Bill) is not one of my favourite Bush songs, I think it is one of my favourite vocals from her. I also really love the fact Bill Duffield lives on through the song and, like all Bush songs, it is interesting and has something in it that few other artists would have thought of. I want to bring in an interesting article about the song that discussed Bush newfound confidence (on Never for Ever) and her approach to mortality – and how Blow Away (For Bill) deals with the afterlife:

“Bush’s newfound confidence as a songwriter was accompanied by her newfound lack of certainty about the world. The songs of Never for Ever ask bigger questions than her first two albums do. “Blow Away” is one of Bush’s many songs to deal with death, and issues of consciousness. It’s an ethereal dirge, sung “For Bill,” referring to Bush’s engineer Bill Duffield, who was accidentally killed on the first night of her tour in an especially grim bout of party-pooping. It’s rare for Bush to sing about her personal life and friends, (we’re still far away from “Moments of Pleasure”) but there’s a whole song on her tertiary LP dedicated to an engineer she knew for a probably rather short period of time.

While we’re dealing with mortality, we have to deal with the jaw-dropping fact that Bush quotes Othello in this song. “Put out the light/then put out the light” is her Shakespeare line of choice. In the context of the song, the quote is the opener for the meandering third verse. The lines that follow never quite cohere into a strong verse (“dust to dust/blow to blow”), but it’s worth thinking about why Bush copped this Othello quote. The line comes from Othello’s ending, in which Othello is preparing to murder his wife Desdemona in her sleep, falsely believing her to be an adultress. The line is a Shakespearean double-entendre, referring both to snuffing out Desdemona’s life and to her pale skin (the race politics in Othello are among the most fascinating and analyzed in all of literature). The actual meaning of this line is, of course, lost when deprived on context. Yet it’s an interesting line for Bush to lean on.

So what does “Blow Away” think of the afterlife? Well, it clearly thinks there is one. The dead have souls in Bush’s music. Her universe is populated by spectres — “The Kick Inside” and “Hammer Horror” demonstrate that. “Blow Away” fills their slot on Never for Ever — the song for those beyond the grave. Yet “Blow Away” is more optimistic about their chances of a happy eternity. Consciousness may thrive after death, but Bush has finally liberated her deceased characters of their mortal woes. Part of this is a matter of taste: everyone knows Keith Moon is in hell, but in 1980 it wouldn’t have been politic to say it in a song. Yes, there’s reverence for these musicians in this song, but the nostalgia is alleviated by the thoughtful weirdness of the song. It’s not the most radical song on the album, but it’s assuring that Bush’s optimism for the power of artistic imagination extends beyond the grave”.

I have a lot of time for Blow Away (For Bill) and I wanted to spotlight it because it is so interesting and one of those overlooked and hidden gems on Never for Ever. The death of Bill Duffield clearly affected Kate Bush, and she honoured his memory in more than one way – she put on a benefit concert in 1979. Check out a magnificent song that many might not even be aware of. It is a stunning work from one of Kate Bush’s…

MOST interesting and under-discussed albums.

FEATURE: Second Spin: Arcade Fire – Everything Now

FEATURE:

 

 

Second Spin

Arcade Fire – Everything Now

___________

I have included Arcade Fire on my blog…

when it comes to celebrating their classic work but, to me, their last two albums have been underrated! Everything Now was released in 2017, and it didn’t quite get the great reviews I thought that it would. That being said, the same can be noted of the album before that: the incredible Reflektor from 2013. Maybe Everything Now is not up to the Canadian band’s usual standard of excellence but, to me, it is a great album! To be honest, it has received some praise, but there are a few reviews that have marked it down and compared it negatively to Arcade Fire works of genius like Funeral (2004), and The Suburbs (2010). The problem was that two big and five-star reviews came in very early for Everything Now. NME, and The Independent both gave it top marks, and I wonder whether they were judging that on the basis of a couple of songs and whether they really listened to the album. There is something inherently flawed about the way albums are reviewed: we get them new and have to assess them after a listen or two; certain albums grow in strength the more you hear them and with the passing of time. I would not say Everything Now is a five-star album but, as many people gave it middling grades, I feel it is worth more than that! I think the songs, Everything Now, and Put Your Money on Me, are two of the best songs the band have ever recorded – the latter has a nice ABBA feel to it!

Everything Now is quite a tight album, in the sense that it is just over forty-seven minutes long and no track last that long – We Don’t Deserve Love is nearly six-and-a-half minutes but it is one of the weaker numbers. Overall, Everything Now has a load of gems and, despite a couple of weaker tracks, it is a satisfying album where anyone can get something from it! The tracks are nicely arranged so that each half of the album is quite strong and, on Everything Now (Continued), we get a solid finish! I think some were put off by a couple of especially weak numbers. To me, Peter Pan, and Chemistry should have been left off of the album; they are not particularly interesting and, although they are fairly short tracks, they do sap some of the momentum of the album! They are tracks five and six respectively so they are out of the way with soon enough. Apart from some missteps, there is a lot to love about Everything Now. From the exert of The Coffee Cola Song by Francis Bebey on the title song, through to the addictive chorus of Put Your Money on Me, to the nuances of Signs of Life, and Creature Comfort, there is more than enough to recommend about Arcade Fire’s fifth studio album. Maybe critics were comparing it too readily with their earlier work or were expecting something that was like Reflektor – although Everything Now has a great title track, nothing can match the majesty of the David Bowie-featuring Reflektor!

I am going to bring in a couple of reviews that sort of show differing opinions. The first is a five-star review from NME. This is what they had to say about Everything Now:

“Arcade Fire have spent a career making a virtue of their own pomposity. Since 2004 debut ‘Funeral’, they’ve been unafraid to wrestle with big ideas that most bands wouldn’t touch with a barge pole. If it sometimes appears as though they believe society’s ills can be solved, or at least diagnosed, through the medium of grandiose art-rock records, you nonetheless have to admire their conviction that music ought to represent something more than mere ‘content’. Thankfully, after the ambitious-but-uneven ‘Reflektor’ (2013), ‘Everything Now’ marks an emphatic return to those lofty standards.

“Every song that I’ve ever heard is playing at the same time, it’s absurd,” declares starry-eyed frontman Win Butler on the album’s title-track, which is certainly one way to describe its mash-up of ‘Dancing Queen’ and Talking Heads’ ‘Road to Nowhere’. Uplifting, incisive and sublime would be another.

On the flipside, the empty hedonism of ‘Signs of Life’ and the self-loathing, suicidal youths of ‘Creature Comfort’ – one of whom, Butler notes, “Came so close/ Filled up the bathtub and put on our first record,” – serve as a reminder of the cruel irony that in this age of total connectivity, we’ve somehow contrived to make ourselves more isolated and alone than ever. ‘Everything Now’ might occasionally marvel at how far we’ve come, but it’s tempered by notes of dread at where we’re going.

Aptly enough for a record about information overload, it’s also had the veritable kitchen sink thrown at it, employing myriad styles, multiple big-name producers and the sort of ingenious, overblown marketing campaign that’s become the norm for this band. On the two-hander of ‘Infinite Content’ and ‘Infinite_Content’, the same song is presented in contrasting styles – one as a knowing postmodern thrash, the other as a languid acoustic ramble – but ultimately it’s the album’s sense of humanity, not its innate clever-cleverness, that elevates it to something special. “If you can’t see the forest for the trees, just burn it all down,” urges Butler as the mournful synth-pop of closing track ‘We Don’t Deserve Love’ builds to its climax, no longer sermonising from his pulpit, but howling in empathy from the ether”.

Contrast this with a review from AllMusic who, whilst offering some praise, are a bit more constructive and measured in their review:

“The lyrics found on "Creature Comfort" are another good summation of this issue: in an effort to say something meaningful, Arcade Fire simply sound like they're trying too hard. A handful of standouts will no doubt stand the test of time, but unfortunately not enough for a cohesive and fulfilling statement. Thematic flubs aside, the production and sonic directions on Everything Now sound great. The band recruited an enviable team -- including Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter, Portishead's Geoff Barrow, Pulp's Steve Mackey, and longtime collaborator Markus Dravs -- that infuses a groove and danceability that Arcade Fire first touched upon on Reflektor.

On the bright title track, the dramatically funky "Signs of Life," and the glittering "Electric Blue," Everything Now fully embraces the disco spirit. Elsewhere, the band trades the sparkle of the disco ball for visceral throb, like on the urgent "Creature Comfort," the strutting "Good God Damn," and the hypnotizing "Put Your Money on Me," which sounds like Röyksopp remixing LCD Soundsystem. Peppering Everything Now are some potentially divisive experiments -- like the heavy dub of "Peter Pan" and the New Orleans big-band jam of "Chemistry" -- that don't really fit in with the rest of the album. They're interesting experiments outside the band's comfort zone, but distract from the album's flow. Overall, there is just enough on Everything Now to appease fans and attract newcomers with accessible singles, but as an Arcade Fire record, it's unfortunately too inconsistent and ultimately hollow. Arcade Fire sought to make a Big Statement but instead produced one of their least impactful works”.

I would lean more to NME’s side of the fence when it comes to Everything Now. I think the standout tracks outweigh the weaker moments and, as I said, there are a few lesser moments but there is more good and richness than poor tracks. I believe Arcade Fire are working on new material, so we might get a sixth studio album very soon! That would be good news but, if we are looking at the great work of the band, we have to commend Everything Now. Whilst now as emphatic and timeless as one of their earliest albums, it is an album that warrants…

A second spin.

FEATURE: A Festive Tradition: Looking Ahead to the Top of the Pops Christmas and New Year Specials

FEATURE:

 

 

A Festive Tradition

IN THIS PHOTO: Clara Amfo and Fearne Cotton will host two one-hour Top of the Pops specials (on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve)/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC 

Looking Ahead to the Top of the Pops Christmas and New Year Specials

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THE Christmas T.V. line-up on BBC One…

 IN THIS PHOTO: BBC Sound of 2020 winner, Celeste

looks a bit patchy this year. There is a combination of animated films, re-runs and EastEnders! Maybe Channel 4 or other stations will play more appealing Christmas things like The Snowman but, in the schedule, we have Top of the Pops. The long-running T.V. institution came to an end in 2006 but, happily, there is a Christmas special and one for New Year’s Eve. This year’s shows looks pretty decent:

“TV’s biggest pop party will return to BBC One screens this festive period with BBC Radio 1’s Clara Amfo and TV and radio presenter Fearne Cotton reprising their roles as hosts. Recorded at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London, the one-hour specials will feature new exclusive performances from some of 2020’s most exciting pop stars.

The star-studded Christmas Special will feature brand new performances from (in alphabetical order):

AJ Tracey x Aitch

Becky Hill

Celeste

Clean Bandit & Mabel

Ella Henderson

Jamie Cullum

Joel Corry & MNEK

KSI ft. Craig David & Digital Farm Animals

Fearne and Clara will return to the nation’s TV screens for the New Year Special, taking a look back at the year in music to bring the year to a close in style. The performers are (in alphabetical order):

Alfie Templeman

Arlo Parks

Becky Hill

Nathan Dawe ft. KSI & Ella Henderson

Sigala & James Arthur

Wes Nelson ft. Hardy Caprio

YUNGBLUD

IN THIS PHOTO: Alfie Templeman 

As well as brand new performances, both shows will also feature live highlights from the past twelve months. Viewers can re-live performances of some of the biggest songs of the year from the likes of Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi and Dua Lipa.

Mabel says: “So excited to perform at this year's Top of the Pops. It's always an honour performing on such a legendary show! Me and Clean Bandit are gonna give you a special performance to round off your 2020!''

Celeste says: "I’m ecstatic to be invited back on to Top of the Pops for the second year in a row.  It’s been such a crazy year so to be ending in this way is such an honour.”

Clean Bandit say: ““We’re excited to be performing alongside some of our favourite artists and collaborators this year - TOTP is a Christmas TV tradition!”

YUNGBLUD says: “Some of the greatest artists in history have played Top of the Pops and I've watched and been inspired by those performances. After a year of being trapped inside and bottling my ADHD up, it’s all gonna come out in this performance. We’re gonna burn the house down...bring a fire extinguisher.”

Clara Amfo says: “I’m delighted to be part of Top of the Pops this year. As we know, 2020 has been a challenge and as always music is a constant balm for us! I’m really looking forward  to celebrating the artists with Fearne and everyone watching at home.”

 Fearne Cotton says: “I’m delighted to be returning to host Top of the Pops with Clara again this year. It’s always a brilliant way to round off the year in music, and this year more than ever we’re all in need of a bit of sparkle! There have been some brilliant musical moments in 2020 and we can’t wait to celebrate some of the biggest tracks and artists with everyone at home.”

Top Of The Pops Christmas Special will be on BBC One on Friday 25 December at 11.55am and Top Of The Pops New Year Special will be on BBC One Friday 31 December at 4.20pm.

Top Of The Pops Christmas and New Year Specials were commissioned for BBC One by Katie Taylor, Commissioning Editor for Entertainment. Alison Howe is the Executive Producer and Caroline Cullen is the Producer for BBC Studios Entertainment and Music”.

It is a shame that Top of the Pops is not on anymore because, in its heyday, it was essential viewing - and we were introduced to so many varied artists! It seems strange at a time when we have more artists than ever before that there are fewer music T.V. shows. It also seems odd that there is no dedicated music show to upcoming artists because, as you can see from the line-up above, there are some of 2020’s hottest artists. I wonder whether they will do some Christmas classics or perform their own material; maybe we will get something a bit different but, whatever happens, it will be a treat for Christmas. I will also be curious to see how the New Year’s Eve one differs and whether there is a similar vibe.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Mabel

I guess the question about whether there will be anyone in the audience stands. I am not certain whether the show has already been taped, but Top of the Pops’ real charm comes from the audience and the enthusiasm they have for the songs! Maybe there will be a limited studio audience. It will be interesting to see how things are staged. It makes me nostalgic for the older days when Top of the Pops was running. Maybe the Christmas special will compel T.V. bosses to introduce a new music show as, in 2020, it is alarming that there really isn’t anything out there for artists to showcase their music away from radio! Make sure you tune in on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and get a warm blast from a legendary T.V. show. It has been a bleak year and one with very little light but, as good news is starting to come through, there will be something extra-special about watching Top of the Pops. Many of the artists who will feature I have never seen perform or heard much of their music; many others will discover some great artists. The Top of the Pops gap is quite a big one but, with two new shows lined up, we will tune in and…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jamie Cullum

WELCOME it back!

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: Spotify’s 2020 Wrapped

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: The Weeknd’s album, After Hours, is the third most-streamed album on Spotify this year

Spotify’s 2020 Wrapped

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ALTHOUGH most of us are not...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Halsey is the fifth most-streamed female artist on Spotify in 2020/PHOTO CREDIT: Jake Michaels for The New York Times

locked down or self-isolating, I am going to keep these playlists going until next year! I have enjoyed exploring different subjects and, now, I am reacting to an article that was published earlier in the week. This relates to Spotify’s annual ‘Wrapped’ feature where they present the most-streamed artists, albums and songs. Every year is interesting but, in a very odd time, the results are especially illuminating and curious. Here is some more information:

“Most Streamed Artists Globally

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny claims the top spot with more than 8.3 billion streams this year from fans around the globe. His album YHLQMDLG—released in late February and featuring collaborations with Sech, Anuel AA, and Daddy Yankee—is the number one streamed album as well. Following Bad Bunny is Drake and Latin star J Balvin. The fourth most-streamed artist is the late rapper Juice WRLD, followed by The Weeknd.

Billie Eilish continues her reign as Spotify’s most-streamed female artist for the second year in a row, followed by Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande in spots two and three. Coming in as the fourth and fifth most-streamed female artists are Dua Lipa and Halsey.

IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify 

Most Streamed Songs Globally

The most-streamed song of the year is The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” which held out strong after being the second most-streamed song of the summer with almost 1.6 billion streams this year. In the second and third spots, respectively, are Australian ex-busker Tones And I’s viral 2019 earworm “Dance Monkey” and Roddy Ricch’s “The Box.” The fourth most-streamed song is the catchy “Roses – Imanbek Remix” by Imanbek and SAINt JHN, followed by “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa.

Most Streamed Albums Globally

The most-streamed album of 2020 is Bad Bunny’s YHLQMDLG with over 3.3 billion streams, followed by The Weeknd’s After Hours and Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding. Rounding out the list of most-streamed albums you’ll find Harry Styles’ Fine Line and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia”.

Because Spotify’s interesting and revealed Wrapped has been unveiled this year, this Lockdown Playlist takes songs from artists and albums mentioned. It has been fun compiling it and, like many people, it has led me to some…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Bad Bunny is the most-streamed artist globally according to Spotify’s Wrapped survery/PHOTO CREDIT: STILLZ

NEW discoveries.