Review:Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left (1969)

The mystique that surrounds the short career of Nick Drake undoubtedly adds to the fervent worship that greets his work today. Just three studio albums, no video or live recordings and few interviews, the cult of the folk icon gathers critical acclaim not only from his body of work but from the sympathy for his debilitating depression and ultimately, his lonely demise at the age of 26. There is a definite sense of what might have been had he been able to overcome his demons, but the listeners are left with a few still pictures and a body of work that imbues a sense of doomed romanticism that feels timeless, making it easy to understand the continued reverence he is held in to this day.

Discovered by Fairport Convention's bass player Ashley Hutchings and signed to Island Records via Joe Boyd's Witchseason production company, Drake’s debut album has a uniquely rural English charm that combines his intoxicating vocal performance with an acoustic guitar style that is both imaginative and technically gifted in equal measure. Robert Kirby fleshes out the sparse autumnal soundscapes with orchestral arrangements that deliberately create a counter melody that drifts in and out of prominence, and yet never dilutes the singer’s world weary musings. Veteran composer Harry Robinson steps in for the highlight, and possibly Drake’s best song “River Man”, which perfectly bridges the composer’s metronomic guitar line and the transitions between major 7ths and minor chords with a succinct yet vital string accompaniment. The prophetic irony of the lyrics to “Fruit Tree” suggests the dreadful slide into depression that Drake would eventually succumb to. His whispered baritone burr on “Day Is Done” and “Time Has Told Me” portray a poetic sage well beyond his tender years.

The public indifference to this and subsequent recordings would embitter Nick Drake for the remaining six years of his life. The resignation to his feelings of isolation and insecurity would dominate later recordings, and in many ways “Five Leaves Left” marks the start of the journey into the shadowy wilderness that would envelop his artistic career and ultimately his life, and for that reason will always be a unique, often remarkable recording.

8/10

Classic Review: The Cure - Seventeen Seconds (1980)

Detached: A word that epitomizes “Seventeen Seconds” position amongst the cumulated back catalogue of Robert Smith’s Cure.

Detached: The abstract blurry images of the cover further drove the band away from traditional Rock iconography and indeed, enhanced The Cure’s “anti-image”.

Detached: “Seventeen Seconds” is the first point where Smith wrestles free of any hint of the Producer’s control that had laced their debut, stating that “We’ve never been part of any movement, and we’ll never follow fashion”.

Detached: Numerous critics incorrectly cite this album as the first in a trilogy of “Gothic” recordings that continued with 1981’s dour “Faith” and climaxed with the gruesomely dark “Pornography” from 1982. Although much of the content of “Seventeen Seconds” is sparse, atmospheric and inherently cold, there’s none of the liberally laden lip gloss of gloom that fills the follow up albums.

Detached: During the recording process Keyboardist Matthieu Hartley would suggest the implementation a more flourishing backdrop to Lol Tolhurst and Simon Gallup’s minimalist rhythms. Smith rejected this suggestion in favour of single piano notation to add stark atmospherics to his echo laden deadpan vocal track and heavily phased guitar sound.

Detached: Unlike the follow up albums, there is undoubtedly a subtle stream of pop sensibility running through much of “Seventeen Seconds”, with melodies often originated from Gallup’s Bass. Their flirt with U.K. single success on “A Forest” perfectly builds layers on the leading bass lick, with Smith’s gentle guitar strumming, and Tolhurst’s machine like beat adding a beguiling soundscape that leans heavily towards previous works. Other highlights include the deeply cinematic instrumental opener “A Reflection”, the more upbeat “Play For Today”, and further icy introspection from “M”, “In Your House” and “At Night”.

Detached: “Seventeen Seconds” is Robert Smith’s greatest performance, a contemplation piece that perfectly accompanies solitude. Orthodox descriptions can’t hope to capture the chilling beauty of this record.

9/10

"A Forest"

Classic Review: The Only Ones - The Only Ones (1978)

How would The Only Ones debut have fared had it not contained the exhilarating “Another Girl, Another Planet”? There are two trains of thought that each weigh in with some relevance. Firstly, there’s the view that the Londoners’ were “one trick pony’s with one sparkling single and a lot of fodder to follow." Secondly (and it’s the view I concur with), “Another Girl…” dominates the album so forcefully and shadows what are some really interesting moments on an album that should never be overlooked. Yes, the single is an exhilarating ride through Peter Perrett’s broken hearted lyrical gushing, with one of the great opening couplets (“I always flirt with death, I look ill but I don’t care about it”), but it’s John Perry’s fluid guitar intro that really drags the listener in. Much like Buzzcocks, The Only Ones’ New Wave sound was heavily rooted in Perrett’s nihilistic take on broken relationships with the opposite sex, in stark contrast with the societal breakdown that the British Punk’s were bleating about at the time. In addition, the four piece were instrumentally well honed, having trawled the pub circuit for over two years, with a rhythm section, Mike Kellie (Drums) and Alan Mair (Bass) that had arrived via well established acts.

The brittle loneliness of “Breaking Down”; where the musical Pop/Punk sensibilities are overwhelmed by stark atmospherics and a deliberately languorous tempo, offering Perrett ample opportunity to vent literary shots from his downcast demeanor. The instrumental backing exemplifies the band’s definitive skills in expressing themselves beyond the confines of predetermined genres. The paranoiac “The Beast” has the melody of a classic Rock track, and yet fits perfectly amongst this collection. Other highlights include the up-tempo “City Of Fun” and the jagged “Language Problems”, which both represent how the dynamic influences of Punk Rock were filtering through to Rock/Pop acts who were, in turn using it to iron out polished sterility. The Only Ones realization is that sometimes four simple chords is more than enough to create songs of immediate vitality and resonance. The instrumental climax to the closer “The Immortal Story” explosively surges around parping horns and Perry’s nimble multi tracked guitar solo’s, with the rest of the band filling in gaps for what is a breathless finale.

Much, much more than one hit wonders, Perrett and his band fill your heart with lovelorn drama’s, disquieting paranoia, and a musical influence that would be revered by R.E.M, The Libertines and a host of post punk wannabees.

8/10

"Another Girl, Another Planet"


"The Beast"

Classic Review: New York Dolls - New York Dolls (1973)

There was a time, many years ago, when music TV presenters could speak their minds. There was none of the sycophantic cuddling up and overtly flowery language we see and hear today. New York Dolls first live appearance in 1973, on UK TV show “The Old Grey Whistle Test” was introduced in disparaging tones as “mock rock” by that venerable hippy, ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris. “They are to the Rolling Stones, what The Monkees were to The Beatles” he quipped, and a small nation of young, alienated teenagers (including one, Stephen Morrissey) saw this as a call to arms against the music establishment that Harris was so firmly rooted in. Their performance of “Personality Crisis” was typically ramshackle, loose, but nonetheless charming in its brash exuberance. They dressed like filthy sluts, singer David Johansen prancing around like Jagger’s delinquent sister, whilst guitarists Johnny Thunders and Sylvain Sylvain attempted to match the singer’s howls with sympathetically raucous musical support. Part of the appeal must have been their willful commitment to the excesses of glam, which had by this time crossed over to mainstream audiences via Marc Bolan, David Bowie and many others.

Many critics cite “New York Dolls” as one of the archetypal Proto-punk recordings. It’s not. For whilst the band’s swaggering attitude may be considered a blueprint for all that happened post 1976, the music is heavily influenced by The Rolling Stones. Johnny Thunder’s stormy licks are indebted to Keith Richards and to a lesser extent, Chuck Berry. The lead off track, and signature tune, “Personality Crisis”, borrows heavily from “Let’s Spend The Night Together”; even down to the Bar room Piano melody. “Looking For A Kiss” carries a simple Berry riff that Marc Bolan had used previously for “Get It On” from his “Electric Warrior” album. “Subway Train” sounds like a cast off from any number of late 60s Stones albums. Johansen’s street wise chronicles of New York’s underbelly articulate to an entourage of disaffected teens (particularly in the U.K.), the highlights of which are the opener, “Trash”, and the closer “Jet Boy”.

There isn’t a musical move you haven’t heard somewhere in some form already, but one has to give New York Dolls credit for their original trashy aesthetic, and their highly charged rough and ready delivery. Sadly, the songs never matched the image, and looking back, there’s some substance to Bob Harris’ withering introduction.

6/10

Classic Review: The Stooges - Fun House (1970)

Fate deals some odd hands, but then of course The Stooges were an odd band. In 1970 the Michigan four piece hardly registered any critical significance outside their home state. A self titled debut album from the previous year had received a lukewarm reception and for that reason failed to ignite the charts or indeed match the avid local support for their incendiary live performances. What changed the course of history and transformed this and their 1971 follow up “Raw Power” into two of the most influential Protopunk recordings of all time? Was it leader Iggy Pop’s egocentric, manic, charismatic and at times shocking persona? Was it the slipstream of popular attention that came from a working relationship with David Bowie? Was it that televised peanut butter hurling Cincinnati concert that cemented their place in every disaffected teenager’s heart? There’s an argument for each and every route to the mass attention Iggy craved, but the simple fact is that to this day “Fun House” still sounds more relevant and omnipotent than 99% of the music that was released in 1970. The hopelessly unfulfilling 60s “summer of love” was over; ravaged and deconstructed by this vital recording.

Elektra Records’ casually fortuitous masterstroke was to appoint a lowly staff producer to helm the recording. Don Gallucci was considered inexperienced in terms of studio technique, but excelled as a session musician, and in addition, understood Garage Rock having played keyboards with The Kingsmen during the early 60s. His view was to deny the The Stooges sound any studio gimmickry or overdubs and just capture the raw essence that sonically bound the four together for their electrically charged live performances. For added authenticity Gallucci and the band set up their gear like they were playing a show, with ample room for Pop to swagger and menace as if an audience were before him. The Asheton brothers, Ron and Scott (guitar, drums), and bass player Dave Alexander create a tense but tight backdrop to Pop’s corrosive tales of tough streets, drugs and sluts. His hedonistic ideals were brazen, the morals of drug infused teen Dom interlaced through every syllable, whilst the band load the gun with brutally growling metallic guitar work and urgent rhythms. Side 1 is the sensationally maniacal party side of The Stooges with “Down On The Street” and “T.V. Eye” perfectly capturing the mood, whilst side 2 is more complex, darker, deeper and more explorative. Pop’s bravado shows cracks on the gargantuan title track as he warns of the consequences of excess at the “Fun House” whilst saxophonist Steven Mackay launches into a gloriously cacophonous freeform solo.

“Fun House” is a drooling derangement of all that came before it, a pulsating powerhouse of emotion, discordant attitudes, and blood pumping aggression.

10/10

Classic Review: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced (1967)

To get some idea of the vast ability Hendrix possessed one only has to examine the immediate reactions of leading British guitarists from the era. A startled Pete Townshend watched Hendrix perform as support to The Who, and frozen by the maestro’s supernatural gifts could only find the mental strength to strum simple chords when his band stepped up to headline. Jeff Beck confessed that he needed to go home to practice after witnessing a sparkling Hendrix show, and Eric Clapton sought self reassurance from his own guitar fraternity, which would include an already mesmerized Townshend.

Continually frustrated by jealous co-performers who restrained him from expressing himself in his native U.S, Chas Chandler met Hendrix in New York and immediately invited him back to England, where there was already a vibrant Blues scene. Forming The Experience with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the three piece moulded together an incredibly tight sound that combined elements of Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Jazz. “Are You Experienced”, their eponymous debut remains an incredible recording, a vital stepping stone in the creation of modern Rock music, and a showcase for Hendrix to launch his superior talents on an unsuspecting world. In addition to the masterful musicianship, Jimi could write great songs too, and of all his subsequent releases, this album holds the greatest concentration of top quality songs. The re-mastered and repackaged 1997 version combines all of the material from the original U.K. and U.S 1967 releases complete with singles and B sides from the period and for that reason is a truly essential purchase.

Frankly there isn’t one single moment of filler, from the jagged acid classic of what many consider to be his signature tune “Purple Haze”, to the stunning Blues workout that closes the album (“Red House”). The single cover song, the Billy Roberts penned “Hey Joe” is what initially drew Chandler’s attention to Hendrix, with the slow smoldering cycle of fifths chord progression, and a blistering lead break that adds to the sense of tension. There are moments of rich tenderness too, as on the Curtis Mayfield influenced “The Wind Cries Mary”, an apparent lament to his then girlfriend Kathy Etchingham. The band weave credible experimentation with effortless confidence, significantly on the despairing “Manic Depression” which rhythmically runs as a fast waltz, and the distorted guitar and fused musical elements (Rock and Jazz) that loosely hold together “Third Stone From The Sun”. The explosive, if sexually ambiguous “Fire” is a perfect example of the value of Redding and Mitchell’s contribution to the project, along with the reversed rhythms of the psychedelic title track ensuring that this isn’t just Jimi’s masterpiece.

In hindsight, “Are You Experienced” justifiably hallmarks the development of contemporary Rock music, and could possibly stand as one of the greatest debut albums ever produced. In 1967 it introduced the world to Jimi Hendrix, a figure of immense talent, showmanship, imagination and animalistic charisma.

10/10