I listened to this cool, 4 track EP from perhaps the best band ever assembled in the history of the world.
This Ep is such a goddamn classic. As far as the background, well Slayer by this time had released their debut, Show No Mercy, and even with that release it was clear they were the most devilish of that first batch of thrash bands. But all in all the style, the sound, the speed and the vibe of Slayer was musically very similar to their peers. That album isn't as much a of a distillation of all the beauty of the genre as Kill Em All, and while it was better and more exciting than Anthrax's Fistful of Metal, it wasn't outpacing them artistically in any great degree in my opinion. Basically, outside of how satanic they were, they weren't super stand outs yet is all I'm saying.
Then they toured and then they recorded this freaking thing. It's so much more gosh darn tight and harrowing and to-the-point! The classic and biggest stand out is, obviously, "Chemical Warfare" which to this day just thumps my brains out like few songs can. But even after that opening track classic, the sheer intensity of "Captor of Sin", then the truly evil and haunting as well as being frighteningly intense of "Haunting the Chapel" just keeps the high going. Its marvelous. Lombardo really starts coming into his own with his double bass attack on this thing. The closer, "Aggressive Perfector", is perhaps the most oppressively heavy on this thing. But also the guitars on this song, especially at the start, are just painful to the ears and just kinda crazy.
This is not half the release which Reign In Blood is, but here is where Slayer first indicated they had a classic of that magnitude in them. The production quality here is very rough at times, and the band just hadn't yet 100% found their identity. With this release, the process of becoming the greatest band in the history of the world began. So its got that going for it. Which is nice.
Anyway, next!
Edit: often times on streaming sites and in CD form this EP is packaged with their Live album from the same period called "Live Undead" which is similarly brilliant and indicative of the intense transformation of this band intro the mega-scary super-force they became in '85 thru '90. Check it out as well. Its a great 2 in 1 value. Plus the vocals of Arraya on "The Antichrist" are so unusual for him (and great) its a blast to listen to. Great "Live" document.
But, I have to tell you as someone who had Show No Mercy the year it came out, it was definitely seen at the time as sth completely different from Kill 'Em All and FAR, FAR superior to Fistful of Metal. Show No Mercy is still one of my favorite Slayer albums. It's so freakin' punk rock. In fact, it was around this time that I also discovered Damaged and I used to listen to those two albums as well as Suicidal Tendencies first album on the bus to basketball games all the time to get pumped up to kick some ass. lol. Those were the days! But, I'm sure in retrospective it's not as obvious. But, yeah. Those two EPs RULE!!!
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
First things first, what an album cover. Amiright?
I was not expecting much from this. But at the end I was quite impressed. I have heard Rising and liked it well enough for what it was but its just not my thing - hard rock, with a swaggering lead singer, talking about midevil knights and stuff. But again I liked it. So going into listening to their debut I was expecting a less refined version of that second album (and more lauded album). And that is what I got by and large. But there were a few surprises.
1. "Still I'm Sad", the closer here, is one of the coolest, most brilliant instrumental rock tracks I've ever heard. Freakin' Blackmore and the drummer just kill kill kill here! It's almost like hearing The Experience's "Fire" but heavier and without the vocals. They just both are on fire. But in the end its Blackmore's showcase and he plays his heart out. I can fully see why he's considered one of THE greats of guitar in Hard Rock/Metal history. And is that the melody from "In the Jungle the mighty jungle..." or whatever its called playing for a few seconds?!?! That threw me off.
2. On tracks like "Snake Charmer" or "The Temple of the King" I can hear the huge influence Dio had as a front man on massive amounts of vocalists to come. Especially Bruce Dickinson. I don't like the result of this influence, but its impressive nonetheless.
3. The grooves, heavy, bluesy, catchy, impressive, are amazing throughout this album. Its a guitar hero album for the ages.
4. "Black Sheep Of The Family" is really great! It's so cool, it rocks so hard but at the same time has this mildly corny pop refrain and melody which I strangely love and works so well. The lyrics are suitably corny teenage rock n roll rebel garbage. So good. Also "Snake Charmer" is so intense and complex, Its quite impressive. If only those lyrics and vocals weren't so very...Dio-like. I'm sorry, I know he has legions of admirers.
5.Catch The Rainbow" features some super laid back, soulful jamming. It sounds almost like some Neil Young and Crazy Horse jam at first. Then the vocals come in, and it reminds me more of a Jimi Hendrix or Cream song updated for the mid 70s hard rock scene.
6. "If You Don't Like Rock and Roll" was a huge surprise for me. It just is so unselfserious, good ol' time rock n roll music played at the highest volume possible.
In closing, this was a good and enlightening listen. Its good that in the last few days I have gained an appreciation for The Scorpions, Rainbow, and almost worked myself up to listening to Def Leppard. My elitism is melting off of me thanks to this diary. _________________ -Ryan
This band and especially this band on this album is an interesting paradox to me. I just realized while listening to "Bad Moon Rising" that this is maybe the quientessential representation of the sound and vibe of the late 60s counter culture, anti-authoritarian sentiment in rock music. Obviosuly, that's just based off my concept of such things, I wasn't there and I wouldn't know. But the paradox is in the fact that everything about the band is old timey, their music is classic rock and roll meets louisiana music, their clothes are all denim and jeans and unflashy, their album covers and their song themes are by and large very backroads looking, dirty, pictures of off the beaten path america. How was it that this band is so goddman emblematic of the tense, prickly, middle finger of the late 60s, while being as salt of the earth as they are? I am not sure I've totally worked it out yet.
And its not like this impression I have of CCR is the same I have for other bands with similar aesthetics of the times. The Band or Grateful Dead for example don't communicate that clear eyed anti-authoritarian attitude while being the typed of bands they were - heavily rooted in the roots music of america.
Anyway, that random observation aside, this album is sweet. It's so sharp, short, to the point, the rockers aren't overwhelmingly loud, but they still communicate more agitated anger than most any much louder rock songs of the era or subsequent eras. The whole vibe of the album is off the cuff, but at the same time Fogerty and company had an intuitive ear for catchy, anthemic jams that kids of the times would drink up with great thirst.
The solos are all so simple and unique in their sound. The grroves are so drilled in and precise and yet again seem to come as natural as heck.
The highlights are the opener "Green River", "Lodi", "Bad Moon Rising", "Sinister Purpose", and the surprisingly touching and beautiful "Wrote A Song For Everyone".
This is an A grade rock album. I really do love it. It is by far my favorite album I've heard by CCR. And, I don't know, after hearing thjis again and seeing how well it holds up, maybe I am a CCR fan. For the longest time I have had a tendency to feel I really don't dig CCR. I am not sure why, I just haven't ever felt like I liked them. Yet this album, and many of their hits like "Fortunate Son" "Running Through The Jungle" and "Who'll Stop The Rain" have become all time favorites of mine.
Anyway, that's all I'll say about this classic! Happy Birthday, Green River!
I love this album. CCR had one of the great three-album runs in 1969-1970 (the other two being "Willy and the Poor Boys" and "Cosmo's Factory").
To answer your question, the Establishment of the time wasn't about denim and jeans and unflashy, backroads, off-the-beaten path. 1969 Establishment was about neckties, and sharp hair-cuts and polish and pavement. "Dirty = Bad", to the point where the two words were interchangeable, to the Establishment. That's what CCR was rebelling against. (I wasn't there either).
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Hey Listmeister. Sorry for the long delay in response. I am glad we found more common ground musical taste wise. and yeah i see what I mean on the context of CCR in society in the late 60s.
Now....
Just an update, been busy. Here were significant anniversaries I missed out on listening to by and large and won't review.
Saturday:
50th anniversary of The Piper At The Gates of Dawn!!
Bummed I didn't get a chance to relisten to this. Maybe I yet will. I remember liking it but not that much. Still,. a significant album and the coolest anniversary. I am ashamed.
also saturday was the 48th anniversary of The Stooges
Its been a long time. And its not due to be extra busy. Its due to just being unmotivated. I have still been listening to music. The last week I have been obsessing over A Crow Looked At Me by Mount Eerie. What a stunning album. Maybe the most emotionbally brutal album I've ever heard.
oh and that leads to a legit question to any of you reading this, I am curious what are some other albums which are just deeply affected by death, inspired by the death of someone or of the person making it or what have you? I automatically think of recent standouts like A Crow Looked At Me, Skeleton Tree, Carrie & Lowell, Benji, even an album like Black Star. I also think I See A Darkness and Electro-Shock Blues are classics of this morbid "genre". What are some others?
But today I saw an anniversary which excited me and I decided to do an update on it.
Today being the 40th anniversary of this overlooked classic:
Right from the jump with the amazing opening track "River Song" this album just totally capyures my ears. Its such a grandiose and sombver song. But at the same time there's those big beautifully produced crescendos. The piano is cool as hell. This song is great.
I have decided not to do a track by track thing. I can't stand doing those. I'll listen to the whole album and give general thoughts.
Yeah just finished this and its a gem. The whole thing has a brittle sadness which is gorgeous. At the same time the little production details and moments here and there throuighout are stunning and surprising consistently. One of my new favoprite albums from that best of all musical years :).
I am not in the writing mood, pop albums with straight forward song structures rarely make me wax poetic. I don't know why. But that is the situation.
I've been sucking at keeping up with this. Still every day I do check anniversaries and often relisten or listen for the first time to albums as a result of what I find. Recently listened to Lets Get It On over and over and rehabilated my love of it and moved it way up all my charts.
Now I am listening to Tijuana Moods by Mingus. No, not an anniversary that I know of. Its because today and yesterday I started my decade chart revamps. I have so far gotten the 50s and 60s charts updated. See links below if you are curious.
And yes Tijuana Moods is amazing and is on my 60s chart now.
I'm thinking of changing the format or theme of this diary. Idk, it just feels kinda constricting one day and overwhelming the next. But the details of how I do that I am curious to hear ideas on. From all you legion of loyal readers. Any suggestions? _________________ -Ryan
This is, just, so damn good. I had forgotten how dear and beautiful this record is. I adore its whole mood and flow and thematic through line. Most of all I love how weary, lost and somber it is. Even on the classic opener "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad)" feels intensely somber and it feels like a hungover loser walking the streets at dawn. Yet it and a later track, "Shakedown On 9th Street" are the only rockers here. As far as I am concerned the cute little music nerd argument followed by "To Be Young" make up one of the great album openers ever. It instantly gets you psyched, then it psychs you out, by making the main backbone of the anthemic opener one of deep sadness and lostness, it proceeds to take you down all the veins and side roads which lead off of that feel.
The dreamy chamber folk delicacy of "Amy" used to feel to me out of place on an album of dusty country americana tracks. But this time through it hit me that it is just as sad and thematically appropriate as any other track.
Really, some of the songs on here such as "Oh My Sweet Carolina", the opener, "Come Pick Me Up", "Damn, Sam", "Call Me On Your Way Back Home", and "Sweet Lil Gal (and really many more...this album is insanely jam packed with gems) are exceptional in the way they seem to be utterly natural, organic, almost elemental in their bare emotional depth. Adams was just mining some things and sounds here with such an intense ear to their essence that it never fails to take my breath away.
The soul crushing subtle stomp and rattle of "Bartering Line", the angelic harmonies of the queen of all thats good Emmylou Harris on "Oh My Sweet Carolina", the shivery,whispered, desperate call of "Call Me On Your Way Back Home", the evolving fucked up chorus of "Come Pick Me Up", the nimble and whistful grace of "My Winding Wheel", the Dylan-esque (specifically Buckets of Rain) playful sincerity of "Damn, Sam", the utter despair in the vocals throughout but especially "In My Time of Need" and "Why Do They Leave", etc...I could go on for pages on all the crystalline moments of musical perfection on this album. I absolutely adore this.
Also I set up my old record player to play this album every morning as my wake up alarm in my senior year of high school. Random and maybe a strange chpoice as morning hype-me-up music. But somehow this record became almost a part of me and my DNA. Every morning I got my lazy but outta bed at the same point of "Oh My Sweet carolina". While it was a somber start to my school days, it was also about as beautiful as conceivable.
Okay, that's all. This album is important enough to me that i felt I needed to make time for an update on this ol' dusty diary here. _________________ -Ryan
I'm thinking of changing the format or theme of this diary. Idk, it just feels kinda constricting one day and overwhelming the next. But the details of how I do that I am curious to hear ideas on. From all you legion of loyal readers. Any suggestions?
do one dedicated to a subgenre or musician u really want to explore. Make it an adventure with the albums as milestones for your journey. Have rough idea where your headed but add the flexibility to go where u want with it.
This is, just, so damn good. I had forgotten how dear and beautiful this record is. I adore its whole mood and flow and thematic through line. Most of all I love how weary, lost and somber it is. Even on the classic opener "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad)" feels intensely somber and it feels like a hungover loser walking the streets at dawn. Yet it and a later track, "Shakedown On 9th Street" are the only rockers here. As far as I am concerned the cute little music nerd argument followed by "To Be Young" make up one of the great album openers ever. It instantly gets you psyched, then it psychs you out, by making the main backbone of the anthemic opener one of deep sadness and lostness, it proceeds to take you down all the veins and side roads which lead off of that feel.
The dreamy chamber folk delicacy of "Amy" used to feel to me out of place on an album of dusty country americana tracks. But this time through it hit me that it is just as sad and thematically appropriate as any other track.
Really, some of the songs on here such as "Oh My Sweet Carolina", the opener, "Come Pick Me Up", "Damn, Sam", "Call Me On Your Way Back Home", and "Sweet Lil Gal (and really many more...this album is insanely jam packed with gems) are exceptional in the way they seem to be utterly natural, organic, almost elemental in their bare emotional depth. Adams was just mining some things and sounds here with such an intense ear to their essence that it never fails to take my breath away.
The soul crushing subtle stomp and rattle of "Bartering Line", the angelic harmonies of the queen of all thats good Emmylou Harris on "Oh My Sweet Carolina", the shivery,whispered, desperate call of "Call Me On Your Way Back Home", the evolving fucked up chorus of "Come Pick Me Up", the nimble and whistful grace of "My Winding Wheel", the Dylan-esque (specifically Buckets of Rain) playful sincerity of "Damn, Sam", the utter despair in the vocals throughout but especially "In My Time of Need" and "Why Do They Leave", etc...I could go on for pages on all the crystalline moments of musical perfection on this album. I absolutely adore this.
Also I set up my old record player to play this album every morning as my wake up alarm in my senior year of high school. Random and maybe a strange chpoice as morning hype-me-up music. But somehow this record became almost a part of me and my DNA. Every morning I got my lazy but outta bed at the same point of "Oh My Sweet carolina". While it was a somber start to my school days, it was also about as beautiful as conceivable.
Okay, that's all. This album is important enough to me that i felt I needed to make time for an update on this ol' dusty diary here.
love this album, too! Great, personal write-up, Merc. Your presence has been missed.
So... whatcha think? Can the Pats still go 18-0 w/o Edelman?!
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