Entry #61 – Sampling Soundtracks VIII: James Bond games (a.k.a Playstation Days)

We’re five years removed from the latest James Bond film with no clear indicator as to when the next one will be, nor who will be donning the tux. Saying that though, some people are vouching for Patrick Gibson off the back of his performance in the latest Bond game 007: First Light.

If you’re a film buff and you think we’re waiting an age for film number twenty-six, spare a thought for the video game fans who spent a good decade believing that Bond games were an extinct breed. From the highs of GoldenEye to the lows of 007 Legends, those of us who got our start taking control of a 3D Bond felt that each passing year confirmed that the latter game had finished the franchise for good.

And then First Light comes along and cue Gene Wilder:

Now I could regale you with the life and times of the Bond video game series for it is an interesting journey. However, this is a music blog so rules decree that I must talk about their soundtracks. For this edition I’m going to pick out the games in the series I played after GoldenEye (already talked about that here: [LINK]), and pick out a maximum of five tracks per game.

007 Tomorrow Never Dies

We begin with the immediate sequel to GoldenEye, and one that seemed to be absolutely determined to be the opposite of its predecessor. System hopped from Nintendo to Playstation, levels halved from twenty to ten, first person perspective to third person, zero voice acting to manhandling the interns into a recording booth, and from a pioneering game to a forgotten clunkfest.

Yeah this game has aged like milk in the sun, no one liked it on release in 1999, even less people like it now. Perhaps its biggest strength is its score from Tommy Tallarico (and Sonic Mayhem, uncredited), although it does take a few sharp turns along the way…

“Outpost”

Heard this one more than I’d care to admit, mainly because I could never pass the first level until I had the bright idea to ask for a new controller with a working R1 button. Bit slow on the uptake, I was.

It carries on the feeling of loneliness and isolation that ran through the GoldenEye soundtrack, although the guitar nicely reflects some of the swagger that Pierce Brosnan was bringing to the role at the time. Might explain why it makes a reappearance in the final level aboard the stealth boat (along with a bunch of other tracks actually…).

“Pressing Engagement”

I’ll cover some more stealth-based music from the series the further into this entry we go, but this track superbly captures the feeling of being a spy weaving through the shadows and picking your moments and shots wisely. Just a shame you can barely sneak around for toffee in this game.

“Media Tower”

As above, but so damn groovy.

I also can’t help but notice that at 53 seconds we have some sounds Tallarico would recycle in his Spider-Man 2000 soundtrack (see that game’s “Warehouse 65”).

“Convoy”

ROAD RAGE!

Seriously, hardcore thrash guitars in a 007 score? If Bond had completely gone off his nut and was blowing up any poor bastard innocent or guilty, sure. But this is just a tad too extreme. Badass though.

It does land better when you face a goon with a grenade launcher and an absurd amount of health. “Convoy” lets you know that if you don’t duck and weave, you are in for it.

“PPK”

The ski sequences are precisely no one’s favourite part of this game, but at least the music that accompanies them is decent. Better still in the final part of the game when you’re up against the clock but there’s one last batch of goons standing between you and freedom.

007 Nightfire

After years of trying EA finally got it right. There’s a sentence you don’t often say.

But after the clunkiness of Tomorrow Never Dies, the eyesore of 007 Racing, the many many ports of The World Is Not Enough, and the so-close-but-not-quite-there Agent Under Fire, we finally got the worthy sequel GoldenEye deserved in 007 Nightfire.

And you know what? It’s my favourite Bond game. I have so many fond memories of it, playing through the campaign, trying to better myself each time to score some unlockables, and losing myself for ages in the multiplayer fighting bots. Bonus points for being the first to use Pierce Brosnan’s likeness, enhancing the feeling that you are playing James Bond instead of a half-decent cosplayer.

And the soundtrack? Put it this way, my limit of five tunes is going to be a massive hindrance here.

“Outside the Castle”

The Exchange is one of the best levels in the entire series. When you start, you have three possible ways of infiltrating the castle – Head on, in the back of a passing wine truck, or around the outer perimeter. Choose either of the latter two and you have the pleasure of hearing another one of those tracks that screams ‘I’m the best damn spy in the world, I can’t be seen’. All throughout, from the strings to the piano, you are reminded that you’re on the edge, perhaps literally, and could blow it at any moment. But how could you? You’re James Bond!

“Enemies Vanquished”

The soundtrack of a great 007 game must include little nods to the films of the past, and go beyond constant rehashes of the Bond theme. That’s exactly what “Enemies Vanquished” does, with Steve Duckworth and Jeff Tymoschuk having clearly done their homework. In this arrangement you can keep an ear out for references to the themes of Live And Let Die and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and it’s seamless.

“Ambushed”

Japanese technotronic action ninja boss battle theme!

Christ that thing is terrifying though.

“A Sinking Feeling”

In a first for the series, we have an underwater vehicle level. A lot of people call it their least favourite. Me? Second least, Island Infiltration plods on too much for my liking. It’s an atmospheric one, in the big blue and on your way into the lion’s den as you navigate tunnels and mines. It’s another one of those cautious, one-wrong-step-and-you’re-dead tunes.

“Showdown in Space”

Yes you read that title right. James Bond, back in space. Unfortunately, the final level doesn’t make full use of this concept as it leaves you trapped on a solar panel dodging laser fire for five minutes (But unlike Moonraker, you can actually call this non-canon if you wish!). Luckily, the game’s last helping of level music makes you forget that fact. Truly all-or-nothing.

Ah I want to go on, but even if I could I wouldn’t be able to do Nightfire’s music justice. Here’s the full thing:

007 Everything Or Nothing

A lot of people might cite this as their favourite game in the series, and with good reason. I mean, it has Willem Dafoe as the main villain for crying out loud, plus Pierce Brosnan actually lends his voice to the character. If you’re not a fan of Die Another Day, you can absolutely consider this his real swansong.

The soundtrack’s another corker, continuing the trendy electronic and synth tunes that we’ve seen in the previous games. And once again I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to picking the five.

“Everything Or Nothing” (Jazz Version)

As time wore on and the series continued, we started getting original songs made specially for these games. Nightfire’s was called “Nearly Civilised” which is decent but never earned more than a complimentary nod from me. “Everything Or Nothing”’s title track is sung by Mya and is suitably 2000s, electronic R&B and all.

And then there’s the jazzy version her character (also called Mya, imaginatively) sings when you infiltrate a swanky New Orleans club. Sultry, smoky, intimate. Love it. If jazz isn’t your cup of tea though, there’s always the techno remix you can hear in the post-game bonus levels.

“To Arms”

A pumping action theme to begin the game, and when you have your last proper boss fight. Works both ways.

“Jaws”

Yup, Jaws returns in this game, his fling with Dolly seemingly a distant memory. And while he still struggles to get things right when Bond’s around, he’s less of a prat and much more brutal about it. And much like his aquatic nameksake, he has a theme befitting of a stalking, hulking menace looking to rip you to shreds with his teeth.

“Battle in the Big Easy”

If you heard this before playing the game I’d wager you’d probably think this track came from the final level in the game. I know it’s an overused word but it’s epic. It starts grand and just keeps building on itself, particularly two minutes in when the Bond theme kicks in.

And yet this is only the halfway stage. There’s still a great deal of globehopping and baddy shooting to go. Still though, with explosions, Speed homages, Aston Martins wreaking havoc, and Mya emerging from a sunroof dual wielding submachine guns, you do kind of need a track like “Battle in the Big Easy” to sound as pulse-poundingly grandiose as it does.

“Rooftop Bike Chase”

The Bond theme was overused during this time period, let’s be honest, particularly in the video games. Indeed that’s why I’m not talking about Agent Under Fire in this entry because you’re lucky to go five seconds without it playing. To me this is proof positive that you can bust out Bond moves and feel like the biggest badass on the planet without needing those do-do-do-dooooo’s to accentuate the point. Riding a motorcycle across rooftops in a tux. Yup, this is truly the finale Brosnan’s Bond deserved.

007: From Russia With Love

But after Brosnan’s rather unceremonious exit (read: sacking) from the role, the franchise found itself in a sort of limbo. The cash needed to keep coming in and the role was interchangeable in the video games anyway, so another one would be inevitable.

So who did they draft in? Sean f*cking Connery.

Yup, the man who swore off the role three times over came back for one last hurrah when the boffins at EA decided to do an adaptation of one of the films. From Russia With Love being Connery’s favourite was a definite sweetener. Thus, we went back to the 60s with a soundtrack inspired heavily by the work of John Barry. No synthy gizmos here, this time it’s pure orchestra and moodiness. A welcome change of pace.

“Istanbul”

We don’t get a lot of these calm before the storm kinds of tracks but for the first minute or so of Istanbul Pt1, you can just have a cruise around the Turkish streets in an Aston Martin DB5. It’s one of the better tributes to Barry, down to the smatterings of bongo drums to immerse you in the location, and the cold strings to tell you you’re under the watchful eye of the Soviets.

“Catacombs”

Best action music in the game, it’s so hard-hitting.

“Jetpack Escape”

Jetpacks are in this game. You can shoot rockets from them. Could you do that in 1963? Who gives a toss.

With the opening plucks of string when the jetpack emerges from the floor, you can just picture Connery’s Bond standing there dumbfounded at first. Then, the twinkle in his eye gets brighter as he realises that he’s about to escape and have a lot of fun doing so.

“Chop Shop”

By the time of the Factory level, it’s safe to say that Bond is a little bit pissed off with how things have gone lately. Thus, he rocks up to the enemy compound in the form of a one-man wrecking ball in a jetpack, happily flaunting that licence to kill.

“Tunnel”

Time to run!

Side note, you can hear this in an episode of Top Gear where Clarkson gets a case of crane envy.

Goldeneye Rogue Agent

I have just one word to sum up this soundtrack and the game itself:

Shite.

Entry #60 – What I’ve Been Listening to Lately: May and June 2026 (a.k.a A Lot About A Little)

As I alluded to the other day when I churned out another entry on video game soundtracks, I haven’t really been going through my record collection as of late. I’ve wanted to but I think I’ve been turned off by the format I chose for the monthlies, the mindset that everything I listen to I must make notes about for the blog. It kind of kills the enjoyment in listening to music, that this is something I have to do rather than I want to do.

Basically, I think I need some time to psych myself back up. I’m going to have plenty of time to do it anyway, the summer hols are coming up after all. And I have a long list of things to try. In fact I may aswell tell you that the title of this monthly was originally going to be ‘Black Sheep, Beatles, and Beck’. So you can probably start working out what to expect come the end of this month, all being well.

In the meantime, I did listen to a few records. Maybe it was a good thing that I didn’t try anything beyond them because I did end up diving very deeply into a couple of things as you’ll see.

overpass, Elsewhere, Always

Here come the Brums!

Everywhere I’ve looked in the world of indie, I’ve seen overpass this and overpass that, people swearing blind that they are going to blow up. Proof of the pudding is in the eating though, so I held off until they released their debut album which had been due out a while and is now finally out.

They have a lot to thank the 2000s for, what with the poppy snare drums and white noise fuzz guitar riffs (particularly on “I Will” and the aptly named “Spinning”). But the performance by frontman Max Newbold as he dabbles in falsetto to sell you his raw emotion, that’s what really elevates this record as he sounds like a lost little boy on “Is This Real?” and “Heaven”.

It ain’t a bad way to kill a half hour. You’ll have a good enough time with it, try it.

The Coral, 388

A band I like surprise released a record? So this is how it feels!

You can always spare a minute for the Coral, they have been one of the most consistent bands of the 21st century. As of late they have been dabbling with concept albums, one of which was Coral Island and that was one I rather enjoyed in spite of its length. Can’t say I’ve kept up with the rest, save for “Wild Bird” and that one single they did with John Simm.

But after diving deeper and deeper into themes and new sounds, sooner or later you’re going to want to come up for air and get back to basics. That’s what the Coral do here with 388, named after the tape machine they recorded the whole shebang into. Everything about this album is simple, no frills, hence the surprise release. Just your standard guitars and drums and organs (and a fluttering of flute on “Yellow Moon”).

Instantly we’re set up for channeling the glory days with “Let the Music Play”, and “Leave It In The Past” is a firm warning-to-self to not let it get in the way of the future. There’s plenty of time for emotion and lamentations – ‘We’ll never be this young again’ in “You and Me (And the Beautiful Sea)” can touch a nerve. Oh, and if you need to get re-accustomed to the Coral’s sound then they have little treats in the mix for you. For a start there’s a fair share of dub on display, see “Here Come The Tears” and “Sad Girl”. And you may even be reminded of the Specials in “Yellow Moon”.

Nostalgia forms the backbone of 388 but it’s not an overwhelming desperation to relive the past – the Coral aren’t pulling a Gary King. It’s more of a toast to the old days, mourning and fondly remembering them like one would at the reception after a funeral. It’s a tribute to what made them successful in the first place without the stroking of egos and self-fellatio. The Coral are quietly looking back with fondness, a heavy heart and a bit of caution, and going forward with smiles on their faces.

Blur, Think Tank

For Blur, it’s dead easy to pick out their black sheep record. The one sans Graham.

And I’ll be honest, it’s what’s turned me away from trying it out in full. I’ve heard the singles, given some of the album tracks the time of day, but never the whole course. Tasted, but never consumed. Another thing that bothers me is the context, which draws parallels to White Album-era Beatles – I think it’s fair to say Damon was concentrating more on Gorillaz, a project with seemingly endless possibilities, rather than Blur, a band whose star still shone but now no longer as brightly as the others surrounding it. Inevitably, that’s going to overshadow proceedings and shape part of the sound.

Also shaping the sound are two things – Locale and producer. We have Norman Cook onboard to handle a few tracks which is certainly a choice. And upon remembering how well a change of scenery leant itself to Blur, the band paid a visit to Morrocco which means that we’re going to have more of an African flavouring for these songs. I’m happy to welcome that, I’ll try anything once.

And lo and behold we kick off with “Ambulance” which is built upon samples and synths and African-style drumbeats. It’s a slow yet subtle funk number rounded off by some brass, which I kind of dig. “Out of Time” keeps things moving gradually, starting with (something I only discovered a couple of years ago) 60s Cybermen noises. It’s an obvious hit, wrought with emotion at the millennium men closing themselves off from each other, and breakup hangups, something which Blur are all too good at by now (See “Yuko and Hiro” and most of 13). I can’t help but note the circumstances behind Graham’s departure and these lyrics from the chorus: ‘You haven’t had the time, to open up your mind’.  Calling your estranged best mate a closed-minded philistine? Bit harsh.

Now at this point we’re ten minutes in and I’m waiting for this album to truly explode. I know we won’t have Graham around to command it with one of his signature riffs but surely the other three have something in the tank for us…

“Crazy Beat”: CrAZy BeAt CrAzY bEaT YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! W-A-R-P WARP WARP

Never mind, bring on the slow stuff again please.

Is “Good Song” a good song? Eh. It’s one of those ones borne by the conflict in the Middle East. Same goes for “Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club”, which isn’t half bad. Has Damon got any more of these lying around at the moment? “On the Way to the Club” is a nice little deep cut though, love the idea of setting yourself up for disappointment between the lights and the drinks. Besides the strangely inviting electronic tinges knitting everything together, Alex also sneaks in a juicy bit of bass once the verses wrap up. “Caravan” is a more exotic distillation of “Country Sad Ballad Man”. And speaking of throwbacks to the self-titled LP, “We’ve Got a File on You”. Too short to write about, really.

The further we go on though the more you start to realise this is not a Blur record. It’s a Gorillaz record disguised as a Damon solo record with the Blur name stamped on it. Without Graham around to keep things traditionally rocky to some degree, Damon is essentially off the leash and free to experiment with new instruments and add some electronica into the mix with the help of Norman Cook. For example, “Brothers and Sisters” is catchy but it sounds like 2D on the mic, not Damon. “Gene by Gene”’s lyrics had to have been made up on the fly, there’s no other way to justify the words ‘Fatboy and the barn is pumping’. Surprised Del the Funky Homosapien didn’t get flown to Morrocco to round things off. And as much as I enjoyed “…Revolutionary Bowls Club”, there is a lot going on in the production that it’s easy to forget that somewhere in there are Dave and Alex too.

Ironically, the most Blur-sounding track, and in turn perhaps the one to share pole position with “Out of Time”, is the one about how they’re coming apart. “Sweet Song”. What a performance by Damon, tugging at the heart strings and daring you not to cry. “Jets” gives the band as a whole a chance to spread their wings in a…6 minute throwaway. Great. It feels like a jam session that they tinkered with for a few minutes in the studio before getting bored and dropping it in the saxophonist’s lap. Luckily, “Battery in Your Leg” sees Graham return and not a moment too soon. It’s heavy and spacy and at least closes proceedings on a high note…

“Me, White Noise”:  ME WHITE NOISE ME WHITE NOISE UNDERSTAND?!

Oh f*ck off, Phil.

Think Tank strikes me as an album Blur felt compelled to make, to excise a few demons and keep the crowd onside. In turn, it may also feel like an album Blur fans are compelled to listen to out of curiosity or dedication. The only trouble is no one on either side is left feeling the better for it. I respect it more than I like it. That’s as good as it’s going to get from me.

Suede, A New Morning b-sides

So the above Blur album only has two songs on it that I would happily come back to (“Out of Time” and “Sweet Song”). The same can be said for this album I reviewed a while back, Suede’s supposed new beginning which spelled a fatal end. It flopped then, and it flopped hard for me when I listened to it. An “Obsessions” does not an album make.

Yet I read this Britpop fan mag on TikTok at the beginning of May which tried to make the case for A New Morning. I didn’t agree, obviously, but I couldn’t help but notice it painted the album’s strengths as tracks that weren’t even on the actual record. The b-sides.

One of these b-sides was “Simon”. Initially I was under the impression it would be some sort of tribute to Simon Gilbert on the drums. Then I read it was about a friend of Brett’s who took their own life. But even before that bit of perspective you can immediately tell that compared to most of the songs recorded around this time, Brett has a fire lit under his arse as he wants to do Simon’s memory justice. ‘No one believed you when you said your heart was blue’. Dear God that is a brutally regretful line. The stripped-back sound may not have paid off for the whole album but here, it does in dividends. What a start.

“Cheap” is a return to form unfortunately. It’s a song that begs for a touch of the wry in the lyrics, something Neil Hannon could have tons of fun with. Alas, Suede play it straight and with a dash of sophisti-pop for good measure. But you know what did make me laugh? The opening to “Campfire Song”. ‘I f*cking hate the countryside’. That caught me off guard, I didn’t expect it to be recorded round an actual campfire. Suede do folk. Whatever next? Just a shame they kept the mic running for another minute and a half after they finished singing, the joke had well and truly run its course by then.

“One Love” is groovy enough but sounds a bit flat, and Brett’s worn voice from around this time rears its ugly head again. It threatens the clear weather in “Colours” too but I found that one to be pleasant if inoffensive. Where the lyrics are concerned, “Superstar” sounds like top 30 fodder for 1992, not 2002. It’s easy on the ears, almost too easy given that this is Suede. I do like Brett’s performance towards the end though, he hits those high notes quite nicely.

I think by the time I reached those latter two tracks though, I was finally adjusting to the sound of A New Morning. It was Suede trying something new, hence the title suggests. Lighter, softer. Why wait for the rough and tumble? Oh never mind, here’s “Cool Thing”. I played it on the radio once, can’t remember why. It could’ve found a spot on the final playlist, mind. So could “UFO” and “Rainy Day Girl”. The former’s literal alienation (‘Does anybody feel like me?’) makes it one of the better cuts, and the latter has a welcome touch of Coming Up about it, with Alex Lee finally getting a chance to elevate a song with his keyboard work. I’ll chuck “You Belong To Me” into the mix too, we’ve gone over the same subject matter ten times over by that point but with a bit more TLC it might genuinely have been single material.

“Instant Sunshine” is a misnomer, you instantly hate it for sounding Oasis-lite and those closing la-la-las will make you cringe. “Hard Candy” was touted as a good ‘un by the fan mag when really it’s a retread of “Elephant Man” (of all things) with a lackadaisical performance from Brett. “ABC Song” is worthy only of a ‘meh’. “Love The Way You Love” is the most-2000s track I’ve heard in a minute and…oh Christ, they opened their set at Glastonbury ’03 with it?! Scratch that, they played the Pyramid Stage and decided it was the best way to get the crowd onside?! Surprised that didn’t cause a mass exodus back to the tents.

While some of them do work and are worth a glance, these b-sides carry the same stink that plagued the album they were made to accompany. Even if we chose the absolute best of the best from here, and used them to replace the worst of the worst found on A New Morning, we would still have Suede’s weakest album bar none. There’s not enough substance here to redeem this era. It’s all so dismally vanilla.

Entry #59 – Sampling Soundtracks VII: Video Games I Played in the 2000s (a.k.a Scatterbrained)

Yup, it’s another one of these. To tell you the truth, I haven’t been listening to much in the way of albums lately so until I do I’m just going to dripfeed you other odds and sods like this.

It occurred to me after I finished the last entry on Sampling Soundtracks that I have an understated fondness for music in other games I’ve played over the years. Trouble is I wouldn’t have enough to say about them to justify a full entry. That’s why I’m making this a little-bit-of-everything, some of the tracks buried in a dusty cabinet somewhere in my mind, from the times of the Nintendo 64 and the Playstations 1 and 2.

So what compelled me to do this in the first place? Well, first I decided to revisit a couple of games from a series that I was historically terrible at. Playing centre-backs as strikers, either the boldest move ever or showing I’m mentally unfit to be a football manager.

FIFA 98: Road to World Cup (Nintendo 64)

We’ve all played a FIFA game at some point in our lives. Obviously my first had to be the one that has Blur’s “Song 2” as its theme, but for the N64 version that’s where the songs end. Not enough space on that cartridge for the Crystal Method so what do we have in their place?

Porn music!

No, it’s really just some decent instrumentals that were probably churned out in a day or so. Nothing special really but I like ‘em for what they are – Unassuming late 90s synthtronica.

FIFA 2000

F*cking Robbie again.

Ah but I’d be lying if I didn’t have a little dance to “It’s Only Us” when it played over the introductory cinematic. I also love the fact that it wouldn’t have been the game’s theme if EA didn’t acquiesce to Robbie’s demand that Port Vale be part of the roster (This was back in the day when it was top flight or out of sight).

Now this was on the original Playstation so I can talk quickly about the other songs. First, “Joy!” by Gay Dad. Excrement. “Sell Out” by Reel Big Fish is much more like it, turn-of-the-millennium ska with loud horns and drums. Speaking of sounds of the time, Lunatic Calm’s “LC001” has not aged well has it? Good for a dance in the dark though. More great drumming to be found in the aptly named “All About Beats”, ideal for getting you pumped up for another match.

But the MVP of this soundtrack? Apollo 440’s “Stop The Rock”. I bloody love that song. In fact I remember when I was about six I went to a party, this came on and I danced my heart out to it with a girl in front of a greenhouse so we could see our reflections. Good times.

Mission Impossible

Back to the N64 with one of the clunkiest games I’ve ever played. At times, you are engaged in proper spycraft but most of the time it decides to go in a different direction and be a third person GoldenEye. With controls like these, that’s a hard sell.

Shame because it has a decent chunk of tracks that aren’t compromised too heavily by the compression of the cartridge.

For a start it’s one of the many reasons that the first part of the Embassy Function level is just sublime. You’ve got the main tune, bass and cymbals for some sneaky undercover work as you make sure no one sees you fiddle with the vents or knock out assassins and ambassadors in the loo. Speaking of ambassadors, it’s little wonder you have to get the pianist to play the Sloborskaia March to lure him – who wouldn’t want to revel in such elegant music. In fact, that pianist clearly isn’t being paid enough, his main party piece is his own rendition of the level’s music!

Lots of great music to be found elsewhere. Good ol’ fashioned espionage with the classic Mission Impossible theme tune weaved through, namely on the track you first hear in the Warehouse. There were traditionalist fans of the TV series who resented the film, but I’m sure they would absolutely love the game’s tribute to Lalo Schifrin by using “The Plot” as music for the briefing scenes and the Lundkwist Base mission. It gets proper intense at times too, like on the CIA Rooftop and when you begin your Escape from the embassy. And then the triumphant reprise of the main theme on missions like leaving the embassy under the guise of firemen, and leaping on and off trucks in a massive tunnel.

Honestly would’ve been one of the best regarded N64 games, if it weren’t for how damn stiff those controls felt.

Rugrats: Search For Reptar

You remember that horror game craze that occurred in the early 2010s? Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Dead Space 2, Cry of Fear, and of course the Slender games and the endless clones they spawned. Gave all those screamy YouTubers like PewDiePie and Markiplier their mainstream boom and before long everyone was playing these games and making out their pants had been shat in search of likes and views.

Well to them I would issue a challenge to play Rugrats: Search For Reptar because good lord that game is unsettling.

Yes, a Rugrats game, designed for children no older than primary school age. As if being blessed with some of the most uncanny graphics of the PS1 era was bad enough, the soundtrack of looped samples is just plain unsettling. Creeps and chills down your spine in the darkened hallways of a toy store, or the halls of your home plagued by monsters that go ‘oogie-boogie’. Cold sweats on your back as you’re attacked by robots small and massive in basements and toy shops. Feelings of isolation and then some as you navigate a rat-infested sewer in search of a doll. 210bpm from jammed keyboard buttons in the background as you chase a goose that’s kidnapped your best mate.

I’m not making that last one up by the way.

But when the soundtrack isn’t acting like this is a child’s Resident Evil, it still hovers between offputting, annoying, and occasionally whimsical. I mean, baby psychedelia is never a genre I’d believe could exist but I think that best describes the music for the Mirrorland bonus level.

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

It might honestly be for the best that I have never bothered to learn how to drive considering my first exposure to GTA came at the tender age of five. If you’re wondering how I even ended up playing this, I can only assume it came with the collection of other games I inherited. Luckily this particular iteration of GTA was made during a time before hot coffee and racist slurs over XBOX Live, and I was too young to fully understand the swear words in the subtitles, so I guess all’s good in the end.

Oh the soundtrack? Proper 60s instrumentals. You only get a set radio station depending on which vehicle you drive, and they only play two songs maximum. This does mean certain songs can get grating the further into the game you go, but you can have the whole thing wrapped up within two hours. Me personally, I was comfortable enough bombing around in a Myni (as spelt in the game) and committing hit and runs to the almost unbearably catchy “Beat Fuga Shake”. The Sounds of Soho radio station keeps the Italian imports in play with the spy thriller “Tema di Londra” from Francesco De Masi and Alessandro Alessandroni. Those two also have a couple of tracks waiting for you on Kaleidoscope radio. Oh sorry that should be ‘WAAAGGH! This is Kaleidoscope!’.

If reggae’s more your style, find a car tuned in to Bush Sounds for a double bill of the Upsetters, or Heavy Heavy Monster Sounds who provide the song that makes you go ‘Shit, my tax returns!’. Yup, it’s “Liquidator”. From Riz Ortolani, we get trumpet-led pop, the sort of pop that makes you go pop. Not my words, the words of the DJ manning Radio Andorra bringing you some of the most dissonant music for a chase or kill frenzy. And honourable mention must go to “Saturday Nite at Dirty McNasty’s” as broadcast by Radio 7, as it will become the literal soundtrack to terrorism should you find the golden tank. ‘London’s day of hell’, indeed.

But nothing compares to “Beat Fuga Shake”: ‘So let’s blow it up again!’.

Destroy All Humans 1 & 2

Everything’s getting remade these days. Star Fox, Last Airbender, Dune. And this cult classic from the Playstation 2 had a fresh coat of paint applied with a hefty pricetag a few years ago. But you know what? Good, because Destroy All Humans is never a series that truly got its flowers. Camp horror at its finest.

Game one is set in 1950s America and, being a parody of b-movie films about alien invasions that were prevalent at the time, the soundtrack is heavily influenced by that. But the great thing about it is perspective. You’re the alien, you’re the invader, you’re the villain of this story. To hear it back you up as you wipe the open world maps clean of humans and buildings, you feel tempted to crack a mirthless smile. If you were the hero, humanity’s last bastion of hope? You’d feel buggered. Heck, by the time you hear the culminative tracks of Capitol City, shit is sold as having well and truly hit the fan.

Game two keeps that motif going, but now we’re in the 60s and globetrotting. Bay City is peace and love being squashed to smithereens. Albion’s music takes inspiration from John Barry. Takoshima’s Asian flavouring provides a nice nod to Godzilla (to say nothing of the final mission in that location) and mention must also go the delightful zen track that plays when you visit the temple. Tunguska evokes the claustrophobic chills and paranoia of a backwater Russian town. And Solaris, set on the moon, has all the ingredients for a climatic showdown as events come to a head. And it’s all perfect, hence why it never needed redoing when the remakes came out over the past few years. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Glad that was adhered to, for once.

There’s some actual songs to be found in-game, and there’s always time for you to give them a listen in the pause menu. Again, it’s all to set the scene in the 60s. “Pattern Skies” was always a favourite of mine, and “Straight Thru You” is a rocker.

WWF SmackDown: Just Bring It!

Like FIFA, you always have a first when it comes to wrestling games. Mine’s 2001’s Just Bring It!, which doesn’t have a great reputation owing to its subpar story mode and madlibs commentary. However, I very much view the whole thing through the ol’ rosy specs. And of all the soundtracks I’ve talked about today, this is the one that most easily transports me to the time I was a young and impressionable boy, playing this with my best friend in his bedroom and getting soundly beat because I insisted on playing as Steven Richards of all people (Side-note, I’m not going to talk about the wrestlers’ entrance music, but Stevie’s…oi. If you know, you know. If you don’t, turn the volume down).

As time has gone on, WWE games have been made of harsh punk rock, metal or select themes from wrestlers. But in the series’ early days, they were original pieces composed specifically for the games, and at this stage they were these dark but lush techno-industrial tracks. Indicative of the turn of the millennium, sounding like they came from a not-too-distant future. And what’s most impressive about them is they somehow put you in the mindset of how a wrestler would feel in each mode, each stage.

When creating your own wrestler or their moveset, the track builds and builds as you get every fine detail right, perfecting your design to be the best in the ring. When choosing a match, you’re deciding how best to entertain yourself and the 2D crowds. When selecting your wrestler, the action’s building and you’re one step from beginning your battle for the ages.

Then there’s the background music for when you’re in a match, with guitar riffs aplenty, some electronic beats and the occasional sampled rap. Being reused when you’re wandering aimlessly backstage in story mode means going up and down a corridor will have never felt so cool.

Entry #58 – Sampling Soundtracks VI: Star Fox 64 (a.k.a M’fave)

If you’ve got an eye for video games, particularly those made by Nintendo, then you’ll likely know that we have had a new Star Fox game released today. Or rather, the latest last-gasp attempt to get the series back to its former glory by doing exactly what it’s done four times before. The ol’ WW1 trenches mentality. I jest, I desperately want this game to succeed, and all signs point to that being the case – Large swathes of pre-orders, positive reviews from critics all around, and even posters in the station during my commute to work.

Star Fox is a series that is very near and dear to me. 64 was one of my first and favourite games of all time. Assault was the one and only reason I asked for a Gamecube one Christmas. Ditto the 3DS when the 64 remake came out. Hell, I don’t even think Command was that bad, although the writing could give Hollyoaks a run for its money.

These are some of the most easily enjoyable games you could ever play. And Star Fox 64, the crown jewel of the series, is the epitome of that. It rewards time and patience if you keep playing, and there’s always something to come back to – A level you haven’t played enough, a secret you haven’t found, or a dogfight with your mates if you have a spare controller. It’s pure escapism, a proper good game you can dip in and out of at will, a blueprint hence it’s come back with extra flavouring and layers all these years later.

And all the way along you’re accompanied by a menagerie of wonderful scores whose immortality is proven by the fact that we are getting new renditions of classic tracks from the 64 days. I get that after being saturated with remakes for the last decade or so, some fans may be crying out for something new. But then again, if they ain’t broke, why fix them? They’re classics for reasons, as I intend to tell you.

Corneria

The original’s version of Corneria has a militaristic bombast as you carve your way through invading forces for the first time. 64’s has that too but it spices things up by going quiet to suit the contemplative moments as you see just how badly the city has been wrecked. Then it goes loud as you begin shooting up everything you see – The mercs are here, serving revenge with lasers and smart bombs, and struggling with their G-Diffusers.

Meteo

A recurring track throughout the series, and one which I think has been bettered with every appearance. But that being said, don’t discount the original which plays as you go through space for the first time in the game. Like Corneria above it too switches between loud and quiet, and typically during the moments of the latter you’re weaving your way around the asteroids, taking care not to clip or crash into them.

Sector X

A sudden dash of atmosphere and dread. Your job is to infiltrate a space base where a secret weapon is being developed, only to find upon arrival that it has been annihilated. This tune compliments the questions surrounding the debris, the automatic drones trying to shoot you out, the warp you can find and activate, and those robot arms that keep appearing…as Falco says, something’s not right here. Thanks to Sector X’s theme, you will never feel at ease.

Titania/Macbeth

A theme befitting a tank rolling along in pursuit of downed pilots or destroying a long train piece by piece. Makes you feel unstoppable…unless you take too long to take down that robot and it one shots you (That may have happened to me on one occasion).

Aquas

Being the only underwater level, Aquas is a bit of an oddball but if you can excuse the frame rate dropping, you can appreciate the beauty in both the level design and the soundtrack. Majestic, evoking the forgotten civilisations that lived beneath the sea, and those who have unfortunately succumbed to the pollution and horrors of war.

Zoness

Corneria’s melancholy reappears, this time at sea.

Area 6

Well including this on the list goes without saying, dunnit? It’s an epic space battle carving through line after line of defenses, and once again the music makes you believe that you are going to reach Venom and break the army’s back once and for all. To get to Area 6, you need to take the harder path and when you hear this theme you will feel vindicated for making the extra effort, and determined not to fall now. You’re making the impossible possible, don’t fail now.

Venom – Andross Boss Battle

Ah, the nightmare fuel. For the first part, it’s slow and minimalist as you’re confronted with the horror of a 50ft head laughing in your face, complete with uncanny valley flat teeth (90s graphics, gotta love ‘em). The second, faster, frenetic as you’re chased around by a giant brain.

Warp

Bad trip, man, bad trip…

Talk about feeling like you’re in completely unknown territory, and with no one speaking a word throughout you may wonder for a moment if you’re even going to make it out.

In fact I remember triggering the Sector X warp wondering what I’d just done. Then when the level finished and I was taken to the other side of the level select map for the first time. So you could go to those other planets after all?!

Boss B

How much did this one stick in my head? Well I vividly remember a dream I had when I was about five or six years old. I was sitting in my armchair in my bedroom playing a game on my Playstation 2. I suddenly hear the non-diegetic opening bars of this track and realise something is about to go down. I look to my left through my open door. There, down the hallway is a monster of some description breaking into the house. I jump out of my chair as the tune really gets going and charge down the hallway.

And then the dream ended.

Point is, this boss theme must be doing something right if it’s living rent-free in my head.

VS – One by One

Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat! You can’t lose to your friends now, you’re too close.

Star Wolf

Again, a no-brainer if you’re going to talk about Star Fox 64’s soundtrack. I think it’s safe to say that, regardless of what game you might be playing, this will be what comes to mind when you’re in a dogfight. It’s not one of, it’s the tune for an aerial brawl.

I could keep going about the rest of the score but I actually want to stop there and say that since 2020 you’ve had the opportunity to listen to this soundtrack uncompressed. Massive leak took place when we were in lockdown and we can listen to all the sounds of 64 before they were squashed into that cartridge:

And you know what? I’m not done. Let’s give a few of the other games a once over. Given that 64’s tracks are constantly being rehashed (and sometimes bettered depending on the game), it’s only fair that some of the more slept-on stuff gets the time of day.

Star Fox (1993)

Starting with the original game from 1993 for the SNES, one which I admittedly have little to no experience with – I played it once at a gaming con for about fifteen minutes. Doesn’t mean I don’t have time for a couple of the cuts from its soundtrack.

Corneria

90s Japanese arcades brought into the comfort of your living room. What’s not to love?

The Awesome Black Hole

It’s a seconds-long loop but it stirs up the fear and then some in you. Like Warp from 64, it’s like you’re on a acid trip about to go horribly wrong. Like Sector X from that same game, things do feel right at all. Bonus points for the fact dear old Dad might be in here somewhere, lost in the untouched depths, and you might be about to join him…

Star Fox Adventures

I…haven’t played Adventures. Picked it up years ago but never tried it. Sorry. Nothing to say here except the re-renditions of the Meteo and final boss themes from 64 are decent. There was also an unused version of the Area 64 track too, give that a swatch.

Star Fox Assault

Now this game I’ve got a fondness for. Yes, the controls are clunky in the on-foot portions. The dialogue may be a bit too serious for its own good at times. And of course, the game does suffer for being a linear experience as opposed to the paths you can take on the Lylat Wars games. Yet this is perhaps the most well-rounded Star Fox game – A little bit of everything in terms of combat, and a new original story. We also have an orchestra to give the soundtrack an extra layer of epic befitting the plot, where the shit increasingly hits the fan.

Oikonny’s Fleet

While it stands as this game’s answer to Area 6’s theme and pales in comparison as a result, it does still hold up well enough on its own. Once again, you’re fighting your way through a space armada, this time in brand spanking new Arwings that control silky-smoothly. Star Fox is back.

Boss Battle 1 and 3

Bluntly, there’s not a lot of difference between the two majorly used boss themes throughout the game (Number 2 stands out but you only hear it for about 30 seconds in the opening level and that’s it). But the scale of the situation and the depravity of the Aparoids most certainly comes through thanks to a recurring trick in the game’s soundtrack – Psycho strings. I’ll bring ‘em back up in a moment.

Star Wolf

I didn’t want to talk about the same track twice but for Star Wolf an exception must be made because my oh my does the orchestra elevate this to new heights. The 64 version is all action, whereas this is proper adventure thanks to the slower tempo. Replacing the synths with brass horns make the team’s entrance a proper be-on-your-guard moment.

Aparoid Tunnel

Here we are then, the Psycho strings are here and they’re teaming up with some dramatic horns and brass to make a memorable twenty second loop. I wish there was an extended version of this. At this point in the game, you’ve had to put up with a lot of destruction and loss and you are so close to the end now. Trouble is you are well within the lion’s den, penetrating a great unknown with God only knows what at the end of the tunnel.

Queen Battle Parts 1 and 2

I might be clutching at straws at this point but I think Part 1 helps sell the fact that for the first time you are battling the final boss with the whole Star Fox team by your side. You’ve got the fate of the universe on your shoulders here facing the root of all the game’s evil, but you’ve got your mates with you! And Part 2 can best be summed up by the wonderfully narmy line from Fox: “Here I come you evil space hag!”. If ever there was a time to drop the f-bomb…

Star Fox Command

Command’s a controversial entry in the series, not least because it’s the one that essentially killed the franchise. You know how I said one of Assault’s drawbacks is it’s lack of branching paths making for a linear experience? Well, Command sees that criticism and it overcorrects with NINE endings, many of them shite.

(For the record, given that this was the last Star Fox game in this timeline, my go to ending is number two. After that, one and five. Balls to the rest.)

The soundtrack is also watered down, given we’re now on the much smaller Nintendo DS. Gone are the gritty yet lush orchestral flourishes, and in their place are cheaper-sounding midi tracks. Not good, but credit where credit is due we get some original tunes for this one. See, you get the chance to play as a whole host of characters new and old in Command, and each one has their own theme.

Mr Genius, Slippy Toad

Because you can control Slippy, he’s no longer a liability! When you pilot his Bull Frog, you truly feel like the one who can sort this mess out, the underdog here to do his best. I’d call it a peppy track but that would just cause a headache.

The Skillful Flight of Falco

A few characters will get an alternate theme when facing off against any of the motherships on the map. And for me, Falco’s stands well above the main version as it befits an ace pilot who doesn’t just fly a ship. He glides and sways around, giving his opponents whiplash as they struggle to keep up with him. That’s conveyed by the wind instrumentation used in this track, and I so wish we could hear an orchestral take on it.

Fox’s Forgotten Love, Krystal

OK so Krystal’s character gets assassinated big time in this game, but we get a rather magnificent and melancholy theme for her at least.

Heroes of Old, Peppy Hare and James McCloud

Remember how I said I wished there was an extended version of Aparoid Tunnel? Well Command did take another cue from Assault and turned into Peppy’s (and James’ for some reason) theme. The old wisened hero back in the cockpit one last time, and given this will only occur on the path where Fox elects to permanently disband the team, there’s a bittersweet finality to this one too.

Katt Monroe, Falco’s Admirer

Speaking of expanding on cues, here’s what happens when a ten second cue is stretched to two minutes.

Panther Caroso’s Theme

Olé! Bit of flirty flamenco for Panther. Get used to hearing it too because you’ll be using the Black Rose for all it’s worth given that it has the most powerful weapon in the game.

Right, that’ll do.

Now we’ve got the new game. Its soundtrack is 64’s, but in the orchestral style of Assault? And there’s even choral vocals on tracks like Warp?? Sold. Although I get the criticism for not making something new, and hell I was guilty of that in the opening paragraphs of this entry, you need something tried and tested to ease the potential new audience in. Once we’ve got them and sequels are greenlit, then we can focus on something original. Until then, just enjoy the good times. We’re back in Lylat. We’ve got Star Fox back. Not a lot might be right with the world right now, but this? This makes things a bit better.

Entry #57 – What I’ve Been Listening To Lately: March and April 2026 (a.k.a Finds and Keepers)

As of late on my radio show I’ve been trying to give more exposure to bands and artists who have a little bit of Britpop in their sound, and I typically end up finding them through TikTok (at least when the algorithm doesn’t shit the bed and try to force feed me influencers with skin so orange it makes Trump’s spraytan look subtle). And I know that you yourself may groan and wonder why I’m bothering with that godforsaken app but when it wants to it has given me some great recommendations – Burgeoning acts like the Kowloons, the Cases, Keyside, Pastel, and the Molotovs to name a few. As the weeks have been going by I’ve been saving more and more of these folks waiting to break out, noting them down in case I want to give them the time of day on the air.

This month, I want to start running through that list.

The 286

So here we have a band whose members have two things in common with each other. The first being that they all took the same bus route for rehearsals hence the name the 286. The second is their music tastes, aiming for a mix of the Beatles and Beethoven. At first glance, sounds a bit pompous. But you get into it and there’s definitely some heart here.

However, given the kind of sound they’re chasing, the 286 right now have that problem that most underground bands have – Little exposure = Little studios. They have songs that need room to breathe and sound as grandiose as they deserve to be, like their signature song “Month of Sundays”. A bittersweet tale of a murderer who flirted with God, a song deserving of an end-of-the-line, “Motion Picture Soundtrack” kind of sound. Alas, the production right now is a bit claustrophobic and flat. There is potential, but it’s definitely yet to be realised. Keep an eye on ‘em though.

Headwired

When you find a band who claim to be spearheading a Britpop revival movement, they make their influences all too clear. You have ones who unapologetically and insipidly rip off Oasis. You have those who channel the Merseybeat sound of Cast and the Realies (which I much prefer). Then you get bands like Headwired who take notes from the lesser-known or appreciated acts – In their case, it’s the Seahorses. Nowt wrong with that.

So we have a much meatier, bassier take on modern-day Britpop and by gum we have promise here. Their first and latest singles, “Carosuel” and “Head in the Clouds” respectively, show how well they have started, and how much better they are getting with each new release. Hoping to see them here in the North East sooner rather than later.

Bleech 9:3

Cycle through the indie posts on your socials for long enough and you’ll end up getting a few people all saying ‘Here are some bands you need to check out!’ or ‘These guys will explode in 2026!’. Bleech 9:3 are always on these posts, I don’t think I’ve seen a single one where they aren’t included in the list. High hopes then.

Here’s a few songs I tried:

“Ceiling” – Decent guitarwork, liked how far the vocals were pushed in the end. Inelegant, simple.

“Cannonball” – Very black and white.

“Underrated” – Heavy. Fuzzy. Maybe a little OTT production-wise but I like it.

Their self-titled EP is on the way. Might just be one to watch as the socials suggest, if you like your grunge.

That’s just a few of the new, more to come next month. Now, the other stuff.

The Walkmen, Bows + Arrows

I may have boarded this particular train the same way most other people did. Heard “The Rat”. I mean, if there was ever a song that gets so much so right…The tempo on the drumming makes Phil Selway on “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” sound lethargic, the way the guitar sounds like it’s taking off as the synth creeps into the background to knit everything together. Yeah, it was that and that alone that made me think it would be worth checking out this LP.

The risk when you dive into an album this way is you can’t help but worry that it’ll end up being a one-song record. You get bought in on the strength of that one track and then everything else pales in comparison. Forgive me if this is sacrilege, but that’s what happened with me. Maybe it’s because I was a bit distracted while I had it on but it did become background noise for a while. The slower songs in particular blend together, apart from the keyboards in “Hang On Siobhan” they all sound weaved from the same cloth. There are definitely ones dotted throughout to compliment “The Rat”, like “Little House of Savages” and “The North Pole”, the latter setting you up for some dreamier elements in the second half of the album. Bit odd for a post punk album but I like dream sound so why complain? Speaking of, “Thinking Of A Dream I Had” is my pick for second-best track. Those slashy guitars. Mm-mm.

It’s an absolutely competent album, I just think it’s one I listened to at the wrong time. I’ll give it another shot down the line.

Raye, THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.

I don’t know what came over me. The only song of Raye’s I know is “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” and it depends on the day as to whether I like it or not – It’s good until you hear it too often, one of those ear worms. Yet it was enough for me to turn around and think ‘Ok, maybe I should give the full album a whirl’.

Before I jumped in though, a few titles shot out at me: “Intro: Girl Under The Grey Cloud.”, “I Know You’re Hurting.”, “I Hate The Way I Look Today.”, “Happier Days Ahead.”, and of course the title of the album itself. Something told me it wasn’t going to be the most cheery of albums. Call it instinct.

Anyway, we’ve got a musical on our hands. I remember saying that Lily Allen’s album from last year could easily be translated to the theatre and Raye’s effort here seems absolutely designed with the same idea in mind. If not that, then a Golden Age-era Hollywood flick. The bombast is at times OTT but absolutely well-earned and damn if it isn’t pleasant on the ears. Makes the hour-plus runtime and the digging through the bloat more tolerable (17 tracks? Bit much).

Highlights include the twanging bass on “Beware…The South London Lover Boy.”; the concept of the album moving through the four seasons which can be absolutely felt in the chilly “Winter Woman.” and the lonely night vibes of “Click Clack Symphony”; how unafraid Raye is to lay her burdens bare in “I Hate The Way I Look Today.” and “Goodbye Henry.” along with juxtaposing that dourness with such pep and jauntiness (You can see that painted on grin and gritted teeth that Raye is singing through on the former)

Lowlights include “The WhatsApp Shakespeare” which spends two and a half minutes sounding like everything else on the radio until a whiplash-inducing turn to early 20th century swing. “Life Boat.” is too soppy for my tastes and I fear it may be destined for those ‘inspiring quotes by d-list podcasters and life coaches’ videos. The chipmunk effect that rears its ugly head on “Winter Woman.” was unnecessary. And apparently David Attenborough was meant to lend his voice to “Beware…” but that didn’t end up happening?! Write off, album’s ruined, no Attenborough, day’s ruined.

But no, I’m glad I got over my adversity for modern day stuff to give this a swatch. Go, Raye.

David Bowie, Young Americans

Low is my favourite Bowie LP. Station to Station comes directly before and is my second-favourite. So could Young Americans follow the pattern and end up being my third-favourite? Doubt it, given it has a reputation as a middle-of-the-road effort compared to what came before and after.

So why turn to it, considering it’s that ‘plastic soul’ one where the Thin White Duke does black music? Intrigue, and I think Raye’s sound put me in the mood for swingier stuff. Sometimes you want to move away from the three-chorded guitar records and try something more extravagant.

The title track sees David come out swinging and full of energy with passionate as all hell vocals before slowing things right down with “Win”, which ends up being an early impresser with its dynamic sound – Those flutterings of sax in the right ear is a yes from me. “Right”’s mantra struck a better chord with me than “Life Boat.” did. “Across the Universe” though…yeesh. It meanders and Bowie’s vocals are ill-fitting to say the least. Thankfully, closer “Fame” is a good rebound and it’s unquestionably the high point of Young Americans, plenty of bark and bite and a delicious slice of funk to boot.

I’m no expert on jazz and funk and soul and blues and what have you, I haven’t listened to the classics by folks like Smokey Robinson, Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye to name a few. I can’t weigh Young Americans up against them and determine whether or not Bowie’s new direction was simply a hollow gimmick. But I can say it’s a bopper of a record and one I rather enjoyed. It rewards the intrigue a listener may have to try it out and there’s just enough to make you come back for seconds. Third-favourite though? Not quite.

Amy Winehouse, Back to Black

Me before listening to Back to Black:

Let’s keep this soul/jazz/R&B thing going, I’ve been meaning to listen to this for a while.

–

Me after listening to Back to Black:

Jesus. I know Amy’s tale was a tragic and tumultuous one to say the least but…whew. This is one raw record. I don’t have anything to say about the individual songs, it just needs to be heard. That’s all.

Björk, Medúlla

Thanks to Björk, I can now tick a cappella off the list of genres I’ve yet to tap into. But also thanks to her, I’m not sure I ever want to engage with it again. Anything else would just be boring, I’d wager.

I know the words ‘freaky’ and ‘whimsy’ are applicable to the best part of her discography, at least all that I’ve listened to up to this point. Medúlla, however, takes the cake. For the first time in my life I’ve found myself wondering if listening to an album with headphones on was a good idea. Those breathy, almost orgasmic sounds that almost feel like they’re blowing into your eardrums made me want to stop before we’d even started, but the ethereal overtones and Björk herself kept my feet to the fire. After a little while, I was able to get used to the album’s sound and settled in for the rest.

It’s actually kind of fascinating hearing the sounds of people be warped into instruments, such as what I can only assume is tongue slurping in the closing moments of “Who Is It”, and the choral ‘woahs’ on “Oceania” (best song of the record by the way – It sounds lush and I love the idea of a song being sung from the ocean’s point of view). And then there’s the beatboxing on “Triumph of a Heart”. That is certainly one of the closers of all time. Being built almost solely on the voice, Medúlla sees Björk dead-centre on the stage, all eyes on her. At times you get a track that’s just her and her alone, maybe with another her chanting in the background like on “Öll Birtan”. You have to be one confident performer to carry a song on your lonesome but at this point for her it’s second nature.

Of the four albums of hers I’ve listened to so far, Medúlla is easily my least favourite. But that isn’t to say it’s crap, quite the contrary. It may actually be the right Björk album for the moment, dispensing of electronics and instead replacing them with good ol’ fashioned human sounds. Can we call it post-folk? It’s just a bit of an awkward left turn, even for Björk. As I say, it’s a fascinating idea well realised and one that would definitely benefit from a repeat listen, maybe on a hilltop or a windy moor. It’s just that there’s a lot that came before that I would rather listen to.

Manic Street Preachers, Know Your Enemy (2022 Reissue)

Wasn’t keen on the original version of this album, and when I capped off my thoughts on it I pledged to at some point check out this reissue but admitted I wasn’t optimistic about it.

Know Your Enemy was an album compromised by tunnel vision as, according to James Dean Bradfield in an article (https://www.vice.com/en/article/rank-your-records-manic-street-preachers/), they were being ‘too spontaneous and too organic…we backed [producer Dave Eringa] into a corner and said “No we want to keep things fresh and do it quickly”’. That much was clear by how coarse the mixing was.

So why am I giving it another chance? Well I ended up playing “Ocean Spray” on the radio and it put me in the mood to give Know Your Enemy a second roll of the dice with the reissue/remix/redo they released in 2022. Before I pressed play, the good news facing me was that the tracks would have received the care and attention they needed in the studio, and are split into two albums instead of one as originally intended, meaning they will better compliment each other. The bad news is that there’s a chunk of extra material on here, new tracks and b-sides and such, and it’s a lottery as to whether they will be better than what was on the original album or not. Let’s find out.

Part One: Door to the River

We start with the slower, more contemplative batch of songs from this period and it is such a rewarding listen when you know what you’re in for, and that you’re not going to suddenly be pulled into another direction. With a bit of TLC applied to the mixing and the spiky bits shaved off, these tracks are given freedom of movement and you get to ride the gentle waves of beauty and despair. “Ocean Spray” is no longer pounded into submission by the electric guitars, “So Why So Sad” becomes a twisted Magical Mystery Tour-style cut, and I forgot how good “Let Robeson Sing” and “Epicentre” were. And the new additions? The titular “Door to the River” is most definitely a highlight but I can understand why it was left off the original, it sounds a bit too close to “Ocean Spray”. “Rosebud” though, why the hell did they never even release it and just let it collect dust? Talk about a lost classic.

I know the Manics were obsessed with reawakening the monster inside them, but Door to the River proves that there was no real need. Like they would a decade later on Rewind the Film, they sound bloody brilliant when they just stop, take it easy, maybe have a tinker with the acoustic. I genuinely think that if this had been an official album, it would’ve been considered one of their very best.

Part Two: Solidarity

I went into the second half with more trepidation than the first, as if I was expecting a sheer drop in quality. Maybe I had a slight fear that the softer mixes would be a case of course-overcorrection and kill the intensity that held some of the songs up in the first place. Maybe it was the presence of tracks I wrote off last time as plodders and duds such as “Dead Martyrs” and “Wattsville Blues”. Maybe I was just being pessimistic.

We get a very indie-sounding start with “Intravenous Agnostic” which sets up two things going forward: a faster pace, and a good haul of drum fills from Sean – Say what you want about KYR-era Manics, but you can’t deny that man was working overtime during this period.

These are the kinds of songs that were let down by sounding rough for the sake of roughness so to hear them refined while still maintaining the punky edge is very welcome indeed. That being said, and I feel like a proper hypocrite for saying this, I think I prefer the original mix of “Found That Soul”, that was one that did benefit from the run-and-gun mixing. It still sounds fine, just that I believe I know it can sound better.

There’s some good to be found here. “We Are All Bourgeois Now” feels like a quick trip back to the late 70s…even thought it’s a song that was released in 1988. “The Convalescent” tries to pull the same trick but warbly synths plant it firmly in the 21st century. “The Masses Against the Classes” sounds as awesome as ever but I’m not sure why the Albert Camus quote was removed from the end. And I can’t believe I’m going to say this but ”Dead Martyrs” actually did it for me this time. It’s album filler, sure, but it’s decent album filler.

But as I feared, there are some duds, and they dominate the last third of the disc. I couldn’t take “My Guernica” seriously due to how one-note it was, and that was before James made crow noises. Newly unearthed track “Studies in Paralysis” is fine but nothing groundbreaking, especially compared to what was on disc one. “Wattsville Blues” still sucks. When you’re trying to stand shoulder to shoulder with punk rock and the opening beat is two steps away from “The Real Slim Shady”, you are not going to get me onside.

I think I’ve worked it out now. Door to the River would’ve been a worthy sequel to This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, a quieter approach powered by more personal and heartfelt songwriting. But that’s not what the Manics wanted to be, they wanted to find their demons again and recapture the ideals they felt they’d betrayed after Richey disappeared. Hence, Solidarity, which does boast some good music but not enough to justify an album given that it falls off a cliff after “Masses…”. But I think the solution would’ve been this: Do what Radiohead did with Kid A into Amnesiac. Save the leftovers, spend some time writing some more good-quality tunes, have a properly ferocious album as intended and designed for the following year.

A little bit of patience could’ve gone a long way, as this reissue has proved.