Things Happen – Dawes – This is meant to be the introduction to a very very big album, and it might be and it might take a coupla spins to introduce itself in any real way, but an early listen shows a well played not very good song, a touch oversung – B-
The 385,000 units shifted of “Bad Blood” is pretty impressive though I personally am not so crazy about the Kendrick verse as the rest of the world. Plus, not my fave track on the album at the best of times though Taylor certainly keeps changing the plot on us, doesn’t she
I bet Twenty-One Pilots are opening up the bottles oc champers, whatever the downsize of the music biz in 2015 might be, the upside is everybody gets to have a # 1 album. This is the seventh by a new act, this year. Meanwhile, in the smaller share US, the Billboards award catapulted Taylor, Meghan and Ed. Finally, Bradley Gilbert has a song with featured singers Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett. Or as we like it to call it, a breesome.
The Bullfighter Dies – Morrissey – Moz, defender of those who can’t defend themselves, and bullpit for causes no one has the power to approach. It is a shame that he doesn’t have a better balance or better songs, this has neither. “Hurray hurray the bullfighter dies and nobody cries…” isn’t gonna cut it – B-
The UK invasion isn’t very invasive any longer. And when you aren’t quite sure what to think, grade C covers it all. You’re all average and hey.. that’s ok
Seems this weeks singles have the combined appeal of bananas and sardines. Leave it to the UK to show us Americans what theyre made of.
LSD – A$AP Rocky – Here is where, well, actually, what the hell? This is rap? It sounds like indie rock on a 60s psyckick, the rap is minimal, just a verse, but the rest of it sounds like a dream of sex and power runs, this is a song of the year – A
King Kunta – Kendrick Lamar – This is as playful as Kendrick ever gets, for a full fledged rap superstars he isn’t a particularly cheerful fellow though you think he would be on this Roots sage – B+
Serenade – Franz Schubert – No less than Franz Liszt dubbed Schubert our most poetic composer and really this melody echoes effortlessly through time, it is beyond gorgeous, and dating from 1826 he wasn’t yet 30 (and wouldn’t make it to 31), pop learnt how to compose melodies from this guy, hell Gershwin learnt off this guy – A+
The Kids Are Alright – The Who – There is a plaintiveness about this song, maybe more so now than 50 years ago, but the word kid reverberates and the sense of a scene in movement is also partly a scene closing down forever. “I don’t mind…” is suh a loaded line – A+
this doesn’t hit me like the chart of summer yet, OMI and Jess Glynne haven’t hit (they have both been # 1’s in the UK) and I think once they do, the two will battle it out… and I have a feeling OMI might win.
Three albums in the top five are soundtracks and I bet more to come as the days roll by: ever since “Twilight” realized it could connect with the youngsters via indie bands, mainstream poppers have been circling the soundtrack compilation and now the eagle has landed. The result? While you might enjoy EDM pop moves on a single, or on a dance floor, one after another for 40 minutes? Not so much. Incubus? I’m a pass.
Sugaree Live – The Grateful Dead – Off Garcia from 1972, and written by one Robert Hunter, by 1977 it was all over the Grateful Deads live show, a mid tempo country waltz with plenty of room for vamping – A
What Billboard have that other people don’t is the numbers to back up their awards, so the multi-platinum 1989 is a no brainer winner for this years awards. Billboard is all about the charts and as all about the charts go, it is where it is at. Which means the only award they didn’t hand to Taylor was Top New Artist (they gave it to Sam Smith instead).
Always In My Head – Coldplay – When they write the book on great divorce albums, Coldplay won’t be in the top three, behind Dylan and Gaye, but that doesn’t make this understated song, a poorly articulated but haunting track, might get a footnote – B+
I know what you’re thinking: where the hell are Blur? I mean, after a month of non stop blather, w’appen? Don’t fret so, they are at # 11 BUT, just to get that in perspective, Taylor is into her 26th week, and Sheeran his 50th week, meanwhile, this damn band who we’ve had shoved down our throat non stop can’t stay in the top ten two weeks?
If I was a betting man, I’d go with Jess Glynne for song of the summer, but it ain’t over till Lunchmoney Lewis, who you probably remember from The Pinkprint, says it is. His dad is Ian Lewis, of reggae band Inner Circle, but “Nills”, a contender for song of the summer, is a bouncy and joy piano romp that should do him well here as well.
Good Enough – Bonnie Raitt – From 1975, you know how some folks just don’t do it for you? O’ve never much liked Bonnie Raitt… no real reason, I quite get why other people do. Including Robert Christgau and Carola Dibble who consider this their song according to his memoir…. which I am reaching the end of – B+
Sun Goes – Paul Weller – Yee haw -Weller finds the Western in a modified reggae strut. It is an interesting without being in any way good little number. I like Weller live but on record I can’t wear the guy, call it a cultural derailment; also explaining it as to one reason UK rock doesn’t always travel: he is a creep with a bad haircut and too many crappy songs – C
Made Up Mind – Tedeshi Trucks band – I’ve never been covinced when it comes to this band, but when I saw Susan with the Allman’s last year (rememebr: Greg was out sick), they were better than the penultimate gig I caught. But this? Still not convinced – C+
I realize Azealia dates from 2014, which goes against the grain of the entire best songs of the last week or so concept, but it was a real revelation on Monday at Irving Plaza, and though the recorded version undersells the hook, it is pretty good. “Jules” is so good, I wondered if I had undersold the album, but, actually, this was the only killer, its “No Baby I”, “There’s happiness and then there’s this, whatever this may be” is good but it’s not “you’ve got them tears, they fall like pearls, blame it on gravity, blame it on being a girl”.
No Baby I – Old 97’s – This is my fave Rhett song, and there are a lot of songs ready to undertake the task. It musical terms, it is absolute perfection, a typical Rhett break up song is more because of one of the greatest images ever, blaming tears on gravity – A+
How can I hate such a sweet remembrance of Paul Walker? If they couldn’t get Sam Smith, surely Charlie Puth is the next best thing and it is a sweetly sad melody and Wiz brings a certain tenderness to his rap. But I don’t believe it, it’s like Sam Smith for morons, a by committee heart tugger about a man who died an extremely stupid death. It is too manipulatively, I can’t buy in.
Say what you will, and I don’t much like the album myself, still as # 1’s go, Mumford And Sons 231,000 units sold is impressive in a field that has been averaging around the 75K range for a first week top of the charts. Yeah, I’m impressed but bemused. I have zero doubt, if it was their first album nobody would’ve noticed much.
Three Dog Night Joy To The World – These guys had 21 hit songs in succession including this one, which sounds a little forced in 2015, a little unsteady in its attack (yes attack), as it sneers or smiles. Written by Hoyt Axton – B
Concrete And Clay – Unit 4 + 2 – they can thank the late great UK DJ Kenny Everett for this hit, a gay pixie (closeted at the time, of course, though how we didn’t see it I have no idea), Bob Crewe produced the same song by a different band, but this is the one – A
Creeque Alley – The Mamas And The Papas – I was complaining about the lack of great songs, really it is all texture, so here is a mediocre band, great harmonies, and big at the time but in no way major. This song is a piece of mythological sound from the history of Cali – A
If Trance has won the battle for the singles charts, the album charts are very volatile, it is a world where the cult band can make its presence felt… if only for a week. Blur at # 2 and Mumford at # 1, the revenge of rock? Yeah, but not really, because who knows how long it will last\. Meanwhile, Sheeran and Swift are still hanging on. Sheeran? one month short of a year in the top ten
This is the sound of modern pop music and it sounds like electronic dance beats plus melody, in other words, it sounds a helluva lot like trance, doesn’t it? Blonde is r&b trance, Bieber adds soul to EDM for the post-party heavy duty druggies.
Grown Up – Danny Brown – “Remember when my first meal was a school lunch, now I spit sixteen straight with no punch…” One of the best rappers to date takes on one of the great hip hop subjects, being raised in poverty. His voice his really great, it isn’t thug, there seems something just beneath the surface of it seeped in sadness whatever he is saying – A-
Ebony Eyes – The Everly Brothers – On Flight 1203, his fiancee takes a plane but never quite makes it, the spoken word portion is so painful it chokes you back, especially as he watches the ebony eyes of ebony skies until there is nothing left to see but a plane never going to arrive – B+
Some nice songs, some may even last longer than the week, but they are all no match for Jason Isbell’s masterful “24 Frames” , terrific and strange song, about: memory? the speed at which disasters occur? life as a camera in your mind:? Michael Stipes? Losing your religion? Who knows?
All You Had To Do Was Stay – Taylor Swift – An electronic masterwork, all 808s and multi layered and falsetto underlining, but as catchy as hell and for a deep track, Taylor recently claimed 1989 was an album during which she had no romance, but the edges of romance are all over it – A
Feeling Good – Avicii – The DJ-Producer continues on his electronic way into the middle of the road with this big brassy record reworking of Nina Simone’s epic track. Produced in league with Volvo, and I bet the commercial is a killer. Still, the entire enterprise is a little heartless, a brassy but minimalist. That’s Audra Mae from “Addicted To You” taking you out – B-
T Wayne is a sticky mo fu from the Lone Star State, “Money Freestyle’ was a pretty good earlier song, but ‘Nasty Freestyle is even better: a Texan accent and a slur weed voca with a sing songy braggard deluxe. The first line, “First lemme hop out the motherfuckin’ Porsche, I dont want her if that ass don’t sit like a horse” was so good, Vine users had a competition as to who could lip synch to it best.
I hope there never comes a time I my life, even if I am no longer writing about music, but merely a civilian buying tickets to Taylor Swift concerts like all you plebs (actually, I am a civilian buying Taylor tickets like all you plebs), when I can look at the names Zac Brown and Josh Groban at the top of the charts and not throw up in my mouth.
Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley – # 1 in the charts the year I was born, this stark, grown up blues, is stunted in despair and stark as a threadbare transient hotel, everything about this is nightmare and horrifying, including the solo – A+
Two Of A Crime – Miranda Lambert – I kinda liked this without going bonkers over it, but the horns are wonderful and the ending is psychedelic, and Miranda’s country tinge just makes it bigger. Great song – A-
How did Tay get back to # 2 five months after 1989 dropped? No new song on the charts, sure she has three dates in June but that is three dates and it is in June. No surprise to see Blur at # 1… every album since Parklife has done the exact same thing. Ps: remember how they didn’t put “Popscene” on the UK version of Modern Life Is Rubbish because they were pissed it didn’t chart? They are doing the exact same thing with the US.
The only excuse for “I Really Like You” is if it is a hit, then you forgive it for being irritating before you finish it once. Really, really, really… The Iggy is a goodie that improved off the other, and Alesso? A talented fellow going nowhere with this one.
(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice – Amen Corner – Based on an Italian hoit and turned down by the Tremeloes, it was a huge hit in this Shel Talmy arrangement. The calling card was Andy Fairweather Low’s raspy vocals which seemed to belong to another form of sound than teen pop – A-
Drop That Kitty – Ty Dolla $ign (feat Charli XCX and Tinashe) – Now there is a line up, master popstress Charli XCX with her hookiest contribution og not “I Love It”, surely “Boom Clap” is joined by a model r&b singer and an LA rapper for this ear candy nursery rhyme – A-
Them Changes – Eric Clapton And Stevie Winwood – Buddy Miles monster riff is given an electric run through by Stevie on keyboards and soul slamming vocal and when there is a whole, Clapton throws in gorgeous blues licks so everything is covered at all time, and the horns handle the riff – A-
Singing with his pecs, the Flo Rida resident has recorded one great song, “Trumpets” and lotsa mediocre pop moves, while truly sucking bad on stage. “Want To Want Me” is ordinary but the proof is in the sales,w hich is kinda like bouncing a quarter off his stomach and seeing where he falls.
This is a little less volatile than usual, with only Alabama Shakes the shocker, and even AS only shifted 96K “equibalent units”. But this is a sort of quietly indiffrent week, backed by two soundtracks, and still, from 2015: Taylor, Sam, Ed and Meghan, plus Drake who will be holding up the new album now. Sam Hunt is unlistenable.
The Young Novelist have written a break up sound or maybe a breakup song for the ages, a killer track which leaves our hero seriously gutted by the curtain. Well worth your time, I promise. The Mariah is another goodie nobody will listen to. Frankie Knuckles is spectacular.
Where It’s At – Shit Robot – A long time favorite DJ of mine meets a human beat box Reggie Watts without a nice old fashioned meets new EDM vocal, it works for me very well: it has a roiling bluesiness and high intensity yield a polar opposite of Avicii – B+
It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) – Bob Dylan – When people claim rock music has been going downhill since the mid 60s, they could easily show this as exhibit # 1. It is not that there is a line here and there which makes sense in the grand scheme of life, it is that some of these aphorisms are now cliches – A+
Rehab – Amy Winehouse – four years after her death, Amy is timeless on this great song which bypasses irony because it is so good,and so catchy, that its frothy good nature can’t be depressed by a nightmare and uncontrollable addiction – A
Perhaps it’s a form of snobbery, but is there anything worse than high-low culture pop music like Josh Groban: yes, he has a good voice but everything it touches melts into sugar cotton candy. It is all sticky and horrid. One exception: “Pure Imagination” isn’t bad… That’s why it is D+ and not D-. It’s like Christian MOR without the excuse of worship.
