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:
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
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
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
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
I don't think I've ever heard this before and I don't think I've ever heard of Fool's Garden. My initial thought when playing it was maybe it's another Britpop band who are long forgotten, but they're not because they're German. I'll have probably forgotten it by the time you're reading this.
Verdict - Rubbish
25. Dubstar - Elevator Song (New)
The final Top 40 hit from the excellent "Disgraceful" album which I own. They never quite reached these heights again, not to say their later music was bad but they had set such a high standard here it was always going to be difficult to repeat.
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 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
Tina Arena is known by many for just one song, her debut "Chains". However she had 5 Top 40 hits with this being her 4th. There's an element of calypso to this record and in a way its odd hearing her sing something this upbeat given her big hit was a ballad. Not my cup of tea 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
I don't think I've ever heard the original of "Professional Widow" before. I was aware that it sounded nothing like the Armand Van Helden remix that topped the charts and it doesn't. It goes without saying that the remix is miles better, not liking the original at all. Same with "Hey Jupiter", it's just terribly boring.
Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish
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
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
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
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
The Top 40 debut for Alisha's Attic. The first thing I thought when I heard this record was that it sounded a bit like "Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morissette. But I thought both records were good in their own way. One memory I do have of this record is it appearing on the radio one morning when I was about to switch it off and go out, but instead I stayed and listened to it.
Verdict - Good
The penultimate Top 40 hit to date for singing actor Sean Maguire which is a cover of a record by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. Who was buying this rubbish? surely the novelty of Sean Maguire making music must have worn off by now.
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 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
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
9. Neneh Cherry - Woman (New)
The 10th Top 40 hit for Neneh Cherry and last to make the Top 10. It's a take on "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" by James Brown. Needless to say the James Brown record is far superior. This is an absolutely terrible record.
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
The 5th and final Top 40 hit from the "Jagged Little Pill" album and the first to make the Top 10. I wouldn't definitely say this is the best Alanis Morissette single and I liked it enough to buy it, albeit second hand at Cash Converters a few years later.
Verdict - Good
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
Taken from the album of the same name, this record is apparently a message to the fans about how their music style had changed since the disappearance of Richey Edwards. They did have some decent record in the post-Richey Edwards era but this wasn't one of them.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
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
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 12.5/30, or 42%. Quite a drop from last week.
No comments:
Post a Comment