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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Dragonforce, Inhuman Rampage

Dragonforce, Inhuman Rampage (Roadrunner-2006)

Who likes power metal?

Hey no sniggering at the back! I am serious I like some power metal now and then. It reminds me of the American Wrestling with all the theater and show, add in a story and the big production it can be very entertaining. Then I have seen UK wrestling, nothing like America put it like that.

Like wrestling the UK was very bad at making power metal bands and even metal music for some time. Enter this band who had a few album out before this amazing piece of work. Guitarist Herman Li got this band going as he could not find a band who wanted to play his style (very fast solo like power metal) so he made one himself. Fast forward a few great album and the band had a change in sound a little. The change was to add in more solos and more guitars (no joke).

"Through The Fire And Flames" kicks it off in one hell of a style. The song has a great name and I think they can walk through fire and flame. The drums are none stop but still play in time to the melody. The songs here are very melodic and also very much a track for the metal clubs. The opratic vocals add that theme that I talked about, nice and clean vocals with words you can hear and sing along to. Hey it works for Abba.

"Revolution Deathsquad" is like a tribute to all metal bands and solos ever. There is even some riff tributes included but not done in a cheesy way at all. Solo after solo after solo...  I joke not, it is guitars and melodic riffs to the max the singer has time for a part-time job here. But so bloody good. Any guitar player has to hear this and I do not mean in a Eddie Van Halen way as he did something unique. This has been done before in over say five albums.

Sitting back and listening you do feel it is all production and studio work much like Hulk Hogan was in his 50s and could never do what he does without the gimmicks and set up. I have seen the band live and they are like this! They have gimmicks just as good with a Keytar and trampolines to jump off from and throw shapes.

"Operation Ground And Pound" has a real classic power metal sound with the keyboards being used as the intro but all is over soon and guitars kick in. Each song really does have a nice meladic vocal section and for people who sing in the shower you can do it here as well. But just don't expect to get round of applause at the next karaoke.

 Last track is the radio friendly ballad. "Trail Of Broken Hearts" is one for the people who enjoy a few drinks and like a slower number. Throw out the Bon Jovi and have this track.

Amazing thing about this album is it was a big hit in the UK. Selling over 100,000 copies it went gold here and gave roadrunner a very rare Gold album. Much deserved and I think I have this hear for the fans outside the UK.

Hey if you don't like it do as Hulk says "say your prayers, take your vitamins ..."

If you do get it get me a foam finger as a reward.

Easily available all over the world via Roadrunner.

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Hole - My Body, The Hand Grenade

Hole - My Body, The Hand Grenade (City Slang-1997)

The first three Hole albums are quite different in contents. The jump from the first to the third is quite a leap, more so to the radio audience that seem to be attracted to Hole, sometimes due to the Nirvana connection.

The first two albums have got a good bit to do with each other, very punky and all out rock. But album number three was being made and also made with a big help from Billy Corgan who has writing credits on all the hit singles. A change in direction was the plan. This album is there to explain how the change happens.

Rewind back to a time the band was just a garage style punk band making demos. That is what the first tracks here are. This is a compilation album made up of demo, live and B sides. The early material is what is appealing here as it is so raw. The bands first song "Turpentine" starts the album off and with low production and little direction it sounds fantastic. Love is a great performer and you can feel it all over this song. A riff and some fast drumming as all you need at times if it is right.

"Phonebill song" continues the raw sound but captures it all again. You tend to hear this style of demo all the time but some of the songs here are first attempts in a real studio. And I think that adds to the appeal here as they were just so raw at the start of the bands career. Celebrity Skin really does sound like another band.

"Retard Girl" is a song that would never make the radio, it is a narrative of a girl being abused and made fun of in a playground/school. It is very much a strong subject but bands writing this early have to have something to write. All the songs follow a similar pattern in the music but for most of the time it sounds really good with the lyrics. It would be odd to sing of rape and the likes with a nice we melodic into and riff.

Cobain fans will like the "Beautiful Son" as it makes fun of his cross dressing when he was younger. There is even a song credited to him here "Old Age" was recorded for Nevermind but rejected later. Love then added her ideas to the song. From what I know is the intro is on track seven of Live Through This but in a much rockier sound. Also this version has totally new lyrics. Again hearing a band evolve is so interesting and seeing how one song can go between two bands and songwriters and a full year is great to hear. This version is an acoustic number and shows Love in a more melodic voice. This is a very basic sound again with another acoustic and possibly even a little acoustic bass to make it bigger.

Later tracks are covers and MTV Unplugged tracks. The album does seem to run very well as the live stuff mixes in well with the albums sound due to the demo quality. A great album and artistically the band had so much more to give. Love has so much to sing/rage about that it is a shame the band have only done four studio album. If you like any of the two albums by this band give this a go.

For me this is my favorite Hole album. But my taste in music is quite different and you don't come here for Oasis reviews.

This album was only released in the UK and Europe and is hard to find, second hand is the best bet with copies on E bay easy to get.

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Type O Negative, October Rust

Type O Negative, October Rust (Roadrunner-1996)

I really think this band are so overlooked. I know so as I did the same. I did buy this in the late 90s but never really liked it as much as I do now. Could be my age but I don't know why it took so long to love this band so much.

The album before was a big hit going platinum in America and cementing the band into the gothic style. But they really are just a rock band. As always all music has to be put into a sub genre. Call it metal if you like but it is still just rock n roll.

The dry humor here is what I love starting with a joke track then onto the music. "Love You to Death" is such a catchy song, nice keyboards and sample added with Peter Steele's utterly unique voice opens the album up well. Same goes for his bass playing and "Be My Druidess" shows how to make a sound with a bass guitar in a way that you have to have a go. The down tuned style is at times so un inspiring for many people but there are so many positives here as the songs are very catchy, you will be sing along at times and again it is listed in the metal section.

The big song "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" will guarantee smiles and it is such a great song, it should have been number one, could have been in the 80s but would they take it a seriously back then? The album is so well made that I was shocked to read that all drums were programed and you really can barley notice. I think they have made such a nice little sound unique to themselves you really do not notice much of the technical side of the music.

This album was not received as well as the other albums they done and a reason was for it being more ballad like music. But it is done so well and with such a great song writer in Steele they even cover a Neil Young song (Cinnamon Girl) and do it so well in there own style of music. It may seem to be a serious album and it is as the album deals with loneliness and death but the humor is so important here as it is so hard to write funny music. Here we have a funny, serious, heavy metal pop album. Has anyone ever done that ever since?

The album is easily available but the box set is great value as all the other albums are really good.

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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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Neurosis, A Sun That Never Sets

Neurosis, A Sun That Never Sets (2001-Relapse Records)

So you think this is a metal album right? Well ok it could be to most people but it really is not metal. This band really started as a punk band. Over time the albums came out and the style changed. That is what a band should do so now album number seven is here.

The start of this album can be considered quite mellow or slow. But the contents are far from that, very well thought out and also constructed with amazing direction to consider pace and dynamics.

Big shout out to Steve Von Till on the vocals here. Amazing work and on track two "The Tide" he shows how it can be done. Nice slow speaking parts but with his voice showing the story. Acoustic guitars and violin build this into a stunning wall of noise. it is so easy to get lost in the first few tracks and even consider this album to being linked to heavy metal. You really do not notice the guitars here like on a typical metal outfit. That is why the album is chosen to be here. The textures and guitar sound are less than riffs but more harmonics. Amazing stuff, I don't know if it is just trained ears that hear this but it is a real treat to my ear drums.

At the time of the albums release the band were on a high commercially with the previous albums Through Silver and Blood and Times of Grace gaining positive reviews across the music industry and opening the band up to so many other fans (like me). So the next album could be expected to be the same but not so and this reviewer can still remember the day he got this on CD. One of those rare album where you go right back in for a listen. When on the bus I was not bothered about the congestion when I had this in the cd player. "From the Hill" has all the contents of the more noisy dynamics from the first track but slowed down. Nothing is rushed here and it again shows how good the band are at feeling what they want to do.

The title track helps give some melodic feel into the longest track here "Falling Unknown" reminds me of very early Cheap Trick mixed with an evil Thin Lizzy helping King Crimson tune up. A kind of rock start to the song thunders into more sound scape that build and build up. You never really care if it gets to the top and could be considered a little to long, but a band in this good shape has to be recorded.

The album has been listed in a folk metal category for the elements it contains. Very unusual to have violins and viola on a metal album but this really does help this album out in making it bigger. Also this was the first album the band made that had clean vocals, with the vocals rarely moving from the slow spoken style.

From this album on the Sludge metal seem to evolve into a very large part of metal music. Neurosis may not have ever wanted to be on MTV but some bands after them were very much helped by the contents of this album. This shows you do not need to sell out by becoming more pop or more radio friendly. Why not use popular art instead.

A Sun That Never Sets is available easily via Neurot Recordings

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Cheap Trick, Rockford

Cheap Trick, Rockford (Big3 Records-2006)

Album number 15 for this "Rockford" based band. Yeah it is named after the bands home town and why not. A band that always had there feet on the ground and from the early 90s were pretty much self managed. With the record company poking there nose in much of the time as soon as the deal was over it was time to move on. 1997 the released a self titled album that was for me a cracking return to form and a new start.

Here is an album that I think was not given any real mainstream coverage as people more likely assume the band is passed it or worse still just listen to the first few albums. Well you need to add this to the collection as it is fantastic. A proper all out rock album that pulls many a punch. It is like a mix of old and new with the catchy vocals we have all heard before.

Every track here is a great one and the album opens with "Welcome to the World" it feels like the band are having just as much fun as the listener. "Perfect Stranger" shows a band who can still play so well together. I know this is not just studio production as I have seen the band live a few times now and the are still amazing to see. Rick Nielsen may not run about the stage as much or as fast but hell they can play.

If this was the mid 80s this album would have sold bucket loads but 2006 and on there own label it really did not stand a chance. But I don't think the band care as long as the fans like it.

Any younger person reading this may remember the That 70s Show theme tune? That was this band! Think of that show intro but faster and more fun and you have the first half of this album.

I could review each track on its own but why bother as all have the same sound and it is great. A band that people can't rip off as all bands after them agree they were the most fun.

Those few of you who read this and get this album then you are in for a real treat and if you have never listened to a Cheap Trick album before then here is where to start. It has been well documented the band help influence the likes of Nirvana, the Pixies, Pearl Jam, Weezer, the Ramones and countless others.

By the way album 16 if fantastic as well, still on tour and going strong Cheap Trick, 1973–present

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