Monday 11 November 2024

Brilliant debut singles part 4

Welcome to part 4 of my new semi-regular/ongoing feature on brilliant debut singles. When bands/artists appear perfectly formed with a song that is utterly brilliant!

Sometimes, this might be with a song that they didn't write! Is that cheating?! Well, no, not if they transform the song and make it their own. Saint Etienne certainly did that with their sublime coverNeil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart that is included in this blog. 

I'm also pretty sure that I'll be writing about The Byrds Mr Tambourine Man and the likes of Hey Joe by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in future blogs.

Part 4 (below) features Arab Strap, The House of Love, McAlmont &  Butler, The Left Banke and Saint Etienne.

I've started a Spotify playlist HERE

Part 1 featured; The Doors, The Undertones, Pet Shop Boys, Stardust and Tracy Chapman

Part 2 featured; Booker T & The MG's, The Jackson 5, Kate Bush, Radiohead and The Sex Pistols

Part 3 featured; Teenage Fanclub, LCD Soundsystem, Boston, The Box Tops and Depeche Mode.

16. First Big Weekend by Arab Strap

Funny, emotive, original, soulful and beautifully authentic, Arab Strap's First Big Weekend documents a mid-90's weekend absolutely perfectly. It could easily have been written about me and my mates!

Aidan Moffat begins his tale over raw and sparse acoustic guitar. Like many of my own 90's weekends, Aidan's started on a Thursday. Moffat's was with a quiz where he approached an ex-girlfriends new boyfriend to say there is no issue as far as he is concerned ... he shouldn't have bothered.

Then on Friday night we went through to The Arches

A programmed (basic) drum beat kicks in and Malcolm Middleton then finds a guitar riff and some synth sounds fall in behind. Moffat then continues his tale; the travel through, skipping the queue, dancing, the aftermath, trying to keep going, falling asleep, missing the Scotland v England game, going out again, watching The Simpsons, going out to the pub on Sunday night, meeting up again on Monday night ....

Went out for the weekend and it lasted forever

High with our friends it's officially summer

First Big Weekend was like nothing my friends and I had ever heard before. It was (and is) raw, real, exciting and true.

17. Shine On by The House of Love

With shimmering psychedelic guitars and an incredible chorus that is beautifully simple, Shine On is the defining song of The House of Love. 

The piercing guitar riff that introduces the song is infectious, the burst of acoustic rhythm under a short electric guitar at the end of the first verse is glorious. Later on the middle eight leads to a sensational guitar solo by Terry Bickers who was widely considered to be the best guitarist around on the independent scene in the aftermath of The Smiths and pre-Roses.

Originally released back in 1987 on Creation Records, the song failed to reach the top 100.  A new version was released in 1990 and got to number 20 in the charts - the bands biggest hit.

The band, led by Guy Chadwick and with Terry Bickers on guitar, were making a mark. Alan McGee became their manager and was determined to get them a major record deal. This episode is reflected on in glorious detail in the legendary book My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize up among the best music books I have ever read.

Chadwick was desperate for a major record deal and a lump sum of money to buy a house, he has lied about his age and is going a little crazy with ecstasy and LSD, while Bickers is having a mental breakdown on tour, while McGee is holed up in plush London hotels conducting interviews with prospective labels. It's a funny yet harrowing read. 

The band definitely had something, but never captured the excitement of early recordings after Fontana (who they signed with) ordered multiple re-recordings and remixes in search of 'a hit'.

Listening back to the song, I've never really focused on the lyrics in the verses before! They are quite abstract, I guess it's always been about the guitars and the chorus for me.  

She, she, she, she, shine on

She, she, she, shine on

She, she, she, shine on

18. Yes by McAlmont & Butler


Bernard Butler went quiet after leaving Suede, following a meteoric 3-years encompassing 4 brilliant singles, a landmark debut album and the stand alone single Stay Together. Perhaps, given the ferocious pace they worked at, it was understandable.

There were rumours abound that Butler was going to join other bands, but he surfaced with Yes and a partnership with singer David McAlmont. The two met in the Jazz Cafe in Camden and Butler was soon playing his new friend his first positive piece of music since leaving Suede.

And oh how positive it is, McAlmont wrote a verse but couldn't come up with a second, so Butler just told him to repeat the first with the duo hoping to commit something that could be held up as a classic single like those they loved from the 60's.McAlmont's lyrics match the positive surge of Butler's music. The strings soar and instantly sound euphoric, Butler's guitar crashes and provides a constant rhythm throughout, while seemingly simultaneously chiming and riffing.

The lyrics could easily be McAlmont's interpretation of whatever Butler told him about leaving Suede. The title, the simple Yes, is pure positivity, Butler has recovered from the dark post Suede months, he does look better and he does feel alright.

David McAlmont's vocal is exceptional and after a quick 1st verse that sounds like McAlmont relaying a conversation they are into the sky scraping chorus. The about me, about me, about me line that McAlmont yelps out is the perfect bridge into the chorus. Then they do it again for good measure, only they take it even higher and it sounds even better.

Exceptional! Check the outrageous live performance on Later with Jools and the way Butler stomps, whirls and attacks his guitar. 

19. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

In just 2-minutes and 46 seconds, The Left Banke produce heart aching pop music of the highest, purest quality. Everything tugs on heart strings. At the age of just 18, Steve Martin Caro has no God given right to sound so beautifully heart broken, while the strings, harpsichord and flute are utterly perfect, giving a sense of maturity to this band of teenagers.

The poetic lyrics speak of empty sidewalks, where perhaps lovers once walked, of tears, of pain, rain, names in a heart drawn on the wall, of being haunted and of a realisation that the writer can't follow Renee, it's not to be.

Astounding, outstanding, magical. 

Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

The Left Banke were teenagers when they wrote the Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke, especially when you consider that the band were teenagers at the time.

Released in July 1966, Walk Away Renee is one of a number of songs Brown wrote about Renee Fladen-Kamm, then the girlfriend of his friend and band mate, Tom Finn. Amazingly, Fladen-Kamm was at the recording of the single, Brown had to wait for her to leave in order to play his parts.

Remarkably, considering the depth and quality of this song, The Left Banke were all teenagers!

20. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Saint Etienne

Saint Etienne (with Moira Lambert on vocals pre Sarah Cracknell) transform Neil Young's beautiful Only Love Can Break Your Heart - modernising it, taking it into the future, somehow making it even more timeless than the original.

Recorded in just 2-hours in a makeshift bedroom studio - Saint Etienne's version has a beautifully raw, unpolished quality and it remains a true gem that continues to captivate audiences to this day. It still sounds super fresh and exciting. 

 Saint Etienne take Neil Young's genius songwriting to new places - clubs! Ensuring that Only Love Can Break Your Heart fitted seamlessly in with the Acid House and ecstasy scene that was gripping the nation at the time of release in 1990.

I was always thinking of games that I was playing
Trying to make the best of my time

But only love can break your heart
Try to be sure right from the start
Yes only love can break your heart
What if your world should fall apart

Wednesday 6 November 2024

69 Police and Hey Lisa

Trust me #82 & 83
69 Police and Hey Lisa by David Holmes

David Holmes is DJ-ing in McChuills this Friday night ... and I'm not going! I was, but having been a little run down with a bug since last Thursday, I decided to sell my tickets - cost price naturally! At my age, going on a mad night out while not at 100% isn't a good idea!

Holmes is someone I have admired since my friend Reddy introduced me to his debut album This Film's Crap Lets Slash The Seats way back in 1995. Reddy also fell for the 1997 follow up Let's Get Killed which included snippets and samples of audio recordings Holmes made while walking around New York City. It was kind trippy and totally cool.

But it was Holmes 3rd album, Bow Down to the Exit Sign, released in 2000, before I truly fell for the Northern Irish DJ, electronic artist, producer and film composer. 

Two song in particular stood out. 69 Police is flowing gem, layered beautifully to take listeners on a journey. The synth riff is utterly sublime. A couple of year ago I was fortunate to DJ in McChuills on a Sunday evening and this went down a treat.

The production is insane; the spoken word intro is turned up high in the mix, then the synth sounds and beats kick in, leading to the a glorious synth riff with lovely squelchy sounds interspersed. Holmes layers things and keeps it all going. I doubt that David will drop this into his set, but any regrets I have on Saturday night would be considerably multiplied if he did!

The dreamy atmospheric Hey Lisa closes the album to leave you floating, the mellow beats and swirling strings are absolutely gorgeous. Holmes works real magic here, layering guitars, string samples, synth riffs and bubbles, and what sounds like a xylophone ... weaving them in and out of each other beautifully.

Hey Lisa is a piece of music that never fails to move me. What a way to close the album, listen to the strings as the song ebbs towards the end. Majestic.

69 Police and Hey Lisa are both added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

And why not check David Holmes incredible Radio 1 Essential Mix from 1997 HERE

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor
31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton
32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich
33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem
34. Mondo 77 by Looper
35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton
36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats
37. How High by The Charlatans
38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands
39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.
40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective
41. There She Goes by The Las
42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes
43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell
45. Revolution by The Beatles
46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys
47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays
48. American Trilogy by The Delgados
49. Loser by Beck 
50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy
51. Comedy by Shack
52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven
53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr
54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels
55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized
56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds
57. Cannonball by The Breeders
58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane
60. Lucky by Radiohead
61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.
61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell
62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir
63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations
64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses
65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry
66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker
67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones
68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters
69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide
70. Stove by The Lemonheads
71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell
72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb
73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift
74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s
75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura
76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
77. The Rat by The Walkmen
78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer
79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack
80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys
81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros





Sunday 3 November 2024

Hoppipolla

 

Trust me #81
Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

Hoppipolla, released by Sigur Ros back in 2005 as a single and on their Takk album, is one of the most uplifting songs I've ever experienced live. Everything swells and soars to take you to a special place. 

Sidenote - I've only just discovered that Hoppipolla is means hopping into puddles in Icelandic. Lovely!

The BBC quickly  picked up on the uplifting and euphoric qualities of the song, using it to incredible effect in the 2006 Planet Earth series which took the band to a new level.

Official video

Hoppipolla connects emotionally through the wonderfully widescreen cinematic feel of the song. The strings are almost out of this world. Starting with a simple piano riff, the song builds quickly, naturally and beautifully. The piano is layered with orchestral strings, horns, beats and a vocal and melody (that I find myself attempting to sing - even though it is a mixture of Icelandic and a made up language!) are introduced, falling and then rising mesmerisingly to an epic conclusion.

Hopelandic is the bands 'invented language'. It works. Hoppipolla is universal, filling listeners with heartwarming joy.

Sigur Ros, live in Glasgow, 2022
Photo by Dave Taylor

Sigur Ros played, arranged and produced the song perfectly. The way things float down gently from 1 minute 49 seconds to almost nothing, before rising majestically to soar even higher than before is remarkable. I don't mind admitting to pretending to conduct an orchestra while blasting this song in my flat when I was younger ... after a few beers of course! 

And it just keeps soaring for a while, then it glides down swiftly to land and finish. 

Check this beautiful live film of the band performing the song at the Icelandic festival Heima in 2006. 

Hoppipolla is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor
31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton
32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich
33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem
34. Mondo 77 by Looper
35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton
36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats
37. How High by The Charlatans
38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands
39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.
40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective
41. There She Goes by The Las
42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes
43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell
45. Revolution by The Beatles
46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys
47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays
48. American Trilogy by The Delgados
49. Loser by Beck 
50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy
51. Comedy by Shack
52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven
53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr
54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels
55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized
56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds
57. Cannonball by The Breeders
58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane
60. Lucky by Radiohead
61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.
61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell
62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir
63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations
64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses
65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry
66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker
67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones
68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters
69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide
70. Stove by The Lemonheads
71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell
72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb
73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift
74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s
75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura
76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
77. The Rat by The Walkmen
78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer
79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack
80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys