Halfway Through 2012...

We're over half way through the year... I figured I'd rank all the new albums I've heard so far.

1. Lost In The Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs

Emotional.  Rich.  Textured.  Atmospheric.  It's hard to find enough words to describe how beautiful this album is.  It's a perfect tribute to Ari Picker's late mother.  It's simultaneously sad and uplifting.  Rarely do you find an album with such a coherent bond between the lyrics and the music.  Here, Picker proves he's an expert in tone.

2. Punch Brothers - Who's Feeling Young Now?

I initially met this album with trepidation, since their previous album is one of my favorites, and I wasn't too keen on the first track, which was released online a few weeks before the full album.  But here they've proven that they can make music that is more accessible, but just as interesting... While staying true to their acoustic instruments.  

3. Anathema - Weather Systems

This is excellent prog rock.  It takes you through a range of emotions, it is intricately constructed (listen to the layered vocals on "The Gathering of the Clouds" in surround sound, and prepare to be blown away), and it just gets better with each listen.

4. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Here

I'm probably in the minority, but I like this better than their previous record.  It doesn't have a hit song, but it does a great job capturing a traditional revival feel.

5. Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere

Nice sincere folk rock.  All of the songs are pretty good, and there are some nice, catchy melodies here.

6. Of Monsters And Men - My Head Is An Animal

This is a fun listen.  Lots of bombast; probably closer to the first Edward Sharpe album than the new Edward Sharpe album is.  

7. Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home

Darrell is one of my favorite songwriters, and here we see him making back porch country music.  Simple, honest, and genuine.

8. The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Here

I was never the biggest fan of this guy, but he does have an interesting Dylan-esque quality, and I like the acoustic guitar.

9. Bela Fleck & The Marcus Roberts Trio - Across The Imaginary Divide

Saw these guys at Telluride Bluegrass, and was impressed.  It's like a very tight jazz ensemble with a banjo.

10. Leftover Salmon - Aquatic Hitchhiker

I haven't been able to fully digest this one yet, but there are some quality cuts here.

Other albums I like that didn't make my top 10 yet:
Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back
Farrar, Johnson, Parker, Yames - New Multitudes
Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
Trampled By Turtles - Stars And Satellites
Rhett Miller - The Dreamer
Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

75 Awesome 70s Songs, Part I: 75-51

I've been listening to a lot of 70s music lately.  What a great decade, when many timeless musicians wrote their most timeless music.  Anyways, I have all kinds of 70s records sitting on my shelf that I haven't listened to more than once or twice... And I didn't grow up in the 70s, so there are obviously all kinds of musicians from that time that I haven't even heard.  So I'm not going to have any pretense that these are the 75 best songs from the 70s; they're just 75 great songs, roughly sorted in order of how much I like them.

75. Neil Young - Hold Back The Tears
American Stars 'N' Bars - 1977
American Stars 'N' Bars kicked off a sort-of country/folk era for Neil Young.  This album is one of the least awesome in the strongest stretched of albums produced by any artist, but it's still solid.  This is probably my favorite track from the album, though "Like A Hurricane" is probably the most well-known.


74. Gentle Giant - Mobile
Free Hand - 1975
Gentle Giant weren't quite as successful as other such prog acts as Yes, King Crimson, ELP, etc., but they certainly didn't lack in originality.  I don't know what to say about "Mobile," other than it's an excellent prog track.

73. King Crimson - Ladies of the Road
Islands - 1971
"Ladies of the Road" is interesting for both its funky bass line, and the accusations of misogyny that resulted from this track.  It is most definitely naughty.  Ranks high in both humor and crudeness.


72. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young - Helpless
Deja Vu - 1970
Truth be told, I like this one better when Neil does it solo, but I'll reference the CSNY version, anyways.  Nice, mellow, melodic pop song.


71. Elton John - I've Seen That Movie Too
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 1973
I may be criticized for choosing this over more popular songs from the same album, "Bennie and the Jets," and "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting."  But this one simply has a better melody, and a nice feel.


70. Yes - Turn of the Century
Going For The One - 1977
I really like the sound of this one... Little, if any, percussion; just atmosphere.  It actually builds up nicely, despite its relative sparseness.


69. Gentle Giant - On Reflection
Free Hand - 1975
This song is a clinic on vocal harmony.  It sounds like there are at least 30 vocal parts playing off of each other.  Also, the band member switch instruments during the song, even when playing live.  Cool.


68. Jackson Browne - Under The Falling Sky
Jackson Browne - 1972
An excellent track from Browne's debut album, "Under The Falling Sky" really works because of its interesting traditional/minimalist percussion.


67. Yes - Release, Release
Tormato - 1978
Tormato was not well-received in the Yes community due to the perception that they were shunning prog in order to write pop music.  But it's hard for me to denounce this album, because it has some great music, even if they are slightly poppy.  "Release, Release" is certainly better than that completely unlistenable "Owner of a Lonely Heart" that somehow became their biggest hit in the 80s.


66. Crazy Horse - Dance, Dance, Dance
Crazy Horse - 1971
Crazy Horse has actually been Neil Young's backing band on many an occasion, but they did release an album or two on their own.  I believe "Dance, Dance, Dance" was actually penned by Neil, but it sounds great here.


65. Neil Young - Campaigner
Decade - 1979; Chrome Dreams - 1975 (unreleased)
"Campaigner" is the best Neil Young song never to make it onto a Neil Young studio album, besides maybe "Ohio."  I like the feel of this song, from the acoustic guitar, to the vocal dynamics.


64. The Rolling Stones - Far Away Eyes
Some Girls - 1978
I like the Rolling Stones when they get weird, and this is a weird song.  It features a spoken word verse with Mick Jagger talking like a country bumpkin, which makes the chorus that much more catchy.


63. Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore
Led Zeppelin IV - 1971
At some point in time, John Paul Jones fell in love with the mandolin, and this was one of the first songs to really showcase the instrument.  Pair a few mandolins up with a renaissance-sounding vocal melody, and you get one of the more interesting songs Zeppelin conjured up.


62. Billy Joel - You're My Home
Piano Man - 1973
This is one of those songs that doesn't really stick out when you're listening to the record, but when you hear it in a mix, it shines.  I think it largely has to do with the guitar sound.


61. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young - Ohio
Decade - 1979; So Far - 1974
"Ohio" was one of the most well-known protest songs in the 70s, but it never appeared on a record until CSNY's So Far collection.  Penned in response to the Kent State shootings, Ohio sometimes resurfaces when the issue of police violence enters into the public consciousness.


60. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Travelin' Band
Cosmo's Factory - 1970
John Fogerty was never accused of making his songs too complex, and this song is a perfect example of how great a really simple song can be.  It almost sounds like a late 50s rockabilly tune, except with Fogerty's distinctive vocal style.


59. The Rolling Stones - Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
Goats Head Soup - 1973
This track is the perfect marriage of the British Invasion sound better characterized by early Stones work, and the 70s rock they were fully immersed in by Beggar's Banquet or Exile.


58. Led Zeppelin - Tangerine
III - 1970
Led Zeppelin's III has some great work, but this song best epitomizes Zep's folky side, which is my favorite side of Led Zeppelin.


57. Yes - Clap
The Yes Album - 1971
Possibly an unconventional choice, since it's really just a guitar solo, but it is one of my favorite guitar solos.  I'd consider my guitar playing ability sufficient if I could just learn this song.


56. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
Second Helping - 1974
Who doesn't like this song?  It has one of the most popular guitar riffs ever.  The history of this song makes it even better; it was written in response to one or two Neil Young songs about racism in the South (hence the reference to Neil Young in one of the verses), one of which is


55. Neil Young - Southern Man
After The Gold Rush - 1971
Neil Young is great when he stirs up controversy, and this one made quite the dig at the South.  Besides its being a scathing critique of racism in the South, it is just a great song.


54. King Crimson - Cat Food
In The Wake Of Poseidon - 1970
Poseidon was one of Crimson's weaker albums in the 70s, but it still produced some gems... One of which is the weird little track "Cat Food."  This one may need to be heard in surround sound, due to its many instrumental and vocal tracks.


53. King Crimson - Fallen Angel
Red - 1974
By the time Red came around, King Crimson was a trio, creating a much different feel than classical- and jazz-influenced work from Poseidon, Lizard, and Islands.  "Fallen Angel" has a nice melody and great dynamics, and is possibly the song that best utilizes the trio format.


52. Billy Joel - Why Judy Why
Cold Spring Harbor - 1971
Cold Spring Harbor, Joel's debut record, never achieved the fame his later records did, but it is, in my opinion, one of his best.  "Why Judy Why" was one of his first great ballads, and served as a great starting point for one of the best songwriters of the 70s.


51. Kris Kristofferson - Don't Cuss The Fiddle
Waylon & Willie - 1978
This song was recorded by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, but it was written by Kristofferson, generally considered one of the best country songwriters ever.  I'm not hugely familiar with Kristofferson's work, but this is probably one of my top five country songs ever.

The Mandolin, and Rock and Roll

I purchased this low-end mandolin,
the Epiphone MM-20 A-style.

A month ago, I decided to pick up the mandolin.  I've been listening to a lot of bluegrass the last couple of years, and that instrument plays a large part in that genre.  I've been particularly inspired by the work of Chris Thile in his band Punch Brothers, and having seen the likes of Thile, Sam Bush, and other masterful mandolin players, I became drawn to the mandolin.

Subsequently, I started noticing mandolins in rock music, and I decided to go buy one.  A mandolin is an excellent way to add an extra dimension to an otherwise basic tune.  Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones was one of the early pioneers in this technique, and many Zeppelin songs contain mandolin parts (further cementing John Paul Jones into his position as my favorite Led Zeppelin member).

Later, R.E.M. raised the bar, and the instrument became a prominent feature of their music, starting around Green or so.  Their most successful song, "Losing My Religion," brings the mandolin to the front, and might be one of the most popular songs to heavily rely on the mandolin for its sound.  In fact, the mandolin is the only musical instrument to make an appearance in the music video for the song.  See for yourself.

The cool thing about mandolin parts in rock songs is that in most cases, the musician using the mandolin is not a virtuoso mandolin player, which means the mandolin parts tend to be easier to play.  This is nice for a beginning mandolin player like me.

Last night, I even decided to figure out how to play Pain of Salvation's "Healing Now," which is one of my favorite new songs this year, and features not one, but (at least) two mandolin parts.  Listen to this awesome song:



The mandolin has never sounded better, nor has rock music.
 

#1: Neil Young - Tonight's The Night

Release Year: 1975

If you were to compile a list of the top 10 Neil Young songs, would any of them be found on Tonight's The Night?  Doubtful.  Why, then, is it my favorite album ever?  I think it is actually partly because of that.

When Neil made this record, he was hot off his most successful record ever, Harvest.  He was at the height of popularity, but he was completely depressed.  He had lost two close friends to substance abuse, and he was dealing with substance abuse problems of his own.  This album captures that mood better than perhaps any other album ever made.  It is a clinic on tone.

As a display of incredible songwriting and musical talent, this album is not Neil's best.  There are certainly some excellent tracks, but it is so raw that Neil doesn't even bother to clean up his voice cracking or his completely missing notes.  But as a work of art, it is transcendent.

Standout tracks:

• Lookout Joe
• New Mama
• Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown

#5: Neil Young - On The Beach

Release Year: 1974

The first time I heard On The Beach, I thought the first half was brilliant.  "Walk On" is a great rock song, "For The Turnstiles" is a nice little banjo tune, and "Revolution Blues" is like an even better "Southern Man."

But this album really achieved greatness for me when I heard it while driving down the freeway in Phoenix late one night, while in a mellow state of mind, and "Motion Pictures (For Carrie)" came on.  A feeling of peaceful satisfaction came over me that lasted through the end of "Ambulance Blues."

The back side of this album was recorded while the band were consuming a marijuana-laced honey concoction, and the result is three mellow tracks with an abstract and tender quality not achieved anywhere else in his repertoire.

This record is a portrait of a man on his way out of the ditch.  This is an album about finding resolution in your toughest battles.

Standout tracks:

• Revolution Blues
• Ambulance Blues
• Walk On

#11: Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Release Year: 1969

Neil Young's second album, and first with Crazy Horse, is a true masterpiece.  Crazy Horse was one of the loudest bands of the time, and provided a perfect vehicle for Neil's songwriting ability.

It's really difficult to beat an album with both "Down By The River" and "Cowgirl In The Sand," two of the best rock songs written by anybody, ever.  Neil has written several lengthy rock songs ("Words," "Last Dance," "Cortez the Killer," "Like A Hurricane," "Shots," at least four songs from Ragged Glory, "Change Your Mind," "Scenery," "Ordinary People," and "No Hidden Path," just to name a few), but the two on this album are his very best.

This is the album that turned me into a Neil Young fan.  The first Neil records I had heard were Harvest, Harvest Moon, and After the Gold Rush, two of which are Young's most successful albums, but it is this one that converted me.

#12: The Black Crowes - Before the Frost...Until the Freeze

Release Year: 2009

The Crowes had a long and, in some respects, turbulent, career, with struggles over creative control, poorly received experimentation, and a hiatus or two, but it all culminated in this excellent work, Before the Frost...Until the Freeze.  This album was recorded in front of a live audience, with minimal overdubs, in Levon Helm's studio in Woodstock, NY.  This gives the album a bit of a spontaneous feel.

The first disc, Before the Frost, is more typical Crowes (except for, ironically, the lead single, "I Ain't Hiding," which has a bit of a disco beat).  The second disc (technically, just mp3 downloads), however, is what really makes this work.  Here we see the Black Crowes strip down to good 'ole folk music.  It was really their journey into folk territory that made them ascend about the level of standard rock-and-roll bands, and here we're treated to a whole disc's worth.

The Crowes are back on hiatus now.  We'll see if they get back together again and make more records, but if they don't, what a fine record to end with.

Standout tracks:

• I Ain't Hiding
• Roll Old Jeremiah
• Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)
• Shady Grove

#15: Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street

Release Year: 1972

The Stones had a lot of great albums, but this one came at the peak of their career in the early 1970s.  There is just something about this album that is the epitome of everything that was great about both the Rolling Stones and the early 70s.  You won't find a lot of complex songs structures here: what you will find is a vibrant collection of completely enjoyable rock and roll songs.

Exile didn't yield a lot of hits relative to other Rolling Stones albums... Yet, this is probably their best, and most unassuming collection of songs.

If you can have only one Rolling Stones album in your collection, this would have to be your best option.  This album is what rock and roll was all about.

 Standout tracks:

• Sweet Virginia
• Tumbling Dice
• Rocks Off
• Happy 

#17: Pain of Salvation - Road Salt One

Release Year: 2010

Swedish progressive metal heavyweights Pain of Salvation's seventh studio album, Road Salt One, was a major departure from their previous work (this, even despite the fact that BE and Scarsick weren't exactly true to form themselves).  It was recorded in a vintage style: it sounds like it is straight from the 70s.  This move was not very well-received among many fans (ironically, few fans of "progressive" music like music that strays too far from what they're used to), but it was great for people, like me, who like to just hear something new.

The departure is so severe that it really doesn't sound anything like their previous work.  This record is not even metal, and it's not "prog."  It's just melodic modern rock music in heavy 70s stylings.

Daniel Gildenlöw already made the greatest progressive metal album ever, so why would he need to make another progressive metal album?  The fact that he tried this, and in my opinion, succeeded, is a truer testament to his creative genius than any number of identical progressive metal albums would have been. The fact is, this new format allows him to unleash some incredible songs and melodies, the likes of which would not have been possible in the old format.

This is an album that is, unfortunately, destined to be forgotten: prog rock fans who are aware of Pain of Salvation are likely to pass over this one, while fans of more straightforward rock are going to assume this is just another prog metal album (if they ever even hear of it at all).  Oh well, I'll just enjoy this one myself.

Standout tracks:

• Innocence
• Sisters
• Road Salt
• Curiosity 

#23: Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy

Release Year: 1973

Led Zeppelin's fourth album, IV (or ZOSO or Untitled or whatever you choose to call it), gets most of the attention, but Houses of the Holy is easily my favorite Zep record.  There's just something about the record that makes it stand out, and I think it is "The Rain Song" and "No Quarter."

These happen to be my two favorite Zeppelin songs. "The Rain Song" is stunningly beautiful...I love everything about it.  The way the choruses hit you is just perfect.  And "No Quarter" might be the most creative and artistic Led Zeppelin ever got.

This album is just solid from start to finish.

Standout tracks:

• The Rain Song
• No Quarter
• Over The Hills And Far Away 

#26: The Black Crowes - Amorica

Release Year: 1994

The Black Crowes' first two albums, Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, were both solid southern rock albums.  The demonstrated that they could write rock songs and ballads as well as anybody.  But they were somewhat lacking in depth.

With Amorica, that changed.  They started experimenting a little bit, and some folk influence started creeping in.  And we got a collection of songs that fit together better than either of their previous albums.  This is where the Crowes went from being just another guitar rock band to being real artists with a truly interesting contribution.

Lest you think they ceded their ability to write solid rock songs, their riffs are as good as they ever were.  But there are more dynamics, and the softer parts are more textured, and feature more acoustic instrumentation.

Every time I hear this album, it throws me into another Black Crowes kick.  This is the best early Crowes album, and one of my favorites of the 1990s.

Standout tracks:

• Wiser Time
• Descending
• Nonfiction
• A Conspiracy 

#30: Neil Young - Time Fades Away

Release Year: 1973

In 1973, Neil Young was hot off his hit record, Harvest, which is probably his most successful album ever.  While touring in support of that album, he was trying to play the songs he wanted to play, with a band he was not comfortable with, to audiences who just wanted to hear Harvest.  The result is Neil Young's live album Time Fades Away, which is, to this day, (officially) only available on vinyl.  Neil hated the tour, and the shows where these songs were recorded, but released it "so you could see what could happen if you lose it for awhile."

What happened is a great collection of songs.  There are a few classic Neil Young guitar rock songs, reminiscent of Crazy Horse.  There are three piano ballads ("Journey Through The Past," "Love In Mind," and "The Bridge") which make this album really work.  And it closes with a longer, upbeat track more in the vein of "Cowgirl" called "Last Dance."

There are all kinds of great Neil Young records to choose from, but this is one that stands out for its rawness, its history, and, also somewhat importantly, its music.

Standout tracks:

• Last Dance
• Journey Through The Past
• Don't Be Denied 

#34: Oceansize - Effloresce

Release Year: 2003

Every once in awhile, you run into a band that did it right the first time out.  Oceansize is one of those bands.  Oceansize, from Manchester, England, released four full length albums and at least two EPs before breaking up earlier this year.

Oceansize was generally labeled as progressive rock, though they don't really have anything in common with most bands in that umbrella.  They do tend to write lengthy songs, which in the early days had some jam tendencies, with repeated riffs, and lots of build ups.  Their last couple of albums, Frames and Self-Preserved While The Bodies Float Up, feature more chaotic arrangements.  Everyone Into Position was probably their tightest record, but Effloresce is my favorite.  This album just features so many great melodies and instrumental sections that it's almost overwhelming.  They hit the perfect spot on their first album, and while the others were unique, to be sure, this one has the best combination of experimentation and structure.

These guys are loud when they need to be, and quiet when they need to be.  If you like a good, dynamic album, this is a great choice.  Oceansize were excellent musicians, and one of the most underrated bands of the 2000s.

Standout tracks:

• Saturday Morning Breakfast Show
• Amputee
• Catalyst
• One Day All This Could Be Yours 

#35: The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed

Release Year: 1969

In the 1960s, The Rolling Stones were a great band.  When you think of the 60s, that are really two bands that come to mind: The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.  In my mind, the Stones were the greatest band of the decade, not the Beatles.  Despite that, the best stretch of Stones albums came from 1968 through 1973, starting with Beggar's Banquet.  Let It Bleed is the following album, and a very solid album indeed.

This album has it all: a classic opening song in Gimme Shelter, 60s punk like Live With Me, the monumental closer You Can't Always Get What You Want, and even a little honky tonk in Country Honk.  This album is still decidedly 60s, but you can hear the 70s creeping in.

 It's difficult to explain what is so good about the Stones; the songs are simple.  Compared to the burgeoning progressive rock movement, there really wasn't very much to it.  Really, it's just rock and roll.

Standout tracks:

• You Can't Always Get What You Want
• Midnight Rambler
• Let It Bleed
• Monkey Man 

#37: The Refreshments - Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy

Release Year: 1996

This is one that goes all the way back to junior high for me.  It was eighth grade, and I was really beginning in earnest to listen to alternative rock music. The Refreshments had several hits at the time (at least locally), and they, along with Gin Blossoms, ruled the local music scene.  Every CD wallet (which was the iPod of that era) at every party had to have this disc in it.

This album has stood the test of time.  Most of the music I listened to in 8th grade has no appeal to me anymore, but fifteen years later, I enjoy this as much as ever.  In fact, I appreciate it more, because I tend to enjoy better-crafted songs like "Nada" more than I did back then.

Interestingly, I think their follow-up, The Bottle and Fresh Horses, was musically superior to this, but it doesn't hold quite the place in my heart.  When you think of the Arizona music scene in the 90s, this is the first album that comes to mind.

Standout tracks:

• Nada
• Mekong
• Banditos
• Down Together 

#40: Neil Young - Freedom

Release Year: 1989

Neil Young has had a very long career, beginning in earnest in the 60s, and continuing today.  I consider Young to be the best songwriter alive, a title that many believe belongs to Mr. Dylan.  His most well-known, and indeed strongest, body of work was from 1969-1979, beginning with Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and ending with Rust Never Sleeps.  Every album in this period is spectacular.  1979's Rust featured an acoustic front side and electric back side, with different versions of "Hey, Hey, My, My" on each side.

The 80s were a very turbulent period, music-wise, for Young.  He started with a seemingly patriotic folk album, then went with a new wave rock/punk album, followed that up with an album where most of the vocals were computerized, then released a rockabilly album, followed by a country album... That only takes us to mid-decade, but you get the picture.  The upshot is that his popularity eroded by 1987, and Life became his least successful album ever.  But then, out of nowhere, emerged Freedom.  This is the album that kicked off the grunge movement, and brought loud, angry rock music to the forefront of the music world.  "Rockin' in the Free World" became his biggest hit in probably a decade.

Neil borrowed the Rust bookend concept with this one: the album begins with an acoustic version of "Rockin' in the Free World," and closes with the more well-known electric version of the same song.  Though this album is known for its angry protest song, it is actually more toned down and folksy than its successor, Ragged Glory.  There is quite a variety of styles here, with several folk tunes, and only a few rockers.

Freedom is Neil's most solid album after 1975, and, despite being released in 1989, one of the most important of the 90s.

Standout tracks:

• Rockin' in the Free World
• Crime In The City (Sixty To Zero Part I) 
• Eldorado 
• Too Far Gone 

dredg - Chuckles And Mr. Squeezy

Release Date: May 3, 2011
Label: Superball Music 

Every once in awhile, an artist you once thought quite credible, maybe even accomplished, goes out and makes an album so head-scratchingly terrible that it becomes even more memorable than had he made a reasonably respectable record.  The best example is Chris Cornell's solo album, Scream, which featured a very bizarre collaboration with Timbaland, and signature Timbaland electric pop.  This was quite the surprise, considering Cornell's background (even Audioslave was tolerable, even if it wasn't great).

So you can imagine my glee when I read up on the new dredg album.  If you haven't heard of them, dredg is an art rock/prog rock outfit from California, with a moderately sized following, and four albums under their belt, each of them fairly unique.  The reviews I read were some of the most unfavorable I've seen in awhile; it was far more poorly received, for example, than the latest Muse album, which I considered to be credibility-destroying.  The biggest complaint, of course, was the new electronic soundscapes, this time due to an awkward collaboration with producer Dan the Automator.  Based on what I heard, this transcended "band musically evolved and the fans just couldn't handle the change," and reached "band just went batsh*t crazy."

Can you see why I was so excited to listen to this?  I thought Chris Cornell was going to have some competition.  This was going to be a truly memorable collapse by a band that at one point was making great records, and might have even been close to being in my top ten (back in my college days).

Imagine my dismay, even horror, when I listened to this, and found that it is...good?  No, I'm not prepared to say it is good just yet.  But it's not anywhere near as bad as Scream, and it might even be better than that new Arctic Monkeys album I for some reason put on afterwards.  Despite the fact that I hate electronic music, and the fact that hiring an awkward producer never works, this is not terrible.

Yes, the album title sucks.  The cover looks like the artist who made the cover of the latest Ke$ha album picked up one of his rejected album covers, did a bunch of angel dust, and went to town on the singer's face.  Most of the songs are at best pedestrian.  But it is listenable!  A couple of tracks ("The Ornament," a piece of which superbly closed their third album, Catch Without Arms; "Where I'll End Up") are actually decent.

Chuckles And Mr. Squeezy is a somewhat forgettable album from a unique band that used to write pretty good albums.  I'm at once relieved and disappointed to say that Scream is still in a league of its own.

★★☆☆

498: ZZ Top - Tres Hombres

Well, I didn't have anything to do tonight (for some reason, my Friday evenings tend to be the most boring), so I decided to listen to another one of the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums.  MOG didn't have Albert King's Born Under A Bad Sign, so I had to skip it and move to the next (I'll get back to Mr. King eventually; I ordered the album on vinyl).  That would be ZZ Top's third album, Tres Hombres.

Release Date: July 26, 1973
Label: London


I'm not real familiar with ZZ Top, but I have heard a couple of their hits on classic rock radio over the years.  They also made an appearance on The Simpsons, when Bart runs into them and says, "Hey, you're ZZ Top! You guys rock!" One of the band members replies, "Eh, maybe a little."

Three songs in, I agree with them.  They do rock...a little.  They have a bit of a hard rock sound, with strong rhythm, and somewhat of a blues influence.  The first four tracks are all upbeat blues rock songs, with what I would call a typical ZZ Top sound.  There were no surprises there.  "Master of Sparks" was the first I really liked.

"Hot, Blue and Righteous," the last track on the front side, is the first ballad.  It is a typical, pedestrian ballad, and at just over three minutes, is not given nearly enough to develop like a ballad properly should.

The back side starts well, with "Move Me On Down The Line."  This is a driving rock song, with an excellent lead guitar part and the type of riffs you would expect from a good 70s hard rock song.  Again, at two and a half minutes, this song could have been so much more.

The overall sound of this album is a bit too muddy for my tastes.  The vocals are fairly low in the mix, and the rhythm guitar has a very low tone, muddled tone.  This seems to be fairly common in this type of music.

The middle track on the back, "La Grange," is an excellent track, and one of the aforementioned hits.  This song never had much of a melody, but it does have excellent drumming, and, in my opinion, one of the greatest riffs in rock music.  You know the one: bahda da da da da d daah daah....

The album ends with "Sheik," a lighter song with a fairly loose feel and a little bit of jamming, and a straight-up blues song, "Have You Heard?"

This is a record that I consider very listenable, but unessential.  They are a very typical blues rock band, without any major innovation or creative genius.  The singing is nothing to write home about, but they have proven that they can come up with some great riffs.  The back side is far superior to the front, so if you check it out, focus your energy on that.

Tracklist:

1	Waitin' for the Bus	2:59
2	Jesus Just Left Chicago	3:29
3	Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers	3:23
4	Master of Sparks	3:33
5	Hot, Blue and Righteous	3:14
6	Move Me on Down the Line	2:30
7	Precious and Grace	3:09
8	La Grange	3:51
9	Sheik	4:04
10	Have You Heard?	3:14

Two stars.  I am really temped to give them an extra star or two, just because of those awesome beards.



★★☆☆

New Release: Blackfield - Welcome To My DNA

Release Date (UK): March 28, 2011
Release Date (US): April 19, 2011
Label: KScope

If you haven't heard of Blackfield, which is probably very likely, they are an art rock collaboration between Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree fame and Israeli rock/pop star Aviv Geffen.  In case you didn't know, I am a huge Steven Wilson fan, and I consider him to be one of the best, most diverse, and most creative musicians of our time.  Blackfield is just one of several projects he has been involved with.

Even if you have heard every song Steven Wilson has ever recorded, you still haven't heard Blackfield.  This music is textured, melodious, and somewhat mellow.  The arrangements are simple; you don't hear the odd rhythms and frenzied dynamics which sometimes proliferate Porcupine Tree's work.

The first album, simply called Blackfield, featured a few tracks written by Wilson, a few by Geffen, and the rest credited to both.  The second, Blackfield II, featured a little less Wilson and a little more Geffen, but Wilson still made a significant contribution (including my favorite track, "Christenings," which was may have been an unused Porcupine Tree song, and partial credits for "Epidemic" and "1,000 People").

When I heard about the new album, Welcome To My DNA, I decided to go the vinyl route and preorder the hand numbered vinyl version limited to 2,000 copies (I got #491).

The first thing I noticed about this album was that Wilson was only credited with writing one song, "Waving."  This struck me as a little concerning; was Blackfield evolving from a Wilson/Geffen collaboration into a project solely owned by Geffen?  I always liked Wilson's work better, and it's not a surprise that "Waving" turned out to be the best track on this album.  What is surprising is that the album is still good.  Maybe Geffen's writing is improving (after the first few listens, I do like "Glass House" and "Far Away").  Maybe the fact that Steven Wilson is still in the producer's chair is holding it together.  Who knows.

The weakest point for Welcome To My DNA?  Easily the lyrics.  Someone needs to confiscate Geffen's pen and never give it back.  I find it hard to believe the guy who wrote the lyrics to "Cloudy Now" also wrote "Go To Hell."  The lyrics to "Go To Hell" are basically this (I don't have the album on hand right now, so I may be misquoting):

F*ck you all, f*ck you.
F*ck you all, f*ck you.
I don't care.

Go to hell, go to hell,
Go to hell, go to hell...

That's deep. (Musically, it's not bad, though)

As with the other Blackfield albums, I consider this to be good, beautifully produced music, but nothing groundbreaking.  Nobody, as far as I'm aware of, creates more richly layered and elegantly textured music than Steven Wilson, and this is not an exception.

Tracklist:

1	Glass House	2:56
2	Go to Hell	3:03
3	Rising of the Tide	3:47
4	Waving	3:54
5	Far Away	2:47
6	Dissolving With the Night	4:06
7	Blood	3:17
8	On the Plane	3:41
9	Oxygen	3:04
10	Zigota	5:04
11	DNA	3:56

★★★☆

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Zuma

Release Date - November 10, 1975
Label: Reprise Records 

I know I've already hit two of Neil Young's 1970s albums, but I just listened to this again, and figured I might as well finish up Neil's best trio of records.

I've already covered the last two albums of the Ditch Trilogy - On The Beach and Tonight's The Night.  Tonight's The Night was recorded earlier (but was held up for two years by the record label), and was made in the wake of what Neil described as his most nightmarish tour, the death of two close friends, and his own addiction problems.  On The Beach paints the picture of a man recovering, with cynical themes, but without the air of utter despair.  If the ditch trilogy is the window into the soul of a man who was at rock bottom, Zuma is the product of a man who had rediscovered hope.

For the first time since Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Crazy Horse was given partial credit for the album.  Crazy Horse existed independently of Neil Young before Nowhere, and while they did (in various combinations) assist Young during subsequent tours and recording sessions, they also released two or three albums of their own.  Crazy Horse was more than just Neil Young's backup band, and if you listen to Nowhere and Zuma, and compare them to all of Neil's albums in between, it becomes obvious how profound an influence they have.

When you listen to Zuma, you can tell that Young was in a completely different state of mind than he had been the few years prior.  Gone are the loose, drug-influenced jams found on the back side of On The Beach, and gone are the painfully raw vocal strains and desperation found on Tonight's The Night.  Zuma is a very tight record; it is straightforward, melodic rock music from start to finish.  The Neil Young who was passionate about delivering a well made, enjoyable rock song has returned.  While there aren't any cuts that achieve quite the epic greatness of "Down By The River" or "Cowgirl in the Sand" (though "Cortez the Killer" comes close), Zuma has to be strongly considered for the title of Neil Young's Best Rock Record.

Zuma starts out with a revisiting of a song Neil wrote while in high school called "I Wonder."  Here it's called "Don't Cry No Tears," and while it has the same melody, it manages to be decidedly 1970s instead of 1960.  We're then treated with a classic Neil Young guitar rock song, "Danger Bird."  "Pardon My Heart" is a nice little acoustic guitar-based love song.  The best track on this album, "Cortez The Killer," features some of Neil's most famous guitar work, a classic epic in the vein of "Down By The River."  "Cortez" fades out at the end because the band actually ran out of tape while recording (the song clocks in at seven and a half minutes).  The final track, "Through My Sails," is actually a Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young track cut from a recording session whence an album never materialized.

Zuma has always been one of my favorite Neil Young albums, and along with Nowhere, it firmly placed Young (along with Crazy Horse) into the echelons of the rock greats.

Track list:

1	Don't Cry No Tears	2:34
2	Danger Bird	6:54
3	Pardon My Heart	3:49
4	Lookin' for a Love	3:17
5	Barstool Blues	3:02
6	Stupid Girl	3:13
7	Drive Back	3:32
8	Cortez the Killer	7:29
9	Through My Sails	2:41

Note: For the rest of March, Zuma is one of Amazon's $5 mp3 downloads.  Jump on it while you can (granted, you can pick up the CD for not much more than that).

★★★★