And the lights come on

Don McGlashan - Bright November Morning (2022) ****

Nominated by: K Simms

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Song For Sue

While visiting Gisborne last year, I bought a vinyl copy of Don's latest album from Spellbound Wax Company. Since then, I've listened to the record a lot, and even managed to score a few of his earlier solo albums.

Like the Arsenal, he's riding the crest of an artistic wave at the moment with a strong set of songs and performances throughout Bright November Morning. 

Its songs have some lovely variety: there are the contemplative ones (Sunscreen) mixed in with his usual observational songs. There's even a dose of righteous anger along the way (John Bryce).

One of his strongest features is his very distinctive voice - whether it be in the young Blam Blam Blam days or as leader of The Mutton Birds and now as a solo performer. Somehow, he's managed to look after his voice well through the years.

I don't think there's a bad song on this set, but there are a coupler of weaker ones that mean it's not quite a 5 star effort. Shackleton is a tad dreary and All The Goodbyes In The World is average (a lot of repetition!)

High points for me are John Bryce and Song For Sue. Both contain great emotional energy. I especially rate Song For Sue. Initially the 'heads/meds' rhyme was a bit jarring, but it's now inducing a wry smile. It's a song that gets better and better with every listen, reminds me a bit of Prince's Sometimes It Snows In April.

The last song, Start Again, is well placed (the sequencing on the whole is another of the album's strengths) as it sums up his state of mind well. I also like the way it suggests a return to the beginning (and opportunity to start again from track one) with its pace and nautical themes.  

All up - a mighty album!

I don't mind (The Decemberists)

The Decemberists - 5 Songs EP (2002) *****

Nominated by: Alex

Music club: MNAC

Playlist addition:  Shiny

First up selection for 2023 and Alex has chosen this to ease us in gently. Alex indicates that it's 'a charming and breezy 24 minuter that goes down easy'. Sounds like just the ticket! Especially as I've just returned from a month-long holiday that saw me travelling through 5 different time zones. Plus, I picked up a bug from the plane ride home (not covid - I had my second dose of that while in the UK).

I'm amazed that this was their debut. It's such a confident, complete sound. I'm not familiar with their other music but these songs arrive fully formed and I wouldn't be at all surprised if subsequent releases included the same earthy tones and thematic content.

The Band, Three Dog Night (Angel, Won't You Call Me - I thought Spotify had jumped to another playlist), and some Lo-Fi Dunedin bands are some touchstones for me. Mainly The Band for the rootsy old timey approach.

Charming and breezy sums up the EP well, Alex.

On with the show

Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie - Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie (2017) ****

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Red Sun

Sadly, the news last week relayed the passing of Christine McVie - someone who has always been there throughout my music collecting since I'd Rather Go Blind recorded with Chicken Shack in 1970 when she was Christine Perfect. 

Many twists and turns with Fleetwood Mac and solo years later she can be found on this 2017 duo album with Lindsey Buckingham.

Calling it a duo album is a bit misleading as Mick Fleetwood and John McVie also appear, along with Mitchell Froom on keyboards.

The album is made up of brilliant pop songs, as you'd expect from Lindsey and Christine. Dare I say it, it's actually better without the other member of Fleetwood Mac's contributions. That means more Lindsey and Christine which turns out is a very good thing!

I was toying with the idea of having Lindsey's solo album from 2021 as my next WTWMC selection but I'll wait for a bit now. He has obviously struck a rich vein during the last 5 years.

Mick Fleetwood is also on top form here - amazing that he still has the desire and the chops after all these years.

Christine has the best song (Red Sun), and her voice is still there, if showing some signs of wear and tear. 

As to the rating - one star off for the Yello resonance on Too Far Gone - annoying! And, although it's pleasant, the love hokum of Game of Pretend doesn't stand up to multiple listens.

Overall though - flawed genius as an album and a fitting way to remember Christine McVie.

It's a trip and a half

The Roches - The Roches (1979) ***

Nominated by: Lew

Music club: MNAC

Playlist addition:  Hammond Song

I'm dimly aware of Lewis' long-time liking of this album, even though it came out before he was born. I'm pretty sure he revealed that to me many years ago so I wasn't surprised when he selected this for us to listen to.

For the most part, it's a perky little record, with the three Roche sisters singling in harmony on many (all?) of the songs. The peaks come early on for me.

Like The Mamas And Papas' Creeque Alley, opener, We, is autobiographical and catchy as all get out. Hammond Song and Mr Sellack dial back the perkiness and play to the sisters' strengths - the close three part harmony that siblings seem particularly adept at, although I've never heard Lew, Tom and Fran sparking up a toon, so it may not be an automatic thing.

Speaking of sisters - a lot of this album reminded me of The Andrew Sisters - a group my mother absolutely loved. So there are nice connotations associated with this album and my enjoyment of it.

When I did a Google search I found out that King Crimson's Robert Fripp produced it! Woh - certainly a departure from the intensity of KC, Brian Eno et al and it sounds like he had a lot of fun!

Keep on playing that rock'n'roll (Quincy Conserve)

Quincy Conserve - The Very Best Of Quincy Conserve (1971) ***

Nominated by: Kevy

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Aire Of Good Feeling

There are only a few bands/songs that my mum, Dulcie, reacted against with fire and brimstone. They featured - in no particular order, Joe Cocker's Cocker Happy album (it was the title); Jethro Tull's Locomotive Breath single (grab him by the beeeep); T Rex's B side song Raw Ramp (the mention of breasts did it); and finally and really emphatically was Quincy Conserve's Slut. I had no defense against any of them really but Slut left absolutely nothing to the imagination. I couldn't even say that it was a good song or that it was a really unusual, out of character, song in their oeuvre.

That said, I've had a deep respect and love for the Malcolm Hayman led Quincy Conserve since they appeared on the Loxene Golden Disc 1970 edition with their song Ride The Rain (written by Bruno Lawrence). For the next couple of Loxenes they were suppliers of standout tracks.

There's something about the jazz rock melding of rock group with jazzy horns that I find really appealing. I'm thinking about John Mayall, Blood Sweat and Tears, and early Chicago.

Bands that Quincy Conserve clearly loved too.

Malcolm Hayman is very much in the tradition of jazz/rock vocalists like David Clayton-Thomas - a big presence is needed above all that racket!

Listening to this selection is a great way to experience all the highs of this iconic and unique kiwi band and a couple of lows (because it's a career wide compilation) such as earlier late sixties tracks like I've Been Loving You Baby (and some of the Hayman-less songs). This one shows a slightly alarming lurch towards a John Rowles direction that thankfully they quickly abandoned in favour of jazz rock.

The highlights come thick and fast: Alright In The City (huge plus on Loxene Disc 1971); Aire Of Good Feeling (a classic); Ride The Rain; Somebody Somewhere Help Me; and Lulu Belle.

With Hayman missing they lost their dynamic focal point to large extent. His distinctive pipes are the Quincy Conserve sound to a large degree. You can change other musicians without too many problems but a vocalist like a Jim Morrison, Stuart Adamson, David Clayton-Thomas, and a Hayman are crucial to the sound.

On the whole though, and at their peak, they were a great Nu Zild band who were under-rated I feel, and neglected over time, although they included some incredible musicians during their lifetime. 

This is a good place to start if you need to catch up.

Today's music ain't got the same soul

Bob Seger - Stranger In Town (1978) ****

Nominated by: Biggie Gee

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Feel Like A Number

Greg introduced his latest choice by reminding us of the context: 1978.

Our second year at Auckland University was notable for a few reasons. As he accurately summarises, 1978 was largely 'when we were at Uni, drinking cokes in the rec centre, getting poleaxed by Anthony Harris’s sister, and generally acting like the diligent students we were'.

That was the second year of a BA for me and BSc for him and BCom for Kevy. It was a tough year. Universities use Level 2 courses to sort out the wheat from the chaff. So we were nerdy noses to the grindstone for the most part. That means we went to lectures and tutorials and set up in the various parts of the University library to study. During those times we'd often connect with each other for distractions like cokes in the Rec Centre or sport.

Self indulgent? You betcha. Glorious glory days.  

A few records instantly transport me back to those years - Patti Smith's first three albums, Springsteen's Darkness On The Edge Of Town certainly, and Bob Seger's Stranger In Town (Bob's came out first and Springsteen's a month later so call it a draw in the race to use Town in the title).

Every track is an instant memory jolt and those first five tracks are peerless with Bob and the Silver Bullet Boys locked in the groove. Bob is in peak form vocally.

So why 4 stars? For five stars every track needs to be a masterpiece and with the best will in the world, I couldn't call Ain't Got No Money a masterpiece (double negative for a start). Somehow that and the power ballad megahit We've Got Tonight dial back the intensity late on side 2.

Great final song though in The Famous Final Scene.

Has it dated since 1978? No - not really. The rockers rock, the ballads provide some variety. This is now classed as classic rock - and Bob's truism is even more relevant - today's music does NOT have the same soul. We could use a Bob Seger or two in these pop hero deprived times.

Go Bob! Let It Shine!

A monkey on a silver string

Linda Hoover - I Mean To Shine (1970) **

Nominated by: Tom

Music club: MNAC

Playlist addition:  Jones ('a monkey on a silver string' anyone?)

I could have sworn this was a put on in the tradition of National Lampoon, Austen Powers or Sir Peter Jackson's Forgotten Silver. 

The back story is so elaborate (recorded with nascent Steely Dan members but shelved by Morris Levy's Roulette Records for 50ish years) it seemed far fetched, and then when Linda starts singing I was gobsmacked. It's so cringingly 1970 earnest I thought it couldn't be for real. All that, plus the weirdly smutty Jones! Surely all this must be a mockumentary/spoof a la A Mighty Wind.

Nope. It all seems legit.

This wouldn't have been current even if it had been released in 1970. Her singing style is so dated now, but it was also dated by 1970.

1970. Not the greatest year for music (1971 takes that crown), but still - this is the year of Led Zeppelin III, In The Wake Of Poseidon, Morrison Hotel and Let It Be, among others.

I Mean To Shine would have sunk without trace in 1970. I'll be really keen to see what Tom, Lew and Alex made of this album. If they love it, I'll have to eat my hat.

For my part, I struggled to listen to it the requisite three times, and finding a highlight wasn't easy at all. I've gone for Jones for its hilarious lyrics and kinky subtext (I think), over the also hilarious cover version of Stephen Stills' 4+20 (from that same year's CSN and Y album - Deja Vu ). She seems to have completely misread the suicidal angst in the song, and instead earnestly presents a jaunty sing-along. Golly!

As to the much hyped Steely Dan appearance - I'm hard pressed to hear any green shoots leading to their stellar career. 

Apart from the entertaining back story, I don't think Tom knew much about this record before he selected it. At least, I'm hoping that!