Bill Adams, Author at Ground Control Magazine

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the I Planted, Apollos Watered, But God Kept Making It Grow LP by the crushedvelvets. Not every reader of this review will have experienced any kind of skepticism at the current health and validity of rock music, but they can rest assured that it’s coming. In my own case, I remember being in university when the validity and health of rock music was being called into question; at the time, an increasing number of potential listeners were being lost to vaguely metropolitan-flavored soul music – the sort that was typifies by artists like Maxwell, Choclair, Alicia Keyes and D’Angelo. At that time, it took the likes of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Strokes and Queens Of The Stone Age to give rock the shove which helped it re-establish dominance but, in listening to the crushedvelvets’ debut, rock’s next batch of saviours may have their work cut out for them. The fact is that I Planted, Apollos Watered, But God Kept Making It Grow moves in from the second that needle catches groove on the album’s A-side and immediately establishes a vibe as slick and welcoming as velvet and only releases that hold when the album needs flipping to its’ other side.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s begin at the beginning of the album, and work our way in.

As soon as needle drops, listeners are introduced to “At Ease” and are immediately set at it as a drum pattern which feels like it was just played (read: not played to a click track – there is an obvious pocket to sink into, there at the beginning of “At Ease”) finds a warmth that is perfectly settling, and guitars and bass start coloring passages to make the song feel lived in. Even on first listen, there is a sense of comfort to be found in “At Ease,” and listeners will feel it before Dani Meza starts singing but, when he does, it’s perfectly apparent that he’s already feeling the rhythm as much as listeners are. Throughout the cut, Meza sighs along with a sense of satisfaction that is impossible to miss and is incredibly attractive.

“At Ease” actually sets all the precedents and parameters for the album and, after the song lets out, great attention is paid to meticulously populating the rest of the A-side of the album with likeminded entities. “Orion’s Belt” follows “At Ease” and actually feels shorter than it is because the energy in the song is just so similar to that of its’ predecessor. Happily though, the more staccato-feeling bass that powers “You’re My Style” instantly sets it apart and re-captures listeners’ collective imagination. As was true earlier, Meza keeps up his sly, understated vocal, and that keeps listeners warm through “When It Comes To You” – in spite of watery phase/chorus effects sounding like they’re trying to break Ben Lumsdaine’s perfect – and perfectly fragile – beat. That “beat interrupted” sensation is actually more unsettling than one might think and, because of that listeners will enter “Taste Of Sugar” nervously – but the beat in that songis as stable as anything by Mitch Mitchell and so the song slides along easily, even when horns bleat unexpectedly before the side ends. When it does end though, listeners will find themselves rushing to their turntables to keep the album moving – the hook is set deep into them, and hopes that the B-side is of comparable quality to the A- are high.

In fact, the B-side of the album far exceeds the quality of the A-, and the difference is evident right away. As soon as the second side’s movement gets under way, there’s a jubilant, almost playfully light step about “Here And There” that is immediately accessible. There, the bass and drums really tease listeners along and Meza has to really work to keep up as the rhythm gives his body chills he can’t forget and a chorus of female back-up singers call him (and listeners) to follow along. Granted, there is no obvious relief in the song and that helps it slip into a higher, more seductive gear, but it’s effective enough to win fans and get them to fogive the clear misstep that “Glutton For Romance” represents (the halting and hesitant manner in which the song’s lyrics are delivered makes it sound like a love song delivered by Garth Algar – it’s a farce) and lets “Got You” arrive as the culmination of love song greatness that has mostly only been hinted at, to this point. With a set of keyboards which sound like they might have been lifted out of The Doors’ catalogue in all the right ways, “Got You” presents itself as the confident turning point in the album’s creative vision; here (and after this too), the romance that’s implied feels true and not at all contrived. The energy is strong enough that it also informs “Another Type Of Sickness,” and the last embers of it continue to glow in “The World Views The Gentle As Weak” (which gets over in spite of having an abominable title) as it closes out the album.

Standing back, having run all the way through I Planted, Apollos Watered, But God Kept Making It Grow, there is simply no way to deny that it’s a complicated album. True – there are some good points – and there are also some weak ones. It’s easy to appreciate some of the music on this album, while there re also some ideas that are under-developed. Simply said, the muse which inspired the music here as well as the development of that music itself is a work in progress but, after having experienced it, listeners will have the taste for it that will get them to sample it again, and will have them hoping for an even better, richer flavor when the crushedvelvets return with a follow-up album, someday. [Bill Adams]

Artist:
https://thecrushedvelvets.bandcamp.com/album/i-planted-apollos-watered-but-god-kept-making-it-grow
https://tidal.com/browse/artist/30429574

Album:
the crushedvelvets’ I Planted, Apollos Watered, But God Kept Making It Grow LP is out now on TCV Records. Buy it here, on bandcamp.

The post Vinyl Vlog 657 appeared first on Ground Control Magazine.

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into Scott Collins’ Purple Pain LP. There aren’t many artists making music right now who are capable of introducing themselves as clearly having both their heart on their sleeve as well as a chip clearly on their shoulder, but that’s exactly what Scott Collins does on his Purple Pain LP. From the moment stylus catches groove and “Killer Crush” opens the running of Purple Pain‘s A-side, Collins straddles a line between defining warm hearts and sentiments, and brutally mocking those same sentiments through lines like, “One step to the fire, I’m blind – I can’t see/ Two steps do it now – I’m burning.” In listening, an argument could be made both for and against the idea that it isn’t the single easiest development with which to introduce oneself, but the dimly lit instrumental tones that illuminate the song as well as the simmering, electronic beat which powers it achieve a sort of consistency which becomes hypnotic before the song hisses to a close, and listeners won’t be able to keep themselves from wondering what might becoming after “Killer Crush” closes.

After “Killer Crush” does successfully establish its tone, “Love You More” follows and doesn’t exactly change up the sound so much as deepen it in a similar manner to how Leonard Cohen deepened the thematic turns through The Future. Again, very electronic and pre-programmed beats uphold the cut (this becomes consistent throughout the duration of the Purple Pain LP) and whispering synths as well as Collins’ more dramatic vocal styling are the elements which power the song and supply its flavor but, on the wrong day, “Love You More” can feel like it’s taking an eternity to get through its’ three minutes. “Shittin’ Tears” follows quickly and redeems its predecessor with some much more infectious and bluesy guitar styling , but “A Matter Of The Art” sees Collins backsliding quickly in all the wrong, emotionally self-indulgent ways to close the side. There, the singer croaks and groans hard over a gently pattered piano and agonizes in ways which quickly cease to feel worth investigating; for just under four and a half minutes, the singer pores over the inherent difficulties about songwriting and the concept of baring one’s soul in a believable way as the tape rolls but, after having already endured other such investigations, the play begins to bleed together. By the time the needle lifts from the side after “A Matter Of The Art” closes, some listeners will find themselves politely hoping that Scott Collins has other more interesting inspirations which might appear on Purple Pain‘s flip side.

…And, while the B-side begins at a point that’s just about as dimly-lit (calling it “dark” would be a shade too far) and muted as the A-side of the album was at its terminus, it doesn’t remain there for long. “Kiss Like Me” continues to tread the ground that “Love You More” overturned on the album’s A-side, but does so with a slightly better angle similar to that of Cowboy Junkies. From note one, “Kiss Like Me” lilts beautifully along as Collins rasps and rattles rapturously, and listeners might be surprised when they learn that the singer holds himself responsible for the demise of the relationship that fails in the song. In the end, it’s hard not to feel for him, instead of judging him and, as the side progressed, the band just keeps rolling along as “The Town Went Out On Us” ventures close to sounding like Lou Reed returning from Berlin while “Silver Bullet” tests the singer’s capacity for self-flagellation at half-speed and “Quitter” finds Collins holding himself accountable for not being able to just let go (of the girl? Of his pride? There are several possibilities) as the album closes. In the end, the album closes in much the same place it opened; while each song clearly articulates movement, Scott Collins remains very much in the same position he was when he started. While some critics would complain that the singer’s obvious inability to move forward is a clear shortcoming, repeated listens reveal that the reason for that unmoving position rests with the fact that Collins is holding back. The singer has illustrated obvious talent in the nine cuts on Purple Pain, he just needs a little more time to let his muse and music season in order to make grander statements. [Bill Adams]

Artist:
https://scott-collins.bandcamp.com/album/purple-pain
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559185347466
https://www.deezer.com/en/album/575153421
https://www.instagram.com/savantgarde__/p/C6659oyOdtN/?locale=ru&hl=am-et&img_index=1

Album:
Purple Pain is out now, both on vinyl and digitally. Buy it here on Scott Collins’ bandcamp page.

The post Vinyl Vlog 656 appeared first on Ground Control Magazine.

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into Bass Drum Of Death’s “Live… And Let Die” LP. Even on first glance at the cover of “Live… And Let Die“, I began to get excited. The cover of the album reminded me of so many other live albums I’d seen before; with a black and white photo and an arguably trite title, the album instantly calls to mind similarities to live albums by bands like Aerosmith, Judas Priest, The Black Keys, Neil Young and others which appear to have been hastily assembled and favor urgency over craft. It might seem unlikely, but that sense of familiarity excited me; in this day and age when concerts featuring playback to to basically make a show is the norm, simply presenting a performance with no frills is exhilarating – and such is precisely the appeal of Live… And Let Die.

Recorded in 2023 in Chicago, the A-side of “Live… And Let Die” opens earnestly with a great version of “I Wanna Be Forgotten” that is just captivating. There, after introductions are made, Bass Drum Of Death just launches into “I Wanna Be Forgotten” and never looks back; guitars are overdriven to the point that they nearly melt down, and Colin Sneed pummels his drum kit mercilessly while John Barrett’s vocals season the song and make the high end sparkle. As potentially nihilistic as the grind of the guitars could get, the song stays bright and exciting throughout and, when it does slam shut (after just two and a half minutes!), listeners will feel as though they’ve been slapped in the mouth – and so will rush to keep up with the album’s running.

After the album’s precedents have been set by “I Wanna Be Forgotten,” “Nerve Jamming” lifts the introductory beat from The Ramones’ “Teenage Lobotomy” but makes the guitar tone in the song just a little more grimy and gnarly in keeping with the band’s image before evening out the sound of those two extremes and finding a balance with “No Soul”and “Left For Dead,” which strike every primal pleasure centre in listeners’ brains and “Velvet Itch” just batters the last functional nerves that listeners might have in them before stylus lifts and asks listeners to flip the record over if they dare.

Those listeners who do take up the challenge will be handsomely rewarded as soon as needle touches down and “Everybody’s Gonna Be There” starts the B-side running. There, after some obligatory screech and skronk, Barrett taps an instantly gratifying vein as he balances melody and urgency – bolstered very well by Sneed and Trent Cocteau – and rips through two and a quarter minutes of spectacular rock that is as molten as it is melodic. After that, the running does not slow as the bandmembers each exercise their vocal chords through the hard stomping of “Say Your Prayers” and batters through an excellent, revved up take of “Shattered Me” before sounding as though they’ve spontaneously chosen to walk out into the desert (whether imaginary or not) through “Get Found” and then remaining there for the grunting, grinding showcase of “No Demons” and finally closing on a lighter and brighter note in the form of “Crawling After You.”

Now, after having ground and stomped their way through most of the B-side’s play, closing on a brighter, speedier note as “Crawling After You” does offers a solid way out of the album, but it could easily be argued that the close of the album doesn’t want to make those who have run front-to-back with “Live… And Let Die” start over and indulge repeated plays so much as just wishing the album was longer. Listeners who run front-to-back with “Live… And Let Die” may find themselves wishing that the release was a double album or, failing that, on a different medium altogether – which could offer a more complete presentation of the concert experience. Simply said, “Live… And Let Die” will leave listeners wanting more but the nature of the medium tries not to leave any loose ends dangling from the record too. In effect, what listeners end up getting from “Live… And Let Die” is a very challenging album which starts strong but leaves demand very high by record’s close. [Bill Adams]

Artist:
https://www.bassdrumofdeath.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100047278503815
https://www.instagram.com/bassdrumofdeath

Album:
Bass Drum Of Death’s “Live… And Let Die” LP is out now. Buy it here from Cobraside Records’ official web site.

The post Vinyl Vlog 655 appeared first on Ground Control Magazine.

A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Undefeated LP by Frank Turner. After releasing nine albums in seventeen years (and that’s just the studio albums – there are more comps and live albums that have appeared, as well), many fans may have a bit of difficulty getting excited about a new Frank Turner album. Granted, the singer has never made any gross missteps along the way in his catalogue, but it could easily be argued that fans feel familiar with Turner; they know what to expect from him. That may indeed be true but, on Undefeated, Frank Turner proves he is still able to stoke excitement in fans by standing with them and challenging himself as much as they would challenge him. Each of the fourteen songs on Undefeated push boundaries and limits for both those listening and for Turner as an artist, but none stumble or trip at all. Undefeated is, simply stated, a perfectly rewarding listen.

As strong as such praise may sound, it’s worth pointing out that the gratification which comes from Undefeated begins to appear as soon as needle drops and “Do One” opens the A-side of the album. There, Turner seems to begin humbly (check out lines like, “Some people are just going to hate you/ No matter what you do/ So don’t waste your time trying to change their minds/ Just be a better you.“) before ratcheting up the levels of defiance in a manner that is instantly rewarding (“It took me years to learn this/ More than I’d like to admit/ But through my ups and downs I figured one thing out/ Don’t take anyone’s shit”).

The levels actually go up still higher after “Do One” introduces Undefeated in the most remarkable ways. “Nevermind The Back Problems” clatters together and spits in the face of the possibility that punk’s life force might be in question with a sneer which could only have come from the United Kingdom before pumping the brakes for some introspection in “Ceasefire” and then stomping right back down hard on the accelerator for the music store MASH note, “Girl From The Record Shop.”

On “Girl From The Record Shop,” how much Turner has refined his songwriting craft over the last nine albums is really evident. Sure – songs about girls have always been in the singer’s repertoire, but Turner’s newest attempts feel more meticulously constructed than those on previous albums. The first few cuts on the A-side of Undefeated prime listeners well, but the particular standouts like “Girl From The Record Shop” and “Pandemic PTSD” hit square in the middle of the side and so definitely require a time investment – but they’re definitely worth it. “Girl From The Record Shop” really sets hearts racing, but “Pandemic PTSD” just cannot help but be a thematic centrepiece; lyrics like “I’m haunted by a kind of mourning for the life that we left in 2019/ I know it wasn’t perfect, but it’s what I knew/ Physically distanced, told we’re in it together/ But socially removed from our snickering betters/ Far too smart to abase themselves by following their own rules” sum up the frustration that many people felt during the pandemic, even if we might recognize how pragmatically important the practice was now, in hindsight (although it’s still a button issue, and the fallout of that isolation is still felt).

As the side plays, “Letters” continues with the same pragmatic bent and contrasts the song’s tempo with the minor chords which drive the song as well as the singer’s (lyrically) admitted frustration before finally closing with the geographically-conscious “East Finchley.” There, Turner finds a way to balance love and frustration beautifully as lines like “When they put up the barriers at East Finchley Underground/At the end of the tunnel that led to your road/ They cut off my route to the only saafe place I’d find/ It cost money I didn’t have for me to go home” present the image of a familiar place in unfamiliar circumstances, issued in a tone and with an inflection which will have listeners rushing to investigate because there is anger without confrontation apparent. There is reserve, but a critical spirit too – and that emotional hook is huge and listeners will find that they’re still wrestling with that as stylus lifts from side.

Perhaps because he knows he closed the A-side on a heavy note, Frank Turner elects to completely change the subject at the top of the B- and, while the energy is very similar, the approach is much different. “No Thank You For The Music” (which is very possibly the most uniquely British way of telling people how disinterested they are in the concept of digital music consumption) valiantly attacks online music culture with a well-honed balance of poppy caprice and bile in its belly (check out lines like, “Now I’m surprised to report that as I enter my Forties / I’ve returned to being an angry man/I can see clearly now that the drugs wore off/ Some kinds of music just aren’t part of the plan,” which pairs the manic snarl of a street preacher with Elvis Costello at his most punky-melodic) and the songs flies beautifully with the sense of sensory overload which powers it. That aforementioned energy holds up but plays a little leaner through “The Leaders,” and uses the same chord progression under the coyly-entitled “International Hide and Seek Champion.” Now, as that series of songs plays through, the energy never fades under levels that are undeniably infectious – which begins to feel a little problematic, somehow. By “…Champions,” listeners may actually find they’re beginning to tire of what they’re hearing, which is what makes the break exhibited by “Show People” so welcome.

For “Show People,” everyone (including Turner himself) gets the chance to catch their breath as they go from a run to a brisk walking tempo – in contrast to lyrical fare which pays respect to all the people who make a concert happen (like sound men, lighting crew, security et cetera), behind the scenes. While the tempo of the song does decrease, it never gets quite as overwrought as Elton John did with “Tiny Dancer” – which serves it very well. Listeners will find that they relish the movement that “Show People” makes as it runs and, when it ends, the sense of satisfaction that comes with it is just stellar. “On My Way” follows and echoes “Show People” a little as well as seasoning in something similar to Bright Eyes’ more romantic side before Turner makes his way to a piano to further reaffirm that image through “Somewhere Inbetween,” but the real peak was achieved before and during “Show People” and everything after it is just an enactment of an extended outro. The final cut of the album, the title track, treads ever-closer to that “Elton John” line as the Turner rolls the piano out again, but also has the presence of mind to bring a guitar and drummer along to make the cut a little less balladesque, and more like a victory as the song crashes to a close on the title lyric.

After the needle has lifted and listeners have a minute to digest where the title cut left them, listeners who have run front-to-back with Undefeated will eventually concede that they can take the ride through the album again – but that decree may not come as immediately as it did with Frank Turner’s previous work (like with Poetry Of The Deed, England Keep My Bones and Tape Deck Heart and FTHC in particular). The process of affection which comes to Undefeated is a more gradual one but fans can rest assured that they’ll eventually find what they’re looking for here. While certainly more difficult, Undefeated is excellent and, when you’re not expecting it, is capable of packing a wallop which will leave listeners won. [Bill Adams]

Artist:
https://frank-turner.com/
https://www.facebook.com/frankturnermusic/
https://www.instagram.com/frankturner/?hl=en

Album:
Undefeated is out now. Buy it here, directly from Frank Turner’s official website.

The post Vinyl Vlog 653 appeared first on Ground Control Magazine.