Day 0451 - Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned "Machine Gun Etiquette" (1979)

Things that make you go "oooh"

Outside of a fairly rote cover of one of these songs by the band the Offspring, I was aware of the Damned by name only, including the names of its band members, who sport such spicy monikers as Rat Scabies and Captain Sensible.

This sounds like a Ramones album and a Kinks album got shoved in blender with glorious results. Snarling punk attitude one moment, eccentric British pop the next.  Most of the time it falls partway in between, in the form of high-velocity melodic punk with a decidedly British flavour and some great little lead breaks.

Fun fact: Lemmy from Motorhead and Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon from the Clash help out with some bass, backing vocals, and hand claps.

Day 0130 - Scott 2

Scott Walker "Scott 2" (1968) - got it

I've made no secret in the past for my love of Scott Walker.  His luscious, lush arrangements, his brilliant croon, his quirky sense of humour... this is possibly the peak of his early work (to my tastes).
This set is somewhat typical of the 'Scott' albums: some translated Jacques Brel covers with an added swagger, some syruppy easy listening ballads and some other grandiose galloping arrangements.  Ranging from the trumpeting upbeat 'Jackie' the almost Bond-esque epic sound of 'best of both worlds' (a great near-breakup song).  The elephantine Eastern swagger of 'the girls from the street' slips into a nimble European bounce without a thought spared!