787. The GoGos--Beauty and the Beat (1981, #1) (3)

787. The GoGos--Beauty and the Beat (1981, #1) (3)

1. Our Lips Are Sealed (9) (sounds as good today as when it came out!)
2. How Much More (?) (2)
3. Tonite (?) (2)
4. Lust to Love (?) (2)
5. This Town (2)
6. We Got the Beat (8)
7. Fading Fast (?) (2)
8. Automatic (?) (2+)
9. You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep) (?) (2+)
10. Skidmarks on My Heart (?) (2+)
11. Can't Stop the World (?) (2+)

REVIEW: What a joy it is to hear (and see) this stuff again! The two big hits were filled with such unbridled exuberance and the passion of youth. I remembered only one other song, This Town, which I didn't care for. But Our Lips Are Sealed may have been the very first video I saw on MTV, shortly after graduating from high school. I give it a 3 overall.

789. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins--Rabbit Fur Coat (2006; #88) (2)

789. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins--Rabbit Fur Coat (2006; #88) (2)

1. Run Devil Run (?) (2)
2. The Big Guns (?) (2)
3. Rise Up With Fists!! (?) (3)
4. Happy (?) (2)
5. The Charging Sky (?) (2)
6. Melt Your Heart (?) (3)
7. You Are What You Love (?) (5)
8. Rabbit Fur Coat (?) (2)
9. Handle With Care (7+)
10. Born Secular (?) (2)
11. It Wasn't Me (?) (2+)
12. Happy (Reprise) (?) (3)

REVIEW: Nothing wrong with this. I give it a 2 for now.

791. 10,000 Maniacs--Our Time in Eden (1992) (2)

791. 10,000 Maniacs--Our Time in Eden (1992) (2)

1. Noah's Dove (?) (3)
2. These Are Days (6)
3. Eden (?) (3)
4. Few and Far Between (?) (3)
5. Stockton Gala Days (?) (4)
6. Gold Rush Brides (?) (3)
7. Jezebel (?) (3)
8. How You've Grown (?) (3)
9. Candy Everybody Wants (6)
10. Tolerance (?) (3)
11. Circle Dream (?) (2)
12. If You Intend (?) (2)
13. I'm Not the Man (?) (3)

REVIEW: Well, you can tell I haven't played this CD much, as I only know the two popular songs from it. I like those two fairly well, but nothing from the rest of it caught my ear. I give it a 2.


ED'S TAKE:

791. 10,000 Maniacs--Our Time in Eden (1992)

1. Noah's Dove (10)
2. These Are Days (8)
3. Eden (9)
4. Few and Far Between (8)
5. Stockton Gala Days (7)
6. Gold Rush Brides (9)
7. Jezebel (9)
8. How You've Grown (9)
9. Candy Everybody Wants (9)
10. Tolerance (8)
11. Circle Dream (9)
12. If You Intend (8)
13. I'm Not the Man (9)

OVERALL RATING: 8 (NOT the sum of its parts)

DISCUSSION: Natalie's voice was always quite appealing to me. The songs she sang were not. While I don't mind the fact that this one didn't have many "hits", the songs "non-descriptness" work individually better than as an album. There are simply not enough REAL highs. I still find listening to Merchant quite appealing (I saw her live with the Maniacs) but this is NOT an album I'd want to listen to in one sitting, except as background.

792. Neil Young--Live at Massey Hall 1971 (2007: #6)

792. Neil Young--Live at Massey Hall 1971 (2007: #6)

1. On the Way Home (?) (2)
2. Tell Me Why (5)
3. Old Man (8)
4. Journey Through the Past (?) (2)
5. Helpless (8)
6. Love in Mind (?) (3)
7. A Man Needs a Maid/Heart of Gold Suite (?) (2/9)
8. Cowgirl in the Sand (5)
9. Don't Let It Bring You Down (3)
10. There's a World (?) (3)
11. Bad Fog of Loneliness (?) (2)
12. The Needle and the Damage Done (5)
13. Ohio (9)
14. See the Sky About to Rain (?) (2)
15. Down By the River (3)
16. Dance Dance Dance (?) (3)
17. I Am a Child (?) (2)

REVIEW: Good stuff...didn't realize he had released anything since "Living with War" in '06(?). If I were to rate it, it would get a 6--not to be confused with its highest chart position shown above--but I don't want that to go into Valerie's records, so forget I said that :-)

ED'S TAKE

792. Neil Young--Live at Massey Hall 1971 (2007)

1. On the Way Home (9)
2. Tell Me Why (10) A REAL favorite from "After the Goldrush"
3. Old Man (10)
4. Journey Through the Past (10)
5. Helpless (10)
6. Love in Mind (10)
7. A Man Needs a Maid/Heart of Gold Suite (10) ....a beautiful, if misunderstood, song.
8. Cowgirl in the Sand (10)
9. Don't Let It Bring You Down (10)
10. There's a World (8)
11. Bad Fog of Loneliness (8)
12. The Needle and the Damage Done (10)
13. Ohio (10)
14. See the Sky About to Rain (9)
15. Down By the River (10)
16. Dance Dance Dance (8)
17. I Am a Child (10)

OVERALL RATING : 10

DISCUSSION: Amidst a lot of superlatives, Neil Young HAS been my favorite singer for a long, long time. As a matter of fact, often I have listed his "After the Goldrush" as my favorite album....Period. I can't think of another album in my lifetime I've listened to more times.....even the older ones. So, for me anyway, the ratings here reflect more how I feel about the songs.....the vocals are consistent and superlative for me. Frankly, I DID enjoy "A Man Needs a Maid" without the orchestration.

795. The Eagles--The Eagles (1972; #22) (3)

795. The Eagles--The Eagles (1972; #22) (3)

1. Take It Easy (8)
2. Witchy Woman (8)
3. Chug All Night (?) (2)
4. Most of Us Are Sad (?) (2)
5. Nightingale (?) (2)
6. Train Leaves Here This Morning (?) (2)
7. Take the Devil (?) (2)
8. Earlybird (?) (2)
9. Peaceful Easy Feeling (1+)
10. Tryin' (?) (2)

REVIEW: Like the first two tracks (classic rock staples). It's just amazing how they'll latch onto a song or two and play those to death and ignore the rest, which I NEVER hear (except for Peaceful Easy Feeling, which I don't like). But that's their modus operandi--go with the familiar to hang onto the listener so that the ratings don't go down and they can no longer attract advertisers. This one gets a 3.

ED'S TAKE:

95. The Eagles--The Eagles (1972; #22)

1. Take It Easy (9)
2. Witchy Woman (9)
3. Chug All Night (8)
4. Most of Us Are Sad (8)
5. Nightingale (7)
6. Train Leaves Here This Morning (9)
7. Take the Devil (8)
8. Earlybird (8)
9. Peaceful Easy Feeling (9)
10. Tryin' (8)

OVERALL RATING: 8

DISCUSSION: I've always kind of liked the Eagles. They were never one of my favorite groups but whenever an album came out, there were always songs that became part of my existence, usually the ones that had those beautiful harmonies. This isn't a great album but it is still quite listenable to me, with a few really high points.

796. The Verve--Urban Hymns (1997; #23) (1)

796. The Verve--Urban Hymns (1997; #23) (1)

1. Bitter Sweet Symphony (8+)
2. Sonnet (?) (3)
3. The Rolling People (?) (2)
4. The Drugs Don't Work (?) (3)
5. Catching the Butterfly (?) (2)
6. Neon Wilderness (?) (2)
7. Space and Time (?) (2)
8. Weeping Willow (?) (3)
9. Lucky Man (2+)
10. One Day (?) (4)
11. This Time (?) (2)
12. Velvet Morning (?) (2)
13. Come On/Deep Freeze (?) (2)

REVIEW: Other than the big hit (Bitter Sweet), mostly sounds similar. One Day sounded like it had a good hook. Never cared for Lucky Man. One of the loudest bands I've ever heard, despite their downbeat sound (saw them at a festival concert). A 1.

ED'S TAKE:

796. The Verve--Urban Hymns (1997; #23)

1. Bitter Sweet Symphony (9)
2. Sonnet (10)
3. The Rolling People (10)
4. The Drugs Don't Work (10)
5. Catching the Butterfly (9)
6. Neon Wilderness (10)
7. Space and Time (10)
8. Weeping Willow (10)
9. Lucky Man (10)
10. One Day (10)
11. This Time (10)
12. Velvet Morning (9)
13. Come On/Deep Freeze (10)

OVERALL RATING: 10

DISCUSSION: I remember liking this album but not THIS much. Maybe too much emphasis was placed on Bittersweet Symphony and I didn't let myself be taken away by the album as a piece. Frankly, this is going opposite of my experience before where the album as a whole is thought to be less than the sum of its parts, i.e., the songs. Here, I'm not sure the songs that I've given 10's to would be 10's if taken separately. The fact is, here, I've experienced them TOGETHER, and it works wonders for me. I simply feel that this works as an ALBUM....it HAS a signature sound and I truly like it. (Ok, I still thing they might have overdone it a wee bit with "Bittersweet Symphony" but it's a beauty nonetheless.)

799. Sting--Brand New Day (1999: #9) (4)

799. Sting--Brand New Day (1999: #9) (4)

1. A Thousand Years (?) (3)
2. Desert Rose (7+)
3. Big Lie, Small World (?) (3)
4. After the Rain Has Fallen (?) (5)
5. Perfect Love...Gone Wrong (?) (4)
6. Tomorrow We'll See (?) (2)
7. Prelude to the End of the Game (?) (2)
8. Fill Her Up (?) (4) (interesting--starts out country--I'm thinking Sting? Country? uh-uh. Ends up jazz-tinged)
9. Ghost Story (?) (2)
10. Brand New Day (7+)

REVIEW: Pretty good stuff, with a chance to move up if I became familiar with the rest of the album aside from the two hits I know. 4.

ED'S TAKE:

799. Sting--Brand New Day (1999: #9)

1. A Thousand Years (6)
2. Desert Rose (7)
3. Big Lie, Small World (4)
4. After the Rain Has Fallen (5)
5. Perfect Love...Gone Wrong (4)
6. Tomorrow We'll See (4)
7. Prelude to the End of the Game *
8. Fill Her Up (5)
9. Ghost Story (4)
10. Brand New Day (6)

OVERALL RATING: 5 (On a lot of days, this would be a 2-0 meaning unlistenable. )

DISCUSSION: It's been awhile. Frankly, I can't remember how many of Sting's solo albums I still have in my collection.....TOO MANY! I don't like the guy much. I don't like his "signature sound", whatever it is. Sometimes when I listen to him, instead of hearing his "artistry", I hear boring easy listening/lite jazz. When I think of the first time I heard Roxanne and then hear THIS, I do not think evolution. (Call him devo....d-e-v-o)......Hey, he surely has the right to make whatever suits him, either as an expression of his art or for the buck. I mean, ok, Elvis C. has evolved/devolved since my favorite of his, "Pump it Up", but his later stuff is usually quite listenable regardless of stylistic changes. But that's Elvis and this is Sting.

God, Mark, were there HITS on this album? By the time I was trying to listen to this one for the first time, I was probably so disconnected that I had no idea which were the "big songs". (I'm sure I bought most of them, after the first, in used bargain bins for $.50-2.50. That's one of my problems. I convince myself that at bargain basement prices, it's worth taking a flier, even if only a few songs are good enought to ever play again. I wind up clogging my collection with a lot of lightweight stuff that I keep for others, not me. People sometimes think of Sting and Bono in the same breath....both with one name pretensions and both quite vocal about their causes which may irritate some people but if he gives money and time and publicity for the good of humanity, I'll forgive him his ego. The difference is, even today, I expect to enjoy U2's new music. I never expect much from Sting.

802. The Monkees (1966; #1) (3)

802. The Monkees (1966; #1) (3)

1. Theme From "The Monkees" (7+)
2. Saturday's Child (?) (3)
3. I Wanna Be Free (?) (2)
4. Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day (?) (3)
5. Papa Gene's Blues (?) (2)
6. Take a Giant Step (?) (2)
7. Last Train to Clarksville (8)
8. Let's Dance On (?) (2)
9. I'll Be True to You (?) (1+)
10. Sweet Young Thing (?) (2+)
11. Gonna Buy Me a Dog (2)

REVIEW: The Monkees are a special case--not really a band in the traditional sense as they were formed artificially for the purpose of a TV show and they didn't play their own instruments. So there's that sense that they're not "really" a band as much as a creation--kinda the way I feel about today's American Idols. Nonetheless, I always enjoyed their music, and here on their debut album they had two standout tracks IMO--the theme from the show and Last Train to Clarksville (these were written by Boyce and Hart). I have this album somewhere in my collection, but not with me, but it was all available at YouTube. It gets a 3.

ED'S TAKE:

802. The Monkees (1966; #1)

1. Theme From "The Monkees" (7)
2. Saturday's Child (7)
3. I Wanna Be Free (4)
4. Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day (8)
5. Papa Gene's Blues (6)
6. Take a Giant Step (7)
7. Last Train to Clarksville (8)
8. This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day (8)
9. Let's Dance On (8)
10. I'll Be True to You (6)
11. Sweet Young Thing (7)
12. Gonna Buy Me a Dog (6)

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 7

DISCUSSION: This was a bit of a disappointment. It has to do with "staying power". I often talk about how much can change with my mood but it can also change, more permanently, with time. I've always been a big supporter of the Monkees....the "constructed Monkees", i.e., lets construct a rock group for TV purposes, make them a tad Beatlesque even if they can't truly play instruments and the later, more well rounded Monkees. But, in listening today, while they still often sound like an engaging pop band, they also sound too sweet, especially when Davey sings those rather simpy ballads. I can't remember THAT well, but I suspect that some of their other albums would work better for me today.
(I DO also have, besides Monkees albums, some of Nesmith's solo work)

808. Annie Lennox--Medusa (1995; #11) (1)

808. Annie Lennox--Medusa (1995; #11) (1)
1. No More I Love You's (2)
2. Take Me to the River (5+) (few notches below Al Green and the Talking Heads)
3. A Whiter Shade of Pale (7) (somewhat more tepid than the original)
4. Don't Let It Bring You Down (4)
5. Train in Vain (8) (this is by far my favorite cover on this album--in fact, I may like it nearly as much as the original. The song lends itself well to her style.)
6. I Can't Get Next to You (5+) (a huge step down from the original--tepid)
7. Downtown Lights (?) (2)
8. Thin Line Between Love and Hate (5) (only heard 30-second clip but don't care for the arrangement)
9. Waiting in Vain (5) (she doesn't improve on the Marley version--best version I've heard was by a woman on a cruise ship)
10. Something So Right (3)
11. Heaven (2) (I don't like the original)

REVIEW: The only one that she does well here is Train in Vain. Surprised this made the 897, and I'm an Annie Lennox fan. A 1.

803. The Doors--Waiting for the Sun (1968; #1) (0)

803. The Doors--Waiting for the Sun (1968; #1) (0)

1. Hello, I Love You (8)
2. Love Street (6)
3. Not to Touch the Earth (2)
4. Summer's Almost Gone (?) (2)
5. Wintertime Love (?) (2)
6. The Unknown Soldier (3+)
7. Spanish Caravan (?) (2)
8. My Wild Love (?) (3)
9. We Could Be So Good Together (?) (3)
10. Yes, the River Knows (?) (2+)
11. Five to One (3)

REVIEW: There's gotta be something wrong with a rating system that awards a 0 to an album I have in my collection and from which I like two songs. But it's because I dislike three of the other songs that I'm familiar with. Anyway, I'm sticking with the system through thick and thin, tweaking it now and then where I see fit.

ED'S TAKE:

803. The Doors--Waiting for the Sun (1968; #1)

1. Hello, I Love You (9) Nice riff and fuzz guitar....
2. Love Street (9) On the surface, not much, but its quite pretty
3. Not to Touch the Earth (8)
4. Summer's Almost Gone (9) Jimbo's great vocal and that guitar!
5. Wintertime Love (8) Quite odd as a Doors song but it works for me
6. The Unknown Soldier (8) A bit hokey with the sound effects
7. Spanish Caravan (8)
8. My Wild Love (8)
9. We Could Be So Good Together (8)
10. Yes, the River Knows (9)
11. Five to One (10)

OVERALL RATING: A somewhat weak 9

DISCUSSION: I remember quite distinctly how much flack this album got after The Doors self titled album and Strange Days. They decided to expand their sound a bit and many critics went wild. Still, the album did ok in sales and in listening to it after all these years, it IS inferior to those first two but not by THAT much....The ballads showed off Jim's voice in a different light. Anyway, a "throwaway" album to some, but I've enjoyed it over the years....

805. Creedence Clearwater Revival--Cosmo's Factory (1970; #1) (6)

805. Creedence Clearwater Revival--Cosmo's Factory (1970; #1) (6)

1. Ramble Tamble (?) (2)
2. Before You Accuse Me (?) (3+)
3. Travelin' Band (6)
4. Ooby Dooby (?) (2)
5. Lookin' Out My Back Door (8)
6. Run Through the Jungle (5)
7. Up Around the Bend (5)
8. My Baby Left Me (?) (5)
9. Who'll Stop the Rain? (7+)
10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (9)
11. Long As I Can See the Light (2)

REVIEW: I tend to remember the good stuff and forget about the lousy tracks, and thus I thought I might have higher than a 7 on my hands here, with three superlative tracks (Grapevine, Who'll Stop the Rain, Looking Out My Back Door) but they're mixed in with some stinkers (Long As I Can See the Light, Ooby Dooby) and a couple of near-misses (Up Around the Bend, Run Through the Jungle). I give it a 6.

ED'S TAKE:

805. Creedence Clearwater Revival--Cosmo's Factory (1970; #1) (2)

1. Ramble Tamble (9) (I keep thinking I underrated this one)
2. Before You Accuse Me (10) A great cover. Little things slay me. Like at a line in the verse, he accentuates each guitar stroke. Brilliant.
3. Travelin' Band (10) I thought I'd gotten a bit sick of it.....NOT!
4. Ooby Dooby (9). Ok, his vocals aren't as memorable as Orbison's but the mere fact he'd chose an early Sun/Orbison semi-hit is great.
5. Lookin' Out My Back Door (10)
6. Run Through the Jungle (10)
7. Up Around the Bend (10) Love THAT RIFF and John's vocal on this
9. Who'll Stop the Rain? (9)
10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (10) Can they pull off 11 minutes on this classic. YES! They did it with Susie Q (to my mind) and they do it here. Is it as GOOD as Gaye's. Surely better than Gladys' because it has the paranoia in tact.
11. Long As I Can See the Light (10) An absolutely wonderful vocal performance. He milks the notes.

OVERALL RATING: 10!!

DISCUSSION: Recently, I saw, on tv, Fogerty in concert. Wow! His voice hadn't aged a bit. And whoever was begin him instrumentally didn't miss a beat. What can I say? I loved CCR which is mostly loving John Fogerty. His voice, his guitar his compostional abilities, his sense of band dynamics, etc. His albums, mostly, were collections of singles, even if they weren't ever released as singles. Other than the Beatles, he exemplfies the notion of how saying "commercial" doesn't have to be a bad thing.....that somehow the "real music" had to be somehow compromised to sell records. This is powerful stuff and yet universal enough to be embraced by people with different tastes in music. I applaud John, especially after seeing that recent performance. Although he's gone thru trauma with the breakup of CCR which included a break with his own brother over Tom's siding with their ex-manager over royalty issues, etc. he seems to have survived with his talent entact. Up to Tom's ultimate death of AIDS (due to blood he received due to TB treatment), Tom and John were not on speaking terms.

I keep thinking of the years of waste of his talent. (He was actually sued at one time by Fantasy for writing a song that was supposedly a "copy" of an earlier song HE wrote. He won the suit. )

809. Billy Joel--52nd Street (1978; #1 (3 weeks)) (5)

809. Billy Joel--52nd Street (1978; #1 (3 weeks)) (5)

1. Big Shot (8)
2. Honesty (8)
3. My Life (9)
4. Zanzibar (?) (4)
5. Stiletto (7)
6. Rosalinda's Eyes (6)
7. Half a Mile Away (4)
8. Until the Night (3+)
9. 52nd Street (4)

REVIEW: Definitely the best opening trio of songs yet. But from there it falls off somewhat. "Stiletto" and "Rosalinda's Eyes" conjure up good memories for me, particularly because I'd go ice skating at a rink where this album was played a lot. This one is actually hurt by my familiarity with it, with only Zanzibar not standing out in my memory. I give it a 5, which only two albums (Hair and the Divine Miss M) have exceeded and one (Songs From the Big Chair) has tied.


ED'S TAKE:

809. Billy Joel--52nd Street (1978; #1)

1. Big Shot (6)
2. Honesty (6)
3. My Life (5) Sounds like the weaker side of Paul M. and/or Steely Dan
4. Zanzibar (6)
5. Stiletto (6) With the piano opening I thought it'd be better
6. Rosalinda's Eyes (6)
7. Half a Mile Away (7) Without the horns I'd have upped it to 8
8. Until the Night (6)
9. 52nd Street (8)

OVERALL RATING: 6

DISCUSSION: This is, by far, my weakest score to date. Why? I'm not exactly sure except to say that Joel wants to be thought of as an edgy rocker but remains a piano man. Sometimes, he reminds me of early Elton John and other times he reminds me of the worst part of Rupert Holmes....always trying to be clever and even when he was, you could see him mugging at his self satisfaction. Joel sounds like an egomaniac to me, if that's possible, even more so than a lot of the seeming self centered rappers or early blues men. Joel wants to be the "street punk" with his piano/voice as his fists and his "art" as the peacekeeper. It obviously has worked well for him during his career. But when I hear a song like "Pressure", it sounds like hoakum to me. A list. He probably is much better singing piano bar type songs, although some of them are not very listenable to me, even as MOR pop songs. (The worst of Paul M.)

There are artists whose career, for me, can be positively summed up in my collection by a few songs. (Even though I usually have their albums because I eventually bought them on the cheap). With Heart (one of those bands), I'd take "Magic Man" and a few others that escape me. That would be enough although I think Ann's voice, in her prime, was dynamite. With Joel, give me "Allentown" and "Goodnight Saigon" and keep the rest. And, PLEASE keep the following away from me......"It's Just the Way You Are", "My Kinda Life", "It's Still Rock n Roll To Me", "We Didn't Start the Fire", "Tell Her About It" and "Uptown Girl". Sorry Billy. You don't need me and I don't need you.

823. Nazareth--Hair of the Dog (1975) (1)

823. Nazareth--Hair of the Dog (1975) (1)

1. Hair of the Dog (2)
2. Miss Misery (?) (2)
3. Love Hurts (8+)
4. Guilty (European edition) (?) (3)
5. Changin' Times (?) (2)
6. Beggars Day (?) (3)
7. Rose in the Heather (?) (3)
8. Whiskey Drinkin' Woman (?) (2)
9. Please Don't Judas Me (?) (2)
10. Down (remastered edition) (?) (2)
11. Railroad Boy (remastered edition) (?) (2)

REVIEW: Only one song like on here--of course, Love Hurts. A 1.


ED'S TAKE:

823 HAIR OF THE DOG - NAZARETH

1. Hair of the Dog ++7 I need more cowbell.....love the chorus thing with the altered voices)
2. Miss Misery ++7 (Wow! This is pretty good hard rock sludge)
3. Love Hurts ++7 (classic hard rock ballad...I need to check out the Everlys)
4. Changin Times - +4 (too generic, even for hard rock)
5. Beggar's Day ++7 (too much AC/DC in the vocals)
6. Rose in the Heather ++7
7. Whiskey Drinkin Woman ++7
8. Please Don't Judas Me +++8 (The guitar does it)

OVERALL RATING: 7

DISCUSSION: Ok, I may have blown it! I mean, I had Phish and Nazareth in the palm of my hands and found a way to give them both "7"'s, meaning, to me anyway, "listenable with some reservation". And, to boot, I prefer the sludge of Nazareth over the instrumental prowess of Phish. (That part doesn't surprise me). I've already looked at my list thru #800 and find no other suspect albums except maybe Billy Joel (ok, I don't love him but he is a songwriter of some talent) and Helmet (I've liked them but never quite can remember anything they've done, even after collecting 3 or 4 of their albums.). I didn't LOVE New Morning (Dylan) but it WAS overrated because of the odious "Self Portrait".

We used to have a rock critic in Cleveland who, in the mid 60's was ALREADY in her 50's, hanging out with the Stones etc. when they came to town. She had the look of an eccentric librarian or teacher, at least 10 years older than she really was, and she'd come into concerts always late, dropping pencils and papers behind her. As she got even older, she found that she couldn't be truly critical. She wrote positive reviews about EVERYONE....about the only way you knew who she liked musically and who she didn't is by the reviews that ignored the music and dealt mainly with the "look" of the band, their politeness in interview, etc. Eventually, they had her write music pieces but NOT reviews. Am I BECOMING Jane Scott? (Ok, I'm NOT wearing a dress here as I sit at the computer but, then again, the Stones aren't asking me to interview them either.)

I need an album here to tear apart as a cleansing process. One could say "a musical enema" but one would no doubt have his hands slapped for that kind of talk.

817. The Cars--Panorama (1980; #5) (0)

817. The Cars--Panorama (1980; #5) (0)

1. Panorama (?) (2)
2. Touch and Go (9)
3. Gimme Some Slack (4)
4. Don't Tell Me No (3)
5. Getting Through (2)
6. Misfit Kid (?) (3)
7. Down Boys (?) (2)
8. You Wear Those Eyes (?) (3)
9. Running to You (?) (2+)
10. Up and Down (?) (3)

REVIEW: This (and others) exposes a flaw in my rating system. For Ed, the flaw that he's finding is on the high end, in that he assigns a lot of 10s, and there's no higher rating available for the ones that he expects to be the classics we'll see later on. For me, the flaw is more at the lower end--I just got through thoroughly trashing "All Eyez on Me" and gave it a 1; and now this album, which is IMO much better and much more tolerable, gets a 0. Why? Because I know more songs from the Cars album, some of which I dislike and they get points deducted, whereas from the 2Pac album I don't know any other songs than California Love, which gets a point. Anyway, this is probably my least favorite Cars album, with only one song I like, Touch and Go, which is one my favorites from them. Overall, though, a 0.

ED'S TAKE:

817. The Cars--Panorama (19800

1. Panorama (8)
2. Touch and Go (10)
3. Gimme Some Slack (8)
4. Don't Tell Me No (8)
5. Getting Through (9)
6. Misfit Kid (9)
7. Down Boys (8)
8. You Wear Those Eyes (8)
9. Running to You (9)
10. Up and Down (8)

OVERALL RATING: 8

DISCUSSION: I really like the cars, especially their first album. Whatever you call the style, I;ve mentioned I truly like the kind of vocalizing that came out around then. I've mentioned, besides Ric, people like David Byrne (Talking Heads) and Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music) who had it too. Even the less stellar songs here are saved to my "listenable without reservation" because of Ric's vocal stylings and, sometimes, the quirky beats. And, like you, I REALLY like "Touch and Go".

And, while I DO sometimes worry that I'm being too generous with my song evaluations while leads to inflated album evaluations, I'm NOT concerned about "10's now vs. later. I went into this thing assuming that I'd be just as likely finding "10",s in the end of the list as in the beginning. I've often mentioned (ok, twice) that with my favorite rock lists put out by www.fastnbulbous.com, I'm often as taken by their #250 of a given year as I am their #12. I'm used to that. Remember, I gave Animal Collective 10's.

820. Soundtrack--O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000; #1) (6)

820. Soundtrack--O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000; #1) (6)

1. James Carter and the Prisoners--Po' Lazarus (5)
2. Harry McClintock--Big Rock Candy Mountain (6)
3. Norman Blake--You Are My Sunshine (7+)
4. Alison Krauss--Down in the River to Pray (5+)
5. Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski--Man of Constant Sorrow (5)
6. Chris Thomas King--Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (?) (2)
7. Norman Blake--Man of Constant Sorrow (5)
8. The Whites--Keep on the Sunny Side (5)
9. Allison Krauss and Gillian Welch--I'll Fly Away (8+)
10. Emmylou Harris, Allison Krauss, and Gillian Welch--Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby (?) (5) (what a scene though--"I seen 'em first!"--John Turturro)
11. Leah, Sarah, and Hannah Peasall--In the Highways (?) (2)
12. The Cox Family of Cotton Valley, Louisiana--I Am Weary, Let Me Rest (?) (3+)
13. John Hartford--Man of Constant Sorrow (4)
14. Ralph Stanley--O Death (2)
15. Soggy Bottom Boys and Tim Blake Nelson--In the Jailhouse Now (6)
16. Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski--Man of Constant Sorrow (with band) (5)
17. John Hartford--Indian War Whoop (?) (3)
18. The Fairfield Four--Lonesome Valley (?) (4)
19. The Stanley Brothers--Angel Band (?) (2)

REVIEW: This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and the music is inseperable from it. This album was the first to give me at least an appreciation of bluegrass music. Of course, the angelic voice of Allison Krauss didn't hurt. I considered the multiple versions of "Man of Constant Sorrow" as one when calculating the rating. I give it a 6 overall, but of course it would be much higher if linked to the movie itself.


ED'S TAKE

820. Soundtrack--O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000)

1. James Carter and the Prisoners--Po' Lazarus (+++ 8)
2. Harry McClintock--Big Rock Candy Mountain (++ 5)
3. Norman Blake--You Are My Sunshine (+++9)
4. Alison Krauss--Down in the River to Pray (++7)
5. Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski--Man of Constant Sorrow (+++10)
6. Chris Thomas King--Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (+++8)
7. Norman Blake--Man of Constant Sorrow (++7)
8. The Whites--Keep on the Sunny Side (+++9) I love those less than perfect voices with this kind of music.
9. Allison Krauss and Gillian Welch--I'll Fly Away (+++9)
10. Emmylou Harris, Allison Krauss, and Gillian Welch--Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby (+++8) The singers and the harmonies are beautiful but I miss the rawness of some of the other ensemble singing...
11. Leah, Sarah, and Hannah Peasall--In the Highways (++6)
12. The Cox Family of Cotton Valley, Louisiana--I Am Weary, Let Me Rest (+++9)
13. John Hartford--Man of Constant Sorrow (+++8)
14. Ralph Stanley--O Death (+++10) chilling voice
15. Soggy Bottom Boys and Tim Blake Nelson--In the Jailhouse Now (+++9)
16. Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski--Man of Constant Sorrow (with band) (+++9)
17. John Hartford--Indian War Whoop (+++8)
18. The Fairfield Four--Lonesome Valley (++7)
19. The Stanley Brothers--Angel Band (+++9)

OVERALL RATING: 9

DISCUSSION: I love the movie - I love the music. Considering all but a couple are "covers", the album has both a purity and a grit that I appreciate. And I realized that Clooney can act.

822. Green Day--Nimrod (1997; #10) (2)

822. Green Day--Nimrod (1997; #10) (2)
1. Nice Guys Finish Last (?) (3)
2. Hitchin' a Ride (2)
3. The Grouch (?) (2)
4. Redundant (6)
5. Scattered (?) (2)
6. All the Time (?) (3)
7. Worry Rock (?) (2)
8. Platypus (I Hate You) (?) (1)
9. Uptight (?) (2)
10. Last Ride In (?) (3)
11. Jinx (?) (3)
12. Haushinka (?) (2)
13. Walking Alone (?) (2)
14. Reject (?) (2)
15. Take Back (?) (1)
16. King for a Day (?) (4)
17. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) (7+)
18. Prosthetic Head (?) (2)

REVIEW: Knew 3 of the songs here, and like two of them, with #17 being one of my favorites from them. A lot of other unfamiliar stuff, but pretty much to Green Day form, though I'd say #8 and #15 probably harken back to the sound they had before the GD purists say they sold out. A 2 from me.

ED'S TAKE:

822 - GREEN DAY - NIMROD

1. Nice Guys Finish Last +++9
2. Hitchin a Ride +++10
3. The Grouch +++10
4. Redundant +++9
5. Scattered +++9
6. All the Time +++9
7. Worry Rock +++8
8. Platypus (I Hate You) +++8
9. Uptight +++9
10. Last Ride In +++9
11. Jinx +++8
12. Haushinka +++8
13. Walking Alone +++9
14. Reject +++8
15. Take Back +++9 (a little screamo in there)
16. King for a Day +++9
17. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) +++9
18. Prosthetic Head +++9

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 9

DISCUSSION: I aways liked Green Day's version of punk pop. I also got a real kick out of the fact that their rep was so varied that if you went on ANY punk board ANYWHERE and began a topic "SO HOW COOL IS GREEN DAY?" or "IS GREEN DAY PUNK"? or better yet, "IS GREEN DAY THE BEST PUNK BAND AROUND"? you'd get 100 posts a day, most suggesting that Green Day was NOT punk, never WAS punk and never WOULD BE punk, not so much because of the infectious quality of their music suggesting pop influences, but rather because "GREEN DAY DIDN'T/DOESN'T LIVE THE PUNK LIFESTYLE". I never quite got exactly what that meant but it probably had something to do with their popularity. It was their punk duty to remain poor and live in squalor. Weirdly, a lot of those "fans" that turned on them when they got MTV exposure actually didn't get so mad when their "AMERICAN IDIOT" became a monster hit. It taught me something important though. All those people who referred to me as a "hippie" in the 60's were dead wrong. I was in the Army at the time (circa 65-71) and no one can live the "hippie life style" in the Army. Oh sure, I blew some weed and popped some pills and drank some cough syrup (Romilar CF was MY personal choice) but I had to keep my hair decently cropped and even in Korean and Thailand, they frowned on communal living on post except man on man (?). I actually had to go thru a checkpost to even leave the post, let alone indulge in any female companionship. I won't even get into the time I signed a transvestite hooker onto post as my "date". Well I thought it was funny. And kinda hippie in a perverse way

825. XTC--Oranges and Lemons (1989: #44) (3)

825. XTC--Oranges and Lemons (1989: #44) (3)

1. Garden of Earthly Delights (?) (2)
2. Mayor of Simpleton (7+)
3. King for a Day (7)
4. Here Comes President Kill Again (?) (2)
5. The Loving (?) (2)
6. Poor Skeleton Steps Out (?) (2)
7. One of the Millions (?) (2)
8. Scarecrow People (?) (2)
9. Merely a Man (?) (3)
10. Cynical Days (?) (2)
11. Across This Antheap (?) (2)
12. Hold Me My Daddy (?) (2)
13. Pink Thing (?) (2)
14. Miniature Sun (?) (2)
15. Chalkhills and Children (?) (3+) (Beach-Boyesque)

REVIEW: A couple of nice songs (Mayor, King) surrounded by the quirky, Beatle-influenced sounds of XTC. I give it a 3.

ED'S TAKE:

XTC - ORANGES AND LEMONS

1. Garden of Earthly Delights +++9
2. Mayor of Simpleton +++9
3. King for A day +++9
4. Here Comes President Kill Again +++8
5. The Loving +++8
6. Poor Skeleton Steps Out +++9
7. One of the Millions +++10
8. Scarecrow People +++9
9. Merely a Man +++9
10. Cynical Days +++8
11. Across the Antheap +++9
12. Hold Me My Daddy +++9
13. Pink Thing +++9
14. Miniature Sun +++8
15. Chalkhills and Children +++10

OVERALL RATING: 9

DISCUSSION: At the risk of sounding like I have a never ending list of favorites, I DO have great love for the pop sensibility of XTC and have collected their works since 1978's "White Music". This one, 1989, may have suffered a bit of initial downgrading because I was so in love with the one before it, "Skylarking" (1986), that I didn't give it its due. When one listens to XTC, the word that comes to mind is "catchy".....actually "catchy" and "intelligent". One thing I remember that was interesting to me. In watching/listening to the great post-punk film, "Urgh" (and who, may I ask, of my friends, borrowed "Urgh" and never returned it. I asked every possible lendee and everyone of you shrugged as if you never heard of it. I've been trying to replace it ever since but it is a bit on the expensive side and you know how frugile I try to be with such things.)....anyway, on "Urgh", XTC appears and does one of their great songs, "This Is Pop?" from that first album and it sounded so much "edgier" in approach than on the album. I wonder. Clearly, some groups either don't seem to be able to convey their edge on record or don't want to. The recording process seems to round off their edges somehow. Anway, I'm not complaining. I love XTC's "catchiness and intelligence" and never wanted them to keep repeating "Skylarking" anyway, as good as it was.

832. Steve Winwood--Arc of a Diver (1980: #3) (3)

832. Steve Winwood--Arc of a Diver (1980: #3) (3)

1. While You See a Chance (8+)
2. Arc of a Diver (5+)
3. Second-Hand Woman (?) (-)
4. Slowdown Sundown (?) (4)
5. Spanish Dancer (?) (3)
6. Night Train (?) (2)
7. Dust (?) (-)

REVIEW: Only 4/7 tracks available via YT. I like the first two. Smooth sound. I give it a 3.


ED'S TAKE:

#832 STEVE WINWOOD - ARC OF A DIVER

1. While You See A Chance ++7
2. Arc of a Diver ++5
3. Second Hand Woman ++6
4. Slowdown Sundown ++7
5. Spanish Dancer ++6
6. Night Train ++6
7. Dust ++7 (the song gives us some of that Winwood soul)

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 6

COMMENTS: I'm getting sick, already, listening to these artist/group "makeovers". We've heard the post-Gabriel Genesis, the new and unimproved Yes, and now the slick/MOR pop Steve. I don't much like it. I'm think back to the greatness of Steve and Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith and now this. A major disappointment, especially when you can still hear his soulfulness, regardless of the material and the arrangements.

833. Electric Light Orchestra--Eldorado (1974; #16) (2)

833. Electric Light Orchestra--Eldorado (1974; #16) (2)

1. Eldorado Overture (3)
2. Can't Get It Out of My Head (8+)
3. Boy Blue (?) (2)
4. Laredo Tornado (?) (2)
5. Poor Boy (The Greenwood) (?) (2)
6. Mister Kingdom (?) (3) (sounds too much like Across the Universe)
7. Nobody's Child (?) (2)
8. Illusions in G Major (?) (3)
9. Eldorado (?) (2)
10. Eldorado Finale (?) (2)

REVIEW: As with the previous album, this is one of my least favorite albums from a band that I like quite a lot of material from. Only Can't Get It Out of My Head rises above the crowd here. A 2.

ED'S TAKE
#833 ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - Eldorado

1. Eldorado (overture) +4
2. Can't Get It Out Of My Head +++9
3. Boy Blue ++7
4. Laredo Tornado ++7
5. Poor Boy (The Greenwood) ++5
6. Mister Kingdom ++7
7. Nobody's Child +++8
8. Illusions in G Major +++8
9. Eldorado ++7
10. Eldorado (Finale) +4

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 7

COMMENTS: I don't remember the "highpoints" of this album being so disappointing to me. I thought it WAS, in fact, a rather nice ode to the Beatles more "orchestral" pretensions, at least back when. Now most of this just seems overripe to me. Listenable, but with DEFINITE reservations.

836. Guns n Roses--Use Your Illusion II (1991; #1) (0)

836. Guns n Roses--Use Your Illusion II (1991; #1) (0)

1. Civil War (2)
2. 14 Years (?) (3)
3. Yesterdays (4)
4. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (7)
5. Get in the Ring (?) (1)
6. Shotgun Blues (?) (1)
7. Breakdown (?) (2)
8. Pretty Tied Up (?) (2)
9. Locomotive (?) (2)
10. So Fine (?) (2)
11. Estranged (?) (3)
12. You Could Be Mine (2)
13. Don't Cry (Alternate Lyrics) (9)
14. My World (?) (1)

REVIEW: Except for the two tracks (5&6), a tolerable album. One great track (Don't Cry), another good one (Knockin' on Heaven's Door cover) offset by a few mediocre ones (Civil War, Yesterdays, You Could Be Mine). Those round out the tracks I know. It gets a 0.

ED'S TAKE:

#836 - GUNS AND ROSES - USE YOUR ILLUSION II

1. Civil War - +++8
2. 14 Years +++8
3. Yesterdays ++6
4. Knockin On Heaven's Door ++6
5. Get In the Ring +++4
6. Shotgun Blues ++3
7. Breakdown ++7
8. Pretty Tied Up +++8
9. Locomotive +++6
10. So Fine +++6
11. Estranged +++6
12. You Could Be Mine +++9
13. Don't Cry (Alt) +++8
14..My World ++6

overall rating : 6

COMMENT: What happened to these guys? I think I know. I remember clearly when I first heard them on tv. I thought they were the saviors of heavy metal/hard rock. Talk about stars burnin and then buring out rather quickly.

837. Squeeze--East Side Story (1981) (0)

837. Squeeze--East Side Story (1981) (0)

1. In Quintessence (2)
2. Someone Else's Heart (?) (3)
3. Tempted (9)
4. Picadilly (?) (3)
5. There's No Tomorrow (?) (4) (Abbey Roadish)
6. Heaven (?) (-)
7. Woman's World (?) (3+)
8. Is That Love (3)
9. F-Hole (?) (-)
10. Labelled with Love (?) (2)
11. Someone Else's Bell (?) (-)
12. Mumbo Jumbo (?) (-)
13. Vanity Fair (?) (-)
14. Messed Around (2)

REVIEW: When I saw the album cover it sparked memories--I didn't have the album that I recall, but I did have a huge poster of the cover that I hung in my college dorm room. Listening to what I could of this album (only 6 of the 14 tracks were available online in full length; I knew 4 of them) was disappointing--three of the four I knew are some of my least-favorite Squeeze songs. Only their all-time biggest hit, Tempted, is one I like (and it's a beauty). It gets a 0, and would probably stay there unless some of the other 8 songs that I only heard 30 seconds of turned out to be better than I thought from the clips).

ED'S TAKE

#837 SQUEEZE - EAST SIDE STORY

1. In Quintessence - +++9
2. Someone Else's Heart +++10
3. Tempted +++10
4. Piccadilly +++9
5. There's No Tommorrow +++10
6. Heaven +++9
7. Woman's World +++9
8. Is That Love +++9
9. F-Hole +++9
10. Labelled With Love +++9
11. Someone Else's Bell +++9
12. Mumbo Jumbo +++9
13. Vanity Fair +++10
14. Messed Around +++10

OVERALL RATING : 9

Comments: Has Dillford/Tilbrook EVER written a truly bad song? Their songwriting skills are ridiculous. It's funny. I don't recall ever being aware of the production on this album but as I listened to it again, I was immediately wondering how Elvis Costello would do singing these songs. They seemed right for him. Come to find out he produced the album.

839. Yes--90125 (1983, #5) (4)

839. Yes--90125 (1983, #5) (4)

1. Owner of a Lonely Heart (7+)
2. Hold On (?) (2)
3. It Can Happen (2)
4. Changes (7)
5. Cinema (?) (2)
6. Leave It (8)
7. Our Song (?) (2)
8. City of Love (?) (2)
9. Hearts (?) (2)

REVIEW: (Mostly) good stuff. Three very good tracks--Owner, Changes, Leave It.
A good "comeback" album that represented a different direction for the band. A little overproduced by the heavy hand of Trevor Horn. 4


ED'S TAKE

#839 Yes - 90125

1. Owner of a Lonely Hearts ++7 (engaging, in a synth pop way, but I don't like it THAT much)
2. Hold On - ++5 (quite boring)
3. It Can Happen ++4
4. Changes +++8
5. Cinema ++7
6. Leave It ++5
7. Our Song ++6
8. City of Love ++5
9. Hearts ++6

OVERALL RATING: 6

COMMENTS: I think I overrated this one. I'm torn between my view of them as one of the better progressive bands around vs. the disappointment on this "big comeback", altering their signature sound with a synth wash that doesn't work for me, except in small sections. Frankly, I'll take "Close to the Edge", "Fragile" and the earlier ones ANY DAY over this one. I'm still in shock over the gushy review this gets from allmusic...."a stunning self reinvention" (yeah, I WAS stunned alright!)....."the slick production of Trevor Horn" (you got that right....is that a GOOD thing?)......'the return of prodigal keyboardist Tony Kaye, whose crisp synth work on "Changes" marked the band's definitive break with its art rock roots." (is that to be taken as ANOTHER GOOD THING?)...."but there's nary a duff track on the album" (who IS Paul Collins, the allmusic reviewer, and why would he say such a thing?".) Just kidding Paul. You're entitled to your musical quirks and so am I. I keep wondering why I gave this a "6". After all, in my book, a "6" is an album that is listenable with some reservation. A "4" would mean "serious reservation". Again, a close call.

842. Procol Harum (1967) (4)

842. Procol Harum (1967) (4)
US Release Track Listing

1. Whiter Shade of Pale (9)
2. She Wandered Through the Garden Fence (?) (2)
3. Something Following Me (?) (3)
4. Mabel (?) (3)
5. Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of) (?) (2)
6. A Christmas Camel (?) (3)
7. Conquistador (9+)
8. Kaleidoscope (?) (3)
9. Salad Days (Are Here Again) (?) (2)
10. Repent Walpurgis (?) (3+)

REVIEW: Two great songs, at least on the American release (Whiter did not appear on the UK release). I give it a 4 on the strength of those two.

ED'S TAKE:

#842 PROCOL HARUM - ST

1. A Whiter Shade of Pale +++10 (can I give an 11?)
2. She Wandered Thru the Garden Fence +++9
3. Something Following Me +++10
4. Mabel +++9
5. Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of) +++10
6. Christmas Camel +++10
7. Conquistador +++10
8. Kaleidoscope +++10
9. Salad Days (Are Here Again) +++10
10. Repent Walpurgis +++9

OVERALL RATING: 10

This is one of those albums that I remember listening to for the first time. I can't remember the date or even where I was except at home. It had to be shortly after it was released. I must say, in listening to it now, it was even more mindblowing then, having a very distinctive sound for its time. Perhaps some of the song ratings are a bit inflated, influenced by how I felt listening to it back then. Then again, I've never been sick of hearing "Whiter Shade....".

844. Gnarls Barkley--St. Elsewhere (2006; #4) (3)

844. Gnarls Barkley--St. Elsewhere (2006; #4) (3)

1. Go-Go Gadget Gospel (?) (2)
2. Crazy (9+) (possibly the best song of the decade)
3. St. Elsewhere (?) (2)
4. Gone Daddy Gone (7)
5. Smiley Faces (?) (3)
6. The Boogie Monster (?) (2)
7. Feng Shui (?) (2)
8. Just a Thought (?) (1)
9. Transformer (?) (2)
10. Who Cares? (?) (3)
11. Online (?) (2)
12. Necromancer (?) (1)
13. Storm Coming (?) (1)
14. The Last Time (?) (2)

REVIEW: Not much to hear other than the big hit and the cover of the Violent Femmes song. Those two are very good, but not enough to stretch out over a 14-track album. It gets a 3.

ED'S TAKE:

#844 GNARLS BARKLEY - ST. ELSEWHERE

1. Go Go Gadget Gospel +++8
2. Crazy +++10 (still sounds great, even after the overplay)
3. St. Elsewhere +++8 (I like the vocals more than the song)
4. Gone Daddy Gone +++9 (cover of the great Violent Femmes song...)
5. Smiley Faces +++8
6. The Boogie Monster +++9 (fun)
7. Feng Sui ++7
8. Just a Thought +++9
9. Transformer +++8
10. Who Cares? +++9
11, On Line +++8
12. Necromancer +++8
13. Storm Coming ++7
14. The Last Time +++8

OVERALL RATING: 8

COMMENTS: This is a rather odd album. The main "selling point" for me is the voice of Cee-Lo Green which is twisted pop/soul. The songs are quite twisted, too but frankly I seldom think of them. If I did, I'd have to reassess the entire album and I'm not ready to do that yet. Words like "She was cool when I met her, but I think I like her better dead" makes one pause for reflection. Anyway, my favorite is, oddly, the least experimental in structure. Crazy, indeed. In the right mood, this one could surely be deserving a "9". Then again, in the wrong mood, Bad Brains could be lowered to a "7".

(I was looking back to some ratings I gave albums based on a list Lexis found somewhere and I gave "Pet Sounds" a 9. I KNOW that with my present rating sensibilities, that album would SURELY get a "10"....and it, no doubt, will when we find it somewhere in the Top 10.)

848. Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto--Getz/Gilberto (1964) (4)

848. Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto--Getz/Gilberto (1964) (4)

1. The Girl from Ipanema (9+) (the ultimate version--the sultry voice of Astrud Gilberto followed by the soothing sax of Stan Getz--an unbeatable combination! Transports you to the beaches of Brazil, even if you've never been there.)
2. Doralice (?) (2)
3. Para Machuchar Meu Coracao (?) (2)
4. Desafinado (6)
5. Corcavado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (6+)
6. So Danco Samba (?) (2)
7. O Grande Amor (?) (3)
8. Vivo Sonhando (?) (2)

REVIEW: A wonderful marriage of American jazz and Brazilian samba. Astrud Gilberto's vocals are heavenly. A 4.

ED'S TAKE:
#848 - STAN GETZ/JOAO GILBERTO - ST

1. The Girl From Ipanema +++10
2. Doralice +++8(not a favorite but Getz' horn makes up for it)
3. P'ra Machucar Meu Coracao +++10
4. Desafinado +++9
5. Corcovado +++10
6. So Danco Samba +++10
7. O Grande Amor +++10
8. Vivo Sohando +++10

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 10

COMMENTS: What happened? I wrote this and then somehow wiped it out before I posted it. Regardless, this brings up the subject of including jazz albums in an essential rock/pop survey. What is the criteria? With critics, I haven't a clue except that some actually limit such inclusions to albums that somehow reflect a rock sensibility within the framework of rock (like some of Miles Davis' jazz/rock syntheses.) But this is a FAN survey, so enough fans thought they'd include it. Because it made such a big splash with non-jazz fans who embraced bossa nova even though they may have not been familiar with Getz and one of the great jazz sax players, it actually makes more sense than the inclusion of John Coltrane who is waiting in the wings. Coltrane WAS a hardcore jazz stylist who did NOT receive any real rock/pop exposure. I wonder how many "votes" he needed to be included? Regardless, as the reviewer from allmusic said of this Getz/Gilberto album, it's "beyond essential".

BTW, it is interesting (to me anyway) that the vocals on "Ipanema" were done by Astrud Gilberto, Joao's wife, who had never sung outside of her own home until this session. Amazing.

851. Bette Midler--The Divine Miss M (1972; #9) (7)

851. Bette Midler--The Divine Miss M (1972; #9) (7)

1. Do You Wanna Dance? (6)
2. Chapel of Love (6)
3. Superstar (6)
4. Daytime Hustler (?) (2)
5. Am I Blue (?) (3)
6. Friends (?) (2)
7. Hello in There (?) (3)
8. Leader of the Pack (5+)
9. Delta Dawn (6)
10. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (7+)
11. Friends (?) (2)

REVIEW: This ties Hair for my highest rated album so far. But I'd put Hair above it because that uses all original music, whereas this one is all cover versions. Still, she chooses good material, although she goes over the top with some of it (especially Leader of the Pack).

ED'S TAKE:

#851 - Bette Midler - Divine Miss M

1. Do You Wanna Dance ++7 (the breathless quality is a bit overdone...I'll take Thurston Harris)
2. Chapel of Love ++7 a decent cover of a great girl group classic
3. Superstar +++8
4. Daytime Hustler +++8
5. Am I Blue +++8
6. Friends +++8 (less is more here....she doesn't oversing or over posture....I like it!)
7. Hello In There - +++8 (a bit theatrical but a great Prine song)
8. Leader of the Pack ++7 (this is a pretty good cover but they hardly ever work for me completely if I truly liked the original.)
9. Delta Dawn ++7
10. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy +++8
11. Friends +++8

OVERALL RATING: 8 (bordering on "listenable with reservations")

COMMENTS: I've mentioned my feelings about Bette before. In her early days, I loved her rawness and brassiness, bouncing on stage with her equally outrageous singers, the Harlets, behind her. Yes, she was always a bit theatrical, as if singing was ALWAYS acting, even without a stage show or a movie script. Barbra Striesand was that way, too, which made me embrace her immediately. Unfortunately, the drama/theatricality can irritate, too. I can't listen to a Celine Dion song without not only HEARING the theaticality but actually see it in memories of the times I've seen her on tv pounding her chest. For me, it worked, mostly, for Bette until Beaches. With her hit with "Wind Beneath My Wings" she seemed to lose her ability to emote without sounding overly dramatic. Her over-the-top version of "From a Distance" didn't help any. Essentially, I gave up on her. She had entered the realm of those stars who dramatize EVERYTHING and do so in an overly syrupy/sentimental way. With the songs here, she was able to rein in the drama....I like it.

852. Emmylou Harris--Luxury Liner (1977) (2)

852. Emmylou Harris--Luxury Liner (1977) (2)
1. Luxury Liner (?) (4+)
2. Pancho and Lefty (?) (3)
3. Making Believe (?) (3)
4. You're Supposed to Be Feeling Good (?) (3)
5. I'll Be Your San Antone Rose (?) (3)
6. (You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie (8)
7. When I Stop Dreaming (?) (2)
8. Hello Stranger (with Nicolette Larson) (?) (3+)
9. She (?) (3)
10. Tulsa Queen (?) (2+)

REVIEW: I knew nothing from this album, but I liked the cover of the Chuck Berry song, You Never Can Tell. So it gets a 2.

ED'S TAKE:

#852 - Luxury Liner - Emmylou Harris

1. Luxury Liner +++9
2. Pancho & Lefty +++10
3. Making Believe +++10
4. You're Supposed To Be Feeling Good +++10
5. I'll Be Your San Antone Rose +++9
6. (You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie +++9 (nice cover of a great Chuck Berry tune)
7. When I Stop Dreaming +++10
8. Hello Stranger +++10
9. She +++10
10. Tulsa Queen +++9

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 10

COMMENT: I hadn't heard this one in awhile and was blown away by its beauty. Emmylou's voice has always been a wonder to me but as time has gone on, I've come to a conclusion that her aging voice has got even better with the slight imperfections.....believing that, if anything, her voice was TOO pure sometimes to convey angst. I was wrong. I guess I've always struggled trying to figure out why I almost always enjoyed Emmylou's voice but often had problems with Joan Baez. While there is a LOT of differences between their voices, stylistically, they both have a "purity" to them. I think a lot of it might be intonation. Whatever it is, this album was a beauty and still is.

853. Fleetwood Mac--The Dance (N/R) (1997; #1)

853. Fleetwood Mac--The Dance (N/R) (1997; #1)
1. The Chain (8+)
2. Dreams (9)
3. Everywhere (2+)
4. Rhiannon (7+)
5. I'm So Afraid (?) (2)
6. Temporary One (?) 2)
7. Bleed to Love Her (?) (2)
8. Big Love (1)
9. Landslide (8)
10. Say You Love Me (7+)
11. My Little Demon (?) (2)
12. Silver Springs (8)
13. You Make Loving Fun (8+)
14. Sweet Girl (?) (2)
15. Go Your Own Way (8)
16. Tusk (9)
17. Don't Stop (9)

REVIEW: No rating as it is a live album made up mostly of older material. It's a very good live album, particularly the final two tracks in which they're accompanied by the USC Marching Band. Of course, they were featured on the original version of Tusk (does anyone have any idea what that song means?), but sound great on the version of Don't Stop.

ED'S TAKE:

#853 - FLEETWOOD MAC - THE DANCE:

1. The Chain - +++8 (I'll take the original on this one...I prefer the original vocals)
2. Dreams - +++8 (ditto)
3. Everywhere ++7 (like the guitar riff, though)
4. Rhiannon +++8 (Stevie is staying away from the high notes)
5. I'm So Afraid +++ 8 (Allmusic singled out Lindsay's voice as not being as good and Stevie and Christine's being wonderful.....I think they all are showing their age in some songs here)
6. Temporary One +++8 (The song isn't as good as the oldies above but it IS an original and there's nothing to compare it to....and Christine DOES sound good here....
7. Bleed to Love Her +++8 ....another original...
8. Big Love +++9 ....here's a remake that sounds GREAT! Buckingham's voice sounds stronger with this one....
9. Landslide +++10....another remake that sounds quite wonderful
10. Say You Love Me +++8
11. My Little Demon +++9
12. Silver Springs +++9 (a beauty...a song about the Nicks/Buckingham relationship that was originally left off Rumours...it comes alive here)
13. You Make Lovin Fun +++ 9 ....Christine is straining...
14. Sweet Girl +++ 9 (an album original....Stevie sounds good here)
15. Go Your Own Way +++9 ....still a great song. One of the few songs where the group singing sounds like the original. It has something to do with the blend, I guess.
16. Tusk +++9
17. Don't Stop +++8 (nice guitar...don't like the horns)

OVERALL RATING: 9

comments: I expected to rate this lower. Why? Because I'd expected the remakes to suffer. Some of them did but not THAT much. I had some general problems with some of the chorus singing that didn't sound like the old Mac. On a few songs, Lindsey and the others sounded as if their voices wouldn't allow them to hit the high notes. On others, they seemed ok. The great songs are still great, as songs, though. Overall, much better than I'd imagined. BTW, in case I didn't express it, I thought the Nicks/Buckingham version of Fleetwood Mac was one of the great pop/rock groups EVER. Three exceptional vocalists, three exceptional songwriters and a wonderful instrumental sound.

861. Old & in the Way--Old & in the Way (3) (1975)

861. Old & in the Way--Old & in the Way (3) (1975)
1. Pig in a Pen (?) (1)
2. Midnight Moonlight (?) (4+)
3. Old and in the Way (?) (4)
4. Knockin' on Your Door (?) (3)
5. The Hobo Song (?) (2+)
6. Panama Red (7+)
7. Wild Horses (6)
8. Kissimmee Kid (?) (3)
9. White Dove (?)
10. Land of the Navajo (?) (5)

REVIEW: I get the feeling that this is the first of many Dead-related albums we'll see on this list. Interesting bluegrass material. I'll give it a 3 for now.

ED'S TAKE:


861. Old & in the Way--Old & in the Way (1975)

1. Pig in a Pen (7)
2. Midnight Moonlight (7)
3. Old and in the Way (7)
4. Knockin' on Your Door (7)
5. The Hobo Song (7)
6. Panama Red (7)
7. Wild Horses (9)
8. Kissimmee Kid (7)
9. White Dove (9) ...the kind of harmony I love in bluegrass)
10. Land of the Navajo (7)

OVERALL RATING: 7

comments: Good bluegrass but sometimes sounding a bit generic. Great picking and nice harmonies/lead singing but seldom mindblowing stuff. I miss the bluegrass vocal whine.

862. Randy Newman--Sail Away (0) (1972)

862. Randy Newman--Sail Away (0) (1972)

1. Sail Away (2+)
2. Lonely At the Top (2)
3. He Gives Us All His Love (?) (4)
4. Last Night I Had a Dream (?) (2)
5. Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (1)
6. Old Man (?) (3+)
7. Political Science (8)
8. Burn On (?) (2)
9. Memo to My Son (?) (4)
10. Dayton, Ohio--1903 (?) (4)
11. You Can Leave Your Hat On (7)
12. God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) (?) (2)

REVIEW: Two good/great songs here, including my personal favorite from him, Political Science. Nothing else catches my ear, and a few songs I dislike offset the good ones, so it gets a 0.

ED'S TAKE:
862. Randy Newman--Sail Away (1972)

1. Sail Away (10)...part of my reason for not liking Bobby Darin too much is seeing him do this song on Ed Sullivan as a song of unbridled patriotism. Newman should have sued. "In America, every man is free, to take care of his home and his family, you'll be as happy as a monkey in a monkey tree, come along little wog sail away with me....sail away sail away, we'll cross the mighty ocean to the Charleston Bay...."
2. Lonely At the Top (10) great arrangement
3. He Gives Us All His Love (10) "he knows how hard we're trying, he hears the babys crying, he sees the old folks dying and he gives us all his love"
4. Last Night I Had a Dream (10) "Last night I had a dream, You were in it, I was in it with you, Everyone that I knew and everyone that you know was in my dream, I saw a vampire, I saw a ghost, Everybody scared me but you scared me the most, in the dream I had last night, in the dream I had last night, in my dream"
5. Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (8)
6. Old Man (10) "Won't be no God to comfort you, You taught me not to believe that lie, you don't need anybody, nobody needs you, don't cry, old man, don't cry, everybody dies".
7. Political Science (10) "let's drop the big one now"

"No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens
We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them
Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us
We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too
Boom goes London and boom Paree
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono
And there'll be Italian shoes for me
They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now'

8. Burn On (10)...he's talking about Cleveland's Cuyahoga River which caught on fire due to the polution back in the 60's. "Cleveland, city of light, city of magic
Cleveland, city of light, you're calling me, Cleveland, even now I can remember, Cause the Cuyahoga River goes smokin through my dreams"
9. Memo to My Son (10)
10. Dayton, Ohio--1903 (10)...can be taken literally or ironically about our fantasies about the good old days when "everybody" was friendly with each other and there was no crime....
11. You Can Leave Your Hat On (10)...."baby take off your dress....yes....you can leave your hat on...."
12. God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) (10) "I burn down your cities-how blind you must be, I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You all must be crazy to put your faith in me, That's why I love mankind, You really need me, That's why I love mankind."

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 10

Comments: This is a particular favorite of mine and surely my favorite Newman album. Is he THAT anti-religious that he dares describe God as mocking us for needing him? I'm not so sure. I do know that his songs, full of irony and pessimism and sarcasm have more feeling to them than most......I look at it as I do XTC's Dear God......the singer is telling God he doesn't believe in him. There's surely irony in that, isn't there?

ed.

.864. Elton John--Elton John (1970; #4) (2)

864. Elton John--Elton John (1970; #4) (2)

1. Your Song (8+)
2. I Need You to Turn To (?) (3)
3. Take Me to the Pilot (6)
4. No Shoe Strings on Louise (?) (2+)
5. First Episode at Hienton (?) (4+)
6. Sixty Years On (?) (2)
7. Border Song (3+)
8. The Greatest Discovery (?) (2)
9. The Cage (?) (2)
10. The King Must Die (?) (2)

REVIEW: A good first outing, with songs like Your Song and Take Me to the Pilot foreshadowing the gems to come. A 2 for now.

1. Your Song (8+)
2. I Need You to Turn To (?) (3)
3. Take Me to the Pilot (6)
4. No Shoe Strings on Louise (?) (2+)
5. First Episode at Hienton (?) (4+)
6. Sixty Years On (?) (2)
7. Border Song (3+)
8. The Greatest Discovery (?) (2)
9. The Cage (?) (2)
10. The King Must Die (?) (2)

REVIEW: A good first outing, with songs like Your Song and Take Me to the Pilot foreshadowing the gems to come. A 2 for now.

ED'S TAKE:
864. Elton John--Elton John (1970;

1. Your Song (10)
2. I Need You to Turn To (10)
3. Take Me to the Pilot (9)
4. No Shoe Strings on Louise (9)
5. First Episode at Hienton (10)
6. Sixty Years On (10)
7. Border Song (9)
8. The Greatest Discovery (10)
9. The Cage (9)
10. The King Must Die (10)

OVERALL ALBUM RANKING: 10

COMMENTS: On this one, it was even better than I'd remembered....surely Elton's best for me. I absolutely took to every ballad on the album and found the fast one's very strong too. Surely, much of it WAS the songs by Bernie T. and the perfect meshing of them with Elton's vocals. I have a certain sensitivity to the use of big orchestral arrangements in rock music but it CAN be done where it doesn't lessen the affect of the music (re: The Beatles). Here, there ARE instances where the arrangements are quite busy but they never interfere with the song or the singing. At least not to me. Maybe some of this stuff DOES relate to one's initial connection...... a connection that time can't destroy. I mean, by Goodby Yellow Brick Road, I wasn't following Elton anymore but this album means as much today as it did the first time I heard it while stationed in Ft. Sill (Lawton), Oklahoma.

edit #1: I think I was already in my last military location, Alaska, when Elton's self titled album came out in 1970....NOT Oklahoma. 

867. Tears for Fears--Songs From the Big Chair (1985; #1--5 weeks) (5)

867. Tears for Fears--Songs From the Big Chair (1985; #1--5 weeks) (5)

1. Shout (7+)
2. The Working Hour (?) (2)
3. Everybody Wants to Rule the World (8+)
4. Mothers Talk (3+)
5. I Believe (?) (3)
6. Broken (5)
7. Head Over Heels/Broken (Live) (8)
8. Listen (?) (3)

REVIEW: A few great tracks on this one. I give it a 5.

ED'S TAKE:

#867. Tears for Fears - Songs From the Big Chair.

1 Shout +++10 (I loved it at first listen and never got sick of it)
2 The Working Hour +++10
3 Everybody Wants to Rule the World +++10
4 Mothers Talk +++9
5 I Believe +++9
6 Broken Orzabal +++9
7 Head over Heels/Broken [live] +++10
8 Listen +++9
9 Shout [*] +++10
10 Everybody Wants to Rule the World [*] +++10

OVERALL RATING: 10

Comments: I remember back when Alternative Press was a fanzine out of Cleveland (not the slickness and emoness of today) and they were quite offended when their boys, Tears for Fears (The Hurting) released THIS album and it had commercial hit written all over it. I took one listen and couldn't quit playing it. To whit....."Commerciality can include art"....a great pop/rock album.

ed.

869. Franz Ferdinand--Franz Ferdinand (2004; #32) (2)

869. Franz Ferdinand--Franz Ferdinand (2004; #32) (2)
1. Jacqueline (?) (2)
2. Tell Her Tonight (?) (2)
3. Take Me Out (7+)
4. The Dark of the Matinee (?) (2)
5. Auf Asche (?) (3)
6. Cheating on You (?) (2)
7. This Fire (?) (3)
8. Darts of Pleasure (?) (2)
9. Michael (?) (2)
10. Come on Home (?) (3)
11. 40 (?) (4+)

REVIEW: An album with potential with repeated listenings. I liked another song off their follow-up album called Do You Want To. But I'm only familiar with the one hit here, Take Me Out. A 2 for now.

ED'S TAKE:

#869 Franz Fernidand - ST

1 Jacqueline +++ (10)
2 Tell Her Tonight +++ (10)
3 Take Me Out +++ (10)
4 The Dark of the Matinée +++(9)
5 Auf Achse +++ (9)
6 Cheating on You +++ 10
7 This Fire +++10
8 Darts of Pleasure +++10
9 Michael +++10
10 Come on Home +++10
11 40' +++10

OVERALL RATING: 10 (EASY!)

COMMENTS: I remember when this one came out. I was stoked by its catchiness overall. I mean, truly catchy music IS great music.......sometimes. It is here. I love this album without restraint. Ok, maybe SOME restraint. I'm listening now and I'm still fully clothed.

ed.

870. BB King and Eric Clapton--Riding With the King (2000) (3)

870. BB King and Eric Clapton--Riding With the King (2000) (3)

1. Riding With the King (?) (5)
2. Ten Long Years (?) (4)
3. Key to the Highway (?) (3)
4. Marry You (?) (3)
5. Three O'Clock Blues (?) (3)
6. Help the Poor (?) (3)
7. I Wanna Be (?) (2+)
8. Worried Life Blues (?) (4)
9. Days of Old (?) (5+)
10. When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer (?) (3)
11. Hold On! I'm Comin' (8)
12. Come Rain or Come Shine (5)

REVIEW: Nice sounding collaboration. Their singing voices go together well. I give it a 3.

ED'S TAKE:

#870 - BB King/Eric Clapton - Riding With the King

1 Riding With the King +++ (7) I don't like the song that much, even with the guitar licks.
2 Ten Long Years ++++ (9)
3 Key to the Highway ++++ (8)....I do love the single string picking
4 Marry You ++++ (8)
5 Three O'Clock Blues ++++(9)
6 Help the Poor ++++(8)
7 I Wanna Be ++++(8)
8 Worried Life Blues ++++ (9)
9 Days of Old ++++ (9)
10 When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer ++++(10) for the guitar solo alone
11 Hold On! I'm Comin' ++++ (9)
12 Come Rain or Come Shine ++++ (9) This was much better than I thought it would be

OVERALL RATING: 8

comments: Here's one where the album doesn't add up to the individual parts. Most of the songs are special because of the guitar work, NOT the vocals. In listening to this album as a whole, I'm sure that for me it would lose it's luster after 3 of 4 songs. There is no real standout here, considering the talent of BB and Eric. But, the guitar(s) are worth the bother, for sure.

876. Devo--Freedom of Choice (1980; #22) (1)

876. Devo--Freedom of Choice (1980; #22) (1)

1. Girl U Want (2)
2. It's Not Right (?) (2)
3. Whip It (7+)
4. Snowball (?) (2)
5. Ton o' Luv (?) (2)
6. Freedom of Choice (?) (2)
7. Gates of Steel (?) (2) (echoes of God Save the Queen)
8. Cold War (?) (1)
9. Don't You Know (?) (2)
10. That's Pop (?) (2)
11. Mr. B's Ballroom (?) (2+)
12. Planet Earth (?) (2+)

REVIEW: Sorry to say I never much cared for this band. I give it a 1, with this one not really having much of a chance to rise.

ED'S TAKE:

1. Girl U Want (9)
2. It's Not Right (8)
3. Whip It (9)
4. Snowball (8)
5. Ton o' Luv (8)
6. Freedom of Choice (9)
7. Gates of Steel (8)
8. Cold War (8)
9. Don't You Know (8)
10. That's Pop (8)
11. Mr. B's Ballroom (9)
12. Planet Earth (8)

OVERALL RATING: 8

(One caveat. While I stand by my rankings, I would say that listening to this entire album in one sitting would probably result in my rethinking whether all songs were "listenable without reservation". I mean, especially with those rated "8", there is a sameness about them. I'm not sure they'd all stand up when played one after another.)

My Devo album of choice, by a wide margin, is their first, "Are We Not Men, We Are Devo". It is quirky, funny, dark and has the great cover of "Satisfaction". I know when it shows up here, it'll get a "10" and a lot of the songs that are "10"'s will be in my Top 1000 songs of all time. I was trying to think of my favorite song of theirs NOT from the first album....perhaps, "Through Being Cool". That one always puts a smile on my face.

ed.

ALEXIS, another follower of the Amazon thread, contributed this to the Devo discussion:

876. Devo-Freedom Of Choice

I'll manage to squeeze another review in. Just.

Another album I need to purchase. These guys made looking geeky acceptable even 'cool'.
Devo were a little before their time. Go the guys with the flower pot hats!
I might add to this review another time as I'm phasing out. I'm giving it a 9/10 however.

878. Gram Parsons--Grevious Angel (1974) (2)

878. Gram Parsons--Grevious Angel (1974) (2)

FAMILIARITY: 0/10

1. Return of the Grevious Angel (?) (3)
2. Hearts on Fire (?) (3)
3. I Can't Dance (?) (4)
4. Brass Buttons (?) (2)
5. $1000 Wedding (?) (4)
6. Medley Live from Northern Quebec: (a) Cash on the Barrelhead, (b) Hickory Wind (?) (3)
7. Love Hurts (?) (8)
8. Ooh Las Vegas (?) (5)
9. In My Hour of Darkness (?) (3)

REVIEW: Nice stuff. Emmylou Harris sounds good. Definitely an album that would rise in estimation with more listens. As it is, I was entirely unfamiliar with it aside from one listen to the title track during the song countdown. I know the Nazareth and Everly Bros. version of Love Hurts, and now I can add their version to that. It gets a 2 for unfamiliarity.

ED'S TAKE:

1. Return of the Grevious Angel (10) Emmylou is an angel
2. Hearts on Fire (10)
3. I Can't Dance (9)
4. Brass Buttons (8)
5. $1000 Wedding (10)
6. Medley Live from Northern Quebec: (a) Cash on the Barrelhead, (b) Hickory Wind (10)
7. Love Hurts (10)
8. Ooh Las Vegas (8)
9. In My Hour of Darkness (9) ...rather chilling since it was closing his recording career shortly before his self-destructive death.

OVERALL ALBUM RATING: 9

I guess, numerically speaking, this one should be an 8. But, those "10" songs are sooooooo good to me, it pushes it over. In discussing duos in rock history (I tend always to remember X's great duo of John Doe and Exene Cervenka), Gram and Emmylou must be at or near the top.

ed.

882. Rolling Stones--Between the Buttons (1967; #2) (4)

882. Rolling Stones--Between the Buttons (1967; #2) (4)
FAMILIARITY: 3/10

US Track listing
1. Let's Spend the Night Together (8+)
2. Yesterday's Papers (?) (3)
3. Ruby Tuesday (9)
4. Connection (5)
5. She Smiled Sweetly (?) (5)
6. Cool, Calm, and Collected (?) (3)
7. All Sold Out (?) (2)
8. My Obsession (?) (2)
9. Who's Been Sleeping Here? (?) (3)
10. Complicated (?) (2)
11. Miss Amanda Jones (?) (3)
12. Something Happened to Me Yesterday (?) (3)

REVIEW: Two great ones (that weren't on the UK issue), Ruby Tuesday and Let's Spend the Night Together. Connection is not bad. You can hear Dylan's influence on Who's Been Sleeping Here. I have this album but haven't listened to it often. I give it a 4.

883. Mazzy Star--So Tonight That I Might See (1993; #44) (2)

883. Mazzy Star--So Tonight That I Might See (1993; #44) (2)

1. Fade Into You (8)
2. Bells Ring (?) (3)
3. Mary of Silence (?) (2)
4. Five String Serenade (?) (3)
5. Blue Light (?) (3)
6. She's My Baby (?) (3)
7. Unreflected (?) (2+)
8. Wasted (?) (4)
9. Into Dust (?) (3)
10. So Tonight That I Might See (?) (2)

REVIEW: A gorgeous, downbeat album highlighted by Hope Sandoval's haunting vocals. It's too bad I haven't heard more from them. I only know the first track, so it gets a 2 for now, but I'm sure if I listened to it a hundred or so times it would go up.

ED'S TAKE:
#883 - Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See (1993)

1. Fade Into You (10)
2. Bells Ring (10) I like the juxtaposition between Hope's vocals and the fuzz guitar underneath...shades of Jesus and Mary Chain?
3. Mary of Silence (10)...begins with a little Doorsian organ and then Hope's vocals and and Roback's guitar take over.
4. Five String Serenade (10) the combo of Hope's voice and a later-era Arthur Lee song...
5. Blue Light (10)
6. She's My Baby (10)...a bit on the kinky side?
7. Unreflected (9)
8. Wasted (10) Roback's bluesy guitar works well with Hope's voice.
9. Into Dust (10)
10. So Tonight That I Might See (10)...I love the almost hypnotic guitar riff in the background.....and, of course, Hope's voice.

OVERALL RATING: 10

Comments: What can I say? I LOVE her voice and the way it's used here. While there is surely a "sameness" to it in style/tenor, I never get tired of it here. Some of it is the arrangements behind her. One thing is clear, though. I suspect that the earlier albums I rate as "10"'s will have had a lot more obsessive/excessive play over the years than the later ones. It's not just the sheer number of years I've had them to play. It's the amount of music I've collected and tried to keep up with. I'm sure (who remembers clearly) I LOVED this when I first heard it but it hasn't been played that often since. That, of course, doesn't change how I feel about it. It's also an album that could be enjoyed with the lights down low at a low to sensible volume or on "11" with the speakers bursting.

884. Erykah Badu--Baduizm (1997; #2) (2)

884. Erykah Badu--Baduizm (1997; #2) (2)

1. Rimshot (Intro) (5+)
2. On and On (5)
3. Appletree (?) (4)
4. Otherside of the Game (?) (2)
5. Sometimes...[Mix #9] (?) (2)
6. Next Lifetime (?) (2)
7. Afro (?) (3)
8. Certainly (3)
9. 4-Leaf Clover (?) (3)
10. No Love (?) (2)
11. Drama (?) (3)
12. Sometimes... (?) (2)
13. Certainly (Flipped It) (?) (5+)
14. Rimshot (Outro) (?) (5+)

REVIEW:

I always like the sound of Erykah Badu, if not the particular songs. In a way she's like an edgier Sade; her sound is memorable if the individual songs are not. I like a couple of songs here, but overall I give it a 2.


With this post, I'll begin adding reviews from our other two reviewers, Ed Dill and Shin Megami Tensei. Here's Ed's review for this entry.

ED'S TAKE:

1. Rimshot (Intro) (9)
2. On and On (9)
3. Appletree (9)
4. Otherside of the Game (8)
5. Sometimes...[Mix #9] (9)
6. Next Lifetime (9)
7. Afro (9)
8. Certainly (8)
9. 4-Leaf Clover (8)
10. No Love (9)
11. Drama (9)
12. Sometimes... (9)
13. Certainly (Flipped It) (9)
14. Rimshot (Outro) (9)

OVERALL RATING: 9

REVIEW: If ever I've given an album rating vs. a collective song rating, it is here. I mean, the album, as an album is highly listenable to me and it AIN'T the songs, per se. There are no stand outs here (yeah, I gave most of them "9's") but they are ALL standouts in one (or two) respects....first and foremost it is Badu's voice. I've never been good at describing voices but suffice it to say that the way she works AROUND a lyric is always more important than the lyric itself. And, the choice of accompaniment was excellent with the heavy bass leading the way. Because I'm often at a loss to describe what I like about a given singer, I thought I'd do what I often do....."borrow" from allmusic. They use some words/phrases that I agree with wholeheartedly

"The grooves and production on the album are bass-heavy R&B, but Badu's langurous, occasionally tortured vocals and delicate phrasing immediately removed her from the legion of cookie-cutter female R&B singers. "

"Two years after D'Angelo brought the organic sound and emotional passion of R&B to the hip-hop world with 1995's Brown Sugar, Erykah Badu's debut performed a similar feat. While D'Angelo looked back to the peak of smooth '70s soul, though, Badu sang with a grit and bluesiness reminiscent of her heroes, Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. "On & On" and "Appletree," the first two songs on Baduizm, illustrated her talent at singing soul with the qualities of jazz. With a nimble, melodic voice owing little to R&B from the past 30 years, she phrased at odds with the beat and often took chances with her notes. Like many in the contemporary rap world, though, she also had considerable talents at taking on different personas; "Otherside of the Game" is a poetic lament from a soon-to-be single mother who just can't forget the father of her child. Erykah Badu's revolution in sound - heavier hip-hop beats over organic, conscientious soul music - was responsible for her breakout, but many of the songs on Baduizm don't hold up to increased examination. For every intriguing track like "Next Lifetime," there's at least one rote R&B jam like "4 Leaf Clover." Jazz fans certainly weren't confusing her with Cassandra Wilson - Badu had a bewitching voice, and she treasured her notes like the best jazz vocalists, but she often made the same choices, the hallmark of a singer rooted in soul, not jazz. Though many fans would dislike (and probably misinterpret) the comparison, she's closer to Diana Ross playing Billie Holiday - as she did in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues - than Holiday herself.'"

Ironically, I personally think that Badu is a much better "technical" singer than either Bille or Nina. They both, on the other hand, had the ability to convey a tremendous amount of passion in everything they touched. Finally, one other "borrow" from allmusic. Part of the site's "schtick" is to express a performers style with a variety of descriptive words describing the "moods" their music conveys. I find the ones given to Erykah to be most revealing:

Elegant, Intimate, Earthy, Organic, Carefree, Summery, Laid-Back/Mellow, Sensual, Confident, Stylish, Playful, Reflective, Sexy, Confrontational, Sophisticated, Soothing....

Listening to this album again, I am reminded of seeing Badu on tv the first time. I WAS quite taken by her physical presence on stage. She was regal and, yes, elegant. At the time, she was wearing African clothing and wearing an African headress. (I still remember later seeing her in a video WITHOUT the headress and had to re-orient myself to actually seeing her rather wild, natural hair.) In thinking about that as I listened to Baduizm, I am wondering, again, how the physical presence of a performer affects our hearing. I finally "GOT" the affects of seeing someone live, especially in rather intimate circumstances. (I'm not sure how Row Z helps the intimacy of a live performance). But I've also noticed that performers CAN convey something and actually affect how we later listen to their recorded music even when seen on film or on tv. Is it STILL the music? That's one of the initial arguements about videos. They added a non-musical dimension to the music and often even changed the way we understood the song itself by adding a storyline to it. With Badu, it may be more the sense of her presence on stage, adding to some of those qualities above, i.e., elegant, sensual, confident, sophisticated, etc.

This album is NOT, again, an album of easily remembered individual songs. It is an album of a voice, a style, a sound. And I like it alot. I'm still thinking about that comment made by the allmusic.com writer and I think I understand it even though I think of Badu as a much more compelling singer than Ross. Her Billie IS more Billie channeled thru Ross than Billie herself. And, I like it just fine......

ed.

886. Rolling Stones--Flowers (1967) (no rating; compilation)

886. Rolling Stones--Flowers (1967) (no rating; compilation)

1. Ruby Tuesday (9)
2. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows? (8)
3. Let's Spend the Night Together (8+)
4. Lady Jane (4+)
5. Out of Time (4)
6. My Girl (?) (6)
7. Back Street Girl (?) (5)
8. Please Go Home (?) (3)
9. Mother's Little Helper (8+)
10. Take It or Leave It (?) (2)
11. Ride On, Baby (?) (2)
12. Sittin' on a Fence (?) (3+)

REVIEW: The track listing shows that a lot of these songs were previously released on Between the Buttons and Aftermath, so as such I believe it's a compilation, and I won't give it a rating. Anyway, the first three tracks are some of the best songs by the Stones IMO, as well as #9 (MLH). The cover of My Girl is tepid; it's no wonder it didn't receive the attention that other Temps covers they did like Ain't Too Proud to Beg and Just My Imagination, which I'd rate almost as closely as the original. I gave their version of My Girl a 6, where the original would get a 9 at least.

887. Lynyrd Skynyrd--Second Helping (1974) (#12 Billboard) (2)

887. Lynyrd Skynyrd--Second Helping (1974) (#12 Billboard) (2)

1. Sweet Home Alabama (8)
2. I Need You (?) (2)
3. Don't Ask Me No Questions (2)
4. Workin' for MCA (?) (1)
5. The Ballad of Curtis Loew (2)
6. Swamp Music (?) (2)
7. The Needle and the Spoon (?) (2)
8. Call Me the Breeze (9) (probably my favorite Skynyrd song)
9. Was I Right or Was I Wrong (?) (3) (uses same riff as Gimme Three Steps)
10. Take Your Time (?) (2)

REVIEW: This one starts out with one of their best, Sweet Home Alabama, and contains their magnificent version of Call Me the Breeze, but the rest of the album is pretty much a downer. I give it a 2.

888. Linda Ronstadt--Heart Like a Wheel (1974; #1) (3)

888. Linda Ronstadt--Heart Like a Wheel (1974; #1) (3)

1. You're No Good (9)
2. It Doesn't Matter Anymore (4)
3. Faithless Love (?) (3)
4. The Dark End of the Street (?) (4)
5. Heart Like a Wheel (?) (3)
6. When Will I Be Loved? (8+)
7. Willin' (?) (2)
8. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) (?) (2)
9. Keep Me From Blowing Away (?) (2)
10. You Can Close Your Eyes (?) (2+)

REVIEW: I adore Linda and her singing voice. I love the two big hits on here, but am largely unfamiliar with the rest of it. I give it a 3 overall.

893. Leon Russell--Carney (1972) (3)

893. Leon Russell--Carney (1972) (3)

1. Tight Rope (8+)
2. Out in the Woods (?) (4+)
3. Me & Baby Jane (?) (2)
4. Manhattan Island Serenade (?) (3)
5. Cajun Love Song (?) (2)
6. Roller Derby (?) (2)
7. Carney (?) (2)
8. Acid Annapolis (?) (1)
9. If the Shoe Fits (?) (3)
10. My Cricket (?) (2)
11. This Masquerade (7) (I like the George Benson version)
12. Magic Mirror (?) (2)

REVIEW: Great couple of songs--Tight Rope and This Masquerade. Rest of the album sort of unremarkable. I give it a 3.

894. Bush--Sixteen Stone (1994) (1)

894. Bush--Sixteen Stone (1994) (1)

1. Everything Zen (6)
2. Swim (?) (1)
3. Bomb (?) (2)
4. Little Things (2)
5. Comedown (5+)
6. Body (?) (2)
7. Machinehead (6)
8. Testosterone (?) (2)
9. Monkey (?) (3)
10. Glycerine (2)
11. Alien (?) (2)
12. X-Girlfriend (?) (2)

REVIEW: The album has a few songs I like, but even those that I do like have a kind of draggy, depressing feel to them (except for Machinehead). Overall, I give it a 1.

895. John Cougar Mellencamp--Scarecrow (1985) (0)

895. John Cougar Mellencamp--Scarecrow (1985) (0)
1. Rain on the Scarecrow (2)
2. Grandma's Theme (?) (1)
3. Small Town (2)
4. Minutes to Memories (?) (2)
5. Lonely Ol' Night (2)
6. The Face of the Nation (?) (3)
7. Justice and Independence '85 (?) (2)
8. Between a Laugh and a Tear (?) (2)
9. Rumbleseat (?) (2)
10. You've Got to Stand for Something (?) (2)
11. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to '60s Rock (7+)
12. The Kind of Fella I Am (?) (4)

REVIEW: Definitely represents Mellencamp's move away from his "Cougar" days and into the rootsier "statement" music he's known for today. The album spawned 5 top 40 hits (LON, ROCK, ROTS, ST, and Rumbleseat), with ROCK hitting #2. Musically, I'm not into it, except for R.O.C.K., and even that borrows heavily from Cherry Cherry by Neil Diamond (which probably borrowed from something earlier itself). I recognize it's a solid album with a lot to say, but because I dislike most of the music, I give it a 0.

897. Hair--The Original Soundtrack (1969) (7)

This is the first album listed on the 897 Greatest Albums list from radio station WTMD in Towson, Maryland, USA. The rankings were determined by listener voting. I am in the midst of reviewing all of them on an Amazon discussion board thread. This blog will contain posts of the albums I like the most. I rate them on a 10-point scale based on a total derived from the ratings given to the individual songs. A song with a rating of 5.5-7 gets 1 point; 7.5+ gets 2; and 4.5 or lower has one point deducted. Songs previously unknown to me are not included in the overall rating, which is the number following the year of release after the title.


897. Hair--The Original Soundtrack (1969) (7)
1. Ronald Dyson--Aquarius (6)

2. Gerome Ragni--Donna (?)(1)
3. Melba Moore--Hashish (?)(1)
4. Steve Curry--Sodomy (?) (1)
5. Lamont Washington--Colored Spade (?) (1)
6. James Rado--Manchester England (?) (2)
7. Steve Curry--I'm Black (?)(1)
8. Melba Moore--Ain't Got No (?) (1)
9. Melba Moore--I Believe in Love (?)(3)
10. Melba Moore--Ain't Got No (Reprise) (?)(1)
11. Melba Moore--Air (?)(3)
12. Melba Moore--Initials (?)(3)
13. James Rado--I Got Life (?)(2)
14. Gerome Ragni--Going Down (?)(1)
15. James Rado--Hair (7+) (I like the Cowsills version too)
16. Jonathan Kramer--My Conviction (?)(1)
17. Lynn Kellogg--Easy to Be Hard (5+) (love the 3 Dog Night version--8)

18. Steve Curry--Don't Put It Down (?)(2)
19. Shelley Plimpton--Frank Mills (?)(1)
20. Melba Moore--Be-In (?) (3)
21. James Rado--Where Do I Go? (?)(1)
22. Paul Jabara--Electric Blues (?)(1)
23. James Rado--Manchester England (reprise) (?)(2)
24. Diane Keaton--Black Boys (?)(1)
25. Melba Moore--White Boys (?)(2)
26. Melba Moore--Walking in Space (?)(1)
27. Ronald Dyson--Abie Baby (?)(1)
28. Melba Moore--Three-Five-Zero-Zero (?)(1)
29. Ronald Dyson--What a Piece of Work Is Man (?)(1)
30. Melba Moore--Good Morning Starshine (7) (I like the Oliver version too)

31. Melba Moore--The Bed (?)(1)
32. Melba Moore--The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In) (9) (like the 5th Dimension version too)

REVIEW: With all that Broadway stuff mixed in (and I know that's what it was, a Broadway musical, so I should expect no less) it's too cluttered for me. But I give it a 7.