Tom
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Post by Tom on Aug 20, 2021 20:46:30 GMT 1
20th December 1990
Another good show.
INXS - Disappear. Good to see this video, one of their most underrated singles for me.
Grease Megamix - Good to see this video too.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Aug 20, 2021 20:59:04 GMT 1
25th December 1990
One of the episodes I've got. Had totally forgotten they showed classic Christmas songs so would have been aware of them earlier than I thought. It wasn't until I saw this at the time that I discovered who got the Christmas no 1. Remember being surprised that it was Cliff, especially given how slowly he had climbed rather under the radar. I'm guessing they filmed multiple links of different songs for the Christmas no 1 with it being a new number 1 as I doubt they would have recorded the episode on Christmas Eve?
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vya
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Post by vya on Aug 22, 2021 20:49:58 GMT 1
11/7, Brookes Maybe getting the DJ to stand alone is a lawsuit avoidance measure or something (not specific or particular to this presenter, but in general)
DJH ft Stefy - I Like It Mediocre forgettable sub-49ers Italo-House unaware that (a) that ship has sailed or sunk (b) this formula has been used far more successfully on countless occasions (c) throwing Aretha Franklin into the mix seldom makes anyone else look good in comparison
Paula Abdul - Rush Rush + charts Still the best thing she's done, doesn't mean it's a classic. Almost all the records I'd care to hear are going down the charts.
OMD - Pandora's Box Pseudo-OMD more like, given what they were, when they were about the music and innovation as well as the lyrics. Decent slightly above-average radio pop, still. Not enough songs about Louise Brooks. But really not much of a chorus, is this?
C&C Music Factory ft Freedom Williams - Things That Make You Go Hmmm... Dance music for the pop charts, much more than their other, recycled but way more credible, number was. Catchy, annoying.
Guns N Roses - You Could Be Mine Loud GnR by numbers.
Billy Bragg - Sexuality The lyrics don't really work, but the sound (advanced jangly indie pop) is an interesting and appealling step forward from his rawer earlier sound. "hard currency hotels", lol. After shilling for Mao last time out, this is a hint he'll probably be mourning the collapse of Soviet tyranny in a few months.
INXS - Bitter Tears An act who over-promise (with a few moments of genius, even beauty) and under-perform with dull sweaty rock moderned-up a bit, as here. Not repulsive.
Bros - Are You Mine? Rhyming "morning" with "dawning" in the opening line is either brave or foolish. This is terribly, sadly, poor and dull.
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let The Beat Hit Em In the near absence of competition, possibly the most appealling thing on the show so far, even if it's not much more than a fairly generic bit of post-new jack swing with too many samples for its own good. "beat" and "feet" rhyming, though.
Bryan Adams - Everything I Do (I Do It For You) Not so much men in tights as pants.
Cher - Love And Understanding Has the fingerprints of Diane Warren all over it. While her inoffensive rock mid-paced tracks (perfect background music for chain restaurants) suit Cher better than most, this is a bit half-baked.
God that was a trial
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Aug 27, 2021 19:21:34 GMT 1
The third and second numbers of the Titius-Bode sequence. Brookes with the most 1980s t-shirt ever. DJH and Stefy. I would bet a very large amount of money indeed that the person masquerading as Stefy has as much to do with the vocals as I do. Three monkeys, ten minutes.
Paula Abdul. It doesn't get better with repeated listening. Can't be arsed to watch the chart rundown either. You can't make me listen to this, you evil BBC.
Nice graphic of an opening box for OMD and Andy's homage to Louise Brookes, who was indeed one of the absolute all-time hotties (Pandora's Box being her biggest hit film). Wrong release from the album though. Should have been "Was It Something I Said?"
C+C Music Factory. I can't remember which one is C and which one is C. This has a memetic quality to it. The video is distinctive, great way of grabbing attention on MTV as there's nothing that looks like it. Stands out a treat.
Another nice graphic with a firing cannon for GnR's latest Terminator effort. Waxle is channelling his inner Angus. Not very good, he sounds inordinately whiney.
For those who think the BBC is not left-wing enough, Billy Bragg. Smug, self-satisfied, preachy. Works better with the video. And it's not Kirsty on the stage.
Inks. Oh, In Excess. This is almost the definition of milking the album dry. I don't even know if it is about the sixth track from an album but that's the air it's carrying. They're capable of better but I suppose they don't have the time. Both with sound and vision.
Bros. They're still a thing? Evidently not, new entry at 12. It's basically "Cat Amongst The Pigeons" reborn. Oh, it's dire.
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam. This is quite sample-heavy. I am reminded of Doc J. This is both original and good. Only the bits which are original are not good, and the bits which are good are not original. More sample, less LLCJ, and there might have been something of a Bomb The Bass thing going on.
Brand new no. 1 and Bryan Adams is in the studio. He must be delighted after years of trying finally managing to top the charts, especially as his previous epochal songs have for some reason missed entirely.
Cher plays us out with something that is very throwaway. Obviously someone thought "Cher is trendy now, let's throw out any old sh*t and fingers crossed."
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vya
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Post by vya on Aug 27, 2021 23:33:31 GMT 1
18 July 1991, Brambles
Cathy Dennis - "Just Another Dream" "Knocking them dead on both sides of the Atlantic", apparently. Leather-clad kinky spy chic, 1920s Berlin, 1930s Riga dancers. While this is a step up from "Touch Me", this is one of those songs that builds up but ultimately lacks a chorus (repeating the title over and over without a perceptible melody barely count). Verses are more promising, decent even, nice slip into French there too. Promising, not without appeal, but doesn't rise much higher than OK.
Heavy D & The Boyz - "Now That We Found Love" + Charts: yay Altern 8, double yay Voice of the Beehive, yay The Shades of Rhythm, yay Londonbeat, any of these would be way preferable to this, at least a lot of the other rubbish is going down the charts now. Hm, this is no 4 in the charts, but the ones above it aren't better.
Little Angels - "I Ain't Gonna Cry" Completely forgotten to the passage of time. Maybe unfairly. A promising start, with its spacious and angsty bluesy style, union jack guitars, but badly let down by the more conventionally rocky chorus. Something as authentically unpretentiously English about this as real ale with a wacky (and marginally misogynistic) name. Problem is it's not ugly, but even with its freshness, it is ultimately a bit mediocre and incomplete.
MC Hammer - "(Hammer Hammer) They Put Me In The Mix" Utterly atrocious. I mean, better than Vanilla Ice's latest.
Kim Appleby - "Mama" Finally, some quality. Understated, emotional, heart-warming, tuneful, sing-along. Yes.
Natalie Cole & Nat "King" Cole - "Unforgettable" I'm still troubled at the ethics (and taste) of the posthumous duet. Musically and vocally, this is fine, but I preferred Ms Cole when she was giving it "Jump Start" on Soul Train. She can pull this off though, too, but the question is whether she should. Jury's out.
Breakers: Altern-8 - "Infiltrate-202": Raw and deep house largely based around a fine selection of samples, does it for me Shades of Rhythm - "The Sound of Eden": Raw and deep house going a bit poppy, a bit post-Balearic (I swear their album had sleeve notes slagging off a local councillor in Peterborough on though, like the Soke really is not Ibiza btw). Promising if not earthshattering.
Londonbeat - "A Better Love" Sounds like a combination of every other Londonbeat song mixed into one. Not a bad thing given their general calibre. Man they can sing. They can play. They can write songs. Probably would have been a big hit a decade or so earlier, when popular taste was better. Nice. Chorus definitely qualifies as singalong.
Jesus Jones - "Right Here Right Now" Inspired by their trip to Romania they have turned semi-acoustic (if overproduced) and vaguely political/social commentary. At least unlike Billy Bragg they are on the right side (well, if they believe anything at all, and if they don't, that's still preferable to Bragg). In its way it seems telling that (as far as I know) this never became, in contrast to tracks by the Scorpions & DJ Bobo (several of the latter) an Anthem of the Fall of Communism actually in Central/Eastern Europe itself. Corporate feelgood complacent stuff, they'd be singing hymns to the current President if they were Yanks.
Bryan Adams - etc The man has done so much better than this musically. And in films his appearance, as himself, in a cameo role in the Russian film "Dom Durakov" ("House of Fools", set in a lunatic asylum just outside Chechnya during the war, with a delusional inmate who has dreamed for years that Bryan Adams will come to visit her and marry her, then he does) is surely more appealling than the film this is from too. At least they cut it off earlyish.
Voice of the Beehive - "Monsters And Angels" Maybe the masterwork of one of the finest powerpop-rock acts of recent years. So in love with this, the best thing on the show by far.
Proper curate's egg edition. Very good in parts.
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vya
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Post by vya on Aug 28, 2021 0:06:57 GMT 1
25.07 Goodier (who sorry to say does seem like an overexcitable sixth former/youth worker)
Shamen - "Move Any Mountain" Once known as "Progen", they've clearly decided not to take the New Order approach to song titles anymore now that they have a public profile. Basically this is how to mix indie and rock, properly. That keyboard riff. The percussion. Closer to the KLF in spirit and mode than all that bandwagon-jumping Madchester sh*te (or Jesus Jones or the Farm). Live vocals appreciated. Fantastic.
C&C Music Factory ft Freedom Williams- "Things That Make You Go Hmm..." A minor entertainment. Charts: what's going up seems largely underwhelming
Dannii Minogue - "Jump To The Beat" Kylie's 3rd hit single was a crap cover, too. This one is worse, and more pointless, as it adds nothing, nothing whatsoever, to the earlier version. (Oh a pointless rap that it could have done without, well without). A cheap respray. Nice tune, still.
Extreme - "More Than Words" A sensitive, (still) fresh and tuneful rock ballad, you'd not guess it was the same act as that responsible for their last fratboy single. Class.
OMD - "Pandora's Box" OK, no more, no less. It's no "The Romance of the Telescope".
Cher - "Love And Understanding" Radio wallpaper for coastal Americans. Not repulsive. Not at all.
Frankie Knuckles - "The Whistle Song" The man is obviously a legend, but he has quite clearly been involved (whether as producer or remixer) with tracks so vastly more enduring than this one. I can't let go! Tears... Here, there is at least a hypnotic rhythm and ambient space, ok it will do for the chillout room. But damn it is great to see the man on TOTP.
Breakers: Deacon Blue - "Twist And Shout": cute and incidental, almost fairy-tale like, not sure it's what they do best Seal- "The Beginning": wish he'd get back with Adamski so his superlative vocals have the musical backdrop they deserve Bomb The Bass - "Winter In July": melancholic, deep, vaguely Arabic touches, certainly original
Bryan Adams - etc more of the same
Morrissey - "Pregnant For The Last Time" Rawer than before, musically this is Not The Smiths. It's OK.
Have been better editions, have been worse
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 3, 2021 11:33:49 GMT 1
Can't be arsed to do any work today. Achtzehn sieben. God, I HATE this music. We've now got spinning numbers in the credits. Brambles looking proper glam. Cathy Dennis, dressed in homage to Hot Gossip in their Starship Trooper era. She's hot as f*** but the song is gash. Really, really, really dire. I cannot imagine why someone would hear this and think "I must go out to buy that" other than obsessionist collectors. Even Dennis looks embarrassed having to mime through it. It's plainly the work of 3pm on a Friday and throwing it out there. All the craft of a Dairylea.
Heavy D at no. 4. This sort of thing makes me lose the will to live. I note they are putting the chart over a dance track again. Is this gaslighting? Forcing us to listen to watch as well? Well, it's not working. FF.
Little Angels. Interesting that Aerosmith would later more or less copy this and get a US number 1. Is this the Angels trying to crack America? Does nothing for me though.
MC Hammer. The Americans put him at the top of the album charts for TWENTY ONE f***ing WEEKS. That automatically makes Britain better than America for ever and ever amen. I think they're trying to make him sound harder-edged. It isn't working.
Kim Appleby. Same as before.
The Coles. WHY THE f*** ARE THEY PLAYING THIS EVERY f***ing TIME?
Breakers and we go all the way back to 40.
-Altern 8, with something that's deeper in dub, lacks the sheer euphoria of their single digiters. There are strong hints of 808 State in here. At least we get enough to understand the song;
-Shades Of Rhythm, was expecting a Sounds Of Blackness soundalike, this is rather decent, there's some complex work going on underneath, shifts of atmosphere under the vocal line;
-and that's it. Hm, could have dropped the Coles and played the full one of this. After all, Nat's not going to object.
Londonbeat. An attempt at an uplifting soul classic, it's a bold attempt, it's not quite there but it's good regardless.
Jesus Jones, with a song that sort of hangs around until the chorus bursts through.
Adams at no. 1, selling double the next song down, an insight there into sales figures.
They're pitching for a crowd to turn up. A sign that nobody is interested in the charts? Playout is the Hopper painting made life from Voice Of The Beehive. And this is, quite simply, sublime. It's one of the singles of the year. Not sure about Tracey's head dress (not head-dress) but this is a song you could write an entire film about. Who would have thought that the most successful one from madness would be Woody?
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 3, 2021 12:01:47 GMT 1
24+1/7. Goodier looking like a youth club leader. Graphic for "Move Any Mountain" has a mountain. They're providing live vocals. Will Sinn drowned at the filming for this video and the Shamen promptly get their biggest hit. I think the live vocals were a mistake without live backing as the sound mixing is f***ing awful. The TOTP techs have plainly lost their step from the 1970s live experiment.
C+C, dance record, so, naturally, they put the chart over it. Suspicious. The BBC's waterboard torture of the Coles has backfired as they go down the charts.
Dannii Minogue who is not singing live, probably because her vocal talents are below those of R2D2. sh*t cover of a sh*t song and she doesn't even have the decency to wear a miniskirt. Absolutely vile and amoral. Stealing opportunity from those who deserve it to give to someone whose sole selling point is that her sister has a cute ass. I would have spoil-released the Stacy Lattislaw version just to f*** this **** off.
Extreme. Oh, they've picked up the manual that says "if you want to score a cheap hit, just do an acoustic". Q.v. Poison. This is atrocious.
OMD and Cher are from before. Frankie Knuckles, who has gone all Chuck Berry, in that he has scored a hit with a novelty. Audience is completely indifferent and I can't blame them. It just meanders on without anything resembling a hook or a tune seemingly for ever. Frankie has nicked a shirt from the Georgian dress-up box.
Breakers. Deacon Blue who have done the stupid thing of taking a better-known title for a new song. It's their best song for a while but why call it "Twist And Shout"? People are not going to be able to bloody find it. Keep your clubs away from his young, it's Seal. Sounds more like a rave tune than his recent output. Bomb The Bass have gone the other way, sounding more like Seal. Actually rather brilliant.
Adams, meh. Mozza on the playout with something that's a lot more Shakin' Stevens. Very rockabillyish, quite sparse, like an indie record fell through a 1958 filter. Very good indeed.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 5, 2021 11:50:54 GMT 1
Kalendae Sextilis. Mayo introducing THAT summer song and points out that it's English rather than Italian. I saw it first in a CD sleeve when it was not in the charts and thought it was a cover of "Right Said Fred" by I'm Too Sexy. This is actually great fun. Earwormy without being annoying, somehow. And self-aware. Like the voguing girls. Bit of a Hendrix sample on guitar. They're playing Ilfracombe.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince. Oh look, another dance record with the charts underneath. This is f***ing deliberate, isn't it? I really really really can't be doing with this.
Voice Of The Beehive make it to the studio. This is absolutely stunning. Tracey has Morrissey on her gee-tar. Hm?
Deacon Blue. I lyk this one too. Upbeat and bouncy and poppy and slightly of the tweepop mould. Just the wrong title. "Blue Room" or "Pink Dress" would be better. Lorraine looks like she's loving life. Despite the album title, they are not very hoodlum-y.
We go from there to the "literally nobody in the world needs this" - a follow-up for Colour Me Useless. Seriously, f*** OFF with your stupid whiney sh*tty wanky voices.
Moz. He's actually not gone down after week 1. A rare climb. Not sure about the shirt, but this is a really great retro rocker.
This is quite some show. It divides sharply. British (-based) acts: brilliant. American: w**k. And that theme continues with the Massive Attack-y "Winter In July", a more thoughtful and introspective Tim Simenon. Very warm production sound. Is this meant to be more a showcase of his ability than an attempt at a hit single? Well, he's got the latter anyway.
Next week's show, AKA breakers. Beverly Craven, with something that sounds like Janet Kay doing "Get Here". Marillion, who seem to be channelling Police. De La Soul, with something that is way more interesting than Fresh Prince. And Young Disciples, there is a desperate push to get this sort of British new jack swing over.
No. 1, last five British chart-toppers have been from films, interesting stat, and perhaps suggests they should be banned from the chart till the theatrical run is over because people are not buying the song but the film. Playout is Seal, so, although this has generally been a good programme, it is mostly a repeat.
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vya
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Post by vya on Sept 8, 2021 23:54:13 GMT 1
August First Mayo, trying too hard to be as unfunny and knowing as Campbell
Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy Black Lace meets Star Turn on 45 Pints. Just what the world doesn't need. The Blackpool Tower Wurlitzer organ bits are a nice touch. Otherwise....no.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince - Summertime That rare thing, a DJJJ&FP track that is enjoyable and even melodious. The soulful backing vocals are the thing Nice enough. Charts vaguely promising, in that more that is good is going up than going down, and more that is bad is going down than going up
Voice of the Beehive - Monsters and Angels Superb in all regards. Classy sensitive, intelligent (channeling Solzenitsyn a bit) power pop. What a group. Has a strong case (with some others) for being their absolute finest moment. Delightful. Sing-along, too. "Morrissey" scrawled on the guitar, lol.
Deacon Blue - Twist And Shout A welcome further step away from the sometimes overblown rock of Album 2 back towards what made Album 1 so appealling. Fun as well as enthuisastic. Bouncy and playful. (An influence on "The Patience of Angels", I wonder)
Color Me Badd - All 4 Love Not repulsive. The timpani (probably synthesised) is welcome. But this isn't up to much, might even suggest they weren't expecting to have to follow up such a big hit as they had.
Morrissey - Pregnant For The Last Time Battering that tambourine. Taut beats. Rockabilly and quiff. Arch lyrics and sneers that almost become snarls, kind of classic "nice or nasty?" Moz.
Bomb The Bass ft Loretta - Winter In July Spacious, futuristic, pop future, similar-ish vibe to Massive Attack more or less (following up the hints of a more soulful BtB hinted at in their earlier Aretha cover). Effective and affecting. I'd quite forgotten it was this good.
Breakers: Beverley Craven - Holding On: superior radio balladry from someone who can sing. Not really my thing but. Marillion - No One Can: more proof that getting rid of Fish is the best thing they ever did. Sensitive, beautiful, the right sort of polished. De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" - this act are still overrated, overhyped etc Young Disciples - Apparently Nothin': bright young British sound, this is decent
Bryan Adams - This is a battle of attrition and even on repeated listening it's still no "Summer of 69". Some of the instrumental sections have something about them.
Seal - The Beginning The voice goes a long way, the track is less stellar than a couple of his priors, but OK
Really a strong and agreeable edition
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Sept 17, 2021 21:51:15 GMT 1
7th February
Very interesting that they started skipping the fallers this week. I knew they made changes this year but hadn't realised they came so soon. Of particular interest as it was around this time i started paying more attention to the rundown on the top 40 or when Simon Mayo did the recap on the Monday, so that may have been why.
Great show, possibly my favourite so far.
Liked Kim Appleby - Glad, Gloria Estefan - Coming Out of The Dark, Oleta Adams - Get Here, New Kids On The Block - Games (one of their most memorable for me) and The Source - You Got the Love. Plus others already mentioned before.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Sept 17, 2021 23:12:08 GMT 1
14th Feb
Really good show.
Liked Railway Children - Every Beat of The Heart and Chris Isaak - Blue Hotel. Others already mentioned.
21st Feb
Liked Chris Rea - Auberge at the time but since become my favourite song of his. Xpansions - Move Your Body (Elevation) - Absolutely love this, early contender for favourite performance of the year. This may have been the first time I'd heard it which may explain why it's so memorable.
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vya
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Post by vya on Sept 19, 2021 19:08:34 GMT 1
8.8 Campbell
De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named `Saturdays' The "parts are good" and "parts are original" dilemma exemplified. Not their worst or most irritating moment.
Extreme - More Than Words Effective. What is going up the charts mostly does not spark joy.
Beverley Craven - Holding On If what we really need is a female Peter Cetera, we've found one. Not horrible, some attractive displays of passion occasionally breaking out even. (Peter Cetera is under-rated, this is not an arch diss.)
Metallica - Enter Sandman Have to credit them making no 5 without really watering down their sound that much. Though actually their balladry can be stronger than this kind of mid-paced semi-rocker. There is a little bit of polish here. Will surely do better.
Shamen - Move Any Mountain They still sound like the future, even though the track is hardly brand new now. Maybe one of the pristine vinyl versions minus over-enthuisasm here is more space age though.
Amy Grant - Every Heartbeat I rather like her wholesome pop, it's simple, good-hearted and unpretentious, and you can sing along. This is a step up from "Baby Baby", too.
Blur - Bang Holding up a poster of a chicken head, to be wacky, or say look at how wacky we are, I suppose. That apart, this is not too art school, thankfully. Not sure it'd have made a Stone Roses B-side (at least when they were doing quality B-sides), but it passes the time tolerably enough and doesn't overstay its welcome.
Young Disciples - Apparently Nothin' Not sure whether the lyrics are admirably idealistic or (a la Imagine) credulously naive. The track overall has a great groove and atmosphere, and Shara Nelson can clearly sing, even if the song doesn't really go anywhere very much, spoken breakdown part aside. Suggests promise for the future of the act.
Breakers: Technotronic ft Reggie - Work: same as usual, unfortunately (though we hear very little of it) Michael Bolton - Time, Love and Tenderness: same as usual, most unfortunately (though we hear too much of it) Sophie Lawrence - Love's Unkind: ghastly Mandy Smith-style cover version that is unnecessary
Brian Adams - etc etc (fast forward)
Vanilla Ice - Satisfaction Talk about saving the worst for last. Hilarious if you hear it once, no need to hear it twice. Stutter Rap-tastic.
A pretty painful edition. Time to pension Campbell off too. He's not as funny as he thinks he is.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 22, 2021 8:42:58 GMT 1
Unfortunate date. Campbell with jacket, t-shirt, and jeans from three different decades. Him, the graphics, the theme, all extremely dated. Starting off with De La Soul, can't remember if they've been in the studio before. We are 30 years on and there is hardly anything this innovative happening in rap these days. It's laid-back and enveloping with a funny use of a Saturday Night Fever sample. I approve.
And as a diametric opposite, Extreme. Nope.
Beverley Craven. You can almost taste the wine. This would have gone down a storm in 1985 amidst the yuppie sorts. Delboy would have bought this to show he was the height of sophistication.
Metallica with a bit of old-fashioned metal. I will give the producer credit for today's prog. This is the third genre in four songs. Quite like this one. Still not sure about the band name, it's like calling a singer Jim The Singer, but this is fun and unpretentious.
The Shamen, live vocals, live mixing, live scratching. So like before then. On TOTP for the second time tonight? The first? The logo on Mr C's coat by the way is the Chinese (and presumably Japanese) character for mountain.
Amy Grant has another song, deep joy. It's as hard-hitting and fresh as you'd expect.
Blur. Damon is waving a cock's head placard. He's trying to have the Gallagher swagger but it really sounds like The Farm. Meanders around without bothering with a hook.
A tortured introduction for Young Disciples. Well, this is at least a varied show.
Breakers. Thought they'd forgotten about those, they're pretty late. Technotronic with the same single as they always produce, no idea why this is being given any time. Reggie looks pretty hot. Michael Bolton, see Technotronic. Bolton looks so not hot. Sophie Lawrence, girl next door type with weak-ass vocals and a blatant cash-in. We get about eight seconds of each, which is nine seconds too much.
Adams still on top, Campbell looks bored stiff at the end, takes the p*ss out of Vanilla Ice, which is of course compulsory. He's rapping over "Satisfaction"? Here's a good idea, take the rap off. It sounds like "Do The Bartman" in this format. Dire.
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vya
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Post by vya on Sept 23, 2021 16:30:18 GMT 1
15 Aug Davies
Level 42 - Guaranteed The instantly recognizable sound of late 80s version Level 42. As pleasant but as (musically) incidental as, say, "Children Say" was. Pleasingly uncool.
Color Me Badd - All 4 Love Tinny and tedious, and their visual aesthetics are evidently about as appealing as their aural ones Charts: some great new entries this week: Manics, Flowered Up, Martika, REM
Sophie Lawrence - Love's Unkind Maybe a coincidental or intentional legacy of the Donna Summer-SAW contretemps was that the hit factory decided to desecrate one of her numbers. To be fair this is more a pointless and unappealling cover than a descretation, but it adds nothing to the original, has an inferior singer (no disrespect when the original is DS) and is not in a wildly different style. So why bother?
Bomb The Bass - Winter In July This is good but feels a bit incomplete. A bit more orchestration (a la "Unfinished Sympathy") might have been the making of it
PM Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss Surprisingly attractive reinterpretation of "True", skilled mellow rap (oh watch the Tribe Called Quest allusion in the lyrics). Generally I remain mystified by the appeal of PM Dawn, but this track simply works.
Voice Of The Beehive - Monsters And Angels Still not convinced this isn't the best pop single of the year. Gorgeous, insightful.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The French Prince - Summmertime This is also how you do mellow rap, with a bit of soul added. So much so it even makes up for how annoying their other singles are.
Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy Really, you're not. There are few good bass riffs here, just a few mind.
Breakers: Midge Ure - Cold Cold Heart: could happily listen to this once in a while, melancholic and electronic, very Ultravox indeed Karyn White - Romantic: lush but not as immediate as some of her previous stuff REM - Near Wild Heaven: beautiful and emotive, one of their best
Brian Adams >>>FFWD>>>> (Six weeks at no 1. Enough already)
Michael Bolton - Time Love and Tenderness Machine produced and soulless. Singer trying too hard, musicians not hard enough.
Actually not a terrible edition.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 23, 2021 17:53:20 GMT 1
Sophie Lawrence - Love's Unkind Maybe a coincidental or intentional legacy of the Donna Summer-SAW contretemps was that the hit factory decided to desecrate one of her numbers. To be fair this is more a pointless and unappealling cover than a descretation, but it adds nothing to the original, has an inferior singer (no disrespect when the original is DS) and is not in a wildly different style. So why bother? She was very cute though like a cross between Kylie and Sarah Cracknell
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vya
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Post by vya on Sept 24, 2021 20:31:35 GMT 1
22 Aug Brookes
Midge Ure - Cold Cold Heart Bibbly bobbly keyboards were avant garde in 1981. A bit too Bontempi by 1991 though. No classic, (more Cumbernauld than Vienna) but there is a kind of coming of maturity story here, at least. And singing in a Scottish accent wins. Fine drum breakdown too.
Prodigy - Charly Somehow manages to stand on the right side of the innovative/annoying line. Charts: climbers/entries mostly positive
Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day Subtle this is not, but still a deserved hit on re-release (marginally less anti-chill than Prodigy tho). Don't think we'll hear much more from her though. Lightning never strikes twice.
Utah Saints - What Can You Do For Me Staying on dancy-and-sampling vibes, this is also on the right side of the innovative/annoying line. It feels like something good is gonna happen.
Jason Donovan - Happy Together Sparkly jacket suggests (a) he's being ditched by SAW and (b) he has concluded musicals are more his thing. A needless cover version that (somehow) isn't his worse 60s pastiche, and maybe introduces the song to a new generation. But it is not good. AND THAT KEY CHANGE. OUCH.
Karyn White - Romantic Somehow she's never caught fire in the UK. On this occasion, I think it's her fault for putting out a Janet Jackson pastiche. When she had too much of a beat and not enough of a song she at least disguised it with wicked choreography. This isn't, quite, dreadful, but the musical backdrop and the vocals are out of step with each other.
Oceanic - Insanity Quite the opposite of subtle. "Special K" t-shirt clearly the new 2nd vowel of the alphabet. Dead dead good? Well, so infectious it's time to call the clinic, at least. Weird to think an act as refined in their way as the Charlatans inflicted this aural assault on the world. Also, key change alert.
Martika - Love...Thy Will Be Done Now this verges on being classy. Tension and restraint.
Breakers 808 State - Lift: Sonic soundscape, quasi-inhuman computerisation thing, ok. Tin Machine - You Belong In Rock and Roll: A TM song with a tune! Surely some mistake. But the best thing Bowie has done for, well, many years. Love. Marc Bolan & T Rex - 20th Century Boy: A welcome revival (follows on well from the TM track too).
Bryan Adams - yawn (week seven) Not as Brookes says, "the best record of the year"
The Farm - Mind Brillantly infectious chorus from an act of little discernable talent, singing about something they know about, so maybe authenticity is what makes it. Against my will I have to sing along.
Generally a decent enough edition
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vya
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Post by vya on Sept 24, 2021 21:00:54 GMT 1
29 Aug Goodier
Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch ft Loleatta Holloway - Good Vibrations The live rap part does not enhance this, to say the least. ("C'mon Loleatta": she's not on stage with you) Pity, as in other ways as this has a certain vigour and energy and pace. And Black Box have to be thanked for inspiring another "Love Sensation" lift, actually credited this time. It has a good beat.
PM Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss Works much better than it should. Would love to hear "Only When You Leave" get this treatment, Charts: more good than bad going up, especially lower down
EMF - Lies They are very young. And have lots of energy. I'm sure we've heard this (and inferior versions thereof) before. Repeatedly.
Prince & the New Power Generation - Gett Off Low slung bassline and groove. Interesting to see which lyrics are censored here (no "23 positions in a one night stand", but that is hardly the most explicit line here).
Arnee & The Terminaters - I'll Be Back I suppose this could be a Front 242 or Ministry b-side. Steve Wright Built my Hotrod. (The future of rock and roll, as Goodier says. Well, Nine Inch Nails...Less moronic than most subsequent records with this quantity of gun references).
Simple Minds - Stand By Love Pompous and tedious and forgettable
The Farm - Mind The weirdest, most incongruous and appealing thing about this might be the soulful, almost gospel-esque female vocals. There is real brilliance here. And the drumming too. Their career peak IMO.
Tin Machine - You Belong In Rock And Roll Very 70s sound, though as obviously Bowie's 70s work was better than that of the 80s, this might be long overdue. Old-school, with that eccentricity that had been lost under acres of mal-production and bad ideas. A really welcome return. Maybe we can hope for a similar renaissance from Diana Ross, who trod a not entirely dissimilar path.
Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy Still annoying. A London (well, trendy West London) version of Pump Up The Bitter.
Breakers: Salt N Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex; well put together Dire Straits - Calling Elvis: not an essential return from a break away
Bryan Adams, etc, week 8, etc,
Mark Bolan & T Rex - 20th Century Boy Timeless in its way
Overall that edition was enjoyable!
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Post by ManicKangaroo on Sept 26, 2021 18:24:01 GMT 1
8.8 Young Disciples - Apparently Nothin' Not sure whether the lyrics are admirably idealistic or (a la Imagine) credulously naive. The track overall has a great groove and atmosphere, and Shara Nelson can clearly sing, It's not Shara Nelson, it's Carleen Anderson. Shara sang with Massive Attack.
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vastar iner
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I am the poster on your wall
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 26, 2021 22:53:54 GMT 1
Funfzehn acht. The music show for the young being presented by the 47 year old Gary Davies. Level 42 with the second-highest new entry. It does not have a very hooky beginning. Not a good omen and the song continues in that vein. King is looking old as well. First single for a while and it looks like the creative well has dried.
Color Me Badd who can f*** off.
Sophie Lawrence, the latest attempt to turn a soap star into a pop star, because that's how utterly dogshit the industry is. And rather stupidly they've gone for someone who was not cast because of her looks. I think she's really attractive but a girl-next-door type rather than the sort of bombshell required to carry off a horridly reedy weak-as-water voice on a thrown-together-in-five-minutes cheap-ass cover version. She's giving it big eyes but this is embarrassingly bad.
Bomb The Bass, still the right way, easily the best on the show so far.
Highest new entry at no. 5, judging by the background it's Midge Ure, but it's in fact PM Dawn, with something that sounds remarkably like Spandau Ballet. With that now-bog-standard hip-hop backing. It is a staggeringly unimaginative use of sampling. So I can't be doing with the rapping.
Voice Of THe Beehive with a cute little bee graphic. We get the Hopper-esque video this time. Sumptuous. Utterly sumptuous.
Aaaaand we go to Fresh Prince. Oh God. Another video.
Up to no. 2. They're playing Midge in the background but not properly. Breaker? Right Said Fred. My mom really fancies Richard Fairbrass. Shall you tell her or shall I? This is a rarity - a novelty record that doesn't get annoying after the fourth play. It works as a proper choon. No chance of being a hit in America, of course.
Breakers. We get a bit of Midge with his Scots-sounding synth. This is great fun. Bouncy perky almost retro pop. Karyn White, with some new-jack-by-numbers that could be literally anyone, there's no personality imprint here whatsoever. REM with a lipsync video, a rarity. For some reason we get the bridge rather than the song. This is one of the few singles in this era I ACTUALLY BOUGHT, it's that good.
Breakers perhaps should have been the main show. Badams is no. 1, the playout is Michael Bolton and that's indefensible.
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