Not Forgotten: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Nightingales and Bombers
The sixth and final album recorded by the original Manfred Mann’s Earth Band quartet, Nightingales and Bombers was also released prior to the new line up’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Blinded by the Light” pushed them towards greater commercial acceptance. Despite the change of vocalist from Mick Rogers to Chris Thompson and the addition of …
Classic Album: Iron Maiden – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Iron Maiden are a band whose name I have always known, but it is only in recent months that I have felt the impulse to actually investigate their work outside of a best of compilation. Crucial to my interest being tweaked has been the ongoing series of documentaries which have been generously provided on the …
A Beginners Guide to Ian Hunter & Mott the Hoople
Looking back, Mott the Hoople did it all as a rock band. From cult underground heroes, to chart bothering singles and albums, to glam rock superstars that no less a band than Queen supported. Formerly Silence, on signing to the Island record label, they were convinced to not only change their name, but replace their …
Classic Album: Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends
For those that purchased Bookends when it was first released in 1968, it might have come as something of a surprise that a folk-pop duo would have taken on board some of the psychedelic influences of some of their rowdier contemporaries. Yet there are the heavy electronic sounds that open up “Save the Life of …
Not Forgotten: The Soundtrack of Our Lives – Extended Revelation For The Psychic Weaklings Of Western Civilization
Extended Revelation For The Psychic Weaklings Of Western Civilization is a cumbersome title, but then again Extended Revelation For The Psychic Weaklings Of Western Civilization is a cumbersome album. Like its predecessor, it weighs in at over an hour, and struggles to contain the musical inventiveness of The Soundtrack of Our Lives. If you think …
Classic Album: Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
On the release of Houses of the Holy in 1973, there simply wasn’t a bigger band on the planet than Led Zeppelin. Over their first four albums they had perfected blues rock, invented heavy metal, and then fused that folk influences, released a fourth album that was so anticipated that it required neither a title, …
Album Review: Isle of Dogs – Original Soundtrack
While Wes Anderson’s visual style have been the primary calling card of his impressive career, an important secondary element has been the utilisation of great soundtracks and scores on his films. The soundtrack to Anderson’s latest film, Isle of Dogs, once again sees Alexandre Desplat do the lions-share of soundtrack duty. Desplat has been contributing …
Not Forgotten: Led Zeppelin – How the West Was Won
Legend has it that Led Zeppelin were the best live band of the 1970s. For far too long the only official example of this for those of us that weren’t there at the time was the lackluster The Song Remains the Same soundtrack album which just showed how self-indulgent Led Zeppelin could be. This was …
Album Review: Band of Gold – Where’s the Magic
I’ve always had a quiet regard for Scandi-pop. Maybe it’s the to do with the enunciation, something which can give a sense of cool detachment from the lyrics. Whatever the case, Band of Gold’s second album, Where’s the Magic, comes across as well executed smart art pop. Band of Gold consist of Nina Mortvedt and …
Classic Album: Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast
1982’s The Number of the Beast is one of Iron Maiden’s best selling albums, and saw the band re-assert their place as one of the prime heavy metal acts of the era. That they did this on the album that saw Bruce Dickinson replace Paul Di’Anno as their vocalist shows just how hard the whole …