What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

2011 return from UK-based Alt-Rock band, following a 10 year hiatus (just for you, Ed !!).

Drugstore has always been a vehicle for Brazilian song-writer/vocalist/bass player Isabel Monteiro, and I first encountered them supporting JAMC in London in the mid-90s. Loved them right from the off, bought the first two albums which are both excellent IMV, but they fell off my radar before the release of their third.

Isabel had a bit of a rough ten years, battling depression, and becoming homeless for a while, but she's back.

This album is subdued by comparison with what's come before. The music is far gentler, with lots of acoustic guitars, and the lyrics are far more world-weary than before, but her song-writing skills remain very strong. The album isn't completely dark, there are some optimistic songs here, but it's generally not a barrel of laughs.

Like this a lot. Welcome back, Drugstore...


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[Tiggi]

Kate's new one (courtesy of Robbie), released very recently.

I was a bit concerned following MH's & Tracy's views, but this appeals greatly to me. I've always been a sucker for Kate's minimally accompanied efforts, and this seems - on first listen - as if it's the album I've been waiting on Kate to drop for ages.

Suitably barking mad, this is a collection of songs concerning snow. A bit early for that here, but not in Canada !!. Definitely wrong for the southern hemisphere. The title track, with Steven Fry is as strange an idea for a song as I've heard for ages, but it works well IMV.

The whole thing works well, in fact, and Kate's lovely voice appears still to be in fine fettle.

Great album.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[SteveO]

Looking forward to this one. Tiggi !!!...I didn't really like Directors Cut..remake of older songs ..didn't do much for me !

And yes you are right on, mate, a foot of snow down here ! ?????

Kate's new one (courtesy of Robbie), released very recently.

I was a bit concerned following MH's & Tracy's views, but this appeals greatly to me. I've always been a sucker for Kate's minimally accompanied efforts, and this seems - on first listen - as if it's the album I've been waiting on Kate to drop for ages.

Suitably barking mad, this is a collection of songs concerning snow. A bit early for that here, but not in Canada !!. Definitely wrong for the southern hemisphere. The title track, with Steven Fry is as strange an idea for a song as I've heard for ages, but it works well IMV.

The whole thing works well, in fact, and Kate's lovely voice appears still to be in fine fettle.

Great album.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[Tiggi]

^ I think you'll like it, SteveO !!

[Music Head]

^ I think you'll like it, SteveO !!

Thought you might have a different take on it than we did.
glad you like it
different strokes and all that jazz

[Music Head]

from my library (cd)



A gift from a mate. Much better than their first one as a duo. If not for the last track, would have made the love
rank. Only two albums as a team and this one was nine years after the debut. A lot of time for change. Solo
projects were in that gap. Love four tracks on here with that leadoff being the best. Tough call with track two's
strings making it a fight. Two different producers involved here, on different tracks, Mitchell Froom (Crowded
House) and Tony Visconti (Bowie). Showing singles of Won't Give In, Nothing Wrong With You, Edible Flowers, and
Part Of Me, with the highest charting being Won't Give in at #26 in the U.K. Didn't these chart in the homeland
down under? Strange, as the album shows at #2, with a #8 in Britian. Sometimes wiki is not complete. No single hits
in the U.S. with the album at a weak #139. Seven years since this album, and it would justify a third. Those first
two tracks are just beautiful.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Gentle Hum

Best Track - Won't Give In

You call me up and I'll say a few words
But I'll try not to speak too long
Please to be kind and I'll try to explain
I'll probably get it all wrong
What does it mean when you promise someone
That no matter how hard or whatever may come

It means that I won't give in, won't give in, won't give in
'Cause everyone I love is here
play it once, and disappear. (not - Take me home. Take me home)

Once in a while I return to the fold
With people I call my own
Even if time is just a flicker of light
And we all have to die alone
What does it mean when you belong to someone
When you're born with a name, when you carry it on

It means that I won't give in, won't give in, won't give in
'Cause everyone I love is here
All at once, and I'll show you how to get here

Come on now, come on now, can you feel it, I can see it in ya
Come on now, come on now, reveal it, turn around won't ya
The right time, the right place, right now, turn around

A chance is made, a chance is lost,
I carry myself to the edge of the earth

It means that I won't give in, won't give in, won't give in
'Cause everyone I love is here
Say it once, just say it, and disappear

1) Won't Give In ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNqLwkEs_Ds
2) Nothing Wrong With You ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5lPW4jRlJ0
3) Anything Can Happen **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZjo6hcaTlM
4) Luckiest Man Alive **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stnC6LCf6io
5) Homesick **
6) Disembodied Voices ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qrENYDLByc
7) A Life Between Us **
8) All God's Children **
9) Edible Flowers ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGhlI_gAvn8
10) All The Colours **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPWwR3edjsk
11) Part Of Me, Part Of You **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2tIRUI_c3k
12) Gentle Hum *

3's - 4
2's - 7
1's - 1

Grade - 2.3

so many albums, so little time

[Tiggi]

Thought you might have a different take on it than we did.
glad you like it
different strokes and all that jazz

Indeed.

I hear something not dissimilar to the sound of parts of The Ninth Wave from the Hounds of Love album, and that's always been a very strong favourite of mine.

You're quite right. We're never all going to love the same music...

[CRAZY-HORSE]

from my library (cd)



A gift from a mate. Much better than their first one as a duo. If not for the last track, would have made the love
rank. Only two albums as a team and this one was nine years after the debut. A lot of time for change. Solo
projects were in that gap. Love four tracks on here with that leadoff being the best. Tough call with track two's
strings making it a fight. Two different producers involved here, on different tracks, Mitchell Froom (Crowded
House) and Tony Visconti (Bowie). Showing singles of Won't Give In, Nothing Wrong With You, Edible Flowers, and
Part Of Me, with the highest charting being Won't Give in at #26 in the U.K. Didn't these chart in the homeland
down under? Strange, as the album shows at #2, with a #8 in Britian. Sometimes wiki is not complete. No single hits
in the U.S. with the album at a weak #139. Seven years since this album, and it would justify a third. Those first
two tracks are just beautiful.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Gentle Hum

Best Track - Won't Give In

You call me up and I'll say a few words
But I'll try not to speak too long
Please to be kind and I'll try to explain
I'll probably get it all wrong
What does it mean when you promise someone
That no matter how hard or whatever may come

It means that I won't give in, won't give in, won't give in
'Cause everyone I love is here
play it once, and disappear. (not - Take me home. Take me home)

Once in a while I return to the fold
With people I call my own
Even if time is just a flicker of light
And we all have to die alone
What does it mean when you belong to someone
When you're born with a name, when you carry it on

It means that I won't give in, won't give in, won't give in
'Cause everyone I love is here
All at once, and I'll show you how to get here

Come on now, come on now, can you feel it, I can see it in ya
Come on now, come on now, reveal it, turn around won't ya
The right time, the right place, right now, turn around

A chance is made, a chance is lost,
I carry myself to the edge of the earth

It means that I won't give in, won't give in, won't give in
'Cause everyone I love is here
Say it once, just say it, and disappear

1) Won't Give In ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNqLwkEs_Ds
2) Nothing Wrong With You ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5lPW4jRlJ0
3) Anything Can Happen **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZjo6hcaTlM
4) Luckiest Man Alive **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stnC6LCf6io
5) Homesick **
6) Disembodied Voices ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qrENYDLByc
7) A Life Between Us **
8) All God's Children **
9) Edible Flowers ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGhlI_gAvn8
10) All The Colours **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPWwR3edjsk
11) Part Of Me, Part Of You **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2tIRUI_c3k
12) Gentle Hum *

3's - 4
2's - 7
1's - 1

Grade - 2.3

so many albums, so little time

2.3...brilliant for a first listen MH!...a few more listens and you'll be up there with my 2.6...
and to answer the question...i think "wont give in" made the lower reaches of the top 50 in the singles charts here, these guys just sell albums these days, pretty hard to have hits when they dont take off their clothes and gyrate!?!

[Tiggi]

On the laptop.

Their fourth album, from 2008.

I like this band a lot, and have an admiration for their stylistic u-turns, but haven't yet listened to either of their last two albums. This one is still Trip-Hoppy, but it's a more mellow album than they've made before, and uses lots of acoustic instrumentation.

This one just scrapes onto the Buy List, but I've a feeling I'll like it more when I can hear it properly.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[SteveO]

I am a fan of them also !

On the laptop.

Their fourth album, from 2008.

I like this band a lot, and have an admiration for their stylistic u-turns, but haven't yet listened to either of their last two albums. This one is still Trip-Hoppy, but it's a more mellow album than they've made before, and uses lots of acoustic instrumentation.

This one just scrapes onto the Buy List, but I've a feeling I'll like it more when I can hear it properly.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.