December 2014 Go Your Own Way

Ever since getting the song Go Your Own Way stuck in my head and wondering who wrote it, I've suddenly become a fan of Fleetwood Mac. It's funny how these obsessions aren't planned. You could almost say they're 'fleeting,' (if you'll excuse the pun). That's why it was a pleasure to receive their Rumours album for christmas. My favourites so far have got to be the hits; Go your own way, Songbird and The Chain are such classics and yet so diverse in their tonal range. Just a change in beat, tempo and instruments can move you through a melancholic song, to an uplifting one, or to a more lighthearted one. But they have one thing in common; they're immediately catchy; You make loving fun may stop you from getting any sleep at night as it spins round your head. It has something to do with the vocal range of the band, and again ties in with their diversity.



I also went to see my sister in my old school's termly Gig Night. This one kid had written a song about Busking in Oxford which stood out for me, the way those lyrics rolled out in a rap rhyming way as he plucked away at his guitar reminded of Dylan's take on Beat poetry. (Poems set to a beat, in short). There was also a guy who was turning into a little Jimmy Hendrix with his electric guitar, he'll go far. And my sister's cover of I Can't make you Love Me was poignant with her accompanying Pianist.

The other albums I've been listening to couldn't be more varied; Ryan Adams' Ryan Adams album, which, though in keeping with his rugged, Neil Young inspired heartfelt Rock and Roll style is about as original as the title suggests. Gimme Something Good is the only catchy one in there.
A John Legend CD my Aunt got me for christmas was half-listened to. Remind me to write a thank you letter, along with suggestions for how I can fake having enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong; I applaud the honesty of his lyrics; "I had plans to do it 'til we have a baby, even if the world is crazy." You're right John, the world is crazy, what with its stark rise in teenage pregnancies. "Pick some names, Boy or Girl, Then we'll change the world" may give the wrong impression they're trying to make a superhero child, or maybe I'm just reading into it too much... To be fair, he has a voice reminiscent of the husky singer-songwriter Seal, but without the poetry - his lyrics are far too direct, like he's scribbled them on the toilet before the recording.
Finally, Ben Howard's new album, I Forget where we Were has a fresh sound. His opening song, Small Things almost creates a minimalist, experimental effect with its echoing droplets and abstract vocal delivery. "Christmas flared among us and we called it evergreen, Built a world without your love and I built it mean" has more of an indirect, abstract resonance to it then "have a baby, even if the world is crazy." If the world's crazy, listen to some Fleetwood Mac. Don't go John's way and put pressure on yourself by raising kids. Ask my parents.