I reviewed their previous and fourth album in 2020, so an introduction is unnecessary. One thing you will notice with the album is it is based around conversations in the pub. A place which Paul used to frequent until he became teetotal several years ago now.
The music is uptempo, as you can imagine with most of Paul’s work, be it with Jacqui, solo, his former band the Beautiful South, and his first mainstream band the Housemartins. The opener is ‘the Good Times’ and is centred around a pub landlord by the fireplace sitting by himself, I imagine, a few hours after closing. Yes, the lyrics are laced with melancholy and anti-establishmentarianism, but the songs tend to be uptempo, ranging from ska to rock. Going back to those mentioned earlier, the song isn’t so cheerful when you hear the lyrics where the landlord is lamenting the death of his wife and feeling somewhat guilty for contributing to her demise.
Uptempo instrumentals wrapped around melancholic lyrics. This seems to be the pattern for the rest of the record. What surprised me was the scare use of attacking the establishment, which Paul likes to do regularly.
The standout performance on the album has to be by the other half of the duo, Jacqui Abbot. I saw a few live performances of some of the songs from “NK-Pop”, and Jacqui’s vocals were tremendous and seemed to work well with Paul’s quintessential brooding vocals. Again, just like Paul, she isn’t afraid to mince her words, and if you have crossed her on social media, trust me, you know how brutally honest she is.
This record remains on the same wavelength as their Beautiful South days with horns, piano, ska, rock, Motown, country, and pop. My favourite on the album will come as no surprise to those who know me personally, and that is ‘My Mother’s Womb’; the song is about being anti-patriotic and fits well with Paul’s political opinions. Very unusual for such outspoken artists. This was the only political song I could find off the record.
I highly recommend ‘Too Much for One(Not Enough for Two). We have a bouncy piano with bombastic horns, Paul’s mid-range vocals complimented by Jacqui’s high and loud vocals. With Jacqui shining throughout. This reminded me so much of the Beautiful South in its prime.
Song recommendations: ‘My Mother’s Womb’, ‘Too Much for One(Not Enough for Two)’, ‘the Good Times’
was surprised to discover this is the band’s third No.1 album on these shores. I never appreciated the band and used to call them microphone abusers until a lad named Michael told me to listen to Corey Taylor over a slow ballad with another band he was in called Stone Sour. I was impressed with his vocals and realised he could do more than the growl. That was when I started to give this kind of music a chance, and it seems then I have come to like Mastodon, Pantera, Avenge Sevenfold, Alexisonfire, Megadeth and Killswitch Engage. I forgot to say Cradle of Filth from England, who I thought was fictional as Richmond Avenal from the IT Crowd, was a fan. I felt that being television, Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews made them up. Also, watching documentaries on bands like Mastodon took away my stereotyping because they are just regular people who love music. They are not satanic worshippers or goths.
Of course, as you would imagine, with Slipknot being a heavy metal band, most of the record is of that nature. However, there are slow ballads and even moments of space rock. The latter I would never have thought they would venture into. The lead single is ‘the Chapeltown Rag’, which sounds like Mastodon blended with Queens of the Stone Age. I found this album lighter than their previous ones; not a bad thing because we get to hear Corey Taylor’s sweet vocals to their full potential. I found some longish intros and outros that lasted about a minute with various sounds, like Corey playing the toy piano on the outro to ‘the Dying Song’. We all talk about great drummers like the late Ginger Baker, Buddy Rich, and Taylor Hawkins. However, some sensational drummers are in heavy metal, metalcore, and death metal. Jay Weinberg demonstrates that on ‘Hivemind’. If you picture it, his feet are working overtime on the bass drum.
‘H377’ is full of rage, with Corey attacking being a product of the system over a fast-paced instrumental synchronising with the anger in his vocals. ‘Medicine for the Dead’ also starts with the same tempo before heading into space rock.
However, you probably won’t be surprised to discover my standouts were the opener and the closer. ‘Adderall’ is a quiet beginning to the album with beautiful vocals by Corey over a smooth groove that reminded me of Fun Lovin Criminals. The final track, ‘Finale,’ starts with an acoustic guitar before Corey sings angelically over electric guitars and a choir.
The most experimental on the record, though, has to be ‘Yen’, a slow-tempo track with vocals to lure you in before the song explodes into the chorus.
I enjoyed listening to ‘the End, So Far’ and recommended it to a once devoted fan. I found it lighter and, therefore, more ear-friendly than their usual material. The songs were not what I expected from Slipknot. I suggest to those who are ignorant about them (Like I was.) to give it a listen. You will be surprised. I want to end with Corey Taylor is a fucking fantastic vocalist.
Song recommendations: ‘Adderall’, ‘Finale’, ‘the Chapeltown Rag’
When I checked to see who was number one, I had no idea who the girl band from the Korean Republic was. Funnily enough, they came up in an Answer Smash on Richard Osman’s House of Games that same week. That was my first introduction to them (Safe to say, I didn’t get the answer because I had no idea who they were).
So, who are Blackpink? They are a K-pop girl band from the Korean Republic and the female equivalent of the highly popular BTS. The band consists of three members: Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo. They sing in both Korean and English. In 2020, they released their debut titled “The Album”. A usual title, but in all honesty, I wasn’t aware of it. According to the research I have done, the problem with their debut is that it became too overloaded with K-pop with no versatility.
So maybe it was a blessing for me to review their sophomore record because, from the first listen, it made my ears prick up. I must confess, when I heard they were a K-pop girl band, I wasn’t looking forward to listening, but it took me by surprise. The album has plenty of versatility from K-pop, RnB, rock, hip-hop, and the occasional piano ballad.
The album opens with ‘Pink Venom’, the teaser released several weeks before the record. The song appears to be heavily inspired by Rihanna and the late Notorious BIG. So, you already have RnB and hip-hop combined on the first track, complete with the band’s name chant.
The second track, ‘Shut Down,’ has a gunshot sound effect over violins and a heavy bassline. The standout performer in the track is Jisoo rapping, which appears out of nowhere.
You will learn that many songs are about female empowerment, and just like the opener, ‘Typa Girl’ follows the same path. You may think the song is sweet and innocent as it begins with a child-like synth, but no. It abruptly goes into a heavy piano, and that is then followed by silence. When the song returns, the members swap verses expressing empowerment. For example, one of the lyrics is ‘I bring money to the table, not your dinner’. A cutting snipe at the misogynists all over a trap beat—a song bombastic in production and lyrically.
So, the first part has plenty of attitude, so what about after the halfway point? We begin with ‘Hard to Love’, a piano ballad that takes a surprise turn and switches up into a disco beat. Well, more disco funk. The guitar part was Nile Rodgers-esque. ‘The Happiest Girl’ is probably one of their only melancholic songs on the album describing the need to be happy during tough times. ‘Tally’ brings the attitude over rock instrumentals, where the band stresses the importance of being yourself and standing out from the norm.
What else can I say about the record? Well, they have learnt from their debut (I still haven’t heard it. Just going by the research.). “Born Pink” is full of versatility, which always keeps the listener interested. I found the production and the band all on point. A sublime listen, and not what I expected. I couldn’t give a fuck if they are K-pop; this was brilliant.
Song recommendations: ‘Tally’, ‘Hard to Love’, ‘Shut Down’
8/10
NB: I appear to have omitted Rosé from the review. Sorry about that. There are four members.
have no idea where I first heard Robbie Williams. Take That appeared out of nowhere in the 90s and became extremely popular without a steady rise. I don’t mind some of Robbie’s work since he decided to go solo in 1997, which started with the indie-inspired ‘Old Before I Die’. I love that song, but Robbie isn’t too keen on it when you read his 2016 autobiography “Reveal”. He appears to hate it with a passion. I used to love hearing it on the radio, on television or on the jukebox at the local Riley’s snooker club. It epitomised the whole indie revival movement during that period. I am surprised by his submission because after being discarded by the Gallagher brothers, he said in his book, it didn’t deter him from liking Oasis, and he enjoys a lot of indie music. I don’t fucking care if some of you are smirking at me reading his book, it was an intriguing read, and you get to know the honest Robbie and not the one slaughtered by the media. So, my initial plan was to listen to the new tracks on “XXV”, but he had other ideas. Yes, it is his greatest hits, but not in their original guise. The songs have been reimagined with Jules Buckley conducting an orchestra, and there is even a Beethoven version of ‘Angels’. That’s the introduction over; now to the review. I have elected to analyse each classic and new song track-by-track.
Let’s begin:
Let Me Entertain You:
No one can forget this beast of an anthem with its rock attitude. When this was recorded, the La’s and Lightning Seeds drummer Chris Sharrock was drumming for Robbie. Of course, Chris would go on to join Robbie’s friends Oasis, Beady Eye, and his least favourite Gallagher brother Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The song carries on in the same vein, but the horns and choir bring that celestial finish to it. Already I am impressed.
Come Undone:
A friend had this on a Now That’s What I Call Music compilation in 2003, and I was reading the footnotes. Tupac Shakur inspires this song. I was shocked to hear this because I don’t hear any references to Pac in the song. On a side note, Robbie and Pac met in 1995 at the Versace birthday party. They both shared a joint, and they got on almost immediately. Pac didn’t know about Robbie’s portrayal by the media and didn’t seem to care either. They shot the shit about life and, for a brief moment, became friends. Has the song improved much since the original? Only slightly. Not much to write about.
Love my Life:
In the book, Robbie said he wrote this for Theodora(his daughter.) to tell her never to forget to love your life despite what others might say about you. Again, the orchestra lift this song to another level; to be honest; it is fit for the West End when they do a musical on Robbie.
Millenium:
There was no point in tweaking this track. It doesn’t enhance it, as the original already has a stringed section. I believe it was pilfered from a James Bond theme song. He was better off not bothering to rework this one.
the Road to Mandalay:
Again, a pointless rework. The original is better.
Tripping:
For the third time in succession, the track didn’t need necessary work. I am sure this one catches your attention by starting off with a reggae vibe before returning to the familiarity. You feel cheated when the reggae falls away after the introduction. I’d have preferred a reggae vibe on the rework, in all honesty. I cannot recall a single track where Robbie has done reggae.
Bodies:
I’ve never been a fan of it, and the rework didn’t do much for me.
Candy:
Jesus. This song made me cringe when it came out, and still makes me cringe now. Robbie is better than bubblegum pop.
Supreme:
Again, I believe another song pilfered from a James Bond film. I didn’t feel a rework was necessary. I mean, what could Jules have possibly done to improve it? The original has an orchestra. There are, however, female backing vocals. Still didn’t do much to improve, though.
Strong:
Again, Robbie puts on his indie head in the original, and to be honest, there is not much difference between the XXV version and the original. It’s a photo finish which is better.
Eternity:
Just like ‘Strong’, there isn’t much difference in both versions.
No Regrets:
My favourite track off “I’ve Been Expecting You”, and it has to be the original that will remain my favourite. He tries to make this more upbeat when the original is melancholic, which fits with the concept.
She’s the One:
I love this cover of World Party’s track, even though the original is much better. It was a nice nod to World Party, but Karl Wallinger has said on many occasions he now hates performing the song and that Robbie ruined it for him. In the book, Robbie mentions how through a third party, Karl said, “When you see him, tell him he’s a cunt”. If Karl hated the original cover, he isn’t going to be too fond of the XXV version, either. However, I believe the majority will agree with him this time.
Feel:
I was not too fond of it then, didn’t like it when Peter Schmeichel played on it live, and I still don’t like it now.
Rock DJ:
When this came out in the summer of 2000, I liked it. Then, it was played to death, so I stopped listening to it, and as I got older, I could not stand it. Even listening to the rework was too much.
Kids:
I loved this when it came out in the autumn of 2000, with its rock attitude and the collaboration with Kylie Minogue. Kylie features in the rework. Again, a photo finish of which one is best.
Angels:
The original pisses all over this. Do look out for a surprise later on, though.
Lost:
Now, we have come to a brand new track. It was made for this album. Yes, I know it was actually made for this record, but what I mean is it’s a perfect fit. The orchestra musicians compliment each other.
Nobody Someday:
An acoustic guitar accompanies Robbie’s vocals, accompanied by a soft choir. A vast improvement on the original.
Lazy Days:
The original itself was lazy instrumentally and vocally. The rework brings it to life—the orchestra playing a pivotal role.
Hot Fudge:
I never liked it and still don’t.
Sexed up:
Again, I wouldn’t say I liked the original, and my concentration wavered on this one.
More than This:
Another brand new song. Once again, it is a perfect fit, just like ‘Lost’.
Disco Symphony:
Another new track that does exactly what it says. I can see this one being played at parties and wedding receptions imminently. Very uptempo and very disco.
Better Man:
You’re better off listening to the original.
Home Thoughts from Abroad:
The Magic FM moment on the album. Although to be fair, the majority of the record will fit nicely on their playlists.
the World and Her Mother:
The final new track has the Robbie signature written all over it.
Into the Silence:
Again, another photo finish.
Angels (Beethoven AI):
This song is merged with Beethoven’s ‘Unfinished 10th Symphony’, and fuck me; it fits in perfectly. I never thought I would see the day when ‘Angels’ collaborates with ‘Unfinished 10th Symphony’. I was blown away when I heard it, and it fucking destroys the original. That was a very clever move by Robbie. This version is beyond space; it’s that good.
Song recommendations: ‘Angels(Beethoven AI)’, ‘Nobody Someday’, ‘Disco Symphony’
7/10
Why such an average rating, you ask? Well, because I prefer the originals.
Regardless of what I am about to say in this review, I have always found Muse hard to listen to their studio work. However, they are beyond amazing live. I thoroughly enjoy their spectacular headline shows at festivals. I saw one particular performance from the current “Will of the People” tour, complete with lasers, great visuals, hypnotic guitars, Matt’s futuristic jacket and a robotic hand where he somehow manages to know the correct swiggles to draw on the touchpad of the glove to form the melody.
However, despite their failure to create their live shows in the studio, what cannot be ignored is their lyrics and subjects—the subjects ranging from anti-establishment, pro-freedom, and sex. Not many people talk about the drummer Dominic Howard, but he more than compliments Chris Wolstenholme’s bass wizardry and Matt Bellamy’s versatile vocals that also sometimes ape the guitar. The Devonshire trio have been going since 1994 and released their debut “Showbiz” in 1999. However, it wasn’t until 2001 and their second record, “Origin of Symmetry”, that the band started to get noticed, with ‘Plug in Baby’ charting just outside the top 10. Their biggest success chart-wise is ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, where Chris does the whispered chorus. They are yet to get a number one, but that isn’t a surprise when you consider they are more of a live band.
Amazingly, “Will of the People” is their ninth studio album and their most politically charged to date. This could well be told from Matt’s perspective, but it is a worldview. We are sick of the society we currently reside in and grow angrier with the establishment.
The opening track is the title track, which acts as a call to arms to start a revolution against the establishment. I first heard this as an introduction song on their current tour. They may now perform it rather than the studio version playing before they go onstage. The song features a baying crowd over AC/DC-esque guitars with Matt with venom in his vocals that he will lead the revolution and overthrow the establishment, which is quite apt during the current climate. It certainly got my attention from the off, at least.
The leading single is ‘Compliance’, which I had heard during this particular concert I watched on YouTube, and I have to say, I loved the concept behind it and the thought-provoking lyrics. However, this time, Matt does it from the oppressor’s perspective. It is also a condescending dig at the establishment.
One thing I loved about the album is this revolutionist vs oppressor topic over futuristic melodies, with Matt muting the chords with his palm; synths and elements are taken from the Weeknd. There is even room for them, once again, to pay tribute to Queen with ‘Liberation’. What do I mean? It just sounds like Queen from the instrumentation to Matt’s vocals. This is Another song told from the perspective of the people determined to revolt.
However, there is a turn of events on ‘Ghosts(How Can I Move on)’, which, at first listen, I thought had Chris Martin (Coldplay) on vocals. The song screams all things Coldplay. The disappointments come on ‘Kill or be Killed’ and ‘Won’t Stand Down’. Although the songs have great titles, they sound more like a messy breakup rather than fighting for one’s freedom from the establishment.
Muse, like several others, are pretty adept at recycling their songs. Although they have been written and recorded over the past year, they still sound familiar, as seen in ‘Won’t Stand Down’, which sounds similar to ‘Supermassive Black Hole’. ‘Verona’ reminded me more of U2, particularly Edge’s riffs. Going back to Muse recycling, ‘Euphoria’ sounds like ‘Time is Running out’ vs Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’.
My standout is the closer ‘We are Fucking Fucked’. The lyrics are delicious and aptly mimic the tone of what we all feel. We are fucking fucked, and the lyrics expressed that with mentions of world war, et cetera. It also sounds a bit like ‘Knights of Cydonia’, albeit there is no call-to-arms, but rather a pessimistic view of not being capable of sorting out this shitstorm we are all in. What a way and a statement to end the album.
However, I found the record quite disjointed and a mishmash of Muse’s past work slightly reimagined. The messages are also contradictory because Matt is asking for a revolution, yet then is rather pessimistic, moaning and unwilling to do anything. Again, Muse has made an album that is only for the live arena. As I said, their studio work does not ape the effort put in when they perform live.
Song recommendations: ‘We Are Fucking Fucked’, ‘Will of the People’, ‘Compliance’
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 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’
I expect this to be a short review, but we will see where the mood takes me. I reviewed his first album in 2017 and said it surprised me. He seemed to shun everything One Direction and head into Indie and Rock for his second record. On the same level as Niall Horan? Well, that’s hard to say. Niall is naturally a fan of the Indie scene. His third offering, “Harry’s House”, is a bit of a mixed bag of Indie, funk, and folk to show he is quite capable of being a versatile artist.
I found it quite funny that the opener and teaser were named after a Liam Gallagher documentary about his “As You Were”tour. The single happens to be called ‘As it Was’; honestly, it isn’t great. The song’s premise, according to Harry, was how the pandemic has changed the world and how we are not the same individuals that we were before.
This can be found in the lyrics, so what it lacks instrumentally makes up for lyrically.
Upon the end of One Direction (For now.), Harry could have continued to make that kind of music, but he opted to draw on his influences across a vast array of genres, and as mentioned earlier, “Harry’s House” focuses on funk, folk, and a little indie.
Let’s talk about ‘Matilda’, an acoustic song where the subject matter is a male. This is based on an experience of Harry’s, who is begging his girlfriend to leave her family life because she is being mistreated. The girlfriend is Matilda. He showcases his poetry prowess on ‘Satellite’ and ‘Cinema’.
What I like about “Harry’s House”, although it tends to get boring after the halfway mark, is that he doesn’t appear to give a shit about making chart-friendly songs. This album showcases his versatility, and it seems more of a deep conversation with Harry than generic pop for the sake of it.
As I said, this would be a short(ish)review, and I have nothing more to say save that the best part of the record is before the halfway mark.
After that, the album loses its power and your interest.
Song recommendations: ‘Music for a Sushi Restaurant’, ‘Little Freak’, ‘Matilda’
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’
It’s great when I don’t have to do a little introduction of an artist/band. However, I was astonished that this is his 11th album, four years since he released “Love”. Unfortunately for Michael, he has been pigeonholed into Christmas. In September, which is the official build-up, Michael appears. My first review of one of his albums was last year’s first number-one. However, Michael has done virtually a covers record this time with two new ones thrown in.
I was wrong. It is four new ones that complete the 13-track album. Indeed, the lead single is an original titled ‘I’ll Never Not Love You’, an optimistic song about love surrounded by big band and swing that wouldn’t look out of place being performed by the Rat Pack. As usual, Michael has hit his audience. That’s what you associate with him with his silky and bombastic vocals. ‘Baby I’ll Wait’, written with John Mayer, sees soul and rock collide. Michael can blend his songs with the classics he puts on albums and effortlessly sings during live performances.
So far, I am talking about the original songs Michael wrote. I am not sure they were meant to be on “Higher” because the other nine tracks are covers. Let’s look at the title track. It has a Latino feel to it, wrapped around upbeat instrumentation. Then, the final original title is ‘Mother’. Funnily enough, it is Mother’s Day weekend, and how apt that there is a track by that title on this newly-crowned number 1 record. Of course, as you can tell by the title, Michael is paying homage to his mum, and the method used is a ballad. It is also refreshing to see that Michael is more than just a tremendous cover version singer. His work shows how talented he is.
I just remembered about another original: the second track, ‘My Valentine, ‘ done with the Beatles legend Paul McCartney.
Yes, it is a song about love, and if I remember rightly, he brings up Valentine’s Day, too. This track starts quietly before bursting into a big band and will be one to watch on the forthcoming tour. What surprises you most about Michael is his ability to record covers still and add originality to them. He has done countless covers, and you would have thought by now that he would be in a cul-de-sac, but no. He still has the knack.
Leading off from the covers section in the previous paragraph, He does a tremendous and jazz-inspired cover of Bob Dylan’s’Make You Feel My Love’. Meanwhile, Adele and Bryan Ferry kept it more in line with the original, which was melancholic. It is the best cover of the song I have heard and is my favourite. Michael has fun with it.
You can hear the smile through his uptempo vocals; as I mentioned, the jazz element leaves you feeling fuzzy. He also covers the late Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy’ with Country legend Willie Nelson on guitar. I am sure they exchange verses, too, and Willie provides backing vocals.
The final cover I liked on the record featured in the latter half is of the late Barry White’s ‘You’re My First, My Last, My Everything’. You’d think this would be more soul, but Michael again has fun. This time, he puts a disco spin on it—an astounding change-up of sound on the album. Michael sticks to what he knows best for most of the record: big band and swing. However, he ventures into soul, a bit of country, jazz, and, more surprisingly, disco. There is no doubting his vocals, though. It wouldn’t matter if this album were panned because he has the vocals to nail any live performance. He missed a trick not releasing this in the autumn/winter because the tracks’ production and uplifting nature leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. I felt like I should have been sitting next to a log fire with my feet on a stool with a hot drink. I know it’s only March, but we are heading into Spring, and despite the rain outside, it feels warm. Michael missed a trick here on what is a splendid record.
Song recommendations: ‘Make You Feel My Love’, ‘You’re My First, My Last, My Everything’, ‘Crazy’
