Abba- Voulez-Vous

For many people, the music of Abba all blurs into one another. It isn't helped by the plethora of compilations that seems to come out on a regular basis. But delve into Abba's discography and you'll realise that there is a whole world of difference between their first album ("Ring Ring") and their final album ("The Visitors") released ten years apart.

Abba, like most artists, took care with what they what put out. They searched for a sound that would challenge them musically and creatively whilst still keeping the formula that won the hearts and minds of so many people. For the die-hard Abbamaniac the album "Arrival" is usually the one presented as their finest achievement- and it's hard to disagree. It contains the megahits "Money, Money, Money" and "Dancing Queen" (plus it was also the sessions for that album that yielded "Fernando"). In many ways, Abba was a major contributor to the surge of disco music and 1979's "Voulez-Vous" album was their tilt at that market. In almost every respect they landed a perfect blow. Utilising the recording techniques that had made them famous they hit the discofloor hard with an album of immensely hummable tunes- a number of which are considered "Abba classics".

For an album of disco music to begin with a string section chugging out the main tune by itself is a remarkably bold statement- yet it is exactly the way that the album opens before the band launch into "As Good As New". The title track was a massive chart topper and it's insistent grooves and pulsating rhythm make it hard to not tap your feet along to. The chant of "uh-huh" in the chorus is everything that disco epitomised.

Of course, it wouldn't be Abba without a couple ballads on the album (even a disco one) and "I Have A Dream" was their first attempt at an audience singalong song (something they would repeat on their subsequent albums). The masterstroke is using a children's chorus to sing the final section of the piece (something that led to countless young kids in 1979 getting the opportunity to sing with their idols on stage). "Angeleyes" is another mid-tempo number that carefully balances synths with guitars and uses both to remarkable effect- it's a real strong number for Agnetha who takes the lead for this one. Frida then then helps bring side one to a close with "The King Has Lost His Crown"- her smooth alto voice bringing out the simmering anger of the lyric.

Side two opens the second major hit for this album- the Bjorn-led "Does Your Mother Know?". it's hard to imagine but when Abba first started Bjorn was seen as the lead singer but as the girls grew in popularity Bjorn was happy to contribute only one vocal per album and just stick to guitar and composing. This one is a major highpoint of the album and not only utilises the vocal strengths of Bjorn but the ability of the girls to be the best backing singers in the world. "If It Wasn't For The Nights" follows and it has its sights set firmly back on the dancefloor with some tremendous singing and really good underscoring of strings (paired with the piano). The second ballad of the album (another Abba classic) comes next- "Chiquitita". I really love Benny's piano playing in this one. It's not the most virtuosic playing he has ever done but really brings out the flavour of this number and his little fills throughout the song shift it to another level along with the haunting vocals of Frida. A couple of more dancefloor oriented numbers finish off the album- "Lovers Live A Little Longer" and "Kisses Of Fire" which again make good use of the string section as well as the ability of the girls to convey the message of the song.

The remastered album also contains one of my absolute favourite numbers- "Summer Night City". This track is absolutely blazing hot. The drumming throughout this song is nothing short of amazing along with everything else. "Lovelight" is another track from those sessions and it too is a great use of the girls and keyboards.

Producer Michael Tretow and the boys from Abba have utilised their musical space well throughout. Absolutely nothing is unimportant and by this time their craft was finely honed. It was to be Abba's last major success album-wise. It's an album that captures the vibe and feel of the late 70's perfectly.

Chris De Burgh- The Storyman

All the albums I have spoken about I have been listening to for a long time. Some I have been listening to for nearly my entire life. But I first heard this one roughly two months ago.

Let's get this over with- yes, I do mean Chris "The Lady In Red" De Burgh. For many people that song (along with "Don't Pay the Ferryman") are the only things they will know about him. He is oh so much more.

I have been listening to Chris for nearly 20 years. His music is hard to come by down here in Australia- indeed most of his albums I had to get off ebay (including this one). Chris' ability to not only tell a story but sell a story go right back to when he first started making music in the mid-seventies. Whether he was telling stories about a Spanish Train, detailing the fall of Saladdin during the Crusades or simply about the pain of being separated from his loved ones through distance he always told it with a strength and belief that sucked you in.

In more recent years De Burgh struggled with a record company that wanted him to do "Lady In Red II" and many of his albums, though containing wonderful songs, never quite got that personal feeling and often the message seemed forced. Then in 2004 he released "Road To Freedom" on his own label. Whilst better than his more recent efforts, it it seemed like he was biding time until he could really tell the stories he wanted to tell. That was saved for "The Storyman".

It's not an autobiographical album but the stories he tells are as honest and heartfelt as they have ever been. Accompanying the cd is a booklet of stories outlining each song and reading them helps appreciate them even more. That being said, the music more than speaks for itself.

Accompanied by an orchestra on a number of tracks, the production values are second to none.

The album opens with an overture of what will eventually be the song "The Storyman" before lauching into the vibrant "One World". "Leningrad"-about an old Russian woman reflecting on the hardships of her life- perfectly captures the feel of Russia and a longing for a simpler time. We then move to the middle east for "My Father's Eyes" which tells the story of a young man trying to live up to his father's expectations. "The Grace Of A Dancer" tells the story of young man searching for his love who was driven out of town by a mob when they found out she was pregnant.

My absolute favourite comes next- "Spirit". Set against a backing of African music it tells of an African chief's final message to his people before he dies. I want that song played at my funeral. It's beautiful, poignant and uplifting. "The Shadow Of The Mountain" is a love story set against the backdrop of ancient Pompeii and then comes "Raging Storm"- a wonderful duet about a father bidding farewell to his adopted daughter. It's heartbreaking and truly beautifully sung by both De Burgh and Krystyna Myles. "The Mirror Of The Soul" is a 9 minute epic telling a tale about corrupt church officials who try to hoodwink a village with a crystal they pretend is holy. "The Sweetest Kiss Of All" is a wonderul song about a pair of actors playing in "Romeo And Juliet" who, like the characters they portray, fall in love despite their cultural differences. the ending is just beautiful. To bring the whole thing back home De Burgh finally turns the spotlight on himself with the title track. He mentions over 30 of his past songs and still manages to make a coherent narrative about the forces that drive him. However the story is not quite over as "My Father's Eyes" finishes the album- this time in a duet form with Hani Hussein singing the second verse in hebrew.

Throughout the whole album De Burgh is in absolute fine form singing like it was all on the line and always pushing himself to convey his message. It's something he succeeds at magnificently.

This is an album to listen to in the dark and just to imagine the stories being played out. It's a glorious tribute to 30 years in the business. Long may it continue.

Queen- The Works

In 1984 I saw an ad on TV advertising a double-lp set of Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park. Without my parents knowledge, I ordered it but in the process I subscribed to a record club that sent me albums every month. One of those was "The Works". I started playing it- and then played it again and again and again. This labum was BRILLIANT to my 10 year-old ears. To me this album (and the subsequent follow-up "A Kind Of Magic") was Queen at their absolute peak. Even now- 24 years later- knowing everything the band did I still maintain that belief. Freddie was in absolutely powerful voice and Brian, Roger and John were at the height of their playing and compositional powers. The fact that 4 singles from the original 9-track album were released is a pretty good testament to how well this album stands up.

Opening with the crowd anthem "Radio Ga-Ga", Queen immediately make a point that this album is going to be a rock album- not the experimental disco nonsense of "Hot Space". Although more synth-heavy than other songs it was propelled to the top of the charts thanks to an amazing video combining footage of the band and the old film "Metropolis". "Tear It Up" follows and that one is an out-out rocker with suitably grubby lyrics to match the grubby guitars and drums ("Give me your mind baby, give me your body" and "I love you for your mind, baby give me your body"). Then to swing things on a complete 180 comes the album's ballad "It's A Hard Life" (which includes Freddie's version of the climax from the aria "vesta la giubba" by Leoncavallo). The side finishes off with a 50s-esque rocker called "Man On The Prowl" (the ending of which made me think there was a problem with the record, but there wasn't). Side two begins with another pounding rock number about technology gone crazy called "Machines(or "Back To Humans")" and includes one of the most nonsensical lines around- "It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised...". The classic "I Want To Break Free" (with it's equally classic clip) follows and Freddie just sounds so comfortable with all the powerful vocals he's doing here. "Keep Passing The Open Windows" is another mid-tempo rocker about having faith in yourself and then climax of the album with the final pounding rocker "Hammer To Fall". It's a powerful anti-war statement accompanied by some brutal drumming and guitar playing. But as if to shock one more time the final piece is a slow, acoustic ballad (only Freddie on vocals and Brian on acoustic guitar) called "Is This The World We Created?". It was never more powerful than when the two performed it as part of "Live Aid" the following year.

When the album was re-issued in the early 90's they added a b-side called "I Go Crazy". In my view, it's right up there with anything on "The Works"- if you can find that version of the album- get it.

Queen's ability to write a powerful lyric and a catchy "hook" can never be underrated. Nor was it something that came about later on in their career. Right from their first album it was clear that this band was about "bigger and better"- to which Freddie might reply "In everything, dear!"

Hear, hear....

Billy Joel- The Nylon Curtain

It's fair to say that Billy Joel's music is very important to me. As a pianist (and occasional singer) myself I feel very drawn to his music. It's earthy, real and very American. He writes for the working class- reflecting his own upbringing on the hard streets of New York and the Bronx- and he makes no apologies for it.

In 1982 Joel was cruising with two successful albums in a row plus a live album of his earlier works recorded with his main band. So Billy decided to experiment (musically) by putting out an album of material that stretched his writing to the limit. It was his homage to The Beatles. Almost every song has an echo with the fab 4.

Opening with "Allentown"- a Joel classic- it tells the story of a town whos workforce is being put out of business by big business. It has a percussive feel all the way through (including hammer blows to portray the metal workers) and features some wonderful piano playing. "Laura"- about a girl that won't leave him alone- is sung with an almost Lennon-esque vocal line as well as bitterness. Then comes "Pressure"- another Billy smash. The clever use of synths as well as some powerful drumming heighten the tension really well. It also came with an amazing video. The anti-war song "Goodnight Saigon" brings side one to a close. Billy spoke to many vietnam vets about their time and used a number of their sentences as lyrics. It's an incredible song that starts from nothing and then builds up to a great climax.

Side two opens with "She's Right On Time"- one of my favourites on this album. The whole song is about the anticipation of seeing a love for the first time in a while at christmas. "A Room Of Our Own" echoes the early stuff of the Beatles and "Surprises" sees Billy mimicking George Harrison vocally. The whole album then goes avant-garde for the psychedelic "Scandinavian Skies"- again, echoing some of The Beatles weirder numbers from "Magical Mystery Tour" and beyond. All about an airline flight and the thoughts upon arriving in Scandanavia it captures, through the clever use of keyboards and a military drum pattern, this sense of awe and wonder at seeing a new country for the first time. Then Billy rounds off the album with "Where's The Orchestra?". Just him at the piano duetting with a solo saxophone and a very simple orchestral backing (in the style of George Martin) and then as he finishes singing he starts the play-out and in a final nod to his favourite band a clarinet plays the melody to "Allentown". A beautiful end to a wonderful album.

Mahler- Symphony No. 9

If I had any idol as a kid- at least when it came to classical music- it was conductor Herbert von Karajan. He was a despot, a tyrant and incredibly difficult to work with- but God bless him, he made a massive impact on music in the 20th century and made a number of outstanding recordings- nearly 600 in 50 years. In the mid 70's Karajan survived a major operation on his back and whilst in recovery back at home he discovered (or more probably REdiscovered) this amazing work by my favourite composer of all time.

"If the universe has to end," said a dearly departed friend of mine, "please let it be to this symphony". Karajan, as vunerable and mortal as he had ever been, provided the soundtrack.

It wasn't until 1982 that Karajan made a successful recording of the work (an earlier recording in 1979 was largely forgettable). Recorded live with his beloved Berlin Philharmonic it's a performance that connects to the ailing composer on so many levels. From the opening "heartbeats" of the harps and horns to the final dying gasps of the strings it is a moving and powerful performance. The orchestra and conductor are in perfect synch with one another throughout.

Karajan is the consumate musician and every marking in Mahler's score is observed and doubtless rehearsed to exhaustion with Berlin Phil. There are many wonderful recordings of this symphony but, in my opinion, none quite match the emotional grip that this one has on me.

Rusalka

In 1996 I heard a performance of an aria called "Rusalka's Song To The Moon". It's pretty standard fare amongst tertiary singers. But this was no ordinary performance. It came from the wonderful insturment that belongs to Renee Fleming- one of the most extraordinary voices of the last twenty years. It was a performance of beauty and her voice was gorgeous. To quote conductor Sir Georg Solti- "I fell in love with Fleming's voice".

Towards the end of 1998 Fleming recorded the entire opera. Unbeknownst to me then, it was a signature role- one that she studied as a student whilst all the other sopranos were busy studying Puccini or Wagner. Over many years she became the leading exponent of the role. Before Fleming only a handful of performances outside Europe were done- I believe there was, at the time, only one other complete performance.

My grandmother, slowly losing her mind from that insidious disease Dementia, asked me what I wanted for my birthday (it was probably one of the last coherent discussions I had with her) and I told her that this recording was what I wanted. She made my mother promise that she would get that recording for me. My grandmother passed away nearly two weeks before my birthday and when I got the set from Mum I was stoked.

Putting aside emotional connections, this is a glorious recording. In an age when studio recordings of operas are getting rarer and rarer this stands as a shining beacon. Fleming throughout is poignant, wistful and, above all, believable as the sad and lonely Rusalka. Her every nuance, every phrase and note is carefully studied and considered. When Rusalka comes to her sad fate you feel all energy drain from her, she's resigned to going back to being what she used to be and you can't help but feel for her.

American tenor Ben Heppner is the love interest of Rusalka- simply referred to as "The Prince". Like Fleming, with whom he was a fellow student, this is a signature role for him which he studied as student whilst other tenors studied their Verdi and Mozart. These two are a magic coupling on record. Their voices blend perfectly but Heppner very nearly steals the rug from under Fleming in the Princes' final declaration of love.

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra- led by the legendary Sir Charles Mackerras- plays with an immense amount of feeling and depth beautifully underscoring the hard work being done by the almost flawless ensemble of singers assembled.

Of course, all this wouldn't be possible without the brilliant composition that Dvorak wrote. Although very Wagner-esque in it's style it is so much more approachable than the great man's music dramas.

Every now and then I break this recording out and have a listen and I think about so many things when listening to it- my grandmother, the first time I heard this recording- but most of all I'm glad that the art of making great recordings of classical music has not entirely escaped us. Yet.

Frank Sinatra- In The Wee Small Hours

When it came down to deciding the voice of the 20th century it really was no surprise that Sinatra was garnered the honour. This is a man who had no formal vocal training yet somehow his voice was golden and many who have had the training can only do pale impersonations of his magical voice.

Yet in 1955 Sinatra- all of 40 years old- was on the verge of being washed up. Abandoned by Tommy Dorsey and Columbia records he was subsequently given a chance by Capitol records to restake his claim. After a couple unnoteworthy albums events conspired to launch Sinatra on the path to immortality. He was paired with composer/arranger Nelson Riddle and then his relationship with Ava Gardner went pear-shaped. This led to what is commonly believed to be the first ever "concept album" produced.

Carefully hand-picking 15 songs about despair and lovelessness Sinatra recorded one of the most potent albums of his long and illustrious career. There are many rumours that he broke down and wept at the end of several takes (unsubstantiated it must be said), but even if he didn't he sounds so immensely vulnerable throughout the whole process that it really wouldn't surprise me. An entire album devoted to torch ballads is an incredibly bold move (one he would repeat a couple years later) and very few would try it today, and those that do inevitably fail.

Sinatra follows the same path that Schumann's "poet" does in his Dichterliebe. He starts with that feeling of emptiness, goes through a little resentment and bitterness and finally resolves to move on with his life. It's potent, it's real and it still rings true after 53 years. Sinatra is helped by the divine orchestration of Riddle who manages, musically, to convey all the loneliness and hollowness that Sinatra does with his voice. It's a glorious pairing and one that deserves to sit proudly alongside the many compilations of Sinatra's that get churned out regularly.

The 7 years Sinatra spent at Capitol records were the finest of his career. His voice was absolutely at his best and it was the era that saw him record many of his standards for the first time, but "In The Wee Small Hours" is the crowning achievement of that era.

Electric Light Orchestra- A New World Record

ELO has been another one of those bands that has been part of my life since I was first able to put a needle on a record. And one of those records was "A New World Record". Like "Machine Head" (see previous post), we had this on scratchy vinyl- and I loved it. Jeff Lynne, creator and driving force behind ELO, was a big fan of both The Beatles and the so-called "wall of sound" production technique made famous by Phil Spector in the 60's. Lynne is the focal point of everything ELO- he sings lead, plays guitar and many keyboards as well as writing and producing the songs. Behind him though is an amazing bunch of musos. Richard Tandy does more keyboard work, Bev Bevan played drums, Kelly Groucutt provided more guitars (Bass when in concert) whilst the strings of Mik Kaminski, Melvyn Gale and Hugh Macdowell added the "orchestra" required (along with about 30 session musos). All of them brilliant players and performers.
Lynnes lyrics are amazingly concise and sometimes the subjects are a little off center but there is amazing work musically that goes on and it hooks you in right from the get-go.
"Tightrope" (with it's suitably grand opening of strings and chorus before the drums kick in to bring in the rest of the band) kicks things off. It's all about that feeling that you are balancing (on a Tightrope, no less) your life and you need help- and in the end he gets it. "Telephone Line" is a haunting ballad about those long-distance loves we've all had- although these days distance never seems to be a factor in relationships what with cheaper phone rates, internet etc. "Rockaria!" (complete with operatic soprano) is a real rocker about a girl fancied by the singer who just adores singing opera. This is an absolute standout for me on this album- Lynne's voice sounds so powerful and gruff and the powerful backing of both band and orchestra really propel this ditty along. Side one finishes with "Mission (A New World Record)" about an alien sent to observe the inhabitants of Earth. Again a simple yet effective guitar solo and some beautiful orchestral writing make this a really haunting number. Side two begins with "So Fine" and "Living Thing"- two wonderful bouncy numbers about love- I really love the cello cadenzas that open "Living Thing". "Above The Clouds"- sung by Kelly Groucutt- serves as a little respite before launching into the rocker "Do Ya". This is out-and-out rock and Lynne and the boys give it a right royal kick with some aggressive playing across the board. Another instant classic. Finally the beautiful "My Shangri-La" finishes the album with one of the most descriptive lyrics about a relationship slowly gone stale- "My Shangri-La has gone away/ faded like the Beatles on Hey Jude". Sheer poetry.
This album is one of those albums I put in the top drawer. After nearly 30 years of listening to this one I still find things on this album I never heard before- and that, to me, is what makes a truly brilliant album.
Many ELO fans cite their follow-up album "Out Of The Blue" as ELO's finest moment but in my eyes it's "A New World Record" all the way.....

Deep Purple- Machine Head

When I first heard this album on our crackly record player way back when I was immediately hooked. I think it was a combination of the screams from Ian Gillan that open the album, the pounding drums of Ian Paice and the masterly organ work of Jon Lord. For years I thought the guitar solo on "Highway Star" was actually a second keyboard solo. Hey, I was 5- give me a break. There is also a photo on the inner sleeve of bassist Roger Glover with an out of focus Gillan (I think) in the background looking like he's shouting at him. There's a printing glitch on the sleeve and it actually looks like Glover is crying. Seriously. For AGES I was wondering what that dreadful man was saying to make him so unhappy....again, I was 5....

In later years, I appreciated the amazing musicianship of the five players in Deep Purple on this record. "Highway Star" is probably the single greatest opening track on any album ever made. Ever. Never has racing at breakneck speeds down a highway sounded so damn good. The entire band just throws themselves into this track (and the remaining 6) with gusto. The tempo shifts gears into the funky groove of "Maybe I'm A Leo" and then breaks into a run again (via a killer drum solo from Ian Paice) with "Pictures Of Home". Lyrics about soaring eagles and chilling bodies just ram the point about the homesickness right into your face. "Never Before" rounds out side one- although I love the song, many Purple fans hate it for some reason. Side two opens with "Smoke On The Water"- a song about the creation of the machine head album and how the casino they were going to record the album in burnt down thanks to an over zealous Frank Zappa fan. Tomes have been written about this song so I won't bother repeating what has already been said. Jon Lord then brings in a haunting little solo to usher in the blues jam "Lazy" and then we hit the final stride with "Space Truckin'". Again, Gillan's masterly vocals really shine as well as the playing of the entire band.

In 1997 the album was reissued and never has a remastering process ever made the album so MUCH better (not that it wasn't brilliant to begin with). "Highway Star" now has a proper start that actually sets up the groove that originally started the album, there are different solos and vocals on a couple takes (including Gillian shouting "Break a leg Frank" during "Smoke On The Water") but it also adds as a final track "When A Blind Man Cries"- the only real ballad of the sessions that produced the album. It's a haunting, lyrical masterpiece and it serves as a gentle coda to an already brilliant album. In a way it's a perfect way to reintroduce yourself back to reality after 45 minutes of heart-pounding musicality.

The Introduction

Next year will be the 20th year that I have been collecting cd's. It staggers me to think that I have amassed over 1000 cd's in that time. But that was only one step. When I was little I listened to many albums that shaped my musical tastes (many of which I subsequently upgraded to cd). In my collection Metallica sits next to Katie Melua and Mozart (not really- as my collection is divided between "Rock" and "Classical"). As a lover of music (being a musician myself) I thought recently about what makes my favourite albums my favourites? What makes me go down to the shops to pick up a cd or trawl through ebay to find a copy of that certain gap in my collection...hopefully- over time- this blog will attempt to explain not only to you but to me what that answer is. You might be staggered at the albums I post about and I absolutely expect some of you to really wonder what I was thinking when I a)not only BOUGHT the album but b)listed it as among my favourites. This is a work in progress folks so I have no idea how long this list will be, but as Bette Davis once said in "All ABout Eve"- "Fasten your seatbelts, it's gonna be a bumpy night"......