{"id":6532,"date":"2014-10-16T10:15:39","date_gmt":"2014-10-16T09:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/?p=6532"},"modified":"2014-11-19T18:03:32","modified_gmt":"2014-11-19T18:03:32","slug":"cherry-red-album-reviews-oct-2014-by-scenester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/cherry-red-album-reviews-oct-2014-by-scenester\/","title":{"rendered":"Cherry Red Album Reviews \u2013 Oct 2014 by Scenester"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"echobelly_ego\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Echobelly<\/h1>\n

Everyone\u2019s Got One \u00a0(3 Loop Music 3-Range 24)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cast your mind back to the early 90\u2019s, when Britpop was riding high in the charts, led by the unit-shifting behemoth that was Oasis, and their stage-school arch-rivals, Blur. There were plenty more home-grown ensembles swimming in their slipstream, but one which defied the blokey stereotypes and presented some of the most positive, life-affirming tunes of the age, were the multi-cultural Echobelly.\u00a0 Singer and principal lyricist Sonya Aurora Madan, born in India, and Swedish guitarist Glenn Johansson co-wrote the band\u2019s material, and the band had many members over their twelve-year \u2018first\u2019 lifetime.<\/p>\n

Those discerning folk at 3-Loop Music have re-released Echobelly\u2019s first and second LP\u2019s, and I\u2019ll be reviewing \u2018On\u2019 another time. \u2018Everyone\u2019s Got One\u2019, comes in a 2-CD edition, leaving plenty of room for singles and bonus tracks that may have passed your notice.<\/p>\n

\u2018E.G.O.1\u2019 opener \u2018Today Tomorrow Sometime Never\u2019 hits the ground running, heavy chords and Sonja\u2019s sweet R.P. voice soaring, with a winding chorus and battling guitars rising upward and onward. \u2018Father, Ruler, King, Computer\u2019 arrives with a fine brass intro, then those winners\u2019 chords kick in. Sonya\u2019s perfect diction and the clear production ensure the message of the song, a diatribe against the imposition of arranged marriages, does not get lost in the guitar maelstrom.<\/p>\n

The first genuine \u2018driver\u2019 song, \u2018Give Her A Gun\u2019 hammers home a message about the inferior status of women around the globe, and a possible, hopefully metaphoric solution, with its urgent stop\/start rhythm and moody drumming. It\u2019s followed by the sublime \u2018I Can\u2019t Imagine the World Without Me\u2019, with its cross talking guitars and the voice hitting the heights and flying around the mountain tops with the eagles. I bet Morrissey liked that one.<\/p>\n

\u2018Bellyache\u2019, a swamp of brooding trouble bubbling up, the slight touch of a Bo Diddley beat with Sonya\u2019s voice ringing out over it, and wah-wah guitar creeping in, is an evocation of the deepest pain a woman might suffer. \u2018Taste Of You\u2019 is a sweet relief, an acoustic guitar opening, electric guitar arpeggios, those ever-sweet vocals and the guitars flying through the swinging rhythm.<\/p>\n

\u2018Insomniac\u2019, always a high spot of their live sets, has a slow, bluesy intro, commanding guitars, and a sublime vocal performance that takes years off you, sending you climbing up trees like a kid. Surely Echobelly\u2019s finest tune, it can hardly be believed that it only scraped into the Top 50 when released as a single.<\/p>\n

More serious subjects are still on the agenda, and the sweet delivery of the heart breaking \u2018Call Me Names\u2019 gets its message of alienation, incomprehension and blind prejudice, perfectly. \u2018Close\u2026But\u2019 is a little more playful, but it isn\u2019t classic Echobelly, and \u2018Cold Feet Warm Heart\u2019s tolling bell guitars and swinging rhythm takes us back to the bar.<\/p>\n

\u2018Scream\u2019s bluesy, distorted guitar intro, and slow, sweet vocal takes us through, ending in a glorious swell of guitars and voice, and a final, angry note. A completely creditable first LP that had a respectable chart showing.<\/p>\n

But wait, that\u2019s not your lot. The second CD has a comprehensive collection of B Sides (if such a thing could be said to exist in the CD age) from their \u2018Bellyache\u2019, \u2018Insomniac\u2019, \u2018I Can\u2019t Imagine The World Without Me\u2019 and \u2018Close\u2026But\u2019 CDs, and also their Steve Lamacq evening session from February 1994. The alternate take of \u2018Bellyache\u2019 has enough distortion and Arabic rhythms to please the average Jesus & Mary Chain fan, and the first, rougher take on \u2018Give Her A Gun\u2019 exceeds even the LP version for its arresting power. \u2018So La Di Da\u2019 appears a nod to kindred spirits Suede,\u00a0 and although some tracks may have a routine quality to them, the CD is well worth persisting with, to hear those commanding guitars and Sonya\u2019s assured voice let loose on more unconventional material. BUY HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n

\"echobelly_on\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Echobelly<\/h1>\n

\u2018On\u2019 \u00a03-Loop Music 3 Range 25<\/strong><\/p>\n

A welcome re-release of Echobelly\u2019s most successful LP, and packed with extras that take it up to a two-CD collection, \u2018On\u2019 makes the ideal companion to 3 Loop\u2019s re-release of \u2018Everyone\u2019s Got One\u2019 with its own collection of B Sides and more.<\/p>\n

Little seemed to change in Echobellyworld from the debut LP \u2018EGO\u2019 to this winning compilation, as \u2018Car Fiction\u2019s choppy, urgent guitars demonstrate so well. An excited, \u2018us against the world\u2019 track, that leads into \u2018King of The Kerb\u2019, arguably their best single, but which, inexplicably, only grazed the Top 30. A high, Arabesque lick, guitar chiming like bells, Sonya\u2019s \u2018excited child with BBC newsreader\u2019s diction\u2019 voice, savouring every critical word, in a song which evokes the fading sleaze of Soho in the mid-90\u2019s. The joyous lead-out of guitar arpeggio and carefree voice is worth listening to on its own.<\/p>\n

That \u2018Great Things\u2019 should prove to be their most successful single is a little puzzling to say the least; a typical barnstormer of a riff, Sonya\u2019s voice a smile in audio form, but some fairly routine lyrics didn\u2019t impress this fan boy at the time. \u2018Natural Animal\u2019s winding start, waltz tempo and yodelling vocal is another formulaic piece, but a not unappetising one. \u2018Go Away\u2019s thrusting chords contrast heavily with Sonya\u2019s child-like vocal stylings, joyfully delivering melancholic lyrics.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re back to some of London\u2019s less fragrant streets in \u2018Pantyhose & Roses\u2019, a rising\/falling guitar figure proving a good foil to a song of marital discord and the temptations of the flesh. \u2018Something Hot In A Cold Country\u2019 has a slow, plodding start but as the melody picks up, and the voice gentle hold of the comforting lyrics, we have a more reflective, engaging and reassuring sort of Echobelly.<\/p>\n

A celebratory rocker follows, in \u2018Four Letter Word\u2019, then a swinging rhythm, big up song, \u2018Nobody Like You\u2019. Clearly aimed at the Echobelly faithful, it builds up, up and still further up, a beautiful piece of work. \u2018In The Year\u2019s choppy, muted guitars and childhood memory lyrics sit well with the previous \u2018there, there\u2019 message, and the slow, acoustic\/electric build-up of \u2018Dark Therapy\u2019s unhurried, mutli-layered piece has pretty harmonies and a deftly-handled cacophonous lead-out that makes for a stand-out on this LP.<\/p>\n

\u2018Worms and Angels\u2019 folksy intro after a 1-2-3 count-in (their first?) takes us into another swinger, but one with somewhat dark subject matter. With its allusions to true love and death, this could be an indicator of the band getting bored with their full-on joyful approach, perhaps starting to look at new and more dangerous type of avenues.<\/p>\n

The first CD continues straight into B Sides and rarities (do they exist for anyone in this, our age of Kali-Yuga, You Tube?) a mixed bag that pleases and distracts in roughly equal measure. The Cramps-like stomp of \u2018Here Comes The Scene\u2019 is followed by \u2018God\u2019s Guest List\u2019, a Shadows style guitar figure reminiscent of \u2018Man Of Mystery\u2019, and Sonya\u2019s always-sweet voice, is a surprisingly good fit on a CD of otherwise inescapably 90\u2019s rock. Some alt-takes provide some small interest here, but I suspect you, like me, are itching to hear the Wetlands gig from 1995, so we\u2019ll load the second CD.<\/p>\n

A great, choppy, discordant version of \u2018I Can\u2019t Imagine the World Without Me\u2019 opens, with \u2018Car Fiction\u2019 following hot on its heels, its dead-halt ending a killer. \u2018Close\u2026But\u2019s bright sound and note-perfect vocal are a joy, and \u2018Dark Therapy\u2019s slow intro and distinctly sexy vocal closes with a long, pleasing instrumental.<\/p>\n

\u2018Father, Ruler, King, Computer\u2019 suffers a little from a routine guitar chop, but Sonya\u2019s vocal delivery recalls the late, great Poly Styrene. One of the crowd isn\u2019t slow to show their heartfelt appreciation, either. \u2018Give Her A Gun\u2019s bluesy 60\u2019s guitar treatment, complete with vintage fuzz, works well, and \u2018Go Away\u2019s storming intro succeeds with this audience.<\/p>\n

\u2018Great Things\u2019 is taken a little slower than normal, and with perhaps less enthusiasm, but \u2018Insomniac\u2019 is delivered hard and strong, followed by a glorious \u2018King of the Kerb\u2019. \u2018Natural Animal\u2019s departure and \u2018Pantyhose and Roses\u2019 clear, high standard show Echobelly had plenty of life left in them, on this tour. \u2018Today Tomorrow Sometime Never\u2019s live treatment is so close to the recorded version, you wonder you might be listening to the LP it came from.<\/p>\n

1995\u2019s four-track Peel Session showcases \u2018Four Letter Word\u2019, in fine form, \u2018Car Fiction\u2019, with Sonya putting in a full, emotional vocal performance, \u2018Pantyhose and Roses\u2019 full of righteous anger, and \u2018Go Away\u2019 an enveloped, fuzzy guitar backed up by a powerful riff that goes beyond the hard rock tendency common in Britpop at the time. BUY HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n

\"claudia_brucken\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Claudia Brucken<\/h1>\n

Where else\u2026 (Cherry Red) CDBRED634<\/b><\/p>\n

In which the elegant former singer of Propaganda and Act puts the esoterica to one side, and explores a more rootsy, eclectic side to herself.<\/p>\n

\u2018I Want You\u2019 is a classy opener, evoking sultry moods with its \u2018European film\u2019 strings, distant, romantic piano, and Claudia\u2019s breathy voice emoting about a man she is obsessed with, and who she desperately wants back in her life.<\/p>\n

\u2018Nothing Good Is Ever Easy\u2019s slow, pedestrian shuffle has sublime moments in amongst the muffled drumbeat, chilling piano chords, and teasing, hesitant vocal. Thankfully never falling into the tedious trip hop trap, we get raw, emotional lyrics, a shimmering chorus, (my heart dancing in me) making it an easy tune to like. The absent lover narrative of \u2018I Lay All Night\u2019 is backed well with a simple organ, a guitar figure adding just the right amount of tension to this tale of want and longing.<\/p>\n

Claudia\u2019s respectful rendition of the Nick Drake classic, \u2018Day Is Done\u2019, is an early high spot, with its minimal backing of drum and plaintive piano.<\/p>\n

The surface politeness of the invitation of \u2018Walk Right In\u2019 to an old lover, proves to be a little more like mischievous fun at the man\u2019s expense. A good melody, reminiscent of her former band, Propaganda, and with Claudia\u2019s detached vocal delivery, it\u2019s worth persisting with in the same way as a film with a good cast which seems initially slow.<\/p>\n

\u2018Nevermind\u2019s\u00a0 80s\u2019 style funky guitar and serene vocal harmonies hold up this pleasing slice of Europop, and it will come as no surprise to learn that there\u2019s a single in the offing.\u00a0 \u2018Here\u2019s my olive branch, my beating heart\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018How Do I Know\u2019s strong \u2018waking up\u2019 figure intro leads into a finely crafted song of offered, but conditional love. Lyrics contain some of the strongest incitements yet: \u2018In dreams, I could be so pure\u2019, \u2018If you don\u2019t try me, you won\u2019t find me.\u2019<\/p>\n

In amongst these raw emotions, there\u2019s surely room for a little more pop? Look to the close, tight guitar chords of \u2018Moon Song\u2019. It may seem a bit too Kylie-like for some tastes, but the imagery drawn from nature\u2019s drama, lightning, moon, tide and time, are enough to give the song a little weight, in this limerick-like lyrical type structure.<\/p>\n

Once again veering toward the 80\u2019s in the nervous backing figure to \u2018Letting Go\u2019, a \u2018lost in the city\u2019 sort of feeling, but tempered with empowering lyrics such as \u2018I still feel a fire\u2019 A bluesy guitar makes a welcome appearance over the period synth sounds. Continuing in this vein, \u2018Time to Make Changes\u2019 has a brighter tone, and subtle chords to coo over.<\/p>\n

\u2018Sweet Sound Vision\u2019, the album\u2019s closing track, has Claudia\u2019s subtle vocal over a gently swaying tune that seems suited to a late night indoors with a lover and a bottle of wine. I wouldn\u2019t argue with that. BUY HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Echobelly Everyone\u2019s Got One \u00a0(3 Loop Music 3-Range 24) Cast your mind back to the early 90\u2019s, when Britpop was riding high in the charts, led by the unit-shifting behemoth that was Oasis, and their stage-school arch-rivals, Blur. There were plenty more home-grown ensembles swimming in their slipstream, but one which defied the blokey stereotypes …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6564,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128,71,74],"tags":[750,1037,1040,305],"series":[],"class_list":["post-6532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-plugs","category-music","category-reviews","tag-cherry-red-records","tag-claudia-brucken","tag-echobelly","tag-scenester"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6532"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6567,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6532\/revisions\/6567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6532"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=6532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}