Nile Rodgers and Chic

Week 50: Sam Ryder- There’s Nothing but Space, Man!

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Now, my family have always been one to watch Eurovision, no matter how crass the songs are. However, I became hooked in 2014. I felt the competition had upped its game. You were now getting more house and RnB-type songs. One year, there was even a drum n bass track by Austria or something like that. Anyway, Sam Ryder finished second (Should have been first.) behind Ukraine, who had a fucking awful song that wouldn’t have got a sympathy vote from the public if it wasn’t for the current situation. It would have finished last. ‘Space Man’ was by far the best song there. I don’t root for any nation, but Sam Ryder was robbed.

So, where did Sam come from? I didn’t know of him until he showcased his ” Space Man” song on BBC’s One Show. Friends of mine, particularly from Glasgow, filled me in on Sam and his popularity. Sam uploaded covers of popular songs to TikTok, where he gathered an off-the-scale following. I enjoyed the song, so I was looking forward to what his album would be like.

Despite his recent rise, Sam has been familiar with music. He fronted some bands, did busking and wedding receptions. He also had his own Juice bar business. 

What I liked about this record is the number of influences in his songs from Sam Fender, David Bowie, Elton John, Sum 41, AC/DC and club music. The opener is ‘Deep Blue Doubt’, and I couldn’t help but feel a Sam Fender-Esque vibe going on. The song could easily be mistaken for Geordie Sam from the instrumentation to the vocal delivery. It is my personal favourite off the album. Already a solid start and a twist of what to expect. This certainly sounds different from ‘Space Man’. The Fender horn section was missing from ‘Deep Blue Doubt’. ‘Somebody’ taps into Sam’s inspiration for funk. If I remember rightly, I thought while listening to the track; it reminded me of Nile Rodgers and Chic.

‘Tiny Riot’ is aptly named and an intriguing listen. You have the presence of Bring me the Horizon, but if they performed soul. I do not remember Bring Me the Horizon ever doing that, but this would be the result. Olly Sykes could also carry it off because of his vocal range.

‘All the Way Over’ is the first real reflective moment as he performs a piano ballad, which showcases his vast vocal range, complete with a bombastic outro featuring an orchestra. He then goes into A Day to Remember mode. Not the band at their rockiest, but more the quiet and gentle acoustic moments for his mid-tempo ‘OK’, so even though he does pick the tempo up, it is only slightly.

You may be wondering why I mentioned the late David Bowie; it’s more to do with ‘Space Man’ and Sam’s fascination with all things in the cosmos. The song is laden with space references, and David did this during his Ziggy Stardust period.

Once again, Sam has added another layer to the album. ‘Put a Light on Me’ gives you a false impression as you hear the guitar at the intro before bursting into a club dance floor filler. I, for one, was surprised to find club tracks to feature. Even if this isn’t your cup of green tea, the hook alone will suck you in.

‘Whirlwind’ wouldn’t look out of place at the Grand Ole Opry. We go from one extreme to the other as Sam brings the tempo down to a folk ballad with excellent fingerpicking on the guitar, either by him or a session musician (We will have to wait for the tour to find out.). He slightly ups the tempo with ‘Ten Tons’, where he blends funk with a piano. The vocals appear to be Sam channelling the late George Michael. The song goes in the blues direction during the guitar solo. Again, who performs that? We know Sam can play the guitar, as witnessed at Eurovision.

Sam shows even more vocal versatility as he taps into the Lumineers/Mumford and Sons/Of Monsters and Men section with the uptempo and country pop ‘More’. The tempo then drops to another folk ballad, this time with ‘Crashing Down’, which is quite apt when you consider the title, and the context. He follows that with ‘This Time’, an upbeat blues number.

I will close this review with ‘Living without You’, my second favourite, and the record closer Sam goes full-on club with this. David Guetta and Sigala feature, and I cannot see this not filling the dance floors whenever it is played. It is so uplifting—a brilliant way to end a versatile album. Sam may have been on Eurovision and a TikTok star, but he is no passing fad. Sam has proven now he is in the door; he plans to stay around for a long time.

Song recommendations: ‘Deep Blue Doubt’, ‘Living without You’, ‘More’

9/10

Week 34: Steps- Platinum Collection

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Blimey, where to start with this? I am not an enormous admirer of Steps, but needs must. I will try and be as professional as I can. I must first confess that some of their songs are a guilty pleasure for me, and their wedding reception-friendly music is…well, uplifting. A young lad I know slaughtered me for even daring to review this. However, it was necessary for you, my wonderful readers and followers.

So…Steps have been going since the mid-90s and first burst onto the scene with their line dance smash ‘5,6,7,8’. Since then, they have had a string of hits, and among them were some reimagined covers. Quite funny when you consider many thought their first single was going to consign them to the one-hit wonder category. It is also worth noting that the band members contemplated joining due to that possibility. Don’t forget, they split up after their third album, and we saw a documentary on Claire Richards’s struggles coming to terms with that, but she did form a duo with her fellow band member Ian “H” Watkins. The band returned in 2011, complete with a four-part documentary on Sky Living giving an insight into the reunion. The documentary would get a second series in 2012 co-titled ‘Steps: On the Road Again’, and after that, they announced they would release their fourth studio album, “Light up the World”, with a six-date Christmas tour to follow upon its release.

What’s funny about this album is you would think it is another greatest hits compilation (They have done an eye-watering six!), but no. There are plenty of new tracks (Remixes included), which I discovered upon listening (I skipped most of the old ones because I have heard them before, and some of them on countless occasions. Be it at the supermarket, weddings or parties.) However, the band would just be dismissed as a nostalgia act until 2016, when they would again be taken as the serious act they were during the mid-90s to early 2000s.

I happen to listen to the deluxe edition, which has an astounding 43 tracks, complete with solo releases by the members and remixes. You have songs with uplifting production and melancholic lyrics for balance over Nile Rodgers and Chic-inspired melodies. Now, you have no fucking idea how hard this is to break down in a review because I could still be writing this this time next year. You will have to listen to the deluxe edition and decide what you enjoy and don’t.

So, you probably wonder if I have any personal favourites, and the answer is yes. Mainly the remixes of ‘Stomp’ and ‘the Runner’. The former has a slight variation on their Nile Rodgers and Chic-Esque original, which samples ‘Everybody Dance’. ABBA drives the latter, and who doesn’t mind a bit of ABBA? My third choice would have to be ‘the Slightest Touch’. Again, it has that classic Steps hallmark to it with its uplifting instrumentation over melancholic lyrics—something mastered by the likes of the Smiths and Oasis when they were around. “Platinum Collection” is a journey from then until now, and you can see how they have evolved and managed to maintain their status. Not bad for potential one-hit wonders.

Song recommendations: ‘Stomp(Steps 25)’, ‘the Runner’, ‘the Slightest Touch’

8/10

Week 46: Kylie Minogue- DISCO

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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 album has 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 out of pop. Kylie co-wrote this album, and though the songs are mainly uplifting sonically, the lyrics are more melancholic as 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”

7/10