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Useless Things Need Love Too

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Monthly Archives: December 2016

Cape Fear or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

31 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Movie Review, Uncategorized

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a/perture Cinema, Barnard Hermann, Cape Fear, Elmer Berntstein, Gregory Peck, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Martin Balsam, Martin Scorsese, Netflix, Nick Nolte, Robert Di Niro, Robert Mitchum, Steven Spielberg, The Less Desirables

Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Cape Fear starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange.

Per IMDb: “A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year

cape_fear_91

©Amblin Entertainment, Cappa Films, Tribeca Productions

sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.”

Max Cady (De Niro) has gotten out of jail after 14 years of hard time due to him brutally raping a 16-year old girl. He was illiterate and simple before prison, all of the court proceedings had to be read to him. However, while in jail, he learned to read. Starting with simple books but building up to law books. He learned a lot. He learned how to lie on his parole forms and representing himself during the appeals.

Another thing he learned, was that his defense attorney, Sam Bowden (Nolte), buried info that would have reduced Cady’s sentence or even gained him an acquittal. Sam was appalled by the brutality of the rape and while she had been promiscuous, he didn’t think she deserved that (which, of course, she didn’t), but it was his job to defend his client or bow out to allow for another attorney.

Max starts stalking Sam, even killing the family dog, harassing his wife Leigh (Lange) and getting obsessed about the Bowden’s 15 year old daughter, Danielle (Juliette Lewis). The movie has a very climactic ending which, of course, I’ll not tell you about. You have to watch to see how all of it goes down.

This is a Martin Scorsese film, which marked the seventh collaboration with De Niro. Steven Spielberg was going to make it but thought it was a bit too violent for his tastes, so he “traded” it with Scorsese to get Schindler’s List back after Marty decided he didn’t want to make it anymore. It’s a violent film, a true thriller from start to finish, well, okay about 10 minutes in to finish.

Scorsese channeled his inner Hitchcock for this film, for sure. I researched the score and found it was the same one as the original Bernard Hermann version from the 1962 film, but it was conducted by Elmer Bernstein (who in his own right was a legendary composer). Also making appearances from the 1962 version? The film’s stars. That’s right, Gregory Peck, who played the protagonist, then, plays Cady’s new attorney; Robert Mitchum who played the antagonist, plays a cop who suggests that perhaps Bowden uses alternative methods to rid himself of the “Cady problem;” and Martin Balsam who plays a police officer in the original, plays the judge hearing a restraining order case in this version. I think that’s cool.

I watched the film back in the mid-90s but was a young and careless man at the time, I’m old, now (probably still careless) and paid a bit more attention this time around. Not that I didn’t back then, just wasn’t as into it. I think a girl wanted to see it or something. Anywhat, I thought it was exciting and I was enthralled. I thought while there weren’t really any plot twists, you did perhaps get thrown off a few times or surprised when things happened. At least I was.

Max Cady seems a bit of a combo of psychotic, hell-bent on revenge and religious zealot all rolled up in one package. I was wondering why that sounded familiar to me. I had seen the original and that character wasn’t the same as this. The theme, upon reading, was derived from the original but also Scorsese draws from the character Harry Powell, from 1955’s The Night of the Hunter, which also (probably not incidentally) stars Robert Mitchum, who follows kids that may be onto his murdering ways down a river. I didn’t give anything away about it, but there’s a river scene. I think it was cool that Scorsese paid homage to that film, which was set in my my home state of West Virginia. De Niro was terrifying as Max Cady.

The film got De Niro and Juliette Lewis Academy Award nods for Best Actor and Supporting Actress respectively. Rotten Tomatoes has the film at 76% Fresh with an Audience score of 77%. IMDb has it at 7.3 stars out of 10. I watched the film on Netflix and rate it 4.25 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you want to read/hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I don’t know whether to look at him or read him.” – Lieutenant Elgart

Pledging My Time or: A List in the Life (RS Part 50/The Final Chapter)

30 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Music Review

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Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Clash, The Rolling Stones, Underdog Records

Salutations™!!

So… this is it. The last segment of the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time. I have gone through 490 albums to get here (minus about 35 greatest hits/compilation/anthologies along the way). I wrote my first review for this countdown on Tuesday, January 28, 2014. It was because I saw Doug Davis and Ed Bumgardner talking about it and I decided I could do it. My now-business partner, Paul Jones, said I should write my thoughts on the list as he was interested in hearing them. My pal, Keith Wilson encouraged me to do it, as well. Eugene, bless him, has made fun of me the whole way, but I get it. I have learned a lot about my tastes, some surprising, some affirming, in music. It has been a very fun journey along the way, any how. So, I will have finished this 500 albums in just under three years. I appreciate all of you that have read along and commented, as well, regardless whether it was here, on Facebook or on Twitter. I have enjoyed going through it with you. So, let’s finish this thing. I will tell you there are four Beatles albums in this segment and two Bob Dylan. Everyone else is one-shots for this segment; the rest have had at least one in another segment along the way. Here we go…

#10 – The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles. The second of my three favorite Beatles albums. A full two albums, really, all in one package. When I got my turntable a few Christmases back, my brother-in-law gave this to me for Christmas on vinyl. 29 songs, white-albummany of them very well known, and not one single was released. Still the album went to #1 in both US and UK. I’m more a fan of the first disc overall but there are some songs on the second that I like even more. The recording sessions, which also produced tunes “Hey Jude” and “Revolution” (not to be confused with the acoustic-driven “Revolution 1” and avant garde “Revolution 9”), neither on this album (both were released as singles), was done after the infamous Transcendental Meditation trip to India with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Several things happened with that. One was the other people that were involved, including the wives of the band and Mia and Prudence Farrow. It was Prudence’s obsession with the meditation aspect that led to John Lennon writing “Dear Prudence.” Another thing was dissension within the ranks of the band, partly over direction and partly over Yoko Ono. Again, even with that going on, there are some fantastic tunes written here. Arguably, it’s some of George Harrison’s best stuff as a Beatle. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Long, Long, Long” and “Savoy Truffle” are all great songs. “Piggies” isn’t bad, and it seems Charles Manson was a fan, as he referenced it in all the “Helter Skelter” mess, named for another song from this album. I could go into all the songs that I like but that would be a blog post all to its own. I’ll just say that I really like almost every single song. Perhaps if I’m taking the opposite route, “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road,” “Don’t Pass Me By,” “Yer Blues” and “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” are the ones I like least. Love it!

#9 – Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan. I like the happy-go-lucky feel of the first tune “Rainy Day Women #12&35.” It’s a let’s go smoke some weed and get stoned kind of song, in fact, bob_dylan_-_blonde_on_blondeit says as much all through the choruses. I like that he laughs like it’s a big party the whole time, leaving that in the song, even though I really don’t know what it’s about. I don’t think I’m equipped to understand a lot of what Dylan is talking about, most of the time. When the Chicago Blues song, “Pledging My Time” came on I felt like throwing something. I really can’t stand that stuff. Thankfully it went by fairly fast and we get the long but wonderfully written “Visions of Johanna,” a song about contrasting lovers. One a bit of sexual and one a bit spiritual. The song is lovely. There are parts of “Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine” that sound like a game show theme. It’s also very circus-ish. I heard the bluesy stuff at the beginning of “Temporary Like Achilles” and worry it will be another crapola song, but this wasn’t crapoloa. Yes, it is saloon-like but not in some gin joint kind of way. It’s a well constructed song and I love the line: “Honey, why are you so hard?” For the most part, for the highlights of the album, nothing on here stands out. The band being on the album to accompany Dylan (I believe called The Hawks with Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko of The Band) is pretty cool. But, this is not any better than most of the other Dylan albums on this countdown. In fact, I’d have taken just about any of them over this one. Even with headphones on, I found myself puttering around on the internet and checking emails and Facebook messages. It was okay, but certainly not top 10 material, to me. Meh.

#8 – London Calling by The Clash. Okay, I get the significance and all that but does it belong in the top 10? I can’t say for sure (this isn’t the one I’m questioning, by the way – see Part theclashlondoncallingalbumcover49 of the countdown), but I doubt it. I’ve always found the “phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust” line, funny. Perhaps even more now that it is surrounded by Beatles album on the top 10. I had always put The Clash in the same category as, say, Ramones and Sex Pistols. They most certainly aren’t. Maybe their earlier days. Not this album, at least. Let’s get this out of the way, first: Paul Simonon is a bad, bad, bad arsed bass player. I listened to this album with headphones and his playing is all over it and it is so clear. Examples (well, the whole danged album, but if I must) would be: “Koka Kola,” “The Guns of Brixton” (which he wrote and sings lead on), “Lost in the Supermarket,” “London Calling” and “Lover’s Rock” to name just a few. Seriously, the whole album is like a Simonon session. Another thing about this, I never realized the harmonies (albeit rudimentary) were so good and the somewhat wide breadth of styles they touch the whole album. From 50s-style do-wop to harder rock, pure punk to jazz and all in between, it’s here. And the production! We’ve discussed how much I’m into that and man, it’s here. The songwriting on here, even beyond the style is really good. I own this on CD and have listened through once, about 8 years ago or so, and mostly dismissed it as “that punk crap.” I still think that of their earlier records, but this is some fantastic stuff. So, let’s revisit those first two lines of this entry: Does it belong in the top 10? I retract that whole statement and change it to, “yes it does.” I also want to add the words: “ab-so-f***ing-lutely!” This could stand to be one or two higher, perhaps? When the new year arrives, I’m heading to Underdog Records (the official vinyl store of The Less Desirables) to purchase this on vinyl and not any old used copy either. A shiny new one. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I LOVE this album ×∞ (that’s infinity, boys and girls).

#7 – Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones. I do not get it. I don’t understand. To me, this sounds like a jumbled mess of, well, mess. Granted I’ve never been a fan of the 220px-exilemainstStones, so what do I know? I only enjoyed two songs from this album, “Shine a Light” and “Soul Survivor.” And, I’m not completely sure that last one wasn’t influenced by the fact it was the last thing I had to hear from it. I thought I owned it on CD, but I don’t. I remember the big hype about it in 2010 and I’m thinking that may be when I got it, if I did. I thought about purchasing it but I have had so many hit-or-miss moments with the Stones that I was gun shy about it. I could be and am probably wrong but I spent a lot of time listening to the local classic rock radio station here that has a mad on for some Stones and I can’t recall ever hearing any of these songs on there. They weren’t known for their expansive rotation. Pointing out two things about this list, again, because I’m sure I’ll be ripped about this one: If it must be on this list, it shouldn’t be this high; I’d not have it on there at all. Tattoo You and Some Girls are much better albums, to me. Which, brings me to my second point: this review process is about what I liked or didn’t like. It’s not necessarily a record of the merits or greatness of the album, that’s what Rolling Stone’s job was in compiling it. That being said, I don’t care if I never hear this again. Did not like.

#6 – What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye. Ah, a great addition to the list after that last clunker. A fantastic album of soul and R&B, this definitely is diamonds. I’m going to throw this out there, right out front: both James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt are out of this world bass marvingayewhatsgoingonalbumcoverplayers. Both are Motown legends, both members of the famous Funk Brothers and both are beasts. I can’t say which I liked listening to better. Another thing, I’ve mentioned I love concept albums and that’s what this is. It’s about the Vietnam War, but it’s not a protest album. It’s a love album. From the get go, Gaye is unrelenting on his love for fellow man and the disappointment of the treatment of vets returning home. In fact, the album is done from the perspective of a vet who was fighting for his country, coming back to a country that is intolerant, bitter and holds hatred for just about everyone. “What’s Going On,” while written about an incident seen on the Four Tops tour bus, pretty much sums up the feeling of 1971, which is, what is going on? I think that could be asked today, too. So much hatefulness, rancor, opposition to everything no matter if you really agree or not and so on. Gaye’s own brother was a Vietnam vet and wrote letters to Marvin and when he returned discussed what he saw. This was influential for the album, as well. Marvin Gaye has one of the sweetest, most purest voices I think I’ve ever heard and I am ashamed to say that I didn’t pay more attention to him before this. There’s much more to this man than “Sexual Healing” and his tragic demise. I’m not picking favorites on here, the whole album (nine songs, barely over 35 minutes) is my favorite song. I highly recommend this album, for sure. I LOVED it!

#5 – Rubber Soul by The Beatles. Top five, baby! And so it begins, the Beatles letting go of their cutesy boy meets girl/lovey dovey baloney and jumping feet or head first into the
more grownup themed music that I really dug. They kind of did that on Help! but I think this is where it really took off. I have mentioned my top three fave Beatles albums, but if I were going to round out the top five, this would be #5 while Revolver (still to come) would be #4. From far-fetched career aspirations and innuendo (“Drive My Car”) to an downloadabandoned, pyromaniacal would-be lover (“Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)”); someone wondering where their life is going (“Nowhere Man”) to introspection, love and loss (“In My Life”). This album has a lot of things going on. French inspiration in the form of “Michelle” and I love the French for these are things that go together well. I have the book A Hard Days Write by Steve Turner and in that he says Paul had to ask a French friend of his how to say it and it worked out perfectly. The urgency of “The Word” pounds in some early “harder” rock and I love that. Lennon and McCartney seemingly wrote that while getting stoned, writing the lyrics on multicolored paper. I guess that was to add to the trip. And, wouldn’t “Run For Your Life” be considered a bit threatening? “I’d rather see you dead, little girl, than see you with another man.” Yep, sound kind of stalkerish to me. So, it’s a well-developed and beautifully flawed album all at the same time. As I said, it’s one of my top 5 Beatles albums of all time and it’s right where it should be, I think. Love.

#4 – Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan. Jeez, let’s hope this one is better than the last Dylan album. And, it is. I’m pretty sure that Stephen King got the title of his book From a Buick 8 from the song, “From a Buick 6.” I know that Mr. King is a music fan and I can totally picture listening to some Zimmerman. Something about this album, while slightly similar to Blonde on Blonde, has a different overall feel to it. I’m still not fantastically into fa6c5b2332fc39e0903832e2f143a1f1-1000x1000x1it, but it has good moments. Of course, it wouldn’t be Dylan if there wasn’t some long-arsed song that went on for almost 12 minutes, right? That’s what you get with “Desolation Row.” I don’t know how he remembers all the words live. I also don’t picture him with teleprompters. Perhaps he didn’t do that one live? I do like how Dylan combined poetry with music. I think, too, that was the beauty of what he did. I know she was misunderstood and her poetry and songs weren’t that spectacular, but Jewel did the same thing 20 years later. I know that lyrics are basically poetry (sometimes, I don’t think “Got Love For Sale” from KISS is necessarily poetry), but he actually conveys that it’s poetry set to music. The legendary “Like a Rolling Stone” is on this album. Poor girl, I say. I like the title track and the slide whistle in it. It’s credited as a slide whistle but I don’t know if that’s what it is. They make these whistles that create that sliding sound but it’s according to how hard you blow. A slide whistle only goes so far and you have to use the slide. Novel concept, eh? There are plenty of good songs on the album, “Queen Jane Approximately,” “Tombstone Blues.” Both good songs. However, my favorite on here is “Ballad of a Thin Man.” I just like the darker, meaner, snarkier feel of the tune. It was cool to listen to. Overall, the album was still a mystery to me because I never know what the heck he’s talking about but it was better than the previous, as I said. Still, is it top 10? Not to me, nope. Put it in the 300s. I dug it, but don’t care to hear it again.

#3 – Revolver by The Beatles. 1…2…3…4… 1…2…(1-2-3-4! ). That, and it’s followed by one of the coolest basslines I’ve ever heard in one of the heavier songs the Beatles had done up to that point. That’s how my experience with this album started some 25 years ago (yeah, I got a late start). With “Taxman.” My fourth favorite Beatles album, Revolver was the only Beatles album that had a George Harrison tune as the lead track.  What followed that was a revolversong I had heard on the local classic rock station but didn’t know what it was. I actually had to call the station and ask Pete Bunch what it was. He didn’t make fun of me, but I could tell he was amused. That song was “Eleanor Rigby.” The instrumentation, in fact, was sans any of the Beatles, only a double string quartet. I did a rock version of that tune about 15 years ago. I need to see if I can dig it up off an old computer or something. I can’t find it otherwise. I’d like to “release” that for people to hear. The sound quality itself was pretty crappy but I really liked my arrangement of it. The production of this album is lush. Sometimes albums from this era has a thinner sound to me, even from the big boys. Part of it, I’m sure was the absence of the big open “live” recordings and reliance on more multi-track recording which allows for better isolation. Listening to this through headphones the width of the sonic field is magical. Panning and depth are amazing here. The first appearance of “Yellow Submarine” was here, too, almost a full two years before the film and soundtrack of the same name came out. The harmonies here are so full and masterful, too. The harmonies of Lennon and McCartney are historic, of course, but when you add in Harrison’s harmonies, it’s out of this world; complex. “Tomorrow Never Knows” is an oddity because with the exception of a few notes here and there, the song’s instrumentation is only in the key and never moves out of this key; just tablas, bass and backward sitars in an Indian style. I’m not a fan of the Indian stuff on most Beatles albums, so “Love You To” isn’t a fave. I’d say on this album, it’s the only song I don’t really care for (not the last time you’ll read about that in a Harrison tune). I could write an entire post on this album, so I’ll stop on it now, but I’ll also say that some of my actual favorite songs are (in addition to “Taxman” and “Eleanor Rigby”): “She Said, She Said,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” “For No One,” “Got to Get You into My Life” and “I Want to Tell You.” To say I love this album is an understatement, indeed.

#2 – Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. This album is always compared to and, sometimes, turns out ahead of Sgt. Pepper and I don’t see it, don’t understand it, at all. In the last entry I talked about Revolver sounding lush, this is the thin tinny sound that I was talking about that was opposite of that lushness. To me, the Beatles albums still sound somewhat fresh. This is dated. This is 1966 and it sounds like it. It’s okay if that’s what you like. And, I beachboysdon’t mind it, but, this isn’t as full as the Beatles albums. Not to me, anyway. This is only the second time, ever, listening to this album. I own it on CD and listened through once, saying to myself, wow this is the great album everyone keeps talking about? Okay, then… I’m listening to the mono version because I believe that was the original release. I don’t know the difference in mono version vs stereo, other than the obvious aural spread. I do find funny, the fact that people get twisted out of shape when they find out that other than vocals and a few random instrumental moments, the Beach Boys didn’t play on this album. This, my friends is the magical work of the “Wrecking Crew!” Remember them? I did a review of the documentary a few months back and I’ve talked about on this list finding out they’ve been on it has really perked me up. That’s some saving grace for me on this. Some. Any electric bass you hear, that’s the legendary queen Carol Kaye. She’s awesome! Is it really a Beach Boys album or is it a Brian Wilson solo album? The first single, “Caroline, No” was released as by him, I think. I don’t know. There’s good songs on this album, it’s just a different monster all together. Some of those good songs would be: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Here Today,” “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times.” Really, though, I am repeating myself: I don’t get it. I’m not saying it’s a bad album. I’m saying it, in no way, to me, is comparable to Sgt. Pepper. Not in song quality, not in sonic quality. There’s good songs on this album, it’s just a different monster all together. Some of those good songs would be: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Here Today,” “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times.” I will admit, I went back and listened to parts of the stereo mixes and it sounded much better; more full with more depth. Rumor has it that Paul McCartney heard this and wanted to reproduce it. If that’s the case he totally out-tripped the coverage. Sgt. Pepper went leaps and bounds over this. I told you last segment that I was going to question something in this segment and this is it. Now, Top 20? Yeah, probably. So, I’ll say I dug it, but not for this spot. And, the winner is…

#1 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles. Yes. #1. Right where it should be. It is the greatest record of all time for me. Not to say it’s flawless, by any means. There are two songs on this album that I don’t care for: “Good Morning Good Morning” and “Within You Without You.” Everything else, though? Amazing. There’s not enough adjectives I sgt-_peppers_lonely_hearts_club_bandcould put in here to describe it. The orchestra warming up at the beginning indicates you’re in for a show, an exhibition, a spectacle! And, the sound of the roaring orchestra at the very end of “A Day in the Life” lets you know that you’ve just been knocked on your arse, perhaps both literally as well as figuratively. I do hate that George Harrison’s only vocal/written tune is one of the two I don’t like, but really, George, I don’t like your Indian-influenced tunes. I don’t discard it all of the time, just in the case of “Within You Without You” and “Love You To” from Revolver. And, for once, a Ringo-voiced tune isn’t a throwaway token song. “With a Little Help from My Friends” is one of the cornerstone staples of this album. A tune that also was covered, famously by Joe Cocker (I covered that version for the VSS “Woodstock” show) and the theme song to a successful television show, The Wonder Years. Storytelling by the Beatles, in my opinion is only bested by Bob Dylan, perhaps Springsteen at times. But, the Beatles stories are bold as in “She’s Leaving Home” (which is one of my favorites on here), “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” and “A Day in the Life,” which is at times my absolute favorite Beatles song. That fluctuates its superlative status based on my mood. The production itself, again, rumored to be the result of Paul hearing Pet Sounds and wanting to best it, is completely lush and brilliant. George Martin, you beast! I think when the Beatles decided to throw away the “can we reproduce this live” worry, they opened their minds, their music and their craft to whole new, astronomical levels. It’s an aural, moving piece of art that I can never get tired of listening to. It finds its way onto my listening rotation at least once every six to eight months. Before I got the remastered box set and transferred it all to my iPod, my old copy of this was really, most literally, worn down. I didn’t take too good of care of it. I gave it to someone, perhaps The BCPF or my buddy Brian, I’m not sure who got what. I can write whole posts about this but it would be a lot of redundant descriptors, adverbs and adjectives; more than is ever needed. The bottom line is, this is the greatest album of all time. It’s the greatest album that will ever be. I can say that because the art of putting an album together is basically done and I don’t see this being beaten. So, I love it. I own it. I have a dilapidated old, used, saved from a fire vinyl copy that I will change in the next few months with a shiny new version. It’s chock-full of greatness and it was even completely covered by Cheap Trick. That makes it even more cool, right? Right. Ladies and gentleman… may I introduce to you, the (album) you’ve known for all these years: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

So, that’s it. That’s the top 500 albums of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine’s poll of record industry folk, performers and regular folk. That’s the compiled list. Now, as I’ve said all along, I don’t necessarily agree with some of it. Just the top 10 alone, I’d push The Beach Boys back to about 18, move both Dylan albums to wherever, perhaps even if out of the top 500, definitely take Exile out completely, move Abbey Road, Nevermind (yes, I said it),  Are You Experienced into the top 10 for sure and then take your pick between Rumours, The Joshua Tree or Tapestry and put it in the top 10, and I’d feel much better about it.

I have found things that I love that I didn’t know that I loved. I found things that I looked forward to frighteningly dull or just plain awful. I found things I’d never heard of. I found things I never want to hear again. This list has had it all. I will go back and listen to some of these multiple times. I have found some of my favorite stuff on vinyl or otherwise. I will go back and listen to the compilations since they’re out of context of a true greatest albums list. I want to be fair about it all. If I find I can’t live without it, I’ll write an addendum, or perhaps amend the original post to reflect my findings, otherwise I’ll leave them the way they are. Thank you, Dear Reader, so very much for reading these rantings and my admittedly naive and mostly uninformed opinions on these albums. I am more informed now that I’ve listened and read more about them.

So, 2016, you took a lot of great people from this list, but you also saw me finish the Top 400 Nominees of the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list but also the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time. I apologize for this long 4000+ word post. It was necessary, I thought. There will be a reflection piece in the next week or so, I hope.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble.” – “Michelle” (Lennon/McCartney)

Just Like Old Times or: The TV Guru

29 Thursday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Eugene B Sims, The Less Desirables, The Less Desirables Network, Tracy Krohn Acupuncture

Salutations™!!

It was just over a year ago when my buddy, biz partner and co-host of The Less Desirables, Eugene B. Sims, the TLD TV Guru, left the show and it was a year ago this week that he gave his last TLD TV Update. I have missed having him on the show. Now, let me be clear. I loved bringing The Right Reverend Cool, Bruce Cole, on to take his seat. And, I absolutely 2016-12-28-22-49-32love having my second work wife, Dannie B on and I’d not change that, at all. I want her there with my first work wife, Crazy Caiti, no matter what. Those two women keep me stable on the show and I absolutely love them for it.

But, last night, on The Less Desirables, Eugene came on to give his annual Top 5 Shows of 2016. As soon as I hit record on the console, we rolled into the show and it was like he had never left. You see, Dannie B was out because she was getting sick. When Eugene left, the show was him, Caitlin and me. So, last night it was like it used to be, except those two were in opposite seats. But, the back and forth, the banter, the putdowns, they were all right where they should be. I really hate that Danielle wasn’t there. I wanted them to meet so badly. And, they will. I have a feeling Eug will be back on, soon. I hope he will, at least.

Last night, unfortunately, was a one-off with my buddy. But, if the situation was right for him, there’s a seat on this show for him. Whether it be regularly, only semi-regularly or even permanently, I want him to be part of the show, again. I know some of the things that led to his departure are over and done with and I’d love to have him back. He was my first work wife, really. Everyone, even drop-in guest Tracy Krohn said she could tell we were married. Anywhat! I’d like to have him back, period.

You can listen to the episode if you go to the TLD website (click on Latest Podcast) or on the TLD Network website.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

S’more or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

28 Wednesday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Beer

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Tags

BeerAdvocate, City Beverage, Saranac Brewery, The Less Desirables, WSNC

Salutations™!!

City Beverage, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents S’more Porter from Saranac Brewery, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week.unnamed-1

I know I say this a lot, but it’s true. I’m “hit-or-miss” with Saranac brews. Mostly because it’s a lot of IPAs and if I’m going to have an IPA, then it’s going to be a good one (yes, there are some) and a lot of times with Saranac, they’re not. But, because I’m a second (and dozens) chance kind of guy, let’s try something else, right on?

I don’t know anything about this beer other than I’ve never had it. I’m not even a fan of s’mores. I like all the ingredients: chocolate, marshmallow, graham crackers. I just don’t like it all hot and melty. I’d just as soon have marshmallows “raw” out of the bag; chocolate in solid form, by itself and grahams I like better with peanut butter. Everything is better with peanut butter. But, I do love porters and I’m hoping this one isn’t a bust. I know Caitlin doesn’t like stuff like that and is a hop queen but we have a special guest on the show tonight that I know also is “hopped out” on hops and I’ve waited a year for him to be (back) on the show, I’m not serving an IPA for that.

BeerAdvocate has it at 86 (Very Good) with no Bros. Score. Untappd has it at 3.72 caps out of 5. RateBeer has it at 85 Overall and 82 in style.It’s 6.2% ABV. Those ratings make me feel at least decent about the drinkability of the beer.

Have you had it? What did you think? If you haven’t had it or just have a hankering for more, well head to City Beverage and get your sixer. Tell them it’s the beer of the week and get 5% off your order. Then, tune in late tonight or tomorrow to hear what Caitlin, Danielle, Eugene (yes, that Eugene) and I think about it.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Combining the flavors of a porter and campfire s’more, this beer is brewed with a blend of caramel, biscuit, brown, and roasted malts and is then aged with chocolate and vanilla. The result is a rich and decadent beer with the flavor of milk-chocolate, marshmallow, and toasty graham cracker. Just like the real thing.” – Saranac

She What Birthed Me or: Ma Mère

27 Tuesday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

I’m keeping this short today, but I certainly want to mention that today is the birthday of my mother. Not saying how many but she’s still young and I do love her. She makes me hqdefaultwhat I am, at least in the modeling. I went rogue and on my own but she taught me to be who I am, first and that’s what I’ve done. We don’t have the same philosophies on life, religion or politics but she accepts this weirdo for who I am. I love her for that.

So to you, mom, happy solar circumnavigational anniversary day!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” – Stevie Wonder

The Morning After or: Food Coma

26 Monday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Food, Life as We Know It, Uncategorized

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Tags

Baltimore Ravens, Christmas, Pittsburgh Steelers

Salutations™!!

Am I the only one that had way too much of everything this weekend? Saturday, Christmas Eve, was the traditional celebration for my family and The BCPF’s family. My sis makes the beer boiled shrimp per the family tradition and I made the deviled eggs. On top of that we had potato salad, chicken wings, tea biscuits, creamed corn, green beans, bread, and shload of desserts, including a birthday cake for Jesus (yeah, that happens…).

chefs-christmas-feast

Not our feast… but close.

Well, to me, the only part that matters, food wise, is the shrimp. Everything else is second fiddle to that. I ate what was probably about two pounds of it myself. I don’t put anything else on my plate until I’ve had all that I want of that. Again, no exaggeration, about two pounds. I love that stuff. It was probably the best batch I can remember having of it in a long time. I also made the punch and I drank about half of that.

Then, on Sunday, Christmas Day, we switch the tradition around and this year it was prime rib. Because mine wasn’t as rare as I wanted, they made me two pieces; large pieces, full pieces. Then, I had some of the eggs and bread and a baked potato. The whole time I’m thinking to myself, what are you doing, man!!?? Well, I ate it all and didn’t feel good about myself afterward. Actually, that’s not true. I did feel pretty good, pretty well fed and satisfied. I was just stuffed. Oh and the Steelers wrapped up the AFC North and the Ravens were knocked out of the playoffs. That helped.

The funny thing, at least to me, is that I guess I was on full days off because I didn’t even take a picture of any of it. I just scarfed it down. Merry merry me, then. Hopefully, you all got what you wanted from Santa and that could include just rest and relaxation.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Halloween isn’t the only time for ghosts and ghost stories. In Victorian Britain, spooky winter’s tales were part of the Christmas season, often told after dinner, over port or coffee.” – Michael Dirda

Silent Sunday or: Merry

25 Sunday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Silent Sunday

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Tags

Holidays

Salutations™!!

Happy/Good/Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, Winter Solstice, Pancha Ganapati, Malkh, Yule, HumanLight, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, a day off, whatever you’re celebrating.

photo

Until tomorrow, same blog channel..
Scorp out!

—
“Happy holidays!” The BCPF & me.

Gremlins or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

24 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Movie Review, Uncategorized

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a/perture Cinema, Amazon Prime, Chris Columbus, Chuck Jones, Corey Feldman, Frank Welker, Gremlins, Howie Mandel, Hoyt Axton, IMDb, Joe Dante, Judge Reinhold, Michael Winslow, Peter Cullen, Phoebe Cates, Polly Holliday, Rotten Tomatoes, Steven Spielberg, The Less Desirables, Zack Galligan

Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Gremlins (1984), starring Zack Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Howie Mandel and Hoyt Axton.

Per IMDb: “A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.”

gremlins1

©Amblin Entertainment

A struggling inventor of total crap, Randall Peltzer (Axton) is in Chinatown trying to score a sale on his totally useless Bathroom Buddy All-in-One gadget. He is trying to sell to an old Chinese antique owner when he hears a noise. It’s the sound of a mogwai, which in Chinese culture and lore is a kind of demon that inflicts harm upon humans. In this film, however, it’s a cute little “furby-like” animal. He wants it to give to his son, but the old man isn’t having it. The old man’s grandson is flabbergasted that he won’t accept $200 for the creature. The kid goes behind his granddad’s back and sells the mogwai to Randall. The kid tells Randall that there are three rules about mogwai that cannot, under any circumstances, be broken: keep them out of the light, don’t get them wet and no matter what, no matter how much they beg, never, ever get them wet.

Of course, Randall says okay and journeys back home to give his son, Billy (Galligan) the gift and gives him the rules. Billy, although an adult who works in a bank, is a bit scatterbrained and aloof about much of anything. He has a hard time keeping the mogwai, named “Gizmo” (voiced by Mandel) out of the light. His little pal, Pete (Corey Feldman) spills a glass of water onto Gizmo, which spawns a new mogwai every time one gets wet. Stripe (voiced by the voice of Fred, Scooby Doo and Megatron, Frank Welker), the leader of the new batch of mogwai is a bit unruly and the rest follow him, except Gizmo. They eat through the power cord of Billy’s clock and he thinks it’s before midnight – it’s not. This turns the cute furry mogwai into green slimy monsters or “gremlins.” These gremlins wreak havoc on the town. How? And, do Billy and his friends stop the critters? You’ll have to watch and find out.

A few things that stand out about this film to me. First, the B list all stars that appeared in this film: Judge Reinhold (who had been caught flogging the bishop to this film’s co-star Phoebe Cates just two years prior in Fast Times at Ridgemont High), Corey Feldman, animation legend Chuck Jones, Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime), Michael Winslow (the sound effects guy) and Polly Holliday who played Flo (“kiss my grits”) on TV’s Alice. Second, I have come to realize that no era of film requires the suspension of disbelief more than any almost every film released in the 1980s. Don’t get me wrong, I love 80s movies but when I go back and watch them now, even beyond the primitive special effects, which are endearing, really, they reek of K-R-A-F-T… Not even Velveeta (yes, still made by Kraft), but the cheap-o kind of imitation cheese.

I haven’t seen this film since the late 80s/early 90s and I now know why. I asked The BCPF if she wanted to watch it with me, this morning, and she declined. She knew better. The story is campy. The acting, quite suspect. It’s not a great film. However, there’s a nostalgia factor that comes into play. I was 13 when the film came out and I thought it was hilarious and fun. It’s still fun, beyond the parts that are borderline stupid. So, great or not, I still “like” it. It was produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Chris Columbus. It was directed by Joe Dante.

Rotten Tomatoes has it at 85% Fresh with an Audience Score of 77%. I think the critic’s consensus from RT says it best: Whether you choose to see it as a statement on consumer culture or simply a special effects-heavy popcorn flick, Gremlins is a minor classic. IMDb has it at 7.2 stars out of 10. I picked this film because it’s considered a Christmas film and I wanted to do something that wasn’t an ordinary Christmas flick. I watched the film on Amazon Prime and rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Now I have another reason to hate Christmas.” – Kate Beringer (Cates)

It’s a Death Trap or: Kind of Blue (RS Part 49)

23 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Music Review, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Nirvana, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Velvet Underground

Salutations™!!

We have hit the big time of the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time: the Top TWENTY! I’ve looked ahead and I see only one more compilation on the countdown total. It’s in this segment but at the end (I don’t like ending a segment on a comp). But, other than that, I’ll be hitting the discs and I’m pretty sure that my scrutiny and my questioning will reach an all-time high. These are supposed to be the best and I already know I’ll be questioning at least two of them, one in this segment and the other in the next. I still have a ways to go and a short time to get there, so let’s hit it!

#20 – Thriller by Michael Jackson. Still the best-selling album of all time. By a long mile, too. I had this on vinyl, well my sister did, and between the both of us, we destroyed it pretty darn good. Scratched the heck out of it and threw it about. We were kids, that’s 1thrillerwhat we did. This album had seven singles (out of nine total songs) and all seven went top 10 on the Billboard charts. The only two that didn’t was “Baby Be Mine” and “Lady In My Life.” I didn’t realize that “The Girl Is Mine,” with Sir Paul McCartney, was the first single released, in October 1982, a month before the album was released. I always liked that song and listened to it, but didn’t realize it was first. It reached #2. Up next was “Billie Jean.” That was the first one I remember hearing on the radio. I was just starting to listen to the radio because we had finally gotten a station to listen to. I’d been in my KISS hole up until then. I always thought he was saying “Billie Jean is at my door.” Louis Johnson of Brothers Johnson provided that fantastic bass line. It never stops. Those are always the ones that give me the most trouble, the repetitive ones. The song reached #1. “Beat It” next and it had a true all-star personnel list. Hidden for a while was Eddie Van Halen, but those who knew his style heard it in the solo. I wasn’t familiar with him so I didn’t, but when I figured it out, it all made sense. Steve Lukather played all the leads other than the solo and was the bass player. Steve and Jeff Porcoro plays keys and drums respectively. Another #1. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” came out next. Not my favorite. I did like the “mama say mama sah…” part and I still haven’t figured out why we have to bring vegetables into it. It only reached #5. “Human Nature” only went to #7. “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” only went to #10. “Thriller” went to #4. This is a monster album and it continues to climb on the all-time sales list. I really, really enjoy this album. Let’s even go with a little light “love.”

#19 – Astral Weeks by Van Morrison. Top 20, eh? I don’t get it. Now, let me give the caveat. I think this is some beautiful music. The songs themselves are decent songs, well played and well produced. But, it bored me out of my mind. I tried to read along with the lyrics and it was excruciating. “Cyprus Avenue” seemed like he was just saying whatever came to his mind as he was playing it. While the lyrics of that song make sense, it’s like stream of consciousness and he just repeats things as he wanted to, as he went along. “Madame George” is the same way and the first line of lyrics from that song mentions Cyprus Avenue. Coincidence? I think not! I kid. “Madame George” is also over nine minutes long. It is impressive that Morrison recorded the whole thing in about 48 hours and with a group of musicians he didn’t know. Should this be in the top 20? I don’t know. If it were up to 1borntorunme, certainly not. Top 100? Probably not. Top 500? Maybe. But, it’s not up to me and it’s here. At times it’s like he is just wailing and not in a good jammin’ kind of way. So, it’s here and I don’t much care for it. Beautiful, but boring. Did not dig.

#18 – Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen. The album starts off with one of my two least favorite (that I know of) Boss songs: “Thunder Road” (the other being “Rosalita”). I have never understood the appeal of either of those songs. I suppose I never will. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” is the story of the formation of the E Street Band. Bad Scooter must have been a nickname for Bruce Springsteen. Still not my favorite. The vocals in “Backstreets” seem to be buried in the mix and he’s just screaming his way through them. This has always been a peeve of mine about Bruce; he just screams through songs. Not always be enough. Musically, there’s a lot of good stuff here and lyrically, he’s a great and fantastic storyteller. It’s hard to beat him there, I’ll give that. And, musically, it’s all sound. I especially like the ending of “Jungleland.” But, something about all of it together. I haven’t ever cared about the title song but I don’t think I really ever caught the lyrics. I still don’t like it but knowing the lyrics makes it a little more tolerable. I’d prefer switching this album with Born in the USA (#86) and then it may be right. Perhaps switching Born in the USA with an earlier ranked Springsteen album and then switch Born in the USA with that. I don’t know i just don’t like this album. Did not dig.

#17 – Nevermind by Nirvana. The exact moment in time where the music that I love (yes, hairband and pop hard rock stuff), died; the moment this was released. I bad mouthed it and talked trash about it ever since its release. I made bad suggestions about Cobain’s suicide that I’m not at all proud of, not at all, I repeat. The truth is, it was time for that to stuff that I dug so much to be put out to pasture. Music is nothing but stale and stagnant unless it evolves. It was perhaps the biggest evolution that I had ever experienced in that sense, though. It was like this album was a musical murderer. But, again, it was time. I still held a grudge about it for a long, long time. It wasn’t until I was basically told to knock it 1nirvananevermindalbumcoveroff by The BCPF that I took time to listen to what was going on. I’ve only known her for a time going on seven years, so that means that I just came around a mere couple of years ago, or so. I purchased it. I listened and thought, okay, it isn’t so bad. But, listen to it in headphones, if you haven’t before. If you’re not too familiar with the album (uh huh really) give it a listen that way. Your mind will be blown how well produced (no, it’s not just noise like I thought) this disc is. And it’s not all gloom and doom that I always thought, either. Cobain was a lyrical genius. Was he the modern day John Lennon like his followers want to portray him as? Well, perhaps modern day, but not exactly. There’s only one of those. I’ve not even touched any of the songs, yet. The opening notes of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a light setup for the punch in the mouth the rest of the album is going to be. It’s a teaser at the beginning and an onslaught to follow. The title was from a friend of Cobain’s who wrote on the wall the he smelled like the deodorant that his then-girlfriend wore. He was trying to rip off the Pixies. “In Bloom” has great harmonies and was fun to play on Guitar Hero. I love the flanged intro and feel of “Come As You Are.” That whole song feels dark but not necessarily foreboding. “Lithium” is a search for sanctuary in religion upon contemplation of suicide. But, it’s a great song. “Polly” is a good departure from the previous five songs, a little more melodic. After that, it gets a little noisy and less organized. There’s still good stuff there but it doesn’t compare to the first side of songs. Well, the first part, I don’t think this was on vinyl until reissues recently. Dave Grohl is a beast of a drummer, even without a lot of fills – he was pretty much kept at bay; and bad arse harmonies. Same with Krist Novoselic. A mediocre bass player, at best, but solid, all the way. I’m going to kick myself for this, but I believe it should have been about 5 positions higher on this list. Not quite top 10 but close. I love this album. Yes, I just said that.

#16 – Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan. A big departure from the heavier album prior. It seems as if Dylan is actually enjoying recording this album. He makes a trip back to the acoustic feel of this folksy day but keeps the band element. We just had Blue from Joni Mitchell last segment and the first song on this album, “Tangled Up In Blue” was inspired by that album after Dylan immersed himself in it. Two very long tunes are “Idiot Wind” (7:47) and “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” (8:51). One of those I liked and the other I didn’t. The “didn’t” is the former. “Simple Twist of Fate” is pretty good, too. I am a fan of “If You See Her, Say Hello.” It’s a beautiful tune. I love the harp-like and 1are_you_experienced_-_us_cover-editarpeggiated mandolin parts in that. Overall, I liked it, although after a bit it started sounding run together. I think it is definitely where it needs to be on the list, and I’ll say “dug’ but I’m not in a hurry to listen to it, in full, again for a bit.

#15 – Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. I love that you can hear Jimi clear his throat before he starts singing in “Purple Haze.” I just think that adds a human element to this superhero-like figure. I never noticed him talking over the solo either. I am a fan of King’s X’s version of “Manic Depression” from Dogman, but I like this one, too. I don’t know if I knew that “Hey Joe” was a cover.I may have. I listened to this with headphones and there is a shload of panning effects from the first note of “Purple Haze” until the last sound of “Are You Experienced?” Also, a lot of delay and echo. The album sounds very experimental, something I think I sort of expected from Hendrix. I believe this is the album I’ve been expecting to hear from him and I’ve not gotten my fill until this album. I like this one better than all the others put together. Am I wrong in thinking that “Are You Experienced?” is a reference to partaking in drugs? The album is definitely in your face, but it’s got laid-back moments, as well. A lot of it, to me, reminds me of The Beatles around the “white album” time, which came out after this album. A good bit of it is trippy in psychedelia, too. Just listen to “Third Stone from the Sun.” I love the jazz aspects of that song. There are many great tunes on here: “Purple Haze,” “Manic Depression,” “Hey Joe,” “The Wind Cries Mary,” “Fire” and “Foxy Lady.” As, I said, this is the album from Jimi that I’ve been waiting on and I got it. I also want to reiterate that I like this better than all other of his albums on this countdown. I really, really, really “dug” it.

#14 – Abbey Road by The Beatles. I have three favorite albums by The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (White Album) and this one. I’m not talking about which is best, that’s not what this list is about, at least on my end. I’m talking about my 1beatles_-_abbey_roadfavorites. This was the last one to be recorded by the Fab Four. Yes, Let It Be came out afterward but that had mostly been recorded by the time these sessions started. Contention was high in the studio and tempers flew. After the recording of this was completed, John Lennon left, albeit secretly, and Sir Paul left publicly a year later. One purpose of this list for me was to explore more the “album form.” That’s why I don’t do compilations, no matter how important those may have been (at least in some cases). Of course, I’m a huge fan of the production, I love production. Another reason I am not usually a fan of live albums. But, it’s the construction, dedication to, and execution of the album, itself. This, to me, is one of the best and well constructed albums, ever made. The track listing is nearly perfect. From the “shoot” and bass line at the beginning of “Come Together” it’s a non-stop barrage of all things musical and really, all things Beatles. You get a little bit of everything here. Slow, heavy, pop, blues, everything. I won’t go into a song-by-song analysis because as I write this I’m already 2200 words in on this post. But, it should be noted that side two is basically a medley of unfinished songs that McCartney pushed together to create its famed weirdness. A lot of it makes perfect nonsense. Some of my favorite Beatles songs are on this album: “Come Together,” “Something,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “Golden Slumbers,” “The End” (telling wasn’t it?) and “Her Majesty.” The Vagabond Saints Society did a fantastic job with this album even though it was all a core band deal (I was part of the opening act). So, yeah, I could see this higher in the countdown, possibly even top 10 but, I’m satisfied with its placement here. I LOVE this album.

#13 – The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground. Okay, so in a discussion that almost lead to a major argument between The BCPF and me, I totally understand the need for this album for many people. I get that sometimes people need an outlet for what they have to say, the stories they need to tell, the thought processes they need to convey. Sometimes, there’s no other avenue. I also can get behind Lou Reed as a songwriter because I really find myself liking his solo stuff. He even co-wrote some songs for a KISS album. I get it. But, as I said, perhaps more than once in this segment alone, it’s not about the merits or overall importance of an album for me on this countdown. It’s whether or not I like it. Thumbs up or thumbs down. I only have two thumbs but if I had more I’d give a resounding 12 thumbs down for this. I have mentioned before, also, that I am all about production. I want production. I want to see what the producer’s vision was. This sounds like a big room with people playing whatever came to their minds without a care for key signatures, harmonious note intervals or anything that even remotely resembles a rational chord progression. But, I’m told, it’s about what they say. Not on my list. I don’t care what they’re saying. I’ve been accused before, and I accept it, to not getting the “spirit” of the song. In about 90% of the music I listen to, I don’t care about lyrics, I don’t care about message. I want to hear the overall package. Maybe I’m not equipped to comprehend what’s being said or perhaps I just don’t give two hoots about it. Either way, I don’t care. If 1milesdaviskindofbluethis album must be on the list, give them spot #500. I will never understand the appeal of this 49 minutes I will never get back. I’m sorry, baby, I just do not dig it. Hate is a strong word but the most descriptive I can use politely.

#12 – Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. John Coltrane and Miles Davis together. That’s like a dream, right? There is some of the most beautiful modern music I’ve ever heard on this album. Perhaps even on par with some classical. The last two songs: “All Blues” and “Flamenco Stretches,” plus the bonus track (“Flamenco Stretches (alternate take)”) reminded me of what Vince Guaraldi did later with the Peanuts specials, films and shorts. There’s a melancholy, an underlying sadness in what isn’t really sad sounding. It’s not blatant but understated. The feeling was definitely blue throughout. Now, all that good stuff said, I don’t know that it should be in the top 20. Top 200? Probably. Top 100? Maybe. It’s a great record and I’d love to have it on vinyl and I’d listen to it over and over again, but I don’t think I’d give it top 20. Bill Evans plays some beautiful piano on this album (except on “Freddie Freeloader” which was Wynton Kelly) and Paul Chambers’ double bass is some flavorful stuff. It’s good for conversation and good for relaxing. The album is fan-frickin’-tastic. I love it.

#11 – The Sun Sessions by Elvis Presley. Another one that I’ll have to revisit after this countdown is over. But, it’s a comp and the fact that it’s top 11? Argh! There should be another list for comps.

So, the Top 20 wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would/could/should be. Five “loves,” one “hate is too strong but close,” two “did not digs,”one “dug but meh” and one comp. I was hoping to be knocked out by something and with a couple I did, but for the most part, it was an average or so-so segment. Disappointing to me. Let’s hope for better to end the whole thing. That’s up next!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – “The End” (Lennon/McCartney)

Needles, Guns and Grass or: Living for the City (RS Part 48)

22 Thursday Dec 2016

Posted by TGBII in Music Review, Uncategorized

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Tags

Chuck Berry, Fleetwood Mac, James Brown, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, Robert Johnson, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums, Stevie Wonder, The Who, U2

Salutations™!!

That last segment of Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time was pretty great, overall. I’m hoping this, the Top 30, will be just as fantastic. No time to waste, let’s hit it.

#30 – Blue by Joni Mitchell. The BCPF and I have recently learned the joys of Joni Mitchell. Yes, we had heard of her and heard her stuff, especially The BCPF as it’s in her 1bluealbumcoverwheelhouse. We just have gotten to know more about the music. Our summer Sundays on the lawn include dialing up some JM on Pandora and letting it play through. It wasn’t always her but when it was, we really enjoyed it. This was a catalyst for the whole modern singer-songwriter movement. Some people that guested on the album are James Taylor on three songs and Stephen Stills who played bass on the whole album. He does impressive work, too. I’m not quite sure what was going on, or the effect they were trying for during “This Flight Tonight” but it’s weird. I don’t not like it, it’s just weird. The title track is one of my faves from this album and “California.” Joni is a definite storyteller. It’s not just songwriting for the sake of writing a song, she has something to say and the lyrics are a vivid tale, not just rhyming babble. I like her piano playing, too. It’s simple but effective. “All I Want, “A Case of You” and “River” are also great tunes. I dug it!

#29 – Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin. From the first notes of “Good Times Bad Times,” it was on. This commercial hard rock was something new and exciting. Jimmy Page is pegged as a sloppy player a good bit and I’ll agree with that on his solos. But, I believe the man is one of the best rhythm and riff writers/players I’ve ever heard – refer to “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” and “Black Mountain Side” (both the rhythm and lead parts). Robert Plant was only 20 when this album was recorded. He had mature pipes for that age. John Bonham was also only 20. I can only imagine what people thought of the powerhouse drumming that he put on aural display when they heard it for the first time. I know that I have always been blown away by it and I am used to hard and heavy music. I know it goes against just about everything I ever say when I talk about blues and all that, as, for the most part, this album is chock-full of the stuff I hate. I’m not talking about blues-based or influenced stuff. I’m talking stuff like “You Shook Me” and “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” both written by Willie Dixon, by the way, which are certainly not my favorite tunes on the album, but I don’t always push next, either. On this album, Zep wasn’t afraid to bypass radio intentions and just put out a really good album, this is also evidenced in the fact that of nine songs on the album, only three of them are under four minutes. When it was time to play something on the radio, Jimmy Page made adjustments to the running time of “How Many More Times” on the album credits to read only “3:30” even though it’s really 8:27. This was so the radio stations would play it. Of course, that could be rumor and I can’t verify it; it only applies to the old LP copies. I guess no one took the time to actually look at the record itself to see how long a song actually was back then. I can tell the difference in a four minute song and an eight minute one just by looking at it. I know professional DJs could have.  My faves on this album are “Good Times Bad Times,” “Communication Breakdown,” “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” “Dazed and Confused,” “How Many More 1whosnextTimes” and “Your Time is Gonna Come.” Understanding the importance and significance of this album is key. I’d rate Zep II or IV in front of this album on the list, if it were me. But, I still dig it good bit.

#28 – Who’s Next by The Who. To me, this is The Who. The earlier stuff is fine and good; not all of it my cup of tea. But, this is where The Who got me. From the first arpeggiator-produced notes of “Baba O’Riley” into “Bargain” and “Love Ain’t for Keepin’,” the first part of the album is priceless. I am also a big fan of the last three songs, “Going Mobile,” “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” The last song being what KISS got to be known for on their reunion tours on, although, really, they should stop using it, if they still do, because it’s not the original lineup and they’re not “fooling” anyone with that (for the record: I don’t at all mind the new lineup how they are). I won’t say I’m a big fan of John Entwhistle but, man, “The Ox” is a beast! I own this album on CD and I got it used on vinyl, although I haven’t listened to it on that, just yet; time hasn’t permitted it. I love the cover which shows the members having just urinated on a big concrete protrusion jutted in the middle of a spoil pit. I don’t know what to say about this album other than I really like it, if for nothing more than it’s just a great album.

#27 – The Joshua Tree by U2. Yes. This. More of this, please. It, along with Achtung Baby!, my two favorite U2 albums. I like most of what they did after and I like what they did before but this was what set them off. It was good stuff and more mature than the previous stuff, not that it was immature, it was just an evolution in songwriting that took them to these new heights. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, it had a more direct sound than just a lot of echo and ambiance. The lyrics were more pointed than most and it showed off how much U2 loved the USA and how much U2 loathed them. Politically, we don’t really put off a positive vibe to the rest of the world. We’re standoffish and don’t play well with others. Socially, we tend to take our stance to either help or hinder other places, however it best works for our own advancement. Yeah, we get it. That’s just how we are. There are times it’s better and times it’s worse. We’re moody like that. That discontent is shown prominently in the song “Bullet the Blue Sky” which is one of my faves of the band. It’s a much better use of that riff than the oafish Ted Nugent in “Stranglehold.” This has a groove, the other… well it has Ted Nugent. No better reason not to listen than it being him. Anywhat! The song was originally written about our intervention into the Salvadorian civil war and how we handled it, according to an interview with Bono on the @U2 website. The other side of that, though, is the love of American gospel music, our freedoms, the people and the beauty of the land. The album’s title alone is all about the desert, the wide openness and the wonder of it all. The gospel-esque “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” showed the love of our southern-laced music. It wasn’t all just us, though, there were parts that were about other places, like “Where the Streets Have No Name.” It’s about identity and residence; how you can tell about a person from where they live. “One Tree Hill” was written for a fallen friend of Bono. “Mothers of the Disappeared” is about the families of the children who “disappeared” in El Salvador and Nicaragua. It means they were abducted, or probably more than likely killed for political gains. My favorite song on the entire album is “With or Without You.” Just the way Bono sings it combined with the ethereal guitar parts from The Edge, I find it to be a fantastic song and1fmacrumours reminds me of a time when I hated U2 (what I knew of them) because it wasn’t the other pop drivel I had come to love. I know better, now, considering them one of my top 10 acts, if not top 5. It doesn’t have a bad song on it. I LOVE this album.

#26 – Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Make sure you spell it right… the British way. Another monster album. It seems this part of the list is where you’re going to start really getting into the meat of it all. I mean, it’s the top 30 albums of all time, right? So, yeah, a monster album. It is full, and I mean full, of awesome songs. From the opening, chugging notes of “Second Hand News” there’s not a dull moment or bad note, much less a bad song, through the fade out of “Gold Dust Woman.” The band, while probably in some constant state of f’ed up, was firing on all cylinders on this album musically. Mick Fleetwood was a solid drummer and probably still is, although at 69, I believe he needs a little backup on that. Christine McVie (whose maiden name is actually Perfect) is cranking, not tickling, the ivories throughout and while I never thought she had the greatest voice, she is a fantastic songwriter and pianist and a good singer. Lindsey Buckingham was always a mystery to me. I never knew he was that good of a guitar player but the coolest part is that he’s a finger picker. I don’t know if he ever uses a pick, it sounds like he probably does through the strumming part but his finger-picking style gives a different timbre to the tonality of his playing. It’s not as bright but is still quite prominent. I think that’s quite unique. I am always talking about the bass players and, well, John McVie (the “Mac” in Fleetwood Mac) is solidly planted at the bottom end. I use the bass line of “The Chain” to get levels when I play out. Not too tough but enough to get a tonal range. That and it’s fun. On this album he doesn’t “go off” but he’s the foundation of the sound. Stevie Nicks was there to be beautiful and raspy. I kid about that. She’s a great voice and songwriter and she was quite beautiful. She still is. “Songbird” is one of the most underrated songs, ever. Christine McVie is on it and that “good voice” is velvety and emotional. The same for “Oh Daddy.” That song is emotional and dark. The whole feel of the song is dark and beautiful. “I Don’t Want to Know” is a bounce-happy trip from Stevie and Lindsey written by Nicks back in the days they performed as a duo before joining Fleetwood Mac. Again, not a bad song anywhere to be found. It could easily be top 15, in my opinion. I love this album (I also own it on vinyl).

#25 – Live at the Apollo by James Brown. Okay, I don’t get it. Listening to this was about as much fun as watching a local church Christmas play. I understand that it was laying a precedence for the marketability of James Brown and it laid groundwork for the future of R&B music. And, I get that is should be on the countdown. I just think that place should have been in the high 400s. Not the 25th greatest album of all time. I couldn’t wait until it was over and it was less than 32 minutes long. This is not the fun and exciting James Brown that we come to know and love. This was just songs performed by a yeller and his three cronies. Now, that sounds harsher than I mean it. The James Brown I know was 1steviewonder_innervisionsbombastic, energetic and loud. This was early, I get it, but it just wasn’t fun to listen to, history and significance be darned. I just didn’t care for it. I did like “Night Train,” so there’s that.

#24 – Innervisions by Stevie Wonder. This album has my absolute favorite Stevie song on it: “Living For the City.” There’s just something about that song that has a great groove, a good story and his vocals are incredible. And the Fender Rhodes never sounded better. On the album is the very extended version of the song. It includes a black man being arrested for being black in the city that I’m assuming is NYC. It’s pretty telling, really. I never thought Stevie a political one but it was a jab at prejudice, I think. And, he plays every single instrument and sound on this song, that’s just amazing. The same goes for the opening track, “Too High,” too. His jazz drumming and synth bass playing is out of this world. Stevie’s vocals are airy on “Visions” and the song is beautiful; amazingly so.  I am seeing that Stevie connects all his songs in the mastering process. The fade out goes into the next tune, except when it’s time to change a side. The first time I ever noticed it was on the cassette for In Square Circle when I was a kid. I am pretty sure it happened on Songs in the Key of Life, too. As much as I really do like the Chili Peppers’ version of “Higher Ground,” it doesn’t hold a candle to the groove of this version. It’s slower, yeah, but it’s more groove. Again, Stevie does it all himself. Other greats: “All in Love is Fair,” “Golden Lady,” “Don’t Worry ‘Bout a Thing” and “He’s Misstra Know-It-All.” I’ve already alerted Jonathan at Underdog Records to keep an eye out for this coming in, used or otherwise. I really, really dug this album. Stevie at his best.

#23 – Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon. I have heard a lot of these songs but I’ve never heard this album, Lennon’s first “solo” album; released 21 days after I was born. A cool thing is Ringo Starr played drums on it. “Mother” is a bit creepy. After reading the story behind it, it is even more creepy. Lennon went through primal therapy with some quack that made him relive the hardest times of his childhood instead of analytical discussions. It brought some darkness out in him, for sure. “Hold On” is a good song, very stripped down to just guitar, bass and drums. Not really a fan of “I Found Out,” though. “Working Class Hero” is another dark and miserable song, but I really like it. It’s a precursor to grunge, I’d say. I don’t know if I’d be correct, but that’s what I’ll say. It’s a commentary on class and perception, I’m figuring. “Isolation” has some really cool chord progressions and dissonant chords. I dig it. I don’t know if he felt much isolation by this time. Phil 1plasticonoSpector plays piano on “Love,” which is a little bit of fresh air after all the depressing songs that precede it. I was thrown off by the little instrumental interlude before the end of the song; the song disappeared and came back. “Well Well Well” is just an abundance of screaming. I can’t find any redeeming qualities about it, really. Billy Preston plays piano on “God” where Lennon pretty much questions everything and I can’t blame him for that. It’s a beautiful song, though, musically. And the album ends as morbidly as it starts and keeps with the sad theme, “My Mummy’s Dead.” I like John Lennon. He’s never been my favorite Beatle, or even my second fave, probably. I’m used to his stuff being better than this. That doctor (and Yoko) really messed him up. Other than a few flashes, I really couldn’t get into this album. For the three or four songs I did like, I’ll say I dug it, but just barely.

#22 – The Complete Recordings by Robert Johnson. I know this is “classic” and I may go back and listen but it’s a compilation, so not on here.

#21 – The Great Twenty-Eight by Chuck Berry. Again, probably “missing out” but it’s a compilation. Didn’t want to end the segment on that, but oh well, it’s on the list that way.

So, for the most part, this was a dynamite segment! Leave off the James Brown and the two comps and I’ve got six really strong dugs or loves and a mediocre (to me) John Lennon album. I have two albums to go and 10 days to do it in. I hope to have it done and done right. I’m not streaking through, I’m just not dragging my feet. Okay, that’s all.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“This guy comes up to me, his face red like a rose on a thorn bush. Like all the colors of a royal flush. And, he’s peeling off those dollar bills; slapping them down: one hundred, two hundred. And I can see those fighter planes. And I can see those fighter planes. Across the mud huts where the children sleep, through the alleys of a quiet city street, you take the staircase to the first floor. Turn the key and slowly unlock the door as a man breathes into a saxophone. And, through the walls you hear the city groan. Outside is America. Outside is America. Across the field you see the sky ripped open, see the rain through a gaping wound pounding on the women and children who run into the arms of America.“ – “Bullet the Blue Sky” (Clayton, Evans, Herman, Mullen, Hewson, Toure)

 

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