HIGHWAY 61 RE-REVISITED (VAC #043)

HIGHWAY 61
RE-REVISITED

First of what will hopefully become a long series, Highway 61 Re-revisited is, as its title indicates, the recreation of Bob Dylan’s 1965 classic album in cover versions. The reason why I did not choose to cover Dylan’s discography chronologically is because I wanted to cover first the albums I think are essentials in the Zim’s discography and, starting with this one - a controversial album at its time as many folksters blamed Dylan because he abandoned his trademark acoustic sound - was a statement as to how free an artist Bob was and how bold a move this very album represented.
I hope you’ll enjoy the result.

MAGAZINE (ABO #368)

MAGAZINE
SOUNDS FOR SORE EARS

Formed by ex-Buzzcocks' Howard Devoto, Magazine is, with Wire, the band which created the whole post-punk movement. Allying the energy of English punk rock to the aesthetics originating from the art-rock scene, they managed to add brains to the testosterone-infused brutality of punk.
Throughout three outstanding albums - from 1978's Real Life to 1980's The Correct Use of Soap - they perfected a sound that still influences many of today's bands. Sadly, a final album (1981's Magic, Murder and the Weather) saw a major loss in inspiration and their quick demise. Though the latter wasn't a bad album, it was nothing like its three predecessors adding too many keyboards to the mix and losing most of the original energy which inhabited the band.
Magazine recently came back together, minus John McGeogh – often described as the “new wave Jimmy Page” - who died in 2005, and there is word that a new album might be in the works, until that, enjoy "Sounds for Sore Ears" which might not be of the ear-candy type but still is the demonstration of a supremely talented band at work.

My MAGAZINE List
1 – Real Life (1978)
2 – The Correct Use of Soap (1980)
3 – Secondhand Daylight (1979)
4 – Magic, Murder and the Weather

RIYL:
Wire, Public Image Ltd., The Teardrop Explodes, The Fall

Note: the three videos are from the reformed Magazine.

(IAN CARR'S) NUCLEUS (ABO#367)

NUCLEUS

PROMETHEAN WOMBERALIA

(1970-1982)

When I first heard of Ian Carr's death back in february 2009, I was already ready to to Baistophe is main band Nucleus. For many reasons I only post it today and I'm very happy to see it featured on our fame list.

I first heard of Nucleus by looking with whom Tony Levin has ever played. What I wasn't expecting was that the Tony Levin who is playing (the drums) with Nucleus was not the one I was looking for (the one who played bass with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson). So I found Nucleus for the wrong reason.

When I then first heard of Nucleus, I immediately was captivated and felt pretty amazed to see how similar they were with some Soft Machine songs... No surprise then when you know that Karl Jenkins and John Marshall were members of Nucleus before joining Soft Machine. You'll witness that Song For The Bearded Lady has got the same riff as Hazard Profile...

So, if like me, you are a huge fan of the Machine, you'll like Nucleus.

My Nucleus TOP3 :

1. Elastic Rock (1970)

2. Bella Donna (as Ian Carr) (1972)

3. We'll Talk About It Later (1970)

no Bottom

MATHIEU BOOGAERTS (ABO #366)

MATHIEU BOOGAERTS
BONS VOYAGES

Mathieu Boogaerts is an acclaimed French alternative singer/songwriter whose eclectic style draws from Afro-pop and reggae as well as indie electronica and folk music.
He has released 5 albums from 1998's Super to 2008's I Love You developing a quirky and endearing universe made of naivety, humour and tenderness. This compilation features the best tracks from his 5 albums as well as a duet with Vincent Delerm and a cover of Dirk Annegarn released on a tribute album.
I hope you'll enjoy his unique way to mix pop minimalism and african rhythms and folky influences.

My MATHIEU BOOGAERTS List
1 - Michel (2005)
2 - 2000 (2002)
3 - Super (1996)
4 - I Love You (2008)
5 - J'En Ai Marre d'Etre Deux (1998)

RIYL:
Katerine, Dominique A, Bertrand Betsch, Gérald Genty

CACTUS & VANILLA FUDGE (ABO#365)

CACTUS & VANILLA FUDGE

STICK IT TO YA!

(1966-2007)

I've never separated both Cactus and Vanilla Fudge history because for me theyr are both Camine Appice and Tim Bogert's bands. So I should have done a special Bogert-Appice BAISTOPHE as well. But since I've already included their collaboration with Jeff Beck on his own BAISTOPHE (see ABO#001), It would have implicate some doubloons. I then have dropped BBA as well as their album with Rick Derringer to focus on those two bands.

Of course, I had to include at least one song of the New Cactus Band (1973) even if the golden rhythm section does not play on it.

2CDs were a bit short to do them so I also had to drop some albums. Fortunately, those dropped albums are widely forgetable.

Why didn't I chose to do separate BAISTOPHES for those bands? simply because I felt that A Vanilla Fudge Baistophe on its own would be a bit indigest, so I decided to lighten it by fusing it with a Cactus BAISTOPHE.

This explains that.

My Cactus TOP :

1. Restrictions (1971)

2. Cactus (1970)

3. One Way ... Or Another (1970)

4. Cactus V (2006)

5. Son Of Cactus (New Cactus Band) (1973)

My Vanilla Fudge TOP :

1. Near The Beginning (1969)

2. Vanilla Fudge (1967)

3. The Return (2001)

4. Renaissance (1968)

5. Rock & Roll (1970)

6. The Beat Goes On (1968)

7. Out Through The In Door (2007)

8. While he World Was Eating Vanilla Fudge (Pigeons) (1966)

9. Mystery (1984)

TYPE O NEGATIVE (ABO #364)

TYPE O NEGATIVE
THE DREAM IS DEAD

First of all, let me tell you that this compilation has been in the works for quite some time. I first heard of Peter Steele when he was in the metal/hardcore band Carnivore and have been following his career since. So, as you can imagine, the news of his sudden death has been quite a shock to me. Actually, I couldn’t believe it. Peter was only 48 years old and, since he was now sober and in a better mental condition than he had been for the past few years, I was expecting other news from him and his band, a new album for example. Sadly, this will probably never happen as it seems he hadn’t even started working on it.
This compilation is a tribute to a man who has marked the metal scene of his influence by popularizing a genre, gothic metal, which he greatly helped to creating and developing throughout the seven albums he released with Type O Negative.
Due to the length of the albums and songs of Type O Negative, I had no other choice but to make it a double CD and, honestly, I think it’s the least Peter deserved.
May he rest in peace and may his music remain forever in our hearts.

My TYPE O NEGATIVE List
1 – Bloody Kisses (1993)
2 – Life Is Killing Me (2003)
3 – October Rust (1996)
4 – World Is Coming Down (1999)
5 – Dead Again (2007)
6 – Slow, Deep and Hard (1991)
7 – The Origin of Feces (1992)

RIYL:
Paradise Lost, Tiamat, Fields of the Nephilim

LADIES : D (VAC#042)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

LADIES : D

Here we go again. fourth part of our ladies serie. This month is for D. If found plenty of songs but finally kept lots of songs I already had. I then was happy to find back bands I like like Mats/Morgan, Comus, Ora, Leningrad Cowboys and that are not necessarily well known. That's only justice to find them on this compilation.

As usual, the hardest has been to make those very different songs follow on. This, was much easier than the other letter but it's always a challenge. I think I did it!

THE WHITE STRIPES (ABO#363)

THE WHITE STRIPES

CROSSWALK

(1999-2010)

When I first heard The White Stripes, it was - like many of you - with their hit single Seven Nation Army. But I didn't really fall in love with them. I simply agreed it was a good riff, nothing much more...

I was reintroduced to them when I dropped on a music channel on TV and I heard My Doorbell. I then found that music much more interesting but didn't do anythong to discover more.

Recently I felt the will to know much more about them and learnt that they had done much more albums than I thought.

I listen historically their first, eponymous, album from 1999 and was really impressed. Not by the sound of the drums that have never been the major quality of this band, but by the sound. The guitar, the reverbs, the sound of that voice that went from Marc Bolan to Ray Davies to Greenslade's Dave Lawson. That kind of recording (except, I repeat, the drums) made me feel it was recorded long ago.

That mix of pop, rock and hard rock, is nowadays unusual with todays pop music. Guitar solos, lead guitar instead of only-rhythm guitars, and a minimum of research in melodies.

The Whites Stripes are not necessarily the best band ever, but proves that rock'n'roll is not already dead on radio stations.

My White Stripes TOP:

1. Icky Thump (2007)

2. Elephant (2003)

3. The White Stripes (1999)

4. De Stijl (2000)

5. Get Behind Me Satan (2005)

6. White Blood Cell (2001)

And if you like the studio albums (and maybe some of you who might not), you surely will need their latest Under A Great White Northern Light. An outblowing live album.

MOUSE ON MARS (ABO #362)

MOUSE ON MARS
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

.

Mouse on Mars is a duo from Germany (Jan St. Werner, from Köln, and Andi Toma, from Düsseldorf) who have been making electronic music since 1993. Their music is a sometimes quirky blend of techno, trance, disco, and ambient with a heavy dollop of analog synth sounds. Their music also utilizes live conventional rock instruments such as drums, bass and guitar.
This compilation, summing up their 15 years long career is not a best of, more of an introduction to the band peculiar and entertaining form of electonica. I put it together like a mix, editing some tracks so to blend them all together nicely. I hope you'll enjoy the result.

RIYL :
Matmos, To Rococo Rot, Autrechre, Prefuse 73

DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD (VAC #041)

VARIOUS ARTISTS
DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD

Created in 1964 by Nina Simone and covered the next year by Eric Burdon’s Animals to become a hit, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood has since become one of those songs many try their hands and throats on with various successes. As it should be, this selection gives you the three more popular versions (the aforementioned two plus Santa Esmeralda’s latino-disco 10 minutes extravaganza) and 15 others that are not always perfect but all give a personal take on the song. For example, Eric Burdon’s early 80’s live version suffers from Burdon having throat problems which makes it even more emotional if not always in tune (and sometimes painfully out of…). The 14 others range from blues to hard rock, from metal to folk and jazz (etc.) every one of them having something to offer. Enjoy.

EV (ABO#361)

EV

DIVEGAD

(1983-2005)

EV has never ben a major band. But they have been very important in the Breton culture and in the struggle for the reunification of Nantes region with Brittany.

At their very beginning, EV was nothing but another french pop bands whose music was nothing much different from the band Indochine. Fortunately the music has evoluated and the lyrics were not only in french but also in breton ... and in finnish, as one of the members come from Finland.

Success rapidly came but never went further than a local fame. So that's why I decided to make their Baistophe, not only to make them discovered from forreign countries but also within their home country.

My EV TOP3 :

1. Huchal (1996)

2. Distruj (1992)

3. Pemp (2001)

4. Reuz (1994)

5. Dizehan (2005)

6. Skomp (1987)

But if you have to own only one of them, I just can advise you their live album. A must have, as you will witness from the tracks I chose from it.