Rocktrospectiva: The Accomplished "Head Carrier" Turns 10

 

Released on 30 September 2016, "Head Carrier" was the sixth studio album by the US alternative rock band the Pixies. Produced by Tom Dalgety, and recorded at RAK Studios in London, the album is the first to feature new band member Paz Lenchantin on bass guitar, who joined the band in 2014 to tour in support of its previous album, Indie Cindy. The album spawned the singles "Um Chagga Lagga", "Tenement Song", "Classic Masher", & "Bel Sprit" The album's title references a cephalophore, a saint carrying his own head, more specifically St. Denis of Paris.

 

Production began in late 2015 with producer Tom Dalgety, who replaced Gil Norton (the producer behind the band's four previous albums). This era featured Lenchantin’s full-time collaboration, as she stepped into the role vacated by Kim Deal, who had officially left the band in 2013. 

 

In fact, the new bassist is credited with the track "All I Think About Now," a song written as a tribute to Kim Deal. For many, the new album carried an air of redemption; the material was more polished and conceptual, overcoming Deal's departure and embracing new directions with the arrival of Lenchantin, they delivered a record that stood as their best effort to recapture their former glory—a modernized take on their classic sound (or a "recycling" of it, as some put it). Starting with the heavy "Um Chagga Lagga," which harkened back to the band's late-80s era—a vibe even more evident in "Bel Espirit" and—for this writer—the set's standout track, "Classic Masher," which captured the band's signature classic style. Nor were the eccentric tracks courtesy of Black Francis left out; "Baal's Back," for instance, was raw and quintessentially the band, filled with screams and frenetic sounds. "Tenement Song" was another fine example, as was "All I Think About Now"—a track that, despite its saccharine tone, served, as previously mentioned, as a farewell letter to the great Kim Deal. 

 

At the time of its released, the album was undoubtedly considered one of their most accomplished albums, featuring fresh ideas and a new sound courtesy of their new bassist. It recaptured at least some of the band's lost magic and dynamic, clearly demonstrating—even five years ago—the dedicated effort put in by every member. 

 

Head Carrier Track List: 

 

1. Head Carrier

2. Classic Masher

3. Baal's Back

4. Might As Well Be Gone

5. Oona

6. Talent

7. Tenement Song

8. Bel Spirit

9. All I Think About Now

10. Um Chagga Lagga

11. Plaster Of Paris

12. All The Saints

 

 

 

Rocktrospectiva: The Accessible And Danceable "Stars" Turns 35

 

Released on 30 September 1991, "Stars" was the 4th., studio album by British-based pop/soul/jazz band Simply Red. Five singles were released from the album, "Something Got Me Started", "Thrill Me" "Your Mirror" and including the UK top ten hits "Stars" and "For Your Babies". The album was a worldwide success, particularly in the band's home country where it has been certified twelve times platinum and was the best-selling album of the year in the UK for both 1991 and 1992. The album was on the shortlist of nominees for the 1992 Mercury Prize.  

 

Interestingly, the recording process did not get off to a good start. Recording for the album originally began in Paris in August 1990, but the initial sessions did not go well: the equipment in the studio did not live up to expectations, and with the Gulf War having just started and dominating television news reports, the band found the atmosphere in the bunker-like studios oppressive and not conducive to making music. The group moved to the more relaxed surroundings of Venice to resume recording in the Condulmer Studios.

 

Hucknall’s directive was to create an album that was less electronic and more soul-oriented; consequently, Gota—known for his work with Soul II Soul—became a top choice. The opportunity arose after Hucknall heard him playing drums one night in Venice; Hucknall was impressed to discover that Gota was an accomplished drummer and subsequently hired him as the band's full-time drummer following the recording sessions. 

 

The work began on pre-written tracks such as "Stars" and the brilliant "Something Got Me Started," while the song "Thrill Me" was built around a riff created by McIntyre. Reflecting the political climate of the time, Hucknall wrote "Wonderland" to express his dissatisfaction with the conservative administration then governing the United Kingdom. 

 

The album was not without controversy regarding its cover art; Hucknall wanted to be photographed wearing only a tunic he had bought in Spain, leaving his bare legs exposed. Zanna, the photographer, presented the image to EastWest Records, where concerns arose that it might offend sensibilities in the United States. As a result, Zanna digitally retouched the photo, replacing Hucknall's bare legs with an image of her assistant's legs clad in jeans. 

 

Critical reception was mixed, with the album often described as merely average—featuring acceptable, easy-listening tracks. The sound was simultaneously relaxing, cohesive, and refreshing, with standout songs like "Thrill Me" and "For Your Babies" (the latter becoming a hit in the UK). Ultimately, the album could be considered Simply Red's most accessible and danceable work to date. 

 

Stars Track List:

 

1. Something Got Me Started

2. Stars

3. Thrill Me

4. Your Mirror

5. She's Got It Bad

6. For Your Babies

7. Model

8. How Could I Fall

9. Freedom

10. Wonderland.

 

New Music: Wings Of Love

          

The English synth-pop duo Erasure shares a new single, "Wings of Love,"  the first track from their forthcoming studio album, "Radio!! Radio!!," due March 12, 2027 on Mute. Andy Bell and Vince Clarke also confirmed a UK and European arena tour for April and May 2027, with Ladytron as special guests on the UK and Ireland dates. The album arrives during the duo's 40th anniversary era, four decades after Erasure released their debut album in 1986. According to the band, Radio!! Radio!! developed from a difficult period marked by personal loss, with the new songs moving through themes of love, grief, injustice, hope and healing. Clarke also expanded the duo’s familiar electronic palette by incorporating more piano and acoustic guitar into the writing. 

Rocktrospectiva: New Order's Conceptual Danceable Masterpiece "Brotherhood" Turns 40

 

Released on 29 September 1986, "Brotherhood" was the 4th., studio album by the English rock band New Order, released on 29 September 1986 by Factory Records. It contains a mixture of post-punk and electronic styles, roughly divided between the two sides. The album includes "Bizarre Love Triangle", the band's breakthrough single in the United States and Australia; it was the only track from the album released as a single and as a video (although "State of the Nation" was added to most CD editions).

The album sleeve, created by Peter Saville, is a photograph of a sheet of titanium–zinc alloy. Some early releases came in a metallic sleeve.

As for the album's sound, it explored post-punk and electronica blended with rock and disco, creating a vibe that bordered on the schizophrenic: synthesizers dominated one side of the spectrum while the other was given over entirely to guitars—a contrast evident throughout the record. There was the sonic frenzy of "Every Little Counts," while "All Day Long" revealed the curious influence of Richard Wagner (a track the band would later use to open their concerts). 

The flawless "Bizarre Love Triangle" was the main a gem—a synth-pop classic—though, interestingly, the song failed to crack the Top 40 in either the UK or the US despite its outstanding quality. Its music video, directed by Robert Longo, enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV and remains a cult classic in every sense. 

Then there was "State of the Nation," clearly a protest song, and the playful "Every Little Counts." The album received generally favorable reviews for the sound they achieved, although some critics felt it offered nothing new regarding the band's sonic identity. Yet, one could argue that with this record, the band was attempting to shed the "Joy Division" label, aiming to prove that their sound was uniquely New Order—and they succeeded. It was a blend of sonic beauty and complex creativity, grappling with everything around them—including their own past. That is precisely where the album's achievement lies: in championing a sound that was more pop-oriented and accessible than their earlier, darker musical offerings. 

An oftenly overlooked album, it made atmospheric grooves with more finesse than any contemporary computer-rocker. In the end, it was the album that define the sound and status of the band, they had nothing else to proved at the time aside from continuing making great music. 

 

Brotherhood Track List:  

 

1. Paradise

2. Weirdo

3. As It Is When It Was

4. Broken Promise

5. Way Of Life

6. Bizarre Love Triangle

7. All Day Long

8. Angel Dust

9. Every Little Counts

Rocktrospectiva: The Commercial And Breaking Through "Blah-Blah-Blah" Turns 40

 

Released on 29 September 1986 "Blah-Blah-Blah" was the 7th., studio album by the US musician Iggy Pop. it was his most commercially successful album. Blah-Blah-Blah appeared after a four-year hiatus for Pop, with David Bowie serving as his prime collaborator. It would be their final collaboration. A successful tour followed the album's release. The Album spawned the singles "Real Wild Child", "Cry For Love", "Isolation" & "Shades." 

The collection included a cover of Johnny O'Keefe's "Wild One" (here titled "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" and three original songs co-written with ex-Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. The remaining tracks were co-written by Bowie, who also produced the album with David Richards but, unlike his previous work with Pop, The Idiot and Lust for Life (both 1977), did not play any instruments, although he did contribute with backing vocals. Bowie biographer David Buckley has reported that Pop "virtually disowned" the record, calling it "a Bowie album in all but name". It has never been specified what tracks on the album, if any, originated during the sessions of Bowie's 1984 album Tonight (that album's co-producer, Hugh Padgham, has recalled that Bowie and Pop collaborated on some songs that Bowie ultimately rejected for inclusion on Tonight). 

In 1990, Pop credited Bowie for [setting] up a good framework for me to tell my story in a way that people could hear. It got on the radio. At times we got a little too meticulous in the studio. But 'Shades,' 'Winners and Losers,' 'Cry for Love' and 'Wild Child' sum up my story at the time

It was the album that brought Iggy Pop back from a four-year recording hiatus and produced his first major mainstream hit in years, Real Wild Child (Wild One). The 1986 A&M Records release reunited Pop with David Bowie, who produced the album alongside David Richards and co-wrote most of the material. It was the final album collaboration between the two musicians.

Recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, in May 1986, Blah-Blah-Blah represented a significant change in sound for the artist. The abrasive art rock associated with his earlier work with Bowie on The Idiot and Lust for Life in 1977 gave way to synthesizers, programmed percussion, dance-rock textures and a more polished 1980s production style, but definitely this was far beyond a more commercial shift and eventually became Pop's most commercially successful album, reaching No. 75 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

It was a fantastic moment for Iggy Pop, and the single "Real Wild Child (Wild One)", Pop’s adaptation of Johnny O'Keefe's Australian rock and roll classic Wild One. The song became Pop's first UK Top 10 hit and reached No. 27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

Bowie's role on "Blah-Blah-Blah" was substantial but different from the partnership heard on The Idiot and Lust for Life. He co-wrote the bulk of the album with Pop, produced and mixed the sessions with David Richards, and supplied backing vocals, but did not play instruments on the record. The other significant songwriting partnership came from former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. Jones co-wrote Fire Girl, Cry for Love and Winners & Losers with Pop, with Jones also providing the guitar solo on Cry for Love.

The album also occupied an unusual position in Pop's catalogue because it sits between two very different phases of his career. His previous studio album, 1982’s Zombie Birdhouse, was followed by a four-year gap. Two years after Blah-Blah-Blah, Pop moved in a heavier direction with 1988's Instinct. Forty years later, Blah-Blah-Blah remains the record that connected Iggy Pop's uncompromising past with his mainstream breakthrough, while closing the final studio chapter of one of rock most consequential creative partnerships.

Critics praised the album and considered as the most calculatedly commercial album of Iggy's career", eschewing the art rock of Pop's earlier collaboration with Bowie, The Idiot, for a slick, "very '80s" pop sound "dominated by preprogrammed percussion and swirling keyboards." Though he highlights a couple of songs for being memorable, and strange album that was sometimes mainstream-sounding maelstrom of styles, but the lyrics — thoughtful personal reflections on various topics — provide at least intellectual cohesiveness." 

 

Blah-Blah-Blah Track List: 

 

1. Real Wild Child (Wild One)

2. Baby, It Can't Fall

3. Shades

4. Fire Girl

5. Isolation  

6. Cry For Love

7. Blah-Blah-Blah

8. Hideaway

9. Winners & Losers

10. Little Miss Emperor (Cd & Cassette)

Rocktrospectiva: The Underrated Opus "The Pacific Age" Turns 40

 

Released on 29 September 1986 "The Pacific Age" was the seventh studio album by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). It was the last of two OMD studio albums produced by Stephen Hague, after Crush (1985). The record exhibits the same refined production values as its predecessor while venturing into the realm of mid-1980s sophisti-pop, retreating further from the group's experimental beginnings. The album spawned the singles "(Forever) Live And Die", "We Love You", & "Shame."

 

Working under increasing record label pressure and weathering a creative drought, the band committed each new song to the album with limited deliberation. The Pacific Age met with largely negative reviews, but has received some favourable attention in retrospective album listings. It was a Top 20 entry in the UK, Canada and New Zealand, as well as in multiple European countries. Lead single "(Forever) Live and Die" became the group's second Top 20 hit in the US.

Recording sessions for The Pacific Age were fraught with conflict and debauchery. It would be the last OMD studio album for five years, and the last to feature co-founder Paul Humphreys until 2010's History of Modern. The record is held in low esteem by OMD, with frontman Andy McCluskey calling it the band's "musical nadir".

Despite the album's title, the recording process was anything but peaceful; the band faced immense pressure from their label, yet they poured themselves fully into the project. Curiously, they faced a backlash from the British press—a stark contrast to their reception across the Atlantic, where they were well-received and scored a Top 20 hit with the single "Forever (Live and Die)." It was a grueling, conflict-ridden endeavor; in fact, the band would not record again for five years, and co-founder Paul Humphreys eventually left the group. 

Musically, the album showcased the band's experimental side while still crafting pop tracks designed to appeal to US radio. Despite the label's pressure for a quick release—leaving them only two months to write the material—they managed to compose the first nine songs during that window. They also included an older track, "Southern," which featured a sample from Martin Luther King Jr.'s final speech and had failed to make the cut on the previous album. 

They did everything possible to satisfy the label, even as they ran out of ideas and songs; exhaustion and infighting took their toll, and problems with drugs and alcohol began to emerge. They faced issues even when choosing the singles; the group wanted to release "Stay (The Black Rose And The Universal Wheel)," but the label pushed for "Shame." Instead, "Forever (Live And Die)" was released, followed by "Shame" as the final single. "We Love You" had been scheduled as the second single, but while the band was away on tour, the label released "Shame" without their knowledge. There was also a track, "Goddess Of Love," originally intended for the classic film "Pretty In Pink"; however, the movie's climax changed, and the song was replaced by the massive classic "If You Leave." 

Consequently, they worked on a different track for the album, as well as "Flames Of Hope"—which was ultimately used in Japanese television commercials. In fact, the album's title revolves around this theme: the prominent rise of East Asia in the global economy. 

Critical reception in the UK was negative; critics failed to see the point of the album, finding only the occasional good track. In the United States, however, it was hailed as their best and most cohesive record, highlighting the magic of McCluskey and Humphreys through strong pop cuts and potential hits. Ultimately, its legacy has endured—it was ranked among the top ten albums of 1986—and UK opinion has gradually shifted to embrace it more favorably, even though the band itself feels the album doesn't sound like OMD and that the pressures of the time resulted in a lackluster outcome.

 

The Pacific Age Track List:  

 

1. Stay (The Black Rose And The Universal Wheel)

2. Forever (Live And Die)

3. The Pacific Age

4. The Dead Girls

5. Shame

6. Southern

7. Flame Of Hope

8. Goddess Of Love

9. We Love You

10. Watch Us Fall

 

Rocktrospectiva: The Greatest "Somewhere In Time" Turns 40

 

Released on 29 September 1986 "Somewhere In Time" was the sixth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was the band's first album to feature guitar synthesisers. The album spawned the singles "Wasted Years" & "Stranger In A Strange Land." 

The band had just come off a massive tour comprising 187 shows prior to recording; the tour had been grueling and had nearly drained the band's energy, which is said to be the reason why Bruce Dickinson made no contributions to the album—as the band rejected all of his submissions. 

Harris, speaking in Dickinson's defense, noted that the tour's exhaustion had taken a much heavier toll on Dickinson than on the rest of the band. However, Adrian Smith stepped up to the challenge, writing strong tracks—including the singles "Wasted Years" and "Stranger in a Strange Land" (the latter being the only song on the album that did not feature synthesizers).  

The use of synthesizers came about in a rather curious way; following an exhausting tour, the band had four months to recover. During this time, Harris, Smith, and Murray began experimenting with new equipment—a move that heavily influenced the album's sound—as the band discovered the benefits that guitar-adapted synthesizers could bring to Iron Maiden. 

It was also their most expensive production, as the drums and bass were recorded in the Bahamas, the vocals in the Netherlands, and the mixing was ultimately done in New York. The album's themes revolved around space, time, and futuristic concepts—very much in the style of the film *Blade Runner*—as evidenced by tracks such as "Wasted Years," "Caught Somewhere in Time," "Stranger in a Strange Land," and, of course, "Déjà-Vu." 

However, Harris noted that the album was never intended to be a concept record; things simply turned out that way. Following the album's release, most of its tracks were rarely performed live again, with the exceptions of "Wasted Years" and "Heaven Can Wait," which the band continues to play. 

Reception of the album was mixed; fans were surprised by the new sound, which was necessary to revitalize the band and distance it from glam-rock "hair bands." The "Maiden sound" was exploring more progressive and epic territory, a shift appreciated by fans who remained loyal to the group. The cover art, designed by Derek Riggs, is another point of interest; it contains a host of hidden details and allusions to other songs that deserve a post of their own.

 

Somewhere In Time Track List:

 

1. Caught Somewhere In Time

2. Wasted Years

3. Sea Of Madness

4. Heaven Can Wait 

5. The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner

6. Stranger In A Strange Land

7. Deja-Vu

8. Alexander The Great

In Memoriam: The Beloved Actor "Dennis Haskins" Best Known For His Role As "Mr. Belding" Has Died Aged 75

 

Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as principal Richard Belding on the high school comedy series "Saved by the Bell," has died, his agent said Monday. Haskins was 75. The cause and manner of death were unavailable.

He made his network television debut in 1979 on "The Dukes of Hazzard." Haskins also appeared on "Archie Bunker's Place," Magnum, P.I.," "7th Heaven," "Hot in Cleveland" and nearly 100 other shows as an actor and voiceover artist.

 

His death was confirmed by his longtime friend and caretaker in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. No cause of death has been announced. Some reports say Haskins was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. 

 

Haskins was honored with The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Most Distinguished Alumni of 2000 award and has a regional high school academic decathlon named after him, The Dennis Haskins Open.

 

In recent years, Haskins traveled the country, visiting many Minor League Baseball stadiums in the summer, greeting fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. 

 

Haskins first played Mr. Belding in "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" on the Disney Channel in 1988. The show was renamed "Saved by the Bell" the following year and became a defining sitcom of the 1990s. His greeting of “hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?” became one of the sitcom’s most recognizable running bits and remains instantly associated with the character decades later.

 

Haskins’ role on the show, which aired from 1989 to 1993, would come to define him for millions of fans. "Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more.

 

Haskins was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he reported for the student newspaper, acted in campus productions and was a founding member of the community theater group known as the Harlequins, according to his university biography. As a young man, he worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter and boasted Tom Jones and Gregg Allman among his clients.

 

His acting career was boosted by his portrayal of Mr. Belding on Disney Channel's "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" in 1988, according to the university bio. The next year, NBC aired the show as "Saved by the Bell"; it ran until 1993. He reprised the role on "Saved by the Bell: The New Class," which aired Saturday mornings from 1993 to 2000 on NBC. After the show’s end, he found work in several movies and television shows, including "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

New Music: Helen Keller

           

Placebo shares a surprising new single "Helen Keller. The track takes its cue from hidden 1996 instrumental "H.K. Farewell", while the band begin their 30th anniversary tour today. The new track was a hidden instrumental from the era of their self-titled 1996 debut, using its eerie keyboard melody as the foundation for an otherwise entirely new song. Recorded in London earlier this year, "Helen Keller" was produced by Placebo and Adam Noble, with the latter also handling mixing. It retains the spectral atmosphere of "H.K. Farewell" but pushes the idea into a heavier, more anguished rock setting. This is a new rock song inspired by the piano melody from "H.K. Farewell" and named after one of my favourite people from history, Brian Molko said of the track. Keller was the American author, disability rights advocate and political activist who became deafblind as a young child and went on to become an internationally renowned writer and campaigner. Describing the project as a director’s cut, the band said it allowed them to bring three decades of performing the material back into the recordings while maintaining the spirit of the originals.

New Music: Stone Fruit

           

Sabrina Teitelbaum aka Blondshell shares a new single "Stone Fruit" the fourth single taken from her latest 3rd., studio album "Violins" released last 25 September via Partisan Records. The track was written by Sabrina Teitelbaum and Sam Stewart and produced by Yves Rothman. The accompanying music video was directed by Sabra Binder. The artist commented about the song: This song is supposed to rip. So the one thing is just I hope you like the main guitar riff. That's kind of it, and the groove. That's one of those songs that I didn't set out to write. I just was kind of like I need to say all of this. I wrote it when I was on tour last summer. We were in Slovakia when I wrote it. And I think I just felt like, I don't know. I bring a small 'baby tailor' (small acoustic guitar) with me everywhere I go, and I don't usually use it, but I have it in case I feel the need to write. I brought that with me, and I felt like, 'Okay, I have something to say,.' And I didn't expect the song. And I think that's why it feels lived in because it was just unintentional.”

Rocktrospectiva: The Weirdo And Darker Lyrical "Ta-Dah" Turns 20

 

Released on 15 September 2006, "Ta-Dah" was the second studio album by the US alternative band Scissor Sisters. It was produced by the band and includes collaborations with Elton John, Carlos Alomar, and Paul Williams. The album debuted at number 19 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 42,000 copies in its first week. Upon its release, Ta-Dah received positive reviews from most music critics. The album spawned the singles "I Don0t Feel Like Dancing", "Land Of A Thousand Words", "She's My Man", & "Kiss You Off". 

At the beginning, Scissor Sisters were nothing more than a dependable floor-filler at common activities suchas weddings. But the shuffling piano bop of "Take Your Mama" hid subversive lyrics about getting your mother tanked and coming out, which went completely over everyone's heads. Walmart, however, sensed something was up: they banned the group's self-titled debut album because it included the song "Tits On The Radio." Often lumped together with other earnest dance-pop like Electric Six and Chromeo, Scissor Sisters not only managed to pull off wild commercial success. but did more to bring gay culture into the mainstream than they're given credit for.

Scissor Sisters were a New York band, but only in name. They were the opposite of the cool, detached garage-rock revival that would come to define the post-millennium. Just across the bridge, Jake Shears, Babydaddy, Ana Matronic, Del Marquis, and Paddy Boom arrived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, during the first wave of gentrification, and embodied the gay, drag, and performance-art parties that populated the borough and lower Manhattan. 

Scissor Sisters started out as just another electroclash outfit, with Shears – a former go-go dancer – gyrating on stage in lavish costumes. But then they gained attention for their disco-pop cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." Their aesthetic might have screamed 80s Danceteria, but musically the group was more kindred spirits to 70s disco, glam, and pop-rock. 

After US labels failed to bite, the band signed with Polydor in the UK and released their debut album in 2004. Soon they were playing Glastonbury and touring with heavyweights like Duran Duran, Morrissey, and Pet Shop Boys, bringing the spirit of NYC’s gay underground to their live shows. In just a few short years, the band had found their spiritual home, and their self-titled debut topped the UK charts.

The album's release was preceded by the release of the single, "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'". The song reached number one on the UK Singles charts in late September and early October 2006.

"Land of a Thousand Words" was released as the second single from the album, peaking at number 19 in the UK in December 2006. "She's My Man" was the third single released in early March 2007 and managed to chart at number 29. The next single that was released was "Kiss You Off" on May 28. This was the poorest charting of the singles of Ta-Dah, though "I Can't Decide" charted at number 64 on downloads alone, garnering attention through its use in the Doctor Who episode "Last of the Time Lords A product of New York City’s vibrant queer nightlife scene, in the early 00s Scissor Sisters led their own glam-disco revival with outrageous stage shows and hedonistic hooks just as the city was experiencing a Strokes-led rock resurgence. Despite their adjacent scenes, Scissor Sisters wouldn’t experience the same kind of breakout success as their peers until they crossed the pond to the UK, where camp is second-nature and their brand of eccentric pop was welcomed by a population raised on George Michael, 10cc, and Elton John.

Ta-Dah received positive reviews from most music critics cause the tracks tended to dull the excitement, others considered the album so great to please their fans, cause there was a darker lyrical side to the album at once incongruous and ingenious when placed in such celebratory music.

 

Ta-Dah Track List:  

 

1. I Don't Feel Like Dancin'

2. She's My Man

3. I Can't Decide

4. Lights

5. Land Of A Thousand Words

6. Intermission

7. Kiss You Off

8. Ooh

9. Paul McCartney

10. The Other Side

11. Might Tell You Tonight

12. Everybody Wants The Same Thing

Rocktrospectiva: The Hip Hop Masterpiece "Endtroducing..." Turns 30

 

Released on 16 September 1996 "Endtroducing..." was the debut studio album by US music producer DJ Shadow; It was an instrumental hip hop work composed almost entirely of samples from vinyl records. DJ Shadow produced Endtroducing over two years, using an Akai MPC60 MKII sampler and little other equipment. He edited and layered samples to create new tracks of varying moods and tempos. The album spawned the singles "Midnight In A Perfect World", "Stem", "What Does Your Soul Look Like", & "The Number Song"/"Painkiller." 

In the United Kingdom, where DJ Shadow had already established himself as a rising act, Endtroducing received praise from music journalists at the time of its release, and reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart. It took considerably longer for Endtroducing to find success in the United States. After promoting the album and returning to his hometown of Davis, California, DJ Shadow devoted his time to creating new music. During this period, interest in Endtroducing began to build among the American music press, and it peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.

As a high school student, DJ Shadow experimented with creating music from samples using a four-track recorder, inspired by sample-based music such as It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) by the hip hop group Public Enemy. He began his music career in 1989 as a disc jockey for the University of California, Davis campus radio station KDVS. His KDVS work impressed A&R representative Dave "Funken" Klein, who signed him to the Hollywood Basic label to produce music and remixes. DJ Shadow's output for Hollywood Basic, including the 1993 single "Entropy" and his work with the SoleSides crew, brought him to the attention of English musician James Lavelle, who signed DJ Shadow to his Mo' Wax label.

DJ Shadow began production on Endtroducing in 1994 in his California apartment, before moving to the Glue Factory, the San Francisco home studio of his colleague Dan the Automator. Shadow strove to create an entirely sample-based album. His setup was minimal, with only three main pieces of equipment: an Akai MPC60 MKII sampler, a Technics SL-1200 turntable and an Alesis ADAT tape recorder. He used the MPC60 MKII for almost all composition. DJ Shadow bought it in 1992 at the suggestion of DJ Stretch Armstrong, who recommended it as a more advanced alternative to the "industry standard" sampler at the time, the E-mu SP-1200; according to DJ Shadow, the SP-1200 "had been around for like four years, the sound was well established, and it had some real audio limitations in terms of the bit rate and stuff".

DJ Shadow sampled vinyl albums and singles accumulated from his trips to Rare Records, a record shop in his native Sacramento, where he spent several hours each day searching for music. His routine is depicted in the 2001 documentary film Scratch. The Endtroducing album cover is a photograph taken at Rare Records by B Plus, showing producer Chief Xcel and rapper Lyrics Born (the latter wearing a wig), who like DJ Shadow were members of the SoleSides collective. ABB Records founder Beni B (wearing a baseball cap) is also seen in the full version of the photograph, which appears in the album's liner notes.

Endtroducing samples music of various genres, including jazz, funk, and psychedelia, as well as films and interviews. DJ Shadow programmed, chopped, and layered samples to create tracks. He opted to sample more obscure selections, making it a rule to avoid sampling popular material. Though he also used samples of prominent artists such as Björk and Metallica, DJ Shadow said that "if I use something obvious, it's usually only to break my own rules." Minor vocal contributions were provided by Lyrics Born and another SoleSides member, rapper Gift of Gab, as well as DJ Shadow's then-girlfriend Lisa Haugen. He finished recording Endtroducing in early 1996

DJ Shadow described his albums as "really varied", and said of Endtroducing: "I feel like 'Organ Donor' sounds nothing like 'The Number Song' which sounds nothing like 'Midnight' and on and on." He said he was often depressed during the production of the album and that his "feelings of self-doubt and self-esteem come through in the music."

Endtroducing opened by "Best Foot Forward", a sound collage of record scratches and hip hop vocal samples. "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" was built around a looped piano line sampled from Jeremy Storch's "I Feel a New Shadow", with various other musical elements entering throughout the track, including samples of an interview with drummer George Marsh, a women's choir, bass fills, electronically altered drum kicks, and funk guitar. "The Number Song" used multiple drum breaks and vocal samples of count-offs."Changeling" deviated from the previous uptempo tracks, incorporating new-age sounds and gradually building toward a "sublimely spacey" coda. It segues into the first of three "transmission" interludes placed throughout the album, each featuring a sample from the 1987 John Carpenter film Prince of Darkness. "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)" layered wordless chants over a looped bass groove, creating what Paste's Mark Richardson described it as an "uneasy" techno soundscape. Track six ws an untitled interlude featuring a man reciting a monologue about a woman and her sisters over a funk backing.

The two-part "Stem/Long Stem" began the second half of Endtroducing. a "suite of often melancholy music, a piece that consistently refuses to be pigeonholed into any musical style." The first half, "Stem", placed strings against a recurring sequence of erratic drum beats, before giving way to the more ethereal "Long Stem", followed by "Transmission 2". "Mutual Slump" featured "dreamy" female spoken vocals and prominent samples of Björk's "Possibly Maybe". The sparse "Organ Donor" juxtaposed an organ solo and a drum break. "Why Hip Hop Sucks in '96" was a brief interlude featuring a repeating G-funk-esque beat, over which a voice shouts "It's the money". DJ Shadow composed the track to express his dissatisfaction with the state of commercial hip hop music in the mid-1990s.

"Midnight in a Perfect World" mixed a soulful vocal line with a slow drum beat. It sampled the bassline from Pekka Pohjola's "The Madness Subsides", as well as elements of David Axelrod's piano composition "The Human Abstract". "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" progressed slowly, starting with a bassline and a drum loop, then gradually increasing in tempo as additional instrumentation enters the mix. The track eventually reached its climax and deconstructs itself, leaving a single string sample playing by its conclusion. Endtroducing ended "on an up note" with "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)", which was anchored by warm saxophone and keyboard hooks. A third and final "transmission" closes the album with the spoken words "It is happening again", sampled from the David Lynch television series Twin Peaks.

Songs like "Midnight In A Perfect World", & "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" would later appear on DJ Shadow's other release Camel Bobsled Race. While "The Number Song" & "Organ Donor" would also later appear again in DJ Shadow's other release Brainfreeze.

Endtroducing received critical acclaim. and several critics praised the album as "an undeniable hip-hop masterpiece" showing "DJ Shadow remembers that sampling is an art form," others described it as a cinematically broad spectrum so deftly layered that the sampling-is-stealing argument falls flat. One of the most daring and original albums of recent times, but also one of the loveliest, a surreal film soundtrack on which jazz, classical, and jungle fragments are artfully blended with turntable tricks and dialogue snippets" and said that it "takes hip-hop into the next dimension.

 

Endtroducing... Track List: 

 

1. Best Foot Forward

2. Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt

3. The Number Song

4. Changeling/Transmision I

5. What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)

6. Untitled

7. Stem/Long Stem/Transmission 2

8. Mutual Slump

9. Organ Donor

10. Why Hip Hop Sucks In '96

11. Midnight In A Perfect World

12. Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain

13. What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 - Blue Sky Revisit/Transmission 3

Rocktrospectiva: The Odd "Music That You Can Dance To" Turns 40

 

Released in September 1986, "Music That You Can Dance To" was the 14th., studio album by the US pop duo Sparks, the album spawned four singles "Change", "Music That you Can Dance To", "Fingertips" & "Rosebuds"

Music That You Can Dance To was the band's most dance music inspired album since their eighth studio album Nº 1 in Heaven (1979). The overall sound of the album was dominated by synthesizers and sequencers like Nº 1 in Heaven but it differed from that release by the inclusion of the heavily distorted bass guitar of Leslie Bohem, and the emphasis on discordant sound effects. Certain track s such as "Music That You Can Dance To", "Fingertips" and "The Scene" represented some of Sparks' most hi-NRG dance music leanings. 

While "Shopping Mall of Love", "Let's Get Funky", and (on the original U.S. edition) "Change" presented a side of the band's sound that is discordant and experimental, whereas "Rosebud" and the rerecording of their 1982 single "Modesty Plays" are not dissimilar from the synth-pop sound that the band had pursued on their previous two studio albums. "Armies of the Night" had been recorded for the supernatural horror film Fright Night (1985); the version that appeared on the European editions of Music That You Can Dance To was a re-recording. The song appeared in the movie RAD during the dance sequence.

The recording of the album was the last time that the Mael brothers worked with the backing band line-up of guitarist Bob Haag, bassist Leslie Bohem, and drummer David Kendrick. This line-up had been in place since Sparks' tenth studio album Whomp That Sucker (1981). Sparks' next studio album, Interior Design (1988), was recorded as more of a duo with some guest musicians.

The reviews of the album were mixed and dismissive at the time, some critics considered that the band rather to be avant-garde but now they seem stuck in the techno pop of years past, unfortunately the album was even less succesful on the album charts than their previous studio album- For the MCA releases, the album substituted "Armies of the Night" with the 1985 single "Change".

"Music That You Can Dance To", "Rosebud", and "Fingertips" were each released as singles to promote the album. Each was also released as an extended remix. The UK and US remixes of "Music That You Can Dance To" were different. "Fingertips" was released as a club promo in the US and was backed with "The Scene". The club-orientated singles did not register on the mainstream charts, but did make the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart; "Music That You Can Dance To" made No. 6 (their highest club chart peak) and the double A-side "Fingertips"/"The Scene" made No. 38. Finally "Change" was released in the UK on London Records in 1985 and reached No. 85 on the UK singles chart. The standalone single was promoted by an appearance on the British television talk show Wogan. None of the other singles were popular in the UK.

 

Music That You Can Dance To Track List: 

 

1. Music That You Can Dance To

2. Rosebud

3. Fingertips

4. Change (substitued with Armies Of The Night on-non MCA editions)

5. The Scene

6. Shopping Mall Of Love

7. Modesty Plays

8. Let's Get Funky 

Rocktrospectiva: The Cult-Classic "Sam's Town" Turns 20

 

Released on 27 September 2006 "Sam's Town" was the 2nd., studio album by the US rock band The Killers. Frontman Brandon Flowers noted that he "wanted to create an album that captured, chronologically, everything important that got me to where I am today". The album spawned four singles "When You Were Young", Read My Mind", "Bones" & "For Reasons Unknown."

The album took its name from Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, a hotel and casino in Las Vegas, the band's hometown. Sam's Town was also a huge sign that was visible to band member Mark Stoermer through his room window when he was young. The album is said to be influenced by the works of U2, Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Electric Light Orchestra, and Dire Straits, among others.

Flowers later said of production techniques used on the record, "We didn't use too many vocal effects. On the first album, we used auto-tune, and I didn't even realize what was going on with these machines and the computer. I was adamant about not using it this time. You really hear what my voice sounds like, for the first time." At one point, Flowers was told that Brian Eno had passed over the chance to produce the album, a rejection that affected Flowers greatly. However, when working with Eno for Wonderful Wonderful, Eno told him that he was never offered the project in the first place

At the time of its release, Sam’s Town was not nearly as beloved, to put it mildly. A loosely conceptual musical tour of the band’s hometown of Las Vegas bookended with "Enterlude" and "Exitlude" tracks, Sam’s Town was widely dismissed as an overblown and pretentious misfire. In his two-star review, Rolling Stone‘s Rob Sheffield compared the Killers unfavorably to Rob Lowe’s band in St. Elmo’s Fire (because Rob Sheffield is the best), and mocked the lyrics to the album's first single, "When You Were Young," in which Brandon Flowers sings about “Burning down a highway skyline / On the back of a hurricane.”

Since then, Sam’s Town has become something of an under-appreciated sorta-classic. Rolling Stone‘s readers rebelled against Sheffield’s review by voting Sam’s Town the decade’s most underrated album. Flowers himself claimed in a 2015 interview that "there’s a reverence for our second record. It really connected with people in a way the other ones didn't."

Initially, Sam's Town received generally positive reviews from music critics, and some critics pointed a certain similarity to "Born To Run" by Bruce Springsteen, others found certain similarities to Hot Fuss and the evolution of the band's sound from the debut to Sam's Town. But on the other hand, certain critics called the album "painful" and ends the review with the statement that "The Killers are a talented band that evolved too fast, for the wrong reasons."

In later years, the album gained a cult following and has been critically lauded as a classic and one of the best rock albums of the 2000s. Despite its two-star rating by Rolling Stone, Sam's Town was voted by the magazine's readers in December 2009 as the most underrated album of the decade. In a retrospective for Uproxx, Steven Hyden broaches the issue of pannings by notable media outlets such as Rolling Stone, arguing that these pannings have ultimately cemented the album's status as a classic: "Ten years removed from its original moment, Sam's Town has aged as all misunderstood sorta-classics do, where its deficiencies are now strengths.

 

Sam's Town Track List: 

 

1. Sam's Town

2. Enterlude

3. When You Were Young

4. Bling (Confession Of A King)

5. For Reasons Unkwnown

6. Read My Mind

7. Uncle Jonny

8. Bones

9. My List

10. The River Is Wild 

11. Why Do I Keep Counting?

12. Exitlude 

New Music: Waiting For Fisher

           

The Dublin post-punk band Gurriers released a new single and the video for "Waiting For Fisher" to land the same day as their second album, Nobody’s Coming To Save You, is out now. The title nods to two reference points at once — Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and the late cultural critic Mark Fisher, whose writing on capitalist realism has become something close to a touchstone for a certain strain of UK and Irish post-punk. Frontman Dan Hoff has said the song grew out of his friends’ frustrations with the working-day grind, and that context is audible in every bar of it: the guitars from Ben O'Neill and Mark MacCormack don't so much build as clock in and out, distorted and repetitive in a way that mirrors the routine it's complaining about, while Pierce Callaghan's drums keep pushing the tempo like a shift that won't end. The video has been shot by Director Thomas James who portrait a visceral, surreal, grenade of a satire.

New Music: Broken Heart

           

The Dutch iconic darkwave/goth band Clan Of Xymox has just released a brand new double AA "Broken Heart"/"Fire". it is the first new music by the group since the release of their "Exodus" album in mid-2024. Clan of Xymox co-founder and frontman Ronny Moorings describes "Broken Heart" as "a journey through heartbreak, desire and emotional combustion." Driven by haunting synths, a hypnotic pulse and melancholic vocals, his aim with the song was to capture the tension between losing someone and still being consumed by them. 

New Music: The Centre Of My Everything

           

Shed Seven have released "The Centre Of My Everything", their latest single from their upcoming 7th., studio album. The eponymous LP, arrives on January 8, and it serves as the follow-up to their 2024 chart-topping albums "A Matter Of Time" and "Liquid Gold". On the track, lead singer Rick Witter says: That feeling when love is all there is, when two are entwined as one, when nothing else matters apart from the other, when you can’t imagine a life lived alone, when you truly think of someone as being ‘The Centre of My Everything'". The band also said in a separate statement: "We are excited to announce the imminent arrival of our seventh studio album which is eponymously titled Shed Seven to honour the fact. We have taken great care in making this album what we believe to be our best yet, and we hope these songs are taken to people’s hearts."

Rocktrospectiva: The Great And Impressive "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying ?" Turns 40

 

Released on 25 September 1986 "Peace Sells.But Who's Buying?" was the second studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, first released in Japan on September 19, 1986 and in the United States on September 25, 1986, through Capitol Records. The album spawned two singles "Wake Up Dead" & "Peace Sells."

The project was originally handled by Combat Records before Capitol Records purchased the rights to the album and hired another producer Paul Lani to handle the final mix. The recording of the album was difficult for the band because of the ongoing drug issues the members had at the time. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland were fired shortly after the album's promotional tour for drug abuse, making Peace Sells Samuelson's last Megadeth album. Poland would reappear as a session musician on Megadeth's 2004 album The System Has Failed. The title track, noted for its politically conscious lyrics, was released as the album's second single and was the band's first music video. The album's cover art, featuring the band's mascot Vic Rattlehead in front of a desolated United Nations Headquarters, was created by Ed Repka. Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is often regarded as a thrash metal classic and as an album that gave prominence to extreme metal. 

In December 1985, frontman Dave Mustaine revealed that the band had already started writing new material for the second album. He said that two songs ("Black Friday" and "Bad Omen") were finished and described them as a "total blur", being much faster than "Rattlehead" from their debut album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! However, "Bad Omen" was played at the bands debut gig in February 1984 at Ruthie's Inn in Berkeley, California, while "Black Friday" was played in April at The Keystone. 

Speaking about the lyrical content of Peace Sells..., Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson stated that they wanted to change the public perception of heavy metal by writing songs that contained socially aware lyrics. Mustaine further noted that the band was not unaware of the political situation at the time, and that some of his political beliefs were reflected in the songs. Professional rock critic Steve Huey noted the album's combination of "punkish political awareness with a dark, threatening, typically heavy metal worldview".

During the first two months of 1986, Megadeth commenced a brief tour of the East Coast of the United States. At the shows, which were practically a continuation of the Killing for a Living tour, the band performed a number of songs from its upcoming album. Following the conclusion of the tour, the band intended to start making the record at the Music Grinder studio on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Mustaine lifted the title from an article in Reader's Digest, which was titled "Peace Would Sell But No One Would Buy It". Their label at the time, Combat Records, provided a recording budget of $25,000 ($71,553 in 2024), which allowed the band to hire a freelance producer, Randy Burns. The recording of the album turned out to be very difficult for the band, because Mustaine and Ellefson were both homeless at the time. Furthermore, guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson would not show up for hours because of their heroin addiction. Shortly after the band finished the final recordings of the album for Combat, they were approached by Tim Carr, an A&R representative of Capitol Records.

The album opener was "Wake Up Dead" featured lyrics which describe a man who has been cheating on his wife or girlfriend and is sneaking into his house, knowing that if his wife finds out about his other lover, she will kill him. "The Conjuring", according to evangelist Bob Larson, simulates a Satanic ceremony, and makes references about being the devil's advocate and his salesman. Mustaine explained the song is about black magic and contains instructions for hexes. However, because the subject matter appears incompatible to his conversion to Christianity, the song had not been played live since 2001, until June 12, 2018, when Megadeth performed "The Conjuring" live for the first time in 17 years at the Home Monitoring Aréna in Plzeň, Czech Republic.

"Peace Sells" reflected Mustaine's political and social beliefs. The lyrics were a disapproval of the American way and convey Mustaine's wish for a new social structure. The video for the title track became an MTV mainstay and the opening bass line was used as introduction to MTV News. However, Mustaine proclaimed that they received no royalties because the song was excluded shortly before MTV would have to pay them for its use. "Devils Island" was a reference to a former French penal colony off the coast of French Guiana. The lyrics detailed the thoughts of a condemned prisoner awaiting execution. He was spared by God, but must spend the rest of his life on the island.

"Good Mourning/Black Friday" is a two-piece song, which begans with an instrumental section called "Good Mourning". Lyrically, Mustaine has described "Black Friday" was being about "a homicidal madman who goes on a killing spree". With an excessive use of gory language and violent imagery, the song chronicles the acts of a serial killer. It was inspired by Dijon Carruthers, who was briefly the band's drummer prior to the hiring of Gar Samuelson. According to Mustaine, Carruthers was hanging out with people who were practicing occultism, and they inspired him to write songs based on spiritual themes. "Bad Omen" explores the theme of occultism. Mustaine described "Bad Omen" like "two happy campers who have stumbled onto a Satanic orgy in the middle of the woods" and then "they see these fools waiting around for Satan's blessing".

"I Ain't Superstitious" was written by Willie Dixon and originally recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. However, Megadeth's version was vastly different from the original. "My Last Words" was about a game of Russian roulette and the fear one goes through when playing the game. Despite being one of the lesser known tracks on the record, music journalist Martin Popoff said that the song was an example of the band's "fast thrashers" and an evidence why Megadeth were dubbed as the "fearless speed progenitors".

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? was well received by contemporary music critics. Somes remarked that the album is an "array of impressive tracks" that he does not recommend for "the weak-hearted". A vast improvement over their previous record, from both technical and musical aspect. In the liner notes on the 25th anniversary reissue, Lars Ulrich gave his praise for the album, "Whether you heard this record for the first time in 1986, or you hear this record for the first time today or tomorrow, Peace Sells is a great heavy metal album. Nothing more, nothing less. It has stood the test of time. And will continue to do so."

In retrospect, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? has been regarded as a milestone of the American thrash metal movement. Along with Metallica's Master of Puppets and Slayer's Reign in Blood, which were also released in 1986, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is considered pivotal in giving prominence to extreme metal.

 

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? Track List: 

 

1. Wake Up Dead

2. The Conjuring

3. Peace Sells

4. Devils Island

5. Good Mourning/Black Friday

6. Bad Omen

7. I Ain't Supertitious

8. My Last Words