Back to late 80's guitar pop:
SKIN GAMES
A-side: Brilliant Shining
B-Side: Hold The Mirror
(Epic 1988)
I can't tell you much about Skin Games - late 80's indie-ish band, a bunch of guys playing instruments fronted by an attractive young woman." Hang on! That sounds familiar", you're thinking, "that's exactly what was mentioned on the last blog when you droning on about Altered Images." Well spotted - although there are some differences. Skin Games aren't really into the the jingly-jangly indie sound, and also they were significantly less successful!
I bought this record on the strength of a previous record of theirs, and I bought of couple of subsequent ones as well. (Not, I'll admit, full price - they were all bargain bucket items from Our Price). Did I but these records on the basis that that first record was a corker and so it seemed a good idea to get some more, or did I buy this and others just out of a sense of completeism, i.e. I've got one record by Skin Games - maybe I'll get them all 'cos they're cheap.
I'll confess it's a bit of both, I did think that first record was pretty good (I''l eventually find out if I do still think that when I get round to it in this blog). However this wasn't quite as good, but having two records by one band and then finding a couple of others cheap, just seemed too good of a deal.
Brilliant Shining has a bright uptempo pop sound to it. The guitars chime and rumble in a big epic style. The singer, alas I don't know here name, has a strong and distinctive voice, which is surprisingly deep in places. I like it but it's not a catchy as I remember. However I think the bigness of sound lacks a certain intimacy, and therefore it feels a little colder and more emotionally detached then I'd really like. Lyrically I'm not sure what it's on about either - I think it's probably trying to be deep, without ever actually being clear about it.
On the b-side is Hold The Mirror, which starts with an great intro of rapid guitar sound, the bouncier and catchier nature is much more inviting than Brilliant Shining. It sounds like their not trying to be so great here, and as such have actually made a better song than the a-side. There's a nice hook in the chorus. It's good enough to be enjoyable whilst you're listening, but not really good enough to be fully memorable
Watch the video though - it's like a microcosm of late 80's pop/rock videos.
Next time a bit of prog...
Squeaky-voiced pop this time round:
ALTERED IMAGES
A-side: Bring Me Closer
B-Side: Surprise Me
(Epic 1983)
Altered Images fell out of the early 80's post punk scene and into the charts with a number of bright, poppy and memorable tunes. In many ways following the template set by Blondie. A good-looking young woman singing in front of a set of blokes with instruments. I'd probably have to say that Altered Images were less musically creative and diverse then Blondie ever were. Concentrating more on on an uptempo jangle, they themselves were setting the template for many other bands in the latter part of the 80's (Primitives, Darling Buds, etc of whom more in later blogs!)
Having said that Altered Images were less musically diverse than Blondie were - I'm now going to have to eat my own words as Bring Me Closer is a break from the norm and breaks out the funky side of this band. With Chic-style guitars and melodically similar to fellow Scots, Orange Juice. Clare Grogan's voice is probably a bit of an acquired taste - tending towards the squeaky side as it does every now and then. Nothing wrong with that intrinsically - but it doesn't really go with the funky style;e of this single. There's some lovely soulish backing vocals, and a nice sax outro, but nothing to lift the feeling that doesn't sit quite right with this song.
Unlike Bring Me Closer, the other side, Surprise Me, doesn't surprise me. It's much more the sound that I expect from Altered Images. It's a bouncy, indie pop sound that chugs along pleasantly enough, without really leaping out and grabbing you by the lughole to sending you reeling round the dance floor. There's some of the soul elements that stood out from the a-side - it's the sound of a band starting to experiment with new sounds and going forward. It's a shame then then it's from their last album, and didn't do that well, and they then broke-up.
Mind you, I think the sleeve is a bit of a give away that the band were on their last legs. I've got a theory about these types of bands and their record covers. Look at them in their early days and the pictures feature all of the band, probably looking sullen and moody. As they get famous the whole band is still there, probably all smiles and wacky hi-jinks. They hit the peak of their fame and the attractive lead singer is front and centre, all smiles and coquettishness, with the boys lurking in the background, sullen and moody again. As they reach the end of their careers the rest of the band are gone from the photos, and is just the pretty singer, in short skirts, plunging necklines, doing her best to look pouty and seductive. I wouldn't say it's a hard and fast rule, but it happens often enough to be remarked upon.
Next time something very similar...
What would a Musical by Ian Dury sound like?:
IAN DURY
A-side: Apples
B-Side: Byline Brown
(WEA 1989)
Ian Dury was a man whose dexterity with a lyric and a way with words could make songs into stories, or jokes, or heartbreaking vignettes. Therefore it would seem natural that these talents should be brought to bear upon a musical, and so at the turn of the 80's he gave to us the stage show "Apples". Now I don't know what the musical was all about, and I don't have the inclination to Google it (you can do that yourselves, if you fancy a spot of homework). I do remember that it was poorly received and shut down quite quickly. Judging by the noticeable lack of revival in the West End, it's probably safe to say the critics were probably right.
Apples is the title track of the show, and it's a love song between a barrow boy and a dancer (I've got it into my head that she's an exotic dancer - but can't recall any evidence for this in the song. Maybe that's just wishful thinking!) The style is a light tropical calypso, which actually is a refreshing change of pace. The lyrics themselves are a typical Dury piece about the interactions of ordinary people, the pathos and bathos of their lives, and about there's nothing wrong with being who you are whatever your situation. Hardly a classic, but a pleasing distraction.
The b-side is another song from the show - Byline Brown. This is the story of a reporter digging dirt for his sordid paper. It doesn't tell much of a story other than some reporters are the lowest of the low and will stoop at nothing for a bit of sleaze. Not exactly a revelation in 1989, even less so now. Maybe the song is lacking the context of the rest of show, if we were to hear it as part of that bigger story it would make more sense. It no great shakes in the music department either basing itself on the poppiest of 80's pop sounds, and Dury's own performance is flat and even bored sounding. Given that the strength of Ian Dury often lies in the way he tales his tales rather than his singing ability this just diappoints.
Ultimately this record disappoints more than pleases - just as the stage show seemingly did way back when. In the end a musical about Ian Dury would probably be a lot more satisfying than this one by him.
Next time post-punk tries to get funky...
Some perfect pop:
BLONDIE
A-side: Union City Blue
B-Side: Living In The Real World
(Chrysalis 1979)
I'll admit here and now that I'm going to be biased on this one, as I do love a bit of Blondie, a band that married a myriad different styles together, and then chuck them out a brilliant shiny nuggets of pop for everyone to enjoy.
This record comes from the phase in their career when they were more or less the most popular band in the universe. They'd built up to it for a few years then managed to scale the heights with the album Parallel Lines (and attendant singles), and now were consolidating that position. Blondie were almost the perfect singles band - all their best songs were chucked out on 7 inch, they really knew how to distill a song into the 3-minute pop format.
Union City Blue is probably the most epic sounding song Blondie ever committed to vinyl. The song rolls along on a great sweeping melody. It builds up and soars then stops, crashes down and then soars again. Utterly majestic. I have a clear recollection of watching the video for this song and a Saturday morning kids show - (can't remember if it was Tiswas or Swap Shop, so sorry to all you fans of banal trivia) - it was mesmerizing and transfixing. The band stood amongst the containers in the dockyard, the vastness of the containers matching the vastness of the song, and the sweeping shots of the band echoing the sweep of the record. Practically perfect.
The flip side is Living In The Real World. Soundwise their roots are showing more here than on Union City Blue. It's a harder sound, much closer to their early punkier incarnation. It's fast and bouncy, but with a catch in the lyric about not living in the real world - which may be a nod to the lives that the band were living at that time - which eventually did lead to the implosion of the band of few years later. The guitar break in the song is fun and still has that punk feeling - almost as if to say we're not selling out, just getting better. If someone asked you to imagine the typical sound of Blondie then you'd probably end up imagining something very much like Living In The Real World.
Next time some apples...
Shall we tango?:
THE SHADOWS
A-side: Guitar Tango
B-Side: What A Lovely Tune
(Columbia 1962)
It comes as no surprise to me that The Shadows are the first band to have a second entry into the blog. It should came as no surprise to you either, if you've been paying attention. You may recall that when I reviewed Wonderful Land, that I mentioned that The Shadows spent some time showing that they weren't just a twangy Surf/Western style group, and were capable of much else, this record is probably the epitome of that attempt to showcase their different styles.
Guitar Tango is, let's be honest about this, not really a tango. I'm sure someone could attempt a Tango to it on Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing With The Stars, but musically - it's not really. The name is there much more as a handy hook to let the record buying public know that this record has a Spanish feel - it's all on acoustic guitars, with almost mariachi bits of brass and string punctuating the melody which Hank plucks out flamenco style. It's soft and gentle, with occasional sweeping figures - something pleasing and different from the norm.
If we're looking at different from the norm then What A Lovely Tune probably takes the biscuit. It's a deliberate attempt at comedy - many Shadows fans look at it as a bit of a throw-away number tucked in on a b-side, but I must admit to having something of a fondness for it. It starts with a gentle and quiet somewhat muted melody, the reason for the mutedness becomes clear as a narration starts over the top of the melody. I believe it's Brain, the drummer, doing the voice-over (please correct me if you know it's not). It's a first person narration, done in proper R.P. Our hero is apparently at some kind of formal dance, situation, awaiting his date for the night. When she turns up there's a pleasant greeting, and sitting down noises. (we only ever get to here Brian's voice on this so we have to guess what the young lady is saying or doing). He pours tea and asks if she has sugar, there is the sound tea being poured and sugar being added, then Brian apologises - he's obviously added the sugar without waiting for her reply. There's the nervous awkward silences and pauses, they go and dance (badly) for a bit, and then in desperation he takes her out on the balcony for a bit of "fresh air". He obviously thinks he's in with a chance, because he must either try to steal a kiss or hold her hand or something, but she's not having any of it, and in the end he decides that they might as well go and dance again. It finishes with him commenting on the music which has been playing the background all the time. "I say what a lovely tune. I wonder who wrote it?" (actually, you did, Brian - I looked at the credits on the label!) It's daft and endearing and does capture some of those first date discomforts charmingly. So whilst I wouldn't listen to it often, when I do it always brings a smile to my face. (I don't normally add a YouTube link for B-side but I couldn't resist for this one)
Not the best Shadows record ever, but certainly one of the most interesting ones.
Next time epic pop of the best kind from the tail-end of the 1970's
