Essential Studio Albums

[coptheriotact]

ive really enjoyed mission of burma - vs and king crimson - beat

i listened to both twice this week

[liebzz]

ive really enjoyed mission of burma - vs and king crimson - beat

i listened to both twice this week

Yeah that Mission of Burma album really blew me away (hence its placement high on the list I posted for the 800 albums). That King Crimson album is wild, and really takes a second huge turn in two straight albums for them. It’s as if the hiatus between the albums freed them up to have no real boundaries.

[liebzz]

Goanna - Spirit of Place

Just like rock music has extensive variations and sub-genres wherever it’s played, so too does Aussie rock music. However, if there’s a centerpoint where your caricature would fit neatly, it’s Goanna. Propulsive yet the instruments never muddle, with little bits of almost gospel with socially charged lyrics - all positive things - are abound here. I probably get the vision of Australian rock in my head from listening to Midnight Oil and John Butler Trio, but this fits squarely in between those two (granted, the most popular band to come out of Australia in the US, AC/DC, sounds nothing like this so caricatures have their limits). Either way, it’s solid organic rock music that probably won’t scratch my personal favorites but brings a lot of great touches to their songs, and I am specifically thinking of Solid Rock and Borderline, the former incorporating the Didgeridoo and the latter taking a nice couple of sonic shifts within the song that I thought really worked.

The Essential Track: Solid Rock

Up Next: John Cougar - American Fool

[liebzz]

John Cougar - American Fool

Rarely has an album cover more accurately reflected what you are about to hear. I can hear heartland rock in that photo, precisely what’s delivered here. If Springsteen invented the concept on Darkness and The River, Cougar gives the music the sort of defining attributes, the songs about regular folks making their way through life. Hurt So Good and Jack & Diane are pretty much the defining tracks of this heartland rock. And while Springsteen’s sound seems to influence this, and we would then get a Bon Jovi to follow (whole other can of worms), John Cougar does deserve a lot of credit for perfecting this particular sound here. It’s the sort of music that would make John Fogerty post-CCR proud. Pure ‘Murica.

The Essential Track: Jack & Diane

Up Next: Van Halen - Diver Down

[wease]

Goanna - Spirit of Place

Just like rock music has extensive variations and sub-genres wherever it’s played, so too does Aussie rock music. However, if there’s a centerpoint where your caricature would fit neatly, it’s Goanna. Propulsive yet the instruments never muddle, with little bits of almost gospel with socially charged lyrics - all positive things - are abound here. I probably get the vision of Australian rock in my head from listening to Midnight Oil and John Butler Trio, but this fits squarely in between those two (granted, the most popular band to come out of Australia in the US, AC/DC, sounds nothing like this so caricatures have their limits). Either way, it’s solid organic rock music that probably won’t scratch my personal favorites but brings a lot of great touches to their songs, and I am specifically thinking of Solid Rock and Borderline, the former incorporating the Didgeridoo and the latter taking a nice couple of sonic shifts within the song that I thought really worked.

The Essential Track: Solid Rock

Up Next: John Cougar - American Fool

Is it as good as Solid Rock by Dire Straits?

[wease]

John Cougar - American Fool

Rarely has an album cover more accurately reflected what you are about to hear. I can hear heartland rock in that photo, precisely what’s delivered here. If Springsteen invented the concept on Darkness and The River, Cougar gives the music the sort of defining attributes, the songs about regular folks making their way through life. Hurt So Good and Jack & Diane are pretty much the defining tracks of this heartland rock. And while Springsteen’s sound seems to influence this, and we would then get a Bon Jovi to follow (whole other can of worms), John Cougar does deserve a lot of credit for perfecting this particular sound here. It’s the sort of music that would make John Fogerty post-CCR proud. Pure ‘Murica.

The Essential Track: Jack & Diane

Up Next: Van Halen - Diver Down

I didn’t realize you were including this one or I would’ve included his next for 1983, Uh-Huh. That and the next, Scarecrow really show the side of him that you’re talking about.

[liebzz]

Goanna - Spirit of Place

Just like rock music has extensive variations and sub-genres wherever it’s played, so too does Aussie rock music. However, if there’s a centerpoint where your caricature would fit neatly, it’s Goanna. Propulsive yet the instruments never muddle, with little bits of almost gospel with socially charged lyrics - all positive things - are abound here. I probably get the vision of Australian rock in my head from listening to Midnight Oil and John Butler Trio, but this fits squarely in between those two (granted, the most popular band to come out of Australia in the US, AC/DC, sounds nothing like this so caricatures have their limits). Either way, it’s solid organic rock music that probably won’t scratch my personal favorites but brings a lot of great touches to their songs, and I am specifically thinking of Solid Rock and Borderline, the former incorporating the Didgeridoo and the latter taking a nice couple of sonic shifts within the song that I thought really worked.

The Essential Track: Solid Rock

Up Next: John Cougar - American Fool

Is it as good as Solid Rock by Dire Straits?

In a word, no.

[liebzz]

John Cougar - American Fool

Rarely has an album cover more accurately reflected what you are about to hear. I can hear heartland rock in that photo, precisely what’s delivered here. If Springsteen invented the concept on Darkness and The River, Cougar gives the music the sort of defining attributes, the songs about regular folks making their way through life. Hurt So Good and Jack & Diane are pretty much the defining tracks of this heartland rock. And while Springsteen’s sound seems to influence this, and we would then get a Bon Jovi to follow (whole other can of worms), John Cougar does deserve a lot of credit for perfecting this particular sound here. It’s the sort of music that would make John Fogerty post-CCR proud. Pure ‘Murica.

The Essential Track: Jack & Diane

Up Next: Van Halen - Diver Down

I didn’t realize you were including this one or I would’ve included his next for 1983, Uh-Huh. That and the next, Scarecrow really show the side of him that you’re talking about.

I’ll add them.

[liebzz]

Van Halen - Diver Down

This is one of those albums I understand to be quite divisive among VH fans. It’s a rush job, recorded in 12 days and released as quickly as possible to ensure continued exposure and build on their momentum. So with little time to create and explore their sound they pushed out an album full of covers, instrumental interludes, and a few songs that had been kicking around for a bit. But…the album’s still really good! The hits here are indeed covers, but Dancing in the Streets is actually a pretty inventive reworking of the song, while Pretty Woman turns Roy Orbison’s classic a little on its head with the loud guitars. It all seems goofy and campy as it’s intended. Buried in here is Little Guitars, which should be a VH classic. I’m not saying this is the greatest release, but it’s way better than you remember.

The Essential Track: Little Guitars

Up Next: KISS - Creatures of the Night

[wease]

Van Halen - Diver Down

This is one of those albums I understand to be quite divisive among VH fans. It’s a rush job, recorded in 12 days and released as quickly as possible to ensure continued exposure and build on their momentum. So with little time to create and explore their sound they pushed out an album full of covers, instrumental interludes, and a few songs that had been kicking around for a bit. But…the album’s still really good! The hits here are indeed covers, but Dancing in the Streets is actually a pretty inventive reworking of the song, while Pretty Woman turns Roy Orbison’s classic a little on its head with the loud guitars. It all seems goofy and campy as it’s intended. Buried in here is Little Guitars, which should be a VH classic. I’m not saying this is the greatest release, but it’s way better than you remember.

The Essential Track: Little Guitars

Up Next: KISS - Creatures of the Night

Good choice. Would’ve accepted Hang ‘Em High and The Full Bug.

Big Bad Bill is a favorite for how different it is and the VH’s dad is playing clarinet. And I was loving their version of Pretty Woman before I even knew who VH was.

[liebzz]

Van Halen - Diver Down

This is one of those albums I understand to be quite divisive among VH fans. It’s a rush job, recorded in 12 days and released as quickly as possible to ensure continued exposure and build on their momentum. So with little time to create and explore their sound they pushed out an album full of covers, instrumental interludes, and a few songs that had been kicking around for a bit. But…the album’s still really good! The hits here are indeed covers, but Dancing in the Streets is actually a pretty inventive reworking of the song, while Pretty Woman turns Roy Orbison’s classic a little on its head with the loud guitars. It all seems goofy and campy as it’s intended. Buried in here is Little Guitars, which should be a VH classic. I’m not saying this is the greatest release, but it’s way better than you remember.

The Essential Track: Little Guitars

Up Next: KISS - Creatures of the Night

Good choice. Would’ve accepted Hang ‘Em High and The Full Bug.

Big Bad Bill is a favorite for how different it is and the VH’s dad is playing clarinet. And I was loving their version of Pretty Woman before I even knew who VH was.

I appreciate your appreciation for Diver Down.

[liebzz]

KISS - Creatures of the Night

If my reading is correct, this is where the continues to splinter and is the last with the makeup for quite some time. Ace Frehley was gone after this album, which is heavier than prior KISS albums and also seems to be making an effort at being more serious. I don’t know that this works for them - their brand of party rock early on scratches on what was needed for rock music in the mid-70s, but this just feels forced - as if the band was having no fun making this album. I thought Danger and I Still Love You were decent enough, the latter really saved by a big Frehley solo.

The Essential Track: Danger

Up Next: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

[wease]

KISS - Creatures of the Night

If my reading is correct, this is where the continues to splinter and is the last with the makeup for quite some time. Ace Frehley was gone after this album, which is heavier than prior KISS albums and also seems to be making an effort at being more serious. I don’t know that this works for them - their brand of party rock early on scratches on what was needed for rock music in the mid-70s, but this just feels forced - as if the band was having no fun making this album. I thought Danger and I Still Love You were decent enough, the latter really saved by a big Frehley solo.

The Essential Track: Danger

Up Next: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Ace didn’t play on it at all.

War Machine is my pick.

[Peeps]

unmasked is where i started to wain from the band. i did have music from the elder on casette and would play it in my shitty tape recorder

after that each album up to hot in shade (though to be honest i dont recall a single song from HiTS) you could take 1 or 2 songs from each album to make one full album and call it a day

for creatures id have to say I Love it Loud as the outstanding track

[Kevin Davis]

Diver Down is a blast. Early VH is so good.

[Birds in Hell]

ive really enjoyed mission of burma - vs and king crimson - beat

i listened to both twice this week

Yeah that Mission of Burma album really blew me away (hence its placement high on the list I posted for the 800 albums). That King Crimson album is wild, and really takes a second huge turn in two straight albums for them. It’s as if the hiatus between the albums freed them up to have no real boundaries.

Glad those albums are being appreciated, they're both superb!

You have one more 1980s King Crimson record coming up and it's another gem.

[liebzz]

Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

There are great metal albums, and then there are great metal albums. This behemoth is a real gem, so good that it feels at once insanely fast, but the songs so good it’s got the feel of almost listening to classic rock. Run to the Hills is the most popular song here, the title track also is a classic, but don’t sleep on Hallowed Be Thy Name, which about as good an album closer as you’re gonna get. Invaders and Children of the Damned were also big highlights, but this is an absolute must, up there with Paranoid and other epic metal albums we’ll cover in this journey yet.

The Essential Track: Hallowed Be Thy Name

Up Next: Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance

[oasisfan35]

KISS - Creatures of the Night

If my reading is correct, this is where the continues to splinter and is the last with the makeup for quite some time. Ace Frehley was gone after this album, which is heavier than prior KISS albums and also seems to be making an effort at being more serious. I don’t know that this works for them - their brand of party rock early on scratches on what was needed for rock music in the mid-70s, but this just feels forced - as if the band was having no fun making this album. I thought Danger and I Still Love You were decent enough, the latter really saved by a big Frehley solo.

The Essential Track: Danger

Up Next: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Ace didn’t play on it at all.

War Machine is my pick.

Yeah, Robben Ford played lead on I Still Love You with Vinnie Vincent on everything else except Rock and Roll Hell. I might toss this on next for a revisit... maybe.

[wease]

KISS - Creatures of the Night

If my reading is correct, this is where the continues to splinter and is the last with the makeup for quite some time. Ace Frehley was gone after this album, which is heavier than prior KISS albums and also seems to be making an effort at being more serious. I don’t know that this works for them - their brand of party rock early on scratches on what was needed for rock music in the mid-70s, but this just feels forced - as if the band was having no fun making this album. I thought Danger and I Still Love You were decent enough, the latter really saved by a big Frehley solo.

The Essential Track: Danger

Up Next: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Ace didn’t play on it at all.

War Machine is my pick.

Yeah, Robben Ford played lead on I Still Love You with Vinnie Vincent on everything else except Rock and Roll Hell. I might toss this on next for a revisit... maybe.

Steve Farris from Mr Mister played the lead on the title track.

Bryan Adams also co-wrote two of the Gene tracks, Rock and Roll Hell and War Machine. He also co-wrote one with Eric Carr that didn’t make the KISS album but did get included on Adams’s own record.

[oasisfan35]

KISS - Creatures of the Night

If my reading is correct, this is where the continues to splinter and is the last with the makeup for quite some time. Ace Frehley was gone after this album, which is heavier than prior KISS albums and also seems to be making an effort at being more serious. I don’t know that this works for them - their brand of party rock early on scratches on what was needed for rock music in the mid-70s, but this just feels forced - as if the band was having no fun making this album. I thought Danger and I Still Love You were decent enough, the latter really saved by a big Frehley solo.

The Essential Track: Danger

Up Next: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Ace didn’t play on it at all.

War Machine is my pick.

Yeah, Robben Ford played lead on I Still Love You with Vinnie Vincent on everything else except Rock and Roll Hell. I might toss this on next for a revisit... maybe.

Steve Farris from Mr Mister played the lead on the title track.

Bryan Adams also co-wrote two of the Gene tracks, Rock and Roll Hell and War Machine. He also co-wrote one with Eric Carr that didn’t make the KISS album but did get included on Adams’s own record.

I just read that Bryan Adams inclusion on wikipedia, it's barely a KISS record