Posts Tagged ‘kate bush’

Lost Treasures – Bjork’s “Medulla” Revisited

Posted: May 7, 2012 by Dale Nickey in Album Review
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There’s a huge difference between viewing the video of a baby’s birth and witnessing the squalling, chaotic, fluid spewing event up close and in person.  Bjork’s Medulla peels off some layers and allows us to move a little closer to the act of creation. Missing are the  lush orchestrations she usually employs to frame her muse. Bjork maintains her aesthetic despite the fact she takes a 180 degree turn away from orthodox instrumentation. Medulla strips instrumentation away and leaves us with a record equipped only with the most primal tool of human expression; the voice.  Not just an a Capella exercise, Medulla (in typical Bjorkian fashion) redefines the voice’s function as a musical delivery medium.  Many artists before have tried their hand at the ‘all vocal’ album. But, none have succeeded as Bjork has on Medulla.  Her mission is to not just celebrate the voice, but to subvert, distort and manipulate it into a third entity.  Part human, part synthetic, and 100 % unique . Even the drumbeats on the album are produced by vocal slight of hand.

Before Medulla, the trajectory of her studio work was admirably logical. Every album was a consolidation and advancement over the one previous. Post (Bjork’s brilliant second album), took Debut’s fusion of organic and electronic elements and pumped up the drama by accenting  the electric and eclectic.  On Homogenic (Bjork’s third album), the Icelandic String Octet shared  the spotlight with massive electronic beats to help define a new genre (Icelandic Neoclassical Soul/Pop).  When Bjork followed up with Vespertine, the strings had expanded it’s role to a grand, orchestral scale augmented with a full female choir; the big beat replaced by a shower of skittering micro beats buzzing around the stereo spectrum like flying audio insects.  After Vespertine Bjork was at a crossroads artistically.  She chose to roll the commercial dice and challenge her audience.  There are some remarkable highlights on Medulla.

“Where Is The Line With You” is the most ‘off the wall’ track on Medulla. For me,  it carries the benign menace of a 50′s science fiction movie but manages to do it with a smile and a wink.  It doesn’t really matter if you don’t know what she’s carrying on about.  It’s a meticulous cacophony.  The joy of noise for it’s own sake. Special mention to Faith No More frontman Mike Patton for adding extra menace and color to this amazing track.

“Oceania” is the prettiest track on the album.  A female chorus swirls around the main melody like glissando piano runs.  However, the result is otherworldly. On this track–like most of Medulla—you will hear sounds you’ve never heard on a record before .Bjork – Oceania

“Triumph Of A Heart” is the closest thing to a commercial single on the album.  It’s catchy and wacky.  Japanese vocalist Dokaka is allowed to have his way with TOAH and leaves his indelible mark on the track.  And like any strong seasoning, a little Dokaka goes a long way.watch toah 

“Mouths Cradle” is an ambitious track.  More than any other track, “Mouths Cradle” seems the most comfortable in its skin.  Both extremes of Medulla merge seamlessly on the track; the organic and technological.

At times the tracks on Medulla are so raw and immediate, you get the feeling the writing process ended mere nanoseconds before the record button was pressed. At other times it seems you’re eavesdropping on an artist in holy communion with her muse.  If you want to hear the true essence of Bjork, this is the album to own. It’s hard to call this album her masterpiece. The overall excellence of  of her early period is hard to dismiss.  However, on a creative level,  Medulla could very well be her greatest achievement.

Lost Indie Treasure – Deborah Gee’s “Portal” Re-opened

Posted: March 14, 2012 by Dale Nickey in Album Review
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Reviewed by Dale Nickey:

Deborah Gee is an artist who has been around the block.  She has been-there-done-that both musically, and existentially.  On the solo album Portal (2000) she demonstrates her ability to channel all of what she is and what she’s learned into the grooves.  Gee has had brushes with commercial crossover.  Her music has appeared in T.V. and films and has garnered the type of positive mainstream press that usually results in Billboard placing and higher media profile.  However, she remains an indie enigma.  Gee’s stock and trade is eclectic progressive pop with a decidedly Euro-American sensibility.  For those of you who need comparisons…think Aimee Mann without the sugary aftertaste.  And in her edgier moments, Chrissy Hynde with less snark and more heart….

Portal was recorded and mastered in L.A. and released int the year 2000.  The squeaky clean production speaks very much to the locale. Gee Produced, wrote and/or co-wrote all but one track and pitched in on guitar and percussion as well.  Here is a track by track critique of the album: buyGeeCDBABY

Opening track “Say What You Mean” is the smart and obvious choice as the gateway tune to the album.  Arguably the the most fully realized piece of music on Portal, I’d venture this selection received a lot of TLC in the tracking and mixing phase of the production. Co-produced by C.J. DeVillar; It has a graceful and elegant mid-tempo groove laced with spacey (yet restrained) sitar and tremolo guitar effects.  A good stoner tune that’s tight in the pocket and frosted with a memorable hook line.  The following track, “Risk” seems to possess a vague notion of being an Alt-Country crossover hit.  Ironically, it’s the least riskiest track on the album.

The darker, weirder recesses of this record is what most interests this reviewer and the track “Naked” has a lot to recommend.  A looser, more Diddleyesque beat changes the pace from the swiss watch precision of the previous selections and Gee adds some nice spoken word interludes and edgy lyrics decrying the destruction of innocence in particular and religulousness in general.  Lots of nice musical detours in the arrangment.

Number four is “Perfect Girl”.  A bouncy prog-pop quickie that lyrically slaps upside the head the pathetic fool in all men.  You know what I’m talking about; the man child who constantly devalues who they’re with in favor of the idealized Perfect Girl who exists only in the imagination and ego.

“Treasure” is the albums first bonified unplugged moment.  There is plenty of space and air in this track; allowing discreet percussion to bounce around the stereo spectrum to nice effect.  It’s a gentle mandolin driven track that (for me) evokes the hippy spirit of the Laurel Canyon singer songwriter era; and if this album were a 33 1/3 long player, it would be the perfect closer for side 1.

Conversely, “Just A Kiss Away” would be the perfect hard charger out of the gate to open Side 2.  Arguably the most commercial track on the collection, it merits a higher placing than sixth on the track-list.  No matter, it’s a stunning track that is carried by Gee’s driving acoustic guitar.  It’s sentiments are very pure pop for now people. I got a very strong visual of the girl in the coffee bar who is seemingly ‘too cool for school’ already strategizing the conquest of her clueless prey.

“Warning” keeps things moving along with some nuanced, injured bird vocals and some nice wordplay about good lust gone bad.  Upon second listening I detected the fragrance of Suzanne Vega during her urgent loft-pop heyday; this is a good thing…..

“Washed Away” is a barometer of how good this album is.  Neither a commerical slam dunk like “Just A Kiss Away” nor a finely honed set piece like “Say What You Mean”, “Washed Away” simply carries you along on the strength of melody and song-craft alone.  An album cut to be sure, but one that sticks to the ribs and has a build and release that would do any middle period Genesis track proud.

Any classic solo album worth it’s weight needs a majestic, tear-jerking, power ballad with a universal message.  Pearl fits that bill nicely. The bridge section where Gee scats against the mournful cello phrases shows the depth, power and fragility of a master vocalist and chanteuse.

The final tune, “The Child Will Mend” is Gee alone with her voice and thoughts. It seems a summation of the lessons learned in the preceding songs. Achieving a Zen ‘state of grace’ is not a team sport. it’s done alone,  one person, one soul, one voice.  Only the angels for companions.

I read an interesting quote in a Nick Lowe article. To the effect that ‘pretty good’ is the new terrible.  Just one viewing of the highs stakes karaoke of The Voice should convince any doubters of this theory.  Old world craftsmanship on record used to be the requisite not the exception.  Portal is all about old-world craftsmanship.  When I got this record for review,  I knew it would be a ‘pretty good album’ with many  strong points.  I wasn’t expecting a great one.  I’ts nice to be surprised.

buy ‘Portal’ on iIunes, click the link below

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Lost Treasures – Lionheart by Kate Bush (Revisited)

Posted: February 20, 2012 by Dale Nickey in Album Review
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Reviewed by Dale Nickey

Ok, here’s the party line on Kate Bush’s second album Lionheart.  It was the “difficult second album”;  rush released too soon after her stupendous debut, The Kick Inside. The material was under cooked,  it was recorded hastily.  It was a commercial disappointment. Lionheart has always been viewed as the gawky, homely sister to The Kick Inside.  It languishes in the same purgatory as Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk and Michael Jackson’s Bad.  Those were all albums that were tasked with following up a monster critical and commercial smash; too much to expect of any mortal record.

However, what if The Kick Inside had never existed, and Lionheart had been her debut? Take away the baggage  and the job of reviewing becomes a little more interesting.

Lionheart is not a perfect album yet its still a staggering achievement.  Had  it been the opening missive in Kate’s discography,  jaws would have still dropped just as far. This record is a potent example of the complexity of Kate Bush and her audacious voice, charisma and songs.  Had it been her debut, it may not have conferred upon her the instant mantle of “Icon” (as ‘Kick’ did), but that might have been a good thing.

Sure, Lionheart could have benefitted from more time in the bottle or… maybe not.  Kate had all the time in the world to worry over The Dreaming.  Was it a better record? I’ll let you know when I get around to listening to it as many times as I have Lionheart.  Lionheart is a grower that is unique in her canon. Every track on Lionheart earns and rewards repeated visitations.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. The song “Wow” is a wonderful confection of fantasy/pop.  Equal parts torch ballad and bubblegum, it was a smart and successful single that could turn the heads of tabloid writers and music critics alike.  And “England, My Lionheart”, is quite simply one of the most beautiful and  unique melodies ever written.  Usually in pop song craft you can hear echoes of the familiar; even if the artist is stealing from him/herself.  This song exists on a different plane.  That the lyrics are penned by a teenage girl is stupefying and magical.  Why this song hasn’t been declared Britain’s national anthem is beyond me.  It still might someday.

The epic “Hammer Horror” could be the subject of an entire review unto itself. By 1978, the term “Rock Opera” had become devalued currency.  ”Hammer Horror”  is definitely a rock opera (albeit a tightly compressed and edited version of the form).  Kate whispers, wails, moans and rumbles like both a siren and natural woman.  She’s got some burr in her saddle in the form of a stalker, ex-boyfriend, ghost, or some unholy permutation of the three.  Whatever happened, it’s now an ever-present nightmare of the soul.  The tinkling piano ending turns the neat trick of being pretty and dissonant at the same time. The delayed reaction gong crash signals a melodramatic end to a brilliant and melodramatic record, and the cover art will rock your world.

Elsewhere, things get more eclectic and esoteric. “Coffee Homeground” courts Cabaret and Broadway and elevates both forms.  Lead track, “Symphony In Blue” evokes a heavenly cocktail mix of Carol King on ecstasy and helium.  On this album, even more than The Kick Inside, Kate takes her voice to its full, death defying limits.  Many argue it takes listeners to their limits as well.  Like Dylan, Kate’s voice is her signature, money maker, and albatross all rolled into one.  One must come to the party prepared to marvel at her athleticism and then dig deep into the music itself.  The rewards are there.  Kate Bush is not a passive listen. We’ve got Sade for that.  No, Lionheart is a three ring circus of emotion, estrogen and technique.  And you know what?  EMI put it out at just the right time.  I’m glad we got two albums documenting Kate’s eloquent, teen dream genius.  Soon our little girl would all grow up to be a woman. Lionheart didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just a matter of the paint on her masterpiece hadn’t quite dried yet.