These are my absolute favourites at the moment, although I do reserve the right to change my top five at any time!
I'll be reviewing all the new music cd's I listen to, so watch this space!!
AIR - Talkie Walkie
Talkie Walkie comes five years after their landmark Moon Safari and Parisian mood-enhancers Air are back doing what they do best. Famously shy of ever repeating themselves, JB Dunckel and Nicolas Godin have filled in the years with the poorly received follow-up, 10,000hz Legend (even they think it strange), and an eerily effective soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides.
Nice enough in their own niche way, but a far cry from what people actually wanted.
Happily, Talkie Walkie reunites us with the Air that we love: two hopelessly indulgent romantics with an ear in the past and an eye on the future.
It's meltingly good stuff--a collection of cool, cosmic pop songs that dispense with notions of time and space, wallowing instead on a cloud of poignant psychedelia. With vocal duties this time taken by the boys themselves, and gorgeously fragile strings courtesy of Serge Gainsbourg collaborator, Michel Colombier, they get off to a good start. Perhaps the introduction of an outside producer, in this case Radiohead's Nigel Godrich, has forced such beautifully measured focus?
Whatever, touchy-feely epics such as the heavenly "Cherry Blossom Girl" sit well next to electronic masterpieces such as "Ran", whose enveloping tracked vocals recall the 10cc classic "I'm Not in Love".
O is the remarkable must-hear debut album from Dublin-born dreamer and troubadour Damien Rice. Like compatriot David Kitt, Rice is evidently a major talent, one of a select breed of loosely-affiliated modernist folk artists for whom the words "traditional" and "singer-songwriter" are hindering terminological obstacles that need to be blown clean out the way for the sake of progress.
Adorned with unexpected musical twists, pleasures and textures--particularly Lisa Hannigan's fragile vocal accompaniment and Vyvienne Long's sonorous cello--O's strengths lie not only in the quality of the songs--songs that could easily withstand the thrill-free "unplugged" process--but the free-thinking adventurism that decrees that segments of operatically sung Inuit (on "Eskimo") and drowsy God-like Gregorian chants (on the truly touching "Cold Water", probably a rumination on drowning involving a discourse between a dying father, daughter and the big man in the sky) should not be off-limits on pop records.
There are moments, too, of both unfettered savagery--"I Remember" begins with Lisa Halligan's yearning thoughts on a relationship before exploding with Damien Rice's retort, a vein-bulging riot of choleric rising to a climax of discordant strings reminiscent of "A Day in the Life") and embittered, self-pity--the doleful "Cheers Darlin", with its forlorn jazzy clarinet, clinking glasses and background cocktail piano.
However, for those reluctant to march with the pace of change, the delightful likes of "The Blower's Daughter" and the Nick Drake-flavoured "Amie" (with a sweetly foliating string arrangement from Rice's second-cousin, the renowned composer David Arnold) offer a more relaxed route in to Damien Rice's strangely compelling world.
Dido's debut is moulded from Sarah McLachlan's intimate soul, Sinead O'Connor's Celtic yelp and Beth Orton's morose resolve--with all the sharp edges rounded out. Sculpted by producers Rollo (her brother) and techno-scientist Youth, No Angel is dream-pop mixed with Portishead-esque trip-hop; the results are mid-tempo ballads that would feel at home in Seal's neighbourhood.
The melancholy opener, "Here With Me", incorporates acoustic rhythm guitar, fluid strings and a snare-driven tempo that simulates the slapping of rain on a windscreen. "My Lover's Gone" is ethereal and misty, sounding at once ancient and modern with its synthesised ocean sounds and seagull cries.
The only clunker is "Don't Think of Me", a passive, soft-bellied cousin to Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know". These songs play out beautifully in that quiet zone between slumber and consciousness - where you can see everything behind closed eyes.
Although The Lighthouse Family may not be everybodies favourite cup of tea, their music is definately something that everybody can happily listen to. This is the fourth album from this spectacular duo and consists of some of the best tracks taken from their previous three albums plus a couple of extra unreleased tracks to boot.
Some of the standout tracks on here include Lifted, the song featured in the Vectra advertisements, which is taken from their first album Ocean Drive. Lifted is probably the Lighthouse Family's best known song, although the likes of Ocean Drive, taken from the same titled album is equally as good.
My personal favourite, however, is Raincloud taken from the second album Postcards From Heaven. This track is uplifting, positive and meaningful. For a more upbeat flavour, Question of Faith is perfect. This track is also taken from the second album, and like Lifted on the first album, is probably one of Lighthouse Family's better known tracks.
Easily the weakest tracks on this collaboration are those taken from the third album, Whatever Gets You Through The Day. Although I would highly rate the duo's first two albums, the third seems to lack that certain spark that makes the first two albums so enjoyable and addictive. Even so, The Lighthouse Family have never failed yet to deliver a song that overflows with beauty or emotion within its lyrics.
This is a fantastic addition to any CD collection, and would probably be highly favoured by those who like music by Savage Garden, David Gray or generally deep and meaningful music to chill out and live your life to! Perfect!
After the Retro Active release in 1993 with its basic attempt to showcase new member Vivian Campbell and to clear the decks of old material still lying around with some potential such as the slow, melodic ballad "two steps behind", the construction of the album "Slang" was weighing down the group's shoulders.
So they thought that if they really wanted to start afresh,they should finally compile all the greatest tracks of the past six albums,then release "Slang" to begin a new era of the lep."Vault" was finally released in October of 1995 and the experimental album "Slang" was released in the spring of 1996.
"Vault" starts of with a prodigious burst of energy (supplied by the saccharin of course!!)with the anthemic and dynamic "Pour some sugar on me" from the masterclass album "Hysteria" which supplies most of the material in "Vault" to be frank!
Then it continues on to the catchy and rythmic rock hit "Photograph" which is defined in a raw and powerful way, mostly thanks to one of the greatest producers ever Robert John "Mutt" Lange who stands out as the unofficial sixth member of Def Leppard. Such hits as "Animal","Rocket","Hysteria" will leave you musically aching and "When love and hate collide" is ,in my opinion, one of the best rock ballads ever. The understated guitar solo and the lyrics are sublime and will surely stand the test of time!
Even though this album is the pure article, the album is maybe just short of a classic song like "Foolin'" to keep complete interest but I'm sure people really don't mind and would rather listen to "Heaven is" instead!! The album is all about chart suceess and maybe a "Best Of" would have fitted the bill to compile the definitive material of Def Leppard.
AIR - Talkie Walkie
