Music Reviews

[cody78]

3 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

In the 90's it was all about Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Sound Garden, Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam as I recall. 

In the UK it was during the early 90's, but by the mid to late 90's it was all about Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Radiohead and a lot of indie bands. Proper rock & grunge had largely disappeared from the mainstream. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

4 minutes ago, cody78 said:

In the UK it was during the early 90's, but by the mid to late 90's it was all about Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Radiohead and a lot of indie bands. Proper rock & grunge had largely disappeared from the mainstream. 

Those bands did nothing for me and that was your scene over there  in the UK. I don't think I've ever heard a Pulp song in my life. The other 3 I have. I thought Gorillaz was more interesting than Blur and the Wooo Hooo song.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

['Scales]

10 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Listening to Yes - Close To The Edge in 5.1 Surround Sound. One word review. Killer.

 I tried to... and I also had a one word review, only it wasn't near as polite as yours.  (Thankfully 18 minute songs have lots of opportunity for fast forward )

...which all goes to prove the point you made - different strokes for different folks - and thank goodness cos otherwise it would be a boring musical world. 

 

25 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

How do you find the good in formula-matic Bro-Country? Dog, truck, beer, girl in shorts, tractor, and write it again.

girl in shorts, you say?

['Scales]

29 minutes ago, cody78 said:

In the UK it was during the early 90's, but by the mid to late 90's it was all about Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Radiohead and a lot of indie bands. Proper rock & grunge had largely disappeared from the mainstream. 

I'm in Oz and and only really listed to a bit of Oasis in those days (though I've heard of the others - can't believe I never heard any Radiohead cos their stuff sold pretty well down here I believe)  - I didn't mind a couple of songs by the Verve who I assume were also part of the same skinny wasted looking dudes UK 90's music scene?

[Sgt. Pepper]

45 minutes ago, 'Scales said:

 I tried to... and I also had a one word review, only it wasn't near as polite as yours.  (Thankfully 18 minute songs have lots of opportunity for fast forward )

...which all goes to prove the point you made - different strokes for different folks - and thank goodness cos otherwise it would be a boring musical world. 

 

girl in shorts, you say?

Booty shorts no less. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

41 minutes ago, 'Scales said:

I'm in Oz and and only really listed to a bit of Oasis in those days (though I've heard of the others - can't believe I never heard any Radiohead cos their stuff sold pretty well down here I believe)  - I didn't mind a couple of songs by the Verve who I assume were also part of the same skinny wasted looking dudes UK 90's music scene?

Back in the heroine chic days. Everyone looked like a strung out junkie, many probably were. That one guy from that really huge group was. The Grunge guys all wore flannel shirts and Doc's. 

[cody78]

3 hours ago, 'Scales said:

I didn't mind a couple of songs by the Verve who I assume were also part of the same skinny wasted looking dudes UK 90's music scene?

Indeed they were. They were huge here - songs The Drugs Don't Work and Bittersweet Symphony I recall. My sister liked them even though she was mainly into dance music. I was massively into GN'R, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin at that time so they didn't interest me much, but I liked The Drugs Don't Work.

[cody78]

2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

The Grunge guys all wore flannel shirts and Doc's. 

I own quite a lot of flannel shirts myself. Neil Young was doing the grunge look about 15-20 years prior to all those guys...well, minus the Docs.

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 hours ago, cody78 said:

I own quite a lot of flannel shirts myself. Neil Young was doing the grunge look about 15-20 years prior to all those guys...well, minus the Docs.

That guys whole career has been a mystery to me. He will make one good record. Record 3 or 4 lousy ones and make another good one. Then make an album of sampling computer noise. I can't take anything he did after Tonight's The Night. That and Harvest is about all you need. Some of After The Gold Rush? CSN really didn't need him. The first one was damn near flawless.  I think I read or saw in a doc he worked on his songs alone and just showed up when it was his turn. He was kind of forced on them by Ahmet Ertegun. I don't think Stills was to keen to work with him again, knowing what he would be getting into after the Buffalo Springfield days.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

['Scales]

 reckon Neil just loves writing and recording music - a nice life if you can do it.  He must have put out an album a year for last 50+ years! Most of them I've never heard...but hey, with Spotify maybe its time for an NY binge sooner or later - I haven't really listened to much after Ragged Glory and Harvest Moon - I'm sure there's been some good stuff in the last 30 years too 

Beside Harvest and Tonight's the Night (totally agree) - my highly honourable mentions would include Re-ac-tor, Freedom, and the first 2 albums (Neil Young and Everybody Knows...). 

I saw Neil live in '89 in Australia when he was touring the Freedom album (first time I ever heard Rockin' in the Free World was from the very man himself live in Brisbane ) - as teenagers we thought he seemed so old for a guy who rocked out  hard....he was 43 at the time... 

[Sgt. Pepper]

9 hours ago, 'Scales said:

 I tried to... and I also had a one word review, only it wasn't near as polite as yours.  (Thankfully 18 minute songs have lots of opportunity for fast forward )

...which all goes to prove the point you made - different strokes for different folks - and thank goodness cos otherwise it would be a boring musical world. 

 

girl in shorts, you say?

Yeah like The Dead you get Yes or you don’t. I remember the first time I heard that album. I was 12 and had no clue what I just heard. Didn’t know what to make of it. Now it’s probably my second favorite album of all time. I could listen to it every day.

I became friends with a guy in college who asked me “why do you only listen to Prog and Rock?” He introduced me to stuff I never heard before. 

I’ve said this to my best friend “I listen to Yes so you don’t have to”. He appreciates that.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[cody78]

5 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

That guys whole career has been a mystery to me. He will make one good record. Record 3 or 4 lousy ones and make another good one. Then make an album of sampling computer noise. I can't take anything he did after Tonight's The Night. That and Harvest is about all you need. Some of After The Gold Rush? CSN really didn't need him. The first one was damn near flawless.  I think I read or saw in a doc he worked on his songs alone and just showed up when it was his turn. He was kind of forced on them by Ahmet Ertegun. I don't think Stills was to keen to work with him again, knowing what he would be getting into after the Buffalo Springfield days.

I've been a fan of Neil's music for the last 23 years or so. I don't think he put out a bad album between 1969-1979 and there are a lot of good ones that were released later. Zuma from 1975 is probably my favourite, but I also love On the Beach, Tonight's the Night, Time Fades Away, American Stars & Bars, Sleeps With Angels, Broken Arrow, Chrome Dreams II & Psychedelic Pill to name just a few.  I agree CSN didn't really need him, but his acoustic version of Cowgirl in the Sand on their 4 Way Street album is sublime and better than any other song on there, except maybe The Lee Shore by Crosby. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

1 hour ago, cody78 said:

I've been a fan of Neil's music for the last 23 years or so. I don't think he put out a bad album between 1969-1979 and there are a lot of good ones that were released later. Zuma from 1975 is probably my favourite, but I also love On the Beach, Tonight's the Night, Time Fades Away, American Stars & Bars, Sleeps With Angels, Broken Arrow, Chrome Dreams II & Psychedelic Pill to name just a few.  I agree CSN didn't really need him, but his acoustic version of Cowgirl in the Sand on their 4 Way Street album is sublime and better than any other song on there, except maybe The Lee Shore by Crosby. 

I saw him on the tour he was mad at Corporate Sponsorship. My cousin bought me a ticket or I never would have went. This Notes For You. Should have been named The Jokes On You. What trash. I have Zuma and can’t name a song off it. I have Everybody Knows, Rust Never Sleeps, Decade, Hawks And Doves, Harvest, and I bought Re Ac Tor out of a cut out bin. That’s awful too. His voice irritates me. 3 guys that can sing together so well and you add Neil to whine and croak. I don’t get it. 4 Way Street was not that good. 

Ain’t got no T-Bone. Got mashed potatoes.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[jvi]

36 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I saw him on the tour he was mad at Corporate Sponsorship. My cousin bought me a ticket or I never would have went. This Notes For You. Should have been named The Jokes On You. What trash. I have Zuma and can’t name a song off it. I have Everybody Knows, Rust Never Sleeps, Decade, Hawks And Doves, Harvest, and I bought Re Ac Tor out of a cut out bin. That’s awful too. His voice irritates me. 3 guys that can sing together so well and you add Neil to whine and croak. I don’t get it. 4 Way Street was not that good. 

Ain’t got no T-Bone. Got mashed potatoes.

bs 

[Sgt. Pepper]

20 minutes ago, jvi said:

bs 

Not really. You like what you like and I’ll like what I like. You guys in Canada can have Neil back anytime you want. I didn’t want him to be a US citizen. I’d like to become a Canadian citizen, but they probably won’t let me huh?

Edited August 30, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[jvi]

14 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Not really. You like what you like and I’ll like what I like. You guys in Canada can have Neil back anytime you want. I didn’t want him to be a US citizen. I’d like to become a Canadian citizen, but they probably won’t let me huh?

who knows, we arnt that   picky...

Edited August 30, 2023 by jvi
content re-word

[sparquelito]

I ordered both the latest Tears For Fears CD, The Tipping Point,
and a much older solo record by Roland Orzabal, Tomcats Screaming Outside last year.

Gave them both a good listen recently.

Roland is a unique songwriter and musician.
His solo work features left and right limits that are far outside the pop sensibilities of Tears For Fears.
Good stuff, no matter what.

Last year's Tears For Fears record was brilliant.
And much of it could have easily sold and found airplay in 1992 or 1995.

If you hate deeply personal, introspective, intelligent power-pop, please do not listen to either of these gems.

😗

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

8 hours ago, sparquelito said:

I ordered both the latest Tears For Fears CD, The Tipping Point,
and a much older solo record by Roland Orzabal, Tomcats Screaming Outside last year.

Gave them both a good listen recently.

Roland is a unique songwriter and musician.
His solo work features left and right limits that are far outside the pop sensibilities of Tears For Fears.
Good stuff, no matter what.

Last year's Tears For Fears record was brilliant.
And much of it could have easily sold and found airplay in 1992 or 1995.

If you hate deeply personal, introspective, intelligent power-pop, please do not listen to either of these gems.

😗

 

I have Siongs  From The Big Chair on vinyl. It’s not to bad. I wonder how different that album would sound if it didn’t come out when synths were the flavor of the day. I think Steven Wilson did a 5.1 S S mix of the next album. I remember liking Woman In Chains, and the title track. Mad World and Pale Shelter were cool tunes of the first one.

Edited August 30, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[SteveFord]

I was asked what I thought about Hackney Diamonds.

I liked the slower songs a lot, they reminded me of Sticky Fingers.

The straight ahead rockers were World's Greatest Garage Band stuff, I was expecting more from Paul McCartney but I guess the song is what it is, just have fun and bang along to it.

The album ended on the perfect song for them and I assume that's the close out of their studio albums.

If so, it was a good send off and was much better than I was expecting.  

 

[DanvillRob]

I TRY to keep my politics and the artist's politics separate.   I think Garth is a puke...but I recently learned "Thunder Rolls".   I was never a big Jackson Browne fan...until I heard him just strum an acoustic guitar and sing....I even learned "Before The Deluge", an environmental protest song....it's just a good song!   The same goes for Kid Rock.... was never a big fan....but I heard him play an acoustic guitar and sing.....and now I like his stuff MUCH better.

There are some artists I just can't listen to without revulsion due to their preaching politics or whatever, (Roger Waters comes to mind as Sarge pointed out).

Bruce Springsteen is a puke, but I recently put an arrangement of "Pink Cadillac" together.

I just like good music.... either the way the song is constructed or the words....can be either or both.

 

 

[Murph]

3 hours ago, DanvillRob said:

Bruce Springsteen is a puke, 

Indeed.

And his first 2 albums were a mainstay of "open format" underground radio back in the day.

Then he went all pop.

And then after success, he turned all political and I can't even stomach the stuff I used to like because of it.

Oh well, he's never gotten a dime of my money, not that he ever needed it...

[Sgt. Pepper]

On 11/11/2023 at 9:09 PM, SteveFord said:

I was asked what I thought about Hackney Diamonds.

I liked the slower songs a lot, they reminded me of Sticky Fingers.

The straight ahead rockers were World's Greatest Garage Band stuff, I was expecting more from Paul McCartney but I guess the song is what it is, just have fun and bang along to it.

The album ended on the perfect song for them and I assume that's the close out of their studio albums.

If so, it was a good send off and was much better than I was expecting.  

 

I sampled all the songs off Hackney, and was not impressed. It did sound better that all the stuff they have done since Tattoo You (that album is trash too). 

Garth and Bruce and Kid Crock can all bite my bag.

[fortyearspickn]

On 8/29/2023 at 6:34 AM, Sgt. Pepper said:

How do you find the good in formula-matic Bro-Country? Dog, truck, beer, girl in shorts, tractor, and write it again.

Earlier, you admitted you'd not be a good 'music critic' for a music magazine editor to assign review of "Rap" albums.  I think   you'd probably agree you would not do a good job on "Country".  And therein lies the 'answer'.   We have genres and playlists we love. Some for 'road trips', some to relax, some to grill/smoke/ bbq with a backyard beer,  some even (not me) to get 'political protest insight'.   But we also have genres we cannot stand:  Rap is a favorite whipping boy.  I couldn't care less what a music 'critic' says about it if he loves it.   Country?  If the Award Shows are the penultimate of what the 'critics'  like -  I guess I couldn't care less about their opinions either.  I know what I like and resent it when someone thinks they know better.  BUT - my musical tastes developed over time and there was a time I probably needed some guidance.   But now, I don't ask friend, family OR music critics what songs to put on my Spotify playlists.   I appreciate the system gives suggestions/prompts - but that is probably an algorithm or AI - and not some la-de-da music critic. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

10 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Earlier, you admitted you'd not be a good 'music critic' for a music magazine editor to assign review of "Rap" albums.  I think   you'd probably agree you would not do a good job on "Country".  And therein lies the 'answer'.   We have genres and playlists we love. Some for 'road trips', some to relax, some to grill/smoke/ bbq with a backyard beer,  some even (not me) to get 'political protest insight'.   But we also have genres we cannot stand:  Rap is a favorite whipping boy.  I couldn't care less what a music 'critic' says about it if he loves it.   Country?  If the Award Shows are the penultimate of what the 'critics'  like -  I guess I couldn't care less about their opinions either.  I know what I like and resent it when someone thinks they know better.  BUT - my musical tastes developed over time and there was a time I probably needed some guidance.   But now, I don't ask friend, family OR music critics what songs to put on my Spotify playlists.   I appreciate the system gives suggestions/prompts - but that is probably an algorithm or AI - and not some la-de-da music critic. 

I'm not a play list guy. I listen to albums from track one till its over. 

Here is my review of every Rap album ever - They Are Trash. Just like Keef said. I don't want to listen to music where people are yelling at me.

[fortyearspickn]

Agree - some people INSIST  that  'Rap'  is  'music'.  Of course, they probably think Tofu is food.