Day 0854 - In it for the Money

Supergrass "In it for the Money" (1997)

The "difficult second album" and yet I would say this is easily Supergrass' best (of what I've heard).   They developed naturally from their cheeky and often whimsical pop-rock of debut "I Should Coco" and bring a more mature sound.

The self-titled track opens with an almost sinister tone that rises up to a chant of the title and a catchy rock song.  "Richard III" likewise opens with a sinister 'devil's interval' before Gaz Coombes gives a peppy 'whoo' that launches a rock riff that is excellent in its simplicity.   A couple of tracks later things slow down and show the band's increasing maturity.  The moody, acoustic "Late in the Day" may get a bit bouncier in the choruses (mirrored in the pogo-sticking music video) but is still somewhat contemplative.

Much of the rest is just catchy and enjoyable, with single "Going out" being a remaining nod to their lighter hearted debut.   The album finishes on an interesting note, with the pop-jazz feel of "Hollow little reign" and album closer "Sometimes I make you sad" which could almost be described as 'vaudeville techno' with a crazy speedy guitar solo partway through.

Brilliant album and I'm not quite sure why I don't own a copy.

Day 0729 - Vulgar Display of Power

Pantera "Vulgar Display of Power" (1992) - got it

Pantera started out as a heavy glam-metal band.  They would later deny it, but the spandex, puffed up perms and histrionic high vocals don't lie.

They slowly evolved their sound into a heavier thrashier deal, particularly with the introduction of new vocalist Phil Anselmo.

With this, the third album with Anselmo, he had mostly set aside his glam vocals in favour of metal screams and deeper growls.  The music had moved away from glam and even thrash to focus on a slower "groove-metal" sound.  Drawing on the band's southern background, with hints of blues and southern rock to some of the riffs and solos.

There is plenty of variety within the album.  There's the single-string, 2-3 note simplicity of "Walk" (that must surely have joined 'smoke on the water' and 'nothing else matters' as stock songs for beginner guitarists to bang out at guitar shops).  There are the grunge-ballad verses/grinding metal choruses of "This Love" and "Hollow".  While "F**king Hostile" is more or less a hardcore punk track with a little more flash.

Anselmo's newly shaven head and songs about dominance and respect raised one or two eyebrows (probably more in retrospect with Anselmo's infamous "white power" incident in 2016).

Day 0491 - Mask

Bauhaus "Mask" (1981)

 
I don't know if I'm maybe not in the mood, but this one seems just 'okay'.  On the face of it it seems like something that I'd be into; a gothy post-punk offering that mixes skittish whiteboy funk, electronic elements, gothic backing vocals and a number of other elements.  I enjoyed all of it and really wanted to LOVE it, but it just wasn't happening.

This was viewed as being Bauhaus' more poppy accessible album.  They released 2 more albums before going their separate ways with all the members pursuing separate music projects (testament to the combined creativity contained within the band).   They reunited and released an album in the 00s.