Day 0917 - Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp "Felt Mountain" (2000)

This one was a bit of a surprise.   I'd thought of Goldfrapp as being more electro-pop (actually I'm pretty sure their later work is), and Alison Goldfrapp had done some work with Orbital, and on Tricky's trip-hop magnum opus "Maxinquaye", but this definitely doesn't sound like electronica.

Alison was introduced to Will Gregory and the two hit it off and started collaborating, deciding to form a band under Goldfrapp's distinctive surname.

As above, the album does not really sound electronic, it's more of a theatrical record with lush strings and a definite cinematic feel.   The opening track "Lovely Head" is interesting, sound effects and a lonesome whistle backed with strings the combination of which just screams Ennio Morricone, then it gives way to what sounds like a John Barry James Bond orchestration.   The title track has a definite Bond/Barry vibe to it too, this impression is heightened by Golfrapp's (the person) occasionally Shirley Bassey-esque tone such as on track "Human".   Her voice moves from hushed whispers to low croons to big belting notes.

I definitely dug this one and should probably seek out a bit more Goldfrapp (hopefully there'll be some more on the list).

Day 0676 - Ragged Glory

Neil Young "Ragged Glory" (1990)

Young had had a bit of a return to form with his previous album 'Freedom' after what was considered by many to be a period of creative decline for him.  For this album he went one step further with taking things back and reunited with his band Crazy Horse. 

The band jammed on sets of songs each day and eventually went and listened back to all of the takes to choose the best tracks to move forward with.  Young said that it was to stop them overthinking, though there is also some suggestion that it was to keep Young from controlling the sessions too much.

It's a pretty straight-ahead set of rockers with Young's fuzzy guitar solos and some nice vocal harmonies going on.   It didn't wow me as much as some of Young's other albums I've listened to on this quest, but I do really love the slow burning album closer "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)".

Day 0619 - Bummed

Happy Mondays "Bummed" (1988)

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it, but bummed didn't do anything for me.  It didn't bum me out or anything, but it just passed by in a bit of a mess of sound.  I probably like the album cover more than I like the music inside it.

Apparently the band were taking a shit-ton of ecstasy during the recording process.  Producer Martin Hannett draped the resultant recordings in reverb and echo aiding to the 'audio soup' feel of it all.

Day 0444 - Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young "Rust Never Sleeps" (1979)

Neil survived the 70s, was even nominated as "artist of the decade" by the Village Voice. He finished out the 70s with a film and an album both titled "Rust never sleeps" (the title a phrase that Young coined to urge himself to keep pushing in new creative directions to avoid stagnation).

The album itself was recorded live with overdubs added later and audience sound removed as much possible. The songs are half solo acoustic, and half 'rawk', recorded with Young's band Crazy Horse.

With the album being bookended by two stylistically different versions of the song "hey hey my my", it really shows off what Young could do back then.