New Wave Diva Grace Jones’ comeback album ‘Hurricane’ takes the top slot this month. Jones’ slick grooves and theatrical vocals are a favourite with our readers.
Also worth your attention are ‘Day & Age’ the camp new album by The Killers and ‘NYC’ by the Jazz/Electronics duo of Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid.
Two well put together trawls through the days of New Wave in the 1980s are the previously unreleased recordings by Arthur Russell and the Best Of compilation of seminal Post-Punk band The Gun Club.
Enjoy!
Best Albums - November 2008
1. Grace Jones ‘Hurricane’
2. Arthur Russell ‘Love Is Overtaking Me’
3. Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid ‘NYC’
4. The Killers ‘Day & Age’
5. The Gun Club ‘The Life And Times Of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’
ALBUM OF THE MONTH/READERS’ CHOICE
1. Grace Jones ‘Hurricane’
Grace Jones has re-invented herself a few times from 70’s Disco queen to icy New Wave icon and mainstream pop diva. ‘Hurricane’, Jones first new material in almost 20 years makes a nod to the cool, detached New Wave classics ‘Warm Leatherette’ (1980) and ‘Nightclubbing’ (1981).
All the key musicians that shaped her sound back in 80/81 are back on board: Reggae’s top rhythm section Sly Dunbar on drums and Robbie Shakespeare on bass, Funk keyboarder par excellence Wally Badarou and guiarist Mikey Chung.
As you would expect with such an all-star cast, ‘Hurricane’ has a rich, creamy sound. Listening to the rhythm section is the aural equivalent of slicing a warm knife through a pound bar of butter. Guitars and keys add a frosted edge and Jones largely spoken vocals add an air of detached coolness.
After she broke with the Disco scene, Jones groomed her own timeless take on the then fashionable Reggae music in the early 80’s. On ‘Hurricane’, Jones and her musicians pick up where ‘Nightclubbing’ ended. Thankfully, both the band and their Diva show an open mind, taking in newer influences such as elements of Dubstep, Balearic Disco and digital Dancehall.
Watch The Video For Corporate Cannibal
‘Well Well Well’ is Jones doing this polished Reggae groove that nobody else ever nailed down quite like her. On ‘Love You To Life’ there’s more of the same but with the addition of a Trancey chorus.
‘Sunset Sunrise’ is a Balearic Disco classic in the making. The Glockenspiel and deep, spoken word vocals make this a perfect sunset/sunrise tune with a definite Ibiza touch.
‘I’m Crying Mother’s Tears’ is a light-handed ballad with a touch of Jazz fusion, think Sade here. ‘This Is’ creates a stark, almost menacing atmosphere with its ominous spoken word vocals and sub-Dancehall beats.
‘William’s Bones’ and ‘The Devil In Me’ wouldn’t be out of place on a discofied movie soundtrack.
‘Hurricane’ is an album that works best in its entirety. I’m curious now if it will stand the test of time. After all, ‘Nightclubbing’ lasted months and months on home HiFis and club turntables because you just got hooked on one song and then moved on to the next - From ‘I’ve Seen That Face Before’ to ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’ to ‘Use Me’ to…
’nuff said. Sit back, relax, pour yourself a drink and listen to ‘Hurricane’ on Jones’ MySpace page.
US Readers - Buy Grace Jones New Album On CD Here!
UK And Ireland Readers - Buy ‘Hurricane’ On CD And Vinyl Here!
2. Arthur Russell ‘Love is Overtaking Me’
Primitive Americana, Country Soul and pre-Punk by one of the great unsung heroes of pop. This is the first time that Arthur Russell’s recordings from before his Disco and New Wave days are released.
The lion’s share of songs on this album documents the very first recordings Arthur made after moving to New York from rural Iowa via an intermission in a buddhist commune in California. None of this material has ever been released before and it shows Russell dipping into the pre-Punk Rock territory of the Modern Lovers and early Talking Heads.
They aren’t dodgy home recordings either. Arthur’s early recordings were instigated by CBS house producer John Hammond. Hammond’s star was shining bright as the man who had recorded Bob Dylan and signed Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen when he gave Russell his first break in 1974.
At this stage the plot thickens. Even though Hammond did bring Russell repeatedly into CBS’ studios on 52nd Street for a period of two and a half years between October 1974 and July 1977, CBS never released a single note from any of these sessions. Even though Russell caught the ear of both musicians and music executives all over town, he never got a stab at being the pop star he so desparately wanted to be.
Listen Now To Arthur Russell’s Unreleased Recordings
There is archive footage of Arthur playing these early songs in the recent documentary feature ‘Wild Combination: A Portrait Of Arthur Russell’.
Whatever song Russell sings, whatever style he attempts, he always remains himself. Sometimes, the man and his material clash head on. Country Soul, for instance, does not necessarily suit Russels as a performer. But then again, it’s Russell’s brutal honesty that makes songs like ‘I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face’ and ‘Nobody Wants A Lonely Heart’ so special.
On most of the Hammond sessions, Russell is backed by a band led by former Modern Lover bass man Ernie Brooks. The band features, at various stages, New York New Wave luminaries such as Talking Heads’ keyboard player Jerry Harrison and avantgarde composer Peter Gordon.
Even after he found modest fame with recordings that combined the edgyness of New Wave with the groove of Disco, Russell would go back to recording rock songs with a Folky or even Country feel throughout the 1980’s. ‘Habit Of You’, ‘Big Moon’, ‘The Letter’ - First class songs that were only known to Russell and his inner circle. You might have heard the Disco tracks like ‘Go Bang’ or ‘Is It All Over My Face’, but the rock side of Arthur Russell has languished on literally hundreds of cassette and reel-to-reel tapes in a warehouse until now.
‘Love Is Overtaking Me’ is a fascinating glimpse into the sonic diary of one of music’s true mavericks. The recordings that Russell released during his all too short career under his own name or as Dinosaur L and Loose Joints may be more accomplished, but ‘Love Is Overtaking Me’ is a disarmingly beautiful collection of songs.
You can download ‘Love Is Overtaking Me’ here from iTunes UK.
US Readers - Buy ‘Love Is Overtaking Me’ On CD Here!
UK And Ireland Readers - Buy Love Is Overtaking Me’ On CD Here!
3. Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid ‘NYC’
This is a Jazz album. It’s cosmic, spiritual and heavy. ‘NYC’ is also a damn funky album. But most of all, it sounds more physical than anything else you’ll hear this year.
Electronic boffin Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet, and veteran Jazz drummer Steve Reid have released three previous albums together. On ‘NYC’, their fourth collaboration, things finally fall into place for my ears. While the duo’s earlier efforts where all pretty ‘cosmic’, they now add ‘heavy’ to the mix, grounding their trippy sound journeys with some deep and solid grooves.
Steve Reid is the heart and soul of this album. Reid is a well respected Jazz drummer who goes back to the heady days of the 1960’s Cosmic Jazz underground. He has played with Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra. But Steve also knows how to get butts moving. He earned his Funk chops playing in the house band of Harlem’s Apollo Theatre and with the Godfather of Funk himself, James Brown.
You sure get more butt shaking music on ‘NYC’ than on earlier Hebden/Reid titles like ‘Tongues’ or ‘The Exchange Sessions Vol.1 and 2′. My favourite grooves among the six tracks on ‘NYC’ are ‘1st & 1st’, ‘25th Street’ and ‘Between B And C’.
Kieran Hebden builds layers of trippy electronic sound effects over Reid’s drumming and adds the occasional bass line or keyboard riff. Mercifully, Hebden has changed his style from hyperactive overdrive to a less-is-more approach. His contributions are more laid back and flow better with Reid’s patterns than on the duo’s previous recordings.
Watch Kieran And Steve Perform ‘Arrival’ Live
As an album, ‘NYC’ is propulsive in a way that matches the best in contemporary Dance genres like Dubstep. Yet it changes, oscillates and breathes in a way that is rarely achieved by drum machines or music software. Listening to ‘NYC’ is a very physical experience: Things get hit and sweat is flying through the air.
DJs, whether you’re listening at home or are playing out to a crowd, play some soulful 70’s Disco after this, something with a big gospel choir maybe. The Joubert Singers’ ‘Stand On The Word’ played after Hebden/Reid’s ‘25th Street’ does it for me.
Allow yourself to let go and listen to ‘NYC’ with an open mind. You need a bit of time to do this, don’t cram it in and don’t listen to it piecemeal.
US Readers - Buy ‘NYC’ On CD And Vinyl Here!
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UK And Ireland Readers - Buy ‘NYC’ On CD And Vinyl Here!
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4. The Killers ‘Day & Age’
Gone are the pretenses of being a Rock band, The Killers finally live out all their Pop fantasies on one album. More electronic than its two predecessors, ‘Day & Age’ drops any earlier road movie references and Rock cliches. Camp as Christmas, ‘Day & Age’ puts a rocket up the Pet Shop Boys backside and goes ‘bam’.
The boys from Las Vegas, Nevada, play their way through a veritable wax museum full of European pop stars. This is the Eurostar blazing through the Belgian countryside rather than a Chevy rolling over Nevada blacktop. Still interested? Then read on.
Pet Sop Boys? Certainly, we got the georgeous ‘Human’ and the ‘This Is Your Life’. Freddy Mercury? We even got some Freddie style, operatic nonsense. Check ‘A Dustland Fairytale’ and ‘Neon Tiger’.
‘Losing Touch’ is an excellent David Bowie pastiche, circa ‘Ashes To Ashes’. On ‘Spaceman’ you get odd X-Files inspired lyrics riding over a bit of New Order. And, finally, The Killers try their hand at 80’s cod funk with the fairly fishy ‘Joy Ride’. Did somebody say Spandau Ballet?
Watch The Killers Perform ‘Human’
This may sound a bit messy, but ‘Day & Age’ is a surprisingly ‘together’ album. The Killers may wear their influences openly on their sleeves but they play their way through it all without losing the plot. It may not be terribly original, but it’s good fun.
When the band stops referencing old Pop records and is content with just being themselves, they still turn out a decent tune. Check out the low key shuffle of ‘I Can’t Stay’.
You can download ‘Day & Age’ here from iTunes UK.
US Readers - Buy ‘Day & Age’ On CD Here!
UK And Ireland Readers - Buy ‘Day & Age’ On CD And Vinyl Here!
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5. The Gun Club ‘The Life And Times Of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’
The Gun Club was born out of punk rock, burning with eloquent rage and gilded by catchy pop tunes. Frontman Jeffrey Lee Pierce was way ahead of his time, merging Country, Blues and Punk.
Pierce, a former music journalist, was obsessed with two things: Punk Rock pin-up Debbie Harry and primitive American music. The Gun Club went on to record with Harry’s partner and hit producer Chris Stein. Only, the hits never happened as Pierce’s other obsession with primitive American music was way ahead of its time.
I mean, Pierce played slide guitar in 1981 when that style was universally sneered at as hopelessly hicksville. Take a look around now and count the slides and pedal steels and what have you.
Now it’s cool to incorporate a bit of Country and ancient Folk sounds from hidden hollows in the depth of Tennessee. That sort of carrying on has a name these days, Americana, and an ever growing fanbase carrying acts like the Fleet Foxes into the charts - At least on this side of the Atlantic. It’s time to look back at the granddaddy of them all: Ladies & Gentleman, purrlease put your hands together for the The Gun Club.
Listen To The Gun Club On Our MP3 Jukebox - No Dimes Required
If you want a one-stop, concise overview Pierce’s and The Gun Club’s best moments, try the freshly released compilation ‘The Life And Times Of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’. You get 68 tracks on four CDs spanning both the Gun Club days and Pierce’s solo recordings. This box set is available by mailorder through the links below.
In retrospect, it’s amazing how timeless a lot of this music sounds. The Gun Club didn’t do 50’s retro chic like their contemporaries The Cramps. Pierce sang about all-consuming desires, destruction and redemption. The Cramps embraced the bizarre side of the 50’s singing about wrestlers, strippers and assorted freak show characters. By the way, guitarist Kid ‘Congo’ Powers played in both bands at some stage and is considered by many to be the definitive Pierce sidekick. The Cramps were good fun, The Gun Club were, well, intense.
Hampered by less than sympathetic studio engineers in their days, The Gun Club on record often sounded a bit weedy. But if you ever saw them live on stage, you went away a believer. ‘The Life And Times Of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’ features live and radio recordings that add some extra flavour to the available Gun Club catalogue.
I’d encourage you to also check out their original albums - particularly ‘The Fire Of Love’, ‘Miami’ and ‘The Las Vegas Story’ - and Jeffrey’s solo debut ‘Wildweed’.
US Readers - Buy The Box Set Here!
UK And Ireland Readers - Buy The Box Set Here!
