Not Forgotten: Warren Zevon – The Wind
The Wind is a difficult album to review, as the fact that Warren Zevon passed away barely a couple of weeks after it’s release casts a long shadow over it. It is an album which will forever be linked to his death and as such, it’s difficult to assess it on its own merits. Indeed, …
Album Review: Jethro Tull – 50 for 50
50 for 50 is the new 3CD career-spanning collection released to celebrate 50 years of Jethro Tull, and I just so happen to be a big Jethro Tull fan. But I just don’t ‘get’ it. Tull’s 20th anniversary in 1988 was marked by a tour, a TV documentary, and a lavishly packaged 3CD box set …
Not Forgotten: They Might Be Giants – Severe Tire Damage
It’s probably fair to say that there are mixed opinions when it comes to Severe Tire Damage. An album of largely live performances, of the two studio tracks, one is one of They Might Be Giants’ undisputable classics, “Dr Worm”, the other is a short and sweet instrumental acting as a bridge between “Dr Worm” …
Not Forgotten: The Supernaturals – A Tune a Day
Released in 1998, The Supernaturals’ A Tune a Day followed the same trajectory as a large number of sophomore Britpop efforts did, in that it failed to match the commercial impact of the act’s debut, leaving their record label wondering if they had a future with them. What made it stand out from the pack …
Not Forgotten: Billy Joel – An Innocent Man
Billy Joel is a musician who has always been capable of greatness. The Stranger is a brilliant slice of singer songwriter greatness, and Cold Spring Harbor is a genuinely pretty album that remains ripe for rediscovery. He could even knock out a novelty hit like “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” with insolent ease. …
Not Forgotten: Pugwash – Play This Intimately (As if Among Friends)
Sometimes it’s just nice to discover an act that you weren’t expecting. I first encountered the name of Pugwash when I stumbled across footage of Pugwash main man Thomas Walsh fronting Matt Berry and his backing band to deliver a storming version of Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die”, but it took my longer than …
Track: Steven Page – White Noise (+ tour dates)
The heyday of the protest song is in the distant past, but given the political landscape at the moment, it’s long due a revival. Okay, so who had the former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page down as one of those destined to spearhead that revival? I certainly didn’t. With the righteously angry “White Noise” Page …
Not Forgotten: The Wonder Stuff – The Eight Legged Groove Machine
Those guitars you hear chugging into hearing range at the start of “Red Berry Joy Town” heralded the arrival of an act that would point the direction for British guitar music for the next decade. The Wonder Stuff, with their smart-arse guitar pop, bitter lyrics of jilted love and avarice, huge choruses and confrontational relationship …
A Buyers Guide to Matt Berry on Acid Jazz
Although primarily known as an actor, comedy performer, and voice over artist, in recent years Matt Berry has received an increasing amount of attention for his music. Since 2005 Berry has released five albums, which although utterly charming, can also verge on the uncategorisable. Late 60s psychedelic folk seems to have been a significant influence, …
Not Forgotten: Paul Rodgers – Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
The thing that I have always found frustrating about Paul Rodgers is that post-Free, the quality of the material he has recorded has not always matched his formidable reputation as one of the UK’s finest blues-rock vocalists. After Free Rodgers joined forces with Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople fame, King Crimson refugee Boz Burrell …