Each month I review a classic oldie from my collection along with a newer release that has caught my attention. Buy them all :)
"Pure Pop For Now People" by Nick Lowe (released 1978 - remaster "Jesus of Cool" 2008)
With the mid 70s musical charts dominated by the brain-numbing beat of disco it was becoming increasingly difficult to find straight ahead melodic rock music but if you scoured the import bin at your favorite record shop you found that not-so-merry old England was awash in a new wave of great music (Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Joe Jackson, The Clash, Sex Pistols) and a principal element at its nucleus was Nick Lowe. His debut album is loaded with sly lyrics, wry humor, wise-guy phrasing and most importantly clever pop tunes! The irresistible sparkling guitar bounce of "So It Goes" is a new wave primer. The stuttering rhythm on "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" counters the ironic disco pulse of the drums. Lowe is a music industry veteran by this time and mines this fertile ground (repeatedly) to bite the hand that feeds him on the thumping "Music for Money" and snarky "I Love my Label". Lyrics from the raucous "They Called it Rock" sum things up succinctly ("They went and cut the record, the record hit the charts. Someone in the newspaper said it was art...They cut another record, it never was a hit. Someone in the newspaper said it was shit.") "Nutted by Reality" begins in a Motown vein before transforming into a catchy melodic popper McCartney would envy. "Tonight" is a pretty ballad seemingly made for Eric Carmen & the Raspberries while the shimmering 12-string and sunny harmonies of "Little Hitler" echo the Beach Boys. "Rollers Show" manages to skewer the Bay City Roller teen scene while being every bit the equal of their hits. The brilliantly chiming "Marie Provost" recounts the death of a silent movie actress with typical Brit wit ("She was a winner that became a doggie's dinner") Closing with the relentlessly rocking "Heart of the City" this is a timeless album from a time when we needed it most. The 2008 remaster on YepRoc is beautifully packaged (it unfolds into a cross featuring Nick with his trusty Fender bass) and has ten essential bonus tracks! "Pure Pop For Now People" indeed!
With the mid 70s musical charts dominated by the brain-numbing beat of disco it was becoming increasingly difficult to find straight ahead melodic rock music but if you scoured the import bin at your favorite record shop you found that not-so-merry old England was awash in a new wave of great music (Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Joe Jackson, The Clash, Sex Pistols) and a principal element at its nucleus was Nick Lowe. His debut album is loaded with sly lyrics, wry humor, wise-guy phrasing and most importantly clever pop tunes! The irresistible sparkling guitar bounce of "So It Goes" is a new wave primer. The stuttering rhythm on "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" counters the ironic disco pulse of the drums. Lowe is a music industry veteran by this time and mines this fertile ground (repeatedly) to bite the hand that feeds him on the thumping "Music for Money" and snarky "I Love my Label". Lyrics from the raucous "They Called it Rock" sum things up succinctly ("They went and cut the record, the record hit the charts. Someone in the newspaper said it was art...They cut another record, it never was a hit. Someone in the newspaper said it was shit.") "Nutted by Reality" begins in a Motown vein before transforming into a catchy melodic popper McCartney would envy. "Tonight" is a pretty ballad seemingly made for Eric Carmen & the Raspberries while the shimmering 12-string and sunny harmonies of "Little Hitler" echo the Beach Boys. "Rollers Show" manages to skewer the Bay City Roller teen scene while being every bit the equal of their hits. The brilliantly chiming "Marie Provost" recounts the death of a silent movie actress with typical Brit wit ("She was a winner that became a doggie's dinner") Closing with the relentlessly rocking "Heart of the City" this is a timeless album from a time when we needed it most. The 2008 remaster on YepRoc is beautifully packaged (it unfolds into a cross featuring Nick with his trusty Fender bass) and has ten essential bonus tracks! "Pure Pop For Now People" indeed!
"Cheatahs" by Cheatahs (released 2014)
This album resides comfortably in the shoegaze genre (My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive, Swervedriver) which summons swirling effects-sodden guitars enveloping ribbons of hushed vocals in a melodic haze. When done well the results are rapturous and the Cheatahs do it oh so well! Led by songwriters Nathan Hewitt (guitar/vocals) and James Wignall (guitar) the London based quartet with Dean Reid (bass/keyboards/engineer) and Marc Rave (drums) have released singles and EPs leading up to this debut LP. Strong writing, excellent performances and sharp production bring every song to life (Shoegaze can be a fairly limiting style so this is no small achievement). "Geographic" is a rush of fuzzy psych rock followed by the hyper catchy "Northern Exposure" which is accented by a gorgeous chorus. "Mission Creep" projects a chillwave vibe amid the crash and pull of guitars before a beautiful instrumental fade. Which brings us to the album's zenith "The Swan". Guitars grab you instantly with a radiant riff and emphatic rhythm that never lets go while assembling hook after hook and culminating in a careening finish...stunning! Synths are often employed effectively to carry a melody or add textures to many tracks including "Cut the Grass" showcasing a feedback drenched middle section and "Loon Calls" bringing the album to a strong finish. In lesser hands shoegaze can become a boring sludgefest but Cheatahs create an opalescent whirlpool that carry the listener from shadow to light masterfully. Break out the headphones and get lost in the fuzzy luminescence of "Cheatahs"!
