One headlight (The Wallflowers) (LP 4595)

The Wallflowers  Bringing Down the Horse (CD, Interscope Records, 1996) ***  

Genre: Alt rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: One Headlight

Gear costume: Sixth Avenue Heartache

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: This is of course the band that contains Jakob Dylan and four other guys. It's tough being Bob's son and a musician to boot. Especially when he's the focal point - the lead singer and guitarist. Also tough being in a band with him because people like me call them 'four other guys'!

Jakob and the boys do a good job on Bringing Down the Horse. He doesn't sound like his dad so much, more Bruce Springsteen (especially on Three Marlenas).

The highlights come early on side one - One Headlight, Sixth Avenue Heartache (that's a Boss style title right there), The Difference and the aforementioned Three Marlenas. The rest is good too, but that start is spectacular.

Where do they all belong? Jakob's solo album can be found here.
 

All laid on (The Verlaines) (LP 4594)

The Verlaines  Hallelujah All the Way Home (Vinyl, Flying Nun Records, 1985) ****  

Genre: NZ Music, alt-rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: It Was Raining

Gear costume: Lying in State

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Verlaines (a.k.a. Verlaines) are a band from Dunners in Nu Zild - Flying Nun's hometown (fun fact: also the birthplace of the present Mrs Purdy).

This was their debut. The band centres around mainman Graeme Downes and a revolving cast of other stellar NZ musicians.

I can't pretend to be a huge fan but the debut is interesting because its eclectic song styles do keep me on my toes. I listened to the album on repeat while doing some marking of Year 11 scripts and not too much penetrated my meagre brain.

That said I love the dense impenetrable sound, the medieval slant to some songs (plus the cover) and the lyrics which I guess are down to Downes.  

 

Where do they all belong? It's the kind of album that demands more concentration, so I will definitely return to it.

Me and my life (The Tremeloes) (LP 4587 - 4593)

The Tremeloes  Here Come The Tremeloes (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1967) *** 

The Tremeloes  Here Comes My Baby (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1967) *** 

The Tremeloes  Suddenly You Love Me (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1968) *** 

The Tremeloes  World Explosion! (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1968) ** 

The Tremeloes  Master (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1970) *** 

The Tremeloes  Shiner (Vinyl, DJM Records, 1974) *** 

The Tremeloes  Platinum Collection (CD, ST Music, ?) **** 

The Tremeloes  Ultimate Collection (CD, Castle Communications, 1990) **** 

Genre: Pop

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records, Amoeba Music, Real Groovy Records, The Little Red Bookshop (Master)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Here Comes My Baby

Gear costume: Hello World , Even the Bad Times Are Good, Suddenly You Love Me

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Tremeloes started out as Brian Poole and The Tremeloes from 1963 to 1966 but I have no albums by that iteration. That band is famous for winning the battle to get signed to Decca Records (it was either them or an obscure beat combo from Liverpool called The Beatles).

Instead, all of my albums are from 1967 onwards when the band continued as a foursome. The four:  lead guitarist Rick Westwood, rhythm guitarist Alan Blakley, bassist Alan Howard (replaced in 1968 by singing bassist Len "Chip" Hawkes), and singing drummer Dave Munden.

I have written about their debut album before (Here Come The Tremeloes) so I won't include that one in my count. Since then though, I have managed to find the American version of the debut in Amoeba Music. Yes, just like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks et al, the band was the victim of seemingly random changes to their albums when released in America.

Suddenly You Love Me is an American release from 1968 and that hit song leads off the album (it was the only hit coming from it). It's a strange hybrid of pop songs like the title track and attempts at more current psychedelic sounds/songs like Suddenly Winter. 

They are great on the pop songs and less convincing on the 1968 trippy ones but it's easy to judge in hindsight. They give everything a good go but you can't run from your Dagenham roots too much can you. The version of Reach Out, I'll Be There is ill-advised.

That points to a central problem for many bands like The Tremeloes - they didn't have a mega talented Lennon/McCartney writing pair, so they were heavily reliant on doing cover versions. 

World Explosion! is another American release, also from 1968. It had four songs from Blakely/Hawkes including the hit song Helule Helule (from 1967) amidst the inconsistent cover songs. Two respectful covers of Buddy Holly songs are two too many! Following them with The Lion Sleeps Tonight is a snooze fest before Rag Doll (which at least has some awesome harmonies). 

All of that, plus the terrible cover, just feels redundant in 1968. They very clearly needed another makeover before the world of oldies circuits or worse, cabaret, beckoned.

Master was their next studio album, in 1970. It was an attempt to update their image (all are pictured with beards and long hair) and music with a beefier rockier sound, but this time it wasn't quite like 1967 and Here Comes My Baby. 

Although there are no hits on Master, it still sounds light years better than World Explosion! and is their most cohesive studio album (even with the meh Elvis impression during one song). It successfully toughens the sound while retaining enough Tremeloes' tropes from the poptastic past.

Shiner continues in the same vein and isn't quite as successful as Master because it goes for a glossier sound and a lighter touch with some bubblegum/glam moves (Big Bad Boogie sounds like Mud). It's still a very passable Tremeloes' album though.

That just leaves the two compilation albums which attempt a wider view. The Ultimate Collection album takes in the 1967 to eighties versions of the band with 24 tracks. It's not chronological so it's definitely hit and miss. Good having all the hits on one disc though.

Platinum Collection does take a more chronological route and has 26 tracks with a bonus selection from the Brian Poole version of the band.

As you'd expect, there is quite a lot of duplication between the two albums, especially the hits, but who cares. I'll continue to buy any compilation I can find from this band. I'm hooked!

Where do they all belong? The albums were patchy but the hits were peerless. They certainly continue to help make the bad times, good in Wozza's World. I'm still on the look out for a copy of Live in Cabaret in good condition as well as anything else I can find.

Think it over (The Thorns) (LP 4586)

The Thorns  The Thorns (CD, Aware Records, 2003) ***  

Genre: Alt rock, pop

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Runaway Feeling

Gear costume: I Can't Remember

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: As you can tell from the cover (out standing in their field), The Thorns was basically a vehicle for Matthew Sweet to try for a Crosby Still Nash style harmony album/band. To that end he joined up with Pete Droge and Shawn Mullins. They employed Roy Bittan on piano and Jim Keltner on drums to flesh out the sound. Imagine having that talent to draw upon.

This is their only album, and it's a beauty! The harmonies are brilliant and the songs, at least on the first half, are memorable. They kind of run out of steam but, on the whole, this is a worthwhile collaboration and for Sweet, a successful side project.

Where do they all belong? Matthew Sweet's solo albums can be found here.

Practical Joker (The Swingers) (LP 4585)

The Swingers  Counting the Beat (CD, Mushroom Records, 1981) ****  

Genre: NZ Music, pop 

Places I remember: Slowboat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Counting the Beat

Gear costume: True or False, One Good Reason

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Swingers band was a trio active in the early eighties, comprising Phil (Bud) Judd, Bones Hillman on bass, and Ian (Killjoy) Gilroy on drums.

This was the band Phil Judd formed after leaving Split Enz in 1977 and after dabbling with the nascent punk scene in NZ. He's something of a Nu Zild poptastic genius in many ways and when he decides to write power pop songs he creates some spectacular results.

This is their only album - originally released as Practical Jokers and re-released as Counting the Beat with a couple of bonus selections in 1997 (One Good Reason and The Flak).

On balance it's a good album, not a great album. There are certainly peaks but there is also a bit of filler. True or False is a track I love as it reminds me of his input into early doors Split Enz.

Where do they all belong? I've previously reviewed Phil's first solo album after The Swingers. The band also contributed to the Starstruck soundtrack which we'll eventually get to when I get past the Zeds.

Falling slowly (The Swell Season) (LP 4584)

The Swell Season  The Swell Season (CD, Overcoat Records, 2006) ****  

The Swell Season  Strict Joy (CD, Anti- Records, 2009) ****  

Genre: Folk rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi, FOPP

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Falling Slowly (The Swell Season)

Gear costume: Low Rising (Strict Joy)  

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: The Swell Season is the combined group name for Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, You'll probably know them from the film Once which was a huge artistic success. That film came after the debut album from the duo in 2007.

I've also mentioned Glen Hansard's work in the blog previously when he was with The Frames, and his solo albums.

The debut album is a tad tentative with a lot of slowish songs with Falling Slowly being the stand-out song alongside When Your Minds Made Up.

Of the two albums I prefer Strict Joy. The album's songs reflect the breakup of Hansard and Irglová's relationship, while remaining in the same band, Fleetwood Mac style (as on Rumours). Ironically, given the personal relationship situation, it has a warmer sound with a fuller band and some lovely pace changes.  

Where do they all belong? The Once soundtrack is still the best introduction to the pair for my money. They did produce a third album, last year's Forward which I'll need to find at some point. 
 

You can't hurry love (The Supremes) (LP 4582 - 4583)

The Supremes  The Supremes A' Go-Go (Vinyl, Tamla Motown Records, 1966) ****  

Diana Ross & The Supremes  The No. 1's (CD, Tamla Motown Records, 2003) *****  

Genre: Pop, soul

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart

Gear costume: You Can't Hurry Love

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: This was The Supremes' ninth album and it became a huge seller in 1966. At this point in their history the trio was made up of Diana Ross (lead vocals), Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. 

It's got many strengths - those instantly recognisable vocals, the Motown sound from The Funk Brothers, and eight of the songs came from the genius writing trio of Holland/ Dozier/ Holland. The rest were covers of popular songs which at times don't really suit The Supremes. I'm thinking of These Boots Are Made For Walkin' and Hang on Snoopy.

Quibbles though, as the full album package delivers value for money, big time!

Where do they all belong? That's my only album by the girls on their own. I have others where they joined up with The Four Tops (see here and here). I think a quality compilation like The No. 1's is the best bet. This is a superb collection. The songs have all been digitally remastered and also remixed from the original master tapes and the songs themselves are brilliant. It also has the advantage of having a chronological approach that overviews their whole career and Diana Ross' solo milestones, plus Stoned Love is on it!