Here we go again. It’s time for High Fives 2023 and it’s traditional to kick off the feature with a contribution from Neil Sheasby of Stone Foundation. It’s a major anniversary on two counts – Neil’s been contributing to this feature for ten years now, and Stone Foundation have just completed their twenty-fifth anniversary tour, finishing off with a triumphant two nights at Islington Assembly Hall with special guests Emily Capell, Graham Parker, Laville, Mick Talbot and Paul Weller. And I know Neil mentions this at the end of the piece, but he’s also published his second book, ‘Bass Notes’, this year, giving a warts’n’all view of life on the road with an eight-piece soul band. Here’s Neil’s thoughts on this year, in no particular order:
Talking Heads Talking! –
Something that seemed so implausible a few years ago but here we are in 2023 and they have been united again for the re-release of the ‘Stop Making Sense’ film. I’ve always felt there’s been unfinished business and I live in hope of a new album and possibly some tour dates. It just made me re-appraise that amazing back catalogue.
Sly Stone book – Thank you (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) –
All the wonder, excess and car crash material that you’d expect from a Sly Stone memoir
Hard to believe he’s still here to tell his story.
It’s kind of tragic and bittersweet but he was THE originator, look at them at Woodstock, bringing the heavy duty funk as early as 1969!
Another great page turner was Kevin Armstrong’s ‘Absolute Beginners’ book, his experience as being a sideman to the stars (Bowie, Iggy) it’s full of amazing stories.
The new Two Tone book by Daniel Rachel ‘Too Much Too Young’ is wonderful too, it digs in and unearths some interesting perspectives, it’ll make you play all those records again too.
It truly was a remarkable period.
Album of the year? –
I have to say whilst I heard a lot of songs that caught my attention, I don’t think it’s been a vintage year for the album.
I’d have to plump for Blur’s ‘The Ballad of Darren’ as my most played record of ‘23 along with ‘Lotus Glow’ by Adi Oasis
Closely followed by ‘Silver’ by Say She She, a modern soul dancer that doesn’t fall foul of the cliches and pastiche (great live too – check ‘em out!)
I also loved Chris Thompson’s writing and work on his new Bathers record ‘Sirenesque’. It’s such an eloquent, poetic, beautiful album.
Chris is a genius.
The return of Galliano –
I was overjoyed to witness the return of Galliano this year, naturally I felt I couldn’t miss their London show at Village Underground. I was kind of nervous about it though as they were one of my favourite live bands of the 90’s, I saw them tons of times, always an uplifting, joyous experience.
The 2023 model were every bit as fabulous.
There’s a new album in the works for next year too. Positive vibes abound… I’ll dig my beads out.
SF 25th Anniversary celebrations –
I’m hesitant to big up ourselves but I have to admit that 2023 and the 25th anniversary of Stone Foundation has felt like a special milestone and something I should not be guilty of feeling proud of.
The gigs have been tremendous, the crowds have been amazing. It’s been my favourite tour thus far and I myself am celebrating 40 years of making noise in bands.
I was also pleased to get my D/S/P project off the ground, it was lovely to create music with my son Lowell and my old sparring partner Nick Read, we received some positive vibes back from those tunes.
So along with the release of my tour diary book “Bass Notes” I’d say it’s been a very productive year.
Malcolm Holcombe is one of those songwriters who is quiet rightly revered by music fans and fellow-songwriters alike. He’s been releasing solo material for twenty-seven years now, and the quality of his work never dips; he just goes on writing, playing, beautifully crafted songs in his own country/blues/rock style, singing them in his own distinctive cracked drawl. It’s powerful stuff, even before you get to the lyrical themes of the of the twelve songs on this album (with a bonus thirteenth on the CD version).
Malcolm has been prolific recently with six albums in the last six years despite serious health problems and that small matter of a pandemic. “Tricks of the Trade” marks a progression from his recent work. The addition of electric guitar to Jared Tyler’s string armoury adds a harder cutting edge to the arrangements while Malcolm’s lyric have more of a political edge this time around, which shouldn’t surprise anyone after the events of the last eighteen months.
Musically the stylings move across the roots spectrum from the lap steel-led old country of “Misery Loves Company” through the uptempo acoustic “Crazy Man Blues” to the country rock of “Damn Rainy Day” (with a similar theme to Paolo Nutini’s “Pencil Full of Lead”). Jared Tyler’s electric adds some punch to the album’s closer “Shaky Ground”, while a cello line adds pathos to the love ballad “Lenora Cynthia” and “Higher Ground” has a pumping bassline that evokes the Talking Heads classic, “Psycho Killer”. It’s a strikingly broad musical palette.
The lyrical edge of the album comes, typically for Malcolm Holcombe, with the allusive and indirect political references, leaving the listener to wonder what they actually heard. Just two words in “Higher Ground”, ‘slumlord whitehouse’ convey the Trump genealogy. Donald Trump’s father Fred Trump built up the property empire that the former President inherited and was attacked in song by Woody Guthrie over racial discrimination. That’s a lot of meaning packed in to two words. And while we’re talking about presidents, “On Tennessee Land” highlights the short-sightedness of voters in the Southern states, recalling Lyndon B Johnson’s comment: ‘If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket.’ The title song can be interpreted as a commentary on political trickery or, like the opener “Money Train”, the machinations of the music business; there are always layers within layers in Malcolm Holcombe’s songs.
“Tricks of the Trade” is the real thing. Malcolm Holcombe has taken his very personal songwriting style in a more political direction while still retaining the subtlety of lyrical expression that typifies his work. Take the time to peel way the layers and you’ll find a very satisfying album that will stay with you.
“Tricks of the Trade” is released in the UK on Friday August 20th.
Here’s the video for the opening song “The Money Train”:
Trumpets (muted and otherwise), trombones, tuba, saxophones; if you can’t stand a brass band then don’t bother entering this experimental space that is the collaboration between the grandaddy of new wave, David Byrne, and super cool new girl Annie Clark aka St Vincent. The majority of the songs here feature either Byrne or St Vincent singing solo, a few are actual duets but almost every second of each track is crammed full with a parping, swelling or squeaking wind instrument sounding off; it’s very much the third, non-credited party here.
David Byrne sounds very much at home in this musical landscape, an artist who has collaborated with many world music artists and has also produces music in his own right that incorporates many eclectic, diverse styles from various cultures (1992’s “Uh-Oh” album for example), not even taking into account Talking Heads. St Vincent makes queasy, dark, melodic indie pop and is a fantastic guitarist. She is an artist that has slowly, over the course of 3 albums, each better than the last, has established herself as a significant new talent, a fascinating artist very much in her prime whose best work is probably yet to come. But it’s actually the horns that tie the 12 tracks here together, providing a constant, nurturing narrative regardless of who takes the lead.
David Byrne sounds very much like David Byrne on the majority of this album, a cerebral, wise but paranoid voice: St Vincent though goes places she hasn’t before with some fascinating results. This is a funky album, it’s politely and quietly funky and never really works up a sweat but play it at home at a decent volume level and you will be inclined to move around a bit, I guarantee. St Vincent, unlike Byrne, has never, ever been funky. On “Weekend In The Dust”, on which Byrne doesn’t feature, St Vincent’s vocals are soulful and flirtatious and tightly harmonised, with an ‘I don’t get it, I just don’t get it’ refrain sung over chunky horns and a r’n’b beat; it’s not just a curio it’s a success. On “Ice Age”, which is the most typical St Vincent track here, after a sudden key change in the second verse the angular, staccato horns and bass guitar start to lose control around her. She is also responsible for the best song, the languid and glistening, world-weary “Optimist”; a gorgeous, solo performance.
“I Should Watch TV” and “Dinner for Two” see David Byrne typically bewildered and unsettled by metropolitan, urbane situations and are both excellent songs with elegant arrangements and crisp execution. Of the actual, proper duets between the two, of which there are actually only a couple (although they co-wrote the whole thing together, music and lyrics) “Lazarus” is a poised, assertive stand-off and makes you wish that there are more equal interactions between the two. The Dapp Kings are featured on the disappointingly flabby “The One Who Broke Your Heart” and why is St Vincent so buried on this track as she also is on the better “I Am An Ape” where she features as back-up singer to Byrne only? Byrne’s voice dominates these songs entirely and it just feels like such a wasted opportunity.
It takes to time to settle into this odd, self contained album which doesn’t actually feel like a collaborative effort although I’m certain it is in the truest sense. David has his songs and St Vincent has hers and if you’re a fan of either, ideally both, then there is a lot here to recommend.
