Customer Reviews

Twentieth Century

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Twentieth Century of 1983/4 was to be Cold Chisel's final studio album (not counting their return to the studio and stage in 1998). It reminds me of the Beatles' Let it Be album in that both great bands were falling apart at the seams during the time of their respective albums' creations, and, like Let it Be, Twentieth Century is a slightly haphazard set which is dotted with a few classic Chisel jewels. Twentieth Century is Chisel's least cohesive effort, naturally enough given the band's grim circumstances at the time, and one reason for that is drummer Steve Prestwich is absent for all but three songs. Prestwich's drumming has a wonderful percussive elasticity about it which gives Chisel that wonderful `width', rush and power. The `band' sound at their best on those songs on which he's playing, otherwise, in truth, they almost sound like a session band...but not quite because 4 Chisels plus Ray Arnott (new drummer) pull through somewhat. Without that band unity and sound that is so marked on all of Chisel's previous albums, it's best to approach `Twentieth Century' on a song perspective rather than performance perspective. Don Walker's songwriting shines as always, `Saturday Night' is a classic Chisel radio track, one of the finest scat vocal / blues sax riffs you'll ever hear. That modulation at the end prior to the saxophone coming in sounds so good! Lyrically haunting and so perceptive, Walker nails that feeling of post-Saturday night emptiness and desolation. `Flame Trees' is a co-write by Prestwich (music) and Walker (lyrics) although it tends to lean musically towards Walker's influence. `Flame Trees' is possibly the finest country-style ballad to be written in this country, it's so poignant, yearning and stirring and it tends to capture a feeling of finality in such a heroic way, and it's probably Chisel's biggest anthem along with their debut single from the first album, `Khe Sahn'. And what Chisel album would be complete without a Don Walker penned jazz/blues classic (well....Circus Animals didn't have one!); `Janelle' is the song here, gorgeous, beautiful and straight from the school of Hoagy Carmichael and Ray Charles. That modulation in the middle is fantastic too. `Sing to me' is another fine jazz/blues song but it sounds like a rushed recording. Also, Jim Barnes was not at his singing best on this track. This is the album where he started screaming rather that singing, already he was metamorphosing into `Jimmy Barnes' of the solo era, his song `Only One' pretty much a pre-cursor to Barnes' solo career, and to be objective, very much a weak spot on the album. His other two songs on the album, `No Sense' and especially `Temptation', are much better. It's unfortunate though that `Sing to Me' and `Janelle' suffered a bit from Jimmy's lack of vocal poise (`Flame Trees' was good though). `Hold me tight' showcases Walker's precision-tight left-hand piano boogie. His `Build this love', the album opener something of a precursor in sound and style to his Catfish project some 5 years later. The blues/rock title track penned by Walker is something of a surreal yet streetwise statement about the advance of the nineteen eighties ; one of Walker's talents as a songwriter was the ability to articulate in song the mood and psyche of the times. It's arguable yet most likely that Cold Chisel articulated in their recorded works the heady changes and movements in Australian society between 1978 and 1983 better than anyone else, in any medium.

Ain't really Chisel without Steve Prestwich!

Twentieth Century of 1983/4 was to be Cold Chisel's final studio album (not counting their return to the studio and stage in 1998). It reminds me of the Beatles' Let it Be album in that both great bands were falling apart at the seams during the time of their respective albums' creations, and, like Let it Be, Twentieth Century is a slightly haphazard set which is dotted with a few classic Chisel jewels. Twentieth Century is Chisel's least cohesive effort, naturally enough given the band's grim circumstances at the time, and one reason for that is drummer Steve Prestwich is absent for all but three songs. Prestwich's drumming has a wonderful percussive elasticity about it which gives Chisel that wonderful `width', rush and power. The `band' sound at their best on those songs on which he's playing, otherwise, in truth, they almost sound like a session band...but not quite because 4 Chisels plus Ray Arnott (new drummer) pull through somewhat. Without that band unity and sound that is so marked on all of Chisel's previous albums, it's best to approach `Twentieth Century' on a song perspective rather than performance perspective. Don Walker's songwriting shines as always, `Saturday Night' is a classic Chisel radio track, one of the finest scat vocal / blues sax riffs you'll ever hear. That modulation at the end prior to the saxophone coming in sounds so good! Lyrically haunting and so perceptive, Walker nails that feeling of post-Saturday night emptiness and desolation. `Flame Trees' is a co-write by Prestwich (music) and Walker (lyrics) although it tends to lean musically towards Walker's influence. `Flame Trees' is possibly the finest country-style ballad to be written in this country, it's so poignant, yearning and stirring and it tends to capture a feeling of finality in such a heroic way, and it's probably Chisel's biggest anthem along with their debut single from the first album, `Khe Sahn'. And what Chisel album would be complete without a Don Walker penned jazz/blues classic (well....Circus Animals didn't have one!); `Janelle' is the song here, gorgeous, beautiful and straight from the school of Hoagy Carmichael and Ray Charles. That modulation in the middle is fantastic too. `Sing to me' is another fine jazz/blues song but it sounds like a rushed recording. Also, Jim Barnes was not at his singing best on this track. This is the album where he started screaming rather that singing, already he was metamorphosing into `Jimmy Barnes' of the solo era, his song `Only One' pretty much a pre-cursor to Barnes' solo career, and to be objective, very much a weak spot on the album. His other two songs on the album, `No Sense' and especially `Temptation', are much better. It's unfortunate though that `Sing to Me' and `Janelle' suffered a bit from Jimmy's lack of vocal poise (`Flame Trees' was good though). `Hold me tight' showcases Walker's precision-tight left-hand piano boogie. His `Build this love', the album opener something of a precursor in sound and style to his Catfish project some 5 years later. The title track penned by Walker is something of a statement about the advance of the nineteen eighties into society and the national psyche; one of Walker's talents as a songwriter was the ability to articulate in song the mood and psyche of the times. It's arguable yet most likely that Cold Chisel articulated in their recorded works the heady changes and movements in Australian society between 1978 and 1983 better than anyone else, in any medium. Don Walker said in an interview in 1994, "I don't want this band to be forgotten", no worries there Don. A lot will say "we believed, and I still do."

This collection of songs is a mixed bag. On one hand you have classic tracks (almost all at the start of the CD / first side of the LP) like Saturday Night, No Sense and Flame Trees and on the other a heap of tripe tucked away at the end. You can hear Jimmy Barnes screaming on several tracks like he's continued to do ever since (as opposed to singing). Virtually nothing any of the band members has done since matches the best of this album, but it's too patchy to rate higher.

I really like the way tracks 2-7 flow together musically and thematically (eg Ghost Town, Painted Doll, 20th Century, Saturday Night)- very much a snapshot of the seedy underbelly of Sydney in the early 80's.

Cold Chisel sing of the world and what has happened. They sing of everyday people and don't hide from our faults. Flame Trees, Saturday Night and other songs here would complete that perfect party. Australia loves this band and you have to listen to this CD to see that it is a love and pride that is justified. Buy this CD and share in a wonderful talent.