Anniversary Albums: Edition Eighteen - The Strokes "Is This It" (2001)

This week on anniversary albums we take a look at New York indie band The Strokes debut album "Is This It". Released in 2001, "Is This It" is considered a seminal indie rock album which had a significant influence on indie guitar music for the next ten years. 

The Strokes - "Is This It"

Tracks Played 

- The Modern Age 

- Barley Legal

- Someday 

- New York City Cops 

- Last Nite 

- Sam 

Anniversary Albums: Edition Fifteen - The White Stripes 'White Blood Cells' (2001)

This week on anniversary albums we take a look at Detroit garage rock-revivalists the White Stripes third studio album 'White Blood Cells'. Released in 2001, this record was very influential in the development of the garage rock scene of the early-2000's, as well as helping to establish the White Stripes as a commercial act. 

Tracks played 

- Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground 

- Hotel Yorba 

- I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman 

- Fell in Love with a Girl

- Now Mary

- Offend in Every Way 

White Stripes - White Blood Cells

- Sam 

The Libertines - Anthems for Doomed Youth (2015)

The fact the Libertines have reunited to do some shows is not a surprise. Bands are reuniting all the time, this is not unusual in this day and age. What is a surprise, however, is the fact they have recorded an album, eleven years after their last one in 2004. The Libertines continue to pulverize opinion, you either love them or you hate them. Those that dislike them remember the very public relationship difficulties between Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, as well as Doherty’s very well publicized drug problems. There are also those who think their music is to one-dimensional and dare I say it boring. At the same time, they are well-loved British indie darlings, particularly by the music press. They were a band who took indie out of the 90s and brought it down a peg back to the level of the people, this after the heights of Britpop. So the fact they reconvened in Thailand of all places to record new music caught some people unawares, but has made this reunion just that more interesting in the knowledge that new music would follow also suit.

The album is titled “Anthems for Doomed Youth”, a title which in itself is perhaps more relevant than ever for a majority of today’s youth who are struggling in a firmly entrenched neo-liberal society. In terms of the word anthems, well, the Libertines are good at producing rousing anthemic indie rockers. You just have to look back at some of the songs off their first two albums to see this. But ten years after their last record, what would the 2014 Libertines sound like? Would the new tracks stand up and are new audiences ready for the rousing and very personal anthems that the Libertines are known for? Well, after several listens to this album, I would say yes. The likely lads are back and perhaps they are better than ever.

The album kicks off with “Barbarians”. This is classic Libertines with very catchy vocals, and Barat and Doherty harmonizing in the choruses. This track also has quite a Pulp-like sound to it, which in itself is quite interesting. Next is the reggae-sounding “Gunja Din”. This was the first track that was released and is very unlike the Libertines in sound. Was it the Thai surrounds that made them go down a reggae path? Or were they just caught up in a desire to experiment? Either way it sounds good and it shows there is more to this band than just straight out indie rock. “Fame and Fortune” is a very British pop track with nods to the Kinks and Blur, Camden and London, while “Anthem for Doomed Youth” is a rousing ballad that I can just see thousands of people sticking their cigarette lighters in the air to. Side one then ends with an old track “You’re My Waterloo” and the bouncing rocker “Belly of the Beast”.

The second half of the album kicks off with “Iceman”, a great track that sounds like it could have come from a mid-90s Blur album. This is followed by one of the stand out tracks on the album “Heart of the Mattter”, which is sure to get pubs, clubs and festival crowds singing in unison. A couple of weaker tracks then emerge in the form of “Fury of Chonburi” and “The Milkman’s Horse”, but luckily things pick up again with the fantastic “Glasgow Coma Scale Blues”. Boy this is a great track full of driving guitars, great vocals and a brilliant chorus. The album then ends with “Dead For Love”, another softer ballad, something the Libertines are not known for, but which appear quite a bit on this album. Along with the main album, the deluxe edition contains some fantastic bonus tracks which are also worth checking out. “Love on the Dole”, “Bucket Shop”, “Lust of the Libertines” and “7 Deadily Sins” keep in line with the quality found on the album and only serve to extend the idea that the Libertines have come back with a bang on “Anthems for Doomed Youth”.

So in summing up, my thoughts on “Anthems for Doomed Youth” is that it is a great return for the Libertines who many thought were done as a recording act and would fade away into indie history. They seem to have matured as a recording act and their songs seem more crafted and melodic than a lot of their earlier work. The classic Libertines sound is still there in the form of great harmonizing and the ever-present minor chords (are they ever not playing in a minor key?), but at the same time they have shown a willingness to experiment with other styles and not simply just sit and attempt to re-invent the past. The band have been touring and playing festivals and by all accounts aside from one incident before a show where Pete Doherty had an anxiety attack, everything has gone smoothly and they have been well received by audiences. Where to now is any ones guess, as previous history with this band suggests anything is possible both good and bad. But if this is the final Libertines album, it does hold up well musically, and would be a fitting way for the boys in this band to go out on. 

A-

Sam 

The Moons - Mindwaves (2014)

Mindwaves is the third studio album by relatively unknown British band The Moons, a band I stumbled upon quite by accident when I heard one of my favourite British musicians Paul Weller sing on a track off their last album Fables of History. After releasing two very, very good albums, where they have explored everything from baroque pop to mod pop, the band have decided to go down a more experimental psychedelic rock route with Mindwaves, all be it, with mixed results.

The overall sound of Mindwaves is high on psychedelic’s and the band experiment with tone, layers of sound, as well as what are often quite complex rhythms at times. There is an explosion of sonic guitars, ferocious drums, and synths coming at the listener from all directions as if like Rick Wakeman had infiltrated proceedings. While the seed that sows the sound all together is the now trademark Moons sound of double-tracked pop vocals. So, this all sounds very intriguing to potential listeners like myself, but how does the music actually stack up on the record?

Well the album does not start well in its quest to impress me, with a pointless instrumental called “Luna Intro” arghhhhhhhh!!! I hate one minute instrumentals. Luckily though next track “Society” is a psychedelic rocker with a harder edge to it than has been seen on previous Moon albums, while “Body Snatchers” is an experimental Kasabian-like neo-psychedelic number, which pushes things along nicely. “Fever” is next, and apart from the songs intro sounding like the intro to the Black Keys “Howling For You”, this song really takes the album up a gear with its Sgt Pepper synths, psychedelic guitar and interesting chord changes. One of the album highlights for sure. “Vertigo” I would describe as being a kind of psychedelic dance track, with its sick drum pattern and buzzy psych sounds. Songs like this show how much more the band are experimenting on this record and their willingness I guess to try new things without feeling the need to settle on any particular formula for recording. “All in My Mind” does not set the world alight, but “Heart and Soul” definitely does and for my mind is the best track on the album. It kicks off with a glam rock guitar riff, think Slade, think T Rex and pounds its way to an epic finale. This is glam pop at its best, and it is literally music to my ears. “You Can’t Slow Me Down” is basic filler, while “Sometimes” is a bore, but thankfully the energy and attitude comes back with “Time’s Not Forever”, and “Rage and Romance”, the latter which contains a wonderfully surprising violin solo and a moment which I would describe as being the albums Frank Zappa moment. Finally, the album comes to an end with the six minute ballad “On the Moon”. Here the band were setting themselves up for that big anthemic finale, you know, the moment at festivals where everyone puts their ciggie lighters in the air. However, in actual fact, this song is a massive disappointment and plods along as if the band are simply trying to use up the last bit of space on the record.

So, all in all, in summing up the album, I would say that Mindwaves is not as good as their last release which in my mind was a super album, with there being some good songs on here sprinkled in amongst some lesser tracks. The band clearly go for a more experimental sound on this release which I applaud them for, and move away from the baroque pop and psychedelic pop of their first two albums, but, in the end, I was kind of expecting something more out of all of it as a result. In conclusion then not a great disappointment, but in no way a towering achievement either.

B 

- Sam 

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)

If there was ever one album that came to single-handedly define a band it was this one, the self-titled debut album by Manchester quartet the Stone Roses. Released in 1989, not only would this album define the band’s sound, as well as enshrine their legacy, but it would also help to kick start indie guitar rock in the UK and go on to influence an entire generation of bands in the process.

Coming out of the popular Madchester scene, a scene which led to the growth of a style of music which mixed together elements of psychedelic rock, alternative rock and dance music, The Stone Roses album was based on a template of The Byrds meets rave culture, with the sound of this album an eclectic combination of 60s melodies and harmony, 80s jangly guitar and dance music. This album is arguably the best representation of Madchester as a style of music, with the individual talents of the band members and their abilities as players ensuring that the mixture of indie rock and dance worked well together. Guitarist John Squire is amazing at what he does and can change his style of playing between a more classic Hendrix rock sound to a more feel-based percussive-like playing. His jangly guitar contributes in a big way to the bands overall sound, while his use of phasing and echo helps to give a lot of the material on this album that dance-like feel. Bass player Mani has groove to burn, with his R&B and soul influences helping give the material a dance feel and an overall grove that holds everything together, while drummer Reni has an amazing feel for rhythm and timing to the point that at times his precision-like playing even sounds like a dance sample. Quite simply it is these three guys which make singer Ian Brown’s job so much easier, so much that he only really needs to serve the needs of the song without stretching too much vocally, with his backing band doing enough as it is in helping create what is almost a sonic-sphere of melody, harmony and rhythm.

The Stone Roses is one of those albums where it is quite hard to find a dud song, and as an album it is pretty much perfect from track one all the way through. Album opener “I Wanna Be Adored” is an enchanting atmospheric psychedelic number highlighted by a Middle Eastern styled pentatonic riff by John Squire. This is followed by “She Bangs the Drums” an indie anthem like no other, and “Waterfall” with that instantly recognisable guitar riff that chimes along throughout the song. If I was going to be picky, a couple of tracks in the middle of the album such as anti-monarchy folk pastiche “Elizabeth My Dear” and a backwards recording of Waterfall “Don’t Stop” don’t add anything to the album and could have been overlooked for something else, but what they do, do is set up nicely the run home in what surely represents one of the greatest run of songs to end an album ever.

The ending sequence starts with “Made of Stone”, a guitar heavy psychedelic indie swirl which features an electrifying solo from Squire and moves on to “Shoot You Down”, a slower number with a prominent bass line, bright guitar flourishes, and some of the most amazing harmony singing that sucks you in completely whilst giving a new definition to the phrase music to my ears. This then leads into the final two tracks, the jangle guitar infused “This is the One” and the epic finale “I Am the Resurrection”. “I Am the Resurrection” is the bands masterpiece and probably their most definitive musical statement, while as a track it is a perfect example of what the Madchester sound is all about stylistically. At eight minutes in length, the song starts as a straightforward indie rock song before at around the four minute mark transforming into a dance-rock track complete with a dance drum beat and funky bass riff. The rhythm section combines brilliantly with Squires infectious guitar licks to create one of the more original songs on the album and one of the best ever album outro’s in rock history. In marking a point where indie rock meets acid house, “I Am the Resurrection” is nothing short of being a truly brilliant ending to a fantastic album.

This album to me represents the perfect album. It is one of those albums which stand out from the really good albums and one which deserves a place under the category of amazing albums. This is also seen in how it seems not a year goes by where this album does not appear in a list of the greatest albums of all time in a music magazine or on a music web page. Its eclectic mix of indie rock, psychedelia, Beatles harmonies and dance music works so well together, while the songs themselves just ooze melody and rhythm. The band got it so spot on with this first release that they really needn’t have made another album, as it is this album and its melodically rhythmic nature which has come to define The Stone Roses and their sound. The Stone Roses is the perfect album for summer and is a great album to chill out to with a beer in the sun. I couldn’t recommend it anymore strongly, especially for those into indie rock, acid house, and classic 60s guitar rock. It will not disappoint, and I am pretty sure that after several listens you will become hooked just like me and millions of others have been.

A+

- Sam

Arctic Monkeys - AM (2013)

AM is the fifth studio release in seven years by the Arctic Monkeys, a pretty impressive feat for a band these days, while as an album it is their most diverse yet if not being the most un-Arctic Monkeys of their releases. On this new album the band have moved head first into a completely new area of music far removed from the indie rock sound which made them one of the best British bands of the 21^st century so far. The music on AM is heavily influenced by hard rock, contemporary R&B and even hip-hop which ensured the listening experience for me was in many ways one of confusion. At times I could have been mistaken for thinking this was the new Queens of the Stone Age album, with a strong current of heavy guitars, pounding riffs and high falsetto vocals scattered throughout the album. Interestingly enough Josh Homme does in fact make an appearance on this album as a guest backing vocalist, and of course helped to produce the bands third album Humbug.

The album stars in a very heavy fashion with opening track “Do I Wanna Know?” a guitar driven psychedelic rock track and “R U Mine?” a fast paced song reminiscent of classic Black Sabbath. The influence of Sabbath and hard rock continues on “Arabella”, a song that includes a seismic-like guitar riff during the chorus that thunders through the speakers at you. At this point I found myself thinking since when were the Arctic Monkeys influenced by heavy metal, an influence that continues on “I Want It All” which contains a very heavy guitar riff in the vein of early Metallica. After an incredibly fierce start to the album, the middle section is much softer and melodic. “No. 1 Party Anthem” is a John Lennon (circa 1974) sounding song that features acoustic guitar and piano accompanying what is quite a beautiful soulful vocal delivery from Alex Turner. I would bet my bottom dollar this will be a cigarette lighter in the air song during concerts. This song is followed by “Mad Sounds” which is the softest song on the album a midst a haze of heavy rock and R&B styled tracks. This song to me felt like it could have come from David Bowie’s “Young Americans” and has an underlying Philly soul feel to it complete with a chorus full of ooh-la-la’s. The final section of the album begins with my favourite track the poppy psychedelic stomp “Snap Out of It” with its hand claps and incredibly catchy chorus, “Knee Socks” which as a song has a new wave feel to it with echoey guitars and yet more falsetto vocals, and finally album closer the R&B laced “I Wanna Be Yours” which is my least favourite song on the album and where I had a what were they thinking moment.

As far as criticisms go, there are a few aspects of this album which did not do it for me namely the R&B/hip-hop influences which in my opinion did not suit them and hopefully will not be seen again on future albums. I also found myself at times getting annoyed by the falsetto vocals which are dotted across the album. Yes they work well on several tracks, but I do feel they ended up overdoing this a bit across the album as a whole. Finally, I also think this album is over-produced especially with the layers and layers of heavy guitars and multi-tracked vocals, which together at times feel like they are battling with each for supremacy on a particular song. There is a lot going on, on most of these songs and I feel many of them could have sounded better had they been a little less busy in places, and if the band had focussed more on getting the timbre right rather than the production.

So far AM has been well received by the critics on its release and has garnered plenty of positive reviews and ratings, with many in the music press commenting on the albums musically diverse nature and incorporation of styles that you wouldn’t usually associate with the Arctic Monkeys. Some have even gone on to say it is the bands best album, something I would not agree with as I still think their last release Suck It and See was better. However I do applaud the band for trying to evolve their sound and attempt new things on this release, even if the results are not always perfect. There are some very good songs on here and a lot of interesting things going on in what is by in large a consistent album, but all in all I am yet to be completely sold on the bands new sound. Despite this, I still think overall AM was an interesting listen and I would still recommend it if at least to see where the Arctic Monkeys are at after five albums, and what direction they could potentially be heading in the future.

B

- Sam

Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions (2013)

Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions is the newly released album by Scottish indie-rock band Franz Ferdinand. It is their forth studio release overall and first since 2009, a long gap between offerings when you consider that most indie bands release an album every two years at the very least. I must say that since their second album You Could Have It So Much Better, Franz Ferdinand drifted off my musical radar and were seemingly ready to be forever known to me as the band who released that really artsy video in 2004 accompanying arguably their most well known song “Take Me Out”. However I found myself pleasantly surprised after listening to their latest release, in what appears to be a very strong comeback for the band.

The sound of this album is not to dissimilar to their last album which had an underlying dance feel to it, although all in all the band tends to mix up the material between traditional indie-rock and dosses of 80s new wave. Album opener the guitar driven “Right Thoughts” is probably the track which resembles their earlier work the most and is notably accompanied by a “Take Me Out” inspired music video, while “Evil Eye” has a sort of 80s post-punk feel to it including a thumping Duran Duran bass line. There are shades of Bowie on “Love Illumination” which channels his 80s work along with latest release The Next Day and includes driving guitars, a catchy melody and even drowning-like horns; there is no doubting that “Love Illumination” will be a live favourite among fans, whilst it is also for me a candidate for best track on the album. Other tracks that stood out for me on the album included the Supergrass-sounding “Bullet” with its high pitch vocals and surfer guitar, and the Beatlesque “Fresh Strawberries” with its lovely harmonies and glowing melody. “Fresh Strawberries” appealed to me as it is not your typical Franz Ferdinand track in that it is a slower more mellow number and is less guitar-driven.  Another candidate for best song on the album and nice to see them try something different. The only real negatives for me on this album were the tracks “Treason Animals” and “The Universe Expanded” of which both seemed to me as being annoying exercises in psychedelic synth pop. For me these were clearly the weakest tracks on the album and definitely don’t fit in with the up-tempo and melodic nature of the rest of the material. However, at ten songs it is a very short album and therefore a couple of lesser tracks can be excused. Yes they don’t add anything to the album, but at the same time they don’t take anything away from the rest of the material.

So far this album has been well received by critics with many giving it four stars and 8/10 ratings. I definitely concur with the critics and view the album as a strong comeback for the group especially after their last album was a bit uneven in places. I also probably view this release more favourably as I wasn’t expecting much out of it and was tossing up whether to even bother listening to it. In the end I’m glad I did and the surprise in the form of some quality songs was well worth it. I do recommend this latest offering from Franz Ferdinand especially if you enjoyed their earlier work, or are simply just an indie-rock nerd. I would also recommend it to those people like myself of which Franz Ferdinand had drifted out of consciousness within the overcrowded scene of indie bands that exist these days. You also might just be pleasantly surprised like I was.

B+

- Sam

The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle (1981)

Undoubtedly one of the more enduring bands of the Dunedin Sound era, The Clean debuted in 1981 with the EP Boodle Boodle Boodle, which is simply an affirmation of kiwi audacity and ingenuity. Recorded with a budget of $700 in Chris Knox’s bedroom, this 5-track release contains some of the most thumping, boisterous “lo-fi” rock-based songs that I’ve ever heard.

The three tracks on the EP’s A side are all typical staples of the Flying Nun label's sound, such as “Billy Two” which seems reminiscent of the more upbeat post-punk outfits of the era, yet with a stripped-down, hard rockin' quality that simply doesn’t let up. One of the better known songs associated with the band, “Anything Could Happen”, features a few trademark slices of jangly guitar, coupled with terrific, pounding bass and drum work, as well as vocal delivery by lead singer David Kilgour that just personifies your average New Zealander’s indifference.

The real gem here though is the final song on the EP’s B side, “Point That Thing Somewhere Else”. This 5-minute tour de force contains a phenomenal, gliding lo-fi guitar riff which seems to bring in elements of Dick Dale’s classic surf sound. I can't help but feel that this track's soul belongs somewhere in the 1990s, but that also makes it easier to understand The Clean’s influence on later international acts - particularly Pavement and Yo La Tengo, both of which have cited as such.

Unfortunately the only copy of this EP is its original 1981 release, but all 5 tracks are included in the 2002 compilation Anthology, which pretty much covers most of the band’s history, not unlike The Chills’ 1986 Kaleidoscope World. If you want to hear where your favourite 90s alternative rock / lo-fi band may have got its sound, this would be a pretty good place to begin.

A

-Karl

The La's - The La's (1990)

The story of The La’s is a compelling one. The Liverpool band which formed in 1983 had all the potential to become a great band and have a very successful career, but they ended up only recording one studio album in 1990 titled “The La’s”. Since then apart from sporadic reunions and occasional live appearances, the band has pretty much ceased to exist, for reasons only singer-songwriter Lee Mavers would know? It just so happens that their one and only release is a classic album that influenced an entire generation of British musicians, and arguably helped change the course of British music away from 1980s synth pop towards what became known as Britpop in the 1990s, not to mention the indie wave that came after that and continues to this day. The bands style as showcased on the album is largely influenced by skiffle, 1960s mersybeat, and 1950s rock and roll, and is based around a jangle pop sound of chiming guitars and infectious melodies. Lee Mavers in an interview described the band’s sound as “rootsy” and “raw and organic”. Mavers unique singing style also brought a Liverpudlian element to their sound, with his Scouse growl ensuring the band sounded more Liverpool-like than the cities most famous group. The album contains a mixture of all out beat songs such as “I Can’t Sleep” and “Failure”, melodic pop pieces such as their most famous song “There She Goes”, and acoustic folk numbers such as “Liberty Ship” that harks back to the days of skiffle.

 

The story of the albums making is an interesting story, and pretty much some ups why the band has since failed to capitalise on their great debut. The band spent three years in the studio recording and re-recording this album, using several producers in the process as well as a constantly changing line up, as they strived to get the authentic sound desired by Mavers. Mavers was a perfectionist after a 1960s sound, and obsessed over the making of this record to the point that in one instance it was reported that he rejected a vintage mixing desk claiming that it did not have the right sound because it didn’t have “original sixties dust”, fair enough I guess? Several versions of the album were recorded, with the officially released version being disowned by Mavers who said it was a version he did not want made public. Why he believed this I don’t know as the album sounds pretty good to me, and its influence on British music over the last twenty odd years is plain to see. It might even be that the authentic rootsy sound desired by Mavers might not have had the same impact as the clean melodic sound that you hear on the record, who knows. In the end Mavers obsession in perfecting this record probably ended up prevented him from capitalising on its influence and moving the band’s career forward. It is also surly one of the reasons why the band has been missing in action all these years, even though apparently they still exist in the form of Mavers appearing with a constant rotation of other musicians when they do play. Despite this, “The La’s” is an album I recommend to anyone who’s into 1960s British pop, indie, or people who just love a good melody. This might possibly end up being the only studio release from this group, but even twenty-three years on its influence is plain to see, and it’s sound still relevant.

 

A

 

- Sam