The door into summer (The Monkees) (LP 310)

The Monkees Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (Vinyl and CD - RCA 1967) *****

Genre: American pop 

Places I remember: It's 1968 turning into 1969, I'm 11,  and I am either playing sport, reading, or glued to the TV. One show I never miss is by The Monkees - a group that makes riotous irreverent fun of things AND sing great songs. 

As a result, I have this album bought for me, my first LP, from a local shop in Three Kings, Auckland. Many years later Greg gave me his vinyl copy and I bought a CD pack of five Monkees albums from JB HiFi.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pleasant Valley Sunday




Gear costume: Most of the rest, although perhaps not Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky 

Active compensatory factors: Five stars! A classic! It's a cliche, I know, but, as a pre-teen, I really did just about wear out the grooves on this album.

I'm so glad I latched on to this at a young age as it set me up for a lifelong love of pop music.

The track listing shows an embarrassment of riches - songs that have hooks AND an edge. Who else could do that in the late 60's?

It holds up too. Each time I play it, it pops!

Where do they all belong? Back in the day I would expand outward from this base camp with The Hollies, The Small Faces, and then, in 1970,  I got The Beatles Hey Jude album for Christmas and life was never the same again. But for a brief time in 1968, the world was Monkee coloured and I was a daydream believer.

The lifting (REM) (LP 309)

REM Reveal (CD - Warner Bros, 2001) ****

Genre: American pop/rock  

Places I remember: New copy for loading onto my ipod came from a charity shop in Caterham, old copy came from The Warehouse in NZ  

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Imitation Of Life




Gear costume:  All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)




Active compensatory factors: My REM obsession began with Reckoning (Harborcoat kicked it all off) and ended with Up (that sounds like it should be the other way around, right?).

Reveal was billed as a return to old values - tunes! So I returned to the fold for that album. 

It has some gorgeous songs - Summer Turns To High should have been covered by The Beach Boys - instant hit! I'll Take The Rain would be another band's career highlight. The two featured tracks are hooks masquerading as songs, and the riches continue throughout the album, with electronica, by and large, integrated successfully, unlike Up.

Where do they all belong? Their last real hurrah. I didn't stick around for the last three (I get it though - why just reproduce the same sound endlessly). Maybe there's a buried treasure in there somewhere?

Call it what you want (Taylor Swift) (LP 308)

Taylor Swift Reputation (CD - Big Machine Records, 2017) ***

Genre: American pop 

Places I remember: Cost $9 from the Warehouse, Palmerston North a few days ago.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Look What You Made Me Do




Gear costume: New Years Day

Active compensatory factors: I really liked her last album, 1989, but the electro-pop reputation of Reputation made me pause until this week and the much reduced price at The Warehouse.

I think it was a wise decision - a lot of this bombastic pop will date quickly but the quality songs on albums like 1989 will last a lot longer.

I will certainly keep listening to that album a lot more than this one I feel.

Where do they all belong? Be interesting to see where she goes next. I like Taylor and her spunky approach - the last scene in the video takes guts, but as she ages she won't be able to carry this particular version of herself off. Although Madonna had a good run, so what do I know.

We shall see.

One unique creature (Lawrence Arabia) (LP 307

Lawrence Arabia Lawrence Arabia's Singles Club (CD - 2019) ****

Genre: NZ music

Places I remember:  JB HiFi (Palmerston North). The vinyl version was $42 and the CD one $19.99. I'm ashamed to report that I went for the cheaper version! The advantage being that I can play it a lot in the purdmobile.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Solitary Guys




Gear costume: One Unique Creature (at over 6 minutes, its a rare stretching out by James Milne, a.k.a. Lawrence Arabia), A Little Hate (in which LA rocks out to fine effect). 

Active compensatory factors: James Milne has put out five albums under the Lawrence Arabia tag. This is his latest.

It's gained great notices so far - my first awareness of this release came via a glowing review in Mojo magazine before I left England.

The reviews are not wrong: the tunes are Beatle influenced fer sure (check out those Beatle vocals and harmonies on Everybody Wants Something) but he has developed a distinctive kiwi take on pop confection.

There is a playfulness about his approach that I love.

Where do they all belong? The boy's on a roll! 

Movin' up (Player) (LP 306)

Player Player (Vinyl - Phillips, 1977) ***

Genre: American pop/rock   

Places I remember: $5 from Viking Second Hand store in Woodville, although, annoyingly I found another copy after I'd bought it at Vinyl Countdown for $1. Doh!

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Baby Come Back




Gear costume: Come On Out, Goodbye, This Time I'm In It For Love 

Active compensatory factors: Hilariously out of fashion in 1977, with its synths by Michael Omartian and soft rock sensibilities, Player's finest moment is the number one chartbuster: Baby Come Back.

Having owned that single for decades, I couldn't resist getting the album recently to see if maybe there were any other worthy Player tracks. And there are!  

Come On Out is catchy, so is Goodbye and the second hit from their debut This Time... got their career off to a flyer.

Just goes to show that the charts in the late 70's, dominated by the Bee Gees and bands like Player, bore no relation to the punk/ new wave groundswell happening elsewhere.

Where do they all belong? Not quite one hit wonders, but nearly. 

Hello hello (Sopwith Camel) (LP 304-305)

Sopwith Camel Sopwith Camel (Vinyl - Kama Sutra, 1967) Rating?
Sopwith Camel The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon (Vinyl - Reprise, 1973) Rating?

Genre: American pop/rock  

Places I remember: Briefly - Sopwith Camel was found in Amoeba Music - Hollywood last week and The...Hump from Vinyl Countdown in New Plymouth (NZ) was found yesterday!  



Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Postcard From Jamaica




Gear costume:  Unclear at this stage as I am waiting for my stereo equipment to arrive from England via sea so I've yet to hear these beauties.

Active compensatory factors: About 40 years ago I found a compilation called Heavy Mix.

My reason for buying it was Elephants Memory because of their Apple Records connection. When listening to it I was immediately, then repeatedly, drawn to the Postcard From Jamaica track.

Research into the band and their discography led to a 40 year search for their two albums.

That search ended this week!

I'm hoping that I won't be disappointed by what I hear when my stereo gear finally arrives. But, really, I'm not that bothered. The thrill of the chase has been great all on its own.

Where do they all belong? The list on my phone still contains some long standing wants so my record searching days are far from over!