Some Words from the Bird

 Well, another season has come and gone since I posted. I'm hoping that I will do so with more regularity at some point. There are some fantastic albums approaching on my list. As promised in my post regarding "Having A Rave Up", we are talking about the Yardbirds again. This album is a little quirky from the perspective of a guy trying to have a musical journey with some friends on his obscure and little read blog. You see, it is listed as "Yardbirds" in some circles and "Roger the Engineer" in others. The "Roger" title comes from the drawing on the cover, and it caught on. I believe this is the correct album. Further to that, when you go to Spotify ( I'm cheating and listening online), there is  a mono release and a stereo release, and Wikipedia has a US release listed etc. etc.  So, for the purposes of clarity, I am going to listen to the Stereo tracks that appear in the middle of the Spotify offerings for "Roger the Engineer...

 Hi there! I just pressed play and was greeted by the Memphis Horns putting out that sweet Stax Records sound. Unsurprisingly, Otis is backed by Booker T and the MGs, which is a recipe for a fine album (in my humble opinion). Remember how much we enjoyed "Otis Blue"? Of course you do, how could nineteen other fantastic albums erase that one from our memory?  This album followed up on the success of "Otis Blue" and a crossover concert at the Whiskey a Go Go which brought the Soul sound to the west coast and opened the ears of a predominantly white audience. Sadly, this was to be his last solo offering prior to his death. Redding was killed in a plane crash just after recording his famous song "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay". It's a sad and all too familiar story. But he released this album, and we are going to listen to it, so lets get down to business.  "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" leads off the album with the aforementioned horns. Th...

 Hello again! This is post number 50! Looking back over the older posts, I see that I have been at this for six years. And this is the 10 percent mark. This task may never get completed if I don't get my butt in gear. If you have read along with me up to this point, thank you for your time. If you are just stumbling across this... welcome!  When I was an early teenager, my slightly older uncle had a cassette tape of Zappa's "Sheik Yerbouti". My adolescent mind was overjoyed to hear bad words and barely veiled sexual innuendos. I have listened to much of the essential Zappa over the years, in fact, an old beat up vinyl record of  "Overnite Sensation" is one of my prized possessions. So I'm a fan. Today we check out the first album recorded by the Mothers. One look at the cover, and you can tell we are on the express train to the psychedelic trappings of the then swelling counterculture. But don't use the word Hippie... Frank wouldn't like that. ...

 Hello friends! Its been a while but we have some delicious listening ahead of us. Today's offering is the third album from Simon and Garfunkel, and allegedly they took some extra time in the studio with this one, striving for perfection. These songs led to sold out shows and wide popularity for the duo, mostly on the college circuit. It reflects the growing unease in America and the counterculture beginning to gain traction with the youth of the day.   The perfectionism shines through in the opening track. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle".  The guitar is finger-picked and the vocal lines interweave to give an ethereal feel to the song. The arrangement was the subject of some legal proceedings, as the basic song is an old English traditional. Even in 1966 everyone wanted their cut. The song is beautiful and their voices are the perfect complements for each other. On the headphones you can hear the mix has guitar on one side and panned to the other is a harpsichord (i think)....

 Wow! I'm back at the keyboard a day after posting about the Mamas and the Papas. This is a trend that I hope continues. Today's offering is a breath of fresh air. Mr. Mayall and company recorded some blues standards and a couple of original tracks on what is apparently considered one of the seminal recordings of British Blues. Allegedly, this was a game changer, Eric Clapton's combination of a Les Paul and a Marshall amp became the standard for blues rock and its subsequent offshoots. Also on the recording is John McVie of Fleetwood Mac fame. While his cohorts went on to mainstream superstardom, or god status in Clapton's case, Mayall remained true to his craft and slogged it out as a bluesman. At any rate this stuff is fantastic, full on straight ahead power blues.  You drop the needle (or press play) on the first track, "All Your Love" and are instantly rewarded. My first thought is that it sounds like Cream, for obvious reasons, but without the manic dru...

 I had almost forgotten that I had a blog. It has been ages since I last posted, due to some computer problems. This is inexcusable. I must continue to post regularly, or the task will not get completed. And my legion of readers will tire of waiting for more, and seek their entertainment elsewhere. I apologize to you all.  Having had almost two years to listen to this album to gather my thoughts for this post, I have to say that my initial reaction was very positive. The album starts with "Monday Monday" and showcases the vocals and harmonies that the group is famous for. The music is played by members of the Wrecking Crew with the ubiquitous Hal Blaine on the drums. This tune is a classic and I'd say we are off to a good start.  On the surface, the next track, "Straight Shooter" appears to be a love song, but has allusions to someone tracking down some drugs, possibly heroin. It is the first appearance of a somewhat smug vibe that I picked up on the more I ...

 Now, my friends, we are getting into the stuff that I am excited about. I know the radio hits for Cream, but never really listened to their offerings. I understood that they were held in high regard, and were one of the original power trios, and that intrigues me. The group was a super-group, with Clapton as the guitarist, fresh off of his tenure with the Yardbirds, Ginger Baker on the drums, and a bass player and vocalist that Clapton had insisted upon, Jack Bruce. Baker and Bruce had a turbulent past, having played together in previous projects, where they apparently had not seen eye to eye. To the point where weapons were involved. This must have been an interesting project. Tension is important element to music.   The first song on this, their first album released, was "I Feel Free". From the first note, you can feel that there is something new going on, the psychedelic feel is right up at the forefront, the vocals are almost dreamy and the tambourine is hypnotic....