Ruby Trax | Popdose

Posts Tagged ‘Ruby Trax’

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Pop Goes the World: “Ruby Trax,” Disc 3

Last but certainly not least, Disc Three of Ruby Trax. And there is just no gray area when it comes to the opening song.

In late 1992, the idea of Jesus Jones covering Jimi Hendrix was viewed one of two ways: it was either the most awesome idea ever, or grounds for justifiable homicide. (Bear in mind, this came a full year before the Hendrix tribute album Stone Free, where everyone from the Cure to PM Dawn took Jimi’s songs for a ride.) He’s the greatest guitarist of all time, and they…play keyboards! (*Shake fists at God*) As Popdose resident remix geek, I’m guessing you already know which side of this debate I’m on.

Jesus Jones’ historical legacy is of the one-hit wonder variety, but let’s remember something: their 1991 album Doubt was a damned fine record, and in fact spawned two Top Five hits, not one. (Whither, “Real Real Real”?) So if Mike Edwards decides in 1992 that he wants to tear a Jimi Hendrix song to ribbons, no one is going to tell him no, nor should they have. The end result, a version of “Voodoo Chile” that sounds like the Chemical Brothers before there were Chemical Brothers, stands as the second to last great thing Jesus Jones would do. (Forgive me, but I’m still fond of “The Devil You Know.”) The drum tracks rocked without delving into industrial noise, and the guitar squeals have an otherworldly sound that would have brought a smile to Jimi’s face. And let’s not forget what a unique vocalist Edwards was for the time. That raspy tenor of his was unmistakable.

Wow, I can’t believe I just dedicated two paragraphs to Jesus Jones. Let’s move on. (more…)

Tags: Baby Come Back, Billy Duffy, Bob Geldof, Cud, Curve, David Medsker, Elektric Music, Go Now, I Feel Love, Inspiral Carpets, Jesus Jones, Johnny Marr, Manic Street Preachers, NME, NME's Roaring Forty, Pop Goes the World, Popdose, Ride, Ruby Trax, Secret Love, Sinead O'Connor, Suicide Is Painless, Sunny Afternoon, Tainted Love, The Fall, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, The Legend of Xanadu, The Model, Tin Machine, Vic Reeves, Vienna, Voodoo Chile, World Party, World without Love
Posted in Featured, Featured - Frontpage, Music, Pop Goes the World | Comments

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Pop Goes the World: “Ruby Trax,” Disc 2

by David Medsker

Ah, now that’s more like it.

As we discussed in the previous PGTW installment, Disc One of Ruby Trax was a rather inauspicious first step for such an ambitious project. They had their pick of the UK’s top acts, and they thought that letting the Fatima Mansions creep their way, both literally and figuratively, through Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do (I Do It for You)” was not only a good idea, but worthy of the opening disc? Huh.

And in the interest of full disclosure, that would not be the last lapse in judgment they would have. In fact, Disc Two of Ruby Trax, while far more consistent than Disc One, opens with Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine covering… “Another Brick in the Wall.” (Brought to you by Bad Idea Jeans.) On the surface, you might think that the boys behind “Sheriff Fatman” might be able to inject a little fun into Pink Floyd’s dark disco juggernaut, but no. Instead, they slow it down to a snail’s pace, and for no reason whatsoever, they shout “Motherfucker!” after the second chorus. Next.

The next two songs have been the subject of much discussion and debate, even between the bands themselves. Blur tackles “Maggie May” minus bassist Alex James (he was vehemently opposed to covering Rod the Mod and refused to play on the song), and how much you like this cover depends greatly on your reverence for the original. Personally, I like “Maggie May” but heard it more than enough growing up, so I’ll take Blur’s cover gladly, though it sounds like they recorded it in about 20 minutes. Then comes Tears for Fears’ note-for-note cover of David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes,” and once again I will admit my bias. One of my favorite Bowie songs being covered by one of my favorite singers, ever. I couldn’t care less that it’s identical to the original, since it’s a pretty hard song to “make your own,” as it were. Apparently Roland Orzabal had tried doing something left-field with it, but it wasn’t working, so they went the Gus Van Zant “Psycho” route instead. Orzabal acknowledged that the band more or less took the easy way out with the Bowie cover when compiling B-sides for the band’s Saturnine Martial & Lunatic album, but then said, “Still, it’s better than Blur’s version of ‘Maggie May.’ (Or is it?)” Yes, Roland, it’s better. But I like your version too, Damon. I’m such a kiss-ass. (more…)

Tags: Another Brick in the Wall, Ashes to Ashes, Blur, boy george, Brass in Pocket, Carter USM, David Medsker, Don't You Want Me, EMF, House of Love, I'm a Believer, I've Never Been to Me, Kingmaker, Lady Madonna, Like a Prayer, Maggie May, Marc Almond, My Sweet Lord, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, NME, NME's Roaring Forty, Pop Goes the World, Popdose, Ring My Bell, Rock Your Baby, Ruby Trax, Shaddup You Face, Suede, Tears for Fears, The Farm, The Frank and Walters, Tori Amos
Posted in Featured, Featured - Frontpage, Music, Pop Goes the World | Comments

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Pop Goes the World: “Ruby Trax,” Disc 1

by David Medsker

The early 1990s were a good time to be an Anglophile. Even more so than during the whole Britpop thing, if you can believe that.

Allow me to explain. Modern rock radio was exploding, but as eager as they were to crown new kings, the format still had great respect for the bands that blazed the trail before a clear path existed. And the programmers didn’t look down their noses at a band if they had commercial success, either; Tears for Fears were just as welcome on the dial as The The. There were no subgenres under the British pop umbrella, either; British pop was British pop, with no separation of the “cool” from the “uncool.” And everyone had a shot at scoring a hit. It was a beautiful time.

Few compilations from the era demonstrate this all-for-one approach better than Ruby Trax, a three-disc compilation assembled by rock mag (or is it rag?) NME as a benefit to the Spastics Society. The magazine had turned the big 4-0, and to celebrate, they asked a bunch of bands – forty of them, natch – to cover a Number One single from the rock era. Many bands played to their strengths and covered material that was similar to their own; others went completely off the rails. Sometimes this was a good thing. Other times, not.

Disc One is, by this writer’s estimate, the weakest of the three. It starts out strongly enough with the Wonder Stuff’s fiddle-happy take on Slade’s “Coz I Luv You,” and Billy Bragg unleashes his inner disco dancer on, of all things, the Three Degrees’ ballad “When Will I See You Again.” The Jesus and Mary Chain – surprise! – get lost in feedback on a cover of Howling Wolf’s “Little Red Rooster” (the Stones took it to the top), and then the Mission goes absolutely supernova on their cover of Blondie’s “Atomic.” I still put the Mission and Stuffies covers on mix discs. (more…)

Tags: Andy Fairweather-Low, Aztec Camera, Billy Bragg, Blue Aeroplanes, Danii Minogue, David Medsker, Fatima Mansions, Jesus and Mary Chain, NME, NME's Roaring Forty, Pop Goes the World, Popdose, Ruby Trax, Senseless Things, St. Etienne, Teenage Fanclub, The Mission, The Wedding Present, Welfare Heroine, Wonder Stuff
Posted in Featured, Featured - Frontpage, Music, Pop Goes the World | Comments