Be Here Now: First Takes On New Album Releases December 2nd, 2014
Album f The week: 12-2-14
Rock Or Bust – AC/DC – with Malcolm Young retired and his nephew Steve Young the replacement, you’d think, you know, maybe they’d slacken a little on the rumble tumble riffs and juggernaut rhythms. Not a chance. No better and no worse than anything else they’ve ever recorded, more songs about rock and roll and girls – ALBUM OF THE WEEK A-
Clever Cloggs – 10cc – If Graham Gouldman is so hard up for cash, he should release the solo acoustic versions of his early 1960s UK hits he was touring with last year, this 2007 London concert isn’t worth the effort – C
Ladies And gentlemen… – The Bangles – From Susannah Hoffs parents garage, their earliest demos. And they sure sound fully formed to me. The harmonies seemed in place from the get go – B+
Cassey O’ – George Ezra – Nah, no “Budapest” here but the title track of this EP is awful close and this guy has a full voice indeed – B+
Vacant Space – George Maple – George is an Australian via London soul girl plus beats, not bad but nothing special – B
Songs For A Prisoner (Griffin House Live From Prison) – Griffin House – Folkie but he can get em going -“The Way I Was Made” is major – B+
Live In Dublin – Leonard Cohen – If Cohen wants to release yet another live album, it’s alright with me. The closing “Save The Last Dance For Me” is definitely worth listening to, but everything else we’ve heard many many times – B
Business Pleasure – Little Boots – In 2008 this was the next big thing, in 2014 not so much – C+
The London Sessions – Mary J. Blige – Mary goes to the UK, and all the upstart soulsters plus beats pay homage by giving her the royal treatment. And it pays off with one of the best albums of the year, and yes, if you think “Not Loving You” -a stark thing, sounds like a Sam Smith song MIA, well, he wrote it – A-
Twenty -Something – Noah Gundersen – lo fi folkie -B-
Didn’t It Rain – Songs: Ohia – Songs: Ohia was James Molina, another great singer songwriter who drank himself to death before he was 40 years old. This deluxe version of one of his great album adds demos and is none the worse for it – B+
Doolittle 25: B Sides, Peel Sessions And Demos – The Pixies – The title says it all – B-
Like You – School ’94 – Swedish indie pop band, sweet enough – B
Classics – She & Him – It’s almost not worth ripping this to shreds. Just listen to “This Girl’s In Love With You” (sic) – D+
Willie’s Stash:December day, Vol 1 – what the Grateful Dead have wrought, let no man put asunder. Willie goes to the archives and finds this set of song recorded on the touring bus with his sister Bobbie Nelson on piano. It isn’t bad but I can’t take decades of the stuff and I’m gonna get decades of this stuff – B
A Better Tomorrow – Wu Tang Clan – Because RZA is hugely influential people think he is still great. He isn’t. And Wu Tang have been a drag since at the latest Iron Flag. This is a real disappointment, if you’re expecting anything – C+
Extra Painful – Yo La Tengo – reissue of their sixth album, if they are playing this in concert make sure you go – A-
