7 inch singles collection: The Fall - Free Range

It's the wonderful and frightening world of...

THE FALL

A-side: Free Range
B-Side: Everything Hurtz
(Cog-Sinister 1992)


Trying to describe The Fall to anyone who's not heard of them is not the easiest thing to do. Over the years they have chopped and changed styles, gone through countless members, and yet no matter how different one record is from another they all sound exactly like The Fall. This is largely down to singer Mark E. Smith's unique delivery. He is the heart and soul of The Fall - if all the former members of The Fall got together without Mr. Smith and recorded a whole load of Fall songs it wouldn't be a Fall record. If you recorded Mark E.Smith yelling the word Toast for half an hour that would be a Fall record. He is The Fall and The Fall is him.

One of the things that does distinguish The Fall is that many of their records have a choppy stop/start sound with the guitars. Free Range fits this mould admirably. As this is early 90's Fall there is something of an almost danceable groove to this song, the backbone of it being a funky beat that is throbbing and cyclical, occasional bursts of Also Sprach Zarathustra weave their way in and out of the song. All the while M.E.S. shouts apparently seemingly meaningless and random stuff over the top. In that sense Free Range is almost the definitive Fall song, but compared to much of their catalogue it is very much a by the numbers adequate piece.

Almost invariable they better song is saved for the flipside. Everything Hurtz, still has the choppiness of sound, but instead of heading to the dance floor this is a much rockier number. The shouting is toned down, and the lyrics, are much more coherent and even make a bit of sense. In the end Everything Hurtz is simply easier to listen to to, whereas Free Range is much more admirable than likeable. If I were to make a mix-tape of Fall songs for someone I would pick the B-side over the A-side for inclusion.

Next time one band singing about two other bands...

7 inch singles collection: Kirsty MacColl - Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim!

Here's something from the lovely Kirsty MacColl

KIRTSY MACCOLL

A-Side: Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim!
B-Side: Other People's Lives
(Virgin 1990)

Kirsty MacColl, often used as a backing singer for people who were no where near as good as she was, released many great records of her own during her tragically short lifetime.

This single was one of several from her excellent album Kite, and suffers the all too common fate of being one record too many - something I previously noted a few weeks back with a Fleetwood Mac record.

There isn't that much wrong with Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim! (apart, maybe, from the unwieldy title, but even that has an endearing quality to it). It's a pleasant enough ballad about lost and misplaced love - something that seems to feature a lot in Kirtsy MacColl's catalogue, and as is common in her songs she's the strong empowered woman who knows exactly what game the bloke is playing and won't let him get away with it. It swings gently in waltz time, largely acoustic with touches of steel guitar in the background, something which helps lift out of the pleasant but forgettable category, but it does kind of wash over you.

It's a shame that Other People's Lives doesn't do more to lift the record, it's a well crafted piece of pop about doomed unrequited love, but I've found there's little more that I can say about it.

I liked this record, I can clearly remember the songs, but I don't feel a connection or strong pull to either song, and whilst I'd be happy to hear either of them again. I wouldn't go seeking them out. That's a shame because Kirsty MacColl has so much more to offer than this - fortunately we'll be coming to some of them later on.

Next time something from a band whose entire recorded output is practically a genre in itself.

7 inch singles collection: Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter

Here's something from a film soundtrack.

BANGLES

A-side: Hazy Shade Of Winter

B-side: She's Lost You (by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
(Def Jam 1987)

I'd like to say that I know less the zero about the film Less Than Zero. However that wouldn't quite be true, because I know it's got these two songs on the soundtrack, and I know it's based on a Brett Easton Ellis novel. More than that though I can't tell you - I didn't catch my interest when it was released, and resolutely remains so to this day. I did think of looking it up on IMDB for the purposes of his blog, but couldn't be bothered - if you're that bothered go and it it yourself.

So if it wasn't for the film why did I buy this record. Well I have to admit that I really rather like the Bangles, and by like I don't mean fancy (well, maybe the bass player). Their brand of jangly power pop, combined with female harmonies is something that I find pretty appealing.

Hazy Shade of Winter is a cover version of a Simon & Garfunkel song. I've probably heard it a few times before in the original version, but really can't call it to mind as the Bangles version is indelibly lodged in my brain. It starts off all soft and mellow then kicks to life with a killer riff that drives along the song. All the band sing along to this allow some cracking harmonies throughout the record. The whole effect is pretty darn good, and rather enjoyable, yet for that it still seems oddly hollow - maybe if it were an original Bangles track there may be an extra spark in the performance that would elevate it from goodness to greatness.

Normally on the flip side of a record you get a another track by the same artist, but in this case we've got something else off the soundtrack of Less Than Zero - on the back of the record it lists the artists who are on the soundtrack. We we've got here, I'm pleased to say is one of the better options. Joan Jett is often cited as one of the pioneers of women in rock, but is any woman from the 60's or 70's, who played an instrument and sang. The sad truth of the matter is that most of them probably were as there weren't that many women doing this kind of thing back in those days. Actually there's still fewer woman than men these days playing rock music, but it's less noteworthy now. Anyway Joan doesn't let us down with this track. She's Lost You starts with a gentle piano boogie, which from the very beginning you can just tell it's going to very soon start to rock out, and when it inevitably does so it then maintains it's rocking groove for the rest of the record. Joan does the only think you can with this sings a bluesy rasp over the top, all of which results in an honest to goodness down-home 12 bar blues boogie. I can't say that back in the day I ever had much cause to play this side of the record, but now taking things into consideration, I think I really rather enjoy the Joan Jett track more than the Bangles one.

Next time some well crafted pop from 1990.

7 inch singles collection: Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas

Get your cash out it's time to give to charity:

BAND AID

A-side: Do They Know It's Christmas?

B-Side: One Year On
(Mercury 1985)

OK, where do we start on this one. It's a good and worthy cause, I get that, but there is something about this record which really annoys me. Could it be being urged by a collective of multi-millionaires to guilt-trip me into giving my hard earned cash to a charity of their choice, rather than one of my own. This isn't the only worthy cause out there, perhaps I think my hard won cash should go to cancer prevention, or Alzheimer's research, or to servicemen injured in the line of duty, or well the list could go on forever. The way this record was advertised, and forced upon us at the time was such that if you didn't buy you were made to feel as though you'd put a pistol to the head of an Ethiopian child and pulled the trigger whilst laughing maniacally to yourself. 

Alternatively I could dislike this record so intensely because it's rubbish. I know the lyrics aren't meant to be taken literally but "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas" always makes my blood boil - like there ever is any snow in Africa, at Christmas, apart from the mountain-tops where it's pretty much all year round. For that matter how frequent is snow in England at Christmas these days, and exactly what proportion of Africa is Christian enough to celebrate Christmas. As I said I know much of it is metaphorical but it just gets my back up.

It's just a bad record - if Bob Geldolf had actually made a decent record (and he's capable of it), then maybe lots of people would have bought it and then he could have said all the money from this is going to help starving people in Africa, then maybe I wouldn't have minded. However the intense evangelicalism that went with this set me off on the wrong foot.

I didn't buy this the first year it was released, but got it the following year - hence why the b-side is called One Year On. This entails Midge Ure to drone sonorously one for 3 1/2 minutes detailing exactly how many tonnes of rice, trucks, goats, etc. over the tune of Do They Know It's Christmas. That said at least he is dull and boring about this - maybe he knows that any hint or trace of emotion in his delivery would make the whole thing sound even more smug and self-satisfied than it already is.

Do then ends ever justify the means? Maybe in this case it does - but that doesn't mean I have to like it. 

As I get older I get more tolerant of music which in my younger days I would have felt a vehement dislike for. Except this record - once I found Do They Know It's Christmas annoying now I find it deeply offensive.

I will now try and be less angry for next time when it will something from the soundtrack of the film Less Than Zero

7 inch singles collection: Frazier Chorus - Nothing

Some indie dance pop:

FRAZIER CHORUS

A-side: Nothing

B-Side: Little Piece Of Hell
(Virgin 1990)


Frazier Chorus originally started out on the 4AD label,(in fact there'll be something from then from that period another time), and at the time were seen as similar to other bands on that label such as Cocteau Twins as being dreamy and ethereal, with maybe a few more pop sensibilities. 

Nothing still has a languid dream like quality to it, but the poppy dance elements are clearly much more to the fore here. Of course this was at a time when the "baggy" movement was all over the places and every two-bit guitar bands were adding in funky rhythms and claiming that they always had a dance element to their sound. As it happens I think the Frazier Chorus always did have that style, but it became more prominent over time. Nothing starts with a groove and a pounding house-style piano lays down the backbone of the song - so far so ordinary, and nothing noteworthy. The distinctive feature here being the the vocals - these are delivered in an almost bored and languid fashion. Whilst saying something sounds bored may not be the greatest compliment ever given, I think it also what saves this track from fizzling away under it's own blandness. It's tempting fate to name a song Nothing, and it's only just about gets away with not living up (down?) to it.

To me Little Piece Of Hell is the more attractive of the songs on this record - it tones down the dance element, and ups the poppiness of the song - almost literally as a popping noise is a recurring motif throughout this track. The bassline still brings home enough groove for you to shuffle around to without it shouting "This is a dance track" - which is much more my cup of tea. The vocals sound more engaged too - altogether a much more spirited performance.

Next time the granddaddy of all charity singles...

7 inch singles collection: Judy Collins - Send In The Clowns

Something from a Sondheim Musical:

JUDY COLLINS

A-side: Send In The Clowns

B-Side: Houses
(Elektra  1975)

You probably know this song - it's been done many times by a variety of singers and actresses each bringing their own interpretation to it whether it is as a stand alone song, or as part of "A Little Night Music". It's Sondheim so you would expect a well written, and perfectly crafted piece of music, and of course he delivers.

Many people, and I would include myself amongst them, would agree that this version of Send In The Clowns is the definitive one. Judy Collins has a sweet and pure voice, and tones she use bring out the bittersweet melancholy of the words and music. The orchestral arrangement is in perfect sympathy with her voice - supporting and adding texture, but never leading or dominating. The video that I've linked to has actually clowns in the background - but as it's from the Muppet Show - it's pitched perfectly and doesn't ruin the song or detract from it. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for another version of the song that I remember from the late 70's/early 80's it was a comedy show and one half of the duo was trying to sing Send In The Clowns, and on the chorus the other came in all Entry of The Gladiators ruining the song (it was probably Little And Large that sounds exactly like their schtick). I know it was meant to be funny, but whenever I think of this song - that's always the first thought that comes into my mind and it spoils it a little for me.

On the B-side is a song called Houses which seemed to me to be an oddly prosaic name for a song, especially as prior to this listening I cannot recall ever listening to it before. I must have done when I bought the record originally - but it obviously made so little impression upon me that until now I've had no call to listen to it again. I'll be honest and say that it hasn't made much of an impression upon me this time either! It's a pleasant, light sounding piece with nice folky tinges, and appropriate swoops and troughs through the melody, but not attention-grabbing enough for me to even notice what she was singing about! It could have been a a bland description of different types of Houses, or a scathing attack on a society which allows homelessness to happen, but I just didn't notice, and to be honest I not bothered enough top go back and listen to it again.

One quick tangential note - I love the picture on the label of Elektra records from this period - it's really eye-catching and distinctive. Also you'll notice that this particular copy may have come from a jukebox, because it's got that distinctive hole-too-big in the middle and needs that lovely plastic widget to go in the middle in order to be played on a home record player. 

Next time some early 90's dream pop.

7 inch single collection: The Shadows - Wonderful Land

It's my favourite band:

THE SHADOWS

A-side: Wonderful Land
B-Side: Stars Fell On Stockton
(Columbia  1962)

So this'll be the first of may posts featuring the Shadows as I've got more singles by them than by any other artist. they're the first band that I ever got into, so I feel a kind of brand loyalty to them. I'm just glad that this first single to come up is one of the good ones, so I don't have to start on my heroes by trashing one their records.

Wonderful Land was a number one for several weeks in 1962 - I think it even knocked Cliff off the top spot. It's a big sweeping record. Hanks guitar cries out proudly and strong - the name and he melody evokes the sound of standing on mountain top, on wild moorland or in forests in the summertime giving a sense of appreciation of all that surrounds us. The extra pizazz of genius on this record is supplied by Norrie Paramour, the producer, it was his suggestion that the horns and strings were added, not unheard of in rock music at the time, but still  uncommon. If you've heard the version recorded before the orchestral parts were added it does sound naked, and not sexy naked, but stark and bare. that added strings provide that filigree of lingerie for added tantalisation, (and I'm stopping there before that metaphor gets too carried away.)

Whilst Wonderful Land does epic and majestic Stars Fell On Stockton is much more more whimsical, suggesting more of rummage through a village hall jumble sale, than the proud vistas of Wonderful Land. Whistling in rock music has been much maligned, and so when The Shadows whistle the main riff of Stars Fell On Stockton it's a surprising treat (or a moment of odd tweeness depending on your point of view). Adding to the eccentricity of this track is the percussion - much of which is played on a wooden clip-cloppy sounding thing (I think that's the technical name). The apparent quaintness of the track does much to disguise the rapid and deft musicianship that runs throughout this piece.  That the two tracks are so different and yet so enjoyable in their own right is proof enough that The Shadows didn't just produce a load of stuff that sounded more or less the same.

Talking of not sounding the same for those of you who may be interested the name of this blog is taken from a Shadows single, however in a cruel stroke of irony it's one of the few of their singles that I don't have on vinyl - so I won't be featured later on! So as a bit of a bonus click here for The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt

Next time A Little Night Music...