Monday, April 20, 2009

Classic Album of The Week (Part 4)

So far, to the best of my knowledge at least my selection's for classic album of the week have been best described as safe (Fleetwood Mac Rumours, Neil Young After the Goldrush, Bruce Springsteen Nebraska) and would make most recommended must listen before you die type lists. Today's selection is slightly more left field but does have that personal impact that allows it to be placed within the same classic container.

1997 and the first band that I could say I truly found (I'm trying to figure out how but for some reason I think it had to do with Atlantic 252 radio station but I always thought that station just played Simply Red over and over). The Stereophonic's debut album Word Gets Around captures what small town life means to all who grew up.

The opening track the attention is caught with Thousand Trees which is a disturbing take on when illusions are shattered in an insular community. From there the album takes a look at the joys of working in the local supermarket with More Life In A Tramps Vest with the line "Last Minute Shoppers Picking Cauliflower, The Fuss They Make You Swear They Were Buying A Car" which somehow rang true for a young fella working in the fruit and veg section of Super Valu earning somewhere in the region of ninety pence an hour if memory serves me correctly.

Local Boy In The Photograph and Billy Davies Daughter deal with the unexpected loss and really do highlight Jones' ability as a songwriter with the latter highlighting a tender side while the former proving to be a rock belter. In between one is treated to the classic Traffic with accompanying small town paranoia and the bass drum drive Not Up To You.

All in all this is an under-rated album that deserves more attention and also highlights the golden era of mid-nineties music although that may be just nostalgia on my part. Slightly controversial choice but in my mind at least classic all the way!


2 comments:

Kleinmue said...

Ah the famous first album, I'll dig it out now! Kelly is the man to go for tonight

Neil said...

that album must be dug out alright... pure quality!