One Year Later . . . We Continue To Mourn David Bowie With No Plan

The Good: Good vocals, Some decent lines
The Bad: SHORT, Poor cohesiveness as a self-sustaining album, Entire EP is available already as a second disc!
The Basics: David Bowie fans who overlooked the Lazarus Original Cast Recording are rewarded for holding out with a chance to buy the second disc's contents from that album with the "new" No Plan EP.


One year ago today, David Bowie died. Bowie's death is one that has resonated in my household for the entire year as my wife is a huge fan of David Bowie's works and one of her bucket list goals when we first met was to see him in concert. Bowie's final album, Blackstar (reviewed here!), has been played on pretty high repetition in our home for the past year. And recently, when we rewatched Gilmore Girls (reviewed here!) in preparation for the revival, the most angry my wife ever became at the antics of Lorelei Gilmore was when Lorelai acts like a spoiled brat about going to a David Bowie concert because she is not all that fond of the guy. When that episode came up, it took less than half a second before my wife realized that the episode would have been set during what was actually David Bowie's final U.S. tour and she was screaming at the television, "It doesn't matter who the guy is, you go see Bowie!" So, when the new posthumous EP No Plan was released as a digital download, that was big news around our home.

For those who have a similar affinity to David Bowie and his enduring legacy, the bottomline on the No Plan EP is: skip it. It is short and it is already available. No Plan is identical to the second disc in the Lazarus Original Cast Recording Album. More music (Michael C. Hall singing Bowie!), identical content and less-exploitative, the Lazarus Original Cast Recording is a far better value for fans than the No Plan EP.

That said, No Plan is the work of David Bowie from one of his last major projects. The EP has four songs, clocking out at 17:59 and all four were written and performed by David Bowie. The version of "Lazarus" that appears on No Plan is identical to the one that appeared on Blackstar. The EP was co-produced by David Bowie, so it is hard to argue that it is not the vision he intended for the music presented upon it.

The three songs "unique" to No Plan are "No Plan," "Killing A Little Time," and "When I Met You." All three feature David Bowie's distinctive voice, which is enough to make listeners pine for him all over again. The songs might have gelled well in the context of the musical Lazarus, but they have less cohesiveness when put one after another on the No Plan EP.

There is something tragic about listening to "No Plan," in such a familiar way that fans might be surprised that Bowie left the song off of Blackstar. When Bowie sings "All the things that are my life / My moods / My beliefs / My desires / Me alone / Nothing to regret / This is no place, but here I am / This is not quite yet" ("No Plan"), the listener is reminded of how prepared Bowie seemed to be for his death. "No Plan" is a slow, soft, sad track that is carried on the majesty of Bowie's vocals and the longing tone of his voice is tear-evoking. "No Plan" is the highlight of the album.

"No Plan" leads very poorly into the guitars of "Killing A Little Time." Drums and guitar on "Killing A Little Time" make a swirling, noisy sound that is antagonistic after the quiet beauty of "No Plan." "Killing A Little Time" is derivative of "Bring Me The Disco King" for the way Bowie's vocals are sublimated to a musical accompaniment that is more unpleasant than it is anything remotely melodic. And, it's not like his lines "I'm falling, man / I'm choking, man / I'm fading, man / And broke and blind" ("Killing A Little Time") are much of an upper to get one away from the miserable feelings evoked by the guitars and percussion.

"When I Met You" is a percussion-driven love song that is frenetic and has an almost angry sound to it. By the time Bowie comes in with his vocals, the listener is on edge from the cacophonous instrumentals that precede his voice. Even so, when Bowie breaks through with lines like "When I met you (You're feeling depressed) / I could not speak (You're drowning in pain) / You opened my mouth (You're walking in midst) / You opened my heart (You're leaving again)" ("When I Met You") it is hard for his passion not to break through the noisy musical accompaniment and touch the listener. Bowie's voice carries the song and in some ways, "When I Met You" makes the listener recall the moment they first fell in love with the music of David Bowie all over again.

The contents of No Plan are not bad, but they are not enough to sustain even its own EP. The release of the No Plan EP is the musical equivalent of releasing DVD bonus features as their own release and expecting fans to lap it up happily. Given the quality of the Bowie recordings unearthed and released since his death, there are far, far better options for fans than No Plan.

For other David Bowie reviews, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
The Man Who Sold The World
Hunkey Dory
The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
Aladdin Sane
Pinups
Diamond Dogs
Christiane F. Soundtrack
Let's Dance
Labyrinth
Labyrinth Soundtrack
Never Let Me Down
Eart hl i ng
Best Of Bowie (1 Disc version)
The Best Of Bowie (2 Disc version)
Best Of Bowie (DVD videos)
Heathen
The Next Day (Deluxe Edition)

3.5/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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It's Not Really A Panning: Why The Solid Gold EP Is A Tough Sell!

The Good: Vocals, Most of the lyrics, Good sound
The Bad: Occasionally overproduced, VERY SHORT!
The Basics: Nikki Yanofsky's new Solid Gold EP hints at an amazing forthcoming full-album . . . while asking her fanbase to double-buy tracks from what is going to be a concept album, which infuriates those of us who have come to love her works.


This has been a good year for me with music. Earlier in the year, I went to a Heather Nova concert (reviewed here!) and my favorite musical artist of all time performed a request that I had posted to her Facebook page. And now, with the release of Nikki Yanofsky's Solid Gold EP, I finally get to hear an acoustic version of Yanofsky's single "Young Love." While I know that Nova performed the one song specifically because of my request (she told the story of getting the request on the Facebook page and asked if the person who made the request was there before she performed it!), I have no idea if Yanofsky put the acoustic version of "Young Love" on the Solid Gold EP because of my request or not. However, when Yanofsky publicly released "Young Love" online a few months ago, I tweeted to her that it was a wonderful song, but that it made me wish I could hear an acoustic version of it. So, either she planned initially to release the less-produced version all along or she - like Heather Nova - is responsive to her social media requests by giving her listeners what they want on new albums! But, given that Yanofsky mentions reading all her tweets, I have hope within me that my comment reached her and she threw the acoustic version of "Young Love" on the Solid Gold EP because of my request.

The Solid Gold EP appears to be following the same model that Meagan Trainor followed with Title (reviewed here!) where the artists releases an EP to promote a forthcoming full-length album. I am not a fan.

To be clear, I have very suddenly become a fan of the works of Nikki Yanofsky and, amidst listening to Solid Gold EP on heavy-replay, I listened to a live stream event I missed last month where Yanofsky discussed the Solid Gold EP (which made me sad - I had questions I would have asked Yanofsky!), where Yanofsky promoted the Solid Gold EP and referenced the full album coming in the Spring (of 2017). I am not a fan of using a medium poorly or having to double-buy things, like music or movies that have continual revisions. So, the idea of the Solid Gold EP is inherently offensive to me; it is a promotional tool for a concept record. I love concept albums and I am super-psyched about the idea of a Nikki Yanofsky concept album, especially when Yanofsky has said that the concept album is an exploration of her relationship experiences. Solid Gold EP hints that Yanofsky has something to say and the talent to say it in an interesting way. But, if you're going to release a concept album, release a concept album; take the time to get it right, then release the full thing. Making a sampler like the Solid Gold EP feels like a promotional device; a way to keep one's name out in the public eye while one finishes a work. Having seen a ton of ads for Norah Jones's new album, I have a sneaking suspicion that someone managing Yanofsky's career wanted to put out something right around the same time so people seeing Jones's new work could be up-sold on something from Yanofsky. Regardless of the background theory, the Solid Gold EP is a glimpse into a larger work and it hints at something amazing without delivering it.

With only six tracks clocking out at 19:30, the Solid Gold EP might be a poor use of the c.d. medium, but what is contained on the EP is pretty amazing. Nikki Yanofsky wrote or co-wrote/composed all five of the songs ("Young Love" is on the EP twice in fully-produced and acoustic versions!). The primary vocals are all from Nikki Yanofsky and Yanofsky worked closely with Wyclef Jean, who produced the Solid Gold EP; judging from everything she says about it in interviews, this (and, especially, the forthcoming full-length album) is very much the work Yanofsky wanted to release.

The six tracks on the Solid Gold EP are a musically well-developed grouping of songs and the transition from track to track actually works wonderfully. Opening with the upbeat, classic-pop sound of "Young Love" (which sounds like a 1980's ballad in the best possible way!), the Solid Gold EP moves to a wonderfully funky sounding "Best Of Me." "Me, Myself & I" is haunting and guided by Yanofsky's voice, despite the percussion in it; it might be the perfect blend of lonely lyrics, barren accompaniment and an emotive voice to evoke the desired mood with impressive efficiency. The up-tempo "Miss You When I'm Drunk" prevents listeners from falling completely into despair. The album transitions nicely into the acoustic version of "Young Love" (which, as I hoped, resonates more emotively without the orchestral accompaniment and the "one woman and a piano" sound of it pops in a different and wonderful way) before ending with "To No1." Like the song that precedes it, "To No1." is contemplative sounding and piano-driven.

As anyone who has heard anything by Nikki Yanofsky knows, Yanofsky has an amazing voice and her range and ability to hold notes continues on the Solid Gold EP. On the Solid Gold EP, Yanofsky is expressive, vocally impressive and filled with so much raw talent that it leaves the listener wishing for a dual-album - a fully-produced album and an acoustic version of the same album to hear the musically-rich experience and contrast it with one where Yanofsky's amazing voice dominates. I'm a cheapskate, but I'd shell out for that right away! (And, unlike a "sampler" like an EP leading into a full album, a produced and an acoustic version of the same album can easily become two very distinct and different musical works!)

Lyrically, Nikki Yanofsky begins to deliver on her potential on Solid Gold EP. On some of Yanofsky's other works, there have been songs Yanofsky has written or co-written and they have been bursting with potential - especially when compared to some of the standards she performs with painfully-predictable rhyme schemes. On the Solid Gold EP, Yanofsky keeps the writing fresh, interesting and emotional. Songs like "Miss You When I'm Drunk" captivate the listener with an almost universal sense of missing someone and getting over them in the sober light of day.

It made me very glad to hear that "Me, Myself & I" was Yanofsky's favorite track on Solid Gold EP (at least according to her live stream interview she did on Facebook when the EP was released!); it is arguably the most poetic, distinctive, and lyrically complicated song on the album. When Yanofsky sings "I hate being alone with my thoughts / Baby, please don't be gone for too long / Outside our love you've got plenty of friends / I've only got you and so I pretend / That I'm all right / Yeah, it's all right / It's just me, myself and I . . ." ("Me, Myself & I") it is hard for anyone who has been immersed in a complicated relationship not to empathize with the musical protagonist. The Solid Gold EP illustrates well that Yanofsky does, indeed, have something original to say about relationships and the ability to make those thoughts beautifully musical.

Rather than continuing to evaluate the lyrics - I'll devote the time to that with the full album - I wanted to reiterate; what is on the Solid Gold EP is wonderful . . . there is just not enough of it. And knowing that we will get all these songs and quite a bit more on a new album makes it an impossible sell for a thrifty person like me. And, frankly, having heard William Shatner tell the full story of how his musical career got entirely derailed by a musical concept album that was presented poorly to the masses, it seems ridiculous to me that anyone would ever release an EP based upon a concept album. I can understand the marketing behind releasing an EP, but as a consumer, it is hard not to feel cheated by the EP, then full-album strategy and it is disappointing to see an musician like Nikki Yanofsky using this approach as she transitions from a performer to a full-fledged artist. In other words, as Yanofsky starts to hit her artistic stride, taking such a commercial approach to distribution feels very . . . un-artistic.

In short, Nikki Yanofsky is not going to go bankrupt and stop making music if you don't buy the Solid Gold EP (we hope!). She is talented, the music on the Solid Gold EP is wonderful, but the smart money is on the idea that when the full album is finished and released in 2017 Yanofsky will be able to pull off the concept and make something that is a complete, rich concept album that is well-developed and worth waiting for. The Solid Gold EP just makes listeners want the full album; unless one is a collector who absolutely has to have everything from an artist, save your money and get the full album when it is released next year.

For other works by Nikki Yanofsky, please visit my reviews of:
Ella . . . Of Thee I Swing
Nikki
Little Secret

5/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Smart, But Way Too Short, Meghan Trainor’s Title Succeeds For What It Is!

The Good: Some great lyrics, Musically fun
The Bad: Very short, Erratic, Mixed quality on the vocals/production
The Basics: More than just an impressive single, Title makes Meghan Trainor into a household name . . . and makes us wish for more!


While on my recent vacation, I had a chance to listen to new music on the radio. While I came home eager to find the new album by a Canadian artist whose work has not quite broken here in the States, the other piece of music that truly moved me on my trip was the (now) #1 single from Meghan Trainor, “All About That Bass.” Learning about a hit single after it has already reached number one is very much like arriving to the party late, but after buying Meghan Trainor’s EP Title, I’m convinced that “All About The Bass” will not be the only hit off the album.

Title is an unfortunately short album that illustrates that Meghan Trainor is a talented singer-songwriter who is near the start of a very promising career. Title is the third album by Trainor and it is fun and clever in a way that I have not heard since Merril Bainbridge’s The Garden (reviewed here!). Unfortunately, the duration and lighter quality of Trainor’s EP make it a bit harder to recommend. Title has decent social messages and a narrative voice of female empowerment, but there is something of a feeling of diminishing returns after the single “Title;” the two singles that follow drop drastically in quality compared to “All About The Bass” and “Title.”

With only four songs clocking out at 12:45, Title is very much a collaborative work between Meghan Trainor and Kevin Kadish. Trainor and Kadish co-wrote all of the songs and co-executive produced Title. Trainor provides all of the lead vocals on Title and a few instrumental aspects on the album (claps, ukulele, and drum programming on two of the songs), while Kadish provides the other instrumental programming. The four tracks are enough to establish that Trainor and Kadish have something to say and a pretty solid method of musically delivering their message.

On “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor rails against the unhealthy body image portrayed in the media by celebrating the joys of being a curvy woman. Like a do-wop version of “Baby Got Back” from a woman’s perspective, Trainor celebrates the joys of being a curvy woman. She makes wonderful transitions from the confrontational to the empowered when she sings “I’m bringing booty back / Go ‘head and tell them skinny bitches that / No, I’m just playing, I know you think you’re fat / But I’m here to tell you . . . Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top . . . . You know I won’t be no stick figure, silicone Barbie doll / So if that’s what you’re into, then go ‘head and move along” (“All About That Bass”). The song is fun, catchy, and smarter than virtually any pop song in the last half-decade!

“All About That Bass” is followed by “Title” on the EP. “Title” is such a wonderful song that it is shocking that with the release of Title, it was not the second single released from the short album. Like “All About That Bass,” “Title” has a message of female empowerment and an enthusiastic, catchy, tune. Putting her boyfriend on notice, the female protagonist of “Title” demands, “Baby, don’t call me a friend / If I hear that word again / You might never get a chance to see me naked in your bed / And I know girls ain’t hard to find / But if you think you wanna try / Then consider this an invitation to kiss my ass goodbye.” The song is as strong as “All About The Bass” and has a very universal appeal to women who are tired of being strung-along as second tier date material and it’s about time there was an anthem for those women!

Surprisingly, the second single off Title is “Dear Future Husband.” “Dear Future Husband” is like a second take on “Title” where the female protagonist is talking to her prospective husband about what she wants out of her marriage. The song is not as catchy as the prior two singles, but it is a decent pop song that continues the quality of voice on the prior two tracks, without having quite the bouncy or compelling tune.

The final song on Title is “Close Your Eyes.” “Close Your Eyes” is an entirely forgettable pop ballad. Trainor sings high and slower with a very basic ballad that closes the album in a very mediocre way.

The result is that Title is well-written, sung in a fun manner and a decent collection of pop songs that are enough to make Meghan Trainor a household name, but it is not enough to make us want to play over and over and over again and have a prized place on the shelf; we are left wanting more.

For other newer works, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Shine On - Sarah McLachlan
Lights Out - Ingrid Michaelson
Louder - Lea Michele

4/10

For other movie reviews, please check out my Film Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Originality Undermines Emotion On A Fine Frenzy’s Oh Blue Christmas!

The Good: Wonderful vocals, Musical accompaniment is interesting
The Bad: Short, Reinterpretations drastically change the emotions of the songs, Original tracks are entirely moody.
The Basics: Oh Blue Christmas is an extended play disc from A Fine Frenzy, which has Alison Sudol reinterpreting three Christmas songs and adding three original, anything-but-festive, songs.


One of the things I look for in a Christmas album is originality. I’m not impressed by albums that simply have the latest pop star doing their covers of ten to twelve familiar Christmas songs that virtually everyone knows. So, if anything, I was inherently biased toward Oh Blue Christmas, a six track EP by A Fine Frenzy, the band which is mostly the work of Alison Sudol. Oh Blue Christmas followed on the heels of Bomb In A Birdcage (reviewed here!), which was A Fine Frenzy’s sophomore album. Like Bomb In A Birdcage, Oh Blue Christmas takes the lyric-writing skill that was evident on One Cell In The Sea (reviewed here!) and combines it with an increased sense of musical richness.

Unfortunately, Oh Blue Christmas is half original, half standards. The standards are mediocre reinterpretations of “Blue Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland,” and the far more obscure “Christmas Time Is Here Again.” With six tracks, clocking out at 21:49, Oh Blue Christmas is mostly the work of A Fine Frenzy. The three original tracks were written by Alison Sudol, who is (for all intents and purposes) A Fine Frenzy. In addition to playing piano and providing the vocals on Oh Blue Christmas, Sudol is credited as a co-producer of the EP, so this is very much the work of A Fine Frenzy.

“Blue Christmas” is presented as an up-tempo track. While the intriguing, poppy version is distinctly different from the mournful, moody Elvis version, it pretty much guts the emotional resonance of the song. There is nothing blue about the sound of Alison Sudol’s vocals, so the tracks comes out sounding disconnected; like she does not know the meaning of the words she is singing.

Musically, A Fine Frenzy creates a very different track with their reinterpretation of “Winter Wonderland.” Sounding more like a vocal exercise at points than a fully realized song, “Winter Wonderland” is enriched with guitars and a trumpet that give it a very rich sound. The slower, more contemplative version of the song sounds more like the winter wonderland at night than the familiar, sunny, tune.

The first of three original tracks on the EP, “Redribbon Foxes” is a guitar-driven song that has a musical protagonist who is much more moody than the instrumental accompaniment would seem to indicate. Combating the materialism of Christmas, Sudol sings “For love doesn't come in boxes / Nor truth in a crowded shop / Those red ribbon foxes are not so easy caught / But the search it never stops / For faith doesn't come in boxes / Nor God in your silver cross” (“Redribbon Foxes”). Any song that riles against holiday-themed commercialism is decent in my book, but it is hard to imagine that “Redribbon Foxes” will be the argument that finally changes the nature of the modern holiday season.

Upbeat and poppy, “Winter White” is unlikely to be a new Christmas classic. The song is overproduced, even glossing over Sudol’s usually exceptional soprano voice. She sings a little lower than usual on the track, but the percussion and guitars overwhelm her vocals. The song, which is moody with lines like “The smoke of memories in my eyes / The real misleading kind / It comes in winter white / In holiday disguise / To sabotage my mind” (“Winter White”) is a rare “angry about Christmas” track and while it’s a nice twist on the usual holiday song, the use of “god damn” in it pretty much means A Fine Frenzy is singing for adults and angry teens only.

The penultimate track, “Wish You Well” has a good intent, but an awkward execution. “Wish You Well” is about an estranged sister and brother who are meeting up for the holidays. While the sister, the musical protagonist, has the desire to reconnect – “. . . I still love you brother / But I don't know what to make of you / When I don't know you anymore” – the brother “sit[s] by your plastic tree / And tell your friends you've no family” (“Wish You Well”). The song has no resolution, at least as a musical story, and that makes it more moody than inspirational.

Of the covers, “Christmas Time Is Here” is the most obscure track. A Fine Frenzy presents a vocally literal interpretation of the song. Instead of the lonely piano that accompanied “Christmas Time Is Here” in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Sudol’s voice is beautiful (her soprano opening to the song sounds a lot like Heather Nova’s voice!) on “Christmas Time Is Here” and she emotes well on the song. Her interpretation of the song, however, does not truly make the song her own or redefine it.

A Fine Frenzy gets good marks for originality, but Oh Blue Christmas is missing something on the commitment front. Alison Sudol does not commit to a full-length album or to making a truly memorable holiday recording. The covers are original, but a serious mixed bag for the direction
A Fine Frenzy goes with them and the songs unique to the album are hardly going to be new holiday favorites.

The best track is “Redribbon Foxes,” the low point is the incongruent reinterpretation of “Blue Christmas.”

For other holiday albums, please visit my reviews of:
The Gift - Kenny Rogers
Midwinter Graces - Tori Amos
Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan

4/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Short And Collectible, These Walls Is A Fair Sampler Of Early Heather Nova!

The Good: Awesome voice, Good lyrics
The Bad: Exceptionally short, Instrumentally simplistic
The Basics: These Walls introduced the world to Heather Nova/Heather Frith and illustrated the spark of incredible potential she would develop!


When I was in college, I discovered the musical works of Heather Nova. Like so many fans, I became a fan of Nova’s works when I first heard “Walk This World.” Less than two years later, I had the opportunity to meet Nova at a Lilith Fair concert and it was a pretty incredible experience for me. Since then, I have tracked down every album of Heather Nova’s and it was years ago that I managed to track down the (apparently) now out-of-print These Walls.

These Walls was the debut EP of Heather Nova and it was an album that had several different titles, but identical compositions. Whether it was called Heather Frith, These Walls, or The First Recording, the content of the EP is the same. Like so many first albums, These Walls is only a hint of the potential of the artist who appears on it, but even so the album shows well the strength of Heather Nova. Even on These Walls, Nova exhibits an amazing voice and incredible lyrics-writing skills. What the album lacks is a musical sophistication to make the fact that it is only four tracks worth the expense of hunting it down.

With only four songs, These Walls is very much the creation of Heather Nova. She wrote all four songs, provides the acoustic guitars that dominate the instrumentals and is lead vocals on all of the songs. The only major creative credit she did not have on These Walls is the credit as a producer.

These Walls is a collection of four vocally-driven songs that are quiet, slow, musical poems. Vocally, Heather Nova exhibits an amazing soprano voice and a decent lung capacity. While the title track is a little more up-tempo than the others, the other three are slow and require Nova to hold notes for a decent time. This makes the album short, but entirely melancholy and the sadness in Nova’s voice is palpable.

Instrumentally, this album is very typical for a guitar-based album. This is very much a “one woman and a guitar” album. The ballads are soft and quiet and underproduced.

On These Walls, the songs still exhibit a strong sense of beautiful poetics. Opening her first EP with the lines “In your heart, there are oceans / In your heart, there are flowering trees / Look inside, it lives inside these walls,” (“These Walls”), Nova exhibits a strong sense of self. Her songs on These Walls are universally introspective and the album comes across as a very short breakup album.

Arguably the best song on the album is “Flying As She Falls.” A ballad about finding strength, even in the midst of failure, Nova sings “She dresses by the window / Finds reflection in the pane / She looks towards the winter / And her hair falls around her like rain / She's sighing with September / She would like to run and hide / She's wrapped up in confusion / She unfolds like paper dolls / But she's flying as she falls” (“Flying As She Falls”). This is one of the songs that illustrates just how great her sense of imagery is and her ability to put it well in a musical storysong.

Ultimately, These Walls is essential for the fans of Hather Nova, but hard to justify the expense of. The best song is “Flying As She Falls,” the low point is the somewhat simplistic “New Love.”

For other Heather Nova album reviews, please be sure to check out:
Glowstars
Oyster
Blow
Live From The Milky Way
Siren
Wonderlust
South
Storm
Redbird
The Jasmine Flower
300 Days At Sea

5/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing.

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Two Songs Not Worth Diluting Your Collection With, But It's Okay: "Nothing Really Matters."

The Good: Good enough lyrics and voice on the tracks
The Bad: Music dilutes message, SHORT, Nothing unique on this disc
The Basics: With only two tracks, "Nothing Really Matters" presents no new material and rather unextraordinary tracks with what it does eke out.


Still smarting from the whopping I took in the ratings on my review of the three-track single "Sour Girl" (reviewed here!) back in the day when I wrote for another website, I decided to push my luck and review another short work. After all, I will find out what it takes to review a work that is only two songs long and get a positive feedback! To take on this challenge, I picked Madonna's ultimately mediocre single "Nothing Really Matters."

With two tracks, "Nothing Really Matters" clocks in at nine and three quarters minutes and is an utter waste of space and time, even for fans of Madonna. I write this because compact discs are designed to hold over seventy-four minutes of music so the point of buying any c.d. single is sketchy at best, made even worse by artists who do not release anything new and different on the single. This disc includes the tracks "Nothing Really Matters" and "To Have And Not To Hold."

"Nothing Really Matters" (the track) is a pop-dance number that laments the consequences of life. It mortgages any real message it might have - i.e. that actions are futile and ultimately life has no consequences because everyone dies - by presenting that message with singsong lyrics and a dance beat musical accompaniment. So, while the message of loving oneself and finding joy through yourself - not through others - is honorable, Madonna presents it with lyrics that are downright simple. Take the refrain, with its singsong rhythm with lines like "Nothing really matters / Love is all we need / Everything I give you / All comes back to me," ("Nothing Really Matters"); it lacks impact.

There is no sense of genuine consequences here. So, while the song opens with the declaration that "everything's changed," it does not seem like a momentous change, especially if the singer declares right off the bat that nothing mattered to her growing up. So, how can everything change if after the supposed change, she reaches the same conclusion she began with?

This is because "Nothing Really Matters" is designed for sound, not lyrics. This is a triumph of Madonna's style over substance. While on albums like Music (reviewed here!) this might have led to a draw, on this short work, it's a clear and glaring detraction. The simple, silly lyrics are accompanies by a heavy bassline, banging drum sounds and synths that are simply designed to get the listener to dance.

In contrast, "To Have And Not To Hold" starts with a softer sound, highlighting Madonna's voice over the very-produced backing instrumentals, which include bells, synths and a drum machine. The problem with this track is not that its purpose is to get the listener to stand up and dance, but rather that it suffers from the same writing weaknesses as "Nothing Really Matters."

"To Have And Not To Hold" is another song that could have genuine resonance, in this case because Madonna is singing is slowly and with clear and clearly expressed passion. The sentiments of loss and yearning are wonderful, but the sentiments do not equal the lines. In short, it's clear Madonna has something here to say that she cares about, but the lines just do not express the concept well enough to engage the listener.

Plagued by some ridiculously simple lyrics, "To Have And Not To Hold" is repetitive and feels like it was written by a tween girl. Madonna sings "To love, but not to keep / To laugh, not to weep / Your eyes, they go right through / And yet you never do / Anything to make me want to stay / Like a moth to a flame / Only I am to blame . . ." ("To Have And Not To Hold") and the rhymes are so predictable and obvious that I found myself cringing, even on the first listen. It doesn't matter how softly or with how much passion one sings a song, when half the refrain is "Ba ba da ba ba ba," the song is pretty weak and not expressing a genuine emotion with enough finesse.

"To Have And Not To Hold" is essentially a subpar pop ballad and it feels just like what it is.

Having not even heard Madonna's album "Ray of Light," I would recommend it over this single. Both tracks appear on the album in the same form as they are on this disc, making it completely worthless as a single. The best singles, like Oasis's "Don't Go Away" (reviewed here!) present new material or reinterpretations of other works. The worst singles, like this one, simply give album cuts from a work and nothing else.

At least the title is not a misnomer. In this case, this single does not matter, except, I suppose, to die hard collectors. It's a shame because Madonna wrote and co-produced both songs, so one suspects that if she was trying to create even a single that was going to endure, she could have made something worth buying and given the listeners a b-side that was unique. At least, it saves the casual listeners from buying this.

For other Artist Of The Month reviews, please check out my reviews of:
50 Greatest Hits - Reba McEntire
@#%&*! Smilers - Aimee Mann
Luck Of The Draw - Bonnie Raitt

4/10

For other album and singles reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Uninspired Oasis - One Single Even Fans Can Do Without: “Cigarettes And Alcohol”

The Good: Two great songs, one good - though overplayed - cover
The Bad: Title track is lame
The Basics: In a disappointing musical outing, Oasis presents one of its mediocre songs as a single with other songs that can be found elsewhere.


It does not take much to realize that I am a bit of a fan of Oasis. Sure, they haven't charted a single in the United States anywhere near as high as "Wonderwall" SINCE their second album, but their third, fourth and fifth albums remain in high rotation in my collection (that would be Be Here Now, The Masterplan, and Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants) and deserved a lot more credit than they received (I think at the time, they were buried under the attention to such enduring greats as the Spice Girls, Lou Bega, and Savage Garden). Still, even when they were on the rise in the UK and the US, Oasis made some moves that were poor choices. The best example I have is the release of the single "Cigarettes And Alcohol," the fourth single released off their debut Definitely Maybe.

With four tracks, clocking in just over twenty-one minutes, "Cigarettes And Alcohol" is a failure in the big picture of Oasis's career because it offers the listener nothing unique. First off, "Cigarettes and Alcohol," Oasis's rock and roll anthem to laziness was never one of their better singles on "Definitely Maybe." The song cries out for slacking and on this single, it is followed up by the live cover of "I Am The Walrus" (by the Beatles) and the two genuinely great tracks "Listen Up" and "Fade Away." The reason this disc is essentially worthless is that it offers nothing unique for the fans of Oasis or even the casual listeners. "Cigarettes and Alcohol" is on "Definitely Maybe," the other three tracks are on the vastly superior "The Masterplan."

"Cigarettes And Alcohol" seems to be one of Noel and Liam Gallagher's (the two constants of Oasis) favorite songs, as it appears on the single, Definitely Maybe, live on Familiar To Millions, a demo version on another single, a live version on the single of "Don't Go Away," and in its standard form again on the compilation Stop The Clocks. It's gotten around. In case you've not heard it, "Cigarettes And Alcohol" is a heavy guitar and drum track that loudly declares, "Is it worth the aggravation / To find yourself a job / When there's nothing worth working for?" It has one of the most typical Liam Gallagher vocals, which is loud and annoyingly whiny on this track. It was an unfortunate choice for a single ("Slide Away" would have been far better).

The title track of the single is followed up by "I Am The Walrus (Live)" which is possibly the only more tired track than "Cigarettes and Alcohol" on this disc. In addition to this disc, it shows up on "The Masterplan" and several other c.d. singles. "I Am The Walrus" is a song by The Beatles which, as it turns out, they never performed live, possibly because of how complex the guitarwork and drums actually were, especially combined with the speed of the vocals getting out rather complex lyrics. Liam Gallagher gets his mouth around the hazy drug poem of John Lennon and it is an impressive track. But we've heard it over and over and over and over again. It's not like the different times it pops up on Oasis albums it's a different live version. No, it's always the same track (though sometimes it includes the full guitar solo, sometimes it does not). The group gets through it, but it's available on The Masterplan with a slew of other songs.

This disc seems to be one of the more coherent arguments for The Masterplan as it follows up with "Listen Up." Listen Up is a flat out rock and roll track that demands the listener "Listen up / What's the time said today / I'm gonna speak my mind / Take me up to the top of the world / I wanna see my crime." As well, it contains some of Noel's most intriguing and menacing lines when he has Liam sing, "Day by day / There's a man in a suit / Who's gonna make you pay / For the thoughts that you think and the words / They won't let you say." It's a powerfully political song (one of the few Oasis presents before Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants). As well, Liam sings it particularly well, making an anthem that is intriguing and backed by decent guitars and surprisingly competent drumming.

"Fade Away" caps the single with another anthem that puts Liam Gallagher in the higher range of his vocal abilities. This track does not force his vocals to be presented as whiny, indeed, here he gives a forceful vocal presentation for the refrain. Ironically, this ends up being the softest track on this single, especially lyrically, with the guitars and vocals being more subdued and articulate than on some of the other tracks. Noel's song is about the loss of dreams and it is a captivating concept, especially for a rock and roll track. There aren't many rock songs that would try to sell itself on lines like "Lived in a bubble / Days were never ending / Was not concerned / About what life was sending / Fantasy was real / Now I know much about the way I feel / . . . We only get what we will settle for / While we're living / The dreams we have as children / Fade away."

Ultimately, this is not a failure of (most) of the tracks on this album, but rather a failure of arrangement and a tragedy of lack of value. This is an impossible single to sell to anyone but a ridiculous collector; there's nothing here worth buying that cannot be found on a longer, more complete work.

The best track is "Fade Away," the worst is "Cigarettes and Alcohol."

For other Oasis works, please check out my reviews of:
Definitely Maybe
"Whatever" (Single)
(What's The Story?) Morning Glory
“Wonderwall” (single)
“Don’t Look Back In Anger” (single)
"Some Might Say" (single)
Be Here Now
"D'You Know What I Mean?" (single)
"Stand By Me" (single)
"Don't Go Away" (Single)
The Masterplan
"Go Let It Out" (single)
"Sunday Morning Call" (Single)
Familiar To Millions
Heathen Chemistry
Don't Believe The Truth
Stop The Clocks
Dig Out Your Soul

3/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page where the reviews are organized from best to worst!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Unimpressive Live - Sarah McLachlan's Lesser Live EP

The Good: Nice booklet, Moments of voice, Some of the lyrics
The Bad: Not the most impressive vocal performance, Short, Very limited in scope and sound
The Basics: As someone who appreciates the works of Sarah McLachlan, this limited edition c.d. is a real let down and not worth the effort to track down.


As a collector, I am always interested when something is released that is limited edition, especially when it actually stays that way. I came across Sarah McLachlan's 1992 limited edition c.d. simply entitled Live and was surprised to find that the 250,000 copies made were the only ones that were made. Period. I almost felt honored putting the disc in my player.

With seven live tracks spanning 32 and a half minutes, Live is a real let down. McLachlan has had trouble impressing me with her live albums before; Mirrorball was a razor decision that turned on her version of the song Possession that sold the album. Live does not have any such luck. There are no tracks on here that are unique to this disc, none that are dramatic reinterpretations of prior works and none that illustrate anything extraordinary about Sarah McLachlan as a singer-songwriter. The performance (this was recorded at Harbourfront, Toronto in September of 1992) might have been intriguing or impressive, but whatever energy the actual show carried, it does not translate well to the disc.

Of the seven songs, six come from Solace, one from McLachlan's debut, Touch. This disc is not a ringing endorsement for either of those discs, nor a flattering advertisement for them or Sarah McLachlan. Opening with the usual pretentious concert noises that accompany most live albums, Live presents "Drawn To The Rhythm," one of McLachlan's standards. Having heard McLachlan live at a concert, it's interesting to note that there is very little differentiation between her performance of "Drawn To The Rhythm" live on this disc and in person. She does not alter the lyrics or add any sort of audibly recognizable "performance" to the track.

Her standard is followed by the uninspired performance of "Back Door Man," then "Home." While both of these tracks feature Sarah McLachlan's trademark "woman at the piano" sound, the vocals are very flat on this recording. They lack the emotion, the passion of Sarah McLachlan and the songs without her zest causes them to simply fall flat. In short, there's nothing extraordinary about her performances that open this disc.

McLachlan's voice comes to its most beautiful on "Lost." As McLachlan perfectly hits the higher registers while singing "Lost in the darkness of a land / Where all the hope that's offered is / Memories of being taken by the hand / And we are led into the sun." Here is a track where McLachlan's vocals are what we hope they would be, what allows us to call her a vocally impressive artist. This is the track that defines the loneliness her voice is able to create and captive her audience with.

Unfortunately, it peaks there, at track four. "I Will Not Forget You" is less clear and articulate, so McLachlan's singing becomes a plaintive wail. Similarly, the live versions of "Black" and "Ben's Song" are less emotionally expressive than they are sloppy. Her high notes on "Black" are shrill and troublesome, more than musical. These live versions do not add anything to the songs and, in fact, seem to capture performances that are mediocre at best.

Sarah McLachlan is an accomplished artist; she wrote or co-wrote all seven tracks on Live. Usually, her vocals are flawless, expressive and angelic, but not on this disc. She is an excellent musician, as well, playing her piano throughout this album, but here again the performances are nothing we haven't already heard from her studio albums. And closing tracks like "I Will Not Forget You" with the canned audience reaction just feels cheap here.

The nicest aspect of Live, and I do try to give credit where credit is due, is the booklet. The booklet that usually has the lyrics for the c.d. here has a mini-biography of Sarah McLachlan and the musicians who toured with her at the performances that made this disc. That's classy. It is printed on nice paper, has decent photographs and the biographies give a decent thumbnail history and it is very cool that she spotlights her accompanists.

But, when the superlative aspect of a limited edition disc are the liner notes, one knows they are in trouble. Live deserved to be limited edition, just to keep this low-quality pressing from turning too many people off of Sarah McLachlan and her works. A better live endeavor would be her Mirrorball c.d. As for this, it's impossible to recommend, even to the fans.

For other Sarah McLachlan reviews, check out my reviews of:
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Surfacing
Mirrorball
Afterglow
Rarities, B-Sides & Other Stuff
Wintersong
Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan
Laws Of Illusion

4/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Inane Rap That Tires Quickly: The Single Of "The Way I Live."

The Good: Production is decent, Catchy
The Bad: SHORT, Poor use of medium, Monotonous after a few spinnings
The Basics: "The Way I Live" is a self-promotional rap single that offers nothing worthwhile to those who bought Baby Boy Da Prince's album (or anyone who likes rap)!


Every now and then, I gladly try my hand at reviewing a c.d. single. The reason for this is simple: oftentimes, these little wastes of space include little or nothing of note to entice listeners or shoppers into buying them. As well, with few tracks, it is hard to truly spend a lot of time or space on them. The best c.d. singles, though, offer listeners a chance to hear their favorite artists' obscure songs which are not available on the full album the artist is releasing. The worst of these contain the primary song and one or two inane remixes. That is exactly where "The Way I Live," the c.d. single by Baby Boy Da Prince falls.

Until yesterday, when I found this c.d. single in my brother's drawer, I had never heard the works of Baby Boy Da Prince, nor had I even heard his name. This rapper just slipped by my radar and as I listen to his overproduced, pointless song, I do not feel at all like I am missing anything by having not heard of him before. "The Way I Live" appears to be the single (I'm unsure if it ever became a hit, but I would not be surprised if it didn't) Baby Boy Da Prince used to try to sell his full album, "Across The Water." What makes "The Way I Live" so bad in my book? Well, the four-track single has the same song twice, the song without the lyrics (no loss) and then just the refrain shouted out. Because there is not so much as a b-side on this disc, it gets tiresome with ridiculous speed.

With only 4 tracks, occupying 15:06 on a compact disc, "The Way I Live" appears to be a collaborative work of Baby Boy Da Prince and a production crew at Universal Republic Records. Baby Boy Da Prince is a co-writer of the song, but he is not credited with any production or instrumental credit on the album. The c.d. single has only four tracks, the radio-edit of "The Way I Live," the explicit version of "The Way I Live," the instrumental version of "The Way I Live" and a "Callout" (the refrain played one last time for those who didn't get it ad nauseum from the regular tracks). Baby Boy Da Prince does not even carry the entire single with on the vocals, as this song features "Lil Boosie" (yes, they dragged out the big names of rap for this release!). In other words, Baby Boy Da Prince is yet another label-manufactured effort that is a collaboration of talents in the desperate attempt to make money off rap listeners.

What is arguably the most offensive aspect of "The Way I Live" (other than its short duration and repetitive nature) is that the song is the type of rap-fluff popularized by artists like Eminem where the song is pretty much just about the rapper rapping about themselves. Baby Boy Da Prince is not advancing any social agenda, he's not even singing about sex or violence, he's just singing about himself. As a result, the song "The Way I Live" sounds more like a jingle (an advertisement) than it does a coherent musical work.

Moreover, Baby Boy Da Prince is not the most impressive lyricist, even when all he is doing is selling himself. His rhymes are predictable and blase, as evidenced when he drones out "I’m a young little dude, stay runnin’ from cops. / Emerald Row is the place where I got my props. / People love me in da hood they don’t want me to stop. / So uhh, that’s the only way I know how to rock. / And I’m a stay rappers like won’t stop ‘til I drop" ("The Way I Live"). The most unique or atypical rhyme on the song is when Baby Boy Da Prince rhymes "bent" and "tent." And yes, there is the old stalwart, rhyming "inside" with "ride." It is utterly unsurprising when he rhymes "up" with itself.

The edit version contains pounding bass, loud keyboards and all the instrumental quality that can come out of a production booth. This song sounds manufactured to be a hit single and the melody is a simple, singsong progression that listeners might not notice only because it is done using bass-carrying instruments (if you put the same tune to a flute, listeners would just be like "what the heck is that?! My kid could play that!"). Instrumentally, the explicit version is virtually identical. In fact, all that changes is the failure to edit out "pimp" and “shit” and the addition of a stanza where the n-word is dropped. As well, the moronic refrain is played an additional time or two. The instrumental version is the most interesting and that track actually puts rests in amid the pounding bassline, so it sounds at first like the c.d. is skipping. Without the ridiculous lyrics, "The Way I Live" is exposed for just what it is: overproduced, oversimple aural garbage. At least by mixing it up by putting in the silent spots every few seconds, the track is not a complete loss.

Vocally, Baby Boy Da Prince sounds like virtually every other tenor-baritone rapper and he sounds like he is trying to be Will Smith. He mumbles though his lines as if he is intoxicated or bored with the lines as he was singing them. It is of little consequence, by the time the callout track goes through "This is the way I live. / Lil’ Boy still pushin’ big wheels / I stack my money, lay low, and chill. / Don’t need to work hard that’s the way I feel, I feel, I / This is the way I live" one last time, the listener is equally bored.

To compare this song to other rap songs seems mostly pointless, it is not quite like any one. It does, however, seem like a hyperbole (or parody) of an Eminem song in that it is entirely self-promoting and is loaded with references that might as well be product placements (i.e. Ray-Ban). There is no sense of social commentary like Public Enemy or Ludacris have in their lines or anything so catchy as a 2 Live Crew jingle.

In other words, this short waste of a compact disc is unworth the time or attention of anyone who likes music. It's almost a surprise Baby Boy Da Prince has a new album coming out . . .

For other rap reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below - OutKast
Fear Of A Black Planet - Public Enemy
3D - TLC

1.5/10

Check out how this single stacks up against every other album or single I have reviewed, please visit my Music Review Index Page for a listing of all my music reviews from best to worst work!

© 2013, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Sophie B. Hawkins Single “Only Love” Flounders

The Good: Two good songs, with good lyrics
The Bad: Dreadfully short for the medium, Not the ideal version of the title track.
The Basics: Even a fan of Sophie B. Hawkins finds it impossible to recommend this two-track c.d. single which offers nothing that isn't already on Whaler!


As I have been converting my c.d. collection into digital files so my library may go on my iPod Touch (reviewed here!), I have been culling through the albums, singles and compilations and finding what is worth saving and what is not. One of the easiest choices for me to make is to not transfer over c.d. singles that do not have any enduring value or tracks that are different from the album tracks. In the case of the c.d. single for Sophie B. Hawkins’ “Only Love,” the two tracks on this c.d. single are identical to the album cuts from Whaler.

I’ve long been a big fan of Sophie B. Hawkins and the bottomline for the “Only Love” c.d. single is that it is not worth the money for fan or non-fan alike. With only two tracks, this single is dreadfully short and a poor use of the compact disc medium.

“Only Love,” which was released on the original version of Whaler under the title “The Ballad Of Sleeping Beauty” is a soft-pop love song from the Debbie Gibson school and it features keyboards, chimes and deep drums. The song, though, is an edited version of the track Hawkins wanted to release, which is now only available on a European single of one of Hawkins’ other Whaler tracks. This version of “Only Love” (the retitled and pop-produced with more of a dance beat than the original) includes the family-friendly lines “You messed with my head / You messed with the dead / Now I’m gonna’ mess with you” (“Only Love”). This track is identical to the version that ended up on all versions of “Whaler,” so one has to ask, “Why shell out good money hunting down the c.d. single when there’s nothing new?”

The same, unfortunately, is to be said of the b-side (or second track) on this single. “Did We Not Choose Each Other” is the perfect pop song, but I refuse to recommend this c.d. single because there are no changes to this song, either. “Did We Not Choose Each Other” is a pop ballad that is lyrically complex and filled with a wonderful sense of imagery, like “I’m a wounded soldier on a downtown train to your place . . .” For a song with a few disturbingly obvious rhymes, Hawkins writes mature lyrics that delve into the crux of conflicts in relationships and the song resonates with anyone who has ever had a tough break-up.

Sophie B. Hawkins writes all of her own lyrics and music, in addition to playing keyboards on both tracks. This is – outside the censored lyrics – very much the musical vision of Sophie B. Hawkins. The problem, with this c.d. single is that the title track is the less-impressive censored version (Hawkins swore in the original), as well as the over-produced album version, whereas the original was more stark and vocally-driven. Both of these songs are mildly danceable pop ballads.

Fans, therefore, have a right to feel cheated: there is nothing new here and because “Whaler” is such a good album (albeit inexpensive these days) that one will get these two songs in the identical form with a whole bunch more for about the same price as hunting down this obscure disc. That remains a far better option for anyone who likes music from poetic female musicians.

For other works by Sophie B. Hawkins, please check out my reviews of:
"Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover" (single)
Tongues And Tails
"I Want You" (single)
"California, Here I Come" (single)
"Right Beside You" (single)
Whaler
"As I Lay Me Down" (single)
The Cream Will Rise (documentary)
Timbre
Wilderness
The Best Of Sophie B. Hawkins
Live! Bad Kitty Board Mix
The Crossing

3/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Watchmen Two-Track “Single” Flops!

The Good: “Prison Fight” is all right
The Bad: The cover of “Desolation Row” is lousy, Medium
The Basics: A record with only two songs, the Watchmen single is not worth any attention, save as decoration!


When Watchmen (reviewed here!) was released in theaters, I was happily part of the hype surrounding it. Still, I avoided much of the merchandising and one of the things I avoided was a record single. Yes, on clearance now at Spenser’s stores everywhere is an actual 8” record with two songs from the film Watchmen.

The record itself is pretty cool as far as decoration goes. Imprinted on the record surface is the image of the theatrical release poster with all six of the main characters represented. The image is the same on both sides. Outside the image, this is a standard vinyl record.

One side of this record single plays the song “Desolation Row” as performed by My Chemical Romance. As I noted in my review of the soundtrack to Watchmen (that's here!), this is one of the few songs in the movie that is incongruent. While the lyrics to the song, like “Now at midnight all the agents / And the superhuman crew / Come out and round up everyone / That knows more than they do / Then they bring them to the factory / Where the heart-attack machine / Is strapped across their shoulders / And then the kerosene / Is brought down from the castles / By insurance men who go / Check to see / That nobody is escaping / To Desolation Row” are very much congruent with the movie, the presentation of them by My Chemical Romance is problematic. In addition to being noisy and obscuring most of the lyrics, most of Bob Dylan’s original poetry is simply screamed out by the band and that is unfortunate. The electric guitars also overwhelm the poetry. My Chemical Romance certainly reinterprets “Desolation Row,” but the resulting sound is sloppy and angry as opposed to angsty or even rebellious.

The b-side to the record is an orchestral piece by Tyler Bates, “Prison Fight.” The “Prison Fight” song is a frenetic orchestral piece punctuated by strong, abrupt percussion. It is EXACTLY what it sounds like, music composed to fit a specific, violent scene in a movie. “Prison Fight” is more likely to unsettle listeners than anything else as it is a series of sharp musical reversals that only last two and a half minutes. It is hardly a developed theme. This track plays poorly out of context and one wonders why the b-side was not something like Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” considering that played over the opening credits to the movie.

Either way, there is less than ten minutes worth of music on this record and . . . it’s a RECORD. Not many people have turntables anymore and truth-be-told, this is more intended for decoration for Watchmen fans than it is a true collection for music enthusiasts. Music enthusiasts have largely let this one be. That’s nice; it’s allowed Watchmen fans like me to pick it up on clearance for decoration!

For other soundtrack reviews, please visit my takes on:
Songs In The Key Of Springfield from The Simpsons
Dead Man Walking Soundtrack
An Inconvenient Truth Soundtrack

3.5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Worth Saying: Import The Single of "Some Might Say!"

The Good: Good mix on the six-track Japanese import, good lyrics, Songs that rock!
The Bad: Short, Most tracks available elsewhere
The Basics: Make the effort to import the Japanese six-track "Some Might Say" single if you're going to go through the effort and expense of adding this to your collection.


As I near the end of my collection of singles (huzzah!), I find myself contemplating the c.d. single in general. The purpose is somewhat insulting to those who contemplate such things. C.D. singles, before downloading songs killed the medium, were usually two to five tracks, the same size and composition as regular c.d.s and they cost an average of $2.00. And recording companies made money off them. The cost of a compact disc - in terms of materials - is less than $1.00/per, which pretty much makes one never want to pay full price for a c.d. ever again. The Japanese, it seems, have a better ethic when it comes to singles, at least in the case of Oasis. Oasis c.d. singles released in Japan tend to have extra tracks on them. The latest example of this comes in the form of Oasis's c.d. single for "Some Might Say," which is available in the four track UK import or the six track Japanese import. As always, I'm reviewing the one with more bells and whistles and it's important to note that the fundamental difference in the track listing is the Japanese version includes two additional tracks.

"Some Might Say" was the first single released off Oasis's second album, (What's The Story) Morning Glory and the single contains the title track, "Talk Tonight," "Acquiesce," "Headshrinker," "Some Might Say (Demo Version)" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away." This is the only way to get the latter two tracks; they do not appear on any other discs or anthologies. And the question is, is the disc worth it for that?

Yes.

"Some Might Say" is a decent rock track, as is "Acquiesce" (some say it's the best Oasis song to never be a single). "Headshrinker" has grown on me while listening to this single, as opposed to its appearance on The Masterplan. All of the tracks (save the last) are well-written Oasis tracks constructed by Noel Gallagher. His poetics remain strong on this disc.

The gems are those two tracks that are unique to this disc. The demo version of "Some Might Say" has more of an acoustic feeling to it and without the blaring guitars - they are present in more of a backing role, which works well for the song - the articulation of the lyrics is phenomenal. The lazy-day swagger of "Some Might Say" reaches its peak in the demo version and it's a wonderful new way to experience the otherwise familiar track.

The cover of The Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" is another worthy addition to the Oasis pantheon. Compared frequently to The Beatles, Oasis's cover gives them an opportunity to modernize the track some. It's not one that will light the world on fire, but it's an interpretation that is a gem for Oasis fans. The icing on the cake of the single is hearing Liam singing this classic.

Otherwise, this is a decent sampler of Oasis tracks, but they are available elsewhere. "Acquiesce," for example, stands out as one of the greatest rock anthems Noel ever wrote. To hear Liam croon, "'Cause we need each other / We believe in one another . . ." on this single allows those of us not in touch with the band at its origins to imagine how fabulous it must have been to hear the song the first time with this being the only way.

The truth is, though, it's been so long since I first heard "Acquiesce" on The Masterplan (and now on Stop The Clocks) that even with the quality of that track - and Noel's haunting "Talk Tonight" - the only reason I find to pull this single out is for the last two tracks. This is a great disc for anyone who loves Oasis, but it has little to offer those who are not fans, especially for the effort to track it down. As it is, of the four tracks, three are on The Masterplan, which is a great investment.

But for fans of Oasis, the Japanese version of "Some Might Say" is the way to go. The demo version of the title track makes it worth hunting down, even if it is not your favorite Oasis song. But for the rest of you, it's not likely to be worth it (unless you love covers of The Beatles, in which case it's definitely worth it!).

For other Oasis works, please check out my reviews of:
Definitely Maybe
"Whatever" (Single)
(What's The Story?) Morning Glory
“Wonderwall” (single)
“Don’t Look Back In Anger” (single)
Be Here Now
"Stand By Me" (single)
"Don't Go Away" (Single)
The Masterplan
"Go Let It Out" (single)
"Sunday Morning Call" (Single)
Familiar To Millions
Heathen Chemistry
Don't Believe The Truth
Stop The Clocks
Dig Out Your Soul

6.5/10

Check out how this single stacks up against other singles and albums I have reviewed by visiting my Music Review Index Page where the works are organized from best to worst!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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