Judy Dyble - Darkness To Light – The Recordings 2004-2006

Following a stint in the band Judy and The Folkmen in her teens, Judy Dyble was vocalist and a founding member of Fairport Convention.  She was only in the band from 1967 to 1968, and appeared on their debut album, before moving on to Giles, Giles and Fripp with her then-boyfriend Ian McDonald.  She recorded some demos with them before leaving the band following the dissolution of her relationship with McDonald.  Her next project was the duo Trader Horne with Jackie McAuley (ex-Them), who released an album and two singles before calling it a day.  This was followed with a stint with the group Dyble, Coxhill & The MB's (also known as Penguin Dust), whose other members were Lol Coxhill (saxophone), Phil Miller (guitar) and his brother Steve, but unfortunately, they never recorded anything.  At this point, Judy got married to music journalist, DJ and lyricist Simon Stable and they focused on raising a family and running a cassette duplication business until he passed away in 1994, when she started working as a librarian.  During all these years she largely disappeared from the music world with the exception of a few vocal sessions and a couple of guest appearances with Fairport Convention at their Cropredy Festivals.  Then, what initially started as Marc Swordfish wanting to sample her voice for the next Astralasia album, evolved into 2004's Enchanted Garden, her first solo album and first recorded work in thirty-four years.  That also marked the beginning of what would become a trio of albums they would record together.  Those three albums have now been collected in the outstanding new box set Darkness To Light - The Recordings 2004-2006.

When the Enchanted Garden recording process started, Swordfish would send her rough loops, then she would fill in the lyrics and harmonies, and he would edit the recordings with contributions from other musicians including violinist, keyboardist and arranger Simon House (Hawkwind, High Tide, Third Ear Band).  The end result is a captivating release that meshes folk (largely thanks to her vocals) with psychedelia, trance, prog and space rock.  Opener “Summer Gathers” is an absolutely gorgeous track that sets the stage perfectly.  Throughout the album other elements are tossed in like the slow, funky groove on “Rivers Now," the soulful sounds of “Going Home," and the sitar and tabla on the title track, which give it an Indian flair.  Other highlights include the ethereal “For You,” where her vocals drift over strings, electronic beats and keyboard washes in dream-like bliss, and the haunting sax-driven “Neu! Blue."

While the next release Spindle follows a similar path, there is less emphasis on the samples and more on the instruments.  The album opens with a killer take on Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play.”  The high energy version borders on electronica and features some great violin from House and keyboard solos from Swordfish.  “Misty Morning” harkens back to her original folkier side, and has a great guitar solo, but still has a bit of that Swordfish touch, as does the largely acoustic “Fingest”, a captivating track driven by traditional, rootsy instrumentation.  Another high point is the enchanting “Shining”, which features a gorgeous guitar soundscape from guest guitarist Robert Fripp.  “Honeysweet” is a darker track that is enhanced brilliantly with Harold Asher’s dulcimer, and album closer “Thank You My Dear” is a super catchy, sprightly and whimsical tune complete with the brilliant use of jew’s harp and tambourine adding to the effect.

Largely picking up where Spindle left off, Whorl was the last of the three albums with Dyble and Swordfish collaborating.  “Starlight” opens things up and is a lilting track on the folk side, with more of a traditional band sound and more great dulcimer from Asher.  The hypnotic “Breathe The Same Air” mixes things up a bit driven by a slow, soulful jazz beat and horns.  Following “The Teller,” a mesmerizing melding of folk and psychedelia, is a cover of the King Crimson song “I Talk To The Wind.” Dyble originally recorded an early version of the song with King Crimson in 1976 (released on the compilation album The Young Person's Guide To King Crimson) and her version here is stunning, featuring some stellar guitar from Fripp.  She really makes the song her own, while keeping the core of the original intact.  The swirling “The Last Kiss” throws in a Middle Eastern groove and closing track “Forever Shining” is a variation on “Shining” from the preceding album that again features a gorgeous Fripp soundscape.  Also included in this outstanding box set are nine bonus tracks, with notable additions including an instrumental dulcimer mix and Robert Fripp demo version of “Shining.”  Following these three albums, Dyble decided to move in a different direction and recorded several more albums before passing away in 2020.

(Esoteric Recordings)

exPorter - New Rubber Girlfriend 

Even though it only has six songs, New Rubber Girlfriend, the latest EP from Santa Barbara’s exPorter shows an impressive array of diversity while still maintaining a strong sense of cohesiveness.  “Mustash Sally” gets things going and is a solid blast of high-energy pop punk. Shifting in darker direction, “Letting Go” is somewhat reminiscent of Weezer with a very taut sound that conveys the tension of the lyrics before exploding in the chorus.  The fuzzy, bluesy guitars of “Southern Kingsnake” give it a stoner rock vibe, but if stoner rock had more of a pop slant.  The West Coast roots of the band really come through on “805” an upbeat power pop tune with just a little bit of grit.  The simple, largely acoustic guitar and vocals track “Flowers” is an infectious lo-fi pop tune that brings us to the strangely titled closer “She Won’t Stop Eating Batteries,” which sounds like a long-lost nineties alt rock tune that is so familiar you will feel like you have heard it before.  

(exPorter)

J Mascis - Live At CBGB's

As the title states, J Mascis Live at CBGB's was recorded at the famed venue on December 2, 1993 and documented his first solo acoustic show.  Originally released in 2006, and long out of print, it has now been reissued on transparent red vinyl.  Over the course of thirty-seven minutes, Mascis performs twelve songs consisting of Dinosaur Jr tracks plus covers of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Every Mother’s Son” and Greg Sage’s (of The Wipers) “On The Run”.  Dinosaur Jr are known for the extreme volume of their shows as well as the fuzz and feedback of Mascis’ guitar work, so it’s interesting to hear these songs stripped down to their core.  While his distinctive vocals aren’t for everybody, for those of us that do like them, you can really hear the emotion and nuances that sometimes get lost a little in their full-band versions.  As for the set list he does a great job of touching on everything from the early days up to their most recent release at that time and the two covers are perfect choices for him.  Considering it’s his first solo acoustic performance, he does sound a little nervous at times, but for the most part he sounds surprisingly relaxed and even introduces many of the songs.  

(Cherry Red Records)

Bagdad - They Don't Know EP

Formed in 2023 by a couple of high school friends, guitarist/vocalist Franciszek Drobiński (guitar, vocals) and bassist Wojciech Stach, and later rounded out by drummer Jakub Gadamski, Polish three-piece Bagdad have recently released their debut EP They Don't Know.  While it does have a few short bursts of energy, the Cobain like vocal delivery and droning guitars of opening track "Valley Of Dry Bones" are quite reminiscent of Nirvana's slower moments.  With it's infectious beat, the fuzz rock of "Somewhere, Nowhere" is the most upbeat and "pop" (using that term loosely) track here and really highlights their diversity.  The midtempo "Knight Errant Block" starts off somewhat restrained and then becomes even more introspective about halfway through before letting oose at the end.  The dreamy "Ash Pan Nocturne" is a gorgeous cut of swirling slowcore with a taut undercurrent rearing its head at times.  The seven plus minute "Heartland" closes out the EP and is a very introspective track at first, building to a slow, but much noisier instrumental ending about halfway through.  With elements that include slowcore, grunge, pop, fuzz rock, and post-punk They Don't Know is quite an impressive debut.

(Rite Field Records)

Girlschool - Running Wild & Live In London (CD/DVD)

Girlschool initially formed in 1978 when school friends Kim McAuliffe (vocals/rhythm guitar) and Enid Williams (vocals/ bass) teamed up with Kelly Johnson (vocals/lead guitar), and Denise Dufort (drums).  They meshed hard rock with punk energy for a sound that caught the ear of Motorhead's Lemmy and resulted in the band supporting them on the 1979 Overkill tour, signing with their management and label and even releasing a single where they recorded Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' "Please Don't Touch" together along with covers of each other's songs.  They released four albums and a handful of singles over the next few years and also went through some lineup changes with Gil Weston (formerly in the punk band the Killjoys with Kevin Rowland of Dexy's Midnight Runners fame) replacing Williams in 1982 and guitarist Cris Bonacci and keyboard player/vocalist Jackie Bodimead replacing Johnson in 1984.  This last lineup change not only saw them go from a four-piece to a five-piece, but it also saw them shift towards a more polished, mainstream sound, something that had been hinted at on the preceding album Play Dirty.  That brings us to Running Wild & Live In London, which was originally released on VHS and then later reissued on DVD (under several different names including Play Dirty Live and Live From London), and has now been released for the first time on CD along with the DVD.  The show was recorded at The Camden Palace in London on December 7, 1984, and was released to support the upcoming release of Running Wild (the set included five songs from that album), which in hindsight was an interesting time in the band’s history with the aforementioned shift to a five-piece and the change to their sound.  When the album was released in February it was only released in the States and when its follow-up was released in 1986 they had gone back to their earlier sound, and were back to a four-piece with Bodimead no longer in the band.  In addition to the Running Wild tracks, the remainder of the set draws primarily from Hit and Run and Play Dirty with only two songs taken from other albums.  Interestingly, not only did their earlier tracks maintain the heavier and faster punk-tinged edge in the live show, the newer more AOR / hair metal tracks tended to also be a little heavier live.  As for the performance, the band definitely knew their way around the stage and sound great here giving an enthusiastic, high-energy show.  Even though this lineup was very short-lived, Running Wild & Live In London is a great representation of the band, especially at this point in their career.  (Unfortunately, I haven’t had access to the DVD, so I can’t comment on that part of this release)

(HNE Recordings)

Bee Blackwell - Nine Lives EP

After initially posting emo and grunge covers online in 2023, Bee Blackwell released the three-cut EP Calico later that year.  She followed that up with three singles, “Dumb,” “The Same,” and “Signs” in 2024 and is now back with her second EP Nine Lives.  She describes her music as “‘90s alternative meets 2000s emo,” which pretty much hits the nail on the head here.  It’s very rare that a song becomes an instant earworm the first time I hear it, but that’s exactly what happened when i hit play on the opening track “Claws.”  Fuzzy guitar driven alt rock with sugary sweet pop hooks and Blackwell’s vocals that fit the song perfectly, make this a track that should be blasting out of everybody’s radio this summer.  A little slower and more introspective, but still not lacking in melody, “Cowboy” adds a little bit of grunge.  Although a little more upbeat “LALALA” moves in more of a shoegazer direction and closing track “More” once again slows things down and is a bit darker.  My only complaint here is that opener "Claws" is so infectious that I wish there was a little more like that.

(Bee Blackwell - Bandcamp)

 

Skids - The Singles

The Scottish band Skids were formed in 1977 with an original lineup comprised of Richard Jobson, Stuart Adamson, William Simpson and Thomas Kellichan.  While they never really took off in the States, they had quite a successful career in the UK with nine songs hitting the top 100, three of which were Top Twenty.  The band made their debut in February 1978 with the three-cut single Charles.  The title track (later re-recorded and included on their debut album Scared To Dance) has a punk edge with a driving, almost military beat and buzzsaw guitars.  On the flipside was "Reasons", some ragged punk a la The Skids and the Oi! sounds of "Test-Tube Babies."  After signing with Virgin Records the band went in with producer David Batchelor (known for his work with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band) and recorded "Sweet Suburbia," a song to me that really shows them finding their sound (and Stuart Adamson locking in on that distinctive guitar sound) and carries over to the faster paced b-side "Open Sound".  Next up was the Wide Open EP, which was led by one of their most iconic songs, the anthemic "The Saints Are Coming," which not only is used as walk-on music for the rugby team the Northampton Saints, but it was also covered by the likes of Green Day and U2.  The remaining tracks on the EP are "Of One Skin," a bouncy punk song with some interesting slowed down sections, the working man punk of “Night And Day” and the more mid-tempo “Contusion,” with its laid-back beat.  Hitting number ten on the UK charts, "Into the Valley" was their biggest single and is another infectious anthem that can also be heard at soccer stadiums.  Recorded live at the Marquee Club in England, "TV Stars", is the b-side and is a fun song primarily consisting of them chanting a list of names with the crowd joining in.  It is still included in their current shows with updated names.  With production from John Leckie and Bill Nelson (ex-Be Bop Deluxe) their next single "Masquerade" was another big hit reaching fourteen on the UK charts.  Although it has a touch more of a punk edge, it shows signs of where Adamson would head next in Big Country, and “Out of Town” on the flipside is another distinctive, hard-driving tune with plenty of hooks.  There was also a limited 50,000 singles that included a second disc with "Another Emotion," which has that familiar Skids sound and "Aftermath Dub,” a dub version of "Masquerade" that to me is pretty much a mess and a definite misfire.  Following the departure of drummer Kellichan, “Charade” was the first single to feature new drummer Rusty Egan (ex-Rich Kids) and takes their sound and adds a bit of an electronic element.  Non-album b-side “Grey Parade” is a darker, haunting tune with waves of synths that at that time was a definite shift in direction, but a sign of where they would be heading.  Although it was originally on the Days In Europa album, "Working For The Yankee Dollar" was remixed by Mick Glossop for the single release and is another great Skids singalong anthem, with the rollicking punk track "Vanguard's Crossing" on the flip (there were around 50,000 copies of the single that came with a free 7" containing "All The Young Dudes" and "Hymns From A Haunted Ballroom" recorded for the BBC, but they were unable to license them for this release).  The next single was "Animation" and it was the last to feature bassist William Simpson who by this time had left the band to be replaced by Russell Webb (fill in drummer Egan also left after the single's release).  While it sounds like the Skids, it still shows them expanding on the sound in some new directions, most likely due to the input of producer Bill Nelson.  Having said that, the flipside "Pros and Cons" is pure synth heavy new wave.  Featuring new members Russell Webb on bass and Mike Baillie on drums, "Circus Games" was the first single from album number three The Absolute Game.  It's an interesting track that musically follows along a similar path to many songs on the previous album, but also has a fun, almost children's song like singalong chorus that also included sections sung by children.  Also taken from the album, the b-side "One Decree" again has a very strong Big Country feel.  “Goodbye Civilian” is a very catchy, upbeat track that comes close to new wave electropop, but still maintains a little of the rock undercurrent.  The strangely titled b-side Monkey McGuire Meets Specky Potter Behind Lochore Institute is an interesting high energy punk instrumental with some jazz flourishes.  Probably even more than on any cut before, “Woman In Winter” ended up being the band’s last charting single and again is a precursor to Adamson’s influence on Big Country.  It was backed by a live version of “Working For The Yankee Dollar.”  Their fourth album Joy, found the band whittled down to Jobson and Webb with guest musicians.  "Fields" was taken from that album and included appearances from The Associates' Billy Mackenzie and Alan Rankine.  They also shifted their sound going in more of a folk direction with largely acoustic instrumentation.  That song and the non-album b-side "Brave Man," which has more of an electronic edge and doesn't really fit in on Joy are here in both 7" and 12" versions.  The band's final single was "Iona" (released for some reason in versions that are two different lengths), which was the last Skids' song featuring Adamson on guitar and also had an appearance from Mike Oldfield playing bagpipe samples.  It's a powerful Celtic-tinged anthem that is completely unlike anything they've done before, as is the b-side, the haunting “Blood and Soil,” with its sparse instrumentation (mostly keys and percussion) and a chant like vocal accompaniment.  Also included with this great collection is a sixteen page booklet detailing the story behind each single.  

(Captain Oi!)

Wylderness - Safe Mode EP

Following a couple of albums in 2018 and 2022, Cardiff's Wylderness is back with the new four cut Safe Mode EP.  Overall, the EP has a very late eighties / early nineties vibe.  Opener “Big Idea” is a hypnotic track that has a very shoegazer sounding start, then mixes in some jangly alt rock along with interesting guitars that have a bit of a Smiths era Johnny Marr sound.  “Is It Summer” kicks off with a laid-back, dreamy alt rock sound (reminds me a little of early Lloyd Cole), but has a slow build with elements of shoegaze coming in more and more before the fuzzed out wall of guitar climactic ending.  The dizzying, swirling sound of “Sun Scream,” along with some clarinet giving it more of that eighties / nineties alt rock sound, is very reminiscent of bands like The Ride and Stone Roses and has another explosive closing full of loud, noisy guitars.  The EP’s final track is “What Happened To The Rain,” which is again dreamy and laid-back, bordering on shoegaze, but with more of a modern-day twist.  

(Wylderness - Facebook / Wylderness - Bandcamp)

Luke Haines & Peter Buck - Going Down To The River ... To Blow My Mind

Following albums in 2020 and 2022, Luke Haines (The Auteurs, Black Box Recorder) and REM's Peter Buck are back with Going Down To The River… To Blow My Mind, which they are calling the third in their "psychiatric trilogy."  Rounding out their band here are Scott McCaughey (The Young Fresh Fellows) and Linda Pitmon (Zuzu's Petals), who have both played with a multitude of bands and artists, including several with Buck.  While the previous two albums were recorded remotely, this time around they recorded together in Portland.  As you make your way through the thirteen songs, there is a lot of diversity stylewise, but it is still a very cohesive release.  The album opens with the single “The Pink Floyd Research Group” a trippy psychedelic ride with tons of pop hooks and even a bit of its namesake.  Next up is the title track bringing to mind the noisier side of REM during their Monster era (especially in Buck’s guitar work), as does “Nuclear War” later in the album.  Quirky and off kilter, “Hot Artists” has demented circus like guitars and keys that remind me a little of when I first heard Mr Bungle, but not quite as heavy or erratic.  They delve into glam (complete with handclaps) with “56 Nervous Breakdowns,” which adds a bit of a ragged edge, while “Sufi Devotional” and “Children Of The Air” are a couple of solid psychedelic tracks, the latter with a hint of The Beatles.  “Me and the Octopus” is really catchy power pop with horns and some old school synths.  Following the dreamy, laid-back psychedelia of “In Rock” they tackle a more power pop with “Judy Chicago,” a tune that has a little bit of a bite and some great harmonies.  The midtempo alt rock of “Radical Bookshop,” is enhanced perfectly with some nice piano accompaniment, and the album closes with “Special Guest Appearance” a quirky, slow and swaggering track with lyrics that are often tongue in cheek, dealing with “special guest appearances.”  Another standout release in the long and prolific careers of these two musicians.

(Cherry Red Records)

Ruperts People - Dream In My Mind - Anthology 1967-1999

While there have been other compilations documenting the musical output of Rupert's People, the newly released 19 track CD Dream In My Mind – Anthology 1967-1999 is the most comprehensive.  Along with the three singles they released are a German B-side, two cuts from previously unreleased acetates, seven live recordings (three from 1969 and four from a reunion show in 1999), another previously unreleased cut and a single from their earlier band The Sweet Feeling.  Comprised of vocalist Rod Lynton, bassist Ray Beverley and drummer Steve Brendall, The Sweet Feeling caught the attention of Howard Conder, who quit his job with the Robert Stigwood Agency, and became their manager.  He got them a deal with Columbia Records who released their only single, which opens the CD.  Although it wasn’t successful saleswise, “All So Long Ago” is an impressive track that walks the line between The Beatles and The Kinks with the driving psychedelic “Charles Brown” on the flipside.  That song takes us to the first twist in their story when Conder asked Lynton to rearrange it to the tune of Bach’s “Air On The G String,” which ironically (or most likely not ironically) was also the tune that was the inspiration for Procol Harum’s just released single “Whiter Shade Of Pale.”  He then got the mod group Fleur De Lys to record the song under the name Ruperts People and released it as the single “Reflections Of Charles Brown,” which sounded nothing like the original, but instead was almost a clone of the Procol Harum song.  They also recorded the b-side, the hard-rocking “Hold On,” co-written by Lynton and Fleur De Lys’s Gordon Haskell, which has some great driving organ from future Procol Harum member Peter Solley.  To make the story even stranger, when the single was released the members of Fleur De Lys didn't like it and refused to do any promotion, so Conder asked The Sweet Feeling to change their name to Ruperts People to promote it.  Since they had their own songs, they didn't want to do that either.  Conder ended up putting together another band fronted by Chris Andrews, the Les Fleur de Lys singer who actually sang the song, but they broke up during rehearsals.  At this point he once again begged them to change their name, which they did, adding Dai Jenkins on guitar and John Tout on organ and recording their next single, “A Prologue To A Magic World”.  The Alice In Wonderland themed song is a dreamy piece of psychedelia that fits that theme perfectly, and the b-side “Dream In My Mind” is a heavier psychedelic gem with a bit of a freakbeat edge.  Strongly reminiscent of The Small Faces, “I Can Show You” was the final single released by the band, with the pop-tinged psychedelic rock of “I’ve Got The Love” on the back.  As for the bonus cuts, first up is “Love/Opus 193”, a raw, bluesy rock tune that was the German b-side to “Reflections Of Charlie Brown” and is rumored to have been recorded by session musicians.  Also included are a couple of unreleased acetate recordings.  "Water To A Stone" is an interesting cut that was produced by The Beatles' roadie Mal Evans and is an organ heavy tune with a lighter “Born To Be Wild” vibe at times, while “Flying High” is a gorgeous and mellow, somewhat psychedelic instrumental (a second version is also here, where in 1992 a reformed version of the band and some friends took the acetate and built on it, including adding vocals).  The remaining tracks are live cuts, three recorded in London in 1969 and four more from a 1999 reunion show featuring the three original members.  The 1969 tracks are from an audience recording and are surprisingly good.  They include “I See You’ve Changed,” a rocker with some really good guitar and organ playing, the heavier bluesy psychedelic “Reflecting,” and an interesting organ heavy cover of The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” that’s a little slower and bluesier.   As for the reunion tracks, along with fairly faithful covers of The Small Faces’ “My Mind’s Eye” and The Beatles’ “Rain” are another run through “I See You’ve Changed,” along with “Hold On”, both of which sound great.  These definitely make for a nice addition to this outstanding collection that is well-worth the listen.  

(Strawberry)

Young And Wild - A Decade Of American Glam Metal 1982-1992

Following on the heels of the popularity of genres like punk, glam and NWOBHM, hair metal (or American Glam Metal as the title calls it) really started making its mark in the early eighties, and over the next ten years was one of the dominant forces in the music world.  Most of the bands put as much time and effort into their looks and presentation as they did their music, and the fact that MTV was getting its start at the same time created the perfect storm for many of these bands that were either in or gravitating to LA and Hollywood.  With fifty-eight tracks from fifty-eight bands, Young And Wild - A Decade Of American Glam Metal 1982 - 1992, does a good job giving a broad range of bands in that scene at that time and includes many that were pretty much household names like Twisted Sister (actually starting off as a glam band in 1972), Quiet Riot (first number one metal album in the US), Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, KISS, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Poison, Skid Row, Extreme, White Lion, Vixen, and Warrant.  Some of the others like Dokken, Tesla, Bulletboys, Kix and Winger were still quite well known, while many of the others were lesser-known outside of the hair metal community but were releasing music that was just as good.  Some of these include Helix, Black ‘N Blue, Kick Axe, Leatherwolf, Faster Pussycat, Dirty Looks, Bang Tango, Dangerous Toys, Junkyard and Electric Angels.  The collection also does a great job of showing the diversity in the genre with band’s adding elements that include the blues (Cinderella, Tora Tora), soul (Little Caesar) and Southern Rock (Tattoo Rodeo, Jackyl) among them.  A few of the other bands here really took things in a fresh direction that made them stand out to me and ended up as some of my go to bands at that time.  These include Enuff Z’Nuff with their psychedelic pop, Saigon Kick who were rock, but with an ever-present, hook-heavy pop side and plenty of diversity, and Warrior Soul who mixed in elements of psychedelia, goth, pop and punk.  Then there is Mother Love Bone, who while I question their inclusion here, have what I consider the box set’s best song, "Stardog Champion".   Fronted by Andrew Wood, who was destined to be a star, but unfortunately died of a heroin overdose several days before their full-length debut was scheduled to be released, they drew rock influences from band’s like Led Zeppelin and also had glam in there too but were not “hair metal.”  It should be noted that two members went on to form Pearl Jam who were lumped in with the grunge movement that is considered a contributing factor to hair metal’s decline.  As with any collection like this, people are going to come up with a laundry list of bands that they feel should be included and there are going to be plenty that they don’t feel belong here, but overall this is a really fun listen that will take you back to that wild, loud and over the top debaucherous era in music. 

(Lemon Recordings)

Elephant - III

For the past four years, with two albums and an EP under their belt, Rotterdam’s Elephant (Frank Schalkwijk, Michael Broekhuizen, Bas Vosselman and Kaj van Driel) have been the band I’ve returned to more than any other.  Like its predecessor, album number three (simply titled III) has everything that makes them sound like Elephant, but also finds them experimenting, which keeps things fresh and ever evolving.  While lyrically it’s a bit darker than most of their previous songs, the sunshine pop of opening cut (and first single) “For A Friend,” with its lazy groove and hooky chorus, brings to mind their earlier work.  When it was released as their second single, “20 K” took me completely by surprise.  You can still hear elements of their sound, but with its electro hip-hop beat, vocoder and noisier guitars, they have created an absolutely hypnotic track that’s unlike anything they’ve released before.  “You Wanted The Same” is melancholy dream pop with fantastic vocal interplay between Frank and labelmate Sofie Winterson.  She also appears on their unexpected cover of Blink 182’s “Always,” which finds them taking the core of the original with its upbeat bounce and making it all their own.  At just over six minutes, “Trust Me I Feel It Too” is a cool, laid-back cut that will have you gently swaying back and forth and has some really interesting guitar work that at times gives it a disoriented, almost dizzying, effect and also has a a long instrumental ending with some subtle “Joe Meek-like” space sounds.  Juxtaposed with darker lyrics, the stunning “Tried To Sleep” is a largely acoustic cut that puts a modern-day spin on the West Coast singer / songwriter sounds of the seventies and also has some really nice jazzy guitar work in the middle.  “Memories” again brings to mind their earlier work with a touch of alt country that really comes through in the guitar work.  The mesmerizing “Real Love” has some strong shoegaze elements, while “When You’re Down,” featuring Dewolff’s Pablo Van de Poel, who has also produced all their releases, is a simple, stripped-down tune with more great guitar work.  The experimentation is at the forefront once more with closing track “For A Friend Pt 2,” an ethereal instrumental soundscape enhanced by the sounds of a crackling fire.  Not to beat a dead horse, but as has been the case the case with their prior releases, III is easily one of my favorite albums of the year. 

(Excelsior Recordings / Elephant)

Pilot - The Singles Collection

Before they founded Pilot, David Paton and Billy Lyall were substitute members of the pre-success Bay City Rollers. In the early seventies they were joined by drummer Stuart Tosh and after recording some demos they got a contract and recorded their debut album (produced by Alan Parsons) with session guitarist Ian Bairnson, who then joined the band as a permanent member.  If you live in the States you might be confused as to how there could be a two-disc release devoted to the singles of that band that you only know for their 1974 hit “Magic”, which hit number five on the US charts and is known to a younger generation through a cover by Selena Gomez and its use in Ozempic commercials.  While nowhere near as well-known as “Magic,” they did have two more singles that charted in the US, "January" at number 87 and "Just A Smile" at 90, and had four UK singles that hit 34 or higher (“Call Me Round”, “Just A Smile” and “January,” which was number 1 in the UK, Ireland and Australia were the other three).  From 1974 to 1977 they also released four albums and a total of thirteen singles.  The Singles Collection contains 31 songs comprised of those singles and their b-sides, one track released on a promotional flexi-disc, a single released under the name Scotch Mist before they became Pilot, and bonus solo singles from vocalist Paton and keyboardist Lyall.  While “Magic” is a power pop gem that has had people singing along for over fifty years, the rest of this release shows they were more than just a one hit wonder.  Many of the songs are notable for their strong vocal harmonies and production (strings and horns pop up from time to time), and while most are catchy pop and rock full of hooks, often bringing to mind Badfinger, Todd Rundgren (and his band Nazz), Wings, 10CC and Alan Parsons (producer of three of their albums), they also dip their toes into glam (“Call Me Round” opens like a glam rock stomper), funk, jazz and more.  Some of the songs that find them expanding on their sound include “Just Let Me Be, which is loaded with hooks and also has hints of jazz and funk and strangely reminds me of early Billy Joel at times, “Evil Eye,” an interesting track that has a bit of Alan Parsons and The Beatles with lyrics about their management’s greed and how they only saw the band as a means of making money, and “Ten Feel Tall” (the last official Pilot single) that at times sounds more like Queen and Supertramp. Considering that they did have some hits, and therefore some name recognition, it’s a real mystery why more of these songs weren’t hits as well.  There’s the lazy pop of “Love Is” (an album track that was released on a flexi disc given away in the UK in the weekly music paper “Record Mirror”), “Running Water,” a big power ballad with a strong 10CC vibe and “Penny In My Pocket,” an extremely catchy pop rock tune with some great guitar work that has hit written all over it.  “Monday Tuesday” and the dreamy, laid-back acoustic “Steps” are a couple of great ballads.  Then there’s “Are You In Love,” a gorgeous, semi-acoustic ballad with some nice prog elements in the guitar work (not sure why this was a b-side) and “Big Screen Kill,” a Beatles flavored tune with a big sounding, orchestral string section and lyrics dealing with Hollywood churning out crappy, violent movies just for the money.  In all fairness, there are a few tracks that to me just don’t really work.  “Ra-Ta-Ta” was the a-side of that pre-Pilot single under the name Scotch Mist, and it’s a cover of a 1970 hit for the band Rotation that’s driven by a military style beat and is really annoying (ironically the meandering psychedelic “Pamela” is the flipside and is a strong, dreamy acoustic track). Then there’s “Lady Luck,” which is kind of cheesy and sounds like they threw everything but the kitchen sink in production wise but just doesn’t work.  The solo singles are a nice addition to close out the disc.  Taken from his only solo album released in 1976, the two tracks that comprise Lyell’s only solo single are “Us,” a lightweight seventies power pop tune with some hints of ELO, and the very impressive, orchestrated, art rock pop song “Maniac” (a reworking of a song from the third Pilot album).  Phil Collins played drums on both songs and Phil Chen (Rod Stewart and many more) played bass.  Following Pilot's demise, David Paton started doing session work with artists like Kate Bush, Alan Parsons and Chris DeBurgh.  His single was recorded at Abbey Road and released in 1980 (the lack of radio play for the single ended up resulting in a proposed album being shelved).  The influence of his work with Alan Parsons is very evident on both "No Ties No Strings" and "Stop And Let Go."  Sadly, Lyall passed away in 1989, but various incarnations of the remaining members have gotten back together off and on over the years and in 2014 Paton, Bairnson and Tosh all reunited and released the album A Pilot Project.  Bairnston has since passed away as well in 2023.

(7T's)

Semihelix - Deeper Space in Time / Tin Blvd single

With a full-length release tentatively scheduled for late 2025, Austin three-piece Semihelix is back with their latest single.  "Deeper Space In Time" starts of with an infectious meshing of jangly guitar pop and driving riot grrrl punk and builds and builds in intensity before settling into a slower, more melancholy groove.  At first, the flipside "Tin Blvd" has more of the jangle rock guitar but with a bit of a Pixies feel, but evolves into a very taut and tense, fast paced song that becomes almost manic, but still with a sense of melody.  This is another great single that really has me looking forward to the upcoming album.

(Semihelix - Bandcamp)

Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster (Remastered and Expanded)

When The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown came to an end in 1969, two members of the final lineup, organist Vincent Crane and drummer Carl Palmer, decided to form a new band and Atomic Rooster was born.  Rounded out by Nick Graham on bass, they recorded their debut album before both Graham and Palmer left the band.  Over the ensuing years and a multitude of member changes (including expanding to a four-piece at one point), they released five albums, with Crane the only consistent member, before calling it a day in 1975.  Fast forward to 1980 when Crane and John Du Cann, who had been in the band on guitar and vocals from 1970 to 1971, decided to give the band another go with session musician Preston Heyman, who left the band after recording the album.  The resulting release was the self-titled Atomic Rooster (not to be confused with their debut Atomic Roooster), which has now been remastered and reissued in this new edition that also includes eleven bonus tracks, and a second disc recorded live at the Marquee Club in 1980.   

While their last two releases before the breakup had more of a soul influence, this album found them shifting back in a hard rock and prog direction, taking influences from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal that was hot at the time, along with some elements of punk (Du Cann's vocals were notably different here with more of a punk snarl). The album starts strongly with "They Took Control Of You", which opens with screeching guitars and is a powerful, all-out rocker that's musically very reminiscent of Deep Purple (especially thanks to Crane's organ work), but with a touch of punk.  "She's My Woman" and "He Did It Again" are a couple of muscular rockers, the latter of which has more emphasis on the organ, giving it a bit more of a prog element with hints of Argent. While not totally punk, "Where's The Show?" really shows their punkier side.  At almost seven minutes, "In The Shadows" is a very organ driven track that is dark and a little evil sounding and in more of a prog direction.  The punk influence shows up once again on "Do You know Who's Looking For You," a track that is more aggressive but still with plenty of keys.  "Don't Lose Your Mind" has more of a classic rock sound that is reminiscent of the band's early days.  Instrumental "Watch Out!" is a solid prog instrumental that at times brings to mind Yes, although it's a bit faster at times.   ”I Can’t Stand It” is a fun rocker with a punky attitude that’s kind of upbeat with sprightly keys giving it a bit of a bounce, and closer “Lost In Space” is another more prog influenced track.  Rounding out the first disc are eleven bonus tracks starting off with “Throw Your Life Away” (originally released as a b-side), a high energy track that really showcases Du Cann’s guitar work and has more of his old school vocals, and “Broken Windows,” an unreleased, hard-driving rocker that was possibly initially recorded as a b-side.  Next up are four demos of songs that ended up on the album and four more that were recorded for a potential follow-up album before Du Cann left the band again.  They include the muscular rock of “End Of The Day” (released a year later as a single by a different incarnation of the band) and “Play It Again,” and the bluesy, soulful “Hold It Through The Night.”  The final bonus track is the short instrumental “Moonrise”, that is just listed as “last recording 1981.”

As was mentioned earlier, after the album was recorded, Heyman left the band and was replaced for a very short time by Ginger Baker followed by the return of Paul Hammond.  At this point the band was back to the lineup that recorded their sophomore album Death Walks Behind You.  This is who played in 1980 at The Marquee in London, which is documented here on disc two.  It was originally recorded on cassette on a single onstage microphone, so it definitely has that bootleg feel, but considering how it was recorded, it sounds extremely good and really puts you right in the middle of the action.  The band sounds really tight and the performance is strong, which is even more impressive since they hadn't been back together that long.  Along with four songs from the Atomic Rooster album, there are five from Death Walks Behind You along with "Devil's Answer," which had been released as a single back in 1971. These earlier cuts tend to be a little heavier than they were originally, putting them more in line with the rest of the set.  This disc is a great addition to this release that shows where the band was at that time.     

(Esoteric Recordings)

Treasure Pains - Charming

Durham, North Carolina's Treasure Pains was formed through a collaborative writing sessions with members of Youth League and WolvesxWolvesxWolvesxWolves, and Charming is their debut EP.  In just over sixteen minutes, the post-hardcore band blasts through six tracks that are aggressive with taut angular guitars, but dripping with a strong, hook-heavy sense of melody.  Openers “Blowout” and “Charming”, along with “Vines”, personify this perfectly.  “Not Opaque” moves in more of a melancholy direction, although is still not lacking in power.  They shift gears a little on the final two tracks, which are quite possibly my favorites. “Hands Up” kicks off with a Primus-like distorted bass that will throw you at first, but then moves into a mellower, very catchy rock song, while “Empty Paws” is a little less aggressive, but more high energy and will have you bouncing your head.  Hopefully this is just beginning of this collaboration.   

(Wiretap Records)

Madball - True To The Game - The Roadrunner Years

Back in the mid-eighties, when future Madball frontman Freddy Crucien was just a kid, he would get onstage with his brother, legendary Agnostic Front vocalist Roger Miret, and perform some lead vocals.  Fast forward a few years to 1988 and Madball became a full-fledged band with Cricien on vocals and Miret on bass along with fellow Agnostic Front members Vinnie Stigma on guitar and Will Shepler on drums.  They released a couple of EP's in 1988 and 1992 (second guitarist, and another former AF member Matt Henderson joined between EP's), and then in 1994 they signed a deal with Roadrunner Records, who released their first three albums.  Now, with the release of True To The Game - The Roadrunner Years, those releases have been combined into an outstanding box set.

Set If Off kicks the box set off, and features Jorge ‘Hoya Roc’ Guerra on bass, replacing Miret who had left the band at this point.  With it being their full-length debut and featuring so many former Agnostic Front members, that band is more of an influence here than on future releases.  Tracks like “Lockdown,” “Never Had It,” “Face To Face” and “Across Your Face” are hard-hitting and angry, but almost always have a slower moment to take a breath.  There is also a sign of what was to come on future albums on tracks like “It’s Time” and “Down By Law,” (the video for this song got a lot of attention on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball), which have a bit of a groove.  Interestingly, the album ends with their aggressive cover of Agnostic Front’s “Friend Or Foe.”

Between their debut and album number two, Demonstrating My Style, Vinnie left the band.  This album found them embracing the groove element even more, which is evident from the get-go with the opening title track, along with cuts like “Pride (Times Are Changing)” and “5-O".  “Godfather” is another interesting shift with instrumental breaks that are almost hardcore hip hop.  They once again close this album with an Agnostic Front cover, “Your Fall”, which is actually a hidden bonus track.  

Look My Way was the band’s final album on Roadrunner.  They continued as a four-piece, but John Lafata had replaced Shepler on drums.  Quite a few of the songs here, like the title track, “Waste Of Time” and “Cut Off,” are slower, but still lose nothing in the intensity department.  Having said that there are plenty of powerful fast-paced cuts like “Moment Of Truth” and “All I Can Take.”  Songs like “Fools Die” and “Lesson Of Life” also delve a little more into the metal side of things. Another track of note is “Our Family”, a reworking of “Nuestra Familia” from the previous album, that is their first song sung in Spanish.  True To The Game does a great job of consolidating this chapter of the Madball story, which still continues to this day, although with Cricien as the only remaining member from this era.  Also included is a great booklet with in-depth interviews with Cricien, Henderson and Shepler, as well as video director Drew Stone and Howie Abrams, the A&R person that signed them to Roadrunner.     

(Dissonance Productions)

Gentlemen Rogues - Half Empty, Half Fool / Children Of The Revolution single  

With it's punchy, yet jangly, guitars, the energetic, hook-heavy power pop gem "Half Empty, Half Fool," from Austin’s Gentlemen Rogues is a hook-heavy, power pop gem that would fit right in with Bob Mould in his Sugar days.  The track is taken from last year's full-length release Surface Noise and is the a-side of their new single released on vinyl to coincide with their Midwest tour.  The opaque pink 7” is limited to 100 copies that will only be available at shows on that tour while supplies last (the digital version is available on Bandcamp).  The flipside is a fantastic cover of the T-Rex classic “Children Of The Revolution," that  maintains the glam core of the original, but with a heavier, more muscular sound, that keeps it fresh.  

(Gentlemen Rogues - Bandcamp)

Quireboys - Hey You! The Parlaphone Years 1989-1993

In the mid to late eighties, while bands like Guns N Roses, LA Guns, Faster Pussycat and more were emerging from the LA rock scene, The Quireboys were among the bands coming out of a similar scene in London.  Hey You! The Parlophone Years 1989-1993 documents the first phase of their career and contains their first two albums along with an expanded version of their 1990 live album Live Around the World and bonus tracks consisting of b-sides, live cuts and demos from that era.  

They released their debut A Bit Of What You Fancy… in 1990 and the influence of The Faces, and to a lesser degree The Rolling Stones, is evident throughout the majority of the album.  They also throw in a little glam at times, which helps set them apart.  While they have been quite successful in the UK, the promise of US success was there initially with the single “7 O’Clock” hitting fifteen on the US Mainstream Rock Charts, but unfortunately it never happened.  That single opens the album and has a bluesy bar room rock swagger with some great piano and does a great job of setting the tone for what’s to come.  “Man On The Loose” is up next and is similar with more of that bar room swagger.  It’s more reminiscent of The Rolling Stones with some strong guitar work and a slower section highlighted by some gospel backing vocals, which are also present on “Whippin’ Boy”, a slower, down and dirty blues track highlighted by a string section that gives it a haunting mood.  The anthemic “Sex Party” seems to always get the crowd going at the live shows, but to me it’s a little dated, sounding like bluesy hair metal.  Starting off acoustic before going electric, the country-tinged rock of “Sweet Mary Ann,” an album standout, takes a page straight out of the Rod Stewart handbook, as does “Roses & Rings,” a slower rootsy acoustic track with some fiddle (even the guitars on this one have a Rod Stewart vibe).  All the pieces really come together on “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” a slow, rootsy ballad (with some big dramatic ballad moments thanks to the string section) that sounds like it was made for the US charts, but for some reason only hit seventy-six.  While it’s a pretty straightforward anthemic rocker, “Hey You” has some great slide guitar that really sets it apart.  The Stones once again come to mind on “Misled,” a honky tonk rocker with more strong piano, while “Long Time Comin’” is a solid bluesy rocker, although a little nondescript.  “There She Goes Again” is quite different than anything else on the album with a bit of a Springsteen / Southside Johnny vibe, especially with the horns and the chorus.  The album closes fittingly with “Take Me Home”, a gritty rocker that walks the line between The Faces and The Stones.  Disc one also includes three bonus tracks with the bluesy rock of “Pretty Girls” and The Stones-like “How Do You Feel?” (both originally on the Japanese version of the album) and the original version of “Mayfair”, an earlier single that is a raw, down and dirty bluesy glam track.

 In late 1991 the band started working with producer Bob Rock on their sophomore effort.  Due to problems at their label and Rock's other commitments, the album had numerous delays which caused them to bring in Chris Kimsey to help with the production.  The end result, Bitter Sweet & Twisted was finally released in late 1993, and while it’s not as strong as its predecessor, there are plenty of great tracks to be found, with the opener “Tramps And Thieves” a perfect example.  The influence of The Faces definitely shows on the bluesy rock track, full of dirty slide guitar and rollicking bar room piano.  The high points continue with “White Trash Blues” with its shuffling blues swagger along with solid piano and horns, and “Can’t Park Here”, a hard driving rock cut with a strong old school blues undercurrent.  Up next are a couple of the weaker tracks in “King of New York,” an over-the-top ballad that is a little too generic and “hair metal”, and “Don’t Bite The Hand,” a rocker with a bit of a Stones vibe that just seems to be missing something.  “Last Time” is a rootsy, largely acoustic, ballad that finds Spike in full Rod Stewart mode and works much better than the earlier one.  A bit of a departure, “Debbie” is sleaze rock with a tongue in cheek swagger and plenty of horns.  Their cover of Hot Chocolate’s “Brother Louie” is a really fun take on the song, keeping the spirit of the original while giving it The Quireboys treatment.  Next up is the slow burning, bluesy rock of “Ode To You (Baby Just Walk),” followed by “Hates To Please,” which is virtually pure straight ahead country rock complete with pedal steel.  Although the next track “My Saint Jude” is a somewhat generic rock track, the final three songs are among the album’s strongest.  “Take No Revenge” is slow, smoldering blues rock highlighted with some great organ, while Wild, Wild, Wild” is a strong rocker, once again reminiscent of The Faces, and closer “Ain’t Love Blind” is a little more on the pop side, making for a fun track with a hint of glam.  Three more bonus tracks, all originally released as b-sides, are included on disc two.  It’s no surprise “Pleasure And Pain” was relegated to a b-side.  It’s a somewhat soulful tune with a lot of horns that comes across like a band trying too hard for a hit and strangely sounds like late eighties, early nineties era Rod Stewart.  On the other hand, “Best Jobs” is loose, acoustic tune full of saloon piano that just sounds like them sitting around playing and having a good time and “Can’t Get Through” is classic, high energy Quireboys that could’ve replaced any number of songs on the album and made it better.  

For fans that like to dig a little deeper, disc three is a treasure trove with twenty demos from the sessions recorded during these first two albums.  First up are demos of eight tracks that ended up on the debut along with two of the b-sides found on disc one.  While many of them aren’t too far removed from the album cuts, several are notably different.  “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “Hey You” are both a little slower and bit rougher around the edges, while “Roses & Rings,” and “Misled” are both faster.  With the exception of one track that ended up on Bitter Sweet & Twisted, the rest of the demos here are for songs that were never released.  “The Last Time” is that one song and in all honesty the demo, which is stripped down, is full of character and in my opinion the better version.  Some of the other highlights include the mysterious sounding “Ton Ton M’Acoute,” a slower, kind of slinky track, the bluesy, country of “You Can’t Hide From Your Heart” and the powerful “Save Me,” which shows a darker, heavier side to the band.  

Rounding out the box set is a live disc that is actually an expanded version of Live Album (Recorded Around The World) that was released between the two albums in 1990.  Since these tracks were recorded at a variety of shows the sound quality varies, but there aren’t any that are unlistenable, and for the most part they sound good.  As for the performances themselves, they are high energy and show a band at the top of their game, and the crowd participation is great.  In addition to tracks from those two albums there are great covers of Sam and Dave’s “Hold On I’m Coming” and The Rolling Stones’ “Heartbreaker.”  Hey You! The Parlophone Years 1989-1993 is a fantastic look back at the early years of the band and has plenty for new fans and old fans alike.  

(Lemon Recordings)

Rooskin x Beach for Tiger - Dopatine

Dopatine, the new EP from Essex’s Rooskin and London’s Beach for Tiger, is the perfect soundtrack for those laid-back summer nights.  It’s a mesmerizing melding of Rooskin’s psychedelic surf pop and Beach for Tiger’s psychedelic soul.  “Searchin’ For A Reason” opens the EP and draws you in with its waves of synths, hypnotic beats, laid-back groove and dreamy harmonies (there’s also an instrumental version of this track that closes the EP).  The easygoing, soulful “State Of Mind” has a loping surf beat and sounds like the perfect soundtrack for driving around at night with the top down.   The somewhat lazy and meandering “Forever This Way” is full of keyboard washes and more incredible harmonies, while the title track is a gorgeous instrumental soundscape that takes elements of the prior songs, but puts more emphasis on really nice textured guitar work.  Dopatine is an absolutely stunning set of tunes and hopefully is a collaboration we will be hearing more from.

(Rooskin - Facebook / Beach for Tiger)

  

Kevin Ayers & The Whole World - Shooting At The Moon (remastered LP)

Following his stint in Soft Machine, a band he helped found, Kevin Ayers went the solo route, and in order to tour following the release of his debut album, he formed the band The Whole World.  The band was comprised of Mike Oldfield, Lol Coxhill, Mick Fincher and David Bedford, and once the tour was over the band went into the studio, and along with guest appearances from Bridget St. John and Robert Wyatt, recorded his sophomore effort Shooting At The Moon.  That album is now the latest of his releases to be remastered from the original master tapes, cut at Abbey Road Studios and reissued on vinyl.  The album is highly acclaimed and is very adventurous and experimental, dabbling in things like free jazz, folk, prog and avant-garde (some more successful than others) in addition to the psychedelic and baroque pop that was prevalent on his debut.  Album opener “May I?," one of his better-known songs, brings to mind his debut, and is a gorgeous, incredibly infectious ballad highlighted by his rich baritone and Coxhill’s sax. “Rheinhardt & Geraldine / Colores Para Dolores” is an interesting cut that starts with two minutes of prog with the keys, sax and rumbling bass mingling together very prominently before shifting into a minute and a half of pure cacophony, sounding like someone twisting the radio dial back and forth through the channels.  It then shifts back to the prog, but with the guitar moving more to the forefront.  The raw, ragged garage rocker “Lunatics Lament” is unlike anything else on the album and features some great organ along with Oldfield absolutely tearing it up on guitar.  At over eight minutes, “Pisser Dans Un Violon” shows their experimental side, and is a noisy soundscape that really doesn’t do anything for me and is a track I will definitely skip in the future.  Heading in a completely different direction, “The Oyster and the Flying Fish” is a bouncy acoustic folk duet with Bridget St. John that makes for a really fun listen.  “Underwater” is another avant-garde instrumental that is fittingly titled but again is prime for the skip button.  Originally written several years earlier for Soft Machine, “Clarence In Wonderland” is a fun, kind of quirky and whimsical pop tune that at times reminds me of the more offbeat songs of Harry Nilsson.  Driven by a gentle bossa nova beat, “Red Green and You Blue” is a more laid-back jazzy tune.  Closing cut “Shooting At The Moon” opens with a heavy Sixties rock sound and then turns into an extended section that is still rock, but with elements of free jazz that gets a little too long and repetitive before it shifts back to more straight-ahead rock for the last thirty seconds.  The original artwork has also been restored for this release that is well worth adding to your vinyl collection. 

(Esoteric Recordings)

The Adventures - Once More With Feeling

In 1984, after originally working together in the punk / new wave band Tango Brigade (previously The Starjets), lead vocalist Terry Sharpe and guitarist Pat Gribben formed The Adventures with Eileen Gribben (Pat’s wife), Gerard Murphy, Tony Ayre and Paul Crowder.   With a few membership changes along the way, the next nine years found the Belfast band releasing four albums before breaking up in 1993.  These releases contained numerous UK hits, including “Broken Land” which reached number twenty there and ninety-five in the States, where it was their only song to hit the charts.  In the ensuing years they reformed a few times for live performances and now, over thirty years after their last album, they’ve released album number five, Once More With Feeling.  The band had contemplated making another album for a while, but when covid and the lock-downs came along, Pat spent more time in his home studio, and with all the free time, he was able to focus on songwriting.  He ended up writing all the songs himself, with the exception of “L.U.C.Y.”, which he interestingly co-wrote with Cathy Dennis during a session where they were attempting to write a song for S Club 7.  With Mark Tolman now on drums, all of the remaining instruments here were handled by Pat, with Terry and Eileen contributing all of the vocals (Tony Ayre, who was the only other member in the band on their last album, passed away in 2009),  They’ve done a great job here of capturing a lot of what made the band so special all those years ago, but also taking their sound into the modern era.   A lot of the album is also more upbeat than the earlier ones, something that is evident right out the gate with the infectious and bouncy pop of opening track “My Imaginary Girlfriend”, which has some great sprightly keyboards that at times are a little reminiscent of A-Ha.  “With The Cats” is up next and has an Eighties era MTV sound crossed with Beach Boys summertime pop.  Driven by some gorgeous acoustic guitar, “When The Sun Goes Down” is an enchanting, bouncy jaunt followed by another upbeat pop gem “Love Talk”.  The aforementioned “L.U.C.Y.” marks the first time Eileen Gribben has handled lead vocals on an Adventures album (she was the lead vocalist on "Currogh Of Kildare", a bonus track on a single in 1988), and is a delicate and absolutely gorgeous ballad recorded in memory of Pat and Eileen’s niece, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2021.  While still full of hooks, “Down By The Water” is a little darker and edgier like a poppier Neil Young with a little bit of The Beatles.  With the help of Conor and Paul McGuinness (2 extremely talented local singer / musicians from Belfast per the liner notes) on backing vocals, “Song For You” is a great acoustic tune that has a strong Simon and Garfunkel feel.  The upbeat pop of “I Still Dream Of You” adds a bit of a rootsy element to the mix, while “The Hanging Tree” is a fun tune with a rockabilly beat that definitely stands out from the rest of the album.  “To Whom It Concerns” is a stunning, sweeping Lennon-esque song that closes the album perfectly.  Once More With Feeling is a most welcome addition to The Adventures discography and highly recommended to fans of their earlier work as well as anyone that has never heard of them before.  Let’s hope this is a career resurgence and not a one off.

(Cherry Red Records)

Dr. Strangely Strange - Anti-Inflammatory

Dr. Strangely Strange was initially formed in Dublin in 1967 by Tim Booth and Ivan Pawle.  In 1968, after playing some shows as a duo, they added three more members, including Tim Gouldin.  Over the ensuing years, various members came and went with Booth, Pawle and Goulding remaining the constant until they disbanded in 1971 having released two albums.  The three reunited a year later for an Irish tour and then Booth led the band with all new members in 1973.  Since the early 1980's they have gotten back together from time to time, along with fiddle / mandolin player Joe Thoma, and they also released another album in 1997.  Now, fifty-eight years after their formation and forty-six years since their last release, the four of them are back with album number four.  They kick things off with “Up With The Lark”, a quaint tune that starts simply with piano and vocal and then incorporates fiddle and whistle giving it a medieval folk feel.  With its driving Bo Diddley beat, the first single “Baby Bunting” is a strangely infectious psychedelic folk tune with massive pop hooks.  Enhanced with some nice electric piano, “Like Water Like Wind” is a really pretty ballad that brings us to “Sulán,” the first of three instrumentals.  Per the liner notes, “The Sulán is a rhythmical river that meanders through the Cork and Kerry mountains passing near the village of Cúil Aodha”, and meandering is the perfect description for this laid-back instrumental with its dreamy Celtic flair.  The loping, psychedelic country two-step of “Rosenalli’s Two-Step” has a super catchy beat and just the right amount of quirkiness, making it the perfect song for a “psychedelic hoedown”.  “Drive ‘em Down” is a bright, bouncy tune with a rootsy country element.  It has some great acoustic guitar work and is enhanced nicely with keyboards.  “Murmuration” is an acoustic folk cut with a bit of a darker side, followed by “Morning Song,” a pretty acoustic piano instrumental accompanied by viola and fiddle.  With bittersweet lyrics looking back at their younger days and time passing by, “Back In The Day” is a lively folk tune.  The final instrumental “Vienna” also closes the album, and was written by Goulding for the birth of his second grandchild.  It’s a solo piano performance with hints of jazz, and a very bouncy, celebratory feel, making it a really nice way to end the disc.  Anti-Inflammatory is a welcome return and an absolute joy to listen to.    

(Think Like A Key Music)