When Duran Duran burst on the American music scene in 1983, leading the second British Invasion, most critics dismissed them as teen-magazine fodder cast in the same mold as the Bay City Rollers and Haircut 100.

Thirty-eight years later, the band is still together, with four of the five members that made it overseas in 1983 working on their 15th studio album, the recently released (and aptly named) FUTURE PAST. On it, Duran Duran seems to be caught in between the two, not knowing whether to recall the earlier days or move toward a newer pop sound.

For the first few cuts, they seem to ride that balance to perfection. “Invisible,” the first single, has lead singer Simon Le Bon lamenting, “Has the memory gone? Are you feeling numb? Or have I become invisible?” One wonders whether he’s singing about a girl or the record-buying public. Its funky bass riff and pounding drums are reminiscent of the old Duran Duran while still feeling relevant today. “All of You” is the band at their best — a perfect blend of drums (Roger Taylor), bass (John Taylor) and synthesizer (Nick Rhodes), with Le Bon’s ever-youthful voice soaring in the memorable choruses that will join so many classics that we still sing along to.

“Anniversary” recalls more funk from the band’s early years, with a disco-laden beat pumping the song along as Le Bon tells fans that they’re still together after all these years, almost thumbing his nose at the critics who predicted an early exit for the Brits.

It’s at this point that the album gets somewhat muddy. Trying to recall the sounds of the 70s has them working with disco legend Giorgio Moroder, who made Donna Summer a disco queen but adds the same heavy touch to Duran Duran. As a result, his two contributions sound some distant relatives of “I Feel Love.” It’s a good idea that should have been done before now, but seems 40 years too late.

At other times, the band tries too hard to sound relevant, bringing in Swedish singer Tove Lo to make a guest appearance on “Give It All Up.” And Ivory Coast rapper Ivorian Doll comes in to spruce up the flat “Hammerhead,” but it seems out of place. In all, four cuts have a “feat.” (featuring) byline in the credits — something that’s overdone nowadays. No longer is it fashionable to do a work by yourself; you bring in extra help from a hot name to lend validity to a song and increase its marketability. It’s a desperate grab for such a spectacular group — why do they need this help? Le Bon has proven for years that he can carry an album, and his voice has not lost a bit even at the age of 63.

(Sixty-three? Simon Le Bon is 63?)

The band seems to recognize that time is marching on, as Le Bon admits on the track “Nothing Less”: “Tomorrow, maybe there’ll be nothing less and nothing more.” It’s somehow fitting that they end FUTURE PAST with a song featuring Mike Garson, a pianist who played for their idol, David Bowie. It’s the only time they are able to successfully tie the future and past together; the song begins as a ballad, then picks up the pace as Roger and John Taylor (not related, but always in sync), get into a groove that allows Le Bon to wail away again. “If you know the answer / Show me who I wanna be,” he sings, and we’re waiting to see who they really are — a band of the future, a band of the past, or one that lives in both worlds. But it’s better when Duran Duran is just Duran Duran.

The post FUTURE PAST – Duran Duran (Album Review) appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

Originally titled Get Back, the album was an attempt by the Fab Four to get back to their rock ‘n’ roll roots. They would create an album, record it, and give an impromptu concert—all while being filmed. It was the Beatles under a microscope, a chance for fans to peel back the layers and watch the masters in action.

The resulting film and album showed that the process, at least this time, was a train wreck. George Harrison quit under constant nagging from McCartney; John Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, was an awkward presence in the recording studio; and Ringo Starr just seemed bored. Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s finished film showed this uneasiness and downright hostility, and the album went through several changes before Phil Spector took the reins, added strings and choruses to several songs, and pissed McCartney off, further dividing the band.

The Beatles want to change that perception, so much that they gave all their footage to director Peter Jackson, who has promised a happier, more relaxed band during the six-hour documentary that will air later this year. It won’t be as boring as Lindsay-Hogg’s depressing movie, but you can’t hide lines like George saying sarcastically to Paul, “I’ll play, you know, whatever you want me to play. Or I won’t play at all, if you don’t want me to play. Whatever it is that will please you, I’ll do it.”

The latest task in Project Makeover is a deluxe version of the album Let It Be, which was recorded before Abbey Road but released 30 days after the band broke up. It includes a remix of the original album plus 45 demos and outtakes from the recording sessions.

The remix sounds better than the original, which despite Spector’s efforts still sounds like a bunch of demos. But the crisp layered tracks that we’re used to hearing from the band aren’t there; in its place are studio banter, false starts and half-hearted, sloppy vocals. No amount of wizardry can fix those things. It still sounds like a bootleg, with outtakes such as “Dig It” and “Maggie Mae” filling tracks in place of other songs that could have been completed: Harrison’s “Something” and “All Things Must Pass” or Lennon’s “Give Me Some Truth.” At least completists will finally possess a master-quality version of the original mix of Get Back produced by Glyn Johns, whose version was deemed too poor to release.

Beatles fans have debated for decades whether Spector helped or hurt the album. He was able to enhance the quality of some songs, but his orchestration ruined “The Long and Winding Road,” so much so that it was probably the primary reason McCartney pushed for the release of Let It Be: Naked, a stripped-down rearrangement of the album that in my opinion — and it’s not a popular one — is superior to any version of the original album.

It doesn’t help that with the deluxe version, we hear four different versions of “Get Back” and five different recordings of “Let It Be.” It’s not something to listen to all the way through. It’s for completists only. And it still remains the only flaw in the Beatles’ later catalog — a polished flaw, but a flaw nonetheless.

The post Let It Be (Super Deluxe Version) – The Beatles (Album Review) appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

But that doesn’t mean that the songs weren’t good. They may have been released at the wrong time, sitting patiently behind one of those smash hits, never to get their chance. Some even waited their turn only to be overtaken by another classic. They’re the Buffalo Bills of music hits — never a winner, always a runner-up.

Here are 20 of the most well-known instances of songs that peaked at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Hot 100.

#1 – ‘Rock-In Robin’ – Bobby Day (1958)

Weeks at No. 2: 2 
Denied by: “It’s All in the Game” – Tommy Edwards

“Rock-In Robin” was Bobby Day’s only Top 40 hit as a solo artist, reaching No. 2 in August 1958. It might have been relegated to bubblegum novelty forever, but 13-year-old Michael Jackson recorded it in 1972, calling it “Rockin’ Robin,” and it zoomed up the chart, all the way to . . . No. 2.

#2 – ‘Crying’ – Roy Orbison (1961)

Weeks at No. 2: 1
Denied by: “Hit the Road Jack” – Ray Charles

Roy Orbison had bigger hits — he had two No. 1 hits during his 30-year career. But “Crying” ranks among the greatest songs of all time. It won a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2002 and was 69th in Rolling Stone‘s 500 greatest songs of all time. It deserved better, but at least it sat behind another classic — none other than Ray Charles.

#3 – Be My Baby – The Ronettes (1963)

Weeks at No. 2: 3
Denied by: “Sugar Shack” – Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs

In one of the biggest farces in Hot 100 history, the legendary “Be My Baby” — which Beach Boy Brian Wilson says he’s heard over 1,000 times — was denied the No. 1 position by a song that proclaimed the virtues of a coffeehouse that serves “expresso.” It’s our sugar shack yeah, yeah, yeah, ah, Sugar Shack, woah baby ah. Meanwhile, “Be My Baby” has been called the record of the century and the greatest pop record ever made. It was named to the National Recording Registry in 2006. “Sugar Shack” was not.

#4 – “Louie Louie” – The Kingsmen (1963)

Weeks at No. 2: 6
Denied by: “Dominique” – The Singing Nun (Soeur Sourire) (2 weeks), “There! I’ve Said It Again” – Bobby Vinton (4 weeks)
One of several bad-luck songs to be denied No. 1 by two different songs, “Louie Louie,” the song with unintelligible lyrics, first climbed to No. 2 but had to wait for “Dominique” to fall out of the way. “Louie Louie” fell to No. 3, then experienced a resurgence and went back to No. 2 only to find “There! I’ve Said It Again” by Bobby Vinton atop the charts. Both No. 1s are pretty much forgotten, but many still sing “Louie Louie” in a drunken stupor. It’s really the only way to sing it.

#5 – “Dancing In The Street” – Martha & the Vandellas (1964)

Weeks at No. 2: 2
Denied by: “Do Wah Diddy” – Manfred Mann

A classic Motown single, “Dancing in the Street” was covered many times by groups such as the Kinks, the Mamas & the Papas and even the Grateful Dead. The most famous covers were by Van Halen, who reached No. 38 with it in 1982, and David Bowie and Mick Jagger, whose version cracked the Top 10 at No. 7 in 1985.

#6 – ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ – Bob Dylan (1965)

Weeks at No. 2: 2
Denied by: “Help!” – The Beatles

The accolades for “Like a Rolling Stone” are endless. Rolling Stone ranked it No. 1 on their 2004 and 2010 versions of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But it met up with the Beatles, whose song “Help!” is also one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Hard to argue with that.

#7 – ‘Born To Be Wild’ – Steppenwolf (1968)

Weeks at No. 2: 3
Denied by: “People Got To Be Free” – The Rascals

Another classic that has made all the Greatest Song lists, this biker anthem has been covered by such artists as Etta James, Slade, The Cult, INXS, Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Springsteen, Slayer, Blue Öyster Cult and Status Quo. The same can’t be said for “People Got to Be Free.”

#8 – ‘What’s Going On’ – Marvin Gaye (1971)

Weeks at No. 2: 3
Denied by: “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” – The Temptations (1 week), “Joy to the World” – Three Dog Night (2 weeks)

“What’s Going On” sold over 2 million copies and was No. 4 on Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Songs of all Time in 2004 and 2011. How it didn’t make it to No. 1 is either a testament to the two songs that kept it from the top (“Just My Imagination,” yes; “Joy to the World,” debatable) or Americans’ bad taste.

#9 – ‘Live And Let Die’ – Wings (1973)

Weeks at No. 2: 3
Denied by: “The Morning After” – Maureen McGovern (1 week), “Touch Me In the Morning” – Diana Ross (1 week), “Brother Louie” – Stories (1 week)

Paul McCartney and Wings have the unlucky distinction of having three different songs block it from being No. 1. To rub salt in the wound, “The Morning After” won an Oscar in 1973, while McCartney could only muster a nomination the next year. The greatest Bond theme ever deserved better.

#10 – ‘Nobody Does It Better’ – Carly Simon (1977)

Weeks at No. 2: 3
Denied by: “You Light Up My Life” – Debby Boone

Another Bond theme denied! This song, penned by Marvin Hamlisch, met up with the syrupy, melodramatic ballad “You Light Up My Life,” which managed to deny several songs the No. 1 title during its 10-week reign at the top of the charts. To make matters worse, it also stole the Best Song Oscar from Hamlisch.

#11 – ‘Y.M.C.A.’ – The Village People (1978)

Weeks at No. 2: 3
Denied by: “Le Freak” – Chic (1 week), “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” – Rod Stewart (2 weeks)

It’s hard to believe such a staple of sporting events and karaoke bars didn’t make it to No. 1, but it mercifully didn’t make it to No. 1 thanks to Nile Rodgers and Chic along with Rod Stewart. “Le Freak” lives on as well as a disco anthem perfectly preserved; “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”, fortunately, has been forgotten.

#12 – ‘We Are Family’ – Sister Sledge (1979)

Weeks at No. 2: 2
Denied by: “Hot Stuff” – Donna Summer

Another disco classic, “We Are Family” is part of the National Recording Registry as well. It was written by Chic’s Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers and was also used by the Pittsburgh Pirates during their unlikely World Series comeback that year. A little too late, as it peaked at No. 2 in early summer.

#13 – ‘Waiting For A Girl Like You’ – Foreigner (1981)

Weeks at No. 2: 10
Denied by: “Physical” – Olivia Newton-John (9 weeks), “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” – Daryl Hall & John Oates

A subpar song, Foreigner still deserved to be No. 1 after remaining a bridesmaid for 10 straight weeks. Nine of those were behind “Physical” whose grip over America in 1981 has gone unexplained. A deal with the devil? Aliens? I’m open to any theory at this point.

#14 – ‘Open Arms’ – Journey (1982)

Weeks at No. 2: 6
Denied by: “Centerfold” – J. Geils Band (3 weeks), “I Love Rock n’ Roll” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (3 weeks)

One of the most popular power ballads ever, “Open Arms” was Journey’s highest-ranking single. VH1 named it the greatest power ballad of all time, and the song was certified Gold by the recording industry. Unfortunately for Journey, it got caught behind the No. 3 and No. 5 songs of 1982.

#15 – ‘Dancing In The Dark’ – Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Weeks at No. 2: 4
Denied by: “The Reflex” – Duran Duran (1 week), “When Doves Cry” – Prince & the Revolution (3 weeks)

Like Journey, Springsteen has never had a No. 1 hit. “Dancing in the Dark,” the first single from his blockbuster album Born in the U.S.A., is the closest he has gotten, and again, like “Open Arms,” it ran into two huge-selling singles.

#16 – ‘Purple Rain’ – Prince & The Revolution (1984)

Weeks at No. 2: 2
Denied by: “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” – Wham!

Prince couldn’t manage three No. 1 singles in a row. After “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy” hit the top of the charts, what may be his best-known song couldn’t make it. Still, “Purple Rain” was ranked No. 18 among Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

#17 – ‘Right Here, Right Now’ –  Jesus Jones (1991)

Weeks at No. 2: 1
Denied by: “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” – Bryan Adams

You couldn’t turn on the radio in 1991 without hearing this song by the band Jesus Jones. It was everywhere, which makes it even more unbelievable that “Right Here, Right Now” never made it to No. 1. Blame it on Bryan Adams and that god-awful ballad from that god-awful movie about Robin Hood. Of course, I blame everything on Bryan Adams.

#18 – ‘I Love You Always Forever’ – Donna Lewis (1996)

Weeks at No. 2: 9
Denied by: “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” – Los Del Rio

Probably the least-known song on this list, Donna Lewis’ single was her only Top 20 hit. Who knows what would have happened if the one-chord, droning monotony of The Macarena hadn’t invaded weddings nationwide in 1996?

#19 – ‘You’re Still The One’ – Shania Twain (1998)

Weeks at No. 2: 9
Denied by: “Too Close” – Next (1 week), “The Boy Is Mine” – Brandy & Monica (8 weeks)

“You’re Still the One” deserves some kind of award for determination. It took 12 weeks for it to climb up the Hot 100 to No. 2, where it stayed for one week before crawling down to No. 4. It steadied itself, and seven weeks later, clawed its way back up to No. 2. It stayed in the Hot 100 for 42 weeks.

#20 – ‘Crazy’ – Gnarls Barkley (2006)

Weeks at No. 2: 7
Denied by: “Promiscuous” – Nelly Furtado Featuring Timbaland (4 weeks), “London Bridge” – Fergie (3 weeks)

Poor Cee-Lo. He arguably had two of the greatest hits of the 2000s in “Crazy” and “Forget You.” First, his collaboration with Danger Mouse, “Crazy” was stopped at No. 2 by two songs I’ve never even heard of. Then, four years later, his solo effort, “Forget You,” stalled at No. 2 for four weeks behind Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Now that’s tough luck.

The post 20 Songs That Peaked at No. 2 appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

Culture Club was not a one-hit wonder by any means, but they epitomized the 80s’ here today, gone tomorrow mentality when it came to their stars. Coming across the pond in the fall of 1982 with their No. 2 hit “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” Culture Club seemed to be Duran Duran’s biggest rival, and Boy George graced the cover of every teen magazine and gossip tabloid. In two years, they racked up five Top 10 hits.

And in less than four years, the group had broken up, their last two albums failing to produce any major hits.

1983’s Colour By Numbers represents the group at the peak of their popularity, which is surprising since it debuted so quickly after their first release, Kissing To Be Clever. At the time, record companies demanded that artists go back in the studio after a hit record to recreate the sound that made them successful, and most of the time, they either had nothing left in the creative tank or didn’t have enough time to develop something as good. Just look at Men at Work (Cargo) or The Knack (. . . But The Little Girls Understand).

Judging from the first cut, the smash hit “Karma Chameleon,” Culture Club shows that they had at least a little more left in the tank. The simple melody and catchy lyrics are pure bubblegum, but there’s nothing wrong with bubblegum.

But then the wheels begin to fall off. “It’s a Miracle” is a rewrite of “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya,” only less innovative. The chorus consists of the title sung over and over before George proclaims, “Dreams are made of emotion.” Lyrics were never his strong suit. However, George’s voice is stronger and more experienced and controlled on this album. He grew a lot musically in a year.

If only the songs were as strong. “Miss Me Blind” is a retread of “Time (Clock of the Heart),” albeit a little more aggressive (guitars!). But the rest of the album is tame and unadventurous. Gone is the soulful calypso-tinged pop of Kissing To Be Clever, replaced by such milquetoast numbers as “Changing Every Day” and “Stormkeeper.” Granted, the soul of the group’s first album was tame as well — hardly edgy — but it was different than the synth-pop we were getting from most groups in the U.K. Had we ever heard anything like “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” before? By comparison, the songs on Colour by Numbers aren’t unique at all.

Perhaps in an effort to inject some much-needed soul into the album, the group made more use of Helen Terry — who sang backup vocals on Kissing To Be Clever — to the extreme. Her shrill voice is out front in the mix and lands with the grace of a 50-pound sledgehammer, sometimes dominating entire songs in just a few measures. At times, George tries to soften up the mood and does a good job with the heartfelt “That’s the Way – I’m Only Trying to Help You” until Terry bursts in and like a photobomb, ruins the song. It’s like creeping up behind someone and scaring the bejesus out of them.

If you like your pop middle-of-the-road, then Colour By Numbers is for you. Otherwise, go listen to “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.”

The post Colour By Numbers – Culture Club (1983) appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

discogs.com

The other day, “Space Age Love Song” by A Flock of Seagulls came on Spotify. My daughter quickly asked, “Hey, isn’t that the band with the fun hair?”

Not cool hair. Not weird hair. Fun hair.

A Flock of Seagulls epitomized the 80s, from their futuristic, keyboard-focused sound to yes, their space-age hairstyles. Their single “I Ran (So Far Away)” hit No. 9 on the U.S. Hot 100 in 1982, buoyed by its presence on the fledgling cable television network MTV. (Interestingly, many categorize the band as a one-hit wonder, even though they had two other Top 40 hits.)

In 1983, the band released its second album, Listen, which yielded the moderate hit “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You).” But a third release, 1984’s The Story of a Young Heart, was a commercial flop. Citing mental and physical exhaustion, guitarist Paul Reynolds left the band. He was replaced by Gary Steadman of Classix Nouveau, and the band released Dream Come True in 1986. It was another failure, and the band decided to call it quits.

A New Band, Same Name

It didn’t last long. In 1988, Lead singer and keyboardist Mike Score, the one with the fun hair, formed his own Flock of Seagulls with new band members. Over the next 33 years, the band would be a revolving door of members, with no less than eight lineups and more than 25 people. One incarnation of the band released The Light at the End of the World in 1995.

In 2003, the VH1 show “Bands Reunited” got the four original members together for a reunion and a one-night-only show. The band reformed and went on a short tour of the U.S., but then it was back to a Faux of Seagulls, with Score fronting a band of session musicians. In 2011, bassist Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds performed at the Croxteth Park music festival in Liverpool using the name “A Flock of Seagulls.”

Mike Score released a solo album, Zeebratta, in 2014. Then, in 2018, the four original members announced another reunion to record their first album together since 1984. Titled Ascension, it featured the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra performing new renditions of their hits. Similarly, in 2021 the band announced they would release another orchestral album titled String Theory, which featured more classical interpretations of their singles. The album is set for release on Sept. 17.

A Flock of Seagulls’ Legacy

Critics are divided on A Flock of Seagulls’ legacy. They happened to be in the right place at the right time, riding the edge of new wave into the U.S. along with Soft Cell and the Human League. The fact that they had a real video helped push them into the Top 10, due mostly to the fledgling network MTV.

The public’s infatuation with Score’s hairstyle led people to shove them aside as an example of new wave’s style over substance. Lee Zimmerman of the New Times Broward-Palm Beach wrote, “Their gravity-defying pompadours — hairstyles seemingly at odds with any sense of taste or logic — and obvious penchant for garish get-ups provoked the ire of critics and cynics and became synonymous with ’80s indulgence. Style seemed to mean as much to the band as its music, and in turn, it discouraged many pundits from taking the band seriously.”

But at the time, A Flock of Seagulls sounded like the future. We in America had heard very few synthesizers, and along with Reynolds’ distinctive guitar playing, they sounded indeed like a new wave of music. That, plus fun hair, equals a pretty good legacy.

Sources:

• https://www.aflockofseagulls.org/biography.php
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Flock_of_Seagulls
• https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/music/a-flock-of-seagulls-a-legacy-of-influence-and-insults-7064211

The post What Happened to A Flock of Seagulls? appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

For many diehard Genesis fans, “No Reply At All” from the 1980 album Abacab was the beginning of the end of their relationship with the band. For more than a decade, they had bought albums that featured songs with puzzling names like “All in a Mouse’s Night” and “The Fountain of Salmacis” and some tracks that clocked in at over 10 minutes long. They had marveled at the quintet’s theatrical stage shows in which lead singer Peter Gabriel sported fox heads and long dresses. That was art.

But Gabriel left the band in 1975 to pursue a solo career, and the band turned to drummer Phil Collins for its lead singing duties. That is where fans diverge: the Gabriel Genesis and the Collins Genesis.

What was “No Reply At All”? It starts out with horns, for chrissakes — something unheard of in a Genesis song. In the key of D, it’s instantly toe-tapping, with trumpets accenting the beginning of every few measures and filling in at random moments. But when you get past the shock of Earth, Wind & Fire’s horn section on a Genesis album, you hear Phil Collins’ rumbling drums carrying the song along at a quick tempo, aided by Mike Rutherford’s intricate bass lines that sometimes mimic the melody. Collins pleads with his lover, “Talk to me / You never talk to me.”

The song moves to a minor key toward the end of each verse, resolving back to the D and repeating until the refrain, when the key changes down to a C — not an easy feat. And moving down to another key makes the song lose momentum. Usually, key changes move up, creating a lift and infusing new energy into the song. How does Genesis pull this off without bringing the whole song down?

More horns! Collins also comes up with an unforgettable melody that moves up the scale (“I get the feeling you’re trying to tell me / Is there something that I should know?”), and Rutherford copies him by playing harmony to Collins’ melody. Who says bass lines have to always be the root of a chord? A series of complicated chord progressions at the end of the refrain, along with the brass, takes us back to another verse.

It’s the bridge, however, that gives us a complete 180-degree turn. Rutherford’s acrobatic bass playing gives way to simple whole notes that begin on F#, even though the key is D. This is a first inversion of a D chord — a D chord with the F# in the bass instead of a D. It makes the whole song a little less stable and lends to Collins’ lyrics, which become more vulnerable and personal:

Maybe deep down inside I’m tryin’ for no one else but me.

Collins’ beats die down to a soft hi hat, and Tony Banks’ piano sounds through the bass. It’s a welcome reprieve from the speedy, brass-punctuated melodies we’re used to.

The band repeats the bridge, with Collins’ voice going up an octave, vulnerability giving way to frustration as he sings:

But maybe deep down inside, I’m lyin’
To no one else but me
Oh, but my back is up. I’m on my guard
With all the exits sealed

The post ‘No Reply At All’ – Genesis appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

It seems like everyone from Prince’s estate to Paul McCartney is re-releasing special super-duper deluxe versions of old albums, giving us unreleased demos, booklets and special vinyl reissues that have the most ardent fans shelling out hundreds of dollars to own them.

Add George Harrison’s family to that. All Things Must Pass, his breakthrough triple-disc solo album, gets a fourth reissue and yet another remix. This one ranges in price from $37.99 for the MP3s to an unheard-of $1,000 for a special vinyl release that features the following items packed in a wooden crate:

• A 96-page version of a scrapbook with new photos, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, studio notes, tape box images and a comprehensive track-by-track commentary
• A second 44-page book chronicling the making of the album
• A wooden bookmark made from an oak tree in George’s Friar Park
• A 1/6 scale replica figurines of Harrison and the gnomes featured on the iconic album cover
• A limited-edition illustration by musician and artist Klaus Voorman
• A copy of Paramahansa Yogananda’s booklet “Light from the Great Ones”
• Rudraksha beads contained
• A copy of the original album poster
• 70 tracks, including 47 demo recordings, session outtakes and studio jams
• A Blu-ray disc that includes hi-res stereo and Dolby 5.2 surround and Atmos mixes of the main album

So why do we need another release of this seminal solo album?

All Things Must Pass was Harrison’s coming-out party as a songwriter. His prowess had grown with the last few Beatles albums, and his first solo album marked his creative zenith. He had so much material waiting in the wings, unreleased on Beatles albums, that he decided to make a triple album. It’s epic in scope, with producer Phil Spector’s sweeping orchestral arrangements and Wall-of-Sound production providing the background to many of the songs.

But a few things bothered me about this album, one being Spector’s over-production. He made Harrison sound like just a lead singer of a band, burying his vocals and adding tons of reverb, brass and strings to the songs. It doesn’t really sound like a solo album, and at times, it sounds like a girl group from the early 1960s (“Awaiting on You All”, anyone?).

Harrison’s son, Dhani, who was the executive producer of the project, said his father hated all the reverb on the original. “He said this to me a million times: ‘God, that reverb!’ ” he told Rolling Stone. Using a complicated technique called ultra-remastering, producer Paul Hicks has created a clean album that brings Harrison’s voice to the forefront. And even though the younger Harrison winces at the term “de-Spectorization,” there is definitely less of the famous producer’s fingerprints on the tracks.

Nowhere is this more apparent than on such standout tracks as “Wah-Wah,” “Let It Down,” and the outstanding title track. The brass is still there but takes a back seat to guitars, drums and vocals. Harrison wasn’t blessed with an outstanding voice — it’s a little thin — but it is emotional, earnest and right on pitch. Hearing his voice ring out from the cacophony Spector created makes the album sound more genuine. The only track where the “de-Spectorization” is missed is the epic 7-minute masterpiece “Isn’t It a Pity,” which seems to lack the emotion of the original masterpiece. It’s a piece that deserves extravagance.

All Things Must Pass — The Outtakes

Of course, what would a reissue be without outtakes? Dhani Harrison has given us not one, not two, but three discs of demos, and it’s interesting to see how the songs developed, especially after Spector got ahold of them. The demos of “What Is Life?” and “All Things Must Pass” are superior to the ones on the finished album, and with just a little work could have replaced Spector’s versions. Others are simply unfinished, but it gives us a glimpse of what Harrison wanted to do with them. Some, like “Wah-Wah” and “Awaiting On You All,” are 180 degrees from what Spector gave us. That’s not necessarily a good thing.

Back to my quibbles with the album. Another problem with All Things Must Pass is that it is way too long. The third disc, known as the “Apple Jam,” could have easily been removed from the initial release, made it more accessible to budget-conscious buyers, and been more successful. But it’s there, and many fans love it, so it’s a part of the reissue as well. Harrison had enough material for two studio albums but decided to put all his eggs in one basket; as a result, his follow-up, 1973’s Living in the Material World, is a step down in quality.

Harrison fans are a little tired of reissues and having to shell out more money for yet another “new improved” version, but this seems to be the quintessential mix (although Dhani mixed 110 tracks in total, enough for some possible reissues later). A little Spector goes a long way, and with this version of All Things Must Pass, Dhani Harrison has found the perfect balance.

The post All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary Edition – George Harrison (Album Review) appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

wikipedia.org

1. “The sea, it swells like a sore head” (“Electrical Storm”) – The only thing worse would be to compare the sea to a festering boil.
2. “In the days when we were swinging from the trees / I was a monkey stealing honey from a swarm of bees / I could taste you even then” (“Wild Honey”) – There are so many weird things going on here. I’m sure there’s some metaphor here — sex? God? — but at face value, it’s pretty silly.
3. “With a mouth full of teeth you ate all your friends” (“Crumbs From Your Table”) – I would hope that you’d have a full set of teeth if you’re going to chew up humans.
4. “Some days are slippy, other days sloppy / Some days you can’t stand the sight of a puppy” (“Some Days Are Better Than Others”) – This doesn’t even rhyme. And I’ve never had a day where I didn’t like to see a puppy.
5. “Freedom has a scent / Like the top of a newborn baby’s head” (“Miracle Drug”) – When I think of freedom, I think of a baby’s head covered with embryonic fluid.
6. “Well you left my heart empty as a vacant lot” (“Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses”) – Yes, a vacant lot is empty.
7. “Bono, Bono, sexy person” (“Elevation”) – Bono has always had an ego, and while this is probably tongue in cheek, many can roll their eyes at his narcissism.
8. “You know you’re chewing bubblegum / You know what that is but you still want some / You just can’t get enough of that lovey-dovey stuff” (“Discotheque”) – it’s only fitting that I include something from the nadir of U2’s creative output. Another obvious line – if you know you’re chewing bubblegum, you probably know what it is. And “lovey-dovey stuff”? It’s a far cry from “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
9. “In a dry and waterless place” (“The Unforgettable Fire”) – Yes, but is there any water?
10. “An intellectual tortoise / Racing with your bullet train” (“All Because of You”) – Bono had to have something rhyme with “choice” and chose “tor – toice”. Yeah, he had nothing.
11. “We’re one but we’re not the same” (“One”) – A terrible platitude if I’ve ever heard one. It sounds like an outtake from “We Are the World.”
12. “Some days are dry, some days are leaky / Some days come clean, other days are sneaky” (“Some Days Are Better Than Others”) – I should have just copied the entire lyrics to this song.
13. “The corner of your lips / As the orbit of your hips” (“Elevation”) – How many times have these two words been used in rhymes? Can you not come up with anything more original, Bono?
14. “Between the horses of love and lust / We are trampled underfoot” (“So Cruel”) – Ouch.
15. “Unos, dos, tres, catorce!” (“Vertigo”) – One, two three, fourteen?

The post 15 Worst U2 Lyrics appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

In their masterful and landmark single “Don’t You Want Me,” the Human League tells the story of a woman leaving her lover while the man begs her to stay. The premise worked so well that songwriter Philip Oakey revisited the tale three years later with “Louise,” the third single from their second album, Hysteria.

The song is simple, in D major, with a moving bassline that jumps an octave before settling back down, going at its own leisurely pace and repeating every four beats. Oakey’s robotic bass voice comes in early as two synthesizer chords ring slowly, starting on a G, not quite resolving, and then moving to a D to match the bass.

He tells the tale of the rejected boyfriend meeting the woman, Louise, in a chance encounter while the man is in a coffee shop:

When he saw her getting off the bus
It seemed to wipe away the years
Her face was older, just a little rough
But her eyes were still so clear
He drank his coffee and he hurried out
Across before she walked away
Then he approached her like a little child
Too scared for what he had to say

“Hello, Louise,
Remember me?
Now should we part
Or stay a while
As if we were still lovers?”

The post ‘Louise,’ The Human League appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.

https://news.rice.edu

The Best New Artist award at the Grammys is kind of a sham when you think about it. With a few exceptions, the artists who win the award aren’t nominated for anything else that year; it’s a way for Grammy to pat them on the head and say, “Good effort this year, kid. The future looks bright for you. See you soon.”

Years Grammy Got It Wrong

• In 1977, the Starland Vocal Band won the award based solely on the success of their naughty single “Afternoon Delight” (wink, wink). Their follow-up album didn’t even crack the Top 100; four years later, they had broken up. Among the nominees that year was Boston, who would release six studio albums and have four Top 10 hits.
• Debby Boone, daughter of crooner 1950s crooner Pat Boone, won the 1978 award due to her smash hit “You Light Up My Life.” She was a true one-hit wonder, with no single cracking the Hot 100 after her initial success. She hit the country charts a few times before turning to gospel music, where she surprisingly won two more Grammys. Who did she beat out for Best New Artist? Foreigner, who released nine studio albums and had nine Top 10 hits.
• After two embarrassing years, you’d think Grammy could throw a dart at the nominee list and do better. But in 1979, they messed up big time, giving it to A Taste of Honey for their disco hit “Boogie Oogie Oogie.” The group had one more top 5 hit in 1981 but disappeared from the public eye. They beat out The Cars, Elvis Costello and Toto for the award. Two of those artists are in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. (Sorry, Toto.) A Taste of Honey is not.
• In 1983, Men at Work beat out Asia, Jennifer Holliday, the Human League and the Stray Cats in one of the most competitive contests in the award’s history. Men at Work released only two more albums before disappearing from the spotlight. Their last album barely cracked the Top 50.

Years Grammy Declared It a Wash

• 1971 – The Carpenters won and released several great albums and singles throughout the 1970s. But they won over Elton John? No way.
• 1973 – The group America won and had a decent career, but took the award from the Eagles, who are world famous despite my objections.
• 1975 – Composer Marvin Hamlisch won a lackluster competition over Bad Company, Johnny Bristol, David Essex, Graham Central Station and Phoebe Snow. Yeah, I know. Who?
• 2012 – Bon Iver howled their way to the award, beating another ho-hum list of nominees including The Band Perry, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj and Skrillex. The least offensive artist won.

Years Grammy Got It Right

• 1986 – Sade. Regardless of whether you think Sade is a singer or a band, the artist has sold 75 million albums worldwide.
• 1991 – Mariah Carey. In her 30-year career, Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling artists of all time. She has 19 No. 1 songs – the most by any solo artist – and has won five Grammy Awards.
• 1995 – Sheryl Crow won a competitive contest over such notables as Counting Crows and Green Day. But she lived up to the hype, recording 11 studio albums that have sold 50 million albums worldwide, releasing 45 singles, and winning nine Grammy Awards.
• 2002 – Alicia Keys. Keys’ Best New Artist award was the first of 15 Grammy Awards. She has sold more than 50 million albums and 40 million singles worldwide.
• 2009 – Adele. Adele was one of the rare winners who won a second Grammy the same year – for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She has sold more than 120 million records and won 15 Grammys.

The post Is There a Best New Artist Curse? appeared first on Hooks and Harmony.