Reviews

Weekly Reviews For August 8 2004

Review Index

I am also Assistant Editor & reviewer at MetalUK.

I also contribute reviews to getreadytorock

Recent reviews include
Rush - Chronicles (The Video Collection)
Deep Purple - The Early Years
Damageplan - New Found Power
Whitesnake - The Early Years

You will also find some reviews at spacerock.co.uk

The Rocker
New releases from;
Superczar - Pop Art
Various - Further Adventures of the Telepathic Explorers
When's The Future - Then
And many more....

 

New Reviews

Bronze - A Common Prayer

I was impressed by the songwriting and the atmosphere created on the 2002 release ‘The Statue in the Stone’ and I am pleased to say that Newcastle’s Bronze are back with, if anything, an even more polished record.

Paul Handyside’s piano on the poignant opening song ‘Weight of the World’ would melt anyone’s heart while the first of two ‘ballads’ ‘Step Lightly’ with its delicious acoustic guitar and John France’s pedal steel (wrongly credited as track 2) is probably for me the outstanding song on the album. It reminded me in a curious kind of way of Buffy St Marie’s ‘The Big Ones Get Away’. In between those two is another strong song ‘Right Time’ giving a hint of psychedelia with its jangly guitars. Add some incisive lyrics to the mix- Paul Handyside’s imploring ‘Good has Gone’ is a good example and a high level of intensity and flow and you have a very coherent musical statement that will keep invading your consciousness long after it’s left your CD tray. ‘Can’t Laugh’ is appropriately given the gut wrenching subject matter the heaviest moment. In contrast ‘Lonesome Touch’ has a light folky feel, a charming song. Pedal steel opens ‘Grey October’, another soul searching song in a style that could be a slice of prime alternative country.

The penultimate track returns to a more upbeat, jingly jangly format, very Tom Pettyish while ‘This Paradise’ is, for me, the big surprise, the longest piece of music I’ve heard from Bronze clocking in at nearly seven minutes and maybe their defining moment with its haunting guitar arpeggios not a million miles from the vintage Fishless Marillion of ‘Brave’ or ‘Marbles’. The final frenzy is exquisite, an astounding way to end a memorable album.

‘A Common Prayer’ is an essential listen- intense, insightful and ultimately accessible.

(Reviewed by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist)

Jet - Cold Hard Bitch

Fan as I am, I couldn't wait for the UK release, so grabbed a hold of the Australian version. Which is certainly worth it as there are no less than 5 tracks on offer.

The lead track is the latest hard driving boogie beast from Jet which will have rock clubs across the land frugging away merrily. They also tackle a couple of cover versions, the first being the stone cold classic, 'Ain't That A Lotta Love' by Homer Banks. If you don't own the original deep fried soul version, then go get it now.

They also tackle an Aussie classic from the sixties which will mean doodly squat to the rest of the world, unless you happened to go see the 2002 movie 'Dirty Deeds', in which case you will be familar with 'Everlovin' Man' by The Loved Ones. A number 2 hit from 1966, fact fans.

The only downer is the obligatory ballad, 'You Don't Look The Same' which sucks. Big time. Odd how when they riff it up they're the natural successors to AC/DC yet when they calm down (calm down), they sound like Oasis. Which is a bad thing. Things round off with a live crack at 'Cold Hard Bitch' which takes us back to enjoying ourselves. fabulous.

Helicopter Girl - Angel City

Many critics thought that 2000’s ‘How To Steal The World’ should have won the Mercury Music Prize, yet it seemed to slip through the cracks. WHich was a scandal and a disgrace, as it was a tremendous amalgamation of trip-hop and soul.

2004 sees Helicopter Girl (Joyce to her mum) back with a new album, ‘Voodoo Chic’, for which this is the teaser. It is a straight continuation of the previous album, with some healthy jazz undertones from the Scots born singer.

The lazy comparisons are Björk, Alison Goldfrapp and Portishead's Beth Gibbons, with the latter being closest in mood, but this single is a beautiful, lazy, sumer pop idyll, worth enjoying for its own reasons.

Clayhill - Cuban Green

I was going to say that I had the pleasure of seeing Clayhill perform live when they supported Kathryn Williams on her last tour. But as I was working for her PR at the time, it's more accurate to say that I heard them live, as I was never actually in the hall at the time they were playing. However, they interested me enough to grab a hold of this mini album. For they, and it, are good.

If I was being cruel I would be placing them in the same category as no-hopers like Elbow and Coldplay, as they do share a similar, laid back yet intensely emotional approach to their craft. But unlike said no marks, they know how to write a great song without going all histrionic, 'look at me wave my arms' on us.

And if you need any other reason to buy this, then hear this. The singer in Clayhill is none other than ex-Sunhouse vocalist Gavin Clark, whose "Crazy On The Weekend" remains one of the lost classics of the last ten years. If I'd known it was him at the time, I'd have been rushing the stage in an idiotic surge of fandom (probably breaking something vital in Mr Clark - I'm a big guy. His eerie, atmospheric, desolate vocals are awe inspiring and coupled with songs of this quality, amke a grown man go weak at the knees.

There are a mere six songs on "Cuban Green", but that's what the repeat button is for, and you will use it. Ted Barnes, Ali Friend and Gavin Clark have created a mini masterpiece, and if they come close to this on their forthcoming debut full-length album, it will be one of the highlights of this, or any other year.

Renee Doruyter - Hooked on Romance

Dutch born, Canadian based, Renee Doruyter lists her influences as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Anita O'Day, Frank Sinatra, Nina Simone, Carmen McRaye, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and others. Which gives you an idea of the smoky, late night mood she is seeking to create with this CD of love songs.

And her love of the music certainly shines through on this album split evenly between standards and original material by Doruyter, pianist Miles Black and bass player Rick Kilburn. It is a tribute to the self penned songs that they stand shoulder to shoulder with classics like "Indian Summer" and Cole Porters' "Just One Of Those Things".

There is one track that is truly outstanding and that track is "East Of The Sun", written by Brooks Bowman and recorded by Tommy Dorsey back in 1940. This version takes an alternative, almost fusion approach to the song, with a prominent flute part from Tom Keenlyside. Elsewhere, "Touched By Love" (one of the original songs) totally draws you into the mood with an understated arrangement. my favourite, however, is the bubbling version of "Robbin's Nest", which harks back to the Illinois Jacquet original rather than the better known Gil Evans arrangement for Claude Thornhill.

An exceptionally good album, this features exceptional performances from the boys in the band - Miles Black (piano), Rick Kilburn (bass), Keith Copeland (drums), Mike Rudd (guitar), Tom Keenlyside (flutes and soprano sax), Campbell Ryga (alto sax), Jack Duncan (percussion) - and is a worthy addition to any collection.

Moby & Public Enemy - Make Love Fuck War

I must be getting old. When I were a lad, a record as vital and bombastic as this would have been lauded from here to eternity. But with Public Enemy languishing as footnotes in the hip hop book they wrote, while vacuous no marks like Fiddy Cent make headlines, it's not really surprising

It's also been a long time since Moby was even remotely interesting, but this one off anti war call to arms(!) is fabulous. OK, it's old school beats, but they were good the first time, and it's also good to hear Chuck D declaiming like it was 1988. But I'm sure you'll be rushing out to buy the new D12 single instead of this. What was that about Nero and Rome burning? Fools.