Not Forgotten
Not Forgotten: R.E.M. – Up
There was something about R.E.M.’s Up that rang alarm bells with me from the moment I heard that it was going to be released. Like many of their fans in the UK, I had got into R.E.M. during the early 90s, at the point where they were at the height of their commercial powers, and …
Not Forgotten: Jethro Tull – This Was
For those that are familiar with the more complex and progressive output of Jethro Tull from the 70s, a first listen of their 1968 debut album, This Was, can come as quite a shock. Although it has always been obvious that Tull were influenced, at least in in some part by the blues, the fact …
Not Forgotten: Traveling Wilburys – Traveling Wilburys, Vol.1
In concept The Traveling Wilburys were superb. Bob Dylan was in the process of recovering from a decade long slump, George Harrison was back in the public eye after far too long away, while Roy Orbison was back in the public eye after an even longer absence, and while his band mates were going through …
Not Forgotten: The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow
From its brightly coloured, die-cut artwork, there’s something about Chutes Too Narrow that has always struck me as cartoon-like. I don’t mean that in a bad way, after all cartoons aren’t as tightly-bound by logical linear narratives as other forms of story telling, which in turn means that the suspension of belief is almost a …
Not Forgotten: Genesis – Selling England By the Pound
Genesis may have not been the first, best or even the most original, but to many fans they are the archetypal progressive rock act. From distinctly unpromising beginnings, they had nevertheless evolved from cult favourites in Europe, to the point where in late 1973, they were on the cusp of sizeable commercial success. Much of …
Not Forgotten: James – Laid
One of the pleasing things about James is that they never really seemed to be a smaller part of a larger scene. Sure, every now and then they would release a single that would chime with the times, and sometimes that would equate to a big hit, such as when “Sit Down” briefly made them …
Not Forgotten: The Wonder Stuff – Construction for the Modern Idiot
For some guitar acts ‘pop’ is a dirty word. Not so The Wonder Stuff. Over the course of their three previous albums they had demonstrated that they could be as snarky, difficult and aggressive as any dyed in the wool indie rock act, but still retain a pure pop heart. Sure, by the time of …
Not Forgotten: Randy Newman – The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1
Listening to The Randy Newman Songbook Vol.1, there’s probably a case to be made for him being one of the all time great American songwriters. It’s always been something of a mystery to me just why Randy Newman rarely receives the appropriate praise for his not insignificant contributions to popular song. Granted he is primarily …
Not Forgotten: Neil Young – Comes a Time
Comes A Time is generally seen as Neil Young cycling back to the more laid back sounds of the hugely successful Harvest, and is therefore one of Young’s gentlest albums by some considerable distance. Actually it’s so laid-back that it’s almost horizontal in places, which can makes for a pleasant, if not exactly engaging, listen. …
Not Forgotten: They Might Be Giants – Lincoln
They Might Be Giants debut album is one of those releases where the act seems to have emerged fully formed almost out of nowhere. I say almost, in reality the Two Johns had formed TMBG in 1982, having simultaneously moved to Brooklyn from Lincoln, Massachusetts without realising the other was moving too. A few years …