Tag Archives: The Ramones

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 3/20/21

21 Sunday Mar 2021

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Salutations™!!

We got very little listening in yesterday as we had several other “errands” or “just wanted to dos” but, we got some in. It was a chilly but beautiful day yesterday. Here’s the haul:

©Sire

Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? — #378 on the RS list that matters and rises to #157 on the one that doesn’t. This song has two of my faves on here, “Champagne Supernova” and “Wonderwall.” Yeah, you know me, I’m all about “the hits.” 2×LP, Reissue. Remastered double heavyweight vinyl – includes download code for album, bonus unreleased tracks & rarities. New.

Depeche Mode – Gone To The U.S.A. — Compilation, Unofficial Release, Red Vinyl. Remixed tunes, imported album. Some interesting remixes on this album. The red vinyl is beautiful. New.

Joy Division – Atrocity Exhibition: Live In Paris, December 18th, 1979 — Limited To 500 Copies. It’s Joy Division live. In Paris. In 1979. Just as the title suggests. It’s typical Joy Division, great music with great lyrics with a troubled singer. Import. New.

The Beatles – With The Beatles — With one of the most imitated covers in music history, this was the band’s second album, released on the same day that JFK was assassinated. Stereo remastered album on heavyweight 180g vinyl. This album has been prepared using the 2009 digital remasters which had been created from the original stereo analogue master tapes. New.

The Beatles – Beatles For Sale — This is The Beatles’ fourth album, which is probably my least favorite of their stuff. It’s sandwiched between A Hard Day’s Night and Help! which are my two favorite “early Beatles” albums. Manufactured on 180-gram, audiophile quality vinyl with replicated artwork. This album has been prepared using the 2009 digital remasters which had been created from the original stereo analogue master tapes. Gatefold, I think. New.

Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends — This album was at the ridiculously high number of #234 on the RS list that matters and fell completely off for the one that doesn’t, which verifies just one of the reasons why it doesn’t matter. A scandalous atrocity! This album contains one of the greatest songs ever recorded, “America.” It also has “Mrs. Robinson” and “A Hazy Shade of Winter.” New.

Morrissey – I’m A Poet — Unofficial release. Recorded for FM Broadcast at the Balch Fieldhouse, part of the University of Colorado, Boulder on 1st of October 1992. Import. New.

Ramones – Rocket To Russia — #106 on the RS list that matters and #385 on the one that doesn’t. I’ve never been a fan of the Ramones, it’s like weird punk mixed with surfing music and 50s nostalgia. I listened to the album when I did the 500 and I remember that I didn’t really care for it other than “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker.” But, this listen wasn’t so bad. Some of it was redundant and classic crap that I don’t like, but some of it was enjoyable. New.

a-ha – Scoundrel Days — The second studio album by Norwegian new wave band a-ha. “Water drops” on front and back cover are embossed. Glossy inner sleeve contains lyrics and credits. I loved Hunting High and Low and hope this one is as good. I have no reason to believe it won’t be. NM/EX.

Kings Of Convenience – Quiet Is The New Loud — The debut album by Norwegian indie pop duo Kings of Convenience, released on January 29, 2001. This is an über rare album and The BCPF saw Norwegian, indie pop, duo, and had to have it. Now this is only in Good condition because there is a lot of surface wear. This could be anything, but, I’m going to guess it was from neglect and over-playing. The cover is in at least VG/VG+.

Saint-Saëns / Franck – Rubinstein, Wallenstein, Symphony Of The Air – Concerto No. 2 / Symphonic Variations — To be clear, Side A is “Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 22” from one of my favorite composers, Camille Saint-Saëns. Side B is “Symphonic Variations” from César Franck. Both are performed by Symphony Of The Air which was some of the core members of the newly-disbanded NBC Symphony Orchestra. Both sides are conducted by Alfred Wallenstein, featuring Artur Rubinstein on piano. EX.

Large Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Radio And Television • Vladimir Fedoseyev – Alexander Glazunov – Symphony No. 5 • Suite From The Middle Ages — The orchestra – Large Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Radio And Television. The conductor – Vladimir Fedoseyev. The composer – Alexander Glazunov. VG+.

A big haul this week. I didn’t even realize that the Saint-Saëns piece was in there. The BCPF snuck it in. Underdog Records was jumping and even more so when we were leaving. The capacity is now at 10 customers at a time and he was about maxed out when we took off. He’s had to expand the “freshly used” section because he’s getting to a lot of things and getting them put out. That’s cool. Good stuff to choose from. If you’re in to heavy metal and I mean the real heavy stuff – death/black/cryptic – then he’s got plenty for you. But, don’t worry, there are plenty of other great selections, too. The store is open from 11a-7p Wednesday through Saturday and Jonathan does deliveries (weather permitting) Monday and Tuesday. You should watch the Underdog Records social media. Instagram is Jonathan’s platform of choice. You can shop new vinyl, day or night, 24/7 by visiting the Underdog Records website. I use Discogs to track my collection and also make sure I’m not getting unwanted duplicates. Or, may it helps me with the wanted duplicates?

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“‘Kathy,’ I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh. ‘Michigan seems like a dream to me now.’ It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw. I’ve gone to look for America.” – “America” (Simon)

Now Normal Chronicles or: Gettin’ Sticky

23 Thursday Apr 2020

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Salutations™!!

Today is the anniversary of a few albums. The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers (49th) and Black and Blue (44th), The Ramones’ self-titled debut (44th), Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! from Jethro Tull (44th), Bob Dylan at Budokan (41st), Men At Work’s Two Hearts (35th), Two Hearts, the Dave Mason album (33rd), Joe Walsh’s Ordinary Average Guy (29th), Hootie and the Blowfish’s Fairweather Johnson (24th), Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (18th), Elvis Costello’s When I Was Cruel (18th), Supertramp’s final album Slow Motion (18th), and Peter Gabriel’s Live Blood (8th). That’s a wide field. And, I find it odd that there are two completely different albums with the same name on the same anniversary. I’ll go with this cover, though. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Let’s forget about the tongue-tied lightning. Let’s undress just like cross-eyed strangers. This is not a joke, so please stop smiling. What was I thinking when I said it didn’t hurt?” – “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” (Tweedy)

Fare Thee Well or: A Man Crush Confidential

08 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in Blogging, Food, Life as We Know It, Travel

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Salutations™!!

My interest in Anthony Bourdain came right after The BCPF and I met. She talked about liking his show, No Reservations, and how she really loved it and his bad-arsed qualities. It was an immediate reaction for me. Dang! This cat is cool and he loves food and travel. He dug into things that went beyond just food and travel, though.

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©David Holloway/CNN

 

He was a social activist. Which I know being a bleeding-heart liberal can turn a lot of people off. But, he was able to do that without being too in-your-face about it. He was outspoken about sexual harassment in restaurant kitchens as well as the circus that has become Hollywood’s own fight within about the same subject. In fact, his partner/girlfriend, Asia Argento, was one of the women that Harvey Weinstein allegedly harassed. But, he worked for better working conditions for restaurant workers.

Another thing that drew me to him was his willingness to try just about any food. He was especially fond of using varietal bits of animals, the stuff that most 21st century people wouldn’t think of eating. That caught on. I mean, a few of my favorite local chefs here in WSNC do what is called an offal dinner and use glands, hearts, gizzards and just about anything else they can find to use. That rubbed off on me, too. It was because of his adventurous eating that inspired me to do more of it myself. Sweetbreads. Foie gras. Glands. Organs. I will try many things like that, now. I love steak/beef tartare and it’s because of him.

But, it wasn’t the food and the activism alone. It was about the travel, too. He had a fascination with the people and cultures of Southeast Asia. He always said when he retired he would move there. The BCPF and I totally expected him to do just that. He loved Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He loved China, Malaysia, the Philippines and one of the most memorable episodes of his latest show, Parts Unknown, was filmed in Myanmar.

He loved to show his “TV friends” places that most likely would have been way off our radar. Sure, he went to some glamorous parts but mostly he dug deep into deep areas that were “less desirable,” and brought awareness, by way of “documentary-style” television. He got to know the natives. He befriended them, got to know them, lived with them for small amounts of time, learned about them and, perhaps most importantly, he learned from them. Thus, we learned from them.  He was a rock star in travel and food.

The BCPF and I love to travel. We love being places. So much of our “wish list” is based on places that he’s been. The only reason we don’t follow through is financial reasons. But, we both love to learn about different cultures and immerse ourselves in those cultures. He did that for us and we would sit with him in our living room and learn more, benefiting from his insight, knowledge and learning. I’ve loved him. I’ve had a man-crush on him.

Just this past week, 3B, my 16-year old culinary hopeful, asked me who my favorite celebrity chef was. Without hesitation, I said Anthony Bourdain (and followed by Gordon Ramsey), even though he had technically moved from the culinary aspects of his life. He wasn’t completely out of it. He talked a lot about cooking, methods, ingredients, techniques and it was never not part of his conversations, at least on television.

He graduated from Culinary Institute of America in 1978 with an associates degree. He went on to become the executive chef of Brasserie Les Halles in NYC and eventually moved on from there. But, up until their closing last year, he was considered their “chef-at-large.” He was given an honorary doctorate from CIA in December 2017.

I haven’t always agreed with him, though. He’s a fan of the Ramones and I don’t care about the Ramones. He doesn’t like Billy Joel or Elton John and I really like both of them. I am with him on the Grateful Dead though, I don’t care for them, either. He’s been tough on some celebrity chefs and lenient on others. But, he admits when there are mistakes that he’s made and apparently he’s made a lot.

He’s had demons. He was an abuser of illicit drugs. He’s admitted to using LSD, cocaine, heroin, psilocybin mushrooms (which he would soak in honey and flavor his tea) among others. He was a two-pack-a-day smoker until a few years back which he quit for his daughter’s sake. That little girl is 11 years old, now. And she’s without a father.

You see, Anthony Bourdain was found dead in his Parisian hotel by his best bud, Éric Ripert, who appeared on many of “Tony’s” shows. It was an apparent suicide, although as of this writing, I don’t know how he did it. And, I don’t know if there is a note. I think this is hitting me as hard as it did when Prince and Bowie died two years ago. As I said, he was a rock star, at least to me. He sat in my living room. He helped (indirectly) strengthen my incredible marriage to my beautiful wife.

I feel awful about this. I think I’d feel less bad had it been natural causes or something that wasn’t his doing. But, this was suicide and I have an especially hard time with that. I feel for his 11-year old daughter. I feel for his fans. I feel for others that loved him that have also dealt with suicide directly by a loved one as this is reliving a situation. I talked to just a person like that this morning. I won’t go into that because it’s not my story but she touched my heart with her story.

Something very interesting is that he always said he didn’t care for Paris. The BCPF and I call it our favorite city. The last time we were there, we actually purchased his book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly in Shakespeare and Company, an English-speaking bookstore which happens to be one of the most famous bookstores in the world. I look at it often and say, I want to read that. I have a feeling that I may get to that, now.

I also have a feeling that there will be a lot of binge-watching of old eps of No Reservations and current eps of Parts Unknown. Tony, I miss you already, sir. I need to pick up my culinary chops and do you proud (at least in my mind). Thank you for the inspiration and guidance, though we never spoke. Thank you for the cultural lessons and the social advocacy.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Sad Scorp out…

—
“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” – Anthony Bourdain

CBGB or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

18 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by in Movie Review, Uncategorized

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Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, CBGB (2013), starring Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha.

Per IMDb: “A look at the New York City punk-rock scene and the venerable nightclub, CBGB.”

Hilly Kristal (Rickman) had a few businesses and marriage that failed, mostly because of

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©XLerator Media

his hedonistic lifestyle of thinking that money was secondary and happiness and doing good was enough. Doesn’t always work that way. He tried another “club,” this time in the Bowery of New York City. His closest friends, even his daughter, figured he’d fail, as he always had. He wanted this bar, again, in the Bowery of NYC, to be a place for country, blue grass and blues, so he renamed what was going to be called Hilly’s on the Bowery, CBGB to reflect his wishes for the establishment.

He hired an artist fella by the name of “Taxi” to run sound for his new club. He gave a junkie named “Idaho” a job cooking what looks like old toilet water, but they call it Hilly’s Chili. He enlists the help of some biker gangs to keep people off of his back, giving them free drinks in exchange for “protection,” whenever he needed it.

One day, a dude by the name of Terry Ork shows up saying he represents a band called Television and they want to audition to play the club. He doesn’t really dig it but he doesn’t really not. He gives them a gig. They become popular. Following that, a slew of punk icons, still in their early days, come rolling through. Acts like The Ramones, Blondie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, The Dead Boys, Talking Heads and Patti Smith, just to name a few. CBGB became the birthplace of American punk. Speaking of which, the film also talks about the phenomenon that was Punk Magazine. The mag’s origin, the people that worked there, promoted there and counted on there to get their fix of the NYC punk scene.

I don’t know how truthful most of this film is. It seems plausible but improbable most of the time. It is entertaining, though. It’s NYC in the 70s, what could be bad about that? The story is gritty and dingy, as is the scenery, as are the sets. I’ll admit that I don’t know a lot about the punk scene, American, British, or otherwise, but I really enjoyed getting a (probably) convoluted account of the rise and somewhat fall (Dead Boys) of some of these punk pioneers. I also, admit that I enjoyed the soundtrack immensely. Bands that I normally wouldn’t care for, I enjoyed, even the Ramones, if you can believe that. It made me want to go and find the real backstories of these real life bands.

I liked the many cameos and supporting actors and actresses that had parts. Rupert Grint as Cheetah Chrome, Taylor Hawkins as Iggy Pop, Johnny Galecki as Ork and many others. Again, I’m not thinking this film was supposed to knock anyone’s socks off and it certainly didn’t. Total US theater gross for this film was $40,400. That’s not a typo, forty thousand, four hunderd. Including the Home Distribution tallies, it has made about $526,514. Still, small change for the movie industry with a large release.

I don’t know that the filmmakers knew how to handle the true history and made it a bit cheesy, where the source material should have been portrayed a bit richer. I am huge fan of Alan Rickman and this was one of the last films he made before his death a little over a year ago, January 14, 2016. I don’t know that I especially enjoyed his portrayal of Hilly Kristal but I liked that he gave it a shot.

Rotten Tomatoes rates the film at a dismal 8% Rotten and the Audience Score, while significantly better is only a 42%. IMDb has it at 6.6 stars out of 10. That’s actually not too bad. I saw the film on Netflix. I am rating it 3.75 stars. That last .75 is from the soundtrack alone. Not a great film but decent if you want a bit of historical fiction and some great music. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to hear/read me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I opened CBGB because I thought country music was gonna become the next big thing. And it did… in Nashville.” – Hilly Kristal

He Not Busy Being Born or: The One in Rhode Island (RS Part 47)

16 Friday Dec 2016

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Salutations™!!

The last segment of Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time had some surprises, not-surprises and duds, to me. I’m hitting the top 40 this time around. We can see the daylight and we’re moving on ahead. Speaking of which.

#40 – Forever Changes by Love. Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve never heard of Love before. Never. Also, I’ve never, as far as I know, heard anything on this, either. But, I’ll follow all that 1love_-_forever_changeswith, I wish that I had. I really, really like this. It’s beautiful, it’s hard, it’s fresh (even 50 years later) and it’s sad. It’s easy to listen to and melodic. The production is slick and the orchestration, lush. Love, it turns out, was the first rock band to sign with Elektra Records. I was thrilled to find out that a few of the tracks on the album were accompanied by Wrecking Crew folks: Carole Kaye (bass), Billy Strange (guitar) and Hal Blaine (drums) all played on “Andmoreagain” and “The Daily Planet,” while Don Randi (piano) played on those same two songs and “Bummer in the Summer.” This is perfect late-60s psychedelia and fits that mold quite well. It’s also a bit weird. I mean the song “Live and Let Live” talks about snot caking on his pants and it’s hardened into a crust of crud. All this in what I can only figure is a metaphor for bureaucratic baloney, but isn’t it all bureaucratic baloney? I believe that it is. Some of my favorite things on this are “Alone Again Or,” “Andmoreagain,” “The Red Telephone,” “Live and Let Live” and “You Set the Scene” (although that one went on a bit long). I haven’t heard of it before but I dug it!

#39 – Please, Please Me by The Beatles. 1963. The world is introduced to The Beatles. The album was thrown together to capitalize (or “Capitolize” – see what I did there?) on the success of “Love Me Do” and the title track of this album. Without this, we problem wouldn’t have Sgt. Pepper, The Beatles (White Album), Abbey Road, Revolver, Rubber Soul and all the other greats. I’ve never cared about the early Beatles albums, but listening to this, it was really ahead of its time musically and production wise. George Martin was a genius. At this point in time the kids just bought singles (money was hard) and the adults bought albums. This pretty much changed that practice. It’s a much better album than I’d ever given credit for before. And, the longest song on here is 2:53, which is not bad. Not my 1hotelcaliforniafavorite Beatles album; nowhere near, but it’s darn fine. I dug it!

#38 – The Anthology 1947-1972 by Muddy Waters. Compilation = skip.

#37 – Hotel California by The Eagles. My favorite Eagles album, this. Well, one of them. I’d say it’s a tie between this and Desperado with The Long Run coming in right behind. I mean, Joe Walsh jumps in the band and all of a sudden you have an even bigger guitar duo powerhouse than before and you get “Life in the Fast Lane,” the title track, and “Victim of Love” as your rockin’ songs. You’re not getting crapped on for the more laid back, either: “New Kid in Town,” “Wasted Time” (one of my fave Eagles tunes, ever), “The Last Resort” and Walsh’s “Pretty Maids All in a Row.”  I’m not really sure why there’s the reprise of “Wasted Time” other than to tie side one to side two, but it’s cool and I like it. The album, as a whole is awfully rockin’ and I’m quite a fan. It’s the last to feature Randy Misner before Timothy B. Schmidt takes of. It’s also the penultimate Eagles album, other than the “hell freezes over” stuff later. I don’t know that I count those. I kid, of course I do. Okay, this album… I LOVE it! Oh, and I believe it’s the third best selling album in history.

#36 – Tapestry by Carole King. One of my new favorite albums of all time. It’s top 20 easy and possibly higher. There’s not a bad song on it anywhere. I can’t believe it’s this far 1carole_king_-_tapestrydown on the list, really. The songs are all well written (three co-written by her ex-husband Gerry Goffin, two with lyricist Toni Stern). The musicianship is immaculate, as well. She’s a great pianist and the accompanists are tight and near perfect while still keeping the feel of the album groovy. Even a song that gets on my nerves like you wouldn’t believe, “You’ve Got a Friend,” I love when she does it (it’s James Taylor’s version I get annoyed with). James Taylor plays on almost every song, too. He’s playing acoustic guitar and singing backup on most of it. If you’re wondering the name of the cat on the cover, it’s Telemachus. I can’t say exactly what it is about this album that I love so much. I just know that the first time I listened to it, I listened to it three times in a row and all without doing anything else other than reading lyrics to the songs. I really love this album. I bought it used on vinyl from my buddy Jonathan at Underdog Records but it had a lot of skips. He hasn’t located me another used copy, yet. It’s hard to say what my faves are because I love them all, but I’ll go with “Where You Lead” (I am a Gilmore Girls fan after all), “So Far Away,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and “It’s Too Late.” Again, I love this album. And, again, it should have been higher.

#35 – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie. The hits just keep coming! Another of my favorites. Another I wonder why it’s so far down the list. The Vagabond Saints Society did a tribute to Bowie in February right after his death and it included this album in its entirety. I was lucky enough to be able to do “Starman.” It was a great show and a fun song to do. The album is a concept album and we know I love a good concept album. The thing is, other than the sex and rock star aspect of it, I can’t really tell what it’s about. It’s kind of a mystery to me. But, I like it. Unlike the previous album on this segment, I don’t love every song on the album. I love most of them. “Ziggy Stardust” (I like the Bauhaus version, too), “Starman,” “It Ain’t Easy,” “Lady Stardust” and “Five Years” are my favorites. I’ve never really cared for “Suffragette City,” although I do like it better now than I used to. I own it on vinyl, but because of timing that’s not how I listened to it this time. Mick Ronson was a great guitarist. A little noisy, but that fit perfectly for Bowie. Trevor Bolder is a beast of a bass player, too. I really like this album! DUG x a bunch!

#34 – Music from Big Pink by The Band. Well, I suppose the fun had to end, eh? Not really. When I saw this come up on the list I let out an audible sigh. Why is this on the list and this high? I asked. I gave it a chance (I usually give them all a chance) and it wasn’t too awful. I am so not a fan of Levon Helm. I think that is the most of it. Not that I don’t like Richard Manuel or Rick Danko much better. As I said last segment, it’s sometimes like some old-1ramones_-_ramones_covertimey jug band. At least after the first side, I didn’t have to hear Helm doing lead. For whatever reason, this time listening to “The Weight” made me hear the song in a different light. I liked “Wheel’s on Fire,” “Chest Fever” and “We Can Talk.” Really, overall it wasn’t a bad album at all. Some of it even reminded me of The Beatles. I dug it, surprisingly.

#33 – Ramones by The Ramones. Well, I was surprised to find that I liked The Band’s recent entry. Then this happened.I listened to it through my headphones and it wasn’t horrible. the biggest problem for me was that it seemed 75% of the songs were the same song with different high school-written lyrics. The production was actually decent for what it was. I can say that the best part of the album was the whole thing was over in less than 30 minutes. I know why it’s on the list, being influential and all that. I just don’t know about the placement. I could see top 200 but top 40? Nah.I didn’t not dig it, but it was slightly higher than a meh.

#32 – Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones. The track listing alone makes this better than its predecessor on both this countdown and chronologically, Beggar’s Banquet. “Love in Vain,” though. I don’t like hobo music; it sounds like something I’d picture a hobo on a train singing while carrying his bandana sack on a stick. I don’t like stuff like that. I also am not a fan of the original version of “Honky Tonk Women” called “Country Tonk” on this album; I’m a fan of “HTW,” though. For being the only tune on the album that (original pianist) Ian Stewart played on, his playing is pretty prominent on the title track. According to what I read, Keith Richards is singing lead on “You Got the Silver” but it sounds just like Mick Jagger to me. I really like “Monkey Man.” It has a harder rock edge to it, at least comparatively to the rest of the album. However, my favorite song on the album is the 1bob_dylan_-_bringing_it_all_back_homeseven and a half minute opus, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” I said it was better than Beggar’s and I’ll stick with that, but I’ll say it was just by a skosh. Meh (except for “You Can’t Always…,” and “Gimme Shelter.”)

#31 – Bringing It All Back Home by Bob Dylan. The first seconds that I heard “Subterranean Homesick Blues” I felt like I was watching the video for “Mediate” from INXS’ Kick album. See if anyone gets that. All my informed life (which is debatable), I’ve been down on Dylan because of the all-folksy thing. Well, after hearing this, I need to retract all of that. There’s some good things on here, to be sure, but it’s not endearing like the earlier folksy stuff. Yeah, he’s still speaking in metaphors that are beyond most of my comprehension but it’s not the same. I need some of that slight political resistance even though it’s beyond me. I haven’t ever been too politically charged. When it is, it’s something I find of importance but I’ll admit that I’m pretty aloof about politics mostly. I don’t usually get the references. Life’s too short to worry about all that. However, I think Dylan was at his best when he was protesting something. Other than it being way too long, I am amused with the “take two” on “Bob Dylan’s 115 Dream.” I was so glad when I got to side two and it was mostly acoustic stuff. It fits his voice better. This is where we get “Mr. Tambourine Man,” too. Yeah, side two, is definitely Dylan to me. I understand the significance of this album but about half of it I really like; the other half, no. But, overall I’m certainly saying dug, just from the second side. So, dug.

So, this ended up being a pretty fantastic segment. Even some surprises with me not hating the Ramones or The Band albums, right? A brand new discovery in the Love album. And two albums that I love (King, Eagles), one that I like slightly less than love (Bowie) and a Stones album that has some shine but mostly fell flat for me. A Dylan departure that I wasn’t ready to happen and was saved in the end. A Beatles album and that is never a bad thing. One compilation. That sums up this segment in a nutshell, me being the nut. Getting closer, now. Up next, top 30.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Didn’t know what time it was and the lights were low. I leaned back on my radio.
Some cat was layin’ down some rock ‘n’ roll ”lotta soul,’ he said. Then, the loud sound did seem to fade; came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase. That weren’t no D.J., that was hazy cosmic jive.” – “Starman” (Bowie)

Mood Indigo or: All You Have To Do Is Call (RS Part 40)

12 Monday Sep 2016

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Salutations™!!

Wow, we’ll get down to the last hundred after this segment of Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Albums of All Time. They’re clicking on by. And yes, I know it’s been since June since I posted the last one. I’ve been busy with the move and work. I’m getting back to it. The last segment was really split down the middle: three I hated, three I liked and four that I loved. Let’s see how this segment works out, shall we? Let’s get the 390th to 400th done, starting now!

#110 – Loaded by Velvet Underground. Well, it couldn’t have started much worse. I am so over Velvet Underground even being on this list. I’m about tired of reviewing the albums because it’s the same thing over and over: “it’s awful.” I’m thinking, though that if you had the same songs with others singing and performing it, it may be a whole different story. It’s not the songs that I don’t like, it’s the band. I’ve heard covers of some of their tunes (before knowing they were VU) and liked it, then I found out who it was. That’s not bad. And, again, the kicker is… I like Lou Reed albums solo, but this is enough to make me want to put my head through the laminated glass on the front of the new studio. “Sweet Jane” is on this album as is “Rock & Roll.” Both are decent songs. Lots of energy. I’m actually going to give the caveat that I actually thought all of the songs are decent, I just wish someone else was performing it. I think there was a lot of politics on the record, not political as in social sense but within the band, the production crew and so on. It was loadedalbummeant, from what I can tell to be more mainstream and that’s perhaps why I like it. That being said, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I actually didn’t mind this record. I’m going to actually give it a “dug” but still wish it was someone else.

#109 – Aftermath by The Rolling Stones. This, according to Rolling Stone is the US version, which is a bit different. A different cover, a different, shorter track listing. They added “Paint It Black” at the beginning because it was the current single. Rhapsody (now called Napster) didn’t even include that on their listing. I had to add it from the Hot Rocks compilation. This was the first Rolling Stones album to feature all original music – no covers. “Paint It Black” has always sounded ominous to me and I’ve always dug it. Dark and foreboding; it reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 (where your Top 40 comes from). I do love me some “Lady Jane” which made #24. It’s a sweet tune with some serious harpsichord happening. “Under My Thumb” always reminded me of some lounge singer until they kick in. I know it’s because of the marimba work. I picture smoking jackets, thin jeans and loafers. I could be totally off on that visual’s time frame but it’s what I see. In my mind everything is faded like in the “Nashville” setting on Instagram. Some of the album is really good and some of it is filler, to me. Overall, it has it’s high points and meh points. It’s entertaining nonetheless. 81cyxn16akl-_sl1300_I dug it, for the most part.

#108 – Hunky Dory by David Bowie. This is good Bowie. Good Bowie, indeed. The album starts with one of my favorite Bowie songs, ever: “Changes.” A new fave, “Oh! You Pretty Things” is next. I never knew how much I dug “Life On Mars?” until just recently. The music hall feel of “Kooks” and the awesome piano stylings of Rick Wakeman on “Quicksand” and “Fill Your Heart.” I love “Andy Warhol,” too. It’s as weird as he was. Love the harmonies in that, too. I said it at the beginning of this paragraph and I’ll say it again – This is good Bowie. Now, I’ll amend it and say that this is great Bowie! Mick Ronson’s guitar work is solid and Bowie’s songwriting is shining. From the front to the back… genius. I LOVE this album. LOVE it. And this was the first time listening to it.

#107 – Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 by Sam Cooke.

#106 – Rocket to Russia by The Ramones. I was doing something else and thought that it was one song that went on for 32 minutes. Good news/bad news? Bad news is it was The Ramones. The good news is that it was only 32 minutes. The longest song was 2:49. For the win. Seriously, I didn’t mind “Cretin and/or Blitzkrieg Bop” whichever one that was on here. And “Rock rock rock rock and roll High School/Rockaway Beach..?” I don’t know what people see in this, it bores me to tears. At least, though, it doesn’t turn my stomach like sad, 12-bar blues does. I do really like “Sheena is a Punk Rocker.” The rest of the r-1102923-1261699035-jpegalbum? Nah, didn’t dig.

#105 – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music by Ray Charles. Glad I could cleanse my palate from the last album on this. Having recently watched and review Ray, I have a new appreciation of Ray Charles. Now, I don’t know how accurate that film is, but it did reintroduce a younger generation to Ray Charles. So, these tunes are right in line for that film. That being said, this is more R&B styled standards than it is C&W music, which is great to me. I prefer this style, and yes I get that it was very much country and western. It doesn’t have to be twangy to be C&W. I have become a huge fan of this style of music and Ray just takes it to such high places. I had to piece this one together on YouTube because it wasn’t available on Napster. Faves on this album were “Bye Bye Love,” “I Love You So Much It Hurts,” “Just a Little Lovin’ (Will Go a Long Way),” “It Makes No Difference Now” and “Hey, Good Lookin’.” I really enjoyed this album. Big DUG!!

#104 – Sweet Baby James by James Taylor. This album gets a lot of recognition and comparison to Carole King’s Tapestry (still to come, much later in the countdown) and while I do know that Stringbean plays all the acoustic guitar on that album and they were good friends, this doesn’t, at all, compare to that album. Wait until we get to that one to find out my thoughts on it. This has some good songs on it, “Sweet Baby James,” “Fire and Rain.” However, I’ve grown completely over James Taylor, NC boy or not. “Sunny Skies” is like Sesame Street’s theme, which is okay. “Steamroller” is that junky 12-bar blues that I loathe so much, but this rendition really isn’t too awful. I do like the inclusion of the horns. He does a pretty good rendition of the Stephen Foster tune, “Oh, Susannah.” That is immediately followed by “Fire and Rain” which is, in part, about a childhood friend committing suicide when he was in London recording his first album (this was his second) with Apple Records. Carole King did play all the piano parts on the album. “Anywhere Lies Heaven” sounds like he struggled with the song. It almost sounds high schoolish and it seems like he’s pitchy the whole time. I don’t understand why it was included on the coltrane_giant_stepsalbum. “Oh Baby, Don’t You Loose Your Lip on Me” drives me crazy from the moment he starts it. Overall, it’s a decent album but I find very little about it remotely remarkable. I didn’t not dig it…?

#103 – Giant Steps by John Coltrane. Oh, sweet, jazzy yumminess. This horn is talking. There’s no lyrics and there doesn’t have to be. The lyrics are implied and formed whimsically from Coltrane’s seasoned reed. The horn tells the story, vividly. And he had some killer cats playing with him, too. I mean, Tommy Flanagan – Ella Fitzgerald’s main-most-man on the keys, the gone-too-soon Paul Chambers on the double bass and Art Taylor on drums. Most of those instrumentalists were mainstays with Miles Davis, as well. The thing about Coltrane is that I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a sax like that. I’m thinking  about some melodic and rolling stuff that I’ve heard but don’t know that I’ve heard a sax actually talk to me; sing to me; speak to me. I love the dynamics, the ebbs and the flows. I think this is a fine and fantasmic piece of music history and I will say that I loved it. DUG!

#102 – Fresh Cream by Cream. There are things that I go into on this list that I just “hope” that I’ll like since it’s iconic and all that mess, but Cream is just something I cannot get into. I know they’re “great musicians” and all that, and I can’t argue that they’re good. I just don’t get it. It’s too bluesy for me, I guess. I will say the production is fantastic. The sounds are all lush and (until “Toad,” the last song) vibrant. I do like a few songs on the album, “I Feel Free” (yes this was the later US version with the original UK track listing with this song added at the beginning), “I’m So Glad,” and “Dreaming.” The aforementioned questioning of “Toad” was that while the extra-long drum solo is happening, there’s a sudden drop in sound quality. It may have been my stream, I’m notwee_small_hours_album_cover_high_definition sure. But, it was quite noticeable. Overall, like I said, there are parts that I dig about it but for the most part? Meh. I’ll just never get Cream, I guess. Meh, again.

#101 – In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra. I can listen to Ol’ Blue Eyes any day of the week, any amount of time, and be ecstatic. I have loved listening to Frank since I was in my late teens/early 20s. This is one of his finest pieces of work and was recorded in a tumultuous time in his life. Who am I kidding? That was almost all the time. His lifestyle, while grand, was also quite chaotic. You can almost hear the ache in his heart. I make fun of Morrissey for “talking” his way through songs, but really, Frank does it, too. Yes, he sings, but it sometimes is a bit of of spoken word. However, it’s smooth and relaxing. I find I can work well, writing posts, working up plans, just working… when I listen to him (and this style). It’s good background music, but it’s also good to straight up listen to, as well. They’re called “standards” for a reason and that reason is because they were a standard inclusion for many people in the recording industry in the ’30s-’50s. There’s songs here by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz, Alec Wilder and the great, great, great Hoagy Carmichael. Some wonderful stuff, here. I’d own it on vinyl and I really, really dug it!!

So, this round had it’s share of ups and downs, eh? A few “loves,” a few “likes,” a few “mehs,” a compilation. Some of it all. I’m glad I heard the Bowie, Ray, Frank and Coltrane albums. Wow, the more I look at it, that’s Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and John Coltrane in one segment with some of Bowie’s best work thrown in there, too? Hey, and I didn’t hate the Velvet Underground album. I could have done without the Ramones, Stones and Cream albums, though. I guess I need to do a recap of this past 100 albums and I’ll get to that when I can. I’ll try to make it fairly soon, I promise. Listen to good music for the sake of listening to good music and I’ll see you next segment and I’ll see you tomorrow…

Until then, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“And these children that you spit on, as they try to change their worlds, are immune to your consultations. They’re quite aware of what they’re going through.” – “Changes” (Bowie)