John Martyn | "Solid Air" (1973)
Brilliant vocal performance deftly blending folk and blues. Martyn's voice ranges from a gravelly growl to a haunting lilting falsetto. This 42 year old recording could be released today and still become a hit.
If you don't know John Martyn's work, you should. Listen on Spotify.
Roxy Music | "For Your Pleasure" (1973)
I don't like it. It's overly melodramatic, unbelievable angst, and perhaps a rather poor David Bowie impersonation.
But go ahead and listen, your mileage may vary.
KISS | "Destroyer" (1976) Kids In Satan's Service?
I missed their heyday. I was a tad young, but the rock group KISS was also highly taboo in the ultraconservative society of Southern Baptist Dallas in which I was raised. In fact, I remember being fascinated by the one church friend I had who was a KISS fan. How could he be? How could his parents let him? Didn't they know that KISS was an acronym for Kids In Satan's Service? Didn't they know that listening to music sung by devil worshippers would give the evil one just the inroad he needed to shake the faith of the faithful? This was the same reasons we avoided the Eagles "Hotel California." You know, the one with an album cover that was (rumored to be) a picture of a Satanic church in California. We trusted our leaders, "Christian" authors, and others to have discovered the Satanic messages in albums played backwards. It was too dangerous for us to check them out for ourselves. We were all just one listening session of an Iron Maiden album away from starting down the path to damnation.
It's taken decades of time and thousands of miles to get over this album burning mentality (not to mention significant $$ spent on therapy). Fortunately Spotify now allows me to go back and economically taste some of this forbidden musical fruit.
The judgement: KISS's "Destroyer" despite the hint-of-violence in the title, is not dangerous and in fact, most of what I have now heard from KISS is anything but edgy. Their greatest sin seems to rather unChristianlike hubris and some PG-rated sexual bravado. Their makeup and music isn't black magic, it's marketing. The music? Not bad. But they are to rock what the circus is to theater.
George Michael | "Faith" (1987)
Very "80s" but then again, so am I. The guy can sing the hell out of a ballad.
Stereolab | "Emporer Tomato Ketchup" (1996)
I think the editors of the 1001 Albums book have a thing for ambient, sort-of chill music. They are coming a little too often for my tastes. Maybe I need to chill out more so I'll need this music more. Anyway, no complaints about this album, it just doesn't seem like something to listen to during the daytime sitting at my desk.
Dolly Parton | "Coat of Many Colors" (1971)
Dolly Parton is truly a great talent, She writes songs full of emotion, drama without melodrama, catchy but not cliché. She scores them to music, and then authentically interprets them as a singer. Her warbling voice and sparks of sassiness evoke rural mountain country life, poverty, lost love, heart-ache, and the strong will of a valiant southern woman.
Take away the steel guitar and twangy arrangements, and these lyrics would work from Broadway to an Opera stage, from a French café to the latest pop album.
Forget a dubious acting career and an amusement park and give this album a listen. You'll be glad you did.
Tortoise | "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" (1996)
What a relief! Wikipedia says that Tortoise's music defies easy categorization. I agree with those "experts". I don't know exactly what it is. It is often soulful or sad, occasionally raucous and joyous, almost always instrumental. Listening to this album takes you through a variety of moods. It would be appropriate piped(!) through your headphones as you take an afternoon nap in your La-Z-Boy.
Thumbs up.
About the album cover image: "Millions Now Living Will Never Die - Tortoise" by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.
The Kinks | The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
Ridiculously good.
A couple of passengers commented while I was playing this in the car:
- One guy said thanks for the reminder and immediately added The Kinks to his playlist for the evening at the microbrewery where he works.
- Another (young) guy was tapping along to the beat all through the ride. He said he really liked it. He'd never heard of The Kinks!
Beatles | Revolver (1966)
The Beatles had started to stretch their musical muscle by this time. AND, like watching an athlete stretch, at times you are amazed at their physique and flexibility ("Tomorrow Never Knows") and at times it looks like it hurts ("Love You To"). Both songs heavily incorporate eastern sound and instruments, but one doesn't work. That one little nitpick aside, this is a great album.