The Clash, Sandinista!

The Clash, Sandinista! (1980-CBS)

I was never a big fan of the Clash, I do like them and love the first album. I also have a lot of respect for the band as they really did include so many styles of music in every album they did. And that ties into this album in a big way.

The band made it big and way bigger than most punk bands collected together. But it never took away their punk mentality. Each album was full of great tunes and also very important political and every day subjects. This album has even been named after the troubles in Nicaragua taking the name of a political party in that country.

But the album is a first here and also something very rare in music. It is a triple album, and I do mean three LPs. The album fills up all six sides of the three slabs of plastic and I feel it is filled well. The story goes it was made three disks due to Bruce Springsteen putting out his the River album as a double and the music world creaming themselves over that. So a challenge in a way. Both artists really have no problems with each other and this reviewer looks at the River as one of the bosses top three so we all win here.

The album is no real departure from previous but one inclusion unique to it is all four member take lead vocals at some point. Also some tracks are there twice with the second being a Dub version. Sounds like some fillers here but it does seem to work. Now here is where respect is due, the band made a deal to have the album out at £5 so the punters could get it at the same price as other albums. This would have hit the bands finances and pretty much have robbed them of any royalties. So it was a big gamble and looking at sales it was a bad one for the band.

Only gaining a silver (60,000) units in the UK the album was certified gold in the US. So total sales in America must have been about 175,000 as the certification on multiple records in the US includes each disk as one sale. I feel it should have sold more and the marketing side of me sees it as a value for money buy as well. We have all purchased that soundtrack album in a supermarket as it has all the hit songs you like, cheaper than buying each individually eh?

Even the albums singles failed to do much "The Magnificent Seven" being the only top 40 hit in the UK. A great song and full of fun as was "Hitsville U.K." a great song that really shows how good the band were at writing pop music with a great world music feel. For me the album has the best sound out of all the bands albums, recorded and mixed by Bill Price he would have made sure all the music was recorded properly and that is not easy including multiple session players for things like trumpets, saxophones and harmonicas over two studios.

By todays standards artists think nothing of making an album run over 60 mins but back then a triple album was a real big thing and very rare. I hostly know of no band that done it successfully. The album has for some people filler tracks. Like "Career Opportunities" sung or rather worded by Mickey Gallagher's two sons, Luke and Ben it is an odd thing to do but it really shows how far punk had went from 76. Before the band would never have used valuable time in the studio like that but times changed in the punk world so fast.

The three disks do have a little different feel with the first full of the singles and fun, second and third feel similar but the last is way more experimental and it could have been a kind of side project in a way. But at the time the band sort of marketed the 3LP as a 2LP with a bonus 12" so looking at the last album as a bonus is a good thing. But still a cracking album and for me time has served it very well.

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David Bowie, Low, Heroes and Lodger (Berlin Trilogy)

David Bowie, Low, Heroes and Lodger (RCA-1977/79)

For me the best time in this mans career was in the 1970s. Album after album for me was fantastic and always sold well. But there were three albums that didn't sell as much due to the style of music contained on the album. Going from Art rock, experimental rock, krautrock, electronic, ambient and even pop over these three albums is just too much for many listeners. But time really should have changed your ears and tuned them into liking this music now.

For me "Low" is the easiest to get into, more electronic pop than anything. Ok you will not be able to start up the karaoke but there is music to move to here. "Sound And Vision" is a stand out track here on side one where as the second side really takes you on Bowie's trip through giving up cocaine. Brian Eno is a guest on the second side and this is where it really takes on the electronic synth style called krautrock. At the time it was totally new to most people as they had never heard the likes of Kraftwerk. Co produced with Tony Visconti he was a big part in the sound on the whole album and with Eno they labored more in the creative side than given credit.

The previous release in "Station to Station" was a big inspiration to the change in sound. As it was to be used for a film soundtrack this helped give Bowie some freedom in the writing of the album. That album has been given much praise from many bands in the area around punk in the 70s as it was capturing so much more than the typical AOR style that is always promoted by the labels.

Quickly the same year "Heroes" came out and with a similar sound but recorded in a more of an improvised way. Many first takes were used and again the album really can't be put into anything he done before. "Beauty and the Beast" provided a top 40 hit in the UK (only just at 39) the album was loved by music fans but really done nothing in America. Again the flip side provided a change from the other with "Sense of Doubt" and "Neuköln" being instrumentals and using that ambient style from his previous album. The album is less negative than the first as Bowie had moved to Berlin proper and recorded the whole album there.

With the first two albums having a kind of bi polar feel to them for most people you could easily love the first side and well... respect the second? But in 1979 "Lodger" may well be the one you like best. It is a far more straight forward release, that is in comparison to the other two. Still very much in an experimental style the album does not seem to suffer from any of his drug problems and at the time he was back to great writing. As with any good album travel is featured and tracks like "African Night Flight" and "Fantastic Voyage" get you thinking of booking a ticket abroad to get where he heard the influences for yourself.

The second side has tracks poking fun at our own culture. "Repetition" could be talking about other styles of music or even every day life, same job, same bus trip to work. And a top ten hit in the UK with "Boys Keep Swinging" gave this album much needed attention. Lyrics like "When you're a boy, other boys check you out" really shows he is thinking out loud and asking questions on gender, the video near the end had himself dressed in drag as three backing singers. In America the lead single was "Look Back in Anger" as the previous song was not considered due to the gender diverse topic that the song and video possess. This track was a nice rock track with some great guitar work from Carlos Alomar who provides guitar to tracks over all three albums.

As these albums were being recorded the music world was changing from punk to post punk and new wave bands all making it big. All challenging people to take on more diverse music. As his next album in "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" coming out in 1980 he needed to sell well and did all thanks to the build up of the three albums before as the fans of those were again buying more great new music.

The three albums here were all but ignored by America and as each came out even got less attention in the UK. After this was three massive selling albums. They were simply just out too early I feel. But saying that you really would not have sold much more even in the 80s I think. Many bands and artists owe a big thank you to these albums as they really did open the door. May take a few listens but they really are his best work.

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Burzum, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss

Burzum, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (Misanthropy-1994)

Recorded in September of 1992 this album along with three others were recorded in just over a year. Each for me are well worth buying and highlighting “Filosofem” from 1996 as it really is two completely different sounding albums.

This album is a concept album and in English is called If the Light Takes Us. Much of the Black Metal world was all about volume and speed where this music rewound all that back. This is far more of an ambient album. But the influence is there.

"Det som en gang var" ("What Once Was") starts the album with a guitar sound that has been made to sound very empty owning to the concept of the album. He messes about with synthesizers and guitars multi tracking to make a sound I really do not think could be done live. Well up to a point where a full band sound kicks in and all the rock fans out there will recognize some classic elements of riffs and rhythm. All still played while there is a droning in the background. About now you are shocked that it is all done by one person, every instrument, mixing and production was all done by one person. I think this is the key here as most people would most likely get someone else to play drums due to not being good enough but on this album it really does work very well. The production is not crystal clear but that is the whole point as well.

What is new here is the mix of ambient and metal in the same songs and at the same time. None of this one minute intro of building music up to a big guitar blitz. This is all here at once. Fourteen and a half minutes fly by.

"Hvis lyset tar oss" ("If the Light Takes Us") brings us back to a style most would see as BM but again there is that droning guitar sound. Same goes for track three "Inn i slottet fra droemmen" ("Into the Castle from the Dream") this has more of a repetitive nature to it. Not that far away from a drum and bass sound. The screams and growls keep you where you want to be though. Saying that the vocal work on this album is really kept to a minimum and I think that is helpful to many new ears on the style of music. Track three has most of the vocals on the whole album. And to those like me who can’t speak Norwegian you will not know what he is singing. There are plenty of pages on the web with translation and the lyrics are really nothing amazing. First verse of track three is “Between misty vales, Between gloomy mountains, Under gray clouds, In the black night”

Lyrics are never this style of music’s strong point. Well it is one of those reasons it exists. Can’t sing well it is not needed. Same as in track four "Tomhet" ("Emptiness") why bother writing bass, guitar and drum parts when you can use a synthesizers to make the epic feeling of nothing. I have read some say this track is a filler track and for me they are wrong it is my stand out track. I once went to Norway and got the train from Oslo to Bergen and got off at a stop in-between and went for a walk in the mountains of Finse. With 2hr wait between the trains I had a good listen to this music and it really does sound right. There is more to the track as it builds up and it really catches you unaware. I won’t ruin it but is for me a fantastic track. Other times I listen to it is on long flights more so at the start of the flight just to settle me down a bit. It has that effect on you.

This blog is about albums that missed the big time. This could never have made it big but looking at the last few years of Black Metal and bands headlining 60,000+ festivals and making big money then yeah the payoff never happened. Can’t do this live and I would never want to see it live. But what a great album.

If you like this check out “Filosofem” as well.

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My trip to Norway in 2012 on Flickr

The Almighty, Crank

The Almighty, Crank (1994-Chrysalis)

For any rocks fans who read this you may have well heard this band. More likely you have heard of them as in the early 90s they were very popular.

Based in Glasgow, Scotland they were one of many bands to come from Glasgow in many years. But unlike the others the music was simply and strictly in the rock category. No stranger to the studio or even the charts this is album number four, but at the time it was released rock music was not in. Britpop had taken over and every record label was signing anything with three chords and a cheeky smile.

The album came out to mixed reviews more so from the fans as it was more aggressive and louder. More akin to a punk band than the classy intros and ballads of a rock band. The cover for me was simply stunning, done by Jamie Reid simply an angel throwing a Molotov cocktail at Earth. The album backs up the cover.

First track "Ultraviolent" is the start I was expecting and thankfully it has it all. Loud and bold, the band hammer out the bass and drums big time. This is not for radio one on a Monday morning at 9am! The bands sound really is not a million miles away from before but the attitude is. Only two singles were released from the album and they are like chalk and cheese in the tempo department but both strangely sound right. "Wrench" is the slower song, big drum sound intro at the start and the song builds up, it is like a Ramones song slowed down. Anyone could play along with this a few chords and great lyrics. "Jonestown Mind" is way faster, I mean way, way faster. A breakneck start to the song and you feel like you are being piledriven by a wrestler. First line is "You're the Jesus that didn't get nailed, Everyone loves a righteous cause" So no daytime radio for this then.

The album is here as I think it deserves more attention and also cause there is no filler there at all. "The Unreal Thing" is another cracker of a song. The same big sound throughout the album and I think a great single. But were the kids ready for this after blasting Oasis? It really does not sound like it fits in 1994 at all. Even the metal world was struggling. But the production to me is not far from Nirvana and the Nevermind album. Nothing wrong with having a great sounding album.

The album keeps it going "Move Right In" and "Crank And Deceit" are all out rockers and intent on making you jump about like a loon. "United State Of Apathy" is a tribute to Bill Hicks and for me one of the highlights of the album. Great Bill inspired lyrics with "Sit up straight eat your Jesus flakes" up there as my favorite on the album. Great chorus in "Welcome To Defiance" if they took of the big drum sound and calmed it down a bit there may have been a hit. But fuck that let it rock out.

Back in 1995 I really can't remember any press on this album and I sort of fell into it by accident. The Wildhearts were to play T in the Park put pulled out. The Almighty were asked to take the place. Back then as I say all festivals were a wash with britpop and this band stood out big time. The new material for me was great, loud and for me being in my teens what I wanted.

The sound on the album may well be familiar to you as it was mixed by Chris Sheldon, who would go on to do albums by the Foo Fighters and Biffy Clyro. Who knows if britpop had not have started, if the record company pushed them more in America with a nice big promo video. But fuck it it is all done now, give it a listen and the next time you hear Monkey Wrench you can give this album a pat on the back.

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Pain, Rebirth

Pain, Rebirth (Stockholm-1999)

Remember Napster? This album for quite some time was only available in Sweden and the reason I got this was due to Napster. Back then you could talk to the people you shared music with. Got chatting to a death metal fan from Sweden who recommended this to me. So downloaded it (Well it was free).

A bit of background here as it is important. Peter Tägtgren was at the time well known within metal fans as the leader of death metal band Hypocrisy he was also used many times by bands as a producer. His own studio was used for many classic metal albums, his own band were still going but his desire to make other music was so strong this album came about. Well it is his second under the name Pain. All writing/instruments are by his so it really is as solo as you can ever get. It was nothing but a side project but the album had a two hit singles in Sweden. Not sure if that was ever expected as the deal was simply kept to Sweden, this is where Napster came in to a music fans help. Import copies were very expensive back then. So I only ever had this on MP3 till a few years ago. 

The hit singles in "On and On" and "End of the Line" are so much fun and a real mix of styles. industrial and rock are mixed well but the ending sound is very surprising, strangely it feels more like pop music. Not so far away than what could be in the dance clubs. It can get you dancing much like "On and On" as the music is very repetitive but the vocals are all clean. As I say Peter was a death metal vocalist so a real change of style for him. But it all works. "End of The Line" has some nice loops and guitar samples that really show how good he is in the studio. Again the vocals help keep a tune and the ears are interested.

One of the songs I always loved was "Crashed" an all out rock track but it has keyboards as the lead tune at the intro but still feels very rocking. The guitars on this album are there but with little distortion it helps the overall sound balance out and I think that is why many fans of dance music took notice. "Suicide Machine" is another song I like, a little bit heavier again but the electronic side is obvious, more mixing of the guitars and samples. It really should not work but you find yourself singing along with it.

One track that mixes the guitars into what I could only say is a beat is "Parallel to Ecstasy" it is very interesting as the riff side of the guitar sound feels like it is made faster and looped to feel like a dance beat but it is a distorted guitar. Great stuff, I could see this all being released in the UK as a white label promo (white label is where no info is on the disc making DJ/radio listen) and getting many people interested.

I really do wonder what would have happened if this was put out with a big label as at the time Stockholm Records was not as big as it was. More so outside of Sweden. Perfect label would have been Deconstruction. Give this a go it was listed at the time as industrial/electronic rock but it really is more than that. Very catchy I remember friends into dance music asking me for a copy of this in 99. Always loved how they were enjoying it so much but always adamant they don't like rock music.

Now easily available it has had many reprints so the cover may well be different.

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Frank Black and the Catholics, Frank Black and the Catholics

Frank Black and the Catholics, Frank Black and the Catholics (SpinART-1998)

Here is the worlds first album to be made available on the MP3 format. And fitting in that the low fi quality of the format fits so well with this album. Rumored to have been recorded on a two track and all played live. The record company at the time refused to release something so unpolished.

But Black Francis is not the sort of person to sit about and wait, he went on and done other work. This was almost slipped out to the public with no real fanfare. Shame as it is a really catchy album with amazing songs. It is simply a rock album, nothing fancy and with some nice slower acoustic numbers to help balance it all out. Where the Pixies could be for some a little to alt rock this is quite easy for all to like. More of a punk feel in some of the guitar work but that is due to the way it was recorded.

"All My Ghosts" kicks in with a great pop punk attitude, catchy lyrics that you instantly remember and sing along to. Some of the count ins are left in on the record 1, 2, 3, 4, "Back To Rome" shows how great at lyrics he can be. Keeping the music simple and the melody the main aspect in all songs it is one great tune after another. His voice suits it all perfectly. "Do You Feel Bad About It?" is my personal favorite, so easy to play and sing to. Even this crappy guitar player/none singer can have fun with this.

"Dog Gone" could have been a big hit if the record company had it there way. No need for a big producer and a 128 track machine. Few harmonies and an acoustic and the track sounds like five grand better than most pop acts.

The band are happy to indulge in other styles and "Sis Sixty-six" has a nice country feel to it. You could be fooled into tapping that foot. "Steak 'n' Sabre" has some nice slide sounding guitar work, the band love to play. There are plenty of great tracks on this album and all get you as bigger and better than most albums that cost £100,000 to make.

You really do not notice the album was recorded in such a raw way and that is testament to the songwriting and the skills of the band. Music like this now would be massive as so many of the big popular rock bands on Radio 1 are missing that catchy tune or as we have here tunes. Black Francis really never sat still after the Pixies and many fans of the former band have missed this one.

The record company made a big balls up here, missing out on one amazing album, many bands that came and went during the britpop era could only dream of making music this fast and easy. If the album was out in 95 I may not have needed to put it here. The album was held back by the company hoping something would happen in the mainstream to fit this in. But the album is timeless. Some press and live TV could have made this sell a truck load. Failing that plenty of church goers may have got it as a mistake. And there reward is a great rock n roll album.

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Anathema, Judgement

Anathema, Judgement (Music for Nations-1999)

This band established a very good following from the previous years Alternative 4 album. New record label and album number five is todays entry for an album missed.

Sadly this band have never really been taken up in anywhere but the metal press. More so in the UK where the press are so obsessed with giving everything a title. This was classed as a metal band and much of that time was put into a similar area as extreme metal.

Sadly with press like that you will never get a chance and they did deserve it as the previous album was a fantastic offering. With the band changing style some what it was considered by fans as experimental. That is out the window on this so called second experimental album.

Album opener is a great introduction to what is going on here "Deep" has all the elements that will follow in later songs. A catchy intro, nice melodic guitars and a full on orchestral sound. The band really do mix classical music and rock music so well. There has to be one thing that makes two things come together. Much like the lost 5th Irish province of Meath it has been placed into the history books and ignored by all the people now.

But this is not much of a relic and 1999 was many years after the rock bands done it in the 70s. Track two "Pitiless" helps show the new ideas the band have. A much louder track and bringing with it distorted guitars and a full on drum sound. But as always the great voice of Vincent Cavanagh echoing out the song slows down and outros with acoustic guitars.

The album was out pretty much at the wrong time for any real chart success as the likes of Evanescence hitting worldwide success in 2003 the band were and still are leaps above that band. They were more of a gimmick to me and I feel this album is just way more serious. You can feel the hard work on the album and not just in the performance, the whole album sound utterly fantastic and if you have a nice sound set up this will be a real treat for those speakers.

Every track has amazing passages of music or you could call them thumbnails as the really have been scaled down to fit on a CD. It is like a 5 hour performance in a theater. "One Last Goodbye" even contains an all out ballad with that well known sound that Bon Jovi fans love so much. A very much simple track with acoustic guitars but without the cheese. This band make music sound £500 better.

Lee Douglas comes in to "Parisienne Moonlight" the song for me that steals the show. When you think of rock/metal bands that do the female to male vocals you think of Lacuna Coil, get that out of your head now. This is nothing but 110% performance. The build up on this song is astronomical, you will be on the edge of your seat.

Music for Nations does not exist and for the band it was over, but they have still plugged away and have completed many a European tour. They seem to go down well in many of those countries. All I can say is they must have taste. But there is also the fact the UK and America has to put all music in its own category. If you have a CD collection like that you may need a new category, call it the one that is never cool to love.


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