Tag Archives: Willie Nelson

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 2/17/18

18 Sunday Feb 2018

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday was misty and cold.  A near perfect day if you ask me. Why? Because I was with my best girl and I had records. I love records. And, The BCPF and I love us some Underdog Records. We got to see several of our friends whilst there and that’s always a plus. So, here’s the haul:

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©Elektra/EMI

 

  • Belle & Sebastian – How To Solve Our Human Problems – Belle & Sabastian’s 3xEP that was released one every month has come out in a box set. We traded in the old and got the box. Call us crazy. New.
  • Queen – Queen – The debut album from one of the most prolific bands in rock history. I’ll be doing the choir part in the opening track from this when the Ramkat opens next month, along with quite a few other songs. This was mostly overlooked for, as someone said yesterday, its lack of “hits.” I agree. It’s not what we’d come to know and love from Queen but it certainly had some glimpses of it. Someone named Dave Doolittle wrote his name on the front cover and that irks me, but the record is in really, really great shape. VG+.
  • U2 – The Unforgettable Fire – The BCPF’s first U2 album when she was but a youngster. We saw it come across the Instagram feed whilst eating breakfast. We got in the door and I went straight for it, to secure it for our collection. VG+
  • Love And Rockets – Earth • Sun • Moon – The BCPF also loves Love and Rockets and she even yelled at me (whilst I was in the bathroom, mind you), I LOVE THIS RECORD! I was in Underdog on Friday when he bought this. VG+.
  • Joni Mitchell – Ladies Of The Canyon – A VG+ copy of a classic. It has “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Woodstock” and “The Circle Game” on it. Great album.
  • Willie Nelson – Stardust – The lone RS list pickup for this week. It was there waiting for me to grab. VG+. Oh, and it’s #260 on the list. Right in the middle.
  • Pretenders – Pretenders II – The BCPF loves the Pretenders, too. So, this was there, we had to have it. It is VG+.
  • Dire Straits – Dire Straits – The debut album but now-Hall-of-Famers, Dire Straits. I’ve really loved listening to them lately. This is a VG+ version.
  • Various – Cocktail Piano Time, Music In An Intimate Mood – I love cocktail piano music. I couldn’t pass up this 5xLP box set. All of it in VG+ condition, too.
  • Ferrante & Teicher – Holiday For Pianos – I really don’t know what this is, but it was in the $1 bin. I went to wash it and it was in NM condition. Even the cover was immaculate. So, we have it.
  • Barbra Streisand, Sydney Chaplin – Funny Girl (Original Broadway Cast) – VG $1 bin find. I have “Funny Lady,” why not have both?
  • Siobhan McKenna – Irish Ballads Folk Songs And Lyrics Read By Siobhan McKenna – Again, no clue, we love international music and with a name like Siobhan McKenna, it’s gotta be good! A “G” $1 bin find.
  • Cliff Richard – Every Face Tells A Story – UK’s 60s/70s heartthrob, and it was a VG $1 bin find.
  • Randy Meisner – One More Song – The former bass player for The Eagles, he had some pretty big songs with them. This is a VG+ $1 bin find.
  • Neil Diamond – Serenade – I’m always amazed when I find Neil Diamond albums that I’ve never heard of, or have. I haven’t really taken the time to look at his discography, but it must be vast. $1 bin find.
  • Various – FM (The Original Movie Soundtrack) – I loved the film and the soundtrack is just chock full of great tunes. A VG $1 bin find.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot – Because I have a new-found obsession with the Alan Parsons Project, I had to grab this when The BCPF came across it. And it was only $1. Best I can tell is that it is at least VG.
  • Daryl Hall & John Oates – Voices –  A very good album, this. It has some hits on it and some throw-aways. It was enjoyable and it was only $1 and in VG+ condition. Why do almost all H&O albums have the slits in the top of the album jackets and not on the side? Weird.
  • Kingston Trio – The Kingston Trio No. 16 – As with Neil Diamond for me, The BCPF is on a constant search for a Kingston Trio album we don’t already have. Well, this $1 bin find was one of those. Best I can tell, it was VG.

There’s this week’s haul. We enjoyed listening to what we got to hear yesterday (not all of these, for sure). Again, we’ve become like a family there at Underdog Records. When we see each other, we smile and talk and catch up and it’s like we’re all part of a clan or something. I really love it. I’m there several times a week, usually, and someone’s always coming through. It’s so much fun to collect and listen. It’s so much better when you’re part of that community. We’re welcoming, too. Come in and see us!

As you can tell, I use Discogs to document my collection and I have another K-Tel record coming this week that I purchased from the Discogs Marketplace. Check it out. I can watch my friends’ collection, as well. Again, it’s just fun.

Until tomorrow, happy spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“You cannot go against nature because when you do go against nature, it’s part of nature too. Our little lives get complicated. It’s a simple thing. Simple as a flower. And, that’s a complicated thing. No new tale to tell.” – “No New Tale to Tell” (Ash/Jay/Haskins)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 11/4/17

05 Sunday Nov 2017

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Salutations™!!

First off, Happy Guy Fawkes Day.

Yesterday, The BCPF and I got to see our buddies Tony Dagnall and Clay Howard in the same day, at the same time! That was cool. Clay and I sang Happy Birthday to Underdog Records because it was their anniversary weekend. Wednesday, November 1 was their FOURTH anniversary! Woot! Here’s what we walked out with:R-5219787-1387843222-4514.jpeg

As I said, it was the anniversary weekend of Underdog Records. For four years Jonathan has brought vinyl goodness to Winston-Salem. Plus, the holiday season is coming and he’ll offer gift “certificates” for your gift-giving needs. Also, he has several turntables in store for sale if you’re looking for a good one and he said he had some turntables coming soon. The holiday season is the perfect time to get into/back into vinyl. Then use Discogs to catalog your collection.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Cheesecake. Gobble, gobble. Cheesecake. Gobble, gobble. Cheesecake. Cheesecake! 
My girl, she’s crazy, over cheesecake all the time, so I’ll bring her cheesecake, and she’ll treat me mighty fine!” – “Cheesecake” (Fields/Armstrong)

I’ll Be a Big Noise with All the Big Boys or: At Least It’s Not QMS (RS Part 32)

01 Tuesday Dec 2015

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Salutations™!!

Wow, it’s been a long while since I’ve posted a Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time entry. About a month, I think. Business has really picked up so, whilst that is a good thing, it’s cramping my music listening style. But, I’ll take the picked up biz over the free time, any day. Anywhat! Last segment was pretty right on, so let’s hope this one is. Let’s hit it!

#190 – From Elvis in Memphis by Elvis Presley. I’ve never been a big Elvis fan, at all. I do, however, appreciate his contributions to the overall canon of music history. He’s influential in many of those that I listen to and their mentors, as well. He helped bring legitimacy to rock and roll and show that a white boy could actually sing the soul, the 1Elvisblues and the gospel and gain respect for doing so. Speaking of which, this album shows a lot of that latter point. Elvis had been throwing down some soundtrack albums in the few years prior to this (1969) to fulfill his obligation to Paramount Pictures for allowing him to make horrendous movies. There’s plenty of the blues and gospel on here with a lot of soul aspects thrown in. There’s even some rock happening. “I’m Movin’ On” is an example of such an amalgamation: country rock rhythms with the feeling of soul and gospel choirs. It’s a thorough representation, I think. The first part of the album, to me, started a bit slow (not the tempo, just the pace of the album) but at the point of the aforementioned song, it picks up. “Power of Love,” whilst a blues song, it rocks and pretty hard for The King. I love the aggressiveness of that song and the strong rhythmic punches it throws. Elvis’ history comes to life in “Gentle on my Mind.” The lone hit on this album was “In the Ghetto,” although one of my favorite Elvis songs, if I had any, is “Suspicious Minds,” and that song was recorded during the sessions but released independent of the album. And “In the Ghetto” reminds me of Taylor Hicks from back in the days when I watched that ridiculous program, American Idol. I liked this album, and I will admit I was surprised to say so. I’m saying yes, to Elvis’ comeback record and I dig.

#189 – Happy Trails by Quicksilver Messenger Service. If you could see my face right now, it would read: “what the (expletive) is this (expletive)!?!?” “Side One” of this is all a jam-bandy mishmash of takes on Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love?” It’s a live recording with tunes like: “Who Do You Love? (Part One),” followed by “When You Love” (guitar), “Where You Love” (drums), “How You Love” (guitar) “Which Do You Love” (bass) and “Who Do You Love (Part Two).” Each are given writing credits to the individuals that solo in that section. That’s what the parenthetical descriptions are about. I’m not going to lie, the players do a fabulous job with their parts, but jeez, it went on forever. “Side Two” was also a fine time to find something else to do whilst it played. I read the first four chapters of War and Peace whilst this album played. I’m kidding! You know I don’t read, Dear Reader! C’mon! I just have little tolerance for jam bands and this didn’t help that stance. A watched pot never boils. A watched elapsed time doesn’t reach the end of a frickin’ album, either. I wanted it to be over so badly. Eventually it was. I was quite disappointed that this was on the list, much less in the top 200!? I was glad to tell it, “Happy trails!” Ugh!

#188 – Buffalo Springfield Again by Buffalo Springfield. After the last album, I was glad to hear Neil Young sing, and we’ve been over how I feel about that most of the time. I almost kissed my speakers. And, hey! A song that was over in less than three minutes. The time didn’t matter so much as it (“Mr. Soul”) was a good song, they got to the point and we moved on. “Everydays” is a great jazz tune. I really enjoyed listening to that. Seems the regular bass player, Bruce Palmer was absent because he’d been busted for drugs, and the replacement, Jim Fielder, really rocked the thunderstick in that song. This album is a headphone-listeners dream. Sound traveled the fantastic panning highway throughout. It was subtle at times and out front at others. I really noticed it on “Expecting to Fly.” Granted, that song only features Young. The rest of the band was absent and it relied heavily on orchestration, but I like orchestration. “Sad Memory” is chilling but beautiful. “Good Time Boy” throws it back to the late 1960s and the Stax sound. What do you know? The Memphis Horns was most likely the only musicians to actually play on that track. Even Dewey Martin, the drummer of Buffalo Springfield, and the singer of the song, can’t say for sure if he played drums on it or not. “Rock & Roll Woman” could possibly be the first collaboration between Stephen Stills and David Crosby, but that can’t be affirmed. “Broken Arrow” is a broken-up song. It’s at six minutes and goes about ninety seconds before it switches to another song fragment. While I did like the song’s components, it was a bit disjointed and hard to follow. Overall, I’m giving this album a great big DUG! I am not sure, however, if that’s because it was really that great or that it wasn’t Quicksilver Messenger Service.

#187 – So by Peter Gabriel. Caveat here… this is my all-time favorite album. It also features my all-time favorite tune, “Sledgehammer.” Also, this album isn’t available on 1soRhapsody, but I am an Amazon Prime customer and have been since it started. This was the first time that I used Prime Music and it’s awesome! I have the album on CD (two versions, the original release and the original concept) and vinyl (the 25th anniversary edition). Let’s say that I LOVE this album. I’m working (read: chipping away at) on Vagabond Saints Society to do this album front to back with me doing the PG parts. The only part that I don’t really care for is “We Do What We’re Told (Milgrams 37)” and that’s just because there’s not a lot to it. It was recorded for Melt, also known as Peter Gabriel (3). It’s an interlude, really. And, it’s only lately that I’ve grown fond of “This is the Picture (Excellent Birds).” That tune has some weird timings and I think that really it was thrown together. I know, for a fact, that it was decided just in the last 48 hours before submission to the record company to even include it. It was written with Laurie Anderson and was on an album of hers in 1984. If I ever get to do this with VSS, then I guarantee that it will be a visual show. I even have my Kate Bush picked out (and she agreed). Now, who that will be, you’d have to wait to see if we do it. You won’t be disappointed. Anywhat! To give this a dug or twenty dugs wouldn’t do it justice about how I feel about this album. If you want to know more about my thoughts and feelings about it, hit me up. I can talk about it for sure. My only regret about this album is its placement. To me, and yes, I’m biased, it should at least be in the top twenty if not fifteen. But that’s just me. At least it’s not Quicksilver Messenger Service.

#186 – Fresh by Sly and the Family Stone. I’ve gotten into the funk, slightly, since I started this RS Top 500 thingy. I can tell that Prince was influenced by Sly, I can hear a lot of him in this album. I especially hear it in “Let Me Have It All.” The bass work on “Frisky” (Sly) is fantastic. In fact, the bass duties, minus a few guest or session players, is Sly on the entire album. Regarded as one of the top funk albums of all time, I don’t know how to respond to that. I have started appreciating it more, but not claiming to know a lot about it. The cover of “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” was great. It was easy to listen to. However, nothing really stood out as great on here other than some musicianship. But, because it was a good album, I’m going to give it a “dug.” And, it’s not Quicksilver Messenger Service.1stooges

#185 – The Stooges by The Stooges. This seems like heavy dirty pop for 1969 but, there ain’t nuttin’ wrong with that! “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and “1969” are that way at least. “We Will Fall” made me feel like I was tripping on acid and I’ve never even done an illegal substance. Again, nuttin’ wrong with that. The chanting and droning notes would go great with some lava lamps, green-tinted sunglasses, bell bottoms and hashish (I guess). Ten minutes of it is a bit much but I still dig it. I don’t know why when I’ve always thought of Iggy Pop, I thought of bad singing and just outright cutting himself. He may have become that but he could sing back here in 1969. The one from last segment (the follow up to this album, Fun House) was that way, too. Sadly, Iggy’s the only one that is still alive from The Stooges. I dug it. And you know what else? It’s not Quicksilver Messenger Service.

#184 – The Immaculate Collection by Madonna. I own this, I’ll say that. It’s a great greatest hits album of the Queen of Pop, but a greatest hits album nonetheless. And, yes, it’s not QMS.

#183 – Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson. So the best I can figure about this album is that there’s an overall story about this “red headed stranger,” a cowboy or sorts, it seems, who thinks his wife is cheating on him, finds out that she is, kills her and her lover. He travels on to mourn the loss of his wife. He ends up killing another woman because she tried to steal his horse. He got off, of course because you can’t 1redheadedhang a man for killing a woman what was stealing his horse, I guess (that’s what the lyrics pretty much said). I think that horse belonged to his wife. As you’d guess, he falls in love with another woman and they live happily ever after or something like that. I’m not giving this facetious sounding review to be negative. There’s a lot of good instrumental interludes and storytelling here. There’s nostalgia to hearing Willie because Ma Père is a Willie fan and makes me think back to my childhood. Willie, like Neil Young, Lou Reed and especially Bob Dylan, aren’t the greatest singers but their stuff is full of emotion and conviction. There’s something endearing about that; warm, embracing. And it was short! Fifteen songs in just over thirty-three minutes. That’s where the instrumental interludes happened. Is this something that I’d want to hear a lot of? Not at all. I am, however, glad that I listened as it’s certainly one that I’d not get close to voluntarily. I dig it for what it is, though. Especially since it’s not Quicksilver Messenger Service.

#182 – Fleetwood Mac by Fleetwood Mac. The first with Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. And, it is just like you’d expect that era of songs to sound: Buckingham doing jangly pop, Christine McVie doing jazzy, sappy, laid-back softer stuff and Nicks doing some mysterious-sounding, ethereal sugar pop. Yep, that’s this. That’s not a bad thing. This is the album that set all that into motion, even though Rumours, the follow1fleetwood up album, is better known and probably the better album. It seems that while they let the lovers in the band they didn’t really feel easy with their songs. Yes, Lindsay started the album off with “Monday Morning” and each had three writing credits per with some extra vocals. But, out of the four singles released (“Warm Ways,” “Over My Head,” “Rhiannon” and “Say You Love Me”) three were McVie and one, “Rhiannon,” was Stevie. I think “Monday Morning” would have been a better choice than either “Warm Ways” or “Over My Head.” “Landslide” was released as a single twenty years later when the band stopped squabbling long enough to do a reunion tour and release an album commemorating it. I’ve always like McVie the least, but think she’s a great songwriter, even if I’m not the biggest fan of those songs. Like I said, Rumours was a better album, and her songs on that album were, to me, much better. I’m not saying these are bad, just not my faves. Give me Lindsay and Stevie first. Still, this is a good album. It’s not Quicksilver Messenger Service and I dug it.

#181 – Natty Dread by Bob Marley & The Wailers. This is the first without Peter Tosh or Bunny Wailer. Also, it’s the first that is credited to Bob Marley and the Wailers, not just The Wailers. And, then Bob’s wife, Rita gets to sing with the band. It’s not just her, though, she’s part of a group within the group called, I-Threes. The only song on the album (the official album) is “No Woman No Cry” which I had to find because for some reason, the version on Rhapsody left that out. Instead it put a bonus track on. Boo Rhapsody. Even though I’m coming around to the whole reggae thing, this still is a bit much for me. There was less of a pop vibe (Legends anyone?) and just reggae. I think it was fine for what it does, just didn’t thrill me and it became a little background music for other things that I was doing. So, really I don’t have much to say about his album other than: at least it’s not Quicksilver Messenger Service and meh.

So, methinks this a really good segment, n’est ce pas? I mean, my absolute favorite album of all time is on this piece. Plus, I only gave one meh, there was one greatest hits and then something else I can’t quite remember or put my finger upon. Oh well. No matter how much of the bad stuff would have been on here, So would have saved the day. I do love that album so. I’m thinking that the next segment most likely won’t have Quicksilver Messenger Service so it will at least be that good, right?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Show me round your fruit cage, ‘cos I will be your honey bee. Open up your fruit cage, where the fruit is as sweet as can be. I want to be your sledgehammer.” – “Sledgehammer” (Gabriel)

Rope Burn or: Drying the Stardust (RS Part 25)

03 Monday Aug 2015

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Salutations™!!

Five of the last ten were good so I’m hoping this leg of Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time will be just as productive. I see some of the stuff on it, so I’m hoping it’s better than the preview. Anywhat! Let’s get steppin’…

#260 – Stardust by Willie Nelson. I keep thinking of Willie and Ray doing “Seven Spanish Angels” and funny that they’re both this close to each other (Ray was #265) doing standards. I think Ray beats him (they should be reversed), but this isn’t a bad disc. It’s relaxing. I know the record label was scared that Willie was losing his “outlaw country” edge, but I would rather hear this kind of stuff anyway. That being said, the songs were good but nothing, other than “Georgia on my Mind,” and I think that’s just because I knew it already. The album is relatively short, it breezed on by, and don’t know that I’d really wan to hear it again. Willie does ok with the songs, but, it’s Willie. Anymore it’s like watching an ASPCA commercial whenever I see or hear anything from him. Meh, at best.

#259 – The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson. I’m constantly surprised by Janet. I’d say that I liked Rhythm Nation better and that I can do without all the interspersed “interludes,” but hey, it’s not my album. Janet’s work is smooth, as always, and the songwriting is solid. I am not going to be gullible enough to think that it’s her writing1Janet_Jackson_-_The_Velvet_Rope the majority of the songs but, the writing credits do, each and everyone, go to her, Terry Lewis, Jimmy Jam and a slew of collaborators. The only exception is Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night,” which she did an admirable job on. I have to say that “Rope Burn” is a sexy-as-all-get-out song. It’s supposed to be. “Together Again,” “Every Time,” and “You” are my faves, right after “Rope Burn.” I mean, dang! There are plenty of songs on this that can be called “sexy,” however, that song was (not quite) literally dripping from my studio monitors. I dug it.

#258 – The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks. Yep, it’s 1968, alright. It seems a bit older than that, though. I like The Kinks and all, but so far in this, I’m not hearing a lot that moves me. Not saying it doesn’t belong on the list, but at this high a number? It’s also the first time that I knowing listened to a “mono” mix of something. I’m going to show my ignorance but I don’t know what I was hearing that I wouldn’t have already heard or why that’s such a big deal. Someone, please explain that to me. I’m not being facetious, I’m seriously interested in why “mono” is such a big deal or why I should care or even, what am I hearing differently? Anywhat! This album does have some good stuff on it, even if the overall falls short for me. Those being: “All of My Friends Were There,” “Animal Farm,” “Wicked Annabella” and “People Take Pictures of Each Other” is kind of fun. Overall, I haven’t much to say yea or nay. But, somehow it’s higher than a “meh.”

#257 – Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston. This was Whitney Houston. Just about anything after this was a shell of the talent this album portrayed. And, I’ve made no bones about it that, to me, once Mariah Carey showed up, Whitney was irrelevant. Mariah, also, however, lost a lot after the first two albums. I think this is really the same 1WhitneyHoustonfor both, but especially Whitney: she spent too much time later trying to imitate “Whitney” instead of showing the talent she shows in this album. That and drugs. At least Mariah has something to do with her songwriting. To me, that means a lot. “You Give Good Love” was the first single I ever remember hearing from her and it was powerful then. I was only 14, I’ll admit, but I was taken aback by her voice. She was just 21, then. When I see the cover and hear the songs, it’s hard for me to put this honest voice to the diva she would become. I’m trying to not be too judgmental of her for her lifestyle later, but at the same time, it’s hard to let go of, sometimes.  “Saving All My Love For You” is a great song, too. It certainly gives off that gospel ballad feel that is reminiscent of what I’m sure she sang in church on Sunday mornings. Enough breath and power to make you go, “wow!,” when she opens her mouth. And that song was co-written by Gerry Goffin who was a collaborator (in more than one way) with Carole King. I could do without Jermaine Jackson’s duets on the album, though (he’s on two). I don’t mind Jermaine, exactly, just he dumbs her voice down, in my opinion. I never really cared for “How Will I Know” and this didn’t change anything for me. “All at Once” is co-penned by Jeffrey Osborne and Michael Masser, who passed away on July 10. Most of the songs on this album had Masser’s hands on it. In fact, he wrote “Greatest Love of All” with Linda Creed (who died in the 80s) for the 1977 biopic The Greatest about Muhammad Ali, recorded originally by George Benson. It had “The” in front of it back then. Is that considered a cover if the writers actually give it to you and produce it? Hmmm… Also, I don’t mind Teddy Pendergrass doing the duet with her. All in all, this album is great and as much as I grew to really loathe anything Whitney Houston, this album, at least belongs in this list, if not even higher than this. DUG!

#256 – Trans-Europe Express by Kraftwerk. This is certainly not for anyone with a short attention span or ADD or ADHD. I have a short attention span, but the advantage I have is that I am a fan of electronic music so it does keep my attention. The first TWO songs are 17 minutes 38 seconds long. There is one song of about two minutes and the final track is just at a minute. Other than that, it’s a long journey. I’ve said before that I’ve never done any drugs and I can only imagine what it would be like to be on something listening to this. It’s very trippy. However, I can hear inspiration for Depeche Mode, Royksöpp, Tosca, New Order and other techno-driven artists that we listen to today, especially D-Mode. This is new wavy goodness, and if you’ve not the stomach for repetitive trance-like sounds, this also, will not be for you. If you like catchy musical melodies over top the repetitive trance-like sounds, along with a jokingly simple German-laden English vocal style (not a knock), then this will for you. “Showroom Dummies” is a favorite of mine. The last four tracks, “Metal on Metal,” “Abzug,” “Franz Schubert” and “Endless Endless” is a “suite” and all connected to each other in, well “movements,” if you will.  It’s a great listen and don’t let the long track times scare you. You’ll hear elements that you are familiar with, even if you’re not familiar with Kraftwerk. I highly recommend it and I’ll say DUG!

#255 – Metallica by Metallica. This album gets a lot of black, I mean… flack. I don’t think that’s deserved. Yes, it was “mainstream” and to some they may have “sold out” but how is making money selling out? Let’s stay in this for the art, let’s not make any videos, let’s not get radio play, let’s just stay “underground.” ANYONE who says they’re not in it to make SOME money, is full of crapola. This was a milestone album in many 1cover_blackalbum_lgways. It did take them more of a hard rock direction from the original heavy metal they were known for. But, it also got them a bigger fan base. The “fanboys” who thought that Metallica was just for them were disappointed when they became everyone’s heavy darlings. “Enter Sandman” is fun to play and yes, it was definitely overplayed as was everything on this album, but if it’s not getting a shload of play, then it’s not making much money. I still listen to it almost every time it comes on. Yes, they cut their hair after this but, while it does look cool, they’re not playing with their hair. One big difference in this album to its immediate predecessor…? This one actually had bass on it. I know Jason Newstead put a lot of sweat into those lines and Lars buried it, although he denies it, everyone else says it was him. Not only is it present on this album, it’s in your face. That’s really what keeps this album heavy instead of just “hard.” Five singles that each got good airplay on MTV, not too shabby. I was a fan of this album. I was a fan of Ride the Lightning and most of Kill ‘Em All. Take away the bass craziness and I liked …And Justice for All. However, I never have been a fan of their most popular album ever, Master of Puppets. It was just too heavy for me, I guess. I like catchy and it missed that in lieu of crushing skulls. I get it, but I didn’t care for it. The Black Album was the last of the good Metallica. From there, they became jokingly called MeSUCKllica, to me. “The Unforgiven” was a novelty at the time. Many – countless – songs had softer verses and then crank the chorus really heavily. “The Unforgiven” does the opposite (heavy verse/soft chorus) and would become used all over the music spectrum, but overdone by Metallica themselves. I was a fan of the songs that weren’t singles, which I’ll admit is weird for me. Those being: “Of Wolf and Man,” “The God that Failed,” “Through the Never” and “My Friend of Misery.” But, combine those with the singles (before they were worn out) and it was a monster album. It solidified them as powerhouses to all audiences. During this tour, which was “in the round” I got to sing “Seek and Destroy” with James Hetfield all by myself as he pulled me over the rail. People said I was so loud they couldn’t hear the band. I was second row. Ah, memories. DUG this album, so very much.

#254 – Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul by Otis Redding. I was afraid this was a compilation album by the title (which I think is the longest title thus far, along with the Kink’s album in this segment – #258). It’s not, it’s a twelve song studio album, whew! I am not at all a fan of blues, but soul and R&B? Those, I like. Some of it is cover songs, but, I’m thinking a lot of albums in the soul genre was like that back in 1966. My favorite cover is clearly, “Day Tripper” from The Beatles. If you’re not listening to the lyrics, you’d almost never know it was that song. He drags that song through the streets and we’re all along for the ride. “She Put the Hurt on Me” is righteous, as well. It always sounds like he’s just about to lose his voice. It almost makes my head hurt thinking of the strain it sounds like he’s exerting, there. All in all, the album is really good. Other than a few songs, though, nothing really made me go, “wow! this belongs on this countdown!” but I’d certainly not kick it off of it. Dug.

#253 – The River by Bruce Springsteen. It’s cool that this one comes up just a few days removed from me performing some Bruce songs with the VSS and just a week before I do it again. Four of the twenty-six songs from the Bruce shows are on this album. That’s almost a sixth of the show, right? I hate maths. None of them are mine, though. The general feeling I have about his album is that it is way too much album for what we’re getting in return. I like a lot of the songs, but a lot of it is standard Bruce fare and not really an overall representation of his unique story-telling style. That’s not say I don’t think it’s good, because it is, just do we need that many filler songs? To 1Bruce_Springsteen_-_The_Riverthose that are Bruce fans – I say I have an appreciation for Bruce – I mean no disrespect and I find him to be a grand songwriter, but some of it seems “put” on. I like “Out in the Street,” “Cadillac Ranch” and even though it’s depressing, I like “The River.” I haven’t even listened to the other disc yet. I had to take a break in the middle. I’ll be right back with you. I am a fan of the tango-esque rhythm of “Point Blank.” He talks a lot about dancing in his his songs. I must say, though, with the exceptions above, the second disc, I could have done without it. Too much extra, for me, But, again, the overall product is good. Dug.

#252 – The Blueprint by Jay Z. I believe the first song I ever heard from Mr. Carter was “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” back in ’01. I think what I like about this is that it’s not too aggressive. It’s more approachable, at least that I’m feeling. “Izzo,” along with “Girls, Girls, Girls” are great songs. I also love how Jay Z seems to master the art of sampling for the song instead of just sampling the song. “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)” is a great example where they use the sample of “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” from Bobby Blue Bland. Also the background stuff, even with vocoders (in which I’m a fan) like in “U Don’t Know.” I actually enjoyed listening to this album, which I’ll be honest, I dreaded. But, it’s not at all bad. I even listened to the two “hidden” tracks: “Lyrical Exercise” and “Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2).” I dig it.

#251 – Low by David Bowie. Starting off with an instrumental, not bad. “Speed of Life” is a good start. I love the choppy lyrics that made his style the norm from here on in. The odd harmonies (either by machine or him “doubling”) are very Bowie. I’ll admit, I don’t think I know any of the songs on this album, previously. That’s good, this gives me an unbiased opinion herein. “Sound and Vision” is the song from this album, I think. It encompasses all that I have come to know as Bowie. There are things by Bowie that I don’t like but there is plenty that I do and this is definitely it. The sounds and the ethereal feel of the production is so fantastic. And holy moley! I absolutely love love love1Bowie love love “Warszawa” into “Art Decade;” “Weeping Wall” to “Subterraneans,” this is fantastic stuff and some of the best listening on this segment and on this list. I’d listen to full albums of just “Side Two” of this album. It reminds me of some of the Kraftwerk from earlier this segment. This, and into the next two albums from Bowie, Heroes and Lodger, are the tremendous work of collaboration with Brian Eno, whom I think is genius anyways.  Nothing about the songs are overly complicated but completely where they need to be. Sometimes I’ll listen to albums and as a musician think to myself that I could change this or that (just sometimes, not all the time). Well this I wouldn’t change a thing. Do I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread? It’s not supposed to be. It’s supposed to be solid and that’s exactly what you get here. It’s Bowie in his post-coke craziness time and he shines like the “Starman” that he is. Dug infinitesimally!

So that’s this segment. Also, I’ve made it halfway. I think I’ll write a separate post about my findings from halfway, sort of along the lines of the “what I’ve learned” every hundred that I finish. This is a milestone. When I first started it was sporadic at best but I have somewhat of a rhythm going with them now. ANYWHAT! All digs except for one complete meh and one “I couldn’t figure out how to rate it” one. This segment was pretty good and I’m hoping this kind of trend continues. We’ll see, of course. I thank you for joining me on this journey and I know my reviews can be somewhat polarizing to some as my last one was. I don’t begin to think or portray that I know what I’m talking about, as I hope that’s known.  I just say what I feel. I can be wrong and I can be opinionated, but I’m me and this is what I do. Thanks again, Dear Reader.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“You coulda been anywhere in the world, but you’re here with me
I appreciate that” – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” by Jay-Z