431. It’s a Shame About Ray (1992) by the Lemonheads
432. It’s Too Late To Stop Now (1974) by Van Morrison
433. It’s Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) by Public Enemy
434. I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail (1965) by Buck Ownes And His Buckaroos
435. I Want to See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974) by Richard and Linda Thompson
First five at a glance: The Public Enemy album was pretty key in turning rap into a mainstream genre. The Morrison is a live album full of his best. I’ve got more into Morrison lately so that maybe will be something to check out. Buck Owens is old school country from before the school was even built. I call crap on the Lemonheads inclusion here.
436. Jack Takes the Floor (1958) by Jack Elliott
437. Jagged Little Pill (1995) by Alanis Morissette
438. James Brown Live at the Apollo (1963) by James Brown
439. Jazz Samba (1962) by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd
440. Jerry Lee Lewis Live At the Star Club, Hamburg (1965) by Jerry Lee Lewis
Second five at a glance: Personally, I can’t think of a better, more important album released by a female in my lifetime then Jagged Little Pill. It introduced rock to female bitterness and depth essentially lost since Joplin. The album has big hooks, cameos by Dave Navarro and Flea and lyrics that she essentially made cliché. Brown and Lewis’ live album I am sure highlight the way both performers could work a crowd into a fever.
441. Joan Armatrading (1976) by Joan Armatrading
442. Joan Baez (1960) by Joan Baez
443. John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) by Traffic
444. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) by John Lennon
445. John Mayall’s Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1996) by John Mayall’s Blues Breakers
Third five at a glance: You have to be in the right mood to listen to most of tracks on the Plastic Ono Band. At times it comes off as great to me, others a whiny. Everything that Clapton touched was gold when he joined John Mayall’s group for that blues album. John McVie is also listed in the band. I believe he later joined Fleetwood Mac. It’s blues though, so I don’t really know if I’d like this or not
The Goods: Alanis Morissette
Probably Good If I had it to listen too: Van Morrison, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon
Something to check out: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight – Listened to the title track and while not the greatest thing I ever heard, it certainly was passable.
History lesson: Jack Takes the Floor – This was the album that Bob Dylan points to as steering him toward his folk style in the 1960s. There is also spoken word before the tracks that is supposed to be fairly entertaining.
Verdict: Outside of Jagged Little Pill, I haven’t heard any of the rest of the albums in their entirety to form a solid opinion. The Lemonheads does weigh this group down like a beer gut on a swimmer.
Probably Good If I had it to listen too: Van Morrison, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon
Something to check out: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight – Listened to the title track and while not the greatest thing I ever heard, it certainly was passable.
History lesson: Jack Takes the Floor – This was the album that Bob Dylan points to as steering him toward his folk style in the 1960s. There is also spoken word before the tracks that is supposed to be fairly entertaining.
Verdict: Outside of Jagged Little Pill, I haven’t heard any of the rest of the albums in their entirety to form a solid opinion. The Lemonheads does weigh this group down like a beer gut on a swimmer.
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6 comments:
Jagged Little Pill was actually the first non-Beatles CD I ever bought. It applied to so many I think most because it was real, genuine. Like this wasn't written by someone else or glammed up pop for the masses. Alanis wrote out of her broken and angry heart. It propelled her beyond her vocal limitations and set back of being Canadien :) (had to get that in there)
Otherwise, there is nothing in hear I really have any experience with. I had a James Brown GH once, but I found it hard to listen to outside of the big hits everyone knows. I figure it wasn't meant for my ears.
Red's outrage at the Lemonheads made me look them up. I can't tell what makes them great by the reviews even. Other than the album was really short and stripped down that someone made it charming. Doesn't make sense to me.
The John Mayall album sounds awesome. I am gonna end up buying this, especially since I just earned another gift card to Itunes. This is great guitar blues and Clapton in his prime.
In the same accord, John Barleycorn Must Die sounds amazing as well. I found it funny to read that this was supposed to be Steve Winwood's first solo album after Traffic broke up the first time and Blind Faith (w/ Clapton) was over as well. But he couldn't find a good backing band so he invited back his Traffic mates.
I guess I understand Joan Baez's importance but at the same time I never got her appeal. just my preference I guess because it seemed like in the history of the 60's all the boys were after her.
My big problem with the Lemonheads is that they're are essentially pop artists, but they weren't even very good pop artists or ones that sold very well. In fact, this album wasn't selling anything till they did a cover of Mrs. Robinson for a movie. They through that on, and although I didn't think the cover was anything special, some people were interested enough to buy the album then. It's just too bland for my tasters, as Nestor would say.
I haven't listened to much Traffic, maybe that'll turnout good.
I am sad I can't find a snub in this section either. I'll have to comment back after I get a chance to listen to the Traffic and John Mayall albums. I really couldn't find any good info on the Buck Owens album either where I could sample it.
The good tidbit about the Buck Owens thing is that it was the last album that anyone took seriously from him. He did a year of He-Haw (sp?) after this and it forever ruined his "street cred" in the country business if you can believe that.
John Barleycorn Must Die was pretty good. I knew the song Glad that starts off the album. They have a little bit of that extra jazzy feel to them kind of like some Steely Dan stuff that is bareable. John Mayall was hit or miss. Some stuff was really good and others were just OK. Still both decent pickups especially since I got them them with free money.
I finally took a peek at It Takes a Nation. Features Bring The Noise, Don't Believe the Hype & Rebel Without a Pause. All songs which I remember strangely enough. I think as I listen to back to this stuff that seemed so scary and evil in my youth, I feel like I could really enjoy this stuff now. It is clear that the early Rap/Hip-Hop was way better than the crap most put out today. Plus you gotta love the big clock around the neck. The cover and this music reminds me of watching In Livin Color as a kid in my bedroom at night. This 8 year old white kid from the corn fields of Illinois watching this black counter culture variety show. Didn't seem strange at the time. I digress. I found it interesting how this reviewer is obsessed with one of the opening lines of the album, "Bass! How low can you go?" and pull that out as the summary of this album and the duality of a celebration of musical troublemaking and a remind of 'baseheads' enslaves by crack. I don't get that one.
To think that'd guy become a puppet for reality TV and VH1 after being apart of such an important rap group.
Rap did have more significance in the late 80s, early 90s. A lot of groups working their butt off to make the genre legitimate. Now it's commercial. Money kills music.
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