Some Words from the Bird

 My father was a fan of the Butterfield Blues Band, so I was familiar with the name. I have stated before that I am far from a student of the blues, but I know what I like when I hear it. This musical sojourn has introduced me to a few artists I have not heard of before, and I have been enlightened as to the influence the blues acts had on the bands that came afterwards. This includes the Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, and the Who albums we have listened to previous to this post. But the blues is American music, and though the English bands did a good job, some white boys from Chicago did them one better. This album is unbelievably good electric blues.   Apparently Butterfield was interested in playing the blues harp, so he did what anyone would do, he went and sought out Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and the rest of the Chicago blues scene, and learned his craft. The harp on the album is outstanding. I didn't once find it annoying, and if you recall our chats about Mr. ...

 The Yardbirds. The band that spawned three of the most prolific guitarists in rock history. The genesis of Led Zeppelin. When I saw this album as the next on my listening list, I thought "Now we are getting somewhere!".  I was not disappointed. This album bridges the era where the band went from essentially another English band doing blues covers, to delving into a more psychedelic sound. The departure from the blues is apparently largely the reason that Eric Clapton left the band. Side 2 features Clapton playing on live blues tunes from our old friends Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, and the Isley Brothers. Side 1 features Jeff Beck and the more experimental Yardbirds sound.  The album opens with "Mister You're a Better Man Than I" which is a piece of social commentary that was written by the Hugg brothers. The song is like a cross between Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. The fuzzy sound of the guitar shows the availability of new sounds as technology advances. ...

 The Beatles. What a surprise! This record is a soundtrack of the movie with the same name. The songs stand up in their own right; there is no feeling of pasting together some tunes to accompany a flimsy plot line designed to milk the hard earned wages of adoring fans out of their pockets in exchange for an hour or two with the Beatles. Listening to this album, I get a feeling that the Beatles were settling nicely into their role as the premier band of all time at this point. The songs are diverse and well written, and it is obvious that they could do as they pleased in the studio, just so long as there was something the record companies could sell.  The record company was not without influence however, apparently the title track was sped up and made into a pop song at the behest of the corporate overlords. When you listen to the lyrics you can imagine it as a slower dirge, an actual plea for succor, as opposed to a snappy pop song. That being said, it works as a pop vehicle...

 Hello Again! I was looking forward to listening to this album, as I was aware of Smokey Robinson, and his status as a Motown icon, but was not familiar with much of his repertoire. The song I knew best of his was "Being With You" from the Eighties. It isn't a bad song, I guess, but it isn't currently on the playlist on my Iphone. I figured that an artist that is held in such high esteem must have some really good music to offer, and it would likely reside on the album du jour, "Going To A Go-Go".  I was about half right.  "The Tracks of My Tears" is a well known song; my first exposure to it was the soundtrack to the movie "The Big Chill". It also features memorably in the movie "Platoon" as the backdrop to half of the platoon blowing off some steam by smoking and drinking up a storm. I recall Forest Whitaker dancing around with a pipe that measured about a foot long, and Rhah swaying while clutching a doll to his chest wit...

 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...