Long Live Rock?

      A couple big topics in the world of Music YouTube lately have been; "Does New Music Suck?" and "Is Rock Music Dead?" and "Is AI Going to Replace Musicians?". You might be surprised to know, I have some opinions on these questions that I haven't really heard anyone discussing. Before I get to that, here are my general observations about the state of Rock Music. I don't believe Rock is dead. It might be on life support, but it's not quite dead yet. 25 years ago, Radiohead mused that there was nothing new that could be done with the guitar. Maybe that's true, but there are still great bands putting out great albums every week. Most of it is the pastiche of the nineties, or the sixties, like The Lemon Twigs, but it's good stuff. The main problem for "new" Rock Music is there are now only two outlets for a band to be discovered - The Internet and College radio. The issues with these platforms are a matter of scope. The Internet is a vast arena of content that on the surface appears to have no "Gatekeepers", but actually does. A band breaking through on the internet is only slightly more likely than winning the lottery due to the sheer amount of posted content and nostalgia for the past. College radio has a much smaller scope of broadcast coverage, although there are a few stations that have decent streaming audiences, like KEXP in Seattle. Breaking through to the mainstream on College radio is also a long shot. I also disagree with the premise that new music sucks. Certainly, if you go on the internet and listen to an episode of Casey Kassem's Top 40 from the 70's, when I was growing up, that "new music" is superior to the new music on today's Top 40 radio. Yes, I know that's just my opinion, but come on...it's true. Back then, record labels and DJ's were the gatekeepers. Now it's algorithms and streaming. Rock radio, in general, today is mostly nostalgia. Other than College radio, Rock stations only play "Classic" Rock". When I was a kid, that WAS Rock radio. It seems counter-intuitive, but it seemed easier to find new Rock music back when all we had was radio and music magazines...before the Internet. Much of YouTube is young people "reacting" to classic rock music that they've supposedly never heard before; like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and RUSH or the "Vinyl Community" discussing reissues of albums by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and RUSH. NOSTALGIA! At least that's what I'm being fed by the algorithm. Results may vary. As far as AI goes...who knows. If AI replaces Travis Scott then I say "Thank you robot". 

     You've probably heard most of that before. Now, I'm going to blame the kids (and their parents). The Western world has become a place where kids go to school to get a job that they can support themselves on and helicopter parents are flying around all over the place. "Risk" and "Failure" are to be avoided at all costs. It's unimaginable today that four kids from Liverpool could run off to London, have a club residency, go to Germany with a minor in the band (George Harrison), play until all hours of the morning for drunk sailors, come back as conquering heroes and invade America. I'm not asking for anything that exciting, but could we allow kids to be a little more free range again. Let them try things that may not be practical. God forbid, let them fail...or succeed spectacularly. Take some chances before they have a mortgage and a family and health insurance. Whatever happened to scenes like CBGB's or The Whiskey A-Go-Go or The Cavern Club where kids could start a band and learn their musical chops playing shows all the time? Where are the kids like Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart playing 300 shows a year, driving around the country in an old van, taking turns driving all night from show to show? Today, if you allowed your kid to do that someone would call Child Protective Services. It's the loss of these opportunities for bands to develop that's killing Rock music. Most of the successful "Classic Rock" bands had no Plan B. They were committed and willing to take chances and pay the price for the music. Everything today is a hedge. Why risk all of that when you can sit in your room with a laptop, record an album and try to go viral on the internet? Why play 300 shows a year when you can get a few shows in your town opening for other bands and try to sell some merch to their fans? Do you want to know what really sucks? Never taking chances and being stuck in shitty, straight jobs until the day you die. Peace.

Discogs Median Value: Box Sets

      I generally don't buy box sets, unless they're on sale or used. While I'm a completist, I don't really need outtakes and alternate versions of songs. I've been holding out on the Revolver box because of the expense, even though I would actually like the alternate version of "Rain". So anyhow, my collection of box sets is a mixed bag of acquisitions. 

1. Dio - A Decade of Dio ( $258.33 )

     This set includes Dio's albums from 1983-93. Mine is a cut-out that I won for free from the Record Den in an online contest. So, the price was right. I won because I commented that Dio is my favorite metal frontman, which is true. I still haven't listened to all the records, yet. I just keep listening to Holy Diver and Last in Line. I need to rectify that situation soon.

2. Goo Goo Dolls - Pickpockets, Petty Thieves and Tiny Victories ( $150.00 )

     This set includes their first five albums. Goo Goo Dolls are one of my guilty pleasures. This was a Record Store Day release, but I held out until it was marked down and I had a gift certificate. 

3. Cheap Trick - The Classic Albums ( $144.96 )

     This set spans from the debut album to Dream Police and also has At Budokan. I probably own more copies and formats of Budokan than any other record in my collection. I fell in love with it when I was a kid and it's still my favorite live album. I also have O.G. copies of all these albums, but the set is awesome and pristine. 

4. Guided by Voices - Suitcase 3 ( $138.29 )

     This collection is the highest valued CD I own. 

5. The Flaming Lips - Heady Nuggs ( $132.39 )

     I don't actually own this box set, but Discogs insists that I do. Record Den broke up a box set and sold it as individual records. I bought some of them, entered them into my Discogs account, and now I supposedly own it. 

6. Triumph - Allied Forces 40th Anniversary ( $131.39 )

     This is a fantastic box set to commemorate a great album. It was a Record Store Day release and I ponied up for it. Worth every penny. 

7. The Beatles - The Beatles ( $117.50 )

     This CD box set was a birthday gift from my parents. It's the 2009 remasters of all the UK albums in a glossy, black box with the apple on it. Beautiful packaging. 

8. Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet - Oh, I Guess We Were a Fucking Surf Band After All ( $109.00 )

     I got in line at midnight to get this set for Record Store Day. Record Den only received one copy and I had to have it. There was only one guy ahead of me, and luckily it wasn't on his radar. They are a great band, but are only semi-famous because the Kids in the Hall used their song "Having an Average Weekend" for their theme. 

9. Various - Manchester, North of England ( $103.58 )

     This CD box covers the Manchester indie music scene from 1977-93. Lots of amazing bands included in this set. 

10. Various - Children of Nuggets ( $77.96 )

     Great psych rock collection that covers the years 1976-96. This was a marked down, cut-out. The first track is a Dukes of Stratosphear ( XTC ) song. It includes many Sound Mind favorites, such as, Teenage Fanclub, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Dream Syndicate, The Soft Boys and The Smithereens. It also has the song "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" by The Times. Really cool set. Peace.

Discogs Median Value: Records

      One of the Vinyl Community YouTubers I enjoy watching is Tim from the University of Vinyl. Today he released a video about the most valuable records in his collection according to their median value on Discogs. This video was in response to the stock market plummeting the last two days and not intended as financial advice. So, I decided it would be fun to do the same thing on Sound Mind. Today I will list my Top 10 albums and tomorrow it will be box sets. Spoiler alert: half of my Top 10 is albums by RUSH. 

1. RUSH - RUSH ( $694.50 )

     Buying this record for $5.97 was the greatest bit of Karma I've ever experienced. When I moved to Cleveland from Detroit, I gave my US Mercury copy of RUSH's debut album to a friend as a going away gift. Shortly after settling in, I went to a small record store that specialized in classical music, but also had some used rock albums. I was stunned to find a rare Canadian Moon records copy of the same album on the shelf. It's not in pristine condition, but well worth the six bucks I spent on it. 

2. Misfits - Walk Among Us ( $450.00 ) 

     I know virtually nothing about Misfits, except that Glen Danzig was in the band. I was surprised to find this record in my father-in-law's collection after he passed. I cleaned it up and gave it a spin and it sounded amazing. I was equally surprised to see how valuable it was when I entered it into Discogs. 

3. RUSH - Test For Echo ( $222.26 )

     The reissues of these Nineties RUSH albums, on vinyl, from 2015 go for quite a bit on Discogs. I bought all of them because I'm a completist. In truth, Test For Echo is probably my least favorite RUSH album. Hopefully, for my family, it's still worth something after I'm dead. 

4. RUSH - Counterparts ( $202.19 )

     This is another vinyl reissue from 2015. I remember going to a midnight release at Dearborn Music to pick this album up on CD back in 1993. Just about everyone else at the midnight release was there for Vs. by Pearl Jam, but not me. 

5. RUSH - Snakes & Arrows ( $188.99 )

     This was actually released on LP in 2007 and I had a copy of it in my hand. I didn't buy it because it was $40. It's Max value on Discogs today is almost $300. I have the 2016 reissue, which is still quite valuable. I wish I had bought it in 2007, though. Great album. 

6. RUSH - Roll the Bones ( $163.04 )

     Yet another 2015 vinyl reissue. That makes 5  of my top 6 most valuable albums being RUSH records. Crazy. 

7. Sparklehorse - Good Morning Spider ( $126.54 ) 

     It's remarkable that Sparklehorse would be this high in my collection. Must have been a limited reissue. 

8. The Zombies - Oddessey and Oracle ( $123.50 )

     I found this record in a random cardboard box of albums at a thrift store. I know we were on vacation, but I don't remember where. The jacket is in rough shape, but the record is near mint and sounds fantastic. What a miraculous find!

9. Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen ( $115.00 )

     This is a 2017 reissue on blue vinyl. One of my favorite albums of the '90's and Ben Folds is a Top 5 pianist in my opinion.

10. The Beatles - The Beatles ( $112.19 )

     Of course, The Beatles had to crack this list. This is the 2014 Mono reissue on vinyl. I own several different pressings of the White Album and this is my personal favorite. It's worth the price for the mono version of "Mother Nature's Son" alone. 

Honorable Mention: Doves - Kingdom of Rust came in at #11 at $111.11. What are the odds of that? Peace.

     

2004 Deep Dive: Top 40 Songs

      OK, I'm doing 40 songs so this will be a long one. I love multiple songs from some of these albums, as well as many songs from albums that didn't make my Top 20. I don't know where Sound Mind is going after this post. I'm in a time squeeze and have nothing in particular to focus on. The Patreon group I'm in is doing a 1969 deep dive next, but that's probably a couple months away. I'm also a little burnt out on deep dives. I may try to circle back on revisiting some of my crappy old posts and re-imagine them. Time will tell. Peace.

1. Clubfoot - Kasabian

     This song is a banger and the bass is killer.

2. Ocean Breathes Salty - Modest Mouse

     Love the guitars on this and the lyrics are delightful. "For your sake I hope Heaven and Hell are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath".

3. Everybody Thinks I'm a Raincloud - Guided by Voices

     This is my personal theme song. It should be playing in the background like I'm a TV character. "This is not my day and nobody really cares anymore, anyhow. Nobody called again cuz they say that I'm to lazy to stay alive", 

4. Miracle Drug - AC Newman

     My favorite new discovery. 

5. Decent Days and Nights - The Futureheads

     My second favorite new discovery. "If the least you can do is show some restraint, then the most you can do is get carried away".

6. Criminal Piece - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

     Very scrappy and jangly. Kinda sounds like a Superchunk song.

7. Huffman Prairie Flying Field - Guided by Voices

     Gorgeous pop gem featuring a guest appearance by Tobin Sprout. "If that is what you want to hear, then that's what I will sell you". 

8. I.D. - Kasabian

     The trippy keyboard intro is brilliant. "No one else is here, but I can't get a sense of nothing".

9. Girls of Wild Strawberries - Guided by Voices

     Another beautiful pop gem. "Undelivered sermons to the sea". 

10. L.S.F. - Kasabian  

     The chorus is FIRE!

11. All Because of You - U2

     I love Bono's vocals in the chorus. I also love up-tempo, high energy U2. 

12. When the Fool Becomes a King - The Polyphonic Spree

     EPIC! "Love the life you choose". 

13. Float On - Modest Mouse

     The main guitar riff is fantastic. 

14. Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand

     It was the biggest rock song of 2004 for a reason. 

15. Slow Hands - Interpol

     This song is a straight-up jam. "You make me want to pick up a guitar".

16. Rebellion - Arcade Fire

     I love this song, but hate that it spawned a ton of shit bands. I wish more of their songs were like this.

17. Here Comes Everybody - Autolux

     The transition from the breathy vocals at the beginning to the bombastic chorus is sublime. "Sha-la-la". 

18. C'mon C'mon - The Von Bondies

     A garage revival classic. The album doesn't hold up but this song is still great. 

19. Vertigo - U2

     "Hello, hello, hola". 

20. 10 A.M. Automatic - The Black Keys

     Not a big fan of this band or album, but this track is very White Stripes adjacent. 

21. Pretty - Elliott Smith

     Gorgeous. It makes me wish John Lennon and George Harrison had started a band together after The Beatles broke up. It probably would have sounded like this.

22. American Idiot - Green Day

     This song is still a great jam. "One nation controlled by the media". 

23. Ride - The Vines

     Another album that doesn't hold up, but I still love this song.  

24. Mason City - The Fiery Furnaces

     I can't put into words what I love about this song. You'll have to listen to it. It's simple, yet complicated.

25. Woman's Prison - Loretta Lynn

     What a heartbreakingly, beautiful song. Legend!

26. C'mere - Interpol

     Interpol really knows how to get a great guitar sound. 

27. Wake Up - Arcade Fire

     See my comments for "Rebellion". 

28. Robots in the Garden - Autolux

     Fun, drum-driven, stop and start song. And there are fucking robots in the garden. 

29. Catherine Dupree - Will Johnson

     My favorite songwriter all stripped down. 

30. The Day John Henry Died - Drive by Truckers

     I never got into these guys, but this song has a nice, classic rock feel. 

31, All They Ever Do Is Talk - Earlimart

     A brooding, Smashing Pumpkins adjacent track. 

32. Closets of Henry - Guided by Voices

     Jangly in the verse and a soaring chorus. Classic Bob. 

33. Coast to Coast - Elliott Smith 

     More of a rocker with Steven Drozd on drums.

34. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn

     Nice mash up of Loretta and Jack White.

35. Tour Guide at the Winston Churchill Memorial - Guided by Voices

     Nice, mid-tempo song with a great vocal performance by Uncle Bob.

36. The Good Times Are Killing Me - Modest Mouse

     Wacky collaboration with The Flaming Lips. 

37. Shadows of Tomorrow - Madvillain

     This could change when I know the album better, but this one stood out.

38. A Long Day Continues/We Sound Amazed - The Polyphonic Spree

     Beautifully picks up where the first album left off. Quite Abbey Road-esque. 

39. Guinnesses - MF DOOM

     Love the grooves and flow. 

40. Winners and Losers - Social Distortion

     I need to check out more Social D. Really like this one. 

     

     

     

     

         

        

2004 Deep Dive: Part Four

      The Top 5 albums of 2004 means I'm about to reveal my Mt. Rushmore. If I had thought this out better  I would have done four albums at a time instead of 5 since I only did 20 this time. Oh well. I'm also about to reveal the final first-time listen of 2004 to make my top 20. Since I only did 20 albums for 2004, I will expand my top songs list to 30. Let's do this thing.

5. Madvillain - Madvillainy ( 4.5 Stars )

     Just missing my Mt. Rushmore is first-time listen, Madvillainy. This is one of those albums that's always on best albums lists and there's even a 33 1/3 book about it. I've meant to check it out for quite some time and this was finally the excuse I needed. Madvillain is MF DOOM, who was in my Top 20 with his album MM...FOOD, and Madlib. MF DOOM provides the lyrics and Madlib the production. Like MM...FOOD, I really enjoy the lyrics and flow, as well as the samples and mid century links. My favorites are "Shadows of Tomorrow" and "Figaro". Another standout track is "Eye", which features Stacy Epps on vocals. I'm still not well-versed in Hip Hop, but it seems I mostly like good flow, jazz influence or sci-fi production and cool samples. It's a start.

4. Guided by Voices - Half Smiles of the Decomposed ( 4.5 Stars )

     First up on my 2004 Mt. Rushmore is Guided by Voices. Sorry if you're sick of these guys after my recent deep dive, but this album is great. Half Smiles of the Decomposed is helmed, as always, by songwriting machine Robert Pollard, with the able assistance of current band members Doug Gillard and Kevin March. Also on this album are Nate Farley on rhythm guitar and Chris Slusarenko, of the band Eyelids, on bass. It features five of my all-time favorite Guided by Voices tunes, "Everybody Thinks I'm a Raincloud", "Girls of Wild Strawberries", "Closets of Henry", "Tour Guide at the Winston Churchill Memorial", and "Huffman Prairie Flying Field". The other nine tracks on this albums are great, too. Pollard temporarily retired the band after this album, but he would later reunite the "Classic Lineup" in the early 2010's and then the current lineup in 2017. 

3. U2 - How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb ( 4.5 Stars )

     This album has a special place in my heart. During the winter of 2004-5, this CD lived in my wife's car and we listened to it on a loop driving back and forth to Lamaze classes before our daughter was born. She's now going into her sophomore year of university. I don't get the haters of U2, and this album in particular. It has a Rate Your Music score of 2.75. That's bonkers! These people must all be miserable bastards. "Vertigo" is a straight-up banger. "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own" is a gorgeous song that Bono wrote for his father. "Love and Peace or Else" has an irresistibly, languid vibe. "City of Blinding Lights" is one of Bono's best lyrics and The Edge is smokin'. My favorite track is "All Because of You". The whole band is firing on all cylinders. The chorus is soaring. It's easily a Top 5 U2 album, along with War, The Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. Suck it trolls!

2. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News ( 5.0 Stars )

     During 2004, when the only two songs that existed in the world were "Take Me Out" and "Float On", my wife was one of those who loved "Float On". Then I bought this CD and started listening to it and she hated the rest of it. This was probably a common occurrence. Luckily for me, it was right in my sweet spot. I know Isaac Brock's vocals are divisive, but I love how he veers from fragile to angry to sarcastically hilarious. They also have that weird, woozy guitar sound, like Built to Spill. And "Float On" is a tremendous song. It's remarkable that it was so popular. It didn't take much to sell me on this album, because they did a collaboration with The Flaming Lips (The Good Times Are Killing Me). Every song on Good News...Bad News is great. My favorite is "Ocean Breathes Salty". It has some of the best lyrics of the 2000's. "You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the after-life?" I think what put my wife over the edge was the back to back assault of "Bury Me With It" and "Dance Hall", which features Isaac at his most shouty. That's what clinched this as a 5 Star album for me. 

1. Kasabian - Kasabian ( 5.0 Stars )

     I instantly fell in love with Kasabian the first time I heard "Clubfoot". The hype for them in the British music magazines was off the chain and they lived up to it. The bass grooves on "Clubfoot" are intoxicating. I could hear that song a million times and it would still be as great as the first time. The single, "L.S.F" (Lost Souls Forever), is almost equally as brilliant. One of the highlights of a Kasabian live show is everyone singing along to the chorus, "Ah, oh come on. We got our backs to the wall. Get on and watch out, say, you're gonna kill us all". Another mind-blowing track is I.D.. It begins with an extended electronic intro, then the drums count in the rest of the band. The lyrics are great and it has a hypnotic groove that you lose control to. This is easily one of the Top 5 albums of the 2000's. Epic! Peace.

2004 Deep Dive: Part Three

      We're now into the Top 10 for 2004 and there are two more new listens in this 6-10 group. It's a fun assortment of albums with only one obvious selection. Let's get to it.

10. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose ( 4.0 Stars )

     I certainly wasn't expecting a Loretta Lynn album in my Top 10. I remember Van Lear Rose coming out to considerable critical acclaim, but never listened to it despite the involvement of Jack White. I probably viewed it as a cynical move on his part to reinvent a Country Music legend. As I listened to this for the first time, I vaguely remember hearing the track, "Portland, Oregon" back in the day. It turns out Jack White did a respectful job on Van Lear Rose. He judiciously adds some rock elements to an outstanding collection of traditional Country songs, most notably on "Have Mercy" and "Mrs. Leroy Brown". "Trouble on the Line" sounds like it arrived in a time machine from the 70's. The pedal steel on that track is beautiful. "Women's Prison" is a powerful song about a woman who kills her cheatin' man and ends up on Death Row. The last thing she hears is her mama cry. It's easily my favorite track on the album. It runs out with a great slide guitar performance by Jack White. I suppose in 2004 we all needed a reminder that Loretta Lynn was a national treasure. 

9. Earlimart - Treble and Tremble ( 4.5 Stars )

     This is another CD I was all about in 2004. I think I read a review of it in a music magazine and took a flyer on it. It's not surprising that Treble and Tremble is in my wheelhouse. It has a dreamy Sparklehorse vibe and was co-produced by Jim Fairchild of Grandaddy. Apparently, Earlimart's Aaron Espinoza was friends with Elliott Smith and this album was inspired by him. The single from this album was "Heaven Adores You". Probably a connection there. What I love most about Treble and Tremble is the vocals. They are a breathy combination of Jason Lytle of Grandaddy and Billy Corgan. One of my favorite tracks is "Tell the Truth", which has the lines: "Well I know I'm out of reach. And all these songs are out of key. But I guess you just don't know. You don't know shit about me". Good stuff.

8. Arcade Fire - Funeral ( 4.5 Stars )

     I know this was the consensus Best Album of 2004, but I have it at #8. Maybe it's because part of me blames them for all the horrible bands like The Lumineers and Mumford and Sons. That's probably not fair, but life's not fair. There's no denying, however, that Funeral is a phenomenal album. "Wake Up" is a sweeping, majestic indie rock anthem. The first time I heard of Arcade Fire was when I saw the music video for "Rebellion". It was mesmerizing. And it's a fantastic song. If the rest of the album was as powerful as these two songs it would be a 5 Star lock. But they aren't, so 4.5 it is.

7. The Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy ( 4.5 Stars )

     Together We're Heavy is the hilariously titled second album by The Polyphonic Spree. With over 20 members, their combined weight would have been well in excess of one ton. The implication is separately they were not heavy in a personal outlook sense. They were a band, lead by Tripping Daisy's Tim DeLaughter, who found community and joyous expression through music. Their albums had an unusual conceit where the song numbers continued to go up. like their music was one continuous journey. It's awesome that there was a time in music where a band like The Polyphonic Spree could even exist. Over the years, I've come to this band for enjoyment, solace, inspiration and a renewed faith in humanity. The opening track, "Section 11 (A Long Day Continues/We Sound Amazed)", is a larger than life, Beatlesesque quest for meaning that calls back to their first album. "Section 12 (Hold Me Now)" was the "hit" song. It's a spirited, uplifting track with full band instrumental bombast and a beautiful message. "Section 13 (Diamonds/Mild Devotion to Majesty) is a gorgeous song that features some tremendous theremin playing. Delaughter's usually fragile vocals are actually quite powerful on this track and the backing vocals are amazing. I could literally highlight every song on this album, but my favorite is probably "Section 19 (When the Fool Becomes a King)". It's a multi-part song that runs over ten minutes. After an opening fanfare section there's the fantastic "Hail to the sky", sing-along section. My favorite section follows when DeLaughter brings it down and has the line, "The best place is to find your home. The coolest is to find your way". The song closes out with the inspiring "Reach for the sun" movement. My one complaint about Together We're Heavy is that "Section 19" clearly should have been the album closer. There's nowhere for them to go after such a cathartic anthem. Honestly, if your soul hasn't been completely crushed by Neoliberal austerity, capitalism, mass shootings and forever wars listen to The Polyphonic Spree and recharge your Spirit. It's not a cult.

6. A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder ( 4.5 Stars )

     This is my favorite new discovery of this dive. The Slow Wonder is the first solo album from A.C. Newman of The New Pornographers. It's not really much of a departure, but it's fantastic. Newman hits it out of the park with the opening track, "Miracle Drug". "He was tied to the bed with a miracle drug in one hand. In the other, a great lost novel that, I understand, was returned with a stamp that said, "Thank you for your interest, young man,". The third track, "On the Table" is a rollicking, high energy indie rocker. The following track, "Most of Us Prizefighters", is a moodier, Shins adjacent song, that's also quite good. "The Battle For Straight Time" is classic New Pornographers and features some sweet recorder playing by Newman. The only thing keeping The Slow Wonder from being 5 Stars is that it lags somewhat towards the end. It's still great though. Peace. 

     

2004 Deep Dive: Part Two

      Albums 11-15 feature a diverse group of artists. Two of them are first listens. One is my favorite songwriter. Let's go.

15. The Futureheads - The Futureheads ( 4.0 Stars )

     Yes, I just mentioned these guys in my Franz Ferdinand selection. They were a first listen and I'm not sure how I missed them back in 2004. They are Franz Ferdinand adjacent with their angular guitar sound and dance club rhythms, but The Futureheads are more sophisticated lyrically and in terms of song composition. Yet they are quite fun and exuberant, less aloof than FF. "Carnival Kids" and "Decent Days and Nights" are the best examples of this. And they had the stones to cover Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love". I could see this album getting to 4.5 Stars with more listens. I'm already questioning my current ranking. 

14. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill ( 4.0 Stars )

     For whatever reason, Elliott Smith is an artist that has fallen through the cracks for me. I bought this CD back in 2004 because Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips played on the fantastic opening track, "Coast to Coast". However, I only listened to it a couple times and never explored Elliott Smith's catalog. Maybe it's because I felt weird about jumping on after his suicide. This turned out to be a nice revisit. This time around, From a Basement on the Hill gave me a late period Beatles vibe, George Harrison in particular. It's almost eerie on a track like "Pretty (Ugly Before)" or the trippy "A Passing Feeling". Listening to this record it's apparent Smith was going through some tough times. There are countless allusions to suicide, drugs, failed relationships and being broke. Sadly, this is the recipe for great songwriting, like on the hauntingly beautiful song, "Twilight". I considered not including this album because it was recorded over a three year period before his death and was cobbled together posthumously, but it's a 2004 release and the end product is quite good. I really need to do an Elliott Smith dive. 

13. Will Johnson - Vultures Await ( 4.0 Stars )

     Followers of Sound Mind know my favorite songwriter is Will Johnson of Centro-matic and South San Gabriel. In general, his solo albums usually fall somewhere between the ramshackle bombast of Centro-matic and the slow-core beauty of South San Gabriel. Vultures Await is probably the best example of this generalization. The opening track, "Catherine Dupree", leans more into the SSG vibe. It's a haunting story song about a woman who burns down a university because of her useless degree. It is slow and sparse, just Will singing and playing a minimalist piano part. "Closing Down My House" is closer to the Centro-matic end of the spectrum. While the playing on Vultures Await is restrained, Will's lyrics and vocals are in top form. If these songs had a full band treatment this would probably be a 5 star album, even though it might lose some of its fragile beauty. 

12. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat ( 4.0 Stars )

     This was another first listen. I didn't really know what to expect, but I didn't expect this. The opening track, "Quay Cur", concerned me at first. It features the electronic bleeps and bloops that were prevalent at this time in indie rock. Also it's over ten minutes in length. And Eleanor Friedberger was singing like Bjork. About four minutes in, her brother Matthew comes in and completely changes the vibe of the song. Eleanor takes over again in her normal voice and Matthew comes back in occasionally with some jazzy bits. It turned out to be a great song. Once I got my bearings, I really enjoyed this album. It straddles the line of pretentious crap and inspired madness. I grew to like the electronics and the Brubeck-ian piano jazz and Eleanor's idiosyncratic vocals. My favorite song is "Mason City". Eleanor gives a beautiful, straight-forward vocal performance, accompanied by toned down electronics and piano and hand claps. Matthew provides a great guitar solo a couple minutes in and takes a vocal turn about halfway through the track. "Chief Inspector Blancheflower" is an interesting song. It's a story song about a hyperactive kid who grows up to be a cop...I think. It's long and confusing. The only thing keeping this from 4.5 stars is there are too many excessively long songs. I would love to hear this on a good sound system.

11. Interpol - Antics ( 4.0 Stars )

     While Antics is a step down from Turn on the Bright Lights it's still really good. I love their guitar sound. It's fantastic how he shifts from stop and start, staccato playing to insistent chord strumming. The rhythm section is stellar, as well. Antics features the classic Interpol tracks "Evil", "Slow Hands" and "C'mere". "C'mere" may well be my favorite Interpol song. It's the perfect amalgamation of everything I love about them. Even the vocals are great. Peace.

     

2004 Deep Dive: Part One

      I'm officially calling it on this 2004 Deep Dive. It was a solid year for albums and there were many great songs. However, I'm only going to rank 20 albums for this dive. Twenty is where my 4-Star albums end and there really weren't any standout 3.5's that I wanted to discuss. There are seven new listens in my Top 20, so that's exciting. There are several others that I haven't listened to since 2004, so it was nice to go back and check them out again. I didn't post any Mt. Rushmores for the 2000's, so this will be a first. Two of them probably won't be much of a surprise. Alright, let's start this thing. 

20. MF DOOM - MM...FOOD ( 4.0 Stars )

     During these deep dives, I've been trying to expose myself to more hip hop and I have discovered some stuff that's in my wheelhouse. It's mostly jazz or sci-fi influenced hip hop, but it's a start. MF DOOM is the first of two quite similar hip hop albums to make my list for 2004. What I like about MM...FOOD is the humor and the mid century audio links and samples. MF DOOM has the type of smooth, clever, non-stop flow that I really appreciate. It's hilarious that he did a concept album about food with fantastic song titles like "Beef rap", "Hoe Cakes", "Potholderz" and "Fig Leaf Bi-Carbonate". "Guinnesses" (feat. Angelika and 4ize) is my favorite track. The flow and laid back vibe are phenomenal. Obviously, this was a first listen and it was quite fun.

19. Social Distortion - Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll ( 4.0 Stars )

     This was also a first listen, even though I was familiar with the album opener, "Reach For the Sky". Social D is one of those groups that I like, in general, but I don't have anything by them in my collection. I mostly know them for "Ball and Chain" and their excellent cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". So, not knowing the context of this album in their discography, I gave it 4 stars based on enjoying it quite a bit. During this dive, I listened to the Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers 2004 release and was disappointed it didn't sound more like his previous band, The Refreshments. At several points, this Social D record sounds more like the album I wish the Roger Clyne album had been. Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll is a downhill rocker. It keeps getting better as it goes. The standout track for me is "Winners and Losers". Mike Ness' vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, but the guitar tones on this record are great.

18. Autolux - Future Perfect ( 4.0 Stars )

     I was all about this album in 2004, but I hadn't listened to it much in the past 20 years. While it didn't hold up quite as well over the years, it's still really good and has a couple standout tracks, "Here Comes Everybody" and "Robots in the Garden". Future Perfect is shoegaze adjacent, but the vocals are a little more forward and breathy. The guitars are plenty fuzzed out and the drumming is bombastic. I will be talking about the songs in my top songs post, so I won't spoil it here. If you've never heard this album I highly recommend checking it out.

17. Green Day - American Idiot ( 4.0 Stars )

     American Idiot. The last great Green Day album. Like Dookie, I forgot how good the deep cuts are on this concept album. I still love the title track. I gave American Idiot 4 stars because I've grown to hate the two hit singles, "When September Ends" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". They are grossly overplayed and it almost kept me from considering this record for my top 20. If the deep cuts weren't so good, I probably would have. 

16. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand ( 4.0 Stars )

     2004 was the year of "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand and "Float On" by Modest Mouse. More about the latter later. 2004 was also a big year for bands with angular guitars and dance rhythms. I'm looking at you too Futureheads. While Franz Ferdinand are more my wife's thing, this is a really good debut album. despite the song "Dark of the Matinee", which I can't abide. I actually saw them around this time with my oldest daughter. They were on a bill with Good Charlotte, The Used, Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday. She wanted to see Good Charlotte. I wanted to see FF and Jimmy Eat World. It was Jimmy Eat World's cover of "Game of Pricks" that was my gateway to Guided by Voices. More about them later, as well. Peace.

Kasabian: Happenings ( 2024 )

     There was a time that I would have been counting down the days to a new Kasabian release. Their new album, Happenings, was released Friday and I had completely forgotten it was coming out. If I wasn't a member of a discord group that updates new albums every week I still wouldn't know Happenings existed. So, pleasant surprise for me. I've listened a few times, and my initial reaction is I like it better than 2022's The Alchemist's Euphoria, but it's not at the level of Kasabian's prior work. I have it rated at 3-stars. 

     I've previously posted about the turmoil within Kasabian over the past several years, so I won't rehash that here. Suffice it to say the band has moved in a different direction on their last two albums with new frontman Sergio Pizzorno. While their new sound ,which is more electronic, is fine, I prefer their earlier menacing, brash, laddish rock style. Either way, Kasabian excels as a live band. Apart from their 2004 self-titled debut, Kasabian has had a difficult time capturing their live energy in the studio. I've seen the band live with Sergio and their original frontman, Tom Meighan, and both shows were amazing. In fact, the show with Meighan is the best concert I've ever seen. Kasabian has a handful of songs that are fun, audience participation moments during live shows that involve dropping the beat. On Happenings, there is a track called "Call" which is written expressly to be one of those songs, but it doesn't translate in the studio. It lacks live energy. 

     

     My lack of interest in this album was partly due to the advanced single, "Algorithms", which is light weight. However, there are a few strong tracks on Happenings, especially "G.O.A.T.". It's the most melodic song on the album and features the best lyrics. It even runs out with a solid guitar solo. "How Far Will You Go" is a quick hitting banger. The album opener,"Darkest Lullaby", is a throwback to the For Crying Out Loud album. "Passengers" is another strong track that is more rock-centric. "Hell of It" has a synth section that sounds like Manchester Prog band HENGE, so that's kind of fun. Overall, Happenings is a good album that fails to live up to the highs of earlier Kasabian records. 

     The timing of this release coincides with my 2004 Deep Dive, which will prominently feature the Kasabian debut album. It's crazy that it has been 20 years since I first heard "Clubfoot". I'm not making much headway on that dive, but I'll try to keep posting on a regular basis in the meantime. Peace.

     

 

Guided by Voices: Deep Dive Wrap Up

      It's the moment you've all been waiting for. I'm going to wrap up this Guided by Voices current lineup deep dive. It's been an amazing journey through 16 albums and 254 songs. If you've been following along you probably have a good idea where this is going. I'm going to rank the albums and then give you a playlist of the Top 20 songs from this dive, in no particular order. If you'd like a larger playlist add the other tracks I've singled out in my posts. They're great too. Just a reminder, I'm not including the compilation album, Warp and Woof, or any side projects like Cub Scout Bowling Pins or Cash Rivers. I will also share my favorite lyric from each song. This is going to be a long one. Peace.

1, Space Gun - 5 Stars

2. Welshpool Frillies - 4.5 Stars

3. Nowhere To Go But Up - 4.5 Stars

4. Styles We Paid For - 4.5 Stars

5. Crystal Nun Cathedral - 4.0 Stars

6. It's Not Them... - 4.0 Stars

7. August By Cake - 4.0 Stars

8. Mirrored Aztec - 4.0 Stars

9. Sweating the Plague - 4.0 Stars

10. Strut of Kings - 3.5 Stars

11. Zeppelin Over China - 3.5 Stars

12. How Do You Spell Heaven? - 3.5 Stars

13. Tremblers and Goggles By Rank - 3.5 Stars

14. Surrender Your Poppy Field - 3.0 Stars

15. Earth Man Blues - 3.0 Stars

16. La La Land - 3.0 Stars

1. GREY SPLAT MATTERS from Space Gun

     "Sleepy heavy eyelids you believe your sockets. Take them out slowly and just let them dry."

2. TO KEEP AN AREA from Mirrored Aztec

     "But you stumble on broken ladders and it's easier to turn back and go home."

3. MR. CHILD from Styles We Paid For

     "Roll with the punches and remain as a child."

4. ALEX BELL from Tremblers and Goggles By Rank

     "Babies can see, but they can't conceive how it feels when you lose it all."

     "I see you around every time there's a ghost in town."

5. BETTER ODDS from Welshpool Frillies

     "You caused an earthquake, yeah, I felt it."

6. LOCAL MASTER AIRPLANE from Nowhere To Go But Up

     "Ten billion clocks in on the beat."

7. SONG AND DANCE from Nowhere To Go But Up

     "Should have seen rock and roll had nowhere left to go."

8. SERENE KING from Strut of Kings

     "When I get around town, people in surround sound."

9. 5 DEGREES ON THE INSIDE from August by Cake

     "5 degrees on the inside, baby that's cold."

10. MAN CALLED BLUNDER from Surrender Your Poppy Field

     "Everywhere that he goes he finds a loser's game and he plays."

11. NEVER MIND THE LIST from Crystal Nun Cathedral

     "Make a fist when you pray."

12. SEE MY FIELD from Space Gun

     "Go on - be a spectator. See my field. I discovered lightning in a jar."

13. MY FUTURE IN BARCELONA from Zeppelin Over China

     "Moving units, testing time, saving nothing, make it rhyme."

     "Excruciatingly slow. Excruciating me so."

14. MEET THE STAR from Welshpool Frillies

     "Gone the fear. Soon to release his thundering brain children out from their crease."

15. THE BATMAN SEES THE BALL from Earth Man Blues

     "Reality is based only on what their screens display, that's all."

16. HIGH IN THE RAIN from It's Not Them

     "I'm taking this time for staying behind and writing my notepaper play."

17. COUSIN JACKIE from La La Land

     "Climb the mountain to the valley. Drive the highway to the alley."

18. ROMEO SURGEON from Welshpool Frillies

     "Alleys and aisles of mystery. Anesthetic permafrost, aisle three."

19. RADIOACTIVE PIGEONS from Welshpool Frillies

     "May you always know yourself."

20. FICTIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL DREAM from Strut of Kings

     "Programming fever dreams with the fools."

      

     

Guided by Voices: Strut of Kings ( 2024 )

      Well, we have finally reached the end of this odyssey through the catalog of the current lineup of Guided by Voices. Strut of Kings is the only scheduled release for 2024, and came out last Friday. I have to admit, I haven't been able to pick up a copy yet. I'm waiting to hear from Record Den to see if they received a copy yet. If they did I will pick it up later today. I have listened to it several times on YouTube, so I will press ahead and wrap up this deep dive. After the first listen, I was a little disappointed and felt it was a low 3.5 stars. Having listened to it several more times, I'm coming around a bit and it's probably up to a high 3.5 stars. There are a couple catchy tracks, but it's mostly prog influenced. 

     The highlights are the ear worm tracks, "Serene King" and "Fictional Environment Dream". "Serene King", in particular, has been stuck in my head since it was released as an advanced single. It's infectious as Hell and finds Robert Pollard at the peak of his pop skills. The lyrics are fantastic. I love the pre-chorus that leads into the simple chorus: "Everywhere I go people want to know who I am so I tell them I am the Serene King. In a half-asleep dream. Waltz across a battlefield. Oh, my name is Serene (4x)". "Fictional Environment Dream" is a classic, jangly Guided by Voices pop song, even though it clocks in at about four minutes. Doug Gillard really carries this one. In contrast, they may have written the world's shortest Prog epic with the 2:51 "Olympus Cock in Radiana". This track is a distant cousin to an older song, "Don't Stop Now", which was about a real-life, vicious rooster called Big Daddy. It's the de facto title track since it includes the line "strut of kings". It's definitely the most brilliantly concise prog song in their catalog. It's great that Pollard now has a band that can pull off something like this. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is a collection of 3-star songs. There's nothing horrible, but also nothing else that's memorable. I'm leaning towards it being the highest ranked 3.5 album, though. 

     My next post will be a final album ranking of this discography and a playlist of essential tracks. This was a fun exercise and it has me fired up for the Grog Shop show on the 20th. I looked at their recent setlists, and they are playing many of the standout songs from these albums, such as, the two tracks I mentioned from Strut of Kings", "Song and Dance", "Mr. Child", "Alex Bell", "Romeo Surgeon", and "To Keep an Area". It's gonna be a blast. Peace.

Guided by Voices: Nowhere to Go But Up ( 2023 )

      Nowhere to Go But Up? I don't know. You can't go up much more than 4.5/5.0. The current lineup of Guided by Voices seem to have found their sweet spot. Nowhere to Go But Up was their third release of 2023 and it consolidated the gains of Welshpool Frillies. Hopefully, this week's release, Strut of Kings, keeps up the momentum. It's their only scheduled album for 2024, so it should be solid. The lead singles have been promising. 

     The difference between Nowhere to Go But Up and Welshpool Frillies is every song on NTGBU is very good, but doesn't have the highs of WF, except "Local Master Airplane" which is an all-timer. This lineup is at its best when they split the difference between Earthquake Glue mode, and worshiping The Who. It makes sense because 60% of the band played on Earthquake Glue. However, Mark Shue's bass and Bobby Bare Jr.'s rhythm guitar are next level. NTGBU is a concise, 11 song set that's all killer and no filler. 

     As I already mentioned, "Local Master Airplane" is the standout track on this record. It begins with Doug Gillard's insistent guitar strumming, then Bob comes in, then explodes with the rest of the band. I love when Pollard comes in on the second verse, "Ten billion clocks in on the beat, synchronized feet on the pummeling, crumbling rip rapped path through the horror world". At the end, it rides out on a great Gillard solo. Perhaps the most impressive song on the album is the closer, "Song and Dance". It's four and a half minutes of musical restraint and tension combined with one of Pollard's greatest vocal performances. At the beginning, it almost has a "Behind Blue Eyes" vibe. Bob's lyrics are outstanding. "Should have seen rock and roll had nowhere left to go". About 3/4 through the song starts to rocks out, then fades with some olde tyme music. It's not as hooky as much of the rest of the album, but it's a powerful bit of songcraft. "We're Going the Wrong Way In" is a nice, mid-tempo track that perfectly illustrates the combination of Earthquake Glue and The Who on this album. "For the Home" is a fun, stomp rocker with soaring vocals. The only gripe I have with Nowhere to Go But Up is the album cover. It's an old photo of an athlete reaching to the sky while his admirers look onward. I much prefer Bob's collage work. 

     So, as soon as I can get my hands on Strut of Kings, I will check it out and write a post. Then I'll do a wrap up of my final rankings of this discography and a suggested playlist of the best tracks from the current Guided by Voices lineup. Hopefully, I can get back on track with the 2004 dive and publish that series by mid-July. After that, I'm not sure where Sound Mind will be going. Maybe I'll go back and revisit some of my old, crappy posts and fix them up. That should keep me busy. Peace.

Guided by Voices: Welshpool Frillies ( 2023 )

      Good news! I found one of my kids old Chromebooks and it still works, so I'm back in business. Now I can wrap up my Guided by Voices deep dive and then we can all move on with our lives. The dive is going to end with a bang because these last couple albums are tremendous. Today's post will be about their second release of 2023, Welshpool Frillies. I'm going to rate this one at 4.5 stars. It's not Bee Thousand or Isolation Drills level, but in the context of this band lineup I could argue it's a 5-star. There are multiple songs that I would put in the Guided by Voices canon. 

     This tight, 15 song set finds Pollard, Gillard, Bare, Shue and March firing on all cylinders. It starts with one of the bands best 1-2-3 punches ever; "Meet the Star", "Cruiser's Cross" and "Romeo Surgeon". "Romeo Surgeon" is the standout of this bunch. Gillard's razor sharp, stabby, stop-and-start riffs are dynamic. Even the next two tracks, "Chain Dance" and "Why Won't You Kiss Me", are those goofy type of Pollard songs that can quickly go off the rails, but he manages to straddle the line between having fun and being absurd. The rest of the album is on a spectrum from very good to great. In particular, the five song run of "Awake Man", "Rust Belt Boogie", "Seedling", "Better Odds" and "Radioactive Pigeons" is perfect. They are all quintessential Guided by Voices tracks. Bob's vocals and lyrics are exquisite, the guitars are clear and chime-y, and March's drumming is primal, especially on "Rust Belt Boogie". "Better Odds" is a masterclass in songwriting:

     Would you cut us off if we let cha?

     Would you make a scene? Oh, I betcha

     Having better odds on less production.

     Would you kiss a snake if I held it?

     You caused an earthquake, yeah, I felt it

     Drawing out a plan of your construction

     More or less, a real reduction.

     I mentioned the other day that I was transferred to a new store for my job and it has been kind of stressful. Yesterday, I went back to the receiving room and the girl working back there was listening to Bee Thousand. I shit you not! She was jealous when I told her I was going to see them at The Grog Shop. Then she went on about Pavement and Built to Spill. Maybe this transfer will work out okay after all. Peace.

     

Jerry's Records 2024

      This past Saturday, me and my friends Mike and Dave made the pilgrimage, once again, to Jerry's Records in Pittsburgh. This time we also stopped at Attic Records, which had an amazing selection. Unfortunately, I blew my budget and had to leave a copy of Miles Davis' Nefertiti behind. Still, I made some great pickups and found a grail. One quick note before I reveal my selections. I dropped my laptop and the screen is broken, so my only way to post is on my phone, which I hate. I'm doing it for this post and I will finish the Guided by Voices dive, but I may not post after that until I get a new laptop or something. Anyhow, here are my picks. The first six are from Jerry's and the last three are from Attic.

Miles Davis- Miles Smiles. This was my big splurge of the trip. Like the Pickers say, "The time to buy it is when you see it." It was in great condition and it is Miles' great Second Quintet. Had I known I would find Nefertiti at Attic I might have held off, but I love Miles Smiles too. 

Mott the Hopple - All the Young Dudes. I've been picking up a lot of Mott and Ian Hunter lately and I couldn't pass up on a VG+ version of All the Young Dudes. I've been holding out for a nice copy for quite some time. 

Hoodoo Gurus - Mars Needs Guitars. I took a flyer on this because I love their 1984 album, Stoneage Romeos, but I've never heard this one. Dave said it's almost as good, so it should be fine. I'll check it out tomorrow on my day off. 

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp. I basically got this to have a nice copy for listening to "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" I'm sure the rest of it is great too. 

YES - Going For the One. One of my favorite YouTubers, Andy Edwards is always going on about this album. I found a promo copy for radio stations that was cheap and in good condition, so I jumped on it. 

April Wine - Live at the El Mocambo. This is a live recording of a  Canadian show where they opened for The Rolling Stones. I have been on a mission to pick up some old April Wine, so I was thrilled to find this. Unfortunately, my budget constraints forced me to pass up on a copy of Stand Back. 

Tommy Keene - Songs From the Film. Really jacked to have found this in the wild. This is the album that features "Places That Are Gone". Tommy was the best. R.I.P.

Esquivel- Other Worlds Other Sounds. I've also been on the lookout for any Esquivel. This is a limited edition, audiophile reissue that I got for $20. Pretty happy about that. I'd still like to find some O.G. copies in the wild. 

Charo- Cuchi Cuchi. This was my grail find. I've been looking for this forever. Attic Records even had another Charo record, but I left it behind due to my budget. I can't believe I finally found it. This was the capper to a great trip with great friends. Peace.

 

 

     

Guided by Voices: La La Land ( 2023 )

      Hello. Sorry it's been about a week between posts. I transferred to a new store for my job and the commute is considerably longer, and it's cutting into my available free time for writing and listening to albums. Once I'm adjusted and plan my listening with my commute, I should be back on a regular posting schedule. At least that's the plan. For those of you who are exhausted with Guided by Voices content, rejoice that we have almost reached the end of this exercise. La La Land is the 13th studio album by the current lineup of Guided by Voices, and the first of three releases in 2023. It is my least favorite of the three, and of this deep dive as well. I'm rating it at 3-stars. It's actually impressive that my lowest score for this discography is 3-stars. This lineup has not released a horrible album despite 16 releases since 2017. Kudos to Uncle Bob and gang. 

     The standout track, by a wide margin, is "Cousin Jackie". It's best described as a mashup of The Who and Free. In fact, there's a section where Gillard virtually quotes the guitar riff from "Alright Now". It even has some John Entwhistle style French Horn. I love the line. "Climb a mountain to the valley, drive a highway to the alley". It's been clear during this deep dive that this lineup of Guided by Voices is influenced, quite profoundly, by The Who. Not a bad influence.

     Overall, this album lacks memorable hooks or lyrics. The second-best song is probably the 6-minute epic, "Slowly on the Wheel". What it lacks in hooks or good lyrics it makes up for with some good musicianship. Especially about 4 minutes into the song. The de facto title track, "Instinct Dwelling", is a pretty decent, sludgy hard rock number. It also has some fun lyrics from Pollard, "Better not see your contraband, you'll wind up in La La Land" and "Front door lobbies for acronyms, L.A. gyms can pack 'em in". Everything else on La La Land is C-Tier Guided by Voices material, except "Queen of Spaces". Its slow tempo and string arrangements are really not my jam though. 

     I haven't made much progress on my 2004 listening, so I'm not sure when I'm going to get to that deep dive series. Saturday, I'm going to Jerry's Records, so I will post about that as soon as I can. I'm hoping to pick up some cool stuff that I never see at shops around here. Wish me luck. Peace.

Guided by Voices: Tremblers and Goggles by Rank ( 2022 )

     Guided by Voices second album of 2022 is the absurdly titled Tremblers and Goggles by Rank. By the band's standards, this is an extremely tight 10-song set, overtly informed by The Who. This is most evident on the de facto title track, "Goggles by Rank". Chronologically, following It's Not them and Crystal Nun Cathedral, it seems like a step backwards. Considering they focused on just 10 songs it seems more uneven than its immediate predecessors. An album this short should have no room for a song like "Cartoon Fashion (Bongo Lake). This track marks the return of Uncle Bob's goofy vocal deliveries and musical shenanigans. Having said that, TAGBR is a solid album and I'm rating it 3.5 stars. 

     The single "Alex Bell" illustrates the lack of focus on Tremblers and Goggles by Rank. The title evokes Big Star, but there's no Alex Chilton or Chris Bell influence to be found. It has two distinct sections, which are both pretty good, interrupted by Pollard repeating the line "Walking down Alex Bell" multiple times. It takes the listener out of the song. However, the last section of the track is the highlight. The other single is the lead track, "Lizard on the Red Brick Wall". It's good, but not particularly hooky or memorable. For me, the standout track is "Goggles by Rank". It's eerily "I Can See for Miles" adjacent. It's the one song where everything comes together. Kevin March kicks it off with his best Keith Moon moves. Gillard and Bare Jr. pay homage to Pete Townshend in their power and reserve. Pollard's vocals and lyrics are at their best. 

     The rest of the album is filled out with solid songs that fail to stay with you once you take the record off the turntable. It makes me want to go back and listen to Crystal Nun Cathedral or jump ahead to Welshpool Frillies. Like I said, I have it at 3.5, but I would say it's a low 3.5 and almost a 3.0. Now, that's in the context of this lineup's albums. It's still way better than most records in 2022. 

     Just a quick update about my collection. I am making my triumphant return to Jerry's Records in Pittsburgh with my friends Mike and Dave in a couple weeks. I haven't been since 2013. That's crazy! I will publish a post about it at that time. Hopefully, I can find some Charo this time. Peace.

Guided by Voices: Crystal Nun Cathedral ( 2022 )

      It's been fun revisiting this current run of Guided by Voices albums. If you've been along for the ride, I hope it's been fun for you as well. I realize this is an excessive amount of Guided by Voices content all at once, but I felt it would be an interesting exercise. Apologies to those of you who aren't fans of the band. My pace is slowing a bit because I'm down to the last five albums before the new one is released at the end of the month. I'm also trying to get through a copious list of 2004 albums for that deep dive. It's shaping up to be an excellent year of releases. I already have a 4.5-star new discovery. I'm aiming for early July for the 2004 reveals. 

     Crystal Nun Cathedral is similar to Sweating the Plague in that it's a tight, 12-song set that's a solid rocker with no extreme highs or lows. The quality of the songs is higher on CNC, but I'm rating it at 4-stars as well. It's close to 4.5, but I can't quite rate it the same as Alien Lanes or Half Smiles of the Decomposed. In the context of this band lineup though a 4.5 could be argued. My only complaint is CNC is mostly one-note and lacks a couple really hooky tracks. However, every song is good to great. It's amazing that Robert Pollard can still deliver a vocal performance like the one he does here. The lyrics seem more personal, especially on the song "Never Mind the List". It's clearly a diss track to someone. "Let it rest and go away. Keep your profile low. Never try so hard", "Make a fist when you pray", "Too bad we couldn't get along", "Might I say you can cross me from your list. Very good then". It's interesting that this song was the single that they produced a video for. 

     The opening track, "Eye City" is an intense combination of grunge and prog. The lyrics of chorus 2 are fantastic, "Presidential ghost of this illusion/That's how it goes/In and out through tighter spaces, voyeuristic light/Venus flytrap slowly dying/Snapping lashes on the brink/Arriving violently through the stream/A scene that's playing out in some god's dream/And I still come 'round here". The song "Forced to the Sea" reminds me of "Look at Them' from Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. The following track, "Huddled" is reminiscent of the album Earthquake Glue. "Excited Ones" is probably the most classically catchy song in this set. "Mad River Man" is menacing in the verses, up-tempo in the choruses, and Who's Next adjacent. CNC closes with the title track, "Crystal Nun Cathedral". It's another of those great under two-minute rockers that Pollard can toss off while sitting on the toilet. The lyrics are delightful. The more I listen to CNC, I might get to a 4.5-stars at some point. It's a great record. Peace.

Guided by Voices: It's Not Them, It Couldn't Be Them. It Is Them ( 2021 )

      The second Guided by Voices album of 2021 is the obnoxiously titled, It's Not Them, It Couldn't Be Them, It Is Them. Technically, it's the third if you count their release Clang Clang Ho under the moniker Cub Scout Bowling Pins. For the purposes of this deep dive, I'm not. For the purposes of this post, I will refer to this album simply as It's Not Them. I love the cover of this record. It features bassist Mark Shue, legs akimbo, finger pointed to the sky, beer bottle in his left hand and cigarette dangling. The color scheme is also quite striking with olive green lettering and gray background. It's Not Them perfectly illustrates why I gave Earth Man Blues 3-stars and rate this one at 4-stars. It's still plenty weird, but it's a confident, consolidated band effort with some interesting production. Pollard's vocals are strong, even when he's indulging in some of his "idiosyncrasies". Doug Gillard also contributes some impressive string and horn arrangements on several tracks. 

     Right out of the gate is the song "Spanish Coin" in which Gillard plays flamenco-style guitar and adds swelling strings and trumpet. It's a singular track in the Guided by Voices catalog. It really sets the tone for what's to come over 41 minutes. This is followed up by the two standout songs on It's Not Them, "High in the Rain" and "Dance of Gurus". "High in the Rain" sounds like classic early 2000's Guided by Voices, catchy and muscular. "Dance of Gurus" has some great lyrics, "raise a drink to a planet rich in symbols", "no salute to a marcher's boot, that's for beginners" and "Buy me a Big Mac". Even "weird" tracks like "Flying Without a License" and "Maintenance Man of the Haunted House" are musically adventurous. There's also an obligatory epic track, "Black and White Eyes in a Prism". It's a nice composition and Pollard is in top form. Great lyrics. Then there's the delightful track, "People Need Holes". "People need holes to climb inside. People need cars to go for a ride". Yes, they do Uncle Bob. 

     In the Guided by Voices online community, the a-Capella track "Razor Bug" has become a meme and somewhat of a litmus test. It's arguably Robert Pollard's most bonkers one-minute of recorded "music". It's a spoken word piece in which Pollard may or may not have consumed a few "pops". You can almost sense the rest of the band standing around trying not to crack up while he recorded it. "Razor bug is coming with his golden boots and clubs. Razor bug is here with his surfboard suicide. Razor bug is back with his vegetable girls. Razor bug is thirsty drinking Greenworm soda. Razor bug is talent let him join your jacket. Razor bug is out there in the clearing of his pimples. Razor bug is goofy from the shots". I think it's hilarious. Count me as Team Razor Bug. 

     In a world where the past 30 years of music has hardly evolved or changed, and everyone worships nostalgia, it's nice that a band like Guide by Voices can exist and make music that challenges the listener and pushes the envelope. And they are a dynamic live band. As Bob once said, "Isn't it great to exist at this point in time?" Peace.

     I tried to attach a video for Razor Bug, but it wouldn't come up as an option. I also tried to attach the music video for "Dance of Gurus" and that wouldn't come up either. I'm not sure what I ended up attaching, but I can't figure out how to get rid of it. Hopefully it's not something dumb. Please try to find those videos for yourself. Once again, Peace.

Guided by Voices: Earth Man Blues ( 2021)

      Alright kids, the Guided by Voices (current lineup) discography breakdown is back with the first of two 2021 releases, Earth Man Blues. I'm going to predict this will be my lowest ranked album of this dive. Having said that, it's a low 3 stars and has five songs that most bands would kill for. The great thing about Guided by Voices is they have a relatively small, dedicated fanbase that supports them no matter what direction Uncle Bob leads them. Pollard is proof of marketing expert Seth Godin's belief that if you show up every day and ship the work your people will find it and support you. This album features many facets of Robert Pollard's muse that I, personally, don't like. Weird vocal deliveries, goofy accents and sections of songs that sound like they're being played at the wrong speed. Instead of being outlier tracks, they are most of the album. Earth Man Blues is comprised of reworked "suitcase tapes" songs from the Pollard vault. I wish he made better use of this muscular incarnation of the band, but I love and support Guided by Voices, and I'm glad they released five more genius songs into the universe. 

     The standout track is "Trust Them Now". It's a headlong, downhill rocker that clocks in at a tight 2:20. Pollard's lyrics and delivery turn back the clock. This song is already canon. "The Batman Sees the Ball" is a fun song about Batman playing baseball. It locks in on a high-octane groove and never lets up. "Margaret Middle School" is a classic, amped up, one-minute, hit and run Guided by Voices tune. It's followed up by the most well-produced track on the album, "I Bet Hippy". The effects on Bob's vocals and the guitars are unique in the discography. It's not as immediate as the other three tracks, but it's a more interesting listen. Mark Shue's powerful, melodic bass playing is all over the song "Test Pilot". The two-guitar attack of Gillard and Bare Jr. is in your face. And Pollard's lyrics are fantastic. "You can count to ten on all your thumbs". 

     There are a few tracks on Earth Man Blues that aren't essential but are nonetheless worth noting. "Dirty Kid School" is completely bonkers. "Can't hear the bell 'cause no one gives a shit", "Dirty kid school, the moms all hate it". Then the song ends with a crazy Jerry Goldsmith movie score inspired section. "Lights Out in Memphis (Egypt)" is a nearly six-minute epic. The verses are menacing and cinematic, then the choruses kick in with hard rock bombast. It's actually an impressive composition. "Ant Repellent" is delightfully goofy, yet still manages to rock. So, when I rate Earth Man Blues at 3-stars I'm basing that in comparison to other Guided by Voices records. Half of the tracks on here are better than most other bands, but the other half aren't my personal Guide by Voices preference. But "Trust Them Now" is the leader in the clubhouse for best song by this lineup. Peace.

     

1974 Top 25 Songs

      As hard as it was to come up with 25 great albums in 1974, it was harder to limit this list to 25 songs. I have no songs from my #1 album, or my #3, or my #5. Rather than laboring over my list of potential tracks, I just went instinctively in rapid fashion. The most disappointing omissions turned out to be, "Diamond Dogs", "Can't Get it Out of My Head", "Ballroom Blitz" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". I guess that's not horrible, but I feel bad. I don't feel confident about my number rankings, but here we go. 

1. September Gurls - Big Star

     This is a gorgeous, perfectly crafted pop song. 

2. Rebel, Rebel - David Bowie

     Great riff, great pre-chorus. One of my favorite Bowie tracks. 

3. Fox on the Run - Sweet

     One of the songs that made me fall in love with music and record collecting. 

4. Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Steely Dan

     A languid, yacht rock classic. "Send it off in a letter to yourself". 

5. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight - Richard and Linda Thompson

     Fantastic song of empowerment delivered magnificently by Linda Thompson.

6. Carefree Highway - Gordon Lightfoot

     His 1974 album was kind of boring, but this track is sublime. "Picking up the pieces of my sweet, shattered dream".  

7. Lady Marmalade - Labelle

     One of the great songs to incorporate French, like Psycho Killer. Seriously, this song is a bop. 

8. Fountain of Sorrow - Jackson Browne

     I already gushed about this song. Exquisite lyrics and vocals. 

9. Fracture - King Crimson

     Possibly the high point in progressive rock. 

10. Now I'm Here - Queen

     This is a Brian May composition. The arrangement is amazing. Top 5 Queen song.

11. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John

     Caribou is a disappointing album, but this may be my favorite Elton John performance.

12. Calvary Cross - Richard and Linda Thompson

     I can't do this song justice. Just listen to it.

13. Cosmik Debris - Frank Zappa

     My favorite Zappa song. Love the chorus. 

14. Help Me - Joni Mitchell

     A singular track by a singular artist. She has a one-of-a-kind vocal delivery. 

15. Dreamer - Supertramp

     I can't explain why I love Roger Hodgson but can't stand Frankie Valli. We are all dreamers.

16. Here Come the Warm Jets - Brian Eno

     This sounds like a lost Guided by Voices track.

17. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll - The Rolling Stones

     I wasn't a huge Stones fan as a kid, but this song always resonated with me. I like it yes, I do.

18. Nothing From Nothing - Billy Preston

     Really fun songs from the man who saved the Let it Be sessions. 

19. Killer Queen - Queen

     Extraordinarily nice! 

20. Bloody Well Right - Supertramp

     I love Rick Davies vocals on this track and the chorus is delightfully British. 

21. Bad Company - Bad Company

     I will always love this album and this song. 

22. See the Sky About to Rain - Neil Young

     Neil at his most beautiful.

23. Any Major Dude Will Tell You - Steely Dan

     "When the demon is at your door in the morning it won't be there no more".

24. Working Man - RUSH

     Thank God Donna Halper promoted this song in Cleveland and broke RUSH in the U.S.

25. They Say I'm Different - Betty Davis

     The funkiest origin story in the history of recorded music. Peace.

     

1974 Deep Dive: Part Five

      Well, we've made it to the final five. It's quite a diverse group of artists and three of them were new listens. My next post will be the Top 25 Songs of 1974, then I will continue with the Guided by Voices dive. After that, probably a 2004 deep dive although I could use a break from dives. Tastes Like Music is going to be doing a Prince dive soon. I didn't plan on participating, but I could conceivably change my mind. We shall see. 

5. King Crimson - Red (4.5 Stars)

     Red picks up where Starless and Bible Black left off. It's the final album of a trilogy of albums featuring Robert Fripp on guitar, Bill Bruford on drums and John Wetton on bass and vocals which began with 1973's Lark's Tongue in Aspic. It really is almost a continuation of SABB as it includes the song "Starless", which was meant to be the title track of that album. "Starless" is a serene piece for the first four minutes. It features Ian McDonald on saxophone. He also appears on the song "One More Red Nightmare". Two years later, McDonald would become a founding member of Foreigner. At about the 4:30 mark, "Starless" becomes more menacing with the arrival of Fripp's guitar. Then, right before the eight-minute mark, it erupts into total bombast. McDonald returns with an incendiary sax solo. The title track has some phenomenal multi-track guitar by Robert Fripp. With more listens, this could get an upgrade to 5-stars and trade spots with...

4. Big Star - Radio City (5 Stars)

     I've mentioned before that I feel like a bit of a fraud ranking this record so high. I never heard of Big Star until the documentary about them came out in 2012. But in reality, hardly anyone heard Radio City when it was released in 1974. A combination of crappy distribution and a crappy record label doomed Radio City and the exquisite single, "September Gurls". With 20/20 hindsight, this album has reached the iconic status that was long overdue. Every song on Radio City is a beautiful tale of longing, loss and heartache. Even with the loss of Chris Bell, Alex Chilton managed to create a jangly, power-pop masterpiece with Andy Hummel and Jody Stephens. And seriously, "September Gurls" is the perfect pop song. Well, that and "Sparky's Dream" by Teenage Fanclub.

3. Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs (5 Stars)

     Imagine the band Cream, if Eric Clapton was replaced by Jimi Hendrix. Well, that's what Bridge of Sighs sounds like. This album blew my mind. I knew Robin Trower was supposed to be a great guitarist, but I had no idea. Right from the opening track, "Day of the Eagle", the similarity to Hendrix is apparent. The title track is a slow burning blues number with a fantastic vocal performance by singer James Dewar. The feeling of being in a desert wasteland continues into the next track, "In This Place". The Hendrix influence returns on the next song, "The Fool and Me". The hit from Bridge of Sighs was "Too Rolling Stoned". That was back when you could have a hit that clocked in at 7:30. Once again, very Hendrix-y. 

2. Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (5 Stars)

     Jesus Christ! What a beautiful and devastating album. This is another instance of me having an unfounded bias against an album based on critical acclaim or whatever nonsense kept me from listening to it in the past. Ordinarily, I don't enjoy Irish folk music, but this has some great guitar playing, especially on "The Calvary Cross". It's hard to believe this record came out in 1974. It sounds very contemporary, like a Jason Molina album. On my first listen, I was digging Richard Thompson's singing and then Linda steps up and delivers "Withered and Died". Simply stunning. Then she tops that with her performance on the title track. "Meet me at the station, don't be late. I need to spend some money and it just won't wait". Or this line, "A couple of drunken nights rolling on the floor is just the kind of mess I'm looking for". Now I need to check out, Shoot Out the Lights. I don't know if I can though. It's apparently their breakup album. 

1. Genesis - Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (5 Stars)

     The final Genesis album with Peter Gabriel and the greatest prog album of all-time. Probably the greatest concept album as well. Gabriel is in complete control of the story of Rael and his adventures in NYC. Musically, this is Genesis at its peak. It's a testament that the second greatest prog album is the one after this, without Gabriel, A Trick of the Tail. Steve Hackett's guitar playing is inspired and Phil Collins drums like a man possessed. This is a Peter Gabriel production though and it's a masterpiece. Unfortunately, it needs to be listened to in one sitting. I can pick out some favorite songs, like the title track, "The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging", "Counting Out Time" and "Carpet Crawlers", but I never listen to Lamb unless I can sit down and play it all the way through. Oddly, I have the same policy with, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. 

     So, next time will be the top songs. I'm going to attempt to rank them, but there's a chance I won't. When I look at my preliminary list, I don't know how I can choose between many of these songs. I realize that's a cop out and I will try to rank them. Peace.

     

1974 Deep Dive: Part Four

      It wasn't uncommon in the early days of recorded music for artists to put out more than one album a year. By the 70's, this was less common, but there are two bands in my 6-10 group who released two albums in 1974. It's amazing that they were all well produced, original studio albums. When Bowie did it in 1973, one of the albums was all covers. 

10. Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (4.5 Stars)

     Queen released two albums in 1974, Queen 2 and Sheer Heart Attack. I rated Sheer Heart Attack higher because it's a stellar rock album; whereas Queen 2 is a prog album that I don't like as much as several other prog records that came out that year. Queen was probably able to put out two albums in 1974 because every member of the band was a songwriter. SHA has three classic Queen rockers, "Killer Queen", "Now I'm Here", and "Stone Cold Crazy". "Now I'm Here" is my favorite track. The performances by the band members and the composition of the song are mind blowing. In general, Queen is a "hits" band for me, but even the album cuts are excellent here. I could argue it's their best "album". 

9. David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (4.5 Stars)

     One result of this deep dive is I listened to many albums for the first time. Consequently, Sweet's Desolation Boulevard and Bowie's Diamond Dogs were knocked out of my 1974 Mt. Rushmore. It's no knock on those records, I just hadn't listened to several classic 1974 records until this dive. Diamond Dogs is still a top 5 Bowie album for me. It marks the end of my favorite period of Bowie. The title track starts out with the disclaimer. "This ain't rock 'n' roll, this is genocide". Well, it's also rock 'n' roll. In fact, it's throwback 50's rock 'n' roll with insane Bowie lyrics. "As they pulled you out of the oxygen tent you asked for the latest party". The standout track though is "Rebel, Rebel". The riff is great, and it probably has the best pre-chorus ever. "They put you down, they say I'm wrong. You tacky thing, you put them on". Diamond Dogs is divisive album in Bowie's catalog, but I love it.

8. King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black (4.5 Stars)

     I love prog, but King Crimson had always been a blind spot for me...until this dive. They released two albums in 1974 and they are both masterpieces. The lineup of Robert Fripp, John Wetton and Bill Bruford is brilliant. I was familiar with Wetton from his time in the supergroup Asia and Bruford is a prog drumming legend, but I had no appreciation for Robert Fripp. I knew of him, but never really listened to him. On the album Starless and Bible Black, he sounds like John McLaughlin from the Bitches Brew sessions. He's amazing. The parts I like most on this album are the ones that sound like Bitches Brew, "We'll Let You Know", "The Mincer", and the title track. This would be a 5-star album if the song "Trio" had been left off. Fripp does a lot of staccato playing on this album, especially on "Fracture" and the opener "The Great Deceiver". Musically, "Fracture" has a similar sound to parts of Genesis' Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, which also came out in 1974. "The Great Deceiver" is a bonkers jam. Then Wetton keeps singing about cigarettes, ice cream, Cadillacs, blue jeans and the Virgin Mary. It's awesome. I can also see where this album was probably an influence on The Flaming Lips' Embryonic era. 

7. Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (4.5 Stars)

     Granted, there is a ton of Zappa that I haven't gotten around to listening to yet, but Apostrophe is my favorite of what I've heard. It starts out with a suite of songs where Frank dreams he's an eskimo named Nanook. His favorite seal is clubbed by a trapper with a lead-filled snowshoe. He gets revenge by rubbing yellow snow into the trapper's eyes. Then the trapper goes on a journey to restore his eyesight. This may sound juvenile, and it sort of is, but Zappa's delivery is hilarious, and the music is technically brilliant. The standout track on Apostrophe is "Cosmik Debris". The guitar solo is incendiary and the chorus of backup singers singing "Look here brother, who you jivin' with that cosmik debris" is exquisite. Another highlight is the nearly six-minute title track. It's a bombastic instrumental that features Jack Bruce and Jim Gordon. George Duke is featured on the gospel inspired track, "Uncle Remus". Seriously, the musicianship on Apostrophe is worth checking out.

6. Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark (4.5 Stars)

     This is an album, much like Carol King's Tapestry, that I had some kind of inexplicable bias against. I decided to give it a listen for the dive and it's phenomenal. I did remember the song "Help Me" and it certainly resonates with me more than it did when I was 10 years old. I have a vague recollection of "Free Man in Paris", which features backing vocals by Crosby and Nash. Joni's vocal performance is incredible on this whole record, as are her lyrics and piano playing. There is a jazz element as well, provided by guitarist Larry Carlton and Tom Scott on reeds. "Raised on Robbery" is an up-tempo rocker which features Joe Sample on electric piano and Robbie Robertson on guitar. There's also a crazy cover of "Twisted" which features Cheech and Chong on backing vocals. I've finally learned my lesson about unfounded biases. Peace.

1974 Deep Dive: Part Three

      I was going to say my 11-15 picks were the most diverse group of artists on these deep dives, but then I looked at the rest of my list, and they are all remarkably diverse. I forget how much musical variety there was in the 70's. Even on the Top 40 charts. There are a couple new discoveries, and my favorite singer, in this group. 

15. YES - Relayer (4 Stars)

     Relayer is proggy, but not as proggy as the album cover would lead you to believe. Certainly, the opening epic "Gates of Delirium" is classic YES. The lineup on Relayer is slightly different with Patrick Moraz on keyboards, but it's a showcase for Anderson, Squire and Howe. Steve Howe, in particular, really stands out on Relayer. He branches out into playing blues and slide guitar, but there's still plenty of classical. When I've mentioned before that The Flaming Lips were influenced by YES, it's evident on the closing track, "To Be Over", which sounds very Soft Bulletin-y. In past interviews, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have both mentioned Relayer as their favorite album. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough to make my list. 

14. Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets (4 Stars)

     I've never had any interest in Brian Eno. I'm not exactly sure why that was. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of him as a producer, and I was never exposed to him as an artist when I was younger. However, Here Come the Warm Jets is fantastic. It sounds remarkably modern for 1974. I'm guessing this record was a huge influence on the Talking Heads. The title track is my favorite new discovery song of the 1974 deep dive. 

13. Toots and the Maytals - In the Dark (4.5 Stars)

     I feel a little guilty about this pick. I gave it 4.5 stars because it's the perfect album for a white guy laying by the pool on vacation in the Florida Keys. I would never listen to it again in any other context. But it's tremendous for that.

12. Jackson Browne - Late For the Sky (4.5 Stars)

     Jackson Browne has the most beautiful voice in the history of recorded music. Fight me! Seriously, listen to "Fountain of Sorrow" and tell me I'm wrong. I'm not. And his right-hand man, David Lindley, is amazing on all manner of guitars and strings. Jackson Browne is an incredible lyricist as well, and Late For the Sky is Exhibit A. "Lookin' through some photographs I found inside a drawer. I was taken by a photograph of you. There were one or two I knew that you would have liked a little more, but they didn't show your spirit quite as true." I rest my case. 

11. Bad Company - Bad Company (4.5 Stars)

     During my formative years, this album was unavoidable. It's practically a greatest hits album. "Can't Get Enough", "Rock Steady", "Ready For Love", "Bad Company", "Movin' On" and "Seagull". Bad Company were one of the early Supergroups, led by powerhouse frontman Paul Rodgers. The group was rounded out by Mott the Hoople's Mick Ralphs, and Boz Burrell and Simon Kirke. "Now these towns, they all know our name. 6 gun sound is our claim to fame". Fuck yeah! Peace.

1974 Deep Dive: Part Two

      The albums from 16-20 in this deep dive are an eclectic mix. There are two albums that are considered by some to be prog (but not by me), the band that got me into record collecting, a classic rock band and the second wife of a jazz legend. Let's do this thing.

20. Supertramp - Crime of the Century (4 Stars)

     Supertramp have long been one of my favorite "hits" bands. They are in my top three bands whose name starts with Super- (the others being Superchunk and Superdrag). However, the only Supertramp album I had actually listened to, until this exercise, was the 5-star classic Breakfast in America. Turns out, Crime of the Century is a great album as well. Of course, I knew the singles "Dreamer" and "Bloody Well Right", but there are no bad tracks on this record. My least favorite is probably the other single "School", but it's not horrible. Supertramp have a singular sound. They are keyboard dominant, but Roger Hodgson sprinkles in some nice guitar work, particularly on "Bloody Well Right". The band also has two singer-songwriters; Hodgson and Rick Davies. They have quite distinct vocal styles. Hodgson, who sings on most of Supertramp's hits, operates in the Frankie Valli register. Rick Davies has a little more gravitas. He's a combination of Billy Joel and a yacht rock vocalist. On most Supertramp songs they both contribute to the vocals, or at least do some harmonizing. Supertramp made some lineup changes before Crime of the Century, and it turned out to be their breakthrough album. The main addition to the band was John Anthony Helliwell, who played clarinet, every size saxophone, and was the third keyboardist. Many consider this a prog album. To me, it's in the ballpark of E.L.O., which seems more like art pop. Whatever you call it, it's #20.

19. Procol Harum - Exotic Birds and Fruit (4 Stars)

     I have some Procol Harum in my collection, but not this one. They are considered a one-hit wonder, "Whiter Shade of Pale", but they released several albums and had at least one other hit with "Conquistador". At this point in the band's career, guitarist Robin Trower is gone, and the focus is on singer/songwriter/pianist Gary Brooker. His vocals and lyrics are really good throughout. There are a couple standout piano rockers, "The Idol" and "Butterfly Boys". The latter has some excellent guitar playing, but in general I could use more guitar on this record. 

18. Betty Davis - They Say I'm Different (4 Stars)

     This might be my favorite discovery of the deep dive. As a Miles Davis fan, I knew about Betty but never checked out this album until now. She comes right out with "Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him" bringing the funk and attitude. "I'm gonna do it 'til the cows come home" and her background singers have her back. Mademoiselle Mabry follows that up with "He Was a Big Freak". Her vocals are passionate and raspy, and her delivery is singular in soul singing. She's not singing to show off her chops, she's standing in her power and telling her story. And the bass and drums are funkier than hell. On the title track, she lists of many of the artists that inspired her, such as Robert Johnson, Chuck Berry, Big Mama Thornton and John Lee Hooker. I'm gonna have to circle back and check out her first album when I have a chance. Nice.

17. Sweet - Desolation Boulevard (4 Stars)

     I know I'm repeating myself, but the first two 45 rpm records I bought with my own money were "Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox on the Run". In still love those songs! The rest of the album is pretty good, too. They are grouped in with Glam, but they do everything from power-pop to pub rock to metal on this album. I'm basing my inclusion of Desolation Boulevard on the UK release date of November of 1974. The US release was 1975 and "Ballroom Blitz" was actually a single in 1973. However, for the sake of these deep dives, I'm going with 1974. 

16. The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (4 Stars)

     I've always loved the title track. I just found out that Ron Wood played on it before he actually joined the band. It also features Wood's bandmate Kenney Jones on drums, and David Bowie on backing vocals. Crazy! This album gets crapped on somewhat because it falls between Exile on Main Street and Some Girls and doesn't quite measure up to that standard. It's still great though. I like their cover of "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", as well as "If You Can't Rock Me" and "Dance Little Sister". It's only rock 'n' roll kids. Peace.