Classic Rock Discussion thread, including Catfish's Top 20 Lists.

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- The Moody Blues- In Search of the Lost Chord (1968) **** 1/2

Today's review is dedicated to Mike Pinder, who I belatedly found out passed away a month ago at age 82.  Pinder was an undisputed pioneer and progenitor of what is abd would become electronic keyboard.  It is well documented of his involvment with the inventors of the Moog and Mellotron, and he was the first to put this fantiastic tool to good use in popular music.  Pinder was not only a technical pioneer, and musician, but he also had many songwriting contritubitions to this criminally under-rated band.  Listen to any Moody Blues album from the 1960's.  No one was making music like this.  And they were so versatile too.  They excelled at rocking, ballads, beautiful melodic, psychadaelia, and had great pop sensibilities that set them apart from anyone else.  We've had plenty of discussions of which band started prog.  A strong argument could be made for them.   But...  it is sad to see these legends who are now dying natural deaths in their 80's falling by the wayside.  The Moody's now are just Hayward and Lodge.

And another side note for the legacy of Mike Pinder.  People seem to forget has his spoken word is included in a lot of Moody Blues material.  His voice to me,  is almost Rod Serling, James Earl Jones, powerful in nature. I am suprised he didn't get a lot of more work in narration post 1972.

Listening to any of the first say 7 or so albums, it is strikingly evident that a lot of their music is way ahead of it's time.  This was a very dedicated and talented group, that made sure that all their stuff was consitently not only great from album to album, but each individual LP is fully listenable by itself.  Any Moody Blues album is also a trip through the cerebral.  They are talent incarnate. ISOTLC was unique in that the band wasn't vaguely disgusing their foray into psychadaelia with tunes like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".  Hell, they were giving homage to acknowledged Godfather of LSD at the time Timothy Leary.  Also listen to "The Best Way to Travel".  There was no veiling what that meant.

I chose Chord today, on the just pure audaciousness. It is a fairly evenly dispersed project among the crew.  But it was so massively different than the prior album that, these almost sound like two different bands.  You will not go wrong, with what some critcs call the "Core 7".  All of them are excellent.  And one final editorial that I kind of touched on earlier....   The Rolling Stone/Creme/Rock and Roll Hall of Shame, waited until 2018 to put them in the Hall.  SHAMEFUL!  With ISOTLC you are getting a perfect sample of early Moody Blues, was about, and I am guessing you will enjoy it.  I always have.   And a warning:  Ranking albums like this one is not fair in some respect.  Most of even the lower ranked songs are really good too.

Fun Fact: The Moody Blues first American gig was supporting this LP in '68, opening for Canned Heat.  Ahhhh  only in the '60's huh?   

Side 1-
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Departure- Mystical intro with narration that gives a fine indication of greatness to come. 

Ride My See Saw-   Excellent melodic obvious Justin Hayward type of song.  There weren't too many prog songs at the time that I would characterize as pop.  This is about as close as it gets.  Vocal harmonizatons are impeccable.  Songs rolls and flows with ease. If you are here for the guitar stuff, this is your cut. This was the only charting single from the album, and it only reached #61,  Still, What a start for this ride.   2

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume-  An obvious Ray Thomas effort, as he seemed to be the most enthusiastic of the Hallucinogenic fare. I think Thomas slightly wanted to emulate the Beatles recent efforts into nonsenical stuff of Sgt. Peppers, and Magical Mystery Tour.  On par, with them in some repsect.  5

House of Four Doors (Part 1)-  Very strange and near or at split personality for the song.  I am sure John Lodge intended some allegorical themeing around Legend of a Mind.  Song delves from standard mid rocking Moody's to majestic concert hall majesticism.  Gateway song? /s
6

Legend of a Mind-  The band's ode to Timothy Leary.  And man did they ever nail this song on every front.  Every band member contributes at the highlest level.  The song is a hodgepodge of style and key/time changes.  And the chorus vocals?, and the flute solo?, and Mellotron infusion? Easily one of my favorite top 5 tunes by the band.  Bonus:  In might be one of the earliest rock music videos, the guys do this one from an English Estate.  And I don't give a shit that it was lip synced   (below) 1

House of Four Doors (Part 2)- The back bookend of this saga.  Effective to the theme.  The point that the "Doors" are the weakest part of this LP just shows how powerfully good this LP is. 7

Side 2-
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Voices in the Sky- Very nice ballad  by Hayward,  that is a favorite  with some fans, just tastes I guess, but not "A" status to my liking.   This is  still a good one, on a great album.  Hayward would get much better at this in subsequent albums.  9

The Best Way to Travel- Mike Pinder's biggest contribution.  He takes psychadaelia concept to new heights.  And gives a clinic on keyboard wizardry.  A technique that would be used enmasse for the next few years by other bands who didn't do it near as well  I bet this was a fav of the trippin' hippies in the day. 3

Visons of Paradise- Same pretty much comment as with "Voices" but with an interesting Ray Thomas flute accompaniment, eastern sitar add that is kind of Beatlesque.   Hate to say it, but Hayward kept this from becoming a 5 star LP.  Just me talking though. 8

The Actor- The best effort from Justin Hayward, though it does have kind of Blue Jay feel (add Lodge).  Gives his best and most powerful voice, and I really enjoy how Pinder stretches the mellotron into full orchestraization mode.  Musical brilliance 4

The Word/ Om- Narrative and closing that is beautifully apt for this classic. Om's harmonization and eastern influenced jam is excellent.  I really don't consider this as much as a song, but a prologue to a prog album of the ages.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5UdP-SFNgY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_TbovyVOzs

[LMAO]

My dad and uncle listened to the Moody Blues alot when I was a kid and I didn't get the appeal until I was in my late teens

[catfish1957]

From a few days ago....

RIP Doug Ingle..... 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/iron-butterfly-founder-doug-ingle-004502921.html

<snip>

The last surviving original member of American psychedelic rockers Iron Butterfly has died.
Doug Ingle was the band's lead singer, primary songwriter and organist.

Surprised I haven't done an Iron Butterfly review....    Hope to add one soon

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida  (Rock On)

[berdie]

Re: Your Broooce review, I really enjoyed it and agree for the most part. He isn't a great singer (he shouts) and some of his lyrics crack me up.

"Wrap your legs around these velvet rims, and strap your hands across my engines." Really, Dude? And a best selling song came from this? Okey Dokey.

That being said, "Secret Garden", "Philadelphia", and "Brilliant Disguise" are decent and since I like to hear writers sing their own music, I like them. Both the lyrics and his voice are pretty good.

I confess, I went to see him twice. His tickets were always affordable at the time...so why not? Clemons and to a lesser degree Little Stevie were always fun to watch and listen to. The last concert Bruce, laid on his back and preached a lengthy sermon. Kinda weird.

[catfish1957]

Re: Your Broooce review, I really enjoyed it and agree for the most part. He isn't a great singer (he shouts) and some of his lyrics crack me up.

. The last concert Bruce, laid on his back and preached a lengthy sermon. Kinda weird.

He actually was laying on his back?  That's a lot more than weird.  Inside reporting I've heard is that "The Baws" has a god or prohet complex now,  and sits in a delusional world that thinks the entire world rotates around him.

My overall impression since the early '70's was that he was a second tier artist, who got lucky.  He kind of reminds me of Peter Seller's great role in "Being There".  Bruce IMO is the Chauncy Gardener of rock, who got some powerful industry pundits  to wrongly beleive and push the perception that he was a visionary.  Honestly, I can't think of anything past 5 or 6 songs really listenable.

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Iron Butterfly- In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida  (1968) * 1/2

Earlier today, I mentioned that the Doug Ingle, the last member of Iron butterly passed away.  Ingle was that one member was 98% of the talent center of the band.  I want to be totally respectful to the band and its fans, but from my taste, they just weren't that good.  At least good past one infamous song.

But, and this is a huge one, what this band lacked in proving good music was one major contribution that can not be overlooked.  Side 2 of this album can make a significant claim that is was the first true hard rock song on an album in history.  The Title Song was more than ground breaking, it brought meter fuzz, distort and structure that not even Hendrix was providing at the exact same time.  Of course, Iron butterfly for all practical purposes was a band steeped and focused in psychedelia.  But that side (2) was an innovative approach that 100's of bands would later take, but do it so much  better.

And on another innovation, and also a new approach they would take....   In-a-gadda-divida took up an entire side of an album in length.  Personally, I tought is was bit too much on the self indulgence, but with this song, it's like a lightning bolt struck, and provided this band one moment of glory, and by god, they rode and milked this number for the rest of their brief and medicore career.   Even with the epic length,I always thought the song was 10 minutes too long.

3rd point of innovation was (I might be wrong?) that this  was one of the very first rock songs to incorporate a lengthy  solos.  Drums, organ, etc.  And I would be amiss not to say that this band was devoid of talent.  Ingle did a decent job of finely working his psychedelia laden organ into the product.  I remember some of the hippy's in the day, feeling that Iron Butterfly was a cultural phenomenon, basically marrying psychedelia to hard rock.  I think in some ways they were right.

Iron Butterfly floundered after this one, but in their defense that this a Quad platinum album in 1968, is pretty impressive.  Sadly, they lingered for 4 more, and all were patheric. 

Fun Fact: Venture a guess how many people can say they were a member of this band-  65...  Yep, 65,  and I'd say 90% were familar with the Green Signs of Holiday Inn bars. 

Side 1-
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All psychedelia improv filler,and 3rd rate Doors impressions.  I applaud the  lack of hook,if the music has other redeeming qualities.

Side 2-
------------

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida -17 minutes of what I  pretty much covered in body of review,  There is no arguing that this song is historic in genre creation/amending.  I always thought it was bizarre that this song, that is so good shines way above anything else they produced.  It's a great song, and worth the visit.  Even to this day, you wlll occasionally  catch the radio version of this on classic rock rotation.  And deservingly so. 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAT4nIg00t0

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Rush- Caress of Steel (1975) **** 1/2

Noticed I haven't reviewed any early Rush yet, and thought I'd take on maybe the toughest to discuss,  "Caress of Steel".  And IMO one of the strangest for me to pan or love......   from even day to day.  On certain days, I  see this as a 5 star LP, and another feel 3 instead.   It is no secret that the critics hated this LP, and from documentary account, it almost finished them as a band....   Before they threw the dice big time with "2112".  Analysis is like an abstract painting.  You hear it differently each time.

First let me give the Jekyll side of the view.  This album was the exact moment that Rush morphed from being a rock and roll band, and aptly to the Prog genre. (mid way through side 1) . Today there is a pretty good  consensus that they are almost in everybody's thinks Rush is in the top 5 of the genre.    The Necromancer was that exact moment that the band said, You know what ....  we're pretty good at what we do.....   So let's see how we can do with more of a "Yes" approach than Zeppelin; COS is Very groundbreaking...  It has moments of where you can see the seeds germinating into a brain expanse  and the wheels spinning in their head around their songwriting.  And like 2112, the band's first half of Side 1 is standard hard rock in nature.  And some very strong moments at that.

Now Hyde.....  Lamenth is a hot mess and hodgepodge of Progressive vignettes pieced sloppily into a mosaic of one big Pollock like paint slinging.  We now all know that these were the inner and earlier thoughts of the 2112.  Sure, there were nice intelocked pieces that were nice, but the epic strange transitions were boring, there is a bit of uneveness that mar the LP.    I always wondered if Rush had a little more time, could they could have focused on the music more that what appears to try to link the lyrics to strained blues (in some parts), and uninteresting lyrics  and story. Necromancer seems a little more in line what would be the norm in Rush's prog structural approach.  And as with the prior, how Peart included the cerebral content, is up there conceptually with his future.  Necromancer?  Think Lameth, but just a tad less experimental.  We can't forget that Rush weren't stars yet, and had to provide LP's on a timed basisi, based on the record company's expectations.

Like in every Rush album from 1974 to the mid 1980's, you can see an obvious gradualstep change in their musical abilites.  Rush was the gold standard as far as bands who massiviely improved as their careeer progressed.  Caress of Steel is no exception.  An in Lameth, you see something unlike they had done before.  In some respect, I think Lifeson's early 70's style reliance on shreds was a so-so awkward marriage at first.  It was like they were struggling  coming out of that genre cocoon.

Otherwise, as in several other prior reviews with Rush, I can not subdue by singing of this band's praises.  I for forever, have thought that this was Rush's most fascinating album for the very reason that my opinion of it changes daily.   As bad as this album was panned by the critics, I think we should all be thankful that they didn't abandon the prog direction.  2112 wouldn't have happened, or Rush as a prolific band either.

Fun Fact:  The Album was supposed to have a silver background to give it a steel appearance.  Printing error, and they came off Gold. And that was not corrected.   I just can't picture that album in that color anyway.

Side 1-
---------

Bastille Day-  I love Rush Anthems, and this is among their best in that area.  Great message, great playing, and worth buying the LP alone.  I was sad that Rush seemed to play this less and less as their career continued.  Peart's libertarian tunes rubbed some the wrong way, and Peart himself seems to have reversed this leanings here, and to Ayn Rand herself, too.   Too bad 1

I Think I am Going Bald-  Another racious rocker that sounds like more of what they would give us back in the debut. I always speculated that this was a bone added to make sure that some of Rush's older fans weren't put out by the big Prog turn.  4

Lakeside Park-  Nicely hooked, written, pleasant, and simply presented.  I know other Rush fans who love this one, and liked it the best.  Great song, but we are talking about Rush, and we all know how high that bar is.  3

The Necromancer- The prog journey begins.  Has its ups and downs,  The narratives are off-counter to how the music flow.  We do however first see and feel Peart's amazing ability to create a persona where the old timey rock drummer accompanies is more prounounced.  Peart's percentage of the song spotlight increases from this moment forward   And thus......  How the band the band functioned as not only as ensemble, but one who had the uncanny ability to come off as an orchestra.    One thing is for sure.... In this one, Peart raised some eyebrows.  I think we all knew he was good on Fly by Night, but by this one it is when he started really getting noticed.   And on this one,  I would be really wrong, not to give props to the chordal progression and lightness at the end, to bring it home.  If you want a prehistoric progressive sample of Rush, between Necromancer and Lamenth, I choose this one. 2

Side 2-
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The Founain's of Lameth- Outside of my discussion above, I think the listener should judge the content on what was intended, rather than what was presented.  I can see Peart/Lee/Lifeson almost wanting to create 2112, but with no coherent concept.  Maybe weak concept.   They did do great mythical prog numbers, but this was not one of them.  Wait....   maybe it is.    5


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYbeuri1ptY

Other TBR Rush fans.....   How and where do you place Caress of Steel in mix of Rush discography?