Off the tapes, hence the lack of proper alphabetical order...
The first tape contains Tracy Chapman's eponymous debut album, plus Fairground Attraction's First of A Million Kisses. The second is Tracy Chapman's Crossroads, b/w Jason Donovan's Ten Good Reasons.
The cassette case is written out in Grum's handwriting. We shared a house in the final year at Uni. I suppose these were taped off Grum, or maybe Helen, or one of Grum's friends.
Tracy Chapman seems to have faded entirely into oblivion, which is a real shame. Every song on the first album is really worthwhile. I suppose I just really like pop/rock that is heavily influenced by folk. My favourite songs include Fast Car - excellent words, and pleasant tune combining to make a very special ballad; and Baby Can I Hold You, but the entire album is full of good songs rather than three-singles-and-mediocre-space-fillers.
Put this on my list of favourite all time albums.
And as a bonus, after TC is finished there are two great tracks on the tape by possibly Latin Quarter, or someone who sounds like them, about Nicaragua and South Africa...
Because I liked TC's first album so much I bought her follow up Crossroads. This was when I was living in Westcliff on Sea; the date on the tape is 28.1.90, four months after I started *real* work, and was buying albums every week, and putting them onto cassette, partly for prudence, partly for the walkman.
Put simply, Crossroads is not as good as the first one, but is still pleasant to listen to. I especially like Bridges and All That You have Is Your Soul, which are haunting.
Fairground Attraction also hit it big and disappeared; and are also pop/rock influenced by folk. Pleasant songs include A Smile in a Whisper; Clare; and Allelujah. An album full of songs that are good, none great, and one that, somehow, manages to be less than the sum of its parts.
Jason Donovan's Ten Good Reasons. I have to admit that I am a bit of a Jase fan. Helen, Janet and I went to see him in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in 1991. Helen and I liked it so much we went back in 1992. On both occasions we screamed like teenyboppers. Albeit with a sense of post-modern irony. As we left the second time, Helen said "And to think that some women never have an orgasm..." She said it loud when we were surrounded by old people and primary school kids...
I'm not going to sit here and try and convince anybody that Jason is great or whatever. But period of time when I (and much of the rest of the nation) was hooked on Neighbours, and into the mid-nineties, I was a fan. Largely for his looks, although I still think his voice is not unpleasant.
Five of the tracks on this record make up five of the thirteen on the Greatest Hits CD, which is a bit naughty, I think.
The sort of album that gets me bopping around to every track singing the words word perfect.
Oh heck, this is so annoying. Absolutely typical bloody Stock , Aitken, and Waterman. Mass produced crap songs with a catchy beat that anyone can dance to. Your better judgement says No, No, No, but something stupid inside you overrules your better judgement. Still, Sealed with a Kiss is pretty nice, and Especially For You, with Kylie, of course, is a sort of classic, in its own way...
Ok, who comes alphabetically after Tracy Chapman in the tapes. Clue, I taped it off my brother in 91 or 92 when he would have been 16 or 17.
