Jazz’s Blog

In 1999, Dido released her stonkingly good debut album, ‘No Angel’. It was a huge success with all kinds of different people. On one level, it could be seen as having a very middle class feel, but there was a bit more to it all than that. This collection of songs could have been described as being slightly twee, but there were so many more aspects to this album than that.

A large part of the album is influenced by Read the rest of this entry »

If you have had a friendship with someone over a number of years then there are plenty of things to remember. And if that person has since died then it can be a rather emotional experience.

Imagine then, experiencing all this beneath the watchful eye of the media and you will then have a vague idea of how Lou Reed and John Cale felt after losing Andy Warhol. There had been several disagreements between them all and for Lou and Read the rest of this entry »

Over the past few years in music there have been some pretty interesting bands. People are trying to come up with different ideas and it is hard work because so many things have already been done. Music is no longer the young and largely uncharted land that it once was; now it is home to many turning points and landmarks.

I think that the last really fresh idea to come along in music was probably Trip-Hop. Bands such as Portishead Read the rest of this entry »

When ‘Take on me’ stormed into the charts in 1985, a lot of people assumed that a-ha were just another ‘boy band’. It was a forgivable mistake to make, partly because of the single’s poppy sound, the way Warner Brothers marketed the band and because Morten Harket was so damn handsome.

Even after a-ha had released several other incredibly good songs as singles the image stuck.

Their debut album,’ Hunting High and Low’ was flawless. Every track was a joy Read the rest of this entry »

Having already wowed Gothic Rock fans with, ‘First and Last and Always’, Andrew Eldritch released, ‘Floodland’ on a wave of expectation in 1987. In many ways the album could not have been more different from its predecessor. However, out of the listeners who eagerly rushed out to buy it, there were certainly no complaints.

‘Floodland’ moved away from a heavy reliance on guitars and lurched off toward a more synthesised and industrial sound. Andrew Eldritch delivered an album that was Read the rest of this entry »

One of my favourite bands is Dead Can Dance and one of my favourite albums is their ‘Within the Realm of a Dying Sun’.

Out of all of the CDs that I have in my collection (which is an awful lot) this is one of the few that makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

The album is split into two halves. The first part is a vehicle for the vocals of Brendan Perry whilst the Read the rest of this entry »

As far as I am concerned, Portishead are one of the most original groups to emerge for a very long time. I have enjoyed their music right from the first album, ‘Dummy’, to their last offering, ‘Third’.

If they really are to start working on their fourth album then I shall be a very happy man indeed. It was a long time to have to wait (around eleven years) for the release of ‘Third’. Mind you, it was worth it. Read the rest of this entry »

What a pleasant surprise to come across this blog about Muse; they just so happen to be one of my favourite bands.

The guy (or girl) that wrote this is spot on with his description of them. In my mind, Muse are one of the most original bands of recent years. They have a very distinctive sound that is carried along with some great falsetto vocals and some really meaty bass lines. The guitar playing on their music is Read the rest of this entry »

I am flabbergasted that so many people think that ‘celebrities’, like Jonathan Ross, are overpaid. I had no idea that so many of my fellow citizens had so much common sense.

It’s not rocket science is it? Have a look around the world and see all of the suffering and poverty. Now glance back toward the likes of Jonathan Ross and tell me how it can be justifiable for anyone, least of all him, to ‘earn’ the amount of Read the rest of this entry »

It is a terrible shame that these animals can now only be seen on rare photographs. At one time these creatures were walking around quite happily. Now, because of mankind’s destructive nature, they are doomed to exist only in a world of two dimensions.

These pictures have a sad and rather haunting quality about them. Looking though them made me wonder just how many of the Earths’ inhabitants we will help to join this ‘album of extinction’ before we change Read the rest of this entry »