Impressions In Blue - Monty Alexander

Advantages: Decent entertainment
Disadvantages: Non-fans of the show will just think they've ruined the songs

...from buying "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" when I saw it on sale in Asda for £3, as I figured that the amount of entertainment it would provide would outweigh the number of duff notes they would hit. The album opens with "Do The Bartman" which was a number 1 single way back in 1991, well before "The Simpsons" had become as popular in the UK as it is now. It's certainly a very dated song now, being the kind of pop-dance-rap hybrid that was so popular at the time. The song was supposedly written by Michael Jackson and there are a couple of "Thriller" sounding moments and Michael Jackson references which suggest the man has a better sense of humour and more of a tendency to poke fun at himself than I would previously have credited him with. This may well be familiar to fans of the show, especially as the video was an extra in the 4th... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: One of the finest albums ever
Disadvantages: Things went downhill from here

...disbanded. Although they all returned for "Octave" in 1977 it was a more disjointed effort reflecting Pinder's move to the States and his refusal to tour led to his departure and the end of an area. But this was far into an unknown future when their seventh album (the previous line-ups rhythm n' blues releases were not counted as being out of synch with the band's ethos) burst onto an excited scene. The cover started the reflective mood. A pale lilac sky louring over a rugged, alien landscape of brown or maroon rocks framing a tranquil flow of water. The inside cover showed the heads of the band all gazing towards a fire made with branches. All in the same subdued colour scheme. A sojourn is a resting lace, and this collection was to be just that. A rest from the world's rat-race to consider, in the words of Monty Python, "what's it all... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Some decent rhythm and blues
Disadvantages: Film dialogue in the wrong places

...and that's exactly what this song is. It's a guitar led, generic blues number which doesn't really stick out above any other blues song you've heard before, although it's still a decent enough song. It worries me, however, that the song is so generic I keep thinking it's about to segue into the Lisa Simpson song "Moanin' Lisa Blues" from the "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" album. Whilst I do like hearing it as an accompaniment, I've never really rated the harmonica as an instrument in its own right. For me, that makes John Popper's "Harmonica Musings" a filler track. It's impressive enough and John Popper is considered one of the best players around, but it's just 30 seconds of a waste of space, although it does start sounding a little like Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips" right towards the end. Finally, four tracks in, we get to hear from one... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful