Skids - The Absolute Game

 

"The Absolute Game" was the third album from Skids and was an absolute favourite of mine after I had purchased it. At the time I thought all 10 tracks were fabulous, and again Stuart Adamson's virtuouso guitar playing dominated, strongly leading to the path Big Country were to inhabit. The progression from punk to techno-pop remained, but the band were also confident enough to feature some didgeridoo and children backing vocals.

Looking at the track-listing I could remember all but two of the songs but they came flooding back almost immediately after the first few notes !

"Circus Games" begins with fast electronic beats, and the children sing the chorus. The song has several blistering guitar lines, and I love the interplay at the end between the children singing and the guitar. The song ends with the sound of a girl's laughter, which leads onto.....

"Out Of Town" has a jaunty guitar and bass intro, rising to an anthemic chorus and a another fantastic guitar solo, followed by a bass and drums interlude before chorus returns "Need to run, need to hide, cos I'm outta town, outta town, outta town, outta town".

 "Goodbye Civilian" goes back to the electronic beats intro, with the synth playing notes of the melody. The song has a singalong chorus, with and a tasteful guitar break over the electro beat for the middle section. The final verse is sung by both Jobson and Adamson, and I love the outro. The only mention of the album title occurs in the chorus. "Goodbye to the order, goodbye to the shame. Boys in the river, the absolute game. Goodbye civilian, civilian goodbye my friend".

"The Children Saw The Shame" has a jangly, japanese style guitar intro before the main riff, and the Japanese style guitar returns for the solo. "Oh tragedian,tragedian of my shame, But the children saw the shame".

"A Women In Winter" slow, begining with oh wa-hay oh vocals until the guitar, bass and drums come in. The verse has a mid-tempo beat and the oh wa-hay-oh vocals return as backing for the chorus

"Hurry On Boys" features military drumming and a didgeridoo ! Jobson sings the verse lines, with Adamson sings the backing "Hurry On Boys". There is also a few laddish heys in the middle and the guitar on this track is the closest to the Big Country sound. 

"Happy To Be With You" has a toe tapping intro and another rising singalong chorus. "We missed the boat for home, so scream we can defy. We missed the boat for home, astute we could not die. Oh this pain inside me now it throws me to the floor. Oh that pain outside me now, this is heaven can't you tell".

"The Devils Decade" has a slow funeral feel as the guitar, bass and drums play the intro, but there is a dramatic chorus and a tender guitar break "Oh mother of mine, release us from evil. Oh show us a sign. Oh mother of mine, your children are bleeding, please show us a sign."

"One Decree" has an upbeat, marching beat, underpinned by more superb guitar.  "Onwards, pray the angels, forward we set sail. Onward, through the darkness, standfast do not fail. Stood by Moses' mantle, he held a new decree. We all heard, we all heard. We all heard, but could not see"

"Arena" has a slow begining with a mournful guitar before a stomping verse and and rising chorus, with chanted "hey" backing vocals. The mournful guitar lines are played on a synthesizer for the middle break but the pace quickens when the guitar returns.

Listening to "The Absolute Game" again after a period of over 40 years, it remains a fantastic album, and every song is teriffic. It's hard to pick a favourite !

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. Circus Games
2. Out Of Town
3. Goodbye Civilian
4. The Children Saw The Shame
5. A Women In Winter

Side Two :

1. Hurry On Boys
2. Happy To Be With You
3. The Devils Decade
4. One Decree
5. Arena

Released 1980
UK Chart Position : 9

Singles :

Circus Games ( No 32 - 1980 )
Goodbye Civilian ( No 52 - 1980 )
Women In Winter ( No 49 - 1980 )

 

Skids - Days In Europa

Scottish Punk band Skids ( not The Skids ! ) made initial headlines with their single "Sweet Surbaria" before "Into The Valley" became a top 10 hit. Their first album, "Scared To Dance", was also well received, with the title track and "The Saints Are Coming" receiving regular airplay on night time radio.

"The Saints Are Coming" later famously became a hit in 2006 when U2 and Green Day recorded a cover as a fund raiser for the New Orleans flood disaster fund, leading it to become a theme tune for sporting sides known as The Saints, such as Northampton Rugby, Southampton and The New Saints football sides. 

Prior to the release of Skids second album, the brilliant single "Masquerade" was released and reached numer 14 in the UK Charts, but it was omitted from the follow-up album. Their appearance on Top Of The Pops to promote "Masquerade" was noteworthy for singer Richard Jobson's notorious out of time dancing. Jobson became a regular in the music press, being willing to offer an opinion on anything and everything as a rent-a-quote mouthpiece, which had a sense of irony given that much of Jobson's singing was unintelligble ! After Skids split, Jobson became a TV presenter, most notably as a film critic.

Guitarist Stuart Adamson's "bagpipe" guitar, which was to become the mainstay of Big Country, was already evident on Skids early recordings. 

"Charade" and "Working For The Yankee Dollar" were released as singles from the album and became top 20 hits, at which point I purchased "Days In Europa".  

The album attracted some contraversy at the time, with the cover depicting an Olympian receiving a crown of laurels from a Germanic looking women, and with the gothic script writing it was reminisent of posters for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Added with some of the lyrics on the album, some critics felt that Nazi ideology was being glorified.

Whilst their early songs were guitar dominated punk efforts, "Days In Europa" saw a move towards synthesizers and electronic beats whilst retaining Adamson's trademark guitar playing. I liked it, although most of the time I had no idea what Jobson was singing about !

The album begins with "Animation", a mid-paced techno-pop stomp, with a rising chorus and searing guitar breaks. "Disengage time and the body's on its own. Feel the stagnation and this is where we are thrown. Labour saving days are the ones that can't recline. Labour saving days are the ones that always shine"

The fast paced "Charade" follows, with an anthemic chorus of Charade repeated five times, and a synthesizer plays the middle break.

"Dulce et Decorum Est ( Pro Patria Mori )" is one of the album's highlights, based on war poet Wilfried Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum Est". It has a funky bass and guitar lines in the intro, a killer chorus, a lovely guitar break, and sad synth towards the end with military drumming. "Dulce et Docorum est my childlike dream is marching west, Dulce et Docorum est, for my soul I've failed the test. Dulce et Docorum est, come our Johnny join the rest".

"Pros And Cons" is probably the weakest song on the album but has an urgent synth and guitar intro, and is not bad. 

Side One closes with "Home Of The Saved", a slow number aiming to be epic without quite nailing it.

"Working For The Yankee Dollar" has a drum intro, before a whistling synth and heavy guitar, then the guitar plays the main rift. There is a catchy shouty chorus. "In Germany in the forty five, my mind was on the altar. Thought of god, the iron rod and thought that needed shelter. From 'Tragen' pain and men insane and eyes that got much colder. Saw a German son with a Yankee gun and a uniform much older. Yankee, to war. Yankee, head high, Yankee, in call. Yankee, we cry"

"The Olympian" is another great track with a frantic guitar intro and vocal but has a sing-a-long chorus and a vibrant guitar break hinting at "Into The Valley" "All the banners, all the flank, say hey, hey, look at this man. Hey hey he's an Olympian"

"Thanatos" is the Greek god of death and also the Greek word for death. The song is energetic and has a great guitar intro.

"A Day In Europa" is my favourite track on the album. It has a happy beat, another sing-a-long chorus, and  brilliant guitar solo. "And the memory shall linger, and the memory shall fall. A day in Europa, my regression recalls".

The album closes with the oddity "Peaceful Times". The music is a heavy synth/dub sound and what sounds like "Animation" played backwards, with a spoken vocal over it. I didn't like it when I heard it in 1980, but now it sounds brilliant !

Playing "Days In Europa" again, I still think it is a very good album, with the best songs being "A Day In Europa", "Dulce et Decorum Est", "The Olympian", "Animation" and "Peaceful Times". Whilst the first two singles are decent, they are not the best tracks !

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. Animation
2. Charade
3. Dulce et Decorum Est ( Pro Patria Mori )
4. Pros And Cons
5. Home Of The Saved

Side Two :

1. Working For The Yankee Dollar
2. The Olympian
3. Thanatos
4. A Day In Europa
5. Peaceful Times

Released 1979
UK Chart Position : 32

Singles :

Charade ( No 31 - 1979 )
Working For The Yankee Dollar ( No 20 - 1979 )
Animation ( No 56 - 1980 )

 

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Once Upon A Time/The Singles

Siouxsie And The Banshees were media darlings in the early stages of their career, with almost weekly updates on their activities in the New Musical Express and Sounds in the late 1970s. Like several bands of that era, I quite liked them, but not enough to buy an album, until the first collection of singles was released. 

Their first single, "Hong Kong Gardens", was their breakthrough, being an epic mix of punk with an oriental guitar riff, and written about their local Chinese takeaway. The subsequent follow-ups seemed to be mostly tuneless noise that magically broke out into memorable hooks, with "Playground Twist" perhaps being the best example.

As their career progressed, so did their musical development, moving away from being Sex Pistols inspired punks to Goths. "Christine" was almost mainstream, although the final three songs on this collection, whilst more polished and less abrasive, moved backed to their post-punk roots. 

The track selection for this compliation was slightly confusing as the "Mittageisen" single, a German language version of "Metal Postcard" from their debut album "The Scream" and which reached number 47 in the UK Chart was omitted, but album tracks "Mirage" and "Love In A Void" were included. Aside from this, the tracks were in chronological order.

"Hong Kong Garden" remains the song most commonly associated with early Siouxsie and the Banshees and remains their highest UK chart single apart from "Dear Prudence" in 1983. Not many punk songs had the intro played on a xylophone !

The excellent "Mirage" is next, which has perhaps the best tune of the Banshees early material. "My limbs are like palm trees swaying in the breeze, my body's an oasis to drink from as you please. I'm not seeing what I'm meant to believe in, your non-excuse for a human being". The word "being" was sung in the style of Johnny Rotten and the guitar reminds me of Public Image.

I loved the guitar riff and bass intro on "The Staircase ( Mystery )". It has a gentle plucked guitar middle break before the guitar riff returns, and there is some jerky piano near the end. "Slide down the banister, take the escalator".

"Playground Twist" is perhaps my favourite Bashees song with a grinding guitar, bells, a wailing vocal, a saxophone break and children's laughter at the end. "Roll the dice, you three blind mice. Do you ever see such a thing in your life ?" & "Hanging, hanging, hanging, Hanging out at party games, dancing in the shadows. Up and down on the see-saw, balancing the scales, Balancing the scales, you're drunk, you're drunk, Yet you're balancing the scales"

"Love In A Void" is perhaps their most punk song, with a shrill vocal. It was never a favourite of mine.

Side two opens with "Happy House", which has a slow intro but a memorable guitar motif, and whistling in the outro.

"Christine" has a strummed acoustic guitar and driving bass, and is another one of my favourite Banshees' songs. "Christine the strawberry girl, banana split lady"

"Israel" has an ethereal feel and a Welsh choir low down in the mix during the middle break. The guitar and drumming are nice but although apparently a popular track with Banshees' fans, it's not a great tune.

"Spellbound" has a slow, gentle intro but builds up into traditional Banshees beat.

"Arabian Nights" has fantastic Cure-like bass lines and an impressive guitar for the middle break with hup, hup, hup vocals. "I heard a rumour, what have you done to her ? Myriad lights, they said I'd be impressed. Arabian nights, at your primitive best"

Listening to this collection again, I was surprised by how good these songs were, they had clearly stood the test of time !

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. Hong Kong Garden ( 1978 - No 7 )
2. Mirage 
3. The Staircase ( Mystery ) ( 1979 - No 24)
4. Playground Twist ( 1979 - No 28 )
5. Love In A Void 

Side Two :

1. Happy House ( 1980 - No 17 )
2. Christine ( 1980 - No 22 )
3. Israel ( 1980 - No 41 )
4. Spellbound ( 1981 - No 22 )
5. Arabian Nights ( 1981 - No 32 )
 

Released 1981
UK Chart Position : 21

 

Rush - Spirit Of Radio

 

This is not an album, but a 12 inch single !  I think I opted for the 12 inch as this was the full length album version at nearly 5 minutes, whereas the UK single had been edited down to barely 3 minutes.

I remember a concert review in the New Musical Express, possibly in 1978, when the journalist was puzzled as to how a little known Canadian band had sold out a large venue in Manchester. Speaking to some of those at the gig, he was surprised to be frequently told Rush were the best rock band in the world. This also came as a surprise to this reader, as Rush were never played on the radio, had never appeared on the few music programmes on TV in the 1970s, nor previously been mentioned in the UK music press, which at the time was focused on punk or new wave acts.I had never heard of Rush.

The article also called the band fascists, based on a couple of their songs being inspired by writer Ayn Rand, who at the time was incorrectly labelled as a proponent of anarchism. The band were apparently furious at this description.  

By 1980, Rush had released their "Permanent Waves" album, and embarked on another sell-out tour of the UK, and in support, released "Spirit Of Radio" as a single, which became their first ( and only ) UK Top 20 hit. I was blown away when I first heard it !

The introductory guitar riff is a standard Rock n' Roll one, but the song then launches into a different, glorious riff for the main theme. Towards, the end of the song is a short reggae style section, entwined with the return of the opening riff, before launching into a searching guitar solo. It's still an absolutely brilliant song !

Of the other songs, "The Trees" was from their 1978 album "Hemispheres", which lyrically describes the struggle of maple trees to get more sunlight but the oaks are too tall. In the end "all trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe and saw". The song begins with acoustic guitar for the intro and first verse, giving it a "Stairway To Heaven" vibe, before turning into a mainstream rock song for the second verse. The middle section has a soft synthesized break after which there's a tasteful guitar solo. Overall, it reminded me a little of Yes, partly as Geddy Lee's singing here has Jon Anderson like qualities.

"Working Man" comes from Rush's 1974 eponymous debut album and is the bonus track on the 12 inch single, not being on the 7 inch single, and is over 7 minutes long. It sounds a lot like Led Zeppelin, especially with Geddy Lee's voice also being similar to Robert Plant's, but there is a Richie Blackmore/Deep Purple/Rainbow style extended guitar solo for over three minutes before the song returns back to Led Zep style verse and chorus, and a big dramatic finish. It's not really my kind of music. 

Track Listing :

1. Spirit Of Radio
2. Trees
3. Working Man

Released 1980
UK Chart Position : 13  

 

Todd Rundgren - Hermit Of Mink Hollow

 

I was aware of Todd Rundgren's 1972 hit "I Saw The Light" but when I started buying the Music Papers in the mid-to late 1970s, Rundgren would typically be criticised for the self-indulgent Utopia albums and concerts. However, the reviews of his "Hermit Of Mink Hollow" album all appeared to be favourable, using phrases like "a return to form", "his most accessible work in ages" etc

When I saw the album in my local record store I took a chance a bought it, and I thought it was a very good album. Rundgren played all the instruments on the album, which was recorded at his home in Mink Hollow Road, New York State, hence the title.

The track listing on the back sleeve is very different to that on the disc. Apparently there was a late change to appease US record label executives to have an Easy Side and a Difficult Side, although that seems to refer to the topic of the lyrics rather than the music.

My memory was that I thought there wasn't a bad track on the LP, although the only song I could now remember was "Can We Still Be Friends", which was a hit in the US but wasn't released in the UK. The song was subsequently covered by Robert Palmer and Rod Stewart amongst others. 

Listening to the record now was a slight disappointment, as it wasn't quite as good as I thought it would be. Overall, it is mostly pleasant Middle Of The Road music, there are four piano ballads, but a few of the songs lack a killer hook or something memorable. They are harmless, inoffensive background music. That said there are four tracks I would classify as very good, and apart from perhaps the quirky Onamatopoeia there still isn't a bad song here.

Starting with the positives, the opening song "All The Children Sing" is a joyous upbeat number with a singalong chorus and wouldn't be out of place in a high school musical. It is infectiously happy, and given the title there are some children backing vocals, although it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that was actually Todd singing, as he had done everything else on the album ! 

The song starts with an organ and saxophone intro before the bouncy verse. Lyrically the song is about having an epiphany. "And a bell in her head will ring" & "The sun and moon collide, isn't gravity a funny thing. The universe explodes apart, all the children sing"

The US hit "Can We Still Be Friends" is a Carole King style piano ballad with Eagles style backing vocals and a beautiful middle break, whilst "Determination" is bright power pop. The album closer "Fade Away" is an uplifting and dreamy power ballad with a pleasant Cocteau Twins guitar sound and soul backing vocals. "In a hundred million years, when the planet disappears. You and I will stay, and watch the world fade away".

Of the other piano ballads, "Hurting For You" has a screeching guitar solo which felt it belonged in another song and "Bag Lady", a song about a homeless lady, is melancholic, has a Gerry Rafferty saxophone solo, a short spoken vocal reminiscent of David Bowie's "Sweet Thing", and more Eagles style backing vocals. "Lucky Guy" has a Queen 1975 style guitar break but the melody is very similar to the New Zealand National Anthem !

"Out Of Control" is an attempt at heavy rockwhere Todd again channels his inner Brian May in the guitar solo, and "You Cried Wolf" is uptempo toe-tapping catchy pop rock with a mad sax solo and a hint of Rock N' Roll piano.

"Too Far Gone"  has a slightly funky samba beat drumming in the verses but a smooth chorus, whereas "Bread" has a guitar sound and chorus like something from Boston but overall the song reminded me a little of Jackson Browne.

The outlier "Onamatopoeia" is a fast paced, almost circus act music which is supposed to be childish fun but the novelty wears off.

A lot of "Hermit OF Mink Hollow" reminded me of other songs I had heard before but couldn't quite place, although maybe that was just me remembering them from when I first played the album way back when ! 

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. All The Children Sing
2. Can We Still Be Friends
3. Hurting For You
4. Too Far Gone
5. Onamatopoeia
6. Determination

Side Two :

1. Bread
2. Bag Lady
3. You Cried Wolf
4. Lucky Guy
5. Out Of Control
6. Fade Away

Released 1978
UK Chart Position : 42