Day 0881 - Apple Venus vol.1

XTC "Apple Venus vol.1" (1999) - got it

It had been 7 years since the previous XTC album.  The band had been arguing with their record label Virgin and essentially went on strike until they were allowed the freedom to do things their way.   Eventually the band left the label and were able to move forward with their music.  

Songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding had amassed over 40 songs and at first had planned to release a double album, but changed this to release two volumes.   The second Apple Venus volume "Wasp Star" would consist of more straight ahead rock/guitar songs.    Volume one though is a masterpiece of baroque pop mostly consisting of orchestral instruments and acoustic guitars.   Due to budgetary restrictions the album's orchestral parts were all recorded in one day.

From the opening pizzicato strings and dripping sounds of "River of Orchids" that build to a swirl of strings and layered vocals, the album is a gorgeous journey with hints of Beatles, Bacharach and Beach Boys while still being totally XTC.   

 

There are a couple of more light-hearted tracks ("Frivolous Tonight" and "Fruit Nut") courtesy of Moulding, but the bulk of the album is Partridge's with a McCartney-eqsue upbeat acoustic track "I'd like that".  A bitter reflection on the end of his marriage with "Your Dictionary".   Album-closer "The Last Balloon" is an appropriately elegant melodic journey with its slow keys and strings with choirs building to booming percussive accents and sailing the album away on a mournful lilting trumpet solo.

XTC are one of those musical oversights for me.   I liked and bought this album when I first skimmed through the 1001 albums book and have since bought two other of their albums... but given they have 14, I could probably delve deeper.

Day 0585 - So

Peter Gabriel "So" (1986)

Huge success for Peter, helped along by high rotation of the unusual and entertaining video for the funky single "Sledgehammer", not to mention the fact that PG's handsome mug was displayed unadorned on the album cover for once.

While there are some familiar 80s sounds here with synths and stabs of brass and some synthy slap bass, Gabriel manages to add his own touches to the songs.  Whether it's his solid songcraft, including elements of world music (including a guest spot by Youssou N'Dour), elements of experimentation (including a poppy duet with wild-card Kate Bush), or just his own strong and versatile voice.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, and could see why the blurb it the book holds it up as a good starting point for getting into his work.

Day 0568 - Master of Puppets

Metallica "Master of Puppets" (1986) - got it

I actually got into Metallica through their later (90s) material, particularly the two LOAD albums, so I tend to go back and forth on what I find to be their best work/era.

This is most likely their definitive musical statement though.  The band had been steadily developing and refining their sound over the preceding two albums.  This album follows the pattern of most of their 80s albums: first track has a mellow intro that crashes into a speedy thrash riff, the second track is a monster title-track, track 4 is the ballad/mellow song, and the last two tracks are an instrumental and a hard-n-fast thrash track.

The band is firing on all cylinders for this album, with all 4 members contributing to the songwriting and arrangement, and all taking time to solo or showcase their chops.  Even the oft-mocked drumming of Lars Ulrich is tight and effective here.

The songs move between straight-ahead, fast thrash, to more complex, densely harmonic (almost classical) arrangements in songs like the title track, and the instrumental "Orion", this latter largely composed by Cliff Burton and featuring some stellar bass soloing from him.

Burton died in a bus accident while touring for this album.  The band would seek a more uniform sound in their follow-up "...and Justice For All".  They would simplify their sound for their 90s albums, then meander for a while before finding their way back to attempt to recreate their 80s masterpieces... but with mixed results.  While their 90s albums were successful and enjoyable, they don't reach the same heights of collaboration, and ambition as Master of Puppets.

Day 0533 - Run D.M.C

Run D.M.C "Run D.M.C" (1984)

One of the great early rap albums.  Sparse arrangements over drum machine beats.  Occasional bursts of guitar and Jam Master Jay's scratches serve to anticipate their eventual 'rap rock' hit "Walk this Way".  The sounds act as a simple but effective backdrop for Run and DMC's rhymes.

They engage in some fun wordplay while delivering a healthy dose of social commentary.  The way they collaborate, play off each other and finish each other's sentences adds a bit of variety that you wouldn't necessarily get from a solo artist.