Tag: French Electronic Music

JOHNNY CASH - At Folsom Prison - Album Review

I’ve been a fan of Johnny Cash, bless his soul, from I was old enough to process and arrange sounds in my little brain.

Growing up in our household we were blessed with an endless supply of folk music and country greats. Singers like Glen Campbell, Simon & Garfunkel, Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette and the main man Cash were always on rotation either on vinyl, cassette or the big 8 track tapes that were slotted into the dashboard of the family car.

My love of Cash will never fade as I associate his voice with so many good memories.

On Jan 13th 1968 Johnny Cash and his band walked through the gates of Folsom prison.

The record is so electrically charged, right from the off that I still find it almost impossible to skip through. The screams of excited inmates, completely blown away by the fact that they are being allowed this unheard of privilege is so energising and just creates such a feel good factor.

To kick the concert off with ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and hear the crowd immediately erupt sends goosebumps all over me, every single time I hear it. There’s just so many beautiful songs on this album that never fail to bring a tear to my eye.

The final song on the recording is written by one of Folsom’s inmates Glen Sherley. You can just imagine the extra excitement that this must have added to the concert to have their own friend’s song performed by the great Cash.

You can listen to this album in two ways. First you can marvel at the genius of Cash’s songwriting and his accurate, working class life observations.

Secondly, try detaching yourself from just listening to the music within and putting yourself inside the heads of the inmates in the crowd. Just like Andy Dufresne's co-workers enjoyed icey cold beers as they tarred the roof of the fictional Shawshank State Prison, the inmates of the real Folsom prison received a release from their confinement for an hour to enjoy Johnny Cash singing about crime, cocaine, booze, prison life and their lives on the outside that they all dreamt of during their lifetimes behind bars.

For the audio recording of this to be captured in such a way and to be released, virtually uncensored is completely mind blowing to me. To be allowed that privilege in a maximum security prison was completely unheard of.

So this album says a lot to me, but the thing that resonates most is the temporary compassion shown to a room full of convicts, who lets face it were human beings like everyone else.

Totally spellbinding album that I love dearly.

CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL JOHNNY CASH WEBSITE

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PRIMAL SCREAM - Screamadelica - Album Review

1991 ranks up there as one of the maddest years in my 90's campaign of debauchery.

This album sums up so much about the friendship, unity and after-party culture of a period in time that remains my most precious. The rave scene was starting to properly explode, rival football terraces were, for some unknown reason, liking each other, dance-floor bigotry was taking a sabbatical…and everything in the world was just beautifully coloured and perfectly euphoric…until Tuesdays.

Screamadelica was the benchmark wind down and take the edge off album for me and my mates. Someone who has never rode the back of a 3 day post rave gathering may overlook the journey that this collection of music takes you on, and see it purely on it’s face value of song after song - not moi.

There are hidden depths in these songs that only dogs and ravers can hear.

Our dearly departed hero of electronica, Andrew Weatherall was the key figure in the production of this album and it just (pardon the pun) ‘screams’ The Guv’Nor and his beautifully low slung, analogue Balearic mastery. The tracks seamlessly blend through genres, creating a sound that totally encapsulates a unique time in music history.

At a whopping 10 minutes and 19 seconds, ‘Come Together’ goes on, and on, and on, and on, and builds to a level of locked in, hypnotic euphoria that goes beyond anything i’ve ever heard since. To then follow a track like that with ‘Loaded’ has the power to completely peel open the top of your head if heard under the right circumstances.

This album has everything i could ever require in a body of music, highs, lows, twists & turns, funk, depth and utter charm.

Every now and again i believe that anyone who was a Primal Scream fan back in the 90’s and is still in reasonable control of their main faculties, should take a little refresher course in this album..trust me, it will do wonders for your heart and soul.

This album is as close to out and out perfection as you will ever get. I actually found myself getting quite emotional wording this particular review and listening (again) whilst writing.

I would urge you to take some time at your earliest opportunity and reacquaint yourself with this beautiful indie masterpiece.

CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL PRIMAL SCREAM WEBSITE

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AIR - Moon Safari - Album Review

25 years on from this album arrived and I’m still shocked when i speak to people who aren't unaware of French band Air.

Their popularity over the past two and a half decades still continues to grow, year on year and this ultimate in debut albums, Moon Safari continues to be a consistent worldwide seller for the duo, and rightly so.

If you asked me to compare Air to another act for descriptive purposes, I would struggle as their sound is very unique. Some of the music they create has an air of, dare I say it - cheesy cool, if such a thing exists.

I remember receiving a few first edition vinyl copies of this album into stock back in my old shop Mixmaster Records when it came out in 1998. My colleagues at the time Roddy, Gavin and myself were very taken by the freshness of this new music and how it sounded like absolutely nothing else out there at the time. I recall the record being on shop rotation for weeks and it being discussed on a daily basis when a fresh set of ears would come into the shop.

For us guys in the shop, who were used to the harder sides of dance music in the shop, this was like a breath of fresh air from the gods themselves.

Moon Safari is a stone cold, genre creating classic, an album that crafted its own unique sound unlike anything that had come before. Call it retro futurism, electro pop-ambient, coffee table lounge music, whatever your choice this masterpiece has stood the test of time now for over 25 years. Combine their blend of futuristic synths, funky Fender Rhodes hooks with the stunning vocals of Beth Hirsch on two of the songs, "All I Need" and "You Make It Easy" and its just an all out winner in my eyes.

I was blessed to see them when they made their only Belfast appearance a few years ago and was just awestruck the entire show.

I still own this personally on vinyl and CD and still play both. This album is truly a fun, uplifting masterpiece. For anyone who may not have checked out these guys, i urge you to grab a nice glass of Rioja (or a Stella will do) and sit back and binge a few of their amazing albums.

CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL AIR WEBSITE

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