AZTEC CAMERA - HIGH LAND, HARD RAIN

My first exposure to Aztec Camera came in the form of a compilation CD from Sire records. I can't remember the name of the song because that disc has long since been stolen. I do remember it was a tune I liked enough to remember the name of the band. When I saw this disc at the local record store for a couple bucks, I picked it up. I read up a little on this band on Wikipedia before I sat down to write this review because in reality, I know virtually nothing about the group. Apparently, the band was formed around a young songwriter named Roddy Frame. The group was a way to showcase his talents as a songwriter, guitarist and singer. By the third album, Roddy was the only original member of the group still performing under the band name. He's also the composer of the band's songs.

Let's get right to it, shall we? The first track is 'Oblivious' and it's easily my favorite track on the record. It's got a wonderful progression, great lyrics and an excellent beat. Frame writes music I would compare to early New Order or Smiths material but lacking the electronic essence. During the time this record was released, New Wave was hugely popular and the demand for British pop was overwhelming. Frame was quickly lumped into that scene; which is unfortunate because he wasn't really a part of it. At least not on this record. His music is whimsical, thoughtful and the acoustic guitar playing is highlighted throughout. Hardly fitting the New Wave genre. I suspect he became an alternative for those kids who were alternative but looked for something even more alternative than their friends.

I remember the first band I ever wrote music with and when I listen to this record, I'm reminded of those days and those songs. Unlike most younger artists, Frame looks for subject matter that isn't ordinary. He writes challenging and poetic lyrics on a broad range of subjects. There's even an Austen-ian charm in the love 'sentiments' expressed in songs like 'We Could Send Letters' and 'Release'. On the heels of 'Oblivious' comes 'The Boy Wonders' and 'Walk Out To Winter'. Both of these songs are pure enjoyment and echo the sound of the first track. There's that exciting guitar playing accompanied by wonderfully cheerful drums and various instruments. On 'The Bugle Sounds Again' Frame kinda looses the momentum he's built up. The song is nice, but the overpowering echo on the microphone makes the tune hard to listen to. Back to formula with 'We Could Send Letters' and 'Pillar To Post', both great tracks.

'Release' starts off slower and builds as it goes culminating with an organ drawing us out. It demonstrates an ability to write more diverse tracks. It's followed by 'Lost Outside The Tunnel'; which moves in another direction entirely. This one really sounds like early Smiths and has an almost Spanish feel to the guitar playing. 'Back On Board' is another slower paced tune and it flows into 'Down The Dip'; a track that relies heavily on the acoustic guitar. Both 'Orchid Girl' and 'Haywire' continue the slow movement. Here's where the album really looses its power. 'Queen's Tattoos' is an excellent little ditty and ends the disc on a high note.

I think Frame has a great mind for lyrics and he's a talented guitar player. If I had to guess I'd say he got lost in the shuffle of genres and music trends. Still, he's good enough to have developed a following. I know when I first got this record I didn't pay much attention to it outside of the first track. 'Oblivious' was the song I focused on, but as I listen to it now I'm impressed with the material and I enjoy listening to the entire disc. I'll certainly listen to it more and get a better sense of this act. My final words: A HIT I MISSED FIRST TIME AROUND.

AZTEC CAMERA - HIGH LAND, HARD RAIN
01. Oblivious
02. The Boy Wonders
03. Walk Out To Winter
04. The Bugle Sounds Again
05. We Could Send Letters
06. Pillar To Post
07. Release
08. Lost Outside The Tunnel
09. Back On Board
10. Down The Dip
11. Haywire
12. Orchid Girl
13. Queen's Tattoos

COLOR ME BADD - TIME AND CHANCE

Every five years or so popular music circulates it's celebrities and a new crop of potential superstars show up to duke it out for the top spots. I wanna start the blog like this because I think this record is the perfect example of a theory I have. Cliches are used repeatedly in music. In basically every genre. Those of us who've been around a long time will listen to something and realize we've heard it a thousand times before. Why do these songs end up being so popular? Because for the next up and coming generation, these concepts and ideas are brand new. And when they hear their pop sensations singing something like, "Girl, my love is true, I'll never leave you"... To these kids, it's a fresh and exciting idea. So each consecutive group of superstar wannabes embrace the cliche over and over again, cycling through the worn out remnants of songs written and performed a thousand times.

So now you're asking me why I brought that up? And the truth is, this record is so full of teeny bopper cliches I can barely stand to listen to it. Color Me Badd is a boy band. Unlike other boy bands who fill their albums with radio friendly pop songs and the occasional ballad, Color Me Badd decided to skip the dance tracks and bust this one out on yo ass! This soppy, ballad filled dribble spends as much time pledging undying allegiance to 13 year old love as it does praising god and attempting to be a socially conscious record. Despite best efforts, for me they only accomplished creating a piece of music I can hardly stand to listen to. The song lyrics are so tired and worn out they wouldn't even pass muster with a high school English teacher. And the music arrangements are about as interesting as a bus full of teens whining. During the time this record was made, that slow Soul II Soul half reggae beat was all the rage. Pity because you couldn't dance to it hardly and it was beyond boring once you heard it a thousand times. Still, the producers of this train wreck decided to capitalize on the success of the sound and dropped the bottom out of any momentum this album might have had.

To make a long story short, I find this CD difficult at best to listen to. So now I bet your asking why I bought it... Well, that's another story. Back in the days when you could use Telnet to hack the Library of Congress and crack copyrights, I was scanning Prince compositions and found this CD listed. Prince is credited as one of the authors of the song 'How Deep'. I figured I'd found another Prince song I didn't already know about so I rushed out and bought the dang thing. Of course I found it used (and don't think I'm not counting my good fortune on that one every single day). Imagine my disappointment when I discovered Prince had nothing to do with the song. In reality, they use a sample of the guitar part of 'Crazy You' off of "For You" as the main melody for the song. So it's the worst kind of ripoff that exists. It's a sample rip off. It's ok, but hardly what you'd expect of anything with Prince's name attached to it. The track is listenable purely because of the guitar sample. Otherwise, it drags and drags.

There is one high point of the entire album and if I'm not mistaken, it's a track they released as a single. 'Choose' is a great song even if it does rely on that boring drum pattern the rest of the disc is littered with. It got enough radio play to insure this record had a mediocre hit. Unless you caught this group growing up and they were part of your exposure to deep and meaningful concepts, they're a waste of time and energy. They didn't compete with other boy bands of the time period and ultimately faded into total obscurity. Don't buy this record. If you must hear it, try to find it for download for free. My final words: MID TEMPO TEENAGE DRIBBLE. 

COLOR ME BADD - TIME AND CHANCE
01. Intro (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
02. Time And Chance
03. Groovy Now
04. Let Me Have It All
05. Rosanna's Little Sister
06. How Deep
07. La Tremenda (Intro)
08. In The Sunshine
09. Choose
10. The Bells
11. Wildflower
12. Living Without Her
13. Close To Heaven
14. Trust Me
15. Let's Start With Forever
16. God Is Love
17. Let Love Rule (God Is Love Outro)