Tony Banks – A Curious Feeling

Tony was, of course, the keyboard player in Genesis.  1979, and Genesis were having a break from touring and recording; Peter Gabriel, and then Steve Hackett had both left and the band were considering their future, before settling on their drummer Phil Collins taking over vocal duties after all.   Tony used the break to expand on some compositions he was working on for future band recordings.  Along with Chester Thompson on drums and Kim Beacon on vocals he came up with this great album.  In many ways it feels and sounds like a Genesis album – only a bit darker and smoother, none of the weird time signature changes and complex songs but a smoother and more complete song cycle emerges.  I loved the album, though it was never a hit; the Genesis fans probably unsure – and it was post-punk, where ‘Prog’ music was on the wane.  Of course, Genesis picked themselves up and began phase 2 soon after.  I haven’t really bought much else from Banks, and generally prefer the earlier incarnation of Genesis.  I feel that this album is a link between the two styles and I really enjoyed re-listening.

Cockney Rebel – The Human Menagerie

1973 and Glam Rock was the next big thing; Bowie and Bolan were huge.  A very precocious young Steve Harley had big ideas.  He had written a handful of songs and busked them in folk clubs.  Along with Jean-Paul Crocker on violin he auditioned a keyboardist and drummer; and so Cockney Rebel were born.  EMI quickly gave them a record contract, and producer Neil Harrison suggested using a full orchestra for a couple of longer tracks.  That, and Crocker’s violin – and the lack of a guitar player laid the template for a highly unique and original album.  But, like all great albums it is actually the quality of the songs which make it.  At times it seems that Harley had swallowed a compendium of literature, his words, both bizarre and hauntingly beautiful dominate.  His delivery is unique too, no-one sounded like him at all.  The album sparkles and is one of my all-time favourites; I have always loved that combination of rock and classical – and this album achieved that marriage brilliantly.  Best tracks – ‘Sebastien’ ‘Chameleon’ and the bombastic but wondrous ‘Death Trip’.  Steve is still playing live (I’ve seen him countless times) and dropping the occasional album – though nothing quite matches this ambitious opener.

p.s. I owned exactly the same chair as on the cover, bought at John Lewis (before I bought the album too)

The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man

1965 – and in America as in Britain and most of Europe The Beatles were untouchable; Beatlemania ruled.  But another musical revolution was occurring in America.  Folk music was changing from its traditional roots into a new protest music.  Led in part by the incredible songwriting of Bob Dylan whose songs were slowly being recorded by more established artists; but this was still a fairly minority genre.  But a new Californian band, led by Jim McGuinn, vocals by Gene Clark and also featuring David Crosby and Chris Hillman picked up on Dylan’s ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ and “invented” folk rock.  (in ’68 they practically invented American too. The band had a new and different sound; a jangly 12 string guitar and great harmonies.  They managed to create (or rather, like the Beatles themselves, popularise) a new, soon to be called ‘West Coast’ rock style.  Their debut featured 4 Dylan songs, most of the others were self-penned or were more traditional folk tunes.  But it was the unique sound they had which took America by storm, they were never so popular in Britain.  This album still sounds fresh some sixty years later, and as different again as both the Beatles and Dylan.  Best tracks – ‘Tambourine Man’, ‘The Bells Of Rhymney’ and ‘I’ll feel A Whole Lot Better’.   I saw them in 1970; McGuinn and Hillman still there but a different line-up.  They were incredible and played all their great songs.

Colin Blunstone – One Year

Lead singer of The Zombies (who despite a couple of hits broke up in 1968) decided to go solo.  He released the album One Year in 1971.  I saw him that year at The Roundhouse with Joy, and was blown away.  His voice always was beautiful and on this album it had room to dominate.  The album’s songs chronicle a year in Colin’s life, and while highly personal, and featuring a sad breakup ‘Caroline Goodbye’, some very sad songs ‘Misty Roses’ (with a sparse classical backing) and eventual recovery ‘Say You Don’t Mind’ – the songs are hauntingly beautiful.  Backed in part by Chris White and Rod Argent (ex Zombies, who wrote three of the tracks) there is a completeness to the album, every song seems to flow from one to the next, and Colin’s voice, yearning and sad and yet very intimate, has never sounded better.  The album never flags and has a presence and delicacy combined with subtle power and such warmth; I played this to death when I first got it, and return to it again and again.  This was a time when record companies gave artist’s the freedom to create.  Colin has recorded many albums and collaborations ever since – solo, as part of the Alan Parson’s Project, and lately re-uniting with Rod and The Zombies; a unique voice and talent.  I have almost everything he has ever recorded, and eagerly buy the next instalment – though nothing quite matches this first album. 

Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes

An American singer, songwriter and pianist; she was apparently a child prodigy on the piano.  This, her debut album was released in 1992 to pretty rave reviews which I read about.  I have always had a penchant for female singer-songwriters; I am always looking for that distinctive style or voice.  The album is quite autobiographical, detailing a sexual assault and discovering her own sexuality, as well as alienation and rejection.  Not that it is miserable, but a bit ‘in your face’.  It went to 14 in the UK charts.  Her voice is quite startling at times, swooping up and down – a bit like Kate Bush.  I played the album a lot at the time, but now find it a bit tiresome and repetitive.  I prefer a couple of her later offerings.  She is still recording and releasing albums.  Maybe, this is one artist in this series that few people have heard of.  Worth listening though to ‘Me And A Gun’, ‘China’ and ‘Silent All These Years’.