Days 148-150: From Worcester to Wan Chai

Second - and last - of our catch-ups as we made our way back to Auckland, the long way round.

From the Arc de Triomphe to Hong Kong

Album 467/1031

The Adverts – Crossing the Red Sea with… (1978)

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"One Chord Wonders"
2.	"Bored Teenagers"
3.	"New Church"
4.	"On the Roof"
5.	"Newboys"
6.	"Bombsite Boy"

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"No Time to Be 21"
2.	"Safety in Numbers"
3.	"Drowning Men"
4.	"On Wheels"
5.	"Great British Mistake"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Red_Sea_with_The_Adverts

Golf’s verdict: They're too modest. Most of these tunes have at least 3 chords. Might not be Premier League punk, but fans of Green Day will certainly like it, as did I.

Maire’s verdict: I rather enjoyed this. I even recognised some of the tracks!

Album 468/1031

Ryan Adams – Gold (2001)

All tracks written by Ryan Adams except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"New York, New York"		3:46
2.	"Firecracker"		2:51
3.	"Answering Bell"		3:05
4.	"La Cienega Just Smiled"		5:03
5.	"The Rescue Blues"		3:38
6.	"Somehow, Someday"		4:24
7.	"When the Stars Go Blue"		3:31
8.	"Nobody Girl"	Adams, Ethan Johns	9:40
9.	"SYLVIA PLATH"	Adams, Richard Causon	4:10
10.	"Enemy Fire"	Adams, Gillian Welch	4:09
11.	"Gonna Make You Love Me"		2:36
12.	"Wild Flowers"		4:59
13.	"Harder Now That It's Over"	Adams, Chris Stills	4:32
14.	"Touch, Feel & Lose"	Adams, David Rawlings	4:15
15.	"Tina Toledo's Street Walkin' Blues"	Adams, Johns	6:10
16.	"Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd"	Adams, Causon	3:25

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_(Ryan_Adams_album) 

Golf’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I did buy this at the time and remember enjoying it. That's an understatement as, on rediscovering it, I realise it's a belter! Annoyingly, he's made two appearances in Auckland in the last 3 years and we've not made it to either...

Maire’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Great album. Must listen to it again soon.

Album 469/1031

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Cosmo’s Factory (1970)

All tracks written by John Fogerty, except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ramble Tamble"		7:09
2.	"Before You Accuse Me"	Ellas McDaniel	3:24
3.	"Travelin' Band‡"		2:07
4.	"Ooby Dooby"	Wade Moore, Dick Penner	2:05
5.	"Lookin' Out My Back Door"		2:31
6.	"Run Through the Jungle†"		3:09

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Up Around the Bend†"		2:40
2.	"My Baby Left Me"	Arthur Crudup	2:17
3.	"Who'll Stop the Rain‡"		2:28
4.	"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"	Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong	11:05
5.	"Long as I Can See the Light"		3:33

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmo's_Factory

Golf’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I knew I would recognise and like a few of these, but this was a genuine pleasure. I read once that by 1970 CCR were 'bigger than The Beatles' in the States and it's easy to see why they were so popular. Sadly, a sibling relationship that makes the Gallagher Brothers' look like sweetness and light in comparison cut short their success. John Fogerty even lost the right to tour under the CCR banner, despite writing most of their hits!

Maire’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Loved it. Really cheered me up after a 3 hour flight delay, so listened to it twice!

Album 470/1031

Coldplay – Parachutes (2000)

All tracks written by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Panic"	2:17
2.	"Shiver"	5:00
3.	"Spies"	5:19
4.	"Sparks"	3:47
5.	"Yellow"	4:29
6.	"Trouble"	4:31
7.	"Parachutes"	0:46
8.	"High Speed"	4:14
9.	"We Never Change"	4:09
10.	"Everything's Not Lost" ("Everything's Not Lost" ends at 5:31. A hidden song called "Life is for Living" starts at 5:39.)	7:17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachutes_(album)

Golf’s verdict: This came out about the same time as Doves first album (Lost Souls) and, despite some good tunes, I always thought Doves would end up the bigger draw. Goes to show what I know. At this stage Chris Martin was bearable too.

Maire’s verdict: Pretty inoffensive and quite boring.

Album 471/1031

Bad Brains – I Against I (1986)

All songs written by Paul Hudson, Darryl Jenifer, and Gary Miller except where noted.

1. "Intro" (Jenifer, Miller) – 1:02
2. "I Against I" – 2:50
3. "House of Suffering" (P. Hudson, Miller) – 2:29
4. "Re-Ignition" – 4:16
5. "Secret 77" – 4:04
6. "Let Me Help" – 2:17
7. "She's Calling You" (P. Hudson, Jenifer) – 3:42
8. "Sacred Love" – 3:40
9. "Hired Gun" – 3:45
10. "Return to Heaven" – 3:19

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Against_I

Golf’s verdict: Rastafarian inspired hardcore punk from Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr '80s labelmates. Loved it.

Maire’s verdict: POTENTIAL HIDDEN GEM! Never heard of them before but loved it. Need to listen again before confirming it's a definite hidden gem.

Album 472/1031

Alice Cooper - Schools Out (1972)

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"School's Out"	Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith	3:30
2.	"Luney Tune"	Cooper, Dunaway	3:44
3.	"Gutter Cat vs. the Jets"	Buxton, Dunaway, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim	4:40
4.	"Street Fight"	Cooper, Buxton, Bruce, Dunaway, Smith	0:55
5.	"Blue Turk"	Cooper, Bruce	5:34

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"My Stars"	Cooper, Bob Ezrin	5:49
2.	"Public Animal #9"	Cooper, Bruce	3:55
3.	"Alma Mater"	Smith	4:27
4.	"Grande Finale (Instrumental)"	Cooper, Buxton, Bruce, Dunaway, Bob Ezrin, Smith, Mack David, Leonard Bernstein	4:26

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School's_Out_(album)

Golf’s verdict: Superb title track and the rest of it is not half bad either. Quite rock opera-esque in places.

Maire’s verdict: Not what I was expecting at all. However, I suggest you put in West Side Story or The Doors instead. Listen to this album and you'll see what I mean.

Album 473/1031

Cream - Disraeli Gears (1967)

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Strange Brew"	Eric Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins	Eric Clapton	2:46
2.	"Sunshine of Your Love"	Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Clapton	Jack Bruce, Clapton	4:10
3.	"World of Pain"	Pappalardi, Collins	Clapton, Bruce	3:03
4.	"Dance the Night Away"	Bruce, Brown	Bruce, Clapton1	3:34
5.	"Blue Condition"	Ginger Baker	Ginger Baker	3:29

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Tales of Brave Ulysses"	Clapton, Martin Sharp	Bruce	2:46
2.	"SWLABR"	Bruce, Brown	Bruce	2:32
3.	"We're Going Wrong"	Bruce	Bruce	3:26
4.	"Outside Woman Blues"	Arthur Reynolds, arr. Clapton	Clapton	2:24
5.	"Take It Back"	Bruce, Brown	Bruce	3:05
6.	"Mother's Lament"	Traditional, arr. Clapton, Bruce, Baker	Baker, Bruce, Clapton2	1:47

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disraeli_Gears

Golf’s verdict: When it's good, it's good (Strange Brew, Sunshine of Your Love) but when it's bad (Tales of Brave Ulysses) it's bloody awful.

Maire’s verdict: Not really that interested, to be honest.

Album 474/1031

The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen (1993)

All tracks written by Greg Dulli except where noted.

1. "If I Were Going" – 3:05
2. "Gentlemen" – 3:54
3. "Be Sweet" (Dulli, Rick McCollum) – 3:37
4. "Debonair" – 4:15
5. "When We Two Parted" (Dulli, McCollum) – 5:47
6. "Fountain and Fairfax" – 4:21
7. "What Jail Is Like" – 3:30
8. "My Curse" (sung by Marcy Mays of Scrawl) – 5:45
9. "Now You Know" – 4:10
10. "I Keep Coming Back" (Leo Austell, Leo Graham) – 4:52
11. "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer" – 5:40

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentlemen_(album)

Golf’s verdict: Greg Dulli is a familiar name and I feel I SHOULD know this band, given my liking for so many of their contemporaries. But I think this was my first ever exposure to the band. Turns out they are right up my alley and some further investigation is needed.

Maire’s verdict: Never heard of them before. Really enjoyed the album and will be listening again.

Album 475/1031

The Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill (1986)

All tracks written by Beastie Boys and Rick Rubin, except where noted.

No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Rhymin & Stealin"		4:08
2.	"The New Style"		4:35
3.	"She's Crafty"		3:35
4.	"Posse in Effect"		2:26
5.	"Slow Ride"	(title refers to the Foghat song of the same name.)	2:57
6.	"Girls"	(a version of the Isley Brothers's "Shout" with different lyrics.)	2:14
7.	"Fight for Your Right"		3:27
8.	"No Sleep till Brooklyn"	(Slayer's Kerry King provided the guitar solo.)	4:07
9.	"Paul Revere" (Adam Horovitz, Darryl McDaniels, Rubin, Joseph Simmons)	(prominently featured in the track is reversed Roland 808 closed hi-hat, bass, and rimshot.)	3:41
10.	"Hold It Now, Hit It"		3:26
11.	"Brass Monkey"		2:37
12.	"Slow and Low" (McDaniels, Rubin, Simmons)		3:38
13.	"Time to Get Ill"		3:37

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensed_to_Ill

Golf’s verdict: Funny to think of the genuine fear and loathing this produced at the time. It's all very tame these days. Too long, but Rick Rubin's grafting of rock to rap still works wonders on 'No Sleep till Brooklyn' and 'Fight for Your Right'.

Maire’s verdict: I like some of their stuff but the album seemed very, very long.

Album 476/1031

Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics (2006)

Back to Basics – Disc 1
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro (Back to Basics)"	Christina Aguilera Chris E. Martin Kara DioGuardi Roy Hawkins Rick Darnell	DJ Premier Aguilera[a]	1:47
2.	"Makes Me Wanna Pray" (featuring Steve Winwood)	Aguilera DioGuardi Rich Harrison Winwood	Harrison Aguilera[a]	4:10
3.	"Back in the Day"	Aguilera Martin DioGuardi Don Costa Jimmy Castor Langdon Fridle, Jr. Douglas Gibson Harry Jensen Robert Manigault Gerald Thomas	DJ Premier Aguilera[a]	4:13
4.	"Ain't No Other Man"	Aguilera Martin DioGuardi Charles Martin Roane Harold Beatty	DJ Premier Roane[b] Aguilera[a] Rob Lewis[c]	3:49
5.	"Understand"	Aguilera DioGuardi Kwamé Holland Allen Toussaint	Kwamé	3:46
6.	"Slow Down Baby"	Aguilera Mark Ronson DioGuardi Raymond Angry William Guest Merald Knight Edward Patten Gladys Knight Marvin Bernard Michael Harper Curtis Jackson	Ronson Aguilera[a]	3:29
7.	"Oh Mother"	Aguilera Derryck Thornton Mark Rankin Liz Thornton DioGuardi Bruno Coulais Christophe Barratier	Big Tank Q L Boggie[b] Aguilera[a]	3:47
8.	"F.U.S.S. (Interlude)"	Aguilera Roane DioGuardi	Roane Aguilera[a]	2:21
9.	"On Our Way"	Aguilera D. Thornton Rankin L. Thornton DioGuardi	Big Tank Q L Boggie[b] Aguilera[a]	3:37
10.	"Without You"	Aguilera DioGuardi Ronson Lewis	Ronson Aguilera[a]	3:57
11.	"Still Dirrty"	Aguilera Martin DioGuardi	DJ Premier Aguilera[a]	3:46
12.	"Here to Stay"	Aguilera Heather Holley Tony Reyes Ben H. Allen George Henry Jackson	Reyes Allen Aguilera[a]	3:20
13.	"Thank You (Dedication to Fans...)"	Aguilera Martin DioGuardi Pamela Sheyne David Frank Steve Kipner	DJ Premier Aguilera[a]	4:59
Total length:				46:55

Back to Basics – Disc 2
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Enter the Circus"	Aguilera Linda Perry	Perry	1:42
2.	"Welcome"	Aguilera Perry Ronson Paul Ill	Perry	2:43
3.	"Candyman"	Aguilera Perry	Perry	3:14
4.	"Nasty Naughty Boy"	Aguilera Perry	Perry	4:45
5.	"I Got Trouble"	Aguilera Perry	Perry	3:42
6.	"Hurt"	Aguilera Perry Ronson	Perry	4:03
7.	"Mercy on Me"	Aguilera Perry	Perry	4:33
8.	"Save Me from Myself"	Aguilera Perry Bill Bottrell	Perry	3:13
9.	"The Right Man"	Aguilera Perry	Perry	3:51
Total length:				31:47

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_Basics_(Christina_Aguilera_album)

Golf’s verdict: I am as surprised to be writing this as you are likely to be reading it, but I genuinely enjoyed this. Particularly the second half (Disc 2) which is very jazz and blues influenced. Ambitious and diverse and ultimately rather enjoyable.

Maire’s verdict: A bit too warbly for me and too long but I still surprised myself by enjoying it.

Album 477/1031

Beck - Sea Change (2002)

All tracks written by Beck Hansen.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Golden Age"	4:35
2.	"Paper Tiger"	4:36
3.	"Guess I'm Doing Fine"	4:49
4.	"Lonesome Tears"	5:38
5.	"Lost Cause"	3:47
6.	"End of the Day"	5:03
7.	"It's All in Your Mind"	3:06
8.	"Round the Bend"	5:15
9.	"Already Dead"	2:59
10.	"Sunday Sun"	4:44
11.	"Little One"	4:27
12.	"Side of the Road"	3:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Change_(album)

Golf’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! 'Morning Phase', Beck's 2014 Grammy winner, was a real favourite of mine and this sounds very much like a natural predecessor. I much prefer this Beck to the 'Loser'/'Sexx Laws' version.

Maire’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Absolutely loved this. I seem to have missed out on Beck - need to rectify that.

Album 478/1031

The Allman Brothers Band - Live at Filmore East (1971)

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Statesboro Blues" (Blind Willie McTell)	4:17
2.	"Done Somebody Wrong" (Clarence Lewis, Bobby Robinson, Elmore James[44])	4:33
3.	"Stormy Monday" (T-Bone Walker)	8:44

Side two
No.	Title	Length
4.	"You Don't Love Me ("Joy to the World" medley in the ending portions)" (Willie Cobbs)	19:15

Side three
No.	Title	Length
5.	"Hot 'Lanta" (Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, Berry Oakley, Jai Johanny Johanson)	5:17
6.	"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" (Dickey Betts)	13:04

Side four
No.	Title	Length
7.	"Whipping Post" (Gregg Allman)	23:03

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Fillmore_East

Golf’s verdict: HIDDEN GEM! This is smokin' hot. I knew Duane Allman played the iconic solo in Layla, so was not bad guitar player, but nothing quite prepared me for this. If you love guitar music like I do and you have never heard this then drop everything and go find it!

Maire’s verdict: Great guitar solos but they did go on a bit.