Note: I was pretty psyched for this group. I ran out of time through with plenty of distractions at work and at home. I still feel like I had a good chance to gush over the albums I really like and said the main parts I wanted to.
In Snake's Collection:
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Words are hard to come by to describe this album. There is so much there, so many layers to the sound, that I believe most minds cannot comprehend what is really going on. It was recorded at Abbey Road using multi track recordings and mixed by the soon to become famous Alan Parsons. The overall concept of the album comes from basic things that would frustrate people in their lives: Greed, stress, mental health, spirituality, etc. You have to listen to this album with headphones, or else you miss probably half of the stuff in there. The voices and sound effects are layers underneath the guitars and the stereophonic mix can really only be heard properly through headphones or a really kick ass surround sound system. I always skip any song from the album if it comes up on shuffle. This is only appreciated when listened to consecutively.
Oh yeah, I need to talk about Dark Side of the Rainbow. It is the belief that "Dark Side of the Moon" was written as a soundtrack for "The Wizard of Oz". Waters & Gilmour deny the fact and just state that it is amusing to them. It has been several years since I've done it, but it was a freaky experiment. There are plenty of coincidences (and that is the term I want to use) where the movie and album fit perfectly. You need to start the album exactly at the moment the MGM lion roars for the 3rd time. Some highlights that I remember include: Dorothy running home from the twister during the lyric "No one told you when to run", the song "The Great Gig In The Sky' plays while Dorothy is in the Twister and the creepy wailing female singer sets the mood, 'Money' begins when she opens the door to the color world of Oz, the scarecrow sings his song on the movie at the time the song 'Brain Damage' is playing on the album, the heartbeat at the end of the album happens at the same time they are pounding on the Tin Man's chest. At the end of the album you need to immediately start it over (although there are other theories at other Pink Floyd albums should be played next). The highlight I remember from the 2nd play is the song 'Any Colour You Like' playing while they are riding the carriage through the Emerald City with the horse that changes color. While I agree that Roger Waters is a musical genius, I don't believe that anything like this was ever meant to happen. I think it is just coincidence and an example that both the movie and the album have some similar themes. I am sure you could find connections like this for other movies and albums. Even if they came out and said, "yeah we did that," what would it change anything? If anything, this mystery just helps build the mystic and legend of Pink Floyd.
Devil Without a Cause - Kid Rock
In more recent years, I believe Kid Rock is finally getting some of the respect he deserves. This album often gets lumped in with Limp Bizkit and credited for starting the Rap/Metal movement. Which in part is true, I guess, but there is alot more to the music. This was Kid Rock's fourth album. The previous three, from the parts that I have heard, sound alot like the Beastie Boys and that cool/funny white guy rap that they nailed so amazingly. This album finally fused all the musical elements that influenced Kid Rock together. Yes, on the outside it seems like rap with some metal mixed in, but underneath if you look at the song structures and where the influence is coming from, there is alot of country and blues in there as well. 'Cowboy' features samples from The Doors and The Allman Brothers. Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, The Faces, Mungo Jerry, and The MC5 also are featured in various songs. This album is forever a staple of my generation, a start of a new movement in music and just plain awesome! It lived in my truck CD player for almost 2 years straight (I even made a cassette copy so I could listen to it when I drove my mom's Trailblazer).
Quick Hitters
Deja Vu - CSNY
I've only heard a few songs individually from this classic. I am sure it is an amazing album. I need to have Red get me a copy. :)
Destroyer - KISS
The only KISS albums I own are the Alives and a greatest hits. This album is as good as they could get in a studio and don't get me wrong, it is pretty darn good. "Sweet Pain" and "Great Expectations" are the only songs on the album that don't remain in KISS live sets at some time are another. Red stole some of my thunder on this one. Paul wrote 'God of Thunder', but the producer thought that since it was such a powerful song that Gene needed to sign it. So Paul got left in the cold again as the soft guy and even Peter Criss became known for the song as it was the place for his big drum solo during their live shows.
Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
I liked the line in the movie "Juno" where Juno comes back to the guy who is going to adopt her baby and had here listening to Sonic Youth, only to find out the guy is a douche bag. "I listened to that Sonic Youth, and they are just noise!" Sums it up pretty good for me. I might not get this one, but that is fine with me. From what I've heard, I really don't wanna get it.
Definitely Maybe - Oasis
Their music is OK, but their attitudes have pissed me off. They just seem like a knock off to me anymore.
De-Loused In the Crematorium - The Mars Volta
Good stuff here folks. I've heard quite a bit of their music on satellite radio and over the Internet. I guess I have yet to take the plunge yet financial investment though.
Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes - TV On The Radio
I hear this name alot. They seem like a pretty cool band. Might have to actually buy something of theirs and Mars Volta.
Destroy Rock & Roll - Mylo
At least he is self aware of his goal to destroy rock and roll. If he made the computer program that creates the music, then I could support him.
SNUBS (or Post Book Releases)
De Stijl - The White Stripes
This is the album for the true White Stripes fan. It was their second album and the one prior to their breakthrough into the mainstream with "White Blood Cells". This is my favorite album and features gritty, simplistic blues/punk songs. This is the cult album that people smile and hug at night knowing it is still their little secret from the mainstream success of later White Stripes albums.
Day & Age - The Killers
This is the reason for the clarifier on the Snubs title since it was released last year. Maybe we will get luckily and "Hot Fuss" will land on the list later on. This is an amazing album full of catchy rhythms and insightful/meaningful lyrics. There is some much depth to the songs that you can't help but connect with them on some level. When I got this album, it was all I listened to for about a month. I would highly recommend it to anyone and it is on my CD I made for Red (which I still need to deliver to him). Ok, I gotta listen to it now.
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4 comments:
Wow, Dark Side of the Moon could be its own post. We tried that Dark Side of the Rainbow thing, but we thought you were supposed to start when the movie turned color. We'll have to give it another whirl sometime.
My wife hates Kid Rock, I do not know why. But it really burns her whenever any of his songs come on.
Yeah maybe it should have been. I didn't even talk about how they recorded all the voices that appear throughout the album. Waters sat in a room with people and held up flash cards to which the people responded "I certainly was in the right," "He was cruising for a bruising," "There is no dark side of the moon, it's all dark really." Paul & Linda McCartney were interviewed but not used for the album. Paul's bandmate at the time (whose name i would have to look back up, Campbell or something like that) delivered the infamous "I dunno, I was really drunk at the time". The band would also regularly break from recording to watch Monty Python's Flying Circus whenever it came on.
I recommend doing a web search for Dark Side of Rainbow before you try it again. That is how I got my instructions on when to start the album and some things to look for.
On a side note, you would think a honky would like the detriot hick. :)
Here's a thought. Maybe a point or counterpoint, or at least something to think about?
Let's call this the head-to-head album duel.
Take a series of factors and compare Dark Side of the Moon to Sgt. Peppers. Which album would when.
Here some factors I thought up off the top of my head?
Cultural significance and/or impact: (this could either be immediate impact or over time).
Song merits: (look at the tracks, how do they stack up against each other)
Most progressive: (both are noted for this)
Album covers: (no doubt they are effective, which is more so).
Value over time: (which holds up better to changes in culture, ideas, mores).
There are probably more, I just can't think of any. I am going to think about it while I go out and mow.
I've been meaning to reply back on this idea. I think this is a definate post, I just want to make sure I have time to really name this with some sort of quantifiable as well as personal feeling in categories to see how they stack up. Look for this in the up coming weeks.
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