Running in the family

Level 42 - Running In The Family (1987) ***

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Running in the Family

Greg quite rightly signed off his Album of the Week choice with 'not expecting five stars but don’t care'. He loves this album (this was not news to me!) and that's great.

Sure enough, although 42 is the answer to "the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything", it's a three star album for me - pretty fine.

In the eighties I admired and liked the big hit singles well enough, principally Lessons in Love and Running in the Family. They have only grown in stature since then, becoming standouts on eighties compilations. Although, they are very much of their time (1987).

Three other songs were released as singles from this album (To Be with You Again, It's Over, and Children Say) but I don't remember them being too successful in NZ. Nor do I remember them being on the radio.

So, I didn't buy any of them then, nor did I buy any Level 42 albums. Why not?

Well, at the time, their mainstream commercial sound wasn't appealing to me beyond those two singles. Plus, I was knee deep in nappies (Adam's) and trying to keep our family of four afloat at the time, so my eye wasn't on the ball.

Listening to the album now reveals that I didn't miss an awful lot. There are other catchy songs here for sure, but nothing of the class of Lessons in Love and Running In The Family. Next best is Children Say, and those are the first three songs on the album! So, from there on in the album is a mixed bag for me.

Weak tracks: the gloopy ballad It's Over and the ADHDish Fashion Fever are the only two I skipped on repeat listens.

None of this will matter a jot to GK, and nor should it. Mark King remains one of his heroes, and the band is still in existence without me noticing, and even touring next year I see, so...who cares. 

Just my two cents worth.

Home alone

Mousey - The Dreams of Our Mothers' Mothers (2024) *** 

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Dog Park

This was an interesting one - an album none of us had heard prior to Kevy's choice as WTWMC album of the week. I was intrigued and the picture I had in my head from Kevy's introduction was perfectly replicated by the style of music here.

I can see her in black boots and hippy chic black flowing things performing at one of Wellington's Cuba Street's trendy coffee places. Loads of tats and piercings!!

Well, at least the music and her songs conjure up this visual imagery for me. She has a tough edged don't-mess-with-me vocal style that I really like on most of the album.

On her best songs (the four listed below) her breathy vocals feel committed and passionate and yet held in check. Restrained power I guess sums it up. Impressive for the most part (I really liked the style of Dog Park).

Of the eight songs, four are a little underwhelming: I'm less inclined to believe her on the quiet stuff - Island of Hope Pt 1 doesn't do it for me. Some of the songs feel a little like demos (first song isn't a great intro - the creeps are out? Yeah...and?) and second song Home Alone needs a rethink IMHO. Worst of all - ES is a mess.

Controversial statement time: she's young (I guess) but the music could do with further honing. At times, it wants to be willfully experimental in a Tom Waits kind of way but doesn't quite pull it off consistently over these 8 songs. 

It also feels quite disparate style wise - IDWGBTY is a Lana Del Rey style delivery which is interesting (I love Lana as you know), and the independent folky style is here at times too. Maybe a weakness? Maybe not?

That said, I get why Kevy is so excited by this emerging NZ talent. This has a lot of potential - would have made a great EP. Be interesting to see how she'll evolve.

Highlights: Dog Park; Opener; Island of Hope Pt 2;  IDWGBTY. All four are stellar efforts that I enjoyed listening to on repeat.

Tell me why

The Mavericks - Trampoline (1998) ***

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Dance the Night Away

A few years ago, I bought a copy of this on CD from a charity shop for $1 based on the clever video for their Tex Mex influenced Dance the Night Away - a catchy enough song. I was hoping that the album would match or better that bright song. And it kinda did.

Although that song is the most commercial thing on the album, the first six songs on side one swing by in very enjoyable fashion - with a succession of songs inducing toe tapping, body swaying, head nodding and dad dancing!

Yes, things go pretty well for six songs with a succession of Roy Orbison inspired vocals. I love Roy's vocals, and although I prefer the real thing, Raul Malo (The Mav's main man) has a great country/rock and roll/Tex Mex/pop/Americana voice.

Actually, if you squint, at times it almost sounds like The Traveling Wilburys with some Tijuana Brass drafted in for texture. 

Almost.

I Should Know is a clear example as it blends Beatle sounds into another great horn led mixture of styles. Someone Should Tell Her is another excellent song.  

But then we hit Fool #1 which slows the pace and starts the meh-o-meter ticking. The needle moves into the amber with the instrumental Melbourne Mambo.

After that somewhat pointless instrumental, the album loses focus, wobbles, falls over, and lies on the ground with its legs in the air thanks to Dolores (skipped that one on subsequent plays).

All up, a tale of two halves. First side kicks it and has me enjoying the ride, but then the profusion of styles on side two leaves me on the curbside.

As is where is

 

Bill Lake and the Right Mistake - As Is Where Is (2017) ****

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: World Upside Down

Bill Lake is a new one on me. One of the joys of the music club is Kevy's huge knowledge of NZ music. He's come up with a pearler this time out with Bill Lake.

As Is Where Is is one of those albums that quickly allows a listener to relax because we know we are in good hands. Bill's confidence is infectious; it means we can just let the music take over. 

He has a lovely, well worn vocal style - he's lived some (that's important for blues singers), and he brings a quiet gravitas to his songs.

Highlights: first track, Grown Out Of The Blues, has some wonderful harmonica and simple guitar from Bill (I guess - I'm not sure who makes up The Right Mistake). It sets the template for the album well.

Juliet and Romeo adds some additional instruments to great effect. It's recorded well, sung well, and the interesting lyrics make this one a highlight.

Grandma's Music adds some tasteful mandolin which gives it that old time Band feel. I can imagine Levon singing this one.

After that initial salvo and mood setting it's Bill doing what Bill does for a few tracks. Nothing to skip, no duds.

On the downhill now - World Upside Down has a Ry Cooder feel with that vocal and mandolin - always nice to hear, and another highlight. This one sounds like a standard, but it seems Bill wrote it. His best song on this set for me.

Suggestions - Walk In The Park is a cool instrumental but probably would have been better around the halfway mark.

Last song If You Can't Say No is for me the weakest song and not an ideal album closer, but that's just me.

Bottom line - loved listening to this - was excellent company on some cooler/ wet days this week.

Have fun

The Beautiful South - Blue is the Colour (1996) ****

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Don't Marry Her

The nineties decade is the least favoured by the three amigos, but there was some great music released between 1990 and 1999. The Beautiful South, a band that emerged from The Housemartins, is a band responsible for some of the brightest songs in the nineties.

After The Housemartins broke up, two members (Paul Heaton - lead singer/main lyricist, and vocalist Dave Hemingway) founded The Beautiful South. Blue is the Colour was their fifth album.

Let's get the rating over with now - four-stars because nearly every track is terrific but Liars' Bar with its Tom Waits style drawl does not work for me. That said, it's their best album for my money and a near five-star classic!  

Thank Paul Heaton's way with words, the strengths of three singers (Jacqui Abbot is a secret weapon), the sympathetic music, and the way the consistent melancholy mood still manages to be uplifting (Have Fun is dealing with material that is the opposite of having fun but it still allows me to nod my head and sway along with some beautiful vocals from Paul and Jacqui and great guitar from Dave Rotheray).

Actually, Nil Fun is also very talented in carrying off the same trick - part of Crowded House's appeal - the melancholy but with a light touch.

This is quality dreamy pop music by some gifted musicians. It also sounds terrific on headphones - great production by somebody.

Favourite tracks: Don't Marry Her; Rotterdam (Or Anywhere); Little Blue; Blackbird on a Wire; Foundations...actually I could list them all except for Liars' Bar.

Lighthouse Family and The Beautiful South! You're on a roll with some great mid-nineties UK pop, GK!

Colin Blunstone

Colin Blunstone - One Year (1971) ****

Nominated by: Tom Jnr

Music club: MNAC

MNAC playlist addition: Say You Don't Mind

As Lew pointed out, when The Zombies died (ho ho ho) Colin eventually embarked on a solo career and One Year was his first album.

Baroque pop. Is it a thing? Discuss. Or just play Misty Roses to unbelievers.

B.P.'s a fusion genre combining pop with elements of classical music and Colin may be seen as a poster boy for how it can be done well.

He's got that beautiful, breathy, close to the microphone, hushed vocal ability and he uses that strength well on One Year (it took a year to record). It has quite a melancholy sound thanks to his vocal style, plus a relationship break-up during that year, which obviously caused some angst.

I've heard One Year a few times over the years but never bought it, I guess because I prefer my melancholy presented in a more uplifting way (I was listening to The Beautiful South's Blue is the Colour just before One Year), but this is a beautiful sounding album, albeit a tad depressing. Clearly it was a labour of love (sorry). 

Although I'll be sticking to the more rock moves of The Zombies, thanks for giving me the chance to revisit this one, Lew.  

Travelling creature

Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams - Sad But True (2012) **

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Travelling Creature

I struggled with this one. 

Cutting to the chase - it's just not my cup of tea. However, I have decided to just have positive comments in this post without any qualifiers, because I do not want to be a negative Nelly, nor do I want to rain on Kevy's parade. He and GK love this music and good luck to them, I say!

So, the positives:

• Marlon Williams' voice. I actually own a CD of his! He has a great voice. It's impressive and easy to love.
• Track one, Travelling Creature, gave me hope - banjo and old timey music certainly has a place in my collection. Using a pejorative tone, Jacky calls it Hillbilly Music and always tells me to find 'some nice music'.
• Pedal steel guitar. I also love this instrument. It's best use here is on Trail Of Broken Hearts.
• Demon Claws' musical referencing of Rawhide.

As always, it's good to try something out of the comfort zone, so thanks for that Kevy.

Okay, my turn!