Classic Album Review, Deckerd, Dreams Of Dynamite And Divinity

Deckerd, Dreams Of Dynamite And Divinity (Cadiz-2004)

I have done this blog for some time now and I am shocked I have not done this album till now. From Glasgow the band was made up from members of a band called Baby Chaos who I have got an album on here already check it out. Again information is low here but it seems to be the same band and from what I can see on there own label so here you have to me is another baby chaos album right?

For this album was there second with Stereo Dream Scene being out in 2000. That album was great but this album is essential. How often do you get a review that is 10/10? Very rare and If i did give marks that is the score I give this one.

First listen the album opens with "To Your Soul" and "We're Aching" to the listener there is nothing special about this. But a close listen you can really feel something happening. Gone are the big riffs and drum sound but a more all rounded pop sound. The vocals come over like they really care and all words are pronounced so well that it should sound like some sort of boy band chart crap but the style and words work so well.

"When Picking Fights" takes you back to the old days of the 90s brit rock sound. Well just for the start of the song, a nice riff and drum intro flow into melodic but spiky guitars and that voice. The album now really starts to get to you and in the best way "Be Nobody Else" has a nice guitar start that slowdowns and has nice almost whisper vocals. Building into that great well produced guitar sound that really makes all the big guitar bands sound tiny. There are no big producers and engineers on this album. All self recorded and produced by Chris Gordon he is also the singer and writer of all lyrics.

"Holy Rolling" was that good the band made a single for it but not just a two or three track cd but a seven track mini album (Check that out as it has more new stuff). Again flowing much like the album has done this song has hit single all over it. Bouncing about the stereo and equally making the listener want to do the same, nothing new but just catchy and one for the rockers and rollers.

"Say Something Stupid" sounds like a ballad but is it a love ballad. Not with that title, again with melodies that could be used as a tractor beam in Star Trek. Some nice little interludes and great drumming the time has been taken for the track to really come alive. I have seen this band live once and I feel this song is as close as you get to them.

Slowing done somewhat for "Fall Down At Their Feet" it is all too easy to use the acoustic guitar or have simple chords to show a change in style to the slower music. How about still using the electric and plucking of some nice melodic shapes instead. Minimal singing is needed but done well, building into a big ending that still sounds and feels the way it started. Great song!

Last few tracks contain a little change in direction "Grace's Estate" is a bit like a demo track from a compilation, more a mix of songs and a little confusing. But that is the effect they wanted I believe.  "I Dream Of Dynamite" ends the album well. More a band effort and a one last song for the fans. Sadly it is still the last song I have heard from the band. I think they still exist but as the music industry really does not pay bands who are good but more ones with a gimmick.

If they had put on masks and got dressed up for a support slot on a Muse tour they could have made it. Well not possible as to support a big tour costs money and there is none here. Seriously if you like Muse, Foo Fighters and QOTSA you will love this album. It is like the best of what those bands can do. But self made music rarely gets much of a break and unless you are "invited" onto a tour the mainstream fans will never see you.

But this album is more for the people who go out there way to get into music. Recommended by a mate who gets you a ticket, good review in Rock Sound and you decide to keep an eye open for it in HMV. That style of music buying has sadly all but left us. It is websites like this and the fans who still hold onto it that keep us all following.

Deckerd, Dreams Of Dynamite And Divinity  is easily still available on Amazon market 

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Classic album review Baby Chaos, Love Your Self Abuse

Baby Chaos, Love Your Self Abuse (East West 1996)

Difficult second album? No, not at all easy as can be for Baby Chaos. Two years after the first album "Safe Sex, Designer Drugs and the Death of Rock‘n’Roll" the time was right for a band like this.
Big punk rock melodies that were catchy but still held the grunge guitar riffs and attitude. Many other rock bands were doing great in 96 and this band had done all the hard work in touring all over the place to gain a record deal with East West.

This album took many sessions to record and with the band still on the road it must have helped the sound of the album. The first and only single Hello went out and seemed to be missed by the public. Such a shame a great song and one that does the album justice as there were more to come. The first single was really a teaser for what was to come up next.

A video was made for 'Ignoramus' but I really don't remember any promotion for it. Again a great song that really shows the band can do catchy chart rock. Thankfully the album is nothing but classic British rock and one of the finest examples of it. It is a nice mix of punk and alt rock at times as well.
The song titles may show the band were just on tour too much 'Mental Bruising for Beginners' a title that suggest a real heavy song and yes but much like the album it catches you and does not let you go. It is not often you hear a rock song with la la la's on the heavier songs but it works.

'Confessions of a Teenage Pervert' may cause a snigger or two at the title but the song shows the band can be very serious and again vocals from Gordon that are mixed of harmonies and shouting out the next minute makes the title seem weak.
Not at any point in the album does it feel a track is a filler. It may even suffer for not having some proper songs as in catchy three minute songs that have a start and end, the album could easily be one track long.

'Rearrange You' near the end of the album really shows a band intent on making a mark. With britrock all over the music papers it may have been seen as too heavy for the rock fans. Certainly too much for radio and titles like 'Love Your Self Abuse' I may not have been listed on Radio One.
Last track clocks in over 10 minutes and aptly titled 'Loud and Clear' shows what this band can do. Great production and a band that sound so great together even now it sounds fresh and not over produced one bit.

But touring with The Wildhearts, Terrorvison and Elastica should have got the band an audience. They did 130 UK gigs one year not counting trips abroad. Still the rock fans did not buy this album and give the music world one of the most interesting bands to come out of Glasgow.
Not only interesting but utterly unique at the time many bands were trying to write pop songs to be the darlings of the radio and get on Top of the Pops. For many of those bands it did not work and well I suppose my CD collection shows that as they still have dust all over them from not being played as much.

From first single released on there own label to a splitting up they lasted three years and made two amazing albums and this one for me is a fucking masterclass in rock music. Many singles and live gigs all in that 36 months just did not get this band a break. With major label backing and so much touring I have to blame the public, yes you I blame you so make up for it and find this sucker soon.

The album is still available easily on Amazon and E bay. It has been released in Japan and America but with a different track listing. make sure it has 'Loud and Clear' as the last track.