Sigur Ros – Takk (2005)

There was a time I was really taken with this Icelandic band (Pink Sugar) and their strange haunting vocals.   This was actually their fourth and the first one to really break through in the UK, and probably even get mentioned in the music press.  Hard to describe, as they are like no other band at all, not even Bjork who hails from that strange cold place.  In some ways they remind me of Tangerine Dream but using vocals as a major instrument, although I have no idea what they are singing – it is just beautiful melodic sounds.  Not sure why after buying just three albums I stopped….maybe they were just s bit samey.  And this album, their fourth actually, is almost one long symphonic piece – hard to pick out a favourite – but glancing at the titles ‘Hoppipolla’ stands out, as does the title track (Thanks in English) and also ‘Andvari’.  All in all a pleasant listen.  The band is still making music in Iceland but their small window of fame has passed by now.

John Stewart – Californai Bloodlines (1969)

Continuing with great artists very few people have heard of I present John Stewart, chronicler of America through the decades.  Born in 1939 he joined the new folk scene in the early 60s with ‘The Cumberland Three’ and ‘The Kingston Trio’.  Going solo in 1968 he not only penned a number one for The Monkees (Daydream Believer) but in his career wrote and recorded over 600 songs, changing record companies like used shirts – but his small core of fans remained constant.  I first heard of him on Noel Edmonds Sunday morning show where he showcased American songwriters in the early Seventies, one of whom was John Stewart.  Thanks Noel, you introduced me to so many great unsung singers.  An original American voice, who celebrates both the good and the bad of that country in a voice both genuine, strong and emotive.  This album is an absolute classic…almost every song a winner.   Best are ‘July You’re A Woman’, ‘The Pirates Of Stone Country Road’ and ‘Never Going Back’.  John died a few years back.

Bruce Springsteen – Greetings From Asbury Park N.J. (1973)

Well, another Superhero of Twentieth Century Rock, who only seems to grow more appreciated with age.  I only got into him later with albums such as ‘The River’ (1980) and ‘Nebraska’ (1982) but have since at least listened to, if not purchased the early ones.  Hailed early on as ‘The New Bob Dylan’, a mantle he has tried hard to disown.  Early on he was being acclaimed as ‘The Boss’ and has made memorable albums with his band, The E Street Band, as well as much quieter solo albums.  This debut certainly exuded confidence and was quite well received. The surprise is that the best 2 songs ‘Blinded By The Light’ and ‘Growing Up’ were only added to the record after CBS complained that the album lacked a catchy single.  Springsteen immediately went into the studio and laid down these two superb songs.  ‘For You’ and ‘Spirit In The Night’ are pretty good too.  Not a bad debut, but then this was the early Seventies when so many bands came up with great albums.

Split Enz – Mental Notes (1975)

A band from New Zealand, though one or two members were Australian I believe.  Coming out in the year of punk one didn’t know what to expect – and we weren’t left in suspense for long.  I saw them the following year at the Roundhouse – and they were incredibly different, dressed bizarrely in multicoloured costumes and zany coloured hair they were a strange but hypnotic mix of music hall, punk and glam.   The songs were eclectic and quite brilliant.   After a couple of albums they settled down to making superb catchy poppy rock songs.  Lead singer was Tim Finn, who was later joined by his younger brother Neil.  The band eventually petered out in ’84 but Crowded House emerged.  Best on this debut are ‘Walking Down The Road’, ‘Time For A Change’ and ‘Spellbound’.  They have become somewhat of a ‘cult’ band in this Century and their albums are now sought out and command quite high prices; luckily I got them all in the mid-eighties.  Still one of my favourite bands.

Cat Stevens – Mona Bona Jakon (1970)

Cat Stevens – Mona Bona Jakon (1970)

Cat, real name Steven Demetre Georgiou, had been a ‘pop’ star for a couple of years, having hits with Matthew and Son’ and a few others.  A couple of albums were released, some of the songs were written by Cat, but they were very commercial and Cat was on the treadmill of recording, performing and promotions.  Diagnosed with tuberculosis and a collapsed lung he was hospitalised in ’68.  He disappeared for over a year as the pop machine rolled on without him.  During his recovery Cat reassessed his life and direction; he started writing songs with a deeper philosophical message.  He got a new record contract and working with Paul Samwell-Smith and a small accoustic band he changed from ‘pop’ to ‘folk-rock’ and was at the forefront of the nascent singer-songwriter movement.  This album took off slowly but the single ‘Lady D’Arbanville’ helped sales as a new audience discovered him.  The album is, as the handful which followed are, sublime and gorgeous – favourite songs are so hard to choose, but I really love ‘Trouble’, ‘Katmandu’ and ‘Lillywhite’.  Cat went on to become a mega star but slowly realised that fame was not everthing.  He converted to Islam, taking the name Yusuf Islam.  He soon stopped recording and took up charity and educational work, some of which was controversial.  He gradually returned to music in the late 90s and sometimes uses the name Cat Stevens.  By the way, the title of this album was his private name for his penis.

Stealers Wheel – Stealers Wheel (1972)

Scottish friends Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty joined forces and after a couple of line-up changes created the band and released this incredible album.  Produced by legendary American songwriters and producers ‘Leiber and Stoller’ the album was an instant hit – great songs, great singing, witty lyrics, and a superb mid-Atlantic sound they couldn’t and didn’t go wrong.  Although Gerry Rafferty went on to achieve more fame Joe Egan wrote most of the songs.  Maybe success came too easily but Gerry immediately left and was only persuaded to rejoin as ‘Stuck In The Middle’ became a worldwide hit.  It has incidentally gone on to become one of the most-played songs on radio and almost everyone knows the chorus.  Hastily recording a second and then a third album, neither of which were as well received, either by critics or the record-buying public, they gave up in 1975.  Almost a one-hit wonder – but this album was truly brilliant – best songs ‘Late Again’, ‘Johnny’s Song’ and ‘Next to Me’ – but not a poor track on the blessed record.   

Paul Simon – Paul Simon (1972) 

We were all sad at the dissolving of Simon and Garfunkel, especially after the triumph of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.  The news seemed to come on top of the demise of The Beatles – what a way to close the Sixties.  And I had heard vaguely that Paul was going solo but hadn’t noticed this debut slipping out.  One day while visiting one of our Restaurants I heard the new single ‘Me and Julia’ – a sprightly reggae tune, unlike anything Paul had recorded before, but certainly a catchy tune.   Tentatively I bought the album partly out of curiosity, I had heard Artie singing lead vocal and Paul harmonising but wasn’t sure how good a singer he might be on his own.  But of course the album was brilliant, far better than I might have hoped for.  It seemed that Paul had a new spring in his step, freed maybe from having to write in a key suited to Artie’s voice – but also maybe free of expectation.  The songs are incredibly varied and mostly I prefer the non-single songs, especially ‘Duncan’, ‘Run That Body Down’ and ‘Paranoia Blues’.  Of course, Paul would go on to have hit after hit and ‘curate’ one of the best albums ever in ‘Graceland’.  He also wrote and starred in a film ‘One Trick Pony’ and spent seven years and a lot of money into writing songs for a musical ‘The Capeman’ which flopped disastrously – but strangely I really love the album where Paul only sings a couple of songs himself.  One of the great singer-songwriters to emerge from the Sixties he stands with McCartney, Joni, Neil Young, Dylan, Rod, Cat, Bowie and Neil Young at the very top of Twentieth Century Artists. 

Simon and Garfunkel – Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. (1964)

Like most people I remember the singles in the Sixties, and then bought Bridge Over Troubled Waters and worked my way back to this rather quiet, rather folkie debut.  The story is well-known, as barely teenagers they had a single as Tom and Jerry and then reformed in 1963 as a folk duo singing the songs of Paul Simon and a few covers.  The ensuing album sold poorly and Paul came to England to examine the nascent folk scene here.  Unbeknown to the group their Producer Tom Wilson, maybe inspired by the success of Dylan who he also produced, added electric guitar, bass and drums to the best song on the album ‘The Sound Of Silence’ and issued it as a single in ‘65; an instant hit which reached No. 3 in America.  Paul came back and the band resumed and released four more albums until a frustrated Paul broke up the group and went solo.  They reformed for live concerts and they did record one song together ‘My Little Town’ in ’75.  Garfunkel certainly added superb vocals to Paul’s songs but Paul was frustrated that he was unrecognised as the creative force of the group. 

Carly Simon – Carly Simon (1971)

Apparently Carly released three albums in the mid-sixties with her sister, though as far as I know they are unavailable and nobody really rates them anyway.  This is her first and very accomplished album.  Born to a wealthy Jewish father and a Catholic civil rights activist mother, whose own mother was a slave descendent from Cuba she had a complicated heritage and was raised as a Catholic.  At age eight she developed a stammer, maybe brought on by a sexual encounter with a teenage boy; to help with this she was encouraged to sing – and soon started writing her own songs and learning to play piano, she was also partly dyslexic.  Signed to Elektra in 1970 she began work on this debut.  It was an instant success, ‘That’s The Way I Always Thought It Should Be’ was the lead off single and was a top ten record.  Her voice is both strong and gentle and seems to reflect the meaning and emotion of the words incredibly well.  She went on to have several hit albums and songs well into the current century.  She of course was also married to James Taylor for over a decade.  One of the great singer-songwriters, though her first three albums are by far her best.  On this debut I also like ‘The Best Thing’ and ‘Dan, My Fling’. An excellent debut only diminished by the two Masterpieces which followed closely behind.

Judee Sill – Judee Sill (1971)

It was the best of years….David Geffen had just started Assylum records, and this was the first release; a critical success but failed commercially.  Judee had a tough life, both parents died young and she had an unconventional upbringing.  A teenage rebel she was involved in drugs and even a robbery spree and time in jail.  After reform school she concentrated on her music, combining folk, pop and classical and religious themes.  She was ‘discovered’ by The Turtles, who recorded her song ‘Lady O’ which was a minor hit.  She was also befriended by David Crosby and Graham Nash, Graham producing her first single ‘Jesus Was A Crossmaker’.  Her reluctance to tour, especially as a support act and her continued heroin addiction didn’t help.  Her second and final album ‘Heart Food’ is steeped in religious iconography and has incredible stacked vocals and was produced by Henry Lewy, who was Joni’s producer.  Despite all this both albums flopped and she was dropped by Geffen.  She drifted along and died in 1979, aged just 28 of Heroin overdose.  A sad loss, as since her death she has become a songwriter’s inspiration and almost a cult – similar in ways to Nick Drake.  I adore her two albums – so innovative and standout brilliant.  Best on this debut are ‘Crayon Angels’, ‘Ridge Rider’ and ‘Loping Along The Cosmos’.