Issue No.6 – June 2020
By Jeremy Cuff
I’ve always been a voracious and inquisitive listener of music; I never seem to tire of it.
The spirit of those teenage years of hunting down vinyl in record shops has never left me and I still get a buzz out of acquiring new recordings to listen to. It’s a great journey to be on, with one’s mind opening and broadening as you travel along.
Here’s ten albums from different eras and diverse genres to check out and explore. If you wish, do share ten albums of your own choice and tastes in reciprocity…
Maya
By Banco De Gaia
If considered in context of Glastonbury festival, Banco De Gaia bridges the gap between the Green Field and the Rave Tent. A kind of brooding and spiritual hippy trance music…
Double Nickels On The Dime
By Minutemen
The Minutemen don’t go for long opuses and side long suites.
These guys offer tunes that are basically short, (mostly) fiery bursts of attitude. It’s cool!
Serene Velocity/A Stereolab Anthology
By Stereolab
A great compilation of choice works from this quirky and enjoyable band.
My favourites are “Miss Modular and “Infinity Girl”, but it’s all good. I can’t think of anybody quite like them.
Aenima
By Tool
A great and uncompromising band offering angular, edgy, odd time riffing that builds and builds; an intoxicating cocktail of prog-metal, hardcore, industrial and punk.
End of The Century Party
By Gary Clail
Angry political dub from this Bristollian MC and DJ, covering themes of privatisation, stock market greed and the promotion of vegetarianism.
Clail was associated with the prolific On-U-Sound System collective that he credits as a collaborator for this album.
Grace Under Pressure
By Rush
I don’t know where to start to describe Canadian trio Rush (there’s so much to say), so I’ll just try something, and try to keep it brief… unique, talented, driven musicians who were prepared to change, evolve and grow over a career that lasted more than 40 years. They remain hugely influential, much loved, respected and revered.
In terms of the Grace Under Pressure album itself, which came out in 1983, no album ever had a greater effect on me than this one. I was already a Rush convert when it came out, but this struck even more of the right chords at what must have been the perfect time, and all these years later I still enjoy listening to it.
Expect an eclectic crossover of prog-rock meets the new wave crafted throughout eight excellent pieces of some of the best ensemble playing you’ll ever hear.
Lyrically, it covers topics such as concern over the environment (Distant Early Warning), memories of someone who has departed (Afterimage), wrestling with your demons and imperfections (The Enemy Within) and more besides.Footnote; 2020 was a tragic year in the annals of Rush, with the untimely death in January of their brilliant drummer, percussionist and lyricist Neil Peart OC (Order of Canada) aged 67. He lived anamazing life.
I’m The One
By Annette Peacock
This is a difficult album to explain… perhaps “exploratory” might be an apt word to describe it. When you realise it’s from way back in 1972, this makes it even more so.
There’s lots of things melded together (including but not limited to); funky wah-soaked grooves, to meditative piano ballads, whilst at other times she wails in abandon like Jeff Buckley (long before Jeff Buckley), all criss-crossed with avant-garde interludes and noisenik-ism (a new word, perhaps?) that includes early use of synths (deployed in strange unexpected stabs and interruptions).
Talking Book
By Stevie Wonder
Which is the best Stevie Wonder album?
Impossible to say, of course, but conventional wisdom would suggest that it must be something from the 1970’s. It would be hard to argue with that sentiment.
Talking Book is one from this prolific era for Stevie Wonder, with some classic tunes contained within. Expect bluesy “riffage” played on keyboards rather than guitar (“Superstition”), dreamy heartfelt ballads (“You and I”) and uplifting mellowness (“You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” and “You’ve Got It Bad Girl”). Timeless stuff.
Signs
By Badmarsh& Shri
Albums such as this arose after the creators of acid house, rave and dance music set off to explore and expand their musical palettes beyond the relentless and hypnotic beats.
My personal favourite track is “Sajanna”, but there’s other good stuff as well.
Recordings by 4Hero (another “collective” of this vague genre) are also worth seeking out.
Original Pirate Material
By The Streets
A classic album, borne out of boredom and “sex, drugs and on the dole”.
Mike Skinner hit on a rich seam of inspiration on this debut album – sometimes bored, sometimes angry, sometimes resigned, sometimes optimistic and even uplifting.
A riveting listen.