Clues For a moment it sounded like I was listening to Discipline era King Crimson. Great track all around.
Brazilia (Wish You Were Here) This track has a very cool mellow intro, with a funky little bass line over a mellow drum groove. We get some whispered vocals layered with effects and some synth pads, or gizmo. This probably isn't one of my favourite tracks, but it really is an important part of the album, in terms of adding musical dynamics and the guys not allowing themselves to get caught repeating themselves. Halfway through we get another nice change up, with an almost Caribbean flavour creeping into the song. I do really like the arrangement here. Then we get a somewhat Spanish guitar outro, with a hint of operatic vocals.... a really good collage of sounds and styles in the music movie.
Brazilia goes on far too long and throws too many things into the pot. This sounds like a dumping ground for ideas they didn't use elsewhere.
Brazilia (Wish You Were Here) - easily the worst track on the album, can't stand the Caribbean flavour.
Clues and Brazilia - two of my least favorite G&C songs back to back, a main part of the reason that I don't rank this album so highly. So much fun to see what songs people respond to and others don't!
Clues If this was an instrumental I would swear it was an Adrian Belew early 80s King Crimson track. Nice to see the Consequences sound in a more refined & restrained manner. I like the musical layers to the track, but the lyrics don't add much for me.
With my pop trained ears I find side one to be enjoyable all the way through (even "Objects" which to me is the Residents with a more accessible sense of humor). "Clues" works largely because of the guitar lick. '"Brasilia" is, well, a mood piece. Apparently they found the place pretty unpleasant and the song shows us why. Let's take a minute to marvel at the fact that a major label was willing to release this, let alone front them the money for a career-changing video.
Brazilia (Wish You Were Here) This track meanders along for the first three minutes like a cross between a mediocre Talking Heads track & a mediocre late period Roxy Music track. The problem is it goes absolutely nowhere and is not engaging or interesting to listen to. But the worst thing about it is that is the best part of the track as the rest of the track seems to contain various bits & bops which do nothing what so ever.
Catching up for a couple of tracks. Random Brainwave Great intro with the acoustic guitar and low pitch vocals. After the P.E.R.S.O.N.A.L.I.T.Y. bit the guitar and bass pair up. Then some more changes and the distorted vocals remind me of Prince. Not bad for a track of what looks like random thoughts, but not brilliant in any way. I Pity Inanimate Objects Hair splitting electric guitar in the intro and twisted vocals tell us the story of static objects. It's a nice creative experiment with technology, but it doesn't necessarily produce great music. After a great night out you don't select this album from your collection to extend the upbeat mood, or sit back and relax. Freeze Frame Starts off as a straightforward song, complete with the Going Up .. chorus, driven by the bass sound. Then some off beat arty changes. Way too bright sounding for my taste. Clues A more or less random list of clues over a rhythm with little melody and it really isn't going anywhere. The fuzzy guitar cannot salvage it, but the outro is inviting again. Brazilia (I Wish You Were Here) The basic melody reminds me of the Smoke On The Water chords, plus the notes spell the title. First part with the verses is very Zappa-esque, then a nice instrumental middle section. The latin part doesn't belong, it's a weird gimmick and derails what's left of the song.
Mugshots Here we get some, at the time, modern sounds, and the guys construct a somewhat contemporary, somewhat pop song. I personally like this song, but understand why some really don't like it. The guys have constructed a series of unusual sounds, and layered them in such a way as to make them on the cusp of being a pop tune, yet also being on the cusp of being completely anti-pop. I am not sure if that was intentional or not, but this is how I hear it.
Mugshots I like this one. Story of a minor criminal. The MUGSHOTS vocals are great and the part with the vocal and guitar using the same melody (Shoot 'em in black and white Bring me the prints tonight I know you know there's a mug in the shot!) is brilliant.
I really like "Mugshots", but I like the source of the end-of-verse riff better. The Supremes singing an early Holland-Dozier-Holland song "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes".
Song reference guide 10cc - Who Are they? - 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff 10cc documentary - 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Some Graham Gouldman hits from the sixties - 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders - 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Mindbenders - 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Kevin Godley to fly away 1969 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* Graham Gouldman The Late Mr Late 1969 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* Hotlegs - Thinks:School Stinks - 1970 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 1 Neanderthal Man 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 2 How Many Times 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 3 Desperate Dan 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 4 Take Me Back 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 5 Um Wah, Um Woh 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 6 Suite F.A. 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 7 Fly Away 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 8 Run Baby Run 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 9 All God's Children 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Today 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Donna/Hot Sun Rock - 1972 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Johnny Don't Do It/ 4% Of Something - dec 1972 - 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff Rubber Bullets/Waterfall june 73 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* 10cc July 1973 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Johnny Don't Do It 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 2 Sand In My Face 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Donna 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 4 The Dean And I 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Headline Hustler 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Speed Kills 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Rubber Bullets 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 The Hospital Song 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 Ships Don't Just Disappear In The Night (do they?) 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 10 Fresh Air For Mama 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Bee In My Bonnet 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* Sheet Music 1974 - 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Wall street Shuffle 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 Worst Band In The World 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Hotel 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 Old Wild Men 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Clockwork Creep 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Silly Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Somewhere In Hollywood 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 Baron Samedi 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 The Sacro-Iliac 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 10 Oh Effendi 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Gizmo My Way 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side 18 Carat Man Of Means 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* The Original Soundtrack March 1975 - 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Une Nuit A Paris 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 I'm not In Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Blackmail 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 Second Sitting For The Last Supper 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Brand New Day 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Flying Junk 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Life Is A Minestrone 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 The Film Of My Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Channel Swimmer 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Good News 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* 100cc June 1975 (compilation) - 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* How Dare You? January 1976 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 How Dare You? 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 Lazy Ways 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 I Wanna Rule The World 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 I'm Mandy Fly Me 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Iceberg 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Art For Art's Sake 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Rock And Roll Lullaby 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 Head Room 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 Don't Hang Up 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Get It While You Can 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* You Didn't Like It Because You Didn't Think Of It 1976 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Neanderthal Man 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 2 How Many Times 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 3 Desperate Dan 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 4 Take Me Back 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 5 Um Wah, Um Woh 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 6 Suite F.A. 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 7 Fly Away 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 8 Run Baby Run 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 9 All God's Children 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 10 The Loser 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 11 Today 10CC and Godley and Creme their albums and songs and stuff track 12 Lady Sadie 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 13 You Didn't Like It Because You Didn't Think Of It 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* The Split 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* Deceptive Bends May 1977 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Good morning Judge 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 Things We Do For Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Marriage Bureau Rendezvous 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 People In Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Modern Man Blues 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Honeymoon With B Troop 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 You've Got A Cold 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 Feel The Benefit 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side I'm So Laid Back I'm Laid Out 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Don't Squeeze Me Like toothpaste 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Hot To Trot 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* alt Voodoo Boogie - People In Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* G&C Consequences 1977 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* Peter Cook 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* part 1 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* part 2 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 Five O'clock In The Morning 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* part 3 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* part 4 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* part 5 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* part 6 Blint's Tune movements 1-17 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* 10cc Live And Let Live Oct 1977 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Second Sitting For The Last Supper 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 You've Got A Cold 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Honeymoon With B Troop 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 Art For Art's Sake 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 People In Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Wall Street Shuffle 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Ships Don't Disappear In The Night (do they) 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 I'm Mandy Fly Me 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 Marriage Bureau Rendezvous 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 10 Good Morning Judge 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 11 Feel The Benefit 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 12 The Things We Do For Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 13 Waterfall 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 14 I'm Not In Love 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 15 Modern Man Blues 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* G&C L 1978 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 This Sporting Life 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 Sandwiches Of You 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Art School Canteen 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 Group Life 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Punchbag 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Foreign Accents 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Hit Factory/Business is Business 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* 10cc Bloody Tourists Sept 1978 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 Dreadlock Holiday 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 For You And I 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 Take These Chains 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 Shock On The Tube 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Last Night 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 The Anonymous Alcoholic 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Reds In My Bed 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 8 Lifeline 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 9 Tokyo 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 10 Old Mister Time 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 11 From Rochdale To Ocho Rios 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 12 Everything You Wanted To Know About!!! 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Nothing Can Move Me 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* G&C Freeze Frame 1979 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 1 An Englishman In New York 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 2 Random Brainwave 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 3 I Pity Inanimate Objects 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 4 Freeze Frame 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 5 Clues 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 6 Brazilia 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* track 7 Mugshots 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread* b-side Silent Running 10cc / Godley & Creme album-by-album thread*
I have a soft spot for Mugshots. I actually think that this is one of Lol's best vocal performances ever. The further we get from the split, the less tracks we hear from either of the duos that would really fit on any of the fabled four original albums. As Victor/Victrola stated, I think that this one would though, because it's musically engaging as well as absurdly funny and catchy. The call and response interrogation part between Kev and Lol hearken back to simpler, wackier days... very 10cc (and by that I mean the old 10cc that most of us could agree on). And for my parting mug... shot... just who the $&$% IS Hubcap Jenny? We have no record of her face in Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuug SHOTS.
Mugshots Sonically, this sounded very cutting edge for 1979, and yet it was also a throwback to G&C's earlier work with 10cc. It has great witty lyrics but for me it highlights the (lack of) input of Gouldman & Stewart as they would surely have turned this more into a tune of note to listen to.
Rightly or wrongly by my recollection, Mugshots was one of the last tracks that featured Lol on lead vocals.
Freeze Frame is my favorite Godley & Creme album. I was 5 when it came out and thanks to the same older cousin who got me into 10cc with The Original Soundtrack bought this record when it came out because he bought Consequences and liked it so much that he picked this one up (For some reason L wasn't available in his record stores and therefore he thought that this was the real followup to Consquences. I was totally floored with this record. 5 years old and hearing how dementally weird it was. "An Englishman In New York" quickly became my favorite song of theirs. I loved it so much, that he gave me his (now) worn out copy as a gift and bought himself another one.
Get Well Soon I really like the atmospheric intro here. I actually also like the song. Here the guys are working with textures in a way a little different for them. We have a bed of sound effects with a percussion track, and a series of single held keyboard chords. In between the verses, we get some gizmo sounding pieces overlayed and this ends up being a cool atmospheric slide out of the album.
Get Well Soon Song about killing flu time listening to Radio Luxembourg at night. To me this brings back the days of listening to medium wave radio stations on a pocket sized transistor radio as a kid. It's a slow tempo song with lots of carefully positioned weird sounds. They haven't gone overboard on this one, it's a clever and enjoyable song. The fabulous - 208 bit, which turns into Contagious flu cold faint is the only temporary change of direction. Overall Freeze Frame is a bit of a weird album, with Englishman ... being the most commercial sounding track. I'm happy to own it now, if only for the album version of the single. I know I won't be playing the entire album a lot, it's just not enjoyable enough, a bit incoherent. The album has no direction, it's mostly a nutty collection of experiments with highs and lows. Is Look Hear next up ?
So for me Freeze Frame is the guys best solo album. They weren't afraid to use some melody, and yet they still managed to be experimental and creative within that context. The album contains a bunch of great songs, that for me hold together as an album really well.
