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.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, March 18, 2011
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.)
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.)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, March 14, 2011
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)
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)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
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.
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....
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....
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