Day 0909 - Figure 8

Elliott Smith "Figure 8" (2000)

 
The inclusion of some of Smith's songs in the soundtrack for "Good Will Hunting" (which garnered an Oscar nomination for best original song) raised his profile.  He was signed to Dreamworks records, which meant his days of recording his albums at his and other people's houses was numbered.

This album was recorded at professional studios including Abbey Road... which seems apt as Smith's increased budget and big label direction allowed him to make a Beatles-esque baroque pop album.

The stripped down sound of "Either/Or" gives way to a lush layered approach.  Opener "Son of Sam" features some backing vocals that wouldn't be out of place on a mid-60s era Beatles album.   "Pretty Mary Kay" has a certain Lennon (via Pink Floyd) vibe to it.

Strings, layered vocals and bouncy Ringo-styled drums abound.  But while the Beatles' songs were generally uplifting, hopeful, love-focussed; Elliott had struggled with addiction and heartbreak and his songs funnelled that pop sound through a more nihilistic filter.   Not a million miles from the lovely, yet oddly sinister sound of the band Mini Mansions nearly a decade later.

Probably a track or so too long, but with a sound this lush and interesting, I'll let him away with it.

Day 0616 - Vivid

Living Colour "Vivid" (1988) - got it

One of the first black metal bands (as opposed to black-metal), Living Colour was started by guitar maestro Vernon Reid, and originally billed as 'Vernon Reid's Living Colour'.   Vernon was originally from the UK, which I guess explains the English spelling of colour. 

The band sought to break down the idea of rock/metal being for whites and rap/RnB being for blacks.  Reid assembled a highly talented band, including bassist Muzz Skillings, drummer Will Calhoun and vocalist Corey Glover to produce this mash-up of rock, metal, funk, rap and occasional balladry.  A strong sense of melody is evident throughout in even the heavier songs.
 
Brilliant album that I haven't listened to nearly enough lately.  So again I have to thank this 1001 albums thing for (a) introducing me to new and interesting music, and (b) leading me to revisit and rediscover albums that I was already familiar with.

Day 0572 - The Colour of Spring

Talk Talk "The Colour of the Spring"

 
Talk Talk, one of the earlier bands to employ the new sound of synthesizers is here, one of the first bands to abandon them.  The synths are ousted for pianos, organs and interesting guitar textures, and the results are brilliant!

There is some competent pop-rock in the shape of "Life's What You Make it" and "Happiness is Easy" which has a moody trumpet solo and a child choir to lift it above standard fare.  There are some moodier tracks like "Chameleon Day", where Mark Hollis' haunting tenor backed with a semi-classical backdrop of piano and keyboards almost predicts the moodier moments of A Perfect Circle.