Your last listen

[Grumpytim]

The Nightwatchman (Tom Morello) Worldwide Rebel Songs.
The world may be going to hell in an alt right handcart, but at least history will say that we had the better tunes!

[CN211276]

AC/DC - Rock or bust

[Fretless]

S.M.V. 'Thunder' (2008)



A bass-heads dream team of Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Woorden are united here in a fun, funky showcase of mind-bending technique and smile-inducing grooves. You just know they were having a good time.

SQ is awesome - great test for the woofers.

[CN211276]

Judas Priest - Stained Class

[Fretless]

Lowlife 'Permanent Sleep' (1986)



An album that has flown under my radar for decades - finally got hold of a copy. Lowlife included Will Heggie, the original bassist for the Cocteau Twins and his distinctive style gives this record a 'Garlands' feel - but then done by Echo & the Bunnymen.

Great stuff - now to track down the follow-up: 'Diminuendo'.

[CN211276]

AC/DC - Stiff upper lip

[Fretless]

Simple Minds 'New Gold Dream Live' (2023)



40 years since the original 'New Gold Dream' came out, the album that summed up all that was great about 80's rock: elegant, complex, atmospheric

So now Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill revisit this monumental classic with their trusty live crew and it is surprisingly good. The arrangements are slightly altered - remaining familiar but with an air of freshness.

On videos, the enthusiasm of the eye-catching lady drummer is infectious.



A fun trip down memory lane.

[CN211276]

Queensryche. - Empire

[Fretless]

Simple Minds 'Graffiti Soul' (2009)



In a Simple Minds frame-of-mind ( ). Their post-2000 albums have been reissued on vinyl, several for the first time - and creating a good excuse to revisit them. SM suffered a major dip in the 90's, putting out a couple of rather uninspired, mediocre albums like 'Real Life' and 'Cry'. Several CD's got me intrigued but not overly enthusiastic, hearing these same albums on LP is something of a revelation and so I am busy with the acquisition and listening-to of this one, Big Music, Black & White, Neapolis and Big Music Live.

Graffiti Soul itself is a masterful mix of incisive rock and atmospheric electronics with memorable songs and a stunning production - Simple Minds records are always a treat as they are one of the few bands who really understand how to incorporate those fun stereo-effects that bring the music to life. The central instrument in their music is usually the bass guitar which holds down the melodic and rhythmic core of the songs, then Jim Kerr's voice - shaped for anthemic effect (and ripped-off by Bono in the early 80's). Keyboards create a backdrop of interesting effects and Charlie Burchill's guitar is mainly used for accents and attention-catching fills. Drums tend to be kept to a solid backbeat.

U2 often played support to Simple Minds in the early 80's and copied various elements of the Scottish group's style, but time has favoured the Minds more as they continue to put out worthwhile exciting music which the boys from Dublin seem to have forgotten how to do.

Rock on!

[CN211276]

Alice Cooper - Welcome to my nightmare