December 31, 2020

Fox The Fox - In The Dark Of The Nite (1984)

Fox the Fox was een Nederlandse disco- en funkband uit Groningen, met enkele successen in de jaren 80. 

Nadat Bert Tamaela, van Indonesische afkomst, het project D'Men achter de rug heeft, richt hij Fox The Fox op. Daarvoor speelde hij bij Saskia & Serge en Boozy. 
Tamaela schrijft bij Fox The Fox de muziek, toetseniste Musmin levert de teksten. Het duo wordt aangevuld met achtergrondzangeres Henny Dolsma en drummer Robbie Brans.
Met de single "Flirting And Showing" uit 1983, doen ze een gooi naar hitsucces. Het nummer blijft echter steken in de tipparade.
Met de tweede single "Precious Little Diamond", lukt het wel; eind juni staat de single op nummer 14 in de Top 40. De opvolger "I.C. Eyes" flopt. Precious Little Diamond wordt ook in Frankrijk een hit. Fox The Fox is uitgegroeid tot een sextet met naast Tamaela, Musmin en Brans de drie nieuwe leden Roy Kuschel (toetsen), Kier van de Werf (gitaar) en Gino Jansen (bas). 
De nieuwe single "Stealin'" komt wederom niet verder dan de tipparade. Het debuutalbum, met daarop alle genoemde singles, wordt geproduceerd door Willem Ennes en komt uit in februari 1984.

Daarna lukte het Fox the Fox niet meer om hits te behalen en stopte de band in 1990 na twee albums en zes singles te hebben uitgebracht.


Track listing

A1.  Flirting And Showing - 4:41  
A2.  Stealin' - 4:47  
A3.  In The Dark Of The Nite - 4:33
A4.  Check It Out - 4:59  
A5.  Dance - 3:32

B1.  Precious Little Diamond - 5:12  
B2.  Stretching Out - 5:02  
B3.  Regret - 4:33  
B4.  I.C. Eyes - 4:16


Companies, etc.

 
Credits


Notes
Release:  1984
Recorded at:  Wisseloord Studio's, Hilversum. 
Mixed at:  Soundpush Studio's, Blaricum and Wisseloord Studio's, Hilversum.
Genre:  Dance-pop
Tijdsduur:  41:49

Label - CBS Records
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Golden Earring - The Hague (EP) (2015)

Een EP die men gemaakt lijkt te hebben voor de nostalgische luisteraars en fans. Een lekker tussendoortje met typische Earring nummers.

"Je Regrette" trapt deze EP op gepaste wijze af. De toevoeging van de sax is wel tof, maar men weet toch niet gelijk te overtuigen. Vooral de manier waarop men het "Je Regrette" stuk in het refrein in de mix hebben gezet vind ik niet lekker klinken. Verder is het gospelkoortje dat na Je Regrette opduikt ook een beetje too much. Het gitaarwerk klinkt dan wel weer aangenaam.
"That's Why I Believe in Her" zal geen originaliteitsprijs winnen, maar het (soms bluesy) klinkende gitaarwerk gaat erin als zoete koek. 
Verder vind ik Hay hier het prettigste klinken.
Op "My Lips Are Sealed" zorgt Rinus Gerritsen voor lekkere bassloopjes. Ook Cesar Zuiderwijk krijgt op dit nummer wat meer de ruimte om zich te laten horen.
Het gitaarwerk van George Kooymans klinkt hier en daar lekker zwaar en ook krijgt de man een wat prominentere rol in de zang. Heerlijk hoe hij in de laatste helft enkel onder begeleiding van een piano kan laten horen dat hij nog steeds een sterke zanger is. Wat mij betreft is dit nummer het hoogtepunt van dit album.
Het erop volgende "Did I Make You Up" vind ik dan weer wat minder. De toevoeging van de sax is wel tof, maar die hammond die hier en daar opduikt maakt het wel erg belegen. De 70's liggen inmiddels ver achter ons.
Het grootste gedeelte van "Come On Home" is akoestisch en rustig, waardoor het accent op de zang komt te liggen. Hierdoor krijgt Kooymans wederom de kans om zijn kunnen te laten horen. Het haast tegen het Country aanliggende gitaarwerk dat hier en daar te horen is maakt het helaas wel weer wat aan de belegen kant. Een klein smetje op een verder wel degelijk nummer.
Een EP die men gemaakt lijkt te hebben voor de nostalgische luisteraars en fans. Mij is het hier en daar wat te ouderwets, maar dat zal voor sommige luisteraars wel prettig zijn.


Track listing

1.  Je Regrette  (3:48) 
2.  That's Why I Believe in Her  (4:08) 
3.  My Lips Are Sealed  (5:12) 
4.  Did I Make You Up  (4:05) 
5.  Come on Home  (5:08) 


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Release: 2015
Genre:  Rock
Tijdsduur:  22:21 

Label - Universal Music
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December 29, 2020

AC/DC - Rock Or Bust (2014)

Rock or Bust is the sixteenth studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC, released on 28 November 2014. 
Rock or Bust is the group's first album to feature rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, replacing founding member Malcolm Young, who had retired from the band in 2014 due to health concerns.

The group released the debut single from the album, titled "Play Ball", on 7 October 2014. 

It is the shortest studio album ever released by the band. At approximately 35 minutes, it is two minutes shorter than their previous shortest album, Flick of the Switch, which was released in 1983. 

Economy counts for a lot on an AC/DC record. As meaty as they are, they sound best when they're lean -- when there's not much fat on the bone, when they choose not to indulge in a fourth chord. Rock or Bust, the group's 15th studio album, benefits from a modest sense of scale. 
It's just 11 songs, the fewest number of cuts since 1995's Rick Rubin-produced Ballbreaker, but a better way to view it is that it's not even 35 minutes long, making it the shortest album AC/DC have ever released. 
Maybe that's a reflection of the album's difficult birth. During recording, the band revealed that founding guitarist Malcolm Young was suffering from dementia, leaving his brother Angus in full charge of the band. Angus and producer Brendan O'Brien, who helmed the group's 2008 predecessor, Black Ice, enlisted the Young brothers' nephew Stevie to fill out some parts and the band whipped the record into shape in short order (admittedly with not much help from drummer Phil Rudd, who was tardy in the studio and effectively left the band in a cloud of criminal allegations prior to the album's release). 
Malcolm may have been missing but his presence is felt. Angus completed the songs from old riff tapes he and his brother demoed, so Rock or Bust doesn't feel markedly different than any other AC/DC album. 
If anything, it's oddly light on its feet, with "Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder" and "Hard Times" containing some swing and air in their rhythms and "Sweet Candy" feeling like part of a line of nasty bubblegum rock that stretches back to the early days of Harry Vanda and George Young. 
This being an AC/DC album, Rock or Bust isn't perfect -- the biggest stumble is the heavy dirge of "Dogs of War," which may or may not be a protest song -- but the entire thing moves, never wasting time on extraneous licks, and this no-nonsense approach means the songs stick in a way they never did on Black Ice. 
If Rock or Bust does indeed wind up as the final AC/DC record -- they did indeed weather many setbacks during its creation -- it will stand as a suitable career-capper. It may be no different than what came before, but Rock or Bust is by many measures stronger than most latter-day AC/DC albums, serving as a testament to why their good-humored raunch and industrial-strength riffs made them a rock & roll institution. 


Track listing

1.  Rock or Bust - 3:03 
2.  Play Ball - 2:47 
3.  Rock the Blues Away - 3:24 
4.  Miss Adventure - 2:57 
5.  Dogs of War - 3:35 
6.  Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder - 3:22 
7.  Hard Times - 2:44 
8.  Baptism by Fire - 3:30 
9.  Rock the House - 2:42 
10.  Sweet Candy - 3:09 
11.  Emission Control - 3:41 

All tracks are written by Angus Young and Malcolm Young


AC/DC

Additional personnel

  • Brendan O'Brien – production
  • Mike Fraser – engineering
  • Billy Bowers – additional engineering
  • Tom Syrowski – additional engineering
  • Richard Jones – equipment technician
  • Geoff Banks – equipment technician
  • Rick St. Pierre – equipment technician
  • Ryan Smith – mastering

Notes
Released:  28 November 2014 
Recorded:  3 May – 12 July 2014 Studio The Warehouse, Vancouver 
Genre:  Hard rock 
Length:  34:55 

Label - Columbia Records

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December 28, 2020

R. Kelly - Black Panties (Deluxe Edition) (2013)

Black Panties is the twelfth studio album by American R&B singer R. Kelly. It was released in the United States on December 6, 2013, by RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Ludacris, 2 Chainz, Young Jeezy, Migos, Kelly Rowland, Juicy J and Future.

Black Panties, as says Kelly, "is the new 12 Play (1993)", and that it is different from his previous albums Love Letter (2010) and Write Me Back (2012).
In October 2013, in an interview with Rolling Stone, R. Kelly spoke about why he wanted to make the album sound similar to his 1993 debut album, 12 Play, saying: "I love that I can play around with all types of music. I did Love Letter and Write Me Back and those were fun albums for me to do, because they took me back to music I love. 
But, I wanted to change lanes with this new album and remind people of the TP-2.com and 12 Play style of music I can do — 'Kellz music!' I like that I can change lanes and do all different kinds of music. Fans can never accuse R. Kelly of doing the same thing, I keep mixing it up." 
In December 2013, in an interview with Billboard, R. Kelly spoke about why he decided to name the album Black Panties, saying: "I’m on stage doing the Love Letter tour and I was singing “Seems Like You're Ready”. Every time I'm singing, panties start flying out of everywhere. Seriously. But this particular night, a pair of mediums came out of the sky and they were black and they landed on my wrist. Immediately I looked at that and looked up like “that’s a sign”. 
Yeah, the idea hit me right away." Collaborator Jeremih revealed in an interview that he had not been in the studio together with Kelly for the recording process of "Switch Up", but described the working experience as "dope".

After Love Letter and Write Me Back, classy and relatively polite throwback albums, R. Kelly reverts to sexually exaggerated and wholly contemporary content for Black Panties. Kelly, joined by a deep roster of fellow songwriters and producers, dispenses with the strings, horns, and dashing charm, and dishes out sleaze by the bucket over modern backdrops that slink and whir. 
All the material is slow and mostly pared down, made to maximize space for his still generous supply of hooks and outlandish lines. 
However, it's sleepy more often than it is seductive -- ironically less youthful than his two previous albums. Even when Kelly brags about back breaking and promises to "beat that pussy 'til it's blue," there's not much evidence of fresh creativity or exertion. 
That doesn't mean that Kelly never throws it into overdrive. Awestruck lines like "And if I'm ever in the mood for two pussies, then a pussy will bring another pussy to me" allow "Marry the Pu**y" to eclipse Jaheim's "P**** Appreciation Day" and the-Dream's "P*ssy" as 2013's most extreme ode to tubular tracts. The sinister boom-and-twinkle of "Cookie," mostly about servicing, would probably place fourth. It's not all filth. 
"You Deserve Better," a winding and atmospheric ballad, is typically materialistic but sweet; this time, when he sings about cracking lobster, it's in reference to dining, not his woman's back. The low-slung "My Story" is a bit debauched but details his rise to fame. 
"Right Back," among the deepest and most bittersweet songs in the man's catalog, expresses gratitude to close friends. 
At one point in the album, Kelly even proclaims "We ain't even gotta touch," though that leads to "All I wanna do is throw this money on you," which leads to "We gon' fuck around and make a baby in this room." Occasional resemblances to Drake and the-Dream are as blatant as the Isley Brothers and Michael Jackson exercises of Write Me Back. 
The similarities are so obvious that it's tough to discern if Kelly is acknowledging his younger followers, aiming to beat them at their game, or both. Perhaps he's just a little short on new ideas. 


Track listing

1. "Legs Shakin'" (featuring Ludacris) - 4:26 
2. "Cookie" - 3:45 
3. "Throw This Money on You" - 3:40 
4. "Prelude" - 3:11 
5. "Marry the Pussy" - 4:14 
6. "You Deserve Better" - 3:51 
7. "Genius" - 3:59 
8. "All the Way" (featuring Kelly Rowland) - 3:49 
9. "My Story" (featuring 2 Chainz) - 4:26 
10. "Right Back" - 3:26 
11. "Spend That" (featuring Young Jeezy) - 3:42 
12. "Crazy Sex" - 2:37 
13. "Shut Up" - 4:03 
 
Deluxe version (bonus tracks)
14. "Tear It Up" (featuring Future) - 3:41 
15. "Show Ya Pussy" (featuring Migos & Juicy J) - 3:37 
16. "Physical" - 4:16 
17. "Every Position" - 3:26 


Personnel

Notes
Released:  December 6, 2013 
Recorded:  2011–13 
Recording Location: Chalice Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Patchwerk Studios, Atlanta, GA. The Chocolate Factory, Chicago, IL, The Ludaplex, Atlanta, GA 
Genre:  R&B, hip hop
Length:  64:10 

Label - RCA Records
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December 27, 2020

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

To Pimp a Butterfly is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the United States, with production from Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Taz "Tisa" Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1da, Knxwledge, and several other high-profile hip hop producers, as well as executive production from Dr. Dre and Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Guest appearances include Thundercat, George Clinton, Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, and Rapsody.

The music of To Pimp a Butterfly incorporates a variety of styles from traditional African-American music, including jazz, funk, soul, spoken word, and avant-garde. Lyrically, it features political commentary and personal themes concerning African-American culture, racial inequality, depression, and institutional discrimination. This thematic direction was inspired by Lamar's tour of historic sites during his visit to South Africa, such as Nelson Mandela's jail cell on Robben Island.

To Pimp a Butterfly sold 324,000 copies in the US in its first week of release, earning a chart debut at number one on the US Billboard 200, while also becoming Lamar's first number-one album in the UK. It was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold one million copies in the US by 2017. Five singles were released in promotion of the album, including the top 40 hit "I". Lamar also supported the album with the Kunta's Groove Sessions Tour from late 2015 to early 2016.

The album received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its musical scope and the social relevance of Lamar's lyrics. It earned Lamar seven nominations at the 2016 Grammy Awards, including a win for Best Rap Album and an Album of the Year nomination. He received four additional nominations for other collaborations from that year, receiving a total of 11 Grammy nominations, which was the most nominations for any rapper in a single night. The most acclaimed album of 2015 and the 2010s, it topped The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop poll of American critics nationwide, and was also ranked as the best album of 2015 by many other publications. In the years following its release, several publications named To Pimp a Butterfly one of the best albums of the decade; in 2020, the album was ranked 19th on Rolling Stone's updated list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 


Track listing

1.  Wesley's Theory   (Featuring – George Clinton, Thundercat) - 4:47  
2.  For Free? (Interlude) - 2:10  
3.  King Kunta - 3:54  
4.  Institutionalized   (Featuring – Anna Wise, Bilal, Snoop Dogg) - 4:31  
5.  These Walls   (Featuring – Anna Wise, Bilal, Thundercat) - 5:00  
6.  U - 4:28  
7.  Alright - 3:39  
8.  For Sale? (Interlude) - 4:51  
9.  Momma - 4:43  
10.  Hood Politics - 4:52  
11.  How Much a Dollar Cost   (Featuring – James Fauntleroy II, Ronald Isley) - 4:21  
12.  Complexion (A Zulu Love)   (Featuring – Rapsody) - 4:23  
13.  The Blacker the Berry   (Featuring – Assassin, Lalah Hathaway) - 5:28  
14.  You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said) - 4:01  
15.  I - 5:36  
16.  Mortal Man - 12:07  


Sample credits


Personnel
  • Kendrick Lamar – vocals; art direction
  • George Clinton – vocals (track 1)
  • Thundercat – vocals (tracks 1, 5); background vocals (tracks 7, 12, 14); bass (tracks 3, 13, 15, 16); additional bass (track 5); producer (tracks 10, 12); additional production (track 1)
  • Anna Wise – vocals (tracks 4, 5); backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 10)
  • Bilal – vocals (tracks 4, 5); backing vocals (6, 8–10)
  • Snoop Dogg – vocals (track 4)
  • James Fauntleroy – vocals (track 11); background vocals (track 16)
  • Ronald Isley – vocals (track 11); additional vocals (track 15)
  • Rapsody – vocals (track 12)
  • Flying Lotus – producer (track 1)
  • Ronald "Flippa" Colson – producer (track 1)
  • Sounwave – producer (tracks 3, 7, 10, 12, 16); additional production (tracks 1, 5, 6, 8, 10); keyboards (track 14); string arrangements
  • Terrace Martin – alto saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 6–9, 11, 13, 14, 16); horns (track 1); keyboards (tracks 5, 6, 8–12); producer (tracks 2, 5); additional production (tracks 3, 8, 12, 13); vocoder (tracks 9, 14); string arrangements
  • Rahki – producer (tracks 4, 15); percussion (track 15)
  • Fredrik "Tommy Black" Halldin – producer (track 4)
  • Larrance Dopson – percussion (tracks 5, 11–14); keyboards, producer (track 5)
  • Taz Arnold aka Tisa – background vocals (tracks 4, 8, 9, 15); producer (tracks 6, 8)
  • Whoarei – producer (track 6)
  • Pharrell Williams – producer, vocals (track 7)
  • Knxwledge – producer (track 9)
  • Tae Beast – producer (track 10)
  • Lovedragon – producer (tracks 11, 14)
  • Boi-1da – producer (track 13)
  • KOZ – producer (track 13)
  • Dr. Dre – executive producer; background vocals (track 1)
  • James Hunt – engineer (tracks 1–7, 13–16); mix assistant
  • Derek "MixedByAli" Ali – engineer (tracks 1–6, 8–16), mixer
  • Katalyst – additional drum programming, additional engineering (track 13)
  • Mike Bozzi – mastering engineer
  • Ash Riser – background vocals (track 1)
  • Josef Leimberg – trumpet (tracks 1, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16), vocals (track 1)
  • Whitney Alford – background vocals (tracks 1, 3)
  • Robert Sput Searight – drums (track 2); keyboards (track 10)
  • Robert Glasper – piano (track 2); keyboards (tracks 5, 12, 13, 16)
  • Brandon Owens – bass (tracks 2, 16)
  • Craig Brockman – organ (track 2)
  • Marlon Williams – guitar (tracks 2, 5, 6, 11, 14, 16); additional guitar (track 3)
  • Darlene Tibbs – background vocals (track 2)
  • Matt Schaeffer – additional guitar (track 3); engineer (tracks 3, 6, 11–16)
  • Sam Barsh – keyboards (tracks 4, 15)
  • Pedro Castro – clarinet (track 4)
  • Gabriel Noel – cello (track 4), upright bass (track 11)
  • Paul Cartwright – violin (tracks 4, 11, 16)
  • Gregory Moore – guitar (track 5)
  • Kamasi Washington – tenor saxophone (track 6); string arrangements
  • Adam Turchan – baritone saxophone (track 6)
  • Jessica Vielmas – background vocals (track 6)
  • SZA – background vocals (tracks 6, 8)
  • Candace Wakefield – background vocals (tracks 7, 15)
  • Preston Harris – background vocals (tracks 8, 10, 14)
  • Lalah Hathaway – background vocals (tracks 9, 12, 13)
  • Dion Friley – background vocals (tracks 10, 15)
  • Talkbox Monte – background vocals (track 12)
  • JaVonté – background vocals (tracks 12, 14, 16)
  • Pete Rock – background vocals/scratches (track 12)
  • Ronald Bruner Jr. – drums (track 13)
  • Wyann Vaughn – background vocals (track 14)
  • Keith Askey – guitar (track 15)
  • Kendall Lewis – drums (track 15)
  • Chris Smith – bass (track 15)
  • William Sweat – background vocals (track 15)
  • Devon Downing – background vocals (track 15)
  • Edwin Orellana – background vocals (track 15)
  • Dave Free – background vocals (track 15)
  • Junius Bervine – keyboards (track 16)
  • Ambrose Akinmusire – trumpet (track 16)

Notes
Released:  March 15, 2015 
Recorded:  Studio Chalice (Hollywood), Downtown (New York), House (Washington, D.C.), Notifi (St. Louis), No Excuses (Santa Monica)
Genre:  Conscious hip hop, jazz rap, experimental hip hop, G-funk, neo soul
Length:  78:51 

Label - TDE / Aftermath /Interscope

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Kane - Come Together (2012)

Na drie jaar wachten volgt in november 2012 het zesde studioalbum van de Haagse band Kane. 
Vooraf aan het album, zijn er wat wijzigingen in de band bezetting, maar dit laat zich niet horen op de slechts negen nummers tellende plaat. 
Op Come Together laat Kane zich 35 minuten lang van zijn meest toegankelijke zijde horen, met aanstekelijke en meeslepende poprockliedjes. 
Under Atomic Skies, Come Together en I Love This City zijn geknipt voor het stadion en kunnen zo op single, net als de ballad Something Good. 
In First Crash Overthrow en This Is Not The End Of The World gaat Kane muzikaal op avontuur, maar ook dit soort songs happen op dit mede door Reyn Ouwehand geproduceerde album lekker weg. 
In de wereld van Kane is Come Together de ultieme popplaat, in onze wereld in elk geval hun lekkerste. Je kunt zeggen van ze wat je wilt, maar Dinand Woesthoff en Dennis van Leeuwen lopen opnieuw op het randje en daarvoor verdienen ze respect.

De eerste single 'Come Together' geeft direct een goed beeld van de plaat, waarbij volgens de band zelf 'positiviteit' centraal staat. En gezegd kan worden, dat dit ook terug te horen is in de nummers, waaronder ook de tweede single 'I Love This City' en wellicht een nog volgende single 'What Doen't Kill You Makes You Stronger'. 

De openingstrack 'Under Atomic Skies' leent zich goed voor een concertopener. Het nummer begint met een mysterieus intro, waarna een bombastisch nummer volgt, waarbij de opera klanken van Tania Kross een extra dimensie aan het nummer geven.

Het album luistert lekker weg, waarin een verfrissende sound, met toch herkenbare Kane geluiden is terug te horen. Het album biedt ook zeker enkele nummers, welke zich perfect lenen om live een klassieker te worden. 


Track list

1.  Under Atomic Skies  (4:51) 
2.  Come Together  (3:40)  
3.  Something Good  (2:36) 
4.  I Love This City  (3:23) 
5.  First Crash Overthrow  (3:36) 
6.  What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger  (4:11) 
7.  This Is Not the End of the World  (3:34) 
8.  Don't Wake Up Dead  (4:33) 
9.  Tracks of Empire  (4:15) 


Companies, etc.

Credits
  • Music By, Lyrics By – D. Woesthoff
  • Dinand Woesthoff - Vocals
  • Dennis van Leeuwen - Guitar
  • Robin Berlin - Guitar

Notes
Release: 2012
Genre:  Rock
Tijdsduur:  34:39

Label - Universal Music
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December 26, 2020

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979)

Unknown Pleasures is the debut studio album by English rock band Joy Division, released on 15 June 1979 by Factory Records.
The album was recorded and mixed over three successive weekends at Stockport's Strawberry Studios in April 1979, and was produced by Martin Hannett, who incorporated a number of unconventional production techniques into the group's sound. The cover artwork was designed by artist Peter Saville, using a data plot of signals from a radio pulsar. 
It is the only Joy Division album released during lead singer Ian Curtis's lifetime.

It even looks like something classic, beyond its time or place of origin even as it was a clear product of both -- one of Peter Saville's earliest and best designs, a transcription of a signal showing a star going nova, on a black embossed sleeve. 
If that were all Unknown Pleasures was, it wouldn't be discussed so much, but the ten songs inside, quite simply, are stone-cold landmarks, the whole album a monument to passion, energy, and cathartic despair. 
The quantum leap from the earliest thrashy singles to Unknown Pleasures can be heard through every note, with Martin Hannett's deservedly famous production -- emphasizing space in the most revelatory way since the dawn of dub -- as much a hallmark as the music itself. 
Songs fade in behind furtive noises of motion and activity, glass breaks with the force and clarity of doom, and minimal keyboard lines add to an air of looming disaster -- something, somehow, seems to wait or lurk beyond the edge of hearing. But even though this is Hannett's album as much as anyone's, the songs and performances are the true key. Bernard Sumner redefined heavy metal sludge as chilling feedback fear and explosive energy, Peter Hook's instantly recognizable bass work was at once warm and forbidding, and Stephen Morris' drumming smacked through the speakers above all else. 
Ian Curtis synthesizes and purifies every last impulse, his voice shot through with the desire first and foremost to connect, only connect -- as "Candidate" plaintively states, "I tried to get to you/You treat me like this." Pick any song: the nervous death dance of "She's Lost Control"; the harrowing call for release "New Dawn Fades," all four members in perfect sync; the romance in hell of "Shadowplay"; "Insight" and its nervous drive toward some sort of apocalypse. 
All visceral, all emotional, all theatrical, all perfect -- one of the best albums ever. 


Side one
1. "Disorder" - 3:36 
2. "Day of the Lords" - 4:48 
3. "Candidate" - 3:05 
4. "Insight" - 4:30 
5. "New Dawn Fades" - 4:48 

Side two
1. "She's Lost Control" - 3:56 
2. "Shadowplay" - 3:54 
3. "Wilderness" - 2:38 
4. "Interzone" - 2:16 
5. "I Remember Nothing" - 5:53 

All tracks are written by Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner.


Joy Division

Production


Companies, etc.

Notes
Released: 15 June 1979 
Recorded: April 1979 Studio Strawberry, Stockport 
Genre:  Post-punk 
Length: 39:28 

Label - Factory Records
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Volbeat - Live From Beyond /Above Heaven (2011)

Volbeat are a Danish rock band formed in Copenhagen in 2001. They play a fusion of rock and roll, heavy metal and rockabilly. Their current line-up consists of vocalist and guitarist Michael Poulsen, guitarist Rob Caggiano, drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen.

Danish rockabilly rockers [band]Volbeat/band] were on a roll come 2010; coming off a run of strong records, they would propel their careers even further with their next record, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven, which saw the group reaching ever greater heights and one you can't help but crane your neck to see. Featuring some of their strongest and msot diverse music to date, this is the album you need to hear by the band should their sound intrigue you.

Benefitting from a unique place in their career, finding the group cementing and gaining attention for their unique style while still pushing the boundaries and experimenting without the apparent sense of expectation weighing on the band on future releases. This level of freedom and non-restraint sees the band take risks and utilize elements that benefit the record, giving it diverse flavours and tracks a distinct sound that makes Volbeat the band they are today.

Volbeat are able to move between these different styles with ease, either between standalone tracks or within tracks that weave these elements into one song. Some examples include the mixture of metal and melody on tracks like "Who They Are" and "Evelyn", the latter featuring Napalm Death's Greenway on vocals; both songs will kick your ass but then make you sing along at the same time. Other songs see the band go from country stylings into a metallic rocker ala "7 Shots" featuring Kreator's Petrozza and Mercyful Fate's Denner.

I am sceptical when it comes to guest appearances on albums, as oftentimes they feel like a gimmick or they never live up to expectations, so given Beyond Heaven/Above Hell features five such appearances, to say I was wary was an understatement. However, in addition to the three aforementioned guests, you also have Henrik Hall and Jakob Øelund, who all add something to the tracks without diverting attention from the songs, leaving you with an album that benefits from the guest inclusions. Hall's harmonica on "Heaven Nor Hell" and Øelund's slap bass on "16 Dollars" are particular highlights of the tracks and fit them perfectly, to the point that if they were removed from the songs they would lose a lot of their charm and interest.

In line with such a diverse set of guests is the music, which ranges from rockabilly, to country, pseudo-death metal and straight up rockers, this variety being one of the strengths of Beyond Hell/Above Hell. Each track retains the band's identity while also branching out into different directions. Add into this mix that some of these tracks rank among some of the band's best work then you have an album that will stick in your head long after you last gave it a spin.

"Heaven Nor Hell" has to be my favourite song by the band by a country mile; taking its bluesy cue from Clutch while remaining distinctly Volbeat, it is telling that a metal band's best work is a blues track. In addition to this is "16 Dollars", which is an upbeat rockabilly track that will have you tapping your feet while swaying your head along to the beat; it makes for a lethal combination with a few beers as you fail to keep up with Poulson's fast-paced delivery and you gibber aloud. Of course, being a rock/metal band, the album isn't bereft of high points from their bread and butter, with songs like "Who They Are" and "A Better Believer" showing the band didn't abandon their roots as they were experimenting and could still get you to bang your head.

The overarching tone of the album balances these disparate sounds while maintaining a central identity that flows throughout each track and ensures you could recognise who was playing on the radio should one track be playing in isolation off the album. Hansen does well at ensuring all these different elements are harnessed and not allowed to shoot off in a hundred different directions, resulting in the muddled mess that these songs could have easily become. This is done mainly via the guitar tone, having a blend of bite and blues that merges the rockabilly and metal roots of the band and sustains this fusion through each track.

The record does have its weaker tracks, which is to be expected; though they don't damage the album, they serve to mean the album can't be considered a flawless success. "Magic Zone" is a good track but feelslike the runt of the pack; while it isn't bad, it is a more formulaic and uninspired interpretation of the band's style. Add to this "Evelyn", which has a generic sound that doesn't live up to the talent on the track; both the band and Greenway are putting effort into it, but the song just doesn't work.

This is the album that introduced me to Volbeat and has had me hooked since; though the band haven't matched the quality on this album, it is only for the band being in the right place and the right time with their talent that they were able to create an album such as this. Beyond Heaven/Above Hell is an album that will refresh your sonic palette and stick in your brain for years to come.


Track listing

      Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark November 19th, 2010  
1.  Intro - 0:48  
2.  The Mirror And The Ripper - 4:02  
3.  Maynellene I Hofteholder - 3:26  
4.  16 Dollars - 3:05  
5.  Heaven Nor Hell - 5:39  
6.  Who The Are - 3:43  
7.  Evelyn (Vocals – L G Petrov) - 3:22  
8.  Sad Man's Tongue - 3:48  
9.  7 Shots (Vocals – Mille Petrozza) - 4:38  
10.  Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza / Boa - 4:08  
11.  A Warrior's Call (Vocals – Mikkel Kessler) - 4:32  
12.  The Garden's Tale (Vocals – Johan Olsen) - 6:27  
13.  Fallen - 5:42  
14.  Thanks - 5:10  
15.  The Human Instrument - 7:11  
       House Of Blues, Anaheim, California, US April 9th, 2010  
16.  Angelfuck (Vocals – Rob Caggiano) - 2:45  
17.  Still Counting - 4:59  
18.  I Only Wanna Be With You - 4:58


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Release:  2011
Recording Information:  Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark, House Of Blues, Anaheim, CA 
Genre:  Alternative Metal
Duration:  1:18:33

Label - Vertigo Records
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December 19, 2020

Sheila and B. Devotion ‎- King Of The World (1980)

Sheila and B. Devotion (also credited as Sheila B. Devotion, Sheila and the Black Devotion or S.B. Devotion) was a disco group fronted by French singer Sheila between 1977 and 1980. This formation briefly reached popularity in Europe and to a lesser extent in the US club circuit during the disco era. 
The group recorded two albums (Singin' in the Rain and King of the World) before dissolving in 1980 when Sheila returned to her solo career.

King of the World is the final album by French disco act Sheila and B. Devotion, released on June 27, 1980. 
The album which was both written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers of American R&B band Chic includes the hit "Spacer" which reached No. 18 on the UK charts in early 1980 and was a Top 10 hit in most of Europe, selling more than 5 million copies worldwide, and was twenty years later to be sampled by Swedish band Alcazar for their 2000 hit "Crying at the Discotheque" (No. 13 UK). 
The album displays some elements unusual in Chic productions, such as prominent guitar solos in place of the breakdowns that were normally a staple part of the Chic sound, and some unusual lyrical subject matter, such as the sci-fi themed "Spacer" and a humorous song about credit cards. 


Track listing

A1. "Spacer" - 6:15
A2. "Mayday" - 3:44
A3. "Charge Plates and Credit Cards" - 4:26
A4. "Misery" - 3:02

B1. "King of the World" - 4:37
B2. "Cover Girls" - 3:17
B3. "Your Love Is Good" - 4:38
B4. "Don't Go" - 4:32

All tracks written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers


Personnel

Production

Notes
Released:  June 27, 1980 
Recorded:  1979 
Genre:  Disco / Funk  
Length: 34:31 

Label - Carrere Records
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December 18, 2020

Dee Dee Sharp Gamble - Dee Dee (1980)

Dee Dee Sharp (born Dione LaRue, September 9, 1945, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American R&B singer, who began her career recording as a backing vocalist in 1961. 

A backing vocalist for the Cameo -Parkway labels, Dee Dee Sharp was the uncredited voice on Chubby Checker’s ‘Slow Twistin’’ single. Her own debut, ‘Mashed Potato Time’, was recorded at the same session and, thanks to the power of Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television show, this energetic, exciting song became an immediate success. 
Cameo sadly chose to milk its dance-based appeal and releases such as ‘Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)’ and ‘Do The Bird’ packaged her as a temporary novelty act at the expense of an untapped potential. Dee Dee resurfaced in the 70s on the TSOP/ Philadelphia International labels.

In 1967, she married record producer and Philadelphia International co-founder Kenny Gamble and recorded under the name Dee Dee Sharp-Gamble until their divorce in 1980. 

The album "Dee Dee" which came out in the early 80's to great reviews but no radio support which was hard to figure out because so many of these incredible tracks could have been huge "hit's" with any airplay at all!! Dee Dee's duet with legendary Jerry Butler "Everyday Affair" could be a hit today with single release...Jerry and Dee Dee are thrilling together and "Everyday Affair" stands up along with any of the greatest ever duets along with Dinah & Brook or Marvin & Tammi. 
"Dee Dee" has a number of great funky dance numbers which feature wild Dee Dee Sharp vocals which will make your head spin!! Awesome favorite on this great album is a ballad that builds to intense levels, "Invitation" is a smoldering and riveting scorcher that will give pleasure to anyone who loves great passionate vocals! 
"I Love You Anyway" is sultry and hypnotic and was a chart R&B hit that should have been a huge pop hit as well and would have if Top 40 would have given airplay!! Little wonder interest in music and sales have gone down when extraordinary talent like this gets strangely overlooked.
 DON'T MISS THIS ONE and with any luck this great singer will record once again as a great voice like Dee Dee Sharp's could only get better with age and what a joy it would be to hear a long overdue update from this great and talented wonder.  

Unhappy with record sales, she switched to Atco/Atlantic Records and later founded Gamble Records with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Over time she would also work with TSOP and Philadelphia International.


Track listing

A1. Breaking And Entering - 6:44  
A2. Let's Get This Party Started - 3:10  
A3. I Love You Anyway - 4:32  
A3. Easy Money - 4:04  

B1. Invitation - 5:36  
B2. Everyday Affair  (feat. Kenneth Gamble) - 4:06  
B3. If We're Gonna Stay Together - 4:00  
B4. See You Later - 3:47


Pesonnel
Dexter Wansel - Keyboards, Percussion, Synthesizer
Backing Vocals - Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, Dione Gamble, Evette Benton, Alice Echols, Keithen Carter, Mattie Butler, Pat Henley
Jimmy Williams - Bass
Ron Harris - Bass
Michael "Sugarbear" Foreman - Bass
Derrick Graves - Bass
Keith Benson - Drums
Steve Cobb - Drums
Charles Collins - Drums
Billy Johnson - Drums
Dennis Harris - Guitar
T. J. Tindall - Guitar
Byron Gregory - Guitar
Danny Leak - Guitar
James Herb Smith - Guitar
Paul David Wilson - Keyboards
Terry Fryer - Keyboards
David Cruse - Percussion
Geraldo Oliverin - Percussion
Larry Washington - Percussion
Michael Pedicin, Jr - Saxophone
Don Renaldo - Horns, Strings
John L. Usry, Jr. - Arranged By [Strings & Horns] 


Companies, etc.

Credits
  • Coordinator [A & R] – Jean Scott
  • Engineer [Chicago Recording Co.] – Hank Newberger
  • Engineer [Sigma Sound Studios] – Jim Gallagher, Joseph Tarsia 
  • Producer – Kenneth Gamble, Jerry Butler, Paul Wilson, Homer Talbert, Dexter Wansel, Phillip Terry, Paul David Wilson
  • Arranged By – Paul Wilson, Dexter Wansel

Notes
Released: 1980  
Genre:  Funk / Smooth Soul 
Length: 36:28 

Label - Philadelphia International Records
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