Release Date: 1995
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: Well, Mr. Browne...we meet again. I was pleasantly surprised by For Everyman. but didn't quite dig The Pretender. So, let's put on the tie-breaker ... Title track sounds a little closer to "For Everyman," so far, down-the-middle '70s soft-ifornia rock. Slow start. … Continue Reading ››
#386
Release Date: 1974
Previously Owned: Yes
First Time Listen: No
Impressions: Holy crow, it's been a while since my last update! Let's Pretzel...The Dan seems kind of polarizing, so I'll just say up front that I'm a big fan. I've mostly heard their songs broken up by a mix or as a part of Citizen Steely Dan boxed set. So we'll see how these songs work … Continue Reading ››
#394
Release Date: 1974
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: Woah, Mr. Newman comes out firing with "Rednecks.," which sports some quite provocative lyrics about institutional racism over a jaunty country/rag. Seems to be that was his '70s modus operandi. Odd to think a guy who'd sing stuff like "we don't know our ass from a hole in the ground/we're rednecks!/We're keepin … Continue Reading ››
Impressions: I've made no secret of my worshipping at the altar of Big Star and their picture-perfect first album. It's too bad their legend has mostly swallowed up their songs, but let's put this one on and do the best we can... That funky, attention-grabbing guitar opening for "O My Soul" almost has an r&b sound. The herky jerky all-over-the-place drumming from Jody Stevens makes the tune feel like … Continue Reading ››
Release Date: 1974
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
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 ››
Impressions: I'm not a well-informed on country music. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs in the '70s, so country music was at the time the butt of many easy jokes (think of the "Bob's Country Bunker" scene in The Blues Brothers.) It also didn't help that most of my early exposure to country was from cheeseball TV variety shows like The Mandrell Sisters or Hee Haw and that lots of today's country is completely awful. Despite all … Continue Reading ››
#432
Impressions: I mostly know Brian Eno: Top-Notch Producer who brought out great work with Talking Heads, U2 and his stint with Roxy Music. And Brian Eno: Ambient Music Pioneer. But I dont know much about Brian Eno: Solo Rock Star. Let's put this on… Catchy, rocking guitar on "Needles In The Camel's Eye" almost sounds like Boat or Pavement. In the running for strangest name of … Continue Reading ››
#450
Release Date: 1974
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: Oh, here we go... Jackson Browne: another regular-guy '70s singer/songwriter that seems to over-populate this list. Luckily, his distinct hair insures I don't get him mixed up with some of the other sensitive performer types. Browne always seemed a little wan to me, but let's put the album on and give it a shot... I didn't know he co-wrote "Take It Easy" with Glenn Frey. Strange that he opened with … Continue Reading ››
#471
Release Date: 1974
Impressions: I only know of Richard Thompson vaguely from years of listening to WXRT, but I won't hold that against him. I've never ran into this album. Let's put it on. Holy cow, "When I Get To The Border" is an awesome opener! Doomed optimism. Stellar guitar work. Big, crisp, drum work. Well used accordion. Lyrics like "If you see a box … Continue Reading ››
