tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35821438252648871242024-02-20T07:16:00.226-08:00Album ReviewsDruckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-60617390594898529632015-10-29T16:37:00.000-07:002015-10-29T16:37:53.948-07:00...and you will know us by the trail of dead-Source Tags & Codes (2002)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvk16ggNvtzycIRIBbGRdUeDs6dKUd590ekfKjY0ZtCfaziiNT6QWAbh6uSB8LAs-_lJga5mmkh9upWHMTHN1zifH5ODM6gOxHKUPGxuMwH8Mq3IsBagrTIixRjSGh0qxYxfsIuDkEUmk/s1600/IMG_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvk16ggNvtzycIRIBbGRdUeDs6dKUd590ekfKjY0ZtCfaziiNT6QWAbh6uSB8LAs-_lJga5mmkh9upWHMTHN1zifH5ODM6gOxHKUPGxuMwH8Mq3IsBagrTIixRjSGh0qxYxfsIuDkEUmk/s320/IMG_1258.JPG" /></a>
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<b>Artist:</b> ...and you will know us by the trail of dead <br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Source Tags & Codes</i> <br>
<b>Label:</b> Interscope <br>
<b>Year:</b> 2002<br>
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Well well well. <i>Source Tags & Codes</i>, along with <i>Heartbreaker</i> is another album I have listened to hundreds of times, and am really, earnestly revisiting for the first time in years. A while back, I purged many of the indie albums I had bought in high school. At this point, I can proudly say that I really only own the albums that I was really into, and albums I bought on a whim, due to hype or some other factor, are mostly out of my collection. Thirteen years later, what do I make of <i>ST&C</i>?<br>
Coming out the same year as <i>Mclusky Do Dallas</i>, <i>Turn On The Bright Lights</i>, <i>Kill The Moonlight</i>, and <i>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</i>, <i>Source Tags</i> still holds up incredibly well, for the most part. The album operates in a weird sonic niche, far more aggressive than most of the decade's indie rock, certainly detached from most of the emo roots of the group (except, perhaps, lyrically), and nowhere near as hard as a group like Tool or System of a Down, but far more aggressive than the popular indie rock of the day. In an era where groups like The Kings of Leon or The Killers could get popular, there doens't seem to be much reason that the major label debut of Trail of Dead shouldn't have made the group huge. Though their disputes with their label are well-known and well-documented at this point, <i>Source Tags</i> is, dare I say, probably still a masterpiece.<br>
The album's first two songs are instantly memorable and endlessly replayable, especially for those of us who grew up with the record. "It Was There That I Saw You," opens the album with the band in full force. The sonics of the dueling guitars playing in harmony is fantastic, the way the bass drops in before the verse is perfect, and the song ends with a beautiful crescendo. The big single from the album was "Another Morning Stoner," and with a different kind of dueling guitar interplay, and the song is another winner. In its time, the album was compared favorably to Sonic Youth. The comparison sticks out even from a song structure perspective, with strong verses and choruses in the songs, which give way to guitar interplay (in lieu of a solo), and then back to the verse/chorus, one more time. But the routine really doesn't get redundant, and the songs all work.<br>
As we get to the heart of the album, though the first two and last two songs are the obvious stand-outs, all the middle ground is superb. "Bauldelaire" has a driving rhythm, and refuses to let you lose interest in the album three songs in. "Homage" is harsh and aggressive, but it gives way to three of the more peaceful songs on this admittedly aggressive album. "How Near How Far" comes out of its middle-part instrumental lull better than any other song. "Heart in the Hand of Matter" probably has the most interesting rhythmic arrangement on the album, and though "Monsoon" has some embarrassing lyrics, the song works. We come out of this sequence in the album with the sublime "Days of Being Wild", and close out with "Relative Ways" (other single), a short instrumental piece, and the brilliant title track. Though the group hasn't produced another album nearly this good (though its amibitions remain high!), the group should be proud. Thirteen years later, <i>Source Tags & Codes</i> has 11 perfect songs. It's a wonderful album, and coming from the last days of major label rock (an issue I should try to address in a separate essay), it's unlikely we'll see something like this again.<br>
Given all that I've written, you may think I could go back and listen to this album again and again. Unfortunately, it has a fatal flaw: some of the worst production I've ever heard. In the last few years, and certainly since I was in high school, I've learned more about <a href="http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/imperfect-sound-forever.htm">the loudness wars</a>. Also, just being in a band, I've learned the difference between good and bad production. That doesn't mean everything should be clean. <i>Bee Thousand</i> isn't particularly "well" produced, but the instruments are well-defined, dynamics are there, and the album has personality! <i>Source Tags & Codes</i> on the other hand sounds...not good. Maybe not as terrible as a Taylor Swift song, maybe not as bad as <i>Death Magnetic</i>, but my lord, the drums and bass are nearly unlistenable. For the bulk of the album, the drummer is playing a ride cymbal whose terrible sound quality just obscures everything interesting going on. The guitars, when not playing single notes, are washed away in noise. The bass is present, but only in feel, not definition. In other words, I can hear it's there, but what it's playing is far less clear.<br>
<i>Source Tags & Codes</i> is a masterpiece whose production is terrible, terrible, terrible. It's a shame. Will make fine listening in a car, but on the stereo I now have, it sounds like shit.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-70691564053802242802015-10-29T16:00:00.000-07:002015-10-29T16:03:23.921-07:00Pink Anderson-Carolina Blues Man, Volume 1 (1961)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQPAlrZDdhDKPqB0ktOp_Eco4dQ8ZDZ8B9Y33CebdrgH-CqOCPHdU_nrqxKYkILI3Xs8kg97d7EEcd9HpQJPzn_n5-CpMOo9l257cd02C6NmaWEWMejLwVMIy1JNQW2RsRnuuR21Fmz0/s1600/IMG_1187.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQPAlrZDdhDKPqB0ktOp_Eco4dQ8ZDZ8B9Y33CebdrgH-CqOCPHdU_nrqxKYkILI3Xs8kg97d7EEcd9HpQJPzn_n5-CpMOo9l257cd02C6NmaWEWMejLwVMIy1JNQW2RsRnuuR21Fmz0/s320/IMG_1187.JPG" /></a>
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<b>Artist:</b> Pink Anderson <br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Carolina Blues Man Volume 1</i> <br>
<b>Label:</b> Prestige<br>
<b>Year:</b> 1961 <br>
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Pink Anderson's guitar playing and soulful vocals are beautifully collected in this collection. Though it seems he was an active performer for several decades, this represents one of his few official recording sessions. The songs here are intimate and heavily textured. Acoustic guitar is an instrument that is so simple, but can be produced and played so many different ways. On this batch of songs, Anderson sings like he's right in the room with you (without microphone), and strums a mean, full-sounding guitar. A great collection of songs.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-91207199992190277992015-10-23T16:01:00.000-07:002015-10-23T16:01:32.817-07:00Mahmoud Ahmed-Almaz: Ethiopiques Volume 6 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAL4GOB-BCkqc4pX9_O2Qc_ENUMkZgJutgYlPxkTrS7hDanDyplelbSjM18nGWNQo9_9ysNujhIax6c6O6-DRH4mJtmmzu4VqauvHz1hqEVu2v6ZAr-wO0rR6w3ROuR1AlKBj2Sf5wcU/s1600/IMG_1171+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAL4GOB-BCkqc4pX9_O2Qc_ENUMkZgJutgYlPxkTrS7hDanDyplelbSjM18nGWNQo9_9ysNujhIax6c6O6-DRH4mJtmmzu4VqauvHz1hqEVu2v6ZAr-wO0rR6w3ROuR1AlKBj2Sf5wcU/s320/IMG_1171+%25281%2529.JPG" /></a>
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<b>Artist:</b> Mahmoud Ahmed</br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Almaz: Ethiopiques Volume 6</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Buda Musique<br>
<b>Year:</b> 2004
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The sixth volume of the superb CD series, <i>Ethiopiques</i> which is an ongoing compilation of popular Ethiopian music, features the performances of 70s-era musician Mahmoud Ahmed. The first three songs on this compilation form a sort of suite, featuring a similar bass riff and basically the same chord progression. Part of the reason I want to try to go back and listen to everything I own is because, until relatively recently, I didn't pay much mind to sound quality on releases, and doing so has been fun. This release, however, does not really offer me the chance to analyze sound quality. The whole release is built on the strength of the feel and texture of the performances in these songs which are remarkable. Over an hour of delightful R&B music, slow and fast, hard and tender. Feels like the energy of a James Brown show at the Apollo. Great release!
Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-79606366020879045632015-10-09T17:49:00.001-07:002015-10-09T17:49:31.018-07:00Agitation Free-Second (1973)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94_n-_C98M0oGMOvd8Wbgcbh9K65nhJWciKGXanhIMZ8zcgDZCN29IjdT7t_QlYim8hwTUw5ns57bH20jCtpBIQfOigaehu92gS34mcn-x9Zo5kNZEIROoGcAbo8a9OUoUIE4faMTl0w/s1600/IMG_1105.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94_n-_C98M0oGMOvd8Wbgcbh9K65nhJWciKGXanhIMZ8zcgDZCN29IjdT7t_QlYim8hwTUw5ns57bH20jCtpBIQfOigaehu92gS34mcn-x9Zo5kNZEIROoGcAbo8a9OUoUIE4faMTl0w/s320/IMG_1105.JPG" /></a><br><br>
<b>Artist:</b> Agitation Free<br>
<b>Album:</b><i>Second</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Vertigo<bR>
<b>Year:</b> 1973<br><br>
<i>Second</i> picks up right where <i>Malesch</i> leaves off, and we are left with only the best parts of the first album. Thumping bass, beautiful guitar interplay, and a lot more structure than the first side of the first album. The free-form jams and the eastern sound of <i>Malesch</i> have given way to a much more structured record.<br>
I guess I don't have as much to say as I wish I did. The album's centerpiece and best song "Laila, Part 2." A soaring guitar masterpiece that does everything great Krautrock as a genre does. Repetition, throbbing bass, rolling drums, dynamic guitar interplay. This is probably my favorite guitar-based Krautrock album (as opposed to electronic stuff like Ashra).Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-89410366077804836972015-09-23T17:05:00.002-07:002015-09-23T17:05:56.071-07:00Agitation Free-Malesch (1972)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL9_vPJz0XA_r3lw73KSVoKvkJHA16TeBpmEu7P-Shi5WD-x6dtsUk_X_PgkcKk3u9epUfpW6UDLbbI0fKjGmtQH3e_M-LZbS6Gy6NoJJBTtNQ3qBwCPbNOFRKcZv-79QgmhfV0UKS3o/s1600/IMG_1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL9_vPJz0XA_r3lw73KSVoKvkJHA16TeBpmEu7P-Shi5WD-x6dtsUk_X_PgkcKk3u9epUfpW6UDLbbI0fKjGmtQH3e_M-LZbS6Gy6NoJJBTtNQ3qBwCPbNOFRKcZv-79QgmhfV0UKS3o/s320/IMG_1042.JPG" /></a><br>
<b>Artist:</b> Agitation Free<br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Malesch</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Vertigo<br>
<b>Year:</b> 1972<br><br>
Agitation Free are one of those groups underrated/under-appreciated by people who like underrated music. Krautrock was a musical movement that was part of the German 1970s artistic renaissance, arguably the first major art movement in Germany after World War II. Groups as diverse as Can, Kraftwerk, Faust, Harmonia, and Ash Ra Tempel/AshRa fall under the genre's umbrella. <i>Malesch</i> is the group's first album, and it is a good primer on what the group could do, as well as what the genre as a whole could do.<br>
The first side of the record, opening with "You Play With Us Today", is freewheeling but certainly not without form. The group uses Middle Eastern-inspired percussion, swirling organ, and pulsing bass to hold down the rhythm while distorted guitars improvise on top of it all. While the first three tracks are separate pieces, they are clearly part of one whole, and flows together.<br>
Things pick up on side two. A little less "experimental" and "spacy" feeling, but the group comes together more to jam and it's a bit more cohesive. If one thing unites the wide variety of music that came from Krautrock's music, it's the repetition in the form, and the second half of the album is slow-building, really well-played, and feels great.<br>
If there's one shortcoming when I hear this album, I know how much I prefer their next album, <i>2nd</i> which I can't wait to hear next.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-20912481651331424812015-09-23T16:05:00.000-07:002015-09-23T16:08:25.167-07:00Cannonball Adderley-Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: Live At The Club (1966)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUet8xEUBjEuUY3e5REr6ZPIRIjjX3icvqHeglch7nxlESGcO-1HGSL_vdP09Zgrod7b4uy1xWZSzr427gMzwVMDcc7QVZHAgeg37GtGILDAv_cr5LF04tFR_gV5kVp-_ubk0dXgn4vc/s1600/IMG_1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUet8xEUBjEuUY3e5REr6ZPIRIjjX3icvqHeglch7nxlESGcO-1HGSL_vdP09Zgrod7b4uy1xWZSzr427gMzwVMDcc7QVZHAgeg37GtGILDAv_cr5LF04tFR_gV5kVp-_ubk0dXgn4vc/s320/IMG_1032.JPG" /></a><br>
<b>Artist:</b> Cannonball Adderley<br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: Live at The Club</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Capitol<br>
<b>Year:</b> 1966<br><br>
The liveliness and excitement and presence of this set is fantastic. Rather than the feel of something more avante-garde, blues-based, or even like a standard blowin' session, there is an "on-point" feel to every track here, with everyone firing on all cylinders playing their hearts out. A great live CD, that I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did. Great set. I definitely need to check out more of his albums.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-81465528571427856302015-09-09T08:56:00.001-07:002015-09-09T13:46:49.760-07:00Cannonball Adderley-Somethin' Else (1958)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ8C-uWlzaa4vrbFu0zpOeakXTnMG6RjZCEupYCU7QSGNWYIafZ-0QSNKJQbzKzdd09uesu8x4JAI4rj65XTPIIhUvoaLfgsatLbUPD1Voxi6B55Tb-n-gRKrL23Y-vDXvPCnRNEwKSM/s1600/IMG_0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ8C-uWlzaa4vrbFu0zpOeakXTnMG6RjZCEupYCU7QSGNWYIafZ-0QSNKJQbzKzdd09uesu8x4JAI4rj65XTPIIhUvoaLfgsatLbUPD1Voxi6B55Tb-n-gRKrL23Y-vDXvPCnRNEwKSM/s320/IMG_0936.JPG" /></a>
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<b>Artist: </b>Cannonball Adderley<br>
<b>Album: </b><i>Somethin' Else</i><br>
<b>Label: </b>Blue Note<br>
<b>Year: </b>1958<br><br>
Cannonball Adderley's 1958 record <i>Somethin' Else</i> features Miles Davis on trumpet and Art Blakey on drums. The quintet is rounded out by Hank Jones on piano and Sam Jones (relation?) on bass. It's a bit perplexing to me how to approach jazz reviews. There are many jazz albums I can tell a story about and have strong feelings of. A moment or song or performance which often sticks out to me. However, there are likely just as many albums that I've listened to two or three times, and can tell you nothing about. Why is <i>Somethin' Else</i> a Blue Note classic? I really can't say. The best I can do is talk a little about why I like it. Sorry, but a lot of the jazz reviews will be like this.<br>
One of the online acquaintances I used to talk to while getting into jazz (about a decade ago) one time made a disparaging remark to me about Blue Note albums in general, calling them just a "blowing session." Sure enough, there is far less of a personal identity among Freddie Hubbard and Sonny Clark's Blue Note output. As fantastic as it is, I'd be lying if I said one record blew others out of the way. I'd be lying further still if I said those records seemed as well-thought out and carefully orhcestrated as <i>Mingus Ah Um</i> or <i>Kind Of Blue</i>. That's not why I like them, though. The sound of a trio, quartet, quintet or what have you, just going to town on a tune, listening to the thunder of the drums or the way the keys dance around the tune is great. As I get dangerously close to becoming somewhat concerned about audiophile-quality recordings, the sound of a tenor sax or crash of a drum that feels like it's in the room resonates with me.<br>
<i>Somethin' Else</i> is a respected classic, and certainly Adderley's earliest classic. What it really reminded me of, tonight, was the Miles Davis album from a year earlier, <i>Round About Midnight</i>. Davis features strongly in the opening tune, "Autumn Leaves," and his playing is quiet and informs the rest of the record. I'm not sure if the term "blowin' session" applies to all "generic" Blue Note dates, but it's always made me think of something like <b>Horace Silver</b> records, which swing and move quickly. This album, on the other hand, is slow and peaceful. "Autumn Leaves", and especially "Love For Sale" and "Sometin' Else" start slow, and before you know it, build into a larger, more forceful sound. Davis' influence is certainly on this record, and his composition fingerprints are littered throughout.<br>
Bonus track "Alison's Uncle" is a much more standard hard bop tune. The album proper, however, is lush, peaceful, and moving. <b>Art Blakey</b> may be the true standout as well. For someone so renowned for his powerful drumming, he lends an extremely light touch to most of the album, never overplaying. A beautiful record, and that's all I have to say.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-45204266609987169532015-09-09T08:54:00.001-07:002015-09-09T08:54:36.985-07:00Ryan Adams-Country Punk (2001?)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUT-Lbu_9B-DYOw-CCMKLwuo6L66h_5Pz6-AR5CXTYkj5iWRra1FtRiuiu03kWr7WefT3WXe9OjGwOVx2Sbw43K9eVCS_I_fPGWz_QDPQ7EHwyiQ7hyphenhyphencyyaG0YpcN6T-MpNrNx0cg8U8o/s1600/IMG_0923.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUT-Lbu_9B-DYOw-CCMKLwuo6L66h_5Pz6-AR5CXTYkj5iWRra1FtRiuiu03kWr7WefT3WXe9OjGwOVx2Sbw43K9eVCS_I_fPGWz_QDPQ7EHwyiQ7hyphenhyphencyyaG0YpcN6T-MpNrNx0cg8U8o/s320/IMG_0923.JPG" /></a><br><br>
<b>Artist:</b> Ryan Adams<br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Country Punk</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Bootleg<br>
<b>Year:</b> 2001<br>
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This bootleg is from a live, solo show Adams did in roughly 2001*ish. The only songs with names come from <i>Heartbreaker</i> and the others are listed as new. It is a relatively unremarkable set. While the songs are mostly great, they are all played in a somber tone. More than anything, the bootleg illustrates just how important the arrangements and orchestration are to making <i>Heartbreaker</i> such a fantastic record. The set goes on a bit too long, and Adams' banter with the crowd is cringe-worthy and drunk.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-25398583230184902992015-09-04T13:35:00.000-07:002015-09-04T13:35:03.312-07:00Ryan Adams-Heartbreaker (2000)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uloEWWiADHrKaPl3YMuEuvnS0A4CqnFuQi5fMRaM6L4IcjQPA8bFrKGCt9COWl_pb8zC5TUTOIYRVjuydHgmWkqeiSjzNGq2Jj8jWVD3ctIuOxzcTUDx375scw-VbhI1FCrNUNa3je0/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uloEWWiADHrKaPl3YMuEuvnS0A4CqnFuQi5fMRaM6L4IcjQPA8bFrKGCt9COWl_pb8zC5TUTOIYRVjuydHgmWkqeiSjzNGq2Jj8jWVD3ctIuOxzcTUDx375scw-VbhI1FCrNUNa3je0/s320/IMG_0919.JPG" /></a><br><br>
<b>Artist:</b> Ryan Adams<br>
<b>Album:</b> <i>Heartbreaker</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Bloodshot<br>
<b>Year:</b> 2000<br>
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This album has been with me for a long time, nearly 14 years. Ryan Adams was one of the first artists of my age and my generation I got into as a high schooler. This was in the aftermath of <b>The Strokes</b> debut album, and the beginning of the retro-rock revival of the early aughts. As "New York, New York" played constantly on VH1 after 9/11, Adams was an easy artist to get into and be drawn to, especially after some ill-advised years as a nu-metal fan. VH1 actually used to have music writing on the website, and I remember a columnist used to fawn over Adams, comparing him to Springsteen. I continued to follow Adams for a few years, through either <i>Love Is Hell, Part 1</i> or <i>Rock and Roll</i>, whichever came first. By that time, I had been sold that Adams had made his best album since <i>Heartbreaker</i> so many times (and lied to), I was over him.<br>
Because the truth is that Adams peaked with this album, his solo debut. Recorded after (or perhaps during) the breakup of his band <b>Whiskeytown</b>, it is incredibly diverse, honest, and well-recorded. What we have are 14 fantastic songs. I can only speculate as to the manner in which they were authored, but this is certainly not the most cohesive album. The songs are very diverse and a bit disorganized. There is no grand finale to the record, and it is not perfectly sequenced. Rather, it sounds like 14 songs by someone who is about to strike out on his own, and is just writing his heart out. The music press always liked to reproduce the idea that Adams had hundreds of un-recorded songs written, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was truth to it. But the songs he released after this album just aren't as good.<br>
Let's talk about those songs. "AMY" is intimate and haunting. The loud, low-end drum that accompanies the break between verses is the best example I can give of how well-constructed these songs are. Every moment is pitch perfect. Every note played belongs. Many of the songs are predominantly Ryan on acoustic guitar, with accompaniment from either a sparse drum track, strings, or a haunting female vocalist (including <b>Emmylou Harris</b> on "Oh My Sweet Carolina). Songs like "To Be The One" and "In My Time Need Of Need" aren't particularly anthemic, but Adams is comfortable and makes a big splash, no matter how quiet he gets. And songs like "Come Pick Me Up" and "Why Do they Leave" are among the best songs ever recorded for the "alt-country" genre.<br>
The quietness of the album deserves its own section. The production is pitch perfect. The rock songs have so much space, and a great sound. And songs where it's just Adams and his guitar are given space as well. This isn't something I would've noticed, spending most of my time listening to this album on a discman or in the car, but it's certainly a beautiful thing to hear now as I revisit the album.<br>
Adams sounds hungry on this album. Like he's got something to prove. Perhaps the worst thing to happen to him was the recognition and accolades he received after this album, and especially his next, <i>Gold</i>. The albums that I've heard afterwards sound like generic, slightly above-average singer songwriter music, that reflect none of the earnestness and care on <i>Heartbreaker</i>. But I'll try to be an optimist. It isn't a shame that this is the best Adams gave us. It remains, 15(!) years later, a wonderful document of his talent. Every song is great and this album is one I am glad I never parted with.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-79542974324181959402015-08-25T18:49:00.000-07:002015-08-25T18:49:06.359-07:00Two More By Roy Acuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhr6qJTmaqnLAe2Ii-ze5Z6i0kp7fgRJ5a2xircv0_jZUK5eeEA1B0epL_pY3F53aw1p1_L7a-REoROAY3L5l00lstDqfeBhiS9n6WkzFjY4sY3XAUvO04J-C97vYcgdR7XCp6qR94ffk/s1600/IMG_0754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhr6qJTmaqnLAe2Ii-ze5Z6i0kp7fgRJ5a2xircv0_jZUK5eeEA1B0epL_pY3F53aw1p1_L7a-REoROAY3L5l00lstDqfeBhiS9n6WkzFjY4sY3XAUvO04J-C97vYcgdR7XCp6qR94ffk/s320/IMG_0754.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SfQe_z7cnncHvYRbIURj_FJWaknJ2a0t6OLU4Jbd7brqby7vmE4VZ9XS4A-gppueU1wj3uWMI8MCcJhAvLUvmcEEDf7EP7yFZIzh0N0ZvNB3uFvVZCzflVI6A2AYmK-2vMbMdVKFVHg/s1600/IMG_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SfQe_z7cnncHvYRbIURj_FJWaknJ2a0t6OLU4Jbd7brqby7vmE4VZ9XS4A-gppueU1wj3uWMI8MCcJhAvLUvmcEEDf7EP7yFZIzh0N0ZvNB3uFvVZCzflVI6A2AYmK-2vMbMdVKFVHg/s320/IMG_0847.JPG" /></a></div>
<b>Artist:</b> Roy Acuff<br>
<b>Album:</b><i> The King Of Country Music</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Bear Family Records<br>
<b>Year:</b> 1993<br>
<br>
<b>Artist:</b> Roy Acuff<br>
<b>Album:</b><i> Columbia Historic Edition</i><br>
<b>Label:</b> Sony Music<br>
<b>Year:</b> 2002<br><br>
Two more by Roy Acuff. The former, a 2-disc set released on the superb Bear Family Records, covers two CDs worth of material recorded mostly between 1945-1960. This is the era immediately after the era covered in the previous review, from Proper Records, also called <i>The King Of Country Music</i>. I'm no country music scholar by any stretch, but the first thing that comes to mind to me when hearing this batch of songs is <b>The Grand Old Opry</b>. This isn't "mountain music" from the hills of the Appalachian Mountains anymore. The songs are more lively and upbeat, and certainly more orchestrated than on his earlier recordings.<br>
To me, this is both good and bad, I suppose. I really, really enjoy solo-blues and country music from the pre-1950s era, though as time has gone on, I have begun to appreciate full-band recordings from this genre a bit more. The opening track, "Tied Down" sets the mood for the set. More than anything, the production values also set this set apart from his earlier recordings. By the mid-1940s, certainly recording equipment and studios had greatly improved, and it shows.<br>
On the upside, Acuff's songwriting moves in new and different directions with this set. Songs like "The Great Speckled Bird" and "I Like Mountain Music" are classics and deservedly so. They are absolutely beautiful, fun, anthemic songs. There's also a bit of darkness in several songs. "Oh Those Tombs" and his rendition of "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord" have dark, haunting moments that clearly foreshadow the likes of Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and the black, underside of country music. Similarly, some of his gospel tunes a re absolutely superb, and the last ten tracks on the compilation all fall under that category.<br>
If this set has a fault, it's that we also get the start of some really, really, generic songs. Acuff pumped out music well through the 1970s, so I do not begrudge someone for repeating himself and others while making music for 40 years. With that said, songs like "When that Great Ship Went Down" and "Don't Judge Your Neighbor" are dull, boring, and repetitive, both lyrically and musically. There is just nothing special about these songs. Again, I'm not a country music scholar at all, but there is <b>so much music</b> to absorb from the greats. I have to imagine these performers were constantly performing new music. But it's not all brilliant and special.<br>
That's okay though. For the most part, the songs across this compilation are absolutely wonderful, and a testament to Acuff's greatness.
<br><br>
The other compilation I have is the earliest Acuff CD I own. From the sound of it, it's mostly material from his earlier years. I am also convinced that the version of "Wabash Cannonball" that appears on this compilation is different than the one on the Proper box. No matter. While the sound quality can be a little shrill, this is how I initially fell in love with Acuff, so I suppose I'll hang on to this compilation.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-35981545790342869732015-08-16T08:38:00.000-07:002015-08-16T08:38:01.370-07:00Roy Acuff-King Of Country Music (Box Set)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdriFKSkrtmyN0UZ0-RwtgPsOEOsNxd_YjE9eORkgXPKlqXB5UtCBYqXRCmbdkd3deopGpfwPFg-WK_yO6WGHXDfQHWbQP0iattJU2VqgiC7EXed6pmouuXStQ2fOOqGQtI8YcRBO6D0/s1600/Roy+Acuff.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdriFKSkrtmyN0UZ0-RwtgPsOEOsNxd_YjE9eORkgXPKlqXB5UtCBYqXRCmbdkd3deopGpfwPFg-WK_yO6WGHXDfQHWbQP0iattJU2VqgiC7EXed6pmouuXStQ2fOOqGQtI8YcRBO6D0/s320/Roy+Acuff.JPG" /></a><br>
<b>Arist:</b> Roy Acuff<br>
<b>Album:</b> <i>King Of Country Music</i> <br>
<b>Label:</b> Proper <br>
<b>Year:</b> 2004<br>
<br>
A few housekeeping notes. The first is that the image I'll be using an image of my copy of the CDs/records going forward. I just think it'll be more personal. In the same spirit, I'll try to include my history with the artist/album into the reviews, and hopefully the reviews will be more personal that way. So on to the review!<br>
I picked up this release at J&R Music World in NYC, sometime in college. It was at the time, the most highly regarded compilation on <b>Allmusic</b>, and I believe, to this day, remains the most comprehensive of all his compilations. Unfortunately, I never listened to it in full until now. Why? Well, for one thing: I am terrible at making it through entire box sets. Another thing is that I learned during college that Proper Records may not be the fairest label. My understanding is that they have taken remastering work done by other labels, and since much of what they release is in the public domain, they tend to get away with it. So I held a skeptical eye on this box set, until now.<br>
The release is a total revelation. The other Roy Acuff compilations I have, a single disc budget release from Columbia, and his Bear Family compilation of the same name, aren't as effective as this one. I'll address both of those in my next two reviews (both discs I owned before this box set), but in short, the latter covers his mid-40s to late-50s period, which isn't as good as his earliest stuff, and the former disc is a mere 12 or so songs. Acuff is called the "King Of Country Music" and it's not hard to hear why. With a career that truly began, in earnest, almost right after the passing of <b>Jimmie Rodgers</b>, Acuff covers a lot of the same ground, but his longevity and breadth of his work is far greater than Rodgers, who died far too early and young. From song structure, to song topics (many, many songs about trains, which Rodgers, "The Singing Brakeman", was also known for), Acuff picks up where Rodgers left off, and runs with it for the next 40+ years.<br>
His voice is very toned-down early on. Even the end of the box set (which moves chronologically), eventually shows a performer more comfortable with belting out tunes. But early on, his voice is very restrained and calm. And early on, there's an incredible diversity to his songs and song structure, especially considering the age of the recordings. "You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven" moves at a slow pace, and it's intro seems unusually long. In "Mule Skinner Blues", he evokes Rodgers' signature yodeling sound, more evidence of tribute he's playing to the genre's originator. In "Stuck Up Blues", he evokes a white, southern populism, rallying against the rich and those in power who seek to control the little guy.<br>
On songs like "I'll Forgive But I Can't Forget" and "Be Honest With Me", his "new voice" starts to appear. Based on the other compilation I have from Acuff, his voice sounded noticeably different starting in the mid-1940s. While I think it'll grow on me, I prefer the toned-down sound of his earlier recordings.<br>
Towards the end of the compilation, on the final disc, a lot of the spirit and uniqueness of the early recordings starts to disappear. There are a few instrumental tracks which are of no real significance. After that, however, there are three songs which are among the most explicitly religious of all in the set, and it honestly sounds like addressing that subject matter more directly may have given him a bit more excitement, and reinvigorated him. The songs are superb and a great way to end the set.<br>
At over 100 songs, combined with the other two sets I have, this is likely all the Acuff I need. Can't believe it took me so long to really check it out.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-48625117836598239952015-08-09T15:39:00.002-07:002015-08-09T15:39:47.304-07:00The Action-Rolled Gold (2002)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_FUVBfJcf4L4uELJ5C41Szlb8KbNYtIuAHXAgYmEas16T4SFbU9WyAvMK4-AWS9Hc8CmYMwtKDmgQWA65PM3LRzAKL7cP15SH2o35xvIvBAxk1eBGuLEWENi6ETXsHPegmrjB9_iwM4/s1600/Rolled+Gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_FUVBfJcf4L4uELJ5C41Szlb8KbNYtIuAHXAgYmEas16T4SFbU9WyAvMK4-AWS9Hc8CmYMwtKDmgQWA65PM3LRzAKL7cP15SH2o35xvIvBAxk1eBGuLEWENi6ETXsHPegmrjB9_iwM4/s320/Rolled+Gold.jpg" /></a>
Before breaking up, <b>The Action</b> recorded demos for an album that was to be called <i>Brain</i>. The album never saw the light of day, and members of the band (three of them, though not singer Reg King) would go on to form the band <b>Mighty Baby</b>. As far as the great, unfinished masterpieces of rock and roll go, <i>Rolled Gold</i> should rank very high on any list. While it's an imperfect album (certainly thanks to most of these songs residing in "demo" status), even what we're given ranks along the best of any group's work in the 1960s.
<i>Rolled Gold's</i> fourteen songs are likely not sequenced the way an official album would have been released (though "Come Around" makes a splendid opener), and the sound is raw and sourced from acetate. But the performances, as ever, are incredibly lively. Reg King's vocals, for example, on "Look At The View" are incredibly powerful and raw. His repeating of the song's title gives credence to the idea that these guys were working their butts off, and took the demo sessions very seriously (not to imply anybody denies this). Throughout the release, King's vocals are truly better than ever, and his blue-eyed soul singing style perfectly merges with a raw R&B influence that was surprisingly absent on their early tracks. If anything, though this album feels poppier than their early songs, the vocals and performances are rougher. There is no doubt The Action were a better pop group than mod-R&B combo.
Along with "Come Around", the title track of the would-be album "Brain" is a deserved classic, with perfect wah-wah guitar that is incredibly understated. The wah-wah is used as a rhythm guitar, and never dominates the song with overdone effects. The drums drive the track, which continuously repeats the same chord progression, but with intensity every time. Other songs, like "Icarus", "Something to Say" and "Strange Roads" showcase The Action's lead guitar work effectively. The guitar work never shows off and fits the songs perfectly. One of my favorite songs on the collection, "Things You Cannot See," is approached totally differently, with a lead acoustic guitar and bongo drums. It's an understated, almost folky track, that shows how deep their songwriting talent was. And on "Really Doesn't Matter", the group shows that they can still belt out a beautiful blue-eyed soul style
These songs originally saw an official release in 1995, and the 2002 CD <i>Rolled Gold</i> presumably sounds pretty similar to other variations of this release. It's also, again, worth repeating that these songs were demos, and as such, don't even sound mastered. Whereas something like <i>Smiley Smile</i> was finished by a producer, the songs have an incredibly raw sound, with every song having a different aesthetic mix-wise (some songs have drums louder than guitars, other the opposite way, bass levels vary within songs) which is something a mastering job would smooth over. This is not a complaint however, as the raw-ness of the demos is one of the best parts, and there are many examples I could think of where demos sound more raw and energetic than finished albums (something like the band <i>Tomorrow</i> comes to mind!).Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-60826139978586999182015-08-09T11:37:00.000-07:002015-08-09T15:40:11.398-07:00The Action-Action Packed (Compilation)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHRF7Oru8nBQWmmgfsE-SHVOzDw_xfxXUCrEBSK2-L62k2v7xVu7VnbLKM7OH_BYifgzwNB6muCGYUc9qS3S3zAxXR8pSqFRTL7EZgnomCB4aMQ0NEH0YmzxUW8g7a8uukGG5boOX_2M/s1600/Action+Packed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHRF7Oru8nBQWmmgfsE-SHVOzDw_xfxXUCrEBSK2-L62k2v7xVu7VnbLKM7OH_BYifgzwNB6muCGYUc9qS3S3zAxXR8pSqFRTL7EZgnomCB4aMQ0NEH0YmzxUW8g7a8uukGG5boOX_2M/s320/Action+Packed.jpg" /></a>
In my sophomore and junior years of college, I was on a tear listening to UK, mid-60s era Nuggets groups. I always have had an affinity for garage rock. The aggression, speed, and raw sound of white teenagers probably hits close enough to home for it to be the one genre I really "get" on a personal level. I have been these guys. Before you grow up. Before you care about sound quality. Before anything matters more than playing with as much grit and speed as possible, this is how you sound. <b>The Small Faces</b>, <b>The Creation</b>, <b>The Smoke</b> and others were constantly in rotation for me that year. While I also fell for <b>The Action</b>, it was their unreleased album <i>Brain</i> that hooked me (later released, and soon to be reviewed, in the <i>Rolled Gold</i> release). I didn't pick up <i>Action Packed</i> until several years later, and I can remember being disappointed.
Not every group of this era could be <i>The Who</i> or <i>The Pretty Things</i> and graduate from superb garage-rock to lush, 60s psychedelic masterpieces. But <i>Action Packed</i> did not hit me. It showed none of the glory present on the famous, unreleased album. Sure, on the surface it had all the things I loved about Maximum R&B, but the performances just weren't there for me. Like <a href="http://druckerreviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-abyssinians-satta-massagana-1976.html"><i>Satta Massagana</i></a> this is definitely an album I only have listened to once. But unlike that album, a fresh set of ears made me enjoy it much more the second time around.
I can see why I was probably turned off by it upon first listen. Opening track, a cover of <b>Chris Kenner's</b> "Land of 1000 Dances" is just not that good. It reminds me a lot of the <b>Shadows Of Knight's</b> version of "Gloria." Slower and tamer than the original, and especially a song like Dances, with several superb versions, why would I ever reach for this one? Even through what is supposedly supposed to be their best early song, "I'll Keep Holding On", nothing on this compilation really stuck out to me. But once I reached "Hey Sah-Lo-Ney", what makes this band great clearly started being audible. The refrain of "Come On Children" made me think of <b>The Small Faces</b> song of the same name, but really, this group stands out from the pack from their peers.
What makes The Action unique is probably two things: a two-guitar lineup that allows for more interesting leads than most of their peers, and a better sense of soul. I especially want to focus on this latter point. In all garage rock, the lead singer is more or less trying to emulate black soul musicians. Whether you are Robert Plant or Steve Marriott, that's just what is being done. Some do it well, some not. Some songs, like "For All That I Am" and "Bony Marony" by The Creation come off great, some, like so many Motown covers (I'm looking at you Mick Jaggar), including the one included here ("Since I Lost My Baby") don't come off well. However, most of the time, these singers seem to be going for the raw emotion of an Otis Redding-type when singing covers, or even their own songs! However, The Action's Reg King is just better than most at singing soulfully. He has a beautiful voice, and it's not masked by any forced roughness. The Action are influences and what they are going for aren't that different than so many of their peers, but they often do it better, and like <b>Dusty Springfield</b> or <b>The Young Rascals</b>, do a great job of mimicking the soul they are emulating.
"Wasn't It You" has a great acoustic guitar clearly point the way to their next group of recording sessions, that would lead to the aborted <i>Brain</i> album. "Never Ever" is another great example of superb blue-eyed soul. What strikes me the most from this compilation is also how great of a drummer they have. In listening to <i>Rolled Gold</i> for all of these years, I always thought the drumming was weak and fell off in certain points. Now, hearing it again, on a good CD player, the drumming is on point and unique, and definitely gives the group character.
The final song, "Shadows and Reflections" though with a cute harpsichord, is really not good. It sounds generic for the time, and Beatles-lite (unsurprising, considering the group's affiliation with George Martin). The band is at their best with a rough, garage rock-take on soul music. Many of the tracks here point the way to what should have been a masterpiece.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-13461158760918375202015-08-09T11:05:00.002-07:002015-08-09T11:05:29.833-07:00The Abyssinians-Satta Massagana (1976)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimypXbRfbQd1OLzrKYwVe7PCG6ntIhE_ulNBTCIjFNytkWk_rmkeTQTVCF-UUZCAZXMGfhtLfPFAO_17XX1yiTYRhCrQz7TsgFJYtjTSqXgSliCk5bh3Rz9l_0ZpR6zaIKQ8zMJWATJqg/s1600/Satta+Massanaga.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimypXbRfbQd1OLzrKYwVe7PCG6ntIhE_ulNBTCIjFNytkWk_rmkeTQTVCF-UUZCAZXMGfhtLfPFAO_17XX1yiTYRhCrQz7TsgFJYtjTSqXgSliCk5bh3Rz9l_0ZpR6zaIKQ8zMJWATJqg/s320/Satta+Massanaga.jpg" /></a>
It's only appropriate that I begin this project with an album I've only listened to once. As I get older, the idea of buying music I <b>may not really like</b> becomes rarer and rarer. Gone are the days of trying out various genres of music that, while interesting, aren't things I'm going to regularly listen to. Gone are the days of listening to noise, Japanese psychedelic music, or far Eastern traditional music. It may sound great. There's lots of music in those genres I love. But I don't need to own it, and I'll rarely listen to it.
I wouldn't categorize reggae <i>quite</i> the same way. And there are lots of groups and albums in the genre I love. But to say I have anything close to true knowledge of the genre would be a farce. There are albums I love, and that is it. Very little context to those albums, and very little knowledge of those artists, which isn't the case with much of my favorite music. This classic of the genre, released locally and bootlegged for years, according to the liner notes, is a cornerstone of reggae, and its importance puts it on par with the works of <b>Toots and The Maytals</b> and perhaps even <b>Bob Marley</b>, but I don't hear it.
I don't know if <i>Satta Massagana</i> made me give up on exploring the genre with greater depth, but it certainly didn't help. This is not an album I'm drawn to in any way, and I can't imagine when the next time I'm going to take it out is. I remember very clearly my reactions to listening to this album for the first time: it was slow, and all the songs sort of sounded the same to me. I generally try not to level that criticism at music, because that is often the case when something is unfamiliar. Many of my favorite albums, in early listens, never hit me and all came across like one single sound (<i>Zen Arcade</i> comes to mind), until subsequent listens allowed me to hear what I was missing.
But <i>Satta Massagana</i> never pulls me in, and I really feel no reason to explore it further. The first track, "Declaration Of Rights" should make me feel solidarity with at least the lyrics, but I never really care. I suppose one, especially a novice of the genre, could easily make the case that a lot of reggae music sounds the same (as does, at the end of the day, most music in a given genre). What elevates the likes of <b>The Maytals</b> or <b>The Mighty Diamonds</b> is beautiful vocal harmonies that carry the song. Vocal harmonies that carry the song isn't only a reggae thing, and it would certainly have to be the case for an album like <i>Satta Massagana</i> to stand out, you'd hear it in the vocals. But I don't. The songs all sound the same to me, and pretty lifeless. Not ethat every track falls betweeen 2:43 and 3:45 minutes in length.
A song or two does stand out. "Forward Unto Zion" has a fantastic use of horns early on, and at the tail end of the album "I and I" and "African Race" also stick out to me. But the others simply do not. Do I hold onto this album almost solely for the reason that my wife bought it for me, as per my own request, as a birthday present? It seems likely. I often only hold onto DVDs and records I don't care for, thinking that <b>one day it will click</b>. I will be shocked if this one ever does.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-8882120550807951342015-08-09T10:49:00.001-07:002015-08-09T10:49:58.421-07:00RevivalI've decided to revive this blog and write about music again. Specifically, I'm going to try to listen to every album I own in alphabetical order and review it and write some thoughts about it.
Though I've listened to music and loved music for my whole life (thanks in large part to a father that always played music in the house), I truly got into it around the year 2000, in the seventh grade. I got my own boombox that year, for my Bar Mitzvah, and was able to tape copies of Beatles and Rolling Stones albums for myself. While familiar with a lot of these songs, this marked the start of a period in my life where I'd listen to full albums and discographies. Certainly, this coincided with VH1's release of <i>100 Greatest Artists/Albums/Songs</i> of all time around this era. Looking back on it, by making lists of albums I wanted to own and ranking my favorites, I was already exhibiting the signs of a record collector.
It's been a long journey. I can remember a time when, in the eighth grade, I told my mom my "to-buy" list was 30 things long, and once I had that, I'd be set. I don't remember what comprised that list, but I do remember that <b>Elvis Costello</b> was the most obscure thing on it. Since then I've listened to and re-listened to thousands of albums. I've done this through tapes, downloads, CDs, records. Through my computer, Discman, Walkman, two hand-me-down stereos, cars, and now a stereo that I've bought myself.
It feels like for years I've been buying media, listening to it once, and shelving it. I think I'd make myself nauseous if I really looked into how many albums I've impulsively bought in the last few years, feeling like I immediately needed it, and then only listened to it once. So much of my collection was acquired during adolescence, and the majority of my music is something I've only listened to on an old, blown-out stereo, in a car, or in a Discman.
So this project has two goals. Go back and listen to all my music in what is the best stereo I've ever owned. And perhaps slow down on the pace of acquiring new music, and sit back and enjoy what I already have.
If applicable, I'll make comments on the various formats and releases of albums I've owned. Some I have on CD and vinyl. Some multiple CDs and multiple records.
Thanks for reading. Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-33887016172773535512012-01-12T08:42:00.000-08:002012-01-12T08:43:10.083-08:00The Rest Of The ListI've been working on this for almost 2 years now. While I will continue to review albums, I figure I should just reveal the rest of my list...that way I can also review out of order should I feel like it!:<br /><br />16 This Heat-Deceit<br />15 Wire-Pink Flag<br />14 The Replacements-Let It Be<br />13 The Beatles-The Beatles<br />12 Blood, Sweat, And Tears-Child Is The Father To Man<br /><b>error </b>11 The Monks-Black Monk Time <b>error</b><br />10 Sly And The Family Stone-There's A Riot Goin' On<br />9 Bob Dylan-Highway 61 Revisited<br />8 Isaac Hayes-Hot Buttered Soul<br />7 The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band<br />6 Miles Davis-In A Silent Way<br />5 Van Morrison-Astral Weeks<br />4 The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds<br />3 Husker Du-Zen Arcade<br />2 The Stooges-Fun House<br />1 The Rolling Stones-Exile On Main Street<br /><br />more reviewing to come!Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-44130707358593409802012-01-12T07:33:00.000-08:002012-01-12T08:40:42.981-08:00#17 The Monks-Black Monk Time<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=Black_Monk_Time-The_Monks_480.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/Black_Monk_Time-The_Monks_480.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Artist</b>: Monks<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Black Monk Time</i><br /><b>Label</b>: Polydor<br /><b>Year</b>: 1966<br /><br /><b>note: going through the rest of the list, I apparently put this album at number 17 and 11. I am sure I meant it to be 11, because as I was writing this, I thought it was a bit low. But now to figure out what album isn't here that should be. What album is missing? Oh no...</b><br />Neglect! Thy name is my blog. (I wrote this first sentence on 11/28...it's now 1/12/12)<br />If Big Star's <i>Third/Sister Lovers</i> has a sort-of accidental greatness...a piece so desolate and harrowing, that it's total abandonment helps to cement the music...then <i>Black Monk Time</i>, is its polar opposite: an album which reflects a definitive purpose. Every moment committed to tape has a reason and a meaning. Those who've seen the documentary <i>Transatlantic Feedback</i> or have read the book on the band know this. While Monks may appear on a <b>Nuggets</b> box set, and they may have even appeared at a few garage rock revival festivals a few years ago, the band is eons away from their peers in both sonic quality and band philosophy. There never was a band like Monks and there really hasn't been one since. <br />Not one single component of the band's sound truly stands out above the rest. For those unfamiliar with the band, they began as a bunch of GI friends stationed in Germany during the early-1960s. After their military discharge, they stayed in Germany and played out as a band called The Torquays. At the time, they fit in pretty well with other bands playing American-style garage rock in the German clubs.<br />After hooking up with a management group with an artistic style, the group transformed, and long story short-became Monks. The group not only performed songs under the moniker, but dressed like Monks all the time (including the shaved heads!)<br />Yet the most important impact of this move wasn't really directly linked to being "monks" per se, but more of a singular purpose and focus. That's the greatness of <i>Black Monk Time</i>: purposefulness. Cutting through everything unnecessary so all that's left is the core of the music.<br />The documentary on the band and surely the book will give more detail, but it's clear that the album strips every good idea down to its essence and leaves nothing else. Unlike, say, Wire's <i>Pink Flag</i> where any <i>idea</i> is really only given a brief lifespan before moving on, Monks compose full songs that only really have one idea. Songs like "I Hate You" and "Oh, How To Do" are just one measure repeated over and over, with slight adjustments in terms of dynamics and start/stops...but the chorus and verse all have the same music. The tribalism of the band is also essential, as floor-stompers like "Complication" and "Shut Up" shun the use of cymbals and focus almost exclusively on toms (which produce a lower-register). The songs are closer to being sonic-assaults than pop ditties, which surely accounted for their unpopularity at the time. But now that we've had Krautrock, Noise, Industrial, and all sorts of non-traditional rock-influenced music, we can see what tremendously important album <i>Black Monk Time</i> really is.<br />I once read on the website Perfect Sound Forever that The Stooges <b>were</b> avant-garde because nobody had ever been so minimalist. Monks, however, were doing their thing when Iggy Pop was in high school (well if he was 21 in 1968...then in 1965 he'd be 18!). The band stopped being Monks and moved on with their life, totally unaware of the cult that built around them until the 2000s. But there is no doubt now of <i>Black Monk Time</i>'s greatness, and that its greatness is due in large part to how strongly it flew in the face of convention in pop-rock at the time.<br /><br />I thought when I got near the end of this list, it would be easy to write about my favorite albums. But putting it into smart words is just so hard. Thanks for reading!Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-42489989583282126062011-11-28T07:52:00.000-08:002011-11-28T08:32:57.359-08:00#18 Big Star-Third/Sister Lovers<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=big-star-sister-lovers-third1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/big-star-sister-lovers-third1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><B>Artist</b>: Big Star<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Third/Sister Lovers</i><br /><b>Label</b>: Rykodisc<br /><b>Year</b>: 1978 (recorded 1975; Rykodisc 1992)<br /><br />I began working on this post a month ago, and am going to try to salvage what I have. I think that's pretty appropriate considering the album I'm reviewing!<br />From one of the most gloriously uplifting albums to one of the most gloriously distraught, Big Star's final album (sans a reunion in 2005) is one of the most haunting and tragic masterpieces of music. Though known for their incredible ability to write melody around glorious harmony and shining guitars, today, Big Star's reputation also largely rests on this, their final album as an active rock band. For all it's melodic gorgeousness, the fact that it is an album that almost never happened, and in a way, was never completed, adds to its legacy tremendously. Few albums capture the sound of a band going through what these guys were experiencing, and as I maintain, that aides in one's appreciation of the album immensely.<br />Founded in 1971, Big Star was the brain child of <b>Alex Chilton</b> (formerly of 1960s soul-pop group The Box Tops) and <b>Chris Bell</b>. Andy Hummel and Jody Stephens rounded out the lineup...and as the name indicates...the group had big dreams. Unfortunately, the dreams never coalesced...and a lack of commercial success, mixed with booze and drugs and in-fighting saw the group all but broken up by 1975. <br />The strength and majesty of the album is two-fold...it's mystique and beautiful melodies (that are a part of the former). Many (hell, most?) classic albums have a story: a band with a purpose gets together in some definitive situation at the height of their powers and either methodically and systematically, or just because they are that damn great...bust out a classic. But Big Star in 1975 were broken and bruised. And the album they produced...well it sounds nothing like what built their early albums: chiming guitars, gorgeous harmonies, and a class rock and roll feel. <br />///Re-picked up in November.<br />The album as it stands now opens uncomfortably with "Kizza Me." While a strong track and great opener with lots of energy, the dark instrumentation is a radical departure from what came before for the band. Guitars are incredibly low in the mix, and a bizarre piano track and fuzz bass dominate the mix. The following song, "Thank You Friends," is a little more "polished"...and some gorgeous melodies open up the song...and there's even a guitar solo reminiscent of the first two records. With "Big Black Car," we have the band's slowest and darkest song yet, and these three opening songs pretty much summarize the album. There are really odd-ball rockers, with a traditional Big Star melody but that really don't <i>sound</i> like them; there are some dark songs that often sound as if they are about to fall apart; and there are even a few beautifully composed songs that hold together so well, they almost sound out of place. In the first category, along with the opening track, you have "You Can't Have Me" and "O, Dana" which also have a strong, very audible fuzzy bass and piano riffs. The frustration inherent in each song and the fact that with a different arrangement these could sound more "like" Big Star might be related (I wanna feel you kizza me!; O, Dana, come on!; You can't have me, no not for free!"). What often gets the most attention when discussing the album, and rightfully so, is perhaps the slow songs. The way they constantly sound like they are falling apart is magnificent. The way Chilton ends the bridge in "Big Black Car," holding out the last lyric ("It ain't gonna lassssss...t-ah") is not dissimilar from the weakness he exhibits in "Kangaroo" where a perfectly used cowbell seems to be exemplifying his despair. There is also my favorite song on the album, "Nighttime," whose closing lyric "Get me out of here, get me out of here...I hate it here...get me out of here" accompanied by a stand-up bass, sounds like it sums up all of the anguish Chilton must have felt at this point.<br />The album is rounded out by some well put together songs, too. "Stroke It, Noel" and "Take Care" have gorgeous string melodies (and apparently, the use of strings was inspired by Jody Stephens wanting to use them on his contribution to the album "For You"). Whereas the rest of the album sounds messy and falling apart (which again, adds to its greatness) these songs don't, almost making it feel that if the band hadn't been so desolate, the rest of the album might have sounded this way. We can only speculate at this point.<br />If ever there were an album that required knowledge of its back-story to help understand its greatness...this is certainly it. It's a truly difficult album to get into that I'm sure many are turned off by after hearing the charm and melody in the band's first two records. But many, after repeated listens and a lot of patience (myself included) seem to finally come around to the record. How do artists whose masterpieces go ignored or unheard feel when they eventually get their due? Chilton has passed, and never really seemed keen on discussing the past, so we may never know. But this album deserves to be cherished, and fortunately, it seems like these days that it is.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-893438265790501402011-10-10T07:18:00.000-07:002011-10-10T08:24:53.905-07:00#19 Spiritualized-Ladies And Gentleman We Are Floating In Space<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=LadiesandGentleman.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/LadiesandGentleman.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><b>Artist</b>: Spiritualized<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space</i><br /><b>Label</b>: Arista<br /><b>Year</b>: 1997<br /><br />Jesus Christ, are the 90s on pace to become the best decade? For everything, that is. Visible social protest, a strong economy, independent movies, and great popular music (especially with hip hop, but lots of wow-I-can't-believe-they're-getting-airplay as well). Make no mistake about it, <i>Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space</i> is not an album that would be made today. But with people re-buying their entire collections in a new format, the music industry was booming in the pre-Napster late-90s. So it's not that crazy that what was really an indie band on a major label with a strong niche audience...got to make one of the most ambitious, expansive records of the decade. Personal preference for "most artistic" or "favorite" record of the 1990s aside, there is no doubt that <i>Ladies and Gentlemen</i> is a project whose scope in terms of length and size of production was unmatched through the decade. <br />Of course, none of this would matter with sub-par songs (as the sometimes-good, but ultimately weaker follow-up to this album, 2001's <i>Let It Come Down</i>, proves), and therein lies the genius of J Spaceman: "simple things done well" as a friend of mine once put it. On paper, the structure and layout of his songs dating back to the earliest <b>Spacemen 3</b> recordings isn't that different from the songs here: two or three chords, verses and a chorus that are very similar and rarely is there a bridge that changes the chord shapes...diversity of song-structure is certainly not what his Spaceman-ness is known for. But the execution of Spiritualized's music is anything but typical, and while most current artists that are ripping off blues legends or writing garage rock songs sound derivative and painfully un-original, J Spaceman's compositions are a testament to how an artist can use a familiar form and do something new with it.<br />The album opens with the title-track: a lyric-for-lyric (partially, at least) cover of Elvis Presley's "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You". Restored for it's recent reissue, Spaceman gives the song new life, with superb vocal harmony rounds throughout the song. There are at least four vocal tracks by my count on the original release (1. Spaceman with distortion 2. Spaceman without distortion 3. Choir 4. Spaceman loud at the end), along with guitars, keys, and all sorts of other instrumentation. There's a lot going on, but rarely is everyone playing at once, giving the song an amazing amount of space to breathe. That's the album's primary strength: lots of instrumentation, but used well. The album never feels overblown, no matter how much is going on.<br />Another example is the superb third song "I Think I'm In Love." Though ten-minutes long, the foundation of the song is a 7-note bass riff played at the end of a measure. No matter how far out the song goes...it always rests on that riff. The song has only two parts, and within those two sections they don't stray from their core melody. Still, the simple lyrics and simple melody are carried by the song's ability to just have everything in the right place.<br />With <i>Ladies And Gentlemen</i>, Spiritualized turned a pretty big corner. The first album and early singles were obviously extensions of what Spaceman was doing with his side of the <i>Recurring</i> LP. <i>Pure Phase</i> was a more diverse, but slightly less cohesive album. At this point, the band was still relatively stripped down and doing simple things. <i>Ladies and Gentleman</i>, however, is longer, more diverse, and bigger than anything he'd tried. The songs are not all guitar-centric, and songs like "Come Together" and "Electricity" showcase Spaceman's newly-found ability to rock out (something he'd really never done before). The symphonic strings of "Cool Waves," the cool jazz of "Cop Shoot Cop" and the bombastic orchestration of "The Individual" are further examples of new things. Whereas earlier album's featured abstract, drone-scapes for instrumentals, the one's here are more aggressive and really fit the album a lot better. <br />Spiritualized started the 2000s off with high popularity, before Spaceman's pneumonia side-lined the band for three years. They've recently come back in vogue, and with reissues and tours around this album, it's easy to see why. Perhaps it was a bit dwarfed when it was released the same year as <i>OK Computer</i>, the album finally seems like it's getting it's due. And Spiritualized are certainly not alone in terms of 90s bands finally getting the respect they deserve. The album is more dynamic and diverse than most albums in general, let alone the 90s. It remains a remarkable testament to what a band can do when given major label resources (besides just selling more records, like most indie bands strive for when going big time). There's unlikely to be another album like it anytime soon, so enjoy it now!Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-34897342439780048942011-09-27T08:49:00.000-07:002011-09-27T08:49:14.590-07:00#20 Minutemen-Double Nickels On The Dime<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=album-double-nickels-on-the-dime.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/album-double-nickels-on-the-dime.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><b>Artist</b>: Minutemen<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Double Nickels On The Dime</i><br /><b>Label</b>: SST<br /><b>Year</b>: 1984<br /><br />Jeez I've been slacking. Been trying to motivate myself to write this thing for a few weeks now! We enter the top 20 with one of the masterpieces of 1984. This record and band, especially in the last few years (with the help of the superb documentary <i>We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen</i>), have received plenty of documentation which would be easy to re-hash. Instead, I'll talk about my own perceptions (do I usually do that?) of the album. And <i>Double Nickels</i> certainly isn't the kind of album one is really into after one or even half a dozen listens. Patience is certainly the name of the game, and with an album this diverse, it could take months or years to fully appreciate (I know it did for me). Perhaps it is even best listened to in its original vinyl format, using four-nearly 20-minute long mini-albums as a way to get into it. I don't really know what the best way is. But <i>Double Nickels</i> is the kind of album that, once it clicks, will continue to click in new and fascinating ways with each listen.<br />As those of you who've read <i>Our Band Could Be Your Life</i> or watched the aforementioned <i>We Jam Econo</i> documentary already know, the title has many meanings. Though most directly a jab at Sammy Hagar (whose "I Can't Drive 55" was a reaction to Jimmy Carter lowering the speed limit), where the Minutemen sought to be "adventurous with music (as Hagar was pretty tame) but safe on the road", the album oozes <i>classic driving record</i>. The record sports a cover photo of the band driving on the freeway with their home exit of <b>San Pedro</b> in view. Each side of the record (lost on the CD, as are several songs, most notably a few covers) begins with the sound of each band member revving the engine of their car. That adventurousness that the band sought comes across in various ways. <br />Not only is this clearly the band's longest record (and a mammoth one at that, with 46 or so songs!) but stylistically, the band enters territory not even they had charted. From noise-fragments (I guess you could call them that) from Watt and Hurley, to solo, acoustic guitar playing from D. Boon which really allows him to flex his guitar playing muscle, the album is all over the place. Classic Minutemen/working-man anthems like "Corona", "History Lesson Part 2" and "This Ain't No Picnic" play alongside pop-topical gems like "Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing" (this album came soon after <i>Thriller</i>, remember...Michael was still the king!) Minutemen were already punk-as-fuck for not being afraid to mix in spoken-word/dream like lyrics and more adventurous music than most of their peers, but with <i>Double Nickels</i>, they were able to really break the mold. And that's really the album's legacy.<br /><i>Double Nickels On The Dime</i> was the Minutemen's best-selling record. Punk's founding was based on making music fun and exciting again, and eschewing the false rules of rock that had come to dominate popular music. But by 1984, hell by 1980, many of those rules were back in place, only within the subculture. Punk had to be fast, or political, or no-guitar solos, and you couldn't like classic rock, etc. etc. But as people who grew up listening to <b>Creedence Clewater Revival</b> and <b>T-Rex</b>, Minutemen didn't have the same heavy metal background of a band like Black Flag. Just like The Replacements, it seems that early-on, a large part of what made them great is because they didn't know what they were "supposed" to be doing. But with <i>Double Nickels</i> not only did they know what they were supposed to be doing and already outright reject it, they helped change everything punk could be. With <i>Let It Be</i>, <i>Meat Puppets II</i>, <i>My War</i> and <i>Zen Arcade</i> released the same year, bands that had come from similar backgrounds began to find their voice and really come into their own, which they couldn't do without going further in their own direction. It's unlikely indie rock would be as diverse as it is today without the help of these fantastic albums. <i>Double Nickels</i> is an album where exploring song-by-song would be pretty futile...but as a whole, cohesive work, it somehow manages to make more sense than any record of its time. The diversity coalesces into a mad genius. Take your time with this one and listen to it while driving really fast.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-34001466037514564582011-09-08T07:37:00.000-07:002011-09-09T10:27:25.206-07:00#21 The Rolling Stones-Beggar's Banquet<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=banquet-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/banquet-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><b>Artist</b>: The Rolling Stones<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Beggar's Banquet</i><br /><b>Label</b>: Abkco<br /><b>Year</b>: 1968<br /><br />This was the second album I reviewed for this blog, and it can be found here: <a href=http://druckerreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/rolling-stones-beggars-banquet.html>(original review!)</a>. I've spent time in this blog and with friends going back and forth between this and <i>Exile On Main Street</i> as favorites, and I had been flip flopping a lot. I won't waste time comparing the two here, and just analyze this album on its own merits, again.<br />The first of the Stones' run of four classic albums comes from 1968. Having started out as a gritty, bluesy, garage band, the Stones began to come into their own with 1966's <i>Aftermath</i> (their first cover-free record) and <i>Between The Buttons</i>. They took a detour with a poorly-executed (though songs like "She's A Rainbow" indicate, perhaps potentially great) psychedelic record before going back to their roots with <i>Beggar's Banquet</i>. Obviously using the term "adversity" when talking about the Stones, a major label, million-song-selling band, must be understood in perspective, but like most great art, the Stones best stuff was made under adverse conditions. This album was the last to feature any shred of founding member <b>Brian Jones</b>, whose contributions are minimal and often mixed to the point of being inaudible. As a founding member, the stress of having a weak link around certainly must have been difficult. But it allowed for Jagger and Richards to fully seize control of the band, and certainly there must have been a liberating feeling for them to really have artistic control in an un-checked way...with Jones not being part of the equation (all speculation from me, but certainly with Jones as a founding member his voice must have been required to be heard before this record). The results of this album and the few that follow showed the importance of having Jagger and ESPECIALLY Richards be at the forefront of decision-making in the band.<br /><i>Banquet</i> starts off with classic rock staple "Sympathy For The Devil," a song that actually lives up to the hype with incredible lyrics as Jagger embodies the devil, boasting about destroying old Russia, the Kennedys, and plenty other stuff in-between (don't forget how recent the Kennedy assassination was, Robert's included!). The rest of side one is brilliant, with "No Expectations" a solid old blues number, "Dear Doctor" one of their earlier country forays (though not first), and the Dylanesque "Jig-Saw Puzzle" to end the side. <br />Side two however is even better. It's the perfect document to show just how hell-bound these sinners were. "Street Fighting Man" calls for support with the youth, "Prodigal Son" is an old blues cover (all those motherfuckers are going to hell), "Stray Cat Blues" is about doing underage groupies, "Factory Girl" is about the innocent girl and her beauty...it's just an exceptional side.<br />I've written about this record plenty, and I don't have too much more to say. While <i>Aftermath</i> started off their era of releasing great albums, there didn't seem to be a unity to the sound or sequencing of the album. This is really the first Stones album that's great and is more than just a collection of wonderful songs. Fortunately, there was more of that to come!Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-67321015525873491972011-08-26T08:06:00.001-07:002011-08-26T13:06:34.833-07:00#22 Charles Mingus-The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=Mingus_S_The_Black_Saint_and_The_Sinner_Lady_Front.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/Mingus_S_The_Black_Saint_and_The_Sinner_Lady_Front.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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<br /><b>Artist</b>: Charles Mingus
<br /><B>Album</b>: <i>The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady</i>
<br /><b>Label</b>: GRP
<br /><b>Year</b>: 1963
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<br />As Mingus's career progressed, his scope and the overall volume of his work (in terms of just LARGE-ness) constantly increased. Earlier works like <i>The Clown</i> featured relatively small groups. Though albums like <i>Blues And Roots</i> and <i>Mingus Plays Piano</i> would be examples of him returning to his "roots," there is a definite upswing of players on his albums throughout his career (culminating in the likes of <i>Let My Children Hear My Music</i>). His 1963 album, composed as a ballet, is one of the high points of his career and in all of jazz history as well.
<br />No other Mingus album, and certainly few in jazz history, benefit from sequencing and playing-off-itself in a way this does. It's strength lies in the fact that while a pretty sizable ensemble performed the album, and while it's scope is pretty large and ambitious, it still feels intensely personal. Volume in records tends to reduce intimacy, but that's not the case here.
<br />The players on the album are out of this world: Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, along with Mingus are just a few of the notable players. In addition, Jay Berliner's acoustic guitar work is possibly the highlight of the record, personally.
<br />I know this isn't a large review, or even that detailed. But it's a record whose magnificence must be experienced. While the whole thing is built around one theme, it never grows monotonous and constantly brings surprises. One of the finest records of the 1960s and a landmark jazz record.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-64044310672468379912011-08-19T06:08:00.001-07:002011-08-19T10:21:35.088-07:00#23 Moby Grape-Moby Grape<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=mobygrape.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/mobygrape.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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<br /><B>Artist</b>: Moby Grape
<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Moby Grape</i>
<br /><b>Label</b>: Columbia
<br /><b>Year</b>: 1967
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<br />This one's a bit of a hard sell as a greatest album ever, but it deserves to be on the list by sheer quality alone. As I look ahead to the rest of my list, it's a mixture of a wide variety of albums, all linked by being pretty standard fodder for this sort of list. Moby Grape's first record is not a music or genre-defining record. It did not have a measurable change on the course of pop music. And every subsequent release by the group falls under the category of disappointing. But for just under thirty minutes and across thirteen songs, the first Moby Grape album speaks volumes about the possibilities of group composition, group playing, group contribution, and amazing melodies. That the album has retained its popularity from just being on the fringe of the Summer Of Love is a testament to just how great it is.
<br />Moby Grape didn't come out of nowhere with this record. <b>Skip Spence</b> was Jefferson Airplane's original drummer, and <b>Matthew Katz</b> had also been associated with the group. The rest of the quintet also had spent time in various minor bands up and down the west coast. There is a guitar trio on the album, and every band member sings and contributed to songwriting duties. Yet while in many cases this could prove disastrous or totally unnecessary, Moby Grape pull it off exceptionally. "Hey Grandma" is an immediate garage rock classic, and sets the tone for the album with soaring melodies, intricate and wonderful, but never overly complex, guitar work. The upbeat songs on the album that follow are absolutely killer, with side 1 chocked full of should've been hits, including "Fall On You" and "Come In The Morning." The classic "Omaha," penned by <b>Spence</b> was the only song to crack the top 40 (but more about that in a moment).
<br />Still, the second side reveals an even greater songwriting prowess than the first. Bluegrass is touched on with "Ain't No Use" while the slow "Someday" and ominous "Sitting By A Window" really showcase their abilities. It's shocking to see that some of the songs on this side clock in at WELL-UNDER the 2-minute mark.
<br />At under thirty minutes the record is an absolute breeze, and the amount of superb melody and harmony packed into it is superb. In an era that saw the excesses of rock music begin (for better or for worse) with concept albums and jams, this record remains as fresh and enjoyable as when it was released. Of course, it could not last. Columbia Records released seven singles simultaneously, thus ensuring none would chart, and only "Omaha" did. Their next record featured a record full of jams, which is the opposite of their strength. They eventually (not sure exactly which) would release a record that required the speed of the turntable to be adjusted mid-side. These gimmicks and poor songs are so sad when compared to the majesty of this debut record. Only available in a poor CD edition after the Sundazed reissue quickly went out of print, you'd be well-served to pick it up on vinyl. A real underrated gem.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-25499362742513718932011-08-18T11:02:00.000-07:002011-08-18T12:51:07.030-07:00#24 Stevie Wonder-Innervisions<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=StevieWonderInnervisions.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/StevieWonderInnervisions.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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<br /><b>Artist</b>: Stevie Wonder
<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>Innervisions</i>
<br /><b>Label</b>: Tamla/Motown
<br /><b>Year</b>: 1973
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<br />For his third masterpiece in two years, and the middle album to his perfect string of five albums (from <i>Music Of My Mind</i> through <i>Songs In The Key Of Life</i>) Stevie Wonder created the most political album of his career. In a lot of ways, <i>Innervisions</i> shares much in common with the other albums he created during this period of his career, certainly dominating much of the instrumentation as well as creating an incredibly diverse album stylistically. The album features, like the rest of those albums also, some sure-fire hits, some legendary tracks of his, and some of his most underrated work. What separates <i>Innervisions</i> from the others is its perfect flow and its topicality. While I do personally enjoy the songs more on this release than any of his others, I believe that it stands out so significantly in content also is what makes it his definitive release.
<br />It would be unfair and a bit disingenuous to find any real fault with the other albums Wonder created during this period. I wouldn't call this a critique...and I'm sure this idea could be challenged, but I've never found there to be an extraordinary amount of clear organization to his albums of the era (aside from perhaps the first and last songs--the singles, really). John Bush makes this point in his review of <i>Fulfillingness' First Finale</i> on allmusic, saying that it feels more like a collection of songs than a whole unique album. While <i>Songs In The Key Of Life</i> sets out to be a concept album built around an incredibly diverse amount of musical, social, and political ideas, that isn't as evident on its predecessors. Therefore, the clear political nature of <i>Innervisions</i> allows it to stand out.
<br />Stevie's more-politically themed songs here vary extraordinarily. They are important because just as the Civil War didn't end slavery, the end of Jim Crow laws and the Black Power movement didn't exactly end racism, either. The epic, album-stealing "Living For The City" paints a perfect portrait of this, describing the hard-ships of black families. Why should they be the ones who find themselves most often in horrible living situations with the fewest opportunities for employment? Though this album is another showcase for Stevie's lyrical talents, they pale in comparison to his music. The keyboard on the song is magnificent, and the way it builds in tension and emotion throughout the song, backed with excellent backing singers, makes it a real treat. It flows into my favorite song on the album, "Golden Lady," with deceptive lyrics that could be mistaken for Stevie pining for another girl, but really underscore the dangers of materialism (notice how the natural elements in the song are attainable, but the gold is where Stevie would only LIKE to go).
<br />The rest of the album continues this trend brilliantly. "Too High" opens the album, but the songs I just discussed are tracks three and four. At the point where many great albums go on auto-pilot after a killer intro, <i>Innervisions</i> achieves the opposite. After side one ends, we get the hit "Higher Ground", and the second side continues the funky "Jesus Children of America", the beautiful "All In Love Is Fair", another hit with the Latin-themed "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" and the Nixon-themed sendoff of "He's Misstra Know It All."
<br />Throughout the whole album Stevie is as gorgeous and generous with his melodies as ever. No long-song overstays its welcome, and the range of emotions on display is magnificent. <i>Innervisions</i> remains one of the finest R&B albums of all-time and a definitive statement from one of music's giants.
<br />Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582143825264887124.post-16941586497512548362011-08-17T07:17:00.000-07:002011-08-17T08:21:19.604-07:00#25 The Kinks-The Village Green Preservation Society<a href="http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/?action=view&current=villagegreen.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad357/rbdrucker/villagegreen.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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<br /><b>Artist</b>: The Kinks
<br /><b>Album</b>: <i>The Village Green Preservation Society</i>
<br /><b>Label</b>: Reprise
<br /><b>Year</b>: 1968
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<br />We enter the last quarter of the list with an album that, while I have nobody to blame but myself...I guess I just can't believe it's not higher. I suppose that'll be the case with all of these albums from here on out, but <i>Village Green</i> is certainly one of the more understated and underrated moments of genius from a band already acknowledged by many as rock's most underrated. Though their quietest album, it comes right in the middle of an era of prolific genius from the group, that also saw the creation of six other magnificent albums and countless singles as well. It is tame in tone, but often nasty in lyrical content. While Ray Davies expresses a longing for simpler times, it's always with a hint of sarcasm, pointed both towards the preposterous nature of longing for the past, and certainly those around him that can't let it go.
<br />Much has been made about the album's place as a counterpoint to other pop music of the era. The Kinks in 1968 were definitively un-hip: they were in the midst of a ban from touring in America, their last hit had really been in 1966 ("Sunny Afternoon") and their previous album, though well-reviewed, was incredibly calm and tame (compared to the burgeoning hippie movement, at least). Indeed, if anything, <i>Village Green</i> is an even more extreme version of <i>Something Else</i>. While that album introduced the tameness that would inhibit their popularity for a few years, it still had some genuine pop hits. Indeed, songs like "Waterloo Sunset", "Harry Rag" and "Tin Soldier Man" and "David Watts", even, were pretty logical extensions of earlier songs and singles that had celebrated in an almost silly way the small town follies of England. This is something that the group had begun with "Well-Respected Man" years earlier. From this point on, their lyrical themes would bear little resemblance to most of their peers, but at least through <i>Face To Face</i> there was some significant loud, rock and roll-ness to their songs. <i>Something Else</i> was, like its predecessor, a general account of a town, almost. The events, emotions, and people portrayed could've been anybody. This was not the case with <i>Village Green</i>.
<br />By contrast, the band's 1968 album featured all songs related to a "Village Green." Rather than songs about a hodge-podge of various happenings that have no real geographic or chronological theme, the band creates an album with songs linked by this location. In some instances, like "Big Sky" and "Animal Farm" and "Sitting By The Riverside," as well as the two title tracks, this is achieved through lyrical content that could only take place in a town like Village Green. In other instances, the only real link is the consistent and mostly-acoustic instrumentation. "All Of My Friends Were There" for example, an early precursor to Davies' theatrical obsession of the 1970s, gives off a feel that all of the characters you've been hearing about in the early songs are the ones that were there to see this failed performance. If <i>Something Else</i> has an achilles heel, it's that the style of the songs is almost too-diverse, and it's really their only album of the era that this can be said about. Yet apart from a linkage in styles, the Kinks already were capable of and celebrating-while-mocking their own background, it's really The Kinks sense of humor and attitude towards the content of the album that makes it so special.
<br />The Kinks lyrics must not be taken at face-value. As mentioned earlier, "Well-Respected Man" is a pretty good precursor to the band's lyrical themes for the rest of the decade. After early singles like "Tired of Waiting For You" and "You Really Got Me" which were, lyrically at least, nothing exceptional compared to what would come, this song hints at their sardonic tone they would use consistently. The "Well Respected Man" in the song ends up being the butt of the joke, as his regiment and routine really aren't to be celebrated. It's even more clear the Kinks treat these people with sarcasm on a song like "Mr. Pleasant" where the man who has done everything right and done what he was supposed to do is beating cheated on. These songs take to task a culture of people who do nothing but what they are supposed to do, which is its own downfall. Looking at Village Green, it may seem like "People Take Pictures of Each Other" is a tale about looking at old pictures and missing the good old days, but I don't think that's the case. The narrator asks that you "show me no more, please," indicating that he misses the days the world was young and free, which it isn't anymore. The next verse, singing "People take pictures of each other, and the moment to last them forever, of the time when they mattered to someone" shows the absolute fraud that is taking all of those photos, and reminiscing about the good old days. The good old days were really lies, and photos have the ability to accentuate the fakeness of the past, not happy nostalgia. "Picture Book" earlier in the album does the same, with "Picture book, of people with each other, to prove they love each other, a long time ago." These lines all prove, to me at least, that the themes on this album are not of a time that <i>should</i> be missed. One begins to think in "Village Green" when Ray sings that he will return there and drink tea with Daisy, it's during a different moment. If the narrator of the picture songs is realizing or experiencing the lies that the photos bring, then in "Village Green" he's under the false spell of nostalgia again. In songs like "Do You Remember Walter" and "Big Sky" this loss of innocence and youth hinted at is again in place. Both of those songs ALSO feature lyrics about freedom ("do you remember how we said we'd fight the world so we'd be free" and "one day, we'll be free, we won't care, just you wait and see," respectively). Ray is now old enough to know it was all a lie. To sum it up: as great as it is to think the world is at your fingertips and everyone around you is wonderful when you are young and small, the world has a way of crushing your dreams. When you return home, you know the truth, but the hardest part is watching a new generation live out the lies you once believed in. In yearns for nostalgia, Ray Davies doesn't want to "go home" he wants to go back to his past and have something better to believe in, as foolish as it may really be.
<br />So really, it's an incredibly dark album. That it retains its pop sensibilities is another monumental achievement for the band. Beautiful string arrangements on "Animal Farm" make it the album's centerpiece. The only two really electric songs on the album, "Last Of The Steam Powered Trains" and "Wicked Annabella" retain a subdued charm that balances out the power of the themes (a steam powered train and a wicked woman). The steam-powered train is the perfect metaphor for the album, which at one moment is the most powerful vehicle we have, but in its current incarnation, pales in comparison to its modern peers. One more song worth pointing out is "Johnny Thunder" which is this album's "David Watts." But if the latter represented the feeling a peer has when viewing the big man on campus (I would not say there's much irony in that song--it's really a celebration of <i>that</i> feeling when one is a youth), "Johnny Thunder" is from a more adult perspective. The people of the town can't get through to him or bring him down...which implies they must be <i>trying</i> to do so. This big shot needs to come down from the clouds and be grounded. And again, that idea of freedom is here, as Johnny has vowed to never end up like the rest.
<br />The album is just perfect in every way. It has a back-story that's interesting, and after being finished at 12-tracks, Davies had it pulled, and it eventually was its final 15. This added to some degree of its commercial failure--that is--not having a well-planned out release/marketing schedule. The group would continue to make more well-organized concept albums for years to come, and still had some great albums ahead of them. But their high point, and their last album as the original quartet with bassist <b>Peter Quaife</b>, was this one. An essential album that requires significant attention.Druckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06150900852794825009noreply@blogger.com0