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February Album Reviews

Posted on 04. Feb, 2010 by Mike in Music, Reviews

The Magnetic Fields, Realism, 2010
This is the tenth album from Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields. This time around the band have a folk sound. I only own one album by The Magnetic Fields; the epic “69 love songs”-a masterpiece- and both 6ths albums which I love.
Realism opens with You Must Be out Of Your Mind with fantastic lyrics “If you think you can leave the past behind you must be out of your mind if you think you can simply press rewind you must be out of your mind, son you must be out of your mind” an instant classic.
More of my favorite songs on the album are From a Sinking Boat and Walk A Lonely Road in which Stephin´s vocals work extremely well with Claudia Gonson.

I Dont Know What To Say is also a quality song that’s quite repetative but in a good way and the album has playful and inventive arrangements.
So, an album with top notch songwriting which just grows and grows leaving you with a warm glow, highly recommended.
Sparkle Rating 8 out of 10

Hot Chip, One Life Stand, 2010
Hot Chip are back with their fourth album after their last album the Mercury nominated Made In The Dark almost two years ago.
One Life Stand is their most complete album to date; every song is an electro delight. The opening track Thieves in The Night is a fantastic up-tempo dance tune which reminds me of Fade to Grey by 80´s synth band Visage.
Other stand out tracks are We Have Lost another dance track with a great melody, I Feel Better has simple synths which work so well on this dramatic song, it also has a fantastic chorus; “everything is nothing, nothing is lost” – fab line.

Brothers also has great lyrics “It´s a wild love that I have for my Brothers” and the title track, which was a single, is another fantastic love dance song. I find it impossible not to move when this track is played -not a pretty sight!!
This album really does not disappoint and I´m in synthpop heaven when listening to it..

Sparkle Rating 8 out of 10

Peter Gabriel,Scratch My Back, 2010
Peter Gabriel releases his new covers album with the great title Scratch My Back and is to follow it with an album of various artists covering his own work. Looking forward to that one.
This album has Gabriel´s voice sounding richer than ever at the forefront with no guitars or drums throughout the album, just minimal orchestral strings and piano.
I actually found the album a bit hard going but the tracks which worked best for me are Paul Simon’s Boy in the Bubble; far more soulful than the original, Lou Reed´s The Power of the Heart and Elbow Mirrorball which is gorgeous.
Peter´s version of Bowie´s Heroes is also a highlight; let’s hope Bowie returns the favor on the follow-up album.
As a whole the album is a bit hard to swallow, not enough light and dark and as much as I love Peter, I found myself wanting a Shock the Monkey or Games without Frontiers.

Sparkle Rating 6 out of 10

The Hot Rats, Turn Ons, 2010
If you’re looking for a fun rock n roll record look no further than this excellent covers album by Supergrass members Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey.

The album is done in the same vein as Bowie´s Pin Ups cover album in the early 70´s and features songs which influenced the band.
Artists covered include Pink Floyd, The Doors, Roxy Music, The Kinks, The Cure and the Gang of Four.
My highlights are their versions of Up The Junction by Squeeze, which they have slowed down to brilliant effect; The Kinks’ Big Sky is also excellent. And their take on The Beastie Boys (you gotta) Fight for your right (to Party!) is probably the best cover version I’ve heard for years, as they transform the song into a different beast altogether.
Other songs are almost identical to the originals; Bowie´s Queen Bitch, Elvis Costello´s Pump It Up and The Sex Pistols EMI.
So while we wait for a new Supergrass album why not “Turn On” the Hot Rats, I did and I love it.

Sparkle Rating 7 out of 10

Sade, Soldier Of Love, 2010
Well it´s been almost ten years since Sade’s last album Lovers Rock and is the band’s sixth studio album. But do we really need a new Sade album?
Soldier Of Love holds no real surprises and Sade Adu sounds (and looks) just a gorgeous as she did when they released Diamond Life in the 80´s.
Though the music is really an updated version of classic Sade sound, what makes this album special is the songs.
Highlights include Babyfather which is a lovely love song, Skin is an interesting song about a bad relationship in which Sade sings “I wish I could wash you off my skin” and the music here sounds heavily influenced by Massive Attack. The Moon and the Sky with its Spanish guitars is a lush tune showing off Sade´s beautiful voice; maybe this song inspired the album sleeve?
I also love the single Soldier of Love – great production, as is the whole album.
To answer my own question, yes we did need a new Sade album and I´m very glad they took the time to put this one out. I´m now looking forward to 2020 and the next one.
Sparkle Rating 8 out of 10

Tags: David Bowie, diamond life, Elbow, Elvis Costello, Gang Of Four, Heroes, Hot Chip, Made In The Dark, One Life Strand, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Realism, sade, Scratch My Back, Soldier Of Love, Squeeze, Stephin Merritt, The Cure, The Hot Rats, the Kinks, The Magnetic Fields, The Sex Pistols, Visage

Mike Belshaw

Author for the online friendship and dating site Sparkle and creator of the very successful blog "Off the Record"

Mike - has written 47 posts on Sparkle in my life. Contact the author

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