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Classic Rock Discussion thread, including Catfish's Top 20 Lists.
catfish1957:
Classic Rock Album of the Day- The Traveling Wiburys - Volume 1 (1988) *** 1/2
You will not get any argument from me that the Traveling Wilbury creation in 1988, did have a level of gimmricky to its inception. But like I mentioned much much earlier in this thread, there might not have ever been a more talented compilation of songwriting talent in 25 square feet in rock history. For those who may not remember this band... Lets see.... George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne. I absolutely loved the concept of a traveling band, of psuedonymned no names operating in that vein and simplicity and artistic equality.
Obviously I don't need to mention the accolades of these guys. Everyone one them are legends in their own acts, and are absolute masters of songwriting. What makes the album too so enjoyable, is that there isn't one band member who dominates the act. It is an incredibly diverse and pure colllaboration of 5 guys who in mutual admiration, realized they had a chance to create something special in the singer songwriting arena. Almost all the songs are remarkably written and delivered, which with these 5 shouldn't have been much of a shock. When you listen to the tunes, you can almost get an idea who the songwriting lead was, though it definitely was a full collaboation of all.
I do know also enjoy the couple of videos of the 5 guys all huddling around the mic. Magic. And I doubt we will ever be able to see that level of magic ever again. And as we all know, 3 of these 5 are dead, and Dylan is in his 80's.
Fun Fact: Last contributive release of Roy Orbison before his dealth late in 1988. His work and help in Vol. 3 are credited posthumously. 2 was cleverley skipped. With such great talent comes idiosyncraisity,
Side 1-
----------
Handle With Care- Signature tune of the band, and such a epic video with all 5 singing and harmonizing. Definitely a Harrison driven song, with signature slide, but was fantastic Orbison chorus work. 1
Dirty World- Automobile innuendo never sounded so cool. Though this is a obvioulsy Dylan tune, this has so much hooked vibe than most of his earlier famous work. Harrison difinitey had a hand too. 5
Rattled- Jeff Lynne runs this almost rockabilly like romp, with Petty backing nicely. Nothing like ELO ever did. 6
Last Night- Petty's main contribution to the collection- Actually love the masterful harmony, 5 legends in total sync.
4
Not Alone Anymore- Very very much a Roy Orbison song, that has a modern feel to his older stuff from the very early 1960's. 7
Side 2-
----------------
Congratulations- Slow rolling ballad led by Dylan, that has that endearing off key trademarked sound that made him an icon. 9
Heading For the Light- Light pleasant one that harkens back to a lot of the early to mid '70's solo work. Fantastic. When a guy like this often considered the 3rd best song writer of a band, just drives home how great of writers the Beatles were. 3
Margarita- Electronic oddity on this one, Strangely though this sounds more like Harrison songwriting, Dylan took the vocals on this one. Very quirky though it doesn't see to fit as well on the themed basis. One of the stronger efforts. 8
Tweeter and the Monkey Man- Dylan nonsensical number. Not the best effort of the guys. 10
End of the Line- Other video effort that beautfully incorporates each's members by adding a verse to this classic. 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwvZMepkOOc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o4s1KVJaVA
Gefn:
@catfish1957
I had this Album and really enjoyed it.
End of the line was a great song.
catfish1957:
--- Quote from: Gefn on May 15, 2023, 05:19:14 am ---@catfish1957
I had this Album and really enjoyed it.
End of the line was a great song.
--- End quote ---
@Gefn
At first I was really skeptical of this effort, from the gimmickry, commerical, and general intent. And honestly, there isn't anyting here paricularly ground breaking musically. But as time has passed, and the repuation of the participants are etched furhter, one can only just give full admiration to 5 guys who made history on each of their own merits, the come up with a clever concept of a band of rag tag brothers, who just wanna sing a few songs together for coins in the tin cup...... abd in their best folksy S/S manner.
In retrospect, it was historical, and in some ways though briefer, kind of like the "Outlaw effort" collaborative efforts we say in C&W in the 1970's. No glitz, no glamor, just a few guys leaving their egos in the trunk and having a good time.
berdie:
--- Quote from: catfish1957 on May 15, 2023, 12:39:05 pm ---@Gefn
At first I was really skeptical of this effort, from the gimmickry, commerical, and general intent. And honestly, there isn't anyting here paricularly ground breaking musically. But as time has passed, and the repuation of the participants are etched furhter, one can only just give full admiration to 5 guys who made history on each of their own merits, the come up with a clever concept of a band of rag tag brothers, who just wanna sing a few songs together for coins in the tin cup...... abd in their best folksy S/S manner.
In retrospect, it was historical, and in some ways though briefer, kind of like the "Outlaw effort" collaborative efforts we say in C&W in the 1970's. No glitz, no glamor, just a few guys leaving their egos in the trunk and having a good time.
--- End quote ---
It was always a little amazing to me that these icons could put ego aside and make music. But, even though I'm not a musician, the ones I know put making music above all. I figure there had to be a lot of security in themselves and admiration for the others involved. Like @Gefn I love End Of The Line. It makes me bob my head in time with the music, lol. Your analogy with the c/w outlaws is spot on.
As a kid, I had no use for Roy Orbison. But as an adult...boy did I have to walk that back!!! He is the binding member of the Wilburys. His voice soaring above the others is pretty darn impressive.
catfish1957:
Classic Rock Album of the Day- Emerson Lake and Palmer- Trilogy (1972) **** 1/2
In today's review of ELP's 4th album strangely called Trilogy, which I guess aligned with the number of band members instead of album enumeration. Well maybe 3 if you consider Pictures at an Exhibiity a live album, but since it was all unreleased? Who knows. This particular LP is by prog standards is an absolute masterpiece, and heralded as groundbreaking and the band at its best. By this time, I think Emerson as a composer had realized that the though they had put together a sound large, and dedicated following, something a little different , though slightly less classical in style just might expand their fan base.
ELP may have created the term pretentious in rock. Side one of Tarkus definitely set the bar on that trait. As with most ELP works, there is nothing generally hook inducing, and Keith is a master composer and even a greater practioner on the keyboard. In fact if you look at lists giving accolades of who the greatest keyboard of rock in its entire history, you will find Mr. Keith Emerson generally at the top 90-95% of the time, and Rick Wakeman the other 5-10%. But don't forget that this band is not entirly Emerson's showmanship. I know a lot of detractors to ELP's work argue that the wizardry overwhelms the senses, and that most rock fans won't or can't releate. Carl Palmer is easy at least in my book easy one of the greatest 3rd-6th drummers ever. And Greg Lake's understated but solid fret work just give this band a body of work of near perfection. I literally wore this and Brain Salad Surgery out during the 1970's. This stuff was musican's music. And again, I understand some don't get it, but in my little corner of love of music, it didn't rock, but it was wonderful for introspection of how a group of three. could formulate stuff on this level of complexity and greatness with such a great mix of power and finesse' .
At least in my opinion Trilogy is one of two of the absolute great ELP albums. Brain Salad Surgery is stronger in its compositional accumen, while Trilogy is more listenable. Much more crisp, and really the one that propelled them into the supergroup category. No one ever came close to replicating their style, substance, and impact on their field of music.
Fun Fact (s): (1) Trilogy was ELP's highest charting studio LP, hitting No. 5 in the U.S. (2) Incredibly ELP did not have a platinum record. 0-9. 0-45 if you include live and compliation albums (3) This album (Trilogy) contains the only single that broke the U.S. Top 40 . From the Beginning hit 39 that year.
Side 1-
----------
The Endless Enigma (Part 1)- Song has that dystopian like wastland field, kind of like a drama -sci fi vibe. I am sure Emerson was partly use the song tone to give credence to that Enigma of the meaning of life's hypocricy. Oc course plenty of Emerson wizardry (repeat for the rest of the album), and very powerful Lake vocal inflection. Easy to see why Emerson recruited their golden voice from K-Crimson. 4
Fugue- Very correctly named, as Emerson very masterfully conducts two counter melodic lines mid way through the tune. I hope everyone realizes how difficult it is (was) to not only mentally picture this tough compostion, but being able to play? Tough. I also love the beautiful chimed section that sets the conversion from piano to synth. Wow.... 3
The Endless Enigma (Part 2)- Pretty much the ending chorus of Part 1, Lake hitting those high ones's is quite a feat. . What a voice!!!!5
From the Beginning- I generally am not into ballads, but this one is special. Again, their big hit, if big describes it. Lake and Emerson nail it in duo fashion. Great vocals, spanish guitar, and a memorable synth solo closing this gem. 2
The Sheriff- Kind of like Benny the Bouncer frm BSS, Emreson at least from POV, dropped a klunker. I always wondered why he did these kind of dittys, but he just did 'em just because he could- 9
Hoedown- Fantastic rendention of Copeland great work from Rodeo Suite, Emerson must really have like Copeland among the most of the modern composers, because he did a cover of of Dorvak's New World Symphony too. I love that not only was Keith Emerson a master composer, he shared and got almost an entire generation into classical music too. 6
Side 2-
---------------
Trilogy- Easlly one of my favorite compositions by ELP- Song starts so beautifully and melodially, with absolutle. masterful concert like piano work. Greg Lakes's voice is perfect in accompaniment. This song would be great just from that level alone, but something mind blowinghappens along the way. Abut 3 minutes in all hell breaks lose, into a mass chaotic synth explosion. This is the genius of ELP at its best. 1
Living Sin- I do have to say that stylisitically this is among the strangest tunes ELP every made. There are aspects that are almost traditonally rocking, but Kieth ups the strange meter, that ony works marginally for me. I do find that Lake's sinister voicing in it kind of clever though. 8
Abbadon's Bolero- From the abyss of relevelation folded into a into a sync'ed and syncopated off variation Ravel's structured classical work. Very innovation with many angles of buildup and climax, just like Ravel's 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4OxCw27R2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8zbMbCskuI
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