Robbie Williams- Let Me Entertain You

Oh no, here's another CD that's an embarrassment to admit to owning! This was the song that launched Robbie Williams career as a solo artist and has been overused in advertisements and opening ceremonies ever since...

I think we can all agree that the title track is musically an overblown, plastic cheese-fest. I'm impressed, though, at the risque lyrics scattered throughout (especially the final verse), for a song that has been played in every possible setting, including for the Queen.

The most notable B-side is a live rendition in Manchester of Back For Good, where Robbie (partly intentionally) murders the chorus. I quite like the original of this song, and the ham-fisted "twist" gives me very immature enjoyment somehow!

The Amethyst's Dub dance remix seems like a decent club song, ironically except for the bits where the title track is sampled.

Favourite songs

Back for Good, Let Me Entertain You (Amethyst's Dub)

Would I buy it again?

Not a chance. What was I thinking?!

Wierd Al Yankovic- Bad Hair Day

Before starting this blog, I had a feeling that documenting my old CDs on the internet would uncover some skeletons in the closet, and here's Exhibit A! This is Wierd Al's nineth- and apparently biggest selling- album, which was released in 1996.

Amish Paradise (Gangsta's Paradise) kicks things off brilliantly, with the twisting of rap motifs into an Amish setting providing many LOLs in my opinion. Some people find Al's vocals intolerable, but it's a comedy album, so suck it up, princess! The music isn't a perfect reproduction of the original songs (nor is it meant to be) but close enough to get the point.

Next up is the original Everything You Know Is Wrong, which explores an interesting philosophical proposition in a completely non-sequitur manner (woops, that's totally over-thinking things!). Like the other originals, the music is just a vehicle for the comedic lyrics, with plastic drums and basslines. Having said that, occasionally the backing track pleasantly surprises with some interesting musicality. Since You've Been Gone is a brilliantly executed barbershop comedy song. And the twist in the tale of I Remember Larry puts brilliant irony in the final chorus.

Like all of Al's polka medleys, The Alternative Polka is brilliant. I love hearing these pop songs having their dignity stripped away by a polka beat. Musically it's pretty cool, too, any polka that can hold my attention for 5 minutes is doing well.

The only songs on the album I don't dig are ones where I'm not a fan of the song it is based on. Originally bought for the parody covers, it was nice to find that the originals work well.

 Favourite songs

Amish Paradise, Everything You Know Is Wrong, Callin' in Sick, The Alternative Polka, Since You've Been Gone, Gump, I'm So Sick of You, I Remember Larry, The Night Santa Went Crazy

Would I buy it again?

Yes. It's totally daggy, but good fun.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones- The Impression That I Get

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were formed... believe it or not... in 1983. Fifteen years later, they struck their 5 minutes of fame with this single from their fifth album.For me, it was an early encounter with ska, before I even discovered that such a genre existed. The song got a lot of airtime on rock radio stations, with many listeners also not associating it with ska, instead just thinking of it as "rock with horns". So how does it sound 15 years later, and having listened to a lot of other ska in the meantime?

I've never been a fan of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "running bassline" that jumps all over the place (which single-handedly put me off their next single, The Rascal King). Also, the production style is very pop-friendly with characterless horns and a castrated kick-drum. And I hate to sound elitist, but I'm a bit uncomfortable with how it somehow reminds me of Matchbox 20 (perhaps the vocal style) and Tubthumping (the meat-head footy chant chorus)! I still enjoy the song, but more in a quirky novelty song kind of way these days. Although possibly I've just heard it too many times or am over-analysing it... 

Strangely, things actually improve with the B-sides. Is It? is similar to the previous track and has great lyrics. The chorus isn't as catchy, but this could well be a tactical move that creates a great build-up to the bridge and final chorus. Storm Hit has terrible recording of the drums (including cymbals that sound like a badly compressed mp3) and the ADHD bassline feels awkward in the reggae verses. Thankfully it is saved by its excellent lyrics and catchy chorus. 

In the past, I really enjoyed all 3 songs on this single, so I was a bit surprised to find myself nit-picking it so heavily.

Favourite songs

All of them. Or none of them. It's a line-ball decision.

Would I buy it again?

It served a great purpose as an introduction to ska, but my tastes have moved on since.

Harry Connick Jr- Star Turtle

Harry's previous album, She, was a huge pop hit thanks to Whisper Your Name. With fame, fortune and movie appearances, Harry was the flavour of the month. Star Turtle is a less pop-friendly foray into funk. This CD was given to me as a present, and for a few years I was disappointed it wasn't She, therefore I didn't listen to it very much. But I think time has treated this album better than the pop-funk of the previous album.

To get a major gripe out of the way: the whole "giant space turtle visits New Orleans looking for musical salvation" arc scattered through the album is A COMPLETE WANKFEST. I dunno what they were smoking when they decided to add these fillers to the album, but in the sober light of day it just doesn't work!

But the real songs on the album are wonderfully arranged, recorded and layered. Funk is the leitmotif here, and funk isn't normally my cup of tea, so for this whole album to hold my attention is a great achievement. However, the album's mood swings from ballad to grunty to party wonderfully. It's more a compilation than an album, with some very abrupt mood changes between songs, but when the songs are all this good, I'm not complaining at all.

Reason to Believe is a cracking feelgood boogie-woogie piano driven party tune. The rhythm section is bouncing and you can't help bopping along. Also, the horn lines snuck in between the vocals are amazingly intricate. It all adds up to one of my all-time favourite songs.

This might sound like jealousy speaking, but I reckon Whisper Your Name these days sounds like a twee reminder of mid 90s saccharine pop tastes. Nobody Like You to Me is seriously funky, like a Jamiroquai song with more balls.

And City Beneath the Sea is a great mellow way to go out on (tip: ignore track 15).

Favourite songs

How Do Y'all Know, Hear Me in the Harmony, Reason to Believe, Little Farley, Eyes of the Seeker, Nobody Like You to Me, Never Young, City Beneath the Sea

Would I buy it again?

Considering I didn't actually buy it in the first place, it's a tough call. But, yes, even though funk falls a long way from my usual musical taste, I would pay money to have this as part of my collection.

The Living End- Second Solution / Prisoner of Society

The B-side single, Prisoner of Society, shot this punkabilly band to fame, which also means they'll be forced to play this ditty for the rest of their lives! The song was like an Australian gen-Y version of Smells Like Teen Spirit. I got caught up in the emotion back then, hence there is a copy of this EP currently in my CD player.

But Second Solution is, by all objective measures, a far better song than Prisoner of Society! The band have always stated this, and that Prisoner of Society was only added to the single to keep management happy. With a more polished jazz-esque groove (jazz snobs may dispute this!), Second Solution also has a better guitar solo, more poignant lyrics and a wonderful build-up to the screaming outro.
But Prisoner of Society is somehow incredibly emotive. I know it's stupid, but I love it.

Maybe it's rose-tinted glasses on my behalf, but I reckon the production techniques on this CD have stood up very well over time. The guitar mightn't have the raw power of say Audioslave, but with the hint of a hillbilly sound, its style has held up well. On the downside, the double-bass sound is missing most of its character and the recording of the cymbals is quite messy.

Prisoner on the Inside (the theme from the TV show "Prisoner"- check out Ella Hooper's cover for a completely opposite approach!) combines the great lyrics of the original with The Living End's punchy punkabilly style.

The live version of Misspent Youth is... ahem... quite rough. The singer seems to run out of breath a few times and it often seems the song is hanging together by a thread. Strange is a bit slower and holds together a lot better, but another pretty raw live recording. The highlight of Strange is the guitar solo section, featuring some great changes of pace and brilliant supporting work by the backing instruments.

These days, this EP could be viewed as just a pretty rough punkabilly offering. However, it introduced an interesting new style and there's some great songwriting potential just below the surface.

Favourite songs

Second Solution, Prisoner of Society, Prisoner on the Inside, Strange

Would I buy it again?

This was very much an "in the moment" purchase. However, The Living End have been a huge influence for me for many years, so this EP- which started it all- has become a crucial part of my collection.

Blur- Self Titled

This album was Blur's "low-fi experimental" antidote to their own brand of britpop which they had been pushing for the previous 6 years. Ironically it was probably saved commercially by Song 2, a superficial ditty which has been flogged to death by all kinds of advertisements.

On a more personal note, this album is the first CD I ever bought. Song 2 was all the rage and I was sucked in. At the time, I had a quick listen, wrote off the other 13 tracks as "too wierd" and then played Song 2 to death. Many years later, I grew up...

... and discovered an album full of diverse styles and great storytelling. Beetlebum is pretty similar to their previous stuff, and of course Song 2 is a non-sensical high-energy romp. But the rest of the album is a series of musical snapshots into various characters' lives. Brilliant. Despite the pommy accents, somehow the album feels like a road trip across America. It travels from the rural porch of Country Sad Ballad Man, to a struggling suburb of Detroit in Death of a Party, to a quirky New York City in Look Inside America. For me, the only downer is Theme From Retro, which would be cool in a movie sequence, but to me doesn't make any sense as a standalone artwork. Overall, though, this CD is full of brilliant storytelling.
In this day and age, it doesn't seem all that experimental, but following Blur's previous 4 albums it must have sounded like something from another star (sorry, terrible pun!). Despite the claims of stripped-back rawness and lo-fi pride, I think it's a pretty polished effort. Sure, the guitar sounds are pretty raw, but the band gels tightly and the layering and composition is wonderful. So the sophistication is nothing to be ashamed of.

This album isn't one I often get the urge to listen to, but every time I do, I'm pleasantly surprised by how good it is.

Favourite songs

Beetlebum, Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, M.O.R., On Your Own, Theme From Retro, You're So Great, Death of a Party, Look Inside America, Movin' On, Essex Dogs.

Would I buy it again?

Absolutely. My initial reason for buying it (Song 2) was completely flawed, but it's a wonderful tapestry of American landscapes.

Mission Statement

Hi Internet,
I thought there wasn't enough opinionated rants out there, so I decided to add my own! At this stage, the purpose of this blog is for rambling reviews of old CDs I like, but who knows where this will take us (ok, maybe "us" is a bit optimistic!).

It'd be great if this blog could cause someone to discover a CD that they like, or if we could get some discussions going in the comments.

So, here goes nothing...