Classic Compilation: XTC – Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-1992
It is the mid-90s, you are the Virgin record label, you have been in dispute with one of your best acts for years and there seems to be no end in the deadlock. The act in question has never sold that many albums, but they have a small and incredibly loyal fanbase, and contemporary pop …
Classic Compilation: The Wonder Stuff – If the Beatles Had Read Hunter… The Singles
It can’t have been easy to have been a former member of The Wonder Stuff in the mid to late 90s, witnessing much watered down variations of their patented guitar-pop sound take an iron-grip on the album and singles charts. If only they could have hung for twelve more months, one more album, one interview …
Classic Compilation: Violent Femmes – Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes, for all their lengthy career, are primarily known for their self titled debut, a consistently selling, yet never charting, collection of hymns to teenage male angst. With its unique sonic landscape, universal themes for awkward teenage boys the world over, and high tune count, it is a hell of an album, and continues …
Classic Compilation: Uncle Tupelo – 89/93: An Anthology
Not being a huge fan of country music, or even the more recent alt-country movement, I originally approached 89/93: An Anthology with a little trepidation. I didn’t actually know much about Uncle Tupelo previous to purchasing this compilation, other than the two main players would later go their separate ways and go on to form …
A beginners’ guide to Elton John
The 50 year career trajectory of Elton John has remained fascinating if not consistent. Rising to prominence during the singer-songwriter boom of the early 70s, he and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin developed a sound which started in thrall to rootsy Americana (indeed, the USA embraced him before the UK did), before striking out in their …
Not Forgotten: The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band – Gorilla
Released mere months after Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band shook the popular music scene to its core, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band’s Gorilla turned the whole pop culture thing on its head. 1967 saw music at something of a counter culture cross roads. While ‘the kids’ had spent recent years embracing The Beatles, …
Classic Compilation: They Might Be Giants – A Users Guide to They Might Be Giants
One of the beauties of a compilation, is that if it is your first foray into that particular act’s work, you can leave it at that if you find that you don’t connect with their music in the way that you had hoped to. They can be the perfect ‘one and done’ solution for those …
News: They Might Be Giants – New Album, 2018 European Tour and the return of Dial-A-Song
Veteran Brooklyn duo They Might Be Giants have recently announced a new 15 track album called I Like Fun that is due to be released in early 2018, as well as the return of their weekly Dial-A-Song Service via www.dialasong.com, and the following European Tour, including half a dozen UK dates and their debut appearance …
Classic Compilation: Slade – Wall of Hits
The early 70s were a grim time here in the UK. Vast unemployment, the three day week, civil unrest, four day guitar solos. The much needed antidote to this misery was the playful escapism that was glam rock, which consisted of largely simple rock and roll tunes with a defined commercial edge, ridiculous stage costumes …
Album Review: The Vietnam War – The Soundtrack
How do you tackle a subject as divisive as Vietnam? Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s epic ten part series was ten years in the making and made a particular effort to interview those that had a direct involvement rather than have highly paid experts give the talking head led historical perspective. Instead this documentary series …