(The title is keeping the silly theme of comparing this band to a variety of beverages...)
Led Zeppelin III. Five Stars
How did they do it? How did Zeppelin go from a band on the verge of becoming a sausage machine of blues/metal riffs to something far more rewarding? This is their acoustic record, and the one where song writing comes to the foreground. It's diverse in both mood and style, and is to my mind their greatest record.
The storming opener, Immigrant Song, is one of their best rockers; short, driven by Plant's phenomenal voice (here finally branching out from the "my baby's such a devil, but I can't stop loving her" motif).
Friends is built on a rather ominous acoustic guitar line. In fact, this whole song has a very dark quality, yet the lyric has a lovely sentiment attached. The moods conflict, and I think it's a fascinating song.
It segues into the more jaunty Celebration Day. Great, weird guitar. Bizarre lyric. It's a lot of fun.
The above three are all short tracks, but Since I've Been Loving You is a real ode to last year's model. A seven minute heartbroken, bluesy piece. The subtlety on display here is great, as it begins in a laid-back, resigned way, building up as Robert Plant bleeds his heart out all over the song. Yes, we've heard it all before on I and II, but I personally feel this is their most successful attempt at the subject, and I love that guitar solo, too.
Out on the Tiles is an upbeat tune (which is a bit of a relief after that last one). It's "traveling man" themed, and the fade-out is my favorite part of it.
Gallow's Pole is a traditional ballad, about a man petitioning to his friends and siblings to save him from the hangman. It builds, via a wonderful arrangement, to a real frenzy. Always a favorite.
Tangerine, after a false start, turns out to be one of the band's finest ballads. I wish they'd indulged in more, but that's another story. This is just a beautiful, finely wrought ode to a lost love.
And it's followed by another gorgeous ballad - That's the Way. Evocative, ambiguous, breathtaking and heartfelt. It evokes a beautiful end-of-summer melancholy to me.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is an unsurprising footstomper. An uplifting county song, and where I usually stop the record.
Because Hats off to (Roy) Harper is a pointless inclusion. A bizarre blues thing that sounds entirely wrong for the album. I'd never miss it if it were gone, and always think it's an awful way to end Led Zep III.
Despite that minor reservation, it's still a great CD, and to me, it's where they really took off as a band.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Dregs
Led Zeppelin II. Two and a half Stars.
Two albums in one year? Bound to be some superfluous material then.
Still, the opener holds all the promise in the world. Whole Lotta Love rocks, but not as much as you might expect. It's got a weird little midsection that actually works really good at lengthening the track. It's the best song on II.
What Is and What Should Never Be is also very good. Alternating between quiet verses and an easy to remember, slamming chorus.
The Lemon Song has a good riff. It's six minutes long, and functions as a rewrite of the bluesy unhappiness from the band's debut. Only this time, it lacks panache. First time I've wanted to describe one of their songs as angst-ridden complaining. I just find this one boring. It goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing.
Thank You sports acoustic flourishes. It's kind of sweet and romantic. But after the last song, I think an attention-grabbing track would have been better appreciated. I've nothing against this song, but it might have been better served by a later placement.
Heartbreaker has a great riff. But just listen to the lyric sometime. How many ways can Plant write a she-devil song before it gets old? There's a definate feeling on II of fishing for material...
That one ends very abrubtly, and Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman) starts in the same way. It's short and pretty fun. Another cool riff.
Ramble On sports more acoustics, a reference to Tolkien, a return to the rambling man theme, another rocking chorus and one of the better lyrics you'll hear on this CD. I'd say it works pretty well.
Moby Dick is filler in every sense of the word. It consists of... another riff, and a drum solo. Yep, I'm serious. Now, I don't find it annoying, but come on guys... if you've got that little material, why not wait a little longer?
Of course, you could look at it as them clearing out the salt cellars for a fresh start with III...
Bring it on Home is a paean to the blues (who's surprised?). It's interesting and weird, before it leapfrogs into a typical Zeppelin tune, that is...
It concludes this unfortunately weak entry in the Led Zeppelin saga. The whole thng has a simpler feel than the debut, a real sophomore effort. A few tracks make it worth a listen, but I know it won't be getting many more plays from me...
No, I don't always agree with AllMusic...
Two albums in one year? Bound to be some superfluous material then.
Still, the opener holds all the promise in the world. Whole Lotta Love rocks, but not as much as you might expect. It's got a weird little midsection that actually works really good at lengthening the track. It's the best song on II.
What Is and What Should Never Be is also very good. Alternating between quiet verses and an easy to remember, slamming chorus.
The Lemon Song has a good riff. It's six minutes long, and functions as a rewrite of the bluesy unhappiness from the band's debut. Only this time, it lacks panache. First time I've wanted to describe one of their songs as angst-ridden complaining. I just find this one boring. It goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing.
Thank You sports acoustic flourishes. It's kind of sweet and romantic. But after the last song, I think an attention-grabbing track would have been better appreciated. I've nothing against this song, but it might have been better served by a later placement.
Heartbreaker has a great riff. But just listen to the lyric sometime. How many ways can Plant write a she-devil song before it gets old? There's a definate feeling on II of fishing for material...
That one ends very abrubtly, and Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman) starts in the same way. It's short and pretty fun. Another cool riff.
Ramble On sports more acoustics, a reference to Tolkien, a return to the rambling man theme, another rocking chorus and one of the better lyrics you'll hear on this CD. I'd say it works pretty well.
Moby Dick is filler in every sense of the word. It consists of... another riff, and a drum solo. Yep, I'm serious. Now, I don't find it annoying, but come on guys... if you've got that little material, why not wait a little longer?
Of course, you could look at it as them clearing out the salt cellars for a fresh start with III...
Bring it on Home is a paean to the blues (who's surprised?). It's interesting and weird, before it leapfrogs into a typical Zeppelin tune, that is...
It concludes this unfortunately weak entry in the Led Zeppelin saga. The whole thng has a simpler feel than the debut, a real sophomore effort. A few tracks make it worth a listen, but I know it won't be getting many more plays from me...
No, I don't always agree with AllMusic...
Black coffee blues
I'm back again, this time to review the Led Zeppelin catalouge (In Through the Out Door not withstanding. I don't happen to have a copy.)
Led Zeppelin. Four and a half stars.
The debut of Led Zeppelin has a few detriments to its name (bite your tongue, girl!) and I'll get them over with quickly: a lack of originality and diversity. It's a blues bash with thunderous guitars. Now for that genre it's easily one of the best, thanks to the band's finesse, enthusiasm and power. Also thanks to Robert Plant, one of Rock's classic voices. He brings an awful lot to this show.
Enough with the vagaries... Song by song is my style.
It opens pretty well with Good Times Bad Times. It rocks, has a memorable chorus, and for a two minute track, there's a surprising amount happening in that frame.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is my absolute favorite track from the early days of the band. It starts with acoustic guitar and some almost flamenco flourishes. Heavy atmosphere is conjured and kept at just the right pitch throughout. It launches into hard rock riffing with Plant just wailing his heart out. The standout track. The masterwork.
You Shook Me is about the same length (six minutes) and states its intention right away - all-out blues. The song (such as it is) doesn't stick around long, serving more as a bookend to a great big blues jam. To Zeppelin's credit, it doesn't try your patience. When all's said and done, though immensely morose, it's quite good.
Dazed and Confused. A signature tune. Need any more be said? Well, it's on a grand scale; another six minute powerhouse with epic guitar soloing and Plant carrying off another miserable lyric. Most people singing this song would sound like a total sap. A credit to Plant that he pulls it off.
Your Time is Gonna Come. Okay, can anyone say athemic rocker? It's a relief to hear something a little more laid-back, as it does open with a stately organ solo; but I'm not fond of anthemic choruses (they just beg for an audience singalong, to my ears). Even with that reservation, this is still pretty good.
It segues into Black Mountain Side, an acoustic folky instrumental. It's short, odd, like a sore thumb on the record, but it points the way to Led Zep III and is a nice little interlude.
Communication Breakdown is a short, classic tune. Frenzied, kind of fun and very direct.
I Can't Quit You Baby is another bluesy, wretchedly unhappy, female devil story. With soloing included. Nothing new here...
Lastly, How Many More Times has some real jive, at last to start. It's not the most memorable track here, as it wanders off course. But it's a good way to end this record, and the quality of the musicians in this band really saves a lot of these longer tunes.
Well, diversity will come later. This early, their enthusiasm for the blues is a bit distracting, but I do like this CD nonetheless. Cover art is a classic, by the way.
Led Zeppelin. Four and a half stars.
The debut of Led Zeppelin has a few detriments to its name (bite your tongue, girl!) and I'll get them over with quickly: a lack of originality and diversity. It's a blues bash with thunderous guitars. Now for that genre it's easily one of the best, thanks to the band's finesse, enthusiasm and power. Also thanks to Robert Plant, one of Rock's classic voices. He brings an awful lot to this show.
Enough with the vagaries... Song by song is my style.
It opens pretty well with Good Times Bad Times. It rocks, has a memorable chorus, and for a two minute track, there's a surprising amount happening in that frame.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is my absolute favorite track from the early days of the band. It starts with acoustic guitar and some almost flamenco flourishes. Heavy atmosphere is conjured and kept at just the right pitch throughout. It launches into hard rock riffing with Plant just wailing his heart out. The standout track. The masterwork.
You Shook Me is about the same length (six minutes) and states its intention right away - all-out blues. The song (such as it is) doesn't stick around long, serving more as a bookend to a great big blues jam. To Zeppelin's credit, it doesn't try your patience. When all's said and done, though immensely morose, it's quite good.
Dazed and Confused. A signature tune. Need any more be said? Well, it's on a grand scale; another six minute powerhouse with epic guitar soloing and Plant carrying off another miserable lyric. Most people singing this song would sound like a total sap. A credit to Plant that he pulls it off.
Your Time is Gonna Come. Okay, can anyone say athemic rocker? It's a relief to hear something a little more laid-back, as it does open with a stately organ solo; but I'm not fond of anthemic choruses (they just beg for an audience singalong, to my ears). Even with that reservation, this is still pretty good.
It segues into Black Mountain Side, an acoustic folky instrumental. It's short, odd, like a sore thumb on the record, but it points the way to Led Zep III and is a nice little interlude.
Communication Breakdown is a short, classic tune. Frenzied, kind of fun and very direct.
I Can't Quit You Baby is another bluesy, wretchedly unhappy, female devil story. With soloing included. Nothing new here...
Lastly, How Many More Times has some real jive, at last to start. It's not the most memorable track here, as it wanders off course. But it's a good way to end this record, and the quality of the musicians in this band really saves a lot of these longer tunes.
Well, diversity will come later. This early, their enthusiasm for the blues is a bit distracting, but I do like this CD nonetheless. Cover art is a classic, by the way.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
A summertime project
The Music of 1973
This summer was spent by my Dad and me (music buffs both) in a spur of the moment experiment. Looking at the family CD collection, we realised just how much stuff we've got from the year 1973. So we sat down and listened on headphones, judging and discussing by album, from Raw Power all the way to Stranded. And now I'm at the end, and I think it would make a good little writing project.
Naturally the genre is popular music - rock and pop. We didn't even think about what jazz, classical, blues, compilations, et cetera, were also released in that year. And we're aware we missed a bunch of stuff, that we just don't have. So you'll find a list of honorable mentions at the bottom of this page.
My Dad will be cashing in on occasion. His comments are all in red.
Now for a word of warning: this is an extremely British set. It actually seems rather comprehensive of what the English were doing for rock that year, but it practically ignores America. Try not to get in a tizzy over it. No offense meant, just one of those things...
I had British-centric taste in music to start with, being an early fan of The Beatles, and just didn't find much from American artists that was interesting to me. Subsequently I'd say the best American music was all produced in the 1930s.
Also, this list is set up from worst to best. It's organised as best as I could manage, though with the five star set I gave up. You can't number the masterpieces, after all. And since this is based on opinion, what I think of as the great works might fly in the face of many, many other people. So please, save the hate mail if you find one of your favorite records of all time only gets a three from me.
These brief reviews are also a consensus opinion arrived at after hashing out what we felt were the strong points and weak points for each record.
There, you see? We'll share the blame.
Without further ado...
1973 in Music
Donovan
Cosmic Wheels : no stars.
No education in sixties folk psycadelia is complete without a Donovan record. Alas, that was the sixties. Cosmic Wheels, which follows a two-year hiatus from the industry, suffers a multitude of ailments. The production is poor, and Donovan is trying to change with the times, it seems. There's some reasonable songs opening the record before it nosedives, but it's all worth complaining about, because no one should spend two years in retirement and then be allowed to put together an album that sounds like it was written in under three weeks...
Bryan Ferry
These Foolish Things : half star
Okay, I love Ferry's voice, and the songs he writes. This is a cover album (not a bad thing) and the material mostly suits his style. But the band is weak, and the production so cornball that most of these songs just don't sound good. And who thought a campy Dylan cover was a good idea?
Deep Purple
"Who Do We Think We Are" : *
Deep Purple is one of those bands where the less you know, the better it sounds. Read their history, and enthusiasm is liable to cool. Woman From Tokyo is a good opener, and I didn't actively mind most of it. It rocks, after all. But the songwriting is so simplistic, the music has the quality of being stapled together and with the exception of the already mentioned song, there's not one that I'd want to hear again. It just doesn't compare to so much of 73's catalouge. A phoned in effort, to my ears.
Alice Cooper
Muscle of Love : *1/2
Juvenile in every way. You've got a band packed with personality, flourishing show tune brass, James Bond riffs and quirky added elements. You've got Alice's wonderful voice. And a bunch of really, really stupid songs. All that wasted talent. Though a few songs (Man With The Golden Gun) manage to rise above the crowd, more or less...
Paul McCartney and Wings
Red Rose Speedway : **
For the longest time, it seemed this was 73's worst album. Paul seems to have spent no time on this record, and though he's not one of the world's great lyricists, I know he can do better than this - when he makes an effort. Musically it does well (it's got Loup on it), there's a few nice little tunes (Big Barn Bed, One More Kiss) and some good bonus tracks. The rest is fluff. It's an empty throwaway. Sorry Paul.
Todd Rundgren
A Wizard, a True Star : **
It might seem cruel and intolerant to cast a very well done, respectable album this far down the list (made sense at the time!) but consider it this way: this is a 50 minute recording, and even the title tells you just how pretentious it's going to be. Yes, it's incredibly well done, but the best of the songs included are all the little one minute, humourous bits on the first half. And Zen Archer, the only normal length song that keeps your interest. Immensely long, very tedious by the end, losing all quirkiness on the second half, containing a 9 minute soul medley done to perfection (I'm still missing the point of its inclusion), too damn long and really overstuffed with Rundgren's genius. Less is more. Did I mention how long it is?
Fripp and Eno
No Pussyfooting : ***
For sheer innovation (this being the first ever ambient CD) this one merits a three, even though to be honest it goes nowhere, does nothing, required very little effort on the part of Fripp and Eno, is entirely unmemorable, and is basically just a window into the world of what two intellectual musicians do for fun. 73's most eccentric release. Worth a listen every 30 years or so.
George Harrison
Living in the Material World : ***
Sorry George. The slow material is all very good, but why o why must it be so preachy? Two songs in the middle that just got my hackles up, as much from the repetitions of the chorus as the lyrics. And why do I get the feeling the band was just invented for the purpose of making the record?
Pink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon : ***
This is where a whole bunch of people are going to dismiss me out of hand, right? But I'm telling you all, to me it just doesn't measure up. The sound is perfect, and it's very, very well done. It conjures one epic, grandiose song after another, and never varies that pattern. Somehow, by putting that much behind each song, it saps the power of rock music. It never gets where it's going, to me. I fail to understand the reputation it holds. But then, I'm not one for Pink Floyd.
Jeff Beck
Beck, Bogert and Appice : ***
Strange name, no? It's got a great cover of Superstition on it. Guitar is wonderful. But on headphones, all the songs become indistinguishable. That's all I have to say on that one. I didn't get a close second listen to this one...
Mott the Hoople
Mott : ***
The mix of plain old rock n roll with fey, glam flourishes is great. The album is a real breath of fresh air, especially with all the prog rock running around that year. Good and simple. What's the catch? Two unbelievably boring power ballads.
Frank Zappa
Over-Nite Sensation : ***
Killer guitar on this one. Zappa creamed a lot of people with his style. And I Am the Slime is classic Zappa, and really funny to boot. The rest of Over-Nite is mostly good, with hints of outrageousness that I could have done without. Still might have rated higher, if not for Dinah-Moe Humm, which was just as crass and offensive as he could make it, apparantly. Have to deduct many a point for that one. Zappa's humor isn't to everyone's taste. Like music itself, humor is subjective.
Alice Cooper
Billion Dollar Babies : ***
The definitive party record. Listen with company, junk food and lame Vincent Price B-flicks lined up for later. It'll be a hoot, I promise. And there is seriously some good stuff here. The title track is a duet with Donovan (the coolest thing he did that year) and No More Mr. Nice Guy comes as close as that band got to finesse. All the little flourishes included make even the bad songs worth one listen, and the rave-up ending is hilariously camp and over the top. But of course, it's still immensely juvenile, and it takes ages to get started. Oh yeah, and as I listened, the thought "what am I doing here?" kept cropping up, so it's got its drawbacks.
Paul McCartney and Wings
Band on the Run : ***1/2
Nope, another strike-out from Paul this year. To give credit, the lyrics are way better... but there's still too many choruses. Great melodies, and Helen Wheels is a treasure. The fact that it sounds as good as it does is amazing, considering the stress the band was under. Or was it a band? Given that Paul played something like all the instruments, two members walked out before sessions began and guitarist Denny Laine was only given a five second fade-out solo at the end of track seven, I can scarcely call this Wings. And what is with the choruses? They don't help, they just drag all these songs out two minutes longer. Sorry Paul. I like bass guitar too but I tend to think his records are bit bass heavy in the mix :) Sorry Paul.
Jethro Tull
A Passion Play : ***1/2
These are some of the best lyrics Anderson ever gave the world (and he's great at that). They read well. That's impressive. It's a musical feat, but more prog than rock (it's a common problem in that genre. The musicians fail to realise that a rock record has to rock, just a little bit. Else everyone would listen to jazz improv instead.) And it has the problem of being a bunch of little songs strung together to try and make Thick as a Brick II. They should have been kept seperate, as Anderson now agrees. Anyway, it's still very impressive.
The Rolling Stones
Goat's Head Soup : ***1/2
This is the record that's got Angie on it. That's the hit, by the way. And it's great. Quite a bit of this one is great, actually. Lots of good rock songs included. Could have had more verses and less choruses, myself. And the conclusion we came to was that it was a rather lazy effort. Look what their competition was up to, and then have a listen to this.
Roxy Music
Stranded : ***1/2
Yes, it gets three and a half, but it's a good three and a half, if you take my meaning. Psalm brings the whole thing down (four minute song stretched painfully into eight) and there's a throwaway or two, but I really enjoyed it. Ferry has a great voice and hardly seems to write a bad song. A lot of wonderful stuff on this record, even though as a whole I'd say the albums that bookend it are better.
Iggy and the Stooges
Raw Power : ****
Say hello to punk rock. And a lot of noise. This is a really hard listen, and alternates, we noticed. Every other song is noise. It's short and packed with energy, though the Stooges sound barely together, especially in comparison to Fun House, from earlier. All the lyrics are really disturbing and violent, and Iggy was out of his head at the time. And these things which make it a really difficult, rather unpleasant record, are also the things which make it so unique and interesting.
King Crimson
Lark's Tongues in Aspic : ****
Another progger band. King Crimson manage what Dark Side of the Moon couldn't do, and delivers a lot of power and artistry. Umm... It also fails to be any fun at all. It doesn't loosen up once. Completely intellectualised rock. Everything is so carefully constructed. It never lets its hair down for a moment, and since all the songs are six or more minutes (except the accessable Book of Saturday) it borders on a plough.
Yoko Ono
Approximately Infinite Universe : ****
Two discs, so it's a bit overstuffed. Remove all but the strongest, and this would have been a brilliant album. Judged as a whole, it's one of 73's most interesting moments. Yoko is consistently experimenting on this, and though the extremely feminist moments were a drawback, most of the lyrics were really good. She got a huge range of emotion from her voice, though I'm still really erked by the supreme downer she chose to end with.
David Bowie
Pin Ups : ****
Another breather from prog, another cover album, but this one's really, really good. It's short and a lot of fun, to start. The band handles the material very well, and it's a good set. And David's voice actually brings some emotion to all these shallow pop tunes of old. It's not brilliant, I suppose. (Well, except for Sorrow) But it's very enjoyable, and there isn't a bad moment in the set.
Can
Future Days : ****1/2
How can a record with four songs, two of them being 10 minute long improvs, be this good? Well, nothing in the world sounds like Can. And so, even if you're not in the mood for Can, listening to it puts you there. It's neat, and very gentle, which I like quite a bit. It's got a spacey, druggy atmosphere, and the playing is really good. Plus, the singer is the best one they ever had. Wonderful stuff.
John Lennon
Mind Games : ****1/2
Now John could write a song. He could write confessional, unpretentious, emotional work, without relying on choruses. There's just one song on here that moves into a rather wishy-washy vein, and the rest is all highly effective. I suppose it doesn't rock that much, though the ender, Meat City, seems to have been included precisely to let you know that he could have rocked out if he'd wanted to. Just a very well done piece of work.
Lou Reed
Berlin : ****1/2
There aren't many concept albums that hang a story together this well. God, it's morose. Just spirals down into misery for all concerned. But does so very carefully, and with a great deal of finesse. It's not absolutely brilliant, but as near to it as anything can get. A record that wasn't in my collection but obviously should have been...
Queen
Queen : *****
Now this is one cool record. Considering it as a debut, Queen doesn't hesitate, doesn't falter, not once is a misstep in evidence. They knew what they were doing, and though they certainly rock out, they also try a couple other formats, with the gospel Jesus and a children's pop song at the end. Grandiose statement, perfect vocals, and a promise of great things to come for sure. I missed the first few Queen records and by the time I was aware of them they had stopped doing rock music.
David Bowie
Ziggy Stardust: the Motion Picture Soundtrack : *****
Well the concert is one of the greatest ever recorded, but even seperate from that, this holds up very, very well. Sound quality is respectable, and the renditions of some of the songs beat the studio takes. The band is in top form, so's David. I tell you, it holds up even without the visuals.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Brain Salad Surgery : *****
Unfailingly good. I doubt any other record that year had as much thought poured into it as this one. This is prog at its height. It's got a 20 minute song on it, after all. Yes, the keyboards sound impossibly dated, but as played by virtuoso Emerson, accompanied by virtuoso Palmer on drums, it's awe-inspiring. They even cover Ginastera and yet never come across as pretentious, because just when you think you've got them pegged, along comes Benny the Bouncer...
Ringo Starr
Ringo : *****
A good-natured, self-deprecating album. I think it's wonderful that Ringo beat all his comrades that year in making the best record. This is just so much fun. Every song is a footstomper, there's a lot of humour and all the Beatles are on it at some point and contribute a really strong song each (which I think was terribly nice of them). And Photograph is on this record.
The Who
Quadrophenia : *****
A majestic rock opera of the highest order. It's got a concept, which follows a Mod down the drain, and it's not slightly happy, but it's got enough power for ten albums. Two CDs, but it never feels overstuffed, and it goes full circle as you listen. Epic stuff. Probably the Who's masterpiece.
Led Zeppelin
Houses of the Holy : *****
This one's great. It rocks, it's got Robert Plant singing, and it goes through a fair number of moods. From dark and ominous to stand-up comedy. Easily wins a place among the best of 73. You can't fault it.
Gong
Angel's Egg : *****
When this starts up, you know you're in for a weird, trippy time, but it isn't until the second song that it dawns on you: this is silly as well. Gong takes nothing seriously. Playing is great, it's impossibly dense, and the lyrics (and liner notes) are impossibly silly. Vocals are buried down in the mix, which is worth complaining over, but really, it just demands a bit more attention and rewards you for it. Gong is severely under-rated
David Bowie
Aladdin Sane : *****
Now has there ever been a record as cool as this? From the cover art right to the last track, this is one of those albums that sounds like no other. Dense musically, with some of the best guitar and piano on the planet, and a great list of songs. It even gets away with using doo wop backing vocals on the first half. Superb.
Brian Eno
Here Come the Warm Jets : *****
Well, it's 73's most eccentric outing perhaps. It's also a wonderfully well constructed listening experience. The guitar work trounces Zappa (sorry), the lyrics rival Angel's Egg for sheer silliness, and Eno is a master with keyboards. His don't sound at all dated (sorry E.L.P). I wouldn't say the guitar work was better than anyone elses, but I have always counted Fripp's guitar solo in Baby's On Fire as one of the very best on record anywhere.
Roxy Music
For Your Pleasure : *****
This is a great band. Musically, a work of staggering genius. Lyrically, it veers between camp/kitsch, and otherworldly evocations. Ferry has one of the most unique voices in rock music, and Eno runs riot over the last track. Another superb number.
That's all she wrote
There you have it. 1973 was a groundbreaking year. It had ten five star CDs in it. That's pretty damn good. Not everyone gave it their best, but by far, most of the CDs on this list I would be happy to hear again. I'm glad we took the time to listen.
Honorary Mentions
Well, we could hardly hear it all, even so. I'm certain there are some real gems in here, and at least two important artist's debuts. But it's just not possible to go around collecting it all. If anybody reading this does not find an album they know on either list, feel free to post a note and I'll edit it aboard.
Otherwise, best wishes to those who've taken the time to read this. :)
I've just noted with an * the records listed below that were at one time in my collection, and ** for the ones I enjoyed at the time. Of course I've heard parts of all of these listed below but (not having heard them recently) we couldn't include them in our study.
For me this study of 1973 was fascinating because I grew up with most of these records and have heard them (some of them) to death. So we were listening with new ears and very old ears and coming to remarkably similar conclusions.
John Cale
Paris 1919 *
Yes
Yessongs
The Eagles
Desperado
ZZ Top
Tres Hombres **
Elton John
Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player
Elton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road *
The Band
Moondog Matinee
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert
Peter Frampton
Frampton's Camel **
The Allman Brothers
Brothers and Sisters *
Little Feat
Dixie Chicken
T. Rex
Tanx
Tom Waits
Closing Time
The New York Dolls
New York Dolls
Genesis
Selling England by the Pound
Stevie Wonder
Innervisions **
Aerosmith
Aerosmith
The Wailers
Catch a Fire
Gong
Flying Teapot **
This summer was spent by my Dad and me (music buffs both) in a spur of the moment experiment. Looking at the family CD collection, we realised just how much stuff we've got from the year 1973. So we sat down and listened on headphones, judging and discussing by album, from Raw Power all the way to Stranded. And now I'm at the end, and I think it would make a good little writing project.
Naturally the genre is popular music - rock and pop. We didn't even think about what jazz, classical, blues, compilations, et cetera, were also released in that year. And we're aware we missed a bunch of stuff, that we just don't have. So you'll find a list of honorable mentions at the bottom of this page.
My Dad will be cashing in on occasion. His comments are all in red.
Now for a word of warning: this is an extremely British set. It actually seems rather comprehensive of what the English were doing for rock that year, but it practically ignores America. Try not to get in a tizzy over it. No offense meant, just one of those things...
I had British-centric taste in music to start with, being an early fan of The Beatles, and just didn't find much from American artists that was interesting to me. Subsequently I'd say the best American music was all produced in the 1930s.
Also, this list is set up from worst to best. It's organised as best as I could manage, though with the five star set I gave up. You can't number the masterpieces, after all. And since this is based on opinion, what I think of as the great works might fly in the face of many, many other people. So please, save the hate mail if you find one of your favorite records of all time only gets a three from me.
These brief reviews are also a consensus opinion arrived at after hashing out what we felt were the strong points and weak points for each record.
There, you see? We'll share the blame.
Without further ado...
1973 in Music
Donovan
Cosmic Wheels : no stars.
No education in sixties folk psycadelia is complete without a Donovan record. Alas, that was the sixties. Cosmic Wheels, which follows a two-year hiatus from the industry, suffers a multitude of ailments. The production is poor, and Donovan is trying to change with the times, it seems. There's some reasonable songs opening the record before it nosedives, but it's all worth complaining about, because no one should spend two years in retirement and then be allowed to put together an album that sounds like it was written in under three weeks...
Bryan Ferry
These Foolish Things : half star
Okay, I love Ferry's voice, and the songs he writes. This is a cover album (not a bad thing) and the material mostly suits his style. But the band is weak, and the production so cornball that most of these songs just don't sound good. And who thought a campy Dylan cover was a good idea?
Deep Purple
"Who Do We Think We Are" : *
Deep Purple is one of those bands where the less you know, the better it sounds. Read their history, and enthusiasm is liable to cool. Woman From Tokyo is a good opener, and I didn't actively mind most of it. It rocks, after all. But the songwriting is so simplistic, the music has the quality of being stapled together and with the exception of the already mentioned song, there's not one that I'd want to hear again. It just doesn't compare to so much of 73's catalouge. A phoned in effort, to my ears.
Alice Cooper
Muscle of Love : *1/2
Juvenile in every way. You've got a band packed with personality, flourishing show tune brass, James Bond riffs and quirky added elements. You've got Alice's wonderful voice. And a bunch of really, really stupid songs. All that wasted talent. Though a few songs (Man With The Golden Gun) manage to rise above the crowd, more or less...
Paul McCartney and Wings
Red Rose Speedway : **
For the longest time, it seemed this was 73's worst album. Paul seems to have spent no time on this record, and though he's not one of the world's great lyricists, I know he can do better than this - when he makes an effort. Musically it does well (it's got Loup on it), there's a few nice little tunes (Big Barn Bed, One More Kiss) and some good bonus tracks. The rest is fluff. It's an empty throwaway. Sorry Paul.
Todd Rundgren
A Wizard, a True Star : **
It might seem cruel and intolerant to cast a very well done, respectable album this far down the list (made sense at the time!) but consider it this way: this is a 50 minute recording, and even the title tells you just how pretentious it's going to be. Yes, it's incredibly well done, but the best of the songs included are all the little one minute, humourous bits on the first half. And Zen Archer, the only normal length song that keeps your interest. Immensely long, very tedious by the end, losing all quirkiness on the second half, containing a 9 minute soul medley done to perfection (I'm still missing the point of its inclusion), too damn long and really overstuffed with Rundgren's genius. Less is more. Did I mention how long it is?
Fripp and Eno
No Pussyfooting : ***
For sheer innovation (this being the first ever ambient CD) this one merits a three, even though to be honest it goes nowhere, does nothing, required very little effort on the part of Fripp and Eno, is entirely unmemorable, and is basically just a window into the world of what two intellectual musicians do for fun. 73's most eccentric release. Worth a listen every 30 years or so.
George Harrison
Living in the Material World : ***
Sorry George. The slow material is all very good, but why o why must it be so preachy? Two songs in the middle that just got my hackles up, as much from the repetitions of the chorus as the lyrics. And why do I get the feeling the band was just invented for the purpose of making the record?
Pink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon : ***
This is where a whole bunch of people are going to dismiss me out of hand, right? But I'm telling you all, to me it just doesn't measure up. The sound is perfect, and it's very, very well done. It conjures one epic, grandiose song after another, and never varies that pattern. Somehow, by putting that much behind each song, it saps the power of rock music. It never gets where it's going, to me. I fail to understand the reputation it holds. But then, I'm not one for Pink Floyd.
Jeff Beck
Beck, Bogert and Appice : ***
Strange name, no? It's got a great cover of Superstition on it. Guitar is wonderful. But on headphones, all the songs become indistinguishable. That's all I have to say on that one. I didn't get a close second listen to this one...
Mott the Hoople
Mott : ***
The mix of plain old rock n roll with fey, glam flourishes is great. The album is a real breath of fresh air, especially with all the prog rock running around that year. Good and simple. What's the catch? Two unbelievably boring power ballads.
Frank Zappa
Over-Nite Sensation : ***
Killer guitar on this one. Zappa creamed a lot of people with his style. And I Am the Slime is classic Zappa, and really funny to boot. The rest of Over-Nite is mostly good, with hints of outrageousness that I could have done without. Still might have rated higher, if not for Dinah-Moe Humm, which was just as crass and offensive as he could make it, apparantly. Have to deduct many a point for that one. Zappa's humor isn't to everyone's taste. Like music itself, humor is subjective.
Alice Cooper
Billion Dollar Babies : ***
The definitive party record. Listen with company, junk food and lame Vincent Price B-flicks lined up for later. It'll be a hoot, I promise. And there is seriously some good stuff here. The title track is a duet with Donovan (the coolest thing he did that year) and No More Mr. Nice Guy comes as close as that band got to finesse. All the little flourishes included make even the bad songs worth one listen, and the rave-up ending is hilariously camp and over the top. But of course, it's still immensely juvenile, and it takes ages to get started. Oh yeah, and as I listened, the thought "what am I doing here?" kept cropping up, so it's got its drawbacks.
Paul McCartney and Wings
Band on the Run : ***1/2
Nope, another strike-out from Paul this year. To give credit, the lyrics are way better... but there's still too many choruses. Great melodies, and Helen Wheels is a treasure. The fact that it sounds as good as it does is amazing, considering the stress the band was under. Or was it a band? Given that Paul played something like all the instruments, two members walked out before sessions began and guitarist Denny Laine was only given a five second fade-out solo at the end of track seven, I can scarcely call this Wings. And what is with the choruses? They don't help, they just drag all these songs out two minutes longer. Sorry Paul. I like bass guitar too but I tend to think his records are bit bass heavy in the mix :) Sorry Paul.
Jethro Tull
A Passion Play : ***1/2
These are some of the best lyrics Anderson ever gave the world (and he's great at that). They read well. That's impressive. It's a musical feat, but more prog than rock (it's a common problem in that genre. The musicians fail to realise that a rock record has to rock, just a little bit. Else everyone would listen to jazz improv instead.) And it has the problem of being a bunch of little songs strung together to try and make Thick as a Brick II. They should have been kept seperate, as Anderson now agrees. Anyway, it's still very impressive.
The Rolling Stones
Goat's Head Soup : ***1/2
This is the record that's got Angie on it. That's the hit, by the way. And it's great. Quite a bit of this one is great, actually. Lots of good rock songs included. Could have had more verses and less choruses, myself. And the conclusion we came to was that it was a rather lazy effort. Look what their competition was up to, and then have a listen to this.
Roxy Music
Stranded : ***1/2
Yes, it gets three and a half, but it's a good three and a half, if you take my meaning. Psalm brings the whole thing down (four minute song stretched painfully into eight) and there's a throwaway or two, but I really enjoyed it. Ferry has a great voice and hardly seems to write a bad song. A lot of wonderful stuff on this record, even though as a whole I'd say the albums that bookend it are better.
Iggy and the Stooges
Raw Power : ****
Say hello to punk rock. And a lot of noise. This is a really hard listen, and alternates, we noticed. Every other song is noise. It's short and packed with energy, though the Stooges sound barely together, especially in comparison to Fun House, from earlier. All the lyrics are really disturbing and violent, and Iggy was out of his head at the time. And these things which make it a really difficult, rather unpleasant record, are also the things which make it so unique and interesting.
King Crimson
Lark's Tongues in Aspic : ****
Another progger band. King Crimson manage what Dark Side of the Moon couldn't do, and delivers a lot of power and artistry. Umm... It also fails to be any fun at all. It doesn't loosen up once. Completely intellectualised rock. Everything is so carefully constructed. It never lets its hair down for a moment, and since all the songs are six or more minutes (except the accessable Book of Saturday) it borders on a plough.
Yoko Ono
Approximately Infinite Universe : ****
Two discs, so it's a bit overstuffed. Remove all but the strongest, and this would have been a brilliant album. Judged as a whole, it's one of 73's most interesting moments. Yoko is consistently experimenting on this, and though the extremely feminist moments were a drawback, most of the lyrics were really good. She got a huge range of emotion from her voice, though I'm still really erked by the supreme downer she chose to end with.
David Bowie
Pin Ups : ****
Another breather from prog, another cover album, but this one's really, really good. It's short and a lot of fun, to start. The band handles the material very well, and it's a good set. And David's voice actually brings some emotion to all these shallow pop tunes of old. It's not brilliant, I suppose. (Well, except for Sorrow) But it's very enjoyable, and there isn't a bad moment in the set.
Can
Future Days : ****1/2
How can a record with four songs, two of them being 10 minute long improvs, be this good? Well, nothing in the world sounds like Can. And so, even if you're not in the mood for Can, listening to it puts you there. It's neat, and very gentle, which I like quite a bit. It's got a spacey, druggy atmosphere, and the playing is really good. Plus, the singer is the best one they ever had. Wonderful stuff.
John Lennon
Mind Games : ****1/2
Now John could write a song. He could write confessional, unpretentious, emotional work, without relying on choruses. There's just one song on here that moves into a rather wishy-washy vein, and the rest is all highly effective. I suppose it doesn't rock that much, though the ender, Meat City, seems to have been included precisely to let you know that he could have rocked out if he'd wanted to. Just a very well done piece of work.
Lou Reed
Berlin : ****1/2
There aren't many concept albums that hang a story together this well. God, it's morose. Just spirals down into misery for all concerned. But does so very carefully, and with a great deal of finesse. It's not absolutely brilliant, but as near to it as anything can get. A record that wasn't in my collection but obviously should have been...
Queen
Queen : *****
Now this is one cool record. Considering it as a debut, Queen doesn't hesitate, doesn't falter, not once is a misstep in evidence. They knew what they were doing, and though they certainly rock out, they also try a couple other formats, with the gospel Jesus and a children's pop song at the end. Grandiose statement, perfect vocals, and a promise of great things to come for sure. I missed the first few Queen records and by the time I was aware of them they had stopped doing rock music.
David Bowie
Ziggy Stardust: the Motion Picture Soundtrack : *****
Well the concert is one of the greatest ever recorded, but even seperate from that, this holds up very, very well. Sound quality is respectable, and the renditions of some of the songs beat the studio takes. The band is in top form, so's David. I tell you, it holds up even without the visuals.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Brain Salad Surgery : *****
Unfailingly good. I doubt any other record that year had as much thought poured into it as this one. This is prog at its height. It's got a 20 minute song on it, after all. Yes, the keyboards sound impossibly dated, but as played by virtuoso Emerson, accompanied by virtuoso Palmer on drums, it's awe-inspiring. They even cover Ginastera and yet never come across as pretentious, because just when you think you've got them pegged, along comes Benny the Bouncer...
Ringo Starr
Ringo : *****
A good-natured, self-deprecating album. I think it's wonderful that Ringo beat all his comrades that year in making the best record. This is just so much fun. Every song is a footstomper, there's a lot of humour and all the Beatles are on it at some point and contribute a really strong song each (which I think was terribly nice of them). And Photograph is on this record.
The Who
Quadrophenia : *****
A majestic rock opera of the highest order. It's got a concept, which follows a Mod down the drain, and it's not slightly happy, but it's got enough power for ten albums. Two CDs, but it never feels overstuffed, and it goes full circle as you listen. Epic stuff. Probably the Who's masterpiece.
Led Zeppelin
Houses of the Holy : *****
This one's great. It rocks, it's got Robert Plant singing, and it goes through a fair number of moods. From dark and ominous to stand-up comedy. Easily wins a place among the best of 73. You can't fault it.
Gong
Angel's Egg : *****
When this starts up, you know you're in for a weird, trippy time, but it isn't until the second song that it dawns on you: this is silly as well. Gong takes nothing seriously. Playing is great, it's impossibly dense, and the lyrics (and liner notes) are impossibly silly. Vocals are buried down in the mix, which is worth complaining over, but really, it just demands a bit more attention and rewards you for it. Gong is severely under-rated
David Bowie
Aladdin Sane : *****
Now has there ever been a record as cool as this? From the cover art right to the last track, this is one of those albums that sounds like no other. Dense musically, with some of the best guitar and piano on the planet, and a great list of songs. It even gets away with using doo wop backing vocals on the first half. Superb.
Brian Eno
Here Come the Warm Jets : *****
Well, it's 73's most eccentric outing perhaps. It's also a wonderfully well constructed listening experience. The guitar work trounces Zappa (sorry), the lyrics rival Angel's Egg for sheer silliness, and Eno is a master with keyboards. His don't sound at all dated (sorry E.L.P). I wouldn't say the guitar work was better than anyone elses, but I have always counted Fripp's guitar solo in Baby's On Fire as one of the very best on record anywhere.
Roxy Music
For Your Pleasure : *****
This is a great band. Musically, a work of staggering genius. Lyrically, it veers between camp/kitsch, and otherworldly evocations. Ferry has one of the most unique voices in rock music, and Eno runs riot over the last track. Another superb number.
That's all she wrote
There you have it. 1973 was a groundbreaking year. It had ten five star CDs in it. That's pretty damn good. Not everyone gave it their best, but by far, most of the CDs on this list I would be happy to hear again. I'm glad we took the time to listen.
Honorary Mentions
Well, we could hardly hear it all, even so. I'm certain there are some real gems in here, and at least two important artist's debuts. But it's just not possible to go around collecting it all. If anybody reading this does not find an album they know on either list, feel free to post a note and I'll edit it aboard.
Otherwise, best wishes to those who've taken the time to read this. :)
I've just noted with an * the records listed below that were at one time in my collection, and ** for the ones I enjoyed at the time. Of course I've heard parts of all of these listed below but (not having heard them recently) we couldn't include them in our study.
For me this study of 1973 was fascinating because I grew up with most of these records and have heard them (some of them) to death. So we were listening with new ears and very old ears and coming to remarkably similar conclusions.
John Cale
Paris 1919 *
Yes
Yessongs
The Eagles
Desperado
ZZ Top
Tres Hombres **
Elton John
Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player
Elton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road *
The Band
Moondog Matinee
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert
Peter Frampton
Frampton's Camel **
The Allman Brothers
Brothers and Sisters *
Little Feat
Dixie Chicken
T. Rex
Tanx
Tom Waits
Closing Time
The New York Dolls
New York Dolls
Genesis
Selling England by the Pound
Stevie Wonder
Innervisions **
Aerosmith
Aerosmith
The Wailers
Catch a Fire
Gong
Flying Teapot **
Friday, September 11, 2009
Some wacked out music for a dull day...
I'm sorry for the incredible dirth of movement on my blogs. Really, people like me shouldn't even have blogs...
But in the meantime, I've heard a lot of music. (I'll be posting more on that in a bit.)
And a few days ago, I heard The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Five stars.
It's certainly crazy. It even forms a vague concept to start with. Only the concept is something to do with a man in a nightmare and Hell - in the classical sense...
Sounds weird, and the music and Arthur Brown's manic, sometimes high, shrieking delivery accent it perfectly. One thing's sure: he's a unique artist.
The CD includes the mono mixes of the first five songs, which are put in before the proper record starts. Listening back to back, they aren't all that similar, so if you really like the CD, go back for the repeats, by all means.
Prelude - Nightmare opens with stately chamber music and raspy breathing before going to bouncy rock and Arthur's voice (which has great range) starts a well-nigh incomprehensibe description of something weird. Punctuated with shrieks. This song reprises a few times down the road, so stay alert.
Next is Fanfare - Fire Poem, which starts with a trumpet fanfare before leaping into another bouncy rock tune. Arthur describes a visit to Hell, and though he starts calmly, he quickly dissolves to maddened hysteria (he's very good at that) and it ends as fast as it began at only two minutes long.
Fire (noticing the concept?) is pretty fun, though it's really odd. Going back and forth between a chipper chorus and gentle verses, not to mention the total mania it descends into as it goes. This is one weird show.
Come and Buy moves more slowly (which is good for a breather). Like Fire, it seems to be told by the Devil, only he's trying to barter in this episode. It almost verges on silliness, with a superfast delivery at points. Good cello. Arthur just has a perfect voice for this sort of stuff.
Time/Confusion is a dark, dreamy, waltzing tune, so I love it. I'm not sure what it's about, but it's a great mood piece. Creepy to boot.
After that, concept is dropped for a ton of odds and ends. A moody rendition of I Put a Spell on You. Great job of it, I think.
Spontaneous Apple Creation is totally silly. Comes close to whimsy, but Arthur is just too disturbing to pull that off without adding weird things to the mix.
Rest Cure actually does pull it off. It sounds really nice and oddly comforting. Provided this isn't actually the Devil talking. He sings this one differently and I like it a lot.
I've Got Money is a James Brown cover. I didn't realise, because Arthur squawks like a deranged parrot throughout, putting his own stamp on a funk tune. Bizarre.
Child of My Kingdom settles down the record. It's the longest song here, and holds a good deal of interest, as everything has.
You know, I don't think I've ever heard a person who could sing in such a nice, woody baritone and then start shrieking like a female mental patient at the drop of a hat. And apparantly this guy had a really incredible stage persona, so in a way he was the forerunner to all the over-the-top acts that came in the early seventies. Reason enough to have him around. I'm glad we do, because he's great in his own right. Weird and wrong, totally out there and deranged, but also really cool.
But in the meantime, I've heard a lot of music. (I'll be posting more on that in a bit.)
And a few days ago, I heard The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Five stars.
It's certainly crazy. It even forms a vague concept to start with. Only the concept is something to do with a man in a nightmare and Hell - in the classical sense...
Sounds weird, and the music and Arthur Brown's manic, sometimes high, shrieking delivery accent it perfectly. One thing's sure: he's a unique artist.
The CD includes the mono mixes of the first five songs, which are put in before the proper record starts. Listening back to back, they aren't all that similar, so if you really like the CD, go back for the repeats, by all means.
Prelude - Nightmare opens with stately chamber music and raspy breathing before going to bouncy rock and Arthur's voice (which has great range) starts a well-nigh incomprehensibe description of something weird. Punctuated with shrieks. This song reprises a few times down the road, so stay alert.
Next is Fanfare - Fire Poem, which starts with a trumpet fanfare before leaping into another bouncy rock tune. Arthur describes a visit to Hell, and though he starts calmly, he quickly dissolves to maddened hysteria (he's very good at that) and it ends as fast as it began at only two minutes long.
Fire (noticing the concept?) is pretty fun, though it's really odd. Going back and forth between a chipper chorus and gentle verses, not to mention the total mania it descends into as it goes. This is one weird show.
Come and Buy moves more slowly (which is good for a breather). Like Fire, it seems to be told by the Devil, only he's trying to barter in this episode. It almost verges on silliness, with a superfast delivery at points. Good cello. Arthur just has a perfect voice for this sort of stuff.
Time/Confusion is a dark, dreamy, waltzing tune, so I love it. I'm not sure what it's about, but it's a great mood piece. Creepy to boot.
After that, concept is dropped for a ton of odds and ends. A moody rendition of I Put a Spell on You. Great job of it, I think.
Spontaneous Apple Creation is totally silly. Comes close to whimsy, but Arthur is just too disturbing to pull that off without adding weird things to the mix.
Rest Cure actually does pull it off. It sounds really nice and oddly comforting. Provided this isn't actually the Devil talking. He sings this one differently and I like it a lot.
I've Got Money is a James Brown cover. I didn't realise, because Arthur squawks like a deranged parrot throughout, putting his own stamp on a funk tune. Bizarre.
Child of My Kingdom settles down the record. It's the longest song here, and holds a good deal of interest, as everything has.
You know, I don't think I've ever heard a person who could sing in such a nice, woody baritone and then start shrieking like a female mental patient at the drop of a hat. And apparantly this guy had a really incredible stage persona, so in a way he was the forerunner to all the over-the-top acts that came in the early seventies. Reason enough to have him around. I'm glad we do, because he's great in his own right. Weird and wrong, totally out there and deranged, but also really cool.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A vivid show
Neutral Sons. Four and a half sounds about right.
This sounds exactly like it is: an internet collaboration, a slice of cyberspace music. Nothing like Ariel Piccolo. There was scarcely an organic sound on this record.
Anyway, after a very silly opening bit, the CD kicks off with Drop Out, a rocking pop song. Energetic fun, catchy chorus. Can't find anything profound to say about it.
Russian Girlfriend is one of the highlights. Great lyric, melody and music gel nicely. A bit of silliness thrown on the end, but before that it's one of those "furrowed brow" songs. Keep an ear out for the yowl of one of the family cats, included three times.
Wings is a druggy end-of-June song. Very dreamy and soft-spoken.
New York Doll is about as close to commercial as I've every heard Knutson get (not sure about Cottrell). Knutson's voice and the music are perfectly synchronised. It's entirely electronic, but I can't really find anything to complain about here. Ah well.
Morose country music coming right up with RM 101. It's kind of creepy, almost morbid. Makes me wonder what it's actually about...
CD takes a tremendous dip in quality with Picasso Truffle. It's art for art's sake, it's irritating, tuneless, even pretentious. Sorry, but it strikes out.
Everything's made right with Vanilla Bean. Great lyric, but for me it's the waltz timing. I'm such a sucker for waltzes... Sophisticated song, like a lovely dream.
Then it leapfrogs into the really bizarre with Crooked Man. Mark telling a surreal little story with a budgie squawking in the background. Noisy little bird, weird little interlude for the album.
When We Go Hunting has a relatively short lyric, but the hook it provides more than makes up for it. I never tire of hearing this one.
Something organic finally appears on If You See Her Muse. Great lyric, but I really don't care for the presentation involved. It's a real dirge with great big pauses. Hard to get through.
Don't Worry returns to high quality. Cool lyric, lots of Big Brother overtones. The child's voice echoing the title phrase is a nice chilling touch. Understated music, melodic and elegant.
The Room Above is sunny, harmless pop music. It's kind of sweet in a weird sort of way. A real breather at any rate.
Roxy Stew is more of the same. It's even stranger, a bit livelier. Good piece, which I can't imagine anyone disliking.
Orchid Show Sunrise is impossible to recall, an off-the-wall instrumental that just happens to have Mark singing some bizarre piece of nonsense. Great song title though.
And Dark Universe is a spacey, stately ending. Zone out and draw pictures in your brain. Actually, do that for the whole album; it's great for that. I could write whole books just based on the images I've picked up from listening to Neutral Sons.
In the long run, Ariel probably outdoes this one, by being more cohesive, organic and stronger in the writing department. Neutral, an excellent debut, is just a little bit light. It's got some outstanding gems, two dreadful moments, and as a whole is an inventive electro-cyberspace fantasy trip. Really neat in a lot of ways. I wish them luck on any future projects they attempt.
Now, what shall I review next?
This sounds exactly like it is: an internet collaboration, a slice of cyberspace music. Nothing like Ariel Piccolo. There was scarcely an organic sound on this record.
Anyway, after a very silly opening bit, the CD kicks off with Drop Out, a rocking pop song. Energetic fun, catchy chorus. Can't find anything profound to say about it.
Russian Girlfriend is one of the highlights. Great lyric, melody and music gel nicely. A bit of silliness thrown on the end, but before that it's one of those "furrowed brow" songs. Keep an ear out for the yowl of one of the family cats, included three times.
Wings is a druggy end-of-June song. Very dreamy and soft-spoken.
New York Doll is about as close to commercial as I've every heard Knutson get (not sure about Cottrell). Knutson's voice and the music are perfectly synchronised. It's entirely electronic, but I can't really find anything to complain about here. Ah well.
Morose country music coming right up with RM 101. It's kind of creepy, almost morbid. Makes me wonder what it's actually about...
CD takes a tremendous dip in quality with Picasso Truffle. It's art for art's sake, it's irritating, tuneless, even pretentious. Sorry, but it strikes out.
Everything's made right with Vanilla Bean. Great lyric, but for me it's the waltz timing. I'm such a sucker for waltzes... Sophisticated song, like a lovely dream.
Then it leapfrogs into the really bizarre with Crooked Man. Mark telling a surreal little story with a budgie squawking in the background. Noisy little bird, weird little interlude for the album.
When We Go Hunting has a relatively short lyric, but the hook it provides more than makes up for it. I never tire of hearing this one.
Something organic finally appears on If You See Her Muse. Great lyric, but I really don't care for the presentation involved. It's a real dirge with great big pauses. Hard to get through.
Don't Worry returns to high quality. Cool lyric, lots of Big Brother overtones. The child's voice echoing the title phrase is a nice chilling touch. Understated music, melodic and elegant.
The Room Above is sunny, harmless pop music. It's kind of sweet in a weird sort of way. A real breather at any rate.
Roxy Stew is more of the same. It's even stranger, a bit livelier. Good piece, which I can't imagine anyone disliking.
Orchid Show Sunrise is impossible to recall, an off-the-wall instrumental that just happens to have Mark singing some bizarre piece of nonsense. Great song title though.
And Dark Universe is a spacey, stately ending. Zone out and draw pictures in your brain. Actually, do that for the whole album; it's great for that. I could write whole books just based on the images I've picked up from listening to Neutral Sons.
In the long run, Ariel probably outdoes this one, by being more cohesive, organic and stronger in the writing department. Neutral, an excellent debut, is just a little bit light. It's got some outstanding gems, two dreadful moments, and as a whole is an inventive electro-cyberspace fantasy trip. Really neat in a lot of ways. I wish them luck on any future projects they attempt.
Now, what shall I review next?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Something good
The Ballad of Ariel Piccolo. Five stars.
This collaborative effort is a winner. CDs this likable are a rare blessing, to be sure.
Neutral Sons is comprised of an englishman (Mark Cottrell) and an american (Richard Knutson, visiting England at the time this was made). Their first attempt at music was respectable, I recall. Obviously I'll have to review that next. But it's Ariel Piccolo I'm talking you through now...
ESP is a tranquil, pastoral opener. It's a perfect way to let the audience know they're in good hands. There's a certain elegance to the music and the lyric borders on romantic. Very lovely.
That's all well and good, but Angels Matter is better still. I can think of no better way to describe it than groovy. I can't make heads or tails of the lyric, but my feet couldn't be still while the song played. Great fun.
King of Dreams has that killer attitude I love in rock and roll. Great backup vocals, brilliant lyric. Richard's delivery is spot on, and it's pretty short, delivering a fast punch as it were.
Ariel Piccolo is a very wistful, 1:00 minute track. An immediate look at a homeless man, done sparely and somehow poetically.
Where would a Richard Knutson project be without a weird ambiant track? Long Fong is the one included here. It's freaky, full of looped voices you can barely make out. However, for me it wore thin about halfway through. The weak point.
Things pick up with Muscle Soul. Meaning no disrespect to Knutson's voice here, but Mark Cottrell completely upstages him. It's a slow moving song, but very entertaining.
Paris Shoot is a discordant, almost paranoid song. I find it very interesting, a little disturbing, and lyrically sounding like the narrator has reached the end of the line. It's grim.
Devices sounds totally adolescent, like something a bunch of college kids enthusiastically cooked up together in a garage. It's just a good time. A very good time.
Bong Song is not another instrumental. It's an unmemorable, though sinister, tune. Good lyrics, sounds like something bad is on the way...
Ariel Piccolo Said Hello starts as an intense rocker. You don't have to take it too seriously though. Listen to those backups; sounds like a couple of hobgoblins got brought in for the job. Just when it starts to get a little monotonous, it switches to a reprise of Ariel's earlier cameo. Melancholy acoustic guitar, wistful lyric, odd extra tagline at the end.
Don't Walk features prominent recorder. Great lyric, actually makes some sense! Melody line is excellent. Another winner.
3 Steps Forward (It Didn't Happen) requires close attention. Mark and Richard share the lyric at the same time... but it's all a little askew. Then a marching tune strikes up and it all seems to be deadly serious, but again it doesn't quite match up... Some songs are so bizarre and eccentric that they just win you over with a sort of oddball charm. This is a good example.
Cutting Off Zen sounds like a dark, empty room. Sinister again, with a creaking rocking chair added for good effect. Interesting atmosphere, but I prefer Bong Song myself.
Hello My Dear is mournful, with a tape loop voice or two and a soft piano. It's quite effective, makes me feel alone. Not a cheery end to the Ballad of Ariel Piccolo. But why should it be?
There you have it. Like Richard Knutson's other recent record Travelian Pets, it's a bit long, but it makes up for the fact by being very high quality. It's mostly a cheerful piece of work, sounds like they had fun doing it. I'll be interested to see how it compares to their debut. Wait for it...
This collaborative effort is a winner. CDs this likable are a rare blessing, to be sure.
Neutral Sons is comprised of an englishman (Mark Cottrell) and an american (Richard Knutson, visiting England at the time this was made). Their first attempt at music was respectable, I recall. Obviously I'll have to review that next. But it's Ariel Piccolo I'm talking you through now...
ESP is a tranquil, pastoral opener. It's a perfect way to let the audience know they're in good hands. There's a certain elegance to the music and the lyric borders on romantic. Very lovely.
That's all well and good, but Angels Matter is better still. I can think of no better way to describe it than groovy. I can't make heads or tails of the lyric, but my feet couldn't be still while the song played. Great fun.
King of Dreams has that killer attitude I love in rock and roll. Great backup vocals, brilliant lyric. Richard's delivery is spot on, and it's pretty short, delivering a fast punch as it were.
Ariel Piccolo is a very wistful, 1:00 minute track. An immediate look at a homeless man, done sparely and somehow poetically.
Where would a Richard Knutson project be without a weird ambiant track? Long Fong is the one included here. It's freaky, full of looped voices you can barely make out. However, for me it wore thin about halfway through. The weak point.
Things pick up with Muscle Soul. Meaning no disrespect to Knutson's voice here, but Mark Cottrell completely upstages him. It's a slow moving song, but very entertaining.
Paris Shoot is a discordant, almost paranoid song. I find it very interesting, a little disturbing, and lyrically sounding like the narrator has reached the end of the line. It's grim.
Devices sounds totally adolescent, like something a bunch of college kids enthusiastically cooked up together in a garage. It's just a good time. A very good time.
Bong Song is not another instrumental. It's an unmemorable, though sinister, tune. Good lyrics, sounds like something bad is on the way...
Ariel Piccolo Said Hello starts as an intense rocker. You don't have to take it too seriously though. Listen to those backups; sounds like a couple of hobgoblins got brought in for the job. Just when it starts to get a little monotonous, it switches to a reprise of Ariel's earlier cameo. Melancholy acoustic guitar, wistful lyric, odd extra tagline at the end.
Don't Walk features prominent recorder. Great lyric, actually makes some sense! Melody line is excellent. Another winner.
3 Steps Forward (It Didn't Happen) requires close attention. Mark and Richard share the lyric at the same time... but it's all a little askew. Then a marching tune strikes up and it all seems to be deadly serious, but again it doesn't quite match up... Some songs are so bizarre and eccentric that they just win you over with a sort of oddball charm. This is a good example.
Cutting Off Zen sounds like a dark, empty room. Sinister again, with a creaking rocking chair added for good effect. Interesting atmosphere, but I prefer Bong Song myself.
Hello My Dear is mournful, with a tape loop voice or two and a soft piano. It's quite effective, makes me feel alone. Not a cheery end to the Ballad of Ariel Piccolo. But why should it be?
There you have it. Like Richard Knutson's other recent record Travelian Pets, it's a bit long, but it makes up for the fact by being very high quality. It's mostly a cheerful piece of work, sounds like they had fun doing it. I'll be interested to see how it compares to their debut. Wait for it...
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