Shakenstir » 2006

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova THE SWELL SEASON. Plateau

As a music writer and photographer I am always looking for inspiration from artists who are distinctive and very special. But what do I mean by ‘very special’? Well, like most reviewers, I receive many albums to assess and out of a pile of fifty CDs I’d be extremely lucky to find one that could be categorised as ‘special,’ let alone ‘very special.’ It can be special for a number of reasons but a common thread is the song writing that patently comes from the heart, with poetic lyrics and an involving melody. The vocal is of course also very important as it’s the conduit for sentiments to be expressed; believably, sincerely and expressively. More often than not, the very best albums take a little while to reveal their brilliance. For me, prime examples are Radiodead’s OK COMPUTER, Jeff Buckley’s GRACE, Frames DANCE THE DEVIL, and Phil Campbell’s FRESH NEW LIFE - all now in my top ten albums of all time. Finally the record must have the power to touch me emotionally; to move me, sometimes to tears… Often it’s by a singer/songwriter, more rarely it’s by a band.

Fatboy Slim’s GREATEST HITS, WHY TRY HARDER? THE INTERVIEW

So, Rockafeller Skank, I kind of feel that put you on the map…

Paul Simon SURPRISE. Warner

Everyone of Paul Simon’s vintage has a favourite Simon & Garfunkle song. I have several including the still very beautiful Bridge Over Troubled Water and highly contemplative narrative The Boxer. These and many others share the same lyrical and melodic strengths of virtually all the duo’s work. Then came the split and Simon’s classic GRACELANDS which still remains one of my favourite albums of all time, and of course spurned the hilarious music video featuring Chevy Chase. Sonically, it broke new ground with South Africa beating gloriously at its musical heart. In this sense Simon, along with Ry Cooder and John McLaughlin, has never been afraid to cross cultural and musical barriers, while always creating the most accessible adult pop. SURPRISE may not be as adventurous as other albums, but by introducing Brian Eno into the production equation he has managed to make a record that is fresh and vibrant, while still managing to include sonic snippets from his past releases. It is a very fine album laced with social, political and highly personal observations. Lyrically and sonically, it’s as strong as anything he has ever recorded.