Music reviews

January 2004

Duran Duran: Greatest

EMI

Like a re-run of Miami Vice, this hit collection transports you to the world of big hair and black leather ties. If you were alive and kicking in the eighties then you will know Girls on Film, Wild Boys, Rio and Hungry like the Wolf. All the hits are here including the James Bond film theme, A View to a Kill.

Like so many other eighties acts Duran Duran are making a triumphant return to the stage, having performed at Western Springs with Robbie Williams in early December. Like Robbie, Simon LeBon still manages to make not-so-young women go weak at the knees.

The quintessential eighties pop funk still sounds good and the collection delivers all the hits. If you are an eighties relic like me and only have the Durans on vinyl, this compilation is a great way to reminisce about a simpler time before the Internet. Richard Nelson

Fur Patrol: Collider

WEA

You may have already read reviews of Fur Patrol's difficult second album. I have little to add - it's rockier, grungier, and ultimately samier than their well regarded debut. Collider was produced in Australia, but before we start blaming the Ozzies, let's acknowledge this isn't a bad effort really. The lyrics exhibit the same imaginative source, but some songs are not especially musically distinguished. The stronger tracks manage to avoid tried and true rock'n'roll routines, although I'd not include the first single Precious in that category. Into the Sun is a nice lament broken by a gentle rock-out towards the close, and the better tracks are the smaller, more intimate arrangements. Fade Away on the other hand is Avril Lavigne with perkiness set to 'low'. The album's title may hold a hint as to the direction taken here - Fur Patrol seem to have collided, and hybridised, with Ocker rock dinosaurs, Cold Chisel. Unholy, perhaps, but not without merit. Brent Burmester

Lesley Garrett: So Deep Is The Night

EMI

Confession time. I have never been a Lesley Garrett fan. Living, as I do, in the colonies, I have not been confronted with the marketing and television appearances that have earned her a vast following in the UK. Having to resort to simply listening to her releases over the years, I have been unable to share any enthusiasm for her recorded legacy.

No doubt this latest release will also do remarkably well for EMI and Lesley Garrett in the UK, particularly after she performs a number of tracks from the album in a BBC special filmed in the Spain featuring period and contemporary fashion.

The programme for So Deep Is The Night is a well thought out mixture covering over 300 years of classical repertoire featuring the work of composers right across Europe, and all with authentic treatments and orchestrations and the occasional recording trick (the echo in Canteloube's Bailero) thrown in.

Highlights include Dvorak's highly popular Song to the Moon, Purcell's When I am Laid in Earth (Dido's lament) and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (1st Movement) with the   counter-tenor Robin Blaze. Garrett also performs Samuel Barber's Sure on the Shining Night, three Spanish songs, Jota and Nana, by De Falla and De Los Alamos Vengo Madre by Rodrigo, and the ever popular Soave sia il Vento from Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte.

My lack of enthusiasm comes not from the choice of repertoire or the recording, but sadly, from Garrett's voice itself. Too often a strain is heard as she goes above the stave, subtle colouring is all but absent and the end result leaves me reaching quickly for alternative recording to restore pleasure into the listening room. Allan McFarlane

Jazzin' Surround

Heads Up International Surround Sampler
Telarc Hybrid SACD

If you are like me and you find that a little of the studio jazz as pioneered by such artists as Spyro Gyra and Dave Grusin now goes a long way, but secretly you wouldn't mind titillating the sound system with curtains pulled one night, this Telarc Surround sampler could be just the way to go.

"Heads Up International" is Telarc's contemporary jazz label, which they describe as being "a leader in contemporary jazz as well as digitally recorded music". This 10-song sampler features music from several of the label's top-selling albums in recent years, including Yellowjackets Time Squared, Spryo Gyra's Original Cinema, the Jaco Pastorius Big Band's Word of Mouth Revisited and Philip Bailey's Soul on Jazz. Jazzin' Surround also opens with a bonus track featuring the gritty, blues flavoured vocal and instrumental version of Woke Up This Morning, the theme from the hit series The Sopranos.

Played as background pap this album comes across as exactly that, sit down and listen and you'll be very surprised as the merits of what's going on both musically and technically. My initial cringe on hearing Spyra Gyra again was quickly dismissed as the foot tapping involvement took over, similarly Doc Powell's Upward Bound is refreshingly understated and Turning Up from Pieces of A Dream proves a lot more fun once you get into it. So the cringe turns to a big smile, but keep that remote handy in case some one knocks on the door... Allan McFarlane

Krzysztof Komeda: Astigmatic

Power Bros Records

Which country hosts the world's longest continuously running jazz festival? Now that you've run through all the obvious places try Poland. Go figure.

In 1965, four years before his untimely death, writer, arranger and pianist Krzysztof Komeda gathered to him fellow Pole's Tomasz Stanko (Trumpet), Zbigniew Namyslowski (Alto Sax), Gunter Lenz (Bass) and Rune Carlsson (Drums) to produce one of the seminal European jazz albums. As mentioned in the liner notes his music reflects his big influences: Bill Evan's refinement, Eric Dolphy's free and even (to a much lesser degree) John Coltrane's abandon.

The first of the three Komeda originals, Astigmatic, runs to nearly 23 minutes. It's central cascading theme is revisited time and time again separated by blazing solos or dialogues between two or three instruments. Komeda's austere piano weaves in and out, continually bringing everybody back towards his vision. Next up, Kattorna is a driving tune with bass and drums wonderfully locked together. Namyslowski and Stanko (on his first album) feature impressively. Svantetic starts quietly, almost dirge like but then blossoms into a sprawling, powerful end to the disc.

I've found that I often get the most reward from the albums that ask the most from me. Astigmatic is a perfect case in point. I won't play this when my wife is home, as she'd find parts of it atonal, abrasive and simply unpleasant. (Then again, she doesn't play ABBA when I'm home for many of the same reasons.) I on the other hand find it emotionally and intellectually stimulating. If you're looking for something a bit adventurous I strongly recommend Astigmatic.  

P.S. If you can't find this locally (and you won't) try www.birdland.com.au Craig Fenemor

Pacifier: Live

WEA

Pacifier is the undisputed heavy weight live rock band in New Zealand today. After returning from LA, where they recorded the their latest studio album, Pacifier embarked on a tour of New Zealand. The album Live was recorded at The Civic, Christchurch, Saint James in Auckland, Altitude in Hamilton and The Starlight Ballroom in Wellington.

The energy of the live sets is evident on this 24 track, two CD collection that spans their previous five albums. Searing guitar riffs and raw vocals driven by a throbbing but measured beat mark the trademark Pacifier sound. Two standout tracks Run and Everything get the treatment from vocalist Jon Toogood. But all the tracks on this album are delivered with intensity and verve. There is no denying that these guys excel and enjoy live performance. This is a celebration of New Zealands greatest live rock band, a real knockout. Richard Nelson

Primal Scream: Dirty Hits

Columbia

Some would call Primal Scream Scotland's finest musical export of the last two decades. Certainly their impact and influence on a generation or two is undeniable, a fact which makes this appearance of their first compilation puzzling in so much as, why did it take so long?

Included are all the major hits, Loaded, Come Together, Higher Than the Sun and Rocks through to the wonderfully retro Autobahn 66, neatly presenting a chronological snapshot of this seminal band in one of the best put-together greatest hits compilations of recent times.

And, the Limited Edition double CD contains important remixes of some of Primal Scream's finest takes. For once some of the remixes are even finer than the originals, take the Terry Parley Loaded remix or the Chemical Brother's reworking of Swastika eyes as examples.

Hard core fans will plunge full on, neatly putting some of PS's best into one tight package, while collecting the bonus disc that nicely brings some long deleted material back for a brief breathe of air. Take it in while you can. Allan McFarlane

Jimmy Scott: All The Way

Sire/Warner Brothers/Blue Horizon

I can pretty much guarantee that you will have never heard another singer like this. A rare hormonal condition left Jimmy Scott with a very highly pitched voice, slight frame and youthful appearance. A life of missed opportunities and enormous bad luck has meant that there are only a handful of recordings covering his career from it's beginnings in the late 1940's to 1992, when this recording was made.

As a come back album it's hard to imagine a more powerful statement than All The Way. First lets get the negatives out of the way. I'm sure that some people will find his desire to wring every bit of emotion from each note a bit melodramatic. Also, his age (66 at the time of recording) possibly shows in how he over-reaches for a few notes. Now for the good stuff. Like Andy Bey, Scott has the ability to expose the soul of a lyric to daylight as if for the first time. I doubt that he can ever do a song by the numbers as his heart takes control of his head leaving pure passion shining through.

Listen to his soaring voice on Embraceable You, At Last or Someone To Watch Over Me and you know you're in the presence of a master. His timing, phrasing, and intonation are beyond reproach and the power in his voice surprising. To complete the package the backing of Kenny Barron, Ron Carter and David "Fathead" Newman" (among others) and strings is right on the mark.

This is a gentle, jazzy ballad album of immense quality. Search the internet and you'll find nothing but reverence for Jimmy Scott. Listen to this album and you'll know why. Craig Fenemor

Seal: IV

The songs on this new album have much in common with those on Seal's hugely successful self-titled release of 1994. That might be attributable to the glossy production of Trevor Horn, or the fact that Seal returned to London to write and record the eleven tracks on IV . This is pretty much what we might expect from Seal - thoughtful SNAG lyrics and lavishly orchestrated sounds. Despite the strong continuity in flavour, however, there's nothing here to match the high points of Seal. There's no real sense of musical evolution, it could be that these songs were produced ten years ago and left on a shelf somewhere.

That isn't to say this CD has no merit. If Seal is your cup of tea you'll find these retreads enjoyable: there are nice slow songs mixed up with up-tempo stuff that gets its groove on without unsettling the cat. Livelier tracks like Waiting for you and My Vision take some interesting harmonic turns, while interest is held elsewhere by a gospel feel or cod-Jamaican patter. It's all a bit careful and measured however, and we find ourselves still waiting for a worthy follow-up album from an artist whose early work has a secure place in the collections of pop music fans worldwide. Brent Burmester

Chris Smither: Train Home

Hightone

I really like Chris Smither. His relaxed folky/acoustic blues style gives his albums a comfortable, gentle feel. On Train Home his finger picking guitar work is as spectacular as ever, the spare backing instrumentation is just right, and that foot of his just keeps on tapping. However it's his weathered, rough-yet-smooth voice that keeps on drawing me in.

I was amazed to discover that Smither will be 60 next year, but the more I listen to Train Home it the more it rings true. His writing (seven of the eleven tracks are originals) shows he's at a stage of having grappled with the big questions of life and now he's kind of got a handle on things. Songs teaching against worry and bringing the world down to size show a spirit of acceptance of where and who he is.

The standout track on the album is Simthers take on Desolation Row (Bonnie Rait supplies backing vocals and slide guitar.) Rather than the forward looking urgency of Dylan, the feel is more one of looking back from a safer future. Perhaps it's simply a reflection of the different ages and stages that Dylan and Smither were at when they approached this song. Regardless, it works wonderfully.

Not all is weighty here though. Let It Go tell the humorous story of a man coming to terms with his car being stolen and Mississippi John Hurts Candy Man is, well... umm... well, if you know the song you know what it's like. A gorgeous version of Richie Furay's Kind Woman brings the album to a gentle, satisfying close.

If you've already got Chris Smither in your collection, there're no musical surprises here but I think you'll find some greater depth in his writing. If you haven't checked him out yet, this is great place to start. Craig Fenemor

Suede: Singles

Epic

It's kind of interesting that a band hailed as "one of the UK's most important and influential bands" is so reminiscent of the Flying Nun bands of the late eighties and early nineties. There is no doubt that they have been very popular in the UK, but here in NZ they are virtual unknowns. It is easy to see why. British guitar bands have been reborn by the likes of Travis and Coldplay. The astringent flavour of the Suede is not in-tune with the more acoustic taste of the public.

Singles is a collection from 1992 to 2002 that few will be familiar with, apart from serious "alternative" aficionados. Having said that, there are some tracks with merit on the album such as the hypnotic Love the way you love and the edgy Attitude. A booklet provides lyrics for the songs, which is almost unheard of for a compilation album. It's a pity that the musical production doesn't match the slick packaging. The music sounds corse and compressed, with an abundance of grainy treble. In case you haven't guessed, I wouldn't recommend this compilation to even Suede fans. Richard Nelson

Beethoven: Symphony No.9

Mary Dunlevy (soprano); Elizabeth Bishop (mezzo-soprano); Stephen Gould (tenor); Alistair Miles (bass); Atalanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Donald Runnicles.
Telarc Hybrid SACD

Donald Runnicles has established himself among the top few opera conductors of the world, particularly in the works of Wagner. He has been responsible for a number of 'firsts', the first Billy Budd (Britten) in Vienna and North American premieres of Tippett's King Priam and Messiaen's epic St. Francoise d'Assise.

How then does his Beethoven impact as caught by the Telarc team? Well this is traditional big-band Beethoven with no hat tilting to the authenticists, but it is a well prepared and in the end entirely convincing performance. Definitely not a rush job to fill the SACD lists, this is a performance showing a deep understanding while not unduly languishing over a phrase, and shows the orchestra to be thoroughly convinced by Runnicle's no-nonsense approach.

The recording really comes into its own in the last movement where the combined forces are captured in a mostly believable setting, the depth of the orchestra however being considerably deeper than makes sense given the placement of the choir. Previous doubt as to focus of the timpani and brass however was allayed when Beethoven's most famous tune was presented in such a convincing manner. Allan McFarlane

Grieg / Dvorak / Elgar

Grieg; Holberg Suite, Op.40; Dvorak: Serenade for Strings, Op. 22; Elgar: Serenade for Strings, Op. 20. Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra conducted by Conrad van Alphen.
Telarc Hybrid SACD

Any opportunity to rehear these three marvellous works for string orchestra is very welcome. The Grieg is a masterpiece from the master of the miniature, containing some of Grieg's finest melodies. The Dvorak is equally as engaging and is worth remembering for those that need to know where that Sunday night Masterpiece Theatre theme came from, and while the Elgar doesn't make the same initial impact, it also contains many moments of sheer beauty that will reward repeated listening.

The Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra here plays with a full lush sound, perhaps recorded in a too generous acoustic leaving a larger than life sonic picture. The focus of the individual sections is not well handled leaving a generous ambience but not a crystal clear and focused image. At times ensemble playing could have benefited from another take to tidy up a bar or two up perhaps suggesting this release has been a bit rushed to fill the supposed demand for SACD recordings. Allan McFarlane