Monthly Archives: June 2009

Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits (1972) – Compilation Album

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This Is The Cover Of The LP. The CD Is The Same But Does Not List The Tracks.

This Is The Cover Of The LP. The CD Cover Is The Same Except That It Does Not List The Tracks On The Left.

Being a lyricist, I was always interested in Simon & Garfunkel. I intended to buy the two-disc “Essential” and when I failed to find it I went for this single-disc compilation. And you know, I think it was a good rush move if I ever made one.

This was the first Simon & Garfunkel compilation ever released. Columbia Records issued it in 1972, and the fact that it is still in print can be attributed to the inclusion of live versions and rare takes you can not find anywhere else. For instance, several live cuts come from a reunion concert that took place the year the album was released, whereas I understand that the version of “America” available here is a rarity. Continue reading →

Once More With Feeling (Placebo) – Compilation Album

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The CD Cover

The CD Cover

I became acquainted with Placebo quite recently. I caught “Follow The Cops Back Home” on the radio and I have to say that it sparked my interest in a vibrant way indeed. Last year (2008) I finally made up my mind and purchased this “Singles” collection. It covers the years 1996 – 2004, and a new song named “Twenty Years” is included for collectors.

Placebo is a band of its own. They have a distinctive image themselves (which I don’t like but I respect) and they come up with a sonic landscape where glam and punk structures are placed in the same plane without ever cancelling each other out. Continue reading →

Compilation Albums – General Introduction

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If you live in Uruguay, there are albums that are impossible to get your hands on. And I am not talking about obscure artists – it is even difficult to find the regular studio albums that artists of the caliber of The Who or Stevie Wonder released. That speaks for itself, and it does so in a voice I’d rather not hear.

What you can find, however, are compilation albums for artists whose individual records can not be purchased no matter how good or relevant they are. Continue reading →

Richard Thompson – General Introduction

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A Recent Picture Of Mr. Thompson

A Recent Picture Of Mr. Thompson

I normally save General Introduction pages for artists that I know very well and that I feel confident talking about, either because I have their whole discography or a very representative number of albums, but this is an exception. I know virtually no other artist that captivates me the way Richard Thompson does, and if I have just a comparatively small number of his albums (two compilations, his three most recent solo discs and Fairport Convention’s “Unhalfbricking”) is because these records are impossible to find here in Uruguay. Continue reading →

The Smiths – Album Review

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The Cover Showcases Morrissey's Obsession With Pop Culture

The Cover Showcases Morrissey's Obsession With Pop Culture

The Smiths’ debut is often regarded as an album that could have been much better, yet was marred by a production that did the songs no justice. You realize this is true the second “Reel Around The Fountain” starts playing, but it also dawns on you that some selections were not that strong to begin with either, and that no amount of production wizardry could have elevated them. The most obvious case is “Miserable Lie”, a song which actually worked quite well live. There are also a couple of tracks such as “You’ve Got Everything Now” and “I Don’t Owe You Anything” that are pure vitriol – Morrissey is yet to find how to articulate certain feelings and shape them into songs. Continue reading →

White Music (XTC) – Album Review

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The Cover Of The CD Reissue

The Cover Of The CD Reissue

Getting down to reviewing White Music (XTC’s very first album, released in 1978) is not an easy task. It is impossible to wipe from your mind the volume, complexion and quality of the work they were to eventually produce, but even if their whole oeuvre disappeared and this was all that remained, it would be difficult to be over enthusiastic. Continue reading →

My Generation (The Who) – Album Review

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The Original Cover

The Original Cover

The Who’s debut was first released in England in the year 1965. It was released States-side in 1966, boasting a different name (“The Who Sings My Generation”) and with some variations – a song called “Circles” replaced “I’m A Man”, and one of the standout tunes (“The Kids Are Alright”) was unceremoniously abridged.

The Who’s intended debut was going to be a whole disc devoted to R & B covers, but when one of the main musical papers of the day said such an approach would be unoriginal the project was shelved and this album of Townshend-penned compositions  eventually materialized. Continue reading →

The Jam – General Introduction

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The Jam Were Characterized By Wearing Black Suits When They First Started. Left To Right: Paul Weller, Rick Buckler & Bruce Foxton.

The Jam Were Characterized By Wearing Black Suits When They First Started. Left To Right: Paul Weller, Rick Buckler & Bruce Foxton.

I have some fantastic memories of the times I was a Jam fan. Their music might just as well be the perfect companion when you are maturing and leaving the world of juvenile irresponsibilities away.

I was introduced to them by John Alroy. That is, many years ago I sent him an e-mail telling him how interesting I found his record’s review website, and asking him which bands could I like since I had completed my Who collection. I also told him I was fond of The Sex Pistols and Oasis. Alroy sent me a very courteous e-mail and told me I would probably like The Jam (he described them as a cross between The Who and The Sex Pistols). He also recommended XTC to me. Hehe. Bingo! Continue reading →

The Smiths – General Introduction

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A Very Early Picture Of The Smiths

A Very Early Picture Of The Smiths

The Smiths were an enormously influential 80’s band that hailed from Manchester, England. The group comprised singer Morrissey, guitar luminary Johnny Marr and a rhythm section of Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). The ability of the latter is often overlooked, if only because the band itself was not that democratic – as a matter of fact, Morrissey and Marr received 40 % each of the band’s income while the rhythm men received just 10 % each. The band broke up in 1987 (for the simple reason that Marr and Morrissey could no longer stand each other) and a lawsuit ensued in 1996 over royalties, effectively driving them further apart and wiping out any chance of a reunion (unlikely to begin with). Rourke would eventually settle for less than he was entitled to, but Joyce took it to the bitter end. Continue reading →

XTC – General Introduction

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The Original Line-up

The Original Line-up

A band which is often regarded as too cerebral for its own good, XTC has no equal. One of the many groups that rose to prominence (at least in critical terms) during the punk heyday, they proved to be much more than mere British punksters from day one. The band was led by Andy Partridge, who wrote about 85 % of the original compositions and assumed lead vocals. The other songwriter was Colin Moulding. He penned the remaining tunes, sang them and played the bass quite admirably (Gilmour offered him the position of Pink Floyd bassist when he won the rights to use the Floyd’s name back in the late eighties, in fact). Continue reading →