Blue Aeroplanes
Swagger - Ensign 1990
Tracks: 1. Jacket Hangs / 2. World View Blue / 3. Weightless / 4. ...And Stones / 5. Love Come Round / 6. Your Ages / 7. The Applicant / 8. What It Is / 9. Anti-Pretty / 10. Careful Boy / 11. Picture Framed / 12. Cat-Scan Hist'ry / 13. STRANGE* / 14. Love Come Round* / 15. Razorwalk* / 16. Different Now* / 17. Big Sky* / 18. 88 Out* / 19. I Wanna Be Your Lover* / 20. careful Boy* / 21. What it is* / 22. .. and Stones* / 23. You Are Love* / 24. You're Going to Need Somebody* / 25. Sweet Jane* / 26. World View Blue*
Comments:
It is always nice to discover, in this case to rediscover, groups or artists or groups that go straight into your heart. This has just happened to me in the case of The Blue Aeroplanes. I vaguely remember having been introduced to the group in the early 1990s in comparison with groups like Midnight Oil and REM. In particular, as a big fan of The Kinks, I noticed their excellent version of "Big Sky"; one of the slightly overlooked tracks from "The Village Green Preservation Society".
For some reason, I never really followed up on the group and never dug into their history and catalog. Somehow, the group failed to achieve a major breakthrough, which in light of this fine album, "Swagger" must give reason to wonder.
Here, many years later, I just came across a deluxe version of this 1990 album, "Swagger", and what a positive experience! Lots of jangling guitars, fine tunes and interesting lyrics. The lead vocals from Gerard Langley are often spoken / recited over catchy guitar lines, while there are fine vocal harmonies on the choruses.
If you want to categorize the group, you might want to put them into the same hat as Midnight Oil, R.E.M., Long Ryders, and vocally perhaps compare them with Pulp, Stranglers or Dire Straits.
On the album itself, you’re delighted by several fine upbeat guitar rockers, such as "Jacket Hangs", "World View Blue", "Love Come Round", "Your Ages", all with Gerard Langley vocally in front. The equally catchy "Careful Boy" featuring mandolin and sung by guitarist Rodney Allen; a general feel like ”Losing My Religion”
There are also more subdued tracks like "Weightless" and "Picture Framed", and there is generally a nice variety of sound and instrumentation.
Also on the bonus CD there are really nice things. In addition to good alternative versions of tracks from "Swagger" you will find the aforementioned "Big Sky" and a nice cover of Richard Thompson's "You Are Going to Need Somebody".
There’s an interesting live interpretation of Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde outtake "She's Your Lover Now", too.
I look forward to getting acquainted with more albums from the group's large back catalog.
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