What can you say about this man? An ex-member of one the greatest bands of all time who has inspired a generation of musicians and bands to break through from Cast to Oasis and even bands to date. Paul is a self-taught musician on pretty much any instrument he picks up. It started as a child when he wanted to play the piano, which his grandad was very fond of, but Paul’s father refused to teach him, saying he would benefit more from learning to teach himself. From there, the rest is history, and Paul, since learning to play by ear, has gone on to be one of the most decorated musicians and songwriters the world has ever seen. He can write a song as if rain was falling from the sky in his native Liverpool (Like any place in England, you will understand what I mean by this.) and is called a genius by his peers even though he openly admits he despises the tag and modesty says “I’m not a genius, I’m just a bloke who writes music.”.
Here is my track-by-track review of his latest album:
Long Tailed Winter Bird:
This is more like one of those throwaway tracks or a track that was added just as filler. There are no lyrics to this song, and the instrumental started as a track for a film upon which Paul made longer and opted to use for the current album. According to Paul, the name was taken from a book he owns about birds.
Find My Way:
Composed initially while listening to the radio in the car, Paul then took his idea into the studio. He still decided to keep the piano but changed the verses to something that worked better.
Pretty Boys:
The story is about male models whom the paparazzi harass, and Paul said upon walking in New York that he saw a line of hire bicycles and came up with the concept that the models were for hire.
Women and Wives:
This blues number on the piano was born after Paul read a book on Lead Belly. He then sat down by the piano with a few simple chords that would fit around blues vocals. From there, he flew back to England to head to the studio and record it.
Lavatory Lil:
This song is about someone you don’t like, probably even hate, and creates a sphere where you exaggerate what they are like based upon your perceptions of them. I imagine Paul did have people in mind but opted for a nameless character to avoid being caught up in a legal battle.
Deep Deep Falling:
It was the longest track on the record at over eight minutes. The track was originally going to be trimmed, but Paul liked the track that started as a jam session, which later the lyrics and vocals were added to so much, he wanted to keep it that long.
Slidin:
Again, this is another track that started life as a jam. This time, during a soundcheck while on the European leg of a tour in Germany. Originally, it was to be used for his 2018 album “Egypt Station” as he liked the riff, but it didn’t work and was therefore half-baked. He returned to it for this record’s studio sessions and added lyrics while chopping and changing several other things but keeping the guitar riff. The title is from Paul watching the Winter Olympics and the commentator saying the term “Sliding” when the sports in question were done on the piste.
the Kiss of Venus:
A psychedelic song inspired by a book Paul was given about Earth, Mars, Venus, and the moon, where the phrase, which later became the title of the song, kept jumping out at him.
Seize the Day:
Another track was created on the piano, and Paul improvised. He built the rest of the song upon some lyrics about Eskimos and ice. From there, he added about the cold days in the chorus and then turned this extremely eccentric song into about enjoying today rather than letting the cold days drag us down.
Deep Down:
Another track evolved from a jam session, and from there, he built around it by improvisation. There needed to be a solid concept in place to write a song from it.
Winter Bird/When Winter Comes:
This track surprises you because it sounds like a continuation of the opening track but then evolves into something else with vocals, drums, bass, and guitar.
Song recommendations: “Deep Deep Falling”, “Slidin”, “Seize the Day”.
Here is my track-by-track review of her 9th studio album and her second album release of the current year:
Willow:
This isn’t just the opening track of the album, but it is also the leading single. This is Taylor returning to her roots when she was gigging constantly across America to get herself noticed within the industry by basing herself on country music. It’s a bizarre choice as a single, as it hasn’t any of those typical pop traits to chart that high. It is pure country with its delicately plucked acoustic guitar. Her vocal delivery synchronises with the subject of being in love with someone, and you’re trying to make them feel the same way. Taylor expresses this by how we would feel in those moments. From feeling high and excited to feeling low and being unable to breathe from the panic that they don’t love you. There are also some deep lyrics within, so listen carefully.
Champagne Problems:
This piano ballad was written with her boyfriend, who uses the alias William Bowery (Of course, his real name is Joe Alwyn.). Is the subject matter supposed to be about their current relationship? Rather than about a couple in college who share very different views about a night where one wants to break up and the other wants to propose. I don’t know how happy they are, but I can’t see them dropping hints while writing a song together. I also learned that “Champagne Problems” is a phrase (I guess only in America.) that means when an individual’s troubles are genuine but, when put into perspective, are less important than how much others are suffering. Like with “Folklore”, Taylor touches on the very fragile subject of mental health. In this song, the female character mentions her problems with mental health and how the break up of her relationship has further impacted it. I am going to quote some compelling lyrics taken from the male character in this, as he is the one who has been left heartbroken. “Sometimes you just don’t know the answer til someone’s on their knees and asks you; she would have made such a lovely bride, what a shame she’s fucked in the head, they said, but you’ll find the real thing instead”. As you can see, the song is very emotional.
Gold Rush:
Wasn’t this also a song on “Folklore”? I can’t remember, but someone will tell me when they visit my archives this year. Bizarrely, the producer of this track only features once on the record when you consider Jack Antonoff has produced half of her songs over the past three albums. This song is more chart-friendly compared to the previous tracks on the record. This time, the leading character starts falling for someone popular among several others. Unfortunately for the leading female character, the other women chases the man in question. Still, just like the leading female, they are also looking for gold in California, which, when you think about it, makes the title make sense. The leading character becomes jealous and longing to have him, and she decides she can no longer chase him because she has no fight left in her and feels it is futile. Again, some lyrics stood out for me, and they are intense by the lead character. “At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit, and the coastal town we wandered round had never seen a love as pure as it, and then it fades into the grey of my day-old tea, cause it could never be”.
Tis the Damn Season:
What I found about Taylor’s songwriting is she can tell fables about fictional characters based on actual events or fables about her own life experiences. It is challenging to do the former, as you must design the characters and build the fable around them, but Taylor does this effortlessly. Once again, on this album, she has devised a character from Tupelo, Mississippi, who is leaving her town to achieve her dreams in Hollywood on the big screen. You may be wondering where the Christmas element comes into it. The lead character returns home to enjoy the festivities, where she stumbles across an ex-lover. As one of the lyrics depicts over this electric guitar track, she says how she is breaking her own heart by returning to Los Angeles, where everyone she meets is superficial, including the way she smiles, rather than remaining in Tupelo to get back with her ex-lover and feel loved and happy once more.
Tolerate it:
There appears to be a trend with Taylor and the obsession with the fifth track; the fifth track always seems to be a ballad with a heart-wrenching confession. “Evermore” doesn’t buck the trend. Again, the song is seen from the female perspective. She is sick and tired of devoting her life to her lover, and she is not getting much compassion or any form of emotional connection in return, so she is starting to hate and resent him for that. She has tolerated this behaviour for far too long from him, and now she is ready to confront him. This track perfectly depicts when love fades away from one perspective and turns sour from the other.
No Body, No Crime:
HAIM features on this, but it is based more on the country music scene, from what I recall, rather than the usual rock-based music from HAIM. As you can tell from the title, Taylor, with HAIM doing backing vocals, has gone for a topic about committing a murder. However, it is a double homicide told from different perspectives. The first verse is the narrator’s friend bringing up in a conversation that she thinks her husband is seeing another woman; in the second verse, her friend disappears, and the narrator is sure that the husband killed her and to avenge her friend’s death in the third verse, she kills the husband, but by doing this she compromises the case. Again, this is another powerful fable told by Taylor on this record.
Happiness:
The calibre of this song is quite astonishing when you consider it was the last one to be written in just under a week before the album was due to be released. Most might panic and therefore not put much effort into the last song they are writing just in case they miss the deadline by taking too long, but Taylor has managed to create a good song under that pressure and have it all done and ready to be included on the album. The story is both one of despair and optimism. The individual is going through the agony and six degrees of separation phase of splitting up with their lover, but they show signs of optimism, knowing that happiness will return once this phase has passed. The production complements the lyrics with its slow tempo and melancholic tone. Is the individual Taylor? It shows a mature approach to handling a breakup compared to her as a teenager, where she attacked every ex with venom over wax. If the character is indeed Taylor, then she has shown that as she has got older, she can move on and enjoy the next one to enter her life.
Dorothea:
Remember the track “Tis the Damn Season” earlier on and the unknown female? Well, this is her name and the continuation of the story. However, this is not told from Dorothea’s perspective but by her ex-lover. He was devastated when she moved to Hollywood and longed to be with her. He also ponders, now she is in L.A. chasing her dreams, whether she pauses to think about him. Although the subject is deep and emotional, the song has a relatively upbeat tempo.
Coney Island:
Now, I expected HAIM to feature, but the National? I wasn’t expecting that. Nor was I expecting a duet between Taylor Swift and Matt Berninger. However, I discovered that the National’s Aaron Dressner produces most of the tracks on this album, so it makes sense for Taylor to collaborate either by request or suggested by Aaron. The subject matter is once again that of broken love. This time, it is about a couple reminiscing on the relationship and how it fell apart because the levels of commitment were not balanced. The song also appears to be the couple trying to work out what went wrong and trying to see if they can try again. Taylor’s melodic vocals complement Matt’s customary raspy yet deep vocals.
Ivy:
The banjo is the main instrument this time. It features the first of two collaborations with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver (Later on, the entire band feature.) over a story about a wife committing adultery and subsequently falling in love with her secret lover. Even though she continues the affair as she enjoys the attention, she is trying to stay faithful simultaneously. It is similar to the story in “illicit Affairs” from the previous album and is also freakishly the tenth track.
Cowboy Like Me:
Another song inspired by her roots in country, the story is that of gold diggers who, instead of chasing those with wealth, end up falling for each other. Marcus Mumford from Mumford and Sons provides backing vocals. The song is also typical of a song likely to be composed by Mumford and Sons with guitars, mandolins, harmonicas, and anything from country music you can think of.
Long Story Short:
From an album steeped in country, this track departs from that with its catchy pop chorus, drums, and guitars out of indie rock. You can see this being on her albums before her current two. Taylor goes after the media and the misogynists who tried to ruin her career a couple of years ago (See my first review on the album where she goes fucking ballistic on those people for the whole story.). However, rather than getting herself worked up, Taylor’s vocals are balanced and calm. Even the lyrics are about not sweating the small stuff. She displays happiness knowing she is content in her relationship and that she is way past all this petty bullshit from her enemies. She writes lyrics to her past self to let these things slide and let her enemies defeat themselves by being starved of her attention and reaction. Taylor has shown a lot of maturity so far on the record.
Marjorie:
I am starting to wonder if “Evermore” is the continuation of “Folklore” with the topics, sound, and production. It seems like it is. Still, it doesn’t bother me a jot because I prefer Taylor when writing music in the genre her heart belongs to. Pop was to get a wider audience, but country is where her heart is. Also, there is another reason this is a continuation, and it is related to the thirteenth track of the respective albums. “Folklore” was an ode to her grandfather, who fought in World War II, and “Evermore” focuses on her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, an opera singer whom Taylor didn’t appreciate until she passed away when Taylor was just a teenager. Taylor regrets this and wishes she could go back and fix this with her grandmother. It is also a grand, haunting gesture, that Taylor used her late grandmother’s vocals for the backing track. Sends chills down your spine.
Closure:
Many of us can relate to the topic here. I’m sure we have all been in a relationship where it ended badly, and we wanted to explain ourselves later on after the dust had settled as to why, but our ex simply refuses the closure and doesn’t want to know. This song describes that. In this case, it’s a male looking for closure from the female, but she has moved on and doesn’t find it necessary to explain it, rather than doing something to avenge the hurt he caused. The lyrics mention that he wants to remain friends after the closure and that he’s angry she won’t hear him out.
Evermore:
The closing and my favourite track. Sorry, but it’s got Bon Iver on it. What more is there to say? Justin Vernon and the rest of the band produce good music. I love this piano-based song with Taylor and Justin doing a cypher and harmonising together, which touches on depression with a mix of dark and optimism to end the album. The highlight is the cypher for me; it is scarce to see vocalists go bar-for-bar like they were rapping or sharing a poem.
Song recommendations: “Evermore”, “Coney Island”, “Long Story Short”.
I never knew who he was until he started to date Anaïs Gallagher (I’m not sure if that has ended now.), and I saw what looked like a stereotypical post-2010 white rapper. So, naturally, I stayed clear of his music because I think those rappers are fucking dire when you consider what they were like pre-2010. Upon doing my research, I discovered that he first caught people’s eye with his 2018 mixtape “21st Century Liability”, followed by “the Underrated Youth EP” the following year. His appearance is a prime example of never judging a book by its cover because his songs are rock, pop-punk, emotional rock, and punk. I was shocked that the young lad from Doncaster who refuses to take Ritalin to temper his ADHD was indeed inspired by that type of music. During these mixtapes, he attacked out-of-touch parents with today’s youth, and he represents the voice of the youth movement.
Yes, Yungblud may be bold, confident, and arrogant, but the Dominic Harrison side shows up now and again. That side is empathetic towards the LGBTQ+ community, sexual violence victims, and gun crime prevention. Don’t forget that he was also involved in the protests by the Black Lives Matter movement, even going out of his way to fly over to America to demonstrate alongside them. All this when you consider at that time of the year, this side of the pond was on a severe lockdown with only essential businesses open.
Aside from all that, this is the debut effort called “Weird!”. It departs from the mixtapes as he goes more mainstream with the sound. Think of Green Day, 5 Seconds of Summer, Thirty Seconds from Mars, A Day to Remember, and Paramore, and you’re on the right track.
“Superdeadfriends” is inspired by the Beastie Boys, and the title track sounds like the Cure did it, albeit not lyrically. Yungblud flip-flops from his alter-ego to his genuine self, where he talks about his issues with self-esteem.
This is quite evident at the midway point of the record, where he struggles to talk about being secure in love because of the arguments he has witnessed his parents have and his inability to share himself with others because he finds it extremely difficult to open up and ergo, give his relationships a chance. Unfortunately for Yungblud, his ability to touch on these subjects is being used by other artists elsewhere more creatively despite the audience he has captured. Even though I may have been surprised by the music that he was into, my concentration did fade in and out throughout.
Song recommendations: “Teresa”, “Weird!”, “Superdeadfriends”
Whatever you may think about the chief songwriter and band member in Take That, he knows how to write a fucking song. As far as I am aware, he’s also bizarrely a Liverpool fan from Manchester, which is quite a rarity. Although his solo career didn’t go too well after the break up of Take That (They reformed in 2005 and are still going strong to date.), he was still very successful behind the scenes, writing songs for various artists and some of the songs he wrote for them might surprise you because you thought he was the forgotten man. So, is this Gary’s second solo album? It’s called “Music Played by Humans”, released almost two decades after his debut.
“Who’s Driving This Thing?” opens the record, and Gary can be heard introducing the album to the band in the studio and sharing laughs and jokes with them. It sets the mood for the whole record, which is very big band and swing. I’m not sure if he writes for Michael Buble (Who, funnily enough, does feature.), but the delivery is very much the same as how Michael would do it.
“The Big Bass Drum” is one of the essential tracks on the album, and Gary selflessly lets the musicians and the band take the limelight and blends in by accompanying them. For once, he hasn’t taken centre stage.
Again, Gary shows his abilities as a songwriter by switching moods and subjects. In “This Is My Time”, he talks about dying from love. “Enough is Enough” featuring Beverley Knight might prove his ability to write songs on any subject, but this track is not as melancholic as the title suggests. Now, the next track I thought I would want to skip and hate with a passion is “the Kind of Friend I Need”. Why? Because James Corden is on it, but he can sing, and it works. You can hear them ribbing each other between their verses, and as the album closes, James proclaims that he’s the best singer on the track. Gary replies, “It’s my album, you know?” I found the whole track lighthearted and funny. If you like big band and swing, this album is for you. I also was surprised to find out this from Gary. This kind of record should be played at restaurants or lounge bars. Very easy on the ear, funny, and guaranteed to make you feel upbeat.
NB: I later discovered that this is (Incredibly.) It’s Gary’s fifth solo studio album.
Song recommendations: “the Kind of Friend I Need”, “the Big Bass Drum”, “This is My Time”
There we have it. We now know what the fourth instalment of the next Michael Ball & Alfie record Boe will be called. We should have known that they would do one around the Christmas theme to freshen up the “Together” series. This has also been adapted for the West End and will feature a limited but socially distanced audience during this god-awful worldwide virus currently circulating. I am unsurprised; the lads have again hit the acme of the album chart. The dynamic works well, and it is a joy to listen to them perform covers or traditional songs in their unique way. It has also been bought out as a Christmas present for our loved ones. It is accessible on the ear and lifts our spirits, which we need more than ever.
Of course, the songs have been covered as often as the stars in the sky, but it’s the way Ball & Boe, the orchestra, and that Disney-esque sound have done them.
The album can switch up the mood with tracks ranging from “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” to “Mistletoe & Wine”.
Just by listening, you can tell the duo had tremendous fun recording this in the studio, and I loved the track “My Christmas Will be Better Than Yours.” you can hear a cheeky and smug tone in Michael’s vocal. The song made me laugh just by hearing Michael’s delivery alone.
We then have the melancholic tones used for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and the showcasing of why this duo works sublimely on “White Christmas”. The closer, “Once Upon a December”, is very dreamy, as I have mentioned about the album as a whole is Disney-esque. Another super record by the lads, the perfect present for the one you love. An album to fill our hearts with joy in one of the most fucked up Christmasses since the second world war.
Song recommendations: “My Christmas Will be Better Than Yours”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “White Christmas”.
It’s quite funny, really, when you consider that Kylie Minogue was number one last week, and this week is the turn of some more of Australia’s finest musicians. These are the best bands and musicians out of Australia, and it’s none other than AC/DC. Yes, there may be English and Scots among the band, but they were founded in Australia (A friend of mine lives not far from one of the former member’s burial place in Perth.) Who isn’t a fan of AC/DC? I might have discovered them after the infamous shirt worn by Butt-Head. Still, after my curiosity, I found I enjoyed listening to their…let’s use Cricket terminology for this (As it’s one of the huge sports in Australia) all-out attack sound, like a Baggy green slogging away out in the middle at every possible ball and sending it either to the boundary for four or striking it into orbit for a maximum. This is the band’s 17th studio album and sees the return of leading vocalist Brian Johnson since his hearing operation and replacing the current touring vocalist, Axl Rose (Yes, that one. Mind you, he was on good behaviour in AC/DC. Probably because Angus Young promised he would kick his fucking head in if he pissed about by turning up late onstage et cetera.) Brian looked like he wasn’t going to return after the news that his hearing was so bad that if he carried on performing, he would go entirely deaf. However, he says his hearing is better than ever and announced his return earlier in the year.
Here is my track-by-track review:
Realize:
From the off, the album has that typical AC/DC attitude to tee the listener up for what they are to expect for the entire listen.
Rejection:
This could be the second single off the record with its catchy guitar riff, and I can certainly see this being included in the setlist when the band can take it out onto the road. It is a tour-ready anthem and one that will get the crowd singing their hearts out.
Shot in the Dark:
The band released this as the leading single, and you can tell why when hearing it. It fits perfectly into that AC/DC wall of sound.
Through the Mists of Time:
Yes, it may be more relaxed initially, but it progressively builds. From a steady rhythm, it grows into the usual rock melody they adopt, complete with a chorus that gets into your head.
Kick You When You’re Down:
Hmmm…this track surprised me with its roots in blues. It’s not a usual AC/DC track (Unless I’m missing something?) with its signature blues riffs that will have the listener moving their head rhythmically. Will it be used on tour? Probably. Even though it is blues, the song is quite uplifting, and it appears, just by listening, that the band had a lot of fun recording the song.
Witch’s Spell:
AC/DC at their best with Brian’s powerful vocals and Angus’s signature guitar riffs. Not to mention the strong rhythm section to back them up and give them that all-round sound.
Demon Fire:
It is a very energetic track with Brian showcasing his vocal talent by going into the lower range, experimenting with different tones, Angus backing him up with a blues riff, and once again the rhythm section adding the panache.
Wild Reputation:
Again, this track doesn’t start as an AC/DC one but does gradually. Initially, it is very soft, with the rhythm more relaxed to match Brian’s vocals. I don’t know if the band recorded this as they reached the end of the session, but it is more mellow than the album. Respite for the listener, perhaps?
No Man’s Land:
Intriguing. In quick succession, the record’s tempo is mellower and very much inspired by country music. It could make it onto a country compilation in years to come.
System Down:
Ah, they have found their muse again and gone full-on rock with this traditional AC/DC track with Brian’s howling vocals and Angus going schizophrenic on the guitar with his riffs and solos. Not to mention the catchy chorus. There’s nothing to say about the rhythm section I haven’t already said so far because everyone knows what makes an AC/DC song.
Money Shot:
A stunning bit of play by Angus on the axe is the highlight of this track and the whole album. This is Angus Young showing his wizardry on the guitar. For the most part, the song is ready, but Angus lights the fuse when he does the solo.
Code Red:
It is a superb way to close the record, and for that reason alone, it will be included as a set closer as they disappear off-stage before returning for the encore. Upbeat and hopeful.
Song recommendations: “Realize”, “Money Shot”, “System Down”.
How ironic that in such a fucked up year, Kylie releases an album choc-full of disco and funk songs? We can’t go out to clubs, attend parties or wedding receptions to dance with one another to these uplifting tracks. That’s quite sad, and I’m sure Kylie would prefer we were all doing that rather than sitting on our arses at home before heading out to get food or go to work. I should have started with an introduction to Kylie Minogue, as this is my first review of her material. This is her fifteenth album over a career spanned almost four decades.
Talking of her career spanning almost four decades, this record sounds like music inspired by the 70s and the era she began her career, the 80s. “Say Something” is the leading single, a chance for us all to enjoy each other’s company and start living life again. Most of the album was written during the lockdown, and Kylie used a makeshift studio from home to record and edit her vocals. Indeed, she wrote “Monday Blues” about the struggle of doing that (It can be pretty tricky if you are not used to editing your vocals or even instrumentation, for that matter.)
These songs will be heard at wedding receptions when they are allowed to be permitted again. Especially “Supernova” and “Where Did the DJ Go?” are inspired by Nile Rodgers and Chic. Unfortunately, the albumhas no memorable content such as “Spinning Around” and “Love at First Sight”, but it sits pretty nicely into the generic Kylie song department. No risks are taken, and Kylie sticks to what she knows is guaranteed to sell rather than getting experimental and surprising us all.
Another thing refreshing was this record doesn’t particularly have any filler. It is all good, full-on disco/funk.Even the more downtempo tracks like “Last Chance” keep your attention and mood at the same level because it is straight outof pop. Kylie co-wrote this album, and though the songs are mainly uplifting sonically, the lyrics are more melancholicas they talk about the rollercoaster of being in and out of love.
As the record closes, Kylie concentrates on adding a character called Mary in “Celebrate You, ” which is based on all of us when we feel sad and depressed. However, the instrumental is uplifting again, so your mood doesn’t shift despite the melancholy. Another thing that Kylie has mastered is her music. Most of her songs are based around the heartache of a relationship ending, but Kylie takes that element of sadness away with her uplifting instrumentals.
Song recommendations: “Where Did the DJ Go?”, “Supernova”, “Celebrate You”
When you listen to any of her music, you know you will get entire honesty as she is not afraid to reveal each layer of her life. The same can be said for this album, as she is talking so openly about her sex life. It’s hard to believe she would do it when you consider she’s a Judy Garland fan and her past in children’s television shows.
I mean, she even had the fucking audacity to name a track after a particular area in the vagina, so everything is revealed, and she is not giving you a chance to use your imagination. It’s refreshing to see a modern-day R&B artist opting for a production from the 1990s R&B scene. Some tracks sound like the UK Garage scene from the early 2000s, and some remind me of house with that iconic piano.
She is fucking nuts; she even has a song called “My Hair”, which is all about her ponytail, which has somehow managed to get as famous as her. My favourite is “Motives”, featuring the talented singer/rapper Doja Cat. Although the record is highly sexually forward, there are moments where Ariana stops being playful and goes much deeper into her soul with tracks like “Off the Table”, “POV”, and “Safety Net”. I wonder where her next album is going, as we know so much about her sex life after listening.
Song recommendations: “Motives”, “Safety Net”, “Off the Table”.
I just had to do a track-by-track review for the Boss:
One Minute You’re Here:
This is just Bruce being alone in a bubble with his soul (This is what I call playing an acoustic guitar in a room all by yourself.) in a reflective mood with the lyrics remembering his friends lost over the years—aptly named.
Letter to You:
The album gets going with this track, and the E Street Band are once again proving that they still have the juice on this intimate and fragile ballad with Bruce, where he talks about what he always was and will remain to be.
Burnin Train:
In a nutshell. Fire.
Janey Needs a Shooter:
You’ll never guess who is on this track. But it does make sense, considering it is his first profession over being an actor. It isSteve van Zandt who played Silvio in the Sopranos. He provides backing vocals during the chorus. I don’t know if he is a new member of the E Street Band, but there are plenty among the original members. It works, though, and both stand out at each point of the song.
Last Man Standing:
Rumour has it, the Boss uses his usual three chords, but this one is leaning towards melancholy as he remembers his former Castilles bandmate George Theiss, and the title reflects that.
Power of Prayer:
A typical E Street Band accompaniment with its trademark saxophone solo. It’s a song ready for when Bruce can finally take this album on the road and have the crowd join in on a hot summer evening as the sun sets.
House of a Thousand Guitars:
I am seeing reviews of this track as the worst on the album when I found it the best on the record. I also found it ironic that the piano featured heavily, and the guitar, the weapon of choice for the Boss, is seldom used.
Rainmaker:
Ah, this is Bruce attacking the American government. It was written during George Bush Jr’s time in charge but has remained relevant to the current presidency of Donald Trump. So far, there have been no political songs on the record that go after the government. It’s good to see that Bruce has still kept his values.
If I Was the Priest:
It’s not one of his best songs, and the rhyming is very basic for someone of Bruce’s ability at songwriting.
Ghosts:
Again, this is another track ready for the road, with the E Street Band putting all their energy into it.
Song for Orphans:
It transpires that this is part of a trilogy that includes “Janey Needs a Shooter” and “If I Was the Priest” and were written when the great Bob Dylan highly inspired Bruce, so these songs were quite obviously written back in the 20th century, rather than just purely new songs for this album. It contains a plethora of words, which is a very Dylan trait.
I’ll See You in My Dreams:
The album doesn’t end on a high note. It is similar to how the album began. Hopefully, this isn’t the last record released by the boss, or this is not a good way for him to sign off. I can’t imagine Bruce timidly ending his studio career.
Song recommendations: “House of a Thousand Guitars”, “Last Man Standing”, “Ghosts”
There is no need for a background on the Vamps, as I already did in 2017. Anyway, “Glory Days” is the second track off the album, leading off from the short piano introduction of the said track. It is about living in the moment. The band has said that instead of releasing track after track or album after album, they needed a break to find their creativity again, and you can see that with how the songs are written on this record. There has been animprovement since they took this decision.
Let’s look at “Married in Vegas.” it no longer sounds like a Vamps song from their youth but a more grown-up one, giving you a sense of what direction they intend to take on future albums. They also released this as their first single to tease the new album.
Although the sound may have got more grown up, and they’re shaking off that boy band tag, the sound was very familiar from their usual songs, which meant that my concentration wavered a bit when I noticed that—saying that it is a departure from their younger days and a sign of things to come as they grow with their lyrics and versatility.
Song recommendations: “Glory Days”, “Bitter”, “Better”.
Honest Opinions 