Lennon and McCartney go head-to-head yet again.
Ram was McCartney’s second solo album, released in 1971, and is a prime example of how popular music, on its release, is adjudged by so many factors other than music. Macca was in disfavour in 1971, regarded, wrongly, as the man who broke up The Beatles and also as the politico-spiritual lightweight of the quartet (Ringo has always been given a pass on these matters!). 50 years later, disconnected from all such blather,
Ram is a jolly thing, scrappy but fun, with an unpretentious thrown-together quality, songs such as lo-fi Beach Boys pastiche “Dear Boy” rubbing up against the entertainingly silly, music hall rockin’ ode to marjuana “Monkberry Moon Delight”. It does, indeed, sound like a man decompressing after the monumental, generational expectations placed on his previous band. In gatefold, it also comes half-speed mastered so sounds great. Lennon’s first solo effort, the
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The Fratellis have entered that awkward career midpoint for bands, where the tension between doing what comes easy to them and trying to expand their musical palette causes inevitable problems.
In The Fratellis’ case, what comes easy to them is sweet, tuneful rock n’ roll that pounds away cheerfully enough on the surface but has a slight melancholy to the vocals and chord progressions that gives it some tougher, juicier flavour underneath. Their biggest hit, “Chelsea Dagger”, isn’t really like this: it’s just straight-ahead, upbeat rock music. But right from their first album, tunes such as “Flathead” and “For the Girl” hid a slightly sour core underneath the guitars-and-drums surface, which came across to fans like me as a strange tension and can only be described as beautiful.
Published: 05 April 2021
The Fratellis are a Scottish trio who’s sixth album “Half Drunk Under a Full Moon” continually evolves their sound with more elaborate sonic touches to go along with their sometimes lunatic lyrics.
Phil Spector’s wall of sound is a definite influence on the new album with their long-time producer Tony Hoffler layering the joyous vocals over the swirl of a multitude of instruments.
Best known in Great Britain for their neo-punk anthem “Chelsea Dagger,” The Fratellis music has become much more melodic on the new album but with hooks that still beckon for audience sing-a-longs in concert.
ALSO: Reissues (CDs / Vinyl)
Johnny Mathis “The Heart of a Woman / When Will I See You Again / I Only Have Eyes For You / Mathis Is …” (1974-77 albums on two CDs; remastered, with bonus tracks)
The Damned “Punk Oddities & Rare Tracks 1977-1982” (12-song collection)
Allen Ginsberg “Allen Ginsberg At Reed College: The First Recorded Reading of Howl & Other Poems”
Various artists “The Best of Bond … James Bond” (2CD reissue with Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, Duran Duran and others)
The Searchers “A & B Sides 1963-1967” (32 remastered tracks on one CD)
Mindi Abair “The Best of Mindi Abair” (19-song compilation; new single: “April”)