Brad Reviews A Bunch Of Albums For No Apparent Reason...
Don't say I didn't warn you........
Anyway, I got bored, so I decided to review of a bunch of albums I've purchased in the year, starting with my most recent, Pink Floyd's 'Is There Anybody Out There?'
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Wow. Absolutely stunning. After hearing such wonders by the Pink as 'Animals' and 'Wish You Were Here,' I was beginning to lose interest in 'The Wall.' I reluctantly bought this album because someone recommended it to me, and I owe him big. Don't buy 'The Wall.' Buy this. This is Pink Floyd gone Led Zeppelin-their live renditions of 'In The Flesh (?),' 'Young Lust,' and 'What Shall We Do Now?' are really things to behold. I got the remastered edition, which comes complete with interviews from the band on the stage performance, and then on the behind the scenes crew about the animations, puppets, inflatable props and the wall.
In order to properly understand this incredible last effort from the classic Pink Floyd, one must understand the premise of 'the Wall' and how the show was performed. Roger Waters described poor human nature in how people wall themselves in from the hurtful outside world by stacking up bad memories. It seems to backfire after a while and the menacing evil memories would eventually drive the person mad. The premise in the show follows that, as Side 1, from the introduction to intermission, is about the growing up of the charachter, who is supposed to be named 'Pink Floyd,' but as we really know is Roger Waters, and how he just stacks up his bad memories around him and it benfits him. During the performance, backstage men would work with hydralic lifters to assemble a 30 foot tall wall of cardboard boxes. Once the intermission came along, the wall was complete, and for about %90 of Side 2, the band performed from behind it. The only thing to keep the audience watching something were Gerald Scraffe's satiracal cartoons, dramatic sequences, and David Gilmour belting out 'Comfortably Numb' from the top of the Wall.
In conclusion, this is my favourite Pink Floyd album. GO BUY IT.
Supertramp
'Crime Of The Century'
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This is my all time favourite album. This is Supertramp at the height of their career, before fame struck them by storm and put the pressure on them for more records.
Like 'Dark Side Of The Moon,' this album is about Syd Barrett. Well, at least Side 1. On the original LP album, Side 1 was the story of Syd Barrett (under the alias 'Jimmy Cream') and tracks 1-4. It was about his youth, coming of age, and eventually, insanity. Side two (tracks 5-8) was about a fictional charachter 'Rudy,' the quintessential supertramp. (note-by definition a supertramp is somebody who is very smart, but does not really use it, and is usually lazy. That's a pretty good description of the band, too).
All of the writing on the album (save 'Hide In your Shell' and 'Dreamer') was done by uber-dark Rick Davies, who really shocases his drak genius on this album. Such sound effects such as cuckoo-clocks, trains and screaming children add to the overall aura of insanity, giving you incredible imagery of whats going on. The album also presents us (indirectly) with a question, a question that can be beared from the song 'Asylum;' Would you know if you were insane?
Listen to the record. You won't be sorry. If you like Pink Floyd, you'll love this album.
Pink Floyd
'Ummagumma'
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I'm not in the mood. Come back to this later.
Chicago
'Chicago Transit Authority'
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Some people may be able to relate to Chicago's later albums, with sydicated Roman Numeral titles, like those seen in my avatar. However few may be able to associate with their premiere album, 'Chicago Transit Authority.'
First off, the name. After getting a recording contract, 'The Big Thing' changed their name to 'Chicago Transit Authority,' and after being courticized for the long name and from threatened legal actions by Chicago mayor Daley, CTA changed their name to Chicago.
Anyway...this album is incredible. The late Terry Kath get's his chance to shine as the greastest guitarist in the world, as seen clearly in such pieces as 'Liberation,' 'Poem 58,' and most importantly ,'Free Form Guitar.'
The album opens with 'Introduction,' which is a long piece about CTA's introduction to the music industry.
Track 2 is the full version of 'Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?' which includes the piano intro. I'd never been fond of the song, but hearing it with the piano intro is something else.
3rd is 'Beginnings,' if you hadn't heard this great song, get a life.
4th is 'Questions 67 & 68.' This is one of their masterpieces, including grand, impressive, godly guitar work and supreme horns. The instrumental is excellent too. Might I add that you get full effect of this song when rolling down the Kennedy Expswy in Chicago, staring at the huge mass of skyscrapers. :)
Next is 'Listen,' one of the shorter songs on the the album. It's just good. I'll leave it at that.
After that is 'Poem 58,' which is an excellent Hendrix-esque piece which takes full advantage of every instrument in the lineup.
'Free Form Guitar' is just Kath, a Stratocaster, and Snowman amplifier messing around for 7 minutes. Puts Jimi Hendrix to shame.
'South California Purples' follows, which is a typical Chicago (city, not band) style blues song.
CTA's remake of 'I'm A Man' follows.
Next is a combination of two songs-'Prologue, August 29, 1968' and 'Someday (August 29, 1968). The first is about 2 minutes of raw recordings from the riot that day at the Democratic Nat'l Convention in Chicago. (This is only the first political song by Chicago out of LOADS). Immeaditely following is 'Someday,' which is excellent, but at only 3 minutes the shortest track on the album (save 'Prologue,' which really isn't a song).
Finally comes the masterpiece of the album, 'Liberation.' It was recorded live at a small gig in Chicago, and at 16 minutes is by far one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. The only word's are 'Ohhh, My beautiful,' but they are probably the most moving, beautiful lyrics in any song. It moves from a classic tune (which I'm sure you have heard before, but never knew where it came from), then moves into an 8 minute guitar solo with the band playing nonstop behind that, then into a movement focusing more on the keyboards, then it all stops for a few moments, and you hear Kath's guitar springing to life, in an erie, freaky way. The horns follow, and the whole thing turns into a mess of expiremental music. It all climaxes and then cuts off into (im my opinion) the most beautiful riff I've ever heard. Only the guitar starts, slowly the drums are introduced, the bass, keyboards and finally horns. Kath yells the lyrics, and then it returns to the beggining. A Bonham-style drums solo and climax and the song's over.
In short, buy this album, 'Liberation' is worth all the money alone. :D
Whew-that's a lot. I'll do more when I have time.:)
