Low-Noise

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of the song There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths in (just under) fifteen minutes.

Critics consider "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" to be one of the Smiths' finest songs. Simon Goddard wrote, "In a straw poll among Smiths fans today, 'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out' would more than likely still come out victorious", which he credits to the "perfect balance" of Marr's compositional skills and Morrissey's lyricism.. AllMusic's Tim DiGravina calls it "a standout among standouts from the Smiths' masterpiece third album, The Queen Is Dead."

In this episode I am in discussion with Dr. Andrew Webber.

I hope you enjoy the podcast and please do leave feedback if you like what you you have heard.

Mathew Woodall

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of British guitarist and singer-songwriter John Martyn in just under twenty minutes.

Over a 40-year career, he released 23 albums, and was revered by his peers. The Times described him as "an electrifying guitarist and singer whose music blurred the boundaries between folk, jazz, rock and blues".

Before his late-career decline, Martyn was one of the most innovative figures in the British folk-rock genre and a significant influence on the freak folk movement of the 1990s.

In this episode I am in conversation with Dr. Andrew Webber.

I hope you enjoy the podcast and do leave feedback if you like what you have heard.

Mathew Woodall

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of The Police in just under 20 minutes.

Their 1978 debut album, Outlandos d'Amour, reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart on the strength of the singles "Roxanne" and "Can't Stand Losing You". Their second album, Reggatta de Blanc (1979), became the first of four consecutive No. 1 albums in the UK; its first two singles, "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon", became their first UK number ones. Their next two albums, Zenyatta Mondatta (1980) and Ghost in the Machine (1981), led to further critical and commercial success with two songs, "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", becoming UK number-one singles and Top 5 hits in other countries; the former album was their breakthrough into the US reaching number five on the US Billboard chart.Their final studio album, Synchronicity (1983), was No. 1 in the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy and the US, selling over 8 million copies in the US. Its lead single, "Every Breath You Take", became their fifth UK number one, and only US number one. 

I hope you enjoy the podcast and do leave feedback if you like what you have heard.

Mathew Woodall

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of American singer, songwriter, and musician Kacey Musgraves in just under fifteen minutes.

Musgraves is a seven-time Grammy Award winner who released her fifth studio album Deeper Well in March 2024.

Born in Golden, Texas, Musgraves has been making music since she was eight. As a child, she was a champion yodeller and sang the national anthem at the 2002 Winter Olympics. In her teens, her parents paid for her to record a sucession of three independently produced albums, while her grandmother worked as her agent.

I hope you enjoy the podcast and do leave feedback if you like what you have heard.

Mathew Woodall

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of The Waterboys in just under 20 minutes.

The Waterboys were formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. Although over seventy musicians have performed live as part of the group, some have spent only a short time with the band, contributing to a single tour or album, while others have been long-term members with significant contribution. Mike Scott has remained the only constant member. Musically they have explored several different styles, but their music is essentially a mix of folk music with rock. They dissolved in 1993 when Scott departed to pursue a solo career. The group reformed in 2000, and have continued to release albums and to tour worldwide.

In 2024 The Waterboys announced tour dates in support of their new album, which will be released in spring 2025. 

I hope you enjoy the podcast and do leave feedback if you like what you have heard.

Mathew Woodall

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of the song Wand'rin' Star by Lee Marvin (in just under 20 minutes). The song was originally written for the stage musical Paint Your Wagon in 1951 and was recorded by Lee Marvin when the musical was translated in a movie in 1969.

Released as a single in 1970, Wan'drin' Star became a number one hit in the UK. A sound-alike cover version appeared on the 1970 Top of the Pops album with one reviewer using terms like "laryngitic croak" and "gargling gargoyles" to describe how he felt about the version. It was also covered by UK comedian Julian Clary and released as a single in 1990. Shane MacGowan and The Popes also covered the song on their 1997 album The Crock of Gold and the song was played at the end of the funeral of Joe Strummer in 2002.

In this episode I am in conversation with Dr. Andrew Webber.

I hope you enjoy this podcast.

Mathew Woodall

The introduction to this episode features an excerpt from 'Ma' from the album 'Asimov' by Inafer Era. Thank you to Auden and Meah.

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of German musician, composer, and record producer Nils Frahm (in just under 20 minutes).

Redefining the space between classical and electronic music, Frahm’s unconventional approach to the piano, played contemplatively and intimately, and his use of ambient textures and atmospheric electronica, has won him many fans across the globe. Frahm launched his own label LEITER with his manager Felix Grimm and during the Covid-19 lockdown, they released Old Friends New Friends, a selection of solo piano tracks from twelve years of his archives.

In this episode I am in conversation with Dr. Andrew Webber.

I hope you enjoy this podcast.

Mathew Woodall

The introduction to this episode features an excerpt from 'Ma' from the album 'Asimov' by Inafer Era. Thank you to Auden and Meah.

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of the 1977 album 'Low' by David Bowie in (just under) fifteen minutes. In this episode I am in discussion with Dr. Andrew Webber.

Bowie's eleventh album is an art/experimental record influenced by German bands such as Tangerine Dream, Neu!, Harmonia and Kraftwerk, Low features Bowie's first explorations in electronic and ambient styles. Side one consists primarily of short, direct avant-pop song-fragments, with mostly downbeat lyrics and side two comprises longer, mostly instrumental tracks, conveying musical observations of Berlin. Producer Tony Visconti created the distinctive drum sound using an Eventide H910 Harmonizer, a pitch-shifting device.

Bowie's school friend, George Underwood designed the album cover. As with the artwork for Station to Station, it features a re-worked still from The Man Who Fell to Earth. The album cover has been parodied on many occasions, including the sleeve of Nick Lowe's 1977 album ‘Bowi’ as well as in posters and prints featuring Kylo Ren from Star Wars and Loki from Marvel.  

Low was released on compact disc for the first time in the mid-1980s. A 1991 Rykodisc CD release by contained three bonus tracks, including a remix of Sound and Vision and the outtakes Some Are and All Saints. EMI then released the 1991 edition in the UK on CD, Cassette and LP. In 2017, the album was remastered for Parlophone's A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982) box set, released in CD, vinyl and digital formats. The set includes Bowie's 'Berlin Trilogy', over eleven compact discs or thirteen LPs - the box attracted criticism by fans and music reviewers. 

This is Episode 24 of Season 3 (and one of over 100 other episodes). I would like to say a huge thank you to the overwhelming number of listeners and followers over the past two years as the Low Noise podcast continues to evolve in its own inimitable way. I truly appreciate all your interest and support.

I hope you enjoy this episode.

Mathew Woodall

The introduction to this episode features an excerpt from 'Ma' from the album 'Asimov' by Inafer Era. Thank you to Auden and Meah.

A (relatively) in-depth analysis of The Bible in just under fifteen minutes.

The band released two critically acclaimed albums in the mid-1980s and are best known for the hits 'Graceland' and 'Mahalia'. Since The Bible's first split in 1990, lead singer Boo Hewerdine has maintained a solo career while the band itself has been intermittently active, performing a 30th Anniversary concert (originally scheduled for 2016) in 2017 at Under the Bridge in Fulham.

Hewerdine collaborated over several years with Eddi Reader, as producer, songwriter and guitarist in her band. His song "Patience of Angels", originally written for The Bible, was recorded by Reader for her self-titled 1994 album. His other production work includes albums with The Corrs, Heidi Talbot, and Laurie Freelove. Hewerdine is considered one of the UK's finest singer-songwriters.

I hope you enjoy the podcast and do leave feedback if you like what you have heard.

Mathew Woodall

Manassas is a double album by the group Manassas, a blues-rock band led by Stephen Stills. Recorded towards the end of 1971 the album explored several musical styles including rock, latin, country and bluegrass. Released in 1972, it was a critical comeback for Stills, being certified Gold a month after being released and peaking at number 4 on the US album charts.

Stills, a Civil War enthusiast, flew the then unnamed band to Virginia, at one point visting Manassas which lies close to where the Confederacy had claimed its first major victory at the Battle of Bull Run. The group were photographed at various locations around the city by photographer Ira H. Wexler, choosing a photograph of them standing on the north end of the then-Southern Railway depot for the album cover. Above them is the Manassas railway sign which inspiored the name for both the band and the album. The photograph is in fact a wide-angle shot, the 

Rock/rail enthusiasts (I'm sure they exist!) will be interested to know that Manassas station can also be seen in the music video for the 1987 Steve Winwood song Back in the High Life Again.

As well as Stephen Stills, the group’s personnel included Chris Hillman (the original bassist of the Byrds), steel guitar player Al Perkins and fiddler Byron Berline, both of whom had played with Hillman in the Flying Burrito Brothers, keyboardist Paul Harris; Blues Image founder Joe Lala and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young alumnus Calvin 'Fuzzy' Samuels and Dallas Taylor on bass and drums.

In January 1972, the band flew to Stills' house in London to finish recording and mixing the album and to rehearse for an upcoming tour. This led to Rolling Stone Bill Wyman playing bass on and co-writing the song 'The Love Gangster'. According to Dallas Taylor, Wyman was prepared to leave the Stones for Manassas but was never asked!

The album was included in the 2005 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

This is Episode 22 of Season 3 (and one of over 100 other episodes). I would like to say a huge thank you to the overwhelming number of listeners and followers over the past two years as the Low Noise podcast continues to evolve in its own inimitable way. I truly appreciate all your interest and support.

I hope you enjoy this episode.

Mathew Woodall

The introduction to this episode features an excerpt from 'Ma' from the album 'Asimov' by Inafer Era. Thank you to Auden and Meah.