Rock, Metal

Imelda May - Mayhem (2010)

2011-01-02T10:53:37Z

Imelda May - Mayhem (2010)


1 Pulling the Rug
2 Psycho
3 Mayhem                 play
4 Kentish Town Waltz
5 All for You
6 Eternity
7 Inside Out
8 Proud and Humble
9 Sneaky Freak
10 Bury My Troubles
11 Too Sad to Cry
12 I'm Alive
13 Let Me Out
14 Tainted Love 
15. Johnny Got a Boom Boom  play

The Imelda May Band
    * Imelda May - vocals, bodhrán
    * Darrel Higham - guitars
    * Al Gare - bass, double bass
    * Stevew Rushton - drums, percussion
    * Dave Priseman - trumpet, flugel, percussion

Guest musicians
    * John Quinn - fiddle (on "Kentish Town Waltz")
    * Stewart Johnson - steel guitar (on "I'm Alive")
    * Olly Wilby - clarinet (on "Inside Out")
    * Andy Wood - trombone (on "Inside Out")
    * Dean Beresford - drums (on "Johnny Got a Boom Boom" remix)

Imelda May's sophomore album offers more of her jazzy, unabashedly catchy retro pop, so sincere and energetic it gives many 2000s pop stars a run for their money -- though May somehow underexplores the rockabilly vibe, which is her prime gimmick, after all. Not that she abandons it: the first three cuts all sport muscular, bouncy basslines and that rock & roll sleaze that complements her powerful vocals so well. There are also "Sneaky Freak" and the closers, though, admittedly, one's a remix and the other a cover of "Tainted Love," no less: a cheeky pick that gets a great tongue-in-cheek rendition here. But all in all, it feels like May just needed to get the rock out of her system and jump into other things, just because she can. Some numbers are classic restaurant jazz, so strong and sensual that, had it been the 1930s, gangsters would have been all over her, and even Roger Rabbit would be prompted to thoughts of infidelity. There is also a waltz; a take on spy movie themes; a tune that sounds almost like a funeral song (though May can't really be depressing even if she tries; she has too much vitality); and a set of country numbers, which are the least impressive of the lot, but still have a low-key allure. The bottom line is that some of the immediacy of her rockabilly jazz is lost once she goes for romance and seduction, but Mayhem is still a fresh, invigorating record that is worth picking up, no matter what your musical convictions are; it's that good. ---Alexey Eremenko, AllMusic Review

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Imelda May - No Turning Back (2007)

2012-02-17T09:38:31Z

Imelda May - No Turning Back (2007)


01 dealing with the devil		play
02 flame of love
03 cry for me baby
04 till i kissed you
05 what am i gonna do
06 once more		play
07 wild about my lovin'
08 no turning back
09 end of the world
10 y'hoo
11 don't do me no wrong
12 forever you and me
13 bring my cadillac back
14 lovey dovey lovely one
15 let us sing

Drums – Steve Rushton
Guitar, Bass – Darrel Higham
Percussion – Snowboy
Piano – James Compton
Saxophone – Al Nicholls
Trumpet – Dave Priseman

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Imelda May is a unique vocal talent, one whose gift lies outside the normal order of pop culture time and trends. Inspired by the sounds of vocal jazz à la Billie Holiday and the sound and looks of rockabilly, May began performing with the swing outfit Blue Harlem, and released a handful of independent CDs before scoring attention in 2007 with her nomination for an award as Best Burlesque Singer as well as the release of her more official debut, Love Tattoo. The album, featuring her strong backing band comprised of players Dave Priseman, Darrell Higham, Al Gare, and Steve Rushton, was critically and commercially well received, leading to some high-profile live gigs, including hitting the road with Jools Holland. It was released in the U.S.A. by Decca in 2009, followed by two singles, and scored a mid-level success. Her sophomore effort, Mayhem, arrived in September of 2010, preceded by the single "Psycho." --- Chris True, allmusic.com

Originally released under her maiden name of Clabby in 2003, rockabilly revivalist Imelda May's debut album, No Turning Back, was re-recorded two years later when the Dubliner had the money to improve on its bedroom studio quality. Whatever the sound problems were, they appear to have been ironed out on a foot-stomping first offering which effortlessly evokes the '50s jukebox joint era thanks to its swinging rhythms, honky tonk piano hooks, and bluesy guitar riffs, not to mention May's versatile vocals, which sit somewhere between the pure jazz delivery of Billie Holiday and the raw, earthy tones of Janis Joplin. The old-fashioned rock & roll of "Dealing with the Devil," the infectious boogie rock of "Flame of Love," and the twanging surf pop of "Wild About My Lovin'" all sound like the kind of feel-good tunes the Fonz would bop along to on Happy Days, while "Till I Kissed You" (a duet with Elvis soundalike and guitarist/husband Darrell Higham), would make even the sternest of teddy boys swoon. But perhaps hinting at the more eclectic direction her later output was to take, the album's retro influences occasionally extend beyond the vintage rock & roll of Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly, as on the smoky jazz-tinged torch song "Once More," the Nina Simone-esque gospel blues of "What Am I Gonna Do?," and the gorgeous Nashville-inspired rendition of Skeeter Davis' "End of the World." The amount of covers (Cliff Richard's "No Turning Back," Baker Knight's "Bring My Cadillac Back," Junior Wells' "Lovey Dovey Lovely One"), suggest she didn't quite have the confidence in the songwriting abilities she would later pursue on Love Tattoo and Mayhem. But No Turning Back is still a consistently strong romp through the sounds of the '50s, which undoubtedly helped sow the seeds for her future mainstream success. --- Jon O'Brien, allmusic.com

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Imelda May – Love Tattoo (2008)

2012-02-21T09:38:46Z

Imelda May – Love Tattoo (2008)


01. Imelda May - Johnny Got A Boom Boom (3:01)
02. Imelda May - Feel Me (3:00)
03. Imelda May - Knock 123 (5:30)
04. Imelda May - Wild About My Lovin' (3:17)
05. Imelda May - Big Bad Handsome Man (2:46)		play
06. Imelda May - Love Tattoo (2:58)
07. Imelda May - Meet You At The Moon (2:49)
08. Imelda May - Smoker's Song (2:39)		play
09. Imelda May - Smotherin' Me (2:45)
10. Imelda May - Fallin' In Love With You Again (4:09)
11. Imelda May - It's Your Voodoo Workin' (3:14)
12. Imelda May - Watcha Gonna Do (3:42)

Double Bass, Bass Guitar – Al Gare
Drums – Dean Beresford
Guitar – Darrel Higham
Piano, Organ [Hammond] – Danny McCormack
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion – Dave Priseman
Vocals, Bodhrán, Producer – Imelda May

Love Tattoo is the debut solo album by Irish vocalist Imelda May, formerly of the roots outfit Blue Harlem. Originally released by the indie Foottapping imprint, it was later licensed in the U.K. by Ambassador and in the United States by Verve Forecast. May has captured the attention of the United Kingdom with its release, and for good reason. It's a striking gumbo of tough boogie-woogie, streetwise razor-edged rockabilly, intimate sultry vocal jazz, and sassy jump blues. May wrote all but two of the set's 12 tracks and produced the set; she also plays the bodhran, an Irish percussion instrument from antiquity. She's surrounded herself with an ace band that includes her husband, guitarist Darrell Higham, trumpeter Dave Priseman (who also plays flügelhorn and percussion), pianist and organist Danny McCormack, bassist Al Gare, and drummer Dean Beresford. The kickoff is the stomping rockabilly of "Johnny Got a Boom Boom" (infer what you might from the title). With a slapping double bassline intro, the drum kit latches on and takes it for another eight measures before Higham's nasty guitar begins its cutting strut. But May's vocal tops it all and swaggers confidently with its expression of raw sensuality. This is a love song from the streets, but it isn't trashy. It's got its own kind of in-your-face class. Contrast this with the gorgeous bluesy ballad "Knock 123," with its slow walking piano and basslines and a halting guitar figure, and May's voice all croon and caress. The title track is a wild stomp and roll where blues, rock & roll, country, and boogie collide behind her blues shout. May is a trained vocalist to be sure, but when the material calls for it, her voice contains a certain rough grain -- earthy, raw, and full of unbridled passion. It's even evident in the country ballad "Falling in Love with You Again" (one of the tracks where her bodhran can be heard prominently). The lilt, grace, and haggard elegance of her voice reveal an entire well of feeling that seems to bubble up effortlessly yet without artifice. The entire album is deliciously and unabashedly retro, but comes off as spontaneous, fresh, and full of adventure. The uptempo tunes are simply unhinged, while the ballads are full of authentic emotion. The tunes aren't overly arranged, the production is minimal, and the instruments -- as well as her voice -- sound unembellished. Imelda May is capturing the attention of Europe for a reason; she is a rare and very exciting talent who understands the history of American roots music and knows how to use that understanding in a contemporary context without pandering. Love Tattoo is righteous. Period. ---Thom Jurek, AMG

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Imelda May – More Mayhem (2010)

2012-02-25T12:54:44Z

Imelda May – More Mayhem (2010)


1 Pulling the Rug
2 Psycho
3 Mayhem		play		
4 Kentish Town Waltz
5 All for You
6 Eternity
7 Inside Out
8 Proud and Humble
9 Sneaky Freak
10 Bury My Troubles
11 Too Sad to Cry
12 I'm Alive
13 Let Me Out
14 Tainted Love 
15 Johnny Got A Boom Boom
16 Road Runner
17 Gypsy
18 Blues Calling
19 Walking After Midnight		play
20 Inside Out (Remix)
21 Proud And Humble (Remix)

Bass [Upright Bass], Bass Guitar – Al Gare
Drums – Steve Rushton
Guitar – Darrel Higham
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion – Dave Priseman
Vocals, Bodhrán – Imelda May

Imelda May's sophomore album offers more of her jazzy, unabashedly catchy retro pop, so sincere and energetic it gives many a 2000s pop star a run for their money -- though May somehow underexplores the rockabilly vibe, which is her prime gimmick, after all. Not that she abandons it: the first three cuts all sport muscular, bouncy basslines and that rock & roll sleaze that complements her powerful vocals so well. There are also "Sneaky Freak" and the closers, though, admittedly, one's a remix and the other a cover "Tainted Love," no less: a cheeky pick which gets a great tongue-in-cheek rendition here. But all in all, it feels like May just needed to get the rock out of her system and jump into other things, just because she can. Some numbers are classic restaurant jazz, so strong and sensual that, had it been the 1930s, gangsters would have been all over her, and even Roger Rabbit would be prompted to thoughts to infidelity. There is also a waltz; a take on spy movie themes; a tune that sounds almost like a funeral song (though May can't really be depressing even if she tries; she has too much vitality), and a set of country numbers, which are the least impressive of the lot, but still have a low-key allure. The bottom line is that some of the immediacy of her rockabilly jazz is lost once she goes for romance and seduction, but Mayhem is still a fresh, invigorating record that is worth picking up, no matter what your musical convictions are; it's that good. --- Alexey Eremenko, allmusic.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

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