Red Face's Albums of '08

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Across musical genres – from hip-hop to nu-folk, from rock to soul – this year was never short of tuneful delights. From the innovative soul of Gnarls Barkley to the mature lyrics of Beck, 2008 was the year that some of today’s greatest musicians reinvented their genres – and themselves.

The Albums I talk about are:

- Low Culture by Jim Moray
- Modern Guilt by Beck
- Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis
- The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley
- The Renaissance by Q-Tip
- Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie

Gig Review: Billy Bragg

Ever since a pentagram of fire called Maggie back to daddy (forgive me for being obvious), and Major bowed out to a then youthful Tony Blair, the insights of Essex Troubadour Billy Bragg have seemed less and less relevant. As an outspoken Socialist, and all round lefty icon, he represented the excluded liberal youth, but as soon as his fans grew up and voted Labour, Bragg’s political protests became nothing more than songs. Yet now, with another financial crisis looming and a conservative buffoon waiting in the wings to fuck it all up, it would seem 2008 is a year ripe for Bragg’s return. His 22-song set at Shepherds Bush last Monday, saw the 51 year old perform with a youthful tenacity, as these trying times return meaning to his words.

No longer backed by The Blokes, Billy took the stage with nothing but a silver Telecaster and a mug of tea. Whilst Bragg naturally felt the need to promote his latest album Mr Love and Justice, the nostalgic joys of ‘To Have and To Have Not’ and ‘The Milkman of Human Kindness’, saw the most grey-haired heads nodding to the voice of their youth. As is expected with any act past 40, the show was in effect a greatest hits, though thankfully room was left for some more unexpected additions to the set list. Whilst Woody Guthrie cover ‘I Ain’t Got No Home’ was fairly predictable, the inclusion of The Shangri-Las’ ‘Give Him A Great Big Kiss’, with help from Kate Nash, was a delight.

Indeed Bragg is ever capable of keeping it light, and in between songs documenting heartbreak and injustice, he remains able to be genuinely hilarious. His infectious humour even crept into the songs themselves, as one altered lyric on ‘Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards’– “John Sergeant proved the public will vote for a clumsy fuck/Old Gordon Brown can’t believe his luck”, was met with riotous laughs from the audience.

Whilst a second encore teased the audience with the prospect of leaving out fan favourite ‘A New England’, Bragg’s performance remained near flawless. It would be easy to see his highly political material as pretentious and boorish, yet his saving grace is that despite this, he remains completely relatable and genuine. He won’t change the world, he knows it, but who cares? He’s Billy Bragg, and he’s back!

Image Courtesy of Bryan Kremkau - www.skapunkphotos.com

Day and Age by The Killers

I will admit that when The Killers rose to stardom with 2004’s Hot Fuss, I was one of the few unconvinced by the Vegas foursome. With a talent for pop balladry, a smack of eyeliner and a conventionally handsome lead singer, they were everything I despised in a band. Yet even I, as irrationally judgemental as I am, couldn’t help but be impressed by The Killers’ talent for the three-minute pop song.

With the unbridled success that was 2006’s Sam’s Town, the boys silenced any talk of a difficult second album. Now, following the pattern of so many before them comes Day and Age, a third instalment that aims to take an established sound in a new direction. However, this album sees The Killers dragging their synth drenched style kicking and screaming into new areas, resulting in dizzying highs of pop perfection and painful lows of forced pastiche.

From the opener ‘Losing Touch’, it feels like business as usual, as subtle synth mixed with Flowers’ quivering vocal, eases the listener into another Killers outing. However, as the track builds to an impressive middle eight, it would seem that The Killers have incorporated a pure 80’s sound into their material, with greater success than any of their contemporaries.

As the album progresses, it would be easy to see the flurry of saxophones, harps and elaborate orchestration, as painfully over-thought for the indie quartet. However, the sheer audacity of say, the steel pan motif on ‘I Can’t Stay’, is a delightful novelty. Instead, the album’s downfall appears to be in its half-baked attempts at genre fusion, as opposed to its outlandish instrumentation. The jaunty ‘Joy Ride’ comes to mind, as this attempt at funk/indie fusion feels wholly unnatural. The only solace to be taken in such songs comes with a bridge or chorus, where The Killers stumble back into their old style.

Clearly, Day and Age is not without its disappointments, and whilst there is many a heartfelt track, the likes of ‘The World We Live In’ or ‘This is Your Life’ are the definition of filler. After splashes of monotony, such tracks as ‘Neon Tiger’ or ‘A Dustland Fairytale’ do standout, but painful sentimentality or Flowers’ nonsensical lyricism soon disappoints.

Nonetheless, it would seem that The Killers are ever full of surprises, as just when it would appear they’d fallen into mediocrity, they snatch victory from the mouth of defeat. On even the most painful track, the attentive listener can find something to enjoy. A simple riff or a joyous chord progression provides relief for a failing song, reminding us of their gift for pop melody. The epic closer “Goodnight, Travel Well” is indeed a redeeming finale, as this delightfully bleak song, provides ample relief for an otherwise upbeat affair.

The public and critics alike expected Day and Age to be one of two things: a glorious passage into pop perfection, or a disappointment of epic proportions. However, the ever unpredictable Killers, provide neither one nor the other. With the likes of ‘Losing Touch’ or ‘Spaceman’, we see a developed sound they haven’t approached before, whilst the album’s equal measure of mediocre material takes the shine off the proverbial apple. Day and Age remains a good, if at times over ambitious album, and if its high points are anything to go by, the fans shouldn’t have to wait long for the seminal Killers work.

Gig Review: Death Cab For Cutie

Whilst their legions of be-fringed disenfranchised fans, and a collection of hits akin to the Grey’s Anatomy sound track seem to suggest otherwise, I have always persisted that Death Cab For Cutie aren’t an ‘Emo’ band. Always seeming more sincere than their ‘Emo’ counterparts, Death Cab’s melancholic lyrics always seemed due to their influences as opposed to convention. Nevertheless, last Wednesday’s set at the Brixton Academy, seemed to prove that at the very least, Death Cab For Cutie have the tunes to hang with the big boys.

As Walla, Gibbard, Harmer and McGerr jogged on stage to the usual riotous applause, the now skinny as a rake Ben Gibbard took the spotlight and quipped “What’s goin’ on?”. Whilst the choice of opener; ‘The Employment Pages’, was a lacklustre ease in to the show, it didn’t fail to captivate the adoring audience. As the lads settled into what was to be a typically laid back set, it was nigh impossible not to be struck by a mix of their absolute sincerity and flawless instrumentation.

Being a band whose sound is largely defined in the studio, one would expect that their intricate songs would be impossible to recreate on stage. Armed with only two guitars, a bass, drums and an organ; Death Cab managed to perform the likes of ‘Soul Meets Body’ seamlessly, whilst still maintaining a delightful spontaneity.

Just when you thought they couldn’t be upbeat, Narrow Stairs’ ‘No Sunlight’ and Plans’ ‘Crooked Teeth’ brought movement to the crowd. Then Gibbard took the spotlight alone with an acoustic guitar, and sparked the most intimate sing-along of the night, with ‘I Will Follow You into the Dark’.

The post encore treats including the sombre piano ballad ‘What Sarah Said’, and the beautiful ‘Title and Registration’. The epic ‘Transatlanticism’ in all its eight-minute glory, closed what was a quietly powerful set.

They may not be the biggest live act in town, but through their at times sedate performance, shines an aching sincerity. Their music isn’t designed for stadium rock, nor will it ever be, yet in a setting slightly more intimate, their song writing shines.

The Renaissance by Q-Tip

Every genre has its creatively barren years. For Rock and Roll it was the 80’s, for Brit-Pop it was the 90’s and for Hip-Hop it is the 00’s. With his first album in nine years, Q-Tip reminds us how far Hip-Hop has fallen, as he returns the genre its soul.

Ever since the demise of the now legendary A Tribe Called Quest, I can only assume Mr Fareed, sat back and scratched his head, as the music he loved fell deeper and deeper into commercialism. As the likes of Soulja Boy topped the charts, record company pencil pushers became more and more reluctant to release his eclectic brand of Hip-Hop.

Many a fan was terrified that Arista’s failure to release the critically acclaimed Kamaal the Abstract, marked the demise of Q-Tip. But now signed to Universal Motown, Q-Tip’s back with a vengeance, and such rhymes as “What good is an ear if a Q-Tip isn’t in it?” remind us how much we’ve missed him.

With Q-Tip acting as front man and producer for much of Tribe’s back catalogue, the die-hard Quest fans would hope The Renaissance would reflect their old jazzified style. Indeed the downfall of his last solo album, Amplified, was Tip’s obvious attempts to distance himself from his old band, by dabbling in the electronic. Fortunately, now the retro returns, as, from the opener ‘Johnny is Dead’, Q-Tip flaunts his jazz chops, whilst also branching into funk and even soul, with surprising success.

Whilst no two songs are alike, they each have a patchwork quilt quality, mixing sample with instrumentation and lyric to create Hip-Hop tracks with infectious vibe. ‘Move’ produced by the late great J Dilla, stands out, as the skilful interplay between beat, bass and rhyme make it a danceable powerhouse. Refusing to stay static, Q-Tip wanders through style and genre. With ‘Gettin’ Up’, Q-Tip provides the most summer soaked groove ever released in November, whilst the emotive ‘You’, achieves a sincere soul-filled sentiment few others could achieve.

Lyrically, he’s as strong as ever. Whilst his topics are risky, he walks the tightrope masterfully. Apparently titled in hopes of a Hip-Hop rebirth, The Renaissance sees Q-Tip voice his dislike of mainstream rap, but at no point does he sound like a bitter has-been. Admittedly his political lyrics offer no grand insight, but at least it doesn’t sound like its been thrown in for good measure, as many a rapper is guilty of. Indeed his strength is being a cut above the rest, as he can push the boundaries further than any of his contemporaries.

It has indeed been a long time, and with many a critical eye watching and a natural desire for the Tipster to prove he’s still an innovator, The Renaissance could have quite easily been a shocker. Indeed Q-Tip crosses every line a rapper really shouldn’t; he goes political, sentimental and even sings. The only difference is; he pulls it off. Much to the despair of the cynics, The Renaissance is a triumph befitting his legendary status and one can only hope, that it will act as a firm slap round the face of the Hip-Hop establishment.

NOTE FROM REDFACE:

Big Thank-You to Q-Tip for promoting my site!

Matachin by Bellowhead

Bellowhead’s follow up to their debut Burlesque was destined to be met with high expectations. Burlesque was so hugely successful, that after only having been a band for 4 years, Bellowhead were headlining the first BBC Folk Proms, beating more established and significantly older folkies to the half hour closing set. This big band folk outfit clearly have plenty of promise, unfortunately too little of this is realised in their second album Matachin.

In 2004, two established darlings of the folk circuit; Jon Boden and John Spiers, wondered how the traditional English folk song and Boden’s delicate vibrato would sound when backed by a small folk orchestra. They soon went about recruiting the likes of bouzouki boy Benji Kirkpatrick and percussionist Pete Flood, until they had a group of musicians as talented as they were numerous. Their debut set a tone of theatricality and fun, making them the talk of every morris dance from London to Loughborough. By 2007 they had a hit record, a string of awards and a powerful live show. All that was left was a strong follow up to prove they hadn’t shot their wad. Unfortunately, it would seem that for all their potential, this is something John and Jon couldn’t quite manage.

For the uninitiated, Matachin provides a summation of the English folk tradition, from the ‘night-visit’ tales of dead lovers returning from the grave, to the joyous sea shanty and of course the romantic ballad. And sure enough with the opener comes the sweeter than sugar - ‘Fakenham Fair’. The whirlwind of instrumentation that opens the album showcases the talents of their 11-piece band, however it would seem that down this road lays trouble. In terms of the production, the big band formation seems to limit the way in which the material has been tracked and arranged. Whilst with 'Fakenham Fair' the instruments gel gorgeously, on tracks such as ‘Widow’s Curse’ or ‘Roll Her Down The Bay’ you become very aware you’re listening to 11 musicians as opposed to an 11-member band. Perhaps due to band politics, each instrument is given its own space, and with the absolute clarity with which they have been captured, the overall sound becomes (dare I say it?) almost gimmicky.

The crown jewel of their live performances has always been their sea shanties and dance numbers. The band have often spoken of how they feel folk is simply the oldest form of dance music, and in many ways this is what has made them so refreshing amongst their peers. Whilst other young guns such as Jim Moray and The Imagined Village have tried to bring it to the kids by introducing modern technology and styles into the traditional palette, Bellowhead have managed to draw in a younger audience by being wholly enjoyable. Lucky for us, this philosophy has been continued on into Matachin. Such jaunty numbers as ‘Whiskey is the life of man’ could coax a jig out of even the most reserved listener. Nevertheless, too little of the innate energy of these songs has been captured in the studio.

As the album continues, so do the disappointments. But once again the material isn’t to blame. With the exception of the thoroughly dull ‘Cholera Camp’, the remainder of the album is far from filler. ‘Spectre Review’ sees drummer Pete Flood flaunt his skill in arrangement as well as his passion for percussion, whilst the jazzy ‘Bruton Town’ is one of the most beautiful and exquisitely arranged ballads on the album. But one by one these original successes are strangled by the production.

Comprised of folk tales documenting death, deceit and drinking; Matachin is an album with plenty of grit in its teeth, yet none of this is reflected in the sterile way it has been recorded. It would seem Bellowhead could take note from American counterpart Zach Condon, whose recent big band efforts with his Balkans folk project ‘Beirut’, has created a nostalgic and eclectic sound through embracing less traditional recording techniques.

This latest offering by one the UK’s most promising folk bands is an album with no clue in which direction it is headed. The lack lustre production implies a back-to-basics approach, whilst the funk filled fun of ‘Kafoozalum’ and the melancholic jazz of ‘Bruton Town’ suggest a penchant for folk fusion. With Matachin we see Bellowhead refusing to pick a lane. What results is an album that is essentially an overview of what English folk means to the current generation. It is by no means a bad album, but for a band brimming with talent, it is far too tame.

Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis

Oasis were in many ways victims of post modernity. Their Smiths, Kinks and Beatles drenched music, defined 90’s Britain. But whilst this made them rock stars, it by no means made them masters of the craft. The Gallaghers emerged at a time when it had all been done, and more so than anyone, it was clear they could never achieve the greatness of their idols. In a desperate attempt to prove their worth and escape from the shadow of Wonderwall, Oasis fell deeper into mediocrity from album to album. With their most refreshing work in years, Dig Out Your Soul sees Oasis no longer fearful of their legacy, as they accept their limitations and produce a fantastic slice of British Rock.

The opener ‘Bag It Up’, with its delicious indulgence in slick, hard edged riffs and screeching melodies, makes it a glorious fanfare of a track. The good times continue to roll, with the infectious groove of ‘The Turning’ and the rock stomp of ‘Waiting for the Rapture’. Then with ‘(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady’ we see that Oasis have in many ways tamed everything that once dragged them down. This song has all the symptoms of their own brand of mediocrity; repetitive lyrics, simplistic riffs and a feeling the song is going absolutely nowhere, yet somehow all this has been brought into line. Even the notorious Gallagher vocal appears to have been tamed, as its place in the mix allows its hidden charm to emerge.

From the first strums of ‘The Shock of the Lightning’, its clear that this little number was born to be a single. Whilst such seemingly nonsensical lyrics as “Love is a time machine/Up on the silver screen”, suggest Noel will never surpass “Today is gonna be the day...” it is so irresistibly built for a sing-along, you really don’t care. Then comes the jewel that is ‘Falling Down’, which with its eloquent refrain “Falling down is all that I’ve ever known” has smacks of beauty, unparalleled by Noel’s recent output.

Surprise, surprise, Dig Out Your Soul isn’t a seminal piece, and the song writing contributions of Liam, guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell all suggests that Noel is the only songwriter for the band. Liam’s piano ballad ‘I’m Outta Time’ is dripping with Lennon influence, however whilst this begins with strength, it soon fades into sub-par pastiche. However, whilst these efforts at no point rival Noel’s, the continuation of existing motifs and sounds within the album, create a sense of completion.

Dig Out Your Soul, despite being a triumph for the flailing rockers, is by no account their passage into greatness. This far into their career The Who had released Quadrophenia, and of course The Beatles had long since accomplished immortality and disbanded. However, if nothing else it remains an excellent album, which is enough to remind us why this quintet, represent everything that is great about the British rock tradition.

Off with Their Heads by Kaiser Chiefs

Off with Their Heads has been billed as the album to silence the critics and the non-believers. And hopes were high for the Leeds lads when ‘Never Miss a Beat’ flooded onto the radio. With its driving verse coupled with their trademark infectious chorus, which has flashes of Ruby’s anthemia yet is nowhere near as annoying, ‘Never Miss a Beat’ seemed to prove the Kaiser Chiefs’ worth. Unfortunately, the remaining ten songs that comprise the album reflect little of this early triumph.

Many a critic has praised the Kaiser Chiefs for being one of the few British indie bands, who have the chutzpah to be political. The title of the album alone implies a certain political angst, and sure enough we see the Kaisers enraged at our apathetic youth, however their political writing runs about as deep as ‘American Idiot’. Such lyrics as “What do you want for tea? I want crisps” sees Ricky and co. simply restating the common opinion as opposed to providing a deeper or unique standpoint. Whilst this may qualify as political writing in 2008, compare it to a Dylan standard and the limits of their statements are obvious. Sadly to say, such transparent political comment continues, and on the self explanatory ‘Half the Truth’ the KC’s even succumb to Bush bashing, which with the growing Obama mania, is decreasingly valid and incredibly tiresome.

The choice of Mark Ronson as producer must have made their publicist’s year, however his work on the album is predictably disappointing. Ronson’s production shows all the hallmarks of a celebrity producer. Whilst he provides the retro sensibilities we have come to expect, he fails in taking far too few risks. The string arrangement added over the dull ‘Like It Too Much’, sees the Anglo-American button pusher flex his orchestral muscle, but with very little success. Not to attack the insufferable bore that is Mark Ronson, but it would seem that a trained monkey could have produced a similar result.

The material is by no means terrible; tracks such as ‘Spanish Metal’ even have flashes of brilliance, but any promise these songs show, is soon extinguished by a lack-lustre chorus or a droning middle eight. The Lennonesque closer ‘Remember You’re a Girl’, sung by drummer Nick Hodgson, is indicative of the effect the album has on the listener: This song simply washes over you, leaving more questions than answers.

This remains a solid Kaiser Chiefs work, but Off with Theirs Heads sees them take one step forward and six steps back. Their energy is undeniable but even this has been caged at times by mediocre song composition and Ronson’s sedate touch. Whilst in an attempt to be more overtly political, the KC’s sacrifice fun for a supposed greater meaning. So if it isn’t fun and its fails at being political, one has to wonder; what purpose does it serve? Off with Theirs Heads is sure to please fans eager for another taste of Kaiserdom, but it is unlikely that this will be the album to convert the non-believers.

Everything is Borrowed by The Streets

After the runaway success of 2004’s A Grand Don’t Come for Free and 2006’s The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, local city poet Mike Skinner, was doomed to follow in the tragic footsteps of so many artists before him. This pattern begins with your gritty debut, then comes the rise to stardom and finally the release of an ‘album that means something’. A shudder must have run down the spine of every right-minded Streets fan, when the words “This album started off life as parables” spilled onto Skinner’s Myspace page, and sure enough Everything is Borrowed is his painfully over thought attempt at profundity.

Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against the brummy boy rapper. His dry mockney wit paired with harsh danceable beats was once a lethal combination, but now it seems he has taken the label ‘urban poet’ far too seriously. Everything is Borrowed reflects Skinner’s fatal misconception; he now thinks he is qualified to comment on such topics as faith, suicide and the fate of humanity.

This latest album sees Skinner joining the ranks of aging rappers, who have attempted to breathe new life into their established style, by replacing brash beats and bass with big band brass and elaborate arrangements. The opening title track is reminiscent of Jay-Z’s ‘Izzo’, but where there should be slick rhymes and smoother-than-butter bravado, there is Skinner’s monotone drawl. Whilst his change in backing is admirable, it does draw out the inadequacies of his writing and delivery.

One group this album is sure to please is those who have despised The Streets from day one. Those who found his legendary status as a great pop writer laughable, have plenty of evidence to support this view within the words of Everything is Borrowed. In his attempts to make a more focused and socially valid work, Skinner finds himself making broad sweeping statements, using the most clichéd imagery imaginable. ‘The Way of the Dodo’ is a prize example, which is so ineffective that it becomes very difficult to believe that this song about global warming is at all sincere.

There is some solace to be found in the more danceable tracks, which hark back to his prime. ‘Never Give In’ with it’s funky bass line and chorus “I’ll never give in ‘till your laying with me/ You may as well tell me when that day will be”, sounds like he got slap bass lessons and a rhyming dictionary for Christmas, but it is nevertheless enjoyable. The likes of ‘The Sherry End’ and ‘Alleged Legends’ are further successes and the closing track ‘The Escapist’, reminds us of what made The Streets such a phenomenon in the first place. This song with all its orchestral splendour really shouldn’t work alongside the vocal, yet somehow it does.

Skinner has announced that he is “fucking sick” of all that is expected and associated with ‘The Streets’, as he has repeatedly said the next album will be his last under his famed alter ego. Whilst this is surely not what he meant, it seems that the expectation for him to be the poet he is so often labelled, has indeed been detrimental. The music is powerful, and at times exquisite but the lyrical content suggests delusions of grandeur. If there is indeed a message behind Everything is Borrowed it is this: don’t believe your own hype and under no circumstances rhyme jets with best.

Modern Guilt by Beck

This review has been published by the London Magazine Spiked. To read it go to:
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/5691/

Here's a taster:

For a musical chameleon who has tackled every genre from bluegrass to rap, coming up with a new sound for Beck’s umpteenth album was going to be tricky. Teaming up with Gnarls Barkley’s Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton), Modern Guilt is an album that shows a more mature Beck Hansen who sings about climate change and refugees as opposed to jack-asses and soul suckin’ jerks. Whilst this isn’t what made us fall head over heels for the slacker kid back in ‘94, it’s certainly enough to remind us why he’s still the coolest Scientologist in music.