Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 27 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Friday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.
Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1996 with my verdict on each record:
The final original Top 40 hit to date for The Nightcrawlers and once again they're singing about pushing. It's very much a commercial dance record which is a cover of a song by a girl group who never really got anywhere called Eden. I don't mind it.
Verdict - OK
The record Ocean Colour Scene are best known for was their debut "The Riverboat Song" but this was their joint highest charting hit. The verses to this gives the notion of riding along on a train I think and the chorus is simple but effective. An all round good record.
Verdict - Good
This was a record I never liked at the time, partly because with a name like the Tony Rich Project I was expecting a dance record but it wasn't. Then when I was going through my R&B phase I started liking it. What do I think of it now though? Well first of all I could have sworn it was written by Babyface but it wasn't, though it did come out on his label and the songwriters have seemingly done nothing else so you never know. The fact it sounds like a record Babyface could have done himself though is a good thing.
Verdict - Good
In the 21st century Mariah Carey had more of an R&B element in her music thanks in part to having Jermaine Dupri write and produce some of her records. This is where it began though with this record being written and produced by Jermanine Dupri. It's still shit though.
Verdict - Rubbish
Erick Morillo was a respected DJ in the dance music scene, but Reel 2 Real was very much his cheesy commercial dance project. This was the penultimate Top 40 hit to date for Reel 2 Real and is a cheesy commercial dance record, but it isn't bad.
Verdict - OK
I never really liked Kula Shaker at the time. This was their breakthrough record that I remember most for its incomprehensible lyrics. Then in more recent times I'm finding that I really like this record. Probably helps that the only times I listen to it these days is of my own accord.
Verdict - Good
We're into the home straight when it comes to the Top 40 career of Belinda Carlisle. It's a cover of a record by Jenny Morris but was written by Rick Nowels who wrote the bulk of Belinda Carlisle hits. The mentions of highways makes me liken it to "Rush Hour" by her Go-Go's bandmate Jane Wiedlin, not to say it sounds the same because it doesn't. I just like the concept really.
Verdict - Good
23. Apollo 440 - Krupa (New)
The 4th Top 40 hit for Apollo 440 and their first to make the Top 30 though I would still say its chart position doesn't really reflect how well known it is. I can definitely appreciate Apollo 440 for the experimental nature of their music now than I did at the time.
Verdict - Good
22. Joyrider - Rush Hour (New)
There was a happy hardcore version of "Rush Hour" by DJ Magical around the same time which was a tune I liked. It was a rock version that made the Top 40 though and was the only Top 40 hit for Joyrider. I like the tune and think it works well as a rock song too.
Verdict - Good
This was the final Top 40 hit to date for Lush who would break up a few months later following the suicide of their drummer. The song title is named after a Fiat 500. At the time I thought it was a cover of an 80s record but it isn't. It sounds a bit of a joke record but not funny.
Verdict - Rubbish
After the Lisa Marie Experience charted with their version of "Keep On Jumpin" here's Todd Terry with his version. The whole vocals are included in this one. I have to say I prefer the Lisa Marie Experience version, but this has it's place too.
Verdict - Good
Here's proof that there were charting musicians from New Zealand that had nothing to do with the Finn brothers. There had been John Rowles and Kiri Te Kanawa previously. It was the only Top 40 hit for OMC and the title more or less describes the tune. I like it though. I also know that we'll soon be getting OMD in the charts too just to confuse things.
Verdict - Good
The Sex Pistols reunited in 1996 and this was taken from their reunion tour. It sounds pretty much the same as the studio version which is no bad thing. One of the all time punk classics.
Verdict - Good
This was the 2nd and last Top 40 hit for 2Pac before he died, though many more hits followed after that. It was also the Top 40 debut for K-Ci & JoJo. There was a period of my life when I was possibly listening to both 2Pac and K-Ci & JoJo more than I was listening to anyone else and this tune featured in that.
Verdict - Good
We're into holiday season now which means crappy songs people danced to on holiday making their way into the charts. Umboza were English though but just gave the impression they were Spanish or something with this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record is what it says on the tin but is basically a remix done by Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen of U2. I will give them credit for the fact this sounds nothing like a U2 record. That doesn't mean it's any good though.
Verdict - Rubbish
The final Top 40 hit to date for Pato Banton which is similar in nature to his first i.e. a cover of a 60s record with a few extra bits added to it. Not a bad formula really, it's easy on the ears to listen to.
Verdict - Good
This was the 5th Top 40 hit for Toni Braxton and the 5th to be written by Babyface. A general rule I am finding with Babyface compositions is that he uses his signature sound for more credible artists and writes crap for those who aren't credible. Yet this isn't really his signature sound and I would say Toni Braxton is credible enough. I guess that just showcases the songwriting talents of Babyface.
Verdict - Good
12. Tina Turner - Missing You (New)
This is a cover of the John Waite song. My memory of it was that it didn't sound overly different to the original but listening to it now I'm thinking this is a pretty poor cover. It sounds really weak, almost like someone's found the demo button on a keyboard and the song being sung over that.
Verdict - Rubbish
Celine Dion was pretty well established as a chart act by this point and was mainly known for doing ballads. It therefore seemed almost inevitable really that she'd end up with a single written by Diane Warren and here it is.
Verdict - Rubbish
As a general rule music and football do not mix. New Order however showed it is possible to make a decent football record. In theory there was no reason why the Lightning Seeds couldn't have done the same and it is liked by many, but not by me.
Verdict - Rubbish
After eventually topping the charts with their Top 40 debut "Dreamer" the previous year, this was their follow up. It was with a different singer this time. It's not hugely different to it's predecessor though and not a good, but not bad either.
Verdict - OK
This was the big holiday song of 1996 and I can remember hearing it all the time when I went on holiday in 1996 myself. When this made the charts I wasn't expecting the 2 men who sing it to be so old, they were almost 50 by this point which actually doesn't seem that old these days. Anyway it's cheesy and terrible and everything you expect from a big holiday song.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record original charted in 1995 but then went one place better when it was remixed in 1996. It certainly felt a much bigger record this time round as I recall. I particularly liked the build up towards the end where it gets pitched up.
Verdict - Good
6. Mark Morrison - Crazy (New)
This was the Top 40 debut for Mark Morrison in 1995, but following the success of "Return of the Mack" this was remixed and charted higher than it did the first time around. I'd say this is an illustration of how British R&B is often inferior to it's American counterpart.
Verdict - Rubbish
What can I say about this record to do it justice? Underworld are one of my favourite acts ever and this was their biggest hit and what got me into them in the first place. At a time when commercially successful music was getting more and more mellow it was refreshing to see a banging techno record giving a big fuck you to all of that.
Verdict - Good
The record that Peter Andre was best known for. It's a reggae style pop record that sounds a bit like its ripping off "Sweat" by Inner Circle. I remember this being in the charts when Peter Andre was presenting Top of the Pops and during the chart countdown he said it was "by Bubbler Ranx and me". It's not the worst record in the world, but I'm sick to death of it now and would happily never hear it again.
Verdict - Rubbish
When Take That split up earlier on in the year I was happy. What I didn't anticipate though was the solo careers that would follow which began with this Gary Barlow record. It clearly topped the charts because it was Gary Barlow because musically it's terrible.
Verdict - Rubbish
I remember this going straight into number one on the Top 40 countdown which was the first time I heard it. Initially from the intro I thought it was going to be a depressing song, but then the beats kicked in and I though hang on a minute this is actually quite good.
Verdict - Good
There was no escaping this song in the summer of 1996. It was the Top 40 debut for the Spice Girls and I thought it had one hit wonder written all over it at the time. Unfortunately it wasn't and there was no escaping them for the next 2.5 years which felt a lot longer.
Verdict - Rubbish
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 16.5/30, or 55%. The highest score we've had in a while.
No comments:
Post a Comment