Stegzy's Music Project

A commentary on Stegzy's album collection

Nov 18

Big Generator – Yes (#186)

by stegzy

Big Generator – YesBig Generator - Yes

When this album came out in 1987, I was so excited. Here I was, a teenager, about to hear music from a band that had formed a few years before I was born. New music that was hopefully going to be a lot like 90125. 

I wasn’t disappointed.

Instead I recorded the album onto a cassette and listened to the tape until I was bored. I still love this album. It shows the direction Yes continued to follow for the next few years. Of course by the time House of Blues came out, I was already getting a bit bored of Yes. Especially as it seemed (at the time) that getting to see them play live was going to be purely a dream. Of course I’ve since seen them several times.

Still, the majority of my favorite songs by Yes are on this album. A lot of longer term fans hate it. I don’t. Fab stuff.

1987 Yes

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Nov 17

The Big Black & The Blue – First Aid Kit (#185)

by stegzy

The Big Black & The Blue - First Aid Kit The Big Black & The Blue – First Aid Kit 

I am pleased to say that I am a hipster (which automatically dismisses me as a hipster). I am pleased to say I knew of First Aid Kit long before the popular music press of the UK had even considered what music two Swedish girls might make together.

No, I got there first. Nerrrr. 😛

Anyway, besides all that, I’m not keen on this album. By this stage I had already grown tired of the EPs and the snippets I had managed to “obtain”. So when they released this, their first album, I was already weary. This makes me a hipster.

I will now grow a stupid moustache, a soul patch, wear a beret and start smoking Gaulois.

 

First Aid Kit

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Nov 16

Big Big Movie Themes – Geoff Love & His Orchestra (#184)

by stegzy
Big Big Movie Themes - Geoff Love & His OrchestraBig Big Movie Themes – Geoff Love & His Orchestra

Geoff Love was the king of easy listening. Forget Mantovani. Forget James Last. Love was Royalty.

Over several years under the MFP (Music for Pleasure) label, Geoff Love released several LPs featuring orchestrated theme tunes from film and television. Some good. Some bloody awful. Big Big Movie Themes is a kind of “Best of” but actually features some reworkings of some of Love’s best arrangements. Still good stuff though.

It now appears that these golden greats from the 1970s have been rereleased as CDs and are also available on iTunes so hopefully a whole new generation can experience Easy Listening to the full.

This album features:

The James Bond Theme
The Big Country
Somewhere My Love (Dr Zhivago)
Jaws
The Way We Were
A Man and a Woman
Lawrence of Arabia
The Magnificent Seven
Goldfinger
What’ll I do (The Great Gatsby)
A Summer Place
Colonel Bogey
Love Story
Warsaw Concerto (Dangerous Moonlight)

1977 best of Chill out Geoff Love & his Orchestra Soundtracks

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Nov 15

Beyond the Veil – Tristania (183)

by stegzy

Beyond the Veil – TristaniaBeyond the Veil - Tristania

A prime example of why it is a bad idea to download or buy an album purely because you like one song from it.

Norwegian hair metal. With choirs, ladies with large breasts and death growls.

Great if you’re a teenager.

Not so impressive if you’re a respectable 40 something.

Tristania

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Nov 14

Beyond The Sun – Chris Isaak (182)

by stegzy

Beyond The Sun – Chris Isaak Beyond The Sun - Chris Isaak

I wasn’t impressed by Mr Isaak when this was released. Albums like this only show the creativity of the original artist and not the one covering the songs.

If you’re not familiar with Beyond the Sun, Isaak released this in 2011 to much publicity. The album features Isaak covering classic songs from the Sun record label of the 1950s/1960s. Isaak channels Presley, Cash and others. Sings and plays just like the originals.

But then you think, why did I spend my hard earned cash on this when I could have just fumbled about in that dusty box of 45s in the loft or paid some guy at a car boot 40p for the originals.

Seriously. Lazy musicianship.

 

Chris Isaak

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Nov 13

Beyond the Neighbourhood – Athlete (#181)

by stegzy

Beyond the Neighbourhood - AthleteBeyond the Neighbourhood – Athlete 

Not sure what happened with Athlete. Their first album was full of promise. They commanded a really good gig when I went to see them live in Liverpool. Their second album was…ok…not terrible. But by the time we’d been Wires to death by incessant documentary usage, the magic had faded.

And so had they.

I came across this album by accident. I’d almost forgotten Athlete. Having listened to this I wish I’d kept them forgotten. Perhaps it was coming out as being a bit Jesusy that did for them (unfounded rumour). Perhaps it was just running out of steam. Or perhaps the pressures of rockstardom was too much. Either way, this is their forgettable third album. I don’t even care if they’ve got a fourth.

Expect to see them supporting Toploader at a community centre near you soon.

Athlete

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Nov 12

Beyond Sanctorum – Therion (#180)

by stegzy

Beyond Sanctorum - TherionBeyond Sanctorum – Therion

More from the Euro Metal band with it’s own choir. Only this album is before the choir.

Death growls, grunting and incoherent bollocks. Why do people like this stuff? Do they give themselves sore throats singing along? Or do they sound like they’re having some sort of fit when they’re singing to themselves?

Tosh.

Therion

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Nov 11

Between Darkness and Wonder – Lamb (#179)

by stegzy

Between Darkness and Wonder - LambBetween Darkness and Wonder – Lamb

Hipster friends are always telling me I should like Lamb. I usually retort with some predictable comment about enjoying dinners on a Sunday with mint sauce or kebabs from the chip shop on the way home.

This album was an attempt to “like” Lamb. I tried. I gave them a go. Really. When I mentioned that I had tried Lamb in the form of Between Darkness and Wonder, predictably the Hipster said “Yeah but it’s not their best album”.

Thing is, it never is.

Lamb

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Nov 10

Bête Noire – Byran Ferry (#178)

by stegzy

Bête Noire - Byran FerryBête Noire – Byran Ferry

At last, our journey through the “best of” has come to an end and the first album we arrive at is Bête Noire by Byran Ferry.

This is Ferry’s seventh solo studio album dating back to 1987. Ferry is still doing his lounge lizard thing but this time he’s seasoning with dark juju. French Afro-Carribean influences percolate through the album like well ground coffee.

Surprisingly, I’ve not listened much to this album. I was bitten by the Ferry bug a few years after this album was released and missed its passing in the shops. In fact it was not until I was making a Ferry compilation for the car that I realised I’d heard many of the tracks before. It’s funny when that happens.  Since then, the album has had a bit more playtime on my iTunes.

Bryan Ferry

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Nov 9

The Bestiality of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band – Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band [#177]

by stegzy

The Bestiality of the Bonzo Dog Band - Bonzo Dog Doo Dah BandThe Bestiality of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band – Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band

Madness. This is a compilation of an eccentric British nonsensical band. The band that invented Steampunk. The band that invented Hipsterism. The band that sits down with a nice cup of tea and tidy waxed moustache in the middle of a battlefield.

If you are unfamiliar with Bonzo Dog you should be. Deliciously silly. Scrumptiously British. With a nice tang of the absurd and a rich saucy aftertaste of the chaotic.

I had the good fortune to see B3DB a few years ago, sans Viv Stanshall of course, but it was a memorable show and still timeless.

Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band

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Nov 8

The Best Prog Rock Album in the World…Ever – Various Artists (#176)

by stegzy

The Best Prog Rock Album in the World...Ever - Various Artists (#176)The Best Prog Rock Album in the World…Ever – Various Artists 

This is one of the last CDs I bought. A wicked compilation showcasing a massive range of prog bands covering Canterbury scene, Zappa and even the first sprouts of New Romanticism.

Read the rest of this entry »

2003 Barclay James Harvest best of Camel canterbury Caravan ELO Emerson Lake Palmer Focus Greenslade Hawkwind Jethro Tull Mike Oldfield Moody Blues Roxy Music Various Artists Yes

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Nov 6

The Best of: 1980-1990 – U2 (#175)

by stegzy

Screen Shot 2014-11-08 at 09.36.29The Best of: 1980-1990 – U2 

See now, I didn’t even know I had this when I wrote about U2’s previous “best of” . These are the songs I remember.

I remember Ian Vickery saying to me that U2 were the best thing to come out of Ireland and that failure to like U2 meant unworthiness. Then some years later the same boy said that U2 were old hat and that the Waterboys were where it was at.

I seem to recall someone else telling me that to like U2 meant you supported the IRA. Personally, I just thought they were rubbish. Possibly because they were as prog as Spandau Ballet.

Things were messed up in the 80s.

This compilation has all the popular songs used as background music in gritty dramas about “the troubles” or films where there would be lots of Irish youth being all gritty and hard done to. They just make me think of dark nights travelling down Hillfoot Avenue in the back of my dad’s Ford Orion.

best of U2

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Nov 5

The Best of the Doors (#174)

by stegzy

The Best of the Doors The Best of the Doors

Old Jim Morrison again with another Best of.

Thing with bands like The Doors, their entire catalogue is seen as next to perfect and it’s not like any new stuff is likely to emerge.

Long term followers of this project will recall that I’ve already covered a “best of” compilation for The Doors – A Collection. That compilation had all the same songs on as well. So in the interests of blog writing, I suggest you go and have a look at the entry.  

1997 best of Doors (The)

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Nov 4

The Best of Simple Minds [#173]

by stegzy

The Best of Simple Minds The Best of Simple Minds

Simple Minds are another band from my youth. Every song from their other “Best of”, Glittering Prize, recalls memories of me walking through post-Thatcher Sheffield on my way to University lectures.

Thing is, after 1995 I appear to have lost all taste for them. Don’t get me wrong, I do like Simple Minds, I just don’t like them in the same way I did in the 1990s perhaps it is purely because my tastes have matured. Or perhaps Scottish rock music was blown away by Belle & Sebastian. I can’t put my finger on it. Still, this is ok as far as “Best of”s go. I still hold Glittering Prize in higher regard but most of the songs on there appear here too. The additional songs are a bit “meh”.

Simple Minds

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Nov 3

Best of Shakespear’s Sister (#172)

by stegzy

Best of Shakespear's SisterBest of Shakespear’s Sister – Shakespear’s Sister

Old Bill’s sister has been about for some time. But what we must not forget is that Shakespear’s Sister, despite recent televisual evidence to the contrary, is as goth as Bucks Fizz.

Shakespear’s Sister (SS) was one of those bands that I secretly liked when I was a teenager. With echos of Strawberry Switchblade, SS was dark glam with hints of what was to later become Dark Cabaret. Vampish costumery coupled with heavy makeup and songs to cheer. Think Kiss mixed with Bananarama and you’re not far off.

Indeed, Siobhan Fahey was once a member of Bananarama. But not Kiss. Which would have made an interesting statement. This best of covers the majority of their hits between 1988 and 1992. Many of which have me remembering times crashing on Sarah Melia’s living room floor while her parents were away. Wild times. Wild music.

best of Shakespears Sister

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Nov 3

The Best of Sade (171)

by stegzy

The Best of Sade The Best of Sade – Sade

Sleezy lounge smooth jazz, soul music with extra sleeze and flashbacks to Absolute Beginners. I’m not especially a Sade fan. I can only name about 3 songs by her (all of which appear on this album) but if you want to relive the British Soul movement of the mid-1980s then shove this album on your iTunes.

She’s still about doing stuff you know…

 

Sade

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Nov 1

The Best of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (#170)

by stegzy

Best of OMDThe Best of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

I could tell you my anecdote about wild cocaine fuelled sex parties. Or I could tell you about gay orgies on the Wirral. Or I could even tell you about a night in 2005 and how it relates to this album. But I won’t. Purely because to do so might end up with me in court.

Anyway, OMD. This compilation has all of their hits. Shame that they had to blow all that fame on dodgy girl bands. I mean really…..

best of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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Oct 29

The Best of Jon & Vangelis – Jon & Vangelis (#169)

by stegzy

Jon & VangelisThe Best of Jon & Vangelis – Jon & Vangelis

Two titans of prog meet and out prog themselves with prog in a very pro-prog kind of way. Jon Anderson of Yes joins forces with Vangelis of Aphrodites Child to forge an unholy progressive rock alliance bringing the auditory senses an extra dose of twee, sax and plinky plonky synth.

I used to really like this album when I was younger. I had it on CD, then on tape and just to be format friendly, nicked it off the internet. I think by the third time I had obtained this album, I’d already overspent.

Sure, its a good album if you’re a fan. But it’s certainly a product of the time. Just too twee. You half expect to sprout a kaftan and start waving a smudge stick about the place while sticking up Roger Dean posters everywhere just by listening to it.

Great if you like Greek blokes with beards and mop haired guys from Altrincham with inexplicable American accents.

1984 best of jon & vangelis Jon Anderson Vangelis

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Oct 28

#168 – The Best of James Bond 30th Anniversary Collection – Various Artists

by stegzy

The Best of James Bond
The Best of James Bond 30th Anniversary Collection Various Artists

Bit of a cop out this one. Not a single song is by James Bond. It’s all Shirley Bassey, Rita Coolidge and some bloke called John Barry.

Seriously though, this is a nice little pre-Brosnan snapshot of the best theme songs and tunes from the James Bond franchise. A popular quiz I used to run at school and in Birch House was a “Name the Artist” quiz based on the performers of these James Bond themes. Of course, since those days we’ve had a couple of new Bonds. Fortunately the horrid Madonna theme arrived too late for this celebratory compilation. But never the less, the songs on this album do still stir up memories of Bank Holiday Mondays, Christmases and Easters from my childhood. Mostly because there was nothing else on during those times.

 

Various Artists

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Oct 27

The Best of Gothic Rock – Various Artists [#167]

by stegzy

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71aYVc-ahvL._SL500_SY355_ The Best of Gothic Rock- Various Artists
Only it’s not.

It’s not what I’d class as “Gothic” anyway. At least with my modern more refined ears. Instead I would call these two compilations “The Best of Big Boobed Operatic Singers Accompanying Euro Goth Metal Bands” . 

Both albums contain a nice introduction to bands such as Nightwish, Within Temptation and Lacuna Coil. Ideal music for a middle aged wanna be goth to indulge in, reinvent themselves and annoy the wife with.

As we will see, these albums had a profound influence on my own musical tastes and we will be seeing a few of the bands featured, multiple times over the course of this project.

Track listing as follows:

Volume 2 =
1. Within Temptation – Mother Earth
2. Nightwish – Bless The Child
3. Beseech – Illusionate
4. Trail of Tears – Liquid View
5. Lacuna Coil – Swamped
6. Therion – Ljusalfheim
7. Myriads – The Sanctum Of My Soul
8. Flowing Tears – Serpentine
9. Within Temptation – Deceiver of Fools
10. Moonspell – Nocturna
11. Sentenced – Guilt and Regret
12. Divercia – Everlasting
13. After Forever – Monolith of Doubt
14. Tristinia – Tender Trip on Earth
15. Sirenia – Sister Nightfall

Volume 3 =

1 The Rasmus – In the Shadows 4:16
2 Within Temptation – Running Up That Hill 3:57
3 Epica – The Phantom Agony 9:00
4 Nightwish  – End of All Hope 3:54
5 After Forever – Intrinsick 6:52
6 Tristania – A Sequel of Decay 6:31
7 Apocalyptica feat Nina Hagen – Seemann 4:00
8 Tarot – Pyre of Gods 4:34
9 Sonata Arctica – Victoria’s Secret 4:43
10 Sirenia – At Sixes and Sevens 6:44
11 Therion – Enter Vril-Ya 6:37
12 Penumbra – The Last Bewitchment 5:10
13 My Dying Bride – My Hope, My Destroyer 6:47
14 Autumn – Along Ethereal Levels 4:05

2002 best of Nightwish Sirenia Therion

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Oct 26

#166 – The Best of Focus: Hocus Pocus – Focus

by stegzy

Screen Shot 2014-10-23 at 14.10.59 The Best of  Focus: Hocus Pocus – Focus

I would have made a cheap joke about the failed UK based DIY chain but I’m afraid it would have been lost on non-Brits and those under 25. Still, you can do it yourself if you want to.

Focus are one of those eclectic bands that become timeless. Frequently wheeled out to show off the zany 1970 and how wild those times where. Neatly framed to screen off three day weeks, power cuts and winters of discontent.

Still no compilation of Focus music could lack the classics Hocus Pocus and House of the King. If either Jethro Tull or this album don’t make you want to wield a flute as your rock instrument of choice then you have no hope.

Focus

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Oct 25

#165 – The Best of Era – Era

by stegzy

Screen Shot 2014-10-23 at 14.02.16 The Best of – Era

No. I’d never heard of them either. It seems that I must have liked one of their songs and downloaded all of their music in the hope of finding something original.

This is like a poor man’s Enigma. Lots of Gregorian Chants (Popular in the 1990s) and new age fiddle faddle. The kind of music you might hear in one of those shops that sell floaty vaginas, tofu knitting kits and yogurt weaving tools.

2004 Chill out Era

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Oct 24

#164 – The Best of Electric Light Orchestra

by stegzy

R-1595939-1342163964-6251 The Best of Electric Light Orchestra

Jeff Lynne and his beard again and yet another “Best of” compilation for the band. It seems to me that all ELO did was release regular “Best of” albums.

Of course I know that’s not entirely accurate.

This “Best of” as compared to the other “Best of” is clearly a best of best ofs. Some of best of tunes from ELO’s best of albums feature here including:

Livin’ Thing (from many of the best of compilations)
Mr Blue Sky (from all of the best of compilations)
and
Standin’ in The Rain (a first on their Best of compilations)

Perhaps that’s what they’re best at? Making Best ofs. Meh.

best of ELO

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Oct 23

#163 – The Best of Depeche Mode Covers – Various Artists

by stegzy

StegzyThe Best of Depeche Mode Covers – Various Artists

And so we arrive at the first of many downloaded “amatuer compilations”. The Best of Depeche Mode Covers appeared on Usenet sometime in 2012 just toward the end of my access to fast broadband.

It appears that there are many cover versions of Depeche Mode songs. From Rammstein all the way through to Nina Hagen, the bands that have at some point been influenced by DM have paid tribute by recording a cover version.

This particular compilation is a fan based one and, and I’ve always wanted to say this,  is not available in the shops. However, I’ll pop the track list here so you can maybe try compiling it yourself.

 

1 Personal Jesus – Marilyn Manson
2 I Feel You – Placebo
3 Stripped – Rammstein
4 Enjoy the Silence – Tori Amos
5 Master and Servant – Nouvelle Vague
6 Shake The Disease – Hooverphonic
7 Dream On – Scala & Kolacny Brothers
8 I Just Cant Get Enough – Nouvelle Vague
9 Policy of Truth – Automob
10 Black Celebration – Galaxy Hunter
11 It’s No Good – Orphans Of Infamy
12 Behind the wheel – Topazz
13 It’s No Good – Saga Nordanstahl
14 Behind The Wheel – Pain
15  Shake the Disease – Odyssey
16 Personal Jesus – Nina Hagen
17 Freelove – Blank & Jones
18 Enjoy The Silence – Scala And Kolacny Brothers
19 See You – Flunk
20 Precious – Anam (Feat. Mary F)

 

best of Various Artists

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Oct 22

The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 – Depeche Mode [#162]

by stegzy

Screen Shot 2014-10-21 at 17.20.12The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 – Depeche Mode

Worked a guy once who said that the greatest band in the world ever was Depeche Mode. Of course I mocked him.

A couple of years later after we had lost contact and I had changed jobs, I realised he was right. They’re so diverse. From plinky plonky synth shite in the early 80s to sophisticated synth ballads and remixes. DM are as multitalented as a room full of mature student graduates.

There are songs on this compilation that everyone over the age of 25 will remember and the urge to resist a bit of air drumming is hard.

2006 Depeche Mode

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