Black Sabbath, Headless Cross

Black Sabbath, Headless Cross (IRS-1989)

As a big fan of this band I as all fans love the Ozzy stuff and for a great reason. But all those albums done very well and sold quite rightfully in their million is America and beyond.

Next singer was again a favorite in Ronnie James Dio. But again that was a very successful era in the band. After the second 'Dio' album many fans seem to slowly move on. Some may have felt the constant lineup changes making that once fantastic band seem a little corporate and well stale. But by the time the band got to the late 80s the band was very different. New deal with IRS was signed and a real idea for a change in direction.

A great help for me in this album is Cozy Powell, what a fantastic drummer, he played on many other bands but notable for me Rainbow and on the 'Rising' album. He as ever plays a blinder on this album. And thanks to him a new singer was recruited in Tony Martin. The plan by Tony Iommi was to bring back Dio but Cozy suggested Tony Martin. The idea was to have him on rehearsals and well it all went so well this album was made with the three of them and like the old days all writing credits between the band.

There is an air of AOR on this album but it for me it is in that 80s feel, little bit of a hair metal sort of vibe. But those are all quickly trampled on with guitar from Toni Iommi, easily one of the geniuses of music. Great playing and some nice solos here. Not so much a big riff album but an all round classic rock structure.

The classic inro track really shows what this is all about, Occult and Satanic lyrics and references all over the album. There is also a nice mix of all out metal songs and the classic doom style the band invented in ‘Kill in the Spirit World'. one of the first things I heard about this album was the track ‘When Death Calls’ and I never knew the solo was by Brian May, again amazing stuff and it really expands on everything the band used to be but moving it forward to 1988. As I say the bands at the time were hair metal and slowly there was the grunge thing in the early 90s so it is a nice album in the middle of all that. There are some nice touches of keyboards that give the album that occult vibe from Geoff Nicholls and I think his best work with the band.

Produced by Powell and Iommi it shows how much creativity they had and I am glad that there was no others in the studio as the sound may well have been watered down for that 88 sound.
For me the best Sabbath albums are the first six then this one then the Dio stuff so there really is some great quality here. Well receved at the time by critics but on IRS it really never sold bundles or even got people buzzing at the band. If you are a fan of Sabbath or like many a big fans of the Ozzy/Dio era and and have not heard this it really is a cracking album and fully deserves to be in your collection.

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Celtic Frost, Monotheist

Celtic Frost, Monotheist (Century Media-2006)

Come back albums can be at times pretty horrible. Sometimes a band you love coming back is not really what you may want as the chance is the album may well be crap. Or even worse ok!

But this band really can't be pigeonholed so the album was really an open door. What you do not expect is one of the best albums of 2000s. This band is a first for this blog as it is the second for an artist (previous here). I did try not to do this but the band have moved through so many styles they really can not be pinned down. This album is a real mix of doom metal and Gothic styles. The album has nothing new but it is all done so well. With a big production and all out band sound it really gets you by the throat.

But it is not all just noise the music is so well composed. Track four "Drown in Ashes" has more of an operatic feel to the start of the track, female operatic vocals accompany what is a speech style vocal track. All the time the band playing in the background. It really makes you wonder what is going on.

First track "Progeny" is the classic start to a metal album, really not giving much thought to the listeners possible mistake in having the Hi Fi too loud you may well need to turn it down. As I say there is more to the album so do not be fooled, this is not a run of the mill metal album.

Much of the bands previous output really did change minds and turn heads as they were labeled metal by the people who looked on without listening. Now the band have taken on a sound that can really attract more music fans as the whole alt metal and rock market is now so big. Noise and sludge are all here to a point but done in a way you can never rip off.

"Ground" has the riffs and it is all done very slow, those riffs that you feel moving the fillings. Music that you can feel when it is loud enough. The sound is so hard to describe as you really can't fix a band to it but as I say noise and metal are of very few words we can use. Almost feels like it is a lesson in how to be a sound as the vocals are so strong you wonder if someone is in the room with you live. Bass lines are simple and sound kind of detuned, chugging along, what a great album.

Back in 1999/2000 nu metal was the big thing, baggy trousers and baseball caps and all the kids had a new sound and look. But listening to this I have no idea what to wear! I do not think you can wear anything to this, a Slayer T Shirt would be over dressed.

No fucking about with song titles "A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh" as a title and repeats it in the song over and over. When it is done you feel it was cut short at 5:39.

Talking of track lengths "Synagoga Satanae" comes in at over 14 minutes and again you feel you want it to last a whole cd, how about a triple album. I could bang on about each and every track for pages but this blog is more to get you to listen and enjoy an album you may have missed. In 2006 you may have dismissed this instantly now it is 2014 you need to hear this. If you like heavy music listen to it and if you do not I really mean give it a go. The underground metal press went bonkers for this album but that is as far as it went.

A great new sound and great production mixed with immense song writing makes this one of the best albums in the 2000's for me. The album took four years to make and you can really feel it.

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Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska (Columbia-19982)

So back to business in classic albums people have missed and another big name. Many (if not all) have heard this mans output before. But have you heard the best stuff?

I rate three albums he has done as his best the River (1980), Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and this album. All were done very close to each other. But this album was very different in many ways.

Much of the output Springsteen has done after his first couple of albums were severely agonized over in the studio. Some albums taking six months or more to make but this one was done in a month. Not only in a month but on a home studio device. Very new technology back then here used to lay down his ideas before hitting the studio. The E Street band did get a chance to record this album but it was felt the demos were better. So what this album is at the end of the day is a demo tape that was released on a major label by a major artist. Big risk after the previous multi platinum selling albums.

The gamble did pay off but more for fans of music as many artists have gave this album credit. Based  mostly around a folk style music it tells tales in a first-person narrative style.

Mostly in a very bleak and real tone the music is basic with Bruce only using guitar, harmonica, mandolin, glockenspiel, tambourine and organ. And even then very sparsely. "Nebraska" kicks sets the albums whole pace with a very bleak story of a serial killer that was taken from a true story. Aged only 19 you can be forgiven for feeling a little bit uncomfortable. More stories follow till my highlight.

"Highway Patrolman" rings bells with me as I do have a brother but the story of a patrolman who's brother is on the wrong side of the law. Bruce is fantastic at telling you the story in a way it feels like you will never forget it. Little bits of info portray the life the men have. His voice is very controlled and direct as are all the instruments on the album, the harmonica sounds at times like he did record it as he was playing the song.

"Open All Night" is the only song to move from the folk style and has more of a rockabilly guitar riff to it. Electric guitar makes an appearance here and it does feel fresh to get a track that shows a little positivity.

One thing the Springsteen is one of the best in the world at is taking a song or tune from his head and placing it into the studio. He is one of very few in th world who can do this THAT well.  But this album is everything as far away from that you can get. All these songs could be adapted to a country style and sell millions. But his heart wanted this out as it makes most sense to him and to most others. Give this album a try and get an idea that he is not just a stadium rocker.

This style of album really can't be done by many, listen to many big bands who split and go solo this is what they hope to be able to accomplish. Again this was done on a four track studio at home with a little mixing for a commercial release. He had the balls to do it so you should have the courtesy to give it a go.

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Classic Album Review, PJ Harvey, White Chalk

PJ Harvey, White Chalk (Island Records-2007)

I have always enjoyed all of the output that PJ Harvey has done and also loved her side projects with John Parrish (Check out 2009s A Woman A Man Walked By). But this album commands respect from me. 

Not simply just a good album to me but as someone who plays musical instruments I have to respect how she really went out of her comfort zone on this album. A very risky thing to do. Away with the classic drum, bass and guitar band set up and move onto learning new instruments from scratch. Also add in a real change in vocal style and you have the makings of what could be a bad album.

But what did happen is Harvey committed herself as much as she could to the piano and other instruments to gain just what she needed to write an album. Now she can call herself a multi instrumentalist with credits outside of guitars including zither, harmonica, harp and cigfiddle.

How does it all sound? Well it is a simple album as you really can't do that much in a studio all on your own. But it is well done and written so well. She really evolved her songwriting skills here. "The Devil" has the blueprint for this album. Simple piano chords and her voice singing just a little too much higher than she may like. But it seems to work. The harmonies help to give the music stability but they are rarely used showing her control of the sound so well. Any producer would have put many on this to fill it up.

Second track 'Dear Darkness' has bleakness at the heart. The music is moving and also very gloomy so not one to play on a summers day at a BBQ. 'When Under Ether' is a real stand out track telling story of an unborn child, no reason given from what I can hear. Very much a thinking album. Title song and again another highlight 'White Chalk' makes you wonder why you have this on at all. But nice little acoustic passages and her voice convince you this is well worth the listen.

This album was made with much the same people as all her others but it really does sound that much removed from her past albums. Many artists try to do this and fail very badly, this album back when it came out made some new fans but I do remember fans being split on this one. Even her live performance was changed dramatically with PJ removing the traditional band format even from the live performance. Wearing a Victorian style, full length dress and playing many of the instruments live while sitting down is as close to folk you can get. It was more of a one woman show, but simply so much different than the busker you cross the street to get away from.

The album was a hit in the UK and sold ok but really it should have been bigger and people know that. The next album was four years away and on a similar style as this and BANG! people got it, Mercury Prize winner and praise that should have happened in 2007. So people were a little late, so what but those who were late missed out on a better album.

White Chalk is easily available on CD and LP from Amazon

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Nevermore, This Godless Endeavor

Nevermore, This Godless Endeavor (Century Media-2005)

Looking over past albums I have chosen you can see I like heavy metal. But much of the metal world to most people can sound and also, be quite boring. If you can't get into say Slayer and Metallica you may think you don't like that style of music. It may sound to old for you as they have been about for years. Or you just want a more modern sound, something big where you can hear the hard work in the music...

Why not give it one more go. Nevermore are an American band who have been about from the mid 90s. They have done some great albums but this is a real stand out album. Not so much as a good set of tunes but good everything. Production, sound, engineering, musicianship and of course some great riffs. The band have always done a kind of old school thrash sound that has modernized with the black metal sound.

Best way to get an idea is to listen and first track "Born" is all you have to listen to for an idea on the sound here. At times metal does sound better when underproduction helps to give that raw edge. But this band seem to be on another planet here and every single thing that they play you can hear as crystal clear as possible.

DRUMS! man I wish I could hit one drum that sounded as good as this album. Pure utter gold, amazing playing from Van Williams, you think he is just hitting everything all the time but as the album progresses "My Acid Words" shows this man knows exactly what he is doing. Slowing down and barley playing to the music and evolving the album sound from one genre to another in a few drum fills. Amazing.

"Sentient 6" is the first time this album take a ballad feel and even then it is done so well, some nice keyboards and the normal slow timing to make the song feel more emotional but the riffs are here don't worry.

And in the middle a nice instrumental "The Holocaust Of Thought" it is more of a solo lasting 90 seconds, bit odd but if there was no track list you really would not have noticed. Again this album feels so right and it all fits well. "Sell My Heart For Stones" returns to the piano and acoustic sound of before but with some real emotional lyrics. The harmonies help build up what the song is about.

The band up to this point had quite a few albums out and I think they may have got an idea it was the time to make it bigger and "The Psalm Of Lydia" shows just what they can do. Dissecting the song there are 1000 ideas here. You need to listen so close and thankfully the next track is more like a classic metal song, solos and great mountains of noise.

Last track "This Godless Endeavour" titles the album and I see why. Again including many fantastic acoustic passages and that great voice. The bass and drums work so well here and at the start supply a great riff between them. The song is a little like a reprise of the whole album, brave thing to do as I have heard this done many times before and it never really works. But it does here. It could also be a teaser for the next album.

The band and the producer Andy Sneap could not have done anything else to make this better, no tweaks to any dial could have made a single riff or snare drum sound any better. All the planets were in alignment for this one. The press did not miss this one as well, I did see 10/10 in one and all were full of praise. Tours supporting the big bands must have been on the cards.

But the band had some back luck, illness in the band made the tours impossible. No record company can promote a band who can't tour. As they want to build up to the next album. So this album fell under the radar in a way. Well not now, give it a go. This album is my tester album to any new electrical equipment I get. Richer Sounds should give this away with all new amplifiers.

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Isis, Celestial

Isis, Celestial (Hydra Head-2000)

I still think this is a new sound as there has been so few albums to do this so well. At the time it was called Sludge metal, doom, post metal and many others but it really is just loud rock music at the end of the day.

So ok it is not quite Little Richard but still it is just drums, bass and guitar. In 2000 the music world was being blasted by the likes of Limp Bizkit and Korn and others on the fringes of the metal world we all trying to copy that down tuned bass tone.

Isis were not easily led and with a fairly minimal idea for an album made one the the best metal albums in the 00s. The start of the first track gives and idea what is going on here. Sounds of someone typing on a computer keyboard. Sounds like someone hacking into something, could it be in the future or...

Well track one quickly leads into "Celestial (The Tower)" and the guitar noise begins. more like really big riffs that span the whole spectrum of sound. Like a machine digging away at the earth throwing up chunks or rock and dirt. Scratchy guitar parts add into the atmosphere. Singer Aaron Turner appears with screaming vocals that can barely be made out over the sound of the band. He says the album deals with the erosion of privacy as technology advances.

As track two "Glisten" thunders in you can feel as if the album is being made to hurry up a little, that feeling as if the connection will go. Leading back to what the album is about very well. The band work well together in delivering the big riff like noises. "Swarm Reigns (Down)" feeds off the rest of the album well. Now you feel a sense of desperation in the music. The dynamics on this album are fantastic, you really do feel something on each track. Something you just didn't get back in 2000 with other metal bands.

"De constructing Towers" yet again changes scope in the music, more of a jazz feel to it, guitars and drums are frantic. They keep on rolling as if no purpose, like covering up something. Ending with a single acoustic guitar. The music is so good you feel as if it really must have been done before but not to these ears.

With the end near "Collapse and Crush" sounds like its title, big slow doom guitars and strong guttural vocals accompanying the band. All the time still having the chugging guitar sound. This track goes into a nice clean guitar sound and at the right time too. You welcome it with open arms. The track does build slightly heavier but nothing like before. As I say the feel of this album is just amazing. "Gentle Time" closes the album with guitars and riffs that if sped up I feel would still sound the same.

Back in 2000 I was lucky to see some great metal bands like Pantera, Slayer and Metallica. But I was more exited about seeing this band in 2001. They don't sound that much different live as well. But the power and the simplicity is remarkable. With the world turning to baggy jeans and chains it would have been easy to miss this album. Not now as here it is, thanks to this blog a chance to hear an album that will never age or be cool.

Celestial is easily available but if you get the chance get the double album with the add on EP as this was to be a double album when recorded. One year later the second part was released "SGNL>05" is just as epic and essential. I may even review it later on.

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Motörhead, Inferno - Kiss of Death - Motörizer

Motörhead, Inferno, Kiss of Death and Motörizer (Steamhammer 2004-2006-2008)

As you can see I have three Motorhead albums as albums you may have missed. Many people think this band started with Overkill and ended with Ace of Spades but the truth is they did have many more great albums. 

I have chosen the three here as I really can't pick between them and I wanted to have one from the bands later career. Inferno was for the band a bit of a change in sound. Not so much a choice as the band switched producers and in came Cameron Webb. 

Sound wise the albums are more direct and far sharper. These albums showcase how great a drummer Mikkey Dee is. Far more attention and time is given to the rhythm section here and that bass sound Lemmy has feels even more louder now than it has ever done. Old school noise recorded in a new school way, it really should not work but does. Mostly as the band are a great live unit and with Lemmy writing the lyrics you have three great albums. 

Inferno was first up and with some changes that may have scared some older fans. "Terminal Show" and "Killers" really show what the change is about. The production is so crystal clear it feels real. "In the Name of Tragedy" is another classic and last track on the album "Whorehouse Blues" is the one that shocked people. More a mix of country and blues, out comes Lemmy and a harmonica with the drummer helping on second acoustic guitar. A great song and one that would go down well in any acoustic night.

The album says its produced, mixed and engineered by Cameron Webb and that seems to be the real key here. 

Onto Kiss of Death and again the album sounds like where Inferno left off but they really cant have any more killer songs like before. But not only that but faster. "Sucker" and "One Night Stand" come blasting out and checking wikipedia you see Lemmy is in his 60s and still making bands about now sound slow and pathetic. 

Both songs have the trademark sound but they just seem faster and that bass sound seems to have evolved a little. You don't feel like head banging but dancing. And that flows all throw the album. Even "God Was Never on Your Side"  a tearjerker of a song could get you grabbing the first dancing partner available for a slow dance as it is a very slow ballad. 

The whole album if again full of great guitar riffs and some amazing solos. The production is fantastic with everything sounding amazing again. So if the relationship between the band and Webb is working so well how about another album...

Motörizer again adds more fast and brutal rock and roll riffing with the opener "Runaround Man" showing that business is indeed back to usual. This album has some great song writing and a favorite of mine is "English Rose" a fantastic nod to the classic rock n roll of bands from the past, hearing Lemmy sing at the start of this song just gives me chills. His voice sounds superb. "Rock Out" keeps the pedal to the metal as always and "Teach You How To Sing The Blues" makes you dust off those dance shows from the last album. 

Three albums in about four years that are well up there with the best of rock music in the 00s. Some people will always say they are not better than the first few albums back in 78-81. Technically these are better, faster, louder and more melodic than them. It is easy to say older music is always better but all who listen properly to music know that is bullshit. This is album number 17, 18 and 19 for this three piece and if they felt that there would never be a better album to make they would have gave up. 

Twitter: @29xthefun

Classic album review, The Wildhearts, Endless Nameless

The Wildhearts, Endless Nameless (Mushroom-1997)

Yeah I know the band did sort of make it. Plenty of top 20 singles and a ton of touring in the UK and Europe placed this band into rock royalty. But there is a missing link and an album that splits fans so much even now 15 years later the album is still hated by diehard fans.

I think that hate is unfair, more intensive dislike is what I have felt from fans. But I really love this album. At the time it was a new start after the shambles of the East West record deal they signed a new contract with Mushroom records and done it in fashion on the entrance to East West records in London.

The band toured before the release of the album and one or two songs were played. Sounded good to most but in the studio they seem to up the levels on everything. I mean EVERYTHING the drums and bass got the same treatment. My stereo at the time just could not handle this one and the only way to hear it was on my headphones.

With the band in a drug fueled frenzy and an album needed by the record label I think they just did not have time to do anything that was well polished so they made the album all bands want to make. Plug in, play and fuck off. Simple but here the songwriting took a turn, the bass player wrote and sung on the first single. Sill charted as well and a Top of the Pops performance to eclipse anything was done.

I remember at the time looking at the screen in shock, it was just not anything like I have heard or ever heard. Noise that could make you vomit but rock out at the same time. The industry in 97 was very boring. Many indie bands had sunk without trace and the whole charts were dance and pop music only. Thank fuck for this album!

The drugs took the main spot in writing as well with titles like 'Junkenstine' and cover 'Heroin' making sure more singles were not possible even if the music could get radio play 'Pissjoy' has a chorus that has kids singing 'pissjoy na na na na na'. Singles 'Anthem' and 'Urge' were the most like a rock song but the heaviness of the music was just way too much for most. But for people like me who love new music and who were fed up with the crap on the charts it was like walking through a field on a summers day.

After a few listens and the shock of the production passes the tunes come through, mind you singing along and humming are things you just cant do with this album.

It is at the end of the day a riff album and any rock and metal fan should be able to tell a riff from noise. The band managed to record more than ten tracks here in this style. All B sides were the same and with some real stand out songs as well. Jason and the Scorchers cover 'White Lies' is as nearly as good as the original and the house shaking Zomboid will be played when the world ends.

Witness an album split the fans and critics and then wait a few years and see the many other bands jumping up and down with Nu Metal (Overproduced noise) hit the charts and make a mint.

As the first single goes,

I'm in love with the rock and roll world.

Endless Nameless is easily available via download and CD but a reissue in 2010 adds all the b side tracks as well. Worth it for Zomboid alone I say. 

Classic album review, The Icicle Works

The Icicle Works, The Icicle Works  (Beggar's Banquet-1984)

Liverpool in the 80s seemed to be engulfed in great music and bands that were all a part of the new wave of music coming out of the UK. The Icicle Works for me are one of the best bands and this one of the best albums.

The single "Love is a Wonderful Colour" managed to chart in the uk at number 15. back then that was such a big thing to do. Top 20 could make you overnight.

But it just did not happen for the band, the album went out and charted well but sales were far lower than what the record company would want. More singles and albums were released and in 1990 the band split.

Ian McNabbs voice on this album is fantastic, helped by his song writing, it is just so direct, no messing about with fancy harmonies here just his great voice and lyrics that seem to never age.
It is a guitar album but it does not take center stage and that is something I don't get, why was this not a big radio hit. "Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)" was a single demanding top ten but it did not happen. Well here it did not. The band had a hit in America where they would tour but again the next album was not even looked at in America.

The music here is fast with a kind of erratic drumming on many of the songs that feels like a dance beat to most. This is great music to dance to, try as hard as you can to not dance to 'Nirvana'. Try not to air drum to 'Chop the Tree' and all the time singing along.

For me ten tracks and ten singles that any fan of music would instantly get. Everybody get love song, but not every song can be seen as a love song to the untrained ear 'Out of Season' is to most a song about weather. But the fact people did not buy the album means they could not have had a chance to work out the songs here.

Call it new wave or post punk it really just did not fit neatly into any of them and that is why you need this album. How about 'catchy post punk pop rock'? No?, well I did try. 

Every debut album is a bands best of album from the time they formed. This band could have done a double as the extra disc on the re issue is just as good. Seriously if you have £9 spare go get this album. You will thank me for it and even if it is for the top 20 single Love is a Wonderful Colour it would still be worth it.

Another four albums followed this one with each one changing the bands sound a bit that it made this just a little bit special.  Ian McNabb would move onto a solo career and make many more albums and even help sing and write songs on the Lightning Seeds multi platinum Jollification album.

The Icicle Works is available on a 2CD reissue from 2006 on Beggars Banquet now.
I also recommend the book Mersybeast by Ian McNabb more for understanding what the music industry was like in the 80s.

Classic album review. Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come

Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts (Burning Heart-1998)

I recently saw this album on a downloading site and it only had three downloads where next to it was other punk bands with 100s and 1000s of downloads. Shame but other peoples loss is my gain and well now it is our gain.

Swedish Hardcore Punk band Refused were about for seven years until they made this album. For some reason the band just never got along. But this was the 3rd album by them and for me a total classic. Mid 90s was a wash with pop punk music and thank fuck this came along. The album made a statement in that it was punk but not as we know it. Green Day and the Offspring managed to change mainstream views in what was punk. But any fan of punk music knows that it has few boundaries.

The music contained here is varied with at times drum and bass and pop music on the same track. Between songs are small parts of political satire mixed with jazz and even techno. It is not a punk rock album but is one of the most important punk rock albums (Ha get your head around that one Green Day fans).

Hearing this album is like flicking through the history of music in the last 30 to 40 years and reading a newspaper at the same time. The guitar work here is for me amazing, not often am I left with my mouth open at what is being played but it is just so good. The singer is on another planet at times screaming like the end of the world has arrived. I have no idea how this was recorded but it just sounds so complete. The drums and bass have a task in keeping up but do it so well.

It is hard to explain how important this album is, fans loved it and keep it close but outsiders just don't get it. I have played it to friends who just look at the cover in disgust as the album continues it is then disregarded as noise and forgotten about.

The band just did not get along, they were without a permanent bass player for the whole time they existed and the last tour was so bad the band split. Great reviews were not going to keep them on the road or even in the studio. No major label would touch this album. The band seemed to want to move onto other things and so they did in 1998. No last big gig or farewell tour.

I know I am not alone as a reissue in 2004 and 2010 shows people do hear about it and buy it. I had an argument with a moderator of a website after I placed it in the punk section to be told it is not punk.

Fuck it I will let you decide, punk or not it rocks like fuck and is one of the most essential albums of the 90s. 

I recently saw on the web the band have reformed for some live shows. Great news I hope they get the attention they deserve.

Available on CD and download, I say buy the limited 3CD and if you don't like it give it to me.

Classic album review. Jason and the Scorchers, LOST & FOUND

Some you may have missed.

Right I have ran out of stuff to moan about so I will hand over this blog (moan page) to some classic albums that people for some reason have missed. It will be a real mix of music so if you only like 90s music or only listen to rap don’t bother looking back again.

First up is the reason I am doing this as I am still totally shocked they never made it.

Jason and the Scorchers, LOST & FOUND (EMI – 1984)

This band formed and done three full albums (this being the first) and then split after not making it in 1990. Just a year later you had the alt rock explosion from the likes of the Pixes, Nirvana and REM. They would all go on to sell millions and change music history by killing the glam rock/metal crap of the 80s.

The band came about as Jason Ringenberg (Vocals) was told his voice was crap when he sung other peoples songs. He decided to form a band and do it himself and not long after the self funded debut came out. An EP called Fervor in 1983 got them signed to EMI and then a proper full on album to be made.

Mixing country and punk rock the band made a new sound and most of all a great sound. Hated by both country and rock they done something similar as REM as they were just not taken well with the AOR fans. Many big REM fans don’t know that Michael Stipe co-wrote a song with Jason and can be found on the first EP.

The band were getting a lot of heat from country fans as the cross of punk and country was so unpopular that people picketed the gigs. I think this helped fuel the band to make them hate them even more and the band entered the studio. 

With no real budget they could only really capture the bands live sound and record it. And by hell they did, this album rocks like a motherfucker from start to end. Opening up with a big guitar drum harmonica start that you will never hear ever again. ‘Last Time Around’ is one of the best starts to an album I have ever heard it just sets the whole band up so well and I am sure it made many mums and dads scowl in hatred. The second track is the anthem ‘White Lies’, a real punk song that should have been a hit. A good video was made but MTV just don’t get it. The band was only really able to play the south and try and exploit the country link. 

‘Shop it Around’ was released and even managed to top 40 in the UK. But the band was busy in the US and could not do anything about it. I often think that this was a big mistake as Top of the Pops would have loved a band like that and I do think UK country and punks fans would have got it. This is a rare album where just about all the songs could have been released as singles. ‘Broken Whiskey Glass’ again a popular song here and a song Jason is still mostly recognized for mixes the styles of music so well that you just can’t believe a band can do this all on one grove of a 12” LP

Even listening to this now it is so much fresher now than it ever was. The guitars sound so loud and sharp something you just don't get now. This is one of those albums when yo put it on you have to turn the volume down a little. The way this album sounds is like a blueprint for the alt rock bands who came along after them. 

The album is out in the UK as the EMI Years and has extra tracks included. In the US you can get it as a double album Fervor and Lost and Found.