Being, quite literally, disgusted ("Goodnight Tonight" ?! "Say Say Say" ??!! "Temporary Secretary" ???!!! - Y'all can't be serious!) with the recent, so-called "Paul McCartney's 40 Greatest Solo Songs" in Rolling Stone magazine (OK, so it's Jann Wenner and who exactly has taken that guy seriously since the early '70s?), I decided to make my own list. Except it's a Top 45. And it's in chronological order, and ballad-heavy during the '80s. So what else is new? It's classic Macca!
The Explorers Club/"Grand Hotel" (EC Records/Rock Ridge)
Although a fairly fine album, their 2008 debut "Freedom Wind" was at times almost uncomfortably derivative (of the Beach Boys' so-called mid period) and one didn't really expect anything of substantial originality from those guys after that. So, file under: Fondly Remembered, then...
Not so, though. Of course they still wear their influences firmly on their collective sleeve - we wouldn't really want it any other way - but this time around they happen to be a bit more varied. The Beach Boys have been joined by Messrs Bacharach and Mendes in The Explorers Club continuing pursuit of perfect pure pop past.
And it is an overall excellent and successful mission at that. Haunting instrumentals melt nicely with melodic and nostalgic homages to timeless summers of the past, such as (of course) "Summer Days, Summer Nights" and "Run, Run, Run".
Without a doubt, in my book at least, the album of the year. Nonetheless, another close contender just happens to be...
The Beach Boys/"That's Why God Made The Radio" (Brother Records/Capitol)
OK, when the news got out that the Beach Boys were celebrating their 50th anniversary with a reunion tour as well as a brand new studio album I don't think anyone was expecting their best LP for 35 friggin' years (Since 1977's "Love You"). As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone was expecting anything much at all. Oh, but how wrong we all were...
"TWGMTR" was THE surprise of the year, as far as I'm concerned. I played this CD to bits, aptly enough, during the summer. And the icing on the cake for me personally was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the boys live in concert in Berlin in early August. My favourite band in my favourite city - Yeah!
The "boys" may longer be exactly boys, but they sure did deliver the goods - with no small help from Brian's brilliant backing band of the previous 13 years. They probably couldn't have done it (the album AND the tour) without Mr. Foskett & Co. We thank you all.
But, needless to add, it didn't last. Probably because it wasn't meant to. Nonetheless, it was great while it lasted. Mike, Brian, Dennis, Al & David....universally loved...and unexpectedly, the live band of the year.
Graham Gouldman/"Love And Work" (Rosala Records/Absolute)
A massively successful songwriter in the '60s (Penning hits for Herman Hermits, The Hollies, as well as The Yardbirds), the '70s (As a member of 10 CC), the '80s (The duet Wax with his pal, the late Andrew Gold), and the '90s (Kirsty MacColl, Madness), Graham Gouldman has always known his way around a melody...to say the least.
Personally, I've also always loved his late '70s solo-should-have-been-a-hit, "Sunburn", from the Farrah Fawcett movie of the same name...
That being said, this new album was a surprise of some magnitude to me at least. The hooks are many and infectiously memorable to boot. And there's even an irresistible, instrumental Shadows (probably an early influence) tribute, "Black Gold", thrown in for a good measure.
The record is dedicated to the memory of his Wax-pal Andrew Gold, who died in 2011.
And please take the time to check out Graham Gouldman's official website. One of my main regrets of 2012 is that I let his 10 CC concert in Reykjavík slip by me...
Susanna Hoffs/"Someday" (Baroque Folk)
Oh, Susanna's still alive! And very much so, I must add. Following 2011's fine Bangles outing, "Sweetheart of the Sun", here comes Susanna's first proper solo LP (she has done some excellent - for the lack of a better word - "concept" duet albums with another power pop icon, Matthew Sweet, in the meantime....and more to come!) since the mid '90s. And, blimey, it's her best yet!
OK, so Mitchell Froom's production is somewhat understated and it doesn't pack as much punch - or power - as we're used to from the princess of power pop, but the tunes are still there in abundance...or so to speak; there's mere 10 of them. But what they lack in quantity they make up for in quality.
Popular Christmas music.I have to be honest here, I just don't like
the stuff much - it's mostly overly sappy and sentimental. Which is perfectly fine for the Elton Johns
and Chris Rea's of this world (no offense). Therefore I happen to like my Yuletide muzak (’Cause,
let’s face it, that’s just what it is…to be played in elevators and department
stores) a bit more rocking and rolling...if you know what I mean. Albeit with the
proverbial tongue-planted-firmly-in-the-proverbial-cheek. Nonetheless, not unlike many other music nuts, I like to make lists (AND check it twice, at least). And now, for better or for worse and in spite of all my aforementioned reservations regarding the issue, it's time to reveal my Top 40 all time favourite Christmas tunes. Obviously - and, given my fondness for nearly all things Spector, perhaps not all that surprisingly - as far as I'm concerned, the always amazing Darlene Love is the undisputed queen of Christmas. Long may she reign. So, here goes... (In
no particular order, neither numeral nor alphabetical):
The Kinks/"Father Christmas"
Ramones/"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to
Fight Tonight)"
Duncan Faure/"This is Christmas", "Party on Christmas" + "Christmas
Song"
Cheap Trick/"Come on Christmas"
Fountains of Wayne/"I Want an Alien for
Christmas"
Steeleye Span/"Gaudete"
The Damned/"There Ain't no Sanity
Clause"
Captain Sensible/"One Christmas Catalogue"
Bay City Rollers Starring Les McKeown/"Rock & Roll It's Christmas Time"
Billy Idol/"Yellin' at the Xmas
Tree"
The Pogues & Kristy MacColl/"Fairytale
of New York"
The Waitresses/"Christmas Wrapping"
Blondie/"We Three Kings" Joan Jett & The Blackhearts/"Little Drummer Boy" MUD/"Lonely This Christmas" + "Lean
on Me"
John & Yoko/"Happy
Xmas (The War is Over)"
Ertha Kitt/"Santa Baby"
Darlene Love/"Christmas (Baby, Please
Come Home)" + "It's a Marshmallow World" + "Winter
Wonderland" + "All Alone on Christmas".
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band/"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (Early '80s Live version) U2/"Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" (Yup, the same song) Gary Glitter/"Another Rock & Roll
Christmas"
Sniglabandið/"Jólahjól"
The Monkees/"Riu Chiu"
Beach Boys/"Little Saint Nick" + "Winter
Symphony"
Showaddywaddy/"Hey Mr. Christmas"
Band Aid/"Do They Know it's
Christmas?"(The original)
Stevie Wonder/"Someday at Christmas"
Brenda Lee/"Rocking Around the Christmas
Tree"
Bobby Helms/"Jingle Bell Rock"
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles/"Deck
the Halls/Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella".
Slade/"Merry Xmas Everyone"
GregLake/"I Believe in
Father Christmas"
The Jackson
5ive/"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
Mike Oldfield/"In Dulci Jubilo"
Jona Lewie/"Stop the Cavalry" Roy Wood & Wizzard/"I Wish it Could
be Christmas Everyday"
And...the very best Christmas albums:
V.A./"The Phil Spector Christmas
Album"(1963)
V.A./"A Motown Christmas"(1973)
Elvis Presley/"White Christmas" (Compilation, 2000)
OK, so I can be a bit sappy & sentimental
myself after all ;-)
Here's wishing y'all Happy Holidaze...however
you may celebrate.
