Kevin
Mathews:
July,
2005
So Much Music, So
Little Time
Are there only six more months left in 2005?
Where does the time go? Look at me already in my mid-forties
and I don't feel like a day over 25! Where did the years go?
For me, my passion for rock & pop music keeps me young
- it keeps me relevant. That's why I believe in pursuing new
music constantly. Unlike say, my darling wife, who prefers
to live in a musical bubble (i.e. her teenage years) so her
car radio is perpetually tuned to the oldies station. Now
I love music made in the 70s but I would not want to stay
in that place all the time. I mean, five decades of rock to
choose from and even more exciting music being released every
day, why settle only for the past? As my faithful readers
(glad to see both of you here…) would know, I hardly
buy albums as I get so much music in the mail but in June,
I went against the grain and actually picked up close to fifteen
albums. Do you mind if I spend this month talking about these
CDs? Ok…
I was watching an episode of the Oprah
Winfrey Show once (blame the wife!) and the lovely Gwyneth
Paltrow was her guest. I could not get this one thought out
of my mind - what did Chris Martin ever do to deserve this
fate? Heh. How did Coldplay go from college band to single-handedly
affecting the share price of EMI? I suppose moving 20 million
copies of your last two albums would do that nicely. Now,
I initially hated A Rush of Blood to the Head but it
really grew on me and it easily slipped into my top albums
of that year. The psychedelic nuances, the influence of Ian
McCulloch and the gorgeous fragility of "The Scientist"
sealed it for me. Can the new X&Y (Parlophone)
live up to its hype and the expectations of fans and label
alike? Well, predictably, the album leaves me somewhat cold.
I guess it's got something to do with the fact that practically
every new British band has jumped on the bandwagon - y'know
what I mean: the upper register vocals, the haunting melodies,
the introspective (melancholy) lyrics and guitarists who need
to stop listening to the Edge. Seriously folks, how many times
does Martin and co want to remake "The Scientist"?
None of the songs make much impression here. It's all too
samey and formulaic - this should not be the sequel to Rush
of Blood but sadly that's all it is.
What is perhaps ironic is that compared to
the vacuous gravity of Coldplay, the arrogant swagger of the
new Oasis comes as welcome relief! Certainly, I never expected
Don't Believe the Truth (Sony) to make such an impact
on me. Sure, I did have fun with the last one - Heathen
Chemistry - but I had more or less written off the Gallagher
brothers as a spent force. Perhaps the contributions of Gem
Archer and Andy Bell, not to mention Liam Gallagher's burgeoning
song-writing prowess, has spurred Noel Gallagher to higher
levels of craftsmanship. Who would have thought that possible
after the lows of the risible Be Here Now? And there
are a few winners here, my friends. "Lyla" - the
first single - nods and winks in the obvious direction of
the Stones' "Street Fightin' Man" before taking
it well into Faces territory and delivers a rocking punch.
"The Importance of Being Idle" is one of Noel Gallagher's
strongest compositions, betraying a Kinks influence and a
sophisticated tone that re-affirms his status as a major rock
songwriter of his generation. "Let There Be Love"
is the kind of Lennonesque anthem upon which Oasis built its
reputation (and millions of dollars). Along the way, the insistent
rhythm of "Mucky Fingers" (reminiscent of the Velvet
Underground classic, "Waiting for the Man"), Liam's
driving acoustic "The Meaning of Soul" and Andy
Bell's heartfelt ballad "Keep the Dream Alive" maintain
interest throughout.
I've been meaning to pick up Speak Kindly
Of Your Volunteer Fire Department (Fading Captain), just
one entry in Robert Pollard's prolific discography. Chiefly
because it is a collaboration with Doug Gillard. Now, Gillard,
I fell in love with the moment I heard "I Am A Tree"
off *Mag Earwhig* and later realized that he wrote and of
course, played all the guitars. Wow! Cut a story short, I
did and yes, it does fulfill all those wide-eyed expectations.
Hard to believe but songs like "Pop Zeus," "And
I Don't (So Now I Do)" and "Tight Globes" rank
with the best in the canon of Bob Pollard/Guided By Voices.
Speaking of Gillard, his debut solo disc
was released by the good folks at the Big Takeover
last year and Salamander (Pink Frost) is a pop-rock
tour de force. Dedicated to the memory of his parents, Salamander
is chock full of the very things that you kind readers look
for in your music diet. Classic pop influences, air guitar
histrionics, the odd alternative rock leanings and great songs.
The opening open-chord belting "Valpolicella," the
gorgeous Beatles-referencing "Going Back (To You),"
the jaunty "Me & the Wind" and the fragile "Blockout"
are all good reasons why any discerning rock listener (that's
you!) should have Salamander in their collection.
Which brings me inevitably to the much vaunted
final offering from those lo-fi indie darlings Guided By Voices
viz. Half Smiles of the Decomposed(Matador). And I'm
sure I'm not alone in trying to figure out why this was a
move Robert Pollard (who of course is Guided By Voices) had
to make. Does it matter what name he puts on his numerous
releases? His fans know who's behind the music, so to speak.
In any case, I have to say that this final hurrah of Guided
By Voices was a disappointment when compared to the strong
material Pollard and co dished out in the last half-decade
or so. Sure there are undeniable high points - the hooky "Girls
of Wild Strawberries," the minimalist "Window of
My World" and the buzzy "Asphyxiated Circle"
- but overall it's a creeping sense of "been there, done
that" with the saturation point coming perilously close.
Naturally, I've just read at Pollard's web site that 2005
will see his next solo album, a double!
I started this column talking about 70s music
and perhaps no one artist epitomizes that era more than Peter
Frampton. And like most 70s rock fans, Frampton Comes Alive
is one of those essential albums you need to have in your
home. But there is another album that you should possess and
that is the man's eponymous release in 1975, a year before
Alive. Featuring studio versions of classic rock staples
"Show Me the Way," "Baby, I Love Your Way"
and other favourites like "Penny For Your Thoughts,"
"(I'll Give You) Money" and "The Crying Clown,"
Frampton had a knack of writing and producing winning soft-pop-rock
that was perfect for its time. A little too saccharine for
the jaded 2000s but for 70s music junkies like me - almost
heaven!
See you in 30!
Featured artists this month: -
Coldplay www.coldplay.com
Oasis www.oasisinet.com
Robert Pollard www.robertpollard.net
Doug Gillard www.douggillard.com
Guided By Voices www.gbv.com
Peter Frampton www.frampton.com
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