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Liam Carey reviews
V o l u m e # 5 0 2 A p r i l 2 0 0 3
BEATLES FOR SALE
In the autumn of 1995, at the height of Britpop, EMI unleashed the Beatles’ Anthology project; an exhumation of three albums’ worth of outtakes, rarities and alternate versions overseen by the band and producer-mentor George Martin as well as a simultaneously-broadcast television series. The Anthology programmes provided a visual history of the Fab Four from their pre-fame beginnings through to the messy, acrimonious split in 1970, given extra insight by new interviews with everyone concerned.
Now the series comes to DVD in a 5-disc boxset, laced with 81 minutes of extra footage and the never-before-seen video for Real Love, the second of the *new* Beatles songs released as a single in early 1996 and arguably superior to Free As A Bird.
It’s an expensive time for Paul McCartney fans, with his live double album Back In The World and accompanying DVD also just out. The third Macca live record in just 12 years, following 1990’s Tripping The Live Fantastic and 1993’s shabby Paul Is Live!, Back In The World has attracted publicity for its attempt at rewriting pop history by altering the credits for the Beatles songs included on the album, from the familiar “Lennon-McCartney” to “McCartney-Lennon”.
Apparently this latest move is merely to more truthfully reflect McCartney’s greater contribution, yet he has tellingly ignored any Beatles material on which he wasn’t the main composer from the 32-song live set for the ongoing world tour captured on Back In The World.
However, the George Harrison-penned Something is affectionately rendered, fuelling the deliberately anti-Lennon/Yoko Ono suspicions. Meanwhile Harrison, sadly no longer with us after losing his battle against cancer in December 2001, has another posthumous single released this month. Any Road is the opening track from Brainwashed, the album George was working on in the final months of his life and which was completed by longtime collaborator (and fellow Traveling Wilbury) Jeff Lynne in conjunction with Harrison’s son Dhani.
NORWEGIANS WOULD
How Can I Sleep With Your Voice In My Head is the first-ever live album release for those Scandanavian pop maestros A-Ha. Previously, they had issued a DVD entitled Homecoming:Live At Valhall, a triumphant show in their native country which received rave reviews. How Can I Sleep.. – the title, incidentally, is taken from the lyric of The Swing Of Things, a song on 1986’s Scoundrel Days album – has been trailed in most European territories by a single featuring their sole UK #1 hit The Sun Always Shines On TV as performed in the show.
TEMPO TEMPO
British Summertime is officially upon us, so what better excuse to indulge in some gorgeously mellow Brazilian-flavoured sounds courtesy of Bebel Gilberto‘s Tanto Tempo album. Originally released in 2000, then re-issued through Warner Brothers last summer, Tanto Tempo is now available in a third version.
This time a bonus CD of remixes has been added, along with a rather nasty flourescent green sleeve which replaces its purple predecessor.
A SNOG FOR EUROPE
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is to feature those nice girls t.A.T.u. as the Russian entry, according to reports. Well, that should at least provide a brief respite from the unrelenting naffness, although it remains to be seen if Julia and Lena will be allowed to fondle and kiss each other during their performance.
t.A.T.u.’s next UK single has been confirmed as Not Gonna Get Us, but the release date seems to be bouncing back and forth between April 14th and May 12th, so when it actually appears is anyone’s guess.
(DVDfever Ed: “I dare TOTP to show *THAT* video uncut!”)
FUTURE SOUNDS
The best music on the horizon:
- FLEETWOOD MAC – SAY YOU WILL: First studio album since 1987 to feature the classic Rumours-era line-up of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. The notoriously unprolific band have been planning this release for more than 5 years having successfully reformed for The Dance, 1997’s one-off concert/live album.
- GOLDFRAPP – BLACK CHERRY: Eagerly-anticipated follow-up to 2000’s sublime Felt Mountain. Expect something more than a reprise of that album’s darkly atmospheric, ethereal overtones, with glam-rock and electronica influences abounding.
Page Content copyright © Liam Carey, 2003.
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Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.