Results tagged “REM” from Birmingham Mail - Blog Rockin' Beats

I've recently been reminded of the genius that is Bang Bang It's Reeves and Mortimer, by a fellow Vic and Bob devotee. But, having acquired the series on DVD, I realised how under-rated this great comedy sketch show was. It never gets the same recognition as The Smell Of Reeves and Mortimer or Shooting Stars.

And this got me thinking of other things that are also under-rated, such as the movie A Life Less Ordinary. Naturally, it wasn't long before I got on to the subject of music. Here are a few albums I have in my collection that, had I listened to critics or other people, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of listening to.

"Second Coming" - Stone Roses
Lambasted by critics and even some fans for being different to their classic debut and seen as the beginning of the end for one of Britain's best bands. But all they did was discover blues rock and added it to their funky guitar pop to create an astonishing, powerful record.
And songs such as Begging You, Love Spreads, Breaking Into Heaven, Driving South and the lovely Ten Storey Love Song easily compare with anything they did before.

"New Adventures In Hi-fi" - REM
When REM went 'back to their roots' for the previous album Monster, they lost a lot of casual fans who had only been interested in the band's more commerical work. But they're the idiots as this turned out to be a beaut of an album.
Engaging, interesting and startlingly lovely, it also contains one of the most gorgeous and my personal favourite REM song, Electrolite.

"Hail To The Thief" - Radiohead
Talk about a no win situation. Some said they were merely covering old ground, others expressed disappointment that it wasn't like their earlier records! Many said it weak.
But if great songs make for a strong album, how can an LP that contains There There, 2+2=5, Go To Sleep, Where I End And You Begin, A Wolf At The Door and Myxomatosis be weak?

"Help!" - The Beatles
I know it seems strange to include the Fab Four in this list but I've always felt Help! is overlooked because it is caught between early Beatles and the start of their mid to late 60s transformation.
But this album is stunning. So many great pop singles. Yeah, yeah, Rubber Soul followed later in the same year but this is where you can hear the first traces of Paul, John, George and Ringo leaving Beatlemania behind and growing up.

"Trompe Le Monde" - Pixies
Ok, so they were on the verge of breaking up and the relationship between members was crumbling but that only adds to the brilliance of this record. It sounds fresh. More like a band on the verge of something bigger rather than the beginning of their end.
I still feel like leaping around like a madman when I hear Alec Eiffel, U-Mass and Planet Of Sound. And they even manage to do the near-impossible - a great cover of a Jesus and Mary Chain track, Head On.

To put it in the mildest and least controversial terms, it's been a rollercoaster past week or so. What with the threat of redundancy and an uncertain future casting a shadow over more pleasant moments such as fantastic birthday presents and catching up with family and friends I haven't seen in a while.

But, whatever is going on, I always manage to find a suitable soundtrack - a selection of songs that sum up my mood, whether it's good or bad. It lifts spirits, it comforts, it helps make sense of a crazy world. It captures a moment in your life in a way that films, TV, books, theatre etc just cannot.

I've always felt music is the most taken for granted art form. I mean, what sort of awful concept is background music? Would you put a copy of Dog Day Afternoon in the DVD player and then start doing the ironing?? But, I digress...

Once again, music has provided some much needed relief in an intense week. It wasn't quite my first love (that was probably Kylie when she played Charlene in Neighbours back in 1987), but I'm glad we met...and if the last week of my life was a movie, then this would be the soundtrack:

1. "Paper Planes" - M.I.A.
2. "Birthday" - The Sugarcubes
3. "Enjoy Yourself" - The Specials
4. "Black Swan" - Thom Yorke
5. "Mercy Mercy Me" - Marvin Gaye
6. "Their Law" - The Prodigy
7. "Career Opportunities" - The Clash
8. "Ola Kala" - I'm From Barcelona
9. "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" - The Beach Boys
10. "Once In A Lifetime" - Talking Heads
11. "Olsen Olsen" - Sigur Ros
12. "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - REM

It's hard to believe but Madonna is 50 years old today! It only feels like yesterday when she was cavorting around singing about holidays and being a virgin. So a very happy birthday to the Material Girl and this week's batch of new singles will be reviewed against the following Madge-related ratings.

***** Like A Prayer
**** Justify My Love
*** Borderline
** 4 Minutes
* Madonna's movies

"She Left me" - Go: Audio
I'm not surprised she ran a million miles if this is the best they can come up with.
Like a poor McFly b-side. And considering McFly's a-sides are crap, that is stinging criticism indeed.
*

"Man-Sized Wreath" - REM
Another superb example of their magnificent return to form with this year's Accelerate album.
Fuzzy guitars, great harmonies - vintage REM and, at just two and a half minutes, it doesn't out stay it's welcome.
*****

"Spiralling" - Keane
Bless 'em, they are still trying. But the harder they try the further down and down and down they go.
This just sounds like an attempt to jazz up their usual style but it only mamages to come across like an 80s cast off.
*

"Mercury" - Bloc Party
This is one of those that you'll either love or hate, so to help I'm going by sitting on the fence.
On one hand, it's a slightly disappointing effort compared with Silent Alarm but on the other hand, it's brooding, dark and awkward, daring to be different. Oh, make your own minds up...
***

"The Perfect Boy" - The Cure
The final of their four "13th" singles which precede the new album out on September 13.
Not a bad single but not as good as the previous three. Still, the new album is set to be a fine addition to the Cure back catalogue.
***

"Keep It Simple" - Delays
This has bugged me pretty much since they released "Long Time Coming" three or four years ago, but Delays are criminally under-rated.
And this gem of a track probably won't propel them into the bigger leagues - because people are dumb.
****

"See You Again (Rock Mafia Remix)" - Miley Cyrus
As you all probably know, her dad is country star Billy Ray Cyrus! And that's probably the most interesting thing about the Hannah Montana star.
Because don't tell my ears, my achy breaky ears to listen to this weak, poor man's version of an Avril Lavigne song ever again.
*

Right, I'm sticking with Single File as the name for my weekly singles review. Unless I change my mind next week...anyway, here are a selection of this week's new releases reviewed by yours truly. And they will be rated against the following guide:

*****Emma Peel
****Cathy Gale
***Purdey
**Tara King
*Gambit

"Epic Last Song" - Does It Offend You, Yeah?
What a great band name. And they even surpass it on their debut album "You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into" with the fabulous track titled "Attack Of The 60ft Lesbian Octopus"!!
As for this song, it's a fantastic, mental marriage of indie and rave in the vein of the Klaxons. Although, you should get the album - that's just like one non-stop party!
****

"Hollow Man" - REM
Reports of their demise had been greatly exaggerated and this is further proof of their welcome return to form.
Album "Accelerate" is easily their finest work since the criminaly under-rated "New Adventures In Hi-Fi" and this is another great single off it - although there were probably half a dozen others that would have been even better! True legends.
****

"First To Go" - Fear Of Music
This isn't a bad song by any stretch of the imagination but it's just so similar to around a gazillion others out there.
But they appear to have named themselves after a Talking Heads album which deserves credit in itself. So they get a bonus star here. Although, if the name is a co-incidence, they lose it!
***

"Futures Gold" - The Late Greats
Are they trying to sound like The Cribs? I mean, loads of people have obvious influences in their sound but surely they can aim higher than The Cribs? Is their self esteem that low?
Having said all that, I'm probably being extremely unfair to The Cribs, having listened to his average, fairly dull effort.
**

"The Hunter's Daughter" - I Was A Cub Scout
Now this is more like it! Sounds so fresh and full up of ideas which takes it above the offerings of their peers.
And not only is the main song great, they even manage to pull off a fairly good cover of The Cure's "Close To Me" - which is no mean feat.
****

"La Rabbi Muffin" - MC Solar
Ha ha, this is what rap music needs. Hip-hop set to a near-comedy, Stereo Total-style beat! And you know what? It works, well, for me it does anyway!
I haven't the faintest idea what's going on or what he's rapping about but it gets the thumbs up from me because, well, it's just so funny - and better still, it's probably not meant to be!
****

"Miracle" - Tom Baxter
Man, can this get anymore middle of the road? Will probably end up on the soundtrack of some post-Cold Feet comedy-drama before long.
A truly wet song, one for the James Blunt or David Gray fans to get their teeth into. But I'll pass (the sick bucket).
*

"There's Nothin'" - Sean Kingston
The sole redeeming point of this song is that it's not as irritating as that awful "Beautiful Girls" (those that make you "soo-e-cidal", apparently) song.
But the sad news is, this still isn;t much cop. Here is a teenager who needs to get back to hip hop school and finish his studies...
*