It’s a new year, so this time is usually given to reflecting on the
past year. Of course, I don’t do this the same as everyone else, with a
big, meaningless «Best Of 2003» list. Instead, I’m going to
review my favourite new discovery of 2003.
Judie Tzuke has, of course, been around a while, but it wasn’t until
January of 2003 that I really discovered her work. I’d heard her big
hit, «Stay With Me Till Dawn» before, but it didn’t really
leave much of an impression on me, though it seemed nice enough. But
I’ve heard generally good reviews of her work, so when I spotted a
2-on-1 CD of her first two albums (Welcome To The Cruise and Sportscar)
at Amoeba Music in Berkeley, I thought I’d pick it up.
So I popped the CD into my car CD player on the way home with low
expectations. I wound up with a new favourite CD!
A bit of background: the albums date from 1979/80. Judie Tzuke (of
Anglo-Polish parentage, hence the name) entered a songwriting
partnership with guitarist Mike Paxman in the mid-70’s. They struck a
deal with producer Tony Visconti’s Good Earth label in 1976, which led
to one single (under the cumbersome name Tzuke and Paxo) which sunk
without a trace.
They rebounded when Elton John came to their rescue, offering a
contract with his vanity label Rocket Records. Say what you will about
Elton, the man has a nose for talent. And I guess with the loss of Kiki
Dee to Ariola, he needed someone to fill her considerable shoes. He
couldn’t have done better than Judie Tzuke. Each song on Welcome To
The
Cruise is a rare gem. Judie is given more than ample support, with
production by John Punter (then probably best-known for producing Roxy
Music’s classic Country Life) and orchestral arrangements by
Ray
Russell and the great Paul Buckmaster. All this plus top-flight, famous
session players like Roy Babbington, Ray Warleigh and Simon Phillips.
It must have been more than a bit intimidating, but the results are
striking and memorable.
Welcome To The Cruise opens in a big way with the title song.
Actually,
the opening guitar chords are unassuming but ominous, soon joined by
dramatic piano and cymbal accents. Into the first verse with full band,
spotlight on Paxman’s guitar and Chris Parren’s piano. Judie’s
authoritative voice fronts the band superbly, harmonizing (thanks to
the magic of multi-track recording) with itself wonderfully in the
dramatic chorus. Ray Russell’s masterful string arrangement starts to
creep in under the second verse and joins side-by-side with the band on
the next chorus. On from there into the spellbinding instrumental
middle section, with low strings chugging along, echoing the
«come to me, and run in on me» part as woodwinds enter,
playing variations on the main melody. Gradually, the violins ascend
gliding into an ecstatic Paxman guitar solo. Oboes and flutes play
counter-melody off the solo and it’s back to a repeat of the first
verse, this time with fortissimo orchestral backing. Elegantly we’re
led into the coda, with Judie soaring over the orchestra until the very
end, where the strings die down and the final «No more
goodbyes» is backed solely by three simple piano chords. Before
we can catch our breath, though, we are segued into…
«Sukarita». Wow! And what an elegant segue it is! Led by a
dreamy synthesizer hook and delicious drum-fills from the master, Simon
Phillips, «Sukarita» comes on as sleek and classy as a
Rolls-Royce. A slight jazzy touch is imparted by Paul Hart’s piano work
(he’s also responsible for the tasteful and distinctive synthesizer
work on this particular track). Lyrically, this one eluded me for a
long time. «Sukarita»? Sounds kinda like the brand name of
an artificial sweetener! In retrospect, that may have been the point;
deeper cogitation on the subject matter reveals it to be about how
anodyne memories of the past can make us stagnate, and not proceed into
our future. In any case, it does leave one with lots to think about,
and the wonderful arrangement makes one immediately stand at attention.
It was at this point I knew this was a good album, and that I’d be
listening to it a lot more in the near future.
Jeez, is there any song on this album that doesn’t blow you away with
some sort of arresting arrangement? «For You» starts out
a’cappella, as a quartet of overdubbed Judies sing counterpoint against
one another. Gradually, a string quartet joins her, leading into an
instrumental passage with the strings alone. The balance of the tune
features both vocal and string quartets singing in tandem. Truly this
is an unforgettable experience, and a truly progressive one. Surely
this tune is the missing link between Joni Mitchell and Gentle Giant.
It was at this point I knew that this was not a good album. It was a
great album!
«These Are The Laws» is a remake of Judie’s first single,
the tune that originally attracted the attention of Tony Visconti to
the Tzuke/Paxman songwriting team. Here it starts off as a tough and
sassy, four-on-the-floor rocker, fuelled by Paxman’s jangly rhythm
guitar. Again, Ray Russell’s string arrangement makes all the
difference, with a sharp cascade in the middle eight offering a neat
break between verses. And again, Judie’s overdubbed backing vocals
perfectly complement the tune, clearly the result of much hard work and
an ear for detail. John Punter must be commended for this. I remember
when first listening to this thinking, «When did this turn into a
disco song?» Well, it’s more of a sort of funky, classy
near-disco rock tune, but gradually the long fadeout acquires a funky
zigzag bassline, jagged trebly guitar stabs and a Philly-soul horn
chart.
It was at this point that I knew this wasn’t a great album. It was a
classic.
«Bring The Rain» is the first out-and-out ballad of the
album, and it’s a stunner. For the first verse, Judie’s distant,
melancholy voice is merely backed by piano and Roy Babbington’s string
bass. Barry DeSouza’s subtle drums enter for the second verse, giving a
solid base of support as Paul Buckmaster’s typically brilliant string
arrangement creeps in in time for the bridge. In fact, comparison to
early Elton John sides, as on something from Madman Across The Water,
is inevitable, I suppose. And, to a degree, accurate. This tune has a
similar timeless feel to it. Judie’s tale of regret is affecting
without being self-indulgent. A lot of songwriters could learn a thing
or two from her.
«Southern Smiles» is appropriately summery and tropical
sounding, with bright acoustic-guitar strumming, and a memorable,
«nightrunners, sunhunters» hook. Morris Pert adds some
tasty marimba to the middle part; backing vocals by Paxo add some
variety to the sound. «Katiera Island» rather continues in
this tropical vein, Morris Pert percussion and all, but establishes a
decidedly different tone. Lyrically it has a somewhat philosophical
bent, musically it’s much more ominous and brooding. It features a
typically jazzy and scintillating soprano sax solo from Ray Warleigh.
Ever one to go against expectations, «Ladies’ Night» is not
the upbeat party song one would imagine it to be. The title is ironic:
it’s «ladies’ night» because her lover’s stood her up. Not
upbeat in the slightest, this tune is the darkest, most brooding melody
on the album. Judie’s voice is an aching sob throughout, the chords
inevitably minor. The piano work by Parren throughout the song sets the
mood, Ray Russell’s string arrangement clinches it (and he plays a
sweet guitar parallel to Parren’s piano through the whole song). Nice
slow-burn drumming from Peter Van Hooke as well. Don’t get me wrong,
this is no symphony of self-pity. Judie sounds downright pissed off
that her friends have let her down:
Fools, they thought I was alright
They couldn’t see that I was dying inside
Fools, don’t turn on the light
I can’t bear to see their faces
When they see me fall to pieces.
It segues into another funky rocker, «New Friends Again».
Well, I guess if your friends are as pathetic as those outlined in
«Ladies’ Night», you’d want to make new friends, too.
Another powerful Ray Russell brass arrangement propels the tune along.
Judie’s voice is effected here with a John Lennon sort of echo at
times, which makes for an interesting contrast.
The album closes with its big hit single, «Stay With Me Till
Dawn», a song which British readers should already be very
familiar with (unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past thirty
years). North American folk are less likely to be as familiar with the
tune, but once you hear it, you’ll wonder why it’s eluded you for so
long. Parren’s ethereal Fender Rhodes part is immediately identifiable,
By the time Peter Van Hooke’s solid, phase-shifted drumming enters for
the second verse, you’ll know why the Brits consider this tune a
classic. One of Judie’s most emotional performances graces the tune, on
a par with her showstopping performance on my personal favourite,
«Ladies’ Night». It features another unforgettable Paul
Buckmaster string part that gets under your skin. Probably not my
personal favourite of all the songs on this great album, it’s
nonetheless plain to see why it was chosen to be the lead-off single
(the original American version of the album was named for this song).
I suppose even Judie knew Welcome To The Cruise would be a
damned tough
act to follow. So, wisely, she didn’t even try, deciding instead to go
in a different, more stripped-down direction. In place of Cruise’s
deluxe orchestrations and high-priced session musicians, Sportscar
sports a simple five-piece backing band featuring alongside Judie and
faithful guitarist/songwriter Mike Paxman, also John Edwards on bass,
Bob Noble on keys, Jeff Rich on drums and Paul Muggleton on backing
vocals. The album probably won’t immediately take your breath away like
Cruise did, but it has many pleasures that reveal themselves to
you
over time.
Say what you will about Judie Tzuke, the woman knows how to kick off an
album. The title track to Sportscar roars on with a powerful
guitar
riff. Lyrically, this is some of Judie’s sharpest text; a character
study about a vain, upper-class man so pointed one can’t help but
wonder if it’s inspired by someone specific. The refrain line «I
bet you’ve got a sportscar» is delivered as an insult. The song
is so textually dense that Judie delivers the words in a jazzy rush,
bringing mid-period Joni Mitchell to mind. It was a live staple, a
revelation that boggles my mind to no end, as it must have been a bitch
to sing. More power to Judie for delivering!
We do a sharp 180° turn for «Nightline», which is a
piano-based ballad. Don’t expect self-pity, though. We’re back in the
realms of «Ladies’ Night» with the razor-sharp lyrical
content here. The line «It’s good to be lonely» is made to
be ironic, and she sings the chorus couplet «Haven’t seen such a
good time/Yes I’m happy I’m just fine» in a tone so acidic and
cutting, it could make even Donald Fagen flinch! The organ and
Muggleton backing vocals on the chorus are a nice touch for this one.
A memorably spiky piano figure leads off «Chinatown». I’m
glad they resisted the temptation to include the stereotypical
«oriental» musical motive or, for that matter, gongs.
Anyway, it’s a pretty solid rocker, underpinned by Bob Noble’s sharp,
truculent piano work throughout the piece. The handclaps add a nice
rhythmic touch to the tune. The instrumental middle section is a
harrowing contrast to the main song, with a curiously jazzy guitar solo
from Mike.
«Understanding» is considered the album’s classic. Indeed,
it was the first tune to hook me in to Sportscar. Another
ballad, and
again, Bob Noble’s keyboard work (mainly piano again, but with some
nice Hammond organ touches too) positively makes the tune. I don’t
really want to sound like a broken record, but really, the keyboard
work on this album is just ravishing. This particular tune features one
of Judie’s most powerful performances, a slow-burn that explodes in an
emotional climax about two-thirds of the way through. Paul Muggleton’s
contrasting co-lead vocal on the fadeout is probably this song’s most
distinctive feature, making it a borderline duet without falling into
the trap of saccharine, sappy «love songs» that one
generally associates with the male-female duet. Tasteful, memorable,
soaring…I can’t think of enough good things to say about this one.
Definitely a highlight.
If you’ve noticed a pattern forming this for, you’d guess correctly
that «The Choices You’ve Made» is another upbeat rocker.
It’s one of those funky rockers in the style of «These Are The
Laws» and «New Friends Again». More like the former,
if you ask me, though there’s no orchestration here. Bob Noble’s tasty
poly-synth work more than makes up for the lack of horns and strings,
but it’s Mike Paxman’s seething fuzz-toned guitar leads that steal the
show here. In fact, the track starts off with a guitar solo,
immediately arresting your attention and demanding that you sit up and
take notice. Again, Judie’s voice is spot-on, and the chorus is catchy
as hell. In case you couldn’t guess, this one’s another highlight.
I hate to say it, but the rest of Sportscar, while anything but
bad,
can’t match what came before. Let’s be honest, this particular album
peaked with the powerful one-two punch of «Understanding»
and «The Choices You’ve Made». Don’t get me wrong, I don’t
want to denigrate «The Rise Of Heart», which is a nice
slinky number with strong jazzy piano and expressive overdubbed vocal
harmonies, but it does seem a bit of a come-down after what came
before. It features another rockish, slightly-distorted Paxo guitar
solo. I guess I’d appreciate this more if it came before. But I suppose
we all think we have our own way to improve albums by resequencing
them. Whatever. In retrospect, the dramatic ending sequence with
ascending piano and string-synth chords (echoing the title, neat!) and
contrasting parallel vocal lines is pretty strong. I don’t know why I
was so hard on this tune to start with.
«Living On The Coast» has a bit of a split personality. The
verses have a very slick 80’s fusion veneer, with Rhodes-like synth
chords and jazzy guitar forming the instrumental base for Judie’s
smooth voice. It takes on a different feel in the refrain, with a more
urgent rock feel with more open guitar tones and an acoustic piano
basis. The synth solo on the fadeout is intriguing. It’s followed by
«Molly», which seems to be a witty re-thinking of the story
behind the old Irish folk tune «Cockles And Mussels» from
the female perspective. As such, it’s the folkiest sounding song on the
album, it’s instrumental foundation built on jaunty, chorused piano,
and featuring what sounds like mandolins.
«Rain On The Hills» establishes the polar opposite effect
from «Stay With Me Till Dawn» as an album-closer. Starting
with a crackle of Latin percussion and gliding right into an infectious
bass-line, it’s obvious we’re ending Sportscar on an up-note.
Like the
album’s opening title tune, this is another curious character-study
about a well-travelled man having troubles with the law. Again, Bob
Noble contributes a nifty synthesizer solo to the instrumental middle
section, concluding with a clever wordless sing-along bit. Speaking of
which, this has some of Judie’s most densely-layered vocals on the
album. So even on this small-scale (compared to Welcome To The
Cruise,
anyway), the attention to production detail is staggering.
So, there you have it. Welcome To The Cruise comes very highly
recommended indeed, and Sportscar
is a more than estimable follow-up.
Since both are readily available as a single CD, buy both at once and
enjoy. Afterwards, Judie continued to play against the listeners’
expectations, off into the realms of jazz (I Am The Phoenix) and
even
hard-rock (Shoot The Moon and Ritmo). It didn’t garner
her much airplay
or great record sales, but it did give her lots of respect and a
dedicated fan base.
She’s still making music today, incidentally. More power to her, I say.
