The Red Radio

Quick take - Madness "One Step Beyond" Re-release

Madness finally received a proper re-release of their debut album One Step Beyond here in the states last month.  The album, which saw its original debut back in 1979, was a key player in the 2 Tone Ska movement of the late 70s/early 80s.  Madness joined fellow bands The Specials, The Beat and The Selecter in meshing the 50s and 60s original Jamaican style ska with modern rock, pop, punk and rhythm and blues. 

 

The album remains a masterpiece of the 2 Tone era, boosting a string of hits including the band’s cover of Prince Buster’s One Step Beyond.  A ska classic that saw rude boys and girls decked out in their signature black and white checks skanking to the beat all across the world.  The track was an instantaneous club smash and still makes its way into heavy DJ rotation to this day. 

Instrumental jam Tarzan’s Nuts offers the prefect soundtrack to scooter gangs everywhere.  Second single My Girl tells the story of a young fellow who can do no right by his gal.  Insert plea of frustration line – “Why can’t I explain? Why do I feel this pain? Cause everything I say she doesn’t understand, she doesn’t realize, she takes it all the wrong way.”

 

The guys even tackle Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake with a bit of their own silly flare giving the classical piece a new life it probably never expected.  Third single Night Boat To Cairo and second Prince Buster cover Madness add more skanking fun for the feet.  Hmm… wonder where they got their name? 

 

Madness was much more entertaining then their contemporaries.  They were not afraid to be silly (Chipmunks Are A Go, Mummy’s Boy) while creating really great music that defined an entire scene (One Step Beyond, The Prince, My Girl).  A must have for any serious music collector.  One Step Beyond remains on of our favorites from the late 70s, a classic in its genre and a romp of a good time. 

 

Rock Steady!

 

One Step Beyond is again available now thanks to the fine folks at Rhino Encore - buy here. 

Also see - Random video of the week #16 - Madness "One Step Beyond" 

Quick Take - The Orb, "The Dream"

I’ve always thought of The Orb as the house band to early post-rave mornings.  After a long night of intense techno, happy hardcore and/or jungle, the mellow, spacey vibe of The Orb was a consoling remedy to vociferously ringing ears.  It’s hard to believe that Orb main man Alex Patterson has been at it for 17 years!  He has remained the one constant force behind the band.  A slew of rotating guest producers, writers and vocalists have come and gone leaving their own special mark, but it is Patterson who has piloted the ship throughout. 

 

Patterson reunited with early Orb contributor Martin “Youth” Glover (of Killing Joke fame) for the latest incarnation, The Dream.  Gone are the days of glow sticks, psychedelic pacifier necklaces and half-naked E-induced dancing, leaving The Orb far from a familiar home in 2008’s musical landscape.

The Orb has explored many aural landscapes throughout the years but it is The Dream that feels like a return to original form. Codes offers a suitable soundtrack to the sun rising above the desert at that remote outdoor rave.  The Forest Of Lyonesse approaches gently with an evocative flute backdrop. Mother Nature nudges the listener from a restful state to a dancehall-tinged hip mover.  

Single Vuju De is dripping with early 90’s electronic make-up which would feel right at home in a play list of the era between Black Box, The Happy Mondays and Soul II Soul. 

The Dream is a great record for old fans feeling nostalgic or new fans that may have missed The Orb during their peak in the early days.  

Quick Take - Madonna, "Hard Candy"

Madonna’s Hard Candy is an overall pleasant surprise that was quite unexpected. Early news of collaborations with Timbaland and Timberlake on a “hip hop” record was troublesome, and then came the first single, 4 Minutes. The track is a droning sound-a-like radio hit that leaves Madonna sounding more like a guest on a Justin Timberlake track then anything else.

Early comparisons to the Gwen Stefani solo album formula were inevitable – bring in superstar producers and guests, include lots of “tick tocking” in lead single, throw back to the past, etc…

Pulling Neptune Pharrell Williams from that formula was probably the smartest move Madonna made on Hard Candy. The Timberland/Timberlake tracks fall short and feel out of place on a Madonna record. Pharrell taps into a more conventional Madonna sound including lots of beats that would feel right at home in the superstar’s early NYC club days. This is where the record gets engaging and fun.

Pharrell and Madonna keep it playful with Candy Shop and the infectious Give It 2 Me. Pharrell’s interspersed guest vocals play out as more of a treat then an annoyance and he clearly lets Madonna shine as the star of her own tracks.  Madonna makes way for a mini-rap from guest Kanye West on the obvious choice for the next single, Beat Goes On. She’s Not Me exposes Madonna’s tough and confident side (nothing new, right?) in the face of a possible new “flavor of the week”.

Madonna and Timberlake ultimately seem to mesh up for the album closer Voices. The track almost makes up for earlier attempts with 4 Minutes, Dance 2Night and Miles Away.

The bottom line?

The album is better then anticipated but not in the same league as some of her best – Ray Of Light, Music, her debut and 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Gone are the guys Madonna used to take risks with – Mirwais, William Orbit, Stuart Price and even Jellybean Benitez early on. Selecting producers a bit more under the radar often allowed her a bit more edge for a pop star. That is exactly what has kept her music intriguing over the years. Hard Candy feels as close to a sell-out as you can get for someone like Madonna. A fun album overall but unquestionably a departure in the direction her musical career has been evolving. 

Quick Take - R.E.M., "Accelerate"

Welcome back to the world of good records!

OK, OK, I am not going to sit here and say that Accelerate is by any means a masterpiece worthy of the R.E.M. albums of old - yes, even Monster. But the good news is that the record is good, listenable and quit pleasurable.

Accelerate feels like R.E.M. are having fun creating records again. It kind of makes me giddy because I, like many, have been waiting for R.E.M. to return to form. There are a lot of recognizable sounds on this record making it instantly familiar.

The guys have turned up the noise and come out rocking. They seem to have finally woken up from a long, disoriented dream.

Accelerate kicks off hard with Living Well Is the Best Revenge never losing its speed and vigor along the way. First single Supernatural Superserious proves the catchiest of the lot. Hollow Man’s chorus evokes images of massive stadium size crowd sing-alongs and Horse To Water may be the most consistent rocker the band has penned since Star 69.

Michael Stripe and crew really sound as if they are having a good time and it resonates all over the record. A must get for casual and hardcore R.E.M. fans alike.

Quick Take - Be Your Own Pet, "Get Awkward"

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Pizza parties, zombies, sex, heartbreak and more! Rock on!

Be Your Own Pet’s Get Awkward is by no means a departure from their infectious self-titled debut. This is not a bad thing, mind you. The guys (and ferocious girl) deliver another jam packed punch-in-the-face gathering of songs. 

Font girl Jemina Pearl has always reminded me of an angrier, tougher Gwen Stefani.  Anybody remember My Room Is Still Clean? The 7” b-side to No Doubt’s Squeal?  Pearl steps all over that side of Stefani and pumps it up a couple hundred notches.  Her heart has been broken, she is pissed looking for a bit of revenge and she spills her guts out all over this record. 

You can just about feel the hot dogs and mustard flying around the room in Food Fight. Heart Throb pulses with raging hormones and Pearl takes it to a demented level in Twisted Nerve. 

Get Awkward is the perfect record to blast when you need to break a window, have a beer or flip off a loved one.