NEIL YOUNG
ON THE BEACH
1974 – REPRISE
Produced By NEIL YOUNG, DAVID BRIGGS, MARK HARMAN & AL SCHMITT
1. Walk On
2. See The Sky About To Rain
3. Revolution Blues
4. For The Turnstiles
5. Vampire Blues
6. On The Beach
7. Motion Pictures
8. Ambulance Blues
What’s your favorite Neil Young album? Mine is On The Beach, and I don’t think it’s even close. And I love so many of his records. On The Beach isn’t his biggest seller. It doesn’t have the big hits on it. It isn’t as cleanly produced as most of his work is. But On The Beach is special. It’s dark, coming from the same period as Tonight’s The Night, being the bridge between that and Harvest. But these songs…I believe that overall, this is the best set of songs Young has ever released on an album as a whole. Instead of just working with one band, he uses many different musicians and arrangements that you just don’t hear anywhere else in his catalog.
More than anything else, it’s the songs. Every track on this record is a keeper. “Walk On” could have been a hit, and “For The Turnstiles” (with its banjo guitar and dobro track) almost was. “See The Sky About To Rain” is gentle, followed by the driving rocker “Revolution Blues”. The political “Vampire Blues” is great as well. But it’s side two that clinches it. “On The Beach”, “Motion Pictures” and “Ambulance Blues” is a stunning trio of songs, and it’s as perfect an album side as there is. This album was stunningly out of print for almost two decades until it finally saw a re-release in 2003. This is Young at his peak…almost as if he were flying. We all have our favorite Neil albums…this one is definitely mine.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
TRAVIS
THE INVISIBLE BAND
2001 – EPIC / INDEPENDIENTE
Produced By NIGEL GODRICH
1. Sing
2. Dear Diary
3. Side
4. Pipe Dreams
5. Flowers In The Window
6. The Cage
7. Safe
8. Follow The Light
9. Last Train
10. Afterglow
11. Indefinitely
12. The Humpty Dumpty Love Song
Travis is a post-Britpop band from Scotland that has been releasing albums since 1997. They are often compared favorably to Coldplay…but especially during this period, they almost sound like they actually could be Radiohead. The Invisible Band is their third album, continuing with the more dreamy and experimental sound of their previous work, The Man Who. Not only does singer Fran Healy sound a whole lot like Thom Yorke, the album is also produced by Radiohead’s longtime producer, Nigel Godrich. The songs are more straightforward than what Radiohead does, and definitely more radio friendly.
The opener, “Sing”, pleasantly surprises by featuring banjo. “Side” and “Flowers In The Window” are also very fine. Guitarist Andy Dunlop does a wonderful job of adding textures rather than flash, and Healy proves that he was becoming a songwriter to watch. Although the popularity of Travis began to wane shortly after The Invisible Band, they continue to make good albums, their latest being 10 Songs from 2020. Especially their early work, Travis is worth listening to. Moody without being overbearing, experimental without trying too hard, and proof that Britain continues to put out bands that are good discoveries.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
IGGY POP
BRICK BY BRICK
1990 – VIRGIN
Produced By DON WAS
1. Home
2. Main Street Eyes
3. I Won’t Crap Out
4. Candy
5. Butt Town
6. The Undefeated
7. Moonlight Lady
8. Something Wild
9. Neon Forest
10. Starry Night
11. Pussy Power
12. My Baby Wants To Rock & Roll
13. Brick By Brick
14. Livin’ On The Edge Of The Night
The career of Iggy Pop was doing what might be best described as a slow fade during the 1980’s. After his time with The Stooges and his collaborations with David Bowie, Iggy seemed to be a little but stuck. That all changed at the dawn of the nineties. Hooking up with producer Don Was, his ninth album, Brick By Brick, brought Iggy back into the spotlight. The album has been critically praised, and paved the way for maybe his best album of the decade, American Caesar. The album features a heavier sound, thanks in part to the participation of Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns ‘N’ Roses.
There are also some mellow moments that may leave you scratching your head…Iggy can sound a bit out of place when singing softer material. Also included are a pair of duets…with Kate Pierson of B-52’s (“Candy”) and John Hiatt (“Starry Night”). Iggy was also able to get folks like Waddy Wachtel and David Lindley to lend a hand. The results are somewhat mixed, depending on if the arrangements exceed Pop’s vocal abilities or not. But overall, this is an important chapter in Iggy’s career, showcasing him in different song styles that sometimes work surprisingly well. And the album is quite strong lyrically. A not quite great album by an American music icon. Still worth hearing.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
THE WHO
WHO ARE YOU
1978 – MCA
Produced By GLYN JOHNS & JON ASTLEY
1. New Song
2. Had Enough
3. 905
4. Sister Disco
5. Music Must Change
6. Trick Of The Light
7. Guitar And Pen
8. Love Is Coming Down
9. Who Are You
10. No Road Romance
11. Empty Glass (Demo)
12. Guitar And Pen (Olympic ’78 Mix)
13. Love Is Coming Down (Work-In-Progress Mix)
14. Who Are You (Lost Verse Mix)
The Who made some truly great music in the 60’s and the first half of the 70’s. Tommy. Quadrophenia. Who’s Next. Absolute classic albums. Their last album had been The Who By Numbers from 1975, after which Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle worked on solo material…and drummer Keith Moon was working on drinking himself to death. Who Are You is a strange, transitional and frustrating album. It’s the only Who album that sounds completely dated and out of place, mainly due to its dependence on synthesizers. And Moon, one of rock’s greatest drummers, is almost completely absent, his frenzy behind the kit almost gone.
The highlights on Who Are You are truly high. The title track ranks as one of the band’s best songs, with Daltrey at his screaming best with “Ahhh, who the fuck are you???”. Entwistle’s “Trick Of The Light” is also very good, and the synth lick on “905” is of interest as well…a catchy song, but yet another about a robot giving its autobiography. The playing throughout, even though Moon’s drumming is below par, is exceptional…but songs like “New Song”, “Sister Disco” and “Music Must Change” simply do not work. Three weeks after this was released, Moon died, and The Who were never the same. This is an okay album, worth tracking down for the title track and the fact that it was Moon’s swan song.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
I agree with almost everything you said about this album. Many tracks from this album served as my introduction to The Who, but I haven't listened to the whole album in ages. I do remember thinking that I liked the songs that get played on the radio and the rest was meh.
One exception to that is that I do like "Sister Disco". I understand it's a weird synth-y mess at times, and I feel like they tried to channel some of the same emotion as "Baba O'Riley" but did not have anywhere close to the crazy energy as they had on that classic. Spent all their energy for this album all on "Who Are You?" I guess... _________________ 51 Washington, D.C. albums!
mickilennialThe Most Trusted Name in NewsProfile Detroit
THE WHO
WHO ARE YOU
1978 – MCA
Produced By GLYN JOHNS & JON ASTLEY
1. New Song
2. Had Enough
3. 905
4. Sister Disco
5. Music Must Change
6. Trick Of The Light
7. Guitar And Pen
8. Love Is Coming Down
9. Who Are You
10. No Road Romance
11. Empty Glass (Demo)
12. Guitar And Pen (Olympic ’78 Mix)
13. Love Is Coming Down (Work-In-Progress Mix)
14. Who Are You (Lost Verse Mix)
The Who made some truly great music in the 60’s and the first half of the 70’s. Tommy. Quadrophenia. Who’s Next. Absolute classic albums. Their last album had been The Who By Numbers from 1975, after which Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle worked on solo material…and drummer Keith Moon was working on drinking himself to death. Who Are You is a strange, transitional and frustrating album. It’s the only Who album that sounds completely dated and out of place, mainly due to its dependence on synthesizers. And Moon, one of rock’s greatest drummers, is almost completely absent, his frenzy behind the kit almost gone.
The highlights on Who Are You are truly high. The title track ranks as one of the band’s best songs, with Daltrey at his screaming best with “Ahhh, who the fuck are you???”. Entwistle’s “Trick Of The Light” is also very good, and the synth lick on “905” is of interest as well…a catchy song, but yet another about a robot giving its autobiography. The playing throughout, even though Moon’s drumming is below par, is exceptional…but songs like “New Song”, “Sister Disco” and “Music Must Change” simply do not work. Three weeks after this was released, Moon died, and The Who were never the same. This is an okay album, worth tracking down for the title track and the fact that it was Moon’s swan song.
Moonie wasn't himself, that's true. But Moon at 50% still beats most drummers at 100%. More importantly with regard to this oft unfairly dismissed or maligned album, the rest of the group is lit. Songwriting is top notch. Daltrey's vocal are FIRE. The Ox is his badass bass self.
This may not be my favorite album overall, but it is one of very few albums where every last cut has something to say for me, and says it well. No throwaways. Never lift the needle. Straight through every time for me, which is frequently.
Part of what makes this all special is that we all hear these albums through our own ears. I can get the love for Who Are You...I know I'm kind of hard on it. I will say that most of what I miss here compared to the earlier Who albums is in Moon. I would agree that 50% of Moon would still be great, but I wouldn't rate him much above 10% here.
Thanks, guys, for weighing in! I do appreciate it! _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
THE REMAINS
BARRY & THE REMAINS
1991 – EPIC / LEGACY
Produced By ROBERT BAUER
1. Why Do I Cry
2. When I Want To Know
3. Ain’t That Her
4. All Good Things
5. I’m Talking About You
6. My Babe
7. Say You’re Sorry
8. Baby I Believe In You
9. You Got A Hard Time Comin’
10. I Can’t Get Away From You
11. Me Right Now
12. Time Of Day
13. Once Before
14. But I Ain’t Got You
15. Diddy Wah Diddy
16. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
17. Lonely Weekend
18. Heart
19. Thank You
20. Say You’re Sorry
21. Don’t Look Back
The history of rock and roll is filled with feel good stories of bands and artists who made it big despite the odds. This is not one of those stories. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The Remains, although it may not seem like it, were a real band. They recorded between 1964 and 1966, and never had a hit. But they were huge in New England, where their shows were always packed. Enough so that the band was signed to a major label deal (Epic), appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and Hullabaloo, and then landed the opening spot for the final leg of the final tour by The Beatles. But their drummer had left prior to the tour, and The Remains felt that their magic was gone. They came home and broke up.
Their debut (and only) album was released afterwards, and was not promoted, as the band had already split. And that was it. But…how good were The Remains? They were probably the best hard rock band in America during their time together. They have since been mistakenly lumped in with 60’s garage bands…they were better than that. This 1991 compilation includes not only their album, but the remainder of sides they had recorded between ’64 and ’66. A 21 track legacy that is worth every minute you spend listening, and every penny you spent on the album. The Remains is a band that SHOULD have been America’s answer to The Beatles. They were that good. Instead, they stand forgotten. Check this out…it’s that great ‘60’s band you never heard before. And it’s all true.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
THE REMAINS
BARRY & THE REMAINS
1991 – EPIC / LEGACY
Produced By ROBERT BAUER
1. Why Do I Cry
2. When I Want To Know
3. Ain’t That Her
4. All Good Things
5. I’m Talking About You
6. My Babe
7. Say You’re Sorry
8. Baby I Believe In You
9. You Got A Hard Time Comin’
10. I Can’t Get Away From You
11. Me Right Now
12. Time Of Day
13. Once Before
14. But I Ain’t Got You
15. Diddy Wah Diddy
16. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
17. Lonely Weekend
18. Heart
19. Thank You
20. Say You’re Sorry
21. Don’t Look Back
The history of rock and roll is filled with feel good stories of bands and artists who made it big despite the odds. This is not one of those stories. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The Remains, although it may not seem like it, were a real band. They recorded between 1964 and 1966, and never had a hit. But they were huge in New England, where their shows were always packed. Enough so that the band was signed to a major label deal (Epic), appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and Hullabaloo, and then landed the opening spot for the final leg of the final tour by The Beatles. But their drummer had left prior to the tour, and The Remains felt that their magic was gone. They came home and broke up.
Their debut (and only) album was released afterwards, and was not promoted, as the band had already split. And that was it. But…how good were The Remains? They were probably the best hard rock band in America during their time together. They have since been mistakenly lumped in with 60’s garage bands…they were better than that. This 1991 compilation includes not only their album, but the remainder of sides they had recorded between ’64 and ’66. A 21 track legacy that is worth every minute you spend listening, and every penny you spent on the album. The Remains is a band that SHOULD have been America’s answer to The Beatles. They were that good. Instead, they stand forgotten. Check this out…it’s that great ‘60’s band you never heard before. And it’s all true.
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
Romanelli
EyeKanFly
mickilennial
Fischman
Repo
