Month: December 2019

Week Fifty-One: Eminem- Revival

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eminem-revival-cover

Here is the track-by-track review of his 9th studio album:

Walk on Water: 

Gone are the days (it appears, anyway) when Eminem would open his records with a sarcastic public address announcement for a short comedy skit. This record begins with a piano playing minor chords (To add to the sombre atmosphere.) and a soaring chorus sung by Beyoncé that one would find at a gospel Church congregation. The biggest surprise, though, is that he is talking in a severe manner on this track and even asks himself if, because of the albums that have gone before, has he pushed his levels too far and if he can still reach them. My theory behind this introduction is that maybe, he has heard and taken on board all the criticism of his material since his first three albums. Okay. Maybe, you haven’t heard of the debut album from 1996, “Infinite”? But you have heard of the albums that set him onto the world stage. “the Slim Shady LP” from 1999 and “the Marshall Mathers LP” that followed it in 2000. Whether he or you like to admit it or not, those albums propelled him and made you pay attention to what he had to say, no matter how controversial. Indeed, even in the second verse, he mentions that after”the Marshall Mathers LP” and feels that, although initially, he is pleased with his material, it just doesn’t surpass nor match the work of his third album. He sounds discouraged and concedes that the records after his third album are just “garbage”. Rick Rubin is the Producer chosen for this project, and already, you can hear this album is more Johnny Cash sounding than his Beastie Boys work. Despite this, Em doesn’t seem too bothered about it and continues to the Johnny Cash-inspired production. Then, at the end of the track, Em seems to have adopted his “Fuck you” attitude and bellows “, Me and you are not alike, Bitch, I wrote ‘Stan’!”.

Believe: 

So…We have discovered at the end of “Walk on Water”, we have found that Eminem is now ready to go to war on this record, despite feeling downcast and being his own worst enemy for most of the opening track. This track, however, is sad and tragic. It sounds like a rapper approaching his 50s trying to appeal to the children who listen to the singles chart in the now, but he still raps with the thug in him and talks controversially about politics. Despite the contemporary feel of the music, this song’s controversial topics remind me of “the Way I am”. However, he mentions how he enjoyed the chase in his younger days, but now he is older, he finds it hard to remain hungry because that chase is no longer his priority, and he has achieved a lot thus far. Plus, he is now financially set up for life. The same goes for most songwriters and artists once they have passed that point. Let’s hope the Eminem of the late90s and early 2000s remains on this record, though.

Chloraseptic: 

This is Eminem at his finest, and he even brings along rap battle MC in the shape of Brooklyn’s, Phresher, who has said that Eminem wanted him on this track because it is “Raw as fuck”. Indeed, Eminem rolls back the years and, you can hear signs of “Guilty Conscience”, “Criminal”, “Kill You”, to name three ultra-violent tracks. Indeed, the fucking nutcase adopts his Slim Shady persona to perfection as he gives a detailed account of how he will kill you with your book of shit rhymes by ripping off the wire. An old friend, Kon Artis from Eminem’s group, D-12, features on production.

Untouchable: 

Fucking hell, he isn’t playing on this record. This is Eminem wilin’ out. This time the subject is the state of American politics; in this six-minute scolding track, he uses characters. For the first three minutes, he takes on the persona of a racist white police officer, explaining how he targets black individuals and abuses his authority to terrorise black communities. The beat used for this persona is very guitar-based. Then the final three minutes switch to a moody piano loop, where he raps with the persona of a modern-day black American and how he feels about himself and his community being targeted because of their skin colour. Eminem plays this role brilliantly as he launches scathing attacks on police brutality, segregation, employment discrimination and the hypocrisy about America being ‘the land of the free’. Em proceeds to attack the current president and his party without mercy. Indeed, he may have lost some fans and upset fellow musicians in the process, but does he give a fuck? I very much doubt it. Em always falls on his sword and fuck what you think while flipping the bird in your direction, either metaphorically or physically.

River: 

Emile Hayne produced the track and was a case of the featured artist, Ed Sheeran, who recorded most of the track on a trip to Australia in March 2016 on Russell Crowe’s farm. Ed plays his trademark instrument, the guitar, then the drums and the piano. When Ed finished recording the track, he sent it off to Eminem and didn’t receive a reply

or any form of communication for several months. Once he did, the final product depicts Ed playing the persona of a liar and a cheat, which is then followed by Eminem talking about taking advantage of a Woman, using her for a one-night stand, and regretting the fact it happened, because he never wanted her in the first place, but is being consumed his guilt.

Remind Me (Intro): 

God knows why this couldn’t have been included in the following main track. It is a short 27-second introduction to the entire track as follows. We hear drums, an angelic choir, and Em talking about how a girl makes him do things he wouldn’t normally do. The track ends with some short scratching by a DJ.

Remind Me: 

This track uses a sample of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock & Roll”. Does it still make sense that the short intro was used, as the main track is rock-based? No, not really. In this track, Slim Shady reappears as he hits on a Woman with a big arse and big fake boobs, but this time, Slim Shady is a lot more polite as he does, rather than resorting to his usual upfront misogynistic and sadistic frame of mind. The track is more comedic than the typical psychotic type of tracks his alter-ego is known for.

Revival (Interlude): 

Ah, for fuck’s sake. We finally get to the title track, and it is nothing but a pointless interlude. Remember what I said in my previous article? I can’t stand these: pointless throwaways where a track that wasn’t selected could have been given another chance. Over a piano riff reminiscent of Adele’s “Someone Like You”, we can hear a female voice singing about rising from the ashes. The female vocalist Regina Spektor gave a short sample of her “Human of the Year” track. Wonderfully sung, but still a very pointless interlude.

Like Home: 

Remember when Eminem used to attack homosexuals during the early part of his career? On this track, he stands up for them and supports their inclusion and transgender in the United States military. Once again, he proceeds to attack the current president, and this time, he takes it further than his policies and goes after the president’s physical appearance, saying that he looks like a canary with a beak. He accuses the president of watching Fox News and constantly repeating himself and how he uses Twitter to make political decisions that must be addressed in the Senate or the White House. He also laments about the appearance of the current president in the “Shady Convention” mock political video, which was used to promote Em’s Shade45 satellite channel. He says that he wished he had never included Donald Trump in the video and should have had the foresight to know that he was about to tear apart the values that America stand for. Em still believes that America is the greatest country to reside in and the people need to combat what is happening in the current climate. Although, he thinks the current President doesn’t give a fuck about the people and that there are more than enough people in America against the president’s policies and can rebel against the system. Alicia Keys features.

Bad Husband: 

The title says it all. Em talks in depth about his explosive relationship with ex-wife Kim Scott (Who he has aimed at on several albums. The worst is “Love the Way You Lie”, where he sets the house on fire in the video with Kim in it. Although, he has done far worse lyrically on many of his albums.) and their daughter, Hailie. The song structure sees Em rap to both of them on alternating verses, first of all in an aggressive manner and then in an apologetic tone, where he regrets using them and airing his family disagreements in the media. He also mentions that despite their dysfunctional and violent relationship, it hurt him badly when he divorced and walked away from Kim. Indeed, he compared it to sawing off a body limb—X Ambassadors feature on this melancholic track of conflict and reconciliation.

Tragic Endings: 

This remains on the previous track’s subject of Eminem’s strained relationship with ex-wife Kim. He talks about how he still finds it hard to cope with their divorce, and the feelings remain. Even though he would prefer they got back together, he knows that Kim would hate for him to find happiness with her or someone else and takes great pleasure in watching him suffer after the way it all ended. Frequent collaborator Skylar Grey features on this (She also wrote the opening track on this record.). Her writing is consubstantial with Em to let the listener know how Em feels/felt about their troubled relationship. This line sung by Sklyar sums up the relationship entirely “I’m dying to breathe, and all you do is strangle me. What a relief.” A very powerful message that tells you what that relationship was like. Kim prayed for Em to kill her to set her free. Luckily, it never came to that, but that line alone is enough to tell the story.

Framed: 

Ah, this is once again the real Slim Shady standing up (No awful pun intended.) Remember “97 Bonnie & Clyde” from the 1999 album “the Slim Shady LP”? This track follows that same route, as Slim Shady explains how to kill someone and get away with it in extreme detail while he takes the production back to those days with guitar licks and a repetitive drum loop. He mentions that when killing females, you better wear three layers of clothing, or you will not succeed and end up facing life imprisonment or life on death row as it is in America. Once again, Donald Trump has shots fired at him as Slim Shady has his daughter Ivanka in his boot but has no recollection of how she ended up there (More than likely dead, I presume, as this is Slim Shady.). The track ends in denial, with Slim Shady half-heartedly saying how the missing person was nothing to do with him and that he was, well…framed.

Nowhere Fast: 

Em seems to adopt his alter-ego more as the record goes on. On this fast-paced string section track, he goes after other rappers (No names mentioned at all.) and says that despite his age, he is far from finished in the game and arrogantly expresses that he is better now than when he was at the peak of his powers. He believes he is just starting to reach his prime, and all the youngsters in the modern era are easy prey for him. Kehlani accompanies him and sings about living the fast life and dying young. Something that Eminem somehow managed to avoid. Yes, he lived a fast life, but how he didn’t die young, either through family members, psychotic fans, drug addiction, or his controversial views, is just a mystery.

Heat: 

I was quite shocked on this track because he managed to find common ground with the current president rather than attacking him relentlessly, which has been the central theme of this record. Albeit only for a short time. He talks about grabbing Women by their pussies and agrees with Donald, but that’s it. That is the only time he is mentioned on the track after that. He pays homage to producer Rick Rubin but in a humourous way. He says the female at the song’s centre is hot enough to melt Rick’s beat. Rick’s production on this sees him return to DJ scratching and guitar distortion that served him well on “the Marshall Mathers LP 2” track “Berserk”. The sample used is the introduction featured on the film soundtrack to Boogie Nights (Hence the title “Heat”.) The track even ends with a brief dialogue from Mark Wahlberg’s character.

Offended: 

This track is an intent by him to get into the Guinness Book of World Records in terms of the numerous syllables used and the ferocious speed of the verses. And once again, he is not afraid to talk about controversial matters going after R. Kelly, Donald Trump, his daughter Ivanka and the first lady, Melania. This is Eminem from those early albums, which made people and subjects the target of his songs, and fuck the consequences. Indeed, he is still angry that the current president hasn’t acknowledged his diss about him at the BET Awards. He talks about attacking Ivanka while he hits on Melania to rile the president into responding. Em even takes a moment to show respect to Illa da Producer, who made this saying that the drums and hard snares bring out the worst in him.

Need Me: 

I loved the collaboration on P!nk’s “Revenge” on her latest album “Beautiful Trauma”. We saw Eminem at his most hateful and P!nk following suit. Alex da Kid is again on production as he is on most of the record with Rick Rubin (Illa da Producer, not much.). On this power ballad, his percussion is accompanied by P!nk’s two verses and a chorus before Eminem comes in. The biggest surprise is that he gradually harmonises over her second verse. I can’t recall any track where he does this when collaborating with female singers. This track has a waltz feel where he goes mad about being in a dysfunctional relationship and how she reminds him of his mother, yet they are made for each other.

In Your Head: 

I never saw this coming, but a sample of the Cranberries’ 1994 hit “Zombie” is used and remains underneath the beat throughout. This track features a producer yet to appear, MC/Producer Scram Jones from New York. You might not know the name per sé, but you know his work. He has been working with Ghostface Killah and Jadakiss since the turn of the century, and this is his debut production with Em. Em references previous album comparisons and how maybe after so many wrong decisions in his career, he should have called it a day after his 2010 album “Recovery”? Which saw the Eminem we all became fans of re-emerging from his cheesy pop slumber. Let’s face it who liked songs like “Without Me” and “Lose it”? Utter Pop-friendly shite.

Castle: 

This one reminds me of “Stan”. You can hear the pencil writing on the paper in the sound effects, but indeed, he is also delivering the verses like, he is writing a letter. Rather than adopting a psychotic and obsessed fan, he plays himself and writes a letter to his daughter, Hailie. The first letter is written before her birth in 1995 (Echoing 2Pac’s “Letter to My Unborn Child” premise.), the second a year after her birth (Again, repeating 2Pac/Makaveli tha Don’s “Words to My First Born”.) and third on her 12th birthday. Hailie was twelve in 2007, a year that you would think he would want to forget as he was gradually slipping into darkness after an overdose of methadone almost saw him die. Still, he decides to sign off the letter as he would have done if he did write the final letter after overdosing and saying goodbye. You could say pretty much a suicide note included. Skylar Grey features.

Arose: 

The final track uses a loop taken from the title track of Bette Midler’s 1979 album (She also starred in the film.). This track is a continuation of the narrative of the previous track. Em talks candidly about that overdose addressing his family and former D12 member, Proof, whom he was close with until his demise in 2006. Em says that the death of Proof was the catalyst for his world falling apart the following year. Returning to the continuation of “Castle”, the third verse features on this track and as the track ends without warning. This time, however, it has been altered. Em throws the methadone down the toilet, complete with the sound effect of dawn and the toilet flushing.

Overall: 

This is the Eminem/Slim Shady I have missed for a decade. Save for the 2003 film “Eight Mile” soundtrack, loosely based on his early beginnings in the rap game. There hasn’t been much that has shown his controversial and, one might say, ‘Real’ side. I could not stand the utter cheese on his album after “the Marshall Mathers LP” up to “Recovery”. That’s a decade of shit music. He made me want to listen again after 2010’s “Recovery”. That Eminem, who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, re-emerged, and it was welcomed. I don’t care if he has rediscovered his controversial nature; that’s what he is to me. I prefer him to act like one of his idols 2Pac, rather than bowing down to the record executives and making chart-friendly hits. Fuck that. That isn’t Eminem, and it certainly isn’t his alter-ego Slim Shady, that’s for sure. This album was fucking brilliant.

I loved all the controversial topics featured and his targeting of popular figures who deserved it. I was a big fan of his first three records, and this harks back to those days for me. Although I have mentioned in previous articles that artists/bands are free to express themselves in any way they choose, it doesn’t really work for Em. Yes, it was nice for him to show his more vulnerable side on this album, but he did it in a way that didn’t use cheesy beats. Rick Rubin and Alex da Kid were amazing on production, along with Skylar Grey, Alicia Keys and Phresher as some of the collaborating artists. I look forward to what Eminem has on his 10th studio album. He’s made me restore my faith in him. 9/10

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Week Forty-Eight: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds- Who Built the Moon?

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Here is the track-by-track review of the third album:

Fort Knox:

 Noel has gone on record saying that this track was written for Kanye West, but he thought it was so good that he felt he deserved it more than Kanye. Anyway, the track has repeated lyrics and guitar chords, albeit when he starts repeating, “You’ve Gotta Get Yourself Together”. This track would be good as an introduction to the forthcoming concerts or great as an alarm clock (Although I doubt you would wake up to such smooth music.) I like the album after just one track and am pleased that David Holmes has sent Noel far out compared to the trademark Oasis-style wall of sound. Will Oasis fans who are narrow-minded like this? Probably not, but they’re fucking idiots, anyway. More on that in the overall review.

Holy Mountain: 

So, just like what was featured on “Riverman” from the sophomore record, “Chasing Yesterday” from 2015 (Yes, I said, “Sophomore”,. So fucking what? I’m writing this, not you.) We hear a horn section featuring. This is also the lead single used to promote the record. It’s a bit of bubble gum pop but is exceptionally catchy. You will get the chorus stuck into your head.

Keep on Reaching: 

David took Noel out of his comfort zone with this track with some soulful vocals followed by an instrumental section that could only be described as funk inspired. The beginning also features some excellent keyboards and a ballsy kick drum.

It’s a Beautiful World:

 It’s incredible what effects you can use in the studio. Because of the way sound effects are used to make his voice sound muffled, complete with reverb (Is that the word I’m looking for?), I am still waiting to hear this on the live version, in the warm-up concerts or on Later…with Jools Holland last month. Nonetheless, it still worked live. This track could be described as both cosmic pop and psychedelic. You have a breakdown section before the solo where the touring member, Charlotte, speaks in French (Noel had said that it was too late to change the spoken word when Charlotte informed him that she mentions the end of the world. Noel did not like that and would have preferred “It is not the end of the world” to tie in with the feel-good vibes of the record. Also, more on that later.) It is also worth noting she plays the scissors on this track (Yes, that’s correct. The scissors. Fucking mental!).

She Taught Me How to Fly: 

This track is a weird one for me. Although it isn’t my favourite, it certainly is one of my favourites. I love the lyrical content, and I fucking love playing it on the guitar. This ode to his wife, Sara, has a sound that is very close to New Order. Some may disagree, but this track could easily have been made for New Order. It has a bass style similar to that of New Order’s former bassist, Peter Hook. Noel has headed back to the Madchester days with this.

Be Careful What You Wish for: 

This track was written as a message to his three children on what to heed and learn from life as they grow older and more aware of the world. Again, this track is far out for Noel, and it is a continuous melody throughout, albeit with a slight change in the chorus. This is probably the most anti-anthem song he has done since “(Get Off Your)High Horse Lady” with Oasis on their final album from 2008, “Dig Out Yer Soul”. I have heard this song live, which is indeed a song that cools down the audience. I think he will only play this live for the children. The message conveyed is the preaching you would hear in Speakers’ Corner. If I recall correctly, he said this song was born after he walked through Speakers’ Corner in the summer of 2017.

Black & White Sunshine: 

This is my favourite off the record, but that changes every day. Albeit, this track remains at the forefront of my heart and mind. I love the message conveyed and the upbeat feel of the track. The vocals delivered with a punch the air passion. This is Noel’s “Fuck you” track for all those who want to bring evil to the world. Is this as close to the Oasis wall of sound on the album so far? Not for me. It is still a track that Noel would only sometimes do, although in some reviews I have read, they believe that to be the case. No matter what you might think, this track leaves me feeling optimistic and cheerful.

Interlude (Wednesday Part 1): 

Why, oh why, do artists/bands have these? Oasis was very guilty of having interludes, but they are nothing more but throwaway tracks chucked onto a record because, who the fuck knows? Utterly pointless. Just throw on a track that didn’t quite make the cut. At least, it will be a completed song. Noel has said that the interludes featured on the record are, indeed, songs that are uncompleted, that he may revisit at a later date. The song features acoustic guitar, drums and bass before being accompanied by synthesisers. Nothing much else to say.

If Love is the Law: 

The first track to feature another artist on the record in the shape of Noel’s good friend, Johnny Marr, who plays guitar and harmonica. This track has a Smiths sample (I think Johnny is playing “Hand in Glove” on the harmonica, I’m not entirely sure, but it’s definitely from a Smiths track.), so how appropriate Johnny features?

It is worth noting that Noel’s estranged younger brother, Liam co-wrote a song with a similar title with Chris Helme of the Seashorses (It went on to be a hit in 1997 and is one of the songs synonymous with the band.).

the Man Who Built the Moon: 

Wow. This is the title track, albeit the name is slightly changed. I love this track; it is majestic and features haunting keyboards, complete with lyrics that appear to be less of a song and more of Noel narrating a fable. This is very much a departure from Oasis, as I think the song could be used for a Science-Fiction film like Star Trek or some insane film about space by Steven Spielberg. The chorus is littered with horns, which adds to that whole feel about it.

End Credits (Wednesday Part 2): 

Ah, dear. Here we go again. Although it is an improvement from the first part, interludes do not belong on an album. The keyboards are very angelic, though. This is the end of the standard album, but I am reviewing the Deluxe edition, complete with the Japanese bonus track.

Dead in the Water: 

Well, those who yearn for Oasis will love this. This track was recorded off the cuff on air at Rté 2FM Studios in 2015 during an interview and short performance during the “Chasing Yesterday” tour. Is it wholly improvised, as Noel says at the end of the track as the presenter asks him? Well, I don’t believe him. It was far too polished to have been made up there and then, especially when you hear the keyboard solo by Mike Rowe. There’s no way Mike could have done that without getting a feel for the track. This song talks about Noel looking to hold onto a love that seems hard to recover. The standout line, apart from the whole chorus, is where he talks about having no money while looking at a photograph. Now, who can this be about? Because he had plenty of money when he met Sara. Is this Noel reaching out to someone in the past? Was it written for Louise in his Oasis days, and has it been given new life? Whoever it is about, it is very powerful lyrically and reminds me of the sort of song by the Smiths that would have inspired him to write this. This is classic Noel, though. Singing with a tint of melancholy in his voice and laying his soul bare.

God Help us All: 

This track features as the Japanese bonus track and was first discovered in 2007 from a studio session for, I don’t even know. It might have been “Dig Out Yer Soul”. This track was also played in a soundcheck during the ill-fated 2008/09 Tour for “Dig Out Yer Soul” during Noel’s last few years in Oasis. This song has kept much of those two versions, as you get the impression it was recorded in an empty theatre and sounded like a demo. There are rumours it was re-recorded during the “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds” studio sessions in 2010 and 2011 but wasn’t pursued to feature on the final track listing for the 2011 debut album. I forgot to mention that it also re-emerged on the “High Flying Birds” Tour of 2011/12 with a new verse featured on this recording. Anyway, he plays acoustic guitar while singing about what appears to be Armageddon.

Overall: 

It is no secret that it was, indeed, Noel who inspired me to write and pick up a guitar and several other instruments back in the mid-1990s. I also make no secret while everyone else preferred Liam at school, I aspired to be Noel and have been a fan of his from my very first listen to Oasis. Once again, Noel has proved why he is a tremendous songwriter. Even taking him out of his comfort zone while working mainly in David Holmes’ home studio, Noel has made it work. David got Noel listening to some rather obscure music and even got him to play instruments Noel tends to struggle with and would only dare play live once he has played them enough to feel comfortable with. Noel was originally very disheartened and didn’t believe working with David was the right decision. David would tell him time and time again to stop writing songs that sounded like Oasis. Indeed, for “the Man Who Built the Moon”, David got him to write out 26 choruses before he was satisfied with Noel’s 27th attempt. So..back to earlier, the Oasis fans, whom I have referred to as “fucking idiots”, are mainly what I like to call the “Supersonic 2016 Generation”. They appeared after the 2016 film and could not get past how Noel’s singles for this were totally different from Oasis material and therefore proceeded to bash it and generally be narrow-minded. An artist is free to express their music however they want. Something lost on these bunch of twats. Also, going back to another point earlier mentioned during “It’s a Beautiful World”, Noel has made a record that is very much upbeat and spits in the face of the evil people in the world who want to destroy the earth. He has even said that this record was about feeling great and upbeat and taking our minds off all the bad things we hear about in the mainstream media. I would love to score this album perfectly, but the interludes are where it falls down for me. It is also perfect, and even if you don’t get it after a few listens, it will grow on you. 9/10

Week Forty-Seven: Paloma Faith- the Architect

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This is her fourth record and opens with the words of actor Samuel L. Jackson on what appears to be a socially conscious album from Paloma. After the words from Samuel in the introduction, we go into the title track, and it has plenty of attitude and sets the tone for the rest of the album (Or so you would hope. Read on to find out. Or skip to the end. I don’t fucking care either way.) Although she stated that the album is “Socially conscious”, after the first three tracks, I am trying to figure out where that comes from. Because on “the Architect”, “Guilty”, and “Crybaby”, I have yet to find any references (Maybe, I have

I have just been distracted from the music and have yet to pay much attention to the lyrics; I don’t know.). 

Anyway, “Guilty” had a bit of familiarity to it. It sounded very much like what the late Amy Winehouse would have done. Some might say Paloma sounds like Amy, but I don’t hear it. This track, however, does have an Amy feel to it.

This record also features John Legend on “I’ll be Gentle, ” a ballad of epic proportions. I am so far enjoying the album as I am listening. Especially her effervescent vocals that grab your attention right after Samuel’s introduction. But, I am yet to notice anything likely to cause anarchy in the streets and turn people against whoever is in power. It all appears to be Paloma talking about personal things rather than social commentary.

Overall: There’s not much left to write in the main article, so I will go into my overall review. An outstanding sounding record, but I struggled to find any form of “Social conscious” which, apparently, “the Architect” is supposed to convey. Paloma intended it to be that way, but she hasn’t entirely delivered on this album with that message. There’s always time for future albums. The only tracks I noticed anything of that nature were “Warrior”, “Surrender”, and “Til I’m Done”, but then again, they sounded monumental but didn’t deliver anything political for me. I recommend Lana del Rey’s latest if you’re looking for a politically charged record. If you’re looking for an album packed with hits and Paloma’s soaring vocals, then, by all means, buy this album. I am still going to give this a high score, as I liked it, and although she didn’t deliver on the political front, there is no denying Paloma hasn’t got to where she is because of her talent. 8/10

Week Forty-Six: Taylor Swift- Reputation

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In 2012, Taylor Swift released “2012”, which was surprisingly her fourth album and was the start of her sharp climb up the ladder. This was then followed by “1989”, which was her fifth album (I’m glad, you know maths, so why the fuck did I say that?), and this record had a lot more hits and punched a lot harder than “2012” with the messages conveyed. My introduction to Taylor started way back when she was about to release her second album titled “Fearless”, but more on that in the overall review, as I have noticed I tend to go off on a tangent during the actual main review and appear to have virtually fuck all left when it comes to my overall evaluation. 

The last review made the overall review short and sweet because, to be honest, I wouldn’t say I liked listening to Sam’s album. As you can see from the main review, I found it shit. Well, this record is undoubtedly a departure from the previous one. Taylor aims at everyone who has wronged her or simply anyone she doesn’t like (That includes stereotypes.) For example, on “Call it What You Want” (Yes, I know, Foster the People also have a song with the same title.) She takes shots at drama queens and jokers, saying that drama queens take swings and there are jokers dressed up as kings.

I particularly liked “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” on this waltz track; she foretells about a friend that turns out to be a snake in the grass. The chorus is so grandiose that it is ideal for stadiums, but after the hook, you can hear Taylor being very sarcastic, saying that she forgives this snake, but then bursts out laughing and says, “I can’t even say it with a straight face”. “I Did Something Bad” sums up what this record is about, and if you’re looking for revenge on someone, this album will undoubtedly inspire you.

Overall: What a delicious album. Full of revenge, Taylor goes outside the realms of the pop market by going after everyone and anyone. Now, we know she writes songs usually about failed relationships, but this is just pure evil. Taylor’s spiteful and hateful side has emerged, and it is extremely refreshing to see this. It is like she has channelled her inner Eminem. Certainly not a record for her fans below the age of 18. The highlights for me were “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”, “Look What You Made Me Do”, “Ready for It?” “Call it What You Want”, “Don’t Blame Me,” and “I Did Something Bad”. This won’t be everyone’s cup of green tea, but I fucking love the controversial nature of it. The more controversial, the better. Why should Taylor put up with all the bullshit by the media et al. and not speak out about it? I love artists that go against the grain, and Taylor hasn’t held back on this record. I am now looking forward to what her next album offers if Taylor maintains this attitude. Oh, and back to what I mentioned in the first paragraph about discovering Taylor, I first heard her perform “Love Story”. Yes, I know the song is a bit sentimental, but I liked how it sounded and was very disappointed when her songs started getting cheesy and pop-friendly. Indeed, I respect her as an artist after watching a documentary showing how she started out on the Country scene doing numerous gigs annually to get herself noticed. It did pay off (Obviously.), and she deserves it all. I prefer Taylor Swift, the Country music star, to what the industry made her become, but on this record, she just doesn’t give a fuck and made tracks that she wants to do, regardless if her label likes it or not. 8/10

Week Forty-Five: Sam Smith- the Thrill of it All

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Well, it was the Brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, aka Disclosure (A duo mainly consisting of garage and deep house.), who gave Sam his chance to break onto the scene when he appeared as a featured vocalist on the 2013 single “Latch” off their debut album, “Settle”—not forgetting his appearance on Naughty Boy’s garage track, “La La La”. Sam was well on his way to becoming a star in both of these appearances. His falsetto vocals, complete with emotion, were suited to both tracks. What followed was several top ten hits, Grammy awards and an Oscar for his 2015 song, “Writing’s on the Wall”, for the James Bond film, “Spectre”. 

Unfortunately, the song for the James Bond film didn’t have much power to it and was very undeserving of being the official song for the film. When you consider what has gone before regarding James Bond themes, mainly all iconic, but none lacking the action you see within the films. I wanted 2011’s “Freaky Teeth” by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds to be the official song as it has power and even sounds ideal for the film (Noel is also a close friend of the current Bond, Daniel Craig.). 

So yeah. “Writing’s on the Wall” was far too tame to be the official theme. Anyway, back to his second album, “the Thrill of it All”. Well…it’s not very good and hasn’t improved much from his debut, “In the Lonely Hour”. That wasn’t an excellent record, but at least it was original. This record remains on that same level. Like most musicians, Sam would have looked to have turned it up, but unfortunately, here, he hasn’t.

When you see the stars featuring Lana del Rey and Frank Ocean, you can see the album should have had potential and been an upgrade to the debut record. “Baby, You Make Me Crazy” was way out of his comfort zone, and it worked. Far too often on this record, Sam retreats to his comfort zone and the same old same old. I’m afraid you’re not going to find anything groundbreaking on this record. It also appears to waste the talents of Timbaland on production.

Overall:

Well, not much to say really that I haven’t already said. A very mediocre record that doesn’t see Sam out of his comfort zone for an elongated period. Also, his lyrics were not up to much, considering he can sing. But all in all another album in the same vein as his debut and not much to write home about. This record (And his previous one) once again proves that I prefer Sam as a featured artist. 3/10

Week Forty-Four: Michael Ball and Alfie Boe- Together Again

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I have heard of both singers and know that they are tenors. Michael for various game shows and theatre shows plus, “Love Changes Everything” (Upon my research, I also discovered he was briefly in Coronation Street in 1985.) and Alfie Boe for his performance for the Who’s “Quadrophenia: the Musical”. I wouldn’t say I am not a fan of Opera, but I tend not to listen to it regularly. I can tolerate it and marvel at the vocal ranges when I hear it. 

“Together Again” is the follow-up to their 2016 album, “Together” (I bet you weren’t expecting that to be the title, did you?), and I have to say that I did indeed marvel at the vocal ranges and found the record quite impressive. Although there were usual cheesy Christmas songs chucked in like “White Christmas”. Another cheesy song I am not impressed by that featured on the album is the theme song played at Luton Town Football Club’s ground shortly before kick-off, “Bring Me Sunshine”.

I was impressed with the “the Prayer” and the unique way both delivered it. Also, the new song written for the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, called “Evermore”, will raise the roof upon any auditorium they embark on.

There are songs, however, that are saturated or just are not made better in any way on this record, like, “You’ll be Back”, “You’re the Voice”, and even a song that I do love usually, “New York New York” (When I’ve DJ’d, I have tended to close out the night with this as it gets everyone up and singing.) I also could have been more impressed with the West Side Story medley. Don’t get me wrong, it was a different angle, but it didn’t work.

My favourite off the record is “As if We Never Said Goodbye”. You can feel the bromance as they sing the song at each other. This record is probably better than the debut (I wouldn’t know as I have not heard it yet.), I say that because the first record doesn’t have that much versatility. In contrast, this record has unique ways of delivering songs that usually are sung traditionally and would not add flavour or any other form of creativity for fear of ruining the original version.

Overall: It was a smooth listen. As stated in the article, I may not listen to Opera daily, but I have no qualms about listening to it. Indeed, what I know of Alfie Boe, he is a highly regarded tenor in England, and Michael Ball is a versatile, expressive artist. I enjoyed their creativity on songs regarded as classics and that they dared to venture into unknown territory. This is a three-album contract with Decca Records, and I look forward to whatever the lads will name their follow-up to, “Together Again”. Unfortunately, my mark out of ten is mediocre due to the West Side Story Medley and an overcooked “New York New York”. 7/10

Week Forty-Three: George Michael- Listen without Prejudice Volume 1 MTV Unplugged Reissue

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Sadly in December 2016, on Christmas day, George was found dead at his Oxfordshire home. The world was devastated by the news, as you can imagine. Although a very troubled, talented artist, George gave the world great hits such as 1987’s “Faith”. to pay homage to him, his second album, “Listen Without Prejudice Volume 1 MTV Unplugged” from September 1990, has been re-released. I was astonished that this album was elected for re-release when you consider all the bullshit he went through upon its release in America, where they just dismissed it as George trying to gain some credibility after he had left Wham! Indeed, they saw him as an arrogant prick who needed to be taken down from his pedestal and used this album to beat him with that stick.

To make matters worse, this record would also light the blue touch paper with his record label, Sony Music, where he was embroiled in a long and nasty contractual battle. Indeed, he even attacked Sony in 1996’s “FastLove”, where you can see him wearing headphones called “Fony”, evidently in the style of the Sony logo. By this time, he had already got out of his contract and feud with Sony and signed to Virgin Records and Dreamworks, respectively. 

The comeback in the mid-1990s would also see him finally coming out to the public as a homosexual. Although he may have signed to those two labels, he didn’t win the war with Sony. He accused the label of several things but highlighted the lack of promotions of his singles, albums and tours. By highlighting his lousy treatment by Sony Music, he set a precedent for other artists signed to major record labels to rebel against the constraints put on them within the industry. It has only taken until now for the American market to show their appreciation for this record and George after years of snobbery behaviour. To show how timeless this record is, most of the songs on the album, where George touches on the subjects of life, love and his sexual orientation through his lyrical content, are very much as relevant today as they were back in 1990.

Staying with relevance, “Freedom” and “Praying for Time” are probably more apt than ever during the current climate. Then, we have the jazz song with a pop flavour, “Kissing a Fool, ” which puts a smile back on our faces and makes us feel good about ourselves, taken from his 1987 record, “Faith”. There’s even a cover chucked in for good measure from the MTV Unplugged performance in the shape of “They Won’t Go When I Go” from Stevie Wonder’s 1974 album “Fulfillingness’ First Finale”. I must say that George gives the song justice.

Like the remastered “Faith” released in 2011, this record has been released in the following formats, CD/DVD, double disc, vinyl and available for digital download. The triple CD has the following, “Listen without Prejudice” remastered, the 1996 MTV Unplugged Live LP, various remixes, unreleased tracks and B-sides from the recording sessions for the record. Plus, a DVD with a plethora of bonus content. There is the remastered album and the MTV Unplugged Live performance on the other formats.

There is also a bonus disc that will certainly intrigue George Michael’s die-hard fans as it includes tracks from what was supposed to be the follow-up to this record called “Listen without Prejudice Volume 2” (Naturally.). Why was it aborted? Who knows, but it would have seen George return to the Disco genre. The following songs from the aborted record include “Too Funky”, “Crazy Man Dance”, “Do You Want to Know”, and “Happy”. Nile Rodgers also appears on the record with his production of “Fantasy”. This version by Nile is the first single off the reissue. Of all the albums George did in his short career, this one is the most timeless, and all the subjects featured are still relevant. It is also a fitting tribute to George’s talents.

Overall: I enjoyed this record. I must confess that it is the first time I have heard it (Well, the first time, I can recollect hearing it, anyway. I might have heard it back then and not known.). My favourite song of his is a bit clichéd. It is none other than 1984’s “Careless Whisper”. I remember hearing it on plane journeys before taking off in my youth and found it quite soothing. I don’t mind some of his songs with Wham! Like, “I Don’t Want Your Freedom”, but songs such as “Jesus to a Child”, “Careless Whisper”, “Kissing a Fool”, and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” are my personal favourites. The second disc has my favourite track from this record, and it is the revamped version of “Fantasy” by Nile Rodgers. Although I must confess I am not a great fan of acoustic guitar, I love hearing songs played acoustically. It is well-known that most songs begin their life on the acoustic guitar. Artists such as Noel Gallagher, Robbie Williams, Vince Clarke and Andy Bell (There are more that I cannot remember at the moment.) start writing their songs on the acoustic guitar. Most great electric songs can be played in both forms, and that is the sign of a perfect song. I also liked this record because, unlike George’s electric songs, the acoustic versions give the songs a lot more soul, and you can feel and hear their true meanings. Sometimes, this is lost in electric because an awful lot happens, but once a song is stripped back, it reveals itself. This record is well worth the listen to hear the inner soul of the songs and is an apt tribute to George’s legacy and memory.

9/10

Week Forty-Two: P!nk- Beautiful Trauma

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By looking at the record name, you can tell that this will be a very emotional album and could well be autobiographical (It is). It talks about everything from her childhood, marriage, becoming a parent and the trials and tribulations we all face during adulthood.

P!nk said of the record that, even though life is laced with bad moments that can be very traumatic for us, the good far outweighs the bad, and she wanted to convey that message in this record.

She’s right, as the album features 13 tracks with beauty and trauma entwined and how they play out side by side in our lives.

Let’s start with the very emotional “Whatever You Want”, where she talks about hanging onto a fractured relationship by any means necessary. She talks about it being doomed but feels there is light at the end of the tunnel and how it makes her box on and tries to give whoever the man is on this track whatever he wants or needs to make the relationship return to how it began.

“What About us” talks about those used in relationships and how their feelings have been dismissed. “Barbies” talks about how life was so much sweeter, carefree and elementary when she was just in her room playing with her Barbie dolls. However, there’s also a contradiction within this track where she states that she can’t remember how life was more straightforward as a child. Finally, she questions the future and where we all go after all is said and done.

“For Now” is a yearning for a Utopian relationship (I think, that’s the terminology, I’m looking for?) and how to recover how we used to feel towards each other and just press the pause button to remain in that moment always. She also confesses that she is far from perfect, and what she says can cause her to destroy what she has with someone or cut them very profoundly.

We then have the epiphany moment, where P!nk realises that despite all her flaws, she has nothing to fear and can keep going straight down the road rather than looking for other directions on the song, “I am Here”. She might still be scared of her journey, but she’s willing not to stray and battle any storm that might come her way.

You can hear the same sentiment as those above in “Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken”. However, in “Secrets”, P!nk talks about moments in her life she is not particularly proud of regarding relationships with the opposite sex. She is confessing to moments when she has lied and hidden secrets. Indeed, she reveals that the truth is written all over her face, and now, she’s ready to uncover things that you will find extremely hard to take.

With “You Get My Love”, she is talking to her current husband, Carey Hart, and even though she is still not entirely used to the idea of being ready for her marriage, she adores him no matter what and will stand by him through thick and thin to make the marriage last for eternity.

Now, let’s look at one of the best tracks on the record, the title track, which is so aptly named for her seventh studio album. What I found very interesting and poetically tragic is that this song is compared to how you feel when your life becomes consumed by drugs, even though it is clearly about a very toxic relationship. You fall victim to it and become an addict. I find that beautiful yet tragic, but she is certainly onto something when she compares them. Being in a toxic relationship is like becoming a drug addict because even though, you want out, you get sucked back in again and can’t seem to resist another hit even though you know deep down that, you need to get out.

Eminem features in the very volatile “Revenge”. Do you need an explanation of the meaning of the song? The title explains itself, plus you have Eminem on it. What more do you need to know? Eminem is known for very passionate vocals and hard-hitting lyrics. Straightaway, you already know that this song isn’t laced with romance. He talks about how he will avenge his lover after she has cheated on him while using extremely derogatory terms directed at her throughout. I love Eminem, so as you can imagine, I liked this song and the truth about how someone feels when they are wronged in the most heinous way in a relationship.

The next song I will look at is “Where We Go”, where P!nk tells a fable wrapped in hopelessness where a relationship has no chance of surviving what it has already gone through. Not even a divine intervention will perform a miracle. “Better Life” is somewhat pessimistic, and instead of P!nk being in such a loving relationship at present, she feels very insecure and feels that her lover can do better with his life and have a better wife. The fear of this grips her so much

she is tempted to begin drinking and smoking again to an unhealthy level.

Overall review:

What an amazing record. I love the fact that P!nk has told her story through the means of her art and revealed to the listener all about her life up to the present day, which is very rare in a society where so many people in her profession like to put on this mask that all is rosy in their life, not necessarily through their music but how they are portrayed in the public eye. With “Beautiful Trauma”, you get everything from her happiness, confessions, honesty, bitterness, and explosive rage, as demonstrated in “Revenge” featuring Eminem. Some have said they are uncomfortable by her dark side, but to me, it makes her even more genuine as an artist and person. The album is aptly named. 9/10

Week Forty-One: Liam Gallagher- As You Were

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 Of course, we will never forget what happened in Paris at Rock en Seine Festival minutes before Oasis were due on stage to play one of their last three gigs (I think.), it was left to Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke to announce to the crowd that, Oasis had split up on that August bank holiday night in 2009. What happened? We’ve heard both sides of the story from both Gallagher Brothers, but the others who could give us an insight have so far refused to talk about it, albeit very vaguely. Like most of us, I was shocked and gutted that Oasis was no more, but I could see it coming from the three gigs I attended on their final tour (For now. Will they reform? I can’t see it.). Especially at the iTunes Festival, where Liam seemed in an extremely foul mood, you could see the apparent tension between the Brothers. 

Anyway, what happened next was Beady Eye (Fronted by Liam with the rest of what was Oasis.) in 2009 and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds( A solo project, apparently.) in 2010 were formed. Beady Eye’s debut record, “Different Gear, Still Speeding”, did very well, and although I wasn’t that keen on it, I did like three songs off it. Unfortunately, they couldn’t build on the success of the debut record and had a very indifferent second album, “BE”, which left Liam very disheartened and made him decide to split Beady Eye up after the tour. 

While this happened, his brother had a successful period with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. So what was next for Liam? After making the odd cameo appearance in 2014 and 2015, he headed back into the studio to record his debut album, “As You Were”, and I’m not going to hold back, so I apologise if anyone reading this doesn’t like it. I will go into these things later in the review about what I mean.

Liam isn’t trying to head in any other direction than what Oasis fans expected from the younger brother. “Wall of Glass” was the taster off the album back in June, and I heard it everywhere. Though I liked the energy and the attitude in the track, I cringed at the guitar riff at the intro and between the verses. It ruined for me what could have been a very good song. As we get to “Greedy Soul”, it is quite obvious who this is directed at, even if Liam refuses to admit it. The lyrics alone are a clue. “You’re getting told, you greedy soul, you’ve been telling lies, you’re a slippery kind”. It’s either Noel or Liam’s sister-in-law, Sara MacDonald, with whom he has had many a public spat via social media and, of course, in private.

“For What It’s Worth” seems an apology to Noel soaked in Beatles-inspired music from the 1968 record, “the White Album”. It sounds a bit like “Hey Jude”, in my opinion. The next was one I found very surprising, considering that Liam promised a “Rock out with your chin out” record and “Chinatown” does not fit into this premise. It’s a bouncy melody played with an acoustic guitar where Liam talks about taking you through the streets of Chinatown.

“You Better Run” and “Paper Crown” were the best of a bad bunch. “I’ve All I Need” that ends the album suggests that this could be an egotistical song judging by the title, but it is not. It is a song of gratitude to his fans and, I imagine, his family and friends. It’s a tranquil and sincere ending to a record that was supposed to be a “Rock out with your chin out” album. I did like the final track, but it doesn’t remind me of the attitude of Liam. He did write some acoustic songs with Oasis, even though he declared acoustic songs as “shite” or something along those lines. He even loathed doing intimate acoustic gigs for Oasis.

Overall: I was very disappointed with the debut record by Liam. Especially after hearing, “It’s a rock out with your chin out record”. I had high expectations after watching Liam’s warm-up gigs. Still, after the first single, “Wall of Glass”, I felt we might be heading into the “mediocre” direction which we have, unfortunately. For me, Liam has not been vocally strong since 2003. Anytime after, I have found his delivery; although the raw emotion is still there, the voice is shot to pieces, and he sounds nasally and croaky. Almost like he has lost his voice from shouting too much; of course, the parka monkeys would argue the toss with me, but there’s no denying his voice is past its best. Liam has also been very naïve with this record and let the producers interfere too much with the sound. I find that quite odd when you consider him a guy who won’t be bullied or told what to do. Was he being naïve in the studio, or is it simply the fact he has never been in this position to take charge of what direction he wanted? It could be both, but there has certainly been meddling, and I can’t see that Liam wanted the record to sound like this entirely. He will learn his lesson next time to ensure none of this meddling. He has employed an army of songwriters to aid him because he hasn’t written anything good since “I’m Outta Time” for Oasis in 2008. It’s quite sad that his voice sounds great on this record, but you can make the worst singer in the world sound like an angel with the technology available on the mixing desks and software. Unfortunately, you cannot dress up vocals to that degree live, and Liam’s vocals have been absent since 2003. I wish him well, and he will have several fans as he did with Oasis and Beady Eye, regardless of how they view his vocal performance live. 5/10