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"A Minor Spell" is an EP released by Vandaveer in 2010. I've reviewed some of Vandaveer's other albums here and I'm excited to discuss this little disc because it's just as wonderful and gorgeous as their full length albums.
For those of you not in the know, Vandaveer are a quasi-folk/rock band. I'd say they were alt country but they're so much more. Nothing they do sounds like one particular genre. It's more like the bards of ancient days. Mark Heidinger is the poet bard wandering the streets of America sharing his unique point of view in magnificent songs. His sound is authentic, soulful and deeply moving.
Somehow, the beautiful entwined voices of Heidinger and Rose Guerin sweep around the room and fill you up with all sorts of unexpected emotions. These songs conjure such personal memories because even though he sings about specific moments in time he's experienced, the listener is able to relate them to their own life and find relevance. For instance, 'Everything Is Spinning' is a tune about losing a love and without knowing his story or getting too wrapped up in certain lyrics, anyone who's felt the pain of breaking up with someone can find those feelings rushing back to crush your heart once again.
Heidinger is more like the folk singers of the past like Woody Guthrie, Leonard Cohen and James Taylor without sounding dated and out of touch. He's the sparkling new version of a lost art form and he's made it his own. You won't be disappointed if you take the time to explore the music of this gifted artist and band. My final words: ANOTHER ASTONISHING DISC FROM THE COMPLICATED MINDS OF VANDAVEER! MUST OWN!
VANDAVEER - A MINOR SPELL
01. The Waking Hour (A Minor Spell)
02. Everything Is Spinning
03. Good Morning
04. All Together For The Taking
05. Ways & Means
Faded Paper Figures are a band I've reviewed before and over the holidays I purchased their entire back catalog and I've been exploring their earlier material ever since. "New Medium" is their second album and honestly, this group is nothing if not consistent.
Faded Paper Figures combine everything you loved about 80s alternative and new wave sounds in one band. From the introspective lyrics to the synths... It's all incorporated here.
This trio is comprised of John Williams, Heather Alden and Kael Alden. Williams is the main vocalist, but sometimes Heather Alden takes over and runs the show. Williams has a soft voice reminiscent of Neil Tennent from the Pet Shop Boys. He often sounds like he's whispering secrets in your ear. His form of confiding vocal delivery is extremely effective and mellow. Check out 'Rewind' to hear his emotive style. You also get to hear Heather Alden on this one. She also has a relaxed and laid back vocal style although in her case, the delivery is more sultry and seductive; despite the subject matter. Listen to 'Invent It All Again' to get the full impact of her when she's running the show. It's lovely.
One of the things I like about this band is the fact you can put the disc in and let it go without worry. I usually play FPF while I'm at work designing. It has the most incredible balance of relaxing sounds to let your mind focus on your work while at the same time adding inspiration to whatever you're doing. And the lyrics are sung clearly. It's easy to pick them up and sing along. Which I often find myself doing as I go along.
Some of my favorite tracks on this CD are 'Small Talk', 'Invent It All Again', 'Rewind', 'The Cold Wars' and 'Limelight'. Frankly, the entire album is really great, but those 5 tracks are the ones I picked up first and sing along with when they come on. I'm learning the others as I go, but these are obviously the ones I feel most connected to. On the last CD I reviewed, there was a track I wasn't completely into. But on this one, I'm enjoying the entire disc from start to finish.
I'm quite fond of bands who take a sound and somehow make it uniquely their own. Faded Paper Figures does this and it's both nostalgic and invigorating to hear new music in the vein of material I loved as a kid. Even though they have that sound, it somehow doesn't feel dated or old. Instead, it's fresh, new and exciting. You can't go wrong picking up this CD.
My final words: WORTH EVERY PENNY AND AVAILABLE NOW ON BANDCAMP! GO GET IT!
FADED PAPER FIGURES - NEW MEDIUM
01. Invent It All Again
02. Limelight
03. You Know What I Mean
04. Rewind
05. Small Talk
06. One More Crash
07. The Cold Wars
08. When The Book Ends
09. Kodachrome Earth
10. Changed
11. New Medium
Don't ask me how I discovered The Ting Tings cause I honestly can't remember. I heard their name mentioned somewhere and one day, I was looking for some new music to listen to and I tried their name in a Youtube search. The first song I listened to was 'Shut Up And Let Me Go' from their first album. I was hooked. The relentless and infectious beats layered in the fantastic rhythm guitars and the most interesting vocals I've heard in a long time.
This is their second album and first one I'm actually reviewing. I've become such a huge fan of this group I purchased their entire catalog in the same week. A little bit of research helped me determine this version of the album was the one I wanted to buy. It includes a whole slew of bonus tracks. Most of them are mixes, but there's also a couple of b-sides included.
The album starts off with 'Silence'; which sorta reminds me of one of The Chemical Brothers' stadium anthems. It seems they always include one semi-slow song that builds and ebbs, like 'The Private Psychedelic Reel'. It's usually quite long. Even though 'Silence' doesn't fit that criteria, the progression and keyboards remind me of these tracks.
And then, we're right into the funky pop rock The Ting Tings do so well. 'Hit Me Down Sonny', 'Hand It Up' and 'Give It Back' are like a power trio of funky fun goodness you can't help but shiver and shake to. All three of them are amazing by themselves but even more satisfying when you put them together.
'Guggenheim' is a bit of an anomaly. It fits the format of those old girl groups like The Shangri-Las' track, 'Leader Of The Pack'. Infused with some punk aggression, this track is definitely a stand out and quite powerful. It's followed by one of the more funky typical TTT track, 'Soul Killing'. It's probably my favorite track on the album. I love this one, but to be honest, I usually let the disc play through without skipping or playing individual tracks, that how solid I think the album is and how much I like the entire disc.
'One By One' ventures into a more electro style and the vocals are much more subdued than usual. Adversely, 'Day To Day' relies on an acoustic guitar played over some synth sound effects patches and the vocals are more soulful and layered.
'Help' is another anthem-like track, but it's also the only song I would actually consider a ballad on the album. It's followed by 'In Your Life' which I can only describe as something like Nancy Sinatra's cover of 'Bang Bang'. Originally written by Sonny Bono for Cher, Sinatra's version features a tremolo guitar and that's the prominent instrument on this track. It's a very haunting track.
This would constitute the main body of the album, but then you get all the bonus material on the deluxe edition. There are two additional songs, 'Hands' and 'Ain't Got Shit'. 'Hands' is actually a mix and it sounds almost like an 80's single. There's a fun beat driven by the keyboards. Not much there, but still quite fun. 'Ain't Got Shit' is probably the most experimental track on the disc. It utilizes a simple electro beat throughout and Katie White's vocals sound rather distant because of an echo effect. It takes the tone of an old spiritual, but at the same time sounds mysterious and strange. I actually really like the song! I think it's a highlight on this disc.
The rest of the tracks are mixes and a demo version of 'Give It Back'. I quite like the mixes. They're all decent and enjoyable. I'm super excited about the demo for 'Give It Back'. It's a rockin' track by itself. The demo only gives it more of an edge. It feels somewhat raw and that unpolished sounds makes it even louder, stronger and energetic.
I can't recommend this group enough. They've got a style all their own. They're crossing genres and sounds to create some excellent material for your ears. I'm always surprised by the variety I hear in their music! You need to check them out. Like right now.
My final words: YOU WON'T MISS WITH THIS DISC. ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING NEW GROUPS I'VE HEARD!
THE TING TINGS - SOUNDS FROM NOWHERESVILLE
01. Silence
02. Hit Me Down Sonny
03. Hang It Up
04. Give It Back
05. Guggenheim
06. Soul Killing
07. One By One
08. Day To Day
09. Help
10. In Your Life
11. Silence (Bag Raiders Remix)
12. Hang It Up (Inertia Remix)
13. Give It Back (Demo)
14. Hang It Up (Abacus & Vargas 'Predator' Remix)
15. Hands (Mixed By Calvin Harris)
16. Guggenheim (Andy Taylor 'Got It Right' Remix)
17. Hang It Up (Shook Remix)
18. Ain't Got Shit
19. Hang It Up (CKB Remix)
My biggest fear after Prince died was that major record companies would do what they've done with artists like Elvis Presley or Jimi Hendrix. Anytime they come up with a previously unreleased outtake, demo or live recording, they package it along with previously released material to make a greatest hits package they can sell for a cool profit.
I hoped, with the amount of music Prince left behind, there would be the motivation to release entire albums of previously unreleased material. However, in its rush to capitalize on Prince's passing, Warner Bros. put together this hasty compilation. The packaging is lovely, but at the same time, a bit disappointing. They use photos from his previous greatest hits package, Paisley Park's "The Hits/B-Sides".
In order to make the set more appealing, they also list edits of certain songs as previously unreleased on CD. We all know that's not the case. With most of these tracks, you can find the edits on CD singles or promotional CD releases. There's no real value here.
There is one, and let me be specific here, one singular unreleased track included. 'Moonbeam Levels'. And this is exactly what I feared would happen. For the rest of our lives, we'll get a new Prince greatest hits compilation once a year with one or two new songs. They'll charge us the price of a double disc set for a single song or two. Not even at his most anti-establishment, "artists should profit from their legacies" moments would Prince imagine screwing over his fams like this.
Most die-hard fans already have copies of this song. Either downloaded or purchased on bootlegs. It's not new to the community. So now, you're asking me... If you have all of this material, why did you invest in the set?
The answer is simple... I've always said and I wrote this in a chat with Prince himself once, that even if I owned a bootleg, if he released music in an official capacity, I would purchase it legally. And I have. However, I'm disappointed with what's happened here.
Prince is not an artist you can parse out over time. He has work that needs to be put together and sold as a complete package. Anything else is a betrayal of his legacy.
I'm not going to get into this release much more. I find it somewhat sad and not worth the price tag. I'll leave it at that. My final words: A SKIP UNLESS YOU'RE A COMPLETIST.
PRINCE - 4EVER
CD1
01. 1999
02. Little Red Corvette
03. When Doves Cry
04. Let's Go Crazy
05. Raspberry Beret
06. I Wanna Be Your Lover
07. Soft And Wet
08. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
09. Uptown
10. When You Were Mine
11. Head
12. Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
13. Controversy
14. Let's Work
15. Delirious
16. I Would Die 4 U
17. Take Me With U
18. Paisley Park
19. Pop Life
20. Purple Rain
CD 2
01. Kiss
02. Sign 'O' The Times
03. Alphabet St.
04. Batdance
05. Thieves In The Temple
06. Cream
07. Mountains
08. Girls & Boys
09. If I Was Your Girlfriend
10. U Got The Look
11. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
12. Glam Slam
13. Moonbeam Levels
14. Diamonds And Pearls
15. Gett Off
16. Sexy MF
17. My Name Is Prince
18. 7 (Album Edit)
19. Peach
20. Nothing Compares 2 U
Until "Loveboat" came out, the last Erasure album I liked all the way through was "Chorus". Because "Loveboat" wasn't released in the US until 3 years after it's release in the UK and Europe, my copy is an import from the UK. I actually downloaded a pirated copy of the disc and listened to it before I bought it. I couldn't believe it didn't have a US release! I thought it was phenomenal!
In my opinion, "Loveboat" is one of their strongest albums. There's not a single track on this disc I don't absolutely enjoy. From the opening strums of guitar on 'Freedom' to the fade out on 'Surreal', I was completely hooked. Each of the tracks is catchy, sensible and all around fun to sing and dance to. It's rare for a pop band to release a disc loaded with one great tune after another. For me, Erasure achieved that with this disc.
There are songs I like more than others, but when I play this disc, I put it in and let it go. I have all the tracks memorized and I sing along without hesitation. I find it engaging. Even some of the slower tunes are above average. 'Where In The World' is a slower number, but it has some interesting vocals that make it fun to sing. There's a difference in the drum sounds used on this record too. It seems like Erasure got an upgrade in their sound banks. The first track this is evident on is 'Crying In The Rain'. When the song starts, you hear a drum I can only describe as matte finish drums. It doesn't have much of an echo but it does sound funky.
On the next track, 'Perchance To Dream' we get more of the new drum sounds and an interesting vocal arrangement by Andy Bell as he sings part of the song in his falsetto. 'Alien' is a track that relies on Vince Clarke's trademark sound effects to build the song. Fans of the band all enjoy Clarke's ability to fill the spaces between the chords with his electric whirs and pops. It's part of the appeal.
My favorite track on the album is probably 'Here In My Heart'. It reminds me of so many other Erasure tracks I've loved over the years. One song in particular it reminds me of is 'In Your Arms' from "Cowboy". My second favorite track is 'Catch 22' and it also fits into that perfect Erasure song category for me. 'Moon & The Sky' is a powerhouse tune. You get some drums that sounds similar to the Linn Drum Machine clap sounds. The bass lines are deep and the groove is funky! This is an excellent jam in my opinion and I love the R&B soul feel to it. It's very Prince-like.
The final track on the album is 'Surreal' and for me, this song would feel right at home on "Chorus". I adore it.
According to my online research, Madonna's Maverick label shelved the album for lack of a hit single. I find that absolutely ridiculous. I hear hit singles all over this record. It did eventually get a US release. Along with the cover album, "Other People's Songs" in 2003. In my opinion, that was a huge mistake. A band like Erasure has a hardcore following. There are Erasure fans who will purchase anything the group puts out. That being the case, Maverick could've been assured of at least a certain number of units sold. I'm not sure what that figure would be but I'm sure it's more than most groups on that label could pull off at the time.
I think this is an album that Erasure expanded their sound, songwriting and musical styles successfully on. It could be considered at experimental as "Erasure", but in this case, the result was much more positive. I think they did exactly what they set out to do. My second favorite Erasure album for sure... My final words: AN OVERLOOKED GEM IN THE ERASURE BACK CATALOG.
ERASURE - LOVEBOAT
01. Freedom
02. Where In The World
03. Crying In The Rain
04. Perchance To Dream
05. Alien
06. Mad As We Are
07. Here In My Heart
08. Love Is The Rage
09. Catch 22
10. Moon & The Sky
11. Surreal
By the time this disc had come out, I'd already decided Wendy & Lisa were two of the greatest songwriters I'd ever heard. Their first album left me utterly breathless. I loved it from start to finish. And what's even more interesting is when you compare their solo record to the albums Prince was releasing after they'd left, you could hear their influence on him and why certain songs sounded the way they did. There's simply no way to completely understand the impact these three musicians had on each other. They challenged each other and brought out aspects in their music they couldn't have achieved alone.
Now, I'm not going to go on forever about how great Wendy & Lisa are. I've already done that a bunch of times in other entries, but I will say this... "Fruit At The Bottom" caught me completely off guard. I hadn't seen the video for 'Are You My Baby' or heard the actual song before I bought the record. If I had, I might've been prepared for some of what I was hearing. As unconventional and interesting as "Wendy And Lisa" had been, "Fruit At The Bottom" seemed to move in an entirely different direction. Some of the songs seemed to be written to appeal to an audience. To fit into a genre. There was an attempt to make this release more commercial. As a fan, I was more interested in hearing the new places I thought the two would take me as a listener. I didn't want to end up backtracking into the familiar suburban Wonder Bread sound of Top 40 pop.
When I heard 'Are You My Baby' for the first time, I was disappointed. I liked the song, but I couldn't reconcile it with what I was expecting from them. Many years later, I sorta figured out why I felt the way I did and why I was so quick to write it off. Although Wendy & Lisa weren't out as gay or as a couple, I kinda assumed they were. Or maybe my young inexperienced gaydar was responding to something I saw in them. I didn't consciously know they were gay... Nor was I completely aware of my own sexuality... But there was an awareness inside of me. Like always knowing I made my grandpa and other people uncomfortable because they could see something in me they didn't like. That quality being my sexuality. Even at a young age, I felt that awkward twinge and hearing Wendy sing a love song to a man seemed like selling out to me. Add to that the bubble gum peppiness of the song and you get one confused kid. I eventually realized they were writing and releasing music the label wanted.
Part of that was more fully embracing the Minneapolis Sound they'd contributed so heavily to during their time with Prince. You can hear some of that on this record. Despite the push for more commercial Prince sounding tracks, Wendy & Lisa still delve into the realm of magical notes and produce some stellar music on this disc.
Certain tracks were meant to be more radio accessible. These are obviously 'Lolly Lolly' and 'Are You My Baby'. I love both of these tracks, but the fact is once you get past them you discover a wealth of more complex and interesting music.
'Satisfaction' features Jesse Johnson, formerly of The Time and this gospel tinged rock number is a powerhouse track. It's totally different from anything else on the disc and more rockin' than the duo had been up to that point. 'In My Dreams' is the first track that heralds back to the sound of the previous record. I always viewed that album as jazz tinged, even though it has a strong Minneapolis vibe, it feels more like Jazz than pop music. And that's part of the reason I loved it so much. 'In My Dreams' is a straightforward ballad, but it's got such wonderful instrumentation, it feels organic. More like Jazz. 'Everyday' continues this vibe.
'From Now On (We're One)' features Lisa on lead vocals on the verses. This song became an anthem of sorts for me. As much as 'The Beautiful Ones' came to describe my longing and desire to find love, 'From Now On (We're One)' describes the love I hoped to find in my life. I can't tell you how many times I'd sit and listen to this song and wonder what it would feel like to fall in love.
'Tears Of Joy' is transformative. This is a powerful bit of music. It's about discovering yourself and finally understanding what you're looking for and what you want. I could totally relate to it. 'Someday I' is another track I think is incredible. There are other musicians who produce music I think sounds similar to Wendy & Lisa and frankly, this is the record I usually judge them against.
'I Think It Was December' is a bluesy jam that reinforces my deep, unspoken belief Wendy & Lisa were a couple. This song makes me think they were deeply in love even though there's nothing in the song or the music that points to that. I can't explain it. 'Fruit At The Bottom' is a fun tune but gender confusing again. Why would her lover have fruit at the bottom? Never made sense to me.
I've listened to this record so many times, I know each song inside and out. It's become a core part of who I am and I truly love it. I honestly think Wendy & Lisa were pressured to make this album the way they did. If they'd been given free reign, I think it'd been something radically different. No matter how you slice it, the disc did what it was meant to do. They had a couple mediocre hits and made some money on the record. Of course it would've been more interesting if they'd done exactly what felt natural and real to them. For many years, these two have lived with a mandate to conform to a corporate music market and I'm so happy that's no longer the case. Artists of this caliber need to be free to do what feels right.
Although it didn't start off being a good album for me, that changed over time and now I can honestly say, this is record everyone should own. If you don't have it in your collection, find a copy and add it. Now!!!
My final words: YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM TO GET ALL THE EXCELLENT FRUIT ON THIS DISC. JUST PICK A TRACK! A+
WENDY & LISA - FRUIT AT THE BOTTOM
01. Intro
02. Lolly Lolly
03. Are You My Baby
04. Satisfaction
05. Always In My Dreams
06. Everyday
07. From Now On (We're One)
08. Tears Of Joy
09. Someday I
10. I Think It Was December
11. Fruit At The Bottom
Although it's not stated as such, "Odyssey 1992-2002" is essentially a greatest hits package of sorts for Juno Reactor. There's nothing exceptionally different on this disc from the previously released versions of these songs other than they seem to have been re-mastered. The sound quality sounds a bit clearer. Still, I don't hear much of a difference in the arrangement or mix of the tracks aside from flowing together. For me, as a huge Juno Reactor/Ben Watkins fan, the purpose in buying this release was purely for the pleasure of having a new album from them. And truth be told, I didn't actually buy this for myself. It was on my Amazon wish list and I got it for my birthday one year from my sister. I was super happy to have it!
One thing I can say about Juno Reactor is they're more than just the music they release. The band has a unique and interesting image. The artwork featured on their CDs is almost as interesting as the music itself. They're a very visually satisfying artist as far as I'm concerned and this disc is no exception. I love the cover artwork. I think it's amazing!
I do enjoy the convenience of having these songs assembled on one disc and the way they play into each other. It's often hard to choose favorite songs from this group as I like so much of what they've done.
There is one previously unreleased track on this compilation and that's 'Hotaka'. It was also released as a single for the album. That's another incentive to purchase the disc.
If I had to sit down and give examples of why I think Juno Reactor is such a great band and why the music is so terrific, I would probably put together a compilation disc similar to this one and let the music speak for itself. After all, that's where this group really shines!
"Odyssey" may not be a must have album for Juno Reactor fans, but it's a great place to start if you're interested in discovering this incredible electronic band. Consider picking this disc up and explore the science fiction world of the Reactor. My final words: ANOTHER STRONG RELEASE BY THE QUINTESSENTIAL ELECTRONIC BAND!
JUNO REACTOR - ODYSSEY 1992-2002
01. High Energy Protons
02. Laughing Gas
03. Rotorblade
04. Feel The Universe
05. God Is God
06. Conga Fury
07. Komit
08. Pistolero
09. Hule Lam
10. Masters Of The Universe
11. Hotaka
