The new (Interpol) (LP 2803)

Interpol  Turn On The Bright Lights (CD, Matador Records, 2002) ****  

Genre: Post punk 

Places I remember: The Warehouse sale bin.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: NYC

Gear costume: PDA 

Active compensatory factors: Well I'll be! I had always assumed Interpol were a north of England band, instead they are all New Yorkers!

The sound often seems inspired by post punk bands like Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine, hence my belief. I have zero problem with that, as I loved all that stuff and Interpol forge their own brand of post punk on this debut album.

Where do they all belong? It's an album that rewards volume and repeat plays!

Space commando (Intergalactic Touring Band) (LP 2802)

Intergalactic Touring Band  The Place I Love (Vinyl, Dark Horse Records, 1974) **  

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Electric City Music (hi Dean)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Heartbreaker

Active compensatory factors: I had often wondered about this album. The cover had always intrigued me whenever I saw it in sale bins. So, I took a punt when I saw it in Dean's music shop in Napier.

On paper it all sounds okay - The Intergalactic Touring Band was not an actual band but rather a science fiction concept album released in 1977. 

The ensemble album featured many performers from progressive rock and other genres, including Meatloaf, Ben E. King, Annie Haslam, Rod Argent, David Bedford, Clarence Clemons, Arthur Brown, Dave Cousins, Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi and others. The songs are loosely held together by an epic theme of multi-generational space travel and human space colonisation. Jeesh.

It could have been good in an Alan Parson's Project kind of way. Sadly, it's not. 

The problem being the songs are just not strong enough, the musicians don't have a great presence, and the guest vocals are all a bit meh. No one shines. So, it all passes by without leaving a lasting impression.

Where do they all belong? A case of coulda shoulda woulda.

Far away (Inbetweens) (LP 2801)

Reissue cover, Original
is below.

Inbetweens  Inbetweens (Vinyl, Key Records, 1976, this copy was a reissue from 2023) *** 

Genre: NZ music, pop 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Can't Stop Loving You

Gear costume: Through and Thru

Active compensatory factors: Inbetweens (sometimes called The Inbetweens or even In Betweens) was a NZ band that began life in the late sixties. The lineup changes are explained well here.

They've appeared in my blog before, when I included their single Make a Wish Amanda bw While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

This album came later, in 1976, and fell on deaf ears for the most part - aside from another great single - I Just Can't Stop Loving You.

The rest of the album is good but not great mid-seventies NZ pop rock. Some of it hasn't dated too well (Mr. Funky is exhibit A). Still great to have this reissue in pristine condition from JB Hi Fi, and cheap too. A bargain at $20.

And I Just Can't Stop Loving You is timeless.

Where do they all belong? A nice slice of Kiwi rock.

Hello in there (Joan Baez) (LP 2799 - 2800)

Joan Baez  Diamonds and Rust (CD, A&M Records, 1975) ****  

Dr Tree Dr Tree (Vinyl, EMI Records, 1976 this copy was reissued in 2024) ****  

Genre: Folk rock; jazz fusion/ NZ music

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Eugeno D (Dr Tree)

Gear costume: Hello In There (Joan)

Active compensatory factors: Two classic albums which I have recently purchased thanks to a gift voucher from my previous employer. The Dr Tree album cost $103, so the voucher came in very handy!

As readers of my other blogs know, I am a Joan Baez fan, currently reading her 1987 autobiography and still catching up with her vast back catalogue. I am cherry picking though, as I'm not a completist.

Diamonds and Rust came out amidst the Rolling Thunder Revue tour with Dylan and it's a beauty. Not a five-star classic, but near as dammit.

Her own songs hold their own, but the best songs are covers of Dylan (Simple Twist of Fate), Jackson Browne (Fountain of Sorrow), John Prine (Hello In There) and Dicky Betts (Blue Sky).

Dr Tree was a legendary NZ fusion band put together by drummer Frank Gibson Jnr. No disrespect meant to the other musicians, but it stars him, Kim Patterson (trumpet), Murray McNabb (electric piano), and Martin Winch (guitar).

I've heard stories about the album over the years but never been able to find a copy. Luckily, it's been reissued this year in double record format (the original plus a record of outtakes) and made in the EU - hence the expensive price tag.

It's definitely worth it though as this album is relentlessly brilliant. Although, there is maybe a bit too much trumpet; Jimmy Sloggett adds some brilliant tenor sax to an outtake and I'd have loved to hear more from him, but that would be tampering with history. Still, it's great to hear now on the expanded edition.

Where do they all belong? Definitely not the last Joan Baez album I'll be buying.

The bronze medal (Idlewild) (LP 2798)

Idlewild  100 Broken Windows (CD, Food Records, 2000) *** 

Genre: Indie rock 

Places I remember: Fives (Leigh on sea)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Little Discourage

Gear costume: Roseability

Active compensatory factors: I had quite a few Idlewild albums in the early naughties but ended up just keeping this one. From memory, my rationale was that they had a distinctive sound that didn't vary much between albums and this one was the best of the bunch.

Idlewild is (yes, they are still a going concern) a Scottish band with Roddy Woomble on lead vocals, Colin Newton (drums) and Rod Jones (guitar). Bassists have come and gone. 100 Broken Windows was their second album.

I love slashing guitars with a vague punk attitude. Listen to Roseability for a great example of that.

Lead off song, Little Discourage is the most commercial song on the album, but the rest isn't too far behind.

Where do they all belong? This was the keeper for me.

Mellow your soul (Ides of March) (LP 2797)

Ides of March  World Woven  (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1972) **  

Genre: Pop/ rock 

Places I remember: Record Fair

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Colorado Morrow

Active compensatory factors: In my defense there were a few key reasons for buying this: it came out in 1972; it smelt like prog rock or jazz rock - both favoured genres in my collection; one band member plays mandolin; each band member is listed as a vocalist so I assumed harmonies; it was cheap and in good condition.

So, I ignored warning signs: the cover; the band name; the label (RCA, but then they also had The Guess Who, Bowie and Jefferson Airplane on their books in 1972).

Ides of March is dominated by lead guitarist, lead vocalist and writer James Peterik. They have been around since the sixties, and it looks like they are still at it in 2024!!

That means there must be an audience out there for Ides of March, but I'm not part of it. How come? Well, there's the naff earnestness, the mostly forgetful songs and the lack of vocal presence by Peterik for starters (he can sing well, just not in a style that moves me).

They are at their best when moving into country rock stylings as on Colorado Morrow and Landlady (good harmonies on that one). They are not on Spotify or even YouTube really - more bad signs.

Where do they all belong? I'd get rid of this one if I was still doing that. I decided a few years ago just to hang on to everything.

Street cafe (Icehouse) (LP 2796)

Icehouse  Primitive Man (CD, Chrysalis Records, 1982) ***  

Genre: Synth pop

Places I remember: The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Great Southern Land

Gear costume: Street Cafe

Active compensatory factors: Icehouse is an Aussie 'band' that is really just multi-instrumentalist/writer/singer Iva Davies.

Icehouse's Primitive Man was hugely successful down under, thanks to those big hit singles. Great Southern Land is a great song, and the reason why I bought this album out of the sale bins in The Warehouse (when they stocked CDs that is).

The synth pop sound is expertly crafted into songs by Davies on the album and although it is completely rooted in 1982 it's still pleasant to listen to, or at least, the hits are. The instrumentals sound like filler to me. Maybe he was trying for a Berlin era Bowie kind of thing. One of the songs is called 'Glam' after all, and it includes German lyrics. He certainly has some Bowie-isms on full display.

The bonus selections are good for once - 12-inch mixes of the hits.

Where do they all belong? My only Icehouse album, thanks to Great Southern Land.

Harmony (Iamthemorning) (LP 2795)

Iamthemorning  Lighthouse (CD, Kscope Records, 2016) ***  

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Lighthouse

Gear costume: Matches 

Active compensatory factors: Iamthemorning is a Russian duo, comprising singer Marjana Semkina and pianist Gleb Kolyadin. Lighthouse is their third album.

I must have read a review in Prog Rock magazine and decided to check it out while visiting London.

The vocals of Marjana are interesting - more Jacky's sort of thing than mine (this is one of the rare albums she enjoys), and Gleb's piano is of the minimalist school, which I like.

Other prog musicians guest on Lighthouse, notably Gavin Harrison and Colin Edwin from Porcupine Tree, and Mariusz Duda from Riverside. 

It's a three-star rating from me because while a lot of it sounds pleasant/beautiful and it works well in the background (and Jacky likes it), it doesn't stay long in the memory for me.

Where do they all belong? A one off (goes in the Jacky section of the collection)

I'm satisfied (Mississippi John Hurt) (LP 2794)

Mississippi John Hurt  Ain't Nobody's Business (CD, Prestige Records, 1992) ****  

Genre: Blues 

Places I remember: Hope collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor

Gear costume: Lonesome Blues

Active compensatory factors: I often find the blues a salve and an uplifting experience. Mississippi John Hurt's simple way with a guitar includes it being full of melody and his vocals in the country blues style provides a lovely soothing sound, even when he's lonesome.

He passed away in 1966. These are live recordings from the year before he passed away. He sounds pretty vital during the performance, and it's quite poignant that he's often singing about his death, as is the way with the blues.

Where do they all belong? A terrific CD for the blues collection.

Never give up (Marc Hunter) (LP 2791 - 2793)

Marc Hunter  Fiji Bitter (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1979) ***  

Marc Hunter  Big City Talk (Vinyl, Mercury Records, 1981) ***

Marc Hunter  Talk To Strangers (CD, Roadshow Music, 1994) ****    

Genre: Pop/ rock, NZ music 

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records (vinyl copies), Real Groovy Records (CD)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Southern Cross

Gear costume: One Of The Good Guys

Active compensatory factors: You can take Marc (and Todd) Hunter out of Dragon, but you can't take Dragon out of the Hunters.

These are three of Marc's five solo albums and given Marc and Todd appear on all three, it's natural it sounds like various stages of Dragon at times.

His first solo album, Fiji Bitter, set the template - a good looking, fashion conscious, good time party boy (the inner photo of him popping the cork on a bottle of champers sums him up well). He was also deeply involved in hard drugs, so it's a miracle he could actually sound this good. His vocals are always terrific throughout these three albums.

Second solo album, Big City Talk, was his first album of the eighties and so the sound veers towards a more sophisticated sound and even synth-pop at times, but Marc's vocals remain distinctive and superb. NZ guitar legend Kevin Borich appears on a few tracks.

The pick of the bunch is the 1994 album, and his last (he'd pass away 4 years later from throat cancer) - Talk To Strangers. I picked it up from a sale bin in Real Groovy many years ago and played it endlessly.

I have no idea why it's not on Spotify. It's a great collection of songs, and, for me, easily his best solo album.

Where do they all belong? I've never seen Communication or Night and Day (yes - he takes on the standards) but I'll grab them if I see them. His vocal ability never diminished, it's just such a waste that his punishing lifestyle of heavy smoking, heroin and hard drinking meant he died so young. He was 44.

I'm ready (Humble Pie) (LP 2789 - 2790)

Humble Pie Performance Rockin' The Fillmore (CD, A&M Records, 1971) **

Humble Pie The Crust of Humble Pie (Vinyl, Immediate Records, 1972) ****  

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: Fives; Spellbound Wax Company

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Cold Lady

Gear costume: Home and Away 

Active compensatory factors: By rights I should love Humble Pie. The double guitar attack (Peter Frampton and Marriott) and the voice of Steve Marriott are big draw cards. 

But when I bought Performance I was hugely disappointed. The long rambling numbers and the obnoxious side of Marriott on a few numbers mean I shelved the album. Rolling Stone being the worst offender - apart from being just plain offensive it's also just plain boring. Sixteen minutes looong! No thanks.

The album hasn't grown on me since, although the more focused songs like Four Day Creep and Stone Cold Fever have meant that I've hung onto it. 

The Crust of Humble Pie is a compilation put out by Immediate in 1972. Interestingly, none of the Performance songs make an appearance on the compilation.

Instead, it presents 10 songs from the band's first two albums on Immediate (As Safe As Yesterday Is, Town and Country). For my money these are far superior to the bombastic stuff they churned out for A&M.

There are a few lingering elements from The Small Faces on these songs and Steve Marriott is in fine vocal form. At his best he is peerless.

Where do they all belong? I love The Small Faces and there is more to come when we get to them in the collection, but I'm not tempted to buy any more Humble Pie beyond The Crust of Humble Pie.

Stoned guitar (Human Instinct) (LP 2784 -2788)

Human Instinct  Stoned Guitar (Vinyl, Tapestry Records, 1970) ***  

Human Instinct  Snatmin Cuthin (CD, Zodiac/ Stebbing Recordings, 1972) *** 

Human Instinct  The Hustler  (CD, Zodiac/ Stebbing Recordings, 1974) **** 

Human Instinct  Peg Leg (CD, Zodiac/ Stebbing Recordings, 2002) *** 

Human Instinct  Midnight Sun (CD, Ode Records, 2009) **** 

Genres: Hard rock; country rock; Prog; jazz fusion

Places I remember: Amoeba Records in LA (Stoned Guitar); JB Hi Fi (the CDs)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Since We (Snatmin Cuthin) 

Gear costume: Gypsy Lady (The Hustler); What's Going On (Midnight Sun)

Active compensatory factors: Human Instinct were a NZ group who started in the sixties as The Four Fours and lasted until the eighties in a variety of forms (vocalist/drummer Maurice Greer being the only constant member). An excellent run down on the band's history is here.

Stoned Guitar was the band's second album and it's become something of a collector's item - partly I guess because it was a stoner classic and it's become tricky to find good copies of it. My copy is a limited-edition reissue that I found in Amoeba Records.

Billy TK was certainly influenced by Jimi Hendrix throughout the album. He is the star in what is essentially a power trio (Greer, Billy TK and Larry Waide). Long hair, lengthy guitar work outs (three tracks on each side), and rumbling bass are all featured items. All very 1970. It sounds pretty dated now.

Midnight Sun (the song - not to be confused with the 2009 album title) is the most fully realised song. They do get extra credit for covering a Rory Gallagher song on the album - Railway and Gun, recorded live.

On the whole it's an interesting artifact of the era, but it's pretty stodgy blues rock by modern standards.

By their fourth album, Snatmin Cuthin (terrible cover and title - an anagram of their name), Billy had moved on and new members had joined. Notably a couple of Headbanders were involved - Neil Edwards and Dick Hopp, plus guitar hero Harvey Mann.

This obviously changed the sound, although there are a few lingering hard rock moments, the band is far more sophisticated on album number 4.

Of note: an interesting but woozy version of Headband's The Ballad of Jacques Le Mere (written by Neil Edwards) crops up mid-way through side 2.

Sixth album, The Hustler, adds some prog and jazz fusion to the mix, making this one my favourite album of theirs. John Donoghue has been added on guitar and his distinctive vocals are an added bonus on a few tracks.

Peg Leg is the 1975 version of the band. The sessions were shelved until 2002. So, yes, it's a 'lost' album.

It begins with a straightforward version of Freebird (Phil Whitehead is the guitarist). The rest of the album are originals in the Human Instinct tradition, so a strange selection as the lead off song. Generally, the album is good, but not as strong as The Hustler.

The band ended in the eighties but was reformed by Maurice Greer some twenty years later with tours and a new album.

In 2010 Midnight Sun, was released, with Maurice Greer on drums and vocals, Neil Edwards returning on bass and Joel Haines on guitar. There are guest appearances on the album by Billy TK, Eddie Rayner and Murray Grindlay. 

The distinctive Human Instinct sound (a woozy mix of psychedelic rock) is well presented, mainly thanks to Greer's vocals and the expertise of these musicians. It's definitely a late career highlight, and covers of Split Enz' Dirty Creature and a second Rory Gallagher song guarantees an extra star!

Where do they all belong? A few gaps worth plugging - first and third albums (Burning Up Years and Pins In It), plus a singles collection.

Pick up the pieces (Hudson Ford) (LP 2783)

Hudson Ford  Nickelodeon (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1973) ***   

Genre: Pop

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pick Up The Pieces

Gear costume: Take It Back

Active compensatory factors: Hudson Ford was a UK duo made up of John Ford and Richard Hudson, both from folk rock band, The Strawbs.

The sound they create is a mix of folk, blues, pop and rock. Just as the cover promises, it's a really bright sunshiny feel-good type of sound. 

Side note - Rick Wakeman also makes an appearance on piano and harpsichord.

Where do they all belong? A nice addition - nestles into the collection of UK sunshine pop.

Beginnings (Steve Howe) (LP 2781 - 2782)

Steve Howe  Beginnings (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1975) **  

Steve Howe  The Steve Howe Album (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1979) ***

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pennants 

Gear costume: Double Rondo

Active compensatory factors: Steve Howe has been the lead guitarist for Yes throughout most of their career (in fact he's still in the band).

These were his first two solo albums (although Alan White also appears on drums). 

He's a great guitarist and reveals his guitar prowess in a variety of settings throughout these albums. He is not a vocalist, however, so that's a weakness on Beginnings (the album). 

Thankfully he only sings on one track on The Steve Howe Album. On that one he sticks to his considerable strengths as a musician! There is still a wide selection of styles but this is well named - the Steve Howe Album.

Unfortunately, unlike The Steve Howe Album, there is nothing on Beginnings that lingers long after the needle comes off.

Honourable mention to the brilliant covers by Roger Dean! I love his paintings.

Where do they all belong? Only his two seventies solo albums in my collection, with no great desire to own any more.

Going up the country (Al Wilson) (LP 2780)

Jim Horn  Through the Eyes of a Horn (Vinyl, Shelter Records, 1972) ***  

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records (Wellington)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Caravan

Gear costume: Going Up the Country

Active compensatory factors: Jim Horn is a flute and sax player who has appeared on the solo albums of three former Beatle albums, and just about everyone else in rock that you can think of (the list is impressive) including the Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds) and Canned Heat (it's his flute on Going Up the Country).

This was his debut solo album on the famous Shelter label. The list of famous players on it is also impressive: Jim Keltner; Jim Gordon; Leon Russell; Booker T; Rita Coolidge; and Carl Radle are among them.

Given the people involved, these songs are all master class versions of some popular tunes and some obscure ones. The standard remains high and tight throughout. 

That said, instrumental versions of songs even by these experts is still of limited appeal to the wider public. It's not on Spotify, for instance. 

Where do they all belong? Be keen to find the Jim's Horns album - also on Shelter.

Up in the air (Hooton Tennis Club) (LP 2779)

Hooton Tennis Club  Highest Point in Cliff Town (CD, Heavenly Recordings, 2015) ***  

Genre: Alt-pop

Places I remember: Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Always Coming Back 2 You

Gear costume: Kathleen Sat on the Arm of Her 

Active compensatory factors: I was drawn towards this album by some young scousers via a positive review in Mojo Magazine. 

So, I bought a copy. I can't say I listened to it much - in fact I think I've only played it twice since buying it. Both times in 2015.

It's okay, but none of the songs stick with me. I've played it three times today while preparing for this post, and the same thing happened.

Where do they all belong? A candidate for recycling maybe.

Hold my hand (Hootie & the Blowish) (LP 2772 - 2778)

Hootie & the Blowfish   Cracked Rear View (CD, Atlantic Records, 1994) *****  

Hootie & the Blowfish   Cracked Rear View - 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (3CD/ DVD, Atlantic Records, 1994) ***** 

Hootie & the Blowfish  Fairweather Johnson (CD, Atlantic Records, 1996) ***  

Hootie & the Blowfish   Musical Chairs (CD, Atlantic Records, 1998) ****  

Hootie & the Blowfish   Hootie & the Blowfish (CD, Atlantic Records, 2003) ***

Hootie & the Blowfish   The Best of Hootie & the Blowfish 1993 thru 2003 (CD, Atlantic Records, 1998) ***** 

Hootie & the Blowfish   Imperfect Circle (Vinyl, Capitol Nashville Records, 2019) **** 

Genre: pop/rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records for Cracked Rear View/Hootie & the Blowfish/ Best of; secondhand shops - Fairweather Johnson, Musical Chairs; JB Hi Fi for Cracked Rear View 25th anniversary/ Imperfect Circle.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Only Wanna Be With You (Cracked Rear View)

Gear costume: Only Lonely , What's Going On Here  (Musical Chairs)

Active compensatory factors: My obsession with Hootie & the Blowfish crept up on me.

As with many people, the love affair began with their debut record - Cracked Rear View which I bought second hand from a sale bin at Real Groovy when it was opposite the Classic Cinema on Queen St. It was a fateful purchase, because I fell in love with it and listened to it constantly.

Of course, those videos on high rotation helped, and the lift from Dylan's Idiot Wind in Only Wanna Be With You endeared me to the band even more.

Apart from Darius Rucker's superb vocals, it's the quality of the songs and the sympathetic arrangements that make Cracked Rear View such a great debut. 

It became a monster - number one in American and NZ, and sold by the truckload.

Speaking of monsters - the 25th anniversary deluxe edition has the album, a disc of B sides and outtakes, a disc of a live concert from 1995 and a DVD of the 5.1 surround mixes and bonus tracks, plus - the videos!

Phew. The bloated edition is totally justified in this case, and a fitting way to celebrate the ongoing success of this landmark album.

Their second effort, Fairweather Johnson, was also a big hit - a number 1 album in America, and another big seller, but not as successful as the debut. 

Tough to follow that mega successful album, but they create a more mellow, relaxed sound and it sounds pretty good, and was clearly a slight change in direction following Cracked Rear View. Darius Rucker still sounds superb, but the songs, on the whole, are not as memorable.

The third studio effort was Musical Chairs, released in 1998. I almost didn't bother with it, but I'm so glad I did. It's a return to the kind of finely crafted, layered songs that made Cracked Rear View such a success.

Only Lonely is a highlight - a successful ballad that incorporates sweeping strings in an appropriate way. Darius sings it brilliantly.

The other plus factors on Musical Chairs are the appearances of Peter Holsapple and Susan Cowsill. I am a huge Cowsills fan and Susan's presence is an important one as a harmony expert. Holsapple comes with an REM history and that's also appropriate - Hootie often sounds like a rocking REM, and they cover Driver 8 as a bonus track brilliantly (a slowed down version).

Fourth studio album - Hootie & the Blowfish, has a telling title. Bands often use a self-titled album as a way of signaling a reboot. Sure enough, the introduction of Don Was added some extra sonic touches and looks. But still, this is recognisably Hootie & the Blowfish. Again though, the songs are not as strong compared to Musical Chairs and Cracked Rear View.

Interestingly, one only track makes the Best of collection which is a useful way to sum up their progress up to 2003. Most tracks come from the first two albums, plus a number of covers.

Imperfect Circle, their sixth studio album, continues the story. Darius' voice is still a quality instrument, taking on a more country flavour these days, and the songs are strong, particularly on side 1. 

Where do they all belong? Looking For Lucky was their fifth studio effort and I don't yet have a copy. Nor have I found their covers album (Scattered, Smothered, and Covered) or Live in Charleston...yet.

Boogie chillen (John Lee Hooker) (LP 2769 - 2771)

John Lee Hooker  The Best of Hooker N Heat (CD, Dark Horse Records, 1971 compilation 1996) ****  

John Lee Hooker  The Healer (CD, Chameleon Records, 1989) ***  

John Lee Hooker  The best of Friends (CD, Virgin Records, 1998) ****  

Genre: Blues 

Places I remember: Hope's collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Boogie Chillen #2

Gear costume: I'm in the Mood

Active compensatory factors: Hooker N Heat was originally a double album recorded in 1970. This single CD cherry picks 10 of the best tracks.

It marks the last time Canned Heat's Al (Blind Owl) Wilson appeared on record as he died of a drug overdose later that year. Such a shame because he is awesome throughout on harmonica and guitar.

The album retains a lot of studio chatter, making it an authentic record of the recording (supposedly all recorded on one day!)

The Healer won a lot of awards but it sounds too polite to me after the raw authenticity of Hooker N Heat. The two bright moments are the incredible I'm in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt in sizzling form (lawdy mama!!) and the track with George Thorogood - Sally Mae.

The third album here is another compilation - with a succession of guests joining John Lee Hooker. The guests include Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, Bill Payne, Booker T., Ben Harper, Charlie Musselwhite, Robert Cray, and Carlos Santana. I'm in the Mood with Raitt is again a standout, but there are plenty of others as well to raise this one up to a 4-star rating.

Where do they all belong? A good clutch of John Lee Hooker albums for the blues genre.

Celebrity skin (Hole) (LP 2768)

Hole  Celebrity Skin (CD, DGC Records, 1998) *** 

Genre: Rock 

Places I remember: Hope collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Celebrity Skin

Gear costume: Dying

Active compensatory factors: Third album by this grunge band fronted by Courtney Love, and it's a more mature sound - less grunge. Ironically, that's possibly the influence of Billy Corgan (main man of prog band Smashing Pumpkins) who is heavily involved a number of the songs (Love writes all the lyrics though).

It's all okay but it would have been a five-star effort if it had all had the quality of the opening song - the title track. The rest is good, but nothing spectacular.

Courtney Love has a good voice for alt-rock and Hole has certainly been a very successful band, this album was nominated for some Grammy Awards.

It's always hard to separate the tabloid Courtney from the rock star Courtney. Is she a nice person? Discuss.

Where do they all belong? I have no great desire to collect other albums by Hole.