The Band

Rolling Stone Rank: 45

Hey everybody, hope that the weather is great wherever you are reading this. Because it's beautiful here. Anyway, I loved The Band's second entry in the top 500. Same hard rockin', country goodness, The Band defines their sound and moves farther and farther away from Bob Dylan's shadow. Interestingly, four-fifths of this band was from Canada, although you would never be able to guess it. Not that Canada can't produce good rockers, I guess Bryan Adams counts...

Next topic. What do you think about networks summer programming. Not specifically, but in general. Over the past few years, most networks have rolled out their crazy reality shows during these summer months. Then, because there's nothing else on, people watch and networks think think they made quality choices...and the cycle repeats.
You know what I'm talking about, the Bachlorette, America's got Talent, etc...
So, is it really better than re-runs of our favorite shows?

Not sure if I have an answer to that, ask me when the summer's over. I will tell you this, TV is a lot better it's a distraction from the other things in your life. When the tube is all you've got, good shows become meh and bad shows become almost depressing watch. Man, you know what I should do? I should, like, start listening to new album each few days, and then blog about it....
oh wait.

Take a Listen, Take Some Time, Post your thoughts

Stats

Album: The Band

Artist: The Band

Year: 1969

My Favorite Song: Lame choice, Up on Cripple Creek
Next Up: Bob Marley, mon.

Horses

Rolling Stone Rank: 44

Up late again, so I'm gonna knock this one out. Loved the album, good music and a passionate singer. The songs and Patti really reflects the sound coming out of the New York scene in that era. It brought me back, and I know what you're thinking. Brian, you weren't alive in the mid-seventies. And yes, you would be correct. What I mean to say is that it brings me back to high school. I did a research project, or a paper or something I don't really remember what it was that's not the point, on Punk Music. Anyways, I spent a great deal of time listening to new wave and punk music from that time, and especially from the groups in New York during that time. Blondie, The Talking Heads, Television, etc. I didn't listen to this album then, which is weird because it's the 44th best album of all time, but y'know high school rebellion and such...

Anyway, the point of that was to say that this album sounded familiar to me, while still being completely new and interesting. When Patti talks, she sounds like David Bryne, and when she sings, it sounds like Deborah Harry. Yet even with these similarities she has her own style, and definitely a much more poetic view to music than the other artists from that period.

Other than her version of Gloria, the other songs are pretty eccentric. Nice to listen to, really original. I listen to it on the way to and from the driving range. Can't say the album really inspired any angst, but it did rock pretty hard, which is saying something because golf takes a lot out of my spirit.

One final thought before I go to bed, btw this has nothing to do with the album. I find it frustrating when television shows don't carry through with their storylines. And yes I know that I'm only really noticing this because I'm a lame-o and watch tv shows on dvd on a saturday night at home. I'll spare you the details about the show, mostly to save what little face I have left from this paragraph. So, without saying the name of the show, let me tell the situation that has me perplexed. So one of the storylines is about this 16 year old girl and her boyfriend. Blah blah blah they are in love, or most of the season they've been getting along fine. So for her birthday, or whatever I don't remember the actual occasion, he made her a car. Yes, that's right. He's a mechanic, or his dad was so somehow he was able to build her a car. A goddamn car. Two episodes later, a new male character is introduced and now we're beginning to see that she'll go with the new guy soon. And blah blah blah they're moving right along, la la la

Except that the old guy BUILT HER A CAR!

Doesn't that mean anything? I mean, a car! How does that not upset anyone? How did a producer not notice this, or care?

ok, thanks for that. And if anybody actually read this, the show is Gilmore Girls, let the mockery commence...

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Album: Horses

Artist: Patti Smith

Year: 1975

My Favorite Song: It's late so I bet you're expecting me to say...anyways it was Break It Up
Next Up: The Band again, kinda psyched for another one. The first one kicked ass...

Dark Side of the Moon

Rolling Stone Rank: 43

A conundrum of an album really. I know you know of it, I know you probably have heard some songs. Before Thriller, this was the best selling album of all time. Think about that. The highest selling album of all time. It's just crazy, and it doesn't make sense.

You know where this album should be ranked? 43. It's a pretty good, it's not super. I'm not sure it holds up against the test of time. A lot of the techniques, while innovative, and while I appreciate it, I'm not sure if you all out there think of it. Stuff like tape looping, which nowadays you can do on garageband, is actually a pretty impressive thing with those old analog tapes. But, y'know, music that relies on (I don't want to say gimmicks, but something similar to that) those techniques.

And, think about this. Do you know how many weeks this album spent at #1 in the US? One. One freaking week! And it became the highest selling album of ALL TIME. It's just crazy, right?

So tell me why this album sold so much? The band didn't particularly love the album, it didn't stay at the top of the charts...It just stuck around. Boom, 6.3 million albums sold.

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Album: The Dark Side of the Moon

Artist: Pink Floyd

Year: 1973

My Favorite Song: Brain Damage
Next Up: Patti Smith

The Doors

Rolling Stone Rank: 42

Totally on a roll here, three reviews in like three days. Or wait, it could be that I'm that bored...
Jim Morrison. Two words, two simple words. Yet it is these two words that divides many a music fan. In fact one could say it divides people as a whole. Which are you?

I like the Doors, I think this album should be way higher on the list. Jim Morrison is a poet, who left the world too early. Much like his other "27-year-old-musicians-who-died-too -young", Hendrix and Cobain, The world is worse off without his influence. He is a fascinating character, filled with drama, intrigue. All that good stuff. Oh hey, watch The Doors too. Great movie, but that's a whole 'nother divisive subject...

Of course there are the predictable singles, but there isn't another song comparable to The End. The perfect ending to a close to perfect album. Capturing that west coast sound, that they spent years crafting.

How do you feel about it. Take acid and listen to it, just kidding. Although, I could imagine that making it sound better. Actually, I'm thinking that's what did ol' Jim in.

On a lighter note, have a good week kiddos.

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Album: The Doors

Artist: The Doors

Year: 1967

My Favorite Song: The End
Next Up: Pink Floyd

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols

Rolling Stone Rank: 41

The only studio album released by the pistols, but it will live in infamy. The songs on this LP inspire rockers and musicians to this day. I totally think this album should be higher on the list. If we are going to judge an album's influence, the you might as well put this album in the top ten. Johnny Rotten is awesome. He practically screams his way through the entire album. in the RS article, he says that if it were up to him, the music would be "unlistenable for most people".

And isn't that what punk music is all about. Play as loud and as fast as you want to. Who cares if people like. Who cares if people can dance to it. Let out the raw emotion, and give the audience that release as well. It's no wonder that young people in this country flock to one form of punk rock or another.

So personally, I think this is a better album that The Ramones. I think the pistols get their message across, and I think they do it with more emotion, with more volume. Granted, you can't sing along with Johnny Rotten like you can with Hey, Ho, Let's Go, but I'm not sure that's the point. Y'know what else? No love songs here, it's all about the political upheaval. Rock the boat baby...

So what do you think? Do the bands you like sound like these? Is there a difference between the Ramones, and The Sex Pistols?

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Album: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols

Artist: The Sex Pistols

Year: 1977

My Favorite Song: Anarchy in the U.K.
Next Up: Doors

Forever Changes

Rolling Stone Rank: 40

Well, I'll say this. I didn't hate it. I didn't really find anything to latch onto though. In the RS blurb about it, they basically called it the pioneers for folk rock. I dunno, I guess I hear it. Kind of my thoughts on most stuff that was done first. Cool, but somebody will probably do it better. That might be a bit harsh, and I'm sure I can think of some good examples of this.

Anyway, to describe the sound of this album...Think CSNY, but a little bit more sloppy. Same acoustic guitar sound. Even though the lyrics have quite a bit of emotion, you wouldn't know it. The singing lacks passion, save for a few moments. So, yeah. It's not bad, it's just not my favorite.

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Album: Forever Changes

Artist: Love

Year: 1967

My Favorite Song: Alone Again Or

Next Up: Sex Pistols

Please Please Me

Rolling Stone Rank: 39

So listen, I know I'm not the best person to review this album. Because, if you know me, you know that I love The Beatles. I loved this album. I love the energy they bring, I love the harmonies they sing (unintentional rhyme). And yes, I know the arguments against this band, against this album. I know that they didn't invent this style, I know that they were copying the sounds they heard from black southern artists. To that I say, they did it better. Maybe it's because I feel like I know them so well, more on that in a second, that I just can't help but smile through the entirety of the album.

In the RS review of this album, they bring up a great point. The fact that The Beatles finished this album in 10 hours. What a great contrast between this first release and their later releases. Albums like Revolver and Let It Be, which were recorded over much longer periods and made exclusively for the studio. These songs jump off the album, and puts you right in the front row of the concert. Is there anything more passionate that John screaming through the end of Twist and Shout. Sure, we remember it from Ferris Bueller, but back in the day is was an emotional ride that was so different from earlier versions of the song.

The last thing I want to talk about hear was something I read about recently. I've mentioned here before about the outstanding work that Daniel Levitin has done. Well, he really nails it on the head when talking about the lyrical styles of Lennon/McCartney. He observed that in their early songs, they use the first person quite a bit. This entire album is basically sung from the lead singer to the audience. So, instead of "last night he said those words to his girl" we get: "Last night I said these words to my girl". So much more powerful, MUCH more of personal connection made between the singer and audience. Now, the obvious argument to this is: They were kids, it wasn't sophistication. It was the only thing they knew. They wrote love songs about themselves because when you're young, you focus on these romantic notions...etc... Well, I won't argue with that, but I will say it worked and it may be one of the reasons why The Beatles rose to such heights.

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Album: Please Please Me

Artist: The Beatles

Year: 1963

My Favorite Song: Please Please Me (So lame, right?)

Next Up: Love


Oh hey, check this out, who doesn't love this scene?