Some Words from the Bird

 After a lengthy break, we begin our sonic odyssey once more. This recording was released in 1965, and was the eighth studio album from the Beach Boys.The band was looking to branch out from the genre of surf music, this album marked a move into a new direction; the songwriting was becoming more intricate, resulting in tracks with more depth than in their previous offerings. The musicianship on the album is spectacular, as are the unmistakable vocals. I do find the topical matter somewhat juvenile, the lyrics are lacking the same depth as the music. It could be taken out of context, but it seems like the album is made up of the concerns of a teenager hanging out at the malt shop in a 1950's movie. Listening to these songs, you get a whiff of that nostalgia of a simpler time, of an America that many say never actually happened. That being said, the time capsule aspect adds to the allure, and the overall vibe of the album turns out to be a positive one.  The album begins with ...

 There were two thoughts that came to mind after listening to this album. First, I was surprised to hear two James Brown cover songs, and second, I could not help but notice the aggressive and up front style of the bass and drums. With no offense meant to Mr. Daltrey and Mr. Townshend, the rhythm section is almost manic throughout most of the album, which is a new twist compared to what we have heard up to this point.  The album starts off with some jangling guitar chords, and then it heads off into "Out in The Street" which is a rocking number that displays Daltrey's gritty voice. At one point Townshend  experiments with a crunchy guitar sound. The second track is the first James Brown cover, "I Don't Mind",  and it is recognizable immediately. They do a good job. As I said, I was surprised to hear this downtempo R&B tune. The pounding drums are the biggest difference, giving the tune a more in your face feel than James Brown did that night at the Ap...

 I was looking forward to hearing the Byrds. I love the title track on this album, which affirms my suspicions that I do indeed enjoy Bob Dylan's songs, but I prefer other artists to perform them. I think I have already made that point ad nauseum, so I won't elaborate. As for the Byrds, apparently the guys in the band stood fast when the record company wanted to use session players for much of the album. Good for them. Anyhow, this album is touted as the first to blend American folk music with the new sounds of rock coming across the pond from England.  It starts out with "Mr. Tambourine Man", one of four Dylan tracks on the record. I love it. The session players were present on this track, and I have to say they did it well. I will go out on a limb and assume you have heard this song countless times, and move along. "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" was covered by Tom Petty, and I figure Tom was a big Byrds fan, because this is the sound he borrowed an...

 The last offering in our trio of Rolling Stones albums is Now! Overall, the album is very similar to "Out of Our Heads"; it is comprised of R&B covers and some original tunes written by Jagger and Richards. It has many of the same tracks as the second album released by the band in the UK, which makes it just as confusing as any of these other albums popular on both sides of the ocean in those days. I assume it would be far easier to release one album and sell it as is, and if you need other songs, make another album. But I am not a 1960's record exec, so what the hell do I know?  I know that I like this album, for the same reasons that I like the two previous Rolling Stones offerings. They feature strong songwriting for the original tunes, and the covers are very well done. The album starts off with "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love". The song is originally by Solomon Burke, but the version I am most familiar with is from the Blues Brothers. The next trac...

 This album is the first on the list that I actually already own on vinyl. I have been waiting for this one, longing to actually pull the LP out of the cover and listen to the songs in Mono, as opposed to some digitally remastered copy. It seems to be the appropriate way to enjoy these albums. After some digging around in the closet, I finally located the album, blew the dust off of the turntable, and let it rip. I've listened to this record several times, and am far more familiar with it than many I have posted on previously. The one drawback is the fact that my turntable is nowhere near my computer. Hence the delay in posting for those of you I've kept waiting, grinding your teeth in anticipation of more gritty analysis of fifty-plus year old albums. For this I apologize. The solution is to post using my iPhone, instead of using the iPhone to play the music. So far, I have found the blogger app to be fairly user friendly. I'll have to read this again on the computer sever...

 Aftermath is the first album from the Rolling Stones that we have encountered. In fact, due to the somewhat chronological nature of my list, we have a triple shot of Stones albums to listen to. They run into one another seamlessly, so it won't be too painful. I really like the raw sound of the early Rolling Stones. A disclaimer here, the album that is on the 500 Greatest Albums list is the American release of Aftermath. The most notable difference on the British release is the substitution of  "Mother's Little Helper" for "Paint it Black" and three other songs on the track listing. The American release included "Paint it Black" since it was the number one single at the time of release and presented a sleeker, better organized package as a whole.  "Paint it Black" is one of the Stones' most recognizable songs, and shows that they were ready to branch away from their bluesy roots, with the adventurous use of the sitar for the main r...

 This album is a perfect example of why this project is a worthwhile endeavour. From the first chunky guitar notes I found my interest was piqued. Then the horns came in. Wow! This is pure Stax magic. The background music is fantastic, yet Otis manages to capture center stage and keep the focus on the vocals. The album is mostly cover songs but he definitely makes them his own, and the result is outstanding.  There are eleven songs on the album, first of which is "Ole Man Trouble". This is an excellent song, the guitar riff is captivating, and then the horns come in and round out the tune. Otis is strong throughout, and manages to stay in the forefront at the end of the song, pleading for trouble to stay away. There is a lot of power in his delivery, and his pleas seem heartfelt. I like this song quite a bit.   "Respect" is next. The horns blare out and then we hear the familiar lyrics. I have to say that I like the Aretha Franklin version a little bit better...