Day 0872 - Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev "Deserter's Songs" (1998)

Another of those "I knew the band-name but not the music" situations.  Apparently this isn't necessarily the album to start on with this band as it was a bit of a departure from their previous albums.  It's baroque pop with a range of interesting rock and orchestral instrumentation (right up my alley).

The book makes comparisons to the Beach Boys, and while that is usually made as a lazy comparison to say they have nice vocal harmonies (I should know, I've used the reference myself at times), this is actually quite reminiscent of Brian Wilson's sonic experimentation in "Pet Sounds" and "Smile".   

Another comparison made was Neil Young Singing over Pink Floyd... true, vocalist Jonathan Donahue does have a similar voice to Young and the music does have a Floydish vibe in places.   I'd add a third reference to the pot, Flaming Lips.   Donahue's high, clean vocals over such progressive, swirling pop can't help but bare a resemblance to that other innovative art pop group.

Day 0859 - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

Spiritualized "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" (1997)

To my tastes this is an improvement on the previous Spiritualized album in this list (entry 721).   They'd taken that sound that I'd classed as "digital shoegazer and ramped up the pop aspect of it.   The opening title-track has an almost 60s folk-pop sound while still being drenched in synths, guitar and spacey production.  

The tracks move between melodic aural overloads, and dreamier, more stripped down tracks like "Stay With Me".

Would happily listen to it again.

Day 0826 - Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers "Everything Must Go" (1996)

Following the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards the band relocated themselves to France with producer Mike Hedges to work on the follow-up to "The Holy Bible" (see day 777).

The sound of the previous album was dark, angsty and brittle.   "Everything Must Go" instead brings energy and a cathartic, at times almost euphoric sound.

This album features single "A Design for life" which was my introduction to the band back in the 90s sometime.   I'm not a hardcore MSP fan by any stretch of the imagination, I have a greatest hits album, and that's it.   Having said that I frequently hear sounds from them that I enjoy, and definitely the two albums on this list so far are full of 'good bits'.

Day 0777 - The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers "The Holy Bible" (1994)

Possibly the darkest MSP album, and the last featuring guitarist Richey Edwards who disappeared suddenly during the promotion for the album.  To this day it's not known what happened to him or where he went.

In addition to the situation with Edwards, vocalist/lyricist/guitarist James Dean Bradfield was suffering depression, alcohol abuse, self-harm and anorexia.  This is not the sing-along preachiness of latter stage MSP, this is some grinding, grim and angsty rock.   The guitar riffs are distorted and angular, my favourite being "the Intense Humming of Evil" which sounds like a mix of NIN, TOOL and Radiohead.

The album did not sell well initially, though it was critically vaunted.   The band were probably just a bit ahead of their time, with gloom and angst... which would be fairly marketable over the next few years.   I personally thought it was a great slice of rock.

Day 0730 - Dirt

Alice in Chains "Dirt" (1992)

The band had been formed by guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney.  Cantrell had been at his friend Layne Staley to come on as their vocalist while Staley was trying to get Cantrell as guitarist for his funk band.

Eventually the funk band disbanded and Alice in Chains was solidified.  Elements of funk showed up in their debut "Facelift" which was otherwise already fairly well formed with their signature mix of blues rock, chugging riffs and Staley and Cantrell's vocal harmonies.

The band followed up their debut with an acoustic EP (which they would also do after "Dirt") before coming back to their rock sound with "Dirt".
 
While the vocal harmonies are still present and there's melody to be had, these are some of the heaviest, most punishing riffs laid down by the band.  The lyrics are fairly dark, with the subject of addiction featuring largely, which is not surprising given that Staley would die of a drug overdose 10 years later.

Some great tracks on here with "Would" (featured in Cameron Crowe's "Singles" film), "Rain When I Die", and the one that first pricked up my ears towards AIC, Rooster.