scaryblog

So, how did 1996 compare to 1983? (and if you don't know what that picture relates to , you'll never guess) The reasoning behind going for 1996 was that I wanted a year where I'd owned more of the albums, so let's start there - the ownership ratio for 1983 was 23.0%, so what did we manage for 1996?  Ah - 23.0%.  Mission very much not accomplished then! (but more on this later) Looking at the best selling albums of the year, unsurprisingly  Alanis  took the top spot - she didn't get written about for this year because we'd already met her, but she was mentioned in passing a LOT given that she had 11 weeks at #1 and a 22 week run in the top three.  I'd remembered it was an album that went down well, but had forgotten exactly how well.  #2 was  Oasis  which was another one we'd previously met - this only spent 9 weeks at the top but managed a 30 week run in the top three (although half of that was in 1995).  #3 is our first record actually relea...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 07/01/96 :  Made In Heaven - Queen Our last album of the year - let's hope we go out on a bang, eh?  I've only really met one "proper" Queen album on my travels, which I already knew and liked, but they are pretty special in that I allowed them to have a "best of" on the list and they've also snuck a live album in there as well.  I have, however, never heard this one but I know it's the one they did after Freddie died, so I couldn't possibly be rude about it, could I?  But, before I go on to (maybe) be rude about him, there's someone else I need to be rude about... Last week, I rejected an ego-driven mix of new and old material which were quite obviously a poorly disguised attempt to deflect controversy.  But this week, we've got Madonna's Something To Remember to consider.  Ah, OK - next... Well - buckle up, kids and get ready to be disappointed in me.  Actually, I don't...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 14/01/96 :  Said And Done - Boyzone A second visit with Michael followed by a second visit with Boyzone.  Ambassador - with this music, you're really spoiling us!  Last time I visited them my comment was "worse than I expected, but not hateful" - I can't say my expectations are much higher for this.  But, before that, we've got an album that I'm a bit conflicted about... ...Michael Jackson's HIStory:Past, Present And Future, Book 1.  I mean, part of me wants to reject it just for the title, but that would be a bit petty, wouldn't it?  It's an odd double album - the first one is a compilation of his previous tracks and the second one is mostly new stuff, with a bizarre couple of covers - "Come Together" and "Smile".  So I feel like I should probably listen to the second album, but I don't feel the need to listen to the first - despite it having some cracking tracks on ...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 21/01/96 :  First Love - Michael Ball We've met Michael before and it's fair to say it didn't end well - I actually think it's one of the worst albums I've been made to listen to.  This was 24 years earlier (and boy doesn't he look soooo young) so I'm hoping he wasn't yet at the stage that he could put any old shit out and people would buy it. And yeah, it's not nearly as bad.  I mean, it's really not great but at no point did I want to murder anyone.  The most memorable track is "(Something Inside) So Strong" but only because it's not very good - you'd think it would suit his voice, but it comes off badly compared with Labi's original.  And, after a couple of days break from the album, I couldn't tell you anything about any of the other tracks - so it obviously was very forgettable.  But if you like Michael Ball then you'll like this album - and tbh I'm v...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 28/01/96 :  Boys For Pele - Tori Amos Ah - the pig album.  Which I've always been too scared to listen to - but I enjoyed our last visit  with Tori so I'm hopeful for more of the same here. And it's more like "MORE of the same" - she's definitely kept the stunning piano and vocals but dialled up the quirk, with her making some very odd noises at times.  It often feels more like a "performance" than a mere album, but it's an interesting and mostly enjoyable performance nonetheless.  It's also interesting to hear the original version of "Professional Widow" - Armand van Helden definitely makes it more accessible with his remix.  And, unsurprisingly, we never owned it - 12/49. We're at #2 with a new entry in the charts this week at the start of a seven week run - which feels better than I would have expected.  I know those that love this album love it big time, but I suspect ...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 04/02/96 :  Deliverance - Baby D I remembered the name Baby D, but couldn't have told you what they did without checking - ah yes, "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" which got to  #1 in 1994.  There were a couple of other singles which I vaguely remembered enjoying, so I was quite looking forward to this. But, for the most part, I'm afraid I'll have to stay looking forward to it.  Both Amazon and Spotify only have five of the twelve tracks and, unusually, even YouTube isn't offering me up a low quality version to endure.  So I listened to the five tracks (three of which were the singles) and enjoyed them, although the version of "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" was unnecessarily extended.  If you like that track, then there's no reason why you won't like the rest of it - but quite why the whole album isn't available is unclear (I'm assuming it's something to do with samples and rights issues)...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 11/02/96 :  The Boy With The X-Ray Eyes - Babylon Zoo I remember "Spaceman" from the Levi's advert and from the fact that most of the track sounded nothing like the ten seconds used in the advert.  I have absolutely no idea what the rest of the album is going to sound like though. Hmm - well it's fine, if a bit samey., I guess.   "Spaceman" is the stand out track (and I'm actually glad it doesn't all sound like the advert or this would be a challenging album indeed) - the rest of it isn't quite so good although  I quite liked "I'm Cracking Up I Need A Pill" as well.  But a whole album of it doesn't feel required to me - it's a bit slow and plodding mostly. We're at  #6 with a new entry this week - it managed six weeks in all before it, and he, disappeared from our lives forever (amusingly his last single was titled "All The Money's Gone").  The top fi...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 18/02/96 :  Don't Stop - Status Quo Who doesn't love a bit of Quo, eh? Well - quite a lot of people actually. But they opened Live Aid, so we can't be too harsh on the lads and I enjoy them ironically when I'm in the mood for rocking all over the world. However, I'm really not sure I need a whole album. Ach, what am I saying - there is absolutely no danger of me needing a whole album. I actually considered rejecting it because it's an album of covers but I had to subject myself to two Robson & Jerome albums so I think I have to go there - part of me feels it's wrong, but part of me is horribly fascinated as to what I'm going to find.  And, unsurprisingly, its a bit of a mixed bag - some expected and some not at all expected. "Fun Fun Fun" isn't nearly as terrible as I expected - especially where they try Beach Boy style harmonies. The attempted Steeleye Span harmonies on "All...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 25/02/96 :  Expecting To Fly - The Bluetones I know I should like The Bluetones - but I've never quite managed it, without really knowing why.  Maybe this album will convert me to a fan or make me understand what I don't like about them.  Probably not though, eh? Well - I can't say it's made me a fan, but it has potentially given me a theory as to what I object to.  I very much like all the ingredients - jangly guitars, jaunty rhythms, slightly self-aware vocals - and when they come together well, as they very much do on "Slight Return", it's undoubtedly a thing of beauty.  But.  On the rest of the songs, they (for me) don't come together so well - they just don't deliver the desired effect.  So it's not fair to say I dislike them -  I just feel a bit disappointed in them.  Come on lads, you can do so much better!  It's a lovely album cover though, even if it's yet another one we ...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 03/03/96 :  Roots - Sepultura I can assure you I can tell you nothing about Sepultura - I'm guessing for either some kind of reggae nonsense or some kind of world music nonsense. And, oh lordy, am I wrong!  If you know what this is, then you're chuckling at me right now - if you don't, then you're probably in the best place you're gonna be with this.  It's heavy metal (complete with the shouty roar vocals I really don't like) with a slight world music tinge to it.  And, seriously, who wants that?  Well, I guess quite a few people did given where we are in the charts this week - but actually, from what I heard on #AOTD, it feels like this is also pretty up to date with what the people who like this sort of thing like these days.  But I'm really not the best person to comment on this - if you like it, then you like and, if you don't know it then just take my word for it that you won't like it...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 10/03/96 :  Mercury Falling - Sting I love Ten Summoner's Tales (which is almost 30 years old now!) and hence always assumed I'd buy this - but then I seem to recall I heard it and that was the end of that assumption.  I've certainly never listened to it since, so let's see if it was quite as dull as I remember. Hmmm - not QUITE as dull, but still very musical wallpaper-ish.  I quite liked "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" and I did at least recognise "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot", but the rest of it just washed over me.  Compared to Ten Summoner's Tales, which is quite a subtle and tender album - this is, well, just not.  And, as you might have guessed, we never owned it - 12/43. We're at #4 with a new entry this week at the start of a 27 week run, which was considerably more than it deserved and the rest of the top five were  Oasis ,  Alanis , Mike And The Mechanics (a new en...

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts 17/03/96 :  Robson & Jerome - Robson & Jerome Well, I didn't expect these two fine gentlemen to be the first people I'd meet twice this year, I can tell you!  Something else I also wouldn't have expected to ever say was that I'm not expecting to hate this  (and please don't tell anyone I said that) .  I mean, I'm not expecting to LIKE it and I'm certain I'll find it all completely pointless - but their last effort wasn't hateful and this was the one that started it all off, so I can't imagine it's terrible. And yeah, it's (just about) "fine" - I actually thought "Unchained Melody" was ropier than I remembered (and that really was the one that kicked it all off after they sung it on Soldier Soldier) but the rest of it was somewhat bland but not hateful (although some of the songs towards the end were extremely inessential).  I didn't "enjoy" ...