blackleatherbookshelf | Entries tagged with progressive rock

And a Bell In Your Head Will Ring
4 out of 5 stars

The Hermit Of Mink Hollow was one of those moments when Todd Rundgren locked himself alone in a studio and poured his heart out onto tape. Playing and singing everything himself without much pretense, "Hermit" is one of Todd's most direct and purest pop albums. It even offered up one of his few top 40 singles when "Can We Still Be Friends" snuck up the charts in the bicentennial year of 1976.

That sad little ballad underpins the emotional state of this album. Rumored to have been written in the aftermath of breaking up with then girlfriend Bebe Buell, heavy songs like "Hurting For You" or "Lucky Guy" just ooze heartache. Even the socially poignant songs ("Bread" and "Bag Lady") come from a pained place. At the same time, Todd's pop skills are in full evidence here; both "Hurting For You" and "Friends" are incredibly memorable.

Even with the sadness, there's still plenty of fun here. The ersatz soul of "You Cried Wolf" and the 100 seconds of silliness that is "Onomatopoeia" keep things from bogging down, and he lets loose with a concert ready rocker on "Out Of Control." Todd is too savvy a songwriter to let things get overly draggy. He can plunge into drawn-out works when so inclined (Healing, early Utopia albums), but here he kept it concise. The whole album clocks in at just over a half hour, and not a slot is wasted. As a result, "Hermit" remains of of his best albums and a minor primer in pop classicism.

Current Mood: chipper
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "You Cried Wolf" Todd Rundgren

Pragmatism not Idealism

5 Out of 5 Stars

A friend recently commented to me that if Radiohead's The Bends was their Revolver, then OK Computer was their Sgt. Pepper's moment. I am inclined to agree with his analogy, for as much as I like "The Bends," the astounding emotional scope of "OK Computer" took me completely by surprise when I first heard it in 1997. This was back when I still had a few friends at record companies, and a dear lady at Capitol (hello Leslie M, wherever you are today) sent me a three song sampler of this because she new how much I liked "The Bends.

The sampler contained "Karma Police," "Paranoid Android" and "No Surprises." Before the CD came out, I was telling friends that this was the most amazing stuff I'd heard all year. By the time the full CD had been in my player for a couple weeks, I was thinking it was the best album of the year. Thom Yorke had taken the themes of modern alienation he so adeptly explored on "The Bands" and matched them with music that both slowed down and toned down to haunting textures and electronics. Johnny Greenwood's guitars are almost non-existent, relegated to sudden bursts save for "Electioneering." More often than not, it is Yorke's voice that is the primary instrument, weaving in and out of the songs in either a whisper ("Exit Music For a Film") or his rock howl ("Lucky").

More importantly, "Ok Computer" is an album that (like "Sgt Pepper") collects songs that pull together thematically. While "Karma Police" and "No Surprises" have become something of radio-airplay staples, this is a CD that works as a complete listen. I know there's a general consensus that this is a concept album - listen to how many times plane crashes, car wrecks and machines are mentioned - yet I have always attributed that to Yorke's generally dour lyrical viewpoint. To my ears, the concept was coming up with the post-Pink Floyd equivalent of sonic quilting for the modern age. In "OK Computer," Radiohead succeeded more than anyone before or since.

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "Karma Police" Radiohead

Radiohead Turns It On
5 Out Of 5 Stars

While the first Radiohead album, Pablo Honey, was a decent go at the prevailing grunge sound of the time, The Bends was where Thom Yorke and company went from imitation to originality.

Yorke's infatuation with modern alienation was focused and Jon Greenwood had fine tuned his guitar attacks into a voice that became unique to him and the band. More than any of their other albums, "The Bends" rocked hard and loud.

While the follow-up would find Yorke pushing his view more into the technology of alienation (and produce a masterwork in OK Computer), "The Bends" was still a human album. As "High and Dry" made it clear:

"Drying up in conversation, You'll be the one that cannot talk.
All your insides fall to pieces, you just sit there wishing
you could still make love."

That may be the most aching lyric to come off Yorke's pen, and it's followed by yet another bit of brilliance, "Fake Plastic Trees." I always thought the line "that she bought from a rubber man in a town full of rubber plans" was a nod to The Beatles in Radiohead's own twisted world. Then there's the band looking at the flukish success of "Creep" on "My Iron Lung," where the sudden recognition of that one song becomes the twin blessing and curse of rock hit and novelty...and insecurity of creative doubt takes root.

While Yorke was already pushing Radiohead up and away from the typical rock forms of the day, "The Bends" remains the band's most rocking and accessible CD. The seeds of artistic explosion had already reached a fertile stage and would jump the tracks on the next two albums, yet to my ears, "The Bends" was Radiohead's first perfect record.

Current Mood: cold
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "My Iron Lung" Radiohead

Mammoth

5 out of 5 Stars

Mastodon are bending time and space on their fourth studio album. "Crack The Skye" picks up where the progressive leaning Blood Mountain, but they expand even deeper into the elements of the music. If there was ever a band that made the melodic chiming sounds of an army of panzer tanks, it's Mastodon. This album is that heavy a trip.

Allegedly a concept album about the rise and fall of Tsarist Russia, "Crack The Skye" is ambitious and thoughtful at the same time it is skull crushing. The centerpiece of the CD, "The Czar," is a sonic spiral of heavy rock with textures shifting throughout the four parts of the piece. There's plenty of menacing atmosphere to the point that some listeners might be taken aback...most metal depends one speed and the harshness of the sound to provide the intimidation, yet Mastodon have mastered that most elusive of beasts; dynamic. The drawn out harmonies of "The Last Baron" wouldn't be possible if the band were trying to crack land speed records, yet there's no way to miss the power and the weight of the song itself.

"Crack The Skye" was my favorite metal album of 2009, and on a par with another conceptual rocking fave, Iced Earth's Glorious Burden.Months later, it continues to reveal new things on repeat listens. Along with producer Brendan O'Brien, Mastodon have delivered an album that is both a sonic boom (listen on headphones or a surround system for the best effect) and rocks harder than 90% of what most metal bands and fans collectively obsess over.

Current Mood: chipper
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "The Czar" Mastodon

Chemical Balance
4 Out Of 5 Stars

As the Alan Parsons Project continued their glide from prog-rock to prog-pop, "Ammonia Avenue" maintained the quality of the previous Eye in the Sky. Stellar musicianship, exquisite production values, and top-notch songwriting. This also may be the album where the first cracks in the Parsons/Woolfson alliance can be seen forming.

The late Eric Woolfson was still the conceptual leader in the APP, but he was also aspiring to the stage. "Ammonia Avenue's" pop conventions were now more prominent than the rock ones, with the Phil Spector wall-of-sound homage of "Don't Answer Me" being the most obvious. (I was also surprised to learn the these songs were originally being considered as a double album, with the remainders eventually arriving on Vulture Culture. Parsons still delivered his sonic expertise, with his signature sound permeating "You Don't Believe" and the instrumental "Pipeline."

Ultimately, "Ammonia Avenue" reaches a balance between the two men, yet it was the first time an APP album felt like it was being divided between its two creative forces. Parsons and Woolfson would soldier on for three more albums, but this was the junction that the two men began taking their separate highways.

Current Mood: mellow
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "You Don't Believe" Alan Parsons Project

Tower of Musical Babel
3 Out of 5 Stars

The late Eric Woolfson states that it was his fascination with architect Antonio Gaudi that led to 1987's "Gaudi," the 11th and final proper Alan Parsons Project album. And like Gaudi's famous La Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that remains under construction to this day despite Gaudi's death in 1926. Gaudi designed and built colorful, spiraling and imaginative buildings throughout Spain, but it is his cathedral that remains the best known of his works.

It is that cathedral that provides the best moments on "Gaudi." The opening track is a near nine minute epic, "La Sagrada Familia." Then the finale, the instrumental "Paseo De Gracia" (Path of Grace), with Spanish guitar over lush orchestration, is vintage APP. Other than "Closer To Heaven, though, the remaining tracks do not seem to have much to tie them together thematically. The production values are still flawless, and the sound of this remaster is fantastic, but the album itself is weak.

The usual team provides highlights, with Wolfson, John Miles and Lenny Zakatek giving the solid vocals. On the rockier song, "Standing On Higher Ground," it's Geoff Barradale (who was the lead singer in cult faves Vitamin Z) who gives "Gaudi" its punchiest moment. The rough version of "Standing On Higher Ground" shows up as a bonus track with Wolfson showing an uncharacteristic silliness, along with a demo of "Too Late," where the vocal is just the melody song in la la la and do do do. Not exactly essential, but interesting. "Gaudi" also lacks the in-depth liner notes that the earlier re-issues had, like Parsons and Wolfson commenting on the demos and bonus material. Which makes this, the last of the Alan Parsons Project re-issues, one of the lesser in the pack.

Current Mood: creative
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "Standing On Higher Ground" The Alan Parsons Project

Vulture Culture, You Use it or You Lose It
3 Out of 5 Stars

The Alan Parsons Project made a serious move towards pop when "Vulture Culture" made its appearance in 1985. No opening instrumental. No orchestrations. And for the first time in many albums, no hit single. Granted, it may have been the years catching up to them (the APP's 8th album in 10 years), but "Vulture Culture" also feels a bit lackluster by Parson's own usual high standards.

The theme this time is man's general self-centeredness and predatory nature, stated rather bluntly in the opening "Let's Talk About Me." But this time, the concept feels more contrived than previous albums that so masterfully fused their ideas (like Pyramid or Eye in the Sky). The musicianship and production is newly highlighted in the remaster, and APP's usual team of stalwart musicians and vocalists are on board. Saxophonist Richard Collte in particular adds depth to some of the songs here, especially on the de-rigueur instrumental, "Hawkeye."

"Vulture Culture" does have a few highlights. The ballad "Days are Numbers (The Traveller)" should have been the first single. Graced with a gorgeous chorus and a splendid vocal from Chris Rainbow, it rates with "Time" as one of the Project's finest songs. Surprisingly, one of the other high points comes from a bonus track, the previously unreleased "No Answers Only Questions." A gentle folk ballad that probes the concept's question of why mankind seems so bent on competing so aggressively against each other.

The late Eric Woolfson writes in the liner-notes that, at the time, he and Parsons didn't think the song fit into the overall theme of "Vulture Culture." Now featured as a bonus track, "No Answers Only Questions" strikes a nice coda to the original album and, with the passing of Woolfson in November 2009, posts an additional note on the legacy of what a gifted singer/composer he was. In my opinion, "Vulture Culture" is on a par with Eve in the canon of APP albums; not bad, but one that could be set aside for better works first.

Current Mood: cold
Current Location: Winteer Wonderland
Current Music: "Days Are Numbers" Alan Parsons Project

Addiction and Risk set to Music,

4 Out of 5 Stars

(I read today that Eric Woolfon, the half of the Alan Parsons Project that wasn't Alan Parsons, succumbed to cancer Dec 2, 2009. More can be found here.)

The fifth album for The Alan Parsons Project was a change for the changing times. By 1980, disco had reshaped the industry, though it was in its last throes when "Turn Of A Friendly Card" arrived. Record companies were beginning to feel an economic pinch for the first time in years. The result was artists tightening up their music and presentation, and APP was no exception. From the lack of a gatefold sleeve to the more pop-oriented single "Games People Play," this was a shift towards radio friendliness that would peak when Eye in the Sky was released two years later.

There were marked differences in other departments. First and most, Eric Woolfson sang lead vocals for the first time. Two songs features his voice in front, "Time" and "Nothing Left to Lose." The dreamy "Time" became a top 20 single and also moved APP into adult contemporary territory. That settled the suits at Arista, certainly. It was certainly inspiring to Woolfson, who incorporated a few of "Turn's" songs into his musical, "Gambler."

However, the original album's side two was a suite as only the prog-minded Parsons could have pieced together. Bookended by the two-parted title track, it was where the album's themes of addiction, risk and greed are weighed in. "Snake Eyes" is the key track, as singer Chris Rainbow urgently pleas for 'just one minute more' in anticipation that the next card will bring him the riches that he just knows await. Woolfson's sad "Nothing Left to Lose" shows the gambler realizing that rock bottom is nearer than he ever thought, with beautiful backing vocals. It's some of APP's best work, and makes "Turn of a Friendly Card" one of The Project's most cohesive albums.

Like the rest of the re-masters in this series, the sound is fantastic. Every time I've listened to this series (been on an APP jag lately), I get more and more frustrated by 'the loudness wars' that seem to be utterly destroying popular music of late. When you listen to the epic instrumental prelude to "May Be A Price to Pay," you may (like me) start wondering where the next generation of classic producer/engineers are going to come from.

RIP Eric Woolfson.

Current Mood: sad
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "Time" The Alan Parsons Project"

Man Vs Woman Vs Music,
3 Out of 5 Stars

The fourth album from the Alan Parsons Project went for the biggest question of them all. Forget Science Fiction, Classic Horror Lit or Egyptian Mythology. This time, it's the battle of the sexes. It was one mighty topic, and The Project had more apple in their teeth than they could chew. It is the most average of The Alan Parsons Project's earlier albums. The problem lies in the songwriting. By trying to divide it into a male and female half, the men are portrayed as misogynistic ("You Lie Down With Dogs") or harpies ("I'd Rather Be a Man"). The women as either weak and needy ("If I Could Change Your Mind") or devious and even deformed (the infamous hipgnosis artwork).

There was also the issue that Parsons and Eric Woolfsons note in the liner that they were under deadline pressure and had to veer away from the original concept. One wonders what might have been should the artists been allowed more time to develop their original ideas. As such, "Eve" seems to be half a great album. "Lucifer" became the first of the wildly popular instrumentals that APP became known for. "Damned If I Do" became a Top 40 hit. And one of the rare APP songs with a female lead, "If I Could Change Your Mind" sung by Lesley Duncan, is beautiful. The orchestrations by Andrew Powell are some of APP's best on record. I love the sounds on "Wind Me Up" in particular.

The remastering brings these details out far better than the old CD version. The new "Eve" offers one extra treat among the bonus tracks, a piano instrumental from the legendary "Sicilian Defense" album. Now titled "Elsie's Theme," it's a pleasant work that was never fleshed out. Again, wondering what might have been had Parsons and Woolfsons not been jammed up by their record company. Two albums later, the APP turned out their greatest success (Eye in the Sky), and "Eve" was part of the journey.

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "You Lie Down With Dogs" Alan Parsons Project

Putting Down Deep Roots, 4 out of 5 Stars

Ian Anderson has always seemed older than his years, from the Man V God introspection of Aqualung to being one of the first major bands to embrace folkier elements (even during the rise of punk-rock) with Songs from the Wood, so it is no surprise that their later music has aged as well as their earlier classics. "Roots To Branches," Tull's final album in their multi-decade tenure on Chrysalis records, is one of the band's best 90's albums, in a league with Catfish Rising and Crest of a Knave.

This was also an album where Jethro Tull stretched out musically. Anderson's new-found fascination with Middle Eastern music pushes some of these into sonically rich territory ("Rare and Precious Chain," "Dangerous Veils"), while some of the extended arrangements sound alot like old fashioned fusion music, especially the title track and "Veils." Martin Barre is still a guitar monster whose lead blasts show an artist that should get a lot more recognition that he does.

Anderson's turf is as defined as it has always been. He remains lyrically obtuse as ever ("Beside Myself") and delightfully cantankerous. His smirking "Wounded, Old and Treacherous" could easily have been a part of Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! II should such an album exist. And the thinly disguised parable of "Valley" (world conflict as a battle for water between mountain communities) is wonderful. The lost world of old haunts, "Another Harry's Bar," is a quintessential old man's lament from a man who's penned his share (with echoes of classic Dire Straits). Also, if you were wondering, Anderson's flute playing is a predominant as ever.

Current Mood: creative
Current Location: Philadelphia
Current Music: "Wounded Old and Treacherous" Jethro Tull

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My Amazon Reviews: Todd Rundgren "Hermit of Mink Hollow"
My Amazon Reviews: Radiohead "OK Computer"
My Amazon Reviews: Radiohead "The Bends"
My Amazon Reviews: Mastodon "Crack The Skye"
My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Ammonia Avenue"
My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Gaudi"
My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Vulture Culture"
My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "The Turn of a Friendly Card"
My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Eve"
My Amazon Reviews: Jethro Tull "Roots to Branches"

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Entries tagged with progressive rock

My Amazon Reviews: Todd Rundgren "Hermit of Mink Hollow"

My Amazon Reviews: Radiohead "OK Computer"

My Amazon Reviews: Radiohead "The Bends"

My Amazon Reviews: Mastodon "Crack The Skye"

My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Ammonia Avenue"

My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Gaudi"

My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Vulture Culture"

My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "The Turn of a Friendly Card"

My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Eve"

My Amazon Reviews: Jethro Tull "Roots to Branches"