Day 0834 - The Score

Fugees "The Score" (1996) - got it

Another of those albums/artists that was everywhere when I was in high school.   The Fugees had evolved from an earlier group featuring members Lauryn Hill and Pras.  They were joined by Wyclef Jean and renamed themselves Fugees (short for Refugees or Refugee Camp).

The Fugees' second album 'the Score' lays out a definite political/conscious hip-hop sound.  Making use of plenty of existing material, but instead of just sampling and working over the top of it, the group chose to largely re-record what they use.  They covered Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" and Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry", but also utilised (and repurposed) parts of "Ready or not" by the Delfonics for their own song of the same name.

The album was a hit, but then the three Fugees busied themselves with solo projects and, sadly, to this day have never really produced anything further together, save one leaked single.

Day 0715 - Rage Against the Machine

Rage Against the Machine "Rage Against the Machine" (1992) - got it

Many bands are described as "exploding onto the music scene", but I'd say that RATM are actually deserving of that phrase.   Of all the bands branded with the often maligned label 'rap-metal', RATM managed to tap into the anger and aggression of both genres without really de-clawing either of them.

Rhythm section Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford lay down a funky and hardhitting base for vocalist Zack de la Rocha (once described, not inaccurately, by Tom Morello as the "punk-rock James Brown") to belt his raw-throated screams, raps and political protests over.  But the band-member name-checked most frequently is guitarist Tom Morello.  His guitar spits out thrash riffs, fiddly solos rhythmic grooves, and riffs... oh so many riffs.  Beyond that though, he engages in musical experimentation that sees him all but make his guitar moo like a cow.  His collection of squeals, stutters and scratches borrows from both metal and rap and elevates the band, giving them that point of difference.

The first song "Bombtrack" starts with a tantalising build-up before exploding all in your ears.  Single "Killing in the name" (whose riff Morello came up with while giving guitar lessons) is barely contained rock rage.   A little variety is provided by a guest spot by TOOL's Maynard James Keenan on "Know your enemy" and a moodier, more subdued approach to "Settle for Nothing" (though that also turns into a rager too on the choruses).

The band couldn't maintain this level of fire and originality, with their following two albums being a case of diminishing returns.  They rounded out their recorded career with the brilliant covers album "Renegades".  The band, freed from the requirement to come up with material, were able to just 'rage-ify' some existing songs.

Day 0542 - Ocean Rain

Echo & the Bunnymen "Ocean Rain" (1984) - got it

According to the book, Echo's lead singer Ian McCulloch himself described this album as their definitive statement; I'd have to agree with him.

This is my favourite of the E&tB albums that I've heard.  After the sonic experimentalism of "Porcupine" where they threw everything including the kitchen sink at their songs; for Ocean Rain they stick with one audio embellishment: a string section.

The strings really add the right touch of drama to the gothy, interesting post-punk of E&tB.  They nicely complement McCulloch's voice, whether he's crooning somnambulantly or wailing with emotion.  My favourite here is probably the gothic "Nocturnal Me", but it's all good.