Nickyboy's CDs: A-Z

Nickyboy

Nickyboy

Staff member
I had started a thread at the old place wherein I submitted for your consideration a selection of music in my CD collection that you might not have heard before or had forgotten about. Some were winners, some were not. But they were varied. With Sam's reminder yesterday, I thought I would pick up where I had left off. Sam very graciously had started a Spotify playlist for the albums I had previously selected, which is linked below.

I have my music arranged in loose categories: Rock/Electronic, Foreign, Cocktail Lounge/Jazz, Classical, Christmas, and Soundtracks. I will go through each category in order. I left off at "E" before, so today I start with:

F

 
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The Field- Looping State of Mind (2011)



The Field is a one-man show comprised of Swedish born Alex Willner. The title of the album really says it all. This is minimalist electronic music, but it is far from sleepy. Willner takes layers of electronic music and loops them over each other, building up hypnotic washes of sound which border on the ambient style, but always have a dance element to keep you awake.

Highlights for me are the title track and "Is this Power"

 
Fuck Buttons- Tarot Sport (2009)


If I told you the over all tone of this album is made up of repetitive loops of electronic music, you'd probably say "But Nickyboy! Didn't I just listen to The Field?" Whereas The Field has a more hypnotic feel to it, this English band takes that style and adds a lot of noise to it. But don't be put off by that word! It's not cacophonous. It is aggressive, however. RYM calls this album "drone, noise, neo-psychedelia", and they aren't wrong.

Highlights for me are "Surf Solar" and "The Lisbon Maru"

 
The Fratellis- Costello Music (2006)



This debut album from a trio of Scottish brothers all named Fratelli (I sense a Ramones thing going on here!) is straight forward pop rock and pub music, with lots of sing-along songs. In all honesty, there is nothing very high-brow about this album. It is just fun. The songs can get somewhat "samey" after a while, but if they pop up when you have your music on random shuffle, you're in a a good time.

This album was very popular when it was released, so most of you have probably heard of it. Maybe, though, you haven't played it in a while. Give it a spin today! And RYM tells me that they have released 3 more albums since this one. I should check those out too!

Highlights for me are "Henrietta" and "Chelsea Dagger"

 
G

Peter Gabriel- Passion (1989)



This release by Gabriel is the soundtrack to the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ". Using musicians from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, this beautiful album sets the feeling for the film, using local musicians and location recordings to give a true sense of place. Turkish, Arabic, and African influences can all be heard here. This album also features contributions from world music stalwarts Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Youssou N'Dour, and Baaba Mall. This album will transport you to another place, and it is on my Desert Island Discs list. Not to be missed!

Highlights include "The Feeling Begins" and "A Different Drum"



Charlotte Gainsbourg- IRM (2009)



Charlotte Gainsbourg might be better known as an actress, but being the daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, you know she was going to start singing at some point. This album is a light, breeze collection of dream pop tracks. The album was written and produced by Beck, and you can hear his influence clearly.

Highlights are "Heaven Can Wait" (with Beck), "Trick Pony", and "Greenwich Mean Time"



The Good, the Bad & the Queen- s/t (2007)



Initially started by Damon Albarn of Blur as a solo project, Albarn gradually added musicians to form a quasi "super group" comprised of him, Paul Simonon of the Clash, Simon Ton of the Verve, and Tony Allen, famed afrobeat drummer for Fela Kuti's band for many years. The album was produced by Danger Mouse and retains a strong art pop and Blur vibe, as would be expected with Albarn at the helm.

Highlights are "Herculean" and "Northern Whale"



"Passion" is available on Spotify, but not under Peter Gabriel's page, so I was unable to add it to our playlist. Gainbourg and TGTB&TQ have been added.

 
H

Today's selections are two releases that could not be further in style from each other. Let's start with:

Hot Chip- The Warning (2006)



This is the third release from Hot Chip and where they really found their sound. And that sound was very popular in England in the mid-Aughts, namely '80s throw back, indietronic, glitch pop. This album is full of catchy melodies, synth-pop hooks, and jangling percussive instruments. Most are upbeat, but with a few slower tempo tracks thrown in for good measure. Some might find the lead singer's voice drab and monotone, but come on....he's English. >wink<

Highlights are "Over and Over" and "And I was a Boy at School"



Next we have:

Harmonia- Musik von Harmonia (1974)




By this point, you are most likely aware that I have a soft spot for electronic music, particularly that produced by zee Germans. Harmonia only put out two albums officially, but they are often cited as one of the most influential and pioneering developers of the classic Krautrock sound. Founded by Neu! founding member Michael Rother and Cluster's Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, their music is ambient, hypnotic, psychedelic, and minimalist at the same time. One RYM reviewer said that Harmonia influenced the sound of bands from Sonic Youth to God Speed! You Black Emperor.

Highlights are "Watussi" (slow track) and "Dino" (more upbeat. reminds me of Neu!'s "Hallogallo")


 
I

I Monster- "Neveroddnoreven" (2004)



This album is a little bit difficult to describe. RYM describes it as downtempo, electropop, trip hop, and neo-psychedelia. It's all that, and more. The overall feel is a bit schizophrenic and all over the place using lots of sampled bits (ala Avalanches), but the music and vocal combinations end up giving you a cohessive whole rather than disparate parts. There is a bit of everything for everyone here.

Highlight track is "Daydream in Blue"



Chris Isaak- Heart Shaped World (1998)



Chris Isaak's laid back, California approach to music combines Americana, rockabilly, roots music, and straight-ahead rock and roll. Most of the album has a very laid back approach, drenched with reverb and rumbling base. This album has a retro 1950s feel, full of nostalgia and longing for the past.

Highlights are "Wicked Game" (huge hit) and "Don't Make Me Dream About You"

 
J

The Jesus and Mary Chain- Darklands (1987)



Founded by the Ried brothers from Scotland, The Jesus and Mary Chain took the definitions of post-punk and noise pop and turned them up to 11. Their prior album, "Darklands" (1985), is mired in a wall of fuzzy, droning, noise. The first time I heard it, I honestly thought it was crap. However, after a few listens, I realized that the noise is layered over rather melodic tracks. With this subsequent release, "Darklands", they have cut back on the heavy layer of noise. Let's say they turned it down to 8.5. The overall sound is still there, but this album is more readily accessible, while maintaining its noisy, jangle-pop, neo-psychedelic sound.

Highlights are "Happy When it Rains" and "April Skies"



Jean-Michel Jarre- Zoolook (1984)

The son of musician Maurice Jarre, it makes sense that Jean-Michel would follow in his father's footsteps. Like his father, Jean-Michel also has produced an number of movie sound tracks. However, what he is most know for is his progressive electronic music. With Zoolook, Jarre released his first album of all digital synthesizers. Vocal samples taken from around the world are used as music tones, rather than spoken words per se. The first time I heard this music was in college in a friend's room. He had just bought some planar speakers that were about 6' tall and 2" thick (I don't remember the brand). He put the title track on at a high volume, and I felt like I had melted into the music. Stereophonic layers and sound placement are taken to a level I had never heard before in my life. If you have an amazing sound system at home, I highly recommend putting your listening chair right in the center of the sweet spot for your speakers, turn it up, and get blown away. Do the same with your kick-ass headphones if you are so inclined and able. In 2017, this album is a tad dated, but remember who else was putting out music like this in 1984. Answer: almost nobody.

Highlights are "Zoolook" and "Zoolookology"





Chris Joss- You've Been Spiked (2004)



This entire album is just a joy from start to finish. Take a heavy dose of funk, breakbeat, trip-hop, jazz, and turntablism and mix them all together with a heavy splash of early 70s nostalgia. What would you call that? Look it up in the dictionary; there's a picture of Chris Joss smiling back at you. This album has minimal vocals, but maximum fun. You can't be in a bad mood while this album plays.

Highlights are "Discotheque Dancing" and "Drink Me Hot"



All will be added to the Spotify playlist.
 
K

Kitchens of Distinction- The Death of Cool (1992)



This short-lived trio only released a handful of albums, but this third release of theirs is as close to perfect as an album can get. While the overall sound is best described as shoegaze, some jangle-pop makes its presence felt as well. The album has a very melancholic feel to it, covering topics of lost love, regret, and homophobia as well. Happy times, right? One RYM reviewer described it by saying "imagine an un-ironic Morrissey". The album is a collage of sound with swirling guitars and plenty of reverb wash. Think: Cocteau Twins.

Highlights are "What Happens Now" and "Smiling"


Karsh Kale- Broken English (2006)



English born Karsh Kale is considered to be one of the founders of the Asian Underground music genre which mixes Indian classical and folk music with electronic, rock, and ambient to create something aurally refreshing. Tracks here have elements of hip-hop, dance, trance, tribal house, drum & bass, and laid back chill.

Highlights are "Free Fall" and "New Born Star"


Kid Creole and the Coconuts- Doppleganger (1983)



If I didn't include at least one of Kid Creole's records, I would be doing you a disservice. Lead by Zoot-suited August Darnel, Kid Creole (here with his off and on again backing trio, the Coconuts) delivers a fun-filled mix of Latin disco, big band, funk, and pop. You can't help but get up and dance when KC gets going. I have seen him live a number of times and he never fails to deliver a good time.

Highlights are "The Lifeboat Party" and "Call Me the Entertainer"



Spotify is acting wonky today for me and won't open up. I will check later and if these albums are available, I will add them to the playlist.
 
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