Album 392/1031
Tom Waits - Heartattack & Vine (1980)
All songs
written by Tom Waits.
Side One
No.
|
Title
|
Length
|
1.
|
4:50
|
|
2.
|
"In Shades" (Instrumental)
|
4:25
|
3.
|
"Saving All My Love for You"
|
3:41
|
4.
|
"Downtown"
|
4:45
|
5.
|
5:11
|
Side Two
No.
|
Title
|
Length
|
1.
|
"'Til the Money Runs Out"
|
4:25
|
2.
|
"On the Nickel"
|
6:19
|
3.
|
"Mr. Siegal"
|
5:14
|
4.
|
"Ruby's Arms"
|
5:34
|
Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Due to ingrained perception bias I am sure I am like many of you and thought when I heard Screamin' Jay Hawkins doing 'Heartattack and Vine' (Levis advert - link below) back in the 90s that he originated it. Not so, it was gravelly-voiced loon Tom Waits what wrote it. Tom is fast becoming second favourite solo-crooner of protean-blues in our household, after the venerable Nick Cave (of course).
Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I've been a fan of his
debut since I was about 17 but this year is the first time I've ventured
further afield strangely. This is the best 'new' (to me) album I've listened to
as part of this challenge. It's pure perfection and made me cry, which worried
the lady sitting next to me on the plane.
Album 393/1031
Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman (1970)
Side one
|
||
No.
|
Title
|
Length
|
1.
|
3:52
|
|
2.
|
"Hard Headed Woman" (Recorded July 1970 at
Morgan),
|
3:47
|
3.
|
3:20
|
|
4.
|
"Sad Lisa" (Recorded July 1970 at Morgan)
|
3:45
|
5.
|
3:37
|
|
Side two
|
||
No.
|
Title
|
Length
|
6.
|
1:53
|
|
7.
|
"Longer Boats" (Recorded June 1970 at
Olympic)
|
3:12
|
8.
|
3:24
|
|
9.
|
"On the Road to Find Out" (Recorded May 1970 at
Island)
|
5:08
|
10.
|
3:41
|
|
11.
|
"Tea for the Tillerman" (Recorded May 1970 at
Island)
|
1:01
|
Golf's verdict: Some of these tunes are absolute solid gold classics and worthy of becoming standards that span the generations ('Father and Son', 'Wild World', the title track), but others are a little light-weight. His Best of... is a must have for any household though - and he's just sold out stadium gigs later this year in New Zealand, so his appeal has certainly not waned over 50 years.
Maire's verdict: I'm a sucker for 'Father and Son' - I even liked
the Boyzone (or was it a Ronan solo?) version. Best track on the album but
there are a few other catchy ones too.
Album 394/1031
Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)
All songs
written by Stephen Malkmus unless
otherwise noted.
1. "Silence Kid" –
3:01
2. "Elevate Me
Later" – 2:51
3. "Stop
Breathin'" – 4:28
4. "Cut Your Hair" – 3:07
5. "Newark Wilder"
– 3:53
6. "Unfair" – 2:33
7. "Gold Soundz" – 2:41
8. "5-4=Unity" –
2:09
9. "Range Life" – 4:54
10. "Heaven Is a
Truck" – 2:30
11. "Hit the Plane
Down" (Scott Kannberg) –
3:36
12. "Fillmore Jive"
– 6:38
Golf's verdict: Was never a real fan at the time they were a major, influential indie band, but I can see what attracted the attention. Lovers of DIY, lo-fi, indie-guitar introversion will like this one.
Maire's verdict: Nothing was going to come close to the Tom Waits
album today, to be fair. Pleasant enough.
Album 395/1031
The Beta Band - Heroes to Zeros (2004)
All tracks
written by Steve Mason, John Maclean, Richard Greentree, and Robin Jones.
1. "Assessment"
– 4:34
2. "Space" – 3:59
3. "Lion Thief" –
3:27
4. "Easy" – 2:32
5. "Wonderful" –
4:39
6. "Troubles" –
2:34
7. "Out-Side" –
4:06
8. "Space Beatle"
– 3:41
9. "Rhododendron"
– 1:36
10. "Liquid Bird" –
3:23
11. "Simple" – 3:47
12. "Pure For" –
3:55
Golf's verdict: A highly identifiable sound and a very pleasant listen. I presume The 3 Eps album (their first and best release) was excluded from the 1001 list on a technicality (it's a complilation), as that release is a much better 'go-to' than this, good though it is.
Maire's verdict: Fun but nothing more than that.
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