Hello again. Been a while. I’d love to chalk up the gathering of dust upon this blog to me suffering some personal issues, or travelling the world, or becoming the target of a countrywide manhunt. But if the truth be told, I’ve just been juggling work and lazyitis. Saying that though, life can change rather drastically in the space of a year can’t it? The real world outside our windows is increasingly going to shit so the natural response is to bury ourselves deep in our record collections, hoping that all will be OK (And it will, don’t worry. If you don’t believe me, listen to all 10 minutes of All Around the World by Oasis. Oh, speaking of, they reunited. See, things aren’t entirely shit, are they?).
At least, that’s what I’ve been doing as of late.
I’ve also been trying to expand my tastes. I am and always will be a perennially Britpop kind of guy but it gets less and less fun hearing the same kind of music over and over. You need to vary things up once in a while. That’s what I’ve been trying to do as a kind of/sort of/not quite New Year’s resolution, and so far I think it’s working out quite well. That’s why, as a way of blowing away the cobwebs and bringing back A-Side Glance, I want to tell you about a selection of albums I’ve listened to lately. I’m only going to restrict myself to about 100 words or so per paragraph, as there is some stuff in this list that I do want to write full blown reviews on down the line.
So with all of that in mind, here’s a chunk of what I’ve been listening to lately:
Bjork, Homogenic
I’ve been wondering where to start with Bjork for a good long while now and Homogenic is one that often has its praises sang. And I can understand why, Bjork brings a comforting kind of mysticism in an album that might sound a bit flat musically on first listen, but that allows the fluttering appearances of strings to stand out all the more. I might need to try other albums like Post to really get to grips with Bjork’s style but the fact that I want to do just that is a good indicator.
David Bowie, Station to Station
Low is my favourite Bowie record, but its predecessor truly gives it a run for its money. With fascism becoming a thing again, I figured it might be an idea to let the Thin White Duke espouse the romantic side of it. And I know that Bowie was at his lowest ebb physically and mentally, but that doesn’t stop me from being captivated by the Duke. His cold nature adds a frosty layer to his romantic proclamations, highlighting how he is not a man fit to love. Wild is the Wind may not be written by Bowie, but his tortured performance makes it truly his.
Can, Tago Mago and Kraftwerk, Trans-Europe Express
To go from Station to Station, you must take the Express. Kraftwerk may be most famous for Autobahn, but Trans-Europe Express is the apex of their work – Stabby synths, tinny vocals, melodies that won’t leave your head in a hurry. Ja, indeed. After that, I stayed on the Krautrock train and checked out Can, seeing as they were classed as the pioneers of the sound. I like it when it sounds like musicians are moulding the music they make like clay, and that is exactly what Can do on their debut. Ja, again.
Fishmans, 98.12.28: Otokotachi no Wakare
We go now from 70s Germany to 90s Japan with this, what is honest to God the best live album you will ever hear. No, not hyperbole. Dream pop and all the wonder within laid down by a band determined more than ever to get it absolutely perfect, as this was their last show before bass player Yuzuru Kashiwabara departed. And then it turned out to be the last show for Fishmans as a whole, as singer Shinji Sato passed away weeks later. But for a closing statement, intentional or otherwise, you will find nothing finer, no band more determined to get it right. Well, almost nothing…
Casiopea, Casiopea and Mint Jams and Himiko Kikuchi, Flying Beagle
Staying in Japan for a hot second though, I went through a phase where I found myself loving their jazz fusion movement. This might be a hangover from listening to the Ridge Racer Type 4 soundtrack (See here: https://asideglance.com/2020/12/07/entry-13-sampling-soundtracks-i-ridge-racer-type-4-a-k-a-hey-its-a-new-record/ ). But these are two of the best to do it, Casiopea especially as they proved they could do it in the studio and on the stage and not put a foot wrong. And Kikuchi just brings plain joy to the world with Flying Beagle. If you’re on a long drive, stick these on, you’ll be home before you know it.
George Harrison, Brainwashed
When I decided to listen to some George Harrison, my head told me to turn to All Things Must Pass or Living in the Material World. But that would be too easy, too passe. I wanted to give his posthumous album, his last words on the material world, a listen. And am I glad I did because this is easily one of the best albums I’ve listened to. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, to the point where almost every song on the LP is now in my personal playlist. It may be a bit on the nose at times, but that’s George for you. Once he had your attention, he’d make damn sure you listened.
Rialto, No One Leaves This Discotheque Alive
And so we come full circle back to Britpop with a new single, Rialto’s first in nearly 25 years. And it’s like they never left. It’s early days yet but I get the feeling this’ll be in my top five most listened to songs on Spotify come the end of 2025. It’s an ear worm, it’s inescapable, it forces you to leave a piece of yourself with it…just like the eponymous discotheque. Rialto maintain that sinister undercurrent and their affinity for melodrama they should have been so well-known for. Production techniques might have changed over the past quarter-century, but the band’s talent certainly hasn’t been lost to time.
A-Side Glance 