Nebraska

Everyone knows The Boss and his hits, but I doubt many people know of the early Bruce Springsteen album, Nebraska.  I remember telling my father I was getting into Bruce and he told me to stop everything I was doing and listen to Nebraska.  I did just that and my mind was blown; I couldn't believe it was Bruce.

The album is packed heavy with acoustic guitar and harmonica.  It truly embodies what an album called Nebraska would be.  Bruce recorded the albums on a cassette recorder originally as demos to be recorded with his band, The E-Street Band.  Bruce realized he liked the songs so much that he decided to release the demos as a full album.  The album is dark to put it lightly.  There are songs about blue-collar workers, crime, and murder.  Bruce wrote earnestly about the blue collared men of the mid west.  And he captured the mood so perfectly in the ten tracks on Nebraska.

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Nebraska"	4:32
2.	"Atlantic City"	4:00
3.	"Mansion on the Hill"	4:08
4.	"Johnny 99"	3:44
5.	"Highway Patrolman"	5:40
6.	"State Trooper"	3:17

Side two
No.	Title	Length
7.	"Used Cars"	3:11
8.	"Open All Night"	2:58
9.	"My Father's House"	5:07
10.	"Reason to Believe"	4:11

Springsteen said (about the album), "I was just doing songs for the next rock album, and I decided that what always took me so long in the studio was the writing. I would get in there, and I just wouldn't have the material written, or it wasn't written well enough, and so I'd record for a month, get a couple of things, go home write some more, record for another month — it wasn't very efficient. So this time, I got a little Teac four-track cassette machine, and I said, I'm gonna record these songs, and if they sound good with just me doin' 'em, then I'll teach 'em to the band. I could sing and play the guitar, and then I had two tracks to do somethin' else, like overdub a guitar or add a harmony. It was just gonna be a demo. Then I had a little Echoplex that I mixed through, and that was it. And that was the tape that became the record. It's amazing that it got there, 'cause I was carryin' that cassette around with me in my pocket without a case for a couple of week, just draggin' it around. Finally, we realized, "Uh-oh, that's the album." Technically, it was difficult to get it on a disc. The stuff was recorded so strangely, the needle would read a lot of distortion and wouldn't track in the wax. We almost had to release it as a cassette."

The album has become a cult favorite amongst Springsteen fans and music fans alike.  The song "Atlantic City" has been covered countless times and Johnny Cash covered two songs from this album on his own album, Johnny 99.  This album is a journey through the eyes of the lower class and the struggled faced .

One Chord To Another

For a long time One Chord To Another It was my favorite album.  It's the fourth album by Canadian-rockers Sloan.  The album is power pop bliss, mixing Beatles like harmonies, which crunchy guitar.  1994 was a great year for music, I wish I could have been listening to it for 20 years, unfortunately, and fortunately, I found the album in 2012.  

The album debuted number 16 on the Canadian charts and by 1996 it was a certified Gold Record in Canada.  While Sloan may be a legendary household name in Canada, they have yet to really break into the mainstream music scene in the US.

They were signed to Geffen records right after Nirvana and right before Weezer.  They were supposed to be the next Nirvana in the US but when Geffen found Weezer, Sloan was pushed to the side and they have yet to get back into the spotlight they once had. 

Sloan has been rocking for 20 years and they are still putting out great material.  All four members sing and write their own songs.  The band consits of Chris Murphy (bass), Patrick Penland (lead guitar), Jay Fergusson (rhythm guitar), and Andrew Scott (drums).

Track Listing:

1.	"The Good in Everyone"	P. Pentland, Sloan	2:17
2.	"Nothing Left to Make Me Want to Stay"	C. Murphy, Sloan	2:35
3.	"Autobiography"	C. Murphy, Sloan	3:18
4.	"Junior Panthers"	J. Ferguson, Sloan	2:38
5.	"G Turns to D"	C. Murphy, Sloan	3:24
6.	"A Side Wins"	A. Scott, Sloan	3:11
7.	"Everything You've Done Wrong"	P. Pentland, Sloan	3:29
8.	"Anyone Who's Anyone"	C. Murphy, Sloan	2:48
9.	"The Lines You Amend"	J. Ferguson, Sloan	2:32
10.	"Take the Bench"	C. Murphy, Sloan	3:50
11.	"Can't Face Up"	P. Pentland, Sloan	3:53
12.	"400 Metres"	A. Scott, Sloan	4:31

The album is a classic unknown power pop gem.  If you like catchy melodies, 4-part harmonies, and 20 years worth of great material, check out Sloan!

Blind Faith

Blind Faiths 1969 self titled album was their first and only album. The band was a supergroup that consisted of Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds,Cream), Ginger Baker (Graham Bond Organisation, Cream), Steve Winwood(Spencer Davis Group, Traffic) and Ric Grech(Family). What more could you want in a band? The album merges blues rock, psych rock and prog rock into one of the try great classic rock albums.

The album was famous before it even came out. There was a buzz behind the band and the album because of how famous all of the members were. The album was met with critical and billboard success. Rolling Stone reviewed the album by three of their top music critics, all having the album for it's mastery.  The songs are heavy but very melodic and catchy.

The album art caused quite a stir because it shows a girl with exposed breasts. The girl appears to be pre-pubescent. It is a painting that was done by an art student and much controversy still surrounds the original cover. Becase of this, an alternate cover was issued

Track Listings

1. Had To Cry Today

2. Can't Find My Way Home

3. Well All Right

4. Presence Of The Lord

5. Sea Of Joy

6. Do What You Like

   
   

   Personnel:

   • Steve Winwood – organ, piano, guitar, bass, lead vocals
   • Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
   • Ric Grech – bass guitar, violin, vocals
   • Ginger Baker – drums, percussion

   
   

Cheapo-Cheapo Productions Presents Real Live John Sebastian

John Sebastian sang for The Lovin' Spoonful. He's best known for writing and singing their hit song "Do You Believe In Magic?"

This live album was purchased a record store for two bucks, what a great two bucks those were.

Allmusic had this to say, "After issuing an unauthorized version of John's first album for Reprise, MGM continued its shenanigans by releasing an unauthorized live album, so John and his label struck back with this vastly superior 1971 concert recording, which features a charming assortment of covers, Spoonful favorites and newer tunes."

The album is a sing a long. Sebastian played old folk songs which just him and his guitar. Later he was accompanied by a piano.

This is a great classic live folk album that soon you'll be singing along to! and you can pick it up very cheap at most record shops! 

Track listing 

		Live One (26:20)
A1		Mobile Line (Gonna Carry Me Away From The Bull Frog Blues) Written-By – P.Stampfel*	1:25
A2		Lovin' You	1:30
A3		Fishin' Blues Written-By – J.Sebastian*, P.Stampfel*	2:20
A4		Younger Girl	2:35
A5		Did You Ever Had To Make Up Your Mind	1:58
A6		Rooty-Toot Written-By – J.C.Lewis*	1:33
A7		In The Still Of The Night (I Remember Paris) Written-By – F.Parris*	2:16
A8		Blue Suede Shoes Written-By – C.Perkins*	1:32
A9		Nashvile Cats	2:05
		Live Too (24:40)
B1		Waiting For A Train Written-By – J.Rogers*	2:25
B2		My Gal Written-By – G.Muldaur*	2:33
B3		Younger Generation	2:45
B4		Darlin' Be Home Soon	3:20
B5		Blues For Dad & JB's Happy Harmonica	3:05
B6		Amy's Theme	1:38
B7		Goodnight Irene Written-By – J.Lomax*, Leadbelly	4:14

Whatevershebringswesing

Whatevershebringswesing (1971) is weird that's for sure. There's not much else to say. Note that weird in the case of this album, is great. Kevin Ayers the man behind this album is a genius...I think. This album borders on genius and crazy but the melodys come through the surface weirdness and make for an absolutely necessary listening experience.

The album was recorded with members of Gong and The Whole World, bands Ayers had worked with before. The Album was Ayer's most critically acclaimed with praises from Rolling Stone.

Guitarist Mike Oldfield set the tone on this album. A tone that would dominate his sound throughout the 70s.

Ayers style is a mesh of many disparate styles and genres that all take place together but somehow harmoniously fit together. His music is almost a feat because of how he brings together such polar foreign sounds. The album features bass solo intros, bells, classical interlude interruptions, and just about any other weird sounds you can think if.

The B-side of the album features more typical songs without as much avant garde vignettes spliced into the songs. The track Whatevershebringswesing was a standout for me, featuring 50s vibes and soft guitar melodic solos.

Side 1

1. "There is Loving (Ayers)/Among Us (Bedford)/There is Loving (Ayers)" (7:22)
2. "Margaret" (3:20) (Ayers)
3. "Oh My" (2:59) (Ayers)
4. "Song from the Bottom of a Well" (4:37) (Ayers)

Side 2

1. "Whatevershebringswesing" (8:13) (Ayers)
2. "Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes" (3:24) (Ayers)
3. "Champagne Cowboy Blues" (3:56) (Ayers)
4. "Lullabye" (2:14) (Ayers)

Personnel:

• Kevin Ayers / vocals, guitar, bass (6)
• David Bedford / keyboards (1,2,5,6,8,12), orchestral arrangements
• Mike Oldfield / bass (1,3,4), guitar (5,7)
• Dave Dufort / drums (1,4,5)
• William Murray / percussion (2,3,7)
• Tony Carr / drums (6,12)
• Robert Wyatt / Harmony vocals (5)
• Didier Malherbe / saxophone (1), flute (8)
• Gerry Fields / violin (3)
• Johnny Van Derek / violin (2,7)
• Bruce Malamut / flugelhorns (1), incidental brass (1,2,5,6,8,12), ass't engineer (1,2)

Histoire de Melody Nelson

Ya gotta love the French. They're cool, they're chic, and they're sexy.  So it only makese sense that music from France would be all those things and more. Serge Gainsbourg is the singer and songwriter behind this epic album, and possibly the coolest man to have ever graced the Earth. 

The album is a concept album about middle aged Gainsbourg crashing his Rolls Royce into a young girl named Melody Nelson. There are pseudo-Lolita vibes present on the album and his the girlfriend, Jane Birkin, was present on the album and played the role of Melody Nelson.

The album is a mix of funk, jazz, and a lot of spoke word Frenxh over wailing guitar solos. At just about 28 minutes the album is very short, but it packs a punch. This album features se of the best bass lines and times on any album I've heard. The album is pure funkiness, it's weird, it makes you want to get up and dance. Although you can't dance like you normally would, the time signatures are strange, the instrumentation is strange. Moving to this album is a whole other monster. Give it a try.

Jean-Claude Vannier composed all the choral and orchestral backing to the album with Gainsbourg.  Vannier finally performed the album live at London's Barbican on October 21, 2006. He went on to perform the album again in full in 2008 and then again in 2011.

1. "Melody" - 7:32
2. "Ballade de Melody Nelson" (Music by Serge Gainsbourg/Jean-Claude Vannier) - 2:00
3. "Valse de Melody" - 1:31
4. "Ah! Melody" (Music by Serge Gainsbourg/Jean-Claude Vannier) - 1:47
5. "L'hôtel particulier" - 4:05
6. "En Melody" (Music by Serge Gainsbourg/Jean-Claude Vannier) - 3:25
7. "Cargo culte" - 7:37

Personnel:

• Alan Parker - guitar
• Dave Richmond - bass
• Roger Coulam - keyboards
• Jean-Claude Vannier - arrangements, Orchestra Director
• Jane Birkin - vocal parts

The James Gang Rides Again

Is it blues? Is it had rock? Is it funk? The James Gang Rides Again (1970) is all those genres and more. This was the second album from the rockers from Cleveland. Their first album Yer' Album came out the year before. The James Gang Rides Again was the first album to feature bassist, Dale Peters.

My roommate and I knew some things about The James Gang, we knew the basics, but we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into when we out the needle into the record. Immediately we were blown away by just how classic this album seemed. It seemed as if we'd heard it before, it was so familiar becUse it was just so good.

The second album is a coming of age piece for the principle songwriter and lead guitar player, Joe Walsh, who would later play for The Eagles. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote "With their second album Rides Again, the James Gang came into their own... Walsh's songwriting had improved, giving the band solid support for their stylistic experiments. What ties the two sides of the record together is the strength of the band's musicianship, which burns brightly and powerfully on the hardest rockers, as well as on the sensitive ballads."

The album truly encompasses everything an album can possibly have. Every genre is spanned. While there are only nine songs on the album, it is a short listen but certain tracks like "The Bomber: Closet Queen" is a medley that goes from hard funk to classical and finally ends with a progression that was taken right from the hands of Hendrix. The song "Funk 49" has been used in countless movies and was recently featured in Rock Band 3. The song has become a classic rock anthem.

1. "Funk #49" (Fox, Peters, Walsh) – 3:54
2. "Asshton Park" (Fox, Peters, Walsh) – 2:01
3. "Woman" (Fox, Peters, Walsh) – 4:37
4. "The Bomber: Closet Queen" (Fox, Peters, Walsh) / "Boléro" (Maurice Ravel)* / "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" (Vince Guaraldi) – 7:04
5. "Tend My Garden" (Walsh) – 5:45
6. "Garden Gate" (Walsh) – 1:36
7. "There I Go Again" (Walsh) – 2:51
8. "Thanks" (Walsh) – 2:21
9. "Ashes, the Rain and I" (Peters, Walsh) – 5:00

The albums personnel:

• Joe Walsh – guitars, keyboards, piano, percussion, vocals.
• Dale Peters – bass guitars, guitars, keyboards, percussion, vocals.
• Jim Fox – drums, percussion, keyboards, organ, piano, vocals.
• Rusty Young – pedal steel guitar on "There I Go Again".