Paolo Nutini is like buses. Two come along at once. What do I mean by this? Since 2019, Celtic Twitter has enquired about where he was (Lewis Capaldi revealed late last year that they were in the studio working on Paolo's new album, which I am currently reviewing). Then, three years later, "Last Night in the Bittersweet" announcements were revealed, and a tour was announced. I wondered where he was, but I surmised he was busy recording new material. Hence, he is like buses.
I have been a fan of Paolo's since his debut album, "These Streets". He was offering something different at the turn of the 2000s. No one appeared to make music like that, and it was only as we entered the 2010s that someone had a similar vocal style in Maverick Sabre. His debut was followed by "Sunny Side up" in 2009, where his fan base snowballed, which spawned the hits, 'Candy', 'Pencil Full of Lead' (Adopted by fellow Celtic fan and snooker player John Higgins up until 2020 as his walk-on song.), 'Coming up Easy', and the reggae-inspired '10/10'. My fondness for his music grew stronger after an appearance on Jools Holland's Hootenanny, where he performed '10/10' (among others.), and his falsetto vocals echoed those of the late Bob Marley.
Funnily enough, I thought it was a cover of a reggae song, but to my amazement, it was written by Paolo. However, it sounds like a typical timeless reggae track.
He followed up the highly successful "Sunny Side up" with 'Caustic Love' in 2014. Despite hitting the top spot, the album had mixed reviews and spawned fewer hits or accolades than its predecessor.
Amazingly, "Caustic Love" is the predecessor to "Last Night in the Bittersweet". He was still touring until 2018, but that is some gap to wait for the fans to hear new material. That's a gap of eight years. You can understand why his fellow Celtic fans were asking where he was. This record also makes that eight-year wait worthwhile. Paolo is back with the drum banging loudly. It shows his versatility in turning his hand to anything from ska, reggae, country, indie, RnB and soul. His vocals vary across the sixteen tracks, so you get more than just that deep falsetto.
For example, 'Through the Echoes' sounds like something you would have heard on his previous album, but 'Lose it' is a cross between Fontaines DC and the late Lou Reed. On quite a fair chunk of the album, many Lou Reed-esque songs are complete with spoken word, which Lou was known for.
I first heard Paolo's new song in the recent series of Later…with Jools Holland, but I, unfortunately, cannot remember when writing what songs they were. However, they sounded different from what I had heard him do—Lou Reed-esque and with plenty of attitude. Seeing him with an electric guitar over his shoulder was also refreshing.
The same goes for 'Acid Eyes', another song wedded to rock, sitting nicely with Paolo's vocals over bombastic drums. I look forward to seeing some rockier songs added to his setlist on the current tour.
I told many of my peers to listen when I heard the album because it isn't your typical Paolo record. This album has attitude, punk spirit and rock n roll lashings. Even fleeting moments resemble the sounds of the Stone Roses, so Paolo returned to his musical influences as a teenager.
It doesn't get much recognition because of his vocals, songwriting and mellow acoustic playing. Still, he is a good guitarist with the electric guitar and can match any lead guitarists who play to an excellent level (We are excluding the late Jimi Hendrix here), which is no more evident than on this record.
It has been worthwhile waiting for Paolo to release the successor to "Caustic Love". Sometimes, such a long wait leads to an anti-climax, but he has returned, and don't you know it? The songwriting, guitar solos, spoken word, vocals, topics, and instrumentation are fabulous. It is going to be extremely exciting to hear these songs performed live. I doff my cap to you, Paolo. It is an outstanding record, and if you produce the next one like this, you can release that in eight years, too.
Song recommendations: 'Lose it', 'Through the Echoes', 'Heart Filled up'
I first got into George when I was having my haircut in the summer of 2012 and heard his hit song ‘Budapest’. When I finally saw his live performance at one of the summer festivals in the same year, he reminded me of the grime MC, Devlin, but that’s few and far between regarding the review.
“Gold Rush Kid” is George’s third studio album. It is similar to his other two records. George has the knack of making his listeners feel upbeat and enjoy his albums, even if the songs are pretty melancholic lyrically.
Now, let’s get on with the review. The opener is called ‘Anyone for You(Tiger Lilly)’. Many have found this track their favourite, but not mine, even though it is the most upbeat track he has ever made.
The piano melody reminded me of Vampire Weekend’s ‘Harmony Hall’. It was pretty much identical. The lyrics and the overall sound, though, are entirely different. I’d like to know what his album teaser ‘Green Green Grass’ was inspired by. There has been an Only Fools and Horses spin-off by the same title, and Tom Jones also covered a song with the same title. I thought, “Hmmm. Is this a cover? or something else?”. It turned out to be the latter, but when I heard the vocal melody to the chorus, I couldn’t help but think that George had been listening to Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds play this or the original by Manfred Mann. The song I am referring to is ‘the Mighty Quinn’. Seriously, listen carefully. The vocal melody in the chorus mimics the song mentioned above.
The third track is the title track. I loved this song. It is exceptionally upbeat and has a simple melody to learn on any instrument. The chorus is infectious, and I will highlight some lyrics from the track that I found to stand out: “I have been playing rock, paper, scissors in the mirror, and there hasn’t been a winner for nine days straight”.
Of course, there are also moments of reflection that George is known for and his uptempo songs. George returns to his friend the acoustic guitar for ‘I Went Hunting’ and ‘In the Morning’. ‘I Went Hunting’ highlights the mental health issue with which George recently came out and said he struggles. George has a repeating lyric in the song, which is quite apt given that mental health sufferers tend to overthink things several times based on the anxiety and fear they are experiencing.
Another great song featured on “Gold Rush Kid” is ‘Sweetest Human Being Alive’, where George addresses the lady who will become “the one”. This song has to be one of his finest to date and is an incredibly profound love song. The lyrics are sublime.
Song recommendations: ‘Gold Rush Kid’, ‘Sweetest Human Being Alive’, ‘I Went Hunting’
I remember when Liam promised us all a “Rock out with your chin out” album in reply to the mocking of his middle brother’s High Flying Birds albums (Or Low Flying Turds as he pathetically calls them), branding them “Songs you stroke your chin at”. Funnily enough, Liam has never delivered a “Rock out with your chin out” record, and he still hasn’t. This album is the same as the rest. They are like more sitting in the front room, stroking the cat on the sofa. It’s hard to believe that Liam used the “sore throat” excuse to get out of the MTV Unplugged with Oasis in the mid-90s. I wish I could find the quote from the book I read about that night when Noel took over vocal duties for the first time for an entire set (The second time would be in Dublin in 1997).
Unfortunately, I cannot locate the book at the moment, but it was known that Liam hated performing acoustic songs at the time. It’s quite funny when most of his songs like ‘Songbird’, ‘Pass Me Down the Wine’ and ‘Guess God Thinks I’m Abel’ are all acoustic songs written by Liam.
It’s pretty sad to see Liam letting his songwriting ability go to waste yet again when you consider that he has written songs like’ like ‘the Meaning of Soul’, ‘I’m Outta Time’, and ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’. He wrote these great songs in Oasis, so the ability is there. He doesn’t know how to use it. For “C’mon You Know”, he has once again employed Greg Kurstin, the Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, and Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig. You would think the latter two would improve this record, but no. Dave and Ezra’s talents have been wasted. Yes, this has elements of Oasis, but also a sound more akin to the late Bo Diddley, but overall, it is lacking. The lyrical content is once again cringeworthy. I mean, it is a nursery rhyme level. When I heard some of the lyrics, I shuddered.
‘World’s in Need’ reminded me of the late Bo Diddley’s songs, but it doesn’t do his songs justice. The album has some good moments, like the Dave Grohl penned ‘Everything’s Electric’. However, Dave’s song is ruined by Liam’s nursery rhymes. Many complain about this album because Liam dares to experiment, but I welcome it. It is just a shame about the rest of it.
Considering it was made in the studio, I found it surprising how ropey his vocals were. Usually, with the software available in the studio, you can make a person who cannot sing a note sound polished, so I was surprised to hear him sounding so ropey. Some won’t like this review, but I don’t care. The best thing about the record is if Liam wasn’t on it.
Ropey vocals and poor lyrics. However, the production is quite good. I would enjoy an instrumental version of this.
As for seeing him live? I would opt for Stop the Clocks if I wanted to see an Oasis tribute act. I am not interested in hearing Oasis songs (Mainly his brother’s, who he slags off at every turn)when I was there in the moment. That moment has passed. Would anyone go to see him if he didn’t perform Oasis songs? Let’s face it; his solo material is nothing to write home about. You might like “C’mon You Know” if you are a Liam fan. It certainly isn’t for you if you are not or casually listening.
Song recommendations: ‘Everything’s Electric’, ‘World’s in Need’
Florence and the Machine started as a duo in 2007, with Florence Welch on vocals and Isabella Summers on keyboards. They were initially called Florence Robot/Isa Machine before changing the name to Florence is a Machine before their first gig. Eventually, they settled on Florence and the Machine and turned it into a band rather than a duo.
However, most mistaken the band as Florence’s solo project as the group bears her name. It would help if they said it sounds like a duo because Isabella is “the Machine”. I have heard many accounts where “the Machine” has been mistaken for Florence’s backing band. I first heard Florence and the Machine via a friend’s iTunes playlist in late 2008. I had never heard of the band, and he had ‘Rabbit Heart(Raise it up)’ on this playlist. I was instantly impressed with Florence’s vocal range on the track. Alas, I was disappointed with Florence’s live vocals when I saw them live at Glastonbury, iTunes, Oxygen, and Reading/Leeds that year. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the music, but those notes she hit on ‘Rabbit Heart(Raise it up)’ were far from what I heard on the studio version.
I don’t intend to make this a long review for their latest album, “Dance Fever”, because I am not sold on it. Plenty of the tracks have long intros or outros, making me think they plan on doing another short film as they did for their 2015 record “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful”. I prefer that album to this. “Dance Fever” was made over the past two years during lockdown. From what I gathered, the record focuses on mental health, and Florence details it like talking to a therapist. This isn’t my reason for not liking it. The intros and outros were far too long.
The production is tame to what you have come to have known Florence and the Machine for. The production is split between Jack Antonoff and Dave Bayley. It is hard to write about one song because they seem to crash into each other. I enjoyed the bonus disc that featured four songs off the standard version acoustically and a track called ‘Search and Destroy’, which for me was the best track of the entire album, but it is a cover of the Stooges song.
Song recommendations: ‘Search and Destroy’, ‘Cassandra’, ‘Free’
As you might recall, I wrote a review of their second album, “A Hero’s Death”, by accident. As you know, I write a review for the number one album each week or whenever a new one is on the top spot. Well, this particular week back in 2020, the Irish band were on course for the top spot, but the previous number one held them off. However, I wrote a review on “A Hero’s Death” because it was more or less certain on the back of this information. I listened to the record, wrote my review a day later, and uploaded it the following day. It’s nice to know I will not need to do a bit of background to introduce you to the lads from Dublin. I will, though, do something I have yet to do so far.
As you know, I have done track-by-track reviews, summary track-by-track reviews, and plain old, elongated reviews. I will do essential track reviews on the tracks I enjoyed this time. The album consists of ten tracks. I will write a review, long or short, on the highlights of “Skinty Fia”:
In ár gCroíthe go deo:
This track opens the album and translates as “In Our Hearts Forever”. It’s nice to see some Gaeilge used by a band, particularly from Ireland. It has been a while since I’ve seen Gaeilge used by Irish bands, unless it is Clannad or the like. This song is steeped in Irish history—the song protests against the English who invaded Ireland 800 or more years ago. The band’s instrumentalists provide backing vocals, repeating the track title repeatedly as Grian enters over a glum and sinister bassline. The song is based on the event of Maggie Keane, who wanted a Celtic cross with the track name inscribed on the headstone. However, the occupying British Army brought the Church of England over, which denied Maggie’s request. Their reason is that the message was written in the native language, which would lead to political connotations. Despite this, the Irish courts ruled in favour of Maggie’s family. The band felt the song epitomises how the natives still need to fight for their identity. From the outset, the band have decided to go political. If that makes some of you uncomfortable because they want to talk about the occupation of Ireland, then stop reading this review and give the album a miss.
Big Shot:
As you may well know, the Dubliners have moved across the sea to London, and this song reflects that. Whereas Dublin still has opportunities to expand, the band’s move to London has opened up more avenues than were on offer back in their native Dublin. The band can pursue their dream of being the best by moving across the sea. For example, look at some of these lyrics: “I travelled to Space”, found the moon too small, and home is a pin, rusting through a map, I go there to pray, do my resting at mass”. What Grian is saying, from what I can decipher, is that they have travelled around Ireland, but it isn’t enough to achieve their dream. Despite being a big city, Dublin is nothing compared to the other cities they have played in worldwide. They only return to Dublin when there is a break during touring (Or the tour has ended.) and attend mass. The last line, I believe to be they only have time to reflect and relax away from music when they go to mass (I am also Catholic like the lads, and you feel far from relaxed at mass. It feels like you are in the dock listening to a judge telling you how guilty you are.)
Jackie Down the Line:
Another political track. I will explain why briefly, but this song is the opposite of ‘Big Shot’. The band talks about why they are proud to be from Dublin (In the title sense, at least.). The song has an Indie 90s feel to it. “Jackie” is a variation of “Jackeen”. This is a derogatory term used by people outwith of Dublin. A Jackeen is someone who has become an “Irish Brit”. They have embraced the British culture and have become flag-wavers of the Union Jack. I first heard this track on the Late Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. It featured a steady drumbeat, acoustic guitar, and a reverb effect on Conor Curley’s electric guitar—a method used by his counterpart Edge from U2. The song talks about a woman named Sally, a toxic male killed. I haven’t looked into the case, but it highlights that there is still this problem of men attacking women in Ireland. Indeed, Grian’s vocals are melancholic. You can hear his soul slide away during the verses as he foretells the fable.
I Love You:
So far, I haven’t heard anything like the punk-infused songs I had heard on their previous albums, and this track was no different. This time, the band took influences from Joy Division, New Order, and the Cure. It reminded me of a darker version of ‘Blue Monday’. Why? It wasn’t quite a dance track but had that Peter Hook bassline. I am sure I have seen Deego sporting a t-shirt of all the bands before now. So, it is no surprise he has added Peter Hook and Simon Gallup basslines. The subject revolves around the Irish youth, how they are shackled by capitalism and religion, how the lockdown has affected their well-being and the sinking feeling of what the future holds. At the same time, while trapped in this current situation. Grian’s delivery is spot-on for the subject. He delivers the vocals with ferocious anger as he addresses the issues and describes how he felt growing up in that situation.
Bloomsday:
It leads off from ‘I Love You’ because it, too, is dark. This time, however, it goes even more profound and sinister. Again, over this gloomy instrumentation, Grian’s delivery is perfect. His lyrics sound like a man talking with a soft and melancholic tone. Again, Grian highlights the lack of hope for the youth in Ireland, particularly in his native Dublin.
Skinty Fia:
As you can tell by the name, this is the title track. Does it move away from the previous two songs about Dublin? The answer is no. The song can be described as darkwave over a low bassline as Grian talks about Dublin’s shortcomings.
Roman Holiday:
Unlike, let’s call it the Doomed Dublin trilogy, this song is more upbeat and has a message of hope. Once again, the guitar effect Edge uses is utilised by Curley over a stark bassline and fragmented percussion. The song is quite apt with the current war in Eastern Europe. It is about a couple moving to Dublin who can be welcomed and make it their home, which Ukrainian refugees have been doing in Dublin and all over Europe. Even though you are not from Ireland, you can still embrace it and have an Irish heart. I first heard this at Alexandra Palace on the current tour.
the Couple Across the Way:
In one of the quieter moments on the record, Grian sings alone, accompanied by an accordion and piano. Grian tells the story of looking out of his window and narrating a typical day in the life of his neighbours adjacent. He has never spoken to them to find out their names or interests. He observes them argue, make up, and repeat the cycle daily. He opts to assume the role of one half of the couple as the song nears the end and the story becomes more straightforward.
Nabokov:
The album closer has a Verve air about it. Like the Verve, the track is melancholic, but Fontaines DC adds a fast tempo, whereas the Verve would opt for a plodding one. For those of you who are learned readers, you would have probably detected the song title is by a novelist, and just like in one of Nabokov’s books, the character in the track depicts that of Lolita—a lady who no longer feels optimistic and is fed up with being downtrodden. The only way out of the situation to end the pain is to take her own life. That sentiment is expressed in the lyrics “I did you a favour, I bled myself dry, ” as Grian delivers it, seemingly depicting the character screaming angrily. Some might say it is a dark and sinister way to close out, but the band have never been one to abide by the laws. They have always gone against the grain and diced with danger, which has worked since they started playing. Unlike “Dogrel” and “A Hero’s Death”, “Skinty Fia” has been sobering to listen to, and the subjects on offer invoke all the emotions we feel. The record also goes deep into our imaginations.
Song recommendations: ‘Jackie Down the Line’, ‘the Couple Across the Way’, ‘Roman Holiday’
I have no idea how I got into the Chilis; they just appeared out of nowhere. I just fell into them. I don’t know how. I just seemed to hear them everywhere I went as a kid. I don’t even know what track I liked back then. Anyway, “Unlimited Love” is their twelve studio album over a nearly four decades-long career. John Frusciante has also returned, and Rick Rubin has been called upon to help propel the band back to their peak years.
The opener is ‘Black Summer’, which I believe is also the lead single because I saw the obligatory video on YouTube.John brings his signature solos, which the band and the fans have missed. It sounds like a track that belongs on their 2006 album, “Stadium Arcadium”, which is my personal favourite of theirs. The song title and lyrics in the chorus could be a nod to John because the band have been going through a “black summer” without his guitar licks and riffs. The second track leads off from the opener with Anthony Kiedis back to his best vocally. ‘Here Ever After’ also sounds like a classic Chilis song.
Flea’s turn is to showcase his talent on the funk-induced ‘Aquatic Mouth Dance’. However, the upbeat song feels like it was made as an Adult Swim track. What do I mean? I can see it being used in one of the shows on the channel or those little skits you see before the following programme. It was nice to hear trumpets and a saxophone, which I can’t recall hearing on many of their tracks.
There are acoustic moments on the record, but the songs lose meaning because they are too long. Especially ‘Not the One’, which is someone saying to their lover this isn’t going to work out because we are different.
Unfortunately, the downtempo doesn’t stop there as we head into ‘Poster Child’, ‘It’s Only Natural’, and ‘the Great Apes’.However, the latter does have a catchy chorus and is Anthony’s pro-wildlife song. He wants apes to have their freedom rather than be locked up in a cage for people’s enjoyment at the zoo. I can understand that and, therefore, like the message conveyed.
At the halfway point, a track called ‘These are the Ways’ brings controversy depending on your side. The track goes after the current climate in America. Anthony’s vocals are reflective during the verses, but his anger comes through during the chorus, and he attacks the current environment. This is Chad Smith’s best drumming showpiece on the record.
The album’s second half shows off the instrumentalists, and Anthony takes more of a back seat. Aside from showing off the instrumentalists’ skills, the album lacks any real punch after the halfway point. Yes, there are catchy songs, but no songs that stand out. I did like ‘Veronica’, which changes tempo between the chorus and the verses and has a nice story to tell.
I am running out of where to end this review, but another track that stood out because of the concept was ‘the Heavy Wing, ‘ where John takes lead vocals and plays guitar. The record ends on a mellow note with ‘Tangelo’, which features acoustic and, surprisingly, synthesisers. Unfortunately, this album blends in with most of their previous records.
I didn’t notice anything significant in their tracks. All Rick did was bring them back to what they sounded like in their glory years. Apart from that, it sounded like any other Chilis album.
Song recommendations: ‘Veronica’, ‘These are the Ways’, ‘the Heavy Wing’
I have been a fan of the Phonics since their first appearance on CD: UK(Countdown United Kingdom) in 1998 (I think.)Performing ‘the Bartender and the Thief’. The first thing that struck me was the guitar of the frontman and chief songwriter, Kelly Jones. A red Gibson SG. The only other person around the latter end of this Indie mad era I can recall using one was Paul Weller. That was the only reason I watched the performance on that early Saturday afternoon in the first place. At that time, plenty were in circulation due to Oasis making it ‘cool’ again. However, Kelly’s raspy vocals stood out; I found them different from the bands around then. Most of the newer bands tried to be Oasis, but thePhonics with Kelly’s vocals were pathing their own way to notoriety.
Amazingly, they have amassed twelve albums from their debut, “Performances and Cocktails”. Their debut produced hits such as ‘Just Looking’., ‘Hurry up and Wait’, ‘the Bartender and the Thief’, ‘Pick a Part that’s New'(My favourite.), and ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’. Anyway, that’s off track. Let’s talk about their current record, “Oochya!”. The cover is the first thing that caught my attention, and it resembles Green Day’s 1994 album “Dookie”. The opener is ‘Hanging on Your Hinges’, which sounds like it was recorded live in the studio. What do I mean by this? Well, bands like the Phonics back in the 90s and years before used to record a performance rather than the method used today of stopping and starting to edit out mistakes. Everything was recorded in analogue back then, which would be a pain in the arse to edit because you would have to cut segments of the tape. This is why bands and musicians from the analogue decades are masters. They mastered the ability to record performances with minimal mistakes. Indeed, it made them sharper and tighter when performing on tour.
Apart from that, I noticed that the band didn’t resemble their usual sound. Almost immediately, I noticed a rather LCD Soundsystem song. I enjoyed it, but it left me intrigued about where the album would go next. I was expecting a grand Phonics-esque entrance.
However, over the remaining 14 tracks, the record trends common ground. So far, it is one of the longest albums I have heard this year, clocking in at 64 minutes and 12 seconds. The band are back to what you heard on “Performances and Cocktails”. Some have said it is a bit long, but I enjoyed that the Phonics returned to their electric guitar-laden roots. The records of late have been full of ballads and have been on a more reflective side. Although most of Kelly’s songs are quite cynical, the bombastic instrumentation gives it an upbeat feeling.
Kelly’s good friend Noel Gallagher is also a master of pulling that off. Something they both would have learned from Johnny Marr.
Of course, the album has some slower-paced tracks like ‘Right Place Right Time’ and ‘When You See it’. The latter is better for its resemblance to ‘Have a Nice Day’ with Kelly’s raspy vocals, the carefree yet melodic strumming of the acoustic guitar, and the steady drums to give the song flesh around the bones.
Like every band trying to capture past glories, “Oochya!” doesn’t quite get there. We associate Kelly’s vocals with raspy and rough, but on this, he does change tact, like on ‘Running Round My Brain’, where he changes up to Blues. It almost sounds like a song associated with the likes of Cody Johnson (A country star for those unfamiliar.)After all, it is challenging to find that winning formula you started with.
Again, even though recorded live, ‘Don’t Know What Ya Got’ stays on that Country path, remaining chilled out and with a Stereophonics originality, which lies solely with Kelly’s vocals.
The band probably sounded like any band then, but Kelly’s vocals stood out.
Apart from that LCD Soundsystem moment, the band are trying to re-capture what they had on their debut rather than moving forward. Now, this is good and bad because the good is there are no shit songs or songs that much out of place, and the bad. After all, they have yet to try to flirt with new concepts. I love the Phonics, so this is fine with me. I know they have experimented before, so as the Embrace song title says, “Come Back to What You Know”.
Song recommendations: ‘Close Enough to Drive Home’, ‘When You See it’, ‘Hanging on Your Hinges’
Here is a track-by-track review of Adele’s fourth album:
Strangers by Nature:
As you may have heard, before the record was even released, the primary subject was her divorce from Simon Konecki, which certainly comes across from the first listen. Adele foretells about the sheer agony of what divorce does to one’s psyche. The first track features strings as Adele sings lamentably about what happened. As the song climaxes, you can see the colour reappearing in her life after all that has occurred.
Easy on Me:
Ha! Unfortunately, the day this teaser single was released, I missed the premiere, and I didn’t go searching to hear it because I had the gist of what to expect from the track and the album. I am not alone. The single received mixed reviews, with some saying it was a new era and others saying it was the same old tired song we have come to know by her. So, what is a “typical” Adele track? It involves her beautiful vocals over a piano and the subject of being heartbroken. This track is exactly that. I never knocked her voice because it is impressive,but this song is your signature Adele track.
My Little Love:
Now, we are getting somewhere that is different with Adele. It’s the first song on the record that goes against the grain—a track drenched in soul. However, I found it somewhat disturbing as it featured interludes of Adele having a conversation with her son about how much she loves him, and through all the bullshit, it has been him who keeps her spirits up. It also explains why she left his father. I find that quite creepy, and it isn’t our business to know what Adele shares with her son. I believe a subject matter this deep should be done in private.
Cry Your Heart Out:
Another surprise on the album. Adele is now trying her hand at RnB. The melody is quite uplifting, even though the lyrics are dark. The backing vocals and the ivories tinkling add to the tune’s sweetness.
Oh My God:
An interesting take on her vocals here. They seem to hide behind the chorus when everybody knows her vocals are her most vital asset. It seems off-key to want your most critical asset to pale into the background rather than be the track’s focus. You can hear her vocal range during the verses, so I wonder why she decided to take the attention away from the chorus.
Can I Get it:
My standout on “30” as we hear an acoustic guitar for the first time since “19” (I think.). Before Adele was signed, she played an acoustic in most of her sets in the good old days. The last time I remember Adele playing an acoustic was on Later…with Jools Holland back in 2011. I am unsure if she played it on this track, but it is there nonetheless. It sounds as if Ed Sheeran was involved because it has that kind of technique. Maybe even KT Tunstall because she plays the same way. The drums follow the acoustic as Adele changes tempo as the track progresses. It is by far the most audio-pleasing song on the record.
I Drink Wine:
I am not surprised by the title going by what Adele used to be like before motherhood. However, the track is more about reflecting on her childhood and finding a way to leave her current situation in the rearview. The lyrics are pretty sad as she looks for the answers to take back control and live life with a sense of freedom as she used to when she was younger. The vocals are straight from the heart—the reason why Adele rocketed to fame in the beginning. I say “current situation”, but that has since changed. That is how she felt in 2018, at least.
All Night Parking ft Errol Garner:
Ah, dear. The one thing I cannot stand on albums. Interludes. All they are are fillers—nothing more, nothing less. I didn’t pay much attention for that reason. All I heard was a piano.
Woman Like Me:
As you already know, the record centres around her divorce, and this song follows that trend. This is Adele not knowing which way to turn (Of course, now she is with Rich Paul.) and letting it all out with us acting as sympathetic listeners.
Hold on:
Something that we have known Adele to do in all her previous records. I do not think she needs to write a book because her life has been covered in songs. However, as the track nears the end, there is a sudden change in tempo with harmonies and an orchestral sound that one would hear in the cinema. This piano ballad sees Adele put her story centre stage. It symbolises light appearing from the shadows in her life during that period and a reason to rise again.
To be Loved:
The lyrics “Let it be known that I tried” are heartbreaking. It is your typical Adele track, with her raw emotion displayed through her vocals and a melancholy message at the end. It is like she feels her love is never good enough. I don’t know how Rich feels, but it works fine between them now.
Love is a Game:
Not only is IT the album closer, but you sense it is also closure to the divorce. You might hear more about it on her next record, but I think she will have moved on from talking about this horrific ordeal. Adele seems to tread carefully regarding the matter of the heart, which sometimes impacts her future relationships, as she discusses in this song.
Song recommendations: ‘Can I Get it’, ‘Cry Your Heart Out’, ‘I Drink Wine’
I am going to do a brief track-by-track summary from Ed’s final album using mathematical symbols (Or so he says.):
Tides:
This track sounds akin to ‘Castle on the Hill’ from his previous and best album so far “, ÷“. I also felt it had a touch of Oasis, Sam Fender, and Bon Iver. You can tell by the subject that Ed has grown up as he talks about his family rather than being drunk or high on nights out. Some might say the title is aptly named as life has changing tides and our responsibilities become more.
Shivers:
This was the second single off the record and reached the top spot in the first week of release. This is more a track about Ed witnessing others having fun and enjoying life again as the world slowly opens up after the pandemic. The tempo is ideal for vibes on a night out with elements of uplifting dance.
First Times:
We became accustomed to this typical Ed Sheeran song before and after his debut album “+”. Ed once again picks up his acoustic Martin & Co Junior, telling fables about his life, from his success of playing out and controlling EE Stadium(Wembley)to his marriage to Cherry and the birth of his daughter. Strings accompany this gentle ballad, and has an Irish folk feel to it. After all, Ed grew up listening to the likes of Planxty.
Bad Habits:
Everyone wondered if Ed still had it after taking a sabbatical, but in the summer, he proved that when this track became the summer anthem. Originally, Ed had no plans to release this as the teaser, nor did he want it to play out as the record’s theme. However, Ed saw that people wanted to go out and enjoy themselves again after lockdown, so he tried to reflect that in the song.
Overpass Graffiti:
This uplifting track around synthesisers reminded me of Dua Lipa’s ‘Be the One’ from 2017. It even follows the same theme of Dua’s song: love. The track also has Bon Iver-Esque vocal overlays.
the Joker and the Queen:
This Piano ballad with strings about love reminded me of Bread’s ‘Make it with You’ and sounded briefly melodically like the Noisette’s ‘Never Forget You’. It also reminded me of the music in the 60s for some reason.
Leave Your Life:
Ed told Jools Holland that he wrote this song for his daughter so that she is always among his thoughts, even when he is on the road. It was also inspired after a close friend passed away. It features Ed beatboxing, a string sample looped during the verses., and how he remains faithful to his wife and daughter no matter how far away he is.
Collide:
It has shades of Jimmy Cliff’s version of ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ with its implementation of maracas and the drumbeat. There is a haunting keyboard effect, pan pipes. The sensation can be described as being under a waterfall in the African jungle, as Ed assures you everything will be okay. The outro brings in the piano. The track is a top-heavy production.
2step:
So far, Ed hasn’t rapped on the album until now, albeit he does it sparingly. This is like an Usher RnB beat with a looping guitar riff as Ed touches on love, the common dominator on the record.
Stop the Rain:
An acoustic track with electronic drums, a funky bassline and synths. Sounds a bit Latin too.
Love in Slow Motion:
Ed isn’t just driven by music anymore—an ode to his wife about making their marriage the utmost priority in his hectic life. The song features a mandolin and his trusty acoustic friend. The track sounds like a combination of the Goo Goo Dolls ‘Iris’ and the Corrs’ ‘Falling in Love’.
Visiting Hours:
Ed wrote this about his late friend, mentioned under ‘Leave Your Life’ by Michael Gudinski. Ed lets out his raw emotion as he laments that he won’t be able to share future experiences with his friend and that he wishes there were visiting hours in heaven to update Michael and still see him. Again, the song features acoustic accompanied by piano with a choir during the chorus, strings at the breakdown, and horns and synths.
Sandman:
I imagine this lullaby was created as a song to send Lyra to sleep instead of him reading her a story. The lyrics are delightful, with dreams of those beautiful things we let our vivid imaginations run away with as children. For example, Ed says, “A Snowman made of ice cream”…I mean, we all had mad dreams like that. The track features a xylophone (usually used for lullabies.), a ukulele, a tropical beat, strings and a music box. You can’t get any more lullaby than this.
Be Right Now:
The closer has pulsating drums, electronic piano, synths, and a New Order/Peter Hook-Esque bassline, and as it reaches the chorus, the tempo speeds up and sounds like a track by Georgia.
Okay. I lied. It could have been a more brief summary.
Song recommendations: ‘First Times’, ‘Visiting Hours’, ‘Love in Slow Motion’
Who doesn’t know who Elton John is? The man is part of music royalty. I have no idea how I was introduced to his music because he has been a constant, and I probably first heard him while I was inside the womb. He has released over 30 albums, hit the top spot just shy of 10 times, and won many accolades.
But as he revealed on the recent episode of Later…with Jools Holland at Helicon Mountain, just like everyone else, he found himself in the same situation during the lockdown. Indeed, Elton had to postpone dates for what he says will be his final tour, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour”. Elton has said on several occasions that he will quit touring for good. Still, this time, in conversation with Jools, he said that by the time the tour has finished, he would be shy of 80, meaning that he will probably be close to his mid-eighties by the time another album tour commences. Elton declared he wants to enjoy his family rather than being out on the road because he doesn’t particularly like touring as it is. Although he will retire from touring, he has said he will continue to release material for himself or collaborate with other artists.
So, how was the concept of this record born? Elton wanted to do more than play family games and watch television,which he initially did and wanted to be more active. So, instead of starting an album from scratch, he elected to do a collaboration record that features an array of talented musicians from Brandi Carlile to Yo-Yo Ma. Is the guest list a surprise? No. Not really. He has collaborated with pretty much everyone in the industry. The most surprising of all was with 2pac on ‘Ghetto Gospel’ in 2004 from Pac’s “Loyal to the Game” album produced by Eminem, who, despite using derogatory language towards homosexuals, ended up becoming good friends with Elton. Elton, of course, also has the likes of Ed Sheeran signed to his Rocketman management service.
I liked most of the album, albeit four tracks out of the 16. The tracks on “the Lockdown Sessions” are split down the middle between old tracks that were hits of his being tweaked and reimagined and the other half being unreleased and unique material. ‘Learn to Fly’ features the Texas duo Surfaces, inspired by Elton’s love of jazz. ‘Chosen Family’ is the standout track for me, which features Rina Sawayama (In fact, it is her song.), where they talk about…well, what the song title is.
Now, I recently found out that it is supposed to be in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, of which both Elton and Rina are a part, but when I heard it, I listened to a song about us all being as one. I didn’t hear a reference to just one community but a message for the whole world. When put in the setlist, this track will be the moment when all the phones and lighters are lit up. It is a lovely slow-tempo ballad. By far, it is his best work on the album; believe me, there is plenty of it on this.
I am not a fan of Years & Years, but the reimagined version of the Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 smash hit, ‘It’s a Sin’, is brilliant. It is globa! Reach mix showcases the vocals of Olly Alexander signing over an acoustic guitar before Elton comes with his piano over a pulsating disco beat that will fill many a dancefloor at a wedding reception and those cheesy disco parties. I don’t know how the lads from Pet Shop Boys feel, but it doesn’t discredit the track for me. It is more upbeat and less sad.
If it weren’t for the beautiful collaboration with vocalist Rina Sawayama, the next track I am going to mention would haveprobably been my standout, and that’s the collaboration with Miley Cyrus, Watt, Yo-Yo Ma and Metallica bassist RobertTrujillo on, funnily enough, Metallica’s 1991 soft and melancholic ballad ‘Nothing Else Matters’.
Miley’s vocal delivery resembles Lana del Rey’s with her gravelly voice. The song doesn’t deviate much from the original but is slower and more acoustic throughout. In contrast, the original involves a lot of electric guitar during the chorus and the solo section. You have to say it was a stroke of genius to bring on board a member of the band, Robert Trujillo, who would have made sure that the version by Elton did the original justice rather than see it spoiled or maybe even murdered by overproduction or sending it into the cheesy pop realm.
The record’s diversity is quite something to behold, as you can tell by some of the tracks I have already touched on (Have you been paying attention? Hahaha.). Another disco and uplifting song is ‘Orbit’, featuring SG Lewis. I say disco, but is it? Well, yes and no. Yes, it is disco, but no, it ventures into the early days of what was to become house music, but with a retro twist. You are propelled back to the 1970s disco fever era but with an element of early house. Touching on the record’s diversity, Elton said it sent him back to his time as a session musician in the late 60s and how he has managed to balance the music he grew up with and the music that young people are currently listening to. Elton isn’t trying to appeal to just one audience, nor is he treating this as just a joke of a collaboration album. He has put serious work into this, and it has paid off.
The next song I will mention is with an artist I have heard an awful lot of late and watched, god knows how many documentaries about her, and that’s Elton’s excellent friend Brandi Carlile. They team up on ‘Simple Things’ that, as you can imagine, is embedded into Brandi’s country roots. Elton brings his country concept to the track and talks about the wisdom he has picked up throughout his years as a musician. I mean, there are just so many great tracks on “the Lockdown Sessions”. I am goingto sum up the following shortly and sweetly:
‘E-ticket Ride’ featuring Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder: This is their glam-rock take on the Beatles classic ‘Ticket to Ride’, but the lyrics are updated for a modern world. Hence ‘E-ticket’.
‘Finish Line’ featuring Stevie Wonder: Stevie is a music legend in his own right and brings gospel to this song,making it spiritual.
‘Stolen Car’ featuring Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks: This track could be mistaken for the same couple from ‘Don’t GoBreaking My Heart’ talking about their relationship through those 45 years.
‘I’m Not Gonna Miss You’ featuring the late Glen Campbell: Glen would be proud of Elton’s collaborations and his reimaginingof his songs and others. Indeed, I love Glen’s covers of the Foo Fighters ‘Times Like These’ and Green Day‘s ‘Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)’, respectively. It is a negative way to close the album and is probably the final wave by Glen. We lost him in 2017, but I imagine Elton has stored away this one for years, and through the lockdown, we have had the opportunity to say goodbye to Glen on this downtempo ballad.
My one disappointment with the record is that there has yet to be room for the late Leon Russell, who passed in 2016. Elton was a massive fan of Leon’s, even recording an album with him in the early 2000s. I was surprised not to have seen a collaboration with Leon on a track from those early 2000s sessions. I would have listed the ‘the Pink Phantom’, which also features on Gorillaz’s latest album, “Song Machine”. Overall, the track is excellent, and I have heard it at least four times on the band’s current tour. However, 6lack ruins it for me because he uses that software I detest, and the guy can’t sing anyway, so it doesn’t add any value to the track. It spoils it. Take him off, or get him to rap without the vocal software; you have a great track. This latest album is a testament to Elton’s ability to switch the creative tap on when necessary.
Song recommendations: ‘Chosen Family’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, ‘Simple Things’
Honest Opinions 