One record at a time: 239. Level 42 - Level 42

I am more than happy to admit that my interest in Level 42 was sparked in 1987 by their appearance on the children's TV show "Saturday Morning Superstore". During this period the band were producing what was probably their most commercial material and were at the height of their mainstream popularity. 

But Level 42 have their roots in funk and jazz, so going back to their debut album was initially a bit of a shock for someone like me who was more accustomed to their pop material.

Having said that, the opening track "Turn It On" has immediate appeal with its funky percussion and cool melodies. Wally Badarou's synth work is also particularly brilliant here.

"43" is an instrumental brimming jazz tinged cadences, eighties slap bass and once again, the amazing percussion of Phil Gould. In anyone else's hands "Why are you leaving?" would have been a standard eighties ballad, but Mark's bass can't be contained and the song is elevated by the supreme execution of the band. "Almost There" runs at breakneck speed and offers us a close approximation of how good this band are when playing live. I've seen Level 42 play with various line ups over the years and have always been amazed by their musicianship and sheer skill.

The first track on the flip side is a Wally Badarou composition "Heathrow" which is a jazz inspired instrumental that grooves along quite nicely (and I don't like jazz). One of the highlights of this album is the brilliant single "Love Games" which has an amazing bassline that drives it on incessantly.

"Dune Tune" is another instrumental but this one doesn't grab me quite like "43" or even "Heathrow"; I don't know why but I don't warm to it much. The final track on the album is "Starchild" which is presented in its original form rather than the remix used for the single. Whilst this song undoubtedly has a groove and melody, I always find it a bit limp. I prefer Level 42 when they have a slightly harder edge - but this is a small point of preference. Have no doubt this album is very good and shows just how skilful this band are. 4/5

One record at a time: 238. Leftfield - Rhythm and Stealth

The 'difficult second album' was released three years after the seminal "Leftism" to big sales but little enthusiasm. Reading the Wikipedia article for "Rhythm and Stealth" you don't really get an indication of the rocky reception this record received, but there's no doubt it disappointed many (including me).

The group's debut album had landed in a musical wilderness, but by 1999 the Britpop fad had died and electronic music was re-emerging once again. This shift of power seemed to leave Leftfield a little behind and they struggled to keep up with some of their contemporaries.

Before the album was released, the initial signs were good as "Phat Planet" was used as the soundtrack to an advertisement that was on heavy rotation. This new material sounded innovative and I'm sure many people bought this album on the back of hearing just this song. Personally, I bought the album on CD on the day of release and ordered this vinyl copy when it was re-released in May 2023.

For me the best track on this record is opening track "Dusted" but some of its impact is lost as it drowns in a the sea of mediocrity that surrounds it. "The Chant of a poor man" is a confused and directionless mess that points to the struggles the band had in realising this record. "Double Flash" has nothing to distinguish it from the bedroom noodlings of any DAW user who thinks he's the next Calvin Harris and "Dub Dussett" is as vanilla as electronic music of the period gets. 

Things do improve a bit with the downtempo techno of "El Cid" and "6/8" war is worth four minutes of anybody's time - but I'm convinced the unfortunate "Africa Shox" only survived the cutting room floor because it features Afrika Bambaataa. 

As a listening experience, this album does not hang together well. All of the flair and inventiveness of the first record is only found in a few of the tracks and it feels like there is a lot of filler. Yes this record sold very well, but most of the people who took it home were left disappointed. 2/5

P.S. It has just occurred to me that I have been reviewing my vinyl collection for just over two years now. Thanks to those of you who keep popping in to read these. I always envisaged my ramblings might get people to either spin their own copies or seek out some new music on Spotify - so I hope at least a few of you have either discovered something new or been reminded of music you may have forgotten about.

One record at a time: 237. Leftfield - Leftfield

In 1994 the UK music scene was dominated by Oasis, Blur and manufactured "boy bands". In these dark days electronic music fans were sustained on a diet of Björk and trip hop that never really left us satisfied. The occasional release by Aphex Twin or Moby managed to stop us succumbing to the temptation of Scooter or Real McCoy, but it was a close run thing at times.

"Leftism" was delivered to hungry electronic music fans like manna from heaven in January 1995. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful this album sounded when compared to the guitar driven dirges and Barry Manilow covers that filled the airwaves back then. Whilst this album finds its origins in dance music, it draws on dub, reggae, downtempo and progressive house to generate a unique and mesmerising experience.

Here I am listening to the remastered special "22" edition from 2017 which replicates the original triple vinyl. Personally I prefer the CD version, but there is so much good music here I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

"Release the Pressure" is one of the most awesome and atmospheric introductions to an album that I have ever heard. Earl Sixteen's vocal soon gives way to dub flavoured techno that cranks up in a hedonistic frenzy. There are lush pads to underpin the swirling VC3 style effects and churning rhythms that make this as perfect a letfield/progressive/dancehall/techno crossover as you will ever hear.

The second track "Afro-Left"  fuses club beats with, what I always assumed to be a vocal by an African mystic called Djum Djum. Truth is that the vocals are simply improvised gibberish by a London based singer Neil Cole. Still, it's a great groove.

The flip side of the first LP delivers up "Cut For Life" which is an edit of the standout track "Song for Life". Most of the elements contained in the original version are here, but things have been shaken up and made a little firmer to satisfy the dance floor. It's a nice alternative take, but nowhere near as good as the version on the CD.

Next up is "Melt" which is a dreamy downtempo excursion set to a haunting mute trumpet and a sample lifted from The Art of Noise. This track offers irrefutable proof that Messrs Barnes and Daley could create supreme electronic music as well as beat driven dance tunes.

The beats return for the relatively short jaunt of "Black Flute" which ticks along nicely without outstaying its welcome. Toni Halliday of Curve provides the vocal for "Original" which plays a little too safe and panders to the trip hop trend started by Portishead, Tricky, Massive Attack and the rest. I bought the CD single of this back in the day but this was more out of loyalty than a love for the song.

Things get back on track with "Inspection (Check One)" which sees a welcome return of TR-909 hit hats and the dancehall vocals of Danny Red. "Space Shanty" sounds great coming from this vinyl and the bass drum kicks away in a relentless demonstration of the precise and punchy bass available from wax. So many synth effects and samples move in and out of this track you can't help but wonder at the creativity at play. 

In what seems like no time at all we have moved onto the third disc and its opening track "Storm 3000". If I had to pick a low point for this album it would probably be here but the breakbeats and dub basslines aren't to be sniffed at. The dub continues with "Half Past Dub" which is a short piece that patches together various samples and quirky synths with limited success.

The final side of the album sees the magnificent single "Open Up" laid out as a nine minute extravaganza of pulsating synths, driving beats and a vocal by John Lydon. I'm not a fan of the Sex Pistols, punk music or even rock, but I have to admit I am impressed by Lydon's contribution here. I used to think the bassline on this song sounded impressive from CD, but it sounds simply amazing from this record. Having whipped us up into a frenzy, Leftfield bring us back down with "21st Century Poem" and the poetic words of Lemn Sissay.

This album is a classic of the genre and its influence is as broad as it is deep. For me this is so much more than dance music, this is electronic ear candy that saved us from having to chose between Britpop or Culture Beat. 5/5

One record at a time: 236. LCD Soundsystem - Electric Lady Sessions

"Electric Lady Sessions" is a live session album from 2019. I wanted to say that I bought this record because it was cheap, but when I looked for the invoice I realised it wasn't cheap at all. Therefore my motivation for buying this album after the disappointment of their previous outing, "American Dream" is inexplicable.

Proceedings open with the first of three cover versions included on the album. Elsewhere on this blog I said, "Any song that centres on the assassination of President Kennedy has the potential to be pretty disastrous but "Seconds" is both respectful and entertaining." Whist this may be true of the original, I'm not convinced the LCD version is quite as successful. 

The second track is a grittier version of the title track from their previous album and, to me, it improves things. I'm not a fan of the song "You Wanted a Hit" so the protracted version included here is totally wasted on me. However, I am a massive fan of "Get Innocuous!" which drives along relentlessly in a wash of synths, frenetic drumming and vocal chants. This is clearly a band that have played together for a long time as no matter how intricate and syncopated things become, they all seem to remain locked to each other like machines. 

Next is a trio of songs taken from the "American Dream" album which are all pretty dull - with the exception of "I Used To" which is superior to the original album version. "Home" rattles along at a rapid pace and delivers all of your cowbell percussion dreams in the process. This track segues into a version of Chic's "I Want Your Love" in which Nancy delivers a respectable vocal.

The introduction alone is enough to put me off listening to "Emotional Haircut" but I brave it and survive. "Oh Baby" is the standout track from the proceeding album and the version here offers us a slightly different flavour of a great song. The first single from the album was a cover of  Heaven 17's "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" which is presented as a reverential and restrained reproduction of the original.

Whilst some of the versions recorded in these sessions are superior to the originals, there is an over reliance on material from "American Dream" which means this record doesn't hang together as well as it could have. The band are clearly highly talented and were operating as a well oiled machine by the time they went into the studio to record this, but I wanted to hear a greater spread of material. 2/5

One record at a time: 235. LCD Soundsyatem - American Dream

In 2011 LCD Soundsystem played an emotional farewell concert at Madison Square Garden and promptly disbanded. Whilst it was sad that the project had come to an end, most people respected James's desire to concentrate on his personal life and relieve the pressure that comes with being a hugely successful artist. 

Five years later it seemed the pressure hadn't been too much after all and not only did the band begin to tour again, they also released a new album "American Dream". Whilst their return did create a mild sense of confusion (and dare I say irritation) amongst some fans, everything would be forgiven if the album turned out to be a masterpiece.

The first track is the magnificent "Oh Baby". If you haven't watched the video for this song then you should go and watch it on YouTube now. You can thank me later. 

"Other Voices" sounds a bit like a rehash of things we have heard on other LCD albums, but there is enough drive and energy to keep things interesting. "I Used To" is a slow groove that meanders along in a rock style that lacks the spark of inspiration more electronics might have lent it. 

Once again James displays his allergy to certain vowels with "Change Yr Mind" which also lacks any variation and becomes a little boring by the end. "How Do You Sleep" is a bit like "Dance Yrself Clean" from the previous album in that it builds from humble beginnings into an nine minute electronic colossus. It's a great track that has so much happening that it can be hard to digest at first.

"Tonite" employs the same relentless bassline for its entire length and it either becomes hypnotic or irritating depending on your frame of mind. The single "Call The Police" tries to channel Joy Division and The Cure but ends up going a bit off piste. I'm not a fan of guitar driven music and this is just dull.

The introduction to "American Dream" sounds like "Circus of Death" by The Human League but it becomes more wishful and melancholic rather descending into the weird abstraction that inspired it. "Emotional Haircut" is the usual boisterous 'guitar and shouting' type track that LCD Soundsystem sometimes resort to. "Black Screen" gives us insight into James Murphy's feelings and behaviour when David Bowie asked him to produce his final record. The track is OK musically but I have to admit, my sympathy is somewhat limited.

As good as it is, this record still annoys me. For a start I hate the lower case styling for all of the song titles and the artwork is dull and uninspiring. This wasn't the triumphant return I was hoping for and it didn't entirely remove the bitter taste left by the band reversing their decision to disband. 3/5

One record at a time: 234. LCD Sound System - This Is Happening

To my shame I don't own LCD Soundsystem's second album on vinyl, so we jump to "This Is Happening" from 2010 as the next selection.

This record feels more electronic than its predecessors and I have a higher regard for it as a result. However, like all LCD Soundsystem albums, things do still swing wildly between art-rock nonsense and electronic majesty - it's just the art rock nonsense is kept to a minimum this time around.

Opening track "Dance Yrself Clean" is a truly epic piece that builds from a barely perceptible whisper to electronic induced mayhem. With a running time of nearly nine minutes you might be forgiven for thinking this track is overly long, but it sails by and makes for the perfect start.

Unfortunately the promise of the opening is betrayed by the irritating pseudo-punk of "Drunk Girls". To me this track is a perfect demonstration of James Murphy's inclination to self destruct. There's not much melody in this guitar driven dirge and the lyrics sound like the banal ramblings of a teenager.

We return to the more majestic electronic pop with "One Touch" which features some of the best synth sequences you are likely to hear outside of a Giorgio Moroder track. Yes there is some guitar which lets things down a bit, but James and Nacy's vocal is just perfect. Back in 2010 when I originally reviewed this album I wrote that "All I Want" sounded like an annoying pastiche of Bowie’s ""Heroes"" and I stand by this comment. I can't even bear to listen to it.

I love the track "I Can Change" as it seems to have a real spark of genius. I guess I'm more attracted to the 'synth-pop' sound here, but there are also some original touches that elevate this song to the same heights as "Dance Yrself Clean" and "One Touch". It is also worth mentioning that there is a 12" single with some remixes by Stereogamous that I also adore. 

"You Wanted a Hit" is too cynical for me and "Pow Pow" is pretty much devoid of melody. "Somebody’s Calling Me" is very, very annoying but the final track "Home" is a really great way to finish the record. Thirteen years ago my review of this album was quite gushing but my regard has dwindled quite a bit since. I love some of the tracks here, but I also find fault more easily and deeply with the less immediate material. 3/5

One record at a time: 233. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem

Having bought the CD of this eponymously titled debut album in 2005, I acquired the vinyl when it was reissued in 2017. Whilst the CD version had a second disc collecting together some early 12" singles, the record is limited to the standard nine album tracks.

I originally bought this after hearing "Daft Punk is Playing at my House" on the radio. I have never listened to the radio much (much less Radio 1) so it must have been providence that led me to tune in as this song began to play one evening. There was something about this track that channelled the zeitgeist and it seemed very trendy to me. It was also humorous and a bit off the wall - I didn't even care that it wasn't very electronic.

The second track on the album "Too much Love" was much more electronic in an intriguing, lo-fi, analogue way. I hadn't really heard anything like this before. "Tribulations" is a perfect blend of octave synth bass, drones and original lyrical content that I couldn't get enough of when I first heard it. I used to drive to work and play the first three songs from the CD over and over dreaming of being in New York with the glitterati and not heading to a tortuous dead-end job. 

The next song "Movement" smacks too much of 'knowing' alternative rock for me to enjoy it. Throughout the LCD Soundsystem back catalogue there are a number of songs like this and I don't enjoy any of them. "Never as tired as when I'm waking up" sounds like a terrible Beatles pastiche that just drags on and on until the needle reaches the end of the wax.

Thankfully the first track on the flip side, "On Repeat" is less inclined to indulge in rock cliches but it still doesn't do enough to capture my interest. "Thrills" is a more palatable and has a superb bassline that is reminiscent of Leftfield's "Phat Planet" in places. The last standout track is "Disco Infiltrator" which takes inspiration from Kraftwerk and mixes it with a pinch of seventies funk to create a really good groove. "Great Release" is a bit of a stale ending but there has been more than enough to entertain here. 3/5

One record at a time: 232. La Roux - Supervision

After another lengthy hiatus, La Roux returned with the album "Supervision" in 2020. I ordered a limited edition white vinyl from Ellie's website which came in a signed sleeve.

Prior to the album arriving, I had head "International Woman of Leisure" which intrigued me without being overly impressive. As I had bought the first two albums I thought I might as well take punt on the third.

"21st Century" kicks off with a jaunty beat and some Nile Rodgers-esque guitar work, but the cadence in the chorus just doesn't work for me. The retro Linn drum sounds are brought out for the disco vibes of "Do You Feel" which rolls along quite nicely. "Automatic Driver" and "International Woman of Leisure" continue to employ the annoying choppy rhythm guitar and the melodies are limp to say the least.

The first track on the second side initially raised my hopes of hearing something other than rhythm guitar over a programmed beat, but this hope was extinguished after about thirty seconds. The repetition of style is a real shame as "Everything I live For" has an original bassline and Ellie's vocal is great - it's just that damn guitar. "Otherside" has some eighties, LA vibes about it and "He Rides" is a perfectly competent mid-tempo bop. The final track "Gullible Fool" was released as a single but it doesn't really have anything to distinguish it; other than its more restrained use of rhythm guitar. 

Until this listen through I don't think I was quite able to put my finger on why I didn't like this album - but now something has crystallised in my mind. The over use of faux Chic rhythm guitars and the weak melodies are the Achilles heel here (and on the previous album come to think of it). I know Ellie wanted to move away from the synth heavy sound of the first record but this isn't to my taste. This is the second time I have been bitten by a La Roux album and, short of a reunion with former bandmate Ben, I can't see me buying another. 2/5

One record at a time: 231. La Roux - Trouble In Paradise

As I enjoyed La Roux's eponymously titled debut album, I decided to pre-order the box set of the much delayed follow up "Trouble In Paradise". As well as the vinyl there was a signed CD, a code to redeem mp3 files and a T shirt. The original specification for the box set included nine (yes, nine) matchboxes, but unsurprisingly these were swapped out for a signed and numbered lithographic print instead. The box has unique artwork and is individually numbered. I was really looking forward to receiving it.

However, when the box set arrived in July 2014 I was left rather disappointed. It seems trouble doesn't only occur in paradise; it happens on vinyl too. There's no other way of saying it, but, this album isn't very good. 

I think it is fair to say that the success of the first album brought considerable pressure on band members Ellie and Ben. This pressure culminated in a split that meant La Roux was a solo project by the time this record was released. The break up of the group was in part due to Ellie's desire to introduce acoustic instruments and lean towards a more funk and disco influenced sound for the second outing. Unfortunately this change of direction didn't suit Ben and it seemed to leave many fans behind too. I went to a concert on the tour that supported this album and the contrast between the old material and the new was quite stark when they were laid side by side.

Everything on this album could be described as "mid". It's definitely not terrible, but equally it has no spark, no hook and no magic. "Uptight Downtown" has some nice touches and "Kiss and Not Tell" is close to the sound of the first album, but songs like "Tropical Chancer" are too repetitive and "Sexotheque" is just nonsense. I knew not to expect a repeat of the first album, but I don't think I was prepared for something as troubled as this. 2/5