Day 0747 - Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow "Tuesday Night Music Club" (1993)

Sheryl Crow is another of those who seems to have been a lifelong lover of music.  Her parents both played musical instruments, she studied composition and then made a living mixing teaching work, singing with bands at night, and recording advertising jingles.  Crow also toured with Michael Jackson in the 80s and provided backing vocals on his "Bad" tour.   After that she started singing backing for other artists and laid down a few songs of her own for film and TV.

Crow tried to record an album with Police and Split Enz producer Hugh Padgham, but neither she or the record company were happy with the result and it was shelved.

Crow started a relationship with musician Kevin Gilbert and the two of them were involved with a loose group of musicians and songwriters that called themselves the Tuesday Night Music Group.  The group worked extensively on this album and Crow and her record company were much happy with this mix of country, blues, balladry, and even pop (in the shape of the almost out-of-place hit single "All I wanna do").  

Great collection of songs.  I recognised "Strong Enough" though I think that was through a cover.  Pretty sure I've heard "the na-na song" too.

Day 0661 - Rhythm Nation 1814

Janet Jackson "Rhythm Nation 1814" (1989)

JJ had had success with her third album "Control".   Predictably, her record label suggested producing a follow-up that reproduced that album as closely as possible.   Janet, instead opted to craft an album with a sense of social consciousness.   She commented on various issues she'd encountered either herself or in the news, issues such as school shootings, and racial dis/harmony. 

While working on the album, Janet had commented to her producers that it would be great if they could just create their own peaceful nation of music... leading to the album title and title track.

The music mines similar territory to her brother's 1980s output, the funk and RnB mixed with a touch of rock (particularly the track "Black Cat").  There's more of a focus on danceable beats on memorable singles like "Miss You Much" and "Rhythm Nation".   The Jackson family could do no wrong (musically) around this time.

Day 0620 - 16 Lovers Lane

The Go-Betweens "16 Lovers Lane" (1988)

Referred to in some quarters as 'the Indie "Rumours"' because romantic relationships within the band were ending (singer/songwriter Robert  Forster and drummer Lindy Morrison) and just taking off (singer/songwriter Grant McLennan and violinist Amanda Brown).  In amongst this changing and potentially volatile dynamic, their bass-player had also left and been replaced.

The album reflects that landscape, with a mix of upbeat pop songs and dole-drum laments.  The band broke up following this album (but reformed several years later).   The songs aren't terrible, but honestly, I listened to the album about 4 times in a row, and aside from vaguely recognising one or two songs when they came back around, it mostly just didn't feel like any of it was memorable enough to stick with me.

Day 0441 - Broken English

Marianne Faithful "Broken English" (1979)

Okay, this was not what I was expecting.  I'd picked Faithful as a bit more of a folky sort. In fact doing a quick bit of digging I see that she got her start in folk.  I guess this is just like that time that I introduced myself to Leonard Cohen's music via his fairly synth-heavy album "I'm your man".

Faithful had been discovered by the Rolling Stones' manager, released some albums, had a relationship with Mick Jagger, was nearly cheated out songwriting royalties by the Stones, was left homeless, lost custody of her son, and ended up addicted to heroin. Coming out the other side of all that she embraced the punk scene and put together this album that combined the sneering attitude, melodic minimalism and abrasiveness of punk with the slightly cold and mechanical sound of synthesizers.

Her lyrics don't take any prisoners, particularly the closing track "why'd ya do it" rebuking a former lover, featuring lines as charming as:
"Why'd ya do it, she said, why'd you spit on my snatch?
Are we out of love now, is this just a bad patch?"
or
"every time I see your dick I see her cunt in my bed"

Day 0368 - Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton "Frampton Comes Alive" (1976)

Frampton's live set that (much like Kiss Alive!) elevated him from a relatively successful artist to a huge worldwide success.  I'm not sure that there's been a live album in recent times that has really changed the fortunes of an artist like the aforementioned did.

It's a good clean set of accessible sunny pop and rock with some longer instrumental jam sections thrown in.  The obvious hits are "Baby, I love your ways" "Show me the way" and the epic "Do you feel like we do".