MASS HYSTERIA (ABO#427)

MASS HYSTERIA
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
(1997-2009)

Mass Hysteria is all my youth. As a young student, this was one of the most frequent music I used to listen. On their first album, a fusion of Metal, Hardcore and nearly disco rhythm summed up this very energic music. On their following album, that recipe endured even if the band was clever enough not to restrictively and exclusively stay in that description. However, this is what we remind the most from them. By the way, Mass Hysteria is a great act on CD but really deserves being witnessed live. Recently this month a new live DVD as been edited. I truly think that this will be worth the listen. You can buy it here

Extracts :

Une Somme De Détails
(from Une Somme De Détails, 2007)


Knowledge Is Power
(from Le Bien-Être Et La Paix, 1997)

My Mass Hysteria TOP :
1. Le Bien-Être Et La Paix (1997)
2. Contraddiction (1999)
3. Un Somme De Détails (2007)
4. Failles (2009)
5. De Cercle En Cercle (2001)
6. Mass Hysteria (2005)

ROBERTA FLACK (ABO#426)

ROBERTA FLACK
SOFTLY
(1969-2003)

Sure I did want to Baistophe Roberta but how hard was it to find all of her albums especially her youngest ones. I really wanted to compile this artist even if I didn't really know her complete work. In fact, I only knew her best period (1969-1975). This golden era completely fills the first CD of this chronological compilation. The second one gathers songs from 1977 to 1999. A last album, Holiday was been recorded in 2003 but was in fact a re-recording og her 1997's Christmas Album. This second period is much more smoothy and much more RNB than Soul. I'll understand you'll prefer to reduce this compilation down to the first CD... However, even if there are no real highlights in CD2, there some songs that are honestly listenable. Make your own opinion, if you want to...

Extracts :

Go Up Moses
(from Quiet Fire, 1971)


Feel Like Making Love To You
(from Feel Like Making Love, 1975)

My Roberta Flack TOP3 :
1. First Take (1969)
2. Killing Me Softly (1973)
3. Quiet Fire (1971)

My Roberta Flack BOTTOM3 :
1. Born To Love (feat. Peabo Bryson, 1983)
2. Oasis (1988)
3. The Christmas Album / Holiday (1997/2003)

PETER TOSH (ABO#425)

PETER TOSH
NO SMOKE WITHOUT HIGHER
(1976-1988)

I first heard of Peter Tosh as a solo artist a dozen years ago. The fact is that I really don't like Reggae. A friend of mine had suggested me to give an ear to Peter Tosh's live album. Since then, I had the idea to discover this artist that may make me reconsider my opinion about Reggae music. At the beginning of making this Baistophe, I still didn't know nothing about Peter Tosh, even that he was a member of the Wailers... what a shame! And now that I have finished it, I'm aware of one thing : like many other very popular music, Reggae is not a bad one, just that too many musicians can't do it well because this is not just a rhythm section. Peter Tosh, like Bob Marley had the talent to work the melodies and, then, make this music listenable... more : enjoyable.


Extracts :


Bush Doctor
(from Bush Doctor, 1978)


Rastafara Is
(from Wanted : Dread Or Alive, 1981)

My Peter Tosh TOP :

1. Bush Doctor (1978)

2. Legalize It! (1976)

3. Mama Africa (1984)

4. Equal Rights (1977)

5. Wanted : Dread Or Alive (1981)

6. No Nuclear War (1987)

7. Mystic Man (1979)

PIXIES (ABO#424)

PIXIES
INTO THE WHITE
(1986-1993)

The Pixies started out as a college band, releasing early material on a purple demo tape. Each album got a little bigger than the previous one but they disintegrated just as they were getting famous -- pulled into fame by groups inspired by them, citing them as an influence, notably David Bowie covered them and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain said "Smells Like Teen Spirit" had taken it's use of loud/quiet dynamics from The Pixies. There aren't any "bad" pixies albums, but rather ones you like more than others -- latter records are more polished, early stuff is more raw and Doolittle is the middle point where it all sort of meets together. This Baistophe is a little difficult to make because although the Pixies only put out 4 albums and 2 EPs, almost everything they did was excellent. Even their B-sides album only has one or two weak songs.
After Doolittle, tensions between Black Francis and Kim Deal brought the band to a hiatus, but they got back together to record a few more records before breaking up for good in 1990. They recently reformed and have toured, finally earning money they missed out on during the "grunge" or "alternative" hey-day due to their break-up.

-THE REAL ANONYMOUS-

Extracts :

Here Comes Your Man
(from Doolittle, 1989)


Gigantic
(from Surfer Rosa, 1988)

THE REAL ANONYMOUS' Pixies TOP3 :
1. Doolittle (1989)
2. Surfer Rosa (1988)
3. Come On Pilgrim (1987)

THE REAL ANONYMOUS' Pixies BOTTOM3 :
1. Bossanova (1990)
2. Trompe Le Monde (1991)
3. Complete B-Sides (2001)