A TRIBUTE TO BLOOD ON THE TRACKS (VAC #047)

A TRIBUTE TO BOB DYLAN’S
BLOOD ON THE TRACKS

Second installment of our Bob Dylan covers series, Blood on the Tracks was a tricky one. Almost every track has several versions to choose from, which was good, but too many of them were “by-the-book” replicas and, while they may have sounded good, they were of little interest. We decided it was more interesting to find versions which brought a little something different Dylan’s compositions. We hope you’ll agree on that and will enjoy the result, I know I do.
See you soon for Volume 3.

KILLING JOKE (ABO #381)

KILLING JOKE
THE JOKE’S ON YOU

There are not many bands like Killing Joke. Lead by frontman extraordinaire Jaz Coleman, the band has now more than 30 years of age yet manages to remain something fresh, energetic and constantly evolving.
Starting as a post-punk act, they succeeded to adapt their trademark sound in time, slowly turning (except for a “poppier” gap in the mid/late 80s, that is) into something more aggressive, infusing a bit of metal and industrial into their music.
Now, back with their original line-up, they’re set to release a new album in September. It was more than time to try to resume their prolific quality career and Magnu took a job that wasn’t as easy as it seems for his first collaboration at Baistophe. Let him be thanked and enjoy “The Joke’s on You”.

Magnu’s KILLING JOKE List
1 - Pandemonium (1994)
2 - Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions (1990)
3 - Revelations (1982)
4 - Killing Joke (1980)
5 - Democracy (1996)
6 - What'sTHIS for (1981)
7 - Hosannas From The Basements of Hell (2006)
8 - Fire Dances (1983)
9 - Killing Joke (2003)
10 - Night Time (1985)
11 - Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (1986)
12 - Outside The Gate (1988)

RIYL:
Nine Inch Nails, New Model Army, Bauhaus

PARADISE LOST (ABO #380)

PARADISE LOST
HAVEN

Starting as a Death/Doom Metal band in the late 80s, no one could have ever expected the evolution which affected Paradise Lost’s sound. Culminating on the Host album (their seventh album, released in 1999) where the band sounds kind of like a metal version of Depeche Mode. Alas, their metal fan base didn’t like it and the band was forced to return to something a tad more traditional on their following albums producing some quality melodic Gothic Metal.
This compilation (with a track list crafted by Baker) sums up the great musical adventure Paradise Lost’s career has been up to “Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us” (released in 2009). Enjoy the ride.

My PARADISE LOST Top Three
1 – Host (1999)
2 – One Second (1997)
3 – Draconian Times (1995)

My PARADISE LOST Bottom Three
1 – Lost Paradise (1990)
2 – Symbol of Life (2002)
3 – In Requiem (2007)

RIYL:
Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Type O Negative

XII (VAC#046)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

XII

It's been an evidence for us who like to make thematic Baistophes (numbered VAC as Various Artists Compilations) to make a special VAC dealing with the 12 zodiac signs. It could have been also easy to compile if I didn't struggled for strict titles who only ARE those signs, banning whatever include those in a complete centense.

You know what? It also would have been very easy if each and every sign would have been well represented. For instance, Cancer has got very few song represented. For many others it has been a reel drama to chose one version and not the other. Finally, the song I kept are those you see here and you will be able to listen to. I tried not to make too agressive transition AND keeping the good order of your horoscope...

HUMBLE PIE (ABO#379)

THE DELIGHTFUL

HUMBLE PIE

(1969-2002)

It's been a long time since I haven't listened to Humble Pie early when I began this Baistophe. I didn't remember how heavy was their rock. One of the very best Hard Rock act in the 70s with Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, for sure!

in 1969, Steve Marriott was already a star with his previous band, The Small Faces. Peter Frampton, at the guitar became famous after he left the band with his solo love LP "Comes Alive". In between, Humble Pie recorded what is their most essential songs. Unfortunately, they only became famous for a restricted audience who wanted more than the two bands I wrote lines before.

My Humble Pie TOP3 :

1. Humble Pie (1970)

2. Rock On (1971)

3. As Safe As Yesterday Is (1969)

My Humble Pie Bottom3 :

1. On To Victory (1980)

2. Back On Track (2002)

3. Thunderbox (1974)

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE (ABO #378)

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE
AND THEN THE RAINS CAME

William Elliott Whitmore is a bit of an anomaly. He’s got the slim, tattooed body of a punk rocker and the voice of a 90-year old black bluesman. He’s a musician who has toured with the likes of Murder By Death and opened for the Pogues, but off the road he spends his days as a horse farmer in Iowa.
Reviving the outlaw concept in quality country/folk/acoustic blues, William's may seem a tad depressing and it indeed is, in its own haunted beautiful way and it’s quite addictive that way, don’t say you haven’t been warned.
This compilation is just an introduction to an artist that hopefully has a long career ahead of him at only 32 years old.

RIYL:
Ben Nichols, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Von Till

CLAUDE NOUGARO (ABO#377)

CLAUDE NOUGARO

LE JONGLEUR DE MOTS

(1958-2004)

Surprisingly, Claude Nougaro has always kept a quite background seat in the french chanson history. He is though one of its very best singer and auteur. Popularised for having added words on familiar Jazz classics, he however has always loved the work on the word. Nougaro was THE french poet of chanson. And when I say poet, I shall put it also in big letters. The lyrics are so clever and the work done on the musicality of his centenses are something no one made better before and after. His long carreer deserved (at least) a double set and I'm proud that Claude now belongs to Baistophe's long list. Thanks to DIOD for this great selection of non-hits.

LADIES : E (VAC#045)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

LADIES : E

For our third letter E, nothing seemed as much easier as the other ones. E is not particularly a well represented letter in the first name list. However, I found a great number of tracks for this Baistophe so that I could choose a greater selection. I could even have kept enough tracks for a double CD. But, my aim was to stay within 80 minutes, so I had to shorten it. That's why you may be surprised not to find what could have come to your mind first : Eloise by Barry Ryan.

As usual, many musical styles are represented here, from folk with Dispatch, to the rocker Pat Travers and Dr Feelgood. I also added a german song I found very funny. I hope you will too.

RONNIE JAMES DIO (ABO #376)

RONNIE JAMES DIO
KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

Ronnie James Dio will no longer move us with new material featuring his golden voice. That’s sad news.
At age 67, he left us. The gems of his long and fruitful career remain. From Elf to Heaven & Hell, Ronald Padavona (his real name) has given us some of the finest music in the rock/metal realm. Thinking about it, it’s quite incredible that such a small man has become one of the greatest, but the gift Mother Nature had given him was a sure sign of a grand destiny.
Not all of his artistic choices were judicious, he may even have released a few albums, under the DIO moniker, that didn’t fit his grandeur. Nevertheless, he will be remembered and cherished as the rock legend he managed to become.
We all miss you Ronnie.
R.I.P.

Find more DIO on our RAINBOW compilation.

GUAPO (ABO#375)

GUAPO

DE PROFUNDIS

(1997-2008)

There are 2 Guapos. Thes are the same band but both took another direction from another. The first one (1997-2001) was a noisy rock band whose music was incredibly dismantled. The second one (2003-2008) had a more strong strcuture and a cleaner sound, even if still dark. However the major influence of that band was Magma (ABO#002). Witness their first EP "Guapo vs. Magma". There's nothing much Zeuhl in that EP but as the years went by, Guapo's music became more and more like a new Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh weapon. This is that second life of Guapo I decided to point up in this BAISTOPHE. You'll also find then a few old songs.

In order to put the more songs as possible, I had to edit some tracks and I think these do not disturb the listen.

My Guapo TOP 3:

1. Black Oni (2005)

2. Five Suns (2004)

3. Elixirs (2008)

My Guapo BOTTOM 3:

1. Dukes And Drakes Of Cerberus Schoals (2003)

2. Great Sage Equal The Heaven (2001)

3. Death Seed (2000)

GANG OF FOUR (ABO #374)

GANG OF FOUR
DAMAGED GOODS

Of the many bands which appeared in the punk/post-punk British wave, Gang of Four is probably – with The Clash – the most influential of all. Often cited by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea as a major influence, Gang of Four has also been stated to have pre-defined the sound of Rap Metal. In today’s music, bands such as The Rapture, Liars, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, The Dead 60s and many more owe a lot to their sound which they only slightly modernized.
Did they sell many albums? No they did not. They probably were too radical and too avant-gardist for their own good but their music remains a crucial component to today’s indie sound and, thus, deserved to be rewarded with their compilation on “Baistophe.” Actually, their first two albums (1979’s Entertainment! and 1981’s Solid Gold) are must have for anyone even mildly interested in (post) punk or indie rock.

My GANG OF FOUR Top Three
1 – Entertainment! (1979)
2 – Solid Gold (1981)
3 – Hard (1983)

RIYL:
Mission of Burma, Talking Heads, Bloc Party, Fugazi