THERE’S NO ACCOUNTANTS FOR TASTE. Or something like that. Bloody good job, too – who wants their tastes audited? Then again, we’re casually audited all the time, like I was at home this week:

“For someone who likes some pretty decent music, I just don’t understand why you play this.”

Fair enough when it’s an obnoxio drone/doom/mathcore noise or dirge that gets chanced upon, no probs with that being questioned (which it often is). But that wasn’t the case this week. No, in week 9 of lockdown, the antagonist was

Van Halen II.

Worse, the comment wasn’t even made during the always-horrible Dance the Night Away. It was during Somebody Get Me a Doctor. And, because I was there, I know what that comment really meant:

“For someone who likes some pretty decent music, I just don’t understand why you play this absolute cheese.”

Withering. But, even though such a sentiment is sort of understandable, it doesn’t stick because nothing will ever make those first four Van Halen records anything less than pyrotechnical pleasure shots. Pure joy with dropped jaws … the records sound great, right now especially, and they make you feel even better. Even with occasional misfires like Dance the Night Away.

And if you’re one of the Van Halen Equals Cheese heathens, look out for a review soon/ish.

Aside from all that, which albums have annoyed your nearest and dearests during lockdown? Any cred-cutting gems we need to talk about?

Week 9 listening. Here it was.

MAY 16
Radio, no gaga

MAY 17
Clutch – Earth Rocker

MAY 18
Van Halen – Women and Children First

MAY 19
Van Halen – Van Halen II
Blood Incantation – Hidden History of the Human Race
Ex Eye – Ex Eye

Blood, Hidden: This arrived last week, a follow-up purchase from a previous Rewind.The CD sticker says ‘mind-bending cosmic death metal’ and on first listen, outside late with the weakening sun, that makes sense. Brutal complexity. Looking forward to the next trip.

MAY 20
Erik B & Rakim – Don’t Sweat the Technique

MAY 21
Burial – Street Halo/Kindred

MAY 22
Killing Joke – MMXII
A Perfect Circle – Eat the Elephant
Porcupine Tree – The Incident

Space in the head needed. Brian Eno’s Music For Airports didn’t do it, neither did Robert Fripp’s Radiophonics: 1995 Soundscapes Volume 1 – a bit unsettling (though Fripp has just launched a 50-week Music for Quiet Moments series, which could be a useful lockdown resource).

But A Perfect Circle? Yes. It worked. Roomy tunes and an even keel.

Speaking of Fripp, check this duel with wife Toyah for some instant cheer. Fripp impassive in the face of flamboyance. Guitar anything but.

Keep safe, keep the music ON!

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