Stan Deely on Aeriel – A Sky of Honey

AERIAL – A SKY OF HONEY I was fairly impressed with this album/song suite on the first few listens. I found it nice and relaxing. More acoustic and piano-y than a lot of her work. Then I started to get a bit bored with its pastoralism and thought it’s a bit boring and tasteful for my liking. Midway through reviewing I went to see my childhood idols Gang of Four play live and they were amazing. Since then I have been on a bit of a post punk jag and this album doesn’t really fit it with where I’m at at the moment but I have bit my lip and given it a few more plays – just to get it finished with. I think I’m going to give the Directors Cut a swerve and review 50 Words for Snow before the end of the year. As Dave Amitri will attest immersing oneself in one artist’s work one album a month can seriously impair one’s enjoyment of their work. PRELUDE and PROLOGUE After a brief intro from a child’s voice we have Kate on solo piano and background hum. A soundscape. » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on A Sea of Honey

AERIAL – A SEA OF HONEY I am slightly familiar with this album having burned a library copy about a decade ago and giving it the occasional listen trying to get into it, which felt a bit of a duty. My first impression was mixed on one hand I thought it was good, on the other a bit safe and samey.

As is my wont I tried not find out too much about the album before listening but the darned Mojo magazine dropped through my door, reviewing significant moments of the last 30 years including a feature on the album. From this I learned that she’d returned to writing at the piano again, and wanted to make an ‘expansive double’ album in the style of Hounds of Love – standalone songs on the first disc and a conceptual suite on the second. I knew the first disc better than the second hence the decision to review them separately so firstly – A SEA OF HONEY THE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN Continues the Kate tradition of starting with the lead off single and it’s a belter. On its release I thought “This is » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on The Red Shoes

KATE BUSH – THE RED SHOES INITIAL IMPRESSIONS I think I’ve had a cassette of this knocking about since around 2010 or thereabouts but only listened to it a couple of times. On giving it a proper listen I thought “I like this” I like the more laid back, slightly maudlin nature of much of the album, I like the production – to me it sounds less 80’s and in your face and a bit more mellow. It’s a bit long at 55 minutes but that’s okay. I made the mistake of having a quick peek at Graeme Thomsons ’Under the Ivy’ biography in the library (I was planning to save it as a treat for when I had finished the series of reviews) to find out that a) it is regarded as the runt of her litter (which I kind of knew already) and b) To find out he doesn’t really rate the album. I read his criticisms which didn’t make me reconsider but made my doubt my judgement a little bit. Anyway, here’s a bit of what I gleaned from Thomson. When starting on the album there were initially plans to tour » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on The Sensual World

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS Initial impression upon listening was that this album is sonically similar to Hounds of Love but with the 1980’s production dialled down a little and some songs having a more organic acoustic feel. However it seemed a bit one paced and opaque in the production making it initially a bit like hearing 10 versions of Cloudbusting, one after another. The title track, which I previously really liked, actually seems a bit diminished in the context of the album.

THE TRACKS

THE SENSUAL WORLD Starts with bells. Then a jumpy rhythm. Sexy semi spoken vocals based on Molly Bloom’s soliloquy in Ulysses Feels to me like a counterpart to Running Up the Hill. Kate murmuring “Mmh Yes” indicating desire pretty well. Catchy Uilleann pipes. A few different melody lines going on. It has a shimmering weightless quality. A languid groove that benefits from being understated – less frantic andless urgent possibly means more sexy.

LOVE AND ANGER Very much in the mould of the previous album. Tribal drums. Trademark Kate piano riff. Coquettish vocals. A catchy ear worm chorus with rock guitar – Dave Gilmour of course. Bit more piano, » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on Hounds of Love

HOUNDS OF LOVE It feels a bit pointless to review this as album as I am sure most of you already know and love it. However I hope my virgin ears can bring a different perspective or at least some interesting debate. Firstly, apologies again for lateness of posting. The renewed popularity of Ms Bush at my local second hand record shop made it difficult to source a cheap CD locally so initial listening was on Youtube and then the internet went down at home for a couple of weeks. I resorted to listening to it on my nightshifts at work and now I have a disciplinary against me for abusing the policy on personal internet use at work. I didn’t even know such a policy existed. Talk about suffering for my art. Eventually a 1997 re-issue CD with extra tracks, lyrics and sleeve notes was sourced and I was able to give the album some proper attention. MY HISTORY WITH THIS ALBUM – ALMOST NON EXISTENT Of course I’ve heard the singles and am aware of this albums reputation but it was only after the 2014 ‘Before the Dawn’ live shows that I » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on The Dreaming

EXPOSURE AT THE TIME I remember hearing the Dreaming single when it was released and thinking it was pretty out there. I listened to a radio interview Kate did with Radio One at the time (possibly with Richard Skinner – Rock On?) and as a disinterested non-fan I remember thinking that she gave a good account of herself.

INITIAL LISTENS When I reviewed ‘Never for Ever’ I said it was Kate turned up to 11 and on steroids. Hawkfall commented that I should wait until I heard this album and he was right. Whilst some of the songs have similarish melodies and piano sounds to the last album, The Dreaming has a more dense electronic sound, and the gated-reverb drum sound that would become ubiquitous in the 1980’s..

There’s still some of the old Kate here with her kooky coquettish vocals but also a new element – a host of multitracked varispeeded Kate vocals, dueting with herself, at times sounding distraught and angry.

Lyrically and melodically it’s like Never for Ever through the looking glass, down the rabbit hole and out into Australia and a parallel universe. I can imagine the record company weren;t » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on Never for Ever

The release of this album and its attendant singles covers the period from spring to autumn 1980. I can’t say I was following or even aware of Ms Bush’s career at the time. It was quite a tumultuous period for me. I was 16 years old and like Billy Bragg, at the time of my O levels, I was heartbroken. That Easter my first girlfriend left me for my best friend. Torn loyalties or what? However I didn’t go so far as Philthy Phil of Motorhead who confronted with the same situation in flagrante threw his drums in his van and drove straight down to start a new life in London or a mate of mine who went to live in a tent on a Scottish island existing on a diet of dried vegan dog food. My heartbreak was perfectly soundtracked by my fave band of the time, the Undertones, on their new album Hypnotised. With such insightful/universal lyrics such as “She’s a girl in a million who does what a million girls do” writer John O’Neill obviously had a direct window into my soul. Post exams summer turned out to be a lot » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Albums in 12 Months – Lionheart

In early 1977, as a precocious 13 year old, I started reading the NME. This acquainted me with a new phenomenon to me, being aware of, and hearing the debut album by artists. That year’s soundtrack was Rattus Norvegicus, The Clash, In the City, Damned Damned Damned etc. Shortly after I become acquainted with a subsequent phenomenon – the disappointing sophomore second album syndrome typified by No More Heroes, Music for Pleasure, Love Bites etc – albums that seem to follow the same template as the debut just with weaker songs. (Although I’ve got a soft spot for the oft derided ‘This is the Modern World’ by the Jam. Despite a couple of shockers written by Bruce Foxton, I reckon Paul Weller’s writing goes into new territories and that there’s a couple of minor classics on it.) On the first few listens Lionheart, released just over half a year after her eclectic and totally wonderful debut, seemed to conform to this stereotype. The songs are broadly from the same template as the Kick Inside, but seemed weaker, more mannered and with less variety than on the debut. So will that » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on The Kick Inside

MY HISTORY WITH KATE BUSH I would have heard the single Wuthering Heights in early 1978. I wasn’t particularly impressed. I was a 14 year old punk fan – Buzzcocks and Sham 69 the new exciting bands on my block. “A squeaky voiced poor man’s Noosha Fox with sub Pan’s People hippie chick dancing” was my considered opinion.

As time went by, I was grudgingly impressed by some of her singles, the batshit crazy ‘The Dreaming’ with its Wurzels meet Aborigine vocals and considered ‘Running Up the Hill’ her standout achievement. I don’t think I actually heard an actual album until The Sensual World and Red Shoes in the 2000’s. I would generally find that I liked two or three songs but found her voice a bit grating over a whole album and generally found myself switching off and losing attention. Basically. the albums weren’t sticking.

When Aeriel was released I rated the single and burned myself a copy. First few listens felt more of a chore than a pleasure but then it clicked and now I’m of the opinion that it’s a pretty good work albeit a bit much to take » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – Black Star

I think we all know the background story. Trailed by a couple of portentous doomy singles released in the preceding months. The album itself, released to great interest and critical acclaim, on January 8 2016 and then the announcement, two days later, of Bowie’s shocking unexpected death. I’m not going to go too factual on this one – Wikipedia, Nicholas Pegg, Chris O’Leary are available if you want all the background and biographical info etc. Nor am I going to focus too much on the lyrics and how much he was writing about/telling us/alluding to the cancer that was killing him at the time of recording. Instead, I am going to judge the album on its effect on me and how much I am likely to listen to it for pleasure rather than duty in the future.

And the answer is ‘Very likely’ A very digestible 7 tunes in 41 minutes helps. In its layout and pacing it seems to mirror the Station to Station template – Seven songs, leading off with a long and challenging title track, experimentalism mixed in with killer ballads.

Visconti’s clean production » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – The Next Day

THE SURPRISE COMEBACK

WHERE ARE WE NOW January 2013, The unexpected comeback single. Released overnight when no-one even knew he was recording. A genius move. Not sure if anyone had done this before – possibly Beyonce. Radiohead with In Rainbows? Or was that pre-announced?

A torch song recalling his days in Berlin. Bowie sounds vulnerable and, dare I say it, old and frail, which he’d never done previously. Melancholy and very moving. Up there with his finest work. A total classic. I’d say it’s his finest song since the late 70’s, possibly since Heroes.

Here’s the video. Make of it what you will. I had originally dismissed as art wank being put off by the teddy bear figures, as it reminded me too much of the priapic bear in Bo Selecta. Now I like it.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtue+david+owie+where+are+we+ow&qpvt=youtue+david+owie+where+are+we+ow&view=detail&mid=38BB5555182BF9E3B76538BB5555182BF9E3B765&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dyoutue%2Bdavid%2Bowie%2Bwhere%2Bare%2Bwe%2Bow%26qpvt%3Dyoutue%2Bdavid%2Bowie%2Bwhere%2Bare%2Bwe%2Bow%26FORM%3DVDRE

Raised high hopes for the album which was released a couple of months later in March 2013.

THE NEXT DAY ALBUM I have been vaguely aware of this album ever since it came out as my girlfriend has it. I tended to give it a couple » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie Albums in 12 Months – Reality

BACK STORY Bowie is revitalised after Heathen and its shortish promo style tour. His new contract following the Toy debacle says he can release what he wants when he wants, so is keen to record another album. Recorded in day shifts near his home in New York. In anticipation of touring again, the songs are written to be played live. Similar themes to the last album, age-ing, musings on failure, religion and war that may or may not be autobiographical.

The cover’s a bit shite. An anime style Bowie. Apparently on the inner sleeve we have a photo of the then Bowie in the same pose. So whilst a ‘clever’ idea punning on the album title it leaves us with an album cover that seems cheap and gimmicky and out of place when placed next to all the others.

NEW KILLER STAR A modern rock chugger. Very Pixies-esque. Even a bit Song 2. No singles were released from the album but this one came out as a DVD single. Catchy, propulsive verse. Soaring chorus. It’s a confident enough opener but leaves me a bit cold feeling it a bit » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie Albums in 12 Months – Heathen

Bit of rushed job this month – I have had less time to listen and review this album due to time spent away – a week in Tuscany (Not as idyllic as it sounds, travelled by Shearings Coach – 32 hour overnight coach journey to get there and back and the holiday experience could be likened to going on a school outing with 50 Daily Mail readers) and also stewarding at the Green Man festival – expect my ‘Secret diary of a closet middle aged indie fan’ review shortly – and I have done less “research” than normal . However I think that this may well be the best Bowie album so far in this series with scarcely a duff track. Since the last album ‘hours’ in 1999 we have had the triumphant Glastonbury concert, the unreleased (until recently) Toy project and the birth of Bowie’s daughter Alexandra. Recorded in upstate New York with the return of Tony Visconti as producer it finds Bowie and the band matching confident musical arrangements whilst continuing the reflective, middle aged lyrical theme started on’hours’.

SUNDAY Starting on bit of a curveball » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – Hours

Released in September 1999 and featuring the majority of the crew of the last album and tour although with the loss of Mike Garson.   All songs co-written with Reeves Gabrels and a lot of the material originally intended for a computer game project. Billed on release as a return to Hunky Dory soft rock ballad-ry and it’s true that the album does have something of that along with, what sounds to me, like a Station to Station soul/torch song vibe. The cover seems to bear this out with his new image, grown out soul boy haircut cradling what seems to be an ailing/dying spike haired and goateed Mad Uncle Drum and Bass Bowie of his previous two albums.

The opening track THURSDAY’S CHILD fits in with the return to Hunky Dory story. The feel is that of a sort of torchy Station to Station, Loving The Alien type ballad. The sound is quite warm, that kind of 90’s full bandwidth production that was big at the time. Lots of synth, Gabrels plays spidery restrained lead and Bowie gives it a Word on a Wing “I’m wounded and sensitive” vocal » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie Albums in 12 Months – Earthling

Picture the scene. Young Stan aged 14 is at his first festival – Reading 1978, hanging out with his older sister and her 18 year old post A level mates. Friday saw a new wave smorgasbord – Radio Stars, Penetration, Sham 69, the Pirates, Ultravox and the Jam – pretty impressive stuff. Saturday is quite different. The bill is much more old wave. I think Greg Kihn, Foreigner, the Motors headlined by Status Quo.

Lunchtime is spent out of the festival at a riverside pub and Stan has a pint or two. After this it gets a bit hazy. I don’t think vomiting ensued but there was certainly drunkeness and some stupid behaviour involving chucking shoes into the said river followed by a long nap.

Coming around later that evening Stan makes his way back into the festival not long before Status Quo are due on. It’s really exciting. The Quo Army are in the area. A low pitched “Quo – wow – wow” is the chant. Possibly dry ice before they hit the stage.

The heroes come on. They are loud and fast and rocking. » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – 1.OUTSIDE

On initial approach I was somewhat daunted by this album ‘1.Outside the Dairy of Nathan Adler or The Art-Ritual Murder of Baby Grace Blue. A non-linear Gothic Drama Hyper-cycle’ with its long playing time, 19 tracks including spoken word ‘Glass Spider’ like interludes and pretentious song titles.

Originating from experimental sessions with Brian Eno, Reeves Gabrel, Mike Garson, Erdil Kizilcay and Sterling Campell jamming in the studio in 1994 which generated 70 minutes of bonkers but surprisingly good music, lots of electro-jazz noodling and spoken word monologues which was presented to record companies as a possible double album. (Bowie was between labels at this juncture). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV_RpeCQ6M8 Finding this concept rejected Bowie then recorded some more accessible songs in New York in early 1995 featuring different band members and a mix of the two was then released as ‘1. Outside.’

 David Bowie 1994 The Leon Suites 1 Outside Outtakes David Bowie – The Leon Suites (1. Outside Outtakes) (BOWSTAT018) Suite 1: I Am With Name (22:09) Suite 2: Leon Takes Us Outside (21:29) Suite 3: Enemy Is Fragile (27:37) Total time: 71:14 These demos were recorded and rejected by » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – The Buddha of Surburbia

In 1993 I returned to the UK after two years spent abroad in Central America. Coming back it felt like I was seeing British society with new and fresh eyes. I felt more myself and happier in my skin than ever before. I was enjoying every aspect of life more – even simple things like having a shower. I remember being deeply affected by and enjoying certain TV programmes I saw then. One that I enjoyed was the BBC adaptation of Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Surburbia.

This featured the title soundtrack song by David Bowie. Languid, baroque pop, referencing his 1970’s output it seemed like a return to form after the rather arid stilted singles from Black Tie White Noise. I’m not sure I was aware that there was an accompanying soundtrack album. The Buddha of Surburbia album slipped out in late 1983 packaged as a soundtrack album with an amateurish ‘Will this do?’ cover featuring a composite photo of cast members and with zero promotion.

First impressions. It continues the upward curve from the initially promising but ultimately unsatisfying Black Tie White Noise. » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – Black Tie White Noise

BOWIE AND ME 1987 – 1993 Since we last checked in with Bowie, he’s done the Glass Spider Tour, the Tin Machine episode (I was mostly on the other side of the world and away from mainstream media so this passed me by), The Sound and Vision Greatest Hits tour and got wed.

Arriving back in the UK from two years in central America in spring 1993 I am aware that Bowie seems to have a higher profile and be even a bit hip again. Probably a combination of factors. The marriage to Iman (with the wedding featured in Hello magazine), obvious influence on new sensations Suede, the 20 year old cycle of revivalism?

Therefore he has a relatively high profile launch for this album which comes with 50’s Blue Note jazz influenced packaging and photos of a de-mulleted Bowie positioning him as a serious middle aged type. Apparently the head of his new US record label Savage (soon to go bust putting the album out of circulation in the US) encourages him to “Do exactly what you want to do” and the album is marketed » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on 12 Bowie albums in 12 months – Never Let Me Down

PREVIOUS HISTORY WITH THIS ALBUM

Spring 1987. I have recently moved to London from my home town Swindon and I’m enjoying the gig opportunities. I’m regularly seeing my favourites, Billy Childish’s Mighty Caesars, Television Personalities and the Three Johns. At home I listen to REM and the Pogues and am just starting to get into Tom Waits and Hank Williams.

Bowie, who is pretty much off my agenda at this point, announces a new album and, as I remember, the video for the first single ‘Day In Day Out’ gets its own slot on Channel 4. However, whereas ‘Blue Jean’, three years previously, got a 45 minute special at 10.30pm now its a mere 10 minute post midnight slot. The song, which seems to lack any discernible melody, is generically 80’s in sound and, on first listening, unmemorable. It’s accompanied by a Hollywood values ‘gritty’ video featuring a mulletted Bowie on rollerskates in supermarket. I’m not even sure if I watch the video until the end. The single didn’t do too well in the charts getting to the low teens I think, and I wasn’t » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on Tonight

1984. Having just come off the mega successful Lets Dance tour and now, undoubtedly, a global superstar, Bowie makes a prompt return to the studio. EMI want a speedy follow up to the 6 million selling Lets Dance album. However, Bowies bereft of new material. Recording sessions in Canada, with the Lets Dance touring band and new producer Derek Bramble flounder, with Bramble leaving to be replaced by engineer Hugh Padgham. As work progresses Bowie appears bored and uninterested and as sometime producer Tony Visconti has observed “He let others do his work”

The album when it is released sells well but is now generally regarded as one of his poorer efforts by both critics and fans. The nine tracks consist of two new Bowie songs, two Iggy Pop co-writes, one of these concocted in the studio, three Iggy covers and two 1960s covers.

My memory of the time of release is being underwhelmed and fearing the worst after hearing lead off single ‘Blue Jean’. This was confirmed on the couple of occasions I listened to a friend’s copy of the album. I remember feeling somewhat incredulous at how synthetic, bland and uninspired it all » Continue Reading.

Stan Deely on Lets Dance

April 1983. A new contract with EMI and his first album in nearly 3 years. I am quite well informed about this album, having read various books (Buckley, Doggett, Trynka and others) as well as the Uncut, Mojo Bowie album magazine specials and know half the songs quite well due to their ubiquity at the time and their continued presence on generic dull format radio stations.

However, I haven’t actually listened the album in full more than on a couple of occasions and certainly not in the last 35 years. I am attempting a ‘blind’ review and to review track by track. I will try to be objective and not too opinionated at this stage, although it may be a struggle to stop prejudices from 40 years ago coming in. Hopefully the review will invite some comment and debate. I might then follow up by doing a bit of research, throwing in a few facts, theories and comments – or not. Not sure what my method will be on future releases but that’s the plan for Lets Dance.

MODERN LOVE Welcome to the new decade and a new Bowie, powder blue and coiffured with a » Continue Reading.