I'm Telling You This, And I'm Telling You Now...

Many Fall fans that I know would probably opt for Hex, Witch Trials or Slates as their favourite album by the band. Much as I do love those albums along with Perverted By Language and The Wonderful and Frightening world my own personal favourite Fall album and Number Seven in my Top Ten album rundown is 1985's This Nation's Saving Grace.

For me, this album shows the band at the height of their creative powers and is the closest they got to making a mainstream album. Yes, the influence of Brix Smith is stamped all over the album but that is part of what makes this such a great album. Brix brings along a pop sensibility but this is still very much a Fall album, with Mark E Smith's wit and twisted take on the everyday in overdrive. Although operating at the peak of their accessibility, this is by no means an easy listen, with the album running the gamut from pop to avant garde to electronica to rockabilly to krautrock, sometimes in the space of one song. It is more focussed and consistent than most of their other albums, while at the same time being simultaneously experimental. There is not a bad song on the album, from the opening relentless swagger of Bombast right through to the tribute to Can lead singer of I Am Damo Suzuki. Not a sound or second is wasted on an album that thrillingly subverts what pop music is, with The Fall managing to create something truly unique and special.

Bombast
Couldn't Get Ahead  

It's Not Hard, Not Far To Reach...

Number Six in my Top Ten album rundown is the third album from "Da Brudders".

Released in 1977, "Rocket To Russia" is, for me, the highpoint of The Ramones career. There is no doubt that the first album is a classic album, but "Rocket To Russia" is where all the pieces fitted together perfectly and is their best work. Great melodies, humour, hooks and some of the best pop songs ever written by anyone. This is the album where they really came into their own, where the took the blueprint from the first two albums and perfected it. The last album recorded with Tommy at the drum kit, it features one classic song after another. This is the album that should have made The Ramones a household name but sadly it didn't. From start to finish it has everything that makes the Ramones great, and then some. How something so simple can be so good is still mystifying to this day but this album is what rock'n roll fun is all about. The album is loaded with many of their best loved songs, such as "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" and "Rockaway Beach" and showcases why The Ramones are one of the most important and influential bands of all time.

We're A Happy Family

"Life Has Surface Noise"

As per today's earlier post I was unable to post anything yesterday for Keeping It Peel. So I thought I would take the opportunity tonight to post a few words about the great man. There are many reasons why we celebrate the life of John Peel and one of those reasons is because the love and passion that he had for the music he played is shared by each and every one of us that grew up listening to his shows on Radio 1.

I know that large parts of my musical tastes were, in some way, shaped by Peel and I am sure that is the same for anyone who reads my humble little blog. I may not have shared Peel's choice of music all the time but there is so much of my favourite music that I heard for the first time on his show between 10 and midnight.

Whether it was The Mary Chain, Pulp, James, The Fall or many, many others, Peel would undoubtedly have been my initial introduction to them. But, for me the damoscene moment in my musical enlightenment would have been mid '83 when I first heard, as a 13 year old,  "Reel Around The Fountain" for the first time. It is fairly safe to say that hearing The Smiths on Peel's show had a profound effect on my musical taste henceforth. The same thing would occur again about 18 months later when "Upside Down" was first aired. I had dived in and out of Peel's show for a couple of years prior to hearing The Smiths but when I heard that song I knew that I would be spending two hours, of what should have been my sleep time during the week, with my headphones in listening to Peel and then, at the weekend, heading to the nearest record store with my paper round money and my list of records to buy. Pretty much the only reason for traipsing round the dark streets of East Kilbride was to get enough money to head down to Impulse and buy what I had heard on Peel's show.

10 years on from his passing, his influence is still as strong today as it has ever been. No DJ before, or since, has shaped the taste of a generation as much as the great man himself.

Reel Around The Fountain (Peel Session)

Some Sunday Soul...

Due to some computer gremlins this week I have been unable to post anything. Really disappointed as yesterday was of course Keeping It Peel day, and was, unbelievably, the 10th anniversary of the death of the great man. I'm sure everyone who reads Spools knows all about Peel Day but for anyone unaware of what it is all about head over here to find out what it is all about and for a great posting from yesterday about why we should never forget John Peel head over here.

Not sure if Peel was a fan of Curtis Mayfield but for a DJ with such discerning taste I would hazard a guess that he would have been. 1970 saw the release of the debut album from the former Impression and what an album it is. Released on his own Curtom label, which was also home to the likes of The Staple Singers, it was one of the first albums, alongside albums by Donny Hathaway and Marvin, to discuss the social issues of the day. For a debut solo album it is quite simply stunning. Aligned to the social commentary is some seriously glorious music and, of course, Curtis' trademark falsetto vocals. The word "genius" is used far too often but in Curtis' case it is not far off the mark. One of the great soul albums, written, produced and performed by one of the most important soul performers of all time.

If there is a hell below, that is indeed the place to go....

Miss Black America

Some Sunday Soul...

Today's helping of Sunday Soul comes courtesy of the  soulful vocals of a singer who started singing in the same choir as the legend that is Curtis Mayfield. Jerry Butler and Mayfield then went on to perform together in The Impressions in the late 1950's before he started on a solo career that spanned over 30 years. One one of the sweetest voices in soul music, he also co-wrote one of the all time soul classics, "I've Been Loving you Too Long (To Stop Now)"

Never Give You Up

Black and White...

Power pop is a bit of a lazy description that is sometimes seen as being derogatory to the bands concerned. But when it is done well, it can be really good. Case in point are 80's power popsters, The dB's and their first couple of albums that are both prime example of the genre, although they did have a bit more depth to them than some other bands they were lumped in with. Built around the songwriting team of Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey both albums were full of catchy, melodic tunes with jangly guitars and great harmonies. It was pretty east to spot the influences - Beach Boys, Big Star, Phil Spector - but they still managed to sound like the dB's. I always found them really interesting for the same reason I found the Go Between really interesting. Both bands had two very gifted songwriters who had very different songwriting styles which led to albums that were always fascinating to listen to.

Black and White

Some Sunday Soul...

Both Charity Chic and George have been extolling the vocal talents of James Carr recently and there is a very good reason for that. Easily one of the finest soul singers of all time, Carr has a fantastic deep soul voice that is every bit the equal of far better known soul singers, with a passion and feeling in is his voice that is simply incomparable. I'm assuming that most people that read my little blog already know how good he is, but, if by any chance you don't, have a listen to tonight's song and wallow in the beauty, power and rawness of one of the truly great soul singers. 

Forgetting You

Disco Friday...

Don't know much about tonight's disco tune, apart from it being released in '81 and that it has been sampled a few times, most recently in 2013 on Flight Facilities "I Didn't Believe". All I do know is that it is courtesy of the lovely voice of Ramona Brooks, that it is one of my personal fave disco tunes and has an extremely funky bassline running through it.

I Don't Want You Back

Good Thing...

Bands that should have been massive Part 91, The Woodentops.
The evidence - great, well crafted pop songs that were a bit rough round the edges, infectious melodies, experimental, innovative, one of the best debut albums of the 80's in Giant and a very talented front man in Rolo McGinty.
Never managed to see them live back in the day but Giant has stood the test of time well and still sounds quirky, interesting and is a great pop album.

Good Thing

Some Sunday Wedding Soul...

 

Off to a good friend's wedding this afternoon, so today's tune is specially for the lovely couple.
No idea what their first waltz is but today's song would be a lovely choice for any couple on their wedding day so this one's for you guys, David and Paula....

You're All I Need To Get By

Disco Friday...

A bit of Giorgio Moroder produced disco from 1978 tonight, courtesy of The Three Degrees. Their career was already on the slide before they teamed up with the Italian disco pioneer, and although they had a few hits thereafter they never quite achieved the success they had got in the mid 70's when they were Prince Charles' fave band. A more cynical person than I may even think that they only got together with Moroder for purely commercial reasons but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Big hair, big vocals and big production all combined together for tonight's disco classic....

Giving Up Giving In

Let The Mystery Be...

I was watching the Parallel Lines BBC4 show earlier tonight and Mike Chapman was talking about the distinctiveness of Debbie Harry's voice and how you would instantly know from the off that it was her singing. Sometimes, for me, with country and folk singers I find there are a lot of similiar sounding voices where it may not be obvious from the start who the singer is. No such problems with the instantly recognisable voice of Iris Dement. I had the joy of seeing Iris perform in Glasgow back in '93/'94 and just fell in love with her voice. She has a very unique singing style that may not be to everyone's taste but I could happily listen to her all day long...

Her first two albums, in particular, are full of beautiful, heartfelt songs where she literally bears her soul on record. There is an honesty and integrity in her songs that is rare to find these days. For me she sits up there with talents like Margo Timmins, Neko Case, Hope Sandoval and the wonderfully talented Mary Margaret O'Hara. A rare, unique talent that deserves to be far better known by the public at large. If you haven't heard her before you could do a lot worse that pick up a copy of Infamous Angel, her first and possibly best album. You will not be disappointed....

Let The Mystery Be