Shop our Big Takeover store for back issues, t-shirts & CDs
Follow The Big Takeover
Top 10 Things I’ve Been Listening To This Week
UB40 – Signing Off (Virgin)
UB40’s first LP. If you only know them for “Red Red Wine”, “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You”, and the rest of the garbage that made them international superstars and pop chart toppers, wipe your mind clear of your preconceptions before putting this on. Hearing Signing Off, a politically-charged corker with elements of roots reggae, dub, and a more subtle approach to the 2-tone sound, is a total revelation. Highlights include the title track, “Tyler”, and “Food For Thought”, but there isn’t a dud in the bunch, making one wish that UB40 would have signed off the day recording wrapped.
Bodines – Played (Magnet)
No, not the U.S. BoDeans responsible for the noise pollution also known as “Closer To Free”, but Manchester, England’s far superior Bodines. These Bodines are likely best known by most for contributing the track “Therese” (which also appears here) to NME’s legendary C86 Compilation. Played is the lone full-length from the band, who also released about a half dozen singles in their few years of existence, and features the kind of upbeat, jangly pop one would expect from an act included on the aforementioned comp.
ESG – A South Bronx Story (Soul Jazz)
Is it enough to just say that ESG played opening night at Manchester’s Factory and closing night at NYC’s Paradise Garage? At very least, that should give you some sense of the musical territory that this Bronx group, comprised of a gaggle of sisters and a couple others, occupied. Their early tracks, such as “You’re No Good” and “UFO”, were unmistakeably produced by Martin Hannett (most famous for his work with Joy Division). Like everything on this fantastic compilation though, they blend postpunk and early electro/dance sounds to great effect, consisting predominately of fun, highly danceable, rhythm-based music with chant-like vocals. It’s not hard to hear why this group is revered (and sampled) by hip-hoppers and indie fans alike.
Liquid Liquid – Liquid Liquid (Grand Royal)
Speaking of early-80’s, minimal New York groups, that blended postpunk and dance to great effect and are revered to this day by hip-hoppers and indie kids alike, here’s another one!
The Durutti Column – The Return of the Durutti Column (Factory)
Another production triumph for Martin Hannett, who also contributes all of the synths here. The Return of the Durutti Column is, interestingly, the first album by The Durutti Column, really just the name that virtuoso guitarist Vini Reilly performed under. It is an entirely instrumental collection of singular, shimmering, often jazz inflected songs that are at once distant and inviting.
Minks – By The Hedge (Captured Tracks)
This debut from Minks doesn’t actually release until this Tuesday. However, it is not hard to find and listen to most of the tracks on the web. And, from what I’ve heard, this is well worth getting excited about. The sound of the music and production quality is unquestionably a nod to 80’s British guitar pop influences such as The Cure, a slightly darker House of Love, or any number of bands that appeared on labels like Creation. Looks like another win for Captured Tracks, an up-and-coming label that I highlighted in a list here about a month ago.
The Church – Heyday (Warner Bros.)
Prior to hearing Heyday for the first time last Sunday, my only exposure to The Church was their excellent hits collection Under the Milky Way: The Best of The Church. Two tracks that appeared there, “Myrrh” and “Tantalized”, originated here and are amongst the highlights. But, frankly speaking, this album is so consistently good that it’s hard to rate any one or two songs better than the rest of the bunch. What really stands out is the phenomenal interplay between guitarists Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper. The amount of times I’ve listened to this one this week has me thinking it won’t be long before I start delving into the rest of The Church’s large (and from what I’m told, very consistent) catalog. For what it’s worth, “Columbus” is my favorite track here.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark – Architecture & Morality (Virgin)
Architecture & Morality most evenly balances the line between OMD’s darker, more experimental, earliest work – on the title track and “Sealand” to name a few – and their more familiar (to most), poppy side that would make them chart regulars as time went on – on tracks like “She’s Leaving” and “Souvenir” – and occasionally skirting that line to near perfection on a single track – see “The New Stone Age”. Another band that is too frequently written off by people that have not dug deeply enough into their widely varied catalog.
Delta 5 – Singles & Sessions 1979-81 (Kill Rock Stars)
This collection neatly compiles all of Delta 5’s A and B-sides, BBC Sessions, and a 1980 live set. This is chilly, grade-A, first wave, postpunk comparable to more well known contemporaries such as The Slits and Au Pairs. Sometimes it all sounds a little samey, but since I happen to like that sound, it works just fine for me.
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Master And Everyone (Drag City)
I’ve been going to sleep to this one a lot recently which, come to think of it, doesn’t sound like a compliment, but it is. I take my going-to-sleep-music pretty seriously and this one never fails to put me at ease. With all of the different monikers under which Will Oldham has released albums – his own name, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Palace, Palace Songs, Palace Bros. – it is sometimes kind of hard to keep track of him. But, typically, I have most enjoyed his Bonnie ‘Prince” Billy offerings. And Master And Everyone is my favorite of those. With sparse, mellow, rootsy music influenced by artists like Neil Young and Nick Drake and hushed vocals that sometimes barely rise above a whisper, this is a great album to just kick back and relax with. Be aware that this album rewards repeated listens, as it’s laid back style is not so immediately stunning. If you give it time though, the subtle brilliance of these songs will reveal itself.
