Something for the weekend – Episode #66 – Nine Inch Nails “The Downward Spiral”

Iggy Pop said it all: ”Just listen to ‘Closer’ and the foundation could be Stevie Wonder or George Clinton, but on top of that is a focused and relentless process of emotional destruction which paints a portrait of pain, pressure and dissatisfaction”. Not bad, eh?

Nine Inch Nails – “The Downward Spiral“ – 1994

Released in March 1994, ie thirty years ago this month, ‘The Downward Spiral‘ was the second album from Nine Inch Nails. The mid and late 90’s were difficult times for their leader Trent Reznor who was fighting against his internal demons (success v art – hello Nirvana…) and the external ones (drugs mainly…). I experienced an amazing experience this week, thanks to the Pitchblack Playback series at the Riverside Studios cinema. The rules of the game are clear: no phone, no talking to your neighbour, no singing (!), you put your mask to stay in a complete black environment…and here you go for 1 hour and 5 minutes of pure focus on the music. Did this album pass the test? Well, it sure did…

What really astonished me while listening again to this record is the attention to detail one can get at literally any time. Every sound has a purpose and this is a real complete piece of art you need to listen loud and in one go, although it also bears a few of the band most famous and immediate songs (like ‘Closer‘ or ‘March Of The Pigs‘). What impressed me as well was the excellence of drums and percussions but also that instruments sound as if they were built to be played in a particular way. In other words, you do not want to play any song on an acoustic guitar as it would really not make sense. Finally, any human being with a sense of musical taste and emotion will cherish closing track ‘Hurt‘, the original being probably even better than Johnny Cash‘s cover. After this masterpiece, Trent Reznor has been keeping on releasing extremely good and demanding records on an irregular basis while now being one of the most sought soundtracks creators with his mate Atticus Ross (nearly all David Fincher movies bear his musical signature).

Format: CD (deluxe 2-CD edition) Bought in: 2005 To be noted: I must confess I kind of missed Nine Inch Nails at the time and really discovered Trent Reznor’s music when he directed David Lynch‘s fantastic ”Lost Highway” movie Rating: 10/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #65 – Sharon Van Etten “Are We There”

Crazy how time flies…and one realizes that Sharon Van Etten is not anymore a brand new artist but one whose one of her major piece of work was already released ten years ago…

Sharon Van Etten – “Are We There“ – 2014

Sharon Van Etten is now a familiar figure of the popular and extended indie scene and she had The National‘s Dessner brothers as frequent collaborators to name but a few. She even had what could be described as a hit single with 2019’s ”Seventeen”. She really started to make a name of herself beyond her first-hour fans though with her fourth album ”Are We There”.

The first thing that really impressed me by reading the record’s notes is the number of cool musicians who played on this record: Adam Granduciel (The War On Drugs), Jonathan Meiburg (Shearwater), sister and brother Heather Woods and Peter Broderick or again the very talented Mackenzie Scott, a.k.a. Torres. They are on the record but quite difficult to spot as all are really there to serve Sharon’s songs. And what tremendous and beautiful songs they are! Her music is simultaneously quite traditional and more evolutionary than revolutionary but there is a spark, beauty and melancholy which make it above the rest. The closing track ”Every Time The Sun Comes Up” is probably the best illustration of what I am trying to describe.

Format: LP Bought in: 2014 To be noted: Sharon is also an actress and was one of the major characters in the excellent ”The OA” series. Rating: 8.5/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #64 – The Stone Roses “The Stone Roses”

The recent release of a joint song from Liam Gallagher and John Squire made me want to listen again to a classic by the latter’s former band.

The Stone Roses – “The Stone Roses“ – 1989

Before becoming a name in the industry, The Stone Roses spent many years trying to succeed before finally gelling in the late 80’s, thanks to a more open and welcome climate for guitar bands with a dance influence. A trio of three extraordinary musicians (John Squire on guitars, Reni on drums and Mani on bass) plus a singer (Ian Brown), their appeal really made sense when they took the opportunity of the so-called Madchester scene to be what they had in mind and stop trying to please the music industry. Their self-titled album was released in 1989 and it is not too strong to say that the wait was immense from fans and professionals.

This is a fantastic record indeed and the list of classic singles or songs is endless: ”She Bangs the Drums”, ”Elephant Stone”, ”Made of Stone”, ”Fools Gold”,… This is no offense to mention that Ian Brown’s voice had probably never been better before or after while the rhythm section of Mani and ‘funky drummer’ Reni is gorgeous. With John Squire, the band also had a discreet guitar hero with an extremely wide range of sound and sensitivity. Although excellent ”Fools Gold” was subsequently added to the album, the original version ended with ”I am the Resurrection”, one of my favourite songs ever…and one every good party should play! The band released an interesting second record in 1994 with ”Second Coming” but never really born the pressure they received. All members went on having separate projects, the most interesting one by far being Mani joining Primal Scream for many years. The band plays on a regular basis though and this is always a treat to catch them live, as I did in Paris in 2013.

Format: CD Bought in: 1991 To be noted: If you like such things, New Musical Express ranked this album as the best of all times in their 2006 list. Rating: 9.5/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #63 – The Black Crowes “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion”

It happened 31 years ago…

The Black Crowes – “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion“ – 1992

Are there better album titles and covers than this one? I remember at the time that The Black Crowes were one of the few cool things happening in a MTV world in the early 00’s and a real different alternative from the grunge and brit-pop scenes. The band was formed in Atlanta in the mid-80’s on the core nucleus of brothers Rich (guitar) and Chris (voice) Robinson. Their sibling rivalry was what made the group above other more traditional bands, in the grand tradition of The Kinks or Oasis. Their success was almost immediate with their debut album ”Shake Your Money Maker” in 1990 and there was a sort of pressure about how they would follow this fame with their second album.

The first astonishing thing when listening again to this record is how timeless it sounds. Was it recorded in the 70’s? Or is it a new band just releasing their debut album? There are of course influences (The Rolling Stones, The Faces, Primal Scream, The Allman Brothers Band,…) but there is a clear feeling that the band had their own sound and a clear vision about what their music should be, whatever pressure they may have had from the charts or their record company. Chris Robinson’s voice is a beauty and his brother’s inventive guitar playing a constant pleasure but the real asset of this record is probably the amazing production work done by George Drakoulias. Play that record and you will immediately know if this is one for you after the first two numbers (”Sting Me” and ”Remedy”).

Format: CD Bought in: 1993 To be noted: Chris Robison was married for a few years with actress Kate Hudson, one of the main characters in Cameron Crowe‘s ”Almost Famous”, the best fiction movie about rock music ever done. Rating: 8.0/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #62 – Aimee Mann “Bachelor Nº. 2 or the last remains of the dodo”

Finally time to celebrate a wonderful artist.

Aimee Mann – “Bachelor Nº. 2 or the last remains of the dodo“ – 2000

Aimee Mann is probably one of the most talented artists of our times and also one of the most endearing too. She lives in a world where she can have a certain freedom thanks to the choices she did in the early 00’s not to fully play the corporate game and she operates in an indie successful format. Her fans are legions and they all acknowledged the beauty of her songs, the strangeness of her music but also her honesty and personal fights (Wikipedia page to read for those interested to know more). She found success at an early age with pop rock band ‘Til Tuesday but she did not get the recognition she would have deserved with her first two excellent LP’s. A few critics at the time even thought her career was over but then her guardian angel came…

Paul Thomas Anderson was hanging out a lot at the time at the Largo Club in Los Angeles, famous for Jon Brion‘s residencies with Aimee Mann, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple or again Rufus Wainwright. He basically built his masterpiece ”Magnolia” around Aimee’s songs and gave her the chance of a lifetime when ‘‘Save Me” was chosen to be the key song in his movie. She then managed to leave Geffen record company to create her own structure to release ”Bachelor Nº. 2 or the last remains of the dodo’‘, definitely one of the best records of this century so far. Listening to it again made me even more in love with this album, thanks to the absolute warmth of her voice, the beauty of the lyrics, the subtle production of Jon Brion and the magic touch brought by the guests like husband (and brother of Sean) Michael Penn or Grant-Lee Phillips.

Format: CD Bought in: 2001 To be noted: Aimee Mann plays one of the nihilists in Joel and Ethan Coen‘s ”The Big Lebowski”, amongst Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers). She is the one who had her toe cut off! Rating: 9.5/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #61 – Johnny Thunders “Hurt Me”

As everybody knows, New York Dolls were a seminal band and their first two LP’s are absolute gems. What about solo albums then?

Johnny Thunders – “Hurt Me“ – 1984

Johnny Thunders was one of the five original members of New York Dolls and you would not find a more proper New Yorker than the man born John Anthony Genzale, in Queens, NY. He was probably the main inspiration and creator of this band and the least one could say is that indeed he lived the real thing as far as rock’n’roll attitude is concerned. He was an immense creative guitar player and poet but his drug addictions led to a very early death at the age of thirty nine. He was also quite famous for his role in the Heartbreakers, formed with Television‘s Richard Hell and a bunch of solo LP’s but to me his musical talent was not on par with these albums’ legacy.

”Hurt Me” is an extremely atypical album in his career as a) it was entirely played alone on an acoustic guitar b) there are a few original songs but also a huge portion of covers from other artists, like Bob Dylan or from his previous own songs c) it was recorded in Paris, France, a city I would not spontaneously associate with him. The reason of the latter is explained by the fact he was signed to the now deceased excellent New Rose Parisian records label. I had not listened to this album for years and I was amazed by the overwhelming nature of it all, although Johnny’s weakness can sometimes be a bit disturbing. But this is really worth discovering and who knows, it may become a best companion…

Format: LP Bought in: 2011 To be noted: New Rose records had also a store located in the Latin Quarter in Paris. I used to go there as a teenager but I must admit I was quite scared in asking for the wrong record and not looking ‘hip’ enough. The store’s sellers were all like Jack Black in the High Fidelity movie! Rating: 8.0/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #60 – Mick Ronson “Slaughter On 10th Avenue”

Can a handy man become an entrepreneur?

Mick Ronson – “Slaughter On 10th Avenue“ – 1974

There is a myth in the music industry that David Bowie was nothing really and that everything he was and did actually came from the musicians and collaborators he worked with. This is of course entirely untrue. The best evidence can be found in the tens of interviews which can be found in the excellent book by Jerome Soligny I recently reviewed (which is now available in English!). All musicians were honest to admit that they had the best musical years of their life when working with the great man as he was always finding the best way to get the juice out of them. Mick Ronson is probably the epitome of it. His partnership with David Bowie in the early 70’s while he was a member of The Spiders From Mars probably made him think he could have a subsequent equivalent career. However, although he remains one of the best guitarists of all times, one has to admit he was more a lieutenant than a leader.

”Slaughter On 10th Avenue” is his first and probably best solo album and was released in 1974, at a time when he was still in David Bowie’s entourage. With seven tracks, this is a relatively short album although one can feel a certain level of ambition. Mick Ronson’s voice was quite good actually and the musicianship is at times overwhelming, especially when he played guitar the way we all liked it at the time, i.e. a mixture of glam and grungy sounding. There are a few covers and one David Bowie track ; to be honest a few of them could be taken as B-sides from ”Ziggy Stardust” or ”Aladin Sane”.

Format: LP Bought in: 2013 To be noted: Originally from Hull, Mick Ronson was a nice bloke in jeans and shirt. He always considered putting on glam clothes was part of the job but not necessiraly representing his personality! He died from cancer in 1993, aged 46. May he rest in peace. Below, one of the best rock photo ever! Rating: 7.5/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #59 – Barry Adamson “Oedipus Schmoedipus”

Listening to an 90’s album from an old friend this week end…

Barry Adamson – “Oedipus Schmoedipus “ – 1996

The beauty in having a lifetime music collection is that you may find a hidden gem not listened to for a long time. I decided to go through the ‘A’ section of my CD’s and realised there were quite a few Barry Adamson‘s records. Born and raised in the Moss Side district of Manchester, Barry Adamson is famous amongst rock fans for playing in two of the best bands of all times: Magazine and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. His solo career is also a very interesting one and very far from what one could expect from a bass player. To give an example, his first release in 1988 was a cover of ‘The Man With The Golden Arm‘, which was the main theme from the 1955 Otto Preminger movie with Frank Sinatra. His 1989 debut album ‘Moss Side Story‘ is quite similar theme-wise and a very recommended record.

What do we have then with ‘Oedipus Schmoedipus‘, Barry Adamson’s 3rd proper album? Describing it is really a tough job and the best review would be to mention that once again, he did a soundtrack of an imaginary movie. There are plenty of musical genres, from film noir jazz numbers to trip hop tracks and metal sounding experiences. The only common factor of this album is its level of excellence whatever the musical atmosphere. The man can also choose his guests ; there are three very cool featurings from Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave and the late great Billy Mackenzie (The Associates).

Format: CD Bought in: 1996 To be noted: The Massive Attack sampled ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes‘ appears in David Lynch‘s ‘Lost Highway‘, one of the greatest movies of all times. Rating: 9.0/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #58 – The Black Angels “Indigo Meadow”

I recently did a bit of tidying up in my records’ collection and this album kept on begging me to be played so here we go!

The Black Angels – “Indigo Meadow “ – 2013

What would you do in these pre-Spotify ages when in desperate need of listening to a record for which you read good reviews? Well, you would buy it and I guess this is the reason why I bought that one. The Black Angels are an excellent American psychedelic rock band from Austin, Texas. Their style does not really change from one record to another but their fans are quite sure to find what they look for with each of their releases.

‘‘Indigo Meadow” is their fourth album (out of six so far) at a time when the band’s popularity was really growing and one can really feel a sense of achievement in this record. Their sound is simultaneously very close and respectful to all 60’s/70’s bands which made this style of music so great, like The 13th Floor Elevators to name one but also very modern. Funny also to realise their acknowledgment to the vinyl format and the notion of putting your most growing and exciting track at the end of each side. Although listening to that record is a real pleasure, they are even better on stage and I have fond memories of their 2013 Eurockéennes Festival gig.

Format: LP Bought in: 2013 To be noted: The band chose their name as a tribute to The Velvet Underground song ”The Black Angel’s Death Song”. Rating: 7.5/10

Something for the weekend – Episode #57 – Pretenders “Pretenders”

Yesterday’s today’s sound….

Pretenders – “Pretenders“ – 1979

I recently watched the Danny Boyle mini-series on the story of the Sex Pistols (called ”Pistol”) and I must confess not really understanding the controversy around it. Theirs was an extraordinary and intense moment in time and all the young actors are really excellent with a specific mention to Sidney Chandler for acting so brilliantly as Chrissie Hynde. The latter travelled from her native Ohio to London in 1973 to be closer to where things were really happening. She started with a few jobs here and there, including working a shop assistant at the Sex store held by Vivienne Westwood. She then developped a very close relationship with Steve Jones, which made her believe in her musical skills. She did not get a straightforward path and had to struggle before finding the right formula and forming Pretenders.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 1979 but between us it is almost impossible to associate their music to a specific era as this is really timeless. Labelling this album’s music as a mix of rock, punk and post punk is not something new but is really close to what it is. Every song is essential and straight to the bone thanks to Chrissie’s sharp lyrics, the dynamism of the rhythm section and even more notably the fantastic work done by guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. Last but no least, is there a better song on earth than ”Brass In Pocket”? An amazing record, to listen to again or discover if not done yet.

Format: LP Bought in: 2021 To be noted: Pretenders Mark I were unfortunately not to last for long following the tragic drug-related deaths of James Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and bass player Pete Farndon in 1983. Chrissie Hynde kept on releasing records and touring though under the Pretenders moniker, being one of the best bands in rock history. Rating: 9.5/10