Day 26 - From Africa to France and back again

Acoustic Ladyland - Last Chance Disco
It's jazz Jim, but not as we know it! It's all very odd, very jazz (elements of the dreaded "free jazz" in there too) but underpinned with some driving beats, electric guitars, and synthesiser samples. Strange doesn't come close, but it's also rather good listening whilst maintaining a ferocious intensity of sound. I'm not entirely convinced by the band changing key whilst the sax continues to play in the same key, but it gets really heavy in places with distorted guitars. Welcome, Jazz, to the 21st century. And what's this? Blast beats?? It's like thrash jazz, a sub-genre of the scene I never thought existed - go on, throw in some shredding and lose the saxophone and we're onto a winner here. It's raucous, noisy, and I have to see rather entertaining (although you could lose the free jazz parts for me)
Standout Tracks: Remember, High Heel Blues, Nico


Across 110th Street (OST)
First of the 1000 that is a soundtrack to a film, and I must admit a film I have not seen. It's all very busy motown style stuff, unfortunately the copy I have procured is a little scratchy and skips in places so its making it a little hard to listen to. The bits I am hearing though are upbeat funk and jazz style stuff, and there is a wealth of musical talent on show. Just can't finish it I am afraid thanks to all the stuttering and skipping.
Standout Tracks: Nothing played in its entirety to make a decision.


Mahmoud Ahmed - Ethiopiques vol. 7
Well. What to say about it. It's definitely different, a very eastern flavour to the vocals which is cool, underpinned with lots of horns and a very good guitar player. Lots of tempo and time changes, syncopation, which lends a very jazz feel to the record. It's all quite entertaining actually, very jazzy, very "Islamic" sounding (think of the call to prayer played by Miles Davis and you're halfway there). Not a lot to say about this really ... it's all a bit different and entertaining, and the blend of eastern and western styles is pretty cool, but it leaves me puzzled as to whether or not I like it that much or not since it all gets a bit much sometimes.
Standout Tracks: Not so sure ...

Air - Moon Safari
Alright I will admit that I have been avoiding this one. The only time I have ever found this album mildly entertaining was in my slightly more youthful years and decided I'd try questionable tobacco based substances. That particular period lasted about a week, but this album featured very heavily. Anyway, fifteen years on here it is again with all its wierd electronic sounds and its surprisingly addictive beats. It's not a bad album at all, but best served up with beer or some other mind numbing substance to fully appreciate. Otherwise it's just a fairly mild and inoffensive couple of guys noodling around on their keyboards for an hour with no real purpose or goal. Although must say there is some super guitar work in "All I need", if you can ignore the annoying French accent on the vocalist.
Standout Tracks: Sexy Boy, Kelly watch the stars, All I need, Ce Matin La (for that cheesy classic French sound)

Day 25 - A return to the 1980s

Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Another album I know quite well, having owned a copy on 12" vinyl back in the day. New Romantics ... barking mad, but good music! Hard to categorise, every song seems to try something new. In a way, despite sounding of its time (probably Adam Ant's voice ... perpetually locked in the 80s with classics like Stand and Deliver) it's a fresh recording, and feels like a real experimental, "Let's give it a go!" type of record. There are rock and roll influences, driving marching beats, great vocals (not just Ant himself), and not a smattering of rock guitars across the record. I'm realiably informed (by Wikipedia no less) that the drum sound is "Burundi", and its the defining style of the record and about the only thing that one song takes from the last one. Very enjoyable quirky album.
Standout Tracks: Antmusic, Killer in the Home, Magnificent Five, Jolly Roger


ABC - The Lexicon of Love
Excellent 80s fair again. I followed up A-Ha with this one, although I am not as familiar with ABC as the previous album (with the exception of the singles they released of course, although I do vaguely recall owning an ABC album at one point on 12"). A little edgier than A-Ha, and a lot more guitars over this one. Again, superb songcrafting - what was it about the 80s that produced so many great songwriters? Just a bit punchier than A-Ha, with those classic 80s guitar stabs, but with the addition of some sax and horns thrown in as well. ABC seem to be in a hurry on this album, is about the only way I can desribe the driving nature of the music. It's high tempo stuff, and pulls you through it addictively as it goes. Great little album, that aspires to higher things and often hits them.
Standout Tracks: Poison Arrow, Tears are not Enough, The look of love (of course!)


A-Ha - Hunting High and Low
Ah the 1980s! My favourite decade. Everything was so simple back then, and the only problem a teenage bloke needs to work out is which girl to chase after next. Things have got a lot more complex since then, but this music really takes me back to my carefree days. It's pure synth pop, and Morten Harket's voice - so woefully underrated due to his good looks and all that goes with that - perfectly counterpoints the keyboards. Beautifully crafted songs, and I can still remember all the lyrics having not listened to this in twenty years! Had a profound effect on me this album, even in those heady thrash days of the late 1980s (my music of choice), and listening to it again reminds me so much of my carefree teenage years. Just a pleasure to listen to. In fact, this is one album that will not be deleted when I finish up, but go right into my music collection and stay there for all time.
Standout Tracks: Seriously, all of them. This is an album you should not miss.


This was a great day for music! Sometimes I listen to a couple of new albums and I am left feeling rather empty afterward thanks to the music being a little too "out there" for me to enjoy, or just basically being crap. Not today though. It helped that the music was that of my teenage years, and brought back so many memories with smiles, but I honestly thing that the art of crafting a song reached a peak in the 1980s. Both A-Ha and ABC stood out for their sheer brilliance in songwriting, and Adam and the Ants was (as it always has been) wonderfully quirky and enjoyable.

There isn't the same "innocence" to the music as there is in stuff from the 50's, 60's and even the 70's as by now people are making music in the 1980s to make money as much as doing it for the love of making music, but there is a still an integrity to the music, particularly in the case of Adam and the Ants.

Tomorrow will be different ... some wierd world music to listen to. But I've often enjoyed that sort of thing in the past on this odd journey so who knows what'll happen.

Day 24 - The Revenge of the Kenny G

Jan Garbarek - 12 Moons
A curious record. One which I have no idea whether I am enjoying it or not. Light and airy, almost science fiction like musical landscapes with a drifting saxophone over the top. The music is almost other worldy in its nature, and conjures up images of wierd landscapes inhabited by wierd creatures and colours. At least this is true of the opening track (Summer/Winter). Kind of like listening to an Isaac Asimov book in music. I am brought crashing back to earth with a rather beautiful Hebrew (I assume) rendition in "Psalm", very nice indeed. But then its back off into the universe again with more alien musicalscapes - the alto saxophone is rather a haunting sound. I have no idea whether I like this not, I have heard a lot worse (see yesterday) and a lot better, although the longer it goes on the more I am getting the cheesy Kenny G vibe from the music (and that is not a "good thing", dear reader).
Standout Tracks: Psalm, Darvanan (both for the eastern flavours)

Day 23 - Er ... wait ... what?

Egberto Gismonti - Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival
Not sure what to expect here, but it begins with a chap speaking a rather long monologue in German before Mr Gismonti finally takes to the stage amidst polite applause. The music then begins with a strangely dissonant piano "tune" that alternates between bizarre modal stuff and what you might call conventional music. After the odd opening piano track he moves onto his guitar, and boy can he play. Whether it's musically any good is open to debate, but his technique is breathtakingly fast and clean. It then descends into random noise making and talking gibberish over someone urinating into a flute. Not good, not good. The audio equivalent of going to the Tate Modern art gallery. When he gets going its not bad, a nice latin mix with jazz dissonance - it's all the arsing around I can do without. There's only five tracks on this album, but they all last about twelve minutes so this is a long hour ...
Standout Tracks: Um ...

Day 22 - Yawn, snore ... wake me up when its over

Gang Starr - Step in the Arena
Great - hip hop. Not as offensive as some I have listened to. Don't get me wrong I don't object to profanity in music, a lot of the metal I normally listen to is riddled with it, but laid back beats and rhymes don't mix well with profanity for me. That said, there's not a lot on this record, and the lyrics seem to be well thought out and poetic in nature - reminds me of a Rakim album I used to listen to when I went through a strange hip hop phase some years back. Repetitive beats, monologue vocals, the lyrics are about the only thing of interest on this album. After reading the Wiki article, it seems these chaps were into the Gods and Earths scene in New York, as was Rakim, so that's probably where the similarity comes from. "What you want this time" has some nice jazz touches to it, but other than that, this is another classic example of a dull hip hop album.
Standout Tracks: Who's gonna take the weight, What you want this time, As I read my S-A

Day 21 - Scraping the musical barrel in places

Goldfrapp - Black Cherry
More electronica. But at least this time (unlike the ambient rubbish from the other day!) there seems to be a little structure to it in the form of ... actual songs. Goldfrapps voice itself is warm and engaging, and the soundscape painted underneath is packed with interesting things going on. Makes me think of Twin Peaks listening to parts of this ... and thats not a bad thing.
Standout Tracks: Deep Honey




Gastr Del Sol - The Serpentine Similar
What an absolute pile of meaningless drivel. Guitar playing like my 12 year old does, noodling whatever notes he feels like in whatever order he feels like. Morecambe and Wise once played "all the right notes, not necessarily in the right order". This guy doesn't play the right notes. Good grief, this is awful. An "experimental guitarist" apparently. All he has created is 30 minutes of dissonance and nonsensical phrasing and melody. In fact no, there is no melody, it's just rubbish. Let me say it again, utter crap! Do not listen to this.
Standout Tracks: Are you kidding me?


Ghostface Killah - Ironman
Normally I can think of something to say about all the records I am listening to, but I am struggling with this one. I suppose some people might like it, I think its like listening to paint dry, or grass grow. It's so DULL! Some bloke talking just slightly too fast to really catch what he is saying, over repetitive beats and riffs, with intermissions from what I assume are blaxploitation movies from the 70s. Just boring really.
Standout Tracks: All that I got is you (kinda sad)




Mary Gauthier - Filth and Fire
A country style folk singer, I must say at first listen Gauthier's voice has an earthy quality to it with a mildly cynical edge. The generally upbeat music, although it's slowed, is belied by the pain and misery in the lyrics. Strikes me that she's had a tough time of things, and this lends an authenticity to her vocals that helps the album resound the truth. Reminds me of a female Bruce Springsteen in his Tom Joad days (an album I adore), so I'm liking this.
Standout Tracks: Sugar Cane, Camelot Motel

Day 20 - Prog, Jazz ... and more Albarn

Unnamed - The Good, the Bad, and the Queen
No idea what to expect from another Damon Albarn offering (that it's him is obvious from the moment the vocals start, although I am led to believe there are other famous musicians on here too). What can I say ... it's not Gorillaz, that's for sure! There is no easy way to categorise the music, which is probably not a bad thing, it sounds fairly original. I find the fact that the band is "unnamed" fairly pretentious, as is much of the over indulgent music on the record. It's not bad, but you just get the impression that Albarn is trying to be different just for the sake of being different. The album lacks a cohesive sound, has very little in the way of direction, and quite often just sounds confused. That said, it's not bad, but I doubt I will be returning to it in the future. In part prog, in part Beatles-esque, it's a strange offering this one, although at one point Albarn refers to us all as a "stroppy little island of mixed up individuals", which I thought pretty accurate.
Standout Tracks: Green Fields


Stan Getz and Charlie Byrs - Jazz Samba
From English progressive rock to American smooth! What can I say about the guitar playing on this album, it's just simply stunning from Charlie Byrd. I will admit I am not a big fan of the saxophone, but Getz has a nice smooth tone that's very easy on the ear. The style is very appealing too, a samba / bossa nova type swing that shuffles along at a fair pace with which the two virtuosos have no problem keeping up. They complement one another perfectly, and trade riffs from time to time brilliantly. The track Desafinado is one I am definitely familiar with from my excursions to jazz nights at a local tavern. On a side note the quality of the recording is excellent given it's 1962 release date. The instruments are clearly heard, and the production has a warm tingle to it that makes you smile as it plays. A good effort from two extraordinary musicians.
Standout Tracks: Desafinado


Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
I've listened to Genesis before of course, and I knew they had an early background in progressive rock, but this is the first time I have listened to an album from that era with Gabriel on vocals, and Phil Collins behind a drumkit (where he belongs as a friend of mine put it). 'Progressive' is a term often used to describe music, and I suppose some people know what it means, but to me I only know it when I hear it. Lengthy songs, with time changes, key changes, virtuoso performances, and lyrics that seem to touch on medieval/fantasy themes. This is a decent album, Firth of Fifth stands out with its superb guitar soloing. Gabriel has that quality to his voice but its softer and less distinctive than on his solo albums. Phil Collins is truly a tremendous drummer, something that got lost somewhere amongst the mists of time on his solo records. All in all, a good effort - probably take a couple of listens to fully appreciate the amount of effort that went into making this recording.
Standout Tracks: Firth of Fifth

Day 19 - A guilty pleasure (Don't tell anyone!)

Gang of Four - Entertainment!
I've listened to a few post-punk albums since this little journey started, and I have to say that unlike punk itself (which I cannot stomach) I do like this kind of music. I think it's because I can see in it the foundations being laid for some of the great 80s music that I still enjoy listening to. Gang of Four have their politics and attitude, but they have toned down the raw edge of punk, and whilst it hasn't lost any of it's bite, this post punk offering does lack the rough edges. A polished effort, and the influence on modern post-punk bands is obvious. I particularly like the way each instrument is clearly defined and produced, so if you want to zero in on what one musician is doing on a track it's nice and easy, instead of punk where it's all mashed together in a wall of noise.
Standout Tracks: Natural's not in it


Galaxie 500 - On Fire
Not sure how I feel about this record. It's a flight of fancy with whimsical lyrics and chord progressions a five year old could play. Took a while to get to the first song that wasn't written in the key of G ... the drumming is laid back and lyrical, the bass does nothing exciting but contribute to the guitar - and the guys singing (poorly) in what sounds like a large hall. But despite all that it sort of works. It sounds like some drugs were harmed in the making of this record, but it's understated simplicity actually makes it slightly appealing, and good listening when in a reflective mood perhaps. The songs all sound a little too much like one another so it's hard to pick out standout tracks, but on the whole not a bad effort from a band I am wholly unfamiliar with. Sounds very much like the sort of thing my indie loving university room mate used to inflict on me at all times of the day and night. In fact ... listening more closely, this is familiar music from those hazy, lazy university days.
Standout Tracks: Hard to say ... they all sound pretty much the same.


Girls Aloud - The Sound of
One of the 1000 albums of all time? I am beginning to wonder who put this list together. Anyways, I'll have a listen and see where it goes. My music credibility amongst my peers is going to get shot to pieces after I say this, but I find myself tapping my foot and in a wierd masochistic way vaguely, dare I say, enjoying this! It's not your usual pop music offering, plenty of interesting arrangements, instrumentation, and songwriting. Put aside the fact this is a manufactured girl band, and there is some decent music here. I know its something of a guilty pleasure but I am enjoying the album, not that I am going to spread that around too loudly and lose all credibility with my colleagues here. On a side note, it took me until the 12th song before I came across a song that I couldn't at least sing along with the chorus ... not sure what that says about me, or about how Girls Aloud have forced their way into our lives.
Standout Tracks: Too many to mention!

Day 18 - Blaxploitation and Boredom

Ginuwine - The Bachelor
Let me say it and get it over with ... stupid name. Right, onto the music. I suppose if you are a fan of this genre (what is these days called R+B) then you'll like this. Big fat .. I'm sorry, "phat" bass and drums, underpinning a mixture of rap, melody, and generally lots of songs about bumping, grinding, and buttering up muffins. Nothing here to see really, just your regular R+B fayre with nothing to write home about or stand out from the rest in the cookie cutter bland bucket of hormone riddled drum and bass.
Standout Tracks: Unsurprisingly, none.


Marvin Gaye - What's Going on
What's happening brother! Parts of me like motown, larger parts don't, but there is absolutely no denying the talent on display on this short album. Funky beats, groovy percussions and interesting arrangements abound all over the record, and Gaye has a very easy voice to listen to (and quite a range on him). In particular, Save the Children breaks into a real nice fast jazz break in the middle before settling into what today you'd call a Jamiroquai-esque funk (although the influence is very obviously the other way around, I'm not that daft). Gaye's vocals often disappear a little into over indulgence, but the relentless bass and percussion push the record on and make it something you can definitely tap your foot to. On the whole, a great album, whose influence can be felt still down the years. This album is definitely a keeper.
Standout Tracks: What's Going on, Save the Children, Right On, Inner City Blues


Global Communication - 76:14
This doesn't bode well. Apparently the title is the total length of the album, a rather eclectic collection of ambient sounds. Oh well I'll give it a try. At least the artists forewarn the listener as to how long they are going to be bored. I can see why someone might like this, but seriously? I don't. It's a sequence of repeating keyboard sound effects with some chunky rich chords being played as a backdrop. Perhaps if I lay back on the grass and looked at the clouds while listening to this it would make more sense to me, but that's not an option. It's music that doesn't do anything, or go anywhere, just rambles on incessantly adding the occasional scratch, whistle, or fake choir noise to the background keyboard noodling. Dull.
Standout Tracks: The last one. Because it finishes after that.

Day 17 - Going Global!

Serge Gainsbourg - Comic Strip
Erm, it's all in French. Fair enough, the guy is evidently French. It's that classic French sound, a male voice talking in a sultry fashion over a sixties style soundtrack before the singing starts. It's not an altogether unpleasant experience, but might take a little getting used to. The blurb on this album says that everyone knows at least one Serge Gainsbourg song .. I suspect this is true when I check the track listing and see the final track is Je T'aime..Moi non plus, I think even I know what that one is. It's quite intense in places, lots of tension in the music as the voice describes the story (which I can't understand much of despite my GCSE in French), yet pretty light and funky in other places. Some songs are just bonkers (try the title track for a start). Interesting album, never a dull moment, but I think an acquired taste. I am starting to acquire it though ... which is worrying. It's very hard to categorise this music, it's certainly different, although there are elements of blues, jazz, and that classic sixties feel to the tunes.
Standout Tracks: Shu ba du ba loo ba


Peter Gabriel - Security
I only know Peter Gabriel from Sledgehammer and the defining "So" album, so it's interesting to hear an earlier Gabriel doing his thing. Very tribal ... the first track takes me into a jungle, the second to the far east. It's kind of cool to have all these different types of world music thrown together into a popular music album but, it doesn't really do anything for me. It's sort of an experiment that I imagine Peter Gabriel doing in his bedroom after browsing an atlas. Very heavy on the keyboards and sound effects as you might expect. The songs are light and airy, and lilt nicely, but it sounds more like a series of little projects than a solid effort at a collection of songs for a cohesive album. It's of no surprise to me that So was the big hit out of these two efforts. One or two tunes do go to some interesting places though, San Jacinto for one has some very sweet melody amongst the plinky plonk. It is easy to hear the foundations for the hugely successful "So" in this record.
Standout Tracks: Shock the Monkey, Wallflower


Gorillaz - Demon Days
If this is anything like Blur I'm turning it off now before it gets going ... despite Damon Albarn's rather laid back, semi-tuneful vocals, this thankfully doesn't sound a thing like Blur. It's inventive, fresh, and a pleasant blend of hip hop type beats with some rather nice orchestration and melody in places. At the moment, the songs are sort of blending into each other and lacking their own personality, but I rather suspect this is an album that would require several listens before fully understanding. I particularly like the funk of Dirty Harry, has a real nice 80s feel to it. And of course, who doesn't like Feel Good Inc! Excellent all round album, groovy, funky, and you can't help the old foot tapping tune after tune.
Standout Tracks: Dirty Harry, Feel Good Inc, El Manana

I'm not dead yet!

The plan was to listen to these 1000 albums before I die, so there isn't really a time limit on it. I suppose that's why I have been rather lax in updating the blog recently... almost a year with no posts! I haven't stopped listening to the albums altogether though, just been denied internet access at work which is where I listen and make my facile comments.

So starting today, we're off and running again. Some albums are proving much harder to get hold of than others, but I've got a fair few to update today. After today, hopefully I'll get back to regular posting! I've got a little stuck in a rut as I usually do with music, listening to the same stuff over and over, so this project is great to return to when I feel that I just need something new to listen to.

Welcome back to 1man, time to start listening again.