Happy Thanksgiving

As we have a fair number of readers who check in from the USA daily to this blog it only seems right to offer up a little something especially for them on Thanksgiving.

It's been a bit of tough time of late for many in the States and in many ways the whole situation will be largely laid to one side as families gather together to celebrate, offer their thanks, eat their turkey dinners with all the trimmings, munch on pie and watch Thanksgiving Football.

So for all of my friends and their families across the States and situated in other lands, and for the folks who make up a number of Springsteen groups on Facebook like Brucebook and Bruce Springsteen Friends and Fans. This one's for you.

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Here's a couple of shows from Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band drawn from the High Hopes Tour in 2014. There was only 34 shows on the tour and none of them were in Europe.The Tour  saw them play in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand before returning to the USA for handful of dates that had the band playing March Madness Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and dates scattered around the country before ending at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville CT for a two night stand on 17th and 18th May. 

17th May 2014

Little Steven returned for the finale, he had sat out the American leg of the tour due to filming commitments and was "replaced" (I use that term very loosely) with Tom Morello who did a pretty good job throughout the 34 dates.

First night saw three Tour Debuts as they opened with Racing in the Street '78 but it maybe didn't quite go as they wished as it sort slips between the Darkness version and The Promise version. They could be forgiven though as it's not exactly a version that's played a lot (it had previously only been played in 2010). The other two Debuts were Quarter to Three (an old set closer from years back) and The Price You Pay which got an airing for only the fourth time since the original River Tour of 1980-81!

Other great moments in the show are a double shot of songs given to Southside Johnny (Hearts of Stone and Talk To Me).

18th May 2014

The second night and final night of the tour I thought Springsteen sounded like he was struggling and straining at times. But even when he's maybe not at his best physically he still manages to put on a great show.

This was a bit of a shorter set and contained 19 songs that were not played the night before including a seven Tour Debuts and even a World Premiere! In the opening section of the show only Jump had been played on the tour (and that was only the first time they had ever played it at March Madness). Kicking off with Roll of the Dice (his vocals on this one were not his finest), Leap of Faith, following Jump with Frankie (not the fell in Love one, that would turn up later in the set), a spot of Christmas in May with Santa Claus is Coming To Town and then pulling a sign for Human Touch Outtake Seven Angels sent some shockwaves of elation through a certain portion of the crowd, as one of very few Springsteen songs that he had still never, ever played live. Bruce himself wasn't entirely sure — "I think we might have only played this once before..." "Never! Never!" came a cry from the pit. Springsteen took the cue immediately: "Tonight we have the tour and E Street Band world premiere! Out of all the hundreds of songs that have been played, this has never been played!" And again, the performance would prompt the question, why the hell not? At the end Bruce said, "That was pretty good! That one should be played, that one should be played." Don't Look Back followed. So basically six tour debuts! Not many artists could pull that off! I'm A Rocker was the other Debutant on the Tour.

You can read detailed reviews of all the shows on the tour over on Backstreets.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 329 - Leonard Cohen

Greatest Hits - Leonard Cohen

CBS/Columbia

Released 1st January 1975

UK Chart #88

 In some territories that the album was released in it was called  

Leonard Cohen The Best of

 (US Album Cover)

***************

According to Ira Nadel's 1996 Leonard Cohen memoir Various Positions, he agreed to the project because there was a new generation of listeners and he was given complete artistic control; he picked the songs, designed the package, and insisted that the lyrics be included.

The album was not really a hit in the USA but it had some success in Europe which for him was a major market at the time. In some places on release it was called The Best Of and in other places Greatest Hits. 

When I see an album titled Greatest Hits I always checkout the tracklist and to see if the title is worthy to be called that at all!

Up until the release of this album Cohen had some success with his first four studio albums and his first four singles had gained some chart placings in Europe (mainly France) - none in the UK though (and neither in Canada or the USA). So straight away I'm a little skeptical calling a Greatest Hits. 

Calling it a Best Of I actually have no issue with because when I look at the tracklist what stands out straightaway is that these 12 songs are actually some of the best of his early works. Maybe I'm just too fussy about these things!

I actually do like the album regardless of my reservations with the title. Many of the songs on it could easily be numbered among his signature songs.

The 1987, 1992, and 1994 (The Best of The Best Gold Series) Reissues on CD maintained the original tracklist (as did the 1999 Simply Vinyl version released in the UK) but I have to say I was a little disappointed when the album was reissued (or should I say revamped?) again on CD in the UK back in 2009.

The reasons for my disappointment was four tracks from the original 1975 Version (Lady Midnight, The Partisan, Last Year's Man and Take This Longing) were removed and nine tracks released after 1975 (Everybody Knows, Waiting for the Miracle, A Thousand Kisses Deep, The Future, Closing Time, Dance Me to the End of Love, First We Take Manhattan, I'm Your Man and Hallelujah) were added. This makes it an altogether different album and not really a "re-issue" in my book!

Being a bit of a stickler about these things means that I'm more than happy to whip out the old 1975 version and give it a whirl. To confuse matters even more the Music on Vinyl label (Columbia) re-issued the album in 2010 on Vinyl of course and went back to the original 1975 tracklisting (as did Simply Vinyl in the UK who also re-issued it in 2010)!

 

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 328 - Elvis Costello

Girls Girls Girls - Elvis Costello

Demon

Released 1989

UK Chart #67

Album Notes

This compilation was released in three formats: Double Vinyl Album, 2CD and Double Cassette. All three had different tracklistings and the amount of songs. I have included all the songs above in the playlist. Each format also had songs that were exclusive to it:

Double Vinyl - 31 Tracks

2 Songs Exclusive to it:

I'll Wear It Proudly

Stranger In The House 

2CD Tracklisting

2CD - 47 Tracks

9 Songs Exclusive to it:

Uncomplicated

Black and White World

Big Sister's Clothes

Motel Matches

Tiny Steps

Love Field

Possession

Sunday's Best

Less Than Zero

Double Cassette Cover

Double Cassette - 51 Tracks

15 Songs Exclusive to it:

Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind?

Girls Talk

Poor Napoleon

Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head

Turning the Town Red

Sleep of the Just

Our Little Angel

The Long Honeymoon

Crimes of Paris

Jack of All Parades

Little Palaces

Night Rally

American Without Tears

Suit of Lights

Clowntime is Over

***********************

(Elvis Costello in Derry 2013. Photo from The Belfast Telegraph)

I appear to have more than a few compilations of Elvis Costello and I thought today's choice I'd go for the 1989 offering Girls Girls Girls. I actually still have this on vinyl despite not having a record player these days and managed to keep in pretty good condition as well.

One of the things I really love about this particular album is that Elvis Costello chose all the songs for it, he laid out the order he wanted them in (not chronological by any means) and he also wrote extensive liner notes for the album. It's absolutely nothing like a conventional "Best Of" and I think that's why I find it a charming album because you get such a wide range of styles and you come to grasp just how good he was/is as a songwriter. Like he says below, a lot of credit goes to The Attractions "without whom this would be a blank record".

The thing I was not particularly keen on with regard to it was the fact that the three different formats it was released in had very different tracklistings. So if you wanted all the songs you would have had to have purchased it three times!

Now, if I was one of those crazy dudes who feels they must own every release (including those from other countries), in every format, every coloured vinyl, or different coloured sleeve etc I probably would have indulged myself and splashed out on all three but as I am not like that at all (with any artist that I enjoy!) I stuck with the Vinyl Edition and although unable to play it to my heart's content these days I am happy to know that I have pretty much all the tracks scattered throughout the extensive discography that I own of Declan P. MacManus, his Attractions and pretty much most of the other guises that he has released under.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 327 - Ramones

It would be wrong to shine the spotlight on compilations and miss out posting one from New York's most dysfunctional "family"...and no, I don't mean The Trumps!

1-2-3-4
Hey! Ho! Let's Go
 

Ramones Mania - Ramones

Sire

Released 1988

US Chart #168

Released as Double Vinyl Album, CD and on Cassette

There are so many compilations that have come out on various labels for the Ramones that you would could be left wondering what on earth is the best one. 

Well my own personal preference falls on two. Ramones Mania (1988), which was released whilst the band were still active and includes material from the their debut album up until Halfway to Sanity (1987). Although not in chronological order I like the fact that they chose some some of the Single versions, included the excellent B-Side to Real Cool Time - Indian Giver and album tracks like Outsider and Wart Hog. There was a Ramones Mania 2 that was released April 2000 in Japan that spotlighted music from 1988-1996. It's not a bad compilation at all but lacks the depth of the first one mainly due to the the superior quality of music they were releasing between 1976-87. There are only 30 tracks. What's funny about this album was that in the States it was actually the only album to go gold until their debut Ramones made that mark in 2014!

Ramones Mania was reissued on Blue and Green Vinyl for Record Store Day in 2010.

The second choice would probably the one I'd recommend to anyone who has not heard the Ramones (does such a person on earth exist?) before. The reason being that the way the two discs are structured it gives you a chronological picture of pretty much their entire career. All albums bar their Live albums and the Covers album Acid Eaters (1993) are represented and there's a mammoth 58 tracks to deal with that clocks in at just a little over 2hrs 36mins.

The only flaw with regard to this compilation I think is that when they began putting it together they drew too many songs from particular albums and by the time they got to Subterranean Jungle they could only include one track from it (Psycho Therapy) whereas if they had trimmed a few tracks they could easily have included Somebody Like Me, Outsider, or even the brilliant Highest Trails Above.

In 2001 (possibly because of Joey Ramone's death - the money grabbing swines!), Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology was re-released. This new version did not include the eighty page booklet and altered the track listing of CD 1. "I'm Affected" and "I Can't Make it on Time" were removed and replaced with "Baby I Love You", which was the band's highest charting hit in the UK. I have to say that I was quite unhappy about little move because it was never a single I particularly liked, and there's actually not many of their singles that I would ever say that about!

Anthology (Hey! Ho! Let's Go!) Ramones

Rhino Records/Warner Archives

Released 20th July 1999

UK Chart #74

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Albums of the Year for 2016: Lover, Beloved: Songs From An Evening With Carson McCullers - Suzanne Vega (October 2016)

Over the next few weeks I intend to post some of my favourite albums of  the year. They will no doubt be a  musically diverse selection and I hope that you take the opportunity to have a listen to some of them and expand your own listening experiences from what is your normal sphere.

I begin today with a quite fascinating album from Suzanne Vega. Her music has always appealed to me but I was quite taken with the subject matter of this new release. It only came out last month but it impressed me enough to be considered among my Albums of the Year for 2016.

 Lover, Beloved: Songs From An Evening With Carson McCullers - Suzanne Vega

Amaneunsis Productions

Producer Gerry Leonard

Released 14th October 2016

1 Carson's Blues    
2 New York Is My Destination    
3 Instant Of The Hour After    
4 We Of Me    
5 Annemarie    
6 12 Mortal Men    
7 Harper Lee    
8 Lover, Beloved    
9 The Ballad Of Miss Amelia    
10 Carson's Last Supper

Suzanne Vega wrote 8 songs in collaboration with Duncan Sheik and 2 with Michael Jefry Stevens.

*************************

Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers is the ninth studio album by the American singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega, which was released on October 14, 2016. The album is based on a play Carson McCullers Talks About Love about the life of the writer Carson McCullers, written and performed by Vega, which premiered in 2011.

I have to say that I wasn't too aware of the writings if McCullers and I am sure that would actually enhance the listening to these ten tracks and make them sound a whole lot better. Vega has been reading McCullers since the age of 15 and this she considers to be her third treatment of the life of the writer having first performed it in school prior to the 2011 performances. A number of the songs have been around in Vega's live sets dating back to 2011 so there must be a real sense of fulfilment on her part being able to present the project as a whole with this fine album.

The link for the essay below is worth checking out as it will be a good aid for those unaware of Carson McCullers.

Musically the album has quite diverse sounds Blues, Jazz, Pop and Folk and that merely adds to the delightful listening experience.

Reflection in a Distant Mirror - An Essay on Carson McCullers and Suzanne Vega.

Read Andrew Anthony's great article from The Guardian published last month about the album.

Here's recent concert performance by Suzanne Vega in Germany where she performs a few tracks from the latest album as well as a number of her most well known offerings.

 Setlist:
01 Marlene On The Wall
02 Queen And The Soldier
03 Left Of Center
04 New York Is My Destination
05 We Of Me
06 Annemarie
07 Harper Lee
08 I Never Wear White
09 Luka
10 Tom's Diner
11 Lover Beloved
12 Jacob And The Angel
13 Gypsy
14 In Liverpool
15 Rosemary

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 326 - Suzanne Vega (#2)

 The Best of Suzanne Vega: Tried and True  - Suzanne Vega

A&M Records

Released 28th September 1998

UK Chart #46

When the album was initially released it came with a live 6 Track Bonus Disc that had been recorded at the TW Festival in 1999. As I couldn't find the actual recordings on You Tube I've included below alternative Links for the particular songs that were included on the bonus disc.

2-1 Marlene On The Wall    
2-2 Caramel    
2-3 Some Journey    
2-4 In Liverpool    
2-5 Luka    
2-6 Tom's Diner

 Singles Included on the Album

Two new songs were also included on the album and both were released as CD singles but neither charted.

Book & A Cover / Tom's Diner / As Girls Go / Cracking

Released 1998

Rosemary (Remember Me) - DNA Remix / Europa Mix (Edit) / Herbacious Mix (Extended) / Album Version

Released 1999

*******************

This is the third time this year that I have featured Suzanne Vega on this blog (and it won't be the last...but more about that in the next post). The first one was a look at her second studio album Solitude Standing back in April.

It's always interesting to see how vastly different artists are with regard to their work. Some bands seem quite content to put out a Best of or a Greatest Hits package after a few hit singles and albums whilst others seem to allow an age to pass for before even considering such a move.  

Suzanne Vega first appeared on the scene in 1985 with her first hit (actually her fourth single but a re-issue of her debut single which had originally only squeezed into the charts at #83) Marlene On The Wall which peaked at #21 on the UK Singles Chart (it didn't break into the singles chart in her homeland and it would be two years later before she would with the haunting Luka - which made it all the way to #3) and a fine debut album that reached #11 in the UK (only #91 in the USA). Her first Best of compilation appeared 13 years later!

I have had a lot of time for the music of Suzanne Vega down through the years. She might not be an artist you would think that I would connect with knowing my love for loud guitars, bashing drums, rock and roll and punk rock but I always enjoyed the fact that in the quietness of her music that you had to be still and listen hard to what she was saying and there has to be room for that kind of reflection from time to time when it comes to enjoying music. Over the past few decades I have purposely sought out a variety of musical styles in order to expand my own love for music and Suzanne Vega certainly has had a place in that journey of discovery. 

I offer up this little compilation as a testament to the joy in finding new things that delight my heart when it comes to music. I'm not suggesting for a moment that everyone is going to like her but at least expanded your heart and mind just for a little while and who knows where that will take you!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 325 - Carry On Up The Charts - The Beautiful South (1994)

Carry On Up The Charts - The Beautiful South

Go! Discs

Released November 1994

UK Chart #1

Personnel
    Paul Heaton — vocals
    Dave Hemingway — vocals
    Briana Corrigan — vocals (Tracks 1-12)
    Jacqui Abbott — vocals (Tracks 11-14)
    Dave Rotheray — guitar
    Sean Welch — bass
    Dave Stead — drums

Single Released from Carry On Up The Charts

A One Last Love Song    
B Right Man For The Job / Java

7" and CD1

UK Chart #14

CD2

1 One Last Love Song    
2 Mr. Obsession    
3 You're Only Jealous

*******************

Carry On Up The Charts was the fifth album to be released by The Beautiful South and their first Greatest Hits compilation. It was a major success reaching #1 in the UK Album Chart and a year after its release had been acredited Platinum five times!

All fourteen tracks on the album had charted as singles, some more successful than others with 9 of them being Top 20 - A Little Time was their only #1 single in the UK. Add to that four Top Ten albums and The Beautiful South were really on a roll - Welcome To The Beautiful South (October 1989 #2), Choke (November 1990 #2), 0898 Beautiful South (March 1992 #4) and Miaow (March 1994 #6). That's pretty good going for the first six years of their existence.

I had been a huge fan of The Housemartins and so was very excited when Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway formed The Beautiful South after the split of Hull's favourite band. Hemingway had impressed vocally on The Housemartins single Build and seemed to blend well with Heaton's rich vocal stylings. Sean Welch had been a roadie for The Housemartins and was a founding member of The Beautiful South as Bassist. Along with Dave Rotheray on Guitar (and a co-writer of much of the music) and Dave Stead on Drums that was the first line-up of the band and the one that recorded the Debut Album and the first three singles.

Singles from the Welcome To The Beautiful South album

Song For Whoever

May 1989 UK Chart #2

You Keep It All In

September 1989 UK Chart #8

I'll Sail This Ship Alone

November 1989 UK Chart #31

Briana Corrigan had sung backing vocals on the Debut album but for the second album she was a member of the band (she recorded two as a member) and straight away her presence was felt when A Little Time, a beautiful duet between her and Hemingway shot to the top of the singles chart in the UK. In addition to Corrigan was Keyboardist Damon Butcher, who whilst never a "full-time" member of the band (he was invited to be) played on pretty much all the remaining albums by The Beautiful South.

Singles from the Choke album

A Little Time

September 1990 UK Chart #1

My Book

November 1990 UK Chart #43

Let Love Speak Up Itself*

March 1991 UK Chart #51

*On the Limited Edition 2CD version of the album (the second disc being B-Sides of the singles) a version featuring the vocal of Jacqui Abbot is featured rather than the single version with Paul Heaton's vocal. The version was recorded originally for the Emma Freud Show for the BBC in March 1994 and was included as a B-Side to Everybody's Talkin' in May 1994. I must admit that I prefer the Abbott vocal to Heaton's.

 0898 Beautiful South was the final album with Briana Corrigan on vocals and four singles were released from the album. A few of these should have been much bigger hits I think.

Singles from the 0898 Beautiful South album

Old Red Eyes is Back

December 1991 UK Chart #22

We Are Each Other

March 1992 UK Chart #30

Bell Bottomed Tear

June 1992 UK Chart #16

36D

September 1992 UK Chart #46

Jacqui Abbott joined the band in 1994 after the departure of Briana Corrigan - she had been unhappy regarding some of the lyrics that Heaton had written for the next album Miaow. Heaton had heard Abbott sing at a party and invited her to join the band. She would be with the band for six years and recorded four albums as a member.

Singles from the Miaow album

 Good As Gold (Stupid As Mud)

February 1984 UK Chart #23

Everybody's Talkin'

May 1994 UK Chart #12

Prettiest Eyes

August 1994 UK Chart #37

The band would continue on to have more hit albums (Blue is the Colour 1996 #1; Quench 1998 #1; Painting It Red 2000 #2; Solid Bronze - singles compilation 2001 #10; Gaze 2003 #14; Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs 2004 #11; and their final album Superbi 2006 #6) and hit singles but I think none of them bar Pretenders To The Throne, Rotterdam and Perfect 10 stand up to the first fourteen releases.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 324 - The Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Damned

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Damned

MCA Records

Released 30th November 1987

UK Chart #87

CD Version

Disc One:

 01-I Feel Alright (Alexander, Asheton, Pop)
02-Anything (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)
03-Lovely Money (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Gray)
04-Thanks For The Night (Rat Mix) (Sensible)
05-Plan 9 Channel 7 (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Ward)
06-Grimly Fiendish (Bad Trip Mix) (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)
07-Stranger on the Town (Scabies, Vanian, Gray)
08-Neat Neat Neat (James)
09-Alone Again Or (Maclean)
10-Is It A Dream? (Wild West End Mix) (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)
11-Smash It Up Parts I & II (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Ward)
12-Psychomania (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)
13-Curtain Call (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Gray)*

* Not on the original vinyl album

Disc Two:
01-Ignite (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Gray)
02-Help! (Lennon, McCartney)
03-Rabid (Over You) (CD Mix) (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, LeVien)
04-I Just Can't Be Happy Today (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Ward)
05-Problem Child (James)
06-Nasty (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Jugg, Merrick)
07-Disco Man (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Gray)
08-New Rose (James) – 2:39
09-Love Song (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Ward)
10-Feel the Pain (James)
11-The History of the World Part 1 (Sensible, Scabies, Vanian, Gray)
12-In Dulce Decorum (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)
13-Trojans (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)
14-Eloise (Ryan)
15-The Shadow Of Love (Ten Inches of Hell Mix) – (Jugg, Scabies, Vanian, Merrick)

Album Notes:

 Click on the links to hear more music from The Damned.

 
"New Rose" was the band’s first single, released in 1976, with the cover of The Beatles’ "Help!" as the B-side.

"Neat Neat Neat" (their second single), "I Feel Alright" and "Feel the Pain" were taken from the band’s 1977 album Damned, Damned, Damned.

"Problem Child" was the first single released from the group’s second album, Music for Pleasure, also released in 1977.

"Love Song", "Smash It Up Parts I & II", "I Just Can’t Be Happy Today" and "Plan 9 Channel 7" were all from the 1979 album Machine Gun Etiquette.

"Rabid (Over You)" was a remix of a track previously issued as a B-side to the "White Rabbit" single, also originally released in 1980.

"The History of the World Part One" and "Curtain Call" come from the 1980 album The Black Album.

"Disco Man" was the lead track from the Friday 13th EP.

"Ignite" and "Stranger on the Town" were from the Strawberries album.

"Nasty" was the B-side to the "Thanks For The Night" single.

The remixes of "Grimly Fiendish" and "The Shadow of Love" were taken from the maxi-single releases of each song.

"Trojans" and "Is It A Dream?" were taken from the 1985 album Phantasmagoria.

"Eloise" was released as a single in 1986.

"Anything", "Alone Again Or", "Psychomania" and "In Dulce Decorum" were all released on the Anything album in 1986.

The remix of "Thanks for the Night" was originally released on the maxi-single release of "Anything".

Single released from The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

In Dulce Decorum / Psychomania

16th November 1987

UK Chart #72

*****************

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel was the first Compilation from The Damned to include music spanning their career between 1976-1987.

Whilst the music on the album is great there was a real hint of MCA cashing in on the band who they had recently dropped from the label following the commercial failure of the Anything album - it only reached #40 in the UK Album Chart and the singles from the album had "failed" to reach the Top 20.

The sequencing of the album is one of the biggest problems though as it doesn't run with a chronological order at all but rather is quite scattered starting with their magnificent 1977 cover of The Stooges' "I Feel Alright" and following it with the single "Anything" from 1986 for example. This presents the band in such a way that they come off as sounding as if they were confused as to their identity. If it was sequenced in chronological order then that sense of confusion vanishes entirely.

The Smash It Up Anthology released in 2002 deals with the same time frame as The Light At The End Of The Tunnel but  manages to get it right by placing the track order in chronological order.

Up until the Smash It Up Anthology we just had to make do with The Light At The End Of The Tunnel album as a decent career spanning Compilation, either that or go and dig out the original albums and play them loud!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!