New (to Me) Music - November
- Gayle Ramage
- 13 hours ago
- 8 min read
As we approach the end of the year, this series of first-time listens nearly draws to a close. So let's waste no time, and see what I've been listening to this month.
The Beautiful South - Painting It Red (2000)
Okay, not strictly a first-ever listen, though I'm only breaking my self-imposed rules, here. I bought Painting It Red on cassette back when it was first released, having enjoyed previous 'South albums. For some reason, I didn't particularly enjoy it and I never gave it a second listen until now. Returning to it after twenty-five years, I'm baffled at what my teenage self found didn't agree with her since it's generally in keeping with the back catalogue of the Paul Heaton-fronted band. Teenagers, eh? This was the last album to feature Jacqui Abbott before she was replaced by singer Alison Wheeler.
Highlights: Closer Than Most - Just Checkin' - Half-Hearted Get (Is Second Best) - Baby Please Go - 10,000 Feet - The Mediterranean
Pet Shop Boys - Please (1986)
A post on social media reminded me of the plan I'd had a while ago to listen to Pet Shop Boys' (not to be mistaken with Pound Shop Boys) albums. Up until now I'd only been familiar with their big banger hits, of which they've had many. So where better to start than their debut album which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year. And being well-acquainted with many of their singles over the years, there wasn't anything on this album that was a surprise, just some good synth-y tracks fronted by Tennant's unmistakable vocals. Did you know a young Scottish actor called David McDonald assumed the surname of the Pet Shop Boys vocalist, for Equity purposes? You do? Well, that's alright then.
Highlights: West End Girls - Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) - Love Comes Quickly - Suburbia - Tonight is Forever - I Want A Lover
Space - Attack of the 50ft Kebab (2014)
Back in the 90s I bought the first two studio albums of Liverpudlian band, Space. I enjoyed their eclectic music styles and lyrics, but as mentioned already in this series of blog posts, there were many 90s bands I unintentionally drifted away over the years and Space were one. Last year I gave a listen to their 2004 album, Love You More Than Football, and liked what I heard. They played my hometown earlier this year and I had planned to go see them but an upset belly and gigs don't mix. This month, I checked out their 2014 album, Attack of the 50ft Kebab which leans into their sci-fi B-movie sensibilities. Sometimes music can be a bit po-faced and pretentious, so it's good to listen to a collection of tracks where you know the band were having fun in the studio. The title track makes me wonder if frontman and lyricist, Tommy Scott, had been watching the Red Dwarf episode, D.N.A., beforehand.
Highlights: Teardrops from the Moon - Fortune Teller - She's in Love with the Boy in a Bodybag - Frightened Horses - Guest List to Hell - Falling in Love
Field Music - Field Music (2005)
I confess to have only first hearing of Field Music when earlier this year they revealed a side project: gigging as a Doors tribute band due to the current state of the music industry meaning they couldn't make enough money to sustain their original work. I then watched an episode of Justin Hawkins Rides Again where the Darkness frontman interviewed Peter Brewis of Field Music, and thought I should check their music out for myself. As with the Pet Shop Boys, I've started with the self-titled debut album from 2005. The opener, If Only The Moon Were Up, is a great, angular slice of pop which goes in unexpected directions. I do love that their Sunderland accent comes through in the vocals. I feel like Field Music are a band I'm going to be returning to again as I delve into more of their music.
EDIT - After writing the above, I went onto YouTube and noticed that one of the music reactors I follow, Just JP, had just posted a reaction to a Field Music track, from a later album, that I really liked. Okay fate, I hear you.
Highlights: If Only The Moon Were Up - Pieces - It's Not The Only Way To Feel Happy - 17 - Got To Get The Nerve - You're So Pretty
Goldfrapp - Supernature (2000)
There are many Goldfrapp songs I like, but I can't say I've listened to all their studio albums. In fact, I think only 2003's Black Cherry has entertained my ears and brain before. There's a chilled, hypnotic vibe to some of these tracks, especially opener, Lovely Head, which has the air of an alternative Bond theme. Alison Goldfrapp has a wonderful vocal range (check out Utopia as an example) that I'm insanely jealous of - which reminds me I need to check out her solo work at some point. I wonder if the duo have ever composed the score for a movie before. And if not, why not? Their music really lends itself to a full soundtrack. Supernature is an album where you really should leave your phone and any other screens alone and just absorb yourself in the sounds and imagery conjured up during this 9-track album.
Highlights: Lovely Head - Human - Felt Mountain - Oompah Radar - Utopia - Horse Tears
The Mighty Mighty BossTones - Let's Face It (1997)
Considering The Impression That I Get by The Mighty Mighty BossTones is one of my favourite songs of all time (the list is big, to be fair), I was keen to hear the album from which it came, 1997's Let's Face It. I had high hopes for it, which wasn't to be. It was a good album, but it's not made me hurry to hear their other works (I probably will listen to another album eventually). I think the aforementioned track is definitely the highlight from the collection.
Highlights: Royal Oil - The Impression That I Get - Let's Face It - Another Drinkin' Song
Tubeway Army - Replicas (1979)
I was tentatively doing a bit of tidying up when listening to Tubeway Army's second and also last studio album and kept pausing what I was doing about a minute in most of the songs,and thinking "Ooh, I like this one" in a surprised way. Not sure why the surprise as I'm growing fonder and fonder of the late 70s / early 80s musical offerings. Prior to this, I only knew the hit, Are 'Friends' Electric? (No, Gary, they're six annoying sods from New York). A quick Google (minus the intrusive AI crap) lead me to discover that though this was the last Tubeway Army album, frontman Gary Numan retained the same musicians for subsequent albums. If that's the case, then I'll definitely be having a listen to some of those releases. (I usually try and listen to the original UK tracklist, but I think this one was a reissue from 2008 and had extra songs on it).
Highlights: Me, I Disconnect From You - Are 'Friends' Electric? - The Machman - Replicas - It Must Have Been Years - I Nearly Married A Human - Do You Need The Service? - Only A Downstat - We Are So Fragile - I Nearly Married A Human 2
Dirty Vegas - Dirty Vegas (2001)
If you asked me what kind of paintings I like - landscapes or people, I would have to opt for the latter. Maybe it's the writer in me, imagining backstories for these painted persons. So the striking cover (by American artist Richard Phillips) for electronic-duo Dirty Vegas' debut album has always stayed with me since I first saw it decades ago in the pages of music magazines. In fact, though the art stayed with me, I would have struggled to say which band the album was by, despite the text being fairly prominent. The fact that one half of Dirty Vegas (Dirty or Vegas, I don't know), Steve Smith, is the percussionist for Squeeze (who I'll be seeing again next November) reminded me I'd not heard his main music project. Days Gone By is considered their biggest hit, having featured in a car commercial. I actually prefer the acoustic version which was included on the tracklist I listened to. I didn't think House music was particularly my thing but clearly I don't have that much of an aversion to it, judging by how much I liked this album.
Highlights: I Should Know - Ghosts - Lost Not Found - Candles - All Or Nothing - Alive - Simple Things Part 2
Lene Lovich - Stateless (1978)
Another artist whose name I'd heard before but their music was a mystery to me, even with a Top 3 UK hit, Lucky Number, under their belt. So I went into this with an open mind, ready to hear what Lovich had to serve. On the whole, I liked the album. May take a few more listens to gel with it a little better. I will say that the cover of I Think We're Alone Now is the second-best version I've heard, the best being the original (sorry, Tiffany).
Highlights: Lucky Number - Home - Too Tender (To Touch) - Tonight - Writing on the Wall - Telepathy - Momentary Breakdown - I Think We're Alone Now
The Clint Boon Experience - Life in Transition (2000)
I only became aware of Clint Boon after buying the CD single Do What You Do (The Earworm Song). Dear reader, I didn't even know that Mr Boon had been part of Manchester band, Inspiral Carpets - until, erm, writing up this post. I must have seen the video (which I couldn't find on YouTube) for the song on VH1 and liked it enough to buy it. But it took me until now to hear the album it was taken from. There does seem like a bit of a concept with this album. Opener This Is The Sound has a gentle synth sound with a female repeating lines about 'the Boon Army' and 'The Clint Boon Experience'. Elsewhere on the album, we get a faux radio commercial for 'Radio Fritz'. Most of the tracks have a late 60s-tinged sound to them in interesting ways. It's albums like this that make this first-time listen series worth it. I may never heard these songs otherwise.
Highlights: This is the Sound - Climbing Back Inside the Dream - Do What You Do (The Earworm Song) - 17 & Over! - Radio Fritz Commercial - Me I'm Just A Girl - The Craziest Diamond - Somewhere In Time - In Chaos We See
In November I also listened to:
Captain Sensible - Women and Captains First (1982)
Highlights: Wot - Happy Talk - Martha The Mouth - Nobody's Sweetheart
The Velvet Underground - Loaded (1970)
Highlights: Who Loves The Sun - Sweet Jane - Rock & Roll - Cool It Down - I Found A Reason - Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
KT Tunstall - Eyes To The Telescope (2005)
Highlights: Under The Weather - Black Horse and The Cherry Tree - Suddenly I See - Stoppin' The Love
Duran Duran - Rio (1982)
Highlights: Rio - Lonely in Your Nightmare - Hungry Like the Wolf - Hold Back the Rain - Save A Prayer - The Chaffeur
Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust (1979)
Highlights: Cruel to Be Kind - Cracking Up - Big Kick, Plain Scrap - Switchboard Susan - Dose of You - Basing Street