Michel Legrand/Jacques Demy - "Le Cinéma en Chanté" CD, Compilation, 2009, France (Universal)

There was once a better place in the world, and Jacques Demy films represented that world.   To go to a movie theater and to be transported into a landscape that makes happiness.  The sadness is when one leaves the theater and realize that the world hasn't changed outside the theater.  To prolong the mood, it's best to have this compilation of music by Michel Legrand, composer for Demy's classic films.  

At heart, Legrand is a jazz guy, and his music has a swing to it, but it also expresses a happy-go-lucky attitude even when love turns sour.  The sadness in his music is just another layer of clothing that embraces the characters in the Demy narratives.  This CD is a great compilation, and therefore a magnificent introduction to the aural world of Demy and Legrand.  It is not complete, but it does feature the central music for all of the Demy/Legrand film projects.  For my listening taste, I love "Lola" and the Jean Cocteau like (a tribute?) "Peau D' Ane."   It reflects the romance of the films or the haunting qualities of the characters.   Overall there is no such thing as a bad Legrand piece of music.  

Serge Gainsbourg - "Du Jazz Dans Le Ravin" CD, Compilation, Remastered, 1996 (Mercury)

In the year 1996, Philips/Mercury organized a series of releases focusing on a specific time and music style of Serge Gainsbourg.   For me, it was my first real introduction to Gainsbourg's music and his world.   So, for the last 21 years, I have been obsessing about this man's music, which led me to publish a full biography of Serge as well as releasing a fictional work by him as well, with my press TamTam Books.   

"du jazz dans le ravin" is a collection of Gainsbourg's early recordings, that are mostly jazz-based, but still in a pop song format.  Lyrically, he was on the button of greatness.  Like most English speaking people I sort of knew Gainsbourg through his recordings with Brigitte Bardot and of course, Jane Birkin.  Beyond that, I knew very little till I bought this CD compilation.   Compared to his pop and Latin-based pop music, I love his jazz period.  At this time, he was singing in a croon, that conveyed wickedness and someone who can give great advice.   The music is very seductive,  but not always in the physical, sexual sense.  He was a writer that could convey a world and make it into a "Gainsbourgian" landscape, and us listeners are just passing through the neighborhood.  

His partner-in-crime was the great arranger/songwriter/jazz player Alain Goraguer.  Gainsbourg throughout his career depended on these sort of musical characters, and Goraguer was the jazz guy for him.   It's either Goraguer's jazz arrangements or the great recordings with electric guitarist Elek Bacsik and double bass player Michel Gaudry.  A Minimal arrangement with Gainsbourg's voice floating over these two instruments.  Yet, the songs are incredible. "Chez Les Yé-Yé" and others are Serge's most excellent commentary on the Paris world at that time (the late 1950s/early 1960s).  

Often I'm overwhelmed when someone asks me what's the entrance to Serge Gainsbourg's music.  For me, I'm one of those who gets one,  I must have everything.   To properly understand his work, you have to dive in with head and body - and head first!

Sparks - "Big Beat" CD, Album, 1994/1976 (Island Masters)

A really good album that could have been great, if say, someone like Mick Ronson produced "Big Beat."   It's an unusual (well, they all are in a sense) Sparks album because it's very 'rawk' with a great pinch of glam in its mixture.   The driving force of the sound is Russell's vocals, the drums, and snarly guitar.  The album, recorded in 1976, has one eye looking at that time, the current CBGB's 'punk' aesthetic, and yet, still keeping the songwriting to that perfect pitch, which is consistently brilliant and unique. 

"Big Beat" as mentioned, I think Mick Ronson was planning to take over the production or at the very least be part of the band at the time.  Instead, the album is produced by Rupert Holmes with assistance from Jeffrey Lesser.  If it was another Sparks project, I could see Holmes being involved, because of his work, although Holmes has strong middle-of-the-road songs, lyrically there is something else going on in his world.  Holmes reminds me of 10cc, in that the humor can go over a lot of listeners' heads and ears, due to the pop perfection of the production/sound.   What doesn't fit with the Holmes aesthetic, is that this album is very much of a rock album, with the genius songwriting/lyrics of Ron Mael.    Ronson, in theory, can give the songs on this album a great meeting ground between glam and rock 'n roll.   Holmes I think is more comfortable in the AM radio world of easy pop. 

Beyond the weak production, this is a wonderful collection of songs, that are satirical, witty, and comes off to me as a Voltaire/Johnathan Swift sensibility in political/social humor.   One can be offended by some of the songs here, for instance, "Throw Her Away (And Get A New One)," but again it's a work of satire, and commenting on a landscape that's pretty disgusting.  On this CD release, there are two fantastic bonus cuts:  "Tearing the Place Apart" and "Gone With The Wind." It's worth to find this specific CD for those two songs.   

Chantal Goya - "Masculin Féminin" CD, EP, French, OST, 1966/2006 (Magic Records)

It's funny that I can recall the day when I found a CD version of the OST EP of Jean-Luc Godard's "Masculin Feminin."  I was shopping in Tower Shinjuku Tokyo and was with a friend, and bingo, this came out of nowhere.  I bought a copy for a friend who was taking me around Tokyo that day, and one for myself.   As an artifact, it's priceless, as art, it's not bad.  What makes it great is that it's the soundtrack to Godard's great film.   In essence, one feels that they own something that is from ground zero on the planet French New Wave.  

Originally the "Masculin Feminin" was released as a 7" EP in 1966.   It has six songs on it, which is unusual because most French 7" EP's had only four songs.  Nevertheless, this is a compact pop history that is even hard for me to write about with respect if it's good or not.   The last three songs (on vinyl, side two) are superb and iconic Yé-Yé recordings.  The first three is good, but for me, it's side two that kicks butt.   

On the other hand, compared to artists like France Gall and of course Hardy, she doesn't come close to their greatness.  Still, this being connected to such a perfection that is Godard's work, it's a must for anyone who has the Jean-Luc bug.   Very difficult to find in any format at the moment.  The French label Sam Records has put out a lot of fascinating (CD) reissues from the 1960s, including British artists as well as French, of course.   They do great packaging as well as preserving essential music that may have fallen through the cracks of time. 

Television - "Marquee Moon" CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, 1977 (Elektra/Rhino)

The stark image by Robert Mapplethorpe of Fred Smith, Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, and Billy Ficca A.KA. Television sets the tone what is inside the package.  Before the Internet, and yes, there's radio, but it was pretty useless for those who live in Los Angeles and therefore didn't have access to the tidal wave of new bands in New York at the time.  I've read about Television, and even more intrigued by their photographs of the time.  They never smiled, nor do they look like they enjoy each other's company.  The only goofy/fun one was Richard Hell, but he left the band by the time of this album's release.  

I think I first heard of the band in 1975, so through publications like The Village Voice, I kept track of this band and was very curious what their sound was like.   The critical response from their shows seemed chaotic from boredom to spiritual enlightenment.  Alas, I purchased the 45 rpm single of "Johnny Little Jewel" (Part 1 and 2, like a James Brown single from the late 1960s), and was transformed by the words, Verlaine's voice, and of course, those two magical guitars working at and against the slippery bass and drums.  When they reissued this remastered CD, the folks on the label were smart to add this song to the package.  

"Marquee Moon" is without a doubt, a classic recording.  The albums' mixture of intensity, beauty, drama, and you know these guys probably didn't move much on the stage.  Verlaine's lyrics/poetry would read like Raymond Chandler if he were a beat poet.  Romantic, yet tough, but with strong visual poetics that gives a picture while listening to the music.  Their stance of attachment or coolness mixed in with a focus on a classic rock two guitars, bass, drums sound is essentially fantastic. In my mind, since Elektra originally signed the band, I think of them as younger brothers to the other Elektra acts Love and The Stooges.  Of all the labels in the world, Television is an Elektra band.  With respect to the band's devotion to the music, and doing things their way.   The way Verlaine and Lloyd would work their guitars separate from each other, and in a sense giving little stabs, stings, and a sense of play, and then on the chorus, they join sensually and sexually manner.  There are a lot of great guitar bands, and one can argue who is better than the other.  The truth is Television is unique, and I think it's not only due to the talents of Verlaine's writing (although I suspect the others had their two or three cents in) the whole chemistry of the band, working together.  Indeed a gang, a group at work.  Perfection practiced by professionals. 

Japan - "Quiet Life" CD, Album, Reissue, 2001/1979 (BMG)

When the most unfashionable band in existence became the most fashionable band in the era of the new romantic.   How they made that work is a total mystery to me.  Japan's first two albums I have heard bits and pieces but never could take them seriously due to their appearance and worse, the name of their band.  It's common knowledge that bands that name themselves after places, especially countries, in theory, suck.   Yet somehow, David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Steve Jansen (David's brother), Richard Barbieri and guitarist Rob Dean managed to turn themselves into sophisticated sonic artists. 

It's like they made a deal with Satan at the crossroads.  Nevertheless, it must have been an 'ah-ha' moment for all those involved. 

What's interesting, and who I think is an essential person in their change of tactics is their producer John Punter.  Punter worked with Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music on their/his early solo recordings  The first thing I think of when listening to Japan is Roxy Music.  Sylvian took on the Bryan Ferry voice mannerisms, and the instruments became more Roxy like, but with additional sonic textures that were their own making.  The interesting thing about Sylvian is that he truly transform himself into a different type of singer/performer/writer.  Sylvian's songs reflected his mood, but with a European icy aesthetic that pretty much removed them from their London roots.  Also in future recordings, they worked with Steve Nye, another long-term Roxy/Eno associate.  The results of these relationships and in the band's artistry is remarkable. 

"Quiet Life" is the first 'new' version of Japan.  The original vinyl album had eight songs, but the CD reissue has 12 altogether, with two being remixes for the 12" market, and the additional "Life in Tokyo" produced and co-written by the great Giorgio Moroder.   Sylvian is not a man of action, but a figure who reflects on his surroundings, and contemplates on the nature of his world.  With his deep ballad (Ferry like) croon, his voice floats over the instrumentation, which has one very particular instrument - and that's Mick Karn's fretless bass.  Karn is the secret ingredient to Japan's success. Sylvian looked like a cross-dressing fashion model out of Vogue, but Karn had a Mediterranian good looking vibe, but also his distinctive playing of the bass is a huge part of their overall sound.  In a sense, it is like there are two singers in Japan.  Sylvian with his voice and the other voice is the bass.  Also noted is that the front cover is Sylvian by himself, but the back cover is Karn. Which suggests that the band is Sylvan on one side, and the other is Karn, with the rest of the group being in the middle of those two, as they are displayed in the inner sleeve. The keyboard work from  Barbieri (as well as Sylvian) is never based on chords, but more with sound. It's very organized musiques concréte, with jazz-like drumming from Jansen.  

The weird juxtaposition of them being pin-up teen idols, but with a very sophisticated sound must have been an odd experience for both the fan and musicians.   Although the music is loose, it is still very contained in an airless box, which makes listening to a "Quiet Life" an exciting experience.  The songs are all beautiful.  The pacing is quite slow, but it's the textures that keep one's interest throughout the album.  Their cover of the Velvet Underground's "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a perfect vehicle of a song for them to do.  On the surface captures the sense of dread within a social world, and Japan, at this point, is out of that world, and in a much-confined inner-world.  

"Quiet Life" is by no means an ambient album, but I think a listener can tell that the group was heading toward a place that is 'furniture music' (Satie), but here they still explore the boundaries of the pop music format.  If the new listener can get past their silly name, one will be awarded an impressive landscape that is Japan's music. 

Mick Karn - "Titles" CD, Album, Reissue, 1990/1982 (Caroline)

Bass playing in my listening experience is not always, but usually distinctive to a specific player.  Mick Karn, I can identify within a few seconds of his playing. For one, he plays a fretless bass, and the way he treats melodies is like containing water by cupping your hand. It will slowly leak out, but the essence of the taste of the cool water will stay with you.  Karn's playing works in the same fashion.   It throbs with sexuality, and it is almost like hearing someone crying.   Karn was a member of the band Japan.   His bass playing for that band was essential to their overall sound.  David Sylvian the lead singer and writer for Japan never really changed that much in his solo recordings, except maybe be more experimental in its overall sound.  Still, when I hear the Sylvian solo release, I think, where is Mick?    And when I listen to Karn's solo recordings, I think "where's David."  In truth, or whatever their problem was, they needed each other.  The original band should have never broken up, even though I do enjoy the solo recordings by both artists. 

"Titles" is the first solo Mick Karn album.   One would not expect that much because he's not known as a composer or songwriter, but still, the bass playing is the essence of everything he did.  The truth is "Titles" is a very good album.  Ambient in parts, and totally exotic sounding throughout the record.  It reminds me of David Bowie's "Low," in that Karn gives in to the instrumental side of the world.  The album features members of Japan (except David of course), but it's mostly Karn doing all the overdubs and it's great noise.  Spiritual in a pop sensibility way, the album is Karn stretching out his muscles and brain.  His death from Cancer was a terrible tragedy.  As I mention, the bass playing is very individual practice, and with him out of the picture, we lost a unique and brilliant musician. 

"Henri Salvador Alias Henry Cording and his Original Rock and Roll Boys" CD, Album, France, 2002/1956 (Philips)

The first French Rock n' Roll and it may have been a joke, but alas, it does rock.  Henri Salvador is a jewel in the French music world.  Entertainer, incredible jazz guitarist, songwriter, and humorist.  Also a great pal of Boris Vian, who signed him to Philips, in his later career as an A&R man for a record label, after a career in writing, translating, singing, songwriting, and of course, engineer.  Vian and Salvador wrote what sounds like a parody of rock, played by French jazz musicians.  This originally 10" release (Oh, how I wish I own that version) in 1956, saw the presence of rock entering the French market place.  My guess is that Vian, a total Jazz-head, probably liked the Black American elements of rock n' roll and not that crazy about the commercial push of that genre.  But that's just an educated guess on my part.  Half the album is Salvador/Vian, and the other is Vian/Michel Legrand songs.  Big band, honking horns, excellent cutting electric guitar, and Salvador singing the absurd lyrics by Vian.   Superb music. 

Barney Wilen/Alain Goraguer - "Jazz & Cinema Vol. 1" CD, Remastered, France, 2000 (Gitanes Jazz Productions/Jazz in Paris)

It's no top secret that the Paris culture loves American Jazz.  Similar to American pop culture being in tuned to the British Invasion of the early 1960s.   Gitanes, the tobacco company that probably killed Serge Gainsbourg and many others, had the good taste to sponsor a series of classic French Jazz sessions, that are way out of print, yet, essential to the jazzier and French cultural maven.  I think I have the complete series.  The majority of the recordings are from the post-war years in Paris, from 1946 to 1959.  A lot of it is American and French musicians who made recordings for the French market.  A lot of American musicians, especially Black Americans, made a good living in Paris during those years.   Thanks to people like by beloved Boris Vian.

"Jazz & Cinema" comes to five separate CDs.  Their first volume is devoted to the soundtracks of "J'Irai Cracher Sur Vos Tombes" by Alain Goraguer (based on a Boris Vian/Vernon Sullivan novel) and Un Témoin Dans La Ville by Barney Wilen.  Both from 1959.   Both are great scores by these magnificent talented musicians.   Goraguer is of special interest to me, due that he had worked with Vian, Serge Gainsbourg, and made a pioneering electronic score for La Planète Sauvage.  The CD series is not expensive, and all come with great liner notes and images of the original release.  Their outer CD covers look like a tourist trap attraction but believe me, the sound is great and the talent/recordings are all magnificent. 

The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra & Chorus - 16 Hip Hits (cd reissue, Japan)

The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra & Chorus - 16 Hip Hits

CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Japan, 2013

Decca

To step into a fantastic record store like Pet Sounds in Tokyo and seeing the entire Andrew Loog Oldham catalog reissued as CD, was something that almost forced me to cry, but I held my tears back and purchased all of them.  They were $28 a piece and for sure worth every yen and cent.  The first one I played was “16 Hip Hits.”  To be honest I have a lot of these songs in a collection that was put together in the 90s, but for me, to hear it in its natural order - plus the additional 16 bonus cuts, well it was like being put in a time machine in 1966.  Except I was in Tokyo not London.

Paul John Jones did a lot of the arrangements for this album, and the selection is mostly from the obsessive taste of Oldham.  It was songs that were hits at the time, and Oldham at that time, didn’t look back or reflect on his past.  This was music made to be carried out at that point and time.  So one got a snapshot view of his world at the time, and the beauty of him is that he’s an artist, but I suspect that he was thinking about himself as more as a hustler than anything else.  Music was another part of the hustle, and this is what makes this album such a sweet listening experience. 

The arrangements appear to be slower, then the original recording hits, and there is a looseness of the arrangements that almost feel like it would fall apart any moment.  So that adds a certain amount of tension in the work.  For me, it gives a sense of charm, and with the additional good taste from Oldham makes these recordings essential for anyone who is interested in 60’s British pop.  Most of the songs, if not all, are American orientated.   They hanker back to almost an imaginary state of mind of the original recordings - but re-imagined by Oldham and perhaps Jones.  But I suspect that Jones was just following Oldham’s lead, and Andrew it is all about image, and that image, is really beautiful.