Listmeister Listens - My Top 106: The Fame

[Listmeister]

45. Dreamscape


On The Threshold Of A Dream by The Moody Blues

BEA Ranks: 52nd of 1969; 192nd of 1960s; 2192nd of All Time
Ranked highest by: garyoatham, 9th of All Time.

"Probably my least favorite of the original seven, but that is a function of the consistent greatness of that best-ever-run-of-seven-consecutive-albums-in-the-history-of-music. Still a solid 90/100." --Fischman

All of the elements that made the Moody Blues run-of-seven great (this was #3) are here. The harmonies between Justin Hayward (bassish) and John Lodge (falsettoish) can be heard on the line "lovely to see you again my friend, walk along with me to the next bend", one of the greatest vocal pairings in rock and roll. You also have them singing together on "to share your love". But with four singers, you have ( 4x3 / 2 ) six different harmonic pairings, and all of them are interesting. "To Share Your Love" has most of them stacked one after another. "Never Comes The Day" is also rich in harmonics.

Now, with "Never Comes the Day", you hear the perspective of the unworthy lover as he laments "If only you knew what's inside of me now, you wouldn't want to know me some how. But, you will love me tonight. We alone, we'll be all right in the end."

Also, you have the Justin Hayward / Ray Thomas gem, "Are You Sitting Comfortably" a beautiful poem of a lover seeking to please his beloved with wine and tales of beautiful places, spinning her into a dream of his own devising:

"Ride along the winds of time and see where we have been
The Glorious Age of Camelot when Guinevere was queen
It all unfolds before your eyes as Merlin casts his spell."


What makes this album a dreamscape is the Graham Edge recitations. The album starts off with a man having a conversation with a machine about the nature of existence. Later on side two, after "Are You Sitting Comfortably" you have a short poem called "The Dream", which starts out "When the White Eagle of the North is flying overhead...." I won't spoil it.

Then comes Mike Pinder's "Have You Heard/The Voyage." You have something completely different going on with Mike Pinder's compositions, "So Deep Within You" and "Have You Heard/The Voyage". Pinder was more intense than the other Moodies, his music is more intricate and played with more force.

This album is the Moody Blues at their most poetic.

45. On the Threshold of a Dream
46. Moody Blue
47. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We
48. In the Court of the Crimson King
49. Past Masters Volume One
50. Long Distance Voyager
51. Reflektor
52. An Innocent Man
53. Summertime Dream
54. The Who Sell Out

[Listmeister]

44. H for Hurry. E for Ergent. L for L-love me. P for Please Please Help Me


Help! by The Beatles

BEA Ranks: 5th of 1965, 36th of the 1960s, 220th of all time
Ranked highest by:
msdudek1 (Best of All Time Out of 100), wally (Best of all time out of 39), Michael S. Hanson and louisb (Best of all time out of 10)

"The Beatles' best after all the Top-20-ers" --Hayden

"Half of the songs on Help will still get a lot of play from our childrens children I would predict because they are timeless and most people at one time or another in their lives can relate to them. " --vegetableman

"With emotionally mature songs like "You've got to hide your Love Away", "Yesterday" and "Ive Just seen a face" featured on this album , there were indications that the Beatles were growing as songwriters and the best was yet to come. It lays the ground work for the next two albums, and the rest is history." --gallileo1957

"Weaker than almost everything that came after it, but we're talking about a Beatles' album and what a great one. Yesterday is one of the greatest songs i've ever listened, Help! is one of their first steps into their creative peak and The Night Before is one of their most underrated songs ever." --Dr Runaway

"The melodies on this album are beautiful." pinkfreud1981

---

The Beatles are my favorite band. It feels good to admit that, although I doubt it will surprise anyone. I resisted giving them "Favorite Band" status for a long time, but, facts are facts. I have SEVEN Beatles albums in my top 50. This album (Help!) is better than all the albums I've reviewed so far, and it's still only my sixth-favorite in the Beatles catalog.

How good is it? I reviewed comments on the album looking for quotes (like I do). The favorite songs most often mentioned (Yesterday and You've Got to Hide Your Love Away) are not amongst my top five. I actually like Ringo's take on "Act Naturally" (many commenters don't; [footnote]). No one mentioned "The Night Before" which has some of their best harmonies since "If I Fell" (from Hard Days Night")

There is so much good stuff on this album. "Help!" and "Yesterday" are often ranked with the best songs ever. "Ticket To Ride" is also frequently mentioned as one of the best. "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" is an amazing little tune, and it would be considered a British Invision classic if it wasn't surrounded by such pure-gold material. "I've Just Seen a Face" proves that the Beatles can even do Bluegrass and sound good doing it.

Many commentators said that the album is better than what came before from them, not as good as what came after. George's two songs (I Need You and You Like Me Too Much) is a good example of this.

My opinion is, they perfected and refined their sound, and it peaked in Beatles For Sale, and then they started to realize they had to do something else. On Help! they're just starting to deconstruct the Beatlemania sound, about to rebuild into something even better. It takes them a few albums to get there, and by Sgt. Pepper they are the greatest pop band the world will ever see.

44. Help!
45. On the Threshold of a Dream
46. Moody Blue
47. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We
48. In the Court of the Crimson King
49. Past Masters Volume One
50. Long Distance Voyager
51. Reflektor
52. An Innocent Man
53. Summertime Dream

[Footnote] If you don't like "Act Naturally", listen for Paul's harmonies on the last verse.

[bobbyb5]

What do you mean? I've indeed heard of Pure Prairie League. Heh heh. And I sure remember seeing all their matching album covers. And their hit Amie. I was always fascinated by their album covers when I saw them in the used vinyl stores, but I never bought any for some reason.

[Listmeister]

43. Exactly What it Says on the Cover


Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs by Marty Robbins

BEA Ranks: 9th of 1959; 31st of 1950s; 1733rd of All Time
Ranked Highest By: Splendidfellow, Best Of All Time

"This album, while not bad, is quite a bit too "nice" sounding to have any impact today. The hit singles Big Iron and El Paso are good traditional pop-country songs, but all that is to be found on the album is nice, wholesome, family friendly little melodies that leave little left when the record stops spinning." --Bork

"Best cowboy-country album of all time. The storytelling here is superb." --Xavygravy

"Ah back when country music had some class...classy record in every sense of the word." --Coconut

"Less is more. That's what makes this album the greatest. It proves that when all other supposedly transcendent and revolutionary music gets old, and you just want to relax and enjoy some good and simple music, this album never fails to be uplifting." --Splendidfellow

Back in the 1950's, they called it "Country and Western." At some point (November 3, 1962), they[footnote] dropped the "Western" and it was just "Country". But this album is the most Western one I've ever heard.

It's a concept album about gunfighters and life in the old west. Someone gets shot in almost every song; the song that Marty Robbins sings (and half the time, writes) is the eulogy of someone who was just not quick enough on the draw. One exception "Cool Water" is not about a gunfighter, it's just about how badly we need water, and we have to find some while we're on this trail, or we're going to die. If you've ever taken water for granted, don't head out to the desert without water, just listen to this song.

Keep in mind, this is not the Old West as it actually was, the Old West of Ken Burns' documentary, no, this is the Old West as depicted on The Lone Ranger and a dozen other TV shows geared toward teenage boys in the 50's.

The most famous song on the album, "El Paso", is a beautiful story, fairly typical of what we're talking about here. The narrator has fallen in love with a Mexican girl named Faleena, a dancer in Rose's Cantina. One night, a "wild young cowboy" came in. The narrator got mad, challenged him, and shot him. Shocked by his evil deed, he ran out the back door of Rose's, grabbed a horse and just rode away to the badlands of New Mexico. But it's been a long time since he'd seen the young maiden, so he goes back to El Paso. Away he goes, riding alone in the dark. Finally, he reaches the hill overlooking Rose's Cantina.

Off to my left I see five mounted cowboys, off to my right ride a dozen more
Shouting and shooting I can't let them catch me, I have to make it to Rose's back door.
Something is dreadfully wrong, for I feel a deep burning pain in my side
Though I am trying to stay in the saddle, I'm getting weary, unable to ride
But my love for Faleena is strong and I rise where I've fallen. Though I am weary, I can't stop to rest.
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle. I feel the bullet go deep in my chest.

From out of nowhere, Faleena has found me. Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side.
Cradled by two loving arms that I'll die for, one little kiss, and Faleena good-bye.


43. Help!
44. On the Threshold of a Dream
45. Moody Blue
46. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We
47. In the Court of the Crimson King
48. Past Masters Volume One
49. Long Distance Voyager
50. Reflektor
51. Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
52. An Innocent Man
53. Summertime Dream

[footnote] November 3, 1962, was when Billboard renamed it's Hot Country and Western Singles chart, dropping the "and Western".

[Listmeister]

[Listmeister]

42. Song Queen From Outer Space


The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe

BEA Ranks: 14th of 2010; 51st of 2010s; 560th of All Time
Ranked highest by quert9579 (4th of all time)


"...more than any release this year, this doesn't show it's genius unless you listen to it all at once." --Applerill

"Wow ! What a ride ! This album is in a league of it's own. It's unlike anything I've heard. Very "Metropolis". Don't miss it ! Awesome !" --247joelnetwork

"The way she blends some many genres is genius. She doesn't play safe and always executes well. " --Zags7000

"Underrated neo-soul / funk with a psychedelic twist and great guitar sounds. So much good music on this at such a high level of output." --corenfro


---

"Dance or Die" is my favorite. Wait, no. "Locked Inside" is beautifully sung. That's the one. Sorry, my bad. "Coldwar", definitely Coldw-- wait, no, I mean "Tightrope." No, sorry. "Come Alive" has her wailing to hard rock. That's my favorite. Or is it "Make the Bus"? Hold on. "Wondaland." That's it, final answer. JK, it's "Say You'll Go."

Every song, one after the other, is a "greatest hits" level quality of composition. Musically, there is a lot of interesting stuff going on, but never all at once. Song after song emphasizes different instrumental notes, so that, even though there are recurring themes, (such as the two Suites at the start of each disk), you do not get bored.

Slow songs are made beautiful by her dreamy voice; fast songs have a rocking band behind them, and also feature her dreamy voice. "Sir Greendown", a slow song, melts into "Cold War" a great fast pop song. "Wondaland" is an amazing pop song. It should have been a huge hit.

Besides that, you get bonuses, like the delightfully weird "Mushrooms & Roses." Sung through a fuzz filter, it has psychadelic overtones with motown undertones. "57821" is an exercise in medieval madrigal harmonies, and it just caresses your ears. "Say You'll Go" has the incredible couplet:
"Love is not a fantasy / A haiku written in Japanese...."

I'm running out of ways to say how awesome this album is. I can't believe that I still have 41 albums to go that might be better than this.

42. The ArchAndroid
43. Help!
44. On the Threshold of a Dream
45. Moody Blue
46. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We
47. In the Court of the Crimson King
48. Past Masters Volume One
49. Long Distance Voyager
50. Reflektor
51. Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs

p.s. "Wondaland" is actually my favorite song on the album.

[bobbyb5]

This is an awesome thread. I like it. What I like is that you're not afraid of mainstream music. I was born in the seventies, and I think younger people aren't aware that at one time mainstream Rock was actually the best rock there was. Even mainstream pop was good for several decades. Of course, today mainstream Rock and mainstream pop are the worst they've ever been. And I think it's given all mainstream music a bad name. I love a lot of the same things you do. I love seeing things like Gordon Lightfoot or Moody Blues and so many other awesome 70s and 80s acts.

[bobbyb5]

[dihansse]

[Listmeister]

41. 80s Noise


Pyromania by Def Leppard

BEA Ranks: 10th of 1983; 124th of the 80s; 785th of All Time
Ranked highest by LADodger1, Best of All Time


"Every song is good.They never rocked this hard again." --GARY

"Hair metal at its best. Not really metal but not really your typical "hard rock", always aimed at gaining a larger, pop audience, "pyromania" delivers with some pop metal gems" --paladisiac

"Pyromania is a great example of hair metal done right. There are at least 5 great tracks here." --vesander

"Probably one of the albums we can thank (or blame) for the 80s hair metal explosion. I for one love it!" --gtroda

In 1983, Michael Jackson was the center of the pop universe. Rock and roll was dominated by bands like Toto and Hall & Oates. Country had been kind of cool for awhile, but was starting to fade.

And then there was Hard Rock. Now, I was a young teenager in 1983. My parents, whom I love and respect, while they liked pop music, had a deep distrust of "Hard Rock" (fearing the influence of Satanism, mainly), so I wasn't allowed to listen to anything with energy above a certain level, a level somewhere between Boston and Led Zeppelin.

Def Leppard was, of course, contraband. Now I know I will sound cooler if I claim that I used to sneak out of the house to listen to Def Leppard at friends houses, but I didn't. I was a good boy, and anyway, my friends weren't into hard rock. I didn't discover Metal until I went to college, by which time my peers had moved on to Iron Maiden and Metallica. The only exposure I got to hard rock bands in the 80s was when they would do ballads that were slow enough to get radio airplay.

Now, as an amateur pop music historian living in the 21st century, I have the advantage of being able to go back in time to hear what I missed. (This also applies to, say, swing music of the 40's).

The first time I heard Pyromania, the whole album, was around 2011. My emotional response was that this is what the best rock and roll was trying to communicate, as if I'd just gotten bits and pieces of the message, and this was the full text. This is pure 80s noise. And it's totally gnarly, to the max.

41. The ArchAndroid
42. Help!
43. On the Threshold of a Dream
44. Moody Blue
45. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We
46. In the Court of the Crimson King
47. Past Masters Volume One
48. Long Distance Voyager
49. Reflektor
50. Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
......
65. Watermark
66. Pyromania
67. Who Are You

EDIT. So, after I finished this review, I thought about where it's proper place. Fact is, I liked Gunfighter Ballads more than Pyromania. For some reason, this album was a chore to get through, and I'm not sure why. So, I've had to drop it a ways. It's still in the top 100, but not the Top 40.