Other bands named after gym-teachers: Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin, The National, and Das EFX.Impressions: Lynyrd Skynryd's weird name (in honor of a gym teacher,) Southern-fried boogie rock, tragic plane-crash history and long soloing is all very easy to make fun of. Most people (especially us who are not Southern By The Grace Of God) do this reflexively, like those smartasses that shout "Freebird" at any concert, without … Continue Reading ››
First Time Listen: Yes
Dr John's Prescription Gumbo. Take with food.
Impressions: Dr. John is one of those guys that you know for his cajun piano playin' voodoo image more than his songs. Okay, Doc, let's see what you got. Allons-y... Starts off with the oft-covered "Iko Iko" and it's distinct "bomp bomp bompbomp" rhythm. A decent enough song, but sort of been ruined to me by years of abuse by Grateful Dead cover … Continue Reading ››
Of course, there'd be a black and white photo on the cover of this grey-sounding album.Impressions: Earlier, I felt like I missed the boat on PJ Harvey. Now I get a second chance with her most lauded record. Let's put it on… Hmm, I recognize that drum sound: Steve Albini! Well, if nothing else, maybe I'll at least enjoy the production of this record (then … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1967
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Man, what a perfect, weird album cover.
Impressions: I think The Doors get kind of a bad rap-- probably due to a combination of classic rock overexposure, Jim Morrison's pretentous artiste/drunk/shaman clowning and maybe even a little fallout from the overbearing Oliver Stone movie. All of this overshadowed a completely underrated band that played a unique, jazzy, dramatic and, yes sometimes, pretentious style of '60s blues rock. Time for their second album... Starts off with the ominous sound of Ray Manzarek's organ … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1997
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Probably not going to be covering Steely Dan's song "Time Out Of Mind" on this albumImpressions: This is the first of ten Dylan albums on this list so I better start getting used to his distinct nasal, reedy voice. Let's put it on… Starts off in a sort of spooky, almost dub-like mode with "Love Sick." Production wise, Daniel Lanois favors spooky, shimmering, echoey atmospheric tracks that lack hooks but provide a decent and novel texture to support … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1974
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
"Welcome to the OCEAN BOULEVARD/Such a lovely place"Impressions: Eric Clapton usually doesn't get me fired up one way or the other, which is a recipe for a so-so review. But, WHO KNOWS? Anything can happen on this blog… including me figuring out Cheap Trick. Onward… "Motherless Children" (which is different from "Motherless Child") starts off the record with a galloping beat, bluesy slide guitar and Clapton's neutral-sounding voice (which, as I mentioned before, … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1981
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Wait, are they "The Go Go's" or just "Go Go's?" That could effect my review...Impressions: In the early '80s, I recall a general attitude toward the Go Go's of "aw, an all-female band, that's cute." Stupid stereotypes. Even though they were on I.R.S. Records, I never really listened to this album, outside of the hits. Let's put this on…"Our Lips Are Sealed" is still a winner, with the sunny harmonies and hooks … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1973
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: I know the song. You know the song. But, still, let's play the whole album…I'm pretty sure we are all in agreement that the song "Band On The Run" is a goddamn nutballs masterpiece? Right? It's three different epic songs perfectly arranged into a breezy five-minute mini-suite about a band. A band on the run.
SOMEONE STOP THAT BAND!
Outside of that, I got no idea what most of the other songs are about, but at this point … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1994
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: No
This album is best heard in Cinemascope.Impressions:Dummy is of those albums that somehow made a stir with both DJ electronic music types and regular civilians when it first came out twenty years ago(!) Not an easy trick to pull off. Let's put it on and see what all the fuss was about… Opens in typically spooky fashion with "Mysterions." Everything is there from the drop: Geoff Barrow's muted, tasteful hip-hop beats, Adrian Utley's retro spy guitar, Beth Gibbon's ethereal torch crooning, all served with a … Continue Reading ››
A guy tries to listen to every album on the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of all time list, and some other stuff
