Spirits
living in another world
(part two)
Dogman, aka David Sands
A review
‘SPIRIT
OF TALK TALK CD 2’
 |
| my copy kindly signed by James Marsh |
A double
album of Talk Talk songs covered by various artists and released by Fierce
Panda (September 2012).
Having lived through the decades which saw
all the musical output that is Talk Talk and Mark Hollis (solo) to date, and
bought everything that is available, I am comfortable with the songs. They are
now a permanent part of my long term music-lyrical influences that includes the
Shadows, Beatles, Paul Simon, Rolling Stones, The Blue Nile, The Cure and Neil
Young with jazz and blues in between.
The Spirit of Talk Talk CD (digipak)
is designed by Talk Talk’s now symbiotic graphic-artist, James Marsh. The
artwork is said to be based on a cover created in 1983 for a prospective album
'Chameleon Hour' (which was never released). The musical and production
supervisor for the project is Alan Wilder with mastering by Denis Blackham,
(who mastered many of Talk Talk’s albums). The Project has been managed by Toby
Benjamin.
I listened to the Universal Music re-release
of the 180gm vinyl ‘Laughing Stock’ last night and what struck me was the sheer
intensity in the voice of Mark Hollis and the musicianship/mixing of this last
Talk Talk recording. This is nigh impossible to replicate or imitate for any
musician or band in my opinion. I wager that it would be impossible for Talk
Talk to reproduce although Captain Beefheart, if he were alive, might argue with me.
I enjoyed this CD slightly more than CD1.
There is an interesting article in the Guardian here and a quote from Phil Brown who engineered Spirit of Eden GRAEME THOMSON ON TALK TALK
I enjoyed this CD slightly more than CD1.
There is an interesting article in the Guardian here and a quote from Phil Brown who engineered Spirit of Eden GRAEME THOMSON ON TALK TALK
 |
| Phill Brown with me after the launch party |
Here is part two of my review and sourced notes are given in [ ]
Opening track
It's my life - The TenFiveSixty
This is interesting cover of a most
familiar (popular), middle-career, Talk Talk song that already has a famous version
performed by Gwen of ‘No Doubt’ who nailed the drama-in-the-disco remix. The
TenFiveSixty work to create a new blend, rock-pop style and it does have its moments.
[I struggled to find much
information on the website about this man-girl duo but heard them and took
photographs as they were playing live at the launch party. I thought Fyfe
Dangerfield was involved vocally and on guitar in the live jam but I might be
wrong]
[Track four on the 2nd
Talk Talk album, ‘It’s my life’]
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| The TenFiveSixty playing live at the launch party (one of the few I took of the stage performances) |
2) Inheritance - Recoil (ft. Linton Kwesi Johnson & Paul Marshall)
This is one of the most creative
tracks on the two-CD album.
Alan Wilder conjures up the essence
of Talk Talk with his arrangement on which Linton’s voice offers rich and deep
spoken-word lyrics.
Paul’s vocal on this cover shines
through, like the sun out of the clouds.
I can hear two versions here, one
by each.
[Track four on Spirit of Eden, the
4th Talk Talk album]
3) Ascension Day - Turin Brakes
Turin Brakes, were once ‘the
darlings’ of acoustic duos in early 2000 with ‘Underdog’ from the first album a
favourite at open-mic nights and ‘Pain Killer’ from the follow-up reaching top
5 high in the UK charts. I own both CDs and having heard previous snippets of
Ascension and watched the video I was pleased to hear them take on a challenging
Talk Talk song.
From the first acoustic chords
this has the Spirit of Eden 'feel' but not the urgency or the un-nerving off-key
feel of the original. The vocal does not have the ‘difficult to recreate’ stamp-of-pain that makes Mark Hollis’s unique
(as I found from my own weak efforts). However, a cover should offer a
different take on an original and this does that.
[Turin Brakes are a modern English
folk duo, comprising Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, hailing from Balham,
London. They had a UK top 5 hit with their song "Painkiller"]
[Turin Brakes topped the bill at
the launch party and were involved in several superb Talk Talk jams onstage) Turin link
[Track two from Laughing
Stock, 5th and last Talk Talk album so far]
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| Part of the wonderful James Marsh animation show |
4) Today - White Belt Yellow Tag
This cover captures the punk-pop
feel and might be what might result from the symbiosis of Duran Duran and early
Talk Talk. The version brings nothing new to a song that, in terms of standing
the test of time, belongs in the past.
[there is one song on myspace – I don’t
know anything about them]
[track three from the first Talk
Talk album ‘The Party’s Over]
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| my original discography list from fan club |
5) I don't believe in you - Ian Curnow (ft. Human)
I adore this version. The vocal
has some kind of bullish attitude, sung softly, and it works for me. The keyboard/synth
arrangement reflects Ian Curnow’s splendid touches and I would have put this on
the start of this second CD. It is a fresh
take on a great Talk Talk song.
[from the web - songwriter/producer
/programmer /keyboard player. Having been a session player and arranger, Ian
spent 3 years with Talk Talk as keyboard player, MD and co-writer. Then he
became main keyboard player and programmer for the hugely successful Stock
Aitken and Waterman team during their massive success period, playing on most
of their big records and also producing and writing for many of the artists
there. After that Ian co-produced most of the E17 output with Phil Harding,
including the Xmas UK No.1 single Stay Another Day, and also co-wrote a number
of their songs.† Other names that Ian produced and/or wrote for during that
time were Boyzone, Take That, Roxette, Deuce, OTT, Let Loose and many others.
Since then Ian has written songs for various artists including SClub 8 (UK No3)
and produced tracks for Liberty X, Girls Aloud and Robin Gibb. Most recently
Ian has been involved in collaborations including writing and production work
with Darren Styles, as well as scoring a UK number 23 single having written and
produced "My Generation" for Billiam. He has songs and productions
out in Europe including a song on the new Kate Ryan album, and the accompanying
single for Soraya, and has co-written and produced the new single for the
reborn artist Angel City] info on Ian
[Can anyone tell me about Human?]
[track two on the ‘Colour of Spring’
– the 3rd Talk Talk album]
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| My Colour of Spring 1986 tour T |
6) Chameleon Day - Goldheart Assembly
This is a gentle enough cover from
a group that is signed to the same label that released this double CD tribute. I
would rather play the original. It plods along in places and lacks both spontaneity
and rawness that can be found on the brilliant Talk Talk album.
[from the web: Goldheart Assembly
formed in 2007, as a group of six musicians from various different bands. They
met at club nights, at Covent Garden’s Rock Garden, run by now-bandleaders
James Dale and John Herbert. Slowly, after a period of “band hopping and stand
ins,” a stable line-up became Goldheart Assembly, who bonded over a mutual love
of The Beatles and named themselves after a Guided By Voices tune, Goldheart
Mountaintop Queen Directory.
In 2009 they recorded a live
session for Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 1, being the first unsigned band to do so
“in years”. In the same year, the band performed on the BBC Introducing Stage
at the Glastonbury Festival, as well as a headline slot at the Camden Crawl and
appearances at Isle of Wight, Wychwood, Middlesbrough Music Live, Reading, Leeds and V festivals.
Goldheart Assembly’s debut single,
a double A-side featuring the tracks So Long St. Christopher and Oh Really, was
released on 15 June 2009 on the independent label Heron Recordings. In late
2009, Goldheart Assembly signed to the independent UK label Fierce Panda
Records. Their debut album, Wolves and Thieves, was released to digital
download on 8 March 2010, with CD release on 15 March. The majority of the
album was recorded at Forncett Industrial Steam museum in Norfolk, England, and
several tracks feature the sound of live steam engines. The remaining tracks
were recorded at Jools Holland’s Helicon studios with British producer Laurie
Latham]
[track seven on the ‘Colour of Spring’
– the 3rd Talk Talk album]
7) April 5th - Matthias Vogt Trio
This is a fantastic, brooding instrumental
take on a great Talk Talk track. It reminded me of the Bad Plus (which is a compliment)
who I have seen play live. If I walked into a jazz club and this was playing I
would not be leaving until every tune had been played and I was on my knees, drunk.
[from the web: Matthias Vogt was
born in German motor town Rüsselsheim near Frankfurt am Main. Matthias was
involved in Jazz projects with Ben’s New Tribe or The New Fusion before
founding the Matthias Vogt Trio. Roger Cicero and Dania König are featured in
some of the trio’s songs. He also plays for Frankfurt’s [re:jazz] and is part
of the deep house formation Motorcitysoul together with C-Rock.
Founding member Matthias Vogt is
also DJing at Cocoon Club in Frankfurt]
[track four on the ‘Colour of Spring’
– the 3rd Talk Talk album]
8) New Grass - Do Make Say Think
It is a great touch to put two
instrumental covers one after the other. It has a trippy feel and it’s a shame
I don’t smoke grass because I could to this great cover. It trips a bit much at the end but, there you
go.
[From the website - Do Make Say
Think came together in Toronto in 1995-96 and self-released their
self-recorded, self-titled debut CD in 1997. Constellation Records re-issued
this record the following year and have worked with the band ever since. Do Make
Say Think consists of Ohad Benchetrit, Dave Mitchell, James Payment, Justin
Small and Charles Spearin. The band has relied on recent contributions from
players Michael Barth on trumpet, as well as Julie Penner on violin.
Do Make Say Think records are
marked by a fiercely independent approach to recording and mixing that is
re-imagined for each release, but which always remains the band’s own; Charles
and Ohad have emerged as a distinctive production team, now working out of
Ohad’s Toronto studio th’Schvitz. Members of DMST are involved in numerous
other groups as diverse as Justin’s messy garage-soul rave-up Lullabye
Arkestra; Charles’ collaboration in playing and producing with Kevin Drew in KC
Accidental and Broken Social Scene. James co-founded New Glue records to
document local projects in Toronto]
[Track five from Laughing
Stock, 5th and last Talk Talk album so far]
Tomorrow Started - Jason Lytle
Arrangement-wise this could be the
dub track from the Talk Talk track. However, Jason’s plaintiff vocal does give
this cover a very good reason for it to be listened to again.
[from his website: Jason Lytle
first wandered into the public consciousness as the principal singer and
songwriter for the band Grandaddy.
Formed in Modesto, CA in 1992, and eventually consisting of Lytle along
with Aaron Burtch, Tim Dryden, Jim Fairchild and Kevin Garcia, the band
initially broke through with 1997′s Under the Western Freeway and the
NME-praised single “Summer Here Kids.” The band’s sound,” atmospheric
electronics meet warped Americana”, crystallized on 2000′s Sophtware Slump,
which was met with breathless hype and earned the band “Next Big Thing” status.
Tireless rounds of international touring and mountains of fawning press led to
2003′s Sumday, increasing album sales, more touring, more press,TV show
appearances, and a slot on the main stage at the Glastonbury festival. The band
produced another EP and an album entitled Just Like the Fambly Cat, before
disbanding in 2006.
Since then, Jason has created
music for a number of national and international commercials and released his
debut solo album Yours Truly, The Commuter in 2009. A number of collaborations
followed including two tracks with Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse for the Dark
Night of the Soul album and with former Grandaddy drummer Aaron Burtch and
Earlimart’s Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray in the Admiral Radley project
which yielded 2010’s I Heart California. Jason currently lives in Montana, and
enjoys hiking in woods, skateboarding in skateparks, bicycling on anything,
skiing on mountains, playing the piano in his living room, and recording music,
and occasionally playing shows. His second solo album Dept. of Disappearance will
be released in October 2012]
[Track five from the Talk Talk
album, ‘It’s my life’] [live B side]
10) Give it up - White Lies
This is now another real favourite of mine from this great project. There is a touch of Julian Cope’s ‘World Shut your mouth’ era about the vocal and I really love the arrangement.
[from their website band page and taken from
Wiki: White Lies is an English indie rock band from Ealing, London. Formerly
known as Fear of Flying, the band consists primarily of Harry McVeigh (lead
vocals, guitar), Charles Cave (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Jack
Lawrence-Brown (drums). The band perform live as a five-piece, complemented by
sidemen Tommy Bowen and Rob Lee. White Lies formed in October 2007, upon
writing songs they felt didn't suit their original band. After delaying their
first performance for five months to build up media hype, they earned a
recording contract with Fiction Records days after their debut. The release of
singles "Unfinished Business" and "Death" led to tours and
festival appearances in the United Kingdom and North America, including a
headline performance at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend and a place on the 2009 NME
Awards Tour. At the beginning of 2009, White Lies featured in multiple
"ones to watch" polls for the coming year, including the BBC's Sound
of 2009 poll and the BRITs Critics' Choice Award.
White Lies' debut album To Lose My
Life... was released in January 2009, debuting at number one on the UK Albums
Chart. Their second album Ritual was recorded in 2010, and was released on 17
January 2011. White Lies' musical style has been described as dark yet
uplifting by the media, drawing comparisons to Joy Division, Editors, The
Bravery and Interpol]
[Track six on the ‘Colour of Spring’
– the 3rd Talk Talk album]
11) Time it's time - Lia Ices
Not very keen on this version.
[last track on the ‘Colour of Spring’
– the 3rd Talk Talk album]
12) The party's over - The Lovetones
This remains faithful to the Talk
Talk version but I love this title track so much that I don’t care. I could
listen to it over and over.
[The Lovetones are an Australian
psychedelic rock band. Their current line-up includes: Matthew J. Tow Matthew
Sigley Serge Luca Chris Cobb]
[track four from the first Talk
Talk album ‘The Party’s Over]
13) Candy - Thomas White
This is a real cover of an early Talk Talk song that is popular with fans around the world. The vocal is urgent and perfect and the arrangement is a brilliant mix.
[web: Thomas White is a Brighton,
England-based musician, producer and visual artist. Educated at Davigdor
Infants, Somerhill Juniors and Hove Park schools, he began learning the piano
at the age of 5. Music groups: The Electric Soft Parade, Brakes, Restlesslist, Record
labels: BMG, Rough Trade Records, Cooking Vinyl, Truck Records, DB Records,
Better Looking Records, Fat Cat Records]
[last track on the first Talk Talk
album ‘The Party’s Over]
14) Renee - The Black Ships (ft. Amelia Tucker)
This Talk Talk classic is one of
my favourites and so I listened to this cover with anticipation. The sensitive vocal
from Amelia works really well and the arrangement is wonderful and made me want
to own a dub-orchestral version!
[The Verve guitarist Nick McCabe
and bassist Simon Jones The Black Ships.
The Black Ships, who formed in
2009, also count drummer Mig Schillace and violinist Davide Rossi in their
line-up. Rossi, though never formally in The Verve, played on their 2008 album
'Forth' and featured in the band's live line up frequently after that]
[third track on the 2nd
Talk Talk album, ‘It’s my life’]
15) Taphead - The Acorn
This is an interesting instrumental
take on the more challenging of Talk Talk songs.
[The Acorn is a Canadian indie folk band from Ottawa, Ontario,
formed in 2003. Their songs have charted on Canadian campus charts and have
been in rotation on CBC Radio 3 and The Verge]
[Track four from Laughing
Stock, 5th and last Talk Talk album so far]
.jpg) |
| The 180gm re-release |
I BELIEVE IN YOU - Richard Reed
Parry
He may be a ‘name’ in Arcade Fire –
he may sing and play better than me but this version is disappointing.
[Richard Reed Parry is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist,
composer and member of the indie rock band Arcade Fire, where he plays a wide
variety of instruments, often switching between double bass, celesta,
keyboards, drums, guitar, and accordion]
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| My attic office clutter |
Description notes taken from
Spirit of Talk Talk on Facebook
FEATURING 30 artists, including:
Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode/ Recoil), White Lies, King Creosote, Jason Lytle
(Grandaddy), Zero 7, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire),
Joan As Police Woman, Sean Carey (Bon Iver), Lights, Goldheart Assembly, Thomas
White (Electric Soft Parade), Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), Thomas Feiner, The
Black Ships, Turin Brakes, as well as Ian Curnow, David Rhodes, Gaynor Sadler
and Martin Ditcham, all of whom worked with Talk Talk.
TRACKS come from both sides of the
Atlantic, and from seven countries in total, featuring some incredible
collaborations.
Track listing :
CD 2:
01. IT'S MY LIFE - The
TenFiveSixty
02. INHERITANCE - Recoil (ft.
Linton Kwesi Johnson & Paul Marshall)
03. ASCENSION DAY - Turin Brakes
04. TODAY - White Belt Yellow Tag
05. I DON'T BELIEVE IN YOU - Ian
Curnow (ft. Human)
06. CHAMELEON DAY - Goldheart
Assembly
07. APRIL 5TH - Matthias Vogt Trio
08. NEW GRASS - Do Make Say Think
09. TOMORROW STARTED - Jason Lytle
10. GIVE IT UP - White Lies
11. TIME IT'S TIME - Lia Ices
12. THE PARTY'S OVER - The
Lovetones
13. CANDY - Thomas White
14. RENÉE - The Black Ships (ft.
Amelia Tucker)
15. TAPHEAD - The Acorn
16. I BELIEVE IN YOU - Richard
Reed Parry
