The Living End- From Here On In

This mid-career Greatest Hits was released in 2004. It contains most of the singles from their self-titled debut album (1997), Roll On (2000) and Modern Artillery (2003).

Unfortunately the only two songs which are exclusive to this CD are pretty poor efforts. I Can't Give You What I Haven't Got has an interesting version of a rock-ska rhythm, but the pre-chorus is awkwardly twee and the song doesn't gel together very well. It's a similar story for Bringing it All Back Home, which to me seems cliched and very awkwardly arranged.

However, the bonus disk features six covers, most of which are different enough from the original version to be considered a song in its own right. 10:15 Saturday Night puts a nice gritty edge to The Cure's classic. Prisoner on the Inside is a brilliant rockabilly version of the otherwise generic TV show theme song, and it works a treat. Unfortunately, Rip it Up ends up being a fairly generic rockabilly rendition of the rock'n'roll classic.

The highlight though is Tainted Love, which lends itself perfectly to this psychobilly version. A bonus treat is that this live recording (from Falls Festival) features a fantastic burp halfway through the first verse!

Favourite songs

Tainted Love, Prisoner on the Inside

Worthwhile?

Only because I'm a massive Living End fanboy!

Millencolin- Pennybridge Pioneers

Pennybridge Pioneers is Millencolin's fourth and iconic breakthrough album. It was released in 2000, three years after For Monkeys.

While the sound technically doesn't have the power of later albums, there is tremendous power (...sorry, this is going to sound really corny!) in the emotion of the lyrics in this album. Bursting with humility and brutal honesty, one could describe this album as punk-rock poetry.

Through less rose tinted glasses, though, technically the sound is quite flawed. The messiness of the guitars and cymbals often sounds like a badly-compressed mp3, on some songs the bass guitar is AWOL, and the lower pitched part of the vocals is quite muddy. The vocals sound is also sometimes thin and strained, however that is part of the appeal; it is endearing to hear the singer pouring every last drop of energy and emotion into the songs. (Much of the my enjoyment of Millencolin is in the lyrics, so while critically listening I found that over-analysing the musicality was quite a killjoy.) Anyway, enough audiophile moaning, because that's not what this album is meant for...

There are several songs which are almost punk-ditties, especially Fox's tale of a love affair with a motor-scooter and Pepper with its heart-warming and motivational message.

No Cigar and Penguins and Polarbears are actually in a slower style and similar to the Home From Home album, with really the only difference being Home From Home's more polished production style. No Cigar is a classic anthem for the bullied, while Penguins and Polarbears is one of my favourite Millencolin songs. It is exceptional in both lyrics and musicality, by combining grunty riffs, soaring guitars, a powerful singalong chorus and fantastic buildup in the bridge which explodes into a massive final chorus. Brilliant. Hellman is very similar, although slightly faster.

There are several punk ballads on this album. Duckpond is the catchy tale of being stuck in a backwater village, while The Mayfly talks about sticking to your values. It covers a similar topic to The Clash's Garageland and has a fantastic singalong chorus. I find that lyrics such as:
To a place no-one can trust,
To a scene based on a lie
...perfectly sum up the destructive influences of fashion and money on the arts. A-Ten tells the tale of tough punk rock guys nurturing a hurt younger brother. Finally, The Ballad itself is musically clunky and labours along at times, yet this punk-rock emo song is also heartfelt and inspiring. 

Stop to Think and Highway Donkey are designed for slamming around in a moshpit, not listening to on a leather sofa thoughtfully scratching your chin. So let's not over-analyse them, people!

Favourite songs

No Cigar, Fox, Duckpond, Penguins & Polarbears, Hellman, Devil Me, A-Ten, Pepper, The Ballad

Worthwhile?

Yes, and it thoroughly deserves its accolades as an iconic album.

Millencolin- Home From Home

Home From Home is Millencolin's fifth album. It was released in 2002, two years after Pennybridge Pioneers.

Ahhh... after the Foo Fighters debacle, this album is like a detox session for the ears! The sound is big and powerful, yet also clean. The cymbals and vocals can be a bit messy and over-processed, but overall it is quite good.

Home From Home cops a bit of flak from "old school" Millencolin fans as being the bands "sell-out album". It definitely explores different territory to its predecessor, I think it's more of an evolution than a step-change. In fact, the Pennybridge Pioneers was probably more different to its predecessor, and you don't hear many people claiming that classic album is a sell-out!

So while the slower riff-driven songs caused a stir at the time, I reckon they nailed it. Man or Mouse, Montego, Kemp and Battery Check are all great headbanging stadium rock tunes. Millencolin's lyrics are always a highlight for me, and I especially find the slightly awkward phrases provide a refreshing lightness to their punk rock. This works a treat in these heavier songs, for example the line in the very-serious Kemp: "Of being an ass, I've really been a pro". Also, the stripped-back vocal pre-chorus in Battery Check keeps things down to earth (although people not familiar with their earlier stuff will probably find it strange).

They didn't abandon their old style, with many songs strongly influenced by the hyperactive punk-rock in the style of Pennybridge Pioneers. Fingers Crossed uses this approach, with a bit more "size" added through the new sound. Botanic Mistress has the tongue firmly planted in cheek, and implies the guys have moved on from emotional attachments with motorbikes ("Fox" from Pennybridge Pioneers) to emotional relationships with flora! Silly fun. Fuel to the Flame also has the lighter style, combined with more serious lyrics (this time about relationships with humans...) and great intricate bass-guitar work in the chorus.

The final track, Home From Home is silly, fast and jumps all over the place. But the energy is infectious and the following is rock'n'roll lyrical genius:
The snare... it sounds like gunfire.
It's like a thousand decibel punch in the face!

The lyrics for Punk Rock Rebel are a bit twee in my opinion, which is a shame because I like the song musically, especially the swinging beat. Happiness for Dogs is an incredibly moving song for me, similar to The Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work". It makes it one of my all-time favourite songs, it combines brilliant lyrics with fantastic backing music. One could argue that Afghan is the same song but with political lyrics. I'm not complaining though, since I enjoy the lyrics of both songs.

Favourite songs

Man or Mouse, Fingers Crossed, Black Eye, Montego, Kemp, Botanic Mistress, Happiness For Dogs, Battery Check, Fuel to the Flame, Afghan, Home From Home

Worthwhile?

Yes. Rather than living in the shadow of its predecessor, Home From Home is a classic punk-rock album in its own right.

Foo Fighters- One By One

One by One is Foo Fighters fourth album. Released in 2003, it represents a shift from the light, catchy pop-rock tunes from There Is Nothing Left To Lose to a heavier riff-driven rock style.

On a personal note, I have a fond memory of the Big Day Out music festival they headlined soon after releasing this album. From the first note of All My Life, it was an amazing show by rock megastars at the height of their powers. Therefore I have great memories associated with this album.

...So firing it up in the CD player revealed... severe disappointment. If you like this album, best not read on.

Sorry for the audiophile rant, but it sounds terrible to the point where it's a deal-breaker for many songs. At first, I thought it just didn't suit my stereo system. A lack of bottom end to the vocals and guitars, had me scrambling for the equaliser to boost these frequencies. This improved things, but it still sounded lacking in "size". Eventually I realised that the album is drowning in distortion. Not a subtle distorted edge to give a bit of bite, but painful clipping on the kick drum, bass, guitars, snare, vocals and cymbals. Rock'n'roll should get better the louder it is, but this album just begs to be turned down. What makes it more frustrating is that the flaws aren't due to budget constraints of an unsigned band, but boneheaded choices made for artistic or commercial reasons. And that there are some good songs here which are destroyed in the process.

Trying to ignore this, there are only a few songs on the album I dig, since I've never really been a Foo Fighters fan anyway. Since I've already ranted too much this post, I'll just focus on the songs I like. All My Life is a great song- combining a great guitar riff, interestingly abstract lyrics and an infectious chorus. Times Like These is a nice light pop-friendly singalong tune, while Tired of You is a great simple semi-acoustic tune which reminds me of Nirvana. Overdrive is another catchy singalong, although unfortunately the distortion is even worse than the rest of the album, which makes no sense as it isn't meant to be a heavy song.

As a final insult, I put the CD into my computer to have a look at the distorted waveforms. No cigar, because there's some stupid copy control thing stopping a computer from seeing the audio tracks. So this album is going straight into the bin. Good riddance.

Favourite songs

All My Life, Times Like These, Tired of You, Overdrive

Worthwhile?

A potentially great album completely ruined by the "loudness wars".

The Cat Empire- The Cat Empire

This is The Cat Empire's highly successful debut album, which was released in 2003. However, the band had been around for many years beforehand, so it's not really a "debut album" in the traditional sense.

Time for a rant! Remember Sony's Copy Control(TM)? Years later, it's still a raw nerve as I remember the pain of trying to rip this album (which I paid for) onto my Sony Minidisk player so I could listen to it on the bus. Shame, Sony, shame!

Sorry, I'm not getting down from my soap box just yet... the recording quality for this album isn't great, often sounding woofly or messy. But the bigger issue for critical listening is that some songs are more like medleys in that there's a lot of great musical ideas but they're often barely stitched together. For example, Hard to Explain, Days Like These, The Chariot, Hello and The Rhythm jump all over the place and the transitions aren't exactly smooth. However, it's a bit of a moot point, as the CD isn't designed for critical listening. It's party music, chock-a-block with catchy sections in a fast-moving feelgood theme.

There are also songs that stick to the plan though. The Lost Song remains on track as a great soft-reggae ballad with a brilliant horn melody. Similarly, The Crowd finds a simple groove and elegantly builds up throughout the songs, and All That Talking adds an Arabian-jazz feel to the huge range of styles covered by the band. A nice, gentle way to end the party.

My favourite song on the album is The Wine Song, because it is eastern European folk/gypsy music on speed... and I love a good polka! As the song reaches its climax, the frantic organ solo is sublime.  

The Chariot is another highlight. It is a bit disjointed, but each section is catchy and the gypsy-ska style makes for a carefree party atmosphere.

The irreverent combination of ska and turntable scratching to give One Four Five a kind of "mad professor" feel. Beanie follows a similar recipe, but I think its lyrics are uninspired and it feels like too few musical ideas painfully stretched into a full-length song. Sorry!

Before I go, deciding what tag to use for this blog post is an impossible task! How to pigeonhole such an eclectic collection? ... Who cares! It's gypsy-ska-jazz-pop-polka-latin, and probably a few more. Most importantly, it's fun.

Favourite songs

How to Explain, The Lost Song, The Chariot, One Four Five, The Rhythm, The Wine Song, Nothing, The Crowd, All That Talking

Worthwhile?

Yes, it's wonderfully unique. And quite bonkers.

99% Fat- Recipe For Disaster

Recipe For Disaster is 99% Fat's debut album (although it was released toward the end of their career). It was released in 2002, approximately three years after their debut EP.

From start to finish, this is a high energy romp with the tongue firmly planted in cheek. The subject matter often covers serious issues- such as financial woes, relationship dramas and corruption- but in a brilliantly whimsical fashion. Musically, though, while their debut EP was pretty run-of-the-mill ska (not that there's anything wrong with that!), this album shows a sophistication rarely seen in third-wave ska bands.

99% Fat's signature combination of fast-paced ska with cock-rock is brilliantly executed in Das Ist Muncher, The Right Mind and Muntsville. Clever horn lines are also a highlight of many songs, such as Retreat Mafia, Board and Wine and Munstville. The integration and layering of the horn parts is in another league to the cheesy tacked-on horn lines typically used by ska bands, and makes for a wonderful richness.

Boar and Wine is an all-time favourite for me, as a brilliant pisstake of classical music meets ska, which somehow blends to make a really cool style. The instrumental outro brings together great horn lines, clever use of a fake chorus, brilliant groove increases in intensity led by the drums and epic guitar shredding; these all add up to an exhilarating musical experience.

The next track up is the silliest track on the album, Creamy Dreamy, which is a very abrupt transition, but they're both great songs so I shouldn't complain. Driven by funky hammond organ, throughout the song there are silly little references to other songs. This funky edge is also present on The Right Mind.

Things get a bit ballad-esque for Gone Fishin', and the album finishes with a cover of Australian Crawl's "Boys Light Up". 99% Fat's version is a respectful cover, maintaining the raw Clash-esque style of the original, while adding dashes of the band's own personality, such as the hammond organ.

Favourite songs

The Opener, Das Ist Muncher, The Right Mind, Retreat Mafia, Muntsville, Boar and Wine, Creamy Dreamy, Gone Fishin', Boys Light Up (yes...that's every song on the CD!)
  

Worthwhile?

This is one of the best albums that no-one has ever heard of. It's silly, but with great musical depth; and a fine listen from start to finish.

Madness- The Heavy Heavy Hits

This mid-career greatest hits compilation was released in 1998 and crams 23 songs onto the CD.

Warning, audiophile rant incoming! Given Madness' huge commercial success, I was surprised to hear that some of the songs are very poorly recorded. It isn't a big deal, given the bands wacky "cartoon" style, but nonetheless some songs feature weak sounding drums, woofly and powerless bass guitar, a mess of instruments competing for the middle register and tinny cymbals.

Anyway, on to the music...  their "innocent scallywag ska" has some great moments. Night Boat to Cairo is probably the most wacky example, although it is a bit simplistic and awkwardly composed. Baggy Trousers and House of Fun are other classic examples of their harmless naughtiness. Of their other hits, Driving in My Car and Our House are too reliant on the vocal narrative, in my humble opinion.

Back to the ska, The Prince is a great combination of a rocksteady groove overlaid with a lighthearted ska feel. Grey Day reminds me of The Specials' Ghost Town, with it's "moody ska" sound. Similarly, My Girl combines a lighthearted feel (with a chorus similar to "It Must Be Love") with depressing lyrics. Strangely, the contrast works quite well. Speaking of It Must Be Love, even years of ads for Huggies nappies have not dulled the appeal of this song for me. The transitions are a bit abrupt, but I don't care!

Saving the best till last in this review: One Step Beyond. I love this song. From the first syllable of that classic intro to the final sax note, it's pure enjoyment for me. The brilliant groove from the bass and keyboard, combined with the infectious melody of the poor sax being manhandled are pure brilliance.

Favourite songs

The Prince, One Step Beyond, My Girl, Baggy Trousers, Grey Day, Shut Up, It Must Be Love, House of Fun

Worthwhile?

Yes. It's a bit up-and-down, but there's definitely enough hits to make it worthwhile.

No Doubt- Rocksteady

Rocksteady is No Doubt's fourth album. It was released in 2001, one year after Return Of The Saturn (it surprised me to learn this, I always thought there was a much bigger gap between the two). It is also the last album before Gwen Stefani left to persue her solo career, and Rocksteady represents a shift from the ska/punk/pop sound of No Doubt's previous albums. The new style was more commercially driven and features more synth-pop and electronic influences.

Jamaican music still has a prescence on the album, though, this time in more rocksteady, dancehall and reggae forms. I must admit, I'm poorly qualified to review this album, since I have very little understanding of many of the genres it references, such as 80s pop, dancehall, drum'n'bass and synth-pop.

The first six songs are easy. Hella Good is a great party anthem, then and now. Hey Baby was also a pop hit, although 12 years on, the appeal has somehow worn off. Making Out is more lighthearted pop goodness, with some nice hooks. Underneath it All is a beautifully simple reggae ballad, which I dare not over-intellectualise. Detective has a great groove but the vocals in the chorus are a bit too Atomic Kitten for my liking. And Don't Let Me Down reflects the style of their previous album, Return of the Sat, but with a bit more electronic craziness dialled in.

But then we are taken on a genre-bending adventure which is lost on me. Start the Fire (dancehall), Running (synth-pop), Waiting Room (drum'n'bass) and Rock Steady (reggae? dancehall?) might either terrible ripoffs or brilliant fusions of the respective genres, I wouldn't know. But kudos to the band for dishing out a bit of musical education on a pop record.

Recording quality is great. It has a polished "pop" sound, yet the bass still has good weight to it.

Favourite songs

Hella Good, Making Out, Underneath it All

Worthwhile?

I dunno. There's a handful of catchy tunes on the album, but the appeal never goes deeper than that.

Easy Star All-stars - Dub Side of the Moon

Dub Side of the Moon was Easy Star All-stars first release of a dub blasphemy tribute of a classic album. Thanks to the success of this 2003 version of Pink Floyd's classic, the Easy Star All-stars went on to put their dub spin on Ok Computer, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Thriller.

While dub has never taken itself too seriously, this album is from an era before "step" was appended, so it isn't overblown to the point of being a caricature of itself. The reverb effects, skatting lyrics and other dub trademarks are probably an acquired taste... because every Pink Floyd fan I have every played this to absolutely hates it! 

On the other hand, these days it might appear a bit too reserved/restrained/boring compared with modern dubstep. I guess they can't win! But I really like it. By making dub more accessible with a well-known album, this is a great combination for me. The grooves are infectious, and being covers of well-known songs make it more accessible to non dub-heads such as myself.

Apparently the album lines up with The Wizard of Oz, it's great to see the producers went to that effort in respect to Pink Floyd's original.

Money stands out with it's clever and funny "herbal remedies" introduction, and the well-executed adaption of the original's tricky groove. As eclectic drum'b'bass, On the Run is awkward and out-of place, but this was an intentional choice to match the intention of the original. Brain Damage also is well done, showing great restraint by letting the original song shine in front of sparse instrumentals.

Time Version is a great dub instrumental in its own right. Regardless of it being a cover, it has a fantastic groove and is an all-time favourite dub song for me.

Favourite songs

Speak to Me, Time, Money, Us and Them, Brain Damage, Eclipse, Time Version

Worthwhile?

Yep. Ironically, this is both a fantastic dub album and an oddball favourite.

Incredible Dead Goons- In Chronological Order

The Incredible Dead Goons were an Australian kinda-ska-kinda-swing-kinda-funk band from the early 2000s. This is their first CD (of which the internet has no copy of the cover art, so I'll have to scan my own copy someday), released in 2002 after they had been going for a few years.

Since the band were associated with the ska scene, I instinctively approached this CD as a ska album. But it turns out that their style is hard to pigeonhole. Featuring an extensive horn section (including baritone... kudos for that!), they drift between ska, swing and funk. The recording quality of said horn section is poor on this CD, often sounding thin. Aside from this, the album sounds very good, considering it's the first effort from an indy band.

My favourite moments come when the band is in full swing mode, such as Run Fat Tony, Hogan and Taboo (a great modern interpretation of bebop). In these songs, I would say their style is similar to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's first album.

Funk isn't really my cup of tea, but Hungry and Persiatown are competent efforts. A stronger ska influence is noticed in Let's Hit The Town Tonight and the instrumental Ming, which are both similar to Voodoo Glow Skulls at their finest.

Sunshine is a sickly sweet song, like the theme song to a tacky soap opera. Yuk.

Most songs have an experimental prog-rock element to them, and their following album was much more experimental. Sometimes it's at odds with otherwise smooth swing songs (Run Fat Tony), but it adds an interesting element.

Finally, Kevin takes the wackiness level off the charts, throwing in bits of polka, ska, prog rock and even the Russian/Polish (I forget which) national anthem!

Favourite songs

Let's Hit the Town Tonight, Run Fat Tony, Taboo, Ming, Hogan, Kevin

Worthwhile?

If you have any maturity in your musical tastes, you'll probably hate it. Therefore I really like it...