Tag Archives: Top 500 Albums of All Time

Sending an S.O.S to the World or: Caught Beneath the Landslide (RS part 13)

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

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Salutations™!!

The last leg of the countdown had some real duds for the Scorpster.  Here’s hoping that this leg is better, or at least slightly more pleasing.  We’ll see… Let’s hit it, running!

#380 – Funky Kingston by Toots and The Maytals. Reggae. Sigh… Reggae.  IF there is any consolation to having to listen to it it’s that there are a few songs that are closer to old Rhythm & Blues than to Reggae.  “Sailin’ On” would be an example of this.  Their version of “Louie Louie” is pretty okay, too.  But, for the most part, it’s reggae and definitely not my thing. Didn’t dig.

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“CrazySexyCool” by TLC

#379 – Crazysexycool by TLC. Don’t understand the “Intro-lude” but that’s ok.  It gets into the R&B that we’ve come to know and love from T-Boz, Left-Eye and Chilli.  “Creep” is the real lead song and it’s a groovy trip in hip-hopdom. “Waterfalls” is on this album and that’s a great listen.  “Red Light Special” is a damned sexy song, no doubt about it! As a matter of fact, this whole album is sexy. Left-Eye (RIP) was a drunk and whacky chick, for sure but it all worked for this album. All the way to the end with “Sumthin’ Wicked This Way Comes,” I dug it. D.U.G!

#378 – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory by Oasis. Although I have had this album for a long, long time, I’ve never listened from front to back.  I’m bad like that.  Another reason I need this list.  It’s the only way to keep me on task.  Otherwise, I skip to the hits or I wander aimlessly and nothing gets listened to.  “Hello” and hello to you! Great opener. Too bad these brothers couldn’t get their shite straight, there was real talent here.  I don’t know about Beatles level talent (as they claimed) but still darned good. “Wonderwall,” that ever present acoustic show staple is on this album.  It’s a great song, no doubt.  Did I mention that it was a shame they didn’t stay together?  “Morning Glory” is in your face and full on rocking it.  I liked that one a lot! There’s a lot of sound effects on this album, like the water that segues “She’s Electric” with “Champagne Supernova.”  Overall this is a fabulous disc and I’m glad I finally heard it 1 to 12. Dug!

#377 – The Ultimate Collection (1948-1990) by John Lee Hooker.  Anthology=collection or greatest hits.  Nope.

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“Post” by Bjork

#376 – Post by Björk. I don’t anything about Björk other than she’s Icelandic, former singer of Sugercubes and a bit “eclectic,” if you will.  The synth bass kicking arse at the beginning of “Army of Me” is fabulous and her voice is haunting. Somewhat seductive, although I don’t believe the song is supposed to be sexy.  It’s aggressive, but with more blue lyrics it would probably work, as well.  “Hyper-Ballad” is also bass intensive with brushwork percussion. That one is supposed to be sexy, I think.  “It’s Oh So Quiet” is very much a Broadway-esque jazz number with the dazzling Björk quirky treatment. This, so far is my favorite tune on the disc.  The music on this thing are all over the place and really I wouldn’t expect anything less from her.  “Isobel” is reminiscent of a James Bond theme with allure and intrigue and dissonant chord progressions. It is especially relative to the ’90s Bond pictures.  “Possibly Maybe” falls in this same mold, at least slightly.  She’s very jazzy and really, I dare say, she kicks butt! Her English is remarkable, by the way.  Love the conga solo in “I Miss You,” as well.  This album is great! DUG DUG DUG!!

#375 – Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne. The greatest thing about Jackson Browne is just that, Jackson Browne.  You always know what you’re going to get: solid songwriting and a great recital of such.  Has he ever written a bad song?  I never knew how much I did like him until recently.  But, that love (yeah, he just upgraded) is deeper than I knew as well.  It goes with the soundtrack of life, in a way.  Look at “Running on Empty.” Can any of you hear that and not see Forrest Gump running through the western US?  If you can, then you’ve not seen Forrest Gump.  But, that has nothing to do with this album.  That 1970s beyond-country-folk-yet-not-folk rock that he’s best known for is right here.  The title track starts the album and it’s fantastic; exactly what you’d expect. Browne always finds a way to make a chord change, in almost every song, that you don’t expect to happen.  Which, I guess in a way makes you expect it.  It could be a rise when you think it’s going to be a fall or vice versa. Nothing over the top, but right on spot. There are only 8 songs on the album but the shortest one is three minutes, eight seconds, including 2 six minute ones.  So even with less songs you’re still getting over 41 minutes of music which was about average for that time, I’d say.  While there aren’t any songs on this that I’d say that were greatly memorable, the album itself, as a collection is a pretty great listen.  I know there are other JB albums on this list, at least there should be. I look forward to them.  Highlights are “Fountain of Sorrow,” the title track, “Walking Slow” and “Farther On.”  Good stuff and I dug it.

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“Siren” by Roxy Music

#374 – Siren by Roxy Music. Now this is the Roxy Music that I know at least a little about.  “Love is the Drug” is one of my favorite Roxy songs.  Awesome bass work and that ’70s staccato guitar work. I love this song! “Sentimental Fool” is a six minute guitar and noise solo that I really don’t mind.  Normally that stuff gets away from me, but I dig it.  Bryan Ferry adds his vocal quirkiness to the song about 1/3 of the way in and he falsettos the stuffing out of it.  Again, I dig it. “She Sells” is in your face and fits that mold of the times.  Dance beats, jazzy-disco rhythms, British style and over exaggerated Ferry; a perfect mix and fit for this album. Isn’t that Mick Jagger’s ex on the cover? I dug it!

#373 – Volunteers by Jefferson Airplane. Jefferson Airplane is a band that I never really got into.  I think I had some weird hang up about them being “old people” music, although it wasn’t then and just because most of their fans are older, that’s not that old.  It’s hippie stuff, no doubt.  Some psychedelic shite, fo sho.  This is a little more laid back and I’ll admit that I’ve never done an illegal substance, ever, but this makes me think people would need to be high to truly appreciate it.  Not saying I don’t, just saying I think the experience would be even better.  There is an air about this album that reminds me of stuff that The BCPF would listen to, even today, so it’s stood (somewhat) the test of time.  Still anti-warish as was the time.  I think I will take Crosby, Stills and Nash’s version of “Wooden Ships,” though.  The song was written by Stills and Crosby and Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner so it belonged to both, I just think CSN “owned” it. Dug, but nothing out of this world (they’re not a Starship, yet… bad joke, sorry).

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“Reggatta de Blanc” by The Police

#372 – Reggatta de Blanc by The Police. YES!!! I have professed my love for this band before and GOSHDARNIT! I have to repeat my love!!!  One of my favorite tunes, ever, “Message in a a Bottle” opens this bad boy.  One of the greatest guitar patterns ever; it sounds so full. I’m giddy just listening to it.  I can remember vividly the local super group, Vagabond Saints Society doing “Reggatta de Blanc” during their Police show; great job!  And “Walking on the Moon!?”  A simple song, but man, it has such a groove. I know some people discount it because of the ska/reggae aspect, but I think it’s awesome.  Oh, the woes of everything bad in “On Any Other Day.”  One of the best bass riffs, in my opinion, is from “The Bed’s Too Big Without You.”  The album is great. The album is awesome. There is nothing I can say bad about it. DUG

#371 – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not by Arctic Monkeys. Good Brit rock this, the debut album from AM. “The View from the Afternoon” and “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” both, out of the gate, kick you in the teeth and groove you at the same time.  I think it’s funny that one of the most laid back songs on the album is called “Riot Van.”  This album is fun, it rocks, it grooves, it is worth listening to.  I’d revisit this one at another time.  That’s a good sign, right? Dug!

So this segment, like the last ended, started off on a low note, but all the ones that I reviewed (remember the anthology) after that, I really liked.  So I’d say 8 out of 10 is a success! I wish they could all be like that.  Upon glancing ahead I see a lot of stuff in the next segment that I really look forward to hearing.  It should be fun. This was fun.  I hope it is for you.  What are you thoughts on these albums? By all means, feel free to send me a note, reply to the post, email me, Facebook me, Tweet me, just let me know your thoughts.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“How many special people change
How many lives are living strange
Where were you when we were getting high?
Slowly walking down the hall
Faster than a cannon ball
Where were you while we were getting high?” – “Champagne Supernova” (Gallagher) from (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

Henley and Stripes or: Not Much Else (RS pt 12)

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

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Salutations™!!

Last 10 were pretty decent, let’s see how this one shapes up!!

#390 – Elephants by White Stripes. You can’t watch any sporting events without hearing “Seven Nation Army.”  There’s a reason, too.  It’s a great tune.  “There’s No Home For You Here” just tears into you from the get go.  Then it slows down to allow you to breath (the first slow point in the album) before it stands you up and punches you square in the face, again.  Jack White, like him or not, is a good song writer and this album proves it.  According to an interview in Guardian, Jack says that the production of the album was done completely without computers or editing software with all the equipment being from 1963 or prior.  Meg takes over on “In the Cold, Cold Night” and showcases her haunting velvety voice.  I love the squirrel story behind “Little Acorns.”  I love the snark and sharpness of “Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine.”  In “It’s True That We Love One Another” Jack and Meg do a trio with Holly Golightly (yes, that’s her real name-ish).  Kind of some weird love triangle, which if you consider the “Whites” it’s a whole bunch of weirdness to begin with.  But this song, is hilarious and well written.  I dig it and the album!  Good stuff.

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“The End of the Innocence” by Don Henley

#389 – The End of the Innocence by Don Henley.  When this came out in 1989, I knew right away who was playing the piano on the title track.  That sound is Bruce Hornsby. No denying.  The song itself is a reflection of the world at that time.  Lots of Reagan and lots of crap.  Armchair warriors (Oliver North, etc.).  A deeper song that itinitially exhibits.  I researched it to see how it pertained to that time after listening a couple more times recently. Deep.  “The Last Worthless Evening” is a song about yearning.  Despair for loves lost and comfort is what I hear, but it could be more elaborate than that, considering who wrote the song, and for whom.  The rumor is Michelle Pfeiffer. Who knows for certain, but some of the evidence stacks up when you hear his account.  “New York Minute” is another favorite of mine from this album.  Henley is a great story teller. It tells how things can change in the blink of an eye, it’s here and gone, or in a New York Minute where everything happens even more rapidly.  “The Heart of the Matter” was a song that I did in a band when I was fresh out of high school with a friend of mine who is unfortunately no longer with us.  All in all, this album is top notch and when you research how many guests there are on this – I mean, really!? Axl Rose!? – it was a great co-op and has quality to show for it, too! DIG x∞!!

#388 – The Indestructible Beat of Soweto by Various Artists. Um… Well.  I’m a bit perplexed.  It’s cool, I think. A shload of South African musicians doing their thing.  It’s certainly different. I’m wondering if the “Rooney Rule” was put into action just to have something on the Top 500.  I don’t mean that racist, but really it ranks higher than a Beatles album, many other great albums on this list.  Is it really Top 500 material?  I would say “who am I to judge?” but, really, that’s why I’m taking time to do this critique and I say, no, I don’t think that it is.  I think they just picked something to appeal to everyone.  Sometimes, political correctness gets in the way of truth.  It’s good for what it is, but I don’t think it belongs here.  I mean no offense if anyone chooses to take some with this.  Just stating my opinion. For the record, I did listen to the whole thing.  It ended up being background for other activities, but I did listen. I like Peter Gabriel and this sounds like it could be included in some of his world music stuffs, if that helps? Didn’t really dig, or did I?  I don’t know.

#387 – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan. Well, it’s pretty much what I expected: lots of blaring curse words and use of the dreaded “N” word for no real reason.  Asked in the second song: “How do you like me now?” I don’t. It’s just a long conversation about themselves with “music” scattered throughout.  I don’t get it.  I struggled through it, but somehow made it through… because that’s what I do. This is just hard to listen to.  Do NOT dig.

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“Pretzel Logic” by Steely Dan

#386 – Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan. I love Steely Dan.  Starts off great with the radio hit “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.”  After that, yes, it’s Steely Dan, but most of it isn’t my favorite bit of SD stuff.  “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” is ok and “With a Gun” is a right fine song.  I like that one. “Charlie Freak,” too.  I thought I was a bit disappointed with the output, but it ended righteously.  Overall, it’s ok, but that doesn’t turn me away from Steely Dan, just know that this album (which I own) isn’t my favorite of theirs, but hey, it’s not Wu-Tang Clan. Dug, moderately.

#385 – Love and Theft by Bob Dylan.  Released on September 11, 2001, the first song, “Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum,” at least, is pretty cool.  Ol’ Bob’s voice has gotten a bit strained and even more rough than it used to be. It’s almost like a bad Tom Waits imitation.  Not horrible, and the songs are well written, but it’s somewhat sad to hear him singing like it’s painful.  Then, a few songs into it, the mood changes and it’s 12-bar blues mumbo jumbo that, as I have mentioned several times, turns my stomach, literally.  I don’t mind the jazzy blues stuff, like “Floater (Too Much to Ask),” but the 12-bar blues, I can’t stand. The more I listen to this, I’m thinking it was put on the list just on Dylan’s name alone?  I’m not saying it’s bad, but it’s not better than some of the albums that have rated lower.  I don’t think this is one of the “greatest of all time,” not by a long shot! Didn’t dig.

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“A Quick One” by The Who

#384 – A Quick One by The Who. I don’t know how the critics liked this one, the sophomore album by The Who, but upon the first little bit, I really like “Boris the Spider.”  That’s great production right there. Very nice!  Now, after that, it gets a little sketchy.  Some decent stuff, but not a lot of “striking” stuff. Some of it, too, makes me scratch my head in a “what in the wide world of sports is this!?” manner.  “Cobwebs and Strange” at least gets its name right. “Don’t Look Away” is good ’60s rock and roll, though.  “A Quick One, While He’s Away” is a 9 minute song.  I don’t know many 9 minute songs that I actually like; I think it’s my attention span to blame.  This 9 minute song isn’t bad, but I don’t really care one way or another. This album certainly utilized that “Happy Trails” duh-da-duh duh, duh-da-duh duh (think Van Halen’s version) riff a lot.  What’s this?! The Batman theme song? Why yes, yes it is. Okay, then. Now, here is a good song: “Happy Jack.” I really like that song, and “My Generation/Land of Hope and Glory.”  All in all this album, to me is a bunch of fluff.  It started off good, but had a long bout with drag until the end. Somewhat dug.

#383 – More Songs About Buildings and Food by Talking Heads. Two sophomore albums back to back on the countdown.  I hope this one is better than the last.  It’s funky. It’s David Byrne.  A weird one, him.  That’s okay, though. I like weird.  Brian Eno is co-producer, so that just adds to the weird.  I like “With Our Love” and it’s funky disco-esque stylings.  “Artists Only” is magical and I like that.  In truth a lot of this album is pretty good, but nothing that I’d say I’d go back to listen to much of.  I have Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites and as much as I talk about greatest hits albums on here, I do like them for what they are at least supposed to be: all substance and no filler.  I just don’t think they belong on this countdown.  My point is, comparing this to that, I’ll stick with that. But, this is nothing I can say with “bad.” I love the marching of “Stay Hungry.” It’s energetic and funky. With the addition of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River,” it’s not a bad album at all, really.  Just not my thing.  Dug.

#382 – The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers. Some early punk, this.  Not the “in-your-face” kind of punk but the laid back, take no regard for the critics kind of punk. I can’t put my finger on what this reminds me of.  Something that came later.  I’ll think of it once I post this, I’m sure.  “Astral Plane” is a good one as is “Old World.” Somewhat minimalist, which is a good thing.  You don’t want to “over do it.  Apparently, Pablo Picasso was never called an @$$hole, at least according to the song.  I can see that, PP was pretty cool. I’m not sure that I like the odd and curious “Hospital.”  I can definitely hear a Velvet Underground influence, which does kind of diminish its appeal to me as I think VU is a complete waste of time. I’ll catch heck for that, I’m sure.  I wonder if this album wasn’t recorded in the order it is on the track listing because it seems to get tired as it goes on.  At one point the lead singer, Jonathan Richman seemed to bargle through his lyrics.  I couldn’t understand what he was saying at times.  Meh. Started ok and then lost me. Why is this on the “greatest of all time” list?  Dug, I guess.

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“Smile” by The Beach Boys

#381 – Smile by The Beach Boys. Never have I been a Beach Boys fan.  This isn’t swaying me.  Give me The Beatles any day.  This is kind of crappy to me.  Again, I know I’ll get hell for it, but this is nothing more than background noise to me.  I hear the harmonies and I appreciate them, but there’s nothing really memorable here.  And to think that it got a lot longer than the original mess that this is, scares me.  Again, there’s nothing wrong with it, but nothing that stands out to me that I couldn’t hear done ten times better on a Beatles album.  It does get credit from me as one of the few “compliation/anthology” albums that I’ll listen to for this list.  At that, I’m only listening to the first three “movements” and not the bonus content, etc.  I don’t hate it but don’t care to ever hear it again.  The one bright spot was “Good Vibrations.” I really dig that song. The rest…? There will be plenty of Beach Boys later in this list, I’m sure. Luckily, plenty more Beatles, too.  Meh.

So for this leg, it started with 2 great albums, Henley and White Stripes and then flowed forth eight examples of mediocrity or, gasp, full-on crap!  Let’s hope the “next ten” goes better than this.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“And I thought of all the bad luck,
And the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you
What are these voices outside love’s open door
Make us throw off our contentment
And beg for something more?” – Don Henley, “The Heart of the Matter” from The End of the Innocence

The Waits is Over or: The Beatles Can’t Be This Low (RS pt 11)

02 Friday Jan 2015

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Salutations™!!

Well the first 100 down, let’s start the next 100.

#400 – Anthology by The Temptations. Right off the bat, greatest hits album. Great start, RS, great start. Skip.

#399 – Rain Dogs by Tom Waits. So after the success that I had with Mule Variations, I was looking forward to hearing more Tom Waits; thinking I had found a gem.  That was short lived however as this album didn’t compare to the previous one. This was more about reminding me of what I thought I was going to hear with Tom Waits the first time.  Sad, I say.  Not saying it was bad, just not what I was hoping for.  “Downtown Train” and “Rain Dogs” were the highlight for me. Meh,

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“Eliminator” by ZZTop

#398 – Eliminator by ZZ Top. Some of my childhood, this.  I’ll admit, too, that while I did have this cassette, I only listened to the hits off of it.  I was always bad about that; to some extent still am.  In the listening of this, there are the obvious “hits” like “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Legs” and “Sharp Dressed Man,” sure. But, I found my favorite song, and probably the gem, on this album (outside of “SDM”) is “I Need You Tonight.”  That song is money.  Now, the apparent disappointment in this album is the fact, or supposed fact, that Dusty Hill and Frank Beard aren’t playing much on this album. I don’t think it’s Dusty playing those popping bass lines in “Thug,” I really don’t.  Still, I really like it. Dig!

#397 – Blue Lines by Massive Attack. From the get-go with “Safe From Harm,” a smile on my face. I love this stuff.  I believe I actually own this album.  I may be wrong but I’m not in front of my collection to know. This is Chill and a mix of soul/R&B and some hip-hop. Case in point, “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got.”  Some Marvin-esque vocals and smooth R&B from Tony Bryan; that’s velvet right there.  Another fantastic track is “Daydreaming.” This I absolutely LOVE! DIG!!

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“For Your Pleasure” by Roxy Music

#396 – For Your Pleasure by Roxy Music. What the heck is this!?  Give me the Avalon Roxy Music any day.  I’m not a fan of jam prog stuff.  I love Pink Floyd but there’s only so much of the long jammy songs that I can handle.  Way too much for me.  With what I know of Brian Eno, he must be behind the suckage of this album.  I know I’ll get flack for it, but I do not like this at all.  There’s nothing memorable about it.  I’ve already forgotten who I was listening to. Didn’t dig,

#395 – Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem. Hard-hitting electronica/alt-dance music.  Made for club dancers, obviously, it’s a bit repetitive as that style usually is.  That’s ok though.  It’s not just “boots-and-pants-and-boots-and-pants” dance, either.  It’s hippy and trippy.  Good stuff, there.  The lead track, “Get Innocuous!” is a good way to hit the ground running.  I really liked “Time to Get Away.” It was minimalist but with awesome clavinet riffage. Hoo hoo hoo!  More delicious dirty as “North American Scum” cranks, next. Punkish, really.  “All My Friends” takes it from just dance to power pop and does a fabulous job of it.  Reminds me of rocking pop on the radio these days, but not lost in drivel.  It’s good stuff. “Watch the Tapes” is good pop punk with the electronica elements added in.  Mucho beats and looping happening here.  I think my favorite song is “New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down.” I love the piano and snarky shots at the mayor and other iconic stereotypes. I like what I’ve heard from LCD Soundsystem up to this point.  This is no different.  I dug it!

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“Good Old Boys” by Randy Newman

#394 – Good Old Boys by Randy Newman. Wow.  “Rednecks” is a very unexpected slap to the face.  I know he’s singing about the subject tongue-in-cheek from the rednecks’ perspective, but I don’t like the “N” word and it was surprising.  That being said, I liked the song.  “Marie” is like a drunk letter to a love.  I love Newman’s piano playing.  It’s always so rich and powerful.  The album is full of typical Newman humor and disregard for manners.  That’s what makes his stuff so great! “Kingfish” is a good raunchy piano tune with over the top strings.  This is just a great album. DUG!

#393 – Kala by M.I.A. The first thing I noticed is that it’s hard to listen to this, not because of the music but because it’s got licensing issues.  Rhapsody couldn’t play, although they did list it.  It comes up and says not available.  YouTube also didn’t allow it to play because of licensing.  So Google let me play it, song-by-song through Vimeo and DailyMotion, etc. It’s rumored that she couldn’t get a long-term visa from the US to record because of her family’s ties to the Sri Lanka guerrillas.  The world fusion/hip hop styles are great.  Switch did a great job in production.  A lot of percussion-driven beats and it’s bass heavy. Lots of old school drum machines involved and at times it sounds discoish, and I love disco.  “Jimmy,” “Bird Flu,” “Paper Planes,” “Mango Pickle Down the River” are some of my faves.  Dug.

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“Let It Be” by The Beatles

#392 – Let It Be by The Beatles. My first reaction is: WHY is this album so low (or high?) on this list? How is any Beatles album this high on the list?  If it were Let It Be… Naked, then I’d understand that.  Anywhat!  With the exception of “Dig It” and “Maggie Mae,” I don’t have a song on here that is either not in the “like” column or a throw away, although I am a little tired of hearing the title track.  This album is great.  The last album released by The Beatles, it wasn’t the last recorded.  That would be Abbey Road.  “Two of Us” and “Dig a Pony” start the album out and I remember the first time I heard it, I was blown away. So full, so harmonic, so well written.  I did covers of “Dig a Pony” and “I’ve Got a Feeling” in a Beatles tribute show.  The Beatles are like my second favorite band of all time, behind KISS. Good stuff.  Dug!

#391 – The Pretender by Jackson Browne. I like that I’m listening to an album from someone I have continuously overlooked and at the same time respected.  Browne is a great songwriter and his songs are good to just take in and hear stories.  “The Fuse” has a sense of urgency and leads off the album. I must say I love true fade outs.  I don’t know how to feel about “Linda Paloma,” though. Kind of slamming Spanish music with a waltz.  It’s okay, just weird to me.  “Here Come Those Tears Again” is right back on the JB train. It’s the popish stuff that I expect from him. Even 3B liked “The Only Child,” as he is one of those.  “The Pretender” is a great pop song and a fitting end for a decent album.  I’d listen again. Dug.

Other than the silly anthology/greatest hits album thrown in, it was a decent segment of 10.  Some really good, some not so good.  I look forward to the next installment.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I got to have a shot
Of what you got it’s oh, so sweet
You got to make it hot
Like a boomerang I need a repeat.” – ZZ Top, “Gimme All Your Lovin'” from Eliminator (1983)

The First 100 is the Deepest or: The Good, The Bad, The Indifferent

12 Friday Dec 2014

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Salutations™!!

So I finished the first 100 of Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Albums of All Time.  I thought maybe I could give a little retrospective of what I liked and didn’t like in that first 100.

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Rolling Stone

I’m going to preface this with a caveat. I am not including albums that I would consider some of my faves.  I own and listen to Synchronicity all the time. Same with Destroyer, Van Halen, Faith, etc.  This list is about discovery, and some revisiting, for me. The reason I’m doing it is to see what I’ve been missing out on, what deliciousness I can unearth.  There were some awesome finds and some huge letdowns.  Some I’d love to have, some I’d love to have on vinyl even, and some I’d love to have destroyed.  Things that I dreaded, often left me feeling pleasantly surprised. While others that I may have been looking forward to disappointed me.  Nothing’s perfect and I know I feel this list is very much flawed. You don’t include compilation albums in top lists.  I don’t care how iconic that greatest hits or anthology may be.  I am a huge KISS fan and I don’t care two shakes about Double Platinum outside of my childhood.  Give me fully packaged studio albums every day.  I allowed the live albums after much debate with myself.  The performances in live albums tend to show some artistic merit and, often, more raw emotion.

I was going to make a Top 5 and Bottom 5, but I couldn’t limit to 5 that I liked.  There were plenty of those that I could have said I didn’t like but they had to really be bad to make the bottom 5.  These were chosen from going back to reread what I had written about in the last 10 installments.  These, also, are in no order. Here we go:

Top Finds #500-401

  • Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure
  • The Smiths by The Smiths
  • Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
  • Tunnel of Love by Bruce Springsteen
  • Mule Variations by Tom Waits
  • Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
  • Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
  • Sea Change by Beck
  • Maggot Brain by Funkadelic
  • Touch by Eurythmics

And honorable mention goes to Guitar Town by Steve Earle

Bottom “I Can’t Unhear That” #500-401

  • John Prine by John Prine
  • Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
  • Life After Death by Notorious B.I.G.
  • Only Built for Cuban Linx by Raekwon
  • Voodoo by D’Angelo

Yes, I realize that 4 of that 5 are rap albums. I’m not discriminating against rap albums as you’ll find plenty of them in the #500-401 that I stated my digging of.  So don’t read more into that than necessary.  I just found that I didn’t care about any of these.

Overall, I really enjoyed this segment of the list and I even appreciate the ones that I didn’t like.  I am glad I undertook this task and I look forward to the next 100!  Thank you, Dear Reader, for being interested in my ramblings enough to read through them.  On to listening!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…

Scorp out!

—

“I just wade the tides that turned
Till I learn to leave the past behind” – “Guess I’m Doing Fine” by Beck from Sea Change

 

Scar Tissue or: Triple Albums Must Pass (RS pt 10)

10 Wednesday Dec 2014

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Salutations™!!

I have to start this post off with some back tracking.  A few RS posts back I skipped over George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album because of technical difficulties.  The difficulties being, it wasn’t available on Rhapsody and that I owned it but hadn’t listened to it.  It’s a triple album and that’s a lot of songs to aggregate to put into a playlist, when I have it already. So I went back and listened.  So the first part will be out of sequence.

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“All Things Must Pass” by George Harrison

#433 – All Things Must Pass by George Harrison. I believe that George Harrison was the most unique, if not the best, of the songwriters in The Beatles.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think his songs were the best, I just think he was ahead of his time in songwriting.  Paul and John were awesome songwriters and their songs were amazing.  But, I think George was a madman when it came to penning songs.  For The Beatles alone, look at “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”  IF that was the only song that he wrote, it’s a monumental one-off.  But, that wasn’t all.  This album, All Things Must Pass, also highlights this fact.  This was a shload of songs that I guess Paul and John didn’t think was good enough for their little group.  A caveat to this part is that while I have the album, I believe it is the 2001 remaster that I have and it only offers an instrumental version of “What Is Life.”  Four and a half minutes of an instrumental version of a classic hit.  Boo, to that, I say.  Also, I don’t get the whole idea of the “jam” records that went with it, the “Apple Jams” part.  I get that jamming is an integral part of songwriting and collaboration, but jeez o’pete!! And “Out of the Blue,” um… !?  It’s 11:18 long… AND it fades out.  At what point do you think, well, this has gone on long enough, let’s just fade it.  Obviously at 11:18, but MY point is: how much longer did it go before they stopped?! It was ridiculous and to me not at all entertaining.  Anywhat! Let’s get back to the main album.  I’m trying to figure out how Alice Cooper wasn’t sued for “Only Women Bleed.”  That, too me, is a rip off of “Isn’t It a Pity (both versions).” “My Sweet Lord” is fabulous and I’m a big fan of “Beware of Darkness,” “Awaiting on You All,” and the title track, too.  Overall, a great album, but in my opinion, way too long.  At least ditch the jammy stuff, to me it’s not needed.  Sorry that one went on so long.  Dug, but disappointed, too.

#410 – Time Out of Mind by Bob Dylan. I will start off saying that I love the first song, “Love Sick.”  Something dark and foreboding, yet incredibly sexy about that song.  I don’t think it’s necessarily supposed to be sexy but it is.  The pain in the storytelling of “Standing in the Doorway” almost makes the listener feel the same.  I love the dirty blues/jazz rhythms and “down home” feeling of this album, although I usually don’t.  I could listen to this again (disclaimer: I did refresh for the review, which I do for every album).  I dug it!

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“Strange Days” by The Doors

#409 – Strange Days by The Doors.  I’ll always picture Val Kilmer when I think of Jim Morrison.  That and the fact that I saw the alleged location of his death in Paris.  Never have I been a big fan of The Doors, but I liked listening to this. You don’t have to be fan to like listening to something, I have figured.  From the title track to “Love Me Two Times” and “People Are Strange” (probably my favorite Doors tune, although I think I like Echo & the Bunnymen’s version better) this is some great stuff.  This, their sophomore effort ends like the debut album did, with a 10+ minute song.  Dug!

#408 – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got by Sinéad O’Connor. Sinéad O’Connor has an amazing voice.  Much power, emotion, feeling and conviction is busting from her pipes.  I love her version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and also “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”  The laid back “Black Boys on Mopeds” is only laid back in sound; there is political gunk all over this album.  Not a bad, either.  You can listen and picture her ripping the crap out of the Pope’s picture all over again.  For whatever reason, “Nothing Compares 2 U” wasn’t included on the version of the album I listened to (Rhapsody) although the song was included in some compilation elsewhere on the service.  Anywhat! I dug the album.

#407 – Sandinista! by The Clash.  Another, I repeat, yet another triple album.  You get a lot for your money with triple albums… if you like what you’re listening to, that is.  The Clash and I are in an on-again/off-again kind of relationship.  Usually, I’m off.  Three LPs full at one time… whew…  The first track, “The Magnificent Seven” has an awesome bass line which was played by a bassist that wasn’t even in, and was never in, the band.  It was guest bassist, Norman Watt-Roy. According to Wikipedia (yeah, I know) it was the first major white rap song.  I even predates Blondie’s “Rapture” but about six months, the site says.  I think The Clash gets in appropriately lumped in with punk, even though they’re more a pop band, in my ears.  Throw in some Motown, island music with vibraphones and such and you’ve got yourself a party.  The trouble is, I’m not really feeling it. Way too long and just couldn’t bring myself to care. I don’t get it myself, just how it is.  Didn’t dig.

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“Rid of Me” by PJ Harvey

#406 – Rid of Me by PJ Harvey. First track (title) starts off very quiet.  I thought something was wrong with it.  She kicks it in about halfway through the title track, then quiet again.  I know it’s for artistic value but somewhat confusing to me.  The rest of the album is melodious wailing at its finest.  I’m always impressed with the dissonance in both her voice and the musical arrangements.  “Legs” is good, almost teeth kicking.  Can you say angst?  She can! Dug!

#405 – Radio City by Big Star.  Being that I have a chronically bad case of the “Not Knowing Any Betters,” I listened to Radio City when I listened to (and reviewed) #1 Record (#434). Rhapsody put them together, I didn’t know they were separate albums. My bad. I dug it though.

#404 – Dr. John’s Gumbo by Dr. John.  Never have I wanted, or craved, jambalaya, red beans and rice or other creole foods as I did whilst listening to this album.  Big Easy indeed.   I can see him, Tom Waits and Joe Cocker standing at a mic doing music “in the round.”  “Iko Iko” starts it off and I had never heard a version like it.  “Somebody Changed the Lock” is sad for him, but a great song.  Admittedly, all I knew about Doc was “Right Place Wrong Time.”  This is the less commercial version of that style of music.  Comparable, yes, but not necessarily the same.  Boogie-Woogie, hints of Zydeco, and straight out rock.  Entertaining.  Another good quality, the songs were relatively easy to get through; short and to the point.  No fluff or muff, it was a good listen.  That being said, I don’t ever have to hear it again.  Dug, but done.

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“(Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd)” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

#403 – (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I have a confession to make. Seems like I do that quite often.  If you know me in real life you know that I despise Skynyrd.  My house is a “Skynyrd Free Zone,” as is my vehicle.  The thought of hearing them turns my stomach, just like 12-bar blues (we’ve talked about that before). But, guess what. I have seen them live before.  I took the “Ex” and her brother (both HUGE fans of the band).  I loved Paul Rogers’ set as an opener.  But, truthfully, I didn’t even want to get out of the car.  I’m not a fan of the contingency that are Skynyrd fans.  Rebel flag waving, white goofballs that do nothing but yell “woo!” one after the other, after the other, chugging their Bud Lights and PBRs and listening to Skynyrd at awful volumes, just to get in the show, accidentally bump into each other want to fight, get everyone around them stirred up, only to hug it out and sing along to their favorite or next-to-favorite tunes together.  Tension is high, ridiculously so, and well, I can’t stand it.  DISCLAIMER: I do not lump all fans of Skynyrd, or Bud Light or PBR drinkers in the same category, recklessly.  There has to be a mix of all of it.  BUT, that being said, I don’t like that crowd, they scare me, horribly.  No offense is intended, I’m just laying it out there.  Now, remember I said I had a confession.  The scenario laid out above, notwithstanding, I actually don’t mind the music of Skynyrd.  Even though this album has the all-time worst song ever written (yes even worse than “The Christmas Shoes”), known as “Freebird,” this was a pretty decent album. Most of Side 1 are great songs.  “Tuesday’s Gone,” “Gimme Three Steps” and “Simple Man” really are great tunes. “Freebird” sucks on many levels: I hate the whining of Ronnie Van Zandt through out, the length of the song, the aforementioned association of the certain type fan, and don’t get me started on the heckling opportunities at live venues.  Here’s your middle finger and it’s no charge.  Abstaining from proper ranking, here. Sorry.

#402 – Illmatic by Nas.  I was dreading this. Only because usually rap is just not my thing.  I’ve been disappointed, mostly, by the rap/hip hop choices thus far; I think I’ve been waiting to be wowed.  Well, other than the obviously obligatory use of the “N” word, the music in this one is quite good.  Cursing hasn’t ever bothered me, jeez, I’ve a potty mouth on me. I just usually leave that off of this blog, just no need for it.  Some sad stuff, indeed; some good stuff; optimism and darkness.  The raps are honest and from the heart.  I was even nodding and toe-tapping between the cringing (“N” words, again).  Dug, but done.

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“Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

#401 – Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers.  This album is no Blood Sugar Sex Magick. Nope, most certainly isn’t.  Not saying it doesn’t have some good stuff, nosiree!  They did get John Frusciante back, though.  They needed him, I think.  “Scar Tissue,” the title track, “Otherside,” “Porcelain,” all great songs.  But, I think I was expecting something new.  To me the jump from Mother’s Milk to  Blood Sugar was innovative, even if I can’t really say how, I’ve never been a huge fan of Chili Peppers. But, there was something.  I’d have thought that after going through [Dave] Navarro and getting John back would have been something profound.  I just wasn’t blown away.  I will say though, that no matter what he does, Flea… he’s a beast.  Dug-ish, but disappointed.

So that was the first 100 of this countdown/list thingy.  I guess I’ll take some time to reflect later this week, before moving on to the next batch.  Keep an eye out for it!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Since u been gone I can do whatever I want
I can see whomever I choose
I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant
But nothing
I said nothing can take away these blues” – Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Prince

Yet Another Undertaking or: How I Agreed to Inundate You With Blog Posts (Reprise)

30 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Blogging, Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

Today is November 30, 2014.  The thirtieth entry of this NaBloPoMo thing.  Thirty straight days on posting on this here blog.  Did I annoy the bejeezus out of you?  Did I teach you anything?  Did I enlighten you, inspire you, torment you, make you laugh, make you cry, make you want to come back for more?  If I did any of that, then I did my job; what I looked to do. I wanted to elicit an emotion or response from you, Dear Reader, every one.

So, finishing my self-imposed requirement (okay, it was a requirement of the NaBloPoMo thingy) of writing every day for 30 days, with my pals Kristen and Nick (who, by the way, stopped after about day 16-17 or so; that’s okay), I have decided to figure a few thoughts for self pondering.  I’ll share them with you.

  • I like writing.  I’ve always liked writing.  I just don’t like reading.  Other than a few blogs, I’m sorry to say, and I’m sorry to disappoint any of you who think I have been, I don’t read many blogs.  I don’t read articles, unless I’m researching for The Less Desirables.  It’s not that I don’t find any of you interesting.  I just have the attention span of a 3-day dead gnat. SQUIRREL!
  • I have a wide variety to talk about. I rant, rave, review, revel, ramble.  I do them fairly well, from what I can tell.  From Honeymoon tales to album reviews to “half-time” career changes to life’s little missteps, I have stuff to say.  The Honeymoon Chronicles have been fun to write.  It’s fun to reminisce about that 2 weeks in Europe and I’m not done, yet. I have about 6 days left to tell about.  I just didn’t want to throw one after the other after the other after the other at you.  Same with the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time.
  • I’ve had good response and want to keep those who took time to follow me interested.  I don’t know that I’m ready to give up.
  • Coming up with stuff to say is sometimes hard.  There were some days that I really had to think about what to blog about.  Especially with spacing out the Honeymoon, album reviews, self-promotion (podcasts), there were days to fill.  Finding interesting things to put in there between the presorted stuff that I had planned.  Luckily, I got away with a couple of light comedy pieces (some would say they’re all light comedy pieces) and picture
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    Don’t worry, Dear Reader, I’ll find a way…

    posts.  But, it was something.

There are more things, I’m sure, that I could pull up, but I’m trying to keep the finale brief, at least somewhat.  I have decided that I’m going to continue to do this blog regularly.  Probably not everyday, as I stated above, it’s difficult to come up with stuff.  The part that scares me, though, is that I know me and how I work.  I am a creature of habit and if I allow instance to worm its way into my routine, I’ll forget or neglect this journal. I promise, no, I swear to you, Dear Reader, I will try to keep that from happening.  My initial goal is to update 2-3 times a week. Does that sound reasonable?  Okay, then!

Thank you, so very much, for allowing me to come into your daily routine and I’m sure no one read all of them but if you did, thank YOU very much and I’ll buy you a glass of tap water next time I see you! It’s most I can do!

So until next time (and I can probably go back to the original way of saying this, now), same blog channel at SOME blog time…
Scorp out!

—
“I will grow. I will become something new and grand, but no grander than I now am. Just as the sky will be different in a few hours, its present perfection and completeness is not deficient.” – Wayne Dyer

I’m the One or: How is That Album So High on the List!? (RS pt 9)

25 Tuesday Nov 2014

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Salutations™!!

We’re going back into the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time!  When we last left off, there was some good stuff in that section.  Let’s see how this one stands up:

#420 – The “Chirping” Crickets by Buddy Holly & the Crickets. The debut of Buddy Holly & The Crickets, this is pretty rad production for the age.  1954 was still in recording infancy for this new-fangled Rock and Roll stuff.  Holly staples “Oh Boy” and “That’ll Be the Day” are here as well as a plethora of classic sweetness.  Is it something I could listen to for hours? Nope.  But, I could listen to it for the 29 minutes that I did and enjoy it.  So I dug it!

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“Dummy” by Portishead

#419 – Dummy by Portishead. Oh. My. Gawsh! I’m a sucker for chill music and this is chill on, well, I guess it’s stoned.  I don’t know, but I do know it was moving.  It’s a genre known as trip hop and it is trippy. I’ve never done an illegal substance in my life (and yes, I know some of you don’t believe that) but listening to this, I feel like I’m on some trip.  I was swimmy afterwards.  Entrancing, yet solidly heavy at times, it’s something that I could, would and should listen to often.  Beth Gibbons isn’t the greatest singer in the world but she’s the greatest thing that Portishead could have.  Her voice leaves the listener mesmerized in the sea of electronica that is laid before your ears. “Mysterons,” “Pedestal” and “It Could Be Sweet” are just SOME of the wonderfulness oozing from this album. I’m going to say I LOVE this.

#418 – Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings. Um, what can I say about this? I’m never gonna touch the professional critics that have talked about this album for years upon years. The fact that it’s #418 out of 500 is very confusing to me.  Especially, peeking through some of the other albums on ahead.  Anywhat!  The title track is, to me, one of the greatest songs in Rockdom.  “Jet” is classic McCartney. Who doesn’t love the palm mute guitars? “Chick. Chick-chick. Chick. Chick-chick.”  CLASSIC!  “Let Me Roll It” always reminds me of local legend Doug Davis because he has performed it (with me on the stage) with his cover band The Mystery Dates for years.  “1985” or, I’m sorry, “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five” (sic) is an urgent little ditty that is awesome.  The version of this album that I have at home and the version I listened to in The Less Desirables Studio are a bit different as my CD version (American version) has “Helen Wheels” where the original (British) didn’t.  But, I really, really dig this album.  One of my faves, for sure!

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“Boy” by U2

#417 – Boy by U2. The first U2 album is also the first one we encounter on this countdown.  Produced by Steve Lillywhite after the original producer backed out shortly after the death of Joy Division singer, Ian Curtis.  That original producer was Martin Hannett who was known for his work with JD and was too distraught to work at the time.  Bono still was singing with heart and emotion with much younger vocal cords and zeal, not the predictable, yet still liked, way he sings today.  Edge hadn’t added 20 racks worth of effects, yet.  There was plenty of reverb as was par for the course in the early 80s first wave bands.  But, as stated about Bono, the whole band seemed hungry, in lyrics, in music, in all.  I love the live version of “Out of Control” on the Live from Slane Castle where Bono tells the story of asking all their families for money to record an album and get a record deal.  You can still hear that hunger in this version of the song.  “I Will Follow” is a staple U2 live song and it’s energetic and in your face.  The young’uns rocked it hard back then.  This album, while not the best U2 album, is still great and fun to listen to.  Especially when you imagine the time it was released.  DUG!!!

#416 – Mule Variations by Tom Waits.  I’ll admit it (I’ve done that a lot since I started this list, and will continue, I’m sure), I only knew three things about Tom Waits before this.  1) He was pretty bad a-double-s in Mystery Men, 2) He sings like he swallowed 3 tons of #78 stone (pea gravel) and 3) I didn’t like it.  So, with this, I can erase #3.  Not saying I love it, by any means, but I don’t not like it. Straight away, “Big in Japan” made me turn toward the screen with a most confused, yet, impressed look on my face. There is sass on that track.  Sass is putting it lightly, too.  Then move to “Lowside of the Road” and it gives that Delta blues feel that I could see/hear Robert Johnson tapping his foot to and singing and playing into a can way back in the day, while the devil waited on his appointment at the crossroads, wondering why he was late.  There is something about this album.  Sexy.  Sexy?  Sexy. Don’t know if it’s intentional or not, but it’s there.  Lots of dirty record sounds on this platter that makes it even more “dated” and, yes, more sexy.  There’s a creepiness to “Chocolate Jesus” that really trips my trigger, too.  Did I mention that this album is sexy?  Dug!

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Self-Titled by Van Halen

#415 – Van Halen by Van Halen.  FOUR HUNDRED FIFTEEN!?!?  Are you (blankety-blank- blank) kidding me!?  THIS album is the one that changed the face of modern guitar. It may not be the favorite to many VH fans (that usually goes to VH2) but I think this is the better album.  Not a bad song on it and Eddie’s work was fresh.  New.  Not at all shiny, either.  It was rough, crude. It was Van Halen.  The siren to over-driven bass in “Running with the Devil” set a precedence in which you knew you were going to get punched in the ears with a unrelenting onslaught of sound.  “Eruption” was the guitar solo to end all guitar solos; the new king of I want to learn that shite right now; the requisite training for getting your Local Guitar God license.  “I’m the One” slapped you while holding up and prepping you for another.  Tone-Loc even took “Jamie’s Crying” and made it into one of the best-selling rap songs of the ’80s.  That whine, that sass, that… that… ARGH! How in the ach-eee-elle-elle can this be this high of a number in this countdown?! Face palm! I LOVE this album.

#414 – Beauty and the Beat by The Go-Gos.  American New-Wave punk with CHICKS!!  Belinda Carlisle’s vocals weren’t punk but the words coming out of her mouth were.  Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey are beasts (or beauties) of songwriters.  These girls didn’t play around. But, you wanted to play around with them. They were hot and they were rockers!  “We Got the Beat” and it’s heavy revolving bass line from Kathy Valentine is noticeable as soon as you hear the first note. “Automatic” is a slow rocker that also showcases Valentine’s work and kind of grooves you at the same time. And, let’s not forget “Our Lips are Sealed.”  That song was the first hint we get of Belinda’s vocals.  Both on the album and it was their first single.  The album, by the way was unseated from the #1 position by Vangelis’ soundtrack for Chariots of Fire.  Just found that interesting. Dug!!

#413 – Double Nickels on the Dime by Minutemen.  Before, I mentioned how I only know something of this or that and blah blah blah. Well, I’m giving you yet another: I had never heard of Minutemen before.  Nothing.  The high school I attended back in the mountains of West Virginia had the Minutemen as their mascot, but this is different.  Much different.  The BCPF hadn’t heard of them either, although this is more in her league than mine.  It’s part Talking Heads, part punk, part straight rock.  It’s steady, let’s say that. It’s a double album in which the actual vinyl version had unique names for the sides: “Side D” (side 1), “Side Mike” (2), “Side George” (3), “Side Chaff” (4).  The band was a trio and there was no Chaff.  I don’t get it, but truthfully I don’t get a lot of this album.  45 songs.  The beauty of that is, only 1/4 or so are over 2 minutes long, the longest 3:05.  I’m not saying I don’t like it, but it’s definitely one that makes me wonder how in the honey-baked Hades this is higher in a list than Van Halen I?!?!?!?!  Neither here nor there on this one.

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“Pink Flag” by Wire

#412 – Pink Flag by Wire.  This album was NOT on Rhapsody, so I had to go to YouTube and listen to the whole album.  Some post-punk stuffs from this English band from 1977.  Again, don’t know a thing about this band other than what I looked up.  As I’m finding with a lot of punk albums, the songs aren’t very long. This works out quite well when it’s something that I wish would be over soon.  Again, as with Minutemen, not saying I don’t like it, just don’t want to hear it again.  Meh.

#411 – 461 Ocean Boulevard by Eric Clapton.  Typical Eric Clapton drivel. And did he not write his own stuff?  Jeez. 10 songs on this album and he has credit on only 3 songs not counting the first which is just arranged by him.  I roll my eyes because I think Clapton is one of the most over rated guitar players in recording history.  He does what he does okay, but what he does isn’t that great.  I’ve never made any qualms about my disfavor of “blues.”  Again, I’m not talking about bluesy riffs or stuff that’s anchored in the blues traditions and scales.  That’s fine, it’s blues music itself.  Especially the 12 bar kind.  The only stuff on here that I could even tolerate is “Get Ready” with Yvonne Elliman, “Please Be With Me,”  and Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.” People, get off the Clapton train, please!! Again, I give a meh.

After a great, strong start the segment went downhill at the end of the stretch.  Fell off at the end, really.  So I’m almost caught up with where I’m actually listening.  That will be the next ten, so I’m on my way.  The next will probably lead to an analysis of the first 100 that I’ve gone through. Stay tuned, Dear Reader.  Thank you for reading!

So until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I live my life like there’s no tomorrow, and all I’ve got I had to steal. Least I don’t need to beg or borrow. Yes, I’m living at a pace that kills” – “Runnin’ with the Devil” by Van Halen

Girl Power or: No Danged Oxford Commas! (RS pt 8)

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

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Salutations™!!

One good thing about these RS lists is that it gives me fodder for the NaBloPoMo.  And it’s fun to do, so they go hand in hand.

Let’s move on to the next dealio…

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Vampire Weekend (self titled)

#430 – Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend.  I love the cool drum pop/Brit feel that I sense from this album.  Some cool vocal tricks and groovy rhythms make for a delicious aural experience; especially “Oxford Comma.” The BCPF, along with other grammar freakos, and myself have debated the Oxford Comma’s legitimacy and its negligibility.  And so you know, the Oxford Comma is that comma that comes in a list and is placed before the final conjunction.  Such as: one, two, three, and four.  That comma in front of “and” and after “three” is really unnecessary, yet, some “scholars” and grammarians think it should be there.  Wow, how did this become a whole entry about that silly comma?  Oh yeah, the song.  It’s a cool song.  It’s a cool album.  Dug!

#429 – Another Green World by Brian Eno.  Oh, Brian Eno.  It was but a few entries back (#432) that I got to know you and your weirdness.  This is still weird but more palatable to me.  It’s more instrumental than lyric-based.  Out of the 14 songs, only 4 have lyrics.  It’s groovy and I don’t mean in just some hip kind of way, I mean it’s got some groove.  Not funk groove mind you but some very interesting things.  “St. Elmo’s Fire” is one (many years before the movie).  It’s some great piano and keyboard work, too.  I dug it.

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“Outlandos d’Amour” by The Police

#428 – Outlandos d’Amour by The Police.  Okay, I know I’ve professed my love of The Police before.  Further, I think I have a man-crush on Sting and I’m not afraid to admit it.  So this was the one that broke it open; the debut.  Hit songs like “Roxanne,” “Next to You,” “So Lonely” and “Can’t Stand Losing You” are, of course the staples but there are other gems on here like “Born in the 50s,” “Hole in My Life” and “Truth Hits Everybody.”  The one thing that I find myself singing to The BCPF is the opening part of “Be My Girl/Sally.”  This whole album should be on everyone’s list to at least hear if not own.  I own it, well, I have Message in a Box which is all The Police albums in one collection, but I do “own” it.  DIG LOVE!!!!

#427 – Sleepless by Peter Wolf. The former singer of J. Giles Band comes on with some oldish boogie-woogie and country mash vibes.  Jangly and with some good musicians but overall, not something that I’d just sit and listen to.  “Run Silent, Run Deep” is kind of chilling. “Oh Marianne” has some Spanish overtones.  Still, most of Wolf’s singing is some amalgamation of talking and singing.  And, the album is from 2002.  It has an older sound, and it just seems it’s out of place.  I won’t say I don’t like it, but why is it on this list?  That’s been the biggest puzzler to me for the whole thing: why is that even here?  Meh, didn’t not dig it but didn’t knock me out. Again, meh.

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“Cheap Trick at Budokan” by Cheap Trick

#426 – Cheap Trick at Budokan by Cheap Trick.  Return engagements.  That will become a theme here as we start digging into the list, I’m sure.  We’ve had my favorite Cheap Trick album, In Color on the list and now, a live album that I can actually get behind from that band.  I’ve never been a fan of live albums.  Yes, there’s the energy of the live shows and yes there’s dynamic, but I don’t really (or generally) care about that.  I am all about production.  I’d rather hear a producer’s vision and how they can convey that.  All that being said, this album kicks boot-ay!  I especially like the extended version, or “The Complete Concert” that showed up in 1998.  The impact that this disc had on live albums, to me, is comparable to KISS Alive!  It’s one that has stood the test of time, was well put together and doggone, people like it.  To do something different, my least favorite track on the album, “I Want You to Want Me.”  Not (only) because it was played out, but because I really like the studio version 10x more. If you only listen to one live album, in my opinion, it should be KISS Alive!, but if you listen to two, then the second one should be Cheap Trick at Budokan (both versions). DUG!

#425 – Grievous Angels by Gram Parsons. I didn’t know much about Gram Parsons, really anything.  I know he was in the Byrds and I know he was part of The Flying Burrito Brothers.  The album is nestled in one of the coolest named genres in popular music, “Cosmic American Music” (which is a term he coined), a combination of country (alt country?) and rock and roll.  And, I’ll admit it’s not really my thing, but he pulls it off beautifully.  One thing I’m not sure of is why they didn’t call it Grievous Angels by Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris.  There is only one song on the entire album that she isn’t prominent on, and on that she’s not on it at all.  Anywhat!  This album was released but a few months after Gram Parsons passed away from a mix of alcohol and morphine and I have to say: the album cover sucks.  It really, really sucks.  But, the contents are really good.  Some boogie rock with Tom T. Hall’s “I Can’t Dance” and some laid back ballad action in “$1000 Wedding” and my favorite line (“I’d even like to see her mean ol’ Mama.”).  But, to me, the highlight is the first track, “Return of Grievous Angel.”  It sets the pace as any opening track should and makes everything alright.  I could listen to that song over and over and truthfully, I could listen to most of it over and over, even though, as I stated, it’s not my thing.  I think it become, at least partially, “my thing.”  DUG!

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“The Rising” by Bruce Springsteen

#424 – The Rising by Bruce Springsteen.  More Bruce. Not only is that a statement, I think it’s a request, too.  I’ve not hidden my mixed feelings about Bruce, but as time goes on, I can’t help but admit that I’m liking it more and more.  Especially after I’ve seen him live.  The rest of the band was kind of boring but he was on fire.  Anywhat! I’m off track.  The power of this album is the honesty and emotion of a country recovering from its darkest day and most devastating blow, ever, September 11, 2001.  It’s hard to pick any particular part that stands out as the emotion is prevalent throughout.  My faves are the title track and “My City of Ruins.” DUG

#423 – Anthology by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Anthology, greatest hits, compilation = nope.

#422 – Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica by The Ronettes. The debut album with some lovely, big haired ladies. Ronnie’s voice is one-of-a-kind and awesome.  Probably their biggest hit “Be My Baby” is on this disc and the rest of the album is laced with girl-power.  Phil Spector’s work is, well, Phil Spector.  Hard to beat that.  Doing some reading on it (admittedly on Wikipedia), it seems to have a decent list of guests including Sonny & Cher.  A pretty good album but don’t know that I’d listen to it again; at least not all the way through. It’s ok.

#421 – Best of Girl Groups by Various Artists.  Ok, I get girl groups. Girl singers and musicians in general, especially at this time in musical history, laid the road for pop divas, punk chicks and rock goddesses. No doubt they rocked when they did.  I did listen to the album, but I’m not reviewing any compilations.  In my opinion, they don’t belong on this list.

I really hate that we ended this section of the list with that bad vibe.  However, there’s good stuff coming.  Give these a listen and make your own reviews of the albums that I’ve talked about.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel at SOME blog time…
Scorp out!

—
“Would you be my girl, would you be my girl, would you be my, be my, be my girl?” – The Police (Sting/Andy Summers) from Outlandos d’Amour  

A Little Irish Ditty or: Can You Believe I Quoted Kurt Cobain? (RS pt 7)

02 Sunday Nov 2014

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Salutations™!!

I’ve been concentrating on so much honeymoon stuff (and there is still plenty to come for that) that I have neglected my “list” and thought it was time to get back to it, if you will.

So I’ve listened to a lot more than I’ve written about; more than I will write about today.  So I’ll try to break down the next 10 on the list.

#440 – Rum, Sodomy & The Lash by The Pogues. Ok, so, this is the first time that I remember ever listening to The Pogues.  It reminds me of hanging out at my favorite Irish pub (in this case, being Finnigan’s Wake Irish Pub & Kitchen in Winston-Salem) on St. Patrick’s Day, it being close to 1am and everyone – including the band – are spaced out of their minds on Guinness and Jameson Irish Whiskey.  From there it just trips into a full-blown drunken Irish-fest that makes me dread waking up in the morning.  Although I’ve never had a hangover, this would probably give me one.  The whole album was non-stop kick-arse (see what I did there?) Irish nonsense and that is a great thing.  Could I listen to a lot of it? No way. But this was worth the listen.  Dug.

#439 – One Night Stand – Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 by Sam Cooke. Generally, I hate live albums.  I did not hate this live album. Some of my faves from this album is “Chain Gang” and “Cupid.”  There’s a lot of soul coming through on this disc.  It was the way I like albums, not too long and not full of fluff.  I, like everyone, feel that my time is important and I don’t want to waste it with crap.  This was not crap.  Dug.

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Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure

#438 – Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure.  For some CRAZY reason, this album is not available on Rhapsody (which you’ll see is not uncommon in this list) and I had to be a bit creative.  Actually, creativity is relative; I just found all the songs and put them in order via the track listing on Wikipedia. Resourceful is probably a better word, instead. Hey! It is a compilation album, so I compiled. Anywhat!  I thought the album was edgy, which considering the artists in question, it should have been.  I think I’m still stuck on how it was a compilation album when at the time of its release there was only one album (Three Imaginary Boys) out from them .  I know “Killing an Arab” was controversial and therefore left off that premiere album.  Maybe it was some of that stuff. I don’t know.  All I do know is that I thought the album was good, just confusing as to why it actually was a record, I think. Dug.

#437 – Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne.  Pfft. Some of the music on this album was OK but, really I couldn’t take his whining seriously.  It was like listening to a 13 year old try to hit on girls and failing miserably.  Not saying that’s what he did this whole album, but enough to matter.  Some may say that I’m listening with my ears and not my mind or heart, or whatever it is they say, but the fact is, my ears have to hear it and they don’t like it – at all.  I almost skipped even putting this in the review, but because I did listen to the whole thing, I think it was awful and uninteresting. I did not dig this one, at all.

#436 –  Sea Change by Beck. I was dreading this one, too.  I was.  I was waiting for the familiar “Loser”-esque songs to start.  This album is why I do this list; to find things that I either didn’t know about or had misconceptions about.  I sat through the first three songs: “The Golden Age,” Paper Tiger,” and “Guess I’m Doing Fine,” with a confused look on my face.  I didn’t understand what I was hearing.  In fact, I went back and listened to the album again, later.  I would own this album.  It’s a departure from what I think of when I think of Beck (again “Loser”).  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to “Loser” but I have to be in the mood to hear that kind of stuff.  This album carried a whole different perspective for me.  Some of my faves are “Guess I’m Doing Fine,” “The Golden Age,” “Lonesome Tears,” and, really I can’t point to anything I didn’t like. The whole thing = awesome!  I want this album. Dig doesn’t even cut it here!

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In Utero by Nirvana

#435 – In Utero by Nirvana.  So like #436, I was so dreading this one.  I put it on, sat back and waited for the suckage to start.  To my surprise, it never did.  I should clarify.  I was one of the many “hair band” era musicians who were in bands that wanted to do what everyone else did at the time and then Nirvana came along and crushed the dreams of many.  Kurt Cobain and his followers, to me, were the bane of my existence and how anyone could compare him to John Lennon, I would never understand. There was references about him not killing himself soon enough among other things.  I can say that I am not proud of those sentiments and although I think he was a piece of crapola, I can’t deny his songwriting abilities.  I’ll never understand, nor believe, that he can even touch John Lennon, but those who do, I can’t argue with you.  All that said, this album is truly a great rock album.  As a life long sufferer of Tourette Syndrome, who doesn’t love a song named “Tourette’s?”  Nothing matches the hits on this album, though.  “All Apologies” and “Heart-Shaped Box” are the shiznit, no lie.  DUG!

#434 – #1 Record by Big Star. My second exposure of Big Star on this countdown.  Again, not what I expected.  “Feel” is a old-fashioned rock tune that has a great chord progression and dissonance that makes for creative song construction.  Really the whole album is ahead of its time.  I don’t feel the dissonance was really realized until many years later and here it was as common as a family supper on Sunday. The production was slick as heck, too.  The dual lead singers made this a formidable force in music at the time, even though I, admittedly, was shut out from much of that until now.  I didn’t know what I was missing and it’s a shame to say so.  Harmonies that are tighter than a drum and the excellent musicianship and songwriting over all make this a wonderful album to listen to.  DUG!

#433 – All Things Must Pass by George Harrison.  Ok, here’s the thing.  This is one of those inexplicable absences on Rhapsody that I spoke of earlier.  And, because it’s a triple album (meaning a shload of songs), on top of the fact that I own it (but haven’t listened to it in album order, yet) I didn’t want to piece it together.  Since I have it, I WILL listen to it.  However, at the time of this writing, I haven’t thus far but will.  I’ll update the blog with its inclusion at a later date, I promise.

#432 – Here Come the Warm Jets by Brian Eno.  Um… I’m sad to say I don’t know anything of Roxy Music before Avalon. From what I can gather, it was a glamish/arty kind of thing.  I will have to listen back on some of it, when I get the chance.  So, also from what I can gather,  this was a lot like what Roxy Music was by the time Eno left them.  Really, my only knowledge of  him was a little bit of his experimental ambient music.  I once had a VHS tape (remember those?) in which you had to turn the television on its side, which was hard for those with console TVs (I didn’t but my parents did) and it was like some bubblish blue haze thing that had some naked women dancing or something, I don’t really know. I watched about 20 minutes of it and was confused.  I turned the TV back to the position it was supposed to be in and realized that the TV never worked the same again.  The only other knowledge I have of Eno is his work with U2 and Genesis. Anywhat.  This is fun and experimental but I don’t know how much I can listen to it.  “Needles in the Camel’s Eye” and “Dead Finks Don’t Talk” are both interesting as is “The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch.”  I really don’t know what more to say, here.  Um… dig…ish?

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Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea by PJ Harvey

#431 – Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea by PJ Harvey.  I had no real experience with PJ before this.  Kind of like a mellower version of Hole with a singer who can really sing.  So I guess it’s not like Hole at all.  All the angst with all the talent, I’d say.  Great instrumentation and great vocals. Her vocals are haunting yet direct and in your face.  It’s refreshing and it’s fairly low on the list at #431.  There is one more PJ Harvey album on the list (still in the 400s) coming and no more, that’s disappointing.  I’d return to this one at a later time to listen through a few more times, and look forward to doing so.  I’d go as far as saying I’d own it.  Some faves: “A Place Called Home,” “Big Exit,” and one of my favorite titles, ever, “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore.”  I dug it!

So sorry that I waited so long, but now that I have the “National Blog Posting Month” thing to do, then I guess I’ll have plenty to write about.  This is day #2, so we’ll see how it goes.

Until next time (tomorrow?) same blog place at SOME blog time…
Scorp out!!

—
“Mayday every day, in my heart.
Could’ve had a heart attack, in my heart.
We don’t know anything, in my heart.
We all want something fair, in my heart.” – Kirk Cobain, “Tourette’s” from In Utero

Yet Another Undertaking or: How I Agreed to Inundate You With Blog Posts

01 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in Blogging, Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

So we know that I’m a bit erratic or even sporadic when it comes to writing these blog posts.  Some of you may think that it’s good that you don’t hear from my blabbing self that often, some complain that I don’t do it enough.  Sometimes I have things to say, sometimes I don’t.

So, I’ve recently agreed to, along with Kristen Daukas and Nick Badgio, thus far, to participate in this thing called NaBloPoMo which is some fangdangled way to say National Blog Posting Month.  The idea behind this insanity is that bloggers post every day for the month of November.

Head in Hands

“Sheesh, the things I get myself into”

A-Blog-Post-A-Day-For-A-Month.  Sheesh, the things I get myself into.

Eugene sometimes says that I get too into lists, like the Rolling Stone Top 500 (see my many posts about that lunacy); that’s a commitment.    Then I get the honeymoon stories, which I have gotten good reviews for, and will continue to do those.  So, the trick will be to do what I need to do in bulk.  Kind of get ahead, if you will and keep them in the pipeline.  Maybe, something in my life will be interesting enough to create a post here and there.

So, you, dear reader, will be either the beneficiary or the target of turmoil for my month-long ramblings.  Of course, I could just let everyone down and “not find the time” or just forget.  So, today, November 1 is nombre de jour (day #1) and let the madness begin!

Then, until next time (tomorrow?), same blog channel at SOME blog time…
Scorp out!

—
“A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource.” – Jorge Luis Borges, Twenty Conversations with Borges, Including a Selection of Poems : Interviews by Roberto Alifano, 1981–1983