SUNSHINE (VAC #044)

SUNSHINE
VARIOUS ARTISTS

It might seem very strange to do a sun-themed compilation that is anything but sunny… I see it as an opportunity to explore new artists, new sounds. Most of the songs featured here are from fairly new albums (2001 to today) with the notable exception of Raw Material (1971) and Monster Magnet (1993). The genres featured here range from indie rock to modern classical, from electronic to progressive rock, from metal to world music…and more! Assembling all this together is a great part of the fun of doing it, I hope it’ll also be a great part of the fun of listening to it. Anyway, here it is, a little sun to disturb the neighbors. Enjoy.

BUMCELLO (ABO#373)

BUMCELLO

... WAS A FRIEND ...

(1999-2009)

Bumcello is a duet. Bum is on the percussions and Cello ... on the cello. Their music could have sounded like jazz but they decided something different. They often have been playing with other bands or artists like Les Fabulous Troubadours (whose "duo" can be heard on their BAISTOPHE ABO#279), with Taraf de Haidouk (idem on their BAISTOPHE ABO#091) or even Mathieu Chedid. That brings some kind of sound that can be assimilated like a remix where it isn't.

Live, Bumcello become an improvisationing band and their songs can last more than 10 minutes. In the contrary, in the studio, the songs are more constructed and are very short. Bumcello can explore so many musical identity with their only two instruments (+ guest musicians or electronic equipments).

This collection is a bit focused on their experimental works where you can also find some pop, soul, rnb, trip hop, dub songs in it. But I think this experimental work is what is more interesting in that band.

My Bumcello TOP :

1. Nude For Love (2002)

2. Get Me (2003)

3. Bumcello (1999)

4. Lychee Queen (2008)

5. Animal Sophistiqué (2005)

6. Booty Time (2001)

HAMMERFALL (ABO #372)

HAMMERFALL
WARLORDS

Heading from Sweden, Power Metal band HammerFall may sound like something generic for many, something on which I disagree. I'd rather call it "traditional" as these lads don't bother hiding their influences and proudly wear them on their sleeves and in their hearts. Of course, without Judas Priest, Accept, Manowar, Iron Maiden or Helloween there probably wouldn't be a HammerFall today that doesn't change the fact that Joachim Cains & Co are good craftsmen whom built a solid fan base by transcending their influences and making them theirs.
As many other bands, they had their ups and downs but, nevertheless, their seven albums remain solid example of how Heavy Metal should sound like.
This compilation, or rather selection as some key anthems had to be left aside to fit the 80mn duration of a CD, is my view of an entertaining quality introduction to a band which has never really disappointed me. So, if you like Metal the traditional way, indulge yourself with "Warlords", you will not regret it.

RIYL:
Manowar, Helloween, Judas Priest

DIXIE DREGS (ABO#371)

DIXIE DREGS

THE UNPREDICTABLE PROCESS

(OR HOW TO CREATE A MONSTER)

(1975-2000)

Dixie Dregs is a bit of everything. If it is over all a Fusion band mixing both Jazz and Rock styles, it also sounds like many other types of music. You'll find some Progressive Hard Rock à la Kansas played with a velocity that can remind us John McLaughlin or Al Dimeola. Their Dixie roots also allowed them to play country style.

The line-up was very unstable and at the exception of Steve Morse, no one played on every albums. The adventure stopped in 1982 while Morse founded his own band before joining Deep Purple. The band reunited though for a tour in 1992 and then recorded 3 more albums including 2 live ones.

My Dixie Dregs Top 3 :

1. What If (1978)

2. The Great Spectacular (1975/1994)

3. The Night Of The Living Dregs (1978)

My Dixie Dregs Bottom 3 :

1. Industry Standard (1982)

2. Full Circle (1994)

3. Unsung Heroes (1980)

IRON & WINE (ABO #370)

IRON & WINE
SOUTHERN ANTHEMS

There is no denying that Samuel Beam, a.k.a. Iron & Wine, has been one of the strongest forces of the indie folk scene since his very first release (2002's The Creek Drank the Cradle) and that his hushed-way to sing has influenced many of today's scene.
With 5 albums under his belt (including 2005's In the Reins recorded with Calexico), Samuel has established himself as a great songwriter and performer managing to evolve from the minimalistic basis on which he builds his music to simply become a central character in today’s musical scene.
Baistophe just couldn’t miss introducing those who don’t know yet what an essential artist Samuel Beam/Iron & Wine is, and not just for those who like folk music. Enjoy.

RIYL:
Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes, Ray Lamontagne, Elliott Smith

LOU REED (ABO#369)

LOU REED

REPLAY

(1970-1992...2007)

Lou Reed is the quintessential New Yorker; loud, headstrong, and often in a hurry to be somewhere else. He grew up on Long Island, NY and went to college upstate at Syracuse College of Arts and Sciences, graduating in 1964. He moved to NYC in 1963 and his acquaintances in the art community introduced him to life in the underbelly of the city. His music and his life would be dominated by those influences for many years.

He and John Cale formed a band in 1964; it would later become the Velvet Underground. It brought him notoriety as an avant-garde artist, but the band was never commercially successful while it existed. He left in 1970 and went to work for his father in the tax-preparation business. Within a year, he decided that he'd rather be a solo performer.

Despite almost 40 years on his own, his reputation rests primarily on the seven years he spent guiding the Velevet Underground. His solo career has been hampered by the fact that any new work is compared to the Velvets. Judging by the mellow songs on several of his early albums, he initially was interested in being a successful Top 40 singer-songwriter, but the dark side kept calling him back. His devotion to the seedy clubs in Soho and their decadent patrons exposed him to the burgeoning Glam Rock movement. He hooked up with David Bowie, who went on to be the producer on Lou's 1972 break-out album, 'Transformer'. It featured his signature song, 'Walk On The Wild Side'. Success was short-lived however; consumers were unsure what to expect from him. If one album showed an attempt at commercial pop, the next was just as likely to revolve around the lives of drug addicts and transvestites.

It was a struggle for him to find his place as music evolved in the Eighties. Though many punk rockers cited him as an influence, he thought the majority of them were dull-witted and that he was too worldly to be a part of their scene. During the early '80s he assembled his best band, centered around guitarist Robert Quine and bassist Fernando Saunders. Though they only lasted two or three years together, it allowed Reed to become focused on the mechanics of making music again. It was also at this point that the cult around the Velvet Underground really began to grow. He was able to draw self-respect from his accomplishments with that band rather than feel he was constantly being measured against them. Maturity began to mellow many of his worst traits. Nearly all of Lou Reed's best works have come since 1982; at 68 years of age however, I'd guess that he has reached his peak.

I decided not to include any of his later works because, at the exception of some albums that are only spoken words or ambient music, the two really musical are Set The Twilight Reeling and Ecstasy, but weren't really worthy to be part of this.

-BURNS-

Burns' Lou Reed Top3 :

1. Transformer (1972)

1. New York (1989)

1. New Sensastions (1984)

Burns' Lou Reed Bottom3 :

1. Metal Machine Music (1975)

2. Take No Prisonners (1978)

3. Growing Up In Public (1980)

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