Lodger

Bowie's 13th album Lodger was released forty two years ago last week, on the 18th of May. I was unable to get a-bloggin' about it then, so here is my a-blog now. Fair enough? The final offering of the supposed 'Berlin Trilogy', even though it was recorded in Switzerland and New York City. One of the big factors connecting the three albums (Low, "Heroes" and Lodger - for the uninitiated) is Brian Eno, who Bowie met in 1976. While Eno co-wrote several songs on these albums, they were helmed by multi-instrumentalist and frequent collaborator Tony Visconti, who produced the albums with Bowie. 

This record stands out from the three as arguably the weakest entry, and the only one not to feature any instrumental tracks. There's also a pop sensibility that permeates the music, despite some experimental sounds and Middle Eastern influences. Another difference is the addition of guitarist Adrian Belew, who Bowie had recently poached from Frank Zappa. Other contributing musicians include bassist George Murray, drummer Dennis Davis, violinist Simon House and pianist Sean Mayes. Frequent Bowie band member Carlos Alomar is also on guitar duties and co-wrote a couple of tracks as well. 

Wow, my thumb obscures the album's title - rookie move.
(Although you can make out 'Lodger' in four different languages below)

I must confess to not being the biggest fan of this offering, but there are a handful of songs I absolutely love. Seeing as it's been a fair few years since my last full listen, now seems like an excellent opportunity to remedy that. Let's go song by song: 

1. FANTASTIC VOYAGE
One of my favourite opening tracks from a Bowie album, and my pick of the songs here. Featuring an absolutely brilliant vocal performance from him, this would probably be in my Top 20 Bowie songs as well. Apparently the track has several overdubbed mandolin parts, three different musicians playing three parts each! Doesn't feel like that much mando, in fact, the song's production feels quite simple to my ears. I was stoked to see Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross do an understated performance of this song for the livestream event, A Bowie Celebration, early this year. It was included in Bowie's live document A Reality Tour as well, much to my delight. Short and sweet, I actually hit repeat twice before listening to the rest of the album. The song is also the first of six songs that were co-written with Brian Eno.

2. AFRICAN NIGHT FLIGHT
There's a lot going on here. Bowie's vocal delivery borders on annoying and there's too many lyrics to take in at times. I'm sure it's the product of Eno's bizarre 'Oblique Strategies cards', but it feels like noisy filler. Interesting Middle Eastern hook, but it's a bit of mess, for mine.

3. MOVE ON
Another song that's not that memorable. Some nice vocal harmonies and a pleasant enough listen, but nothing that sticks with you. 

4. YASSASSIN (TURKISH FOR 'LONG LIVE')
Not the greatest track here, but I do like the melody of the repeated 'yassassin' with the call and answer responses: "I'm not a moody guy/I walk without a sound". Almost a ska/reggae vibe on this one, complete with wobbly organ part. 

5. RED SAILS
Now, I don't mind this one. The vocal line is quite hooky and I found myself singing the "thunder ocean" bit repeatedly after my first re-listen. The melody-mirroring saxophone was provided by Stan Harrison, not Bowie himself. I do find it bizarre when he doesn't play the sax. Belew sounds like he was finally let off the chain a bit here too. The album itself starts to get a bit more interesting from this point on. 

6. DJ
One of a handful of songs that started to appear deriding the radio industry, the attitudes of those who helm the song choices and the decisions of what makes the airwaves. I first heard this track on the 1993 compilation Singles Collection Vol. 2, and took a while to warm to it. I dig it a lot more now, and it's certainly one of the album highlights. Co-written with Alomar, this song features a lot of guitar work from Belew and a memorable chorus line: "I am a DJ/I am what I play". 

7. LOOK BACK IN ANGER
Not a bad track, but doesn't really go anywhere. It seems like it stays in the same place without really moving forward, despite the galloping feel of the song. Bowie's vocal performance is terrific though, and the sound production of the band is pretty good.

8. BOYS KEEP SWINGING
Possibly the album's most renowned track, and another big highlight for me. The instrumentation and arrangement reminds me of early Roxy Music. I really love the bassline, which was re-recorded by Visconti after the experimental idea of the musicians swapping instruments didn't quite work. That's Alomar on the drums! He he he... I only just learned that this song also has the same chord progression as Fantastic Voyage. Now, I can't stop swapping the two songs around! 

9. REPETITION
A harrowing account of domestic violence, belied by the track's bouncy bassline. Bowie's near-emotionless vocals are especially chilling, as it would seem the song's narrator has no qualms about beating his wife. Not really an enjoyable listen, but an interesting one. 

10. RED MONEY
The album's final offering isn't too bad, and has Eno playing that synth sound throughout. Some nice crunchy guitar, and overdubbed vocals. Again, like some previous tracks, it feels a little meandering and comes across as filler. Its fadeout is almost merciful, as the song feels like it could just keep going. 

All in all, it's not brilliant, but has its moments. I give it 3 out of 5. Would listen to some of it again.

NEXT UP: Diamond Dogs. Eeep! This one was a little late...

CLAY'S eleven

I was asked by a good friend of mine to make him a CD. He asked me to pick eleven songs that mean something to me. He also told me not to over think it, and just do it. 

I did probably give this task too much thought, but I like to do these little things. This felt quite similar to the Essential20 idea that Justin floated through us a couple of years back. Only this time, I didn't have to rely on Spotify. I knew I would have everything I wanted.

Of course, I tried to include my BIG FIVE, and I got three out of the five. I had a bit of an epiphany a little while ago where five musical artists revealed themselves to be my absolute favourites:

1. Neil Young
2. Bob Dylan
3. Frank Zappa
4. Paul Kelly
5. David Bowie

For whatever reason, these five musicians are the ones where I've tried the hardest to listen to their entire body of work. I haven't quite got there with all five yet, but I'm certainly making headway.

Anyway, I decided to distance myself from my favourite bands and songs and stuff and hone in on music that provoked an emotional response of some kind from me. As someone else would be listening to it, I also thought it best to keep the length of the tracks fairly short too; no twenty six minute prog rock epics here! The longest song goes for six and half minutes, but they tend to be between three and four.

I think I've come up with a fairly indicative list, but as is always the case with these things, I've missed a few songs. I'm not going to dwell on those missed choices though. For whatever reason, I feel that these eleven tracks were the ones I was meant to pick.

Anyway, here they are:

1. Desperados Under The Eaves by Warren Zevon (Warren Zevon, 1976)

I went through a pretty big Warren Zevon phase a few years back after a fellow who worked at Rosie O'Grady's lent me the A Quiet Normal Life compilation. This was a track that constantly grabbed me whenever it played. I seemed to be drawn in by it, and as the song builds towards it end, I would feel a little teary for some reason. It's not a sad song or anything, but the arrangement is pretty stirring. I have been lucky to play it live a handful of times, and it has some of my favourite lyrics that Zevon ever wrote. I was always pretty bummed that I didn't really get into his music until after he died.

2. Don't Let It Bring You Down by Neil Young (After The Gold Rush, 1970)

Of course there had to be a Neil Young song in here, and I landed on this one. Not only my favourite song from my favourite Neil Young album, but it has a lyric that I found myself quoting a lot over the years:

"Don't let it bring you down/

It's only castles burning..."

I don't really know what it means, but I find it strangely comforting. I feel it expresses a desire to rise above whatever situation who find yourself in. I might be wrong, but that's the great thing about music, isn't it?

3. The Lighthouse Song by Josh Pyke (Chimney's Afire, 2008)

Rhona and I both love Josh Pyke and we've seen him live about seven or eight times. His music speaks to both of us, and we even have lyrics from one of his songs on our bedroom wall. I chose this track because it always reminds of me of Rhona. When things get a little tough, and the world seems to be closing in around us, this songs almost becomes something of a mantra. We're about to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary and I think our relationship is stronger than it's ever been. I cherish our marriage dearly, and I don't take it for granted. This song feels like it's about us, in a weird way.

4. Pink Moon by Nick Drake (Pink Moon, 1972)

I had to listen to Nick Drake's Pink Moon as part of my blogging adventures for afyccim, and it was my first ever experience with the man. I was struck by the song's simplicity and beauty. That piano in the middle of the track is just wondrous. It just does something to me. It centres and clams me. I love it. 

5. The Mission: Unexplainable Stories by Cloud Cult (Light Chasers, 2010)

From the first time I heard this song, I loved it. The opening brass lines grabbed me and I was hooked within ten seconds. It wouldn't surprise you to know that this song is from a concept album, and this is the start of the story, but it works quite well on its own. I absolutely love how the musical layers stack up throughout the track. It's stunning.

6. (Nice Dream) by Radiohead (The Bends, 1995)

For a long time, I held this album to be my favourite of all time, and it's still up there. I chose this song because I think everything great about Radiohead is in this one track. Lovely melodic vocals, lush arrangements, screaming guitars and beautiful counter melodies. Its the latter than really grab here. When they start up in the middle choruses, I just get taken away. He he he...and then the guitars shake me out of it.

7. God by John Lennon (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970)

I've spent a large portion of my life as fan of The Beatles, and I still am one. John has always been my favourite Beatle, and I gravitate towards the songs he wrote. When I chose my ten essential Beatles tracks recently, seven of them were John's. This album is a very strong contender for my all time favourite too. Such raw honesty and emotion. This track in particular strips away the idea that John clings to any ideal, religion or figure. All that matters is his relationship with Yoko, and again that's something I relate to me and Rhona. I also love this song for Ringo's drumming; every fill on the "I don't believe in..." lines is different. 

8. The Golden Age by Beck (Sea Change, 2002)

Another one of those songs that just takes me away. I love listening to this one while I'm driving, as the lyrics describe being in the car. Again, it's a fairly simple song, but the arrangement and the vocal layering elevate it well above the average track. This is another song that seems to calm or soothe me.

9. Not Dark Yet by Bob Dylan (Time Out Of Mind, 1997)

This hypnotic, almost dirge-like track is the longest one in this list. It's slow, it's fairly simple, but I love the lyrics and the repeated guitar riff. It feels like the musical equivalent of an ocean wave; the song just washes over you. This album was the beginning of one of my favourite Dylan eras, and it always reminds me of the road he went down. 

10. Little Aches And Pains by Paul Kelly (Spring And Fall, 2012)

I love Paul Kelly, and if there's any songwriter I wish I could emulate, he's it. His observational style and storytelling skills paint such vivid images. This track is a little different, but it still evokes a picture of sorts. As the song's narrator talks about getting older and how he always feels little aches and pains, Kelly knocks out some of my favourite lyrics:

"Disabled we're born, disabled we die/

Is that a cliche? I'll make it one/

Hope it doesn't get too creaky..."

I also hold this track as something special because the first time I heard was live. Rhona and I went to see the Paul Kelly documentary Stories Of Me at the Astor Theatre and Kelly came out at the end of the film to play a few songs. This was one of them, and I loved it immediately. We were lucky enough to score front row tickets too, so he was directly in front of us. Magic moment.

11. It's A Motherfucker by Eels (Daisies Of The Galaxy, 2000)

Despite the profanity, this is a beautiful song. Those strings are just amazing, and I think it's one of the most perfect arrangements I've ever heard. It's a nice way to the end of the list too. I think this was the song that started me down the Eels' rabbit hole as well. I haven't listened to the last three or four albums, but I should get onto that.

So, there you have it. I might try to do this again in a little while, as an experiment, and see what I choose then.