WARREN ZEVON
STAND IN THE FIRE
1980-ASYLUM
Produced By WARREN ZEVON & GREG LADANYI
1. Stand In The Fire
2. Jeannie Needs A Shooter
3. Excitable Boy
4. Mohammed's Radio
5. Werewolves Of London
6. Lawyers, Guns And Money
7. The Sin
8. Poor Poor Pitiful Me
9. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
10. Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger/Bo Diddley
Bonus Tracks
11. Johnny Strikes Up The Band
12. Play It All Night Long
13. Frank And Jesse James
14. Hasten Down The Wind
One of the greatest crimes in rock & roll history has finally been corrected. Stand In The Fire is Warren Zevon's fourth album, after Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School. It was released in 1980, but for whatever reason was never put out on CD until 2007, along with The Envoy. So what were we missing? The album was recorded live at The Roxy in LA in 1980 by Zevon, David Landau, and an unknown Colorado band called Boulder. Zevon favored solo acoustic live releases later in his life, but this is full rock & roll fury. Zevon, who was newly sober at the time, rips though this set like you've never heard him before. Three new songs (the title track, "The Sin" and "Jeannine Needs A Shooter", which was co written by Bruce Springsteen) are great, and everything else simply cooks. He growls, snarls, and has as much fun as you'll ever haer any singer have on stage...at one point telling the audience that not only will the werewolf rip your lungs out, Jim, but that he's also "looking for James Taylor". The band is great, the setting not too big...this is just a classic show.
This has long been the holy grail of Zevon albums. Out of print for well over 20 years, you can have it now. One of the best live rock & aroll albums ever made. BUY THIS!
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
BEFORE THESE CROWDED STREETS
1998-RCA
Produced By STEVE LILYWHITE
1. Pantala Naga Pampa
2. Rapunzel
3. The Last Stop
4. Don't Drink The Water
5. Stay (Wasting Time)
6. Halloween
7. The Stone
8. Crush
9. The Dreaming Tree
10. Pig
11. Spoon
I'm not much of a fan of Dave Matthews, but he is due some credit. Before These Crowded Streets is a nice surprise, and has songs that are actually worth listening to. The instrumentation is great, the vocals are strong, but most importantly, the songs are well written and not the trust fund jam band fare of his contemporaries. Not hiding his political views or emotions here behind his own brand of virtuosity, songs like "Rapunzel" are very good, but it's "Don't Drink The Water", a song about Matthews view of the American mistreatment of Native Americans, that really shines. Guests range from Bela Fleck to Alanis Morissette. It's not perfect, but it's as close as Matthews ever got. Strong stuff.
Before These Crowded Streets is a good album by an artist that should really go back to what he did here. He proved he had it in him...now if he could just do it again.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
ULTRAVIOLET EYE
HEROIN GEEK THE MOVIE
1997-LOST ART
Produced By JOHN BIRD & ULTRAVIOLET EYE
1. Heroin Geek
2. How Soon Is Now?
3. Caterpillar
4. Courtney Love Song
5. 100 Million Stupid Excuses
6. Girl With A Bruise
7. Voudou Doll
8. Dysfunctional Families
9. Goodbye, Humboldt
10. Godzilla
11. She Forgot My...Broken Hand
12. Ganglia Hour
13. On My Side
14. Breakaway Republic Of Southern Loewenstein (Version)
15. Smoke On The Water
16. SST Superstar: Charles Manson Closing Credits (Theme)
One night in Hermosa Beach, I met a guy named Jeff Farley of April's Dad at an open mic night. He wanted to audition to be the keyboard player in my band. That didn't work out, but he did introduce me to a strange duo called Ultraviolet Eye. They are fairly famous in Belgium, and have been heard mostly on compilation albums and college movie soundtracks. Jeff Charreaux and Roy Appleman have a definite sense of humor, and a style of their own. Heroin Geek (I don't think there was ever a movie) contains a few great moments. The title track is top notch, but the best songs are the covers. "How Soon Is Now" is a fine Smiths cover. "Godzilla" literally melds the Blue Oyster Cult songs and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" into one, and "Smoke On The Water" is sung in...German?
Unfortunately, the album is longer than it should be, and the Eye runs out of ideas kind of quickly. All in all, a quirky but not great indie release with a few shining moments...just not enough of them.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
THE BEATLES
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
1967-APPLE
Produced By GEORGE MARTIN
1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. The Fool On The Hill
3. Flying
4. Blue Jay Way
5. Your Mother Should Know
6. I Am The Walrus
7. Hello Goodbye
8. Strawberry Fields Forever
9. Penny Lane
10. Baby You're A Rich Man
11. All You Need Is Love
The soundtrack to The Beatles first official failure, a TV show that was simply awful. But the album did very well. This is the only Beatles album that remains in its original US version...in the UK, it was released as a 6 song double EP. The last 5 songs were singles that didn't have homes on albums. And while it does contain some of their greatest songs ("I Am The Walrus", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "All You Need Is Love"), there are also some lesser tracks...rare for a Beatles album. "Flying", the only Beatles track credited to all four members, is an instrumental waste of time. "The Fool On The Hill" and "Your Mother Should Know" are also not up to standards. Even the recording is suspect...some of the songs are in "fake" stereo, and "I Am The Walrus" switches from true stereo to the fake halfway through the song. A must for a complete collection, but light years away from their best work.
The list of guest vocalists on "All You Need Is Love" is stunning: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Keith Moon, Eric Clapton, Patti Boyd Harrison, Jane Asher, Mike McCartney, Maureen Starkey and Graham Nash. No Yoko. Hmmm...This album has plenty of holes, but the strength of the best tracks makes the holes somehow forgivable. _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
CINDERELLA
HEARTBREAK STATION
1990-MERCURY
Produced By JOHN JANSEN & TOM KEIFER
1. The More Things Change
2. Love's Got Me Doin' Time
3. Shelter Me
4. Heartbreak Station
5. Sick For The Cure
6. One For Rock And Roll
7. Dead Man's Road
8. Make Your Own Way
9. Electric Love
10. Love Gone Bad
11. Winds Of Change
There was nothing in either of Cinderella's first two albums that would indicate that they were any different (or better) than the multitudes of hair metal bands. They did have the biggest hair, and Tom Keifer wailed painfully with the rest. But in 1990, they released their 3rd album, Heartbreak Station...and it's one of the genres better records. The wail and the power ballads are still here, but Cinderella brings more than that to the table...songs. That and an ability to play roots music better than any of their peers. "Shelter Me", "The More Things Change", and the title track were hits, and the album holds up surprisingly well despite all of the AquaNet. A shocker of a good set from one of metal's worst offenders. Yes...recommended! This album puts Skid Row, Warrant and LA Guns squarely in their place.
They didn't keep it up...their follow up album was another dud, and Cinderella faded into hair band legend. But for one record...they were pretty damn good.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
THE BEATLES
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
1967-APPLE
Produced By GEORGE MARTIN
1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. The Fool On The Hill
3. Flying
4. Blue Jay Way
5. Your Mother Should Know
6. I Am The Walrus
7. Hello Goodbye
8. Strawberry Fields Forever
9. Penny Lane
10. Baby You're A Rich Man
11. All You Need Is Love
The soundtrack to The Beatles first official failure, a TV show that was simply awful. But the album did very well. This is the only Beatles album that remains in its original US version...in the UK, it was released as a 6 song double EP. The last 5 songs were singles that didn't have homes on albums. And while it does contain some of their greatest songs ("I Am The Walrus", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "All You Need Is Love"), there are also some lesser tracks...rare for a Beatles album. "Flying", the only Beatles track credited to all four members, is an instrumental waste of time. "The Fool On The Hill" and "Your Mother Should Know" are also not up to standards. Even the recording is suspect...some of the songs are in "fake" stereo, and "I Am The Walrus" switches from true stereo to the fake halfway through the song. A must for a complete collection, but light years away from their best work.
The list of guest vocalists on "All You Need Is Love" is stunning: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Keith Moon, Eric Clapton, Patti Boyd Harrison, Jane Asher, Mike McCartney, Maureen Starkey and Graham Nash. No Yoko. Hmmm...This album has plenty of holes, but the strength of the best tracks makes the holes somehow forgivable.
I agree with most of your comments Romanelli but not wit the one on Fool on The Hill. The song is not very orchestrated but Fool on the Hill is one of my favorite Beatles tracks both because of its lyrics as for the simple but very effective songwriting.
THE DAMNED
MACHINE GUN ETIQUETTE
1979-EMERGO
Produced By ROGER ARMSTRONG & THE DAMNED
1. Love Song
2. Machine Gun Etiquette
3. I Just Can't Be Happy Today
4. Melody Lee
5. Anti-Pope
6. These Hands
7. Plan 9 Channel 7
8. Noise, Noise, Noise
9. Looking At You
10. Liar
11. Smash It Up (Part I)
12. Smash It Up (Part II)
13. Ballroom Blitz
14. Suicide
15. Rabid (Over You)
16. White Rabbit (Extended Version)
In the beginning of punk there was The Sex Pistols. And The Damned. The Damned outlasted the Pistols by one album...the Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) produced record that caused their fiery breakup (they have never played a track from that album since). The breakup was over guitarist Brian James' desire to be a dictator. It was thought that The Damned was over for good.
Which is why this album is so surprising. Regrouping without James, the remaining members,singer Dave Vanian (who just might really believe he's a vampire), drummer Rat Scabies, and guitarist Captain Sensible started writing together and came up with a classic. "Love Song" was their official comeback, and the band rocks throughout. Punks originals were back! The album is a lot of fun, and even contains 3 nice covers..."Looking At You" from the MC5, Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" and "Ballroom Blitz" from Sweet...featuring Lemmy Kilmister on bass! Overall, a punk classic. The Damned were a lot of fun. Somewhat forgotten, they do deserve to be heard.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
THE DOORS
MORRISON HOTEL
1970-ELEKTRA
Produced By PAUL A ROTHCHILD
1. Roadhouse Blues
2. Waiting For The Sun
3. You Make Me Real
4. Peace Frog
5. Blue Sunday
6. Ship Of Fools
7. Land Ho!
8. The Spy
9. Queen Of The Highway
10. Indian Summer
11. Maggie McGill
The Doors 5th album steers away from the psychedelic and more toward the blues, and the results are what may be the most listenable Doors album. Going for more straight ahead songs rather than trippy landscapes, Morrison Hotel is a solid album. The overplayed "Roadhouse Blues" kicks it off (with John Sebastian on harmonica), and "Waiting For The Sun", "The Spy", and others are fine songs. An album not as well remembered as others by them (LA Woman and their debut are the ones that always seem to come to mind), Morrison Hotel is high on the list of their best overall work. The end was near, but they put it together for this one.
The album sides are named Hard Rock Cafe and Morrison Hotel. Not sure why, but they just are.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
THE HOT 5'S VOL 1
1988-COLUMBIA
Produced By RICHARD M JONES
1. My Heart
2. (Yes) I'm In The Barrel
3. Gut Bucket Blues
4. Come Back, Sweet Papa
5. Georgia Grind
6. Heebie Jeebies
7. Cornet Chop Suey
8. Oriental Strut
9. You're Next
10. Muskrat Ramble
11. Don't Forget To Mess Around
12. I'm Gonna Gitcha
13. Droppin' Shucks
14. Who' Sit
15. King of the Zulus
16. Big Fat Ma And Skinny Pa
This is the first of a 3 disc series featuring Louis Armstriong and his great band, The Hot 5's (later The Hot 7's). All of the songs were recorded between 1925 and 1926, and it shows why Armstrong was a legend long before his lip gave out and he had to make his living singing corny novelty songs while holding a trumpet at his side like a broken limb. This band jumps, plays great solos and keeps you interested from start to finish. The age of the recordings, which includes a lot of old record static, just makes it all the more appealing. And the fact that until this release, the recordings were extremely rare, makes it even more special. This is young Louis Armstrong at his creative peak, and should not be missed.
The female singer, by the way, is Armstrong's wife Lillian. The interplay between them is excellent as well.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
the Hot Fives and Sevens sessions are legit amazing, everyone in that group comes off sounding like goddamn masters. Dixieland is just so incomparably brilliant at its best, and Louis & co. are definitely its best practitioners. _________________
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Romanelli
dihansse
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