Trollheart

One eye on the sunrise --- Nine Stones Close --- 2012 (Prog Rock)


Conceived originally as a solo project for guitarist Adrian Jones, Nine Stones Close (no, I don't know what it means either, and I don't know if it's "close" as in "close the door" or "close" as in "close to you"...) have had essentially three albums now, though the first one didn't really feature a band as such. This is their second as a full unit, and although I have yet to hear the previous efforts, this album only just barely missed out getting into my top twenty albums of 2012, purely because I decided to listen to it too late and had the list all ready at that stage. But it's definitely one of my "unofficial" favourite albums, another one I found hard to stop playing and move on from once I began listening to it.

It opens on some weird little electronic noises then a pure, beautiful piano not a million miles removed from Mark Kelly's best slides in. The soft ambience is suddenly blown apart though by some powerful guitar and punching drumming, as choral voices on the synth join the melody, and "Faceless angel" becomes one of three instrumentals on the album, with some quite Gilmouresque guitar from Jones to take the song to its tinkling close and into the very Marillion "Secret", so much so that the opening guitar riff is almost identical to "Torch song" from their 1984 "Clutching at straws", the last album with Fish. Beautiful crying guitar and swirling synth though and a yearning vocal from Marc Atkinson soon pulls the song away from being any sort of a clone or copy, though the somewhat annoyingly familiar riff does run through the track, making me unconsciously sing "Read some Kerouac/ And it put me on the track/ To burn a little brighter now." Try it: it works disturbingly well.

It is though a lovely ballad and a real showcase for the band's tight-knit musicanship, with some powerful backing vocals and another storming solo from Adrian Jones. One of the standouts comes in the form of the dramatic "Janus", with a big instrumental opening, heavy percussion, almost siren-like guitar and thumping bass which runs for almost half the track's length before some beautiful classical-style piano and soft sizzling synth takes the melody. You might think a six-minute instrumental would drag but it doesn't at all, and the guitar work in this track is truly stunning, displaying Jones's expertise on his instrument of choice. It might seem a bit much to follow this with another instrumental, but "... And dream of sleep" is a purely guitar-driven piece, with some violin on synth adding to it, a little percussion but mostly a showcase again for Jones on the guitar. It's soft and folky with a nice little pastoral sound, less than two minutes long, and leads into the title track.

This is in fact almost the longest track on the album, though there is one that beats it out, this one clocking in at over twelve minutes, and starting on something similar to what we have just heard, acoustic folky guitar in a kind of early seventies Genesis vein, with a soft vocal from Atkinson which suddenly gets more powerful and rocky as the whole track takes an upsurge, Brendan Eyre's keyboards laying down some warbly organ and Pieter van Hoorn's drums pounding like breakers on the shore as the song moves into a fast, seventies progressive instrumental phase. Some almost Zeppelin guitar from Jones then as it goes along, until halfway in when it all slows down and returns to the soft guitar of the opening, with some little flute and violin sounds on the keys, some almost vocalise from Marc Atkinson just riding along the edges of the melody. Guitar and bass then begin building as the keys march behind them and the vocals come back in, getting stronger as the song approaches its denoument. A big heavy rock ending brings this epic to a close, and we've still another to come!

After that you'd no doubt be expecting a shorter, gentler song, and indeed this is what we get with "Eos", a nice little guitar line complementing Adrian Jones's understated vocal in again, it has to be said, a very Marillion sounding tune with a healthy dose of Floyd in there too. Lovely soft guitar solo and some fine keyboard work, echoing the theme of the opener, "Faceless angel", and taking us into another long track, the almost ten-minute "The weight". With a big guitar feedback opening this pulls no punches from the start, a solo kicking it off that you would normally expect to hear around the middle, or even end of most songs. This then drops back to a very introspective (come on! I haven't used that word for a while now!) guitar line and gentle vocal, deep percussion and thick bass then supplementing the tune and fleshing it out more. "The weight" is followed by "The distance", with very Steve Rotheryesque guitar that ventures into sitar territory at times, the vocal this time right out of the Steve Hogarth playbook. This song, great as it is, could very easily be on a current Marillion album.

In complete contrast however, "Frozen moment" is like something out of a Van der Graaf or Zep setlist, with heavy squealing guitar and powerful keys, tripping drums and a strong vocal. Starting off rather frenetically it soon settles down into something of a mid-paced groove, and it has indeed time to settle, as it runs for over thirteen minutes. It's got a real dramatic feel to it, very epic with a lot of changes and one of the best vocal performances from Marc Atkinson on the album. Also some great guitar histrionics from Jones, and some great interplay between he and Eyre on the keys. The album then closes on one more instrumental, a lovely piano and violin piece which goes under the appropriate title of "Sunset", and rather bizzarely puts me in mind of Billy Preston's big hit "With you I'm born again". Hidden message?

TRACKLISTING

1. Faceless angel
2. A secret
3. Janus
4. ... And dream of sleep
5. One eye on the sunrise
6. Eos
7. The weight
8. The distance
9. Frozen moment
10. Sunset

I really do love this album and it's been quite a revelation, however I think the band's name may be a little user-unfriendly, perhaps. I would like them and rate them a lot more if there weren't so many strong similarities to Marillion in their music, but then I suppose you have to expect that any band who plays progressive rock is going to have listened to, soaked in and eventually be influenced one way or the other by the greats. Nine Stones Close do at least retain enough of their own individuality to hold their own identity, and like Big Big Train reviewed recently were accused of sounding very Genesis-like, there's probably nobody who doesn't know Marillion's work who would not agree they do sound a lot like them at many times. Mind you, I said this about Knight Area too (and it's true) but that didn't stop me from enjoying the music this band has to offer, nor having no hesitation in naming it one of my favourite albums of 2012.

Don't let it stop you, either.

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Trollheart

Heaven and Hell --- Black Sabbath --- 1980 (Vertigo)


Definitely one of my all-time favourite Sabbath albums. I've always been more of a Dio fanboy than an Ozzy-follower, though I wouldn't doubt the greatness of the work he did with Sabbath, but this album has it all really: elements of Rainbow, foreshadowings of Dio the band and eight killer songs. The title track, "Die young", "Children of the sea", even the opener, all have that exciting feel of Sabbath changing from just a dark heavy metal band into something more approaching a progressive form, with longer songs and fantasy themes, mostly of course driven by the new guy. The band are in fine fettle, and really seem to enjoy themselves on this album, so it's a pity that one album later RJD would be on his way, though it would set the scene for his own eponymous band to take the stage.

This album works on every level: as a crunching metal successor to albums like "Sabotage", "Vol 4" ands "Master of reality", as a more progressive Sabbath and as a peek into the future, at least as far as Ronnie was concerned. There are few Sabbath fans who will not have this in their library! A true classic!

TRACKLISTING

1. Neon nights
2. Children of the sea
3. Lady Evil
4. Heaven and Hell
5. Wishing well
6. Die young
7. Walk away
8. Lonely is the word

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Unknown Soldier

This journal now has 99,903 views, I'm wondering what will happen when it reaches 100,000 will that number actually fit on the 'view' section.

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Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

Trollheart

Well, so much for this being a weekly slot. To be completely honest, I never expected it to be: intentions and ambition are all well and good, but the reality is that with three journals to write, my other offsite work to do and trying to have something I laughingly call a life as well, the chances of my reviewing a new album from outside the usual sphere of my musical preferences and tastes once a week was simply never going to fly. Even monthly reviews would not be in any way guaranteed. Bimonthly? Whenever-the-hell-I-feel-like-it-ly? More realistic.

So here I am with the second in this new series, looking at an album by a band I have never heard of but know to be working within a genre I have no time for, and have heard little of, other than secondhand. This time it's punk. But not just punk: hardcore punk. Mind you, some websites are calling this southern rock, which seems odd. Anyway, whatever the case, punk is something I have never liked. You can talk all you like about the influence the Sex Pistols had on music, but I have never seen it, nor will I ever. To me, all Johnny and the boys did was make a mockery of rock music, and to say they "shook up the music scene" and use that as an excuse for the kind of off-key, noisy, blatantly laughable music they ... well, an argument for another day perhaps. Let's just say I'm not punk's biggest fan, and leave it at that, yes?

So why have I chosen a punk record? Well, look at the cover! How could I resist? Not only is this a (supposed) parody of or (maybe) tribute to one of my alltime favourite Sabbath albums, the title is hilarious too. Even if the music is awful --- as I expect it to be --- this is something I could not let slide by without at least allowing it to assault my ears one time. So take a deep breath and get ready, cos we're going in!


Bat Sabbath: Bastards of reality --- Cancer Bats --- 2013 (Label unknown: nobody will tell me!)


Surprisingly, this album is very hard to find (unless you want to pay full price: er, no thanks Mister Jobs! You ain't getting rich beyond the grave at MY expense!) so I've had to track down the individual tracks --- of which there are only five anyway; it's more an EP than an abum --- on YouTube. And so...

First impressions: Unfortunately the only recording I can find of their version of "Children of the grave" is live, so you have to allow for that, but even so, it is AWFUL! Just noisy and messy with no real attempt at melody, though in fairness not as bad as I would have thought. The studio version of "Into the void" is better, and though it was never my favourite song on "Master of reality" the boys here give it a decent enough go. Think Ozzy may be turning in his grave though! I know he's not dead...!

Likes: The fact that these are Black Sabbath songs; guitar work is decent enough

Dislikes: Singer's voice. Very growly and gravelly and then screechy; hard to make out what he's singing. Oh well, this is punk after all! Actually, he's not too bad on the studio versions, so maybe it's just the live performances where he screams too much that are putting me off. Still, not my style of vocalist at all. Way too loud on the live versions. Not enough variety in the studio versions to stand these tracks out from the originals.


Development of album: Okay, well I'm realising now (not sure why I didn't at the time) that far from being a cover of the album "Master of reality", this is a mixture of songs from that and "Paranoid", with "Iron man" and "War pigs" thrown in, so it's a little lopsided in that regard. That said, they've picked some good ones, though again the only version of "Iron man" I can find is live, so the sound is again pretty bad. Also kind of hard to rate the band, as the crowd, obviously Sabbath fans, are shouting the lyric most of the time. Hmm. Not to mention the video is stopping and starting all the time. Gaah! I know, I should stop being so tight and just buy the damn thing, but as Mo once said in "The Simpsons" about paying his bills "I don't wanna!" And "NIB" is also live, and played at such volume that it distorts, and I simply can't even listen to it, which takes us to the final track, another one off "Paranoid". Wait a minute what's this --- oh. I thought for a moment I'd come across a video of the full album, but it was the actual Black Sabbath one. Oh well. At least I've got a studio version of "War pigs" to listen to. Yeah, that's not bad, not bad at all...

Overall sound: Loud and noisy!

Reminds me of: Why I hate punk. Ah really, it's not that bad: I've heard worse metal bands, though not many...

Favourite track(s): "Into the void" and "War pigs", really only because they're the only ones I could get studio versions of and the live ones were just terrible.

Least favourite track(s): Have to be their live version of "NIB", played at a volume that would cause even Lemmy would clap his hands over his ears!

Overall effect on me: Bit bemused. The studio versions are okay but nothing great, while the live versions are in general almost unlistenable. Hasn't softened me towards punk anyway. I wouldn't see it as an insult to Sabbath, but not a total homage either.

TRACKLISTING

1. Children of the grave
2. Into the void
3. Iron man
4. NIB
5. War pigs

So, the rating. Well, based on how little I listen to this type of music we should score high on one die, but then again, that's tempered by the fact that I already know these songs (admittedly from another genre), so I'm not exactly walking into the valley of the shadow of evil...

Die one: How did I enjoy this? Not so much, though a lot of that was down to the unavailability of studio versions. Even given that though, the versions I did get to hear weren't that different to the originals, so I wouldn't consider it a worthy purchase, had I bought the album. I'd have to say at a stretch


Die two: How unfamiliar was I with this genre? Completely. Like I said at the beginning, the only punk I've heard has been the likes of the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks et al. But --- and it's a big but --- (no, not mine!) I do know these songs, so again I'm not treading totally unfamiliar territory. Still, based on the genre alone this must get a


Therefore, total rating for this album: rolling the dice I've come up with

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Trollheart

Time to shake that shaker and let the chips fall where they may, as we hit up another unknown (to me) album and see what we get. There will be absolutely no prizes for guessing my motivation in choosing this one --- I love an interesting title or band name, and you don’t get a whole lot more interesting than a band called Break My Fucking Sky, now do you? Of course, it’s virtually impossible to get any information on them, so I’m shooting totally in the dark here, but then, that’s what this section is all about, isn’t it?

If I had to guess (and I’d probably be wrong) I would say this is a thrash/death metal band, just going from the name, but I really have no clue. That could be a massive pink salmon, sorry, red herring, and the band could be a folk indie rock outfit for all I know. Well, that’s probably not too likely, but a name doesn’t always tell the full story. Unfortunately I can find nothing about them on El Webbo, other than YouTube videos and the odd place that sells their album, so I guess we’ll just have to let the music do the talking.

Final breath --- Break my Fucking sky --- 2013 (?)


First impressions: Totally breathtaking opening with beautiful soft acoustic piano then deep synthesiser in an almost orchestral vein --- could be an orchestra to be honest, I have no information at all about this album as I say. Nothing about the players, their discography, their style. This could be their debut for all I know. One thing I do know is I, rather appropriately, fucking love this! Soft, ambient, emotional, possibly (probably) instrumental. I find myself wondering though if I’m being setup for a fall, as I would almost swear this is metal, and may explode, if not in this track then in the next, shattering the lovely feeling I have here. Well we’ll see. Hmm. Second track is also piano-led, soft and instrumental with some sound effects loops thrown in.

Likes: The gorgeous atmospheric instrumental opening, giving me hope this may be an amazing discovery. It looks like it goes on like that too.

Dislikes: Nothing so far. And coming back at the end of the album, still nothing.

Development of album: Seems like it may all be instrumental. Piano certainly appears to be the main instrument, the lynchpin around which the rest of the music swings, the heart of the album. Some interesting drum loops almost give it a feel of slower hip-hop at times, and some really nice orchestral synth lays down further layers of beauty on this lush soundscape. Beautiful piece of evocative guitar in the gorgeous if grammatically-incorrect “So silently has become in my world without you”, then the last few moments of “Stop the time” are the first where the music gets anyway fast, dropping back to gentle ambience for “Your personal god”, with what sounds like violins. After all the soft piano tracks it’s almost a shock to hear what sounds pretty close to electronic pop in “You’re living this moment with me” but it goes back to the slow atmospherics for much of the rest of the album, ending on a storming track just shy of six minutes which brings in sort of techno influences into the mix.

Overall sound: Ambient, laidback, post-rock I guess, with piano the main instrument carrying the melodies.

Reminds me of: Hard to say really. So far, the closest I would come is the album from Dreamfire that I reviewed in “Bitesize” and maybe Anthony Phillips and Andrew Skeet’s “Seventh Heaven”.

Favourite track(s): “Final breath”, “Aquarius”, “Moon”, “So silently has become in my world without you” … pretty much everything really.

Least favourite track(s): Not a one.

Overall effect on me: Surprise mostly, but good surprise. As I said, I had no idea at all what to expect, and the fact that this turned out to be an instrumental album, and such a good one, knocked me a little for six. There were no nasty revelations, no sudden changes in the music and no growly vocals. Well, no vocals at all. I’m a little mystified as to the title of the band/project though, considering it’s all pretty laidback instrumental stuff. It kind of precludes any airplay. Then again, instrumental music doesn’t get much of that. Very impressed though, so that’s two for three so far. Wish I knew more about Break my Fucking sky though: I have a sneaking suspicion this could be one guy. Or girl. But there’s no way to confirm or disprove that, which is a pity.

TRACKLISTING

1. Final breath
2. Aquarius
3. Moon
4. So silently has become in my world without you
5. Stop the time
6. Your personal god
7. Destruam et aedificabo
8. Do not forget me
9. Embrace my night
10. Fire all over
11. You’re living this moment with me
12. Second chance
13. Sense of touch
14. The last minutes of stars
15. Will you save me

So, the rating then. Well, I definitely enjoyed this album, a whole lot more than I had realistically expected to, but how does that translate into dice ratings?

Die One: Loved this album in every way, so it’s getting a solid six. Early to be giving sixes yes I know, but I was really impressed by this.


Die Two: How familiar was I with the genre? Well, that’s an open question, because when I started the album I had no idea what genre it was. So given that I’m relatively familiar with ambient/instrumental music, but also taking into account that I was flying in here blind, I’m going for a midpoint score and awarding this


So a total dice roll then of


(Highest score yet…)

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Trollheart

Those who know me and my musical tastes know that there's little I like better than a good love song. I'm very much into slower stuff and I listen to a lot of it. Some of it really effects me, and more than once I've been moved to tears. This song doesn't have that effect on me, but it is a pretty amazingly well written song. The subject matter deals with a woman who has to choose between staying with the man she has now, or going back to the one she used to be with. It's written from the point of view of the guy as he listens to her taking a telephone call from the old flame, and wondering what she's going to do: is she going to leave him and go back to her ex, or is she going to realise she has things so much better here and stay with her current lover?

The one you love (Glenn Frey) from “No fun aloud”, 1982

Music and lyrics by Glenn Frey and Jack Tempchin


It's an interesting little song that explores the pull an older relationship can have on a newly or recently-established one, and the fact that in some ways we often never get over the one we may see as having been the love of our life, even if it didn't work out, and sometimes all it can take is a call or a chance meeting to bring those old feelings flooding back, and make us wonder if we made the wrong choice, or if we should give it one more try? It's of course unfair to the guy or girl we're with now, as here the lyric asks ”Isn't he the guy/ Who left you crying?” as the singer tries to understand why his girlfriend would consider going back to the man who hurt her.

It's also in many ways a very empowering song for women, as the singer realises that there is in the end nothing he can do; if she wants to go back to her old flame, then she will and there's no way he can stop her. Nor, more importantly, has he any intention of doing so: this must be her decision. But like two people waiting for the same prize, he is fully aware that ”Someone's gonna cry/ When they learn they've lost you/ Someone's gonna thank/ The stars above”. We're not told what decision the girl makes in the end, but it's a tender yet bitter little lovesong that I think really showcases the ex-Eagle's songwriting talent.

” I know you need a friend,
Someone you can talk to
Who will understand what you're going through.
When it comes to love
There's no easy answer:
Only you can say what you're gonna do.

I heard you on the phone:
You took his number;
Said you weren't alone, but you'd call him soon.
Isn't he the guy
The guy who left you crying?
Isn't the the one who made you blue?

When you remember those nights in his arms
You know you've gotta make up your mind:

Are you gonna stay with the one who loves you?
Or are you going back to the one you love?
Someone's gonna cry when they learn they've lost you;
Someone's gonna thank the stars above.

What you gonna say when he comes over?
There's no easy way to see this through.
All the broken dreams,
All the disappointments:
Oh girl! What you gonna do?
Your heart keeps saying it's just not fair
But still you've gotta make up your mind...”

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Trollheart

Yeah, yeah, I'm dusting off all the old sections and shaking them out in the garden, giving them a good airing. Ain't you never had a spring clean? Anyway this one comes about for other reasons too. Allow me to explain. Some time back now someone in Music Banter recommended to the community at large William Shatner's (yeah, that one) 2004 album "Has been", and asked that we put our derision at his lambasted debut effort out of our minds and give the guy a chance, because the album was interesting. I downloaded it but never quite got around to listening to it until yesterday, when, I must say, though my mind wasn't quite blown I may have had to replace a few fuses. It's not the most incredible album ever recorded --- but then, you surely never expected that, nor did I --- but it's a long way from the worst. In fact, it's really ... what's the best word that describes this ... oh yeah ... interesting.

So where's my review of it, you ask? What? How dare you demand reviews of me! Okay, it's coming, probably sooner than you might expect --- probably sooner than I might expect! --- but not today. For right now I want to introduce you to the opening track, which is a cover --- the only one, you may be surprised to hear, as was I, on the album --- and it's of Pulp's wonderful classic. You probably know by now, if you have any sort of passing familiarity with Shatner's musical work (using the term loosely) that he can't sing. He speaks the lyrics, almost like poems, but it's undeniable that he has a very arresting and unique voice, so this makes it more interesting (there's that word again!) to listen to than, say, a spoken-word album by Clint Eastwood (perish the thought! No, no, Clint! You're all right! You've given us years of fine films, and directed some. No need to get into the music business. No, really. Please. Go on, make my day...) and is actually akin to listening to a poetry reading set to music.

But all of this will be discussed in my upcoming review of "Has been". For now, have a listen to his version of "Common people", and as ever I've included the original for comparison. Or just because you should never need an excuse to listen to this song. Incidentally, the chorus on the Shat's version is sung by the one and only Joe Jackson.

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Trollheart

Not really a new section, not reviews or anything, just a quick look at the albums I'm listening to at the moment. Some, indeed all, may end up being reviewed at some point, some may not, and some will undoubtedly make it to the journal before others. So why am I bothering with this? Don't know, really, just thought you might be interested. But if that's how you feel about it I'll just take my albums and go .... hey! Wait a minute! This is my journal! I pay the rent here! Why should I go? What do you mean, think of the children? I don't have any ...

Okay look, let's just start over shall we? Have a look at my list and let's forget we ever had that conversation. What conversation? I like your style...!


The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger --- Le carotte bleue (2011)

Not so sure about this one yet. The collaboration of Sean Lennon and his girfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl, this is an EP that only relatively recently became available to buy (or download) as up to 2011 it was only at their gigs you could purchase it. Kind of mix of hippy psychedelic with folk and the obvious Beatles influences. Some tracks, to use the parlance of the time it tries to recreate, I dig, some are bummers (no, I would never have made a hippy, you're right) but I have only given it two or three spins so far so it's still in rotation. I bought it for the odd name and once I heard Lennon was in it my curiosity increased. Will it continue to sustain me through what is slowly becoming a less-must-listen album, or will the novelty effect wear off? What do you think I am: able to tell the future? Let's just wait and see, shall we?


It Bites --- The tall ships (2008)
Reviewed by us lot down at the Prog Rock Album Club a month or more back, and suggested by the all-knowing Anteater, this album has impressed me so much that it will soon feature in the return of the "Gobsmacked!" section. It's just that good. I've always been a fan of It Bites, but their debut and third albums failed to impress me as much as "Once around the world", and I was left to ruminate upon whether that was the best they had in their canon. This album proves that this is very much not the case, and I must have listened to it straight about twenty times. And that's without the listens for the review! One of the best albums I've heard this year, that hasn't been released this year.


Rod Stewart --- Time (2013)

I'm no huge fan of Rod's, but this album has just completely blown me away. I absolutely love it. There's not a bad track on it, almost, and even the ones I don't particularly love I'm getting to like now. For a guy as long as he has been in the music biz to turn out an album of this quality, well, it just restores your faith in music. Top-notch album, definitely getting a review in the near future.


Ice Age --- The great divide (1999)
The debut album from a band who only lasted two years, then changed their name and lasted another five before calling it a day altogether. I just grabbed this as a "better listen to something for Bitesize" choice and was completely astounded by how perfect it is. Every track just gets better and by the end you're left with a feeling that the world really missed out when these guys disbanded. With only two albums under this name and two EPs as Soulfractured, there are bands still going today that deserve success less than Ice Age, who never achieved it. A true mystery. Already "Bitesized", I'll be doing a full review of this in due course, because it simply deserves nothing less.


Blue Sky Riders --- Finally home (2013)

Remember Kenny Loggins? If I sing "Footloose, cut loose, everybody cut footloose" does that ring any bells? Yeah? Well forget that, because the man who made the likes of "Caddyshack", "Footloose" and "Top gun" soundtracks rock is back with his new band, and they're, well, nothing like his older work. Basically a country trio, Blue Sky Riders have the most amazing vocal harmonies I've heard in a long time, and they also seem to take turns on lead vocals, which keeps this album really fresh and interesting. It's their debut, as you may have gathered, and if it isn't already huge then it should be, and hopefully will be. Get in on the ground floor now. Even if you're not a country music fan, I think you may enjoy this. I've been listening to it nonstop for the last few days, and it's still top of my playlist. Don't see it slipping any time soon.


William Shatner --- Has Been (2004)
I wish I could remember who recommended this, cos I'd sure like to thank them. It's not the greatest album I've heard but it's damn interesting, and if you look above you'll see I've featured Shatner's version of Pulp's "Common people" in my "Run for cover" section. With great instrumentation backing his spoken-word poetic vocals, and guest singers like Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann and, er, Henry Rollins (yeah), you really have to hear this album before you die. Oh yeah, he sings about dying on it too!


Headspace --- I am anonymous (2012)
Another one listened to for the PRAC, this is Threshold vocalist Damian Wilson and Adam Wakeman, son of who else, who between them have crafted one hell of a progressive rock album. A concept loosley runs through it, though it's a little hard to follow, but that doesn't matter. With song titles like "Daddy fucking loves you", what more do you want?


Riverside --- Shrine of new generation slaves (2013)
And another one. This album impressed me so much that I even missed the obvious acronym the title makes up: SONGS. This being my first full album to listen to from Riverside, I'm reliably informed by those who know the band that this is a much more commercial, even poppy venture for the Polish prog rock giants, but I loved it. Well, apart from the additional bonus tracks on the second disc. The first one was great, the second I could have lived without. I also don't like the opener and title track (they're one and the same) but other than that I find this a solid album, and will be reviewing it in the future.

So that's what's currently spinning on my ipod, Zen X-Fi and computer. I'll update this on probably no more regular than a monthly basis, depending on what I find myself listening to. As the announcer says at the start of "Another brick in the wall, part 3": thought you'd like to know. Though maybe not.

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Trollheart

Famed as the writers of hits for everyone from Suzi Quatro to Huey Lewis and the News, Nicki Chinn and Mike Chapman had a real eye for not only a catchy tune but also a clever lyric. Songs like "Can the can", "Ballroom blitz", "Tiger feet" and "Heart and soul" will be familiar to people of my age, and it's probably fair to say that the partnership were the Lamont/Dozier of their age, on a par with the likes of Goffin/King and perhaps even Lennon/McCartney in terms of popularity. Unlike the last pairing though Chinn and Chapman did not perform, being songwriters exclusively, and parlayed that talent successfully into a hit-making machine that yielded many number ones for the artists who were favoured by their contributions.

The song I want to look at here was made popular, famous, even infamous by seventies soft-rock band Smokie, and later parodied in night clubs across Europe. It concerns a warning on the pitfalls of waiting too long to declare your love, and the realisation that not everyone will wait forever. There's also a sly dig telling us that someone else could be waiting for the chance, and if we don't recognise that then we could be missing out.

Living next door to Alice (Smokie) 1976, from no album (amazingly) until the remastered 2007 version of "Midnight cafe"
Music and Lyrics by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman

For those of you who somehow have never heard the song (you on solid food yet?) it concerns a guy who has been living beside his childhood sweetheart Alice, but though they hung out together as kids they seem to have drifted apart without his ever getting to tell her how he feels about her. He laments "Twenty-four years just waiting for a chance/ To tell her how I feel", but knows that chance is gone now as he is told by Sally, another friend, that Alice is leaving. He goes to his window and is aghast to see a big limo pulling up into her driveway, the implication being clearly that Alice has fallen for or married some rich guy and is leaving. The guy in the song starts thinking about his childhood and wonders why he never told Alice how he felt. He's annoyed she's leaving --- "I don't know why she's leaving /Or where she's gonna go/ Guess she has her reasons/ But I just don't wanna know."

He's angry with Alice for leaving, for not revealing that she had this other man in her life, and of course with himself for not having the guts to go up to her and tell her he loves her. As he watches despondently Sally points out that she has always wanted him --- "Alice is gone/ But I'm still here/ You know I've been waiting/ For twenty-four years" --- but whether he hears her, takes any notice or is interested is not clear, as the last words of the song are a despondent "I'll never get used to not/ Living next door to Alice."

I think the song sums up very well the old adage "Faint heart ne'er won fair maid" as well as "He who hesitates is lost", and tells us that basically if we fancy someone we have got to tell them, because expecting someone to wait forever is futile and pointless. People can't read each other's minds (if they could I'd be in BIG trouble!) and if you have feelings for a man, or woman, or a small blue furry thing from Alcatran XI, you need to tell them, because if you leave it too long they may just very well decide to move on with their lives.

Sally called when she got the word,
And she said: "I suppose you've heard about Alice".
Well I rushed to the window and I looked outside,
And I could hardly believe my eyes -
As a big limousine rolled up into Alice's drive...

Oh, I don't know why she's leaving,
Or where she's gonna go,
I guess she's got her reasons,
But I just don't want to know,
'Cos for twenty-four years I've been living next door to Alice.
Twenty-four years just waiting for a chance,
To tell her how I feel, and maybe get a second glance,
Now I've got to get used to not living next door to Alice...

We grew up together, two kids in the park,
We carved our initials, deep in the bark,
Me and Alice.
Now she walks through the door with her head held high,
Just for a moment I caught her eye,
As a big limousine pulled slowly out of Alice's drive.

Oh, I don't know why she's leaving,
Or where she's gonna go,
I guess she's got her reasons,
But I just don't want to know,
'Cos for twenty-four years I've been living next door to Alice.
Twenty-four years just waiting for a chance,
To tell her how I feel, and maybe get a second glance,
Now I gotta get used to not living next door to Alice...

And Sally called back and asked how I felt,
And she said: "I know how to help get over Alice".
She said: "Now Alice is gone, but I'm still here;
You know I've been waiting for twenty-four years..."
And the big limousine dissapeared...

I don't know why she's leaving,
Or where she's gonna go,
I guess she's got her reasons,
But I just don't want to know,
'Cos for twenty-four years I've been living next door to Alice.
Twenty-four years just waiting for a chance,
To tell her how I feel, and maybe get a second glance,
But I'll never get used to not living next door to Alice...

No I'll never get used to not living next door to Alice...

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

Can you believe it's almost two years since I last turned the spotlight on a particular artiste in this section? I can: it's hard, tough, gruelling work, doing all the research and listening to the music, putting the article together and trying to get all the facts, figures and dates right. The last time I attempted this was back in December of 2011, when we looked at the career of a-ha, who are now broken up. This time, I want to concentrate on the music of a man who sadly has passed away, but whose music lives on, even if not that many people are fully aware of it, or him.

Part I: From the River to the Valley: A Song Cycle begins
Despite having hit singles, albums that sold well and virtually writing the most played song at weddings, few if any of you reading this are likely to know who this man is, much less any of his music. Some of you will probably have heard “Run for the roses”, “Leader of the band” or indeed the perennial Christmas favourite, “Same old lang syne”, if not the song alluded to above, his biggest ever hit, “Longer”. But even then, you probably just like the song, and have no idea who sings it. Let me enlighten you.

Born in Peoria, Illinois to a father who was a bandleader and a mother who trained classically on the piano, Daniel Grayling “Dan” Fogelberg (1951-2007) naturally gravitated towards an interest in music, and taught himself to play guitar and piano before age fourteen. Like most youngsters with a musical inclination, he joined or formed various bands, most of whose material was, inevitably, covers, but he differs from many at this age when two songs he wrote for his second band, The Coachmen, were released as singles. He was only sixteen at the time he wrote these, showing even then his talent for songwriting and musicianship. During this time he would sit by the banks of the mighty Illinois River, write and play his music, and imagine escaping from his smalltown life, out into the great wide world that was waiting for him. The river would remain a huge icon in, and influence on, his songwriting over the years, surfacing most deeply on his debut album.

As you can hear, if you clicked the videos below, the second one shown, “Maybe time will let me forget” is the slower of the two, with a certain Hollies/Bee Gees sound to it, and it was for sweet ballads and songs with a tale to tell that Dan would become best known. I don't think he sang on either of these though, and of course he would always sing his own music, occasionally with someone else but usually solo. Discovered at the beginning of the seventies by Irving Azoff, who had just recently introduced the world to REO Speedwagon, Dan received his parents' guarded blessing to drop out of college and head to California to pursue a music career. After shopping his tape around to various labels trying to get the best deal, Azoff finally announced that he had signed Dan to Columbia, and his debut album was released in 1972.

Although an excellent album, “Home free” is not typical of the sort of music Dan would later play, and popularise. It's very country-oriented, with songs like “More than ever” and “Live in the country” utilising pedal steel, dobro and fiddle, though there are some sumptuous ballads there too, like the opener, the gentle “To the morning”, the beautiful “Be on your way” and “Hickory grove”, and the beginnings of more rocky material with the closer, the powerful “The river”, on which Dan's burgeoning skill on the guitar comes to the fore.

Unsurprisingly though, the album was a flop commercially. It was said that the production didn't suit Dan's music, that it was “too country”, but that's a cheap get-out. The fact is that, tender and gentle and a minor masterpiece as this album was, there was no hit single on it. Nothing lent itself to airplay, and while many people might indeed buy the album and luxuriate in its soft melodies and sweet ballads, no DJ was going to play them on the radio. It would take more commercial, more radio-friendly fare before Dan would manage to make his first big break.


For the next album the help of Joe Walsh, legendary member of the Eagles, was enlisted, and he quickly brought in others to help --- on Dan's request --- people like Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and Russ Kunkel, Graham Nash and of course Walsh himself. The album was a far rockier affair, and as a result of some fevered writing and a work ethic that almost refused to take a break, Dan had his first big hit with “Part of the plan”, which actually opens the album. Even from the sleeve though, you can see a more intense, focussed songwriter; while still relaxed in familar, homely surroundings, Dan looks more determined to make you listen, whereas on the cover of the debut album he looks like some sort of throwback to the sixties folk era, not exactly eliciting excitement and a fresh sound, though in fairness any who passed over the album on the basis of the cover missed out on some great songs. But on “Souvenirs”, he looks young, dynamic, interesting. And indeed, that image is carried through to the music.

It's generally more uptempo, faster, less wistful than a lot of the songs that characterised “Home free”. Much of it sounds airplay-worthy, and though there was only the one single taken from it, there are many tracks on it that could have been released. It's a mixture of heartfelt ballads like the title track and “The long way”, with more upbeat fare like “Someone's been telling you stories” and “As the raven flies”, with even a straight-ahead, hoe-down country bopper in “Morning sky”. But for me the standout is the slow, swaying ballad that closes the album, “There's a place in the world for a gambler”, with its sentimental, almost lounge-bar atmosphere and its evocation of perhaps old western heroes realising their time is up and they must settle down.

Many others vie for the second standout, however, with the title track, “Illinois”, “Song from half mountain” and “The long way” all good contenders. There's a better mix of instruments on this album, with the likes of accordion, sousaphone and twelve-string all featuring, and of course the guest stars on the album certainly didn't hurt its sales. The fact that Joe Walsh could secure such talent to play on Dan's album was a clear indication he was headed for the big time, and his first hit single had already broken the top twenty.

After the success of “Part of the plan”, Dan was not exactly a household name, but he was a star, and he hit the road in 1974 for two years, enjoying his newfound fame. He was suddenly and cruelly brought back to reality however with the news his father was ill, and dropped everything to return to Peoria to be with his family. Luckily, his dad pulled through and while he had been staying at the hospital during the days he was writing in a studio by night, resulting in the production of his third album.

It's a strange little album, almost little more than an EP, with its weirdly cartoonish, almost bondage-related cover, and boasting only a total of eight tracks, running for just over half an hour. In general it seems to float between the more laidback folky country of his debut and the rockier, more uptempo and contemporary feel of “Souvenirs” and indeed later records. There's a lot of pedal steel, fiddle and banjo on it, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it does seem to suggest a sort of step backwards, though he would address this with his fourth album.

It hurts to admit it, but “Captured angel” is an album I've only listened to once or twice, and to be honest I don't really like it. “Home free”, while in something the same style, is miles ahead of it in terms of song quality. It was however the last album that would cling to the country influences here, as his next one would be characterised mostly by big, cinematic, classically-led pieces. It would not yield any more hit singles, and Dan's rise to true fame would be a little slower, but it's a great album with some truly powerful material.

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018