Female Pop/Power Pop from Norway! Cocktail Slippers - People Talk 2014

Cocktail Slippers is a five-piece, all-female rock band from Oslo, Norway. Current band members are: Hope (vocals), Rocket Queen (guitar), Piper (keyboard/organ), Bella Donna (drums) and Sugar Cane (bass). Cocktail Slippers was formed in 2001 and has since released three studio albums and two Christmas singles. They are known for their entertaining live rock ′n roll performances and have played alongside artists such as Nancy Sinatra, Crowded House, Elvis Costello and The Strokes. The band is continuously touring Europe and the USA.

Background

In early 2001, Cocktail Slippers was formed out of another all-female band called the Barbarellas. Bass-player Sugar Cane was one of the original members of the Barbarellas. Rocket Queen and Modesty Blaze joined after the then-guitar and keyboard players left. Eventually, the Barbarellas split up in 2000, but Sugar Cane, Modesty Blaze and Rocket Queen hooked up with a new drummer to continue the project. Shortly after it was decided that it would be better to rename the band. The new name was Cocktail Slippers, although the Cocktail Slippers is also commonly used as a reference. The band recorded their first album, Rock It! in early spring 2001 with Modesty Blaze (formerly known as Lisa Farfisa) on vocals and keyboard, Rocket Queen on vocals and guitar, Sugar Cane on bass and Tammy Lee Sticks on drums. Later that year, the album Rock It! was released on the Norwegian label MTG Records.
In 2004 the band recorded their follow-up album Mastermind, which was also released on MTG Records. In the same year, a cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas" was released as a limited edition CD single. The song was made available as a digital download in 2009.
In 2007, Cocktail Slippers was signed by Steven Van Zandt (also known as'"Little Steven") on his label Wicked Cool Records. In 2009 Cocktail Slippers recorded and released their third studio album Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. The album was produced by the band together with Steven Van Zandt and co-produced by Jean Beauviour (known for producing Kiss, Blondie, and The Ramones). The album features 12 tracks, although the USA vinyl release includes 2 bonus tracks as well. Besides own material, the album features two cover songs: Lesley Gore's "She's a Fool" and Connie Francis's "Don't Ever Leave Me".
The record also holds two songs written by Little Steven—"Saint Valentine's Day Massacre" and "Heard You Got A Thing For Me". The album received positive reviews worldwide with respected critics such as Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke describing the band as "Norwegian Devil Dolls" that "sing their you-done-me-wrong songs with avenging-angel-army-harmonies". Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad called the women "Norwegian Rock Heroins" that "pick up where Blondie left off".
Cocktail Slippers was submitted to one of the largest musicfestivals in the USA—South by Southwest both in 2010 and 2011. They performed at Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park, London in the summer of 2012.
Cocktail Slippers was featured in the episode "The Flamingo" in the Norwegian/American mafia comedy Lilyhammer.

As you see in the wiki description the band is together since 2001. I think there is no need to mention these women can play. They are together around 15 years at the time this album was recorded. In the today's music scene the ladys all can play, believe me.
The band plays a mix of pop, power pop, new wave here on ''People Talk''. Naturally if you play Power Pop in a woman band it's hard to ignore The Go Go's, The Bangles and/or Blondie. But i think that's not what the band want. You hear on the album how much they love their role models and it have a positive impact on their music. Catchy melodies over fine chord progressions with powerful polyphonic vocals make the album to a real ear catcher in the kind of the mentioned bands.
Play loud
               Frank        Flac p1  & Flac p2       - mp3@320

Various Artists - One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found Vol.1 (2005 Rhino) Flac & mp3@320

Here comes Vol.1. Hope you enjoyed the yesterday volume and takes this, too.
Tomorrow the next volume will follow.

Viel Spass
                 Frank           Flac p1 & Flac p2        mp3@320

Part Three! Various Artists - Decca Originals - The Northern Soul Scene 1998 (Decca Records) Flac & mp3

Good morning Folks, in Germany people say ''He's stood up with the wrong leg'' and that means someone is in a very bad mood. That's how i feel today. Midges prick all over my body this night. Can't get enough sleep due to the midges. Sometimes life is hard, lol. The reason why i tell you this is that i thought how i can i improve my mood and i took a shower and i listened to an old northern soul sampler. And now i sit here and decided to post next the northern soul scene volume. Sometimes life is easy :-) . I stop now this small talk and here are the links.

  Flac p1  & Flac p2         mp3@320

Have fun
               Frank

America - The Definitive America (2001 Rhino, Warner Bros.) Flac & mp3@320

The trio America (vocalists/guitarists Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek) approximated the 1970s California pop folk sound so well that when their first single "A Horse With No Name" appeared on the radio waves in the fall of 1972, many listeners assumed it was a song by Neil Young. Ironically, "Horse" knocked Young's own "Heart of Gold" out of the Number One slot that year and jump-started America's career as a sort of lighter and less-filling version of Crosby, Stills Nash & Young. All three members of the group were competent and accessible songwriters, and their easy harmonies brought America several big hits throughout the '70s, including two produced by Beatles-producer George Martin, "Tin Man" and "Lonely People."

Peek left at the end of the decade, leaving America as a duo, and they managed one more radio hit, "You Can Do Magic" in 1982. All of these are included on this collection, along with "Ventura Highway," "Muskrat Love," "Sister Golden Hair" and key album tracks.(allmusic.com)

No need to say something about these big sellers of the seventies. Real good songwriters by the way...And who don't like America from time to time. Be honest to yourself :-)
Real good band with great songs.
Have fun
               Frank  Flac p1 & Flac p2 & Flac p3         mp3 p1      mp3 p2

The Uncle Devil Show - A Terrible Beauty (2004 Compass Records) Flac & mp3

On the initial pressings of the Uncle Devil Show's debut A Terrible Beauty, there was a sticker attached to the cover, informing all curious consumers that this is the "new project from Del Amitri vocalist/frontman Justin Currie!" This is needed, since Currie and his colleagues -- singer/songwriter Kevin McDermott and Simple Minds drummer Jim McDermott -- all take pseudonyms for this trio, all for no discernible purpose. That is, there's no purpose unless the alter egos allow all the three to indulge in a spot of adolescent wish fulfillment, an aural midlife crisis where the trio returns to the pop they loved as kids and starts cracking jokes, ranging from the silly to the profane. A Terrible Beauty earns its parental advisory sticker, too, since it seems like the group swears on every other track, but it's also a little strange to have it there, since it's difficult to believe that there are any teenagers out there who want to hear middle-aged guys in leather pants singing Beatlesque power pop. That said, the sensibility of the Uncle Devil Show is closer to that of Mad Magazine (or perhaps more accurately, Cracked Magazine), so any kid who does hear it will certainly get a chuckle out of some of the goofy jokes, but given the points of reference -- Gilbert O'Sullivan, Ricardo Montalban, Desperate Dan, musical allusions to "Hotel California" ("Strange Umbrella") and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" ("Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker"), a cover of Helen Reddy's "Angie Baby" -- it's much more likely that this will resonate with listeners who have grown up with Del Amitri and are also pining for those young and innocent days. If you share their sense of humor and nostalgia, the Uncle Devil Show can be a gleeful, entertaining excursion into candy-coated pop, filled with sweet, memorable hooks. If you don't share their perspective, the popcraft is still enjoyable, even if the humor keeps you at an emotional distance. Either way, A Terrible Beauty is a sparking, tuneful, cheerful pop record that's nearly as much fun as it was intended to be -- more fun than most latter-day Del Amitri albums, to be sure -- and is either a fun one-off project or a promising start for the Uncle Devil Show.

Some Songs here are stronger than the best things of Del Amitri. At least on the same level.

Very strong effort.

Have fun

             Frank

Flac p1 & Flac p2 - mp3@320

Various Artists - One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found Vol.2 (2005 Rhino) Flac & mp3@320

The importance of the girl group sound of the early '60s is often overlooked in the traditional telling of the history of rock & roll. In most accounts, after the first wave of rockers either died (Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran), quit (Little Richard), went into the army (Elvis), or married a cousin (Jerry Lee Lewis), hordes of one-named teen idols (Fabian, Frankie, Dion) and smoothies (Bobby Rydell, Paul Anka) took over and rock music withered away until the Beatles rescued it. This narrow-minded opinion leaves out so much amazing music (Del Shannon, Jackie Wilson, the Everly Brothers, Lou Christie, the start of Motown, the Beach Boys, and the surf sound as well as so much classic R&B) that it makes your head hurt. Add to that list of amazing music the girl group sound.

Add the Ronettes, the Shirelles, the Chiffons, Little Eva, and the Cookies. Add a style of music that when it's happy is just about the most exuberant sound on earth and when it's sad can completely rip your heart out. The sheer amount of girl group collections that have been released are a testament to the power of the sound, and with the release of Rhino's One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found, maybe even the rock snobs will get over themselves and get on board. Those who already are hip to the power of the girl group sound will be floating on a cloud after just one look at the track listing. Most of the major movers and shakers from behind the mics (everyone from the Shangri-Las, Barbara Lewis, Maxine Brown, to Dusty Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, and the Toys) and the mixing board (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, the Tokens, Tony Hatch, Shadow Morton, Bob Crewe, and Bert Berns) are here along with loads of acts that range from the obscure (Dorothy Berry, Sadina, Sylvan, the Pussycats) to the literally unknown (Marsha Gee). Best of all there are almost no hits to be found. There's no "Leader of the Pack," no "Stop! in the Name of Love," no "Going to the Chapel." Instead the compilers focus on under-rated or rare songs by the top names and the best songs by the second-tier and below artists. This decision means that there are no tracks that are overused or obvious and that the disc is brimming with surprises and new discoveries to all but the most in-the-know girl group fanatics. Even they might find something here that will knock their bobby socks off, and if not, at least they are in for almost five hours of pure fun.
Rhino's designers must have had fun too when coming up with the look of the set; it is packaged in a miniature hat box, the liner notes are made to look like a diary, and each separate disc is housed in a mock compact. Very cute, but a retailer's nightmare, no doubt.

The liner notes themselves are mostly wonderful, especially co-compiler Sheila Burgel's nifty track-by-track annotations, and there are tons of great photos, including a shot of the Shangri-Las in the studio that is almost worth the price of the set alone. The music is the real draw, however; the four discs and 120 songs are lovingly chosen and sequenced with great care, making sure to keep things interesting by blending styles, tempos, and moods in a glittering display of pop genius. The compilers (Sheryl Farber and Gary Stewart) make remarkably few missteps and quite a few brilliant decisions. The first and most important one was to cast a very wide net when gathering tracks, namely by looking to the U.K. for artists. There was very fertile scene there in the early to mid-'60s that produced some major talent like Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, and Lulu. Indeed some of the collection's most exciting tracks are drawn from the U.K. vaults like Petula Clark's pounding rocker "Heart," Lulu's even more pounding rocker "I'll Come Running" (featuring some wild guitar from session whiz Jimmy Page), P.P. Arnold's definitive version of "The First Cut Is the Deepest," and Dusty's majestic cover of the Baby Washington song "I Can't Wait to See My Baby's Face." Another fine strategy was picking artists who weren't usually associated with the girl group sound (like Dolly Parton, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Skeeter Davis, Toni Basil, and Wanda Jackson) as it adds some historical interest and all the tracks are really quite good too, especially Francis' "Don't Ever Leave Me" and Jackson's "Funnel of Love." They also chose to stretch the definition of the girl group sound to include late-'60s soul (the Lovelites' "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad," the Flirtations' "Nothing But a Heartache"), garage rock (the Luv'd Ones' "Up Down Sue," the What Four's "I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy"), and tame psychedelia (Goldie & the Gingerbreads' "Walking in Different Circles," the Chiffons' "Nobody Knows What's Going On (In My Mind But Me)").

Lastly the inclusion of many songs like Reperata & the Delrons' "I'm Nobody's Baby Now," the Honeys' Brian Wilson-produced "The One You Can't Have," and Alder Ray's "Cause I Love Him" that are influenced by the productions of Phil Spector helps to offset the lack of any Spector-produced tracks. It seems that ABKCO Records keeps a very firm (and pricey) leash on the songs they own, so that means no prime Ronettes, no Crystals, and no Darlene Love (except when she is fronting the Blossoms). It also means that there are no tracks from the Cameo-Parkway vaults, so no Dee Dee Sharp, Orlons, or Candy & the Kisses either. Amazingly, the high quality of the tracks that are here mean you don't miss the exclusions too much. In fact there are so many great songs that listing the highlights would read like a reprint of the back cover of the box. Still, a few stand out as some of the best the girl group sound had to offer, like Cathy Saint's "Big Bad World," Twinkle's over-the-top death ballad (a girl group specialty that is well represented here) "Terry," the Exciters' "He's Got the Power," Earl-Jean's "I'm Into Something Good," the Girlfriends' "My One and Only Jimmy Boy," the Cake's "Baby, That's Me," the Girls' "Chico's Girl," Patty & the Emblems' raucous live version of "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl," Evie Sands' "I Can't Let Go," and Dorothy Berry's perfect "You're So Fine." That is a staggering chunk of solid gold, but the amazing thing is that you could grab any ten songs at random and come up with an extract just as strong.

Of course, with any collection like this there are going to be questions about songs and artists that don't appear. A short memory search might reveal big names like Baby Washington, Helen Shapiro, and the Dixie Cups (!), smaller names like the Pixies Three and Marcie Blaine, or songs like the Orchids' "Oo-Chang-a-Lang" and the Delicates' "Stop Shovin' Me Around." Any girl group fan will have additions to the list, but the great thing about One Kiss Can Lead to Another is that there are no obvious choices to remove to make room for anyone else. Each track fits just right and to take one out would be just plain painful. A follow-up set with more artists from around the world (France especially), more obscure artists, and even more rare tracks from the big names is definitely in order. If it's anything like One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found, it'll be thrilling from beginning to end and bring fans of the girl group sound (and great pop music) nothing but joy and happiness.(allmusic)

First, no you don't have missed part one. I post part two first because i just seen it as i uploaded it that it is the second part and not the first one.
This is a really wonderful collection of music made by women in the sixties. The only drop of bitterness if i may say so is the in my opinion not really nice artwork. I don't speak here about the booklet.Usually Rhino works on a better level. But like i said it's just my opinion and taste. Musically this is top notch in this genre.
Enjoy it
             Frank     Flac p1 & Flac p2 & Flac p3       mp3@320

p.s.: I post the artwork in a different folder in the next days!
       Maybe there is a kind soul who would scan the booklet if she/he have it?  :-)

2nd Part! Various Artists - Decca Originals - The Mod Scene 1998 (Decca Records) Flac & mp3

Hello Folks, here comes the next volume of the Decca Series ''The Scene''. Today volume is The Mod Scene with some very fine artists and songs on it. I hope a lot of you will have fun with this so here we go.

Have fun
              Frank       Flac p1  & Flac p2   - mp3@320

The Hollies - Another Night 1975 (1991 Magic Records, with bonus tracks) Flac & mp3

Another Night was a wholly unexpected album at the time of its release in February of 1975.
The Hollies' 15th official album, it also marked the return of Allan Clarke to the lineup for the first time since Distant Light in 1971 -- and it was, apart from one number, comprised entirely of group originals, a feat of songwriting acumen that the Hollies had not achieved since 1969's Hollies Sing Hollies (which was sort of a "ringer" in that regard); and just as much to the point, all of the songs and recordings were pretty much first-rate, ranging widely from lyrical pop/rock to harder, edgier, album-oriented sides, with a couple of classic performances among them. What's more, despite the range of sounds involved, the album offered a more cohesive group sound than anything that they had recorded since the mid-'60s. True, there were numbers that had strings added, and other embellishments, but at the core was a thoroughly unified group sound.

And while the most notable song here happened to be the only cover, a rendition of "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," authored by a up-and-coming, not-yet-famous new Columbia Records artist named Bruce Springsteen, that didn't mean that the rest of the record was in any way deficient. Indeed, this was the strongest album that they'd done since the psychedelic era, and the group's best body of rock songs ever, almost all solidly memorable, beautifully hook-laden numbers, harmony-driven but mostly not as soft as past releases often were. And while the harmonies were impeccable, the songs they were part of usually kept a great beat or solid rocking guitar (mostly courtesy of Tony Hicks). The Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester songwriting team peaked with this album for consistency, as did the same trio in a vocal capacity. And even some of the more unlikely titles, such as "Lonely Hobo Lullaby," were worth hearing more than once, alongside the obvious "plug" songs such as the title track and "I'm Down."

The diversity of sounds never let up across the original LP, and if anything was even more impressive on side two, with the radiant harmonies of "I'm Down" eventually leading to "You Gave Me Life (With That Look in Your Eyes)," the latter revealing a harder sound than they'd been known for since "Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)"; and it led to the closer, "Lucy," a poignant ballad of the kind that the group had hardly ever presented on earlier records. It's no accident that this album, and the spirit of musical adventure behind it, lay behind the tour that became the basis for the first official live album by the band, or that its songs were more heavily represented on that resulting album than those off any other long-player in the group's history. Latter-day Hollies may not be first on too many peoples' lists of priority acquisitions, but if someone is going to start listening to the post-"Long Cool Woman" band, this is the place to begin.(allmusic)

This is a special album by the Hollies for me if i remember right. I believe it was the first one i heard conscious as an album by a band named Hollies. I was exactly 13 years old at the time it was released (it was my birthday month). In the windows of some record stores  you could see the cover hanging and i was magical interested in this because from somewhere i knew that this is the album with the song ''Sandy'' on it. And i loved this song. I listened Radio Luxembourg and WDR at the time then because that were the stations where my favourite songs were played. However, to make this story short: In the end my mother made the album as a delayed birthday present to me. And there was so much to discover, for example 'I'm down' was also a song who blew me with the vocals away then. Okay, enough from the memories of a long gone time (nevertheless often it feels like yesterday). Also with nearly 55 years the album sound great. I hope you have the same fun, too.

Cheers
           Frank   Flac p1 & Flac p2  & Flac p3     mp3@320

Various Artists - Decca Originals - The Psychedelic Scene Flac & mp3

This is from a series called ''Decca Originals - The Scene'' as far i know and have nine volumes i believe.
I am not sure because i have only seven volumes and i am too lazy to google around. I will look if a friend of mine can give me the missing two volumes.  Today i post ''Decca Originals - The Psychedelic Scene''. It's a fine collection of the psychedelic scene from the sixties. Here is the track list and i hope you will like it. Tomorrow the next volume will follow.

Have fun
               Frank    New Flac part1  & New Flac part2     -   Newmp3@320 link

Great Powerpop by We All Together - We All Together ll 1974 Flac & mp3

Their second and final album strongly echoes late-period Beatles, particularly Paul McCartney; in fact, it often seems pitched about midway between the 1969 and 1970 Beatles and the beginning of McCartney's solo career. Although it's hard to shake the nagging feeling while listening to this that it's somehow been created by a cover band who got access to discarded early-'70s McCartney demos, it's a convincing and enjoyable emulation of Lennon & McCartney's pop/rock craftsmanship, if more lightweight, less cogent and personal, and lacking in truly world-class tunes.

It's on a much higher plateau than Klaatu, for instance. And the Beatles aren't the sole point of reference; guitar riffs on "Follow Me If You Can," for instance, have been altered just enough from Yes' "Roundabout" to avoid plagiarism, while the full guitars and harmonies on many cuts will appeal to many a Badfinger fan. The CD reissue has five bonus cuts, some quite worthwhile. On "Rock of Ages," they offer a surprisingly convincing raunchy rocker, in contrast to their usual midtempo blends of voice, guitar, piano, and some orchestration; Carlos Guerrero's "Together Forever" and "It's Us Who Say Goodbye" are in the mold of folky White Album ballads like "I Will" and "Julia"; and there's a faithful version of McCartney's "Band on the Run," not exactly a common cover choice for bands of the time.(allmusic)

We All Together's second album is as strong as the first work of the band. Still more comes the strong influence of the Beatles here in the songs to a good hearing. In my opinion not one weak song here. If you liked the first album or the singles i posted before here you will like this, too.

Enjoy it
             Frank   Flac p1 & Flac p2       mp3@320

Fortune & Maltese And The Phabulous Pallbearers ‎– Konquer Kampus (1996 Hillside Records) Flac & mp3

First time i looked at the cover i thought it is an early sixties thing but it isn't. Naturally not. It is retro from the package to the music (not the price, lol) but it's very well done. The band really kicks ass with that Farfisa driven dance sound. To me this is a real good thing. It makes fun fun fun.
Give it a try if you don't know the album.

Enjoy
          Frank                   Flac p1 & Flac p2       mp3@320

Psychedelic Pop/Rock 1968: The Rainbow Press - There Is A War Going On 1968 (2006 Radioactive) Flac & mp3

This extremely short-lived band released two studio albums in their active period. This debut of theirs is probably the more famous of the two records but it's still a quite forgotten album as well. The Rainbow Press plays a nice mix of psych rock and pop psychedelia with some baroque influences here and there.

Although their sound is quite soft and pop oriented some of the tracks include some strong fuzzy guitarwork. Although the material gets a bit weaker on the second side I still would call this as a solid LP. The best songs here are very good and the weakest are pretty decent as well.(excerpt by CooperBolan,reader of rateyourmusic)  

It's a really nice pop psychedelia work from 1968.
Hope you have fun
Cheers
           Frank         Flac p1  &  Flac p2      - mp3@320