Archive for July, 2009

(Review from guardian.co.uk)

Meat Loaf claims that III will be the last of the Bats, so, fittingly, it’s the most ludicrous of all. Following a copyright lawsuit, this is the first album on which writer/producer Jim Steinman has played no active part (he has, however, contributed seven songs). Meat Loaf fills the void in two ways: by recruiting the most bombastic sidemen available (including Brian May, former Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5 and Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx) and by oiling up his vocal chords with the help of a singing coach, so that the sound they produce is unsurpassably huge and operatic.

For what it’s worth, there’s a loose narrative thread (the “monster” – war, famine, pestilence – is on the loose) but that’s peripheral to the record’s main purpose, which is to indulge Meat Loaf’s love of gothic vaudeville. He pours on the melodrama from the start, and if “melodramatic” could just as well describe the first two Bat albums, the difference here is that the hysteria is notched up to a barely feasible degree.

Meat Loaf is 58 on this record and as he blasts out the bell-ringing, choir-filled arias entitled Blind as a Bat and Bad for Good (the latter featuring a hell-for-leather Brian May), you fear for his blood pressure. Those, however, are nothing compared with Land of the Pigs (The Butcher is King) – five Olympian minutes crying out for a full production at Glyndebourne – and the duet (with Norwegian singer Marion Raven) It’s All Coming Back to Me Now, ostensibly a reflection on love, but imbued with the delicacy of aircraft carriers colliding at sea.

The whole thing is, of course, ridiculous. But Meat Loaf’s beat manifesto should be treasured as the last chapter of a remarkable rock trilogy.

Line-up:
* Meat Loaf – lead vocals
* Paul Crook – guitar (2, 4, 6, 10, 13)
* Randy Flowers – guitar (2, 3, 10, 13)
* Corky James – guitar
* David Levita – guitar (3)
* Clint Walsh – guitar (6)
* Dan Warner – guitar (3, 14)
* Rusty Anderson – guitar (8, 11-13)
* Eric Sardinas – electric slide guitar solo (10)
* Kasim Sulton – Bass, back vocals
* Matt Rollings – Piano, organ (2, 6, 10, 13)
* Mark Alexander – Organ, piano (10, 13)
* Bettie Ross – Pipe Organ (7, 8, 12)
* Stephanie Bennett – Harp (6, 14)
* Eric Rigler – Irish flute (14)
* Gary Grant – Trumpet (10)
* Steve Madaio – Trumpet (10)
* Tom Saviano – Tenor Saxophone (10)
* Don Marchese – Baritone Saxophone (10)
* Victor Indrizzo – Drums (1, 3, 4, 5, 9)
* Kenny Aronoff – Percussion, drums (2, 6-8, 11, 12)
* John Miceli – Drums (10, 13)
* Lee Levin – Percussion (14)
* Graham Phillips – Boy soprano (7, 13, 14)
* Patti Russo – female lead vocals (11), back vocals (10-13)

Track List:
01. The Monster Is Loose – 7:11
02. Blind As A Bat – 5:50
03. It’s All Coming Back To Me Now (Feat. Marion Raven) – 6:05
04. Bad For Good – 7:32
05. Cry Over Me – 4:38
06. In The Land Of The Pig, The Butcher Is King – 5:30
07. Monstro – 1:38
08. Alive – 4:21
09. If God Could Talk – 3:45
10. If It Ain’t Broke, Break It – 4:49
11. What About Love (Feat. Patti Russo) – 6:04
12. Seize The Night – 9:46
13. The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be (Feat. Jennifer Hudson) – 7:53
14. Cry To Heaven – 2:22

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Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell II : Back Into Hell (1993) (@256)

28 Jul 2009

(Review from allmusic)

Although Meat Loaf has made several albums since Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell is an explicit sequel to that milestone of ’70s pop culture. Reprising the formula of the original nearly to the letter, Back Into Hell is bombastic and has too much detail, thanks to the pseudo-operatic splendor of Jim Steinman’s grandly cinematic songs.

From the arrangements to the lengths of the tracks, everything on the album is overstated; even the album version of the hit single, “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” is 12 minutes long. Yet that’s precisely the point of this album, and is also why it works so well. No other rock & roller besides Meat Loaf could pull off the humor and theatricality of Back Into Hell and make it seem real. In that sense, it’s a worthy successor to the original.

Line-up:
* Meat Loaf – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 4)
* Pat Thrall – guitar (4, 5)
* Tim Pierce – guitar (1-5)
* Eddie Martinez – guitar (1, 2, 6, 8, 9)
* Steve Buslowe – bass
* Roy Bittan – piano, keyboards
* Bill Payne – piano (6, 8, 11)
* Jeff Bova – synthesizer, programming
* Lenny Pickett – saxophone (3, 9)
* Justin Meagher – bagpipes, drums (8)
* Brian Meagher – bagpipes, drums (8)
* Brian Meagher, Jr. – bagpipes, drums (8)
* Kenny Aronoff – drums
* Jimmy Bralower – drums (9)
* Rick Marotta – drums (6)
* Jim Steinman – voice (7), back vocals (2)
* Lorraine Crosby – female lead vocals (1), back vocals (2, 6, 8)
* Ellen Foley – additional vocals (6)
* Rory Dodd – back vocals (6)
* Todd Rundgren – back vocals (2, 6)
* Kasim Sulton – back vocals (2, 6)
* Stuart Emerson – back vocals (2, 6)
* Amy Goff – back vocals (2, 9)
* Elaine Goff – back vocals (2, 9)
* Max Haskett – back vocals (6, 8)
* Curtis King – back vocals (9)
* Gunnar Nelson – back vocals (2)
* Matthew Nelson – back vocals (2)
* Robert Coron – back vocals (2)
* Brett Cullen – back vocals (2)
* Cynthia Geary – back vocals (2)
* Michelle Little – back vocals (2)
* Eric Troyer – back vocals (11)

Track List:
01. I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – 12:01
02. Life Is A Lemon And I Want My Money Back – 7:59
03. Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through – 5:50
04. It Just Won’t Quit – 7:21
05. Out Of The Frying Pan (And Into The Fire) – 7:24
06. Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are – 10:15
07. Wasted Youth – 2:41
08. Everything Louder Than Everything Else – 7:59
09. Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere) – 6:53
10. Back Into Hell – 2:46
11. Lost Boys And Golden Girls – 4:28

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Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977) (@256)

27 Jul 2009

(Review from allmusic)

Marvin Lee Aday is a singer and occasional actor who, for reasons never definitively answered, recorded under the name Meat Loaf. In all likelihood a childhood nickname, the tag stuck, and many puns followed as the performer — who tipped the scales at well over 300 pounds — became one of the biggest chart acts of the 1970s

There is no other album like his second album, Bat Out of Hell, unless you want to count the sequels. This is Grand Guignol — epic, gothic, operatic, and silly, and it’s appealing because of all of this. Jim Steinman was a composer without peer, simply because nobody else wanted to make mini-epics like this. And there never could have been a singer more suited for his compositions than Meat Loaf, a singer partial to bombast, albeit shaded bombast.

The compositions are staggeringly ridiculous, yet Meat Loaf finds the emotional core in each song, bringing true heartbreak to “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad” and sly humor to “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” There’s no discounting the production of Todd Rundgren, either, who gives Steinman’s self-styled grandiosity a production that’s staggeringly big but never overwhelming and always alluring.

While the sentiments are deliberately adolescent and filled with jokes and exaggerated clichés, there’s real (albeit silly) wit behind these compositions, not just in the lyrics but in the music, which is a savvy blend of oldies pastiche, show tunes, progressive rock, Springsteen-esque narratives, and blistering hard rock (thereby sounding a bit like an extension of Rocky Horror Picture Show, which brought Meat Loaf to the national stage).

It may be easy to dismiss this as ridiculous, but there’s real style and craft here and its kitsch is intentional. It may elevate adolescent passion to operatic dimensions, and that’s certainly silly, but it’s hard not to marvel at the skill behind this grandly silly, irresistible album.

Line-up:
* Meat Loaf – lead vocals (all tracks), back vocals (6), percussion (2)
* Roy Bittan – piano (all tracks), keyboards (1, 2, 6)
* Todd Rundgren – guitar (1, 2, 4-6), percussion (1,2), keyboards (1), back vocals (1-3, 5, 6)
* Kasim Sulton – bass (1, 2, 4-7), backing vocals (1)
* Jim Steinman – keyboards (1, 2, 6), percussion (1, 2), “lascivious effects” (6), dialogue intro (2)
* Rory Dodd – back vocals (1-3, 5-7)
* Ellen Foley – back vocals (1, 2, 4, 6), featured vocal (6)
* Roger Powell – synthesizer (1, 2, 5, 6)
* Max Weinberg – drums (1, 2, 6)
* John Wilcox – drums (4, 5, 7)
* Edgar Winter – saxophone (2, 4, 6)
* Ken Ascher – string arrangements (3, 5)
* Marcia McClain – dialogue intro (2)
* Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto – play-by-play (6)
* Steve Margoshes – piano (7), orchestra arranger (7)
* Cheryl Hardwick – piano (7)
* Gene Orloff – concert master (7)
* Members of New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra – orchestra (7)

Track List:
01. Bat Out Of Hell – 9:51
02. You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) – 5:04
03. Heaven Can Wait – 4:41
04. All Revved Up With Nowhere To Go – 4:20
05. Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad – 5:25
06. Paradise By The Dashboard Light – 8:28
07. For Crying Out Loud – 8:44

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Meat Loaf

Midnight Circus – Midnight Circus (1972) (@256)

26 Jul 2009

4 comments

(Review from planetmellotron.com)

Midnight Circus were essentially the folk-rock-with-progressive-tendencies duo of Christian Bollmann and Torsten Schmitt, who made just the one self-titled album in 1972. Between them, they shared the vocal and acoustic guitar work, with Bollmann adding recorder and trumpet (notably the solo on longest and best track November Church) and various guest musicians filling out the sound. Midnight Circus is good with several of the songs operating in ‘meandering and slightly stoned’ mode, although some interesting instrumentation helps to lift it out of the also-ran category.

Amongst the album’s guests was Veit Madaus on keys, who played instantly-recognisable Mellotron strings on I Had A Dream, with less obvious brass on November Church, with more of what sounds like both on one of the bonus tracks, “Get It”, with a particularly abrasive and upfront brass part.

Track List:
01. The Light – 5:53
02. I Had A Dream – 3:29
03. November Church – 8:53
04. Mr. Clown – 2:57
05. Indian Impression – 2:18
06. Disappointed Love – 3:54
07. Meditation – 5:23
08. Coloured Gay (Bonus) – 3:01
09. Get It (Bonus) – 3:06

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New Riders of the Purple Sage – Before Time Began Backwards Tapes (1976) (@256)

24 Jul 2009

(Review from allmusic)

“Before Time Began” is an album of archival material assembled for Relix Records by New Rider Dave Nelson. It contains: two songs recorded by New Rider John Dawson on July 31, 1968; The New Riders’ (Nelson, Dawson, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart) four-song demo tape of November 1969; and an entire LP side of experimental tapes made by Nelson, recording tracks backwards.

The first side will be of interest to New Riders fans who are interested in hearing the elements that went into making the group’s 1971 debut album. The second side may interest Nelson fans.

Line-up:
* John Dawson – guitar, vocals
* Dave Nelson – guitar, vocals
* Jerry Garcia – pedal steel guitar, vocals
* Phil Lesh – bass
* Mickey Hart – drums

Track List:
01. Henry – 3:39
02. All I Ever Wanted – 4:28
03. Last Lonely Eagle – 4:47
04. Cecilia – 4:06
05. Garden Of Eden – 3:09
06. Superman – 2:19
07. Deh Rominap – 1:48
08. A Handful Of Brains – 2:43
09. I’m Through With The Fish, Harve – 1:44
10. Och Tamale – 1:25
11. A Handful Of Brains Part II – 4:49
12. Where Discipline Comes In – 2:52

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Jerry Garcia, New Riders of the Purple Sage

Lard Free – Lard Free III (1977) (@256)

23 Jul 2009

(Review from progarchives.com)

Once again , Lard Free presents another very different facet compared with the preceding ones and sadly this was to be their last one. But this album is clearly in the continuity of their previous Midnight album, taking the Krautrock presented there a step further.

A cross between the Zeit/Atem era and the Phaedra/Rubycon era of Tangerine Dream comes to mind but the main difference would be that there are a lot more instruments other than keyboards, least of all is that searing Frippian guitar work that Baullieret could be mistaken for Pinhas if it was not for his credits! As always the Fripp/Eno influences in Lard Free albums is overbearing!

Side 1 is a side-long track Spirale Malax that is so remiscent of Tangerine Dream mixed with influences of minimalist Terry Riley that you will check again to see if you have the right album in the deck! Slowly evolving music but definitely more eventful.

The other track on side 2, Synthetic Seasons is divided in three sections. It begins with Part 1 is cold, spacey winds blow for 1 1/2 minutes before being interupted by drums in this haunting soundscape. Part 2 continues with the eerie backdrop as the drums start to beat faster. A guitar melody arrives after 2 minutes.It is replaced by piano a couple of minutes later. Part 3 becomes very haunting after a minute with no beat or melody just creepy sounds. The unnamed track gets a drum beat 30 seconds in as angular guitar melodies join in as the sound builds, delivering the final notes in the Lard Free saga.

Line-up:
- Gilbert Artman / piano, drums, vibes
- Yves Lanes / synthesizers
- Xavier Bauilleret / guitar
- Jean Pierre Thiraut / clarinet

Track List:
01. Spirale Malax – 17:12
02. Synthetic Seasons Part 1 – 3:25
03. Synthetic Seasons Part 2 – 5:15
04. Synthetic Seasons Part 3 – 3:24
05. Unnamed – 5:19

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Lard Free

Lard Free – I'm Around About Midnight (1975) (@256)

22 Jul 2009

(Review from progarchives.com)

Lard Free’s second studio album is very different of the debut and really adventurous mood! Heldon’s Pinhas joins the band for this album and the feel is definitely towards German influences although the Fripp/Eno ones are still very present.

One cannot help to think of minimalism master Faust when listening to the Alambic track with their repetitive synths and Tangerine Dream phasers in the background leading you with no definite boundary into the Bakestan track where an Oldfield-like piano and flute take over. Still with no clear track ending we are now lead by a sonar noise (much like Floyd in Echoes) into Taktooz and haunting ambiances lead you in Pale Violence with its booming bass. The album finishes off with an eastern-sounding piano-led track.

Line-up:
- Gilbert Artman / piano, drums, saxophone
- Richard Pinhas / guitar, synthesizers
- Alain Audat / saxophone
- Antoine Duvernot / saxophone

Track List:
01. Violez L’Espace De Son Refrigerant – 4:34
02. In A Desert – 5:41
03. Does East Bakestan Belong To Itself – 6:43
04. Tatkooz A Roulette – 7:51
05. Pale Violence Under A Reverbere – 4:14
06. Even Silence Stops When Trains Come – 4:28

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Lard Free

Lard Free – Lard Free (1973) (@256)

20 Jul 2009

(Review from progarchives.com)

Lard Free’s studio debut album is stunning, full of energy and deeply enjoyable. If you can picture Sabbath’s Geezer Butler (first two albums) playing with Robert Fripp, Brian Eno and maybe a less virtuoso Bill Bruford making an album, you might have an idea of what this album sounds like!

Sometimes the Eno/Fripp influences are overpowering the rest of the influences but this is relatively minor. Those long instrumental tracks rolling around a superb bass and repetitive drumming is simply fascinating, may sound to some as jams but not quite as this is more to do with minimalism (Terry Riley style).

Lard Free is a band that drew heavily on Krautrock to the point that they are often categorized as such although they are French.

Line-up:
- Gilbert Artman / piano, drums
- Herve Eyhani / bass
- Francois Mativet / guitar
- Philippe Bolliet / saxophone

Track List:
01. Warinobaril – 3:51
02. 12 Ou 13 Julliet Que Je Sais D’elle – 8:57
03. Honfleur Ecarlate – 4:55
04. Acide Framboise – 6:40
05. Livarot Respiration – 7:46
06. Culturez-Vous Vous-Memes – 4:17

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Lard Free

Lard Free – Unnamed (Live 1971-72) (@256)

19 Jul 2009

(Review from progarchives.com)

Lard Free was a French band led by drummer/multi-instrumentalist Gilbert Artman. Their music is highly experimental but yet accessible, with influences of Can, Eno and Robert Fripp. It can be likened to Krautrock and has a good understanding of minimalist music such as Terry Riley. The band had constant personnel changes over its career.

This live album, though pre-dates all of their albums, was released posthumously after the group disbanded. Like every Lard Free album, it is very different from the others but still very much in the spirits of Lard Free, this is full of surprises!

We are for a good deal in some pre-RIO (this style of music had yet to appear) but not in free-jazz or contemporary classical music! This is clearly written/composed music. The opening track literally slaps you sonically so hard that you find yourself swaying your head from side to side as it suffers those slaps. All of the tracks are accessible with the possible exception of the last (which the title hints at modern french composer Pierre Boulez). The highlight of this album is “Tripou Du Matin” that announces the first album to be! Please note that the Cochonailles and the Choconailles are effectively linked humorously but also sonically but at opposite ends.

Much recommended for RIO (Rock-in-Opposition) fans whom may be in for a surprise, as this pre-dates the earliest of Henry Cow by two years!

Line-up:
- Gilbert Artman / drums
- Robert Wood / vibraphone
- François Mativet / guitar
- Philippe Bolliet / tenor saxophone, clarinette
- Dominique Triloff / organ
- Jean-Jacques Miette / bass, double bass

Track List:
01. La Chevauchee Des Vaches Qui Rient – 4:29
02. Cochonailles – 6:48
03. Tobrouck 120 Kms – 9:26
04. Noisy Son Sec – 8:01
05. Choconailles – 7:13
06. Petit Tripou Du Matin – 8:08
07. A Chacun Son Boulez – 6:45

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Lard Free, Live

Electric Sandwich – Electric Sandwich (1972) (@256)

18 Jul 2009

(Review from alexgitlin.com)

Electric Sandwich were formed in late 1969 out of a loose formation of session musicians. Instead of working out a standard repertoire, they agreed early on to just start playing whatever came to mind. Having fun was the motto of the hour. Out of these sessions, a steady line-up slowly evolved with a complete programme of arranged pieces that left lots of room for improvisation and showed a high degree of vitality, especially on stage.

The band members were all fed up with playing other people’s songs so they immediately started to play their own material. Jochen and Jorg were responsible for texts and compositions, but the music is always constructed in such a way that they have to play together.

The band went into studio in 1972, to record their debut album, which was released in early 1973, comprising seven songs somewhere between jazz, blues, rock and psychedelic rock.

The opening track “China” shows strong influences from German fusion stars like Xhol or Kollektiv and impresses through a wonderful saxophone. Singer Jochen Carthaus sings in a blues-like style that gave the songs their unique touch — though there are also large instrumental parts. “Devil’s Dream” and “Nervous Creek” has a slight blues feel and loud rock arrangements. Side two mellows a bit, with softer jazz and slow boogie blues styles.

What’s so fascinating about “Electric Sandwich” is the fact that each of the seven songs is different from the rest even though the band developed a homogeneous sound concept. The band isn’t limited to one single style of music. They change styles, even in the middle of a song, keeping the music alive. The lyrics deal with stories that complete a full circle from birth to death. In “Nervous Creek”, Electric Sandwich tell the story of a river eventually flowing into the sea. “Material Darkness” deals with the life of a city dweller.

Sadly the band broke up while working on their second record. Disputes over the future direction of the band (Ohler wanting to go into a more jazz direction while Fabian into a more rock vein), combined with the desire to finish their various career studies led to the split-up of Electric Sandwich.

Today, drummer Wolf Fabian runs a company and a recording studio in Bonn and works as a teacher. Singer Carthaus has a farm in the Eiffel where he breeds horses. Bass player Klaus Lormann is a government official in Cologne, guitar player Jorg Ohlert a senior consultant living close to Lake Constance and organist Ralf Kroczek still works as a music teacher.

Line-up:
- Jorg Ohlert / guitar, organ, keyboards
- Klaus Lormann / bass
- Jochen Carthaus / sax, Harmonica
- Wolf Fabian / drum
- Ralf Kroczek / organ

Track List:
01. China – 8:10
02. Devil’s Dream – 6:24
03. Nervous Creek – 5:08
04. It’s No Use To Run – 4:07
05. I Want You – 5:31
06. Archie’s Blues – 4:58
07. Material Darkness – 5:06

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Moody Blues – Seventh Sojourn (1972) (@256)

17 Jul 2009

5 comments

(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)

In Seventh Sojourn, The Moody Blues replaced the Mellotron with a keyboard called the Chamberlin, a device similar to the Mellotron created by the original inventor of the device, Harry Chamberlin. It could simulate orchestral sounds more realistically and easily than the Mellotron.

“Isn’t life strange” was a huge hit single from the album, which consolidated the success the band enjoyed with their previous single “Question”. It is a beautiful 3 verse 3 chorus ballad with lush orchestration. It may seem like sacrilege to say so, but there a Bee Gees feel to the song in terms of structure and sound. It

“I’m just a singer (in a rock and roll band”) was the other hit single taken from the album, and finds the band in full heads down Status Quo mood. The song starts like an old steam train, with Graham Edge on drums winding up the pace gradually from a standing start to a frantic runaway train. Edge then maintains that driving pace over a wall of sound, with brief all encompassing stops only serving to emphasise the sheer power and volume of the piece. If your toes don’t tap along with this one, check if your legs have fallen off!

Ray Thomas contribution “For my lady” is a lovely sea shanty influenced song, while “New Horizons” is a softer “Watching and waiting” type song with more traditional Moodies sound.

These then are the highlights, but the album as a whole is coherent, and melodic from start to finish. This apparently belies the rather difficult atmosphere within the band during the recordings.

In the spring of 1974, after completing a tour of Asia, the group took an extended break — originally announced as a permanent break-up — Justin Hayward being the only one eager to go on. By this point the other band members were feeling exhausted and overshadowed.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion

Track List:
01. Lost In A Lost World – 4:41
02. New Horizons – 5:10
03. For My Lady – 3:57
04. Isn’t Life Strange – 6:10
05. You And Me – 4:19
06. The Land Of Make-Believe – 4:50
07. When You’re A Free Man – 6:05
08. I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) – 4:17

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Mike Pinder, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Moody Blues – Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) (@256)

16 Jul 2009

(Review from progarchives.com)

From the lovely cover art to the opening creation myth, accompanied by gorgeous instrumentation (including a nice little Brian May-type doubletracked lead fanfare), we are led to believe that the Moody Blues have finally produced the concept album they’d always seemed to be promising. It certainly keeps going well, seguing into the driving and memorable “Story in Your Eyes”, but as the album continues, there’s no doubt that this is simply another collection of good songs loosely bound together.

Not that that’s a bad thing; this is just as much as a concept album as, say, “Sgt. Pepper”. “Our Guessing Game” is requisite Ray Thomas simple sweetness, saturated with melody and harmony, and “Emily’s Song” continues the lush loveliness with remarkable orchestration. “After You Came” hits fairly hard, in a Who-inspired vein, and features some nice guitar work. “One More Time to Live” is tender and lush and pretentious as a Moody Blues song should be, hearkening back to the questing drama of “Procession” to keep the concept going.

“Nice to be Here” (is there any doubt this is a Ray Thomas song?) is a cross between “Wind in the Willows” nursery rhyme psychedelia and Fogerty’s “Looking Out My Back Door”- perhaps a little too childish for some, but fun nevertheless. “You Can Never Go Home”, however, is a surging guitar-led anthem in the Justin Hayward style, mixing melancholy reflection with yearning romanticism. The final track, “My Song”, is the toughest song on the album to digest; the lyrics of the first and last verse may make you cringe, but the vocals work well; the music jumps around from passage to passage, teasing you with sonic textures, but gradually builds to a wrenching climax.

Is it anything they haven’t shown us before? Not really- the latter five of the “classic seven” Moody Blues albums are more or less interchangeable, but this one has the most lushly layered sonic signature- even compared to the orchestra on “Days of Future Passed”. Is it overblown and pretentious? Sure, but there’s still that endearing naivete and optimism to balance the grandeur. Is it “easy listening”? Well, it definitely belongs to the softer side of progressive rock, making even the Alan Parsons Project seem edgy by comparison- but if you’re in the mood to let your defenses down a bit and let the music wash over you, there’s few albums that will be as comfortable and yet as evocative as “Every Good Boy Deserves Favor”.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion

Track List:
01. Procession – 4:40
02. The Story In Your Eyes – 2:56
03. Our Guessing Game – 3:34
04. Emily’s Song – 3:42
05. After You Came – 4:39
06. One More Time To Live – 5:41
07. Nice To Be Here – 4:23
08. You Can Never Go Home – 4:14
09. My Song – 6:19

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Mike Pinder, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Moody Blues – Live at the BBC (1967-1970) (@256)

14 Jul 2009

(Review from amazon)

While this assemblage of the BBC tracks is called “Live At The BBC 67-70″ there is more. The second disc is audio from TV tapings.

If you are a Moody Blues fan, this album gives you another side of the band. The track listings couldn’t be a better representation of the collective genius from the group. Not only are the hits and radio tracks available for your enjoyment but some of the more esoteric and underrated tunes (“Best Way To Travel”, “Visions Of Paradise, and “The Actor”). “Best Way To Travel” has never received the acclaim it deserves. The cover of the Animals hit “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” was greatly constructed.

The back-to-back combination of “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Ride My See-Saw” offers enough exquisite beauty to enthrall the harshest critic but “Lovely To See You (With the acoustic guitar sounding as if it is in your living room) could accelerate the pulse of the most docile individual.

As you sample the choice cuts don’t forget to digest the short version of “Nights In White Satin” clocking in a shade over three minutes.”

Could you ever get enough versions of “Gypsy”? Its inclusion here only solidifies it’s golden splendor.

Forty-one tracks for your pleasure. Are you sitting comfortably?

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars
- John Lodge / bass
- Mike Pinder / keyboards
- Ray Thomas / flutes & sax
- Graeme Edge / drums

Track List:
CD1
01. Fly Me High – 3:00
02. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – 2:23
03. Love and Beauty – 2:12
04. Leave This Man Alone – 2:52
05. Peak Hour – 3:21
06. Nights in White Satin – 4:22
07. Fly Me High – 2:45
08. Twilight Time (Evening) – 2:08
09. Dr. Livingston, I Presume – 2:58
10. Voices in the Sky – 2:50
11. Ride My See-Saw – 3:49
12. Best Way to Travel – 3:38
13. Voices in the Sky – 3:53
14. Dr. Livingston, I Presume – 2:58
15. Peak Hour – 3:29
16. Tuesday Afternoon – 3:24
17. Ride My See-Saw – 2:28
18. Lovely to See You – 2:25
19. Never Comes the Day – 4:33
20. To Share Our Love – 2:21
21. Send Me No Wine – 2:40
22. So Deep Within You – 3:06
23. Lovely to See You – 2:15
CD2
01. Nights in White Satin – 4:40
02. Morning: Another Morning – 2:58
03. Ride My See-Saw – 3:46
04. Dr. Livingston, I Presume – 3:01
05. House of Four Doors – 5:56
06. Voices in the Sky – 3:23
07. Best Way to Travel – 3:22
08. Visions of Paradise – 1:14
09. Actor – 1:50
10. Gypsy – 3:07
11. Sun Set – 3:47
12. Never Comes the Day – 4:21
13. Are You Sitting Comfortably – 3:00
14. Poem: The Dream – 0:52
15. Have You Heard – 5:42
16. Nights in White Satin – 3:03
17. Legend of a Mind – 4:34
18. Question – 4:54

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Live, Mike Pinder, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Moody Blues – To Our Children's Children's Children (1969) (@256)

13 Jul 2009

5 comments

(Review from progarchives.com)

Moody Blues revert to a generally mellower style for this album, in fact at times they seem so laid back their heads must be touching the ground!

“Higher and higher” which opens the album briefly belies this, with its (strangely enough) ascending, upbeat melody, but the following “Eyes of a child”, establishes the dominant pace for the album.

There is though, much to enjoy here. “Candle of life” has a Bee Gees feel to it, with swirling orchestration, and a lovely piano backing (it made an excellent B side for “Question” when released as a single). “Watching and Waiting”, which the band had apparently expected to be a huge hit single, is a wonderfully melodic number, which washes over the listener in gentle waves of breathing keyboards.

That pretty much goes for the rest of the album. It’s hardly challenging and not really very progressive, but it is highly melodic and hugely relaxing, one for low lights and good company.

Line-up:
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals

Track List:
01. Higher And Higher – 4:06
02. Eyes Of A Child I – 3:23
03. Floating – 3:01
04. Eyes Of A Child II – 1:21
05. I Never Thought I’d Live To Be A Hundred – 1:05
06. Beyond – 2:58
07. Out And In – 3:48
08. Gypsy – 3:33
09. Eternity Road – 4:18
10. Candle Of Life – 4:17
11. Sun Is Still Shining – 3:37
12. I Never Thought I’d Live To Be A Million – 0:33
13. Watching And Waiting – 4:15

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Mike Pinder, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Moody Blues – Magnificent Moodies (1965) (@256)

12 Jul 2009

5 comments

(Review from amazon, wikipedia, progarchives.com)

Moody Blues was founded in 1964 by Michael Pinder and Ray Thomas. They initially performed a rhythm and blues-based sound in Birmingham. Their debut album hit the streets in 1965.

The style of music on “Magnificent Moodies” differs greatly from what most people expect from a Moody Blues album. The sound is R’n'B influenced and rather naive and simple. The songs are all single length (2-3 minutes long). The song titles reflect the lyric themes very obviously.

“I’ll Go Crazy/ Something you got” are good examples of the early sound with the tortued vocals of Laine and “I don’t mind” featuring the vocal/piano powers of Mike Pinder. While “From the Bottom of my heart” and “Stop” two great Pinder/Laine originals, allow for the recognition of the maturing writing talents and vocal harmonies which would later become hallmarks of the band.

This edition of the album also includes 14 bonus tracks from the same era.

Laine and Warwick left the group in 1966, and were replaced by guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist John Lodge, as the band inspired and evolved the progressive rock style.

Line-up:
- Michael Pinder / keyboards and vocals
- Ray Thomas / bass, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Denny Laine / guitar, vocals
- Elaine Caswell / percussion
- Clint Warwick / bass

Track List:
01. I’ll Go Crazy – 2:11
02. Something You Got – 2:52
03. Go Now! – 3:14
04. Can’t Nobody Love You – 4:03
05. I Don’t Mind – 3:27
06. I’ve Got A Dream – 2:52
07. Let Me Go – 3:13
08. Stop – 2:05
09. Thank You Baby – 2:30
10. It Ain’t Necessarily So – 3:21
11. True Story – 1:45
12. Bye Bye Bird – 2:50
13. People Gotta Go (Bonus) – 2:32
14. Steal Your Love Away (Bonus) – 2:15
15. Lose Your Money (But Don’t Lose Your Mind) (Bonus) – 2:00
16. It’s Easy Child (Bonus) – 3:13
17. I Don’t Want To Go On Without You (Bonus) – 2:46
18. Time Is On My Side (Bonus) – 3:03
19. From The Bottom Of My Heart (I Love You) (Bonus) – 3:28
20. And My Baby’s Gone (Bonus) – 2:21
21. Everyday (Bonus) – 1:49
22. You Don’t (All The Time) (Bonus) – 2:21
23. Boulevard De La Madelaine (Bonus) – 2:56
24. This Is My House (But Nobody Calls) (Bonus) – 2:35
25. Life’s Not Live (Bonus) – 2:35
26. He Can Win (Bonus) – 2:25

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Denny Laine, Graeme Edge, Mike Pinder, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Janus – Gravedigger (1971) (@256)

11 Jul 2009

(Review from proggnosis.com, janus-music.com)

Janus, born as a progressive rock band made up of English musicians in Krefeld in Germany in 1970. Signed to EMI Harvest, they recorded their album, “Gravedigger” in 1971. Remarkably, the whole album, including mixing was put together in 24 hours of studio time.

The band has two very distinct sides. Capable of soft, beautiful melodies, they also cranked out some mega-decibel material, which a few years later would have had them tagged as a punk band.

The hightlight of the album is the title-track, Gravedigger and with a length of 20 minutes plus this is a significant part of the album. The track has a light acoustic start with guitar against a backdrop of keys. The introduction ends with what feels like a spaghetti western guitar section which fits perfectly. A little over half way through the track sees the guitar taking a more classical approach with a gorgeous melody against a gentle tide/beach backdrop. A melancholy, reflective, slow moving and captivating track is progressive as opposed to the remaining hard rock music on the album. There are some very nice moments, both acoustic and electric guitar throughout.

Line-up:
- Colin Orr / guitar, keyboards
- Roy Yates / classical guitar
- Bruno Lord / vocals
- Derek Hyatt / vocals
- Mick Pederby / bass
- Keith Bonthrone / drums

Track List:
01. Red Sun – 8:59
02. Bubbles – 3:54
03. Watcha’ Trying To Do – 3:53
04. I Wanna Scream – 2:46
05. Gravedigger – 20:53
06. Red Sun – 5:34
07. Napalm (Sticks To Kids) Watergarden (Bonus) – 6:59
08. War Machines (Bonus) – 3:56
09. Yesterday Has Turned To Shapeless Life (Bonus) – 4:37
10. Yesterday Has Turned To Shapeless Life (Bonus Instrumental) – 5:35

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Pink Floyd – Saucerful of Secrets (1968) (@256)

10 Jul 2009

4 comments

(Review from progarchives.com)

As the band became more popular, the stresses of life on the road, pressure by the record company to produce hit singles, and a significant intake of psychedelic drugs took their toll on Barrett, whose mental health had been deteriorating for several months. In January 1968, guitarist David Gilmour joined the band to carry out Barrett’s playing and singing duties.

Pink Floyd’s second album marks a transition between Barrett’s psychedelia and the band’s progressive music of their golden-era. It is basically the same line of its predecessor. Comparatively, we have psychedelic arrangements as well but a little more diluted in favour of melody. Spacey motives have been almost reduced to the title track.

The title track has 3 parts; the first starts with a scaring crescendo noise (sounding like a ship coming our way), followed by twinkling objects by wind giving a sensation of loneliness and fear, psycho strong piano, strange sounds exploring stereo. sudden they vanished and the second part brings a crescendo drumming leading to more terrifying sounds. The ending part is quite different, with melancholic slow church organ playing followed by mellow chorus.

Other highlights include, the main riffs and melodies of “Let There be More Light” and “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun”, this last with some spacey ideas as well; the sad nostalgia of “Remember a Day” and the romantic “See-Saw”. Rest of the tracks are pleasant songs, which show more again (like in the debut album) strong Beatles influence (particularly Sgt Peppers-era).

It was originally hoped that Barrett would write for the band with Gilmour performing live, but Barrett’s increasingly difficult compositions, which changed melodies and chord progression with every take, eventually made the rest of the band give up on this arrangement. The band became a quartet again.

Line-up:
- Syd Barrett / guitar, vocals
- David Gilmour / guitar, vocals
- Nick Mason / drums
- Roger Waters / bass, vocals
- Richard Wright / organ, piano, vocal

Track List:
01. Let There Be More Light – 5:35
02. Remember A Day – 4:30
03. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun – 5:24
04. Corporal Clegg – 4:09
05. Saucerful Of Secrets – 11:54
06. See Saw – 4:33
07. Jugband Blues – 2:59

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David Gilmour, Pink Floyd

Kyuss – … and the Circus Leaves Town (1995) (@256)

09 Jul 2009

(Review from allmusic, amazon)

Kyuss has become something like a heavy metal equivalent to the Velvet Underground. Although they are widely acknowledged as pioneers of the booming stoner rock scene of the 90s, the band enjoyed little commercial success during their brief existence, but their combination of sludgy, down-tuned guitars (often played through a bass amp for maximum, earth-shaking intensity), spacey jams, galloping thrash metal rhythms, and organic drums became a blueprint, often copied, but never quite replicated by countless underground metal bands.

Kyuss’ fourth release still showcases the creativity and instrumental virtuosity the band was known for. At the same time, it’s perhaps Kyuss’s quietest album, turning down the raging sandstorm of sound that characterized by their previous albums.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Kyuss album without a few slabs of headbanging metal, and the opening “Hurricane,” “Tangy Sizzle,” and the concluding epic “Spaceship Landing” all fill the bill quite nicely in that regard. Kyuss could lay down a groove with the best of them, and these songs just provided final, convincing proof of that fact. Featuring Josh’s pounding riffs and John Garcia’s signature wail, these songs all rank right up there with Kyuss’s most infectious moments. Likewise, the woozy, sludgy quasi-psychedelia of “Thee Ol’ Boozeroony” and “El Rodeo” fits in snugly with the band’s prior instrumental output.

It’s elsewhere than Kyuss stretches out their sonic palette. “Blues” and “Sky Valley” did have their share of quieter moments, but not to the extent found here. Josh’s guitar wattage isn’t as abundantly evident as before, and John’s ratio of singing to wailing actually gets to right around one-to-one. “One Inch Man” and “Gloria Lewis” do contain the sun-baked riffage that Josh has made a very nice career out of, but they’re more notable for two of the most relaxed and easygoing tempos of the band’s career. “Phototropic,” “Size Queen” and “Catamaran” also contain a few heavy moments, but they’re still remarkably mellow for Kyuss songs.

Shortly after its release, Kyuss decided to disband in October of that year.

Line-up:
* John Garcia – Vocals
* Josh Homme – Guitars
* Scott Reeder – Bass
* Alfredo Hernandez – Drums

Track List:
01. Hurricane – 2:41
02. One Inch Man – 3:30
03. Thee Ol’ Boozeroony – 2:47
04. Gloria Lewis – 4:02
05. Phototropic – 5:13
06. El Rodeo – 5:35
07. Jumbo Blimp Jumbo – 4:39
08. Tangy Zizzle – 2:39
09. Size Queen – 3:46
10. Catamaran – 2:59
11. Spaceship Landing – 34:04

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Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour (1974) (@256)

08 Jul 2009

(Review from allmusic)

Irish Tour 1974 was recorded in Belfast, Dublin, and Cork at a time when precious few performers were even dreaming of touring the trouble-torn island. Northern Ireland, in particular, was a rock & roll no-go area, but Gallagher never turned his back on the province and was rewarded with what history recalls as some of his best-ever gigs.

Irish Tour 1974, in turn, captures some of his finest known live recordings and while it’s impossible to tell which songs were recorded where, across nine in-concert recordings (plus one after-hours jam session, “Back on My Stompin’ Ground”), the energy crackling from stage to stalls and back again packs an intensity that few live albums can match.

Highlights of a stunning set include dramatic takes on Muddy Waters’ “I Wonder Who” and Tony Joe White’s “As the Crow Flies”, a raw acoustic rendering that is nevertheless totally electrifying. A frustratingly brief snip of the classic Shadows-style “Maritime” (aka “Just a Little Bit”) plays the album out in anthemic style and then, of course, there’s “Walk on Hot Coals”, a marathon excursion that posterity has decreed Gallagher’s most popular and accomplished statement.

Irish Tour 1974 confirms Gallagher not simply as the greatest bluesman Ireland ever knew, but as one of the island’s greatest-ever performers.

Line-up:
- Rory Gallagher / vocals, guitar, harmonica
- Gerry McAvoy / bass
- Lou Martin / keyboards
- Rod de’Ath / drums, percussion

Track List:
01. Cradle Rock – 7:38
02. I Wonder Who – 7:52
03. Tattoo’d Lady – 5:04
04. Too Much Alcohol – 8:30
05. As The Crow Flies – 6:02
06. A Million Miles Away – 9:29
07. Walk On Hot Coals – 11:13
08. Who’s That Coming? – 10:05
09. Back On My Stompin’ Ground (After Hours) – 5:18
10. Maritime – 0:33

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Live, Rory Gallagher

Chase – Pure Music (1974) (@256)

06 Jul 2009

(Review from wikipedia, allmusic.com)

Following an extended hiatus, Chase reemerged early in 1974 with the release of Pure Music, their third album.

Featuring a new lineup, yet keeping the four-trumpet section, “Pure Music” pointed the way to fusion, with its angular guitar, keyboard pyrotechnics and reliance on instrumental jams rather than vocal-oriented songs.The two vocal selections are adequate, but it’s the searing sound of the three uptempo selections that tell the tale of Pure Music.

From the opening of “Weird Song No. 1″,it’s obvious that this brand-new band, with the leader the only holdover from “Chase” and “Ennea”, is ready to fly in new directions. The interplay between Chase on electric trumpet and Yohn on synthesizer was echoed throughout the disc, and the trumpet section sound was bright, clear, and incredibly tight. On “Bochawa,” the leader and Jay Sollenberger try to outmatch and outwit one another, and on the concluding “Close Up Tight,” Chase and Yohn again go for the jugular. “Twinkles” is a chance for the listener to breathe, but for the rest of it the band is breathing fire.

Chase’s work on a fourth studio album in mid-1974 came to an end on August 9, 1974. While en route to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair, Chase died in a plane crash in Jackson, Minnesota at the age of 39. Ironically, as the first song on Chase is called “Open Up Wide”, the last song on Pure Music is called “Close Up Tight”.

It would have been interesting to see where Chase music would have evolved if it weren’t for the crash.

Line-up:
- Bill Chase / trumpet, electric trumpet, flugel horn
- Jay Sollenberger / trumpet
- Joe Morrissey / trumpet
- Jim Oatts / trumpet
- Wally Yohn / keyboards
- John Emma / guitar, vocals
- Dartanyan Brown / bass, vocals
- Tom Gordon / drums
- Jim Peterik / vocals

Track List:
01. Weird Song #1 – 5:39
02. Run Back To Mama – 3:13
03. Twinkles – 7:15
04. Bochawa – 5:52
05. Love Is On The Way – 3:31
06. Close Up Tight – 7:35

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Chase

Chase – Ennea (1972) (@256)

05 Jul 2009

(Review from progarchives.com)

Chase’s second album was released in 1972, the title “Ennea” being the Greek word for nine, the number of members in the band. The recording of the album was not without its problems, with both the lead singer and the drummer being replaced along the way. After their trumpet dominated debut album, “Ennea” saw band leader Bill Chase attempting to dilute the emphasis on that instrument.

The brief single, “So Many People” is a Blood, Sweat and Tears like brass filled rock song. Although it is very short, the track builds from a soft beginning to a wonderful cacophony of screaming brass, with powerful vocals (this was the only track on the album to feature Terry Richards on lead vocals) and a superb melody. An epic in under three minutes.

The album opens though with a bizarre jazz rock take on the old standard “Swanee river” with wailing trumpets and harsh rock vocal by GG Shin (the principal singer on the album). Any resemblance between this version and the downbeat original is fleeting indeed! “Night” sees the third lead vocalist in as many tracks, with trumpet player Ted Piercefield’s David Clayton-Thomas excellent like voice.

The remaining tracks on side one borrow heavily from the style of Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, Bill Chase’s trumpet never being far from centre stage. The strong melodies are enhanced by the superb musicianship on display, including some fine organ work by Phil Porter on “I Can Feel It”.

The second side of the album is dedicated entirely to a side long suite, with a theme of Greek Gods and their associated planets. The first section “Cronus” has some fine lead guitar work by Angel South, the trumpet quartet pushing Shin’s vocals to ever higher levels. Shin’s vocal style is actually quite similar to that of Arthur Brown, a point brought home through his excited performance on “Zeus”. The gentler “Aphrodite”, in two parts, offers a welcome lightening of the pace and sound, while acting as a counterpoint to the frantic closer “Hades”.

Line-up:
- Bill Chase / Lead Trumpet
- Ted Piercefield / Trumpet, vocals
- Alan Ware / Trumpet
- Jerry Blair / Trumpet
- Gary Smith / Drums
- Jay Burrid / Drums
- Dennis Johson / Bass
- Phil Porter / Keyboards
- Angel South / Guitar
- G.G. Shinn / Lead Vocals
- Terry Richards / Lead Vocals (2)

Track List:
01. Swanee River – 3:12
02. So Many People – 2:43
03. Night – 2:41
04. It Won’t Be Long – 3:08
05. I Can Feel It – 2:55
06. Woman Of The Dark – 6:01
07. Cronus (Saturn) – 4:47
08. Zeus (Jupiter) – 4:36
09. Poseidon (Neptune) – 2:33
10. Aphrodite Part I (Venus) – 1:58
11. Aphrodite Part II (Venus) – 3:36
12. Hades (Pluto) – 3:38

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Chase

Chase – Chase (1971) (@256)

04 Jul 2009

4 comments

(Review from allmusic)

Chase was formed by trumpet virtuoso Bill Chase in 1970, at a time when, thanks to outfits like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, the public was beginning an infatuation with jazz-rock fusion. Though its roots went back to 1968, Chase came along at just the right moment to ride that wave to major chart success in 1971, with a hit single and the accompanying self-titled debut album. Chase had a leaner, livelier sound, with an especially frantic rhythm section.

The music is heavily white soul-influenced, dressed up in strong contrapuntal figures, soaring riffs, and riveting climaxes, which may come just a little too often given the relatively modest length of the album. The record is chock-full of enjoyable moments and one unabashed hit (“Get It On”), and loaded with virtuoso playing. Lead singer Terry Richards and backing vocalists Ted Piercefield and Jerry Van Blair (who also play trumpets) are strong but not overbearing singers, and a good balance is struck between the vocalists and the band, which was a problem that Blood, Sweat, & Tears never did solve — the result is a record that’s sort of a rock-influenced descendant of Stan Kenton’s more experimental work of the late ’40s and early ’50s, which slotted in well with the progressive side of jazz-rock in 1971.

“Invitation to a River,” at 14 minutes and divided into five parts, may seem like the height of pretentiousness, but in 1971 audiences devoured it, and the playing, including what sound like 16th notes on the trumpets, is something to marvel at in a popular context.

Line-up:
- Bill Chase / trumpet
- Ted Piercefield / lead vocal (2,6), trumpet
- Alan Ware / trumpet
- Jerry Van Blair / lead vocal (3), trumpet
- Phil Porter / keyboards
- Dennis Johnson / bass guitar, vocals
- Angel South / guitar, vocals
- Jay Burrid / percussion
- Terry Richards / lead vocals

Track List:
01. Open Up Wide – 3:48
02. Livin’ In Heat – 2:54
03. Hello Groceries – 2:56
04. Handbags And Gladrags – 3:23
05. Get In On – 2:59
06. Boys And Girls Together – 2:51
07. Invitation To A River – 14:11

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Chase

Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby (1976) (@256)

03 Jul 2009

(Review from allmusic)

From 1972′s Transformer onward, Lou Reed spent most of the 70s playing the druggy decadence card for all it was worth, with increasingly mixed results.

On 1976′s Coney Island Baby, Reed’s songwriting began to move into warmer, more compassionate territory, and the result was his most approachable album since Loaded. On most of the tracks, Reed stripped his band back down to guitar, bass, and drums, and the results were both leaner and a lot more comfortable than the leaden over-production of Sally Can’t Dance or Berlin.

“Crazy Feeling,” “She’s My Best Friend,” and “Coney Island Baby” found Reed actually writing recognizable love songs for a change, and while Reed pursued his traditional interest in the underside of the hipster’s life on “Charlie’s Girl” and “Nobody’s Business”, he did so with a breezy, freewheeling air that was truly a relief after the lethargic tone of Sally Can’t Dance. “Kicks” used an audio-tape collage to generate atmospheric tension that gave its tale of drugs and death a chilling quality that was far more effective than his usual blasé take on the subject, and “Coney Island Baby” was the polar opposite, a song about love and regret that was as sincere and heart-tugging as anything the man has ever recorded.

Coney Island Baby sounds casual on the surface, but emotionally it’s as compelling as anything Lou Reed released in the 1970s, and proved he could write about real people with recognizable emotions as well as anyone in rock music — something you might not have guessed from most of the solo albums that preceded it.

Line-up:
* Lou Reed – vocals, guitar, piano
* Bob Kulick – guitar
* Bruce Yaw – acoustic bass, electric bass
* Michael Suchorsky – drums
with
* Joanne Vent, Michael Wendroff, Godfrey Diamond – back vocals
* Doug Yule – bass (10, 12-14), guitar (12-14)
* Bob Meday – drums (10, 12-14)
* Michael Fonfara – keyboards (10, 12-14)

Track List:
01. Crazy Feeling – 2:54
02. Charley’s Girl – 2:39
03. She’s My Best Friend – 6:00
04. Kicks – 6:04
05. Gift – 3:45
06. Ooohhh Baby – 3:46
07. Nobody’s Business – 3:49
08. Coney Island Baby – 6:46
09. Nowhere at All (Bonus) – 3:17
10. Downtown Dirt (Bonus) – 4:18
11. Leave Me Alone (Bonus) – 5:35
12. Crazy Feeling (Bonus Alternate) – 2:39
13. She’s My Best Friend (Bonus Alternate) – 4:08
14. Coney Island Baby (Bonus Alternate) – 5:41

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Lou Reed

Madison Dyke – Zeit Machine (1977) (@256)

02 Jul 2009