Day 0759 - The Sun Rises in the East

Jeru the Damaja  "The Sun Rises in the East" (1994)

Jeru had worked with Gang Starr, and that group's DJ Premier produced this, Jeru's first solo album.  

The production and beats are probably the most interesting part of this album for me.   It almost seems to lean into trip-hop territory with moody instrumental samples backed with drum-machine loops.

The book talks about how Jeru calls out various other rap artists of the time for various perceived offences, but then I don't generally pay attention to lyrics.   Whatever is pissing off Jeru it goes past me, and musically the album doesn't really stand out for me above and beyond other albums or even other hip hop albums of the time.

Day 0758 - Venus Luxure No.1 Baby

Girls Against Boys "Venus Luxure No.1 Baby" (1994)

The band utilise synthesisers and dual bass guitars... I have to admit that I did not notice these things on first listen, it was only when I went back and gave it a second listen that could hear the two different basslines going on.

The music is largely grungey rock but it feels like it touches on the sounds of bands as diverse and Mazzy Star and Clutch.  There is some stonking, riff-heavy rock but there are also some moodier moments.  They play around with distorted piano lines in "Billy's One Stop", a hypnotic almost sensuous groove on "Get Down" and a slow groove-metal feel to "Rockets are Red".

Day 0757 - Teenager of the Year

Frank Black "Teenager of the Year" (1994)

 

Black Francis broke up the Pixies (announcing it in an interview before informing his bandmates) then changed his name to Frank Black and headed right back into the studio to record his first solo album.   That album didn't make it to the 1001 albums but this, his second album did.

It's a sprawling beast of a thing, with 22 tracks and a runtime of well over an hour.   Styles as varied as punk, reggae, rockabilly and Beatles-esque pop vie for space.   "Olé Mulholland" has a definite Lou Reed swagger to it, while album-closer "Pie in the Sky" has a kind of shouty rock that wouldn't be out of place on a Foo Fighters album. "Headache" has shades of Beatles.

Black has a keen instinct for melody and interesting melodic ideas, one of those songwriters whose melodies take unexpected (but not unwelcome) little twists and turns, like in "Fazer Eyes"

There was nothing on here I particularly disliked, and I actually find Black's lyrics more interesting than most, but it's unlikely that I'd sit down and listen to this in its entirety again which I did 3-4 times to get the measure of it.

Day 0756 - Tical

Method Man "Tical" (1994)

A hint of the pool of talent contained in the Wu-Tang Clan that its constituent members were already producing solo albums even as their debut was hitting.   They'd worked out a record deal that allowed them to record as solo artists for different record labels.

Method man signed with Def Jam for his debut.   The RZA's production brings more kung-fu film soundtrack bits, murky bass and interesting beats.  

There is the potential that having primarily just one MC this album could be less interesting than the Wu's material, but between the guest MCs and Meth's own bouncy, hypnotic flow, it's still a great album.

Day 0755 - Strange Cargo III

William Orbit "Strange Cargo III" (1993)

 

William Orbit is now a well known name in music, with production and remix gigs ranging from U2 and Madonna, through Blur, Finley Quaye, P!nk and Chris Brown.   But back in the day he was just starting out as an artist in his own right.

Orbit had been in a group called Torch Song, making music from their home-made studio... learning on the job essentially.  The group disbanded and Orbit started on his solo career.

The book opines that this album sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday rather than decades ago... I'd have to agree.  The trance-like soundscapes and well-aged synth sounds are as fresh as anything out today.

Day 0754 - Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys "Giant Steps" (1993)

Named after the excellent John Coltrane album of the same name this was the third album the Radleys released.  It was also on about the third record label they'd been signed to up to that point.

They had been on Rough Trade records, but when it collapsed they were picked up by Creation Records... yet to sign Oasis, but still with Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine and Teenage Fanclub on the roster.

Giant Steps is the Boo's second album for Creation and it lives up to its name with a huge range of styles covered across its 17 tracks.  There's dubby reggae covered in squalls of feedback, there's Beach Boys-esque chamber pop clashing with loud rock, psychedelic balladry with avant noise overlaid.

It's another case where I probably find the runtime a bit long for my tastes, but it's still a musically interesting and enjoyable album that I'd be happy to spin again.

Day 0753 - Bubble & Scrape

 Sebadoh “Bubble & Scrape” (1993)

 

Sebadoh was formed by Eric Gaffney and Dinosaur Jr. bassist/vocalist Lou Barlow.  Originally it acted as a creative outlet and side project for Barlow, who was being somewhat shut out of the songwriting process of Dinosaur Jr by his bandmate J Mascis.  Eventually Barlow was fired from Dinosaur Jr and made Sebadoh his full-time priority.

Possibly due to Mascis’ overbearing nature, some of Barlow’s songs ruminated on the subject of control.  In contrast to that band, Sebadoh seems much more democratic, with all three band members contributing songs to the album.

The band had built itself up on lo-fi indie recordings, but this was the first album that they recorded entirely in a professional studio, and the last album with founding member Gaffney, who went on to pursue a prodigious DIY solo career.

'Bubble and Scrape' benefits from the mix of writers with a range of sounds, from noisy fuzzed out lo-fi punk, to washy alt-rock and some almost 1960s pop moments (but sifted through a grimy 90s filter).