Genes (album)
Encyclopedia
Genes, from 2003
, is the first album released by Dave Couse
since the breakup of A House
in 1997
.
as producer. Many of the songs are also very personal, with Couse himself referring to it as "somewhat introspective affair".
An important theme is that of family, as represented by the title and also the artwork (which seems to include old family photos), and specifically of Couse's relationship to his father who had only recently died when the record was being made. The song that Couse didn't write is John Cale
's "(I Keep a) Close Watch
" (listed as "Close Watch" on Genes), which addresses the fear of loss associated with love. This song is for many the highlight of the record, perhaps because the indirection of a cover performance helped Couse in the face of his grief over his father coupled with the apprehension of becoming a father himself. John Cale and The Velvet Underground
are also significant musical influences on Couse.Couse cites Cale, The Velvet Underground, and Lou Reed
as influences on his myspace page. A cover of the Velvet Underground song "Sunday Morning" shows up on one of his later singles ("Batman and Robin", 2005).
A difficult, private record, released on a small, self-managed label, Genes did not sell very well. However, as the first move in a solo career, whose next step, the album The World Should Know
, would be nominated for a couple of Meteor Awards, Genes was significant to Couse and to fans of A House who had been waiting to hear from him since 1997.Couse and Fergal Bunbury from A House had worked on a project named Lokomotiv which generated one single release in 2000.
(All songs written by Couse except "Close Watch", written by John Cale.)
2003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
, is the first album released by Dave Couse
Dave Couse
Dave Couse is a musician, producer, and radio DJ. He was the lead singer and main song writer with Irish band A House and has released three albums as a solo artist...
since the breakup of A House
A House
A House was an Irish band from the 1980s to the 1990s, recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of [frontman] Dave Couse ... bolstered by the [band's] seemingly effortless musicality". The single "Endless Art" is one of their best known charting successes. A House were managed...
in 1997
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
.
Genes
Couse released Genes on his own record label, Beep Beep. It is very much a solo affair, with all songs but one written by Couse, and mostly performed by Couse, although he enlisted old friend Edwyn CollinsEdwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
as producer. Many of the songs are also very personal, with Couse himself referring to it as "somewhat introspective affair".
An important theme is that of family, as represented by the title and also the artwork (which seems to include old family photos), and specifically of Couse's relationship to his father who had only recently died when the record was being made. The song that Couse didn't write is John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
's "(I Keep a) Close Watch
Helen of Troy (album)
Helen of Troy is an album by John Cale, the last of three albums for Island Records.This album came out without the consent of Cale, who considered that the tapes were not finished...
" (listed as "Close Watch" on Genes), which addresses the fear of loss associated with love. This song is for many the highlight of the record, perhaps because the indirection of a cover performance helped Couse in the face of his grief over his father coupled with the apprehension of becoming a father himself. John Cale and The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
are also significant musical influences on Couse.Couse cites Cale, The Velvet Underground, and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
as influences on his myspace page. A cover of the Velvet Underground song "Sunday Morning" shows up on one of his later singles ("Batman and Robin", 2005).
A difficult, private record, released on a small, self-managed label, Genes did not sell very well. However, as the first move in a solo career, whose next step, the album The World Should Know
The World Should Know
The World Should Know is the second album released Dave Couse since the breakup of A House, and his first on 1969 Records. Rather than being solely credited to Dave Couse, the record is credited to Couse and the Impossible. Couse received nominations for "Best Album" and "Best Irish Male" for the...
, would be nominated for a couple of Meteor Awards, Genes was significant to Couse and to fans of A House who had been waiting to hear from him since 1997.Couse and Fergal Bunbury from A House had worked on a project named Lokomotiv which generated one single release in 2000.
Track listing
- Satisfaction
- At The End Of The Day
- Will It Ever Stop Raining
- Familiar Feeling
- I Almost Touched You
- For Sale
- If This Is Where Love Is
- Self Obsessed
- You Don't Know What Love Is
- Everybody's Got Their Own Troubles
- Intoxicating
- Close Watch
- Peaceful...
(All songs written by Couse except "Close Watch", written by John Cale.)