Mental As Anything: Album by Album

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by StefanWq, Aug 10, 2021.

  1. HitAndRun

    HitAndRun Forum Resident

    River of Flowers by Dog Trumpet

    Mr Alcohol and Mrs Marijuana

    This is a nice starter with a folk production (to my ears) and a low key vocal. The melody isn't a standout but this is a nice and eminently listenable song. I'm not sure that I've picked up all the lyrics, but it seems a simple song about going out and getting drunk and stoned.

    Buttons Undone

    This song starts with a more electric introduction, but then it moves to a nice and promising verse. Fortunately the promise is kept with a very melodic and nice chorus. Pete doing what he does. Very nice slide guitar solo, though perhaps on both these songs the production could be a bit clearer and the arrangement a bit simpler. But, that's a minor comment, this is a very nice song indeed.

    Into the Sky

    This is another good song. I sort of get the feeling I've heard it before. I did a search in case it was a remade MAA song, but no that I can see. This is OK, but isn't a standout. The guitars+drums only verses work. The arrangement is interesting with the layered guitars, but perhaps it could do with a bit more melodic punch.

    Invisible Eyelids

    This is a nice song that has been made even better with a great arrangement. The multiple guitar lines in quite different styles really add hooks galore. The middle section with keyboards and many guitar lines works really well. Like 'Buttons Undone', I feel this might have been made into a single if presented to MAA, though perhaps missing parts of the arrangement that make this very interesting.

    Great South Road

    Interesting topic for a song. The Great South Road is the remnants of the first major road linking Auckland to Wellington in New Zealand. Musically this is perhaps a bit of a repeat of 'Into the Sky'. Interesting arrangement, but perhaps a bit more melodic punch would have helped.

    The Wilson Home for Crippled Children

    Many references to New Zealand landmarks here. Pohutukawa Trees, Auckland Museum, and Takapuna. (I was born in Takapuna). There are hints occasionally that the arrangement may go elsewhere, but mainly this sticks with what sounds to me to be mandolin and ukulele.

    Manana

    This is again a nice Reg song. But, so far on this album I think that Pete's songs are on average better and more distinctive. This is a simple straightforward song in a very Dog Trumpet style. It has a singable chorus, but I feel it needs a bit more melodic interest.

    Wood Grows on Trees

    Here Pete takes a step back into something more laid back. There are still the good distinctive chord changes that add something to his songs on this album than the more musically predictable Reg songs don't have. Nice flute somewhere back there behind the guitars. Again a very nice song.

    Manchester

    And here we go acoustic again. Nice folky guitar arpeggios and strums to start. And, we stay acoustic for this nice I presume biography of their mother. A nice tribute, if that is what it is, and I think one of the more distinctive Reg songs here.

    On the Mighty Ocean Alcohol

    Hearing this, and given that there appears to be quite an autobiographical/family biography slant to this album, I was initially a bit concerned to hear these lyrics. It is written by Bap Kennedy, whom I don't know. Being washed away on the mighty ocean alcohol is a very poignant and poetical image. I see that this song was recorded by DT before Bap's untimely death. Bap's version includes (perhaps appropriately) Shane Mcgowan on guest vocals.

    Strangers Like You

    I'm not sure I can pick up the time signature of this. It sounds 6/8 but then seems to miss or add eighth notes. Or maybe it doesn't. In any case, the rhythm and the very nice horns/brass arrangement really sounds nice. Then at the end we get the echoey electric guitars and more abstract synth sounds and spoken work. An interesting arrangement which really suits the song

    Overall

    After enjoying the last DT album a lot, I did play a bit of this ahead and was a bit disappointed. But, maybe I was just unlucky in what I chose to listen to. Having listened to the whole thing with at least some focus, there are plenty of highlights here. Though, I will admit, more Pete written high moments than Reg written high moments, in my opinion.

    The arrangements are varied and interesting. Sometimes they are dense, and perhaps focus on the best lines may have helped. But, often the density adds up to something interesting.

    The vocals are what I'm now used to. The O'Doherty brothers don't sound refined 'professional' vocalists like Martin and Greedy, but their vocals suit the songs and (to my ears) gives the music a very personal feeling.

    Overall another very good Dog Trumpet album.

    4.0/5

    EDIT: Can it be that I was last to post my album impressions last week, but I'm first this week?
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2022
    KangaMom, drewrclv9 and StefanWq like this.
  2. drewrclv9

    drewrclv9 Forum Resident

    Mr. Alcohol & Mrs. Marijuana
    That's certainly an interestingly creative title there. This is good song, though I'm not sure it works well as an opener. It sounds more like a 'middle of the album' kind of song, but still I do like it. Nice melodies and quaint instrumentation.

    Buttons Undone
    Eh, decent track. It's a bit by-the-numbers Pete sounding, and it doesn't excite me to any extent. It's a nice listen, though probably not a keeper.

    Into the Sky
    Haha, Reg and his novelty sounding songs... This is good, though a bit on the overly-sleepy side.

    Invisible Eyelids
    Alright, but I'm starting to see a pattern here, for me at least. This music is too sleepy and safe for my liking. There's not a whole lot of color. I really dislike the overly long instrumental break on this as well.

    Great South Road
    Nice backing track, but again, where's the color? Where's something as exciting as "Jean"? Or "Falling"? Or "Monkey Tank"? I hate to be so cynical here, but the overall sound of this album is like the brothers are giving up on music or something. Even the folksy stuff on Antisocial Tendencies was of much higher quality and interest than this album so far.

    The Wilson Home for Crippled Children
    This is pretty dreadful. I have a hard time making it through this one all the way.

    Manana
    This is kind of nice with a floaty, relaxing, beach vibe.

    Wood Grows on Trees
    Almost a good one, and the middle part of the song is nice, but again, too sleepy with not enough to hold my interest.

    Manchester
    This is like nails on a chalkboard to me. It's truly awful. Sorry, guys.

    On the Mighty Ocean Alcohol
    Nope. Doesn't do it for me.

    Strangers Like You
    ....Yeah. See above.


    Suffice to say, I can't stand a lot of this album. Hate to say it, as these guys are most certainly talented, but this is one I'll be glad to never have to listen to again. There's a certain sound here that gets under my skin; it irks me. Like, a lot. I think it may have to do with my disdain for extremely minimalist music. A lot of DT's last album was quite minimalist too, though, and I did enjoy most of that.

    I feel like this album is a big step down in terms of songwriting, in addition to my personal music taste not lining up with it. It's just so boring, so colorless, so unengaging. If others can enjoy it that's great, but for me, hard pass on ever listening through this one again. 2/5.

    Track Picks: "Mr. Alcohol & Mrs. Marijuana", "Manana".
     
    KangaMom, HitAndRun and StefanWq like this.
  3. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    River of Flowers

    Mr Alcohol and Mrs Marijuana
    This is a very strong and catchy track. I like the upbeat feel of the music which is a contrast to the quite dark lyrics. The mandolin is a welcome addition to a Dog Trumpet track and Reg’s singing is excellent.

    Buttons Undone
    There’s a real summer feel to this song that I find very appealing. The chorus is catchy and the song is perhaps the most immediate on the album, but it also bears repeated listening.

    Into The Sky
    I like the layers of acoustic guitar, mandolin and electric guitar. The song sounds a bit like a quirky nursery rhyme blended with off-kilter folk pop. Reg always give songs a lot of personality with his singing and I find this song strangely appealing and fascinating in all sorts of ways.

    Invisible Eyelids
    Interesting with a Dog Trumpet that is relatively long and with several twists and turns in the arrangement. The instrumental part in the middle seems out of place, like it was borrowed from another song altogether. To my ears, that part goes on for too long and the song loses momentum, making it sound unfocused. The good bits of the song are very good and the whole song has a lot of potential, but it doesn’t quite get there.

    Great South Road
    I really like this one. The acoustic guitars and the dobro adds a lot of flourishes around the melody and the drums give the song some oomph. In the lyrics there are a lot of images and memories and they make the song very cinematic, in the sense that they conjure up images in my head both of the area around Great South Road and what it may have been like in the ‘60s.

    The Wilson Home For Crippled Children
    I love the mandolin and acoustic guitar on this one, they give the song a level of intensity. According to The Mind and Times of Reg Mombassa, Peter did spend 18 months getting treatment at the Wilson Home in Takapuna as a child so the lyrics are obviously influenced by that. I think the lyrics give a quite cinematic picture of what it was like and also manage to capture the perspective of a child. However, I don’t think the melody of this song is that strong, it never really gets going and to my ears doesn’t go anywhere.

    Manana
    Another song with an upbeat feel blended with a sense of laidbackness. A solid album track, but it also feels a little too much like a “typical” Dog Trumpet song that they have done a few times before.

    Wood Grows On Trees
    This song is a real grower. At first it felt a bit anonymous but the more I have listened to it over the years it has grown a lot. The Irish whistle is a nice touch. I think the drums are a bit heavy-handed which was something that bothered me initially but now I think they contribute a lot to the song’s quality. For me, this is a song that keeps getting better and better.

    Manchester
    Wonderful acoustic guitar playing in this song and a fine tribute to their mother, as I interpret the lyrics. The song has a melody I would describe as gentle and humble. Not a stand-out track but certainly it deserves its place on the album.

    On The Mighty Ocean Alcohol
    I am not familiar with Bap Kennedy’s music and hadn’t heard the original version before I heard the Dog Trumpet cover. The instrumentation is very good, with the intricate acoustic guitar and dobro(?) and the restrained drumming adds a lot of character too.

    Strangers Like You
    This song starts off like a folky equivalent of the Beatles song “Because”, with its dreamy feel and vocal harmonies. It builds in intensity and Otis O’Doherty slightly off-kilter trumpet playing gives the song a quirky, melancholy feel. There are a lot of layers in the instrumentation and I get a kind of circus vibe towards the end of the song. I think it is a very good album closer.

    Overall, this is a strong Dog Trumpet album. I think all their albums require being listened to a few times before they start to show their qualities, they are growers. There are a lot of details in the backing tracks and the songs are more complex than they seemed at first. I think the track order works very well, giving the album a flow that sounds very organic and natural. It’s another album that is best experienced listening to in headphones while reading along with the lyrics as one listens. I think it is a very even album, in the sense that the songs are ultimately of high quality, but perhaps it does lack the one real stand-out track.
     
    KangaMom, HitAndRun and drewrclv9 like this.
  4. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Dog Trumpet: Medicated Spirits (2013)

    This week’s album is Dog Trumpet’s sixth album Medicated Spirits, released in Australia in 2013 by Orange Lounge Recordings. The album was released both as a double CD and a double vinyl and it was re-issued internationally on vinyl by UK label Demon Music Group a few days ago (February 4).

    Both Reg and Peter had been writing new songs prolifically after the River of Flowers album in 2010. There were enough songs for a double album, in fact not every song made it onto the album. They also re-recorded the song “Bored Wife”, originally released on the Kiss A Gun Down EP in 1992, and included the song “Camel Rock” written by guest musician and touring member Bernie Hayes.
    The album was nominated for the Australian Music Prize in 2014. On this album, drummer and music journalist Iain Shedden (ex-The Saints) started working with Dog Trumpet and he would also join the live band which consisted of Reg, Peter, Bernie Hayes and Iain Shedden.

    Track listing:
    Elizabethan (written by Reg Mombassa)
    Speed of Light (Peter O’Doherty)
    Made in the World (Reg Mombassa)
    Arriving at the End (Reg Mombassa)
    Bored Wife (Peter O’Doherty)
    Broke In Many Parts (Peter O’Doherty)
    Telegraph Pole (Reg Mombassa)
    Raise Your Glasses (Reg Mombassa)
    Penal Colony (Peter O’Doherty)
    Ray Davies and The Kinks (Reg Mombassa)
    Moon and Star (Peter O’Doherty)
    Methylated Spirit (Reg Mombassa)
    Tell Me (Peter O’Doherty)
    What Falls Away (Peter O’Doherty)
    Camel Rock (Bernie Hayes)
    Shiny Armour (Reg Mombassa)
    With Good Reason (Reg Mombassa)
    Mean Time (Peter O’Doherty)
    Aqualine (Peter O’Doherty)

    Produced, engineered and mixed by Peter O’Doherty
    Line-up:
    Reg Mombassa – vocals, guitars, bass, tambourine
    Peter O’Doherty – vocals, guitars, bass, mandolin, piano, ersatz drums

    plus
    Bernie Hayes – Acoustic guitar and vocals (Camel Rock), backing vocals (Methylated Spirit, What Falls Away, Shiny Armour)
    Jess Ciampa – Drums (Elizabethan), percussion (Raise Your Glasses, Moon and Star)
    Iain Shedden – Drums (Speed of Light, Ray Davies and The Kinks, Moon and Star, Camel Rock)
    Hamish Stuart – Drums, percussion (Made in the World, Telegraph Pole, Methylated Spirit, Mean Time)
    Declan O’Doherty – Drums (Bored Wife, Aqualine)
    Amanda Brown – Violin (Ray Davies and The Kinks, Tell Me)
    Rob Woolf – piano (Arriving at the End, Shiny Armour, Mean Time), organ (Elizabethan, Raise Your Glasses, Shiny Armour)
    Sharon Finn – vocals (Moon and Star)
    Peter Mitchell – harmonica (Camel Rock, With Good Reason)
    Jonathan Zwartz – double bass (Broke In Many Parts)
    Ken Allars – trumpet (Moon and Star)
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2022
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  5. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a video clip for the song “Speed of Light”:

     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  6. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a video clip for the song “Made in the World”:

     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  7. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a video clip for the song “What Falls Away”:

     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  8. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a video clip for the song “With Good Reason”:

     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  9. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a video clip for the song ”Elizabethan”:

     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  10. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a video clip for the song “Aqualine”:

     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  11. drewrclv9

    drewrclv9 Forum Resident

    I'm not going to really have time (or patience) to do a song by song for Medicated Spirits this week. It's way too long and after the last DT album, I lack enthusiasm to really do it. I have, however, given the whole thing a listen and put some scores down for each of the songs. So for this week, I'm gonna go ahead and let the numbers mainly do the talking!

    Elizabethan - 2.5/5
    Speed of Light - 3/5
    Made in the World - 4/5
    Arriving at the End - 4.2/5, love the "Black Dog" vibe.
    Bored Wife - 2.7/5
    Broke in Many Parts - 2/5
    Telegraph Pole - 2.6/5
    Raise Your Glasses - 3/5
    Penal Colony - 4/5, really great piano/guitar blend.
    Ray Davies and the Kinks - 3.6/5
    Moon and Star - 2.3/5, nowhere near the brilliance of the original "Scary Night".
    Methylated Spirit - 4.7/5, fantastic. This is the Dog Trumpet I love to hear. Could've come straight off the first album.
    Tell Me - 1.5/5, not my style.
    What Falls Away - 4.4/5, another slammer. Better than anything on the last album.
    Camel Rock - 3.1/5, thought this was Martin on vox for 30 seconds or so :D.
    Shiny Armour - 2.7/5
    With Good Reason - 3.5/5
    Mean - 2.8/5
    Aqualine - 1/5

    So the average of all those scores is almost exactly a 3/5, which sounded about right to me before I did the averages, funny enough. So I think that's what I'd go with for this album. Maybe a few more listens could bring it up to a 3.2 or 3.3, but for now, that's what I'm going with.
     
    HitAndRun, StefanWq and KangaMom like this.
  12. HitAndRun

    HitAndRun Forum Resident

    Medicated Spirits by Dog Trumpet

    I'm starting this early as this is what in the past would have been a double album. (I presume it is if there was a vinyl release.) So, if I haven't posted in the thread since Monday (when I'm writing this), it's because I'm nursing a draft in this thread. Pre-post EDIT: That was on Monday, and today's Friday. I still haven't finished and need to get my finger out.

    Elizabethan

    This is a track that I didn't expect from Dog Trumpet. It's an instrumental, and a Reg instrumental, but the subtle (and highly repeated) melody is not what I expect from DT. It's interesting, and a refreshing start to the album. Listening to it later and knowing that this isn't a really really long intro enhances my listening pleasure. This is nice. There's no standout melody, and I could imagine a vocal over the top with it being tooooooo busy, but I think this works as it is. Very well.

    Speed of Light

    This is the kind of track I expect from DT. A very good and catchy track near the start of the album. While the arrangement has that DT looseness and perhaps a few too many elements, this really works. Perhaps the middle 8 isn't quite up to the rest of the song, but overall this is a catchy song that could have been a MAA single. I think. I'm writing this on my first listen, but if this turns out to be the highlight of the album, it would be a deserved one. I'm listening to this in the context of now being familiar with Dog Trumpet when I hadn't even heard of them before I started this thread. I'm not expecting a grab you by the throat in your face arrangement - DT is often about being laid back. Given those expectations, this is the sort of song I'm hoping for on these albums. I like the guitar bit - I'm not sure it's a solo - what is it?

    Made in the World

    This is a simple list song listing a wide range of impressive and (deservedly famous) people. Because of the topic matter I'm reminded, lyrically, of Ian Dury and the Blockheads with 'There Haven't Half Been Some Clever Bastards'. Not that it's a simple copy, and of course many song concepts are reused over and over and over again. Better this than 'moon in June' :D . Musically this is amiable and enjoyable. And of course, 'Ray Davies and the Kinks' is coming up.

    Arriving at the End

    This bluesy track is what I meant back in the thread when I said that some MAA albums needed a bit more Mombassa. A campfire singalong track with nice slide guitar and bluesy piano. The lyrics seem to be about either death or societal collapse. I will listen more to get a better idea what it's about. :) Pre-post EDIT: It's now Saturday morning and I definitely need to be making more progress. This isn't a classic song, but it absolutely has no pretence to be one. And, we need songs like this one too.

    Bored Wife

    This is another bluesy Reg-sounding song, despite it being written by Pete. I feel that this song loses a bit of impact as it follows Arriving At The End, but to my ears isn't quite as distinctive or ... good really. The topic is a fairly standard one of the ending of a relationship, but delivered in a rather straight-forward manner.

    Broke in Many Parts

    This is another low-key song. It's a nice song and melody which develops throughout the song. Perhaps it lacks some of the distinctive touches of the Pete songs on River of Flowers. But, on subsequent listenings the subtle melody has wormed its way into my consciousness nice.

    Telegraph Pole

    I must admit that I don't think I remember hearing any songs about a telegraph pole before. This is another Reg campfire singalong, but perhaps lacks something to really make it stand out. Apart from the title and (I believe) subject. The rockabilly-ish backing and what might be mandolin work well.

    Raise Your Glasses

    This 3/4 Reg song stands out a bit more with the arrangement lacking bass and drums, and the 3/4 waltz time. (If my ear serves). This might be 6/8. Not sure. On subsequent listenings this hasn't grown on me that much. I wish the melody was just a bit more distinctive and memorable.

    Penal Colony

    Another catchy Pete song with many hooky guitar lines (both electric and acoustic). This is more a match for the Pete songs on River of Flowers, I think. That's what I wrote on Monday, though on Saturday I'm thinking that this is a good song, but the rocky arrangement and instrumental parts flatter the song. The vocal melody is fine, but not a standout.

    Ray Davies and the Kinks

    It's interesting that there is a song about Ray Davies and the Kinks. And, the backing vocals lift the song a bit and the breakdown/arrangement help. But, fundamentally I think this needs to be a bit more melodic and distinctive musically. Nice violin solo. The arrangement again flatters the song, but perhaps the vocal melody could be a bit more distinctive.

    Moon and Star

    The arrangement without drums and with the brass and the very smooth backing vocals works very well. Sharon Finn sings on this, I believe. Good.

    Methylated Spirit

    This is another campfire singalong. It's a good song, but by this time in the album there have been quite a few songs in this style. I'm going to comment that I find this album over-long, and it's about this part of the album where I'm really feeling this. But, fortunately ...

    Tell Me

    On my first listen through I lost focus to do other things and then my attention was grabbed by this song. The song, the arrangement, and the performance is very nice indeed. An album standout. Subsequent listens confirm this for me. Very nice melody and a nice flattering, simple, arrangement. Pete sings this very well.

    What Falls Away

    Another very good song. Catchy melody that lifts for the chorus. I like the 'ba da ba da ba da' (or similar) backing vocals. A very good song. I was worried that the album was running out of steam, but these songs are providing some much needed steam.

    Camel Rock

    This song is written and sung by Bernie Hayes. This is a good song, and the different vocal provides some variation. It's good and enjoyable, but at this point on a double album I feel I need something even more distinctive.

    Shiny Armour

    This is a nice change of pace. But, because we've had similar changes of pace before, it makes me feel that the album is going around in circles a bit.

    With Good Reason

    And here we have the same problem. This is another campfire singalong style song from Reg, and it's interesting and a good song. But, here, it sounds a bit superfluous as we've been over this ground before. Nothing wrong with the song or arrangement - which is fun. Just that we've been here before.

    Mean Time

    This song takes a bit of time to get going. Once it does the tempo and arrangement suits the song. But, still I have the feeling that we've been here before. There's nothing wrong with the song or performance, just that after this album it takes a lot more to grab my attention than this.

    Aqualine

    This is a simple instrumental to finish the album with. A Reg instrumental to start, and a Pete instrumental to finish with. It's interesting that the rhythm is a metronome.

    Overall

    The biggest comment I have to make is that this is a rather long album. It has many good songs, but perhaps not enough distinctive songs to justify the length. This makes it difficult for me to listen to while focussing on the songs. It works much better as background music for doing other things (including quite lengthy things).

    It would be easy for me to say that the album might work better as a shorter selection of songs. But, the issue with that is that when the question is asked how a double album could be shrunk to a single album, everyone chooses a different selection of songs. So, if they had decided to release, say, a 45 minute album it might have missed out my favourite songs from this.

    Clearly the brothers had a lot of songs, and there are very good ones in there. There's nothing wrong with their songwriting. The album is arranged and performed well. The Bernie Hayes song is an interesting addition.

    I just find that there's just a bit too much of the album.

    3.5/5
     
    KangaMom, StefanWq and drewrclv9 like this.
  13. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Medicated Spirits

    Elizabethan
    A very nice intro track with some beautiful acoustic guitar playing giving the song an uplifting feel. The subtle organ adds to the warm atmosphere of the song. I think the video clip with the surfer on a bright sunny day suits the track very well.

    Speed of Light
    This is a good, solid song to lead into the album. It has good energy and lots of details in the instrumentation that draws me as a listener in, making me curious to hear where this album is heading. The fuzzy electric guitar is possibly a bit too loud in the mix though.

    Made in the World
    A marvelous track, love everything about it! I find it irresistibly catchy and immediate, with great energy and spirit. The drums and the discreet triangle (?) give the song added oomph. The video clip is great, all four of them have so much charisma without seemingly being aware of it, sort of a rock band equivalent of pantomime actors. This song should have been a major hit! And I’ll give them an extra gold star for mentioning Paul Hester among all the iconic names in the lyrics too.

    Arriving at the End
    I feel there might be a really good song lurking here, but it doesn’t make much of an impression such as it is. To my ears, I think it would have benefitted from a different instrumentation, perhaps less electric guitars and instead violin (preferably played by Amanda Brown) and trumpet.

    Bored Wife
    This song first appeared as the last track of the Kiss A Gun Down EP in 1992. Interesting that they chose to re-record it in 2014 when they had so many songs written for this album. I am glad the song got a second chance and became part of an album. It’s a really well-written song and the instrumentation here, with its blend of acoustic and electric guitars, is excellent. The lyrics about a relationship in trouble is sung with great empathy by Peter. In my opinion this is one of his best vocal efforts.

    Broke In Many Parts
    I hear this as a sequel to “Bored Wife”, with the narrator now facing the end of the relationship and very down about it, too down to do anything about it. Musically, the low-key nature of the music fits the lyrics, with especially the brilliant acoustic guitar parts enhancing the mood of the words.

    Telegraph Pole
    After the melancholy atmosphere of the previous two songs, this song gives the album a new boost of energy. Love the mandolin playing and Hamish Stuart’s spirited drumming. Very strong, catchy melody and great singing by Reg and the backing vocalist (Peter?). Definitely a track that is among the album highlights in my opinion.

    Raise Your Glasses
    This was a track that at first didn’t make much of an impression on me, but now I really love it. It subtly, discreetly keeps building in intensity, with many more layers and nuances than what I initially thought. The organ and the minimalistic percussion stay in the background but adds so much to the atmosphere of the song and again the acoustic guitar is just incredibly beautiful. A very fascinating and appealing track.

    Penal Colony
    A solid album track, not more or less. It does sound a bit unfocused though, like there were a lot of ideas for the song that weren’t fully realized or edited. I think the best part is the piano playing in the background of the mix.

    Ray Davies and The Kinks
    As a big fan of Ray Davies, both as a solo artist and as the leader of The Kinks, this song is an album highlight. I hear it as a slightly melancholic Kinks-ish melody that has been run through the prisma of Dog Trumpet’s unique character as a duo. Very catchy song, a real ear-worm. And Amanda Brown’s violin playing… wow! Now I am eagerly awaiting Ray Davies writing a song called “Dog Trumpet”. Hey @mark winstanley, what do you think of this song?

    Moon and Star
    What a beautiful song, both musically and lyrically. This is wonderful listening to in headphones with the lyric sheet at hand. There are so much going on in the backing track. I find the lyrics very moving and Peter sings them with a lot of warmth and affection for the person who is being addressed. The vocal harmonies are excellent and the laidback but precise trumpet makes the song extra special.

    Methylated Spirit
    A very catchy song with great guitar playing and a strong melody. I am not sure what the title means, but the lyrics strike me as being dark yet also with a sense of hope. It’s a fascinating mix, the almost novelty sounding folk pop of the music and the dark lyrics that can be interpreted in many ways. Bernie Hayes’ backing vocals add a lot to the song, his and Reg’s voices blend really well and give the song a unique character.

    Tell Me
    To my ears, this is one of the album highlights. The song has a dreamy chamber folk pop mood with a complex backing track rich in details. In particular, the mandolin and Amanda Brown’s exquisite violin playing make the song really special, with the other instruments adding more colours around them. Peter’s gentle singing sounds quite vulnerable which suits the mood of the song. A superb song.

    What Falls Away
    There’s real good energy in this song. I think it has a lot of summer feel to it, enhanced by the video clip featuring surfers and dolphins. The song takes its listeners on a nice musical journey, with some unexpected twists along the way. Great singing by Peter too.

    Camel Rock
    I like that Bernie Hayes has a song on the album. The song has a nice, laidback feel to it and the harmonica adds a bluesy character to it. With lyrics about going surfing it also connects to the album’s opening and closing tracks, that’s a nice touch. I haven’t yet checked out Bernie Hayes’ own albums but based on his contributions to Dog Trumpet albums I am curious to hear them.

    Shiny Armour
    This track has been a real grower for me. At first I thought it was too minimalistic for my taste, but the more I listen to it, the more I hear all the nuances and the layers that are subtly added.

    With Good Reason
    An intriguing track. The music has a warm, uplifting energy that seems effortless and natural, but the lyrics are quite dark, with the narrator concerned about the daily bad news and rising temperatures and what that does mean for the world. Musically, I think the acoustic guitar parts on this song are excellent and Reg’s way of singing as usual gives the song a unique slightly off-kilter feel. Great animated video clip, nice to see Reg Mombassa's artwork come to life.

    Mean Time
    The song is written by Peter, so it is a surprise to hear Reg sing lead vocals as the song begins. They both have voices with a lot of personality in them and it’s great to hear the blend of them together as the brothers take turns at the microphone. Again the acoustic guitar parts are stellar and the piano gives the song a boost of quirkiness. This is another song that keeps growing the more I listen to it.

    Aqualine
    The album ends as it began with an instrumental, again with a video clip showing surfers at summertime. While “Elizabethan” was written by Reg, this one was written by Peter and the two tracks complement each other well. A nice outro track on an excellent album.

    As with previous Dog Trumpets, I think Medicated Spirits requires being listened to a few times before all its qualities reveal themselves. Once there, it is a richly rewarding album which just keeps getting better and better with several tracks competing for my “Best track on the album” award.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2022
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  14. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Yes, it is a double album, both on CD and on vinyl. It has actually been issued on vinyl twice, most recently about a week ago by Demon Music Group.
     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  15. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Also in 2011-2014

    *In 2011, Australian children's music group The Wiggles released the album It's Always Christmas With You. Peter O'Doherty and Greedy Smith both appeared as musicians on the album and each had a song written for the album. Peter's song is called "Will You Dance With Me Around The Christmas Tree" and Greedy's is called "Paw, Paw Wags".
    The Wiggles – It's Always Christmas With You! (2011, CD) - Discogs

    *In 2013, Reg Mombassa contributed to the album The Expedition Burke & Wills by Ashley Davies, playing slide guitar on the track "The Wonder of Discovery". Reg also did the cover painting.
    Ashley Davies – The Expedition Burke & Wills (2013, Book, CD) - Discogs

    *In 2014, there was another collaboration between The Wiggles and Greedy Smith. Greedy wrote the song "Roll The Acrobats" on the album Wiggle House, but doesn't appear himself on the record.
    The Wiggles – Wiggle House (2014, CD) - Discogs
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2022
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  16. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    In 2015-2016 two Mental As Anything box sets and one compilation album were released. Universal Music Australia released a box set featuring the albums Get Wet, Cats and Dogs, Fundamental As Anything, Mouth To Mouth and Liar Liar Pants On Fire.
    Mental As Anything - 5 Album Set

    UK label Edsel Records, sublabel of Demon Music Group, who have just issued all Dog Trumpet albums on vinyl, issued their own 5 CD box set, featuring the group's first five albums Get Wet, Espresso Bongo, Cats and Dogs, Creatures of Leisure and Fundamental As Anything. It's worth noting that they used the international version of Creatures of Leisure (with "Working For The Man" and "Seems Alright To Me" as part of the album instead of "Country in the Concrete" and "Space To Let"). They titled their box set A Mental Collection, Vol. 1. At the time of writing, no vol. 2 has been released.
    Mental As Anything - A Mental Collection Volume 1

    Neither of these two box sets feature any previously unreleased tracks.

    In 2016, Music Club Deluxe, a division of Demon Music Group, issued the double CD "best of" Live It Up: The Collection. This album was compiled by none other than Greedy Smith and featured extensive liner notes by Alan Robinson. The compilation had 35 tracks and was released around Europe. Like previous "best of" albums, no songs recorded after 1998 were included. It did, however, include "Golf Shoes" and "C.Y.O. Dance" from Mental As Anything's debut EP Plays At Your Party from 1978 and the track "Golf Shoes" had previously not been available on CD.
    Mental As Anything - Live It Up: The Collection
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2022
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.
  17. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Mental As Anything: 5 Track EP (2017)

    This week we will discuss Mental As Anything’s 5 Track EP, released on CD by Legneds in Australia in 2017. The EP had been preceded by the one track CD singles ”Shake Off Your Sandals” in 2015 and ”Goat Tracks In My Sandpit” in 2016. Both of these songs are included on 5 Track EP. (The label's name is actually Legneds, it is not a misspelling on my behalf)

    Following the release of the album Tents Up in 2009, Mental As Anything went through a series of line-up changes in the next few years.

    Long-serving members David ”Duck” Barraclough and drummer Robbie Souter both left the group for health reasons in 2011. ”Duck” would release a solo album in 2017 titled Duck**** (available at, for instance, on Spotify). Sadly, Robbie Souter died in 2017, aged 68, and David Barraclough died in 2018, aged 58.
    Barraclough and Souter were replaced by Zoltan Budai and Jacob Cook, respectively.

    Mike Caen, who had been a member of the group since 2002, left in 2013 and was replaced in January 2014 by Martin Cilia from surf rock group The Atlantics, among other bands. Cilia has also released a number of solo albums. For further information, please visit his very informative web page: https://martincilia.com

    Martin Plaza was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and for health reasons he retired from the touring group, but would continue to record with the group. For touring purposes, former member Mike Caen, Tony Adams (ex-The Riptides) and Craig Gordon took turns at replacing him. Martin Plaza toured with the group briefly again in 2014, and for a few dates in 2016. Craig Gordon then became the permanent touring replacement.

    Zoltan Budai left Mental As Anything in 2015 and was replaced by former Mondo Rock bassist James Gillard.

    For 5 Track EP, as on previous album Tents Up, the group again worked with producer Steve James, who had produced "Rock'n'Roll Music" in 1988 as well as several tracks on Cyclone Raymond and the first Dog Trumpet album.

    Track listing:
    Dance With You (written by Greedy Smith)
    Goat Tracks In My Sandpit (Martin Plaza)
    The Luckiest Player (Greedy Smith)
    Shake Off Your Sandals (Greedy Smith)
    That Girl (Martin Plaza)

    Produced by Steve James (Dance With You, The Luckiest Player, Shake Off Your Sandals)
    Produced by Steve James & Martin Plaza (Goat Tracks In My Sandpit)
    Produced by Martin Plaza (That Girl)
    Line-up:
    Martin Plaza, Greedy Smith, Martin Cilia (lead guitar), Jacob Cook (drums) and James Gillard (bass)
     
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  18. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a link for the video clip for "Shake Off Your Sandals":

     
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  19. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a link for the video clip for "Goat Tracks In My Sandpit":

     
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  20. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Here is a link for the video clip for "The Luckiest Player":

     
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  21. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    A slightly off-topic post (and I promise Stefan that I'll get back to posting on the albums this weekend) - but I'm in Australia and one of the tasks my sister and I are performing is cataloging her vinyl collection. Like 98% of the vinyl at my mother's house is hers...apparently she's been collecting quite a lot and I...haven't.

    Anyway, this image is of interest to this thread.
    [​IMG]

    The Date with Destiny single is a gatefold where the door of the caravan opens and then you see all the boys crowded into the caravan behind the girl who is waiting for her Date with Destiny (well, Greedy).
     
    Brandon Spano, HitAndRun and StefanWq like this.
  22. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Very nice collection! I love the artwork that Reg and Martin contributed to these singles!
     
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  23. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    Just as a quick hit because I haven't really had a chance to revisit the 5 Track EP.

    I really like Goat Tracks. There's just an ambience to it that floats my boat (or smooths my sandpit). I dunno what else to say about it, I just like it.
    I'll try to revisit 5 Track this weekend so I can give a full comment but I did want to get it on record that I like Goat Tracks. I don't know that it's as good a song as Martin wrote for Beetroot Stains or Tents Up but it's a good song nonetheless.
     
    HitAndRun and StefanWq like this.
  24. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    In 2017, there was a tour in Australia called the APIA Good Times Tour, featuring Mental As Anything, The Black Sorrows, Colin Hay (ex-Men At Work) and Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier. Mental As Anything had of course toured with Men At Work in North America in 1982 and 1983. Here is a clip from this tour, with Mental As Anything performing "Too Many Times". The song is preceded in the clip by Colin Hay and Greedy Smith having a chat at the spa (while Greedy was taking a pre-show bath)... :)

     
    HitAndRun and KangaMom like this.
  25. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    I forgot to add a couple of musicians' credits for this song. The backing vocalist on the song was New Zealand-born Australia-based country singer Shanley Del, who has released several solo albums. As a trivia, she is the younger sister of NZ artist Jenny Morris and married to James Gillard, who was Mental As Anything's bass player at the time.
    Shanley Del - Person | AudioCulture

    The trumpet player on the song is a very respected Sydney musician called Ray Cassar (Ray Cassar ).
     
    KangaMom and HitAndRun like this.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine