"Get Happy" by Elvis Costello (released 1980 - remaster 1994)
Elvis Costello stood alone as the best, brightest and most astoundingly prolific rock musician of 1977-1980. A perfect storm of clever lyrics and brilliant melodies allowed the "angry young man" personified to explode on the scene with the one-two punch of "My Aim Is True" and "This Year's Model" before producing the slightly less vitriolic but no less sensational "Armed Forces". Equal parts venom-spitting punk and new wave pop craftsman Costello and his band "The Attractions" were at the peak of their powers when they recorded "Get Happy". Inspired by Motown and Stax/Volt (Booker T & the MGs, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, etc...) the music features a hard soul sound with a strong backbeat and impassioned vocals. Things get off to a roof-shaking start with "Love For Tender" followed by 19 equally awe-inspiring tunes! There are rollicking keyboard workouts that feature Costello at his throat-shredding rawest including "I Stand Accused", the souped up Sam & Dave's "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down", "5ive Gears In Reverse" and the frenetic screamer "Beaten To The Punch". Steve Nieve's piano and Farfisa organ color every song masterfully! Listen to the punchy "The Imposter", hard-charging "King Horse", "Possession", poundingly glorious "High Fidelity" or the haunting "Riot Act" for a few examples. "Temptation" and the rolling melody of "New Amsterdam" are beautiful mid-tempo numbers. Costello's vocals convey every emotion to dramatic effect throughout the record. His rhythm guitar playing (no solos!) and the drums of Pete Thomas anchor the proceedings but the driving force for every song is the amazingly inventive bass lines of Bruce Thomas - Wow! These guys are like a fine tuned engine firing on all cylinders! The 1994 Rykodisc remaster includes 11 bonus tracks from the era including "Girls Talk" and "Getting Mighty Crowded", definitely worth seeking out.
"Seeds" by TV On The Radio (released 2014)
Known for their complex experimental synth/funk/art rock loaded with electronic beats, samples and loops (not what I would normally be attracted to) this release proves that great music is great music! Brooklyn's TV on the Radio had their breakout moment with 2008's "Dear Science" which topped many year end lists. This is the first release following the 2011 death of bassist Gerard Smith. The music reflects this loss with an emotional tension running throughout most of the songs. Dave Sitek's production piles on dense layers of percussion and synths while still providing an airy atmosphere allowing each tune to ebb and flow with emotional depth. "Quartz" welcomes you with a smooth electronic groove. "Careful You" sputters into a pretty melody before devolving into some cool electronically altered vocals at the finish. The dark pop catchiness of "Happy Idiot" was the perfect choice for the single. Tunde Adebimpe's distinctive voice shines on each tune here. Check out his effortless falsetto on the gorgeous "Test Pilot" or "Love Stained" for evidence. "Ride" features a pensive string/piano intro which builds to an anthemic chorus. "Right Now" has a vintage "World Party" pop vibe to it. "Winter" provides a change of pace with it's chugging guitar fuzz followed by the jittery punk buzz of "Lazerray"! "Trouble" and "Seeds" end the album on a note of quiet hope with the lyrics "Rain comes down like it always does, this time I've got seeds on ground." Teriffic songwriting, performance and production add up to one of my favorite albums of 2014 and one that grows more wonderful with each listen. Bonus cool points - The CD comes with a lenticular plastic sleeve that can be used to animate the cover and artwork found in the enclosed booklet!
