15. Deep Purple: Bananas (2003): Because We Can

By 2003 Deep Purple may not have been the hottest ticket in heavy rock, and this gem of an album seems to have passed by largely unnoticed. I bought my own copy off a supermarket record shelf, shocked by the fact that I had missed the release even though I considered myself a fan of the band. Lucky me – because this is one of the most varied and in fact best records this great band ever made.

The first thing that comes to mind is the variation of styles and sounds – which still make for a distinct entity. From the steamrolling ”House Of Pain” to almost AOR:ish ballad ”Haunted”, the sprightly rolling ”Razzle Dazzle”, ”Silver Tongue” with its’ clever riff – and that’s just the beginning. Steve Morse is an accomplished guitarist with a great taste, Don Airey fills the greatest pair of boots in rock keyboards – those of Jon Lord – with assurance, and Roger Glover and Ian Paice may be the greatest rhythm anchor pairing in heavy rock, possibly topped only by messrs Lynott and Downey of Thin Lizzy. 

Actually, the Morse version of the band is at a level where they could choose to play almost anything, and it would sound good. Listen to the majestically flowing ”Walk On” for an example – or the slightly funky ”Picture Of Innocence”, the most typical Purple track of the album ”I Got Your Number” with the trademark guitar-keys interplay, or the quirky pop track ”Doing It Tonight”, and hear for yourselves.

The songs are good - did I mention that already? The arrangements are great, the playing second to none – but for me, the king of these tracks is Ian Gillan. Aged 57 at the time of recording, I believe, he does his thing with style and grace, not shying of a scream when it’s needed – and manages to come up with another set of lyrics way beyond the sex, booze and machoism stuff so often disgracing hard rock. 

I don’t know how many copies this album sold, and I’m guessing Deep Purple were quite in demand on the tour circuit – but ”Bananas”, as well as all subsequent Purple albums, speak to me of an artistic freedom, of making good music ”because we can”. Which is a good thing, because the four studio records they’ve put out in the 21st century are as entertaining a body of music as any in the rock business, while also proving that age most definitely is nothing but a number. Long may they run!

14. Deep Purple: Perfect Strangers (1984): The Return Of The Dinosaur

When this album came out, it felt like one of the most important musical events in my life up to that day. Having found the classic Purple on my own, then ommersed myself into Whitesnake and Rainbow, the actual comeback of my favourite band in its’ most revered lineup after a ten-year hiatus was like a dream come true. Such occurrences often end up in disappointment, of course – not so this time. I felt ”Perfect Strangers” actually summed up all that was good in hard rock – fine songs, well and distinctly arranged and executed, with a great singer on top.

In retrospect, much of the above seems funny. Between 1984 and today, almost everyone has made at least one comeback – even if most or all original members would be dead, as it feels – and many of those comebacks have been resounding flops. Ten years without a new record (actually nine, if you count from ”Come Taste The Band”, or eleven, if you go back to ”Who Do We Think We Are”) is not unusual even for working bands. And some aspects of ”Perfect Strangers” actually feel a bit dated – especially the sound, that is distinctly eighties in its’ ”tinniness” – but it’s still a great record from a great band.

Especially the B-side is classic stuff. I will never tire of the song sequence ”Perfect Strangers”-”A Gypsy´s Kiss”-”Wasted Sunsets”-”Hungry Daze” – The riff of the title track, which is a showcase for Jon Lord’s organ wizardry and Ritchie Blackmore’s love of classical music, and Gillan’s passionate vocals, make for one of their greatest hymns, then one of Purple’s most dynamic fast tracks, this too more Lordly driven, to their perhaps most beautiful ballad, where Gillan again shines against one of Blackmore’s greatest solos, and the closer which features another killer riff.

The A-side is good too, but somehow more workmanlike in its’ approach to hard rock. That doesn’t mean that it’s bad or even mediocre – ”Mean Streak” rolls along at a convincing speed, ”Knocking At Your Back Door” is majestic, and the other two tracks are at least decent as well. All through the album you can hear the one feature of Deep Purple, which to me sets them a few steps above most other heavier rock groups: Their ear for nuances and distinct arrangements – it’s loud but it’s varied.

In the 35 (!) years that have passed since their comeback, Purple have witnessed comebacks from almost everyone that ever split up in the first place, while carrying on themselves in one form or another. The recent lineup, fuelled by Steve Morse on guitar – who is my favourite among those that have graced the band, but that’s another story – and Don Airey as New Lord, have been working for nigh on twenty years now, and in fact made some of the best records in Purple history.

13. Mary Coughlan: Under The Influence (1987): Intoxicating As Well...

This album is a classic showcase of the young record buyer under the influence: In 1987, I had never heard of Mary Coughlan, and consequently never heard any of her music. Then I read a raving review in the Soundi magazine - my musical bible through the eighties and nineties - and bought it from Levymyynti, THE record store in my then hometown Turku if you were looking for something that wasn't on the charts - and fell in love. Afterwards I have bought half a dozen more of Mary's albums, but none of them measure up to this collection.

What is it that makes it so great? Stylistically, it's quite varied for popular music - there's a sound foundation of jazz-influenced pop - from the stunning starters "The Laziest Girl" and "Ice-Cream Man" to the broadly sweeping yet emotionally charges "AWOL", sprinkled with sounds from the theatre stage such as the tragically tender "Fifteen Only" and folk influences such as the chanson-more-than-Celtic "My Land Is Too Green" and the simply gorgeous remake of the McCarthy-penned Christy Moore-staple "Ride On". 

This song is the centrepiece of the album for me - its message comes across just as strongly as in Moores haunting version, but the upped tempo and Davey Spillane's uileann pipes in a eightyish soundscape make this the most obvious example of the mega-hit that never was that I can think of.

Overall, the production is timeless rather than time-bound - and spot-on, since it creates the perfect stage for the most important feature of the album, Mary's voice.

From what I've read about her life and career, the feeling she conveys of having lived through the pains and pleasures she sings about seems all the more real, and her alto, her sense of nuance and drama and her Irish accent make for one of the most unique musical experiences I know. I daresay she would have made a great rock interpreter in the style of Maggie Bell, and she´s up there with Mavis Staples and Millie Jackson for the soulfulness - but in fact the stylistic variation and rather open soundscape make for an even better setting. She may have been under the influence, but whatever substance did it for her works through the music, because I find it intoxicating.

12. Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Get Happy! (1980): The Angry And Prolific Young Man At Work

Among the "winning streaks" of constantly good to great records from my favourite artists, I rank Elvis Costello's first ten albums of originals, from 1977 to 1986, among the highest, not the least because the sheer number of songs he wrote for them. It's hard to single out the best of these albums, but "Get Happy!" is a strong candidate, perhaps partly due to the fact that it was the first EC album I bought. It also contains no less than eighteen of his self-penned songs, which must be close to a record on a single album - augmented by a scorching cover of the old soul tune"I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down)".

The number of songs allows for great variety - from the tempo and urgency of said cover version or "High Fidelity" to the acoustic swirl of "New Amsterdam", from the athmospheric soundscape of "B Movie" or "Secondary Modern" to the suggestive beat of "Black And White World". There may be no real standouts on the album, but on the other hand the staggering wealth of the arrangements and the absence of prolonged fades or filler make for a breathtaking musical trip of three quarters of an hour. Most pop songs would be fine if restricted to three minutes each - but Elvis makes do with two.

The band has to be mentioned - these tunes are executed with a minimal setup of drums, bass, guitar and keyboards, yet nothing is lacking. Especially the keys are allowed to shine - listen to "Motel Matches" as a good example. And then there's Elvis - not the greatest singer in the world, but a great interpreter of his own songs as well as those borrowed. In my opinion, he's sometimes stretched beyond his abilities - but that has been in later years; here he still is simply an angry young man, who understands to vent his feelings through other means than shouting.

If I have an objection, that would be the lack of printed lyrics, especially since the artist obviously has something to say - but that lack doesn't diminish the enjoyment of playing this record.

11. Jethro Tull: Songs From The Wood (1977): The Revenge Of The Mad Flutist

"Songs From The Wood" was the first Jethro Tull album I ever heard, back in 1982 when I borrowed it (and "A") from a classmate at school. Thus, I have been hooked by the Mad Flutist Ian Anderson and his troops för 37 years now - and counting.

What was it that made this album so great? Well, firstly, the songs - inventive, melodic, driving, with lyrics full of everything from environmental awareness through myth to wistful romance and even sexual innuendo. Secondly, the way they were played - from a capella folk to classic hard rock and back, sometimes within the same song; if nothing else, the arrangements were unique. And thirdly, the way they were sung. I really like Ian Anderson's voice, just as much as his songwriting and head for arrangements. I did like "A" as well, but that's another of a line of stories I'll be coming back to.

This is one of the precious few records I have heard that are classics almost song by song. I won't boe you with all of them, but rather just state that the A-side of the album is great - from the hymn-like title track and the mischievous "Jack-In-The-Green" to the rather rollicking "Hunting Girl" - but the B-side is even better, containing no less than three timeless Tull classics.

First, "Velvet Green" is a blend of a hauntingly beautiful melody, a story of a secret romantic alliance - interspersed with a rather frantic instrumental section pulling out all the stops, then coming round full circle. "Pibroch (Cap In Hand)" is similarly built but even more intricate - the verses are pure blues, Martin Barre's guitar expressing the anguish - and once again, the mad flutist and his mery men butt in with another frantically folksy part, stanging out in even stronger contrast but somehow not breaking the air of sorrow - the narrator, seeing the strange boots in the hallway and the slippers by the fire, putting his cap back on and walking away.

And then comes the finale, "Fire At Midnight", a sweet little tale of coming home after the working day, a lovely tune carried by an exquisitely down-toned arrangement literally lovingly played. A modern classic of less than three minutes, in my books.

Whence the revenge? Well, after a first brace of well-received classics such as "Aqualung", "Benefit" and "Thick As A Brick" by 1972, Ian Anderson seemingly lost his way among ill-conceived thematic works, abandoned album sessions and brawling with critics, and some of JT's mid-seventies work perhaps wasn't really good - but this record reinvented the band and put them back on top, where they belonged.

10. Billy Bremner: Bash! (1984): The Man With The Voice - The Third Rock In The Pile

Rockpile never got round to make more than one album under the band name, but I reckon I have more than albums of good music in my collection, made by one or more members of the group. Nick Lowe heads the pack in numbers, Dave Edmunds takes second place, but this Billy Bremner album (one of two I own) just may be the best of them all. His later catalogue, much of it recorded in Sweden with Swedish musicians, may sound a bit tired to my ears - but not so this gem.

I like the sheer power and rolling ease of the band, the production that sounds natural for 1984 - a little Rockpile, perhaps a touch of Squeeze, and I like the songs. Some of them may be rather average, but most have a clear hit potential. Most of all I like his voice - its warm yet powerful, at best it kind of soars above the music like a bird, without losing any of its grit and earthiness. Ah, I can't find the right words for what makes it so good - you have to dig out the album and listen for yourselves.

Among the musical highlights I especially want to mention the Elvis Costello-penned matrimonial drama "Shatterproof", the amusing Drifters-wordplay pastiche "Tired And Emotional (And Probably Drunk)", the nostalgically wistful "The Boat That's Sunk A Thousand Ships" and "Losing My Touch" - especially the latter one is a great showcase for that voice. And it has to be said, that most of the songs sound like they were written just for him - those long vowels that he can wrap himself around to great effect - but on the other hand, the style and soundscape are varied enough to make this a perfect pop record anyway, covering a lot of styles but tying them together in one entity.

Thirtyfive years later, the man is still active - in fact, he played in two of my hometowns just a month ago, but I was of course abroad just then - but nothing he has done since this album measures up to what he came up with here and as a member of Rockpile. To add insult to injury, my own copy, bought straight upon its release, is the only actual copy of this album I have ever seen. I know that it's been re-released on CD, and you can find it on Spotify - and I would love to see more people boast and brag about having it. So if you find a copy somewhere, buy it at once! 

9. Rockpile: Seconds Of Pleasure (1980): Fine Fine Fine

My first encounter with the fine gentlemen in the group Rockpile must have been seeing them in the Concerts for Kampuchea show, then buying the soundtrack and realizing that the Beatles weren't the only band around relying on more than one brilliant singer/player/somgwriter - and all of this resulted in "Seconds Of Pleasure" becoming one of the first records I even bought quite soon after its release. I remember being a bit underwhelmed at first listen, but also that repeated play made me recognize and appreciate the fineries that filled this splendid helping of rock music.

What's so good about it, then? Well, the playing is plain delicious - the wacka-wacka of the guitars, the relentless drive of Terry Williams' drums, the sometimes slighly quirky yet always swinging arrangements. The singing is also a treat - Dave Edmunds is a good rock singer, yet only my third choice in this line-up behind the more melancholy and versatile pipes of Nick Lowe and above all the spine-tinglingly soaring voice of Billy Bremner at his best.

And the songs are simply great - from basic fast numbers like "Teacher Teacher" and "Fool Too Long" and the spectacular "Heart" and "(You Ain't Nothing But) Fine Fine Fine", ornamented by Billy's vocals, to the clever wordplay of "When I Write The Book" and the heartfelt "Now And Always". There are no two songs alike, yet the album is a distinctive entity as a whole. As a bonus, the twelve tunes clock in at classic album length, somewhere aroung the 36 minute mark. No chance to ge bored - rather, short and sharp enough to be spun another round on the fly.

Rockpile never got round to releasing another album as an official band - but I soon learned there was plenty of music to be found involving the same gentlemen, and at least two more albums that in practice were Rockpile even though they were released as solo efforts. I will get back to those at another time - for now, I'll pick this album off the shelf and play it another time.
And BTW, this is one of the hidden gems you can't find on Spotify. Buy it instead!