With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

‘Vertiginous Drops’ – Carol Hodge March 6, 2023

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:57 pm
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Carol Hodge, who has been featured on these pages quite a few times has a new album, her fourth, out on 10th March. I have been lucky enough to have been listening to it for a week or two and I can tell you that it is a fine collection of classy future classic songs. The album is called ‘Vertiginous Drops’ and it opens with a full-on production on “Best Will In The Word”. It is a song of good advice, common sense and perhaps most importantly hope. On top of all that it has some magnificent hooks and an uplifting brass refrain. “The Price” has a feel of Depeche Mode in its dark,bass-laden synth opening, but then it turns into an epic synthed-up power ballad when Carol’s vocals kick in. This tune made me think that an album of 80s covers by Carol Hodge would be rather good. “Grayson (Things Could Always Be Worse)” is a fabulous choice for first single from the album. It also has a darkness to it, but once again a vein of hope. Carol’s voice evokes huge emotion in this song. In a parallel universe “Grayson” would top the charts everywhere. I felt peak Human League, but far better vocals than that Oakey fella, when listening to “Never Run Out Of Things To Worry About” and if any track on this record was selected for a dance remix it should be this one. The multi-tracked vocals are ethereal, heavenly, and ravishingly luscious. “Clean The Slate” opens with a gorgeous choral vocal sound and builds to something that is stygian in its darkness with a heavy guitar onslaught, well at least I thought that was a massed guitar attack. Some of Carol’s best music has come from just her and a piano and while this album has immense scope and reach, “Giving It Up Now” is mostly Carol and her piano to the fore, the band is just a little more subtle here, at least until about two minutes in when the song takes off into the musical stratosphere and showcases the strength and range of Carol’s sumptuous voice. The song closes with the very clever coda of “all I can say with certainty is there will be uncertainty“. It sounds obvious, but not many have said it, have they?

If you love Carol’s ballads then you will adore “Oh, Amanda!”. The circus sideshow piano riff part way through adds a delightful eerie tone. I can imagine this track featuring on the soundtrack to one of Neil Gaiman’s darker tales. The next track, “Bitch, Don’t Break My Serenity” has a feel of someone digging through Brian Wilson’s brain and finding the stuff he was never allowed to record. In fact, a Beach Boys cover of this eldritchian style masterpiece would be very special indeed, perhaps with backing vocals by Carol herself and maybe Siouxsie Sioux as well. The harmonics and soft synth drone on “Wrong Side Of The Glass” got me thinking of ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’. I know that isn’t the subject matter, but just a feeling the song gave me. It certainly sums up someone possibly reaching the end of their time, deep down a very sad and yet sublime song. The album closes with what I consider to be Carol’s finest song to date. It evokes a derelict cabaret theatre in 1930s Berlin in the way it feels musically. But lyrically it is staggeringly deep and suggests the underlying futility in this life of ours and maybe how small a part of the universe we are. A true masterpiece of an album on which Carol proves just how big her talent is.

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Ginger Wildheart – Fulford Arms, York – Friday August 26th 2022 September 3, 2022

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 1:53 pm
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Regular readers will know that I left day 1 of the Leeds Festival early to come to this show, was it worth it? read on to find out! This was the last date in a four-date spin around the country titled “Ginger Wildheart Presents Summer Lovin'”. They also played Hastings, Birmingham, and Wigan. First to take the stage was one of York’s finest musical talents, Mr. Boss Caine, the Barry White of Country (thanks to Ginger for that description, yes Daniel Lucas! The new songs Dan played bode very well for his next release, there are some gems there. I would say the highlight for me, and there were plenty to choose from, was “Ghosts And Drunks”. It was also great to hear Dan dedicate a tune to “the pricks in Westminster”. This was a sublime solo acoustic set from Mr. Lucas which has made me look forward even more to the next Boss Caine (or solo?) release. Carol Hodge was up next and what a great performance it was. She has the voice of an angelic demon with the purity of tone of a Karen Carpenter for the 21st Century. It was like she was playing a small intimate show in your living room. This was the first time that I had seen Carol live and it definitely won’t be the last!

Ginger Wildheart was joined on stage by Jon Poole and the aforementioned Carol Hodge. There was some great delving into Ginger’s huge canon of stunningly good tunes, including some Wildhearts songs. “Boxes”, “Geordie In Wonderland” and “Why Aye (Oh You)” were superb, but the song that stood out in this marvellous set was “Paying It Forward” which is an absolute classic. But I can’t let this go without mentioning the beautifully eclectic range of cover versions performed. “Summer Nights” was there, but given the title of the mini tour/ 4 date extravaganza, I guess that was no surprise. “How I Survived The Punk Wars” (Hey! Hello!) was ace and “Run For Home” (Lindisfarne) gave us all the opportunity for a great singalong, as we did for the opening song which was a cover of the theme from Cheers a.k.a “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”. The most fascinating cover for me though was Focus’ “Hocus Pocus”, including the yodelling. Acoustic prog anyone? On paper that should not have worked, but on stage it certainly did! What I loved so much about this set was the intimacy, it was like we were all sat around a huge campfire (it certainly felt that hot!) listing to Ginger, Jon and Carol entertain us.

All pictures, except the gig poster, were taken by me using my very cheap Chinese Android phone. The videos were found on YouTube. If the video is yours and you would like a credit or for it to be removed please let me know.

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Mayhem’s – Top 20 Albums of 2021 December 1, 2021

Filed under: Mayhem Top 20 Chart,Observation,Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:22 pm
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I don’t often put together the best albums of the year list, but I do love a good list so here are my favourite albums of 2021. What were yours?

  1. ‘Delilah Bon’ – Delilah Bon – An absolutely sublime, sassy debut from Lauren Tate’s magnificent, impassioned alter ego. This has been my album of the year since I first heard it
  2. ‘Shout Out! To Freedom…’ – Nightmares On Wax – The perfect late night chill album that you can listen to anytime
  3. ‘Blue Weekend’ – Wolf Alice – An album that proves Wolf Alice continue to grow and are becoming an iconic British band
  4. ‘All In’ – Apollo Junction – These Leeds lads smash that difficult sophomore album myth out of the park with a total belter
  5. ‘The Myth of the Happily Ever After’ – Biffy Clyro – Biffy are for me perhaps the best band on the planet right now, yet another great release proves it
  6. ‘Happier Than Ever’ – Billie Eilish – A fantastically accomplished album from a talent that will be around for a lifetime
  7. ‘The Yearbook’ – Baby Queen – Not many bands care as much about their fans as Baby Queen, but they are so much more than caring, they really are a stunning band
  8. ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’ – Lana Del Rey – Probably Lana Del Ray’s best album so far, I loved this after one spin
  9. ‘The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows’ – Damon Albarn – Uber polymath Mr Albarn proves once again how wide ranging his abundant talent stretches
  10. ‘Discover Effortless Living’ – Bull – A fine debut album with echoes of the best of 60s rock from one of York’s greatest bands
  11. ‘Carnage’ – Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – It’s Cave and Ellis, what more does one need to say, a truly awesome collection.
  12. ‘Not Your Muse’ – Celeste – Jazzy, modern R&B, fabulous tunes and most of all a voice that encapsulates so many beautiful emotions
  13. ‘She Walks In Beauty’ – Marianne Faithful and Warren Ellis – This has been essential late night listening for me, it is soothing, mindful and close to perfect
  14. ‘We Live Here’ – Bob Vylan – An incredibly powerful political album from a band that has got this far without the backing of a huge corporation
  15. ‘21st Century Love Songs’ – Wildhearts – The Wildhearts are back baby, with one of their best albums
  16. ‘Amazing Things’ – Don Broco – An album that captures everything that is great with current rock and is showcased by an underlying pop sensibility
  17. ‘The Crippling Space Between’ – Carol Hodge – Another flawless album from the supremely talented wonderful human being known as Carol Hodge
  18. ‘Passions’ – Thirst – Dom White steps up from the drum stool to release a beautiful album that is grandly cinematic in its scope
  19. ‘Who Am I’ – Pale Waves – Is there anyone that doesn’t love Pale Waves, this set establishes them as one of Blighty’s best bands
  20. ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’ – Dave – Sharp, passionate, caring, honest and with a large side order of vitriol, Dave tells it like it is expertly

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“A Song For You” – Carol Hodge May 16, 2020

Filed under: Interview,Observation,Podcast — justwilliam1959 @ 11:03 pm
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You may have listened to my recent interview with Carol Hodge, if not then click here to give it a spin. Carol has written a truly beautiful song which for me goes some way to really capturing how many of us are feeling in these strange and often dark days of Covid-19, it is called “A Song For You”, take a look at the rather excellent video. The video is either enhanced or marred by an appearance from me, personally, I think enhanced but I will leave you to be the judge of that. I am on fleetingly at around the 59-second mark. But it is a clever video for a stunning emotional song. You can also buy Carol’s brilliant new album “Savage Purge”, just click here, you know you want to! As a bonus, just to tempt you, I have included the video for “Stop Worrying Baby” from that very album! That one was shot and completed just before lock down. If you have not listened to Carol before, then you really should, it is simply pure classy music!

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Carol Hodge Interview May 2, 2020

Filed under: Interview — justwilliam1959 @ 9:44 pm
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I finally got around to posting and interview that I did with the obscenely talented Carol Hodge last month. She talks about her latest album ‘Savage Purge’, her new tune ‘A Song For You’, musical influences, and her favourite confectionery items. Click the link below take a listen and feel free to comment.

Interview with Carol Hodge – April 2020

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‘Savage Purge’ – Carol Hodge March 14, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:33 am
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Huddersfield based UK singer-songwriter Carol Hodge is new to me but she has a classy and extensive musical pedigree. Many of you may know her for her work with Crass main man Steve Ignorant. Carol has provided keyboard and backing vocals on the tours for Steve’s acoustic project Slice Of Life for the past few years. She worked as a lead vocalist for Steve Ignorant’s Last Supper which saw her provide lead vocals on many Crass songs across the world. She is touring again with Mr. Ignorant this year too. Carol has been keyboard stalwart and ace backing vocalist touring with Texan rockers Ryan Hamilton And The Harlequin Ghosts (signed to Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records). She also makes occasional guest appearances on keys with The Membranes and The Ginger Wildheart Band.

Carol has recently finished recording her second album ‘Savage Purge’ a sophomore follow up to 2018’s ‘Hold On To That Flame’. It was produced by Dave Draper who has worked with Ginger Wildheart, Dodgy and The Professionals to name but a few. It hits the streets on 30th March, you can preorder it and get with the cool kids by clicking here. The album title was inspired partly by the Post World War II épuration sauvage that took place in France, in which many innocent women were tortured. Until I prepared for reviewing this album I must confess that I knew nothing of this, I do now! Click here to read more about it. Carol’s songs appear to be deep and emotional yet very accessible. The songs cover subjects that range from mental health to domestic abuse and alcoholism. But despite those dark subjects it still feels like an uplifting album. Louder Than War described Carol as “The Adele for people into radical politics…a UK 2018 equivalent to the Tapestry-era Carole King”, I can see why. Carol has a powerful voice which is at times enchanting, enthralling and at times hypnotising. She has the clarity of Karen Carpenter and I can hear elements of Patti Smith’s softer moments and a dash of Marcella Detroit.

Album opener “Stop Worrying Baby” is about living life on your own and not worrying whether you have found “the one”. The clarity piano sound on the track is reminiscent of Bruce Hornsby. There is wonderful dark passion and emotion contained in “Waving Not Drowning” and Carol sounds similar to Chrissie Hynde in the early days of the Pretenders. I have always believed that the first person you should love is yourself, because without that how can you love anyone else or how can anyone else really love you? For me “I Still Love Me” is about that and maybe the importance of maintaining strong self-esteem. On top of that the song rocks from the kick-off. “In Case Of Emergency” is a gorgeous ballad about a failed and abusive relationship. But through it all, I can sense Carol’s inner strength, one of the most honest songs that I have heard in a while. I always loved Gene and I can really imagine Martin Rossiter covering “Send Me Someone”, which has one of the best lyrics on the album, although it is an extremely difficult choice. I love the 80’s synth sounds on “Stopped Believing In You” it adds a jaunty positive vibe to a song which is at times dark and the damage of alcoholism, but mostly positive. The double-tracked vocals and almost acapella moments on “Semi-Colon” made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, not many songs have done that to me, obviously, I mean that in a good way! The album closes with “Let Gravity Win” a song which is one of the best takes on getting older that I have ever heard. There are a couple of lines in there that sum up how I feel about aging; “I watch with clouded avarice as youth escapes my grip. But I won’t stop caring passionately for the young and hip”. That may have to become my new mantra! This is a great album with not a duff track in sight, click here to preorder, you need this album in your life!

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