Do something

Macy Gray - On How Life Is (1999) ***

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Caligula

This was Macy Gray's debut album and it was a big deal back in 1999. It's pretty remarkable that it was her first effort - she's one of those artists that seems fully formed right from the start. Maybe she'd been performing for years without recording anything - not sure.

Obviously, her distinctive vocal style is her biggest asset, but the jazz infused style is not one I generally gravitate towards. Billie Holiday style vocals are usually a turn off for me, but Macy adds some nice rough textures in a more R'n'B/soul style that I quite like.

One of the main appeals of On How Life Is lies in the nineties post hip-hop R'n'B production ticks. Boyz II Men and PM Dawn utilised this approach with a lot of success and their sound hooked me in during the nineties. That's the reason I've opted for Caligula - it's a loopy song but for some reason it's the one I kept going back to for repeat listens.

The big hit from the album was I Try, but it's overfamiliarity meant I tended to skip it. The one song I'm not that keen on is the Prince like Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak. It's a jarring presence on an otherwise cohesive album. The sexed up Prince role doesn't seem to work for her (as it doesn't work for Prince on many of his songs).

Aside from all that, I actually enjoyed listening to the album as a whole. I never bought a copy (as I've said - the female jazz vocal genre has never been my jam), but I'm glad I have had the introduction 25 years later. Chur GK.

Urges

Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless (1982) ***

Nominated by: Tom  

Music club: MNAC

MNAC playlist addition: Airwaves

In 1982 I was at Teacher's Training College in Auckland. For the only time in my life, I spent the year living alone nearby in a flat that my parents owned. It was a great year - I worked at Marbecks Records in my holidays (took my pay in records), and spent time doing teaching practicums in Hastings (NZ was at the FIFA World Cup and I stayed with a Scottish family) and Kerikeri (on a farm). Idyllic!

I was aware of Thomas Dolby of course, thanks to She Blinded Me With Science. It was hard to ignore - along with the radio coverage, the music video was all over TV's Radio With Pictures. 

There was a lot of late seventies/ early eighties synth-pop that I'd enjoyed (and bought) such as Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Yazoo, A-ha, Thompson Twins, Tears For Fears, Devo, New Order, Gary Numan, and even The Buggles. Blinded Me With Science though didn't do it for me.

Having listened to his parent album 43 years later, I wish I could report otherwise - that I now love The Golden Age of Wireless, that I totally reverse my aversion to drum machines, and eighties production techniques. But, to thine own self be true.

Rather than dwell on what I still don't get, here is some good news: I enjoyed Airwaves, and his singing in general has appeal. At times he reminded me of Robyn Hitchcock who I love.

Aside from the self-indulgence I mentioned earlier, I'm not nostalgic for the eighties, so, while I can appreciate the appeal for those who may be, and while it was good to briefly revisit 1982 in my head, The Golden Age of Wireless is not really my cup of tea.

Thanks for sharing this one Tom. I'm keen to hear/read what Alex and Tom Jr make of it.

Elemental

Fly My Pretties      Elemental (2025) *** 

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Share Your Luv

To this point, Fly My Pretties have flown under the radar for me (see what I did there). I guess because their profile isn't as strong as other Kiwi bands working in the same soul groove streams, or maybe the lower profile's because of the huge number of musicians involved - hard to establish momentum. 

So, Elemental is my first FMP album (although I've also had a listen to a selection of their popular songs on Spotify). 

I was kind of surprised how it was all a bit underwhelming initially, and the music is a bit overcooked. Maybe that's a natural thing when you involve so many people in the process. The reason I like a lot of Fat Freddy's Drop and L.A.B material is because they sound comparatively organic/ natural. 

Elemental took a while to get going for me, but it gradually built some momentum (today's word) with Aie (track 4). From then on it sounded pleasant and even old skool at times: Take My Hand is pretty cliched with a load of aphorisms strung together, and See Me Flying had me thinking of Bunny Walters, of all people.

The lack of a clear focus on a lead singer becomes an issue as the album progresses. Each time I put it on, I wondered if Spotify had moved to shuffle of other bands/genres. Red Flags, for instance, sounds like smooth jazz. Elsewhere I hear soul, chill, R'n'B, even pop. 

Speaking of which, Share Your Luv is a nice modern pop song, but apart from that one, nothing much got its hooks in me.

That said, although they are not quite my cup of tea, I'm glad I finally got to hear Fly My Pretties.

Commotion

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River (1969) *****

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Green River

The terms 'genius' and 'legend' are overused, fersure, but John Fogerty is definitely both. He and the Stones were on fire from 1968 to 1972. A five year long golden period for both bands. That alone assures him a high status.

Fogerty is special:  a sublime singer, a distinctive lead guitarist, and a writer without peer. John had Macca to bounce ideas off, Mick had Keef, but John was on his Tod.

Green River (the song and album) are beyond criticism. There is no filler. Yes, there are a couple that we know better than others: Bad Moon Rising, Green River, and Lodi, but there are no weak tracks.

I guess attention shifts to those lesser known tunes and they supply the 'OMG - even they are great' factor.

The other blokes never really get much mention, but like the Stones, Beatles, Grateful Dead et al, all members contribute to the success of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Tom Fogerty is perhaps the most forgotten member (Stu and Doug hold down the bottom end superbly for the band - no fuss - much like Crazy Horse's Ralph and Billy). I especially love their live albums - these guys rocked hard!

Poor Tom is like Dave Davies in The Kinks - having to work with a super talented sibling. The band started out with him as lead singer and frontman  - he's the older of the two, so it's not hard to understand why he eventually left in 1971.

I'm not qualified to judge his rhythm guitar playing, but you'd notice if he wasn't there. It took four guys to record/play these classics.

A great choice GK. A 5-star classic for the ages.

Wisdom of the weeks

Currituck Co. - Sleepwalks in the Garden of the Deadroom (2005) ****

Nominated by: Alex

Music club: MNAC

MNAC playlist addition:  Sleepwalking

Seems Currituck Co. (short for Currituck County) is an indie folk project started in 2000 by Kevin Barker. Sleepwalks... is his fourth album.

He had me onboard from the off. The acoustic guitars provide the accessibility for me to embrace this album, and the clean vocals allow me to hear the lyrics. Yay!!! I may be getting to an age when comparatively simple wooden music has more appeal than rawk guitars, drums and such.

Of late, I've been listening to a lot of quiet dream pop (Tom might like to try NZ's Yumi Zouma - I recommend their Yoncalla album), Donovan, Al Stewart, and Iron & Wine. Bon Iver's first album remains a go to, rather than his other albums.

There are some terrific tunes on Sleepwalks in the Garden of the Deadroom. I've picked out Sleepwalking as my favourite (the song superbly echoes the images on the cover, or the other way 'round), but each time I listen to it other songs nudge themselves forward for special mention (like Run Away From The Sun). Wisdom Of The Weeks is a glorious song!

It's albums like this that make we wish I'd learned to play the guitar. Thanks Alex - great selection! One to keep in mind for Lew's best of the year list.

Yoncalla

Yumi Zouma - Yoncalla (2016) ***

Nominated by: Kevy

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Amber

In my initial attempts, I struggled to stay focused with this album. Before I knew it, each time I snapped to somewhere around disc 2's instrumentals, wondering if I was still listening to the same album.

Generally, I enjoy dream pop and ambient style approaches so disc 2 actually appealed to me more on that level. Disc 1 (the singing one) was pleasant electronica/ synth-pop/ dream pop but it was a little samey, and a bit like the candy floss that I used to get at the Easter Show back in the day - looked good, tasted okay but quickly melted away without any nourishment.

The cover kind of points to this too - style over substance with no faces/just hairstyle.

I usually listen to our albums-of-the-week on my commute but Yoncalla was too soporific at 6am and 4pm. I need something to perk me up before work and I need to stay awake on the drive home. The lyrics are sung in such a way that the sound was lulling me to sleep so I quickly needed some old time rock'n'roll as a pick-me-up.

The early evening (while Jacky watched the news and I read my book) proved the best time to luxuriate in the pleasures of Yumi Zouma. After the fourth go around, tracks started to differentiate themselves more but even then, only Amber and Short Truth managed to stand out for me.

Nonetheless, glad to make her/their acquaintance. I've added it to Moby's Destroyed and my other ambient albums for evening consumption.

Next time might be your time

"Blue" Gene Tyranny - Out Of The Blue (1977) ****

Nominated by: Tom Jnr

Music club: MNAC

MNAC playlist addition:  for David K

Another new one on me. Turns out Mr Tyranny is actually Robert Sheff - an American composer and pianist. Out of the Blue was his debut album.

It's an interesting collection of 4 songs - I guess the vinyl version back in 1977 had the first 3 on side 1 and the 26 minute Letter From Home on side 2. That would give it space/separation as you would need to manually turn the record over. It would make more sense that way, as it's a bit jarring hearing all 4 tracks together at one time via Spotify. They are pretty eclectic.

I do enjoy side one more and I especially love the Zappa-esque for David K. It could easily be from an early album like Lumpy Gravy. 

The conceit of the letter format on side 2 is interesting and it works reasonably well to tie the different sections together and I'm not averse to a 26 minute track but (you knew a but was coming right?) I kind of weary of it upon repeat listenings.

An intriguing selection though, and I'm glad to have made Mr Tyranny's acquaintance.