June 30, 2019

Roxy Music - Siren (1975)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: EGCD 20

© 1975-1987 E.G. Records, Ltd.
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Abandoning the intoxicating blend of art rock and glam-pop that distinguished Stranded and Country Life, Roxy Music concentrate on Bryan Ferry's suave, charming crooner persona for the elegantly modern Siren. As the disco-fied opener "Love Is the Drug" makes clear, Roxy embrace dance and unabashed pop on Siren, weaving them into their sleek, arty sound. It does come at the expense of their artier inclinations, which is part of what distinguished Roxy, but the end result is captivating. Lacking the consistently amazing songs of its predecessor, Siren has a thematic consistency that works in its favor, and helps elevate its best songs -- "Sentimental Fool," "Both Ends Burning," "Just Another High" -- as well as the album itself into the realm of classics.

tags: roxy music, siren, 1975, flac,

Roxy Music - Flesh + Blood (1980)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: EGCD 46

© 1980-1987 E.G. Records, Ltd.
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Abandoning the intoxicating blend of art rock and glam-pop that distinguished Stranded and Country Life, Roxy Music concentrate on Bryan Ferry's suave, charming crooner persona for the elegantly modern Siren. As the disco-fied opener "Love Is the Drug" makes clear, Roxy embrace dance and unabashed pop on Siren, weaving them into their sleek, arty sound. It does come at the expense of their artier inclinations, which is part of what distinguished Roxy, but the end result is captivating. Lacking the consistently amazing songs of its predecessor, Siren has a thematic consistency that works in its favor, and helps elevate its best songs -- "Sentimental Fool," "Both Ends Burning," "Just Another High" -- as well as the album itself into the realm of classics.

tags: roxy music, flesh and blood, flesh + blood, 1980, flac,

June 29, 2019

Autumn - The Hating Tree (1997) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label Number: TESS 12
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1997 Tess Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: autumn, autumn band, autumn gothic band, the hating tree, 1997, flac,

June 28, 2019

Trip Shakespeare - Across The Universe (1990) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

☠: Selected by Lass
© 1990 A&M Records
AllMusic Review by John Dougan
There are those enamored of Trip Shakespeare's independent-label work, but I'd recommend starting here. This is their strongest collection of tunes and tightest, most assertive playing.

tags: trip shakespeare, across the universe, 1990, flac,

Trip Shakespeare - Lulu (1991)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)


© 1991 A&M Records
AllMusic Review by Gregory McIntosh
Trip Shakespeare unfortunately went unnoticed in their time and more unfortunately have remained in obscurity, but they were lucky enough to record in a time when major labels took greater chances with music and would more often indulge ambitious projects. Lulu is the group's defining set, a result of inspired and talented musicians with an expense account to afford their aspirations and enough sense to exploit it appropriately. Why then did this record go through the ringer almost completely unnoticed and why did the reviews the album received tend to be overly critical? Part of the answer has to do with the timing of its release. 1991 was the great embrasure of the grunge movement when Nirvana's Nevermind set the decade-long trend for the popular music charts. The release of a melodically complex and romantic pop masterpiece with lush vocals was entertained by neither the critics nor the masses, and no doubt A&M had lost much of the majesty they found in Trip Shakespeare when they were signed two years previous, which is a shame since Shakespeare's leader, Matt Wilson, was at the height of his poetic optimism and the melodic hooks he wrote with his brother Dan Wilson are complex, plentiful, and on par with the classics of pop music's innovation. John Munson's bass playing is superb throughout, most notably in "Today You Move," where his delicious and seductive work is given the spotlight of a tender solo complete with a second harmony bass track. Whether percussive, sweet, subtle, or upfront, Munson's interplay with drummer Elaine Harris is a potent example of a confident and capable rhythm section propelled by Harris' unique and bouncy drumming, the result of her abnormal technique of standing behind the drum kit and playing the bass drum with sticks instead of a foot pedal. She keeps rooted the endearing, snakey tendrils of music Matt and Dan Wilson generously dish out, but in fact, every player is an astute melodic force here and all have a keen sense of dynamic, giving this record, as absolutely full of ornamentation as it is, quite a bit of breathing space in the necessary parts. While the vocal prowess of the group had come across splendidly on Across the Universe, here the band is unreal. Obviously proud of their vocal abilities, the album opens with an a cappella introduction, all of 17 seconds in length, equal to anything the Beach Boys pulled off, if not more impressive on account of the passionate deliverance. It's a bold introduction; opening with the line "None of the regular rules were true," but Trip Shakespeare knew they had an amazing product and they were ready to show it to the world, and this is only the introduction -- the harmonies abound throughout the entire album with stunning proficiency. It is a rare instance in the music industry, major label or otherwise, to hear an album created by a group so obviously enchanted and inspired by each other, an album so loved and so toiled over that its contents continue to give indefinitely, an album so steeped in worshiping beauty that no amount of criticism -- positive or negative -- can mangle or tarnish its crystalline brilliance. A short while after Lulu came out, Trip Shakespeare were dropped by A&M and subsequently broke up, no doubt a declaration that they had done all they could to transcend the "regular rules."

tags: trip shakespeare, lulu, 1991, flac,

June 27, 2019

Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972) ☠

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Art Rock, Progressive Rock
Label Number: 821 522-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Lass
© 1972-1984 EG/Polydor Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Falling halfway between musical primitivism and art rock ambition, Roxy Music's eponymous debut remains a startling redefinition of rock's boundaries. Simultaneously embracing kitschy glamour and avant-pop, Roxy Music shimmers with seductive style and pulsates with disturbing synthetic textures. Although no musician demonstrates much technical skill at this point, they are driven by boundless imagination -- Brian Eno's synthesized "treatments" exploit electronic instruments as electronics, instead of trying to shoehorn them into conventional acoustic patterns. Similarly, Bryan Ferry finds that his vampiric croon is at its most effective when it twists conventional melodies, Phil Manzanera's guitar is terse and unpredictable, while Andy Mackay's saxophone subverts rock & roll clichés by alternating R&B honking with atonal flourishes. But what makes Roxy Music such a confident, astonishing debut is how these primitive avant-garde tendencies are married to full-fledged songs, whether it's the free-form, structure-bending "Re-Make/Re-Model" or the sleek glam of "Virginia Plain," the debut single added to later editions of the album. That was the trick that elevated Roxy Music from an art school project to the most adventurous rock band of the early '70s.

tags: roxy music, roxy music album, 1972, flac,

Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1973)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Art Rock
Label Number: EGCD 8

© 1973-1984 EG Records Ltd.
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
On Roxy Music's debut, the tensions between Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry propelled their music to great, unexpected heights, and for most of the group's second album, For Your Pleasure, the band equals, if not surpasses, those expectations. However, there are a handful of moments where those tensions become unbearable, as when Eno wants to move toward texture and Ferry wants to stay in more conventional rock territory; the nine-minute "The Bogus Man" captures such creative tensions perfectly, and it's easy to see why Eno left the group after the album was completed. Still, those differences result in yet another extraordinary record from Roxy Music, one that demonstrates even more clearly than the debut how avant-garde ideas can flourish in a pop setting. This is especially evident in the driving singles "Do the Strand" and "Editions of You," which pulsate with raw energy and jarring melodic structures. Roxy also illuminate the slower numbers, such as the eerie "In Every Dream Home a Heartache," with atonal, shimmering synthesizers, textures that were unexpected and innovative at the time of its release. Similarly, all of For Your Pleasure walks the tightrope between the experimental and the accessible, creating a new vocabulary for rock bands, and one that was exploited heavily in the ensuing decade.

tags: roxy music, for your pleasure, 1973, flac,

Roxy Music - Stranded (1973)

*U.K. first pressing on C.D. 
Contains 8 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Art Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: EGCD 10

© 1973-1989 EC Records Ltd., London
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Without Brian Eno, Roxy Music immediately became less experimental, yet they remained adventurous, as Stranded illustrates. Under the direction of Bryan Ferry, Roxy moved toward relatively straightforward territory, adding greater layers of piano and heavy guitars. Even without the washes of Eno's synthesizers, Roxy's music remains unsettling on occasion, yet in this new incarnation, they favor more measured material, whether it's the reflective "A Song for Europe" or the shifting textures of "Psalm." Even the rockers, such as the surging "Street Life" and the segmented "Mother of Pearl," are distinguished by subtle songwriting that emphasizes both Ferry's tortured glamour and Roxy's increasingly impressive grasp of sonic detail.

tags: rocy music, stranded,  1973, flac,

Roxy Music - Avalon (1982)

*U.K. second pressing on CD. 
Contain 10 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock, Pop
Label Number: EGCD 50

© 1982-1987 EG Records, Ltd., London
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Flesh + Blood suggested that Roxy Music were at the end of the line, but they regrouped and recorded the lovely Avalon, one of their finest albums. Certainly, the lush, elegant soundscapes of Avalon are far removed from the edgy avant-pop of their early records, yet it represents another landmark in their career. With its stylish, romantic washes of synthesizers and Bryan Ferry's elegant, seductive croon, Avalon simultaneously functioned as sophisticated make-out music for yuppies and as the maturation of synth pop. Ferry was never this romantic or seductive, either with Roxy or as a solo artist, and Avalon shimmers with elegance in both its music and its lyrics. "More Than This," "Take a Chance with Me," "While My Heart Is Still Beating," and the title track are immaculately crafted and subtle songs, where the shifting synthesizers and murmured vocals gradually reveal the melodies. It's a rich, textured album and a graceful way to end the band's career.

tags: roxy music, avalon, 1982, flac,

Curiosity Killed The Cat - Keep Your Distance (1987)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop
Label Number: 832 025-025-2 Q-1

© 1987 Mercury/Phonogram Records
AllMusic Review by Ted Mills
Mildly entertaining blue-eyed pop funk from Britain, Curiosity Killed the Cat had hits with "Misfit," "Free," and "Down to Earth," all represented here (the latter's video being one of the last things Andy Warhol directed). Vocalist Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot has as limited a range and tone as his contemporary chart-mate Rick Astley, but doesn't push himself too far and is at least backed up by a flesh 'n' blood band, who (sometimes) come alive on such tracks as "Ordinary Day" and "Misfit." But the lyrics are bland as pudding, the music often plods along, and with a host of different producers divvying up the tracks, the album never really coheres. What was it that Warhol said again about 15 minutes?

tags: curiosity killed the cat, keep your distance, 1987, flac,

Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton (1993) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 73008-26007-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Lass
© 1993 LaFace Records
AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn
Toni Braxton is both an elegant and earthy songstress, nicely balancing those seemingly divergent sentiments on her self-titled debut disc. Braxton's husky, enticing voice sounds hypnotic on "Breathe Again," dismayed on "Another Sad Love Song," and disillusioned on "Love Shoulda Brought You Home." But she's never out of control, indignant, or so anguished and hurt that she fails to retain her dignity. It's a sign of how great the Babyface/L.A. Reid production team was that they didn't settle for a defining mood; they presented Braxton with enough diverse emotional settings to hold the interest of urban contemporary males and females.

tags: toni braxton, toni braxton album, 1993, flac,

Failure - Comfort (1992) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: 9 45043-2
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1992 Slash/London Records
AllMusic Review by Vincent Jeffries
Failure was one of the '90's best-kept post-grunge secrets. The band's music was intensely melodic, stripped-down rock that probably struck many as a pallid form of faux Nirvana. On its surface, there is some truth to that assessment. There exists no punk immediacy in the noisy feedback strains that sometimes were at odds with the band's sullen pop, but Failure wisely abandoned many of the message-mixing sonic ornaments that diffuse this stunted debut. Released in 1992, Comfort was the Southern California band's first and weakest full-length effort. When measured against the talent of its creators, the word "failure," while shamefully predictable, is altogether appropriate. Still, the group received some decent notices, and each subsequent recording was met with much anticipation and praise. Band founders Ken Andrews (guitar, vocals) and Greg Edwards (bass) are joined on Comfort by one-time-only drummer Robert Gauss and indie producer extraordinaire Steve Albini. Albini's bombastic drum sound causes a bit of a problem on Comfort, as Andrews' subdued vocal delivery hardly stands up to the slap-back snare and excruciating cymbals. That super-sized snare drum worked for Nirvana, as Kurt Cobain had a righteous holler and a generally wider guitar and vocal dynamic. Andrews experiments with noisy guitar solos that also inhibit Failure's greatest asset, the group's incredible songwriting and melodicism. Too many repetitive and pointlessly angular tracks like "Kindred" fill Comfort, making it sound like one big abrasive and directionless coda. Fans mad about Magnified and the masterpiece Fantastic Planet should go ahead and check out Comfort just to know Failure's history, but these are perhaps the only listeners who will get any kind of thrill from this release

tags: failure, comfort, 1992, flac,

Failure - Magnified (1994)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: 45556-2

© 1994 Slash
AllMusic Review by Vincent Jeffries
Magnified represents the real emergence of Failure, perhaps the best post-grunge dirge-pop band of the '90s. Shedding the sonic intrusiveness of producer/engineer Steve Albini, Failure took on the production of this effort, revealing recording and songwriting skills hidden on the band's debut of two years earlier. Songwriters Ken Andrews (guitars, vocals) and Greg Edwards (bass, drums) are joined by drummer John Dargahi (filling in on tracks Edwards probably couldn't cover on his own). This 1994 release completely eclipses Comfort with its superior songs, vocal performances, and vast dynamic. The melodies and arrangements are both simple and elegant, something like the Beatles meet Pink Floyd meets Black Sabbath meets '90s modern rock. But all comparisons fail to describe the unique results of Andrews and Edwards' precisely executed vision. Despite minimal arrangements and instrumentation, Failure uses some extraordinary lyrics and hyper-melodic riffing to create a sprawling sound that retains a profound heaviness. "Moth" and "Wonderful Life" could be considered standouts, but these songs aren't cut from a substantially different cloth than any of Magnified's other entries. Along with Failure's swansong masterpiece, Fantastic Planet (although practically unknown, a record considered by a small but extremely passionate group of followers as the post-grunge bookend to Nevermind), Magnified is one of the best records of its kind.

tags: failure, magnified, 1994, flac,

June 26, 2019

Failure - Fantastic Planet (1996)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge
Label Number: 9 46269-2

© 1996 Slash/Warner Bros. Records
AllMusic Review by Dean Carlson
Sometimes it makes one wonder how such similar ingredients can create such different results. Take Failure for example. You get the mourning vocals, the discordant wails of guitar feedback, the Steve Albini production -- yes, just about everything that fits the Nirvana template. Yet Failure seem to miss the point. Because even here on the band's third album out of the fire, Fantastic Planet is ripe with idolized ingredients but low on original flavor. One aspect that seems to be in the band's favor this time around is the choice to self-produce. While not exceptional, their ear towards the atmospherics (check out the Downward Spiral-like "Daylight" or interludes like "Segue 3") help create an effort that is more skilled than your average Kurt Cobain-worshiper. Another strong sign is that this album seems more guided by Greg Edwards' swaying basslines than most bands' reliance on angry guitars. However, these high marks can't hide the normally weak songwriting. The lyrics go from quoting Russian films to clumsy metaphors about carpet stores ("Go ahead roll me up in your detachment/I'm here to decorate your fear for awhile") while the oafish musical structures leave little to the imagination. One crucial ingredient that might be missing is a talent for hooks. Because despite everything else -- and regardless of the true internal antipathy towards himself and his world -- Cobain still had an undeniable skill for crafting songs in the middle of all the "noise." An album like Fantastic Planet, on the other hand, shows how a different band can attempt to create the same "pained" dish, yet continue to burn themselves with almost every style-over-substance track. Failure might get there someday. It's just that until that day arrives, we are only left with albums that hint at a talent hiding behind another band's personality.

tags: failure, fantastic planet, 1996, flac,

Failure - The Heart Is a Monster (2015)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge
Label Number: FLR003

© 2015 Xtra Mile/Faliure Records
AllMusic Review by James Christopher Monger
Failure's last studio album, 1996's underrated Fantastic Planet, arrived a little too late to the stadium alt-rock party to make any kind of significant commercial impact, due in large part to label woes and heroin addiction, but it offered up a master class in emotionally spent, melodically charged space grunge that managed to accrue a huge fan base as the years went on. Released in 2015, The Heart Is a Monster picks right up where Fantastic Planet left off, even going so far as to add to the sequence of instrumental (and incremental) segues that the band laid out on the former. Failure have also found a way to retain their gargantuan net of sound, though they manage to punctuate things this time around with some more pronounced pop elements. Dense and muscular shoegazey guitars and cavernous percussion abound, but Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards have amassed enough musical and life experience over the last 20 years that the album feels most alive when it's pushing against the traditional alt-rock framework. Echoes of Pink Floyd, Flaming Lips, and late-period Trent Reznor surface throughout, and while the lyrics still bristle with discontent, they're less defiant and more concerned with the journey than they are the inevitable descent/ascent to oblivion.

tags: failure, the heart is a monster, 2015, flac,

Johnny Hates Jazz - Tall Stories (1991)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop
Label Number: CDV 2615

© 1991 Virgin Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: johnny hates jazz, tall stories, 1991, flac,

Johnny Hates Jazz - Turn Back The Clock (1988)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop
Label Number: 7 90860-2

© 1988 Virgin Records
AllMusic Review by Michael Sutton
With their dapper attire, clean-cut image, and glossy production, Johnny Hates Jazz were too slick to receive any respect. Consequently, the group's debut album Turn Back the Clock was unjustly thrashed in the press. Best known for its bittersweet hit single "Shattered Dreams," Turn Back the Clock is actually a well-crafted LP. On "Shattered Dreams," vocalist Clark Datchler sings of a breakup over a finger-snapping, synthesized groove. The success of the song is no mystery; it is unbelievably catchy. However, there are actually better ones on the album. The sentimental lyrics and shimmering keyboards of the title track express heartfelt feelings of nostalgia. The music on Turn Back the Clock is generally upbeat synth pop, but the words are often sad. Although Johnny Hates Jazz offer no profound revelations about failed relationships or lost love, there is genuine emotion beneath the studio luster of "What Other Reason," "Different Seasons," "Don't Let It End This Way," and "Foolish Heart." On "Heart of Gold," Datchler illustrates the plight of a prostitute without sounding preachy, and the funky "I Don't Want to Be a Hero" is a surprisingly effective anti-war song. Turn Back the Clock is a true guilty pleasure; an LP that takes absolutely no artistic risks yet it's too hummable to ignore.

tags: johnny hates jazz, turn back the clock, 1988, flac,

All-4-One - All-4-One (1994)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 82588-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile


© 1994 Blitz/Atlantic Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All-4-One's self-titled debut proved that the quartet were exceptional vocalists, but the songs they sing often don't do them justice. Dividing their time between ballads and smooth dance-pop numbers, the group always sounds good, but they aren't charismatic enough to make weak material compelling. Nevertheless, when the group does have a good song -- like the massive hit "I Swear" -- the results are first-rate.

tags: all for one, all 4 one, all 4 one album, 1994, flac,

Joydrop - Metasexual (1999) ☠

*Reissued in 1999 with a different cover by Tommy Boy records. 
Contains 14 tracks total. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Alternative Rock, Electronic Rock
Label Number: TBCD 1237
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1998-1999 Tommy Boy Records
AllMusic Review by Becky Byrkit
Joydrop brings to mind screamy, girl bands of the mid '80s, who made MTV videos: big hair, pyrotechnics and lyrics about indifference and dismissal belted out with the intensity of a military jet formation. This is, of course, a much, much, more contemporary band than that, but their sound is decidedly retro, referring to that era on all counts (superior lipstick action exists in the '90s, though, everyone's agreed. The album cover attests to that). "Breakdown" is a theatrical vocal and percussion night howler, sounding a little like Joan Jett or even Pat Benatar, even if those two are stylistically pretty darned distinct. "Strawberry Marigold" is sweeter, girlier and more harmony led, reminiscent of Til Tuesday's echo effects which, unfortunately, bury the guitar work. Things simply start to get repetitive right around "Cocoon," which is indistinguishable from multiple moments on other cuts on the record: "Fizz," "Beautiful" and "Dog Star Radio," among others. Joydrop is smart to exploit the compelling guts and verve of these good singers, although their stylistic range, if they have it (and it's hard to imagine they don't, given their awesome vocal capabilities), is something to be shown off as well. Powerful, un-mindblowing girlie rock.

tags: joydrop, metasexual, 1998, 1999, flac,

June 24, 2019

Snow - 12 Inches of Snow (1993)

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Ragga 
Label Number: 7 92207-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1993 EastWest Records
AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn
Canadian dancehall rapper Snow became a celebrity when his patois-laced single "Informer" soared to the top of the charts in 1993. The song shattered the myth that pop audiences wouldn't embrace any tune whose lyrics weren't in pristine English; when his video was released, it included a rolling translation at the bottom. Unfortunately, the rest of this album was mildly pleasant, instantly forgettable pop-reggae delivered in a manner that made Shabba Ranks sound like U-Roy.

tags: snow, snow rapper, 12 inches of snow, 1993, flac,

Transvision Vamp - Pop Art (1988) ☠

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: UNID-5
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1988 UNI Records
AllMusic Review by Brendan Swift
Punk-chewed bubblegum rock, fronted by sex kitten Wendy James, proved a winning formula on Transvision Vamp's debut release, Pop Art. Despite proclaiming "The rules are...there are no rules" in the liner notes, the set follows the time-honored rock/punk formula of guitars, attitude, and a healthy shot of sex appeal: Nick Christian Sayer's guitar work providing the perfect complement to James' anthemic lyrics. At their best with exuberant outings such as "I Want Your Love" and "Revolution Baby," a nice melodic lull to the rollicking fun is provided by the well-honed ballad "Sister Moon." The second half of the album, however, begins to wear a little thin, avoiding the beautiful simplicity of earlier songs with some experimental punk rock ("Sex Kick") and ballads neither catchy nor deep ("Andy Warhol's Dead" and "Hanging Out With Halo Jones"). The light-hearted sounds and catchy hooks were further developed in their follow-up, Velveteen, but straying from the formula with Little Magnets Vs. the Bubble of Babble in 1991 ended public interest as well as the band.

tags: transvision vamp, pop art, 1988, flac,

Transvision Vamp - Velveteen (1989)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock, Pop
Label Number: DMCG 6050

© 1989 MCA Records
AllMusic Review by Tom Demalon
For a period in the late '80s, Transvision Vamp seemed to be everywhere in the U.K. Mainly, it was lead singer Wendy James and her sex kitten image on the magazine covers. Velveteen was the band's second release of their Blondie-like bubblegum rock. It will never go down as a great album, but Velveteen has its own definite charms. James' vocals are hardly impressive, but they are endearing in a childlike manner. It's a style that fits the simple fun of the lyrics on the stomping "Baby I Don't Care" and the new wave rocker "I Want Your Love." It's hard not to want to scream along with the choruses. "The Only One" is hyperkinetic with a slight disco touch. The lack of ideas catches up to them as the second half starts to sound familiar, but they close things strongly with the epic-length title track. Strings lend a bit of drama to a song that shifts from pummeling, tribal rock to dreamy pop to garage band rock to quasi-lounge music with James giving one of her better vocal performances. Velveteen is an enjoyable and effortless listen.

tags: transvision vamp, kiss their sons, 1989, flac,