Day 46: So this hippy, this grebo hipster and this London Irish pisshead walk into a bar...

Album 148/1031

Hawkwind - Space Ritual (1973)

Side 1

1. "Earth Calling" (Robert Calvert) – 1:44
2. "Born to Go" (Calvert, Dave Brock) – 9:56
3. "Down Through the Night" (Brock) – 6:16
4. "The Awakening" (Calvert) – 1:32

Side 2

1. "Lord of Light" (Brock) – 7:21
2. "Black Corridor" (Michael Moorcock) – 1:51
3. "Space Is Deep" (Brock) – 8:13
4. "Electronic No. 1" (Dik Mik Davies, Del Dettmar) – 2:26

Side 3

1. "Orgone Accumulator" (Calvert, Brock) – 9:59
2. "Upside Down" (Brock) – 2:43
3. "10 Seconds of Forever" (Calvert) – 2:05
4. "Brainstorm" (Turner) – 9:20

Side 4

1. "Seven By Seven" (Brock) – 6:11
2. "Sonic Attack" (Moorcock) – 2:54
3. "Time We Left This World Today" (Brock) – 5:47
4. "Master of the Universe" (Nik Turner, Brock) – 7:37
5. "Welcome to the Future" (Calvert) – 2:04

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

Golf's verdict: This got to number 9 in the charts in the UK in 1973, which means our parents were smoking a shit-load more weed or taking a lot more psychedelics than they'd like us to believe...I had intended to write something witty about this being what happens when you give a load of hippies a big pile of drugs and unlimited studio time, but it's actually a LIVE album. Having attended a few gigs in my youth somewhat medicated, all I can say is that I am sure those who attended had a hell of better time listening to it then than I did today. Full of the sort of 'intended to be deep and meaningful, but end up sounding hilarious' lyrics about - like - how BIG space is, this must have been an influence on Spinal Tap's Stone 'enge!

Maire's verdict: I f*cking hated this. Equal worst album I’ve had to listen to so far. 84 minutes felt like 84 hours. If there’s another Hawkwind album as part of this challenge I’m giving up now.

Album 149/1031

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985)

All songs written and composed by Tom Waits except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Singapore"		2:46
2.	"Clap Hands"		3:47
3.	"Cemetery Polka"		1:51
4.	"Jockey Full of Bourbon"		2:45
5.	"Tango Till They're Sore"		2:49
6.	"Big Black Mariah"		2:44
7.	"Diamonds & Gold"		2:31
8.	"Hang Down Your Head"	Kathleen Brennan, Waits	2:32
9.	"Time"		3:55

Side two

No.	Title	Length
10.	"Rain Dogs"	2:56
11.	"Midtown" (instrumental)	1:00
12.	"9th & Hennepin"	1:58
13.	"Gun Street Girl"	4:37
14.	"Union Square"	2:24
15.	"Blind Love"	4:18
16.	"Walking Spanish"	3:05
17.	"Downtown Train"	3:53
18.	"Bride of Rain Dog" (instrumental)	1:07
19.	"Anywhere I Lay My Head"	2:48

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

Golf's verdict: Second Tom Waits of the challenge and just as arresting and enjoyable as the first, this time with a genuine hit (Downtown Train), albeit when covered by Rod Stewart. Both Maire and I only knew one Waits album before this challenge and they were different albums from before (me) and after (Maire) his switch from relatively straight jazz/blues singer to raving/gravelly-voiced loon. We're both looking forward to hearing more.

Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM!: Just gorgeous. Adored it and listening to it for a second time.

Album 150/1031

The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985)

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn"	Shane MacGowan	2:59
2.	"The Old Main Drag"	Shane MacGowan	3:19
3.	"The Wild Cats of Kilkenny"	Shane MacGowan, Jem Finer	2:48
4.	"I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day"	traditional	2:55
5.	"A Pair of Brown Eyes"	Shane MacGowan	4:54
6.	"Sally MacLennane"	Shane MacGowan	2:43

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dirty Old Town"	Ewan MacColl	3:45
2.	"Jesse James"	traditional	2:58
3.	"Navigator"	Phil Gaston	4:12
4.	"Billy's Bones"	Shane MacGowan	2:02
5.	"The Gentleman Soldier"	traditional	2:04
6.	"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda"	Eric Bogle	8:10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum_Sodomy_%26_the_Lash

Golf's verdict: So good that all the contemporary songs written by MacGowan and Finer sound as good or superior to the traditional or covers on the record. Even better, the extended version on Spotify has 'Rainy Night In Soho' as bonus track (CD Reissue version). He may have ruined himself with drink and drugs but he's a genuine treasure whose songs will become the "Trads" of the future.

Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM!: What a blissful listening experience after the previous shite (Hawkwind). I do love a good Pogues song and there are so many to choose from on this album. ‘Dirty Old Town’ is probably my favourite.  

Day 45: Two strange bedfellows

Album 146/1031

The Cocteau Twins - Treasure (1984)

All tracks written by Cocteau Twins (Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde).

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Ivo"	3:53
2.	"Lorelei"	3:43
3.	"Beatrix"	3:11
4.	"Persephone"	4:20
5.	"Pandora (for Cindy)"	5:35

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Amelia"	3:31
2.	"Aloysius"	3:26
3.	"Cicely"	3:29
4.	"Otterley"	4:04
5.	"Donimo"	6:19

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_(Cocteau_Twins_album)

Golf's verdict: Despite being a bit of a 4AD junkie (their record label) in my youth, these had more or less passed me by as I preferred Lush (a more commercial take on their sound, produced by Robin Guthrie). Really enjoyed this though and proof that sometimes you can create the mood and feeling though music and sound without the need for meaningful lyrics (famously, Liz Fraser's vocals and lyrics are nonsensical and often made-up language).

Maire's verdict: I’m not sure I’ve listened to any album by The Cocteau Twins since I was a Fraggle (NI term for an indie kid back in the day). I really enjoyed it – may be purely because it’s a blast from the past but I think it’s more than that. Will be listening to more.

Album 147/1031

Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (1975)

All songs written by Neil Young, except where noted.

Side one[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Tonight's the Night" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)		4:39
2.	"Speakin' Out" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)		4:56
3.	"World on a String" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)		2:27
4.	"Borrowed Tune"		3:26
5.	"Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown" (live from the 1970 tour with Crazy Horse)	Neil Young, Danny Whitten	3:35
6.	"Mellow My Mind" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)		3:07

Side two[edit]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Roll Another Number" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)	3:02
2.	"Albuquerque" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)	4:02
3.	"New Mama" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)	2:11
4.	"Lookout Joe" (with The Stray Gators)	3:57
5.	"Tired Eyes" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)	4:38
6.	"Tonight's the Night" (with the Santa Monica Flyers)	4:52

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonight's_the_Night_(Neil_Young_album)

Golf's verdict: The most fun album about losing 2 of your best friends to heroin you are ever likely to hear. It can be gruelling, but like almost all of Young's output, it bears repeating.

Maire's verdict: Certainly not my go-to Neil Young album but a great one nonetheless. Listened to it twice.

Day 44: A pair of Ms

Album 144/1031

Morrissey - Viva Hate (1988)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Alsatian Cousin"	3:13
2.	"Little Man, What Now?"	1:48
3.	"Everyday Is Like Sunday"	3:32
4.	"Bengali in Platforms"	3:55
5.	"Angel, Angel Down We Go Together"	1:40
6.	"Late Night, Maudlin Street"	7:40
7.	"Suedehead"	3:56
8.	"Break Up the Family"	3:55
9.	"The Ordinary Boys"	3:10
10.	"I Don't Mind If You Forget Me"	3:17
11.	"Dial-a-Cliché"	2:28
12.	"Margaret on the Guillotine"	3:42

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

Golf's verdict: In the nearly 30 (!!!) years since Mozza has been a solo artist his album releases have been eagerly anticipated either by the hard-core fanbase only or by the wider constituency that every now and again his career reaches. This solo debut promised much and - coming after The Smiths' perfect swansong, Strangeways Here We Come - was never going to meet the hype of expectations. But it is arguably his strongest solo album with at least 3 tracks the equal of his Marr partnership: 'Late Night, Maudlin Street', 'Suedehead' and - of course - 'Every Day is Like Sunday' - a picture perfect evocation of adolescence in a backwater seaside town, living on borrowed time.

Maire's verdict: A must-listen-to album.


Album 145/1031

Mott the Hoople - Mott (1973)

All songs written by Ian Hunter, except where indicated

LP Side one[edit]

1. "All the Way from Memphis" – 4:55
2. "Whizz Kid" – 3:05
3. "Hymn for the Dudes" (Verden Allen, Hunter) – 5:15
4. "Honaloochie Boogie" – 2:35
5. "Violence" (Hunter, Mick Ralphs) – 4:37

LP Side two[edit]

1. "Drivin’ Sister" (Hunter, Ralphs) – 4:42
2. "Ballad of Mott the Hoople (26th March 1972, Zürich)" (Hunter, Dale "Buffin" Griffin, Peter Watts, Ralphs, Allen) – 5:40
3. "I’m a Cadillac / El Camino Dolo Roso" (Ralphs) – 7:40
4. "I Wish I Was Your Mother" – 4:41

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


Golf's verdict: This is the album that came after the one that Bowie produced and provided All the Young Dudes as a much-needed hit for. 'All the Way from Memphis' is fun, but much of it sounds like the Spiders from Mars without Ziggy. I guess their reputation as a phenomenal live act was difficult to catch in the studio. They certainly could do with a stronger songwriter than Ian Hunter.

Maire's verdict: Not sure if it's what they were aiming for but seemed to be a bad version of Bowie (and yes, Gof has filled me in on the history) and a dodgy Rocky Horror attempt. ‘Violence’ was, indeed, painful.

Day 43: Everybody in the place!? This is a robbery...

Album 140/1031

Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself (1996)

All tracks by Fun Lovin' Criminals, except where noted.

1. "The Fun Lovin' Criminal" - 3:13
2. "Passive/Aggressive" - 3:33
3. "The Grave and the Constant" - 4:47
4. "Scooby Snacks" - 3:05
5. "Smoke 'Em" - 4:46
6. "Bombin' the L" - 3:51
7. "I Can't Get with That" - 4:25
8. "King of New York" - 3:47
9. "We Have All the Time in the World" (John Barry, Hal David) - 3:41
10. "Bear Hug" - 3:28
11. "Come Find Yourself" - 4:20
12. "Crime and Punishment" - 3:20
13. "Methadonia" - 4:06
14. "I Can't Get with That (Schmoove Version)" (bonus track) - 5:34
15. "Coney Island Girl" (bonus track) - 1:28

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

Golf's verdict: I bought this at the time and seem to remember that I used to listen to Scooby Snacks and The King of New York and FF through the rest. That was slightly unfair as this is a pleasant enough listen and the cover of We Have All the Time in the World - delivered in a half sung, half drawled vocal by Huey - is quite charming.

Maire's verdict: 'Scooby Snacks' is the stand-out track. The rest of the album forms background music - nothing offensive at all, just not that interesting to me.


Album 141/1031


Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

All tracks written by Lennon–McCartney except "Within You Without You", by George Harrison.

Side one
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"	McCartney	2:02
2.	"With a Little Help from My Friends"	Starr	2:44
3.	"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"	Lennon	3:28
4.	"Getting Better"	McCartney	2:48
5.	"Fixing a Hole"	McCartney	2:36
6.	"She's Leaving Home"	McCartney with Lennon	3:35
7.	"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"	Lennon	2:37

Side two
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Within You Without You"	Harrison	5:04
2.	"When I'm Sixty-Four"	McCartney	2:37
3.	"Lovely Rita"	McCartney	2:42
4.	"Good Morning Good Morning"	Lennon	2:41
5.	"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"	Lennon, McCartney and Harrison	1:19
6.	"A Day in the Life"	Lennon and McCartney	5:39

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgt._Pepper's_Lonely_Hearts_Club_Band

Golf's verdict: Possibly the greatest album of all time? Certainly the polls usually reflect it and who am I to argue. I love it, but must confess to preferring Revolver by the width of a cigarette paper. To have heard this for the first time in 1967 must have been absolutely incredible. Like seeing a new colour for the first time.

Maire's verdict: Genius and possibly my favourite Beatles album as I know it word for word. I remember playing 'She's Leaving Home' over and over again when I first heard it. Must admit, can't remember the last time I listened to it end to end but I will do (again) in the very near future.

Album 142/1031

T Rex - The Slider (1972)

All tracks written by Marc Bolan.

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Metal Guru"	2:25
2.	"Mystic Lady"	3:09
3.	"Rock On"	3:26
4.	"The Slider"	3:22
5.	"Baby Boomerang"	2:17
6.	"Spaceball Ricochet"	3:37
7.	"Buick Mackane"	3:31
Total length:		21:57

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Telegram Sam"	3:42
2.	"Rabbit Fighter"	3:55
3.	"Baby Strange"	3:03
4.	"Ballrooms of Mars"	4:09
5.	"Chariot Choogle"	2:45
6.	"Main Man"	4:14

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

Golf's verdict: He knew how to write a hook and have hits, although ultimately his range was not too broad. Plenty on here to choose from. Maire will tell you that the Bauhaus version of Telegram Sam is superior. On this occasion I have a tendancy to agree. However, she's wrong about their version of Ziggy Stardust!

Maire's verdict: You know exactly what you're getting when you listen to T. Rex - fun! 'Telegraph Sam' is a favourite song (albeit the Bauhaus version).

Album 143/1031

Missy Elliott - Under Construction (2002)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Intro/Go to the Floor"	5:06
2.	"Bring the Pain" (featuring Method Man)	2:59
3.	"Gossip Folks" (featuring Ludacris)	3:54
4.	"Work It"	4:58
5.	"Back in the Day" (featuring Jay-Z)	4:55
6.	"Funky Fresh Dressed" (featuring Ms. Jade)	3:56
7.	"Pussycat"	4:32
8.	"Nothing Out There for Me" (featuring Beyoncé Knowles)	3:05
9.	"Slide"	3:43
10.	"Play that Beat"	3:02
11.	"Ain't that Funny"	2:48
12.	"Hot"	4:09
13.	"Can You Hear Me" (featuring TLC)	4:29

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_Construction_(Missy_Elliott_album)

Golf's verdict: Mr Elliott quite enjoyed Missy Elliott, especially the ones where she swears like a navi with Tourette's Syndrome. Jay-Z and Beyonce add a bit of star power.

Maire's verdict: I had no idea why to expect but really enjoyed this, to my surprise! Definitely worth a listen.

Vinyl Splurge Weekend

We went a bit crazy on the vinyl this weekend. First, on Saturday, we went to one of my favourite records stores - Southbound Records in Symonds Street, Auckland - ostensibly to buy the new Elbow album. But they had a sale on and the David Bowie re-issue programme is continuing to add temptation so we ended up buying this little lot:

Elbow - Little Creatures (2017)

Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (2013)

Mark Lanegan Band - Phantom Radio (2014)

Caravan - If I Could Do It All Over Again I'd Do It All Over You (1970)

David Bowie - Station to Station (1976)

Baxter Dury - It's a Pleasure (2014)

 Deus - Keep You Close (2011)

Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain (1983)

When you have 3 albums to listen to a day for a year it can sometimes be difficult to make time for other music. Sadly, despite my own personal views, only Station to Station of the above has made it onto the list, so that's quite some extra listening to fit in over the next few weeks. (Aztec Camera should certainly have made the list, in my opinion).

To make things even more challenging, on Sunday, when out mooching in the extraordinary Just Plane Interesting (one of the Southern Hemisphere's most unusual merchants) we discovered a cache of 2nd hand and new, but marked down vinyl. Could not resist these:

The Durutti Column - The Return of the Durutti Column (1980)

The Who - Who's next (1971)

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Talking Heads - Naked (1988)

The Arcade Fire - Reflektor (2013)

Day 42: Marvin, Lenny, Liz and some German Electronica

Album 136/1031

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (1971)

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"What's Going On"	Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo "Obie" Benson	3:53
2.	"What's Happening Brother"	Gaye, James Nyx Jr.	2:43
3.	"Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)"	Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover	3:49
4.	"Save the Children"	Cleveland, Benson, Gaye	4:03
5.	"God Is Love"	Gaye, A. Gaye, Stover, Nyx	1:41
6.	"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"	Gaye	3:16

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
7.	"Right On"	Earl DeRouen, Gaye	7:31
8.	"Wholy Holy"	Benson, Cleveland, Gaye	3:08
9.	"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"	Gaye, Nyx	5:26

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_Going_On_(Marvin_Gaye_album)

Golf's verdict: Hardly a hidden gem - this is one of the '70s most famous albums. But if it's escaped you so far then seek it out. A protest album of sorts, certainly it's most famous tracks are calls to action: 'What's Going On' and 'Mercy Mercy Me'.

Maire's verdict: Pretty much perfect.


Album 137/1031

Lenny Kravitz - Let Love Rule (1989)

All songs written by Lenny Kravitz, except "Fear" lyrics by Lisa Bonet, and "Rosemary" lyrics by Kravitz and Bonet.

1. "Sittin' on Top of the World" – 3:16
2. "Let Love Rule" – 5:42
3. "Freedom Train" – 2:50
4. "My Precious Love" – 5:15
5. "I Build This Garden for Us" – 6:16
6. "Fear" – 5:25
7. "Does Anybody Out There Even Care" – 3:42
8. "Mr. Cab Driver" – 3:49
9. "Rosemary" – 5:27
10. "Be" – 3:16

CD bonus tracks

11. "Blues for Sister Someone" – 2:51

12. "Empty Hands" – 4:42

13. "Flower Child" – 2:56

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

Golf's verdict: This shows the promise that Lenny had when he initially broke out, but it's not as strong a group of songs as "Mama Said", the follow up. 'Let Love Rule', 'I Build This Garden for Us' and 'Mr Cab Driver' are the highlights. Ultimately, I think he has not quite fulfilled the promise everyone expected. He's certainly no 'new Jimi Hendrix', but that may have been a lazy and vaguely racist tag in the first place.

Maire's verdict: I assumed this was 'Mama Said' (didn't listen to the title when Golf told me) so was rather disappointed, to be honest.

Album 138/1031

Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville (1993)

All tracks written by Liz Phair.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"6′1″"	3:05
2.	"Help Me Mary"	2:16
3.	"Glory"	1:29
4.	"Dance of the Seven Veils"	2:29
5.	"Never Said"	3:16
6.	"Soap Star Joe"	2:44
7.	"Explain It to Me"	3:11
8.	"Canary"	3:19
9.	"Mesmerizing"	3:55
10.	"Fuck and Run"	3:07
11.	"Girls! Girls! Girls!"	2:20
12.	"Divorce Song"	3:20
13.	"Shatter"	5:28
14.	"Flower"	2:03
15.	"Johnny Sunshine"	3:27
16.	"Gunshy"	3:15
17.	"Stratford-On-Guy"	2:59
18.	"Strange Loop"	3:57

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

Golf's verdict: I think with a few more listens I would get to really like this. It's relatively lo-fi in its production and the first impressions I made were that the lyrics are superior to the tunes, but I may be being hasty. It has a forthright and unvarnished lyrical focus that was probably described as ground-breaking at the time (girl talking about about enjoying and also NOT enjoying sex, shocker!), but these days would not raise a hair.

Maire's verdict: All ran into one - boring.

Album 139/1031

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra (1974)

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Phaedra"	Froese, Franke, Baumann	17:39

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares"	Froese	9:55
2.	"Movements of a Visionary"	Froese, Franke, Baumann	7:56
3.	"Sequent C'"	Baumann	2:13

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

Golf's verdict: There are much, much better 1970s electronic albums than this. In fact, there are better 1970s Tangerine Dream albums than this. Otherwise it is as you would expect from a group of professionally trained Germans, most well known for writing film soundtracks.

Maire's verdict: Hmm, I was convinced - for some unknown reason - that I was going to hear 'Together in Electric Dreams'. No idea why, but was incredibly hacked off when I realised what I was listening to. Things improved when we moved on to the Bladerunner soundtrack ;0). Not really an endorsement, I realise.