Monday, October 12, 2015

Devil's Haircut

Back in action. Action Jackson. Action Zakson. son.


309 - Creedence Clearwater Revival, Willy and the Poor Boys: Straight up CCR. I don't know anybody that doesn't like CCR on some level. Maybe except for Blake. Nah, I bet he don't like 'em. I've really only ever been a "best of" when it comes to CCR so I was happy this album didn't feel like it lacked from not being the "best of." Nice album through and through.

308 - Frank Sinatra, Songs for Swingin' Lovers!: I might catch some flack for this one...in fact I'm sure I will...but I don't like Frank Sinatra. I won't say that he's not good. That bands he played with were great. But I just get this sick feeling in my stomach whenever I listen to him, like I'm stuck at a wedding I don't want to be at with celery in the chicken-salad, or that I'm watching a montage in a chick-flick showing all the good times this couple is having. This scene always precedes the "conflict act" wherein the couple breaks up or fights or sleeps with other people or all the above, only to have it all work out in the end by the means of forgiveness and honesty, at which time Frank comes back in to let us all know happily ever after is fully on. Dude. But I'll never begrudge anyone for liking him. I once tried to convince myself that I liked him too. (I vaguely remember this had something to do with me seeming more appealing to women.) It was also around the time I tried to convince myself that Peanuts was a humorous cartoon. That didn't work out either. But that had nothing to do with a girl. (And now that I think of it, the Peanuts movies and TV specials had excellent music by the one and only Vince Guaraldi. Seriously check out the albums "Cast Your Fate To the Wind" and an album he did with Bola Sete called "From All Sides." Both excellent choices.) Frank Sinatra will be just fine without my support.

307 - The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night: It's probably my favorite pre-Rubber Soul Beatles album. And few songs can take me back to the earliest days of experiencing music like the title song. I once had a roommate who hated the Beatles and he sited that song saying that's all they were. I tried to explain how they were so much more than A Hard Day's Night and even explain what their early song writing did for rock and roll song writing in general but it didn't help. I should have just made him a mix-tape. Regrets. If you've never explored the Beatles earlier stuff you couldn't find a better place to start. This or Help!

306 - Beck, Odelay: Hell yes! (Suck it Kanye!) There are singer/songwriters and there are artist/musicians. He's an artist that primarily expresses himself via music, and specifically it is in the variety of the music he produces that his "artisanship" expresses itself. Few musicians are capable of effectively expressing themselves and who there are in multiple genres like Beck has. And yes, most of what he releases, including such albums as Sea Change and Morning Phase, would be classified as alternative, however, the musical influences he expresses are genuine and not merely nodes to them. He's an artist for music's sake as his Record Club project and Song Reader album/sheet music would testify. Odelay is not where is started but it was the base upon which he created the rest of his career and blew away the winds of "one-hit-wonder" talk. Produced by the Dust Brothers, it's got plenty of sampling, cuts, musical inserts and it's use of mixed musical styles creates the sort of the interest and oddity you find in mixed medium or junk art. Alternative, noise rock, hip-hop, folk, country, electronic. Good stuff. You've probably heard The New Pollution and Where It's At so may I suggest NovacaneSissyneck or Ramshackle.

305 - Lucinda Williams, Car Wheels On A Gravel Road: Liked it. Really liked it. If you are fan of alt-country (or even country) or Sheryl Crow with a littler more growl then you should defs check this shiz. Folk, a little dirty, a little southern rock, and all wonderful. I'll own this one. Can't Let Go, Greenville, Joy

304 - Jeff Buckley, Grace: Likely everyone has heard Jeff Buckley's Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, which I happen to feel is the best interpretation of that oft covered song. However, there is far more to this album then just one graceful sonnet. Seriously. It's as subtle at times and epic (without the butt) as rock can be. It's also got that quintessential 90's production sound, which I love. Of course it's on Rolling Stones Top 500 albums so it's earned a lot of praise from many but on the short list you can find Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and it's not hard not to hear its influence on both the vocals and guitar voicing of Matt Bellamy from Muse. It's the type of album I am glad I found later in life; 'twill be fun to digest. Lilac Wine, Lover, You Should've Come Over, Eternal Life

303 - Bob Dylan, John Wesley Harding: I have a feeling that this album has to be understood in context of Dylan's full catalog but I don't have much of a reference for that. (Like I've mentioned before, Bob Dylan is one artist that I have been hoping to gain a better appreciation of along this journey but I feel like I need to just listen to each of his albums starting with the first and pushing on through.) With that said, I enjoyed it but nothing generally stood out to me. It was more country then folk, as far as Dylan is concerned and has All Along the Watchtower but it's hard for me to make a judgement call regarding it's spot in the annals of music history. Though I guess 303 is a good enough spot.

302 - Public Enemy, Fear of the Black Planet: I miss the art and creativity of sample heavy hip-hop from this era. (And they always make me think Mr. Barlow.) And this is thick with it. But it's more than just heavy beats; it's a complex album and like all the great rap albums from this time in America, it's socially conscience and a medium for an activists' voice to be heard. What's sad is that it's been 25 years since this album and the message is still true for as many now as it was then. Just look at the need for Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Brothers Gonna Work It Out, Fear Of A Black Planet, Fight The Power

301 -  Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors: It might not have been the Golden Era of Country but country was in full stride during the 1970's. And Dolly Parton was knee deep in it. One of the most emblematic female voices in country; sweet and strong. My impressions of Dolly Parton growing up was that she was just a big-breasted caricature of a country vocalist but quickly, once I actually had the...maturity (perhaps?) to listen to her music, I fell for her. Second only to Patsy Cline. Coat of Many Colors is a solid country album and I say give it a listen. There's substance here. (Most of you slacks out there are haters when it comes to country.) Travelin Man, My Blue Tears, The Way I See You

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Keep it funky

This time I mean it. Quick and dirty. I got behind. Let's clear the cache. I'm sorry there isn't a whole lot of quality content here but...

327 - Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville: I give it 50-50. She's angry and tired of the drama of dating or trying to find love or something like that. Early 90s, dyed in the wool.

326 - The Cure, Disintegration: Having only been a Cure fan on a "greatest hits" level and having felt that I was justified in that thought, this album proved me wrong. There is more to them I need to explore. The Cure captures an era in music and its esthetic...perfectly? I look forward to listening to Disintegration again.

325 - Eric Clapton, Slowhand: Yeah, I need to give this one another few spins. It's got a few hits which will bring me back but feels a little flat on the whole.

324 - David Bowie, Station to Station: It's hard to tell when Bowie was kind of on drugs or was really just on the drugs. More funky and jam band at times then his other stuff. Which I loved on some level and didn't on another. Won't be my favorite Bowie but I loved the funkier side and Golden Years will bring me back to this one.

323 - The Police, Ghost In the Machine: I really have begun to love The Police along this journey and this is probably my favorite so far...the title of this album might have something to do with that too...Too Much Information.

322 - Randy Newman, Sail Away: I could pretty much say for Randy Newman what I just said for The Police. But I'm more surprised by Randy Newman. Straight out of 1972, before Newman became, or was made to seem, like a caricature of himself. This album is simple and soft (mostly) and sad at times...the three S's of success in my book. (I just wrote this book.) Sail Away

321 - Nick Drake, Pink Moon: Nick Drake has long been the sound of English folk music for me. He makes me long to be in time and place that maybe never existed. It's a sound of hope and desperation, a poet's bread and butter. As a musician all I have ever tried to do is capture that same quality. (I've failed horribly at it but I've strived for it.) If you haven't ever listened to Nick Drake, do so now and start with Pink Moon. From the Morning, Place to Be

320 - Radiohead, Amnesiac: For how willing I was to accept Kid A (the sister album of Amnesiac) Amnesiac was a struggle for me. But with all the albums I love most, they have had to grow on me. I think good music has to challenge you as a listener. If you don't have to sit with it at first you won't sit with it in the long run. Dollars & Cents

319 - The Wailers, Burin': I suppose one of these days I'll really get into reggae on the whole but in the meantime The Wailer (Bob Marley) will have to do. If you like anything about Bob Marley then you'll love this album.

318 - The O'Jays, Back Stabbers: At this point 70s soul like the O'Jays will always be coupled for me with trying to buy used polyester pants at Savers. It's nostalgic for me but not for the 70s, as I never lived a day in them. With that said, this album has it's highlights but on the whole was far too...moody and dark for me. I like my Soul...well not that.

317 - Pixies, Surfer Rosa: Pixies is a band I have only been aware of circumferential...ly, having only ever listened to "Where Is My Mind?" and "Here Comes Your Man", but have always felt I should give them a good sailors effort. They are always listed as a huge influence of most of the bands I loved growing up. With that said, Surfer Rosa didn't let me down, it's unpolished but inventive in all the right ways, but I need to give it a few more spins before I know what it means to me. It was hard to listen to it without listening to it through the filter of the bands I love...you know. But in the meantime give Bone Machine a sailors effort.

316 - The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground: I am a sucker for Lou Reed. As such I really enjoyed this album and will be back for some more. Full of wispy guitars and a sound of a band full of guys not trying to get anywhere quickly. Pale Blue Eyes 

315 -  Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Damn the Torpedoes: YES! It's Tom Petty man. It's got Refugee, Here Comes My Girl, Even the Losers, and Don't Do Me Like That. The hits man. If you hate Tom Petty you're just a hater all around. And sad. Very very sad. He's a great songwriter and this album is a testament to that.

314 - Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: Kanye West rapped"Lauryn Hill said her heart was in Zion. I wish her heart still was in rhyming cause who the kids gon' listen to, huh? I guess me if it isn't you." She combines soul with hip-hop in a way far more intimate and authentic than Nicki Minaj currently could hope for. However, I'm really no more inclined to listen to this album again then I would a Nicki Minaj album. It's not that it's not a good record, it's just not my tea. Or cup there of. In it's genre I'm sure it's tea worthiest. I'll take the singles from it though.


313 - Nirvana, Unplugged: If Nirvana were only ever a cover band. Not bad at all. I think most people would agree this live album belongs wholly within the canon of their studio albums. Few albums can remind me of when I first fell in love with music as this album does. The Man Who Sold the World 

312 - Jane's Addiction, Nothing's Shocking: I was plenty surprised with this album. Not that I  expecting to hate it but...really I don't know what I was expecting but I did enjoy it. If you have an affection for Tripping Daisy (which I do) or early Chili Peppers (which I do, sometimes) then you'll probably have an affection for this album. Mountain Song 

311 - Various Artists, The Sun Records Collection: Not an "album" just a collection of singles recorded at the birth place of rock'n'roll. Elvis, Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the like and a lot of others I have never heard of. Though I did listen to it and enjoy it, I have a hard time with compilation albums like this being on the list. (Semantics?) Probably so. Rock didn't record "albums" like the rest of the albums on this list back then and this is an incredible collection of the work of artists that laid the foundation for the whole genre of rock. So how about this? If you are looking to explore the roots of rock and roll more, start here. No better place.

310 - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magik: A whole lot of magic and even more sex. This is the Chili Peppers magnum opus. It's a group at its most defined and original. On Blood Sugar they lost all the spastic elements of previous albums and the songs are far more organized and directed.  The Power of Equality, Funky Monks

Keep it funky.