Ooh some nice write ups here. I’ve also been enjoying to the Coltrane and Ellington record recently. It was the tenderness of ‘Trane’s playing that really hit me. Interesting point that you make about Coltrane adapting to suit Ellington’s style. I find the record similar to My Favourite Things- I think it furthered my appreciation of My favourite things somehow.
On the subject of the Beach Boys, yeah Surfer Girl is too patchy. Im probably more generous than you because I thought it was about 2/3 the way there. I also give it some bonus credit for being the point at which Brian started to boss the studio. All Summer Song was a step up in consistency.
I need to stop pissing around and listen to some Monk 🤣
And finally…looking forward to the Dylan thing. I’ve been on a Byrds trip recently so I might well revisit some Dylan too.
Ooh some nice write ups here. I’ve also been enjoying to the Coltrane and Ellington record recently. It was the tenderness of ‘Trane’s playing that really hit me. Interesting point that you make about Coltrane adapting to suit Ellington’s style. I find the record similar to My Favourite Things- I think it furthered my appreciation of My favourite things somehow.
On the subject of the Beach Boys, yeah Surfer Girl is too patchy. Im probably more generous than you because I thought it was about 2/3 the way there. I also give it some bonus credit for being the point at which Brian started to boss the studio. All Summer Song was a step up in consistency.
I need to stop pissing around and listen to some Monk 🤣
And finally…looking forward to the Dylan thing. I’ve been on a Byrds trip recently so I might well revisit some Dylan too.
My Favorite Things is a spot on comparison, as I consider that a middle of the road - so to speak- album, it lies somewhere between his romantic (the two albums I posted above would be pretty good examples) and his adventurous (which in turn appears in many forms, it may have a strong foundation in blues like Giant Steps, an exotic flair like Olé Coltrane or an overwhelming spirituality like A Love Supreme) side.
That's a valid point regarding Surfer Girl, I get where you are coming from.
Monk's Dream would be a great, highly accessible entry point to his discography, he is arguably the most idiosyncratic talent the jazz world has to offer, so starting with something like Solo Monk would be no bed of roses.
My Favorite Things is a spot on comparison, as I consider that a middle of the road - so to speak- album, it lies somewhere between his romantic (the two albums I posted above would be pretty good examples) and his adventurous (which in turn appears in many forms, it may have a strong foundation in blues like Giant Steps, an exotic flair like Olé Coltrane or an overwhelming spirituality like A Love Supreme) side.
That's a valid point regarding Surfer Girl, I get where you are coming from.
Monk's Dream would be a great, highly accessible entry point to his discography, he is arguably the most idiosyncratic talent the jazz world has to offer, so starting with something like Solo Monk would be no bed of roses.
Thanks for dropping by!
That’s a helpful way of looking at Coltrane’s work. I still feel like a neophyte, even having listened to several of his albums, owning a few and watching a good documentary. I feel that the more I listen though, the more I appreciate his style. I’ve no particular preference towards his more romantic or avant-garde side. For me, ‘Giant Steps’ is an easy ‘go to’ option, but I also felt Ascension hit hard (and was unduly impressed with myself for actually enjoying this record :lol:). I think Ballads and Ole Trane are obvious places to go next for me.
Thanks- I’ll start out my Monk mission with Monk’s dream.
Jorge Ben - Samba Esquema Novo
Jorge Ben is one of the central figures in Brazilian music and that’s his debut, so suggesting it marks a very important moment would be a reasonable assessment. João Gilberto is the father of bossa nova, but Jorge Ben’s contributions are not to be underestimated either. I could see this album being a great soundtrack for a scorching summer day, lying in the sun and not having a care in the world. Or maybe a rainy November night when you need to catch a break and feel particularly nostalgic, looking for any form of escapism. Outside this specific context, it doesn’t work for me, it more or less passes me by. Most of the songs are way too short and combined with them being focused on creating an atmosphere and lacking any individual characteristics that would make them stand out, they don’t stick with you in any way.
6.5/10.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Roy Orbison - In Dreams
You know it by now, Roy Orbison is an artist I have a soft spot for, one of the few singers of that era I’m fond of. The self-titled track is the undeniable highlight here, but every song is worth your time, if only for his phenomenal – as usual - performance. Shahdaroba is a song that summarises what’s great about this record, it has a hypnotic quality - some might call it dreamy, but I’d say it paints the kind of blurry picture that mixes reality and dream, between being awake and asleep if you will. The album explores the typical themes of longing for the past, a lost love and an innocent, simpler lifestyle. If there’s a complaint to be made, I can't help but notice that it’s a bit too melodramatic and overblown compared to Crying, but in all likelihood it has to do with the fact that I have a stronger connection with Crying and try to find an excuse to rate this lower, 🫢 .
7.5/10.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Prince Lasha Quintet / Sonny Simmons - The Cry!
It’s discoveries like this that convince me what a great idea it was to start this project. Every musician that appears here does a more than fine job, but it’s the flute that absolutely steals the show. The comparisons drawn between Prince Lasha and Eric Dolphy – who, as I’ve repeatedly mentioned, is a hero of mine – are on point and explain to a large extent why I find this so fascinating. The opening track is one of the most addictive pieces i've encountered as of late.
7.5/10.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Thelonious Monk - Criss-Cross
Speaking of Monk, here’s one more. It’s a cool album – but then again, he is the epitome of cool, anything he does has coolness written all over it, so this comment has little to no value. Anyway, it’s not exactly clear where this album stands. It’s definitely not his most eccentric – after all, he is going back to material that had already been released, so it’s kinda expected that quirkiness gives way to refinement. On the other hand, by no means do I mean to imply that he adopts a “for the masses” approach, he is too intellectual for that. Despite having moved to Columbia, he is always trying new things. Even though this might not be his most successful experiment, it's one that will surely challenge you and reveal another side of this giant.
6.5/10.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Dexter Gordon - Our Man In Paris
His 1962 release -Go- left quite an impression and this closely follows its footsteps. (To quote what I wrote regarding that album “A rare breed of a saxophone player, his intensity - and of course his technical skills - are combined with an infectiously jolly, maybe one could call it sunshine-ish, attitude, without ever straying from being concise and impactful”.) All of that applies to this album as well. If you expect him to take the next step, I have to admit I didn’t spot any significant progress or breakthrough compared to Go, but one has to take into account the lack of original material that could have pushed him towards that direction, he’s tackling some extremely well known jazz standards here. Also, we shouldn’t forget that he was an artist coming from the bebop era, so getting accustomed to hard bop must have been quite demanding. It’s worth noting that the two bonus tracks are both excellent and could have led to a higher rating had they been included in the album.
7/10. _________________ Bob Dylan Charles Mingus
Barbra Streisand - The Barbra Streisand Album
This album is so much fun, many outright amusing parts (Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf? being the pinnacle of them), not to mention that the seemingly serious moments feel like parody. In that context, it’s extremely entertaining, her playful energy is infectious and her vocal performance will catch your ears, she’s flexing her muscles and at the same time retains a childish attitude.
6.5/10.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman - John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman
I never thought Coltrane would do something like this, but I guess it’s another testament to the endless range of his talent. Even though he remains romantic, he’s so painfully restrained, it’s weird seeing him as Hartman’s sidekick. Generally speaking, I am not particularly fond of vocal jazz, so I have to admit that this is not your run-of-the-mill vocal jazz album thanks to Coltrane’s presence. On the other hand, what can I say about Hartman without sounding too harsh, at times he is plain boring and his forgettable presence serves no other purpose than to act distracting. When he’s on a roll, though, he is almost as annoying as Sinatra – and that’s quite an achievement.
5.5/10.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Various Artists - A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Oh yeah, it’s Christmas time! Oh no, hold your horses, it’s too early. For real, this album will instantly grab you and convince you it’s the most wonderful time of the year, the magic is here and it barely matters if you listen to it in the heat of the summer. Useless info of the day: this was released the very same day John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
7.5/10. _________________ Bob Dylan Charles Mingus
Track Listing
1)Gotta Serve Somebody
2)Precious Angel
3)I Believe in You
4)Slow Train
5)Gonna Change My Way of Thinking
6)Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)
7)When You Gonna Wake Up
8)Man Gave Names to All the Animals
9)When He Returns
Ok, here we are, let’s go. It’s somewhat fitting that this countdown begins with this album, the first part of the so called “Christian trilogy”, probably his most controversial period – at least up to this point, it’s fair to claim that he would go through a rough patch for the entirety of the ‘80s. Of course this doesn’t mean that I picked it because of any symbolic reason whatsoever, it’s simply the one record of his that I like less – or should I say dislike more, since it’s almost mission impossible trying to find any redeeming or likeable qualities in some of his “lesser” – for lack of a better word – records.
So, the first question that comes to anyone’s mind: how did he decide to move towards this direction? He’s supposed to have met Jesus, but it’s not only his personal growth/journey/call it what you want that drove him here. He observes the socio-political developments and as a result he is utterly disappointed (the self-titled track is a good example of that, “I feel so low-down and disgusted” being a characteristic line). Instead of merely protesting (at this point of his career and his life, it’s fair to assume he’s had enough of that), he finds a new way to promote a communal change in attitude (you know how it goes, when society and its basic principles go down in flames, the individual can’t be saved either, his identity, his morals are on the verge of collapse as well, he needs a guiding hand to show him the way to transformation and redemption). That being said, you can’t ignore that it’s one of his most “biographical” records. In large part, he hasn’t been keen on revealing parts of himself – compared to the typical introspective songwriter like Leonard Cohen or Joni Mitchell, he takes the opposite route and tends to draw influence from “external sources”, so to speak – and when he does get personal, it’s usually done in a vague, abstract manner. Here, he allows us to catch a glimpse of his vulnerable inner world. He is lost and needs a new identity. At the same time, he’s – as I noted above - a preacher at the service of God, too.
Before moving on, I’d like to proclaim an absence of prejudice regarding religion/Christianity. My family happens to have strong ties with the church, so it’s not like I got offended by the themes or anything, a huge part of my childhood was attending services and studying biblical texts, yet I tried to leave this outside my judgement. For example, there are many Christmas albums and songs that I genuinely enjoy, not to mention George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, one of the most awe-inspiring, monumental artistic achievements of all time.
Returning to Slow Train Coming, the opening track could quite possibly be the best thing here and that speak volumes about how bad this album is. In an attempt to emphasise the universality of his message, he compiles a long list of people who all have to “serve somebody”. By the way, the idea of a man being not as self-aware and self-reliant as he thinks had already received some attention in his previous album, Street-Legal, but more on that when it’s time to comment on that album instead. Man Gave Names to All the Animals is the other close to saving grace of the album, it’s a funny little song – not sure if that was the initial intention. I Believe In You is one of my least favourite Bob Dylan songs ever, a great example of what I don’t like in terms of his lyrics here, he’s getting defensive as it has this “you and me against the world” mentality, a well-worn theme that barely holds any relevance the way –the musical accompaniment doesn’t help either- it is presented here. Do Right To Me Baby unfolds in a similar fashion and is equally bad. I could go on and on about how each track excels in making matters worse, but let’s cut it some slack and keep negativity to a minimum.
All three parts of the trilogy deal with Christianity, but each of them seems to tackle a specific subject. So, this one’s point is clear: try and convince as many as possible to convert to Christianity. His method involves simple, in your face lyrics that water down any meaningful point he might express. However, the lyrical content is only part of the problem, it also has to do with the production and music itself. I mean, it’s only 1979, did the ‘80s arrive too early in Dylan-land? One of those occasions where being ahead of time isn’t a compliment, everything is too polished – one thing I can admit is that the gospel backing vocals are occasionally enjoyable. Taking into account the specific theme this album deals with, the slick sound doesn’t do it any justice and totally misses the point. Christianity didn’t attract any new worshippers by having it easy or thanks to any form of luxury, it was built on blood, sweat and tears – think of Saul of Tarsus becoming Paul the Apostle. I guess what I’m trying to say is that even if you do get lost in the groove – which wouldn’t be completely unreasonable, although there are some too epic, bombastic moments that stand in the way as they break the mood - the album has still failed in its duty.
Now, there are a handful of Dylanologists who believe there’s another way to look at it. They don’t focus on the outcome, namely religion, but on the process of conversion, as one has to reject his old values and then embrace the new ones – no matter what exactly old and new encompass. An interesting proposition, no doubt about it and if you set your mind on it, there are more than a few lines here that suggest so – after all, there’s a track that is titled Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking, highlighting that change is the key, not necessarily where this change leads to – but I find it too much of a stretch and hard to ignore the overarching concept of religion.
To be brutally honest, it was one of the 7-8 albums I contemplated skipping, but eventually I decided to cover them all for the sake of completeness. If I never hear this album again, that’s fine by me. I don’t like hating it, I admire him for being courageous enough to be so open about his faith – and I’m sure he was well aware of the risks, as he knew there was a chance many of his fans would take it the wrong way. Having the benefit of hindsight, it proved to be a smart move. I can’t help but think that If this hadn’t been so successful, maybe the other two wouldn’t have taken place, though Bob Dylan’s choices tend to be highly unpredictable, so you can never know for sure. Another reason I can’t hate it is because of his convincing performance, it’s easy to tell he’s really invested in it, which doesn’t change the fact that I couldn’t care less about it.
Whoa whoa whoa coming in HOT with his best Christian record (in my opinion) as his lowest ranked. Interested to see where Saved ends up. _________________ -Ryan
Whoa whoa whoa coming in HOT with his best Christian record (in my opinion) as his lowest ranked. Interested to see where Saved ends up.
Yeah, I expected some controversy, this record never fails in that department. Being only the first album of the countdown and considering that we rarely see eye to eye, I expect more of the same further down the road. 😄
Repo wrote:
Yeah. I personally LOVE this album and think it's VASTLY underrated!
Sure, I can see where you are coming from, there is ample room for argument on the qualities of this album. The one thing we can all agree is that it doesn't go by unnoticed.
Purplepash wrote:
Oh greaat idea! I am going to look forward to reading each and every one of these. Can't wait to see the order of the top 10.
Thanks, it's nice having you around, feel free to post any comments/disagreements/whatever. _________________ Bob Dylan Charles Mingus
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Mercury
Repo
Purplepash
