Played a rare live show last night to a packed out Shepherd's Bush Empire in support of his excellent new record 'Seven Dials' and he achieved the unusual feat of playing over half of the album without, as he wryly commented 'sending everyone scuttling off to the bar'. He seemed genuinely moved by the rapt attention given to the new songs, and he was right when he said he loved the sound of silence between his songs. The blight of big gigs like this, and why I generally avoid them, is the modern day habit of people, not only chattering away between songs but during them too. I remember seeing The Go-Betweens at the same venue and losing my rag with some idiots for talking and laughing all the way through 'Finding You', one of the most beautiful songs ever written! But thankfully Roddy's audience seem as nice as the man himself! I want to hate Roddy Frame, he looks preposterously youthful for his fifty years of age, stick thin and a full head of hair, I take a quick look at the guys in the crowd around me and notice a comforting amount of balding pates, glasses and expanding waist-lines, yep, I feel a bit better now!
I think that his audience must be an Oscar Wilde 'portrait', as we all get older and suffer the ravages of ageing, Roddy just seems to get younger. Not only is he an extremely talented singer, and guitarist but he seems annoyingly good-natured too, his between song banter is worthy of a stand-up routine in it's own right. Girls look on admiringly, there are shouts of 'we love you Roddy' every now and then and guys think how nice it must be to have a pint or two and a good chat with him. He's a music fan, he knows the score, he gently mocks the anorak tendencies of fans - 'do you want more of the technical stuff and background to all the songs?' He also has a dig at journalists for misinterpreting his lyrics, 'Someone said this song is about death, it's not, I'm only fifty for god's sake!' He then goes off on a tangent, musing that maybe he would have been more critically acclaimed if he'd have popped his clogs after his third album.
But he's certainly alive and kicking, in fact he is positively bursting with energy, bouncing around as though he's in a boxing ring, a huge grin spreads across his face. Tonight he is backed by the same band that performed with him on the 'High Land, Hard Rain' gigs last year, but I think I prefer to see Roddy play solo gigs, just him and his acoustic guitar, as some of the arrangements seem a bit too much for me. There's the odd bit of guitar rocking-out that grates and the drummer is a bit snare-heavy. However, it does allow Roddy to showcase his versatility and he mixes up the performances nicely, switching from electric to acoustic guitars and back again.
My highlights were the more subtle and moving movements of the gig such as a stunning version of 'On The Avenue' from Frestonia where he is accompanied solely by the piano, and his voice takes on another dimension, he delivers it beautifully. 'Killermont Street' is another stand-out but somewhat surprisingly it's a new song that really grabbed me, 'Into The Sun' is surely destined to grow into a classic alongside 'Oblivious' and 'Somewhere In My Heart' and all his other big hits. I was a bit disappointed not to get anything from 'Surf', or indeed 'Western Skies', but I suppose these are more suited to his one-man acoustic shows and I can't be greedy when we get treated to a great version of 'The North Star', and an exuberant 'Bigger Brighter Better', two of my favourites from his solo out-put. He is a truly underrated guitarist too, his intricate Flamenco flourishes and deft fretwork just make you gawp open-mouthed at his sheer dexterity. He really should get more credit, he's right up there with the greats. Early Aztec Camera single 'Mattress of Wire' and a truly uplifting version of 'We Could Send Letters' were also superbly performed and lapped up by the crowd and the set closes with a sweet and soulful 'Back On Board'. So, a thoroughly enjoyable night out in the company of Roddy Frame, let's hope it won't be so long until his next London gig.
Paul Slattery has been photographing rock bands since the mid-70's, inspired by Dr. Feelgood, Link Wray and The Pirates he went on to photograph the early days of The Clash, Ramones, Motorhead, Joy Division and U2 amongst many others. He has been there at the very beginning with the Manic Street Preachers, Stone Roses, Oasis and The Smiths, producing some iconic shots of each band, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Paul has two books published by Omnibus Press, and. Browning a5 manufacture date by serial number. You can follow Paul's adventures in the world of Rock & Roll Photography by checking out our.
Western Skies Band
Ok, so as a huge Aztec Camera fanatic, I have absolutely no excuse for not having every single Roddy Frame album within days of its respective release. But, being as the North Star and Western Skies are still import only, I was less than enthusiastic about paying those hefty import prices right away. I know, I know. My fandom should've overcome such seemingly irrelevant things as pricetag, but a budget is a budget, bottom line. Well, I recently completed my catalogue of his three solo albums, so here are some extended thoughts on each.
The North Star (1998) After 's uncharacteristic and misguided attempts at adult contempo soft rock radio stardom, the North Star is like the next proper Aztec Camera album after Dreamland. It's the same sort of midtempo jangle rock, but the songs here are actually considered as full pieces of artistic representation.
In other words, Roddy actually sounds like he cares about what the session players are doing with his songs this time around. And that's the weird thing here: the songs are pretty much in the same vein as Frestonia, but the band plays them here like they actually matter.
Frestonia had some excellent tunes, but they were drown out by schlock and awful overplaying. On the North Star, the songs are noticeably toned down and played in the purposely low-key mode that Roddy seems to have finally come to the realization that his songs should be played in all the time. It's a genius move. The tunes are of the middle calibre of Roddy Frame's accuracy. Consistently good compared to anyone else, but sort of crowd-pleasing and unsurprisingly adequate for longtime fans. But, because of the newly rediscovered sparse 'as it is' presentation of the songs, it sounds like a mini-revelation.
Like Roddy's just gotten over his entire bout with A&R people and producers for good and this album was the first thing he was able to do free of their (in hindsight) negative influence. The downplaying of everything here is an all around plus. For the first time in several albums, Roddy genuinely sounds like he's having fun and that makes for fun listens even on songs that aren't that interesting. This shines through in the pronounced optimism of the material, especially on the single 'Reason for Living.'
As far as other highlights, the one-two combo of the album's opening tracks ('Back to the One' and the title track) is just about as good as it gets here. Jangly, catchy and completely sincere, both songs are exemplary of Roddy Frame at his best.
It's just one of those undeniably strong albums that isn't an out-and-out masterpiece, but whose enduring melodies and modest spirit make the twentieth listen infinitely better than the first or second. Definitely a feel good album. And the sparse closing track ('Hymn to Grace') is a great preview for his next move. Surf (2002) Well, here it is. Easily his best work since and (and maybe even since ). It was Roddy's first true 'solo' album, as he performed everything you hear. He wrote the songs, he sang the words and he played the acoustic guitar.
Isn't this what all those stuffy NME folks would've loved to have all of their readers believe he was capable of back in 1984? Make no mistake, friends, I friggin' love this album like few other things. The pronounced and consistent love of music that is addressed at several points throughout the album's lyrics is just awesome and I can completely relate because I internalize music to an unhealthy degree, so it's nice to hear my feelings vaguely mirrored in such an intimate, immediately resounding setting. But ignoring all that highfalutin heady hogwash, these are truly some of Roddy's best tunes ever. Stripped down to their barest of essentials, the melodies flourish and the performances feel like near perfection.
His skills as a guitarist and captivating singer are finally given the spotlight they deserved all along and the record is all the better for it. A song like 'I Can't Start Now' is not only a beautifully aching ballad, but a true listen and consideration of the lyrics reveals Roddy at arguably his peak. There is an unmistakable sense to the whole thing of personal revelation. And I know it was completely cliche for the 'all acoustic' album to indicate some sort of (perhaps forced) poignancy by 2002, but Roddy actually pulls it off with Surf (even though I truly doubt his integrity would have let him subscribe to such a philosophy by this point; perhaps further enhancing the album's seemingly unending earnest appeal). I can't say enough good about it, honestly. It's just wonderful music from a musician that feels like he has fulfilled his complete potential for the first time in over a decade. Every song here is damn near perfect and fans of heartfelt music will have a hard time not loving it.
The more I listen to it, the more I fall in love with it. Western Skies (2006) That subtle, but unmistakable, grin that graces the cover art is actually very representative of this album and, in the bigger picture, where Roddy Frame has arrived at as a singer and songwriter.
He was 42 when Western Skies was released and, despite his voice still awesomely sounding like 22, with the pronounced wrinkles and slight shades of grey hair, he finally looks like something: a wise elder statesman that can just bang out some modest little genuine tunes for his modest little genuine fanbase every two or three years. Make no mistakes, Western Skies is a no nonsense affair. Great tunes, humbly presented and no real surprises, but good lord, is it satisfying as hell for a longtime fan. Sparse, three or four piece arrangements are par for the course here and the tunes overall may not even be his best, but damned if they don't all sound great right away. The presentation is perhaps the most appropriate ever for a Roddy Frame-performed album.
There is one downright surprise here: 'Marble Arch' is a straight bossa nova tune. And it's awesome. Completely unexpected and surprisingly on the mark, I love it wholly. Elsewhere, the title track is the sort of yearning minor key alt-pop tune that sounds exactly like the sort of thing Roddy should be doing at this point, while the mini-epic 'Rock God' is probably the most ambitious he's been in quite some time. Truly, there's not a bad song in the bunch and even though it may not be his most diverse material, it's the sort of jangly modern update of the classic Aztec Camera sound that transcends expectations and feels like the midlife revelation that it probably is. It often sounds like the most content album he's ever made. Flippin' satisfying as all get-out.
EDIT: And there it is. Probably infamous for his inconsistency by the time he released the North Star, I find it more than a little ironic that he waited until he was releasing albums under his own name to get completely and truly dependable.
Aztec Camera's catalogue is notoriously up and down, to the point that, by the time he released the North Star, nobody but the hardest of hardcore were paying any attention. And that's a shame because the (so far) three albums he's released under his own name have been —maybe a bit surprisingly— undeniably good and consistent. By this point, after hearing and truly assessing these albums in the grand scheme of Roddy Frame, the same guy that did all those Aztec Camera albums, they are nothing like a musician simply going through the motions.
On the contrary, these albums are the work of a musician that has truly found inner happiness and peace as a person. Canon pc 775. Of course, if your name is Roddy Frame, that translates to mean that, to your small and loyal fanbase, you're seemingly getting better. Wonderful stuff. Here's to a new album sometime soon. (which is to say: new album soon, please?) Austin.
Product Details Availability eBay.it roddy frame - western skies (CD NEU!) 28 Condition: Nuovo Time left: 2d 18h 9m 12s Ships to: Worldwide EUR 21,62 eBay.it Roddy Frame - Western Skies - LP Vinyl // Neu & OVP // Aztec Camera Condition: Nuovo Time left: 4d 20h 59m 46s Ships to: Worldwide EUR 29,99 eBay.it Western Skies VINYL, Roddy Frame CD 812 New Condition: Nuovo Time left: 5d 14h 58m 36s Ships to: Worldwide £34,20 My favourite store: Western Skies is ranked 3rd best out of by on BestEverAlbums.com. The best album by Roddy Frame is which is ranked number 41267 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 7. Roddy Frame album bestography « Higher ranked (55,811th) This album (67,820th) Lower ranked » Western Skies.
SEVEN DIALS is available here on 180g vinyl, gatefold sleeve, with a CD version of the album and a bonus live six track CD (recorded at Buxton Opera House). Recorded at West Heath Studios, SEVEN DIALS was recorded in sessions which spanned 2013. Co-produced by Roddy himself and Sebastian Lewsley the ten tracks feature drummer Adrian Meehan and keyboards by long-time Roddy cohort Mark Edwards, with all other instruments played by Roddy himself. TRACKLISTING 1. White Pony 2. Into The Sun 4. Rear View Mirror 5.
Forty Days of Rain 7. English Garden 8. On The Waves 9. The Other Side 10.
From a Train Here's a preview of the first single 'Forty Days of Rain': RODDY FRAME: SEVEN DIALS LP (INCLUDES CD VERSION) + BONUS LIVE CD listed in.
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