The Beatles - Rubber Soul
Cyberfriend Wim Oudijk's post and subsequent thread on Facebook ⒜ inspired me to compose a new "eight favorite albums" list after nearly two years, and ⒝ let me know that I had yet to include anything by the fabs. I think this last is because I was trying more to showcase my writing and display my eerily balanced love of musics mainstream and lesser known. I figured within the depths of my conscience that no one really needs to read anything more about the Beatles; they've heard and read it all. But, I think of the younger generation and wonder what they know about the fabs, even as a "Grammy Salute" airs on the network television in the next room. So, I pick a Beatles album to submit for this list, and it's a toss-up between this solid, varied songwriting showcase and the one that followed, Revolver.
"It's so fine; it's sunshine..."
Perry Leopold - Christian Lucifer
Acid folk at its finest. Of course, I'm a sucker for themes of subverting religion. Combine that with extensive lyricism (the lyrics are included in the liner notes and MUST be read) and drench it in lysergia, and we have a true, captivating listening "Journey".
"Eye am free
From the bondage
Eye am one
Within my kingdom..."
The Association - Birthday
Ever slightly psych-tinged harmony pop, and such fine harmony pop it is. Great, heavenly songs and sounds.
"I took off my watch and found I have all the time in the world..."
Ivy - Long Distance
Something a little newer here. This is pretty much pure pop music and production from 2001, with tinges of a vintage hip-hop sound and such wonderful dreamy French vocals. Looking at AMG to verify the year this came out, I have to disagree with the review, which dismisses this as "trendy". Some of the songwriting may be a little iffy, sure ("While We're in Love" comes to mind), but this is just so well produced — dreamy, melodic, poppy without being a clone of everything pop in the third millennium — everything I dig in an audio experience. The trumpet on some songs is a nice touch.
"At the edge of the ocean, we can start over again..."
The Firesign Theatre - I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus
Spoken word/counter-culture comedy, anyone? This trip to the Future from 1971 is unique. I suspect most people lack the facility to appreciate a work of art like this, but within the particular realm of spoken word that only Firesign Theatre occupy, they were at the top of their game here.
"We're glad you made it! Welcome to the Future!"
Kaleidoscope - Tangerine Dream
An inexplicable omission from my previous lists, and a staple of classic British pop-psychedelia. There's kind of a childlike storytelling to some of these songs, even when the subject turns to plane crashes or murder.
"And the king lived on his dreams — and died on them"
Gjallarhorn - Sjofn
Finnish folk music. Released in 2007. Heavenly vocals. So well done, and so good.
[This is where I usually include a quote from the album; sadly, I don't know the Finnish language enough to do so here.]
The Grateful Dead - American Beauty
Finally, for this "favorite albums" installment, I bring that truckin' home to the first album I ever knew by anybody, and an American beauty it is. Though best known for their decidedly self-indulgent live shows — legends in their own right — the Dead largely dispensed with jams for this album and concentrated on songwriting and great harmonies. They had taken a similar approach in their previous studio outing, "Workingman's Dead", which was a little folkier and maybe slightly country-tinged. As fine a collection of songs as that was, this 1970 release is as focused and "tight" as they got, and it is great. Anyone who would dismiss this album before they heard it, just because the Grateful Dead's name are on it, is a bloody fool and missing out on great stuff.
"When there was no dream of mine, you dreamed of me."
Showing posts with label Favorite albums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorite albums. Show all posts
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Eight More Favorite Albums
So I thought I'd post something rather more positive after that lash at commercial radio below. Enjoy!
July - July
I can't believe I forgot about this one in the first "Favorite Albums" installment. This is one of the cornerstones of classic British psychedelia.
"Mothers say, stay away far as you can, friendly man."
Boston - Boston
So after my post about commercial "classic rock" radio, I go and endorse the album with More Than a Feeling on it. What the hey? Well, I happen to think that More Than a Feeling retains its freshness and just outruns the blurred line of overplayedness. Indeed, I think that the whole album retains a crisp, fresh and unique sound. Well, maybe Rock & Roll Band is just a bit stale.
"Now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder / Hope it doesn't take too long / Can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter / Come a day when you'll be gone."
Ananda Shankar - Ananda Shankar
Ravi's nephew released this marriage of East and West in 1970. I actually haven't spun this in a while; I need to again.
"He belongs equally to us all."
Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage
Zappa takes an utterly horrifying three-LP look at this society's views on music, taken to their logical extremes, as only the supernaturally intelligent Zappa can.
"I've got it — I'll be sullen and withdrawn. I'll dwindle off into the twilight realm of my own secret thoughts...."
Rainbow Ffolly - Sallies Fforth
Something lighter-hearted to follow up the insanity of Joe's Garage: an unfinished, playful pop-psych record from the UK in '68. Excellent pop songwriting, randomish non-sequitur segues....such qualities don't often show up on albums.
"Come on Noah! Eat up your curried unicorn!"
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle
Les Paul's eager student flaunts his psychedelic side in 1976 with the finest in outer-space production, but not without acknowledging his roots. Just a captivating listening experience.
"We're lost in space, and the time is our own."
Anonymous - Inside the Shadow
That's just the band's name; they're not actually anonymous. What they are is a thoroughly excellent sort of hybrid of the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, and maybe a touch of the kind of "power pop" that had established itself by 1976, when this came out. Wonderful, other-worldly sounds from Indianapolis.
"Will you ride?"
Sopwith Camel - The Miraculous Hump Returns From the Moon
From 1972. Think "Vaudeville in space". The album has some nice jazzy touches as well.
"Who's gonna go on all those trips in outer space?"
July - July
I can't believe I forgot about this one in the first "Favorite Albums" installment. This is one of the cornerstones of classic British psychedelia.
"Mothers say, stay away far as you can, friendly man."
Boston - Boston
So after my post about commercial "classic rock" radio, I go and endorse the album with More Than a Feeling on it. What the hey? Well, I happen to think that More Than a Feeling retains its freshness and just outruns the blurred line of overplayedness. Indeed, I think that the whole album retains a crisp, fresh and unique sound. Well, maybe Rock & Roll Band is just a bit stale.
"Now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder / Hope it doesn't take too long / Can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter / Come a day when you'll be gone."
Ananda Shankar - Ananda Shankar
Ravi's nephew released this marriage of East and West in 1970. I actually haven't spun this in a while; I need to again.
"He belongs equally to us all."
Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage
Zappa takes an utterly horrifying three-LP look at this society's views on music, taken to their logical extremes, as only the supernaturally intelligent Zappa can.
"I've got it — I'll be sullen and withdrawn. I'll dwindle off into the twilight realm of my own secret thoughts...."
Rainbow Ffolly - Sallies Fforth
Something lighter-hearted to follow up the insanity of Joe's Garage: an unfinished, playful pop-psych record from the UK in '68. Excellent pop songwriting, randomish non-sequitur segues....such qualities don't often show up on albums.
"Come on Noah! Eat up your curried unicorn!"
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle
Les Paul's eager student flaunts his psychedelic side in 1976 with the finest in outer-space production, but not without acknowledging his roots. Just a captivating listening experience.
"We're lost in space, and the time is our own."
Anonymous - Inside the Shadow
That's just the band's name; they're not actually anonymous. What they are is a thoroughly excellent sort of hybrid of the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, and maybe a touch of the kind of "power pop" that had established itself by 1976, when this came out. Wonderful, other-worldly sounds from Indianapolis.
"Will you ride?"
Sopwith Camel - The Miraculous Hump Returns From the Moon
From 1972. Think "Vaudeville in space". The album has some nice jazzy touches as well.
"Who's gonna go on all those trips in outer space?"
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Eight Favorite Albums
Before the next — hopefully my final — semester starts, I wanted to jot this down in a place where I can count on it not getting "pruned". The original version of this was utterly magnificent, I tell you.
Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark
It was roughly junior year of high school when I first heard this, and it actually took a couple listens before the magic poked my brain sharply and permanently scarringly. An already great lyricist has honed her instrumentation skills to leap into supernatural musical realms.
"Laughing and crying, you know it's the same release."
Churchill's - Churchill's
Mostly British psychedelic rock, recorded in Tel Aviv, and indeed bearing certain musical traits of that region. This is fuzz at its finest.
"Straight people...turn them all on now."
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - We're Only in it For the Money
Described by some as "Sgt. Pepper's evil twin", this simultaneous jab at the establishment and the counter-culture in 1968 will blow your brain apart in much the way that the "flower punk"'s brain blows apart right before your ears on this record. Relentless experimentation and effects make it.
"You'll be absolutely free only if you want to be."
Caravan - In the Land of Grey & Pink
Caravan seem to me the most "accessible" of the Canterbury bands — a scene centered around a sort of progressive jazz-pop sound. This is probably their finest moment, marrying that sound with a sense of humor (or humour) and a knack for catchiness and memorability, with the side-long "Nine Feet Underground" providing that other-worldly journey that stays with the listener long after it's ended.
"These dreams are always ending far too soon."
Steely Dan - Aja
Say what you will about the 'Dan; this is a bloody good album.
"Could it be that I have found my home at last?"
White Noise - An Electric Storm
Some BBC Radiophonic Workshop people played around in the studio after hours and produced a uniquely spooky record, filled with whooshes and other odd sound effects from relentless tape manipulation and experimentation. "The Visitation" is downright chilling.
"Why do you let it hold you? Life must be lived in full view. In every sin, there must be pride. Your hidden dreams can't be denied."
Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Many styles of memorable, well-crafted pop/rock songs. Simple as that.
"Oh no, you got too much to lose; got to get on home to the animal zoo."
The End - Introspection
Bill Wyman of the Stones produced this album of British pop-psych that was perfect for the time they recorded it — 1967. Sadly, the album's release was delayed until two years later, when pop-psych was long-history in the minds of record buyers, and the album sank with nary a trace. Luckily, it didn't perish altogether.
"You can't hide inside a dream."
Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark
It was roughly junior year of high school when I first heard this, and it actually took a couple listens before the magic poked my brain sharply and permanently scarringly. An already great lyricist has honed her instrumentation skills to leap into supernatural musical realms.
"Laughing and crying, you know it's the same release."
Churchill's - Churchill's
Mostly British psychedelic rock, recorded in Tel Aviv, and indeed bearing certain musical traits of that region. This is fuzz at its finest.
"Straight people...turn them all on now."
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - We're Only in it For the Money
Described by some as "Sgt. Pepper's evil twin", this simultaneous jab at the establishment and the counter-culture in 1968 will blow your brain apart in much the way that the "flower punk"'s brain blows apart right before your ears on this record. Relentless experimentation and effects make it.
"You'll be absolutely free only if you want to be."
Caravan - In the Land of Grey & Pink
Caravan seem to me the most "accessible" of the Canterbury bands — a scene centered around a sort of progressive jazz-pop sound. This is probably their finest moment, marrying that sound with a sense of humor (or humour) and a knack for catchiness and memorability, with the side-long "Nine Feet Underground" providing that other-worldly journey that stays with the listener long after it's ended.
"These dreams are always ending far too soon."
Steely Dan - Aja
Say what you will about the 'Dan; this is a bloody good album.
"Could it be that I have found my home at last?"
White Noise - An Electric Storm
Some BBC Radiophonic Workshop people played around in the studio after hours and produced a uniquely spooky record, filled with whooshes and other odd sound effects from relentless tape manipulation and experimentation. "The Visitation" is downright chilling.
"Why do you let it hold you? Life must be lived in full view. In every sin, there must be pride. Your hidden dreams can't be denied."
Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Many styles of memorable, well-crafted pop/rock songs. Simple as that.
"Oh no, you got too much to lose; got to get on home to the animal zoo."
The End - Introspection
Bill Wyman of the Stones produced this album of British pop-psych that was perfect for the time they recorded it — 1967. Sadly, the album's release was delayed until two years later, when pop-psych was long-history in the minds of record buyers, and the album sank with nary a trace. Luckily, it didn't perish altogether.
"You can't hide inside a dream."
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