As The Veneer Of Democracy Starts To Fade - Mark Stewart

Advantages: Good selection of songs
Disadvantages: none

...Rod Stewart's album - 'if we fall in love tonight', is a superb album of love songs and definitely one of my favourite albums of all time. It contains 16 tracks, 5 of which are new material and the other 11 are greatest hit ballads and include:- If we fall in love tonight, when i need you(remember the Leo Sayer one?), sometimes when we touch, tonight's the night, you're in my heart, have i told you lately?, downtown train, all for love(with Sting and Bryan Adams), for the first time and i don't want to talk about it. If you like Rod Stewart, then you will love this album. If you don't like Rod then have a listen anyway, you might well be surprised. This is a very relaxing album - i enjoy listening to it when i am in the bath. Released in 1996, you can still obtain this - expect to pay around the £15 mark for it now as it... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A damned return to form
Disadvantages: none

...Grave Disorder! Wow, I heard democracy and instantly thought I cannot wait to hear this album. This is the best album The Damned have done since Strawberries (although i do like the others in between). This really is a return to form. I have been a Damned fan since 1982 and this was the best present I had in years from any band. It is almost a Black Album part 2. It starts with the mind blowing fury of democracy and continues with songs like Amen from the wonderful Captain Sensible, would you be so hot if you weren't dead (slagging off past rock stars who gained critical acclaim through death), and Absinthe from the gothic mind of Dave Vanian. With Captain Sensible back on the team, and Patricia Morrison (now vanian) from Gun Cub/ later Sisters of mercy and Pinch from English dogs,and the captains old Keybord Player Monty Oxymoron... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: subtle
Disadvantages: maybe too subtle to begin with

...Veneer is a strange album. When I first heard it I was fairly non-plussed, it was all very nice but suited background listening rather than any particular attention. The only track that really stood out was ‘Heartbeats’ but only for its familarity due to its use in the Sony Bravia adverts. I didn’t even realise it was a cover by Swedish band ‘The Knives’. And it stayed that way for quite a while, until earlier this year when in the middle of a bad patch and with sleep becoming more than a struggle – I really discovered this album. José González has a strange heritage in as much as he is Swedish born by Argentine parents. The album was originally released in 2003 across Europe and didn’t reach the UK until Spring 2005, I believe it followed later in the year for the states. The sound/style is consistent throughout the album, well... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful