Armed Forces - Elvis Costello

Elvis Costellos third album Armed Forces, was yet another triumph. He had only just finished touring the wonderful This Years Model, when he went right back into the studio with The Attractions to record this edgy articulate record.

The album begins perfectly with the line, "Oh I just don't know where to begin" This is of course, Accidents will Happen, one of Castillo's finest songs. It rattles along at his usual frenetic punk pace, but has all the lyrical and melodic intrigued you would expect from the man. Just to show a sense of humour the single was printed inside out.

The big hit off the album is without doubt Oliver's Army. Often mistaken as an anti Irish song, it is in fact the opposite. It is a scathing attacking on the way the British army conducted itself in Northern Ireland in the 1970's. The controversial line "only takes on itchy finger /one more widow one less white nigger"

The production on the album is a big step forward for Costello. It has more layered vocals and guitars and the synth sound is often replaced by pounding rhythmic piano. Goon Squad and Senior Service see him at his sonic best. The beautiful Party Girl is yet another classic from the pen of Mr Declan Patrick McManus.

Armed forces is both political and emotional and sees Elvis Costello finally step up and take credit for his abilities as a song writer.

Track Listing

1. "Accidents Will Happen" – 3:00
2. "Senior Service" – 2:17
3. "Oliver's Army" – 2:58
4. "Big Boys" – 2:54
5. "Green Shirt" – 2:42
6. "Party Girl" – 3:20
7. "Goon Squad" - 3:14
8. "Busy Bodies" - 3:33
9. "Sunday's Best" - 3:22
10. "Moods for Moderns" - 2:48
11. "Chemistry Class" - 2:55
12. "Two Little Hitlers" - 3:18
    

Screamadelica - Primal Scream

"Just what is it that you want to do?
We wanna be free
We wanna be free to do what we wanna do
And we wanna get loaded
And we wanna have a good time
That's what we're gonna do
We're gonna have a good time
We're gonna have a party"

(Peter Fonda, Wild Angels as heard on Loaded)

OK so it's 1991, Nirvana have put out Nevermind altering the field of play for rock music and Primal Scream release Screamadelica, changing the rules for dance music to this day.

Screamadelica brought techno, acid house and the whole rave scene into the mainstream. It also ripped up Primal Screams own rule book. Before the release of the album they were a mediocre indie rock band, forgettable in almost every way, but boy did they change that. That's not to say that Screamadelica doesn't tip its hat to their penchant for Detroit rock and the Rolling Stones. One listen to Movin On Up the opening track is clear proof of this, it is unmistakeably a giant leap forward for this little Scottish band.

The great debate about this album is who is actually responsible for it. It is such a monumental change for Primal Scream that it would, on paper, seem clear that producer Andrew Weatherall is the prime innovator here. Primal Scream have however taken responsibility for its innovations. True enough, they are the writers, but one can't help but feel that Adrew Weatheralls production role is of significant importance to the success of the album.

It is trippy, imaginative and almost certainly of its time, but it has also stood the test of time. Its influence on British music cannot be understated. It brought the psychedelic weirdness of the 60's and rocking 70's onto the 90's dance floor. Don't forget your groove thang this Thursday morning, for the Critical Junction is a floor filler.

Track Listing

1. "Movin' on Up" – 3:47
2. "Slip Inside This House" – 5:14
3. "Don't Fight It, Feel It" – 6:51
4. "Higher Than the Sun" – 3:36
5. "Inner Flight" – 5:00 (instrumental)
6. "Come Together" – 10:21
   
7. "Loaded" – 7:01
8. "Damaged" – 5:37
9. "I'm Comin' Down" – 5:59
10. "Higher Than the Sun [A Dub Symphony In Two Parts]" – 7:37
11. "Shine Like Stars" – 3:4

Kerbdog - On The Turn

Kerbdog were (and occasionally, still are) a three-piece alternative rock band. Surprisingly, the credit for the severely underrated Irish band’s formation goes to (well, apart from the band themselves of course!) none other than the Christian Brothers, as band members Cormac Battle (vocals/guitar), Colin Fennelly (bass guitar) and Darragh Butler (drums) met while attending the same CB school in Kilkenny. Billy Dalton (guitar) joined the band in 1992.

“On The Turn” is the band’s second and final album. 1996 saw them back in the recording studio after the success of their 1994 début album “Kerbdog”. Produced by G.G. Garth of Rage Against the Machine fame, “On The Turn” was recorded in Los Angeles and is deemed by many to be the better of the two. Part Helmet and part Therapy?, the songs are powerful and melodious with a “quiet/loud” dynamic, changing from clean and soft to searing guitars and pounding drums. A fantastic mix of great melody, energetic catchy riffs, and sing-a-long choruses mean “On The Turn” has a wide appeal and a great summery feel to it.

Track number one “Sally”sets the pace for the rest of the album. Simple lyrics and an infectious tune make it a catchy opener. “JJ’s Song” continues in the same style. Snappy guitar sections add interest and vary the sound. “Mexican Wave” starts slowly with a relentless tune that slips easily into another all-powerful chorus. “Severed” is the dark horse of the album. The rumbling intro leads to snarling vocals but nevertheless it wins the listener over. “Lesser Shelf” opens with an energetic rapid bass and guitar section that gives way to another simple yet powerful chorus. The final track, “Sorry For The Record”, cools off the album nicely, trailing into a wave of feedback before repeating the opening lines of “Sally”. As soon as the album stops, it is guaranteed that you will be pressing play again.

Unfortunately, the album’s release was delayed and when eventually put out, it never sold in large enough quantities to satisfy their label. Kerbdog were the losers in the game of record company acquisition and label juggling that was so prevalent in the latter part of the 90s and they were dropped from their label’s roster. They left in their wake a drawn-out echo of “what if?”... They split in 1998 after a sold-out show in Dublin Mean’s Fiddler.

A series of reunion gigs in 2005 was very successful for the band. However, they have since stated that due to the great changes in their lives they have no plans to record any new material, though they have played at least one gig a year since 2005.

Track List

1. “Sally”

2. “JJ’s Song”

3. “Didn’t Even Try”

4. “Mexican Wave”

5. “Severed”

6. “Pledge”

7. “On The Turn”

8. “Secure”

9. “Lesser Shelf”

10. “Pointless”

11. “Rewind”

12. “Sorry For The Record”

Daft Punk - Discovery

The masked French duo Daft Punk released their second album, Discovery in 2001, 4 years after their début Homework. Their Return was a tour de force and their finest to date.

It's a smooth Euro disco infused hit machine. Packed with the singles One More Time, Aerodynamic, Digital Love, Harder, Better Stronger, Faster, Something about Us and Face to Face.

It is clean, precise and shiny. The wonderful Face To Face is left dangling near the end of the album it encapsulates the entire album neatly in one thumping classic.

Discovery was also the soundtrack to a Japanese animated film called Interstellar 5555, The 5toryof the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. Which follows the adventures of a band in a parallel galaxy. Quite apt for the Daft Punk.

Although not universally acclaimed upon its release Discovery has gone on to grow in the eyes of many, selling nearly 3 million copies. Unbelievably it was Q, that were one of the first to champion it. Either way it is a damn fine album and one that my two left feet have found themselves tapping to on many an occasion.

Track Listing

1. "One More Time"
2. "Aerodynamic"
3. "Digital Love"
4. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"
   
5. "Crescendolls"
6. "Nightvision"
   
7. "Superheroes"
8. "High Life"
   
9. "Something About Us"
   
10. "Voyager"
    
11. "Veridis Quo"
12. "Short Circuit"
    
13. "Face to Face"
14. "Too Long"