I listened to both The White Stripes "White Blood Cells" and David Gilmour's 1978 solo debut and they are a lot better than I remember.
I listened to both R.E.M.'s "Out Of Time" and The Black Keys "Turn Blue" and they are a lot worse than I remember.
I listened to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bookends" and broke down during Side One, as usual.
I think the new Cheap Trick album is the best thing they've done in 30 years.
I bought two Lionel Richie records after seeing him on The Grammys. They have sat unplayed since and will most likely remain that way.
I want to feel bad for Randy California's family and I know it's so cool to hate Jimmy Page, but please....
That's it.
23 comments:
My go to version of the The White Stripes album is "Redd Blood Cells", with bass and some occasional extra vocals by Jeff McDonald of Redd Kross.
Sal - I've always like Out of Time but having read your post, it hit me that I haven't listened to it in years. Now I need to revisit and see if my opinion has changed.
I went back and played "Taurus" as it's been awhile since I listened to it ... I think they have a reasonable case here. Not a complete copy, but anyone who plays that track will automatically think, "Man ... that's the intro to Stairway to Heaven ..."
Man you've been busy no wonder you didn't have time for the those Lionel Ritchie albums.
Cheap Trick -- 30 years would be 1986. The year of "The Doctor"...
No love for the Self-titled album on Red Ant? I think that one is still very strong and holds up after 20 (!) years.
The new one is very very good -- except for that cover of The In Crowd (which sounds like it's a straight cover of the Bryan Ferry version -- which is also pretty turgid, IMO...)
Ever since seeing Bob Seger playing with Bruce, I have been on a major early to mid-70s Seger jag. Lots of stuff I am unfamiliar with, and most of it makes me admire him even more than I did. Hard to think of him being underrated, but I believe he is.
Yes, there is love for ALL CT albums, except The Doctor! Just think the new one is the best since Next Postion Please, so 33 years
I'd argue that "Out of Time" is a half-great album. I really love "Losing my Religion" (still), "Near Wild Heaven", "Texarkana" and "Me In Honey". But the rest I could do without. And its SOOO connected to the time it was released, ironically. At least to me. It sounds like such a product of the early 90s. While "Automatic for the People" sounds timeless.
Big fan of the Gilmour album.
I'm totally with you on the new Cheap Trick
I'd add Country Feedback to the half-good songs on Out of Time. Here's a superfine live version:
https://youtu.be/Z4VfQBDoX6E
Jimmy Page hasn't written anything worth hearing for decades.
True dat, BBJ. But so?
Very cool. Many times over the years I simply haven't been in the right head-space to appreciate a novel, a movie, an album. It's me, not you, I apologize. And other times, a work of art simply doesn't wear well.
I've always been mixed on Out of Time, so no surprise to me there. Though I have been thinking of binge listening to the entire R.E.M. catalog to see how it feels as a whole. Things might get pretty dire pretty fast after Automatic, but that's the point isn't it? I'm ready to listen again with open ears.
And your enthusiasm for Cheap Trick has me psyched to give it a spin.
But perhaps The White Stripes props is the most satisfying. Now when your new impressions challenge what I believe, then we'll see how magnanimous I am!
Looks like you've been doing the same as me: finding a half-abandoned stack of discs from way back and deciding to give them another/first listen. Concur on the Cheap Trick new album; I've been playing it almost on repeat since getting hold of it - which is doing my partner's head in as she's more of a Lionel Richie fan and wouldn't leave his records lying around as you've done! Don't concur on the REM though; have to say I've loved "Out of Time" since day one & still find it uplifting and well worth a spin. Only just started listening properly to Gilmour's "Rattle That Lock" and can't even remember his debut album. Must read Jimmy Page's interview again where he defends himself against the "did he lift it or didn't he?" charge.
Neither has Keith, and as an artist I can't help wondering why? Where did it go?
hey Sal, for you:
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/cheap-trick-oral-history-nielsen-zander-carlos-rockford/Content?oid=21705064
I don't know any composing guitarist who hasn't used 'chord progressions up and down frets' as part of their composing process. Guitars BEG for that style of songwriting. To believe that 7 progressive fingerings is some copyrightable ACT is simply unbelievable. If some composer thought TAURUS had a nice use of finger-progressions, and learned to play it, I'll bet 99 out of 100 would KEEP GOING and would also add in so many other licks, too. Copying? No. I never hear that.
Gosh knows Alice In Chains would be truly in chains if their Zep-derivations/rip-offs were called to light.
I love "Out of Time" so much. Never understood why so many serious fans loathe the record so much. Probably because it was the point of entry for REM latecomers like me. Well, Sor-eeee old timers. We're the new generation and we've got something to say! Hey, hey! You can't stop the rock, daddy-o!
I adore "Out of Time", but I wasn't a latecomer to R.E.M.- I remember my friend playing me Chronic Town when it came out- and am certainly not one of those fans who pretend to 'only' like "Chronic Town" either (there are some folks I know
for whom even "Murmur" isn't cool enough because it's become iconic. These are the very same folks who like The Smiths better than R.E.M. not because they appreciate Marr's guitar or the fineness of some of Morrissey's writing or their mood even, nope it's because The Smith's never became as famous- in this country at least- and so they must be "better" and it goes on they like the Pixies better too, which is fine but the reason is sometimes skewed).
I love the relative brightness of OOT and the mandolin. But I can see where it's not tough like Document or obtuse like Lifes Rich Pageant and not as perfect as Automatic(at least to me, I do think Automatic caught them at the height of their abilities but retains a bit of their original mood/atmosphere). OOT may seem like them betwixt and between, plus there are songs on there that are definitely pushing a line like "Shiny Happy People" and Stipe's voice is much more keening. But "Half a World Away", "Near Wild Heaven" "Country Feedback" and "Losing My Religion" are lovely. To each his own! Maybe you will listen again in a year and not feel the same way, or maybe you will.
I should point out two things-I don't hate OOT and I don't love REM. I do LOVE "Life's Rich Pageant" and "AFTP," but that's about it. I think each of their records has a few high points, but most of their work leaves me cold. Never warmed up to Stipe and Mike Mills vocals sabotage everything. I recently found an affordable copy of OOT on vinyl. I bought it because I liked it enough to want it. But it hasn't aged well. I thought it was the shit when it came out, including "Shiny Happy People." This recent pass made me cringe at times.
David Gilmour's first solo album is one of my all-time favorite records. I played it so much in 1987 that my friends basically revolted every time I put it on, due to oversaturation. Just last week, I went out for drinks with those same high school buddies and put it on the juke box, course now you can do that from your phone, so no one knew I was playing DJ, but they certainly knew who picked out 'Mihalis'. in the mid '90s, after getting my college apartment burgled and my stereo stolen, I took a CD copy to to the stereo shop to use to demo my new speakers...speakers I use to this day... Yep, one of my favorites...
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