[DVD] Tori Amos – Fade to Red (Rhino) us; 14/02/2006 uk; 27/03/2006

From humble beginnings and persoanl crises, Tori Amos has, against the odds, built a glorious career and reputation that puts her right at the top of the tree where the "greatest female artist" conversation cops up. Always innovative, Tori's creativity can be viewed in full on this 19-video career retrospective. There are two further bonus promos of the UK #1 smash remix "Professional Widow", and the made for Blighty version of "Cornflake Girl".

N: The videos speak for themselves, wonderfully crafted images that fit well into Tori's original compositions. That an artist, at this point in their career, is given the opportunity to open their journal and present this to the world, is hugely enjoyable; however it's not just that, it's the fact that the interface constructed in which the content sits on this DVD is beautifully portrayed. The video to the club smash "Professional Widow" featured here on both discs' bonus content is just something else, a collage of video that's such a buzz.

T: They're always interesting, as well as slightly warped, these videos, much like Tori's songs themselves. The fact that you get them all on a double DVD and it comes in the most sublime packaging makes this the first absolutely essential visual item to have in your collection this year. I met Tori Amos about ten years ago and she came across as sweet, sexy, honest and warm. This recollection is reinforced by her fascinating commentaries on the ideas behind each video and, whereas in some film commentaries the director's voiceover can get a little tiresome, you can easily sail through the entire two disc set here without getting bored of Tori's musings. In short this is an utterly compelling feast for your ears and eyes and Rhino deserve the highest praise possible for putting out, once again, such a high quality product. Just fantastic.

N: And it's the commentary that adds an insight to visuals you might otherwise have, once watched, forgotten. Here you are allowed to gorge yourself on what is laid before you and taske away countless stories that make Tori's music both passionate listening and now seeing. 10/10

Sample the wares, click on the following to stream Quicktime videos - (get Quicktime here - for mac and pc);

A Sorta Fairytale / Hey Jupiter / Past The Mission

Ecard - click here

Everything Tori: click here

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The Fallout Trust - In Case Of The Flood (At Large) 27/02/2006

"It's a family affair" sang Sly and the Family Stone and this is none more poignant than this band, where 50 per cent of the group are made up by members of the Winters family. Does this detract from the music any? Well I'll leave up to our panel to decide.

N: Signed to a heavy weight label, this imprint of Emi has found a band that are both alternative, yet soulful in their music. An album of 11 tracks over 50 minutes, see's a group who appear very eloquent in their compositions and certainly not your average 6-peice.

T: This album is so not what I expected. Perhaps it's because of similarly named Fall Out Boy denting the UK top-10 that I was kind of anticipating more of the same Emo rock. It was a pleasant surprise really - a journey through some bright an d breezy numbers, which are complimented by some clever harmonies and unexpected musical twists. "In Case Of The Flood" is only let down when they go off on 'boy band trying to go alternative' tangents. "Them Or It" is a prime example, but thankfully these are few an far between.

N: Do you not feel this band have a feel of The Beta Band?

T: I think they have a slightly silky feel, probably due to the waxing.

N: You've gone off on one again haven't you? Alright Beta Band in Spain.

T: Yeah whatever. [Tone dibbles and throws his head into his hands] 7/10

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Four Day Hombre - Experiments In Living (Alamo) 27/02/2006

Following two singles, Four Day Hombre release their debut album. Produced by Dave Oldham (Gemma Hayes/Deus) and mastered by Louis Teran (The Futureheads/Snow Patrol), these two heavy weight engineers, bring with with them an experience fully warranted for this band. How did we hear this project panning out?

N: This is a very visual album in terms of the feel and sound given out. 10 tracks, coming in at just under 50 minutes this is a work that is very easy to get lost in.

T: I agree entirely that it is a very visual album and I view it like this: its an eventful beach visit where you're taking a snooze on an inflatable dinghy while listening to your iPod. Suddenly though, you realise you've been thrust out on the choppy waters of the North Atlantic sea, surrounded by hammerhead sharks and are set to meet a grisly fate. By the end of each track however, you've either wrestled each shark into submission or made friends with them all, such is the watery uplift of the album hear. Don't you just love albums that arouse your imagination this much?

N: To be honest I prefer to stay on dry land, maybe a field of corn somewhere warm. Anyway have another accident in bed last night did we?

T: Spoilsport.

N: Either way, if you prefer a watery dream (!?), or a (normal) ecstasy, this is a great album from a band who are most certainly one to watch - or more to the point hear. 9/10

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The Research - Breaking Up (At Large Recordings) 27/02/2006

Last seen in our Spotlight pull-out, The Research, a Wakefield born outfit are preparing to release their debut long player - "Breaking Up". This 14-track affair pulls no punches, although fairly early on warrants that "Parental Advisory" sticker, and I quote - "..I love you, but...I'm scared I'll fuck it up...". This minor in discrepancy, should not be considered in any way what the rest of this album has to offer and like a tantrum, burns out pretty quickly, allowing the rest of the album to spread its sugary sweet candy on the remaining 12 tracks.

N: This "underproduced Sleeper", is more lo-fi in construction and bears influences from Portishead (musically), Dub Star (vocally) and spreads a general air of early 90's indie.

T: Although it's not a terribly exciting release, it certainly has a fair share of charm about it. Actually it reminds me of the Moldy Peaches somewhat in its simple mindedness. Both female vocalists here sound like the sort of women you'd think twice about taking home to meet your mother. It's probably about the attitude in their voices, which reminds me of a pissed off Louise Wener.

N: I'm not sure what it is you are saying about not taking a Georgia (vocs./bass) or Sarah (vocs./drums) home to meet mother, I've certainly taken my fair share home to meet my mother. I see what you mean, alright I'll concede this point.

T: Do hurry up Mildred, my egg plant is dying.

N: Do turn that shower faucet off, it'll flood the bathroom! 6/10

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The Alarm - Under Attack (EMI) 20/02/2006

I'm surprised that after a career that has spanned almost a quarter of a century and has seen the band never once touch the UK top 10 singles chart, that I am sat here listening to and reviewing an album that could easily have been made 25 years ago. Shades of U2, Simple Minds, All About Eve and The Escape Club (remember those guy's?, No, I'm not surprised), but with a producer Martin Wilding (Poppy Fields/Doves) and George Williams (Babyshambles) working alongside the band, this goes to make a somewhat disorientated album. One moment Bono can be heard playing Under A Blood Red Sky, Jim Kerr his New Gld Dream, whilst The Clash are playing Sandinista the next, the only thread being that that small window of time is quite chillingly reenacted.

I am not saying that this album is a bad album, it's just that I'm not quite sure it knows what it is. I'm sure the band are a very good proposition live and they are taking quite the unprecidented step of playing a series of Saturday Gigs that will span the entire year, on the last Saturday of each and every month. Listening to the album as a collected work, I will conceed that it does at times work quite well and does get better as it plays through, but I get the feeling that this is an album made for the fans. 7/10

Nick James

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Gerry Mitchell & Little Sparta - Scalpel Slice (Fire Records) 13/02/2006

Nick Cave meets Irvine Welsh, one dark night & it's evident from their meeting that neither party is coming away unscathed. This collaboration between Scottish poet Gerry Mitchell and multi national experimentalists, Little Sparta, offer quite an intriguing outing, one that is both musically beautiful, sparse and boron, whilst at the same time with a lyrical depth, that coming from a poet is deep, political and quite unsavoury. The artists diverse musical tastes come together to craft what is a quite disorientating 7 track mini-album. A slow burner maybe, or a master piece in the making. 5/10

Nick James

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Rocky Votolato – Makers (Eat Sleep Records) 13/02/2006

Rocky seems to have swallowed a whole bunch of Simon and Garfunkel tablets since he released “Suicide Medicine”, such is the impressively harmonious opening track “White Daisy Passing” here. Other times he seems to have fallen into a vat of melted down Bob Dylans, been pushed off the cliff into a large basket of Eels or occasionally been whisked off to the Orient.

It’s all quite fascinating, but you need to play this album several times before it really starts to pay off. If I’m brutally honest, the first time I heard it, I wasn’t keen, but with each repeated spin I kept noticing new things and appreciating the construction of the musical backdrop more. Not to mention some excellent lyrics.

Album highlight for me is the splendid “Uppers Aren’t Necessary” which is like “The Boxer” but with a slightly darker feel. Anyway, it’s well worth a dabble and it will sit happily in my “still played” CD pile as opposed to the “probably never will play again” one that runs in tandem with it. 8/10

Tone E

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Daniel Agust – Swallowed a Star (One Little Indian) 06/02/2006

As co-founder and lead vocalist of legendary dance collective Gus Gus, Daniel Agust has already enjoyed international success and a string of hit singles, including three number ones, in his native Iceland.

That last paragraph was entirely nicked from the press release, if I’m totally honest, which is why it’s far better written than anything I’ve said thus far in my reviews. How impressive is it exactly though, to reach number one in Iceland? I half wonder whether I’VE had a number one over there at some stage, being blissfully unaware while a strange squawky voiced man in an ill-fitting suit spends all my royalties on an upmarket fishing trawler.

To the music then, and it’s a fascinating ride that demands repeat hearings. Classical undertones and an operatic theme running through many of the tracks – much like a slightly battier Rufus Wainwright – serve to give an overall sense of outer beauty but at the same time an inner dread. What utter bollocks I’m talking. Ah well, maybe someone, somewhere, on another planet perhaps, will understand what I’m trying to say here.

I never thought I’d say it, but Icelandic music these days is relatively easy to pinpoint, given our frost-bitten cousins willingness to experiment with a newer, more emotional sound than their Western counterparts.

I can’t even begin to comment on each track individually, as I feel this album is better played in full in a darkened room with your head face down in a pillow. No, make that on your back. That makes much more sense. Am I gibbering again?

Well anyway, this is pretty mesmerising stuff, but with a hint of paranoia thrown in for good measure! 8/10

Tone E

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When Gravity Fails - When Gravity Fails (Astro:Nought Recordings) 06/02/2006

This debut mini album from ex-Cortizone member, Nick Emery (Bass), hits hard in the fashion of Tool or Soundgarden and may be considered to run a little too closely for comfort. Wave after wave of songs you'd be forgiven for mistaking as such, bound off the senses. I'm not saying this is a bad album by any means and certainly the artists experience is clear. The bands inspiration at times might be questioned however, as a sense of anti-karma is felt when you read down the track listing and furthermore when you venture inside.

Numbers like; "The Enemy", "New Tricks For Old Dogs" and by far the most blantent "Bitter" where vocalist Ivan Fegen sings "...nice to see you wasting away, nice to see your bitter decay, nice to see you burning the ground, just a sec whie I take you down...", some would come to the conclusion, suggests of a troubled childhood.

The music here is certainly not as exhausting as bands like Tool, but perhaps a little too rigid, bowing to a formula instead of creating their own. It may even be a case of been there, heard that, but unfortunately others do it better. 4/10

Nick James

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Michael Messer – Lucky Charms (Cooking Vinyl) 06/02/2006

Given my recent fondness towards fifties bluegrass music, you could have forgiven me for thinking I had struck gold when I played Michael Messer’s title track from this album – all scratchy blues, fiddly guitars and a modern looping system to bring it bang up to date. To be honest though, after this, I was left a tad disappointed.

Now, there isn’t a single tune on here that I would say is unworthy inclusion, which makes my critique of it rather awkward to do. Listening to this as an album though, all the way through, it does tend to irk me a little and I end up with a banging headache. Having said that, if I delve into it now and again, tracks like “Sad Side of the Note” and the sublime Tom Waits meets Leonard Cohen “Havana Blues” have an infectious appeal but on the flip side, I can’t help cringing when I hear “Steve Cropper”, which tries – and fails – to be the blues equivalent of Ian Dury’s poeticism.

Quite an unusual one this – half of the album is just great and the other half….well…it just isn’t… 6/10

Tone E

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Belle And Sebastian - The Life Pursuit (Rough Trade) 06/02/2006

I don't actually recall Belle And Sebastian making a less than good album, so I looked forward to the release of this full length affair, certainly following the single "Funny Little Frog". Sure enough from the opening track "Art Of The Apostle" I was certain this album was going to follow this band's consistency and within the light and fragrant lines of the song, it couldn't help but put me in a good mood.

Recorded in LA with the producer responsible for releases from Beck and Air (Tony Hoffer), it's clear to see where the sunny disposition of this album fits in. "White Collar Boy", the 3rd track takes somewhat of a u-turn in terms of that light and airy refrain, this time adding a thick and syrupy strain to the accompaniment and on the following track, "The Blues Are Still Blue" gets all rock'n'roll, transporting me through time landing me in an age when the burgeoning youth culture would've been the talk of the day. In complete contrast the following track "Dress Up In You" is a slower more reflective tune, in dreamy B&S fashion.

It's true to say that this album holds no particular theme throughout, as a pacey number such as "Sukie In The Graveyard" competes with Hammond Organ, whereas"We Are The Sleepy Heads" (which incidentally would be the start of side-two in an earlier day), takes the fast guitar action in the style of Curiosity Killed The Cat to new heights. Stevie Wonder appears to have been the inspiration for "Song For Sunshine", before "Funny Little Frog" allows a certain sense familiarity.

The one ting I would say of this album, for all its highs and lows, the song that closes proceedings, "Mornington Crescent" (a familiar location in songwriting) is perhaps a little too slow and self absorbing both musically and lyrically. As a listener I might have preferred to go out on more of a high, instead of the slow drawn out chord the album resolves on, oh well with CD's or Mp3's nowadays this is an easy alteration to make. A good album, but perhaps not meeting the highs I found on its predecessor "Dear Catastrophe Waitress". 7/10

Nick James

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The Minus 5 – The Minus 5 (The Gun Album) (Cooking Vinyl) 06/02/2006

It’s difficult to pigeonhole The Minus 5 exactly, but the one overwhelming factor that simply can’t be denied is their grounding in mid to late sixties jangly pop, and to say this pull this off well would be the understatement of the year.

We are confronted straight off with the acid tinged swagger of “This Rifle Called Goodbye”, which could easily have come from The Beatles eponymous “White Album”, or, perhaps more accurately, George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass”. Following this is the absolute highpoint of the album, the booming “Aw Shit Man”, which is more like high quality punk-pop than anything else.

“Out There on the Maroon” is another gem, mixing the quirkiness of They Might Be Giants with a standard Searchers guitar riff that isn’t too far off Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” either. The great thing about this album is that it is so instantly memorable without having to resort to smelling of cheese, and this is continued on “My Life as a Creep” where Scott McCaughey looks a year or two earlier in The Beatles’ career, relying more upon a “Sgt. Pepper” style hook this time.

Perhaps the album’s OTHER highlight is the marvelous country tinged “With a Gun”, which reminds me of REM’s “Don’t Go Back to Rockville” but perhaps shaded with overtones of Wilco, which is quite ironic, given their previous album title of “Down With Wilco”! Of course, the aforementioned band backed them on that outing, so I won’t make too much of it!

“Cemetery Row W14” is a rather touching piano led ballad, “Twilight Distillery” is a bit like the Beach Boys in their more creative guise and the wonderful “Cigarettes Coffee and Booze” could have been The Band, such is the lazy alt.country arrangement.

I don’t normally do in-depth track by track reviews but I feel this album is more than worthy of my attention, so I shall continue by saying that “Leftover Life to Kill” is something that has defied my best efforts for a reference point and therefore all I CAN say is that it’s a guitar sliding, psychedelic monster that is impossible to tame. Following this with “Hotel Senator” was probably a damn good idea, coming across like the darker, slightly more sinister side of Squeeze.

“Bought a Rope” prolongs the moroseness a while longer, with suitable suicidal musings and then we’re back on Beatles territory with “All Worn Out”.

Concluding the self proclaimed “Gun” album with the rock'n'roll fizz of “Original Luke”, The Minus 5 have proved they are one of the most consistent bands of the past decade and continued to restore my faith in modern music. A treat. 9/10

Tone E

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Future Retro - Various (Rhino) 24/01/2004

A lot has been made of retro tracks, compilations and samples recently. A lot of criticism has been dished out regarding the quantity of new talent etc. emerging in the worldwide dance music scene, across so many genres, versus the constant stream of 'Retro remixes'. Largely, I think, it is a commercial issue, if punters are willing to buy the retro stuff then record companies will produce it. Also, with the 'poor' record labels struggling so much with piracy issues and the internet, their back catalogues are a veritable treasure trove for the new generations of music fans who didn't hear the tracks first time around anyway.

For me, its a question of taste and quality. Many genres of music have been founded on the reworking and sampling etc. of older material. The classic hip hop tracks of the eighties all drew on the basics of the old Motown, blues and rock'n'roll. So often though the tracks that emerge as 'worthy' remakes as it were, had a certain style and quality that generated a whole new feeling of respect and awe. They added something to the original or celebrated it for some reason. The trashy covers that are just plastic remoulds of previous tracks will all have their place in the collections of spotty 13 year old girls and superficial fashion victims.

So where does this collection of eighties remakes lie on the scale? Well, as a collection its ok. There are some awesome remixes and some that are just remoulds. I know that all this depends on personal taste and preference so I will try to be as objective as I can. First up is The Cure, "The Walk- Infusion remix". Ok, doesn't really do much for me. The vocal is largely in tact and the track is pretty good, but as a whole I can't see it standing alone against other tracks around now.

The Richard X remix of Yaz's Situation" is a different story. The track builds well and is not too obviously linked to the original. It has a fresh flavour of its own, but has of course stolen heavily from the original arrangement. It's more of a poppy mix as you expect from Richard X but there's nothing wrong with mainstream. Again the vocal is pretty much all there. Having said that the more I listen to this track the more pop it becomes.

It does sometimes come down to what you have to work with. The INXS remix of 'Need you tonight' by the Static Revenger has all the basic materials there. But then some purists would say you shouldn't fuck with this sort of track. It was and is such a legendary track in its original format. Then again this remix doesn't do the obvious and hammer the guitar riff too much, but its difficult to escape the originals purity and stamp a new face on to this modern classic. Undecided here.

The TIGA remix of Depeche Mode's "Shake the Disease" is a interesting track. Very minimal in its treatment with an almost electro feel to it initially, it then builds in to something more arty and dark. A really good example of adding something new to a old track. The Jaded Alliance Electrospect remix of Erasure's "Give A Little Respect" starts really well with all the funky beats and effects and then drops into a boring vocal regurgitation. A shame that the track wasn't developed a lot more as I think the basic elements are there to make a really unusual track.

And so the beats goes on, a few other worthy mentions should be made of the Adam Freeland remix and the DJ Irene rockstar mix of Book of Loves "Boy", both unexpected in their treatment. But otherwise a lot of the same thing, good quality, well produced remakes, too closely mirroring the originals to ever create any new flavour. As a very wise monk on toilet cleaning duty once said, 'Same shit, different bucket!'.

I am not saying these tracks aren't good, all the producers enlisted know their stuff and have done good jobs, but I think the record company should have allowed them to go more medieval on the assets of the originals! All in all a good collection but there will be some, me included, that feel this is just a commercial cash crop rather than genuine musical alchemy!

P.S. Considering I never really liked Morrissey, the Sparks remix of Suedehead is pretty pukka! 6/10

Nic Caesar

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