This is the sort of album that reminds you about personal tastes and preferences. It’s not that I particularly disliked this album, but in the midst of all the other musical projects he’s authored, influenced and guided in the 70s, this is among my lesser favorites. Sonically, it’s moody, dense, and in some spots almost akin to kraut rock, and I think this all served this project well, but ask me to choose and this ain’t the album I am throwing on. I can appreciate the beauty in this grinding and challenging album, and certainly I enjoyed Sound and Vision and A New Career in a New Town. I also do appreciate Bowie stretching out his limits more and more.
As electronic albums go, and granted I am really not a fan of the genre overall, this one is good. Generally, this plays well in the background, as the minimalist elements keep your attention but maybe not full focus. That said, the compositions are quite creative and different, certainly not any droning or overstimulating elements that haunt much of electronic music, so it finds the perfect common ground on listenability while still being adventurous.
It seems like at least a while since we’ve had a Brian Eno record as easy to listen to as this one, which has more of a pop format - though it’s certainly more than meets the eye in the manner of its construction, and the layers where you find his signature lurking through. That does not make Backwater, Kurt’s Rejoinder, or Here He Comes any less easy to digest, and it’s there where the genius of the record shines through: it’s so easy to digest and yet constantly full of element that shouldn’t fit a pop format.
Joining forces with Cluster, this is pretty much exactly what you would expect from these two. There are layers and layers of sound. There is a shape, but in moments it feels almost formless. And all in all, for avant garde music, I quite enjoyed it - which isn’t very often the case. These are clearly some of the artists most at the top of this craft so that really isn’t or shouldn’t be surprising. The massive building One here is my favorite.
This is another minimalist album, where it seems there’s layers of sunthesizers creating an ambient atmosphere. Over 58 minutes it gets kind of long to sit through, but it is a good album in its format, and in the second half in particular builds to a pretty great finish, as if all the elements ultimately come a cacophony of sound.
The Essential Track: Crystal Lake
Up Next: Gil-Scott Heron & Brian Jackson - Bridges
I am not sure I knew really what to expect, but this was really a fantastic funk/soul/R&B album with some real nice grooves and some strong lyrical elements imagery. These impact was immediate with Hello Sunday! Hello Road!, and Song in the Wind. Under the Hammer I thought was pretty stunning and is the one track that really put it all together in a phenomenal package - the message, the atmosphere…everything about that one was great. Fantastic album.
The Essential Track: Under the Hammer
Up Next: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
I’m not sure there’s another release as responsible for the explosion of the 70s disco craze than this. A pure hit factory of a soundtrack where nearly every track is fully recognizable, and certainly a big showcase for The Bee Gees. Also ever present are Kool & the Gang, KC & the Sunshine Band, David Shire, and The Trammps. An endless burst of dance music that we could easily argue set the blueprint for pop music today.
Yeah, the beauty of it all is that our preferences take us different places and expose us to all these things. I wouldn’t call Low among my favorites, nor probably American Stars N’ Bars, but they each have their place for sure. It’s been a long time since I heard the latter so I am looking forward (just started it now).
Neil Young spent the first half of this album working hard to meld his brand of rock with country music, a sort of country music that rocks a bit harder than what you might expect. It leads to some pretty cool places, including Saddle Up the Palomino, and Hold Back the Tears. As the album progresses it becomes more straightforward rock, interrupted by some good slower songs, but for me the highlights are Bite the Bullet, Like a Hurricane, and Homegrown - maybe its familiarity or that Neil gets to what he does best. Star of Bethlehem is also great, though incongruous to the building momentum. This is an album I undervalued before, but won’t make that mistake again.
This album really explores southern rock and country from end to end - full of range, as if the similarities in these sounds and can still pull a universe of different styles together. The first half of this album in particular is fantastic, with the band in full throttle on Fly Like An Eagle (not the Steve Miller song), and Life in a Song. Add to that the hit song, Heard It in a Love Song and the fantastic sprawling I Should Have Never Started Lovin’ You, and it’s an ideal first half. The second half delves more into the country side of things, and it reminds the listener of what a pure pleasure it is to listen to this band play, particularly on Never Trust a Stranger and Tell It to the Devil. Damn good band here.
Neil Young spent the first half of this album working hard to meld his brand of rock with country music, a sort of country music that rocks a bit harder than what you might expect. It leads to some pretty cool places, including Saddle Up the Palomino, and Hold Back the Tears. As the album progresses it becomes more straightforward rock, interrupted by some good slower songs, but for me the highlights are Bite the Bullet, Like a Hurricane, and Homegrown - maybe its familiarity or that Neil gets to what he does best. Star of Bethlehem is also great, though incongruous to the building momentum. This is an album I undervalued before, but won’t make that mistake again.
The Essential Track: Like a Hurricane
Up Next: Marshall Tucker Band - Carolina Dreams
No mention of "Will to Love"??? (Young's greatest song)
Funny, I just thought it was an outlier and didn’t give it that much thought. I’ll have to give that song another listen. It certainly was singular and I can’t remember anything sounding anything like it, but perhaps I was just caught up in the momentum of the other tracks.
This album really explores southern rock and country from end to end - full of range, as if the similarities in these sounds and can still pull a universe of different styles together. The first half of this album in particular is fantastic, with the band in full throttle on Fly Like An Eagle (not the Steve Miller song), and Life in a Song. Add to that the hit song, Heard It in a Love Song and the fantastic sprawling I Should Have Never Started Lovin’ You, and it’s an ideal first half. The second half delves more into the country side of things, and it reminds the listener of what a pure pleasure it is to listen to this band play, particularly on Never Trust a Stranger and Tell It to the Devil. Damn good band here.
The Essential Track: Fly Like An Eagle
Up Next: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors
So glad you digging them. Toy Caldwell is an underrated master.
Let me tell you, Homer Simpson is cock of nothing!
- C. Montgomery Burns
For the original lineup’s final album, released before the plane crash, these guys put on an absolute southern rock clinic. What’s Your Name and That Smell start this off with the two classic well known tracks, but this one doesn’t let up for a moment, from the infectious energy of I Know a Little to You Got That Right and Ain’t No Good Life. These guys had essentially perfected this art at this point, and were clearly taken away way too soon. What a way to go though in the end.
Kevin Davis wrote:"Will to Love" is amazing, an utterly singular-sounding song in Neil's discography (and that's saying something!)
Okay I went back. I should have spoken about it and I recall thinking about how he created this sound like you can hear background noise - almost like the creaking floor in A Letter Home many years later. It is a great song for sure, though my personal taste wouldn’t call it my favorite of his, but certainly worthy of being in the discussion. I just whiffed on that first time around.
