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

[berdie]

Disclaimer: I think Perry's voice is phenomenal.

If I think about the early Journey days...although they were musically gifted, I can't recall a single number that they did. Post Perry...very played music and lots of $$ made by the artists. I know I'm not a musician, but there should be some meeting of the minds that produces pop and entices to listen to the more "artistic" pieces.  I hate to sound mercenary, but pop and radio music produces $$. At most of the concerts I've gone to, the audiences want to hear the "favorites" not a jam session.

Journey sure isn't the only band that under went a metamorphosis from rock to pop. Think Fleetwood Mac, Chicago, Doobies. It kept them relevant in a very competitive industry. The only band that I can think of that went theother direction is the Beatles who started pop and went in a different direction. But if you have a big enough following...you can do what you want.

I got a chuckle out of the "casino" band reference because it's so darn true. I had the opportunity to see Journey several years ago. But I said to myself..."berdie...why would you pay $150 to see what is essentially a cover band?"

[catfish1957]

Great observations @berdie.  Styx was another in that host of bands that you mentioned. Hwever, they didn't pull it off near as well as say Fleetwood Mac.  What was special about them, was their artisitc turn to Tusk after Rumors.  They stayed true to their aim of mixing it up to great success.

One of the reasons I chose Departure this time for this review, was to make the point that this was the particular album that Journey perfectly thread the needle with their product that highlighted their pop transition, while still keeping their purist fans happy.

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- The Who- The Who Sell Out- (1967)  *** 1/2

This Fascinating and semi-ground breaking LP that exemplifies and parallels the Beatle Mania Mod transition to psychadaelia.  This particular album is genius in that somewhat serves as a concept album of illustrating how music radio, even in the mid 1960's had infliltrated the music industry so badly, that Pete used the theme not only in art album, but how he beautifully manipulated the song transitions in a manner of AM radio at the time.  Ingenious, and just another example of how perfectly attuned Pete Townsend was with what would and not work on vinyl.  No this is not the greatness you would see in this band in another few years.   Think about it, the next 3 (4) efforts include Tommy, (Light House), Who's Next, and Quadrophenia. The period of the Who from 1969- 1973, was so prolific, that the many outtakes that didn;t make the cut, are now classics. 

Style wise, even though this may be their transitional album, the break from Mod was not as abrupt as with Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour.  But that isn't a bad thing.  I am very thankful that their career path didn't mimic the Beatles, as soon they will be among the greats of hard rock.  The Beatles toyed a tad toward that direction, but Townsend obviously had to see the success of Sabbath and Purple, and realized that adding an edge to the sound would give them the best of both worlds.  And in the world of Rock bands born in the early 1960's, The Who pulled off the transition, better than anyone else.  Of course it's always been a mystery to me, that as out of this world i creativity that Townsend was, why he got writer's block in the mid 1970's.  Good albums of course, but he never was able to recreate that level of consisitency of late '60's, early '70's.   Maybe Moon's death?  Who knows.  Still, I would be amiss, if I did mention that this LP does have some un-evenness to it, keeping it from 4 star or higher status.  But it doesn't matter, the upcoming stuff will be stuff of legends.

Another part of the Who persona that I love, is this is a band, no matter how talented ( Think about it....  Townsend, Moon, Entwistle) never took theirselves so seriously, that they infused enough humor, satire, and tom foollery to not only keep the product great, it added an air of humanity that the fans could relate.  Versus the Beatles, who had gotten so large, that it created an aura of prenteniousness and over analysis.  While pencil necked crtics were trying to elevate Lennon and McCartney to prophet status, bands like The Who kept ball rolling and folks rocking well into the '70's and beyond.   

And last what is endearing and kind of sad about this album is the ending of The Who as Mods.  Their next effort Tommy is so different that it is unrecogniable against "Sell Out"  The cocoon to Butterfly move is rock history.  Yes, there are some signs the end is near, but the   fact that the Who totally abandoned the genre,  pretty much shows that Townsen was always hell bent on evolving.  Which kind of hurt the band by the late 1970's.  Pete Townsend feared any critical comments about stagnation.  In the overall standing of the greatness of the Who, I think it hurt them.

Fun Fact:  Does the U.K. love their native band?  Today's album was the worst U.K. charting LP in the band's history.  No.13.  10 of their 12 studio LP's charted into their Top 10.

Side 1-
--------

Armenia City in the Sky- Rare out of band collaboration of Speedy Keen with Townsend.  Keen was a Thunderclap Newman member (hows that for a trivia question blast from the past).  Obviously this is  Townsend's first foray into out in out pscyadaelia.  To me, decent but feels a little to forced to be taken serious in the genre.  More experimental than from the chops.  4

Heinz Baked Beans- Satrical Ditty, that was interesting, at least in that time and reference.  12

Mary Anne and the Shaky Hand- Kind of a buzzard off tuned early like 1960's number that almost seems to diss the earlier styles-  7

Odorono- Some of the last bastions of the Who mod era.  Same metering, choral harmonies. 8

Tattoo- Light balladry that has to be included.  Not the best of their catalog in that regard- 10

Our Love Was- I consider this  their last shout out to Beatlemania.  Nicely melodically done, and some what I would call some innovative guitar at the time. Psyh guitar work at the end was a nice touch. 6

I Can See For Miles-  The by far, greatest tune on the LP.  This is the slap that gives listeners what they can expect the next 5 years.  Townsend's brain jarring guitar, and fablous percussion by the Loon?  Classic chaotic  Who at its best.  1

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

Can't Reach You-  I see a lot of the melodic base in this one being incorporated in Tommy.  Nice choral Bolero like progressions screams '60's, but done so nicely that you can stealthly see the musical progression off that time tied mark.  3

Medac- Pointless filler  gibberish 13

Relax- Multi-phasic tune, that hits all the buttons.  Enough melodic psychadealia to keep it crisp, but not too much in dating it. Sleeper status for this LP  2

Silas Stingy- This level of story telling is kind of a precurssor to some of Tommy's lesser fodder. No thanks. 11

Sunrise- Mediocre Townsend ballad- 9

Rael- Even with this Cowsill's vibe, very innovative like airy song doesn't sound much like a Who effort.  Anyone else notice "The Sparks" Tommy redux?   5


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjcp42Q0Xgg

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Pearl Jam- Ten (1991) ***

Pearl Jam is a text book example of the sudden fame, them flame out story.  Early Pearl Jam was one of the progenitors of Seattle's Grunge scene with Nirvana. Rounding out the Seattle pioneers included Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.  But it was these first two that helped define what Grunge was, what it stood for, and how it was to progress. 

Nirvana  flamed out for the reasons of excess, including of course most sadly, Kurt Kobain's suicide.  Pearl Jam faded for drastically different reasons.  Their debut was very very good, as they took a more rocking edged sound to Alternative.  And I repeat this is a good album in any era, and how huge was it?  Try 13X platinum.  And from there to today, and yes they are still recording, the descent from grace has been a slow downward ride.  Here are sales of their 12 studio albums in chronological order....   13XP, 7XP, 5XP, 1XP, 1XP, Gold, Gold, Gold, Gold, Gold, Nothing, Nothing,  So what happened?  I have a few theories including first and most of all, that front man Eddie Vedder is extremely difficult to work with. In fact when you read the credits for the album he is listed as vocals and  "additional art".  How pretentious is that? I also think this may be something like "The Boston" syndrome, where a band ultimately shoots it's wad on a debut, and never finds those creative juices ever again.  And 3rd, by 2000, Grunge was dying under its own weight of silly imitiators.  That seems to happen with any new fad of musical genre. 

With all the negative, I still want to state that this album is def. worth a listen though.  And IMO as far as content, the best Grunge album ever made.  But sampling subsequent LP's I found that the band was either  rehashing old licks, or trying new stuff that came off as parody.  Thus, why I am shocked that they are still recording.

The focal points of the band are of course, is Vedder who sucks the spotlight like a Dyson on 'roids.  I also think highly of their guitaritst Mike McCready.  Though not flashy, his ability to fill the expanse , gives PJ a unique sound that sound markedly often not Grungey.  Even if abstract failure, I do have to give props to the band by keeping 3/4 members intact during their 30 year career.  In true Spinal Tap fashion, only the drummers have been changed (All still alive though)

Fun Fact:  Pearl Jam served as Neil Young's back up band in Young's 1995 album "Mirror Ball"

Track No.
--------------

1. Once- Starts with a Phil Collins like intro, that then rocks more like a 1970's / Grunge Blended effort.  Maybe this morphed effort helped differentiate themselves from Nirvanna, who took a more punk slanted approach.  Good intro to the band, and even better to come.  6

2. Evenflow- The crown jewel of the PJ catalog.  This is a top 5 staple of any Grunge fan, and deservedly so.  So well metered, delivered. and I really enjoy the sublimjnal like blues like guitar undertows that includes an almost Hendrix/SRV like style.  1


3. Alive-  What an excellent followup to Evenflow. Comes across as kind of a grunge ballad, but is much more heavier.  And despite disturbing content (incest) has that perfect level of hook, musicanship, and grunginess to make it a hit.  More McCready ax work helps too.  2

4. Why Go- You'd kind of swear that this was an '80's hair band number.  Before grunge, I have an idea that this was what most of the Grunge group was jamming to at the time.  As far as an add to the album?  Meidocre. 8

5. Black- Somewhat of a semi-sleeper.  Nothing hooked in this, but the most heartfelt aspects of the album.  Nothing particuarly outstanding, but hearing the entire band at half speed was an interesting approach that I liked  5

6. Jeremy- What is it with the darkness of early 1990's music?  NIN, Metallica, et. al.  I don't remember things being that dank and depressing back then, but a lot of the music sure was.  It was still an good way for Vedder and company to get their message across.  Which the left took and bended the narrative from suicide to school shootings.  Wasn't the first or last time our left wing enemies have jaded the message for their own benefit.  3

7. Oceans- Didn't say the album was perfect.  Honestly, this is awful  11

8. Porch- Another effort out of Grunge-isphere.  Outside some good guitar licks, nothing really much to report here. 7

9. Garden- CD seems to be tailing off into drivelous Vedder ramblings.  No content, No direction, Nope.  10

10. Deep- Latter CD surprise.  Interesting phrasing, bash-a-minute instrumentals, off-key leaning that sounds more like a touch of industrial infused mash.  Song has a real improv feel to almost jam mode, that comes across strongly.  4

11. Release- Eastern Morrison like feel sang in a Vedder mono-tome.  This is really like a Van Halen album.  2 or 3 great songs, surrounded by filler. 9


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-cRKgcTFfI

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Fleetwood Mac- Mirage (1982) *** 1/2

By 1982, the era of Fleetwood Mac's dominance and stranglehold on the radio had ended.  The 3 previous behemoths  had yielded 22M in sales, why today's album only 2M.  It could be speculated that Fleetwood Mac by design was a popular choice in the era in the disco age, but my theory on the drop off was the public's response to Tusk in '80.  I loved it, and thought it was some of the bands greatest work, though it was highly steeped in experimental stuff, self reflection, and likely the  most compartmentialized album in their career.  Listening to it, there was no doubt whether this was a McVie, a Buckingham, or a Nicks song.  There was that level of personalization, that significantly permetated the work.

IMO, at face value Mirage is almost as good, but not quite as the previous 3.  There are some great songs, but the level of consistency is maybe just slightly off.  Most markedly, it seem Lindsey Buckingham relinquished a slight amount of artistic control.  Which is understandable that as much as I loved Tusk, the general album public didn't.

For a try at content contrast sake, this is a pretty typical album in Fleetwood Mac terms.  The mix of artists is more equitable to say versus Tusk or Rumours.   Which is not a plus for me.   I have dissected Rumors and Tusk in a lot of detail in previous reviews, and as big as FM was, I don't think too much emphasis on the individual pluses and minuses adds much.  I do think C McVie's contributions were less impactful (one exception though) than in the past LP's, but that is just my take.  Plus, the almost pedistrian nature of M.Fleetwood/J. McVie's parts in this LP are so understated, you almost forget that they are there.

Fun Fact:  Last No. 1 LP for the band on the U.S. charts. 

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

Love in Store-  Chris McVie's one sterling contribution to the LP, and honestly the very best on the LP.  Beautiful pop song, that so magnificantly blends Buckinghan, McVie's and Nicks voice into a sultry mix of pop music gold.  Fantastic 1

Can't Go Back- Big drop off, and not one of Buckingham's least appealling pop songs. 10

That's Alright- C&W attempt by Nicks/band that falls far short.  It does have that appealing tone, but Country is not in their repitorie. 12

Book of Love-  Wow, I swore this song was on Tusk.  I have a FM playlist, and it seems to just augment perfectly.  Again, this is a rare add from Buckingham of a carryover from the Tusk style and effort, with slow rolling beats and incredible lyrical and instrumental fills.   Wish there had been a few more on this album.  On previous reviews, I have lamented how under appreciated, and under-rated Lindsey Buckingham was on guitar.  This one is a good example of that prowess. 2

Gypsy-  The biggest hit on the LP, and still not even in one of Stevie Nick's best 5 songs in Fleetwood Mac.  I am still torn, jaded, and mesmerized by her sexy voice. And yes, that works for me in her ranking standing on the album- 3

Only Over You-  The fact the same lady wrote and led Love in Store and this one on the same album is an utter mystery. I sure it was from the heart, but it just didn't connect for me.  9

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

Empire State- Very pop infused that sounds nothing like the band normally offers.  That broadway/Abba-ish vibe is okay, and kind of mid-point in song excellence.   I think I gave it a few extra points for pulling off the experimental aspects of this.  Especially say that failed effort around Country. 6

Straight Back- Nicks filler.  A rarity- 8

Hold Me- Anothter of the hits from the LP.  Nicely haromizations between the 3 main singers.  And a masterful hook line that taps the toes.  4

Oh Diane- Ohh geez..  A foray into a 50's play.  Nope.  11

Eyes of the World- Classical/pop infusion that does  a nice job of adding that aspect of music to the equation. 5

Wish You Were Here-  Album closes with typical C. McVie standard.  Chris didn't make many really bad songs, and this one while not in her upper tiers, it still isn't too bad.  7




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

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- AC-DC - Highway to Hell (1979) **** 1/2

I'll just say it.  Is this the most fun, rocking, and party-worthy band of all time? They are for me.  AC/DC is another one of those absolutely great bands who have a perfect read on the pulse of their fans.  Are they great lyricist?    Are they a highly balanced plethora of talent?     Though, granted, the Angus Young ax work is a magical touch of wizardry in the midst of 3 chord stand hard rock and roll, sans metal. I absolutely love the Bon Scott era too, as his ability to shrill and scream with this madness has that touch of a mysterious aura of classic rock at its best, the other guys are kind of journeyman status, good but unheralded.    Songwriting hook chops are right in the sweet spot of these guy's product too.

Highway to Hell is an utter iconic  staple of classic rock airplay.  This LP and High Voltage are almost both perfect rock and roll albums in the Scott era.  Little or no filler.   Like earlier, this is a band that gives their fan's their moneys worth.  What they lack in the pompous claim in artistry, is 1000% compensated by being the best at what they do.  And that is standard 3 chord 2X4 up against the head un-PC, and inappropriate fare, to all our vicarious rock and roll fantasies of excess.  And yeah, we love it.

In finale, one can not under-estimate what AC/DC has been in the world of rock and roll.  Back in the 1978-'82 era, when New Wave/Punk genre was flooding the airwaves, AC/DC pretty much stood alone as an alternative.  AOR was fading, but these boys held the mantle, and I am thankful for that.  And this wouldn't be a complete review, without acknowleding the coup the band pulled off by adding Mutt Lange's production into focus.  And this is another example where an extra production push that put this one is of classic status.  Lange did a great and almost impossible job of corralling the Garage Band charm, and channeling it into a hard rocking hook machine. And bonus points too, for tightening up the product, much in the way Ezrin did with Kiss.   That is why this LP makes a lot of "greatest Hard rock album" lists.

Fun Fact:  Un-fun.  Much like with the Who's Swan Song LP with "Who Are You", and "the not to be taken away" sad irony, this  album of this name was so sad since, within a year Bon Scott had died.  I like Brian Johnson as a replacement, but  Bon was really not replacable.

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

Highway to Hell-  Outside Smoke on the Water, can you think of a more iconic hard rocking power chord intro?  Nuff said.  1



Girl's Got Rthym-  90% of AC/DC's stuff is shameless double entendre'  If you don't like it, and aren't rocking along with it?.....   check with the ABBA review I did a few weeks back.  2

Walk Over You-  Charm on this one, is this number has that look and feel of stuff they were doing 5 years earlier.  Standard bluesy hard in your face rock and roll.  8

Touch Too Much-  Nothing on this album is really what I call filler, but something has fall when this stuff is ranked.  9

Beating Around the Bush- Using that classic mid 30's "Baby Please Don't Go" classic blues licks.  Angus smokes the solo on this, among others.  5

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

Shot Down in Flames-  The sleeper.  Band takes a great song and adds some PG-13 hilarious songwriting. Love the power chords....  Fantastic one that isn't the first or last time the topic of misunderstanding women comes into focus. 4

Get It Hot- Seems they were trying to emulate early 1970's Stones on this effort.  Decent, but not top tier, of what is a great album- 7

If You Want Blood- As great as this AC/DC classic is, I still consider it the 3rd best on the album. Sternum crunching, bad ass 4/4, 3 chords in your face #@$#@$@  3

Love Hungry Man- Unique, pseudo-balladry at its most subdued, at least on AC/DC's terms  Angus shreds it again, in what you are realizing is damned great and consistent LP 6

Night Prowler- Someone's got to finish 10th on a 10 song album.  Hard core blues that is excellent. It's off tangent status is maybe why I ranked it last.  But AC/DC's fans who are bigger blues enthusiast, might have this one in their top 2 or 3.  It's all in taste, when you try to review an album this good.  10


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CwIB6pQoPo

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Allman Brothers- Self Titled (1969) - ***

In honor of the recent death of Dicky Betts, I'd like to cover an LP of maybe what was the pinnacle of American Rock Blues Prowess.  Despite the widespread assumption that the Brits had cornered the market on resurrection of American Blues, this particular album shined as a example that the home grown stuff was as good or better than the Brit posers.   Sure Clapton, Page, Beck, Mayall were getting all the rock and roll press attention. Deservedly so.    But there were sure a few American examples too.  Big Brother, ZZ, among others had started forging a path that was as near impactful, and important to music history.   

Picking the apt Allman Bro.'s was a simple task.  Their debut contains the classical lineup with Both Allmans, Betts, Oaks, and Trucks.  It also has that blues rawness that is absent in the subsequent more successful LP's.  This is the blues bland white board slate, and no polish.  And none of the internal strife or personnel changes that altered the formula.  I am not really a big blues fan, but when I do want to hear it, I like the simplistic jammed approach than production values that water the stuff down.  The Allmans did a good job of paraphrasing their blues licks in a manner that they came off as plausible covers of the Delta.  Vs. Brits who seem to be more inclined to make rock songs with blues bones, tendons, and ligaments.   A whole different animal from viewpoint.

Fun Fact:  As impactful and great as the debut album was it was one of  worst charting in their career.  I have a feeling that the '70's purchases did give it an ongoing demand.

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

Don't Want You - Spencer Davis remake that is really a little more rock sounding base, but there is no mistaking the fine Duane Allman-Betts blues dueling.  Which gives this LP in it's own right standing by that itself. And at face value, Greg's voice comes across more plausible as a blues practioner than his UK counterparts. 4

Not My Cross to Bare- More traditional and heartfelt.  I bet Clapton heard this one, and was sold on the Derek and D concept, just on this one alone.  3

Black Hearted Woman- One of my staples from the KAAY Beaker Street Days.  A staple of early southern blues rock that would gel as a genre as great bands like Skynrd, and others would appear. Hardest rocker, but enough of a bluez like splash give it enough oomph to say this is new stuff for us on the West side of the Atlantic.  The sloppy feel is endearing, on purpose, and gives it it's flair.  2


Trouble No More- Bro's do a nice cover of this Muddy Waters mainstay.  Still even this nice piece makes bottom tier status. 6

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

Every Hungry Woman- Same meter and feel a bit as Whipping Post.  Not near as good though. 7

Dreams- Low flow, and rolling blues that the Brother take it back half a notch,  They addtioally  stick in some of that hammond back sound that was pretty typical in the 1960's.  If there is one knock on side 2, Duanne, and Gregg seem to be relying on a common and repetitive sound that doesn't break away enough from just one desired blues style.  5

Whipping Post- My favorite Allman Brothers song- Love the improv/ rough almost bar like jam that makes this a song of grit, heartfelt blues.  Song has that great double dueling guitar and organ sound that hallmarked this band's sound for albums to come.  Lot's of tries, but none of them ever came close to this magic. 1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH7JQxOxEQg

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Deep Purple- Shades of Deep Purple- (1968) ** 1/2

Been having a good time lately reviewing and listening to bands who whisked through the breakthroughs and rapid fire changes of what constituted the transition of rock between 1964 and say about 1969.  There is no doubt that 100% pivoted on what the Beatles were doing.  But in retrospect, the way rock changed in those 5 years was breathtakingly rapid.  Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, The Who, and Led Zeppelin are maybe the some of the best examples of great bands that worked the formula to perfection.  None replicated the impact of the Beatles, but all 4 took an idea, ran with it, in a different way, and almost made genres upon themselves. 

Deep Purple, of course is centered around the great guitarist Richie Blackmore.  Blackmore did a fantastic job circumventing line up changes, that resulted in just enough of an incremental sound changes to keep the fans guessing, and in some cases, the music fresh.  In their debut album, and few subsequent, I think you will find both crtics and fans liking the original lineup, just for that classic sound.  A line up with Blackmore, Paice,  and Lord is the backbone of that heavy sound.  Their debut album is sorely missing a flailing screaming front man singer who seemed in this music era was needed to complete the rock and roll persona and experience.  That is why I believe this why Rod Evan's tenure was so short.  And neeless to say his foray into Captain Beyond was a disaster and it underscored his shortcomings a vocalist.

In Deep Purple terms, this is a substandard LP, but one has to be fascinated in hearing the progeny of the thought processes that even in their infancy can be plucked out of bits and pieces of this album.  In the department of adapting to the psychadaelia theming that all their peers were invoking, Purple was pretty much failing on that account.  Purple were great hard rockers.  Not a great band playing like an Iron Butterfly clone.   That is why about a 1/3 of this LP is filler, but one can't discount Hush, and "And the Address" as glimpses of what is to become.  Plus the fact that Blackmore had to rely on three staple covers to fill vinyl is not a good look.  They did the covers well, but others did them better.  Well maybe not Hush, and they pretty much cut that one out as their own. 

Fun Fact:  Yes' Rick Wakeman picked this LP as the greatest British LP ever made.   No idea why. 


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

And the Address-  Fine instrumental, and we get spared Rod Evans for a bit.  Has kind of psychadaelia MC5/Blue Cheer touch to it, but putting Lord, Paice, and Blackmore in a focused like jam session was a winner-  2

Hush-  As I mentioned it is a cover, but one that pretty much is associated with them instead of the originals.  Does anyone even remember Joe South?  Yes, this one's Purple's, just as much as All Along the Watchtower's is Hendrix'.   Song incorporates some psychadaelia, a prologue like heavy feel too, and enough hook to make it chart worthy.  In retrospect, if Hush hadn't charted, would we had even seen a second Deep Purple album.  Not so sure.  1

One More Rainy Day-  Very dated '60's effort that misses the mark. Song sounds like a slightly edgy Monkey's tune. 7

Prelude: Happiness/I'm So Glad- Kind of a Mix of Cream's, Ulysses, and mash up of Iron Butterfly, and the slightest tinge of King Crimson.  Even seems to have a hint of prog......   Prog?  Naw............    6

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

Mandrake Root- Kind of draws from that Sookie Sookie Steppenwolf melodic line, and with the same level of hard rocking late '60's flair.   Well played, and enough turns and innovation to make it a winner on this LP.  4

Help- Bizarre cover of the Beatle's classic.  Extra oddity points for picking one from early Beatles catalog.  A crooning sappy ballad of this upbeat number is worse than strange.  Bet Blackmore wanted this one back for a second opinion. 8

Love Help Me- Solid standard rocker, that really doesn't sound or come across as a Deep Purple.  Sure seems the band was struggling with what sound they wanted to go with.  Even this song, as uneven as it is, does have some redeeming moments with that quaint '60's vibe in what almost seems to be a schizophrenic LP. 5

Hey Joe-  I love this song, whoever sings it, and......of course Hendrix did it best.  I do like how Purple liluminated some strange but off beat angles to it though.  Spanish theming,sans Spaghetti Western like.....ramming right into the famous melodic line.  Nice.  3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3sqPIGGwHg

[berdie]

I really enjoyed your reviews of the Allmans and Deep Purple. You do such an excellent job!

The only thing I have to add is...of course I remember Joe South. However, I like DP's cover much mo better.

[catfish1957]

I really enjoyed your reviews of the Allmans and Deep Purple. You do such an excellent job!

The only thing I have to add is...of course I remember Joe South. However, I like DP's cover much mo better.

Thanks for the kind words.  Let me know if there a gems out there I should cover..

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Stevie Ray Vaughn- Texas Flood- (1983) *** 1/2

I discovered SRV at an Austin bar on 6th street back in what was I guess either 1980 or 1981.  I think it was like $3 cover, but man was the place packed.  What I saw was a wizard who IMO was doing nothing more than emulating Hendrix, with a massive blues twist.  I watched for an hour, and saw nothing but Hendrix, maybe a couple of old Delta type Willie Dixon tunes, among others.  At the time, I thought he was just a incredibiy talented cover guy.

A couple of years later, a friend sprung Texas Flood, and I have vivid memores and yelled "I saw that dude.....   He plays like Hendrix."  And was subsequently treated to one of the best blues albums I'd had seen in at least a decade.  I am not a huge blues fan, but when I do hear some that have a rocking edge, and that have had those mad skills, it sure gets my attention. 

SRV, is an incredibly sad tale of of a life cut short way too soon, and a immense talent who let his chemical demons get to the best of him  Vaughn only made sadly 6 studio LP's and his career midpoint was especially marred by his problems.  They aren't bad, but from my taste, SRV did his best licks and stuff on this initial album.  What compounds to the tragedy, is that SRV broke through, and did some of his best live work right up to his tragic helicopter crash in Wisconsin in 1990.  What a great loss.  The Blues / Rock fusion as a genre never recovered.

Fun Fact: In 2018, SRV's first Strat (1951) sold at auction for $250K.  I have read that if his bastardized 62/63 hybrid Strat (He called it No.1) would ever come available, it might fetch $1M. 

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

Love Struck Baby-  Big hit, and a great tune that nicely augments shredding blues licks with an almost 50's rock-a-billy sound.  Even though I am not into rock-a-billy, I sure like this one, as the bluez runs are amazing-  3

Pride and Joy- Kind of a nod toward delta blues, but no less expansively covering what comes across as an a blues blast with some innovative orchestrative stripes.  SRV had a great supportign crew, but he is so talented he steals 98% of the spotlight by design. 2

Texas Flood-  Maybe one of the last great rocking blues songs made?  There might be exceptions, but his is almost the perfect blues number for your average rocker.  SRV is so precise, so crisp, and has the phrasic value so perfectly timed  And the solos?  .....   Amazing...  Amazing.  1

Tell Me- Another delta blues remake from Howlin' Wolf.  Nice job, and more great very fresh solos.. 6

Testify- A little venture into Double Trouble land which dominated his latter style.  Nothing like how the Isley Brothers did it, that's for sure.  8

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

Rude Mood- Blues, boogie woogie-ish instrumental that shows the talents, but more of an example showpiece than an actual song. 9

Mary Had a Little Lamb- Decent, but nothing as far as a higher tier on the LP.  7

Dirty Pool- Slow roller that I almost felt a little Trower vibe too. Fancy fret work shows some of the more difficult playing on the set.  Believe me, high gauge strat strings aren't easy to tweek in what sounds like a freaked out mandolin.  4

i'm Cryin'- Was always puzzled that SRV basically and blatantly cloned and rehashed Pride and Joy-  Docked accordingly  10

Lenny- Guessed this was inspired by Little Wing- Very off base with rest of the LP, but there are some good bits.  Sure relaxing for a blues song. 5



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7OoXpAORlE

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Weezer- Weezer (Green Album) (2001)- *** 1/2

Weezer was always one of the bright spots as the late '80's and early '90's started ushering in gaping wide holes, and an vacuum of not only good rock bands, but rock bands in general.  At this point in history of the rock era, it was being dominated by grunge/alternative bands.  Weezer as a genre slot has often been placed in the alternative camp, but I think this is more of hapinstance, of residing in that time frame.  From my POV the band was more of a pop-punk act, with a tinge of Pumpkins distort.    But this is an excellent band that makes the most of the vinyl, and usually doesn't disappoint the fans.

One huge point of parsing their good catalog, that it is (was) no accident that their two best were the self-titled Green and Blue albums due to Rick Ocasek's productin.   He did a 2014 prduction stint with less success, but....  Again, this wasn't an accident in that these have such popular outreach.  Rivers Cuomo in solo, was already a great hook-meister, but then add Ocasek?  You knew you were going to get a top notch effort.

What I really also like on Green versus others was that very stealthly, the band did some numbers that had a def. Beatle-ish feel to them,  No.....  Not silly-ish shit like Oasis, but with the feel, and still comes with enough chops and differences not to look or sund like a cover.  This is nicely consistent album, with minimal filler.

Fun fact: The Green Album started a nice streak fr Weezer, allowing the band to have 8 consecutive top 10 charting albums (2001-2016)

Track No.
-------------

1. Don't Let Go-  as that Blue Album feel, and style.  Even to the point of that early 80's UK pop feel-  5

2. Photograph- 1st of those mid '60's almost Beatles / Who sound, sans added fuzz.  Nice job. 3

3. Hash Pipe-  Bad Ass metal, fuzzed chaotic bombastic, and yeah, it was rightfully a big hit.  1

4. Island in the Sun- Light tune, that you can tell Ocasek had his hand in.  Rick always did a great job, of pulling out a nice melodic curve ball out of the blue.  Works well as a change of pace.  Weezer did less and less of these during the years, and is one of the better in that criteria 6

5. Crab- Standard stuff, and good, but lesser ranked on this good album.  Most traditional sounding rocker on the CD. 9

6. Knock Down, Drag Out-  If there was any semblance of Grunge, this was the example.  And still better than 90% of the alternative shit being flooded upon the airways- 7

7. Smile-  Closest thing to filler in this one.  10

8. Simple Pages- Sleeper on this one-  Unique phrasing, and great Weezer fuzz, just see to like this one. 2

9. Glorious Day-  Another sleeper.  Hard rocking with the best punk hue on the song.   4

10. O Girl Friend- Better than filler.  Needless love song, in the vein of the theming of the LP. 8


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqJgh6wgXWU

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Led Zeppelin- In Through the Out Door (1979)  ****

Kind of mixed emotions today with this review.  This one completes the LZ discography, and of course was the last studio effort by one of the all time greats.  I had previously panned (wrong word-  maybe docked)  the band for a lot of the provocatives toward the experimental.  There is no doubt that under Led Zeppelin standards, Presence was an utter disaster, and since the band had such a short time left, is a travesty of waste of vinyl of what could be, in terms of their standing among the all time greats.

Well, LZ did it again with their 8th and final effort, In Through the Out Door.  But instead of making the experimental feel forced, and funky, the band almost  hit a Home Run.  The eccentricites of this album though not mainstream Zep, did a great job of cutting a notch in the fabric rock, that LZ was not a bit a one dimensional hard rock/blues behemoth.  This album is a lot of ways is even more off the rails than Presence, but without it sounding almost like an off-cranked genre parody.  What many fail to realize that even in a lot of this genre bending, is not only a band that exceeds the stuff they are emulating, it is an exercise....wait a better word is "lesson" of what happens when you gather a group of talent that is so good at their craft they can send "smack" to the industry, and say....   7 great.....   now it is time for us have a good time showing off a bit.

A lot of rock pundits have claimed that Page's influences and efforts were minimized on this LP.  I really think that it more was an industry trend of adding synth to the equation.  Example?  This is about the same time that Rush did the same.  And Yes, too from a volume perspective. No, LZ was not Prog, but '70's sternum rattling 4/4 rock and roll had changed in deference to New Wave influences. Yeah, that sucked...  I know.

With all the accolades, this is still not a perfect album, like most of their discography of their first 4. There also is not what I would call an epic Classic Rock standard song that lives in perpetual greatness.  Back in '79 when I first  unwrapped this LP, I was at first in the same opionion I had with Presence.  More stuff that was not what made the band great.  But unlike Presence, this one gradually grew on me, with the realization that this had some really innovative undercurrents that not as much as that the 1970's were dead, the album was a testament an event of branching out from the base rock/blues into somewhat of alter-ego of a band that rightfully called themselves the best.   Funny...  I always wondered if the band would have taken this direction if had known this was their last.

Not that history as treated post Physical Graffitti LZ well.  To a great majority of the hard core fans, the band had drifted off to a narrow dark corridor of experimentation, and fear that the critics would call them stale and dated.  I'll grant that as accurate representation for Prescience, but with a deep enough thoughtful listen, you can tell that there is a lot going on behind the mic and amps here.  And I think a lot of it kind of self manifested in some of the better later solo work from Plant, and Page with his time with the Firm.  Was it commercialization based?  Was it rebranding?  Was it an effort to expand fan base?  Sadly, with Bonham's and Led Zeppelin's death in 1980.....  We will never know.

Fun Fact:  John Paul Jones has credits on 6 of the 7 songs.  Impact on quality? From my POV, yes and no.  Seems we got the best and worst of the 3rd wheel of the Led Zep song writing locomotive.

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

In the Evening-  Zep starts the show with one of their better latter career efforts.  Eastern influenced instrumental breaks out into an all hell breaking lose rocking number.  I love how the understated synth on this one is a great add, than a distraction.  There are even parts that this thing almost breaks into a 3 part melodic bluezy mash.  Classic Zep. 2

Southbound Suarez- Barrel Roll rocker, I guess the intent was right.  But again, not a reason I plunked $6.99 on the record counter in 1979.  Not a bad tune, by any means, but more is expected from Zeppelin.  Searing solo does help save some, but by this time we again realize that 1971 was a heck of a long time ago.  6

Fool In the Rain-  Originally I hated this song. Talk about ultimate rock parody.  The greatest hard rock band of all time had declined into a latin salsa band.  BUT..  after a few thousand more listens, you come to realize that the musical chops on this one is genius.  The slow genre morphing and phasing of the tune is unique.  And if you listen closer, from a musical difficulty point, this is pretty complex.  Ane when the whistle sounds?  Besides a "WTF" and again a few thousand listens, you realize that this is Zeppelin at thier utter most Avante Garde. Can you imagine Page playing this in 1970?  That's growth folks. 1

Hot Dog- Another barrel house almost country effort.  Again not bad, but ....  Oh and bonus points for using dungarees in a song.    5

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

Carouselambra- Awesome use of synth and guitar.  So strange to hear Page's licks support a synth line.  Song had a great degree of complexity within the simple repeptive riffs that strike the listener. This is also the one on the LP that has some of Bonham's best drum work.  Low key, but fine way to allow the main strengths of the band (drum/ax solos) outifght provide a foundation, for the ridiculously silly and repetitive synth rolls.   The mid song transition into a standard rock/blues rolling thunder  does a nice job of contrast.  Then listening to it as an exercise of dueling synth?  11 minutes well spent.  3

All of My Love-  The hit, and most recognizable one of an album that has faded from view.  Very mainstream from LZ standards, and enough hooks to lure the listener.  Song also has maybe what may be the only pure synth solo in the band's career.  Song in a lot of ways is kind of a cumulative sum of the entire intent of the LP.  Synth, Wierd, and absent Page.  4

I'm Gonna Crawl-  Hate to say, but this one song may be the worst songs in Led Zeppelin's history.  Everyone knows that Page had to have one obligatory hard bluez number.  This one has no sound of inspiration, and the cringe-worthy added synth almost makes it a joke.  Contrast this with "Since I have Been Loving You" to amaze you that this is the same band.  It's a crime that one of the greatest rock bands of all time ended their career with this one, but it is, what it is.  7


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRkTo3WbMMQ

[catfish1957]

No commentary needed.  So many of us miss Tom.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2qvHyFVm20

[deb]

No commentary needed.  So many of us miss Tom.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2qvHyFVm20

Stunningly beautiful song. Thanks for posting it.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Deep Purple- Shades of Deep Purple- (1968) ** 1/2

Been having a good time lately reviewing and listening to bands who whisked through the breakthroughs and rapid fire changes of what constituted the transition of rock between 1964 and say about 1969.  There is no doubt that 100% pivoted on what the Beatles were doing.  But in retrospect, the way rock changed in those 5 years was breathtakingly rapid.  Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, The Who, and Led Zeppelin are maybe the some of the best examples of great bands that worked the formula to perfection.  None replicated the impact of the Beatles, but all 4 took an idea, ran with it, in a different way, and almost made genres upon themselves. 

Deep Purple, of course is centered around the great guitarist Richie Blackmore.  Blackmore did a fantastic job circumventing line up changes, that resulted in just enough of an incremental sound changes to keep the fans guessing, and in some cases, the music fresh.  In their debut album, and few subsequent, I think you will find both crtics and fans liking the original lineup, just for that classic sound.  A line up with Blackmore, Paice,  and Lord is the backbone of that heavy sound.  Their debut album is sorely missing a flailing screaming front man singer who seemed in this music era was needed to complete the rock and roll persona and experience.  That is why I believe this why Rod Evan's tenure was so short.  And neeless to say his foray into Captain Beyond was a disaster and it underscored his shortcomings a vocalist.

In Deep Purple terms, this is a substandard LP, but one has to be fascinated in hearing the progeny of the thought processes that even in their infancy can be plucked out of bits and pieces of this album.  In the department of adapting to the psychadaelia theming that all their peers were invoking, Purple was pretty much failing on that account.  Purple were great hard rockers.  Not a great band playing like an Iron Butterfly clone.   That is why about a 1/3 of this LP is filler, but one can't discount Hush, and "And the Address" as glimpses of what is to become.  Plus the fact that Blackmore had to rely on three staple covers to fill vinyl is not a good look.  They did the covers well, but others did them better.  Well maybe not Hush, and they pretty much cut that one out as their own. 

Fun Fact:  Yes' Rick Wakeman picked this LP as the greatest British LP ever made.   No idea why. 


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

And the Address-  Fine instrumental, and we get spared Rod Evans for a bit.  Has kind of psychadaelia MC5/Blue Cheer touch to it, but putting Lord, Paice, and Blackmore in a focused like jam session was a winner-  2

Hush-  As I mentioned it is a cover, but one that pretty much is associated with them instead of the originals.  Does anyone even remember Joe South?  Yes, this one's Purple's, just as much as All Along the Watchtower's is Hendrix'.   Song incorporates some psychadaelia, a prologue like heavy feel too, and enough hook to make it chart worthy.  In retrospect, if Hush hadn't charted, would we had even seen a second Deep Purple album.  Not so sure.  1

One More Rainy Day-  Very dated '60's effort that misses the mark. Song sounds like a slightly edgy Monkey's tune. 7

Prelude: Happiness/I'm So Glad- Kind of a Mix of Cream's, Ulysses, and mash up of Iron Butterfly, and the slightest tinge of King Crimson.  Even seems to have a hint of prog......   Prog?  Naw............    6

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

Mandrake Root- Kind of draws from that Sookie Sookie Steppenwolf melodic line, and with the same level of hard rocking late '60's flair.   Well played, and enough turns and innovation to make it a winner on this LP.  4

Help- Bizarre cover of the Beatle's classic.  Extra oddity points for picking one from early Beatles catalog.  A crooning sappy ballad of this upbeat number is worse than strange.  Bet Blackmore wanted this one back for a second opinion. 8

Love Help Me- Solid standard rocker, that really doesn't sound or come across as a Deep Purple.  Sure seems the band was struggling with what sound they wanted to go with.  Even this song, as uneven as it is, does have some redeeming moments with that quaint '60's vibe in what almost seems to be a schizophrenic LP. 5

Hey Joe-  I love this song, whoever sings it, and......of course Hendrix did it best.  I do like how Purple liluminated some strange but off beat angles to it though.  Spanish theming,sans Spaghetti Western like.....ramming right into the famous melodic line.  Nice.  3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3sqPIGGwHg

I applaud you recognizing Deep Purple.  Didn't attend many R&R in my younger years, but DP was the only one I actually saw twice in concert.

BTW, my highlight concert I attended remains 1970 Jimi in San Antonio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4SsM8pi0hw

[catfish1957]

I applaud you recognizing Deep Purple.  Didn't attend many R&R in my younger years, but DP was the only one I actually saw twice in concert.

BTW, my highlight concert I attended remains 1970 Jimi in San Antonio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4SsM8pi0hw

Thanks.....

If you got to see Hendrix live, you were blessed.  No one was more impactful as far as changing how an instrument was played in rock history.  Another aspect of his uncanny talent was his ability to play from ear, and improvise. 

Here is a movie clip that supposedly was very accurate in what happened.  Fascinating. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMmhHBr7WDA

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day-  Bush- Sixteen Stone (1994) ***

In the area of new music phenomenon the process follows a hiearchial pyramid.  Level 1 are the ground breakers and hit grinders, and the bands that first come to mind when discussing that genre.  That normally covers 1-3 bands of that era.  Level 2 are those follow up bands that are really good and offer a lot to the genre.  These typically enumerate in the 10-30 range.  Then at level 3 you will see 100-300 bands that are decent to mediocre, often one hit wonders. Finally rounding down the pyramid are those 1000-30,000 that should have never recorded or existed.

In this process, Bush is a typical Level 2.  Got to admit the airwaves were flooded with Grunge/Alternative acts that pretty much squeezed out other aspects of rock. But, from at least my taste, Bush had a harder edge which kind of propelled them above the other "2" bands.  So in many ways as "Grunge" as Bush was, and I do remember them being panned as Nirvanna and Pearl Jam initiators, there is kind of subliminal homage to what under the radar comes across as '70's rockers. 

There was a time back 30 years ago, that the most famous Gavin in the world wasn't a sleazy slimey POS California Governor. Bush's strong front man, and focal point of songwriting was Gavin Rossdale. Rossdale's voice does have slight resemblence to Cobain, which I don't know how much was intentional of coincidental.  Which is kind of interesting that after this 6X Platinum effort, Rossdale became a tabloid fixture for dating Cobain's widow, and even more for his rock and roll marriage with Gwen Stefani, who of course now is a fixture on Musical Talent reality TV show.

The rest of this band is highly competent in Grunge terms.   No outstanding standouts, but with the combo of really good songwriting, and riding the wave of what was hip and popuar at the time.  And popular?  An album reaching 6X platinum popular in 1995, and the era of Napster was quite a feat of its own.    Then add a mind blowing 5 songs that reached the mainstream Top 6?  Quite a success.

Now the down side.  This is really the only album they made worth owning.  They made only about 8 more CD's with those only having a smattering of success.  So save your money, and stick with this one.  And one last thing....  If you were listening to music in the mid 1990's, I'll bet you at least heard of few of these on the radio.  They did get that much airplay

Fun Fact:  Grunge is incredibly only an "American Phenomenon" , and for a few years back in the 1990's Seattle was the center of the musical universe.  Even with some research, I found that Bush is about the only known successfull Grunge act from the UK.  Next most successful?  Smashmouth.     A few lists try to include Coldplay, but that is ridiculous.

Very interesting is that only one Bush CD made it into the UK Top 20.  England pretty much ignored Grunge.

Track No.
--------------

1. Everything Zen- Great start with one of those heavy-ish chaotic Grunge classics.  At the time  I thought...  Hmmm..  maybe rock and roll isn't dying. Latter part of the song does delve into some Nirvanna like licks and parts.  Yeah, they got docked for it by the critics, but still this is well worth the listen. 2

2. Swim- Nicely synced blues phrasing gives this some nice musical value.  This maybe is one of the best I have seen at an attempt to merge the genres. But in the total equation, with a down shout to the needles end of song shouting is  a lower tier as far as contribution to the album. 9

3. Bomb- An obvious Nirvanna ripoff on this one.  Doesn't even look or sound like Rossdale was even hiding it.  Sluffed off to the bottom of ranking for plagiarism.  12

4. Little Things-  Non-chorus aspects have a slight stench of Teen Spirit. This was a hit, but I sure hope Gavin gave Cobain some credit  5

5. Comedown- Slow roller that alternates nicely that slow roll with a nice Crunch center.  This comes across more like a Peal Jam number than Nirvanna.  Even as an equal oppotunity imitator, Bush did give this enough of a ubiquitous feel and with the somwhat unusal add of power chording, This was a great try.  3

6. Body-  Seems they wanted to venture off the grunge path a slight bit with no success. Sounds kind of like a sucky late 1970's AOR number.  No thanks.  11

7. Machinehead- Another of the plethora of hits from this album.  This one does have a more rocking than grunge aura.  I liked it.  4

8. Testosterone- Semi-filler  Not bad or good....  just mediocre.  10

9. Monkey- Even at 6th rank, I kind of consider this the sleeper of what is a good album.  Another that has a kind of '70's retro feel that I can relate to.  Guitar/Rhyth guitar fills seem almost Aersomith like.  Not saying their guy is as good as Joe Perry, but pretty damned good.  6

10. Glycerine-  IMO, Bush's signature song.  Very different, very eeryily set ,  and beautifully made.  This is unlike anything else on this album.  I love how they made the guitar have that sound like it was coming from a $20 amp.  The intertwined strings just enhance the beauty and effect.  Rossdale adds a pained vocal that gives so much emotion to it too.   I think the last time I heard a rock band use full string accompainent to this level of effectiveness with, was a little song a few decades back called Eleanor Rigby. 1

11. Alien- Pointless power ballad.  2 minutes too long, 8

12. X-Girlfriend- 45 second ditty that is actually a rocker, and sounded pretty good.  The fact they truncated what appeared mid-song, and what was some good stuff is puzzling, and in fact maybe a finger in the eye to old school rockers.  Or at least his ex-girlfriend.  7



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zd-wYcNeYA

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Bruce Hornsby and the Range- The Way it Is (1986)  ** 1/2

I haven't really been much of a fan through the years on soft easy listening rock.  There were a few exceptions though.  Today's review is one that has a nice easy vibe, but does have just that nice mix of hook, and melodic prowess to hit the target.  It also has some very nice keyboard work, that eases into the music instead of dominating it.  Hornsby is really good in this area.   

It also doesn't hurt that Hornsby enlisted Huey Lewis' help.  Lewis was in a mid 1980's creative zone, and a lot that he touched turned to gold.  Incluing some of his production values on this particular CD.   This musical space was also shared with Chrisotpher Cross who also made a fine album near the same time.  In fact, I might cover this one in the near future. 

A lot of folks my age at the time were liking this, because, if might be honest,  a lot of us did not like the Hard Rock Hair Band era.  There was little or no redeeming value to the Quiet Riot's, Poisons, of the timeframe.  This was somewhat of a respite.  Though it could be countered by some that the Grunge stuff coming in a few years really wasn't any better.

Hornsby, kind of qualifes as a one LP hit wonder. (Yes he did win the New Artist Grammy with this)   He did have "Valley Road" on the second album, but that pretty much is the extent of this career.  Seems the talent tap went dry.  Since 1993, he has been in solo artist mode, but doesn't seem to be generating much interest.

So, without much more to add, this really isn't an album worthy of much analysis.  To me, it is nice smooth piano-rock, kind in the same vein of Joel, but a little more contemporary.  Just take the ride back to the mid 1980's and relax.

Fun Fact:  At the end of his Range career he was in full collaborative mode with the Grateful Dead.   Strange bedfellows, to say the least.

Track No.
-------------

1. On the Western Skyline-  Album starts in a almost old Celtic like tone and mode.  Very pleasant, and a strong start.  5

2. Every Little Kiss- Released as a single, but didn't seem to chart well.  But not for me.  This is the sleeper on the CD.  This has some of the best guitar/keyboard mixing and fusion on it. Hornsby didn't do many bang the keyboard tunes, but his one really hits the heart with strong lyrical value.  I was married by the time of this CD, but I know it would have been a "date" tape in the day.  3

3. Mandolin Rain-  More of the excellence in the trenches of well crafted well written, and produced soft rock.  This one has some of Hornsby's best vocal effort.   2

4. The Long Race-  More of the same, in meter and style.  Songwriting just isn't at the same level of the prior 2. 6


5. The Way it is- This beautiful tune is why I think Hornsby won his Grammy. He somehow configured his piano in a way that I don't how.  Hard to explain, but it is something akin to what a piano would sound like analogously to a 12 string guitar.  Hornsby does a nice almost improv like piano solo that runs in 3rds, syncs, skips, and still somehow remains between the lines of the music.  Excellent 1

6. Down the Road Tonight- If this kind of sounds like a Huey Lewis song, it might be because not only did Lewis  help produce, but he has a harmonica and back up vocal part in it.  And thus, it is the 2nd most rocking tune on a non-rocking album. 4

7. The Wild Frontier-   The most rocking one, forced sounding and awkward.  BH should have stuck with the formula.  9

8. The River Runs Low-  Like in many works, some artists allow fill to permeate at the end of the LP/CD.  Bruce does his best Barry Manilow on this one.  8

9. The Red Plains- Rehash.  Same meter/licks, melodic line with a heavy chorus.  Nope. 7


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO5ibMTwZ8g

[berdie]

Bruce is an excellent pianist, imho. My brother has one of his later cds (no charting hits) that is really good. I'll have to remember to ask him the name.

On a personal note, I saw Bonnie Raitt and he backed her up several times during the concert. When she did I Can't Make You Love Me with him...it was so beautiful I darn near cried. And I'm not a weepy person. Her vocals were so pure and his playing was excellent.

[catfish1957]

Bruce is an excellent pianist, imho. My brother has one of his later cds (no charting hits) that is really good. I'll have to remember to ask him the name.

On a personal note, I saw Bonnie Raitt and he backed her up several times during the concert. When she did I Can't Make You Love Me with him...it was so beautiful I darn near cried. And I'm not a weepy person. Her vocals were so pure and his playing was excellent.

Though I haven't been much of the genre, you are absolutely right about Raitt.  She has that tone and sexiness that somewhat disappeared when Stevie Nicks stopped recording.  At least I think she pretty much has stopped.

As far as soft rockers, as much as I hate his politics, Jackson Browne is my favorite  when he goes in that direction   I remember watching an Eagles documentary, and Frey/Henley were marveled and amazed at Browne's incredible ability to sit down at a piano and pull great music out of the thin air.   Since the early 1980's, I think a lot of his life choices have rotted his brain.  Incredible how many great musical artist nosedive after going ultra-activist.  And I say that in sincerity, be it Jackson Browne, or Ted Nugent.

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell- (1977) **

There are certain albums/songs  that kind of operate as theme songs or anthems of certain periods in social history.  I think a lot of people would say that Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell is a great example of what was blaring out of our 8-Track's in that 1977/78 timeframe. I for one, wasn't really a big fan of Meatloaf.   At that particular  time, it seemed more focused on gimmickry than substance. 

It's operatic without really being a Rock Opera.  Of course, the album is heavily centered around "the song",  Even as a semi-Rock Opera, it def, had a very pointed theme, which is around relationship matters.   A good percentage nicely hit the mark, but the operatic campiness just didn't gel with me who was blasting Zep, Boston, and Aerosmith at the same time.  Another one of those different strokes deals.

But I do have to give this album props in a "broadway" kind of way.  The songwriting is very sound, and in many ways really has done a nice job of straffing the fine line between pop and rock.  Yes, there are strong moments, but also some that linger somewhere between sappy and cringeworthy.  After listening to this thing to completion for the first time  in over 45 years, I have come to the same conclusion as I did then.  Is this an album you will listen to frequently?  Nope.  But you can't discount the cultural impact of what some of this LP conveyed. 

1977 was a much different time, in how the media, music, and society dealt with  sexuality.  There were plenty of bands that double entendre-d sex in many ways.  Some respectful, and some downright nasty and unacceptable under today's moraiity standards.  I can't think of an album in the 1970's that better or more eloquently analyzed and dissected the social part of what teenage sex/love was.   And the fact that Big Meat was able to land that curly haired cute bra-less brunette seemed cool no matter how implausible it seemed at the time.  So you really have to juggle/manage the ridiculous with heartfelt. 

There was a great amount of big names included in this effort too.  These included Todd Rundgren, Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg (both-Springsteen, E-street band), and Edgar Winter.  And that proficieny shows.  This is a well performed LP.  But in sum, I imagine there are a lot of folks who rate this much higher than I would   It's all about taste.  I mean some people even like Rap.  In some ways, I like to file this under historical value, rather than musical.  A few of these songs  diid justice to defining the late 1970's.  Being barely 17 and barely dressed seems like an eternity ago.

Fun fact (1):  14X Platinum.  One of the larger selling LP's of the year.  14M besides Catfish bought this album
Fun fact (2): Meatloaf, the singer, acted in 47 movies, and appeared in 40 different televison shows. 

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

Bat Out of a Hell-  Belts out a good opening, in very broadway like fashion. Meat's lofty tenor works well with some fine jam from the all star cast. Of course, it might seem like a diss, but he seemed to really overuse the same kind of phrasing in so much of this LP. Even opens take a page from a bit of variability.   Still, from a musical contribution, this is a really good opening salvo.  2

You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)-  Puzzling opening sans poetic like Shakespearen narrative start that works into a little more of the same themeing and phrasing as Bat.  Twinged with a slight '50's feel that stays the course 4

Heaven Can Wait- Ballad swadled in strings.  Pleasant, and heartfelt.  You can kind of juggle ranking this with "Two Out of Three" which got overplay 5

All Revved Up and No Place to Go. - Could almost swear that Clarence Clemons does the sax in this one.  This is more standard rocking than most of the rest of the LP.  Well done.  And just another example of where the playing outpaced the songwriting. 3


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

Two Out of Three A'int Bad-  Got sick of this one in the day Waaaaaay overplayed on the radio- Yes it was huge, but....    6

Paradise on the Dashboard Light-  "The Song"  Amazing song that could chronicle any Saturday night in 1978.  Great feeling and understanding of young sexual interaction of the day.  Love the baseball analogies. Excellent backing vocals by stage performer Ellen Foley, who provides a great balance and response in this very powerful duet.   Perfect culmination of vocals, emotion, well mixed jam that understandbly is an iconic song of that year.  I am sure most have seen the video, but I am adding it.....  just in case.  1

For Crying Out Loud-  Torchlit, over blown,  over-produced, over-performed.  All the strings and orchestras in the world can't stop boring. 7



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


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C11MzbEcHlw

[deb]

I listen to this Meatloaf album and am instantly transported back to high school. Thanks for the review.
P.S. I vehemently disagree with you on “Heaven Can Wait” and “For Crying Out Loud”. Loved the theatrics of both songs. The piano on FCOL is exquisite. But I’m a girl who likes love songs and theater. 

My first exposure to Mr Meatloaf was when he did vocals on a couple of Ted Nugent songs on “Free for All” album. He was excellent.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5VbZ8lFxAM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhtZZa5ypzQ

[catfish1957]

I listen to this Meatloaf album and am instantly transported back to high school. Thanks for the review.
P.S. I vehemently disagree with you on “Heaven Can Wait” and “For Crying Out Loud”. Loved the theatrics of both songs. The piano on FCOL is exquisite. But I’m a girl who likes love songs and theater. 

I fully understand and agree.  Music is so subjective.  That is why I mentioned rap.  I guess this genre of music to some peiople, but I just don't get it.

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run- (1975) ** 1/2

In before "The Baws" books his Australian immigration flight.  One  concept term hat I haven't used too much in these reviews is "Hype"  IMO, Bruce Springsteen is the most over rated rock act of all time.  It is funny after listening tonight, is that Born to Run, in its entirety sounds a whole lot like my last review from Meatloaf.  Joisey boy seems to be conveying one show tune after another that is propped up by some self imprtanced induced '70's street cred.  When, in essence, after watching this guy for 50 years, I am betting he consistently got his ass kicked back in the day.  Having a leather jacket back then, bending your lip and snearing  wasn't proof you were tough.

Tonight is probably the first time I have listened to this LP since prob.about 1982. And honestly, it isn't even as good as I remembered.  His songwriting isn't near a good as I reminisced .  Springsteen is an entity that was entirely created and perpetuated by Rock Critic hype and bias.  This is a good album, and it has some really good moments, but they aren't consistently conveyed here.  Is my accusation of hype wrong?  Take a moment and parse through his 21 studio albums.  Outside this one (good), two mediocre (Darkness..., and Nebraska), this rock career was 18 albums too long. And one other point to ponder?  I can't find the actual cost data, but at the time Born to Run had supposedly been given the biggest promotionial budget of any American rock album to that time.  There was a lot more corruption in the record industry than anyone realized.

Back to hype...  Bruce is the perfect example where and when factions of the rock critic punditry, convienenty place their  thumb on the scale to dupe the record buying kids. .  Rolling Stone, Creme, and others thought this guy was God.  Given, I know and understand that musical taste is subjective, but when all the cards are put on the table, I can't imagine many honestly who could put Springsteen anywhere near or among the top 100 of all time.  Rock artist through out time have ad political leanings.  A lot of what was said and sung during the Vietnam era is strong evidence of that.  But what just gave the critics an erection, was Springsteen taking that concept into the 1980's. He was the poster boy of waving the left wing flag. By Born (No.2-In the USA), he had gone full socialist slant I am certain this gave him that bias, and extra nudge to snooker the LP buying public that he was better than what he really was. And does anyone out there really think he'd a decent  voice? 

But as back to the subject at hand, Born to Run is (was) a good example of BS' work  It is really the one album when the other pieces of the puzzle, including Clemons and other supporting cast  were at their best.  And I do have to give the late Clarence Clemons props.  He was an excellent Saxophonist, and the reason I think why gave BS that extra intanglible nudge in stature.  When you think about it, not many mainstream bands were routinely adding Sax in most of their cuts. 

This album does have its share of filler, but there are some rocking and innovative moments that give it, it's deserving of purchase.   This is a good album.  Glad I didn't  contribute though,  and in my case, I think I got it cheap at the Pawn Shop.  None the less, I hope BS' next album is called "Kangaroo Shuffle"  Adios MOFO.

Fun Fact:  Bruce- Airfare tickets from LAX to SYD are running as low as $323 this week

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

Thunder Road-  50 years later this song comes across as an overblown show tune.  And this is considered among the staples of the LP.  Decently written, and performed.  The problem?  There was 50 other albums in this era that were as good or better.  Like I said, BS doesn't have that great of a voice, and like Neil Young, it wears on you after a few minutes. 4

Tenth Avenue Freeze Out-  R&B focused that misses-  7

Night- Another example of filler.  Near histronic voicing is at least saved by some good Clemon sax runs. 6

Backstreets-   Pre-hashed Hungry Heart.   BS recycled a lot more of his material than people realized.  His ballads are criminally annoying 5

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

Born to Run- Bruce Springsteen's greatest tune, but was always perplexed wby BS strangely placed the title track on Side 2-  Really good as anthem status, where all cylinders of the band are clicking.  This is an example of  not only good songwriting , but also has one of my favorite rock sax solos of all time   And it has that knack lyrically of believability that is absent in so much of the rest of his catalog.  This is the one song that made BS a star.  1

She's the One- Sleeper on the album.  I normally don't like his crooning, but the piano accompanyment does such a nice job of giving this heart. Again punctuated by Clemons yakity saxing it up in fine fashion.  Some added complexity added to, not normally seen in 4/4 Bruce. 3

Meeting Across the River- Wailing sorrowfull trumpet doesn't save this stinker.  Sucks. 8

Jungleland- Way back, I like this as much as Born to Run-  BS thinks that his storytelling makes him a poet laureate.  While it is quaint, 50 years later it seems damned dated.  Well hooked, but now it comes across like a cheap off broadway side number. OTOH, Has what I consider some of best guitar work.And Clemons?  He cooks.   Several pages back, a Briefer aptly menitoned how certain tunes are 3 minutes too long.  This is a perfect example. 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo4EoCqMvp4

[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-
-------------

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-
------------

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-
----------

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-
----------

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?

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day-  The Guess Who-  Share the Land- (1970). ** 1/2

In looking through the band's discography, I had to choose from about 5 late 1960's and early 1970's picks.  I was really surprised that my pick today, was after the departure of Randy Bachman.  I could have sworn that he took part in this one before starting BTO, but I was wrong.  The Guess Who churned out hit after hit from 1969-1971.  They were prolific, and I would be amiss in saying that their first '71 Greatest Hits album , is a shiny example of how a band should market their best.  I literally wore that one out in the day.  Every song is excellent. 

As, I said, I was kind of suprised that Share the Land didn't include Bachman.  Still, it seemed the Guess Who was pretty consistent in the era, of having three or so ,really good tunes, and 4 or 5 with filler.  But don't feel sorry for Randy Bachman....   he put out about 3 or 4 of his own that outsold his old band.  BTO > The Guess Who.  just my opinion.

Genreisizing the Guess Who, is pretty simple.  They were standard rocker, with a penchant of some light schmooz that gave their product that sound that was getting massive radio play circa 1970.  Their real early stuff had, like everyone else that Doors like psychadaelic edge.  As their career progressed they seemed to soften gradually, until the mid 70's when it went into a "whiney rant and lost relevance.

Pre-Share the Land, the line share of the songwriting was split between Cummings and Bachman.  Kurt Winter (anyone get this as a trivia question?) replaced Bachman, and though showing in the credits, you have to wonder actually how much did hie actually add to the band's songs.  Though you can def. see the drop off in quality, as Bachman had about a notch and a half better skills.  Writing and muscianship.

Fun Fact:  The Guess Who had ZERO platinum studio albums, which I found nuts considering the air play they got.  Guessing '45's were a cash cow for them back in the day.

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

Bus Rider-  Solid standard rocker from Winter (Not Johnny or Edgar).  Has a strong '60's twinge, lyrically inane though.....  5


Do You Miss Me Darlin'-  Normal Cummings crooning device, that has some very nice melodic parts that are nice addition to the LP 4

Hand Me Down World- First of the trifecta of solid Guess Who tunes that gives this one the edge over others.  Strange as it sounds, this sounds more like a tune that Bachman would write instead of Cumming, but nope.  Even the guitar sounds like him.    Hooks a Million, but a really good one.  3

Moan For You Joe- Torchlit blues that sucks.  Full Frontal Filler.  8

Share the Land-  I don't know how many youngsters are reading this back in this era, a few hippies were congreating into communes.  The concept is downright silly....   A group of stoned, tripping kids living together in a village, sharing the spoils of their work and togetherness.      Yeah, these were communes that the rest of the country were laughing their asses at.  Peace, Love, and Harmony....   Pfffffffff!!!   This is an really good song that seems to extract the beneftis without reality.  Some of the vocal harmonization is the best the band ever did.  And Cummings does belt it out nicely.  Always wondered if he believed this silly shit as he sang it. 2

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

Hang on to Your Life-  My actual favorite song by this band, and I guess I do have to give it sleeper status. Macrabe subject for matter for the day.  Think...   Going from Peace, Love, and Harmony to a semi-document of the process of the event if "death". Song works on various levels, from guitar to absolutle chilling narrative conclusion that definitely , takes a chapter from the Doors in eery preponderances.  1

"Coming Down Off the Money Bag" / "Song of the Dog"- 50% Country? 50% Blues? , 100% silly and pointless. To me this gives a dis-service to the great delta blues acts in the past.  Part 2?  of this train wreck......, more of the same  7

Three More Days-  I hate it when a band sticks a looooong song in that stinks, and takes up a 1/4 of the album.  I think the GH saw the trend with other bands doing the long tunes too.  Thing is, if you are that ballzy and bold, at least make it a good one, instead of filler. 6


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZ4wmR7Oug

[libertybele]

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


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?

So, I am not familiar with Rush, so, I tuned in to a couple of songs -- I'll have to listen further, but so far I feel that the drummer is phenomenal.

[deb]

So, I am not familiar with Rush, so, I tuned in to a couple of songs -- I'll have to listen further, but so far I feel that the drummer is phenomenal.

You are quite perceptive. Neil Peart was one of the very best.

[catfish1957]

So, I am not familiar with Rush, so, I tuned in to a couple of songs -- I'll have to listen further, but so far I feel that the drummer is phenomenal.

@libertybele
Peart was a phenomenal talent.  Music pundits easily recognize of his "once a generation" percussion greatness, but I have always thought his lyrical skills were among the greatest.  Very few in rock, had his talent for the cerebral, the thought provoking, and the prog story telling as him.

There is a multitude of Peart solos that just are jaw dropping on YT.  But this is the one, that I like to share to others.  Not only is this one from one of the greats...   But an actual solo that really really nails it.  And man was he on, on this night.

Pan to the 3:45 mark on this video for the fireworks......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKIc20Liw3c

Then there is this one from Frankfurt in '04, which is kind of the consensus choice of most.


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

[libertybele]

@libertybele
Peart was a phenomenal talent.  Music pundits easily recognize of his "once a generation" percussion greatness, but I have always thought his lyrical skills were among the greatest.  Very few in rock, had his talent for the cerebral, the thought provoking, and the prog story telling as him.

There is a multitude of Peart solos that just are jaw dropping on YT.  But this is the one, that I like to share to others.  Not only is this one from one of the greats...   But an actual solo that really really nails it.  And man was he on, on this night.

Pan to the 3:45 mark on this video for the fireworks......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKIc20Liw3c

Then there is this one from Frankfurt in '04, which is kind of the consensus choice of most.


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

Wow, I am breathless just watching him!  Thanks for posting.  How did I miss this band all these years??  They are now definitely one of my favorites @catfish1957

[catfish1957]

Wow, I am breathless just watching him!  Thanks for posting.  How did I miss this band all these years??  They are now definitely one of my favorites @catfish1957

Glad you enjoyed. 

There has always been somewhat of a running joke, that ladies generally don't like Rush, as evidence of 90+% men at their shows.
I'm impressed that you see past that. 

[catfish1957]

Really enjoyed watching these two legends who are best of friends jam, and discuss guitars. (Starting at about the 10:00 mark with Brian May of Queen) Not only immense guitar talents, but sharp guys.    Iommi is why my first guitar was an SG. 

Extra treat at 12:25, it is like a mashup of Queen and Black Sabbath


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_-Swyrtzh4

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- ZZ Top- Rio Grande Mud (1972) ****

Hearing a cut from this one from my Classic Rock station gave me a little inspiration to cover what is "what and when" most of Texans were introduced to the Top.   As a Texan, I might be a tad biased on the level of importance that this album and band has on the history of rock.  The point that Gibbons impressed Hendrix while jamming should give one all the info they need to understand the love for this group.

I have previously covered my two favorites (Tres' Hombres and Eliminator), but don't fret .....this particular album is a fingernail less great.  There are few weakness on this LP, and maybe, and only maybe why I rate this one just a tiny bit less is that I consider myself a Rocker more than a Blues guy.  I can easily see how many Top fans can see this one as their favorite, as the blues is more evident and entrenched, but no less awesome.  You often don't consider Texas an epicenter of blues, but when you realize this is the home of Billy Gibbons, Johnny Winter, and SRV........   A pretty decent case can be made.

Mud is as good as it gets, but does suffer very slightly to production values.  Suffer?  Well, maybe that should be a reverse.  The gritty, slightly more tinny sound might be more a an aura of charm than quality.  For those not from Texas, it would be hard on any given day, not to hear a ZZ Top tune blaring from someone's 8-Track in their Truck.  While drinking warm cheap Lone Star of course.    Top and the early to mid 1970's were ubiquitous in our Texas environment. Beer Drinking and Hell Raising while crusing  is Texas 101.

And a really tall assumption.  I'd guess that 9 in 10 Texans who considered themselves rockers have seen ZZ Top in concert.  These guys were tireless live performers.  The best man in my wedding was somewhat older than me, but he played guiatar in a local band at a local bar, and when late '60's Top came to town he and his band functioned as roadies, and he often got to jam with them.  What tales he told, and said these guys were the nicest, most congenial guys, you'll ever see.  Loved to hear those old stories.

As far as Mud, again to those not familar with this band, their history started as Moving Sidewalks, who really put their line into a strong blues style, as was their first few LP's as ZZ Top.  By Tres' Hombres, that style morphed (slightly) into a more rock/blues focused effort.  That continued until Eliminator, when they became huge on the same somewhat style, but tad more hooked. And though we are still sad about Dusty Hill's death.  Billy and Frank are still rocking with a box of cheap sunglasses on hand.  Haw Haw Haw!!!!!!!

Fun Fact:  LP only charted to #104.    WTF?

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

Francine- Top's first charting tune...  Only No. 69.    Very crisp and highly rocking slant to a band that busted its chops mostly on the blues side of life.  Top really didn't utlize much hook in their first LP, or their Moving Sidewalks day, so I think you are seeing some nice and needed guidance from their producer Bill Ham.  Thanks Bill. 2

Just Got Paid- One of those great great Top tunes that just defined their status as rock heros.  Even today, this song rings so true, in the vein of the poor and impovershed.  This is one of my favorites of how Dusty/Frank so masterfully augment their rhythm  lines so perfectly to produce an early 1970's rock song of the ages.  The true gem of this LP 1

Mushmouth Shoutin'- The purest bluez number on the LP, that shouts out to the old Mississippi Delta blues styles.  Great tune, but not in my wheelhouse.  8

Ko Ko Blue- Another really decent decent rocker that brings back the memories.  Where's my Lonestar man.......   4

Chevrolet- A mishmash, smashup of blues and rock that has very nice bass/guitar interplay midway.  More of an example of how consistently good this album is.  5

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

Apologies to Pearly-  Instrumental, though that has that standard blues Gibbons excellence, is just not top tier.  No No No...  not filler, just a lesser song on a really good album.  9

Bar-B-Q- See above.  Though not an instrumental. 6

Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell-  I might piss off a few other Top fans, but this is my sleeper entry on this LP.  Reason?, this one by far is my favorite of theirs that is fully blues based.  Great bluez that has enormous power and feeling.  In fact the only pure blues ZZ Top number on my playlist.  It's that good.  3

Whisky 'n Mama- Got's that typical Top sound and feel.  Another strong consistent one that is the hallmark of what is top tier effort.  I remember me and my friends thinking in the day that a Top 8-Track was always a good choice, because of that "lack of filler". You could drive from Houston to Beaumont with 2 rounds of this one in  the 8-track.  7

Down Brownie- Weakest cut on a bad ass album.  10






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

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Neil Young- Tonight's the Night- (1975) ****

Today's review is a look at a an album, that is right near the top of my favorites with Young.  Overall content is a tad lower than Rust Never Sleeps, and After the Gold Rush  But if you want one single album that has the most outpouring of emotion and grit this is one.  In fact I can't think of one album in Rock and Roll that has this level of tenor, where the artist is basically was bleeding on vinyl.  The despair in Young's voice is spine chilling, and undeniably genuine

And this is the magnificent heyday of his career. When you look at this tandem of 4 of 5 albums from 1970-1975 (After the Gold Rush, Harvest, On the Beach, Tonight's the Night, Zuma) Young massively dominated the singer-songwriter genre.  These four as a core of the best part of his career, cemented him easily again as one of 2 or 3 best in genre alone.  Young was famous for his whacked out experimental genre bending efforts that often left we fans scratching our heads in puzzlement.  Some were on target like Reactor, but then there were awful turns to like Trans, and Everybody's Rockin' (Frisbee status).  But if you are a Neil Young fan, I'd bet that there is one of these 5 LP's in your collection.  And in this period, you could often hear a tune on the radio...  esecially from Harvest. 

Even though Crazy Horse is not titled on the LP,  there are Crazy Horse perforances on the electric parts.  Including playing and vocals from Horse's  late Danny Whitten of this LP.  Most of the rocking tunes are fantastic, but still the focus of excellence is on the acoustic numbers which highlight the despair, anger, and lamentation. And the album if I can be perfectly honest, is a depressing listen when you understand it's circumstances.  A bit of this provided like a movie trailer on Harvest, with "The Needle and the Damage Done", but here where it is blaired a slap in the face.  And to the common working man....  Who didn't think they knew the Roadie, Bruce Berry after this effort.

As a general rule, I've mostly always have prefered the Crazy Horse LPs in his dicography.  But in a 80/20 kind of way.   But what you have in "Tonight's the Night" is unique to anything Young created before or after.  It's comes across almost as a musical operatic  tragedy, in meter.  And what adds to that eery feel, is that outside the title track, the rest of the album lyrically doesn't come acros that meloncoly.  It is the tone and tenor that impacts the listener.   I don't know what possesed Young to subject himself  to torture by recording these, but 50 years later, they sure stand up the test of time of greatness.   

Outside the superior songwriting, the musicanship is par with others in era. Well....with maybe a slight bit more of grit.  What does seem striking is that this is the last bastion of the original Crazy Horse which launched Young's electric aspect of his career.  And when you encounter further albums the sound is different.  I can not put a finger on exactly why.  But it does.  And one last thing.  Young's music is another catalog  that is basically controlled like an iron fist with the YT/VEVO tyrants.  So, instread....  I'll link a couple of  good cuts below the song review.

Fun Fact:  Though album was released in 1975, most of it was recorded August-September 1973.  Not sure why the delay, but I often speculated Album Company resistance due releasing such a "downer album"

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

Tonight's the Night-  Heartfeld title track that honors and memoralizes Young's friends, the Roadie Bruce Berry, and fellow guitarist Danny Whitten.  A slow somewhat bluezy off key effort that masterfully sets the tone of the album.  The piano/guitar jam accentuates the feel.  5

Speakin' Out'- It doesn't get more pure blues on Young's behalf.  Again off-key, but less impactive.  11

World on a String-  Decent 4/4 rocker, the lyricaly imagery is strong, and does that classic Crazy Horse touch.  6

Borrowed Tune- First of the true heart string pullers on the LP.  Very simple solo of Yong's voice, piano, and haromica.  The pain comes across so evidently, so powerful.  More to come from the Drugs Suck story.  4

Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown-  Postmothous performance that include's Whitten's tune, with Young singing background.  On it's own this one solidly rocks.  Beautifully symetrically made.  Crazy Horse often gave Young that fantastic garage band sound, and this is a perfect example.  The point that this song is about making a drug deal just adds to macrabeness of the LP. 1

Mello My Mind-  More of the same, but filler. Young's voice on this one is like chalk on a chalkboard.  Bad on purpose, to accentuate the point I guess 12

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

Roll Another Number for the Road-  Same off keyed approach, but with great charm.  You can almost see Young wasted on the side of the road waking up.  Country themed, and very effective in the approach. 9

Albuquerque- Another kind of slow blues angle that harkens a lot to a lot of Young's late 60's very early solo work. 8

New Mama- Some serious acoustic work that sounds and starts like "Old Man". Vocals are well tuned this time in kind of a CSNY style.  7

Look Out Joe-  I consider this the sleeper.  Nothing spectacular as far as songwriting or musicianship, but how the song is presented is pretty unusal for Young's style, with a different take as he provides narrative. 3

Tired Eyes-  Again another with the same narrative, but much less success.  Whiney filler. 10

Tonight's the Night (Part 2)-   I love how Young sometimes takes two approaches to the same song, with a signifant shift in style.  Much like he did with the Title Track of Rust Never Sleeps with Hey Hey, My My.  Part 2 has a great edge and feel that better captures the documnentative feel of the predecessor.   By the end of this album, you can tell that it was exhaustive to make, 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQNjmJ7cPdk



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elKuts9Y6Ks



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JApt7fefYcI

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- AC/DC- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap- (1976, 1981 in the U.S)- *** 1/2

Ask any AC/DC fan to list their preferences of the band, you'll be suprised how many spacious seriatims you will get.  There is no right or wrong answer on which is the best or worst in the Bon Scott era.  They all work fantstically on the formula of head banging 4/4 , 3 chord bombastic classics.....  and part 2 of adding just a tad of Angus' ax wizardry.    No one did this formula better.  But from this humble reviewer perspective, DDDDC is in the mid to lower tiers.  And that is not a slam.  This album has some fantastic cuts, but does suffer justly slightly in consistency.  Pretty much all AC/DC LP's follows that  recipe, which accounts for that wild variance in preference.

I've covered the general merits of this band in pretty good detail  in the 4 previous review.  There is no need to overthink the music, lyrics, direction, or scope.  This is party rock at its utter best.  When I want to really rock, this play list is blasting away.  My Yang is covered with the likes of Yes or Rush.  And as I have often said, the bands I am sad to say, I haven't seen live, I'd place AC/DC 3rd behind Led Zeppelin and Tom Petty.  I think I had two chances when I lived near Houston, but sadly I had conflicts.

This was the really breakthrough LP for AC/DC, chronologically, though released post Scott Death.  This is the one that brought them solidified international fame.  And the fact it took 3 albums to reach this zenith, is a pretty damning of the pukes controlling the recording industry.  It just showed that this whole system is not predicated on just being good.   The industry as we learn more and more as the years pass, was even more crooked than all thought.  And even AC/DC left bread crumbs of this matter in the title songs lyrics ....   "Contracts" as a deadly weapon was sang eloquently and subtly.

I would be amiss also, to admit eating crow on the band, and was late for the party (Circa 1980)   If you happen to previously  see my "Top 20 lists" of '73-82, you will see that AC/DC made those lists pretty late.  I was wrong, and now band is  easily in my all time Top 10 now. But, as an adult early fan, I was somewhat put our with the overuse  double entendre cuts.  But....   I understand that the target demographic at the time was 13-18 year old boys.  Still, this is not a one dimensional band and deserves its mass popularity, as one of the all time greats.

Fun Fact:  This was a shocker.  Didn't realize it, but only 6 of 18 studios LP's were in the Bon Scott era.  20 of 37 songs on my AC/DC play list are from these 6.  This isn't a knock on Brian Johnson.  He pulled off the near impossible, and needs be commended for that.

Fun Fact : Well maybe observation....  I want to recognize the band's bass line musicans of the past 50 years.  These guys for the most part were highly competent, and added stealthly to the great band sound.  Everyone knows that AC/DC was a front man centristic band (Guitar and Vocals), but these other guys (drums and bass) quietly set the bed rock in fine fashion.

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

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap-  Great opening riff, and IMO the greatest "revenge rocker" of them all.  Not only is this revenge, but to the point of hiring a hit man.  Hilarious and innovative songwriting here.  The hit and the best song on the LP....period.  1

Love at First Feel-  Oops, I forgot the add the parental warning.  Odds of this being released today?  Zero.  Songs about sex with underage women is just damned creepy nowadays.  And thankfully, this is a lower tier quality song.  8

Big Balls-
9

Rocker- Band takes a more bluezy/barrel house approach with mixed results.  7

Problem Child-  After a lull of the past 3 so-so cuts,  the band cuts loose.  This song has some of Angus Young's best guitar runs.  Yeah this one is in that wheel house formula, but hits home for sure.  The slight reprise at the end, was a nice touch too. 2

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

There's Going to Be Some Rockin' -  Band goes slightly off forumla, moving to a barrel house blues direction.  Not my preference, but maybe for others- 6

Aint No Fun (Waiting 'Round to be a Millionaire)-   My Sleeper on this one.  This song actually has some melodic interplay that works very well with base AC/DC repertoire.  This one cames across as truly from the heart.  Scott's even makes points around his bad teeth, rings that this wasn't a false proclaimation.  But back to the melodic part.  I wish they had tried more of these in the '70's.  It wasn't really not until the '80's do you see more of this.  3

Ride On- You normally don't put AC/DC into the Blues category, but this as an example shows that they could have went in this direction and had some level of success. If curious, check out the Angus Young solo at the end.  No, it's not Clapton, but few other standard rockers had this level of style change ability  A semi-sleeper IMO....  And I'm not really a blues guy.      4

Squealer- Rare AC/DC song that features the bassist.  And that is pretty much the highlight of this sexualized tune. Well that, and a decent Angus solo.  5




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

[LMAO]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- AC/DC- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap- (1976, 1981 in the U.S)- *** 1/2

Ask any AC/DC fan to list their preferences of the band, you'll be suprised how many spacious seriatims you will get.  There is no right or wrong answer on which is the best or worst in the Bon Scott era.  They all work fantstically on the formula of head banging 4/4 , 3 chord bombastic classics.....  and part 2 of adding just a tad of Angus' ax wizardry.    No one did this formula better.  But from this humble reviewer perspective, DDDDC is in the mid to lower tiers.  And that is not a slam.  This album has some fantastic cuts, but does suffer justly slightly in consistency.  Pretty much all AC/DC LP's follows that  recipe, which accounts for that wild variance in preference.

I've covered the general merits of this band in pretty good detail  in the 4 previous review.  There is no need to overthink the music, lyrics, direction, or scope.  This is party rock at its utter best.  When I want to really rock, this play list is blasting away.  My Yang is covered with the likes of Yes or Rush.  And as I have often said, the bands I am sad to say, I haven't seen live, I'd place AC/DC 3rd behind Led Zeppelin and Tom Petty.  I think I had two chances when I lived near Houston, but sadly I had conflicts.

This was the really breakthrough LP for AC/DC, chronologically, though released post Scott Death.  This is the one that brought them solidified international fame.  And the fact it took 3 albums to reach this zenith, is a pretty damning of the pukes controlling the recording industry.  It just showed that this whole system is not predicated on just being good.   The industry as we learn more and more as the years pass, was even more crooked than all thought.  And even AC/DC left bread crumbs of this matter in the title songs lyrics ....   "Contracts" as a deadly weapon was sang eloquently and subtly.

I would be amiss also, to admit eating crow on the band, and was late for the party (Circa 1980)   If you happen to previously  see my "Top 20 lists" of '73-82, you will see that AC/DC made those lists pretty late.  I was wrong, and now band is  easily in my all time Top 10 now. But, as an adult early fan, I was somewhat put our with the overuse  double entendre cuts.  But....   I understand that the target demographic at the time was 13-18 year old boys.  Still, this is not a one dimensional band and deserves its mass popularity, as one of the all time greats.

Fun Fact:  This was a shocker.  Didn't realize it, but only 6 of 18 studios LP's were in the Bon Scott era.  20 of 37 songs on my AC/DC play list are from these 6.  This isn't a knock on Brian Johnson.  He pulled off the near impossible, and needs be commended for that.

Fun Fact : Well maybe observation....  I want to recognize the band's bass line musicans of the past 50 years.  These guys for the most part were highly competent, and added stealthly to the great band sound.  Everyone knows that AC/DC was a front man centristic band (Guitar and Vocals), but these other guys (drums and bass) quietly set the bed rock in fine fashion.

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

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap-  Great opening riff, and IMO the greatest "revenge rocker" of them all.  Not only is this revenge, but to the point of hiring a hit man.  Hilarious and innovative songwriting here.  The hit and the best song on the LP....period.  1

Love at First Feel-  Oops, I forgot the add the parental warning.  Odds of this being released today?  Zero.  Songs about sex with underage women is just damned creepy nowadays.  And thankfully, this is a lower tier quality song.  8

Big Balls-
9

Rocker- Band takes a more bluezy/barrel house approach with mixed results.  7

Problem Child-  After a lull of the past 3 so-so cuts,  the band cuts loose.  This song has some of Angus Young's best guitar runs.  Yeah this one is in that wheel house formula, but hits home for sure.  The slight reprise at the end, was a nice touch too. 2

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

There's Going to Be Some Rockin' -  Band goes slightly off forumla, moving to a barrel house blues direction.  Not my preference, but maybe for others- 6

Aint No Fun (Waiting 'Round to be a Millionaire)-   My Sleeper on this one.  This song actually has some melodic interplay that works very well with base AC/DC repertoire.  This one cames across as truly from the heart.  Scott's even makes points around his bad teeth, rings that this wasn't a false proclaimation.  But back to the melodic part.  I wish they had tried more of these in the '70's.  It wasn't really not until the '80's do you see more of this.  3

Ride On- You normally don't put AC/DC into the Blues category, but this as an example shows that they could have went in this direction and had some level of success. If curious, check out the Angus Young solo at the end.  No, it's not Clapton, but few other standard rockers had this level of style change ability  A semi-sleeper IMO....  And I'm not really a blues guy.      4

Squealer- Rare AC/DC song that features the bassist.  And that is pretty much the highlight of this sexualized tune. Well that, and a decent Angus solo.  5




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

“Ride On” was my favorite song from that album

[catfish1957]

“Ride On” was my favorite song from that album

@LMAO

Thanks....  Was a good one.  Where do you place DDDDC as greatness on those first 6 Scott LP's?

[LMAO]

@LMAO

Thanks....  Was a good one.  Where do you place DDDDC as greatness on those first 6 Scott LP's?

Second to “ Highway to Hell.”

The four AC/DC albums I had and currently have is Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” Highway to Hell,” and with Brian Johnson, “Back in Black” and “Flick of the Switch”

It had a couple good songs on it, but I didn’t care all that much for “High Voltage”

[GrouchoTex]

Second to “ Highway to Hell.”

The four AC/DC albums I had and currently have is Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” Highway to Hell,” and with Brian Johnson, “Back in Black” and “Flick of the Switch”

It had a couple good songs on it, but I didn’t care all that much for “High Voltage”

I think it was the album "Powerage", that had a song on it called "Riff Raft" which I remember as being pretty good.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Get ready for the Jimi Hendrix Experience once again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0FIhSEV4NE

[catfish1957]

Classic Rock Album of the Day- The Shaggs-  Philosophy of the World (1969) **** 1/2

Today’s installment was from a truly ground breaking group.  The Shaggs were a 3 piece all girl group from New Hampshire  that got huge inspiration from parental vision. They pre dated the Runaways by a decade, and the Go Go’s by a decade and a half.  They while in midst of Beatlemania took their vision of day to day mundane life  to the masses.  They gave their listeners a product via ingenious blend of randomness and complex time and key changes,  that was truly visionary.  I am sure there were many latter Greenwich Village Beatniks who were highly inspired by this on a philosophical basis.   I promise that  this is truly music that will impact you in ways you never have thought before. 

This product took simplicity, to new heights.  This music  was done without a bass guitar.   Percussion limited to a a tam, a snare, and a cymbal.  That lack of technology and complexity allowed the Wiggin Sisters to take much care in the core of their  trade.  It is my understanding that it took 4 years of careful practice, dedication, and hard work to nail down this product in almost prog like precision.

The story of the Shaggs is truly remarkable.  Their father via a palm reading was given info that he would someday  have daughters who would become famous singers and musicians.  Amazingly, that prediction was spot on.  I as have as a critic have always been fascinated by the concept of bands using dueling guitars as an aspect of their music.  The girls do not disappoint.  Their ability to augment from the mix-chordal, to the off key, to even off the off-tempo’ed  kilt is a true testament of how  the infusion of a randomness, that  their music won’t  ever be replicated.   The likes of Captain Beefheart, and even later Primus should both  give inspirational homage to a genre that it is by itself……is a genre itself.  Sadly, the Shaggs disbanded in the mid 1970’s with apparently no commercial success.   But now enjoys a cult following.

Fun Fact: Famous fans include Kurt Cobain and Frank Zappa

Side  1-
———-
Philosophy of The World-  The Girls come out the gates with a smashing almost punk driven title track that hits the heart.  Who else can dispute their lyrical edge around the divisive theme ……. of that of those who always want what they don’t have.  Heartfelt and Edgy- 1

That Little Sports Car-  Girls take their love of the automative industry to new heights.  The parallel chording between the two guitars is innovative,  Helen does some strong percussive licks that accentuate the song like a silk glove in pudding.  6

Who are Parents- As mentioned in the body of the review, there obviously a strong parental bond.  Though the musical aspects are undertoned, there is some nice almost in tune chordal strumming that kind of gives it a quaint and  odd feel.  8

My Foot Foot-  This is the real sleeper on the LP.  Helen starts the fun with a killer drum solo, and then Dot and Betty chime in what almost seems like a tuning strumming  session.  Their ode to the errant cat is truly topical.  Outside cats just don’t hang around for some reason. 2

My Companion- Somewhat of a drop off here.  The girls take more of a robotic POV, on vocals.  They really miss an opportunity to delve more into just who this companion is.  Some nice drumming at the end though  Not Peart, Bonham, or Moon of course, but hell……check out the difference in the kits. - 12

I’m Happy When You’re Near- Did I hear 3rds there?  Well maybe, -10

Side 2-
———————

Things I Wonder-  If there ever was any doubt that this wasn’t a concept album, then you have missed the boat.  They take the philosophical theme to new heights.  The near sync vocals with guitar is a unique twist.  Existentialism never was conveyed more elegantly than in these 2 minutes.  - 5

Sweet Thing-  Girls take a emotional turn from the heart in an ode to interpersonal relationships.  No new instrumental ground broken, and par for the Shagg’s portfolio.  Taylor Swift should give these girls some royalties for borrowing the “Why do You Have to Be so Mean” meme.   - 7

It’s Halloween- How many youngsters dream of October 31st.?  With so much tongue in cheek imagery, the girls add an almost an orange aura to this time treasured timeframe. - 11

Why Do I Feel-  Back to the philosophical theming.  In sterling near 2/4 time, the girls build on earlier topic of emotionality.  Tune includes some of Helen’s most complex drumming.  By the end, you know they feel. - 3

What Should I Do- More into the interpersonal.  Some interesting interphasal  musical interplay that gives some additional oomph to the song.  Again, you got to think that Swift must have tapped into some of this kind of energy from them.- 4

We Have a Savior- The Shaggs take a bold approach, and take on religious themes.  Not mainstream topical now, but this was 1969.   -9


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQqK1CjE9bA

[bigheadfred]

Do Aliens see Humans when they take DMT? 

[catfish1957]

Do Aliens see Humans when they take DMT?