Tag: new-music

The Tragically Hip’s “Up to Here” | A Quick Look at the 1989 Debut Album that Launched a National Obsession

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Tragically Hip’s “Up to Here” | A Quick Look at the 1989 Debut Album that Launched a National Obsession

Overlooked outside of Canada, The Tragically Hip is worth a second listen

Good morning!

Today Graham Strong’s taking the wheel and is talking about The Tragically Hip’s Up to Here.

Today we’re lucky to have friend of On Repeat Records  Graham Strong sharing his thoughts on The Tragically Hip’s album, Up to Here. If you’re not already familiar with his work, Graham is the man behind To Write With Wild Abandon, where he helps writers overcome obstacles and emphasizes having fun along the way. It’s a never miss newsletter, and his work is well worth your time! When you’re done here, please check it out!

Today, Graham’s making his case for why Up to Here deserves to be in the running for Best Record of 1989. I’m happy to have him; this is a band that for whatever reason has always been a bit of a blind spot for me. One of these days, I’ll do a deep dive into their discography and see what I know I’ve been missing. In the meantime, I’m happy to have an expert fan weigh in!

And with that, I’ll get out of the way…

KA—

How would I describe The Tragically Hip?

Imagine a band that can grab you like Elvis, Bruce Springsteen’s power and patriotism, Paul Simon’s poetic lyrics, and the Rolling Stones’ straight, thumping rock songs that beg to be turned up to 11.

“Oh, that’s over-hyping them,” you might say. But I’d reply no, that’s exactly how fans might describe The Tragically Hip. Let me explain why.

Unless you grew up in Canada when The Tragically Hip first started playing, it’s hard to understand the full impact of this band. It baffles me that, except for a few pockets around the world, people outside of Canada don’t seem to get the Hip. It’s like the Beatles showed up in New York one August evening after taking over the world, and everyone in summery Central Park just stood there and stared, unable to make heads or tails…

My sense from the comment sections of On Repeat Records is that the readers here are more open to things that are different. So I’ll tell you why I think the Hip’s debut full-length album, Up to Here, released on September 5, 1989, deserves to be on the list of the best albums of that year – and why you should give them a listen.

A short bio: The Tragically Hip formed in 1984 in Kingston, Ontario, about three hours east of Toronto. The line-up from left to right on the Up to Here album cover: Gord Downie, singer, lyricist, and frontman; Gord Sinclair, bass and back-up vocals; Johnny Fay, drums; Rob Baker, lead guitar; and Paul Langlois, rhythm guitar and back-up vocals. They started as one of those hard-working bar bands who showed up no matter how far the drive through the night, playing throughout southern Ontario before touring across Canada and into the States and Europe.

After a successful EP, the band recorded Up to Here at Ardent Studios in Memphis. Until this point, the Hip hadn’t broken out, even in Canada. But four singles from the album changed that: the sometimes soft, sometimes loud “Blow at High Dough” (great album opener), the straight-out rocking “New Orleans is Sinking” (my favourite song of all time), the bluesy “Boots or Hearts”, and the Canadiana ballad, “38 Years Old.”

The Rolling Stones comparison from above is apt for this album. Many of the songs are hard-edged, bluesy rockers. You’d be forgiven if you mistook the opening to “Trickle Down” as a Stones song.

But the important thing – and what makes this album so important – is that the proto-DNA of what would become the Hip is already percolating underneath the familiar rock beats. As all good bands do, they would mature as songwriters, but this album laid a solid foundation. For example, even Stones-y “Trickle Down” features chord changes that are undeniably Hip. And that’s not all – the lyrics, the tight-but-loose playing style, the social commentary, the Canadianess… It’s all there in those first vinyl grooves.

Ah yes, and there’s their so-called Achilles’ heel – being too Canadian for international markets. That comment always bugged me. Here’s the thing: you don’t have to get the Canadian references to enjoy the songs. Many Canadians didn’t even get them until they were pointed out. They’re just… lyrics.

But, great lyrics. Wow, what a poet Gord Downie was! Like the rest of the album, his lyrics on Up to Here are proto, but the story in “38 Years Old” – imagined from a real jailbreak near Kingston – has incredible impact in just 275 words, eight of which are repeated five times. That takes talent.

Here’s another example from “Opiated”, the last track on the album:

He bought two-fifths of lead-free gasoline.
Said, “The bottle is dusty, but my engine is clean.”
He bought a nice blue suit with the money he could find.
If his bride didn’t like it, St. Peter wouldn’t mind.

Nothing earth-shattering. And at least one line pulls from another song – The Grateful Dead’s “Brown-Eyed Woman.” But for the debut album of a straight-rocking band? None too shabby, either. Makes Robert Frost’s snowy woods look like a stroll through the park.

Up to Here made the Hip instant rock stars. The album went Platinum with 100,000 units sold in the first six months (hey, we have a tenth of the US population) and Diamond within 10 years (1,000,000 records). They won a Juno, the equivalent of a Grammy in Canada, for “Most Promising Artist” in 1990.

They certainly lived up to the award. The Tragically Hip’s popularity exploded in the 1990s. The band released 12 more studio albums in their career (10 reached Platinum or higher) and they made an appearance on SNL in 1995.

But their live shows were where they really rocked. Probably the best Hip concert I saw was at Grandma’s Sports Bar in Duluth, Minnesota, with 997 raving fans from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and three or four locals wondering what the hell was going on… The Tragically Hip remained a bar band in spirit to the end.

And that’s what Up to Here is: a great bar-band album that is solid in its own right, but also a glimpse of the amazing things to come.

Gord Downie died in 2017 from a rare form of brain cancer, gutting millions of fans. Just like Elvis’ death did, just as John Lennon’s. Except for a couple of special one-offs, the band doesn’t have the heart to play with a new singer à la Queen or Journey. I don’t blame them.

Their music, of course, is still there for the listening. Spotify now has a preview button that will give you a good taste of the album, if you want to zip through tracks. But if you’re looking to sample full songs, I’d go with the singles in the order they appear on the album: “Blow at High Dough,” “New Orleans is Sinking,” “38 Years Old,” and “Boots or Hearts.” There’s not a bad song here, but those may be the most approachable for the first-time listener.

Oh, and one more thing. Crank your headphones to 11. Like I say, the songs are begging for it.

Graham Strong is a freelance writer and die-hard Hip fan. He writes about the common pitfalls and fears writers face, and how to overcome them on his Substack site, To Write with Wild Abandon.

Kevin here again:

Thanks to Graham for his time and for sharing his thoughts on The Tragically Hip, and to you for being here.

My vote: Today’s matchup sees The Hip taking on the much higher-seeded Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears. My bracket pick was a straight play for the higher seed (and the record I’d actually heard.) As for my vote today? I’m on the fence, but leaning toward underdog; Graham’s made a pretty compelling case for Up To Here. It’s great album- turns out I really have been missing out!

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

KA—

A Good Thing Takes on…Godflesh

by KevinLeave a Comment on A Good Thing Takes on…Godflesh

The Best Record of 1989, Day 59: #27 Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw and the Cooked vs. #102 Godflesh, Streetcleaner

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a quick look at records from Fine Young Cannibals and Godflesh

Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d occasionally write some of these up.

I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.

KA—

Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw and the Cooked

Going into this review, my biggest question was, “Is it any good?” I knew the ubiquitous “She Drives Me Crazy” and “Good Thing.” I also vaguely remembered “I’m Not Satisfied” and “Baby Don’t Look Back” and vaguely recalled liking them.

My biggest question afterward was, How do you classify this record? And why had I not bothered with it all these years? Okay, that’s two questions, but both fair ones. Honestly, I have zero idea how to classify this album. There’s ska, Motown-era influence, a Buzzcocks cover, and everything in between.

FWIW, that cover was featured in the movie Something Wild, and a few other tracks were featured in other films. Even the band name was taken from a movie title.

Fine Young Cannibals — which included former members of The Beat, Andy Cox and David Steele, and vocalist Roland Gift — weren’t exactly straight out of central casting when it came to hit makers, but here we are. Steele and Cox had already cracked the chart code before with tracks like “Mirror in the Bathroom” and “Save It for Later,” but it turns out what would be their biggest hit almost didn’t happen.

Producer David Z explains:

The Cannibals—Roland, Andy and David—sent me songs through email for a few weeks and we decided on a list.”

One song was titled “She’s My Baby,” which David Z loved. The band, however, appeared less than enthused: “When they said it was rubbish and they wanted to throw it away, I told them I wouldn’t want to work with them unless we did that song,” Z said, “They reworked the lyrics and came up with ‘She Drives Me Crazy.’ Everyone I know could feel that way—and has.”

Lucky for us, it was released. With that sharp snare hit, a stripped-down arrangement, and Roland Gift’s now-iconic falsetto, we got the sort of right song at the right time that comes along about every 10 years or so.

The much more straightforward “Don’t Look Back” peaked at #11, while the fifth and final single, “I’m Not Satisfied,” only reached an anemic #90. Shame, really, as it deserves to be heard by a much wider audience.

This would (more or less) mark the end of the line for the band; they split up a few years later before recording a follow-up LP. But before that, we got the Raw and the Cooked- a record that is, well, a good thing (sorrynotsorry)

Don’t be me: If you haven’t checked out The Raw and the Cooked yet, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. Albums that nail that perfect mix of art and pop, old school and new school, don’t come around too often.

Godflesh, Streetcleaner

Oh, hey, sludgy riffs and ghoulish vocals labeled as “post metal.” Fun! Man, what a letdown after listening to FYC. I hope whoever nominated this got the help they needed.

Okay, that’s maybe a bit unfair. I can appreciate the way they blend metal and industrial genres here, and they’ve done well to paint a dystopian hellscape, but this feels like something a SWAT team would play on a loop to coax a suspect out of a house. Hard pass.

My vote: Ever fallen in love with a record you hadn’t heard in a while? You can never have too much of a good thing. I’m not gonna look back when I vote for FYC.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

KA—

Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by KevinLeave a Comment on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

Good morning! Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.

As always, thank you to those who have upgraded your subscriptions this past week. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts all help as well! Thank you!

When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:

I want more music!

On to the music:

For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.

The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation. This week found me again listening to a ton of new (like, brand new) releases from the likes of Cyan Pools, Dar Williams, and Great Comet. Always a good thing! 2025 might be a hot mess, but not where new music is concerned.

Playlist sources: Spotify | Qobuz | YouTube

Now it’s your turn.

What caught your ear this week? Any new releases or shows you’re looking forward to?

Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

In Conversation: Morgan James

by KevinLeave a Comment on In Conversation: Morgan James

The singer stops by to talk about her new album, the inspiration behind it, and what being pulled onstage to sing with a soul legend was like.

Photo: Lila Wolfe

Good morning!

We’re in for a treat today; soul singer Morgan James stops by to chat!

If you’re taking on AC/DC, Stone Temple Pilots, and Metallica, you need your A-game. With Soul Remains the Same, Morgan James delivers, backed by the quiet defiance that’s fueled her career for over a decade.

This record is way more than just a covers album; it’s a declarative statement.

James reshapes the tracks on Soul Remains the Same by standing her ground, not distancing herself or making rote copies. These versions are “faithful” only in that they respect the bones; after that, all bets are off.

Honestly, I had some questions, but it’s a good thing. She knows what these songs mean to all of us (she’s a fan too), and what they mean now, in her hands.

Vocally, James sounds assured. This is someone who spontaneously swapped verses with Chaka Khan, after all. There’s no trace of studio polish (or autotune) papering anything over. She’s giving 110% here; the result is full-range soul, restraint when needed, power when it’s called for. Her background in theater and classical music explains the discipline, but emotion rules this release. There is a fine line between putting one’s stamp on something and staining it. Morgan is aware of this and keeps it in mind. She doesn’t copy anything here; instead, she completely reinterprets everything. Nor is she trying to out-sing the originals-she doesn’t have to. She’s giving them new life while honoring where they came from.

“I don’t try to change something to be clever. I don’t want to change something that’s already great…But sometimes I’ll hear a song and think to myself, This would be amazing with horns, or what would this sound like with a choir or a B3?”

James has built her career off the beaten path—first at Juilliard, then Broadway, and now releasing records independently. Some artists release cover albums as placeholders or as a cash grab. This isn’t one of those times. James takes a bigger gamble here: she puts herself into every verse. These aren’t tribute tracks or glorified karaoke—they’re testimonials.

As I listened, I’d think, “This sounds familiar,” only to remember that it was a song I’d heard countless times before. That’s perhaps the best thing I can say about Soul Remains the Same; James’ take is so novel that you forget you’re listening to her perform one of your favorites. Instead of comparing versions, you’re too caught up in how good these are.

“In making this album, I fell in love with these songs all over again,” said James. “Even iconic songs you’ve known your whole life take on a completely new meaning when seen and heard through the eyes and voice of a woman. This may not be a musical space people would envision me entering into—but I hope fans will listen with fresh ears and find new meaning and power in this music, just as I have.”

I know this is starting to read like a presser, so I’ll stop here. But consider me sold. Soul Remains the Same is a fantastic record well worth your time.

I recently had a chance to speak with James via email. We covered everything from the song that “had” to be on the record to licensing tracks. Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

Congrats on the new record! Can you quickly walk us through your backstory for those who might not know?

Thank you so much!! So my new album is called Soul Remains The Same, and I like to describe it as: It’s as though Aretha Franklin went into the studio with AC/DC. It’s heavy, masculine tunes from the ‘80s and ‘90s, iconic rock songs through a soul lens. But it’s all the classic soul sounds that I am known for and that I love so much—the songwriting is just from a different era.

You’ve previously recreated entire single albums, such as Jeff Buckley’s Grace. Why take things in a more collective direction this time?

Between my original music albums and my periods of writing songs, I like to exercise my creativity in other ways. And what better than to draw inspiration from the great artists and songwriters around me. The reason I covered complete albums in the past, such as Grace, the White Album, or Joni Mitchell’s Blue, is because I wanted to step inside a whole body of work. And I think that really teaches you so much about the mind of an artist and the process of making an album, from start to finish.

For this album, I really wanted to focus on a period of time that was united by certain themes and a very specific sound, and it was a period of tunes written by and for men— where sometimes the soaring melodies are slightly obscured by the (really cool!) but heavy production style. I wondered what would happen if you stripped some of that away and replaced it with horns, a Wurlitzer, or layers of feminine vocal choirs. I hoped that it would really bring these songs into a light.

Of the tracks on Soul Remains the Same, do you have a particular favorite, or one that just “had” to be on the record?

I have fallen in love with every single one—even more than I already did, listening to them as a teen!

I KNEW I had to have ‘The Day I Tried to Live’ by Soundgarden. I think Chris Cornell is one of the greatest singers of all time, and his songs are so virtuosic and dramatic—I wanted to pay tribute to him, for sure. I also knew I wanted to rep Living Colour, as well, with ‘Cult of Personality.’ And that song has never been more relevant.

How have the original artists reacted to your work? Have you received any feedback?

I haven’t heard feedback from them yet! I hope I do.

On a more technical note, how much of a hassle was the licensing process? Was securing the rights for any songs, particularly easy or hard?

Securing compulsory licenses is not difficult—you don’t need ‘permission’ to record a song that was already previously released. Unless it’s by Prince (IYKYK) 😉

Getting pulled onstage to sing with Chaka Khan had to be the thrill of a lifetime! What was going through your mind as you belted out “Sweet Thing” together?

I am still not over it! It was one of those true magical New York moments, completely unplanned. But like they say: stay ready so you don’t have to get ready! But I definitely blacked out hahaha.

If you could pick one track to play for someone who’s never heard your work, which would it be and why?

One track from this new album? That might be… ‘Better Man,’ because it has all the elements of what I love in a song and in one of MY arrangements. It has the instrumentation and background vocal arranging, and the dynamic range really takes you on a journey. If I were to choose a song of mine that I wrote, I would choose ‘Say The Words.’

Last one, just for fun; I bump into you as you walk out of the record store. What records are you carrying?

I am carrying the Duke Ellington Nutcracker, Aretha Franklin Unforgettable: a tribute to Dinah Washington, and Stevie Nicks Wild Heart.

Click the record to listen on the platform of your choice.

Image preview

Soul Remains the Same is out today (8/8). You can grab your copy here.

Click here to learn more about Morgan, grab copies of her records, and find her tour dates.

To connect with her on social media, you can go here: YouTube | Instagram | Facebook

Thank you to Morgan James for her time, and thank you for being here.

Kevin—

The Sugarcubes ‘Here Today…Tomorrow…Next Week!’ | What Could’ve Been, Would’ve Been…Should’ve Been!

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Sugarcubes ‘Here Today…Tomorrow…Next Week!’ | What Could’ve Been, Would’ve Been…Should’ve Been!

The Best Record of 1989: Day 54: #51 The Sugarcubes, Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! vs. #78 3rd Bass, The Cactus Album

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a quick look at records from The Sugarcubes and 3rd Bass.

Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d occasionally write some of these up.

I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.

In case you missed any from earlier this week:

Camper Van Beethoven’s Key Lime Pie Record Is the Story of a Nation Crumbling Under Reagonomics

Was Blind Man’s Zoo the Last “Real” 10,000 Maniacs Record?

Is The Jesus and Mary Chain’s ‘Automatic’ a…Dance Record?

Note: Thoughts on tomorrow’s match are below.

KA—

You know those clips on YouTube where they isolate the bassline from a hit song, or Michael McDonald’s voice from “Peg?” Imagine something like that, but where you could edit out an element.

Now, picture using the audio equivalent of Control + F to find/delete everything related to Einar Örn’s vocals from The Sugarcubes’ Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! You’d have a contender for record of the year, with fans split over whether it or Life’s Too Good is their best. I like Stick Around For Joy, but let’s be real—I might be alone on that.

Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! should’ve been the album where The Sugarcubes leveled up by doubling down on what made Life’s Too Good so memorable. Instead, they ran with the one element that worked because it was restrained and put it front and center. Imagine being the producer and hearing, “More Einar everywhere!” Yeesh.

On Life’s Too Good, Einar appeared in just the right doses, playing something of a foil to Björk—it worked, because it was contained. Here, the leash is off, and his constant interruptions drag down nearly every track.

I don’t mean to pile on here, but at the same time I kind of do—especially since his trumpet playing is one of the things I like most about this record. Why couldn’t he have focused on that instead? What’s with wanting to be the North Atlantic version of Fred Schneider?

Meanwhile, Björk is in fine form, throwing herself into these songs with a fury that hints at her later solo career. You hear her pushing her limits. Just when you think, Yes! Yes!—Einar bursts in with more yelped nonsense, and all bets are off.

Musically, there’s a lean, angular energy, with tight, new wave-adjacent grooves and just enough pop sparkle to keep things moving. The horn sections shine, especially on songs like “Tidal Wave.” The rhythm section is locked in, pushing things forward nicely. It makes you want to like this record more than you do. Which again begs the question—why not steer Einar toward his strengths?

Back to YouTube: imagine you’ve erased Einar’s vocals and are listening to the improved version. The sound has evolved, and the grooves have more substance. It still tries to be a party record but is less about novelty and more about what the album could have been.

That’s the rub. The record succeeds in many areas: Björk shines, and the band delivers. So what happened? Did Einar have outsized sway, or did everyone agree? It feels self-sabotaging.

The other fault is that it drags on too long. It feels longer than Life’s Too Good, despite actually being shorter. Someone should’ve made the unilateral decision to cut “Hot Meat,” which feels like a Temu version of “Cold Sweat.”

Here Today…is a record that comes so close, but with Einar’s overwhelming presence, it ultimately misses the mark. Still, if you lean in close, you can hear real gold. Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! is the band at a crossroads, unsure of what to keep or cut.

Sometimes it works—but more often, it’s just exhausting.

For the third Bass, I had to phone a friend. I had a feeling that we liked a couple of tracks, but otherwise, we spent most of our time pointing and laughing at MC Serch and Pete Nice. Turns out my memory failed me (quelle surprise!). My buddy texted back within minutes, saying, “The Cactus Album is a Classic.”

Okay, so that’s sorted then.

Listening to the record, I’m surprised at how well it’s held up and the creativity of the samples used. I wasn’t expecting a Blood Sweat and Tears track sample here, but it’s also possible I memory-holed it like everything else. I did remember “Gas Face,” and it’s as fun now as it was then. Does 50-year-old me find the same appeal that teenage me did? Apparently, yes. Same story with “Steppin’ to the AM” (home of the sample mentioned above). Do two tracks a record make? No, but this was a nice enough way to soundtrack part of my shift at work.

My vote: Took the easy out here, and went with The Sugarcubes. For all its faults, this is still a Sugarcubes record and Björk’s on it. That’s some gravitational pull. Also, another example of the performative voting we’ve seen previously (and will see again).

Ask yourself: Who’s cooler: Bjork or MC Serch? Exactly.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

KA—

P.S. Tomorrow’s Match Up features #19 Neneh Cherry’s Raw Like Sushi taking on #110 Don Henley’s End of the Innocence.

One I’d never heard before now, and one I’m ambivalent (at best) towards. Decided to punt on this one and give myself a pass on writing it up. My bracket pick and vote will both be going to Neneh Cherry.

Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by KevinLeave a Comment on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

Good morning! Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.

As always, thank you to those who have upgraded your subscriptions this past week. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts all help as well! Thank you!

When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:

I want more music!

On to the music:

For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.

The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation. This week found me listening to a ton of new (like, brand new) releases from the likes of Immersion, Massage, and The Symptones. Always a good thing!

NOTE: Spotify has been intermittently throwing a “no upstream” code message for the last couple of days. If you’re still seeing it, you can check out the playlist here.

Other sources: Qobuz | YouTube

Now it’s your turn.

What caught your ear this week? Any new releases or shows you’re looking forward to?

Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Jungle Brothers’ ‘Done By the Forces of Nature’ takes on a force of nature

by KevinLeave a Comment on Jungle Brothers’ ‘Done By the Forces of Nature’ takes on a force of nature

The Best Record of 1989: Day 44: #90 Roy Orbison, Mystery Girl vs. #39 Jungle brothers, Done By the Forces of Nature

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at records from Roy Orbison and Jungle Brothers

Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d occasionally write some of these up.

I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.

KA—

Let’s talk about Jungle Brothers’ second album. Done by the Forces of Nature isn’t just their best—it’s their crowning achievement. IMO, it’s conscious rap’s finest hour.

Hyperbole? Maybe. But I’ve listened to a ton of albums over the years, and I can’t think of one this consistent from front to back—fifteen tracks, and not a single dud in the mix. No filler. No skits. No middling nonsense. Just bangers. It never gets boring. It never stalls out. It’s sonically rich and wide-ranging. Even the cover reminds me of a happier era.

Picking a pull track here is tough. If pushed, I’d go with “Sunshine” and the infectious “What U Waitin’ For?”. If you’re old enough to remember house parties, this’ll take you right back to being squished into the front room with everyone. And of course, this being made when it was, there’s a group track, featuring Q-Tip, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, and De La Soul. It’s pretty much the full roster of the Native Tongues crew just vibing.

The production is textbook; especially with regards to sampling. Sure, you’ll recognize the samples, but they’re chopped, layered, and flipped into something new. And is that a sample of Junior’s “Mama Used to Say” on “Days 2 Come?” You better believe it. Magic. This was back when producers were alchemists, not just playlist DJs with a loop pack and a laptop. The sample of People’s Choice’s “Do It Any Way You Wanna” on “What U Waitin’ For?” is (chef’s kiss). On a sidenote, this is also fuels Public Enemy’s equally fantastic “Shake Your Booty.”

Sound-wise, you’ve got a sizeable dose of funk, jazz, and—less common at the time—Afrobeat, which fits well with the album’s Afrocentric vibe. But here’s the deal: it never gets preachy or self-righteous. None of that aggressive posturing some so-called “conscious” acts fell into that just got exhausting after a few tracks. Jungle Brothers recognize that rest is resistance. It’s okay to cut loose once in a while! It’s grounded and positive in a way often missing in modern rap.

This is the record people are thinking of when they talk about conscious, alternative hip-hop. It’s the blueprint, but somehow, still underappreciated. Maybe even forgotten in some circles? I’m sure some of that is down to its (relative) unavailability, which is a shame.

If you’ve never heard it, fix that immediately (you can find it on YouTube). If you have—listen again. It’s even better than you remember.

Until now, the only track I’d heard from Roy Orbison’s Mystery Girl was the hit “You Got It,” which seemed everywhere back in the day. With his operatic voice, Orbison has always seemed out of place in the world of rock. That’s not to say his voice is not stunning, only that he’s a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. He’s unique; I’ll give him that.

Mystery Girl was a comeback record in every sense of the word. After 10 years and a run of not-so-great releases, he put out what would be one of his best records. Unfortunately, it would also be the last one recorded while he was alive. Released posthumously, it was finished just a month or so before he passed away.

At the risk of being crass, if you’re going out on a high note, this is the way to do it. I’m not all that familiar with Orbison’s body of work, but taken in isolation, Mystery Girl works. An armada of talent put this together, including (at least) Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and the more famous half of U2. Bono and The Edge wrote “She’s A Mystery to Me” for Orbsion, and Bono produced the song.

With a roster like this, there’s always a risk of an album coming across as disjointed, but listening, I’m surprised at how consistent it sounds. There’s no shortage of sheen here—it’s a Jeff Lynne record, after all—but it doesn’t detract from things. The horns on songs like “The Only One” give it a nice Memphis sound.

Overall, it feels like the epitome of an Orbison record. Too bad he never got to see everyone enjoying it.

My vote: Orbison went out on a high note, but Done By The Forces of Nature is a force of nature. By bracket pick and vote are going to Jungle Brothers.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

The Best Record of 1989: Day 39

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 1989: Day 39

#18 Kate Bush, The Sensual World vs. #111 The Wonder Stuff, Hup

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at records from Kate Bush and The Wonder Stuff

Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d be occasionally writing some of these up.

I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.

KA—

Oh, to be one of the people who first found Kate Bush through Stranger Things! I love that (seemingly) an entire generation was exposed to “Running Up That Hill.” That’s tempered somewhat by my fear that it’s as far as they went. As good as it is, even “just” checking out Hounds of Love leaves a lot on the table.

Talking about that album in our Top 100 series last year, I noted:

What can I say about this record? I love that so many people have found it thanks to Stranger Things (at least, I hope they’ve gone past “Running Up That Hill”). It is an exquisite take on love, life, heartache, and death; it’s a synth record. It’s theater in the round. It’s an album with millions and millions of listens, and it feels like it was made for you and you alone. It’s got a song for the dance floor (“Running Up That Hill”), one for a quiet morning (“The Morning Fog”), and everything in between. Hounds of Love is anthemic. “The Big Sky” is over the top and as ostentatious as anything else you’ll see in this series. And I’m here for all of it.

I stand by all of that. The record is a must listen, and (IMO) should have a spot in any record collection. It’s Kate’s Pet Sounds, and in the same way that the Beach Boys were judged on everything that came after their landmark record, so too was Bush. Hounds of Love has a long shadow, and it’s easy to see why later work got lost in it.

The stylings on The Sensual World don’t exactly help. Hounds of Love is bold, anthemic pop. Its lyrics are full of dreams. Every track feels like an entire Broadway show packed into 4-5 minutes.

In other words, it’s everything The Sensual World is not. Don’t get tit Twitsed; I love this record, but it’s easy to see why someone whose onramp was the over-the-top pomp of, say, “The Big Sky” might feel put off by this record’s slower, romantic sounds. Artists have to be willing to pivot, and this feels like a record made by someone coming into their own, and less like a record sculpted by outside influences. There’s less spectacle and more intimacy (in every sense of the word). One needs only listen to the opening title track to see that.

If Hounds of Love is Bush breaking free of the cocoon, The Sensual World is her fully free and flying under her own power. This record has an elegance that we’d previously only seen sparks of. Depending on your preferences, the songs are either elegiac or affirming, and usually a bit of both. Songs like “Running Up That Hill” are a protest of male power, while this record is a celebration of female agency.

I don’t have a title in mind for “best record that came out after Pet Sounds that you should definitely listen to,” but if all you know of Bush is Hounds of Love, your next stop should be The Sensual World.

Around 1989, something strange happened. It felt like every band decided to pivot to a much more psychedelic sound—the Charlatans, Inspiral Carpets, you name it. The Wonder Stuff were no exception.

Hup, their follow-up to The Eight Legged Groove Machine, is full of swirling guitars and sounds that resemble those of other bands. If left out too long, everything blends into one blob, and the tracks become indistinct.

Luckily, the band takes care to avoid that here. While predecessor LP was sharp, quick, and to the point, Hup takes a longer route. To be clear, these are pop songs, but there’s more to them on this record. Also: Banjos and fiddles. Those aren’t usually found on an expressway.

If you‘re looking for a track with some oomph, “Them Big Oak Trees” has got you covered. It’s the standout track on the record. “Good Night Though” is a gut punch with its verse of

“Don’t play that awful song, she said
‘cause then we’ll know that the party has gone on too long.”
I said, “This stairway ain’t to heaven
This one’s to oblivion”

If anything, that should be the record’s closer and not at the halfway mark. I’m sure there’s some reason for sequencing it where they did, but I can’t see it. Makes the rest of the record feel like it was almost an after though— and it; ‘s anything but. “Gimme Some Truth” is another track worth double-clicking on.

If there’s a knock on the record, it comes in comparison to follow-up “Never Loved Elvis.” The latter is blatantly poppy and varied. You could make the argument that Hup is exactly what I described above- monotonous, similar from front to back. I’d instead argue that it ‘s focused. They knew the sound they wanted to make, went itno the studio, and came back out with exactly that.

Hup is the record that planted the band’s flag here in the States. The next LP would bring a modicum of fame, with the sublime “Caught in My Shadow” seeing some rotation on MTV and airplay. There are a handful of songs here that easily could’ve made their mark on listeners. Shame they never did. I’m guilty of using the term “underrated” like a comma when summing up records, but in this case, it fits.

My vote: Hup’s a good record, but The Sensual World is a great one. Kate Bush for the win.

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

KA—

The Best Record of 1989: Day 34

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 1989: Day 34

63 The Primitives, Pure vs. #66 Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at records from the Primitives and Bob Dylan

Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d be occasionally writing some of these up.

I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.

KA—

Pure is The Primitives’ sophomore record, following Lovely (home of the hit “Crash”). They’re often lazily categorized as “pop,” though I’d say any Venn diagram should include pop, power pop, and new wave. On this release, I might add a smaller circle for psychedelia.

This record is a sign of the time, and no one was impervious to the “Madchester” sound. You can hear bits and pieces of it worked in throughout the record. Pure is an album loaded for bear with lethal hooks and jangly guitars— all supporting Tracy Tracy’s distinct vocals. This makes for a solid if disposable batch of pop songs.

Here’s the thing, though; things get interesting when the band starts playing further afield- I’m thinking specifically of the tapping into that experimental psychedelia, but more importantly, tracks where guitarist PJ Court takes over on vox. Maybe it’s because it’s an unexpected change, but I found those tracks to be the record’s highlights. You would be excused for mistaking “All The Way Down” for a Jesus and Mary Chain track. “I Almost Touched You” sounds like (insert your fave Madchester band here), but is still a fun listen.

Ultimately, this record was a pleasant diversion. Certainly not unforgettable, and unlikely something I’ll reach for again, but with a couple of tracks that’ll probably wind up on a playlist or two at some point.

Kinda like a lot of the Manchester bands of the era.

As soon as I saw this record made the cut, I knew this was coming.

I know that no matter what I write, no matter how many angels sing, I will get at least one reply telling me that it wasn’t enough, that I hadn’t quite prostrated myself correctly at the feet of Dylan. And how dare I?

There will invariably be some invective telling me to go F myself as well. Which, ok. I mean, I get it. This is a man people love dearly. He could read the phone book, and someone, somewhere, would laud it. Someone else would pore over the lyrics with a Talmudic intensity, searching for hidden meaning from our Minnesota magi.

I am not one of those people.

I can respect the love people have for him. I find his influence on music and pop culture interesting. But I have to be in the mood—I mean, really in the mood—to hear some Dylan, and even then, it’s limited to small doses. My runaway favorite song is this version of “Jokerman,” and most of that is because he’s playing with The Plugz.

He made a Christian rock record, and it didn’t go down well. My first thought was that this was another helping of that, and a sermon from Bob Dylan was absolutely not something I needed.

Cueing up opener “Political World” made defaulting to all my preconceptions easy. I vaguely remember hearing it, and wondered if I’d found it as pedestrian then as I did today. We talked about Lou Reed’s New York recently, and all I could think of was how much better he did the “The world is shit” bit better with his “Dirty Blvd.” track.

(sigh)

But a funny thing happened on the next track (“Where Teardrops Fall”); I found myself almost… enjoying it? What was happening here?! “Everything Is Broken” has an easy rhythm and groove that is even better. Was I…was I digging a Dylan record? Order was restored with “Ring Them Bells,” a ballad that did absolutely nothing for me. It’s nice, I guess. I’m sure one of the reply guys has this on their funeral playlist. That’s fine, too. “Man in the Long Black Coat” felt vaguely Biblical, like he hadn’t quite moved past the idea of witnessing to all of us. It’s also got about 12m listens on Spotify as I type this, so clearly someone, somewhere digs it.

Ultimately, Oh Mercy breaks a streak of some awful records, even by his standards. That’s a notch in the win column. Daniel Lanois and the musicians did well to create a soothing and uneasy atmosphere (depending on the track).

Compared to his other records, I found this to be pretty good! Not bad, even! But it’s still not something I’d proactively reach for. And it’ll never beat that version of “Jokerman.”

I’ll see you in my inbox.

My vote: The winner here meets Paul’s Boutique in the next round, so any victory’ll be short-lived. My bracket pick played to my confirmation bias (80s kid energy vs. Ok Boomer vibes). But after listening again, my vote today’ll likely go to Dylan. Would love to hear what you think!

Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

KA—

The Best Record of 1989: Day 3

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 1989: Day 3

Throwing Muses Hunkpapa vs. The D.O.C.’s No One Can Do It Better

Today sees #32 Throwing Muses ‘Hunkpapa’ album facing off against #97 The D.O.C.’s No One Can Do It Better.

I sent in a Designated Cheerleader piece for Hunkpapa, so that should tell you where my vote’s going. Last fall, Sam Colt and I took on the ambitious/absurd mission of ranking our top 100 records of all time. I slotted this one in at #48, and wrapped it up by noting:

“This band was like nothing I’d ever heard before. In a lot of ways, they still are. Writing this, I’ve struggled to pin down an easy genre tag or a way to describe the sound. Some of it feels like the sun’s surface (literally, in the case of “Dizzy”), and some of it reminds me of fall. I don’t know how best to describe this record besides saying, “Just go play it!” What I do know is that in the 30+ years (yikes!) since that show, this record has never drifted too far from my playlists.“

All that aside, IMO, this is a much tougher call than it would seem on paper. Both are incredible records–albeit for very different reasons. And both have had a lasting influence–albeit on much different groups of artists.

I blew out my knee right at the start of COVID (0/10 do not recommend), and The D.O.C. kept me company for a lot of my rehab. It’s a record of its time, but still sounds fresh.

There is some chatter that Hunkpapa is overranked, while the D.O.C. is underranked. I can see the case for each. What do you think? Who ya got?

Check out today’s write-up (and Designated Cheerleader article (not mine) here.

Check out the full bracket here.