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
Rag’n’Bone Man, Weezer and Squid deliver the musical goods this week
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SQUID BRIGHT GREEN FIELD
Squid have embarked on a mission to bring ambition back to music, and their debut album is discordant and exciting.
Like Black Midi and Black Country, New Road (two members of the latter feature in a horn and string ensemble) they disdain simple song structures, and need repeated listening to uncover their depths. Squid take inspiration from the post-punk era, when anything and everything was allowed, as well as free jazz, funk, post rock, dub and other genres that encourage experimentation.
They are all scratchy guitars, dub bass, wonky time signatures, vocals that range from a whisper to a scream, as well as field recordings of ringing church bells, microphones swinging from the ceiling and a distorted choir of 30 voices.
We all still have fond memories of playing there in the 70s, and this show was no different. As a North London boy this was almost a home game, but with the added delight of being the re-assembly of the band after a fairly mega tour that had lasted for well over a year.
The all-day Live Aid style Silver Clef concert featured the talents of Paul McCartney, Elton John, Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, Genesis, Status Quo, Phil Collins, Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant with Jimmy Page, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Eric Clapton, and Tears For Fears.
Around 120,000 music fans saw these giants of rock appear on the hallowed stage of Knebworth.
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