Month: June 2020

Week Twenty-Five: Liam Gallagher- MTV Unplugged

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I remember back in 1994, Oasis did a handful of intimate acoustic gigs to help promote their debut album “Definitely Maybe” at various commercial record stores like His Master’s Voice and Virgin Megastore. I also remember Liam saying he loathed doing acoustic songs, let alone gigs, back then. Let’s consider the infamous 1996 MTV Unplugged at the Festival Hall, where Noel had to take over vocal duties after Liam bullshitted about having a sore throat. Why do I say bullshitted? Because he was up on the balcony drinking and heckling his middle brother at every opportunity. He should have just said he didn’t feel like doing it and let Noel and the others do it without him, which they had to do, anyway. It showed great disrespect to the unplugged series by MTV who have had the likes of George Michael, Nirvana and Alice in Chains to name a few. It’s also more surprising that Liam didn’t do it after doing “120 Minutes” two years before for MTV.

Anyway, the venue chosen for his undeserved second chance with Unplugged came after his middle brother branded Hull “A fucking shithole.” in all fairness, I have heard other musicians call it and one who is even from there. He vowed to play in Hull and even thought the people and city were great.

Many have called this a “Great performance”, but as I have stated many times, Liam might be a nice person in the main (Unless you happen to be Noel, Paul and Johnny.), but his voice has been found wanting since 2004. When I hear the ultra parka monkeys who won’t hear anything wrong said about Liam, I simply cannot believe what the fucking idiots are saying. They sent me links to this gig at the time to songs such as “Sad Song” and suggested I pass comments on his vocals, and, unfortunately for them, I did, and they were not what they wanted to hear. It sounded like a fucking cat walking over a vinyl playing on the turntable. It makes me cringe having to listen to him these days. I feel embarrassed and saddened by what his voice once was.

I am not a fan of his solo material written by several songwriters, and I have to laugh at most of his songs being acoustic after what he said in the past. Again, we have a setlist top-heavy with Oasis songs. I wish he would let it go and enjoy his success. Oasis is the past and should stay there. Many would say, “You wouldn’t go and see Liam or Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds if they didn’t play Oasis songs”. 

That’s a load of fucking bollocks. I will quite happily go to their gigs to hear their material. They both have enough to consign Oasis to television and YouTube archived footage. Liam can’t seem to let go and keeps pushing for a reformation only the ultra parka monkeys or the Supersonic 2016 generation want to see. It’s not the fault of Oasis that you missed the window. I wanted to see the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but you know? It’s just unlucky, and you must learn to accept that.

5/10

Week Twenty-Three: Lady Gaga- Chromatica

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Lady_Gaga_-_Chromatica_(Official_Album_Cover)

Now, I haven’t been that keen on Lady Gaga ever since “Poker Face”, “Bad Romance”, “Born This Way”, and “Alejandro”, which are considered the best of her songs. Oh, and that one featured in that “A Star is Born” film. I changed my mind about the 21st-century Madonna after hearing her duet with the great Tony Bennett. After hearing that, it showed me that she was more than just a generic yet eccentric pop star. She did shine for me on those recordings and gained some of my respect. 

Indeed, she is versatile in her fashion and music and has probably outperformed her predecessor, Madonna, in the art of shock. Remember that Gaga has been inside an egg down the red carpet and worn a dress made entirely of beef. She has done jazz, as I mentioned, with the great Tony Bennett, which, for me, was the turning point in bringing her music to those who can’t stand generic pop and appealing to a much more mature audience. She made a country-themed album which is entirely about her auntie, who died before she was born, and then she branched out into film, where she did the soundtrack and was the lead role in 2018’s “A Star is Born”. Some may compare her to being similar to the late David Bowie, but although I agree, I still stand by my stance of her being a Madonna for the new millennium.

Some critics have said that “Chromatica” is her return to form and is more in line with her pop music, but I will have to disagree with them as I found the record was laced with 1990s house. While making notes for her sixth album, this is what I discovered:

Three short songs make up “Chromatica”, just stringed instrumentals resembling something you hear at the Albert Hall in London during the Proms, so basically classical, but certainly ideal for the big screen and the big classical music halls. Some have described ” Alice ” as disco, but I wholly disagree. This ode to Alice in Wonderland is very much house from the 1990s. One critic described it as her take on garage, which left me entirely surprised.

“Stupid Love” is your typical Lady Gaga song and sounds like “Born This Way.” “Rain on Me”, which features former teenage actress Ariana Grande, sounds like the sort of track that Mylo or Diplo would produce. “Free Woman” sent me right back to those 1990 raves (Although for me, it was more raving at School discos, parties and youth clubs.) with its substantial house bound production. “Plastic Doll” seems to be a warning to any male who wants to mess her about and treat her like shit, “Sour Candy” features Blackpink, which is aptly named and yet another track inspired by house.

“Enigma” is house with its classic piano riff and very soulful vocals and is perfect for when the clubs eventually open their doors again, “Replay” uses a sample from a Calvin Harris hit of which I can’t remember the name (It goes, “ooh, ooh ooh, ooh ooh, ooh, ooh” if that helps?) “1000 Doves” is yet another track that takes inspiration from the 1990s club scene with a piano wrapped around dance beats and electronic drums. You may wonder why I haven’t included the song with Elton John. The reason for that is that, disappointingly, Elton opts for autotune rather than using his natural vocal ability. The final song I will touch on, which closes the album, is the Madonna-esque “Babylon”, which, to me, is the 21st-century version of “Vogue”, with Lady Gaga even using spoken word like Madonna did on her 1990s hit. It even has that classic piano riff from “Vogue.” the only thing that doesn’t feature is the strings, but unlike Madonna’s song, Gaga’s has a beautiful saxophone solo.

Recommendations: “Alice”, “Free Woman”, “Sour Candy”, “Enigma”, “1000 Doves”, “Babylon”.

9/10

Week Twenty-Two: the 1975- Notes on a Conditional Form

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The 1975 sleeve

I remember hearing about this band in 2013 and giving them a chance, but I didn’t think they lived up to the hyperbole they were getting. I couldn’t stand their song on FIFA 14 either and removed it from my playlist. And would they have got on if it wasn’t for their leader Matt Healy being born with the mother-of-pearl spoon in his mouth? It certainly helps when your parents are well-known British actors. It also helps they came along when the rock side of music was not really doing a lot.

The opening track, named after the band, features a piano with a speech given by Greta Thunberg at one of her many climate change rallies. I might not believe in everything she says, but I admire her passion. Climate change is just a case of nature taking its course, but it certainly doesn’t help when you’ve got fucking idiots drilling huge holes in the ice for research. If I were the scientists, I’d suggest they leave the drilling well alone. Of course, that will agitate the ice and cause it to break up.

The next track I will mention is “People” It has shite elementary lyrics, but the drum beat reminded me very much of Blur’s “Song 2” and a very unusual assault for the band into the punk genre. I never had them down as a punk band or even attempting to do punk. “the End” is just one of those fucking pointless throwaways that are known as interludes. This one is just a short-stringed instrumental. That then leads us into “Frail State of Mind”, which, in my opinion, is a failed attempt to appeal to the fans of the garage genre. It didn’t work, lads. It’s not your forte.

“Streaming” is just another stringed instrumental interlude. “Yeah I Know” is yet another failed attempt at appealing to the club scene with its garage element. Seriously, lads, leave well alone.

“Then Because She Goes” is trying to emulate the indie scene of the 1990s, with this track sounding like the Wannadies smash hit “You and Me Song”. “Shiny Collarbone” is trying once again to break into the club scene with this house instrumental with a ragga sample chucked in. “If You’re too Shy (Let Me Know)” is very 1980s.

The final two tracks I am going to mention are “Playing on My Mind”, which sees the band take time out to reflect and bring the tone down of the music by going acoustic and “Having No Head”, which is dance music that is ideal for a child’s disco.

I was thoroughly bored listening to this double-disc record; most of the time, the album didn’t hold my attention, and I wondered what my review would look like and if it would be even long enough. I cannot stand the band; I don’t understand the hyperbole surrounding them, and this album hasn’t changed my view.

Many of the fucking idiots who follow them will be like, “You’re just trying to be ‘edgy’ and ‘cool’ by saying you don’t like them”, but it IS actually true. I cannot stand them. My dislike of their music is genuine. Others might be like little sheep and follow, but I have my own mind, which tells me I do not like their music.

4/10