Blakes, The - Blakes

Advantages: It makes me happy!
Disadvantages: Songs sound the same at first

...on this album as four piece (now a five piece). Unusually, they are based around three separate singer-songwriters, Raymond McGinley, Gerard Love and Norman Blake, backed up by drummer Paul Quinn. Each writes their own songs and very rarely collaborate. You may think that this would lead to a patchy and uneven release, but fortunately, the three of them seem to be on the same wavelength and possess the same idea of the type of music they want to make. Fans may be able to tell who wrote what just by listening, but most people can’t, and probably won’t care. Grand Prix was released back in 1995 on the now-defunct Creation label, also the previous home of Oasis and the mighty Super Furry Animals. It perfectly defines the mid 90’s, where jangly guitar music and singers that wore dodgy sunglasses were all the rage. With its summery feel and male... Read review

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Advantages: It's Ron
Disadvantages: Can be a little intense

...The philosophy of this 1997 release from Ron Sexsmith seems to be if it’s not broke don’t fix it, as this the follow-up to Ron’s eponymous release from 1995, follows the same formula, the main protagonists from that first album are here. On production the excellent Mitchell Froom and assisting with production and recording as well as mixing Mitchell’s long-time partner Tchad Blake, this is exactly the same as before, this team of Froom and Blake did the same on the first album released 2 years earlier. The musicians that are involved are pretty much the same as well, from the keyboard playing of Mr Froom to the percussion and drum work of Jerry Marotta and Ron himself is playing guitars and singing the main vocals. There is a subtle difference with this recording Sheryl Crow is playing accordion, but sadly... Read review

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Advantages: The Beginning Stages Of Greatness.
Disadvantages: The World's Apathy.

...What set of songs have enough pure lyrics to make Status Quo hip, contain enough jingles to keep Match of the Day's goal round up soundtracked for decades and averages a generous sack load of sunny emotions per wondrous ditty? Well the answer all lies within Teenage Fanclub's sophomore album 'Bandwagonesque'. Magically conceived from some Boy Hairdressers and a few Bmx Bandits Teenage Fanclub released their debut 'A Catholic Education' in 1990. While this effort was hardly world beating it set up the Glaswegians for their proper debut 'Bandwagonesque'. While 'A Catholic Education' was recorded in a week, the band decided that a change of scene (Liverpool) and a little more time (a month) might have the desired effect. They brought in producer Don Fleming and the quartet of Norman Blake, Gerard Love, Raymond McGinley and Brendan O... Read review

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Advantages: Original
Disadvantages: There is none

...PJ Harvey tells us that you can never get too much of a wonderful thing, and in this album she kindly gives it to us. Each of the stories is powerfully evocative of a different emotion, in places haunting, mocking, and nostalgic. The songs are quite simple but can involve numerous twists and turns. I was often suprised how PJ Harvey can change the tone of a song completely by subtle changes in the way she sings it. There is an underlying feeling of movement from one song to the next which runs through the entire album. It has a very different appeal to it than her previous albums and stands as it is. This music reminds me of water and to that I say "Dip him in the river who loves water" (Blake). More please.... Read review

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Advantages: lots of good songs
Disadvantages: its not jawbreaker

...I am not entirely sure why a picture of Santana is displaying for this review. JTB certainly do not sound like Santana! Much. So, JTB have got Blake from Jawbreaker in them. They've got the drummer from Texas Is The Reason in them. They recruited a guitarist from the Van Pelt. Stop it. Don't use any of the above as an excuse to buy this record. Use this as an excuse to buy this record: The albums a bit special. I kept changing my mind. One minute I'd love this thing, the next it'd be merely good. Right now I adore it, maybe one day I'll think it's just solid again. And OK, so the Jet's are just another indie rock band who are pushing the boundaries of originality about this far: - , but hey, they're a mighty fine mature indie rock band and they are doing exactly what they want to. Blake had no need to go and form another band... Read review

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Advantages: The greatest album of all time.
Disadvantages: None.

...I'll confess right away at the start of the reviews that I was one of the doubters, who thought that Bruce was a fool for leaving Maiden. It was this album that changed my mind, and let me tell you why... Simply put, this is the best album. Ever. For me this represents everything which I love about heavy metal in a fashion so flawless, that a review seems almost redundant. This goes down to everything about the album - the artwork on the cover, and the use of William Blake's paintings inside, add just a little touch of the dark atmosphere which the album is aiming at. But I digress, it's the music that we want to know about. Again, it's perfect. Bruce is of course a god as far as heavy metal vocals go, and few people had any doubts that ex-Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith would not be able to produce the goods. But the rest of the band... Read review

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