276. Space Ritual

Space Ritual
Hawkwind
1973

Tracks
1. Earth Calling 
2. Born To Go 
3. Down Through The Night 
4. Awakening 
5. Lord Of Light 
6. Black Corridor 
7. Space Is Deep 
8. Electronic No 1 
9. Orgone Accumulator 
10. Upside Down 
11. Ten Seconds Of Forever 
12. Brainstorm 
13. Seven By Seven 
14. Sonic Attack 
15. Time We Left This World Today 
16. Master Of The Universe 
17. Welcome To The Future

Okay, who the hell was clamoring for "space rock"?  Honestly, I do not know a single person who has heard of this band let alone liked their music.  But on the plus side, this album is excruciatingly long!

Maybe I am being a bit too harsh; this certainly isn't the worst thing I have ever listened to. Still, it reminded me of Ross' sound from Friends. On a separate, less whiny note, I got stuck in traffic yesterday and if it wasn't for the music I acquired from this blog (such as The Carpenters, David Bowie, and David McLean) I would have suffered from extreme road rage. RATING: 1/5

275. Catch a Fire

Catch a Fire
Bob Marley and The Wailers
1973

Tracks
1. Concrete Jungle 
2. Slave Driver 
3. 400 Years 
4. Stop That Train 
5. Baby We've Got A Date (Rock It Baby)
6. Stir It Up 
7. Kinky Reggae 
8. No More Trouble 
9. Midnight Ravers

As I rapidly lose followers in all my blogs, I suppose the normal thing to do would be to strive harder for uniqueness and creativity.  However, the point of this blog is to do discuss music.  I will ask my few followers (you guys are really troopers) to comment more on the different albums to encourage discussion.  There, that's my effort.  Now to Bob Marley.

I think it is a rule that all high school boys like Bob Marley.  I actually think it would impossible for me to enter a high school and not see a Bob Marley tee-shirt.  I am pleased to announce that I already have three Marley songs on my iPod.  I think all the Shania Twain I have, though, kind of cancels that out.

Anyway, I would recommend this as a great conversation starter with men.  Actually, this is an untested theory, but I would imagine it would work well.  Anyway, this album is a lot of fun.  Bob Marley manages to have interesting political messages and be catchy.  Not an easy feat.

RATING: 5/5

274. Larks' Tongues in Aspic

Larks' Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson
1973

Tracks
1. Lark's Tongues In Aspic 
2. Book Of Saturday 
3. Exiles 
4. Easy Money 
5. Talking Drum
6. Lark's Tongues In Aspic 

This album was just a hot mess but in a really charming way.  I was used to the kind of progressive rock like Yes, where it is mostly an embarrassing failure.  However, this managed to be experimental and fun.

It seems that every instrument under the sun was used in this album but for some reason it blends remarkably well.  Most of the songs were instrumental but "Book Of Saturday" wasn't and it was beautiful and sweet.  Definitely not like anything you have ever listened to before.

RATING: 4/5

273. Aladdin Sane

Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
1973

Tracks
1. Watch That Man 
2. Aladdin Sane 
3. Drive In Saturday 
4. Panic In Detroit 
5. Cracked Actor 
6. Time 
7. Prettiest Star
8. Let's Spend The Night Together 
9. Jean Genie 
10. Lady Grinning Soul

This is the  third David Bowie on the list but you can see his influence is spreading to other artists during this time period.  Still, no one is as weird as Bowie is and you can definitely see that on this album.

In my opinion, this wasn't his best effort.  I simply thought it was rather...meh.  He is still be crazy and loud but it is simply not that impressive to be shocking.  I was hoping for more catchy songs (I did like "Jean Jeanie") but instead I just got loud, chaotic messes.  Oh well.  We have plenty more Bowie albums coming up.

RATING: 2/5

272. Bongo Rock

Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
1973

Tracks
1. Let There Be Drums
2. Apache
3. Bongolia
4. Last Bongo In Belgium
5. Dueling Bongos
6. In A Gadda Da Vida
7. Raunchy
8. Bongo Rock

So going to work on a Saturday is no small feat.  To make my self feel better, I decided to put on my album for a day.  And, of course, this was the day that the album was called Bongo Rock.

So many bongos.  No vocals, just pure bongos for about an hour.  And while it sounds like this album might have achieved pulling-out-hair status, it wasn't half bad.  Seriously.

For an album made up of entirely the same instrument, it actually had a surprising amount of variety.  Not only that, but the tunes are catchy.  They also do a cover of "In A Gadda Da Vidda".  Bet you never listened to a bongo cover of a famous song.  I have!

Overall, it could have absolutely sucked but it actually was relatively decent.

RATING: 3/5

271. Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd

Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
1973

Tracks
1. I Ain't The One 
2. Tuesday's Gone 
3. Gimme Three Steps 
4. Simple Man 
5. Things Goin' On 
6. Mississippi Kid 
7. Poison Whiskey 
8. Freebird

This has been a bit of a crazy day with my sister moving away (once again) and lots of ice cream to make up for it.  I started this album a couple days and haven't been able to get back into it until today.  Actually, correction: I am still not into it but I finished it at least.

So country rock is kicking off 1973 for us.  This is certainly an improvement from the bluegrass shit we have heard previously but I still am simply not a country fan.  That makes me biased when reviewing albums like this but screw it; it is my blog.

The most famous track, of course, is "Freebird" and they have a few other fairly decent songs here.  Still, I fundamentally don't like the genre.  If you do, go die in a hole.  Or just listen to this album.

RATING: 2/5

270. Exile On Main Street

Exile On Main Street
Rolling Stones
1972

Tracks

1. Rocks Off 
2. Rip This Joint 
3. Shake Your Hips 
4. Casino Boogie 
5. Tumbling Dice 
6. Sweet Virginia 
7. Torn And Frayed 
8. Sweet Black Angel 
9. Loving Cup 
10. Happy 
11. Turd On The Run 
12. Ventilator Blues 
13. I Just Want To See His Face 
14. Let It Loose 
15. All Down The Line 
16. Stop Breakin' Down 
17. Shine A Light 
18. Soul Survivor

Yay!  We are officially done with 1972! This is a big deal to me, at least; since we have been stuck in this year since Randy Newman.  We are finishing this year off with some Rolling Stones, who I believed were bound to disappoint once again.

However, I was pleasantly surprised with this album.  Apparently the band was a total mess with drugs and wedding plans (a lethal combination) during the making of this album but you would never know it from listening to this album.  Everything just seems to fit.  Not innovative in the least but still some fun classic rock and roll.

RATING: 4/5

269. Let's Stay Together

Let's Stay Together
Al Green
1972

Tracks
1. Let's Stay Together
2. La La For You
3. So You're Leaving
4. What Is This Feeling
5. Old Time Lovin'
6. I've Never Found A Girl
7. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
8. Judy
9. Ain't No Fun To Me

This album is really a throwback.  I feel like usually I am either listening to funk or some sort of weird futuristic, spacey shit.  This, however, sounds like The Temptations from the fifties.  Whereas some people like progressing, I would rather regress especially since we are nearing disco.

Al Green has the smoothest, sexiest voice since Sam Cooke.  In fact, this entire album could be Sam Cooke and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.  He also covers a Bee Gees song which, surprisingly, is not the disaster it could have been.

You are certainly not going to be stunned by the originality of this album but you are going to enjoy the easy listening.

RATING: 4/5

268. The World Is A Ghetto

The World Is A Ghetto
War
1972

Tracks

1. Cisco Kid
2. Where Was You At
3. City, Country, City 
4. Four Cornered Room
5. World Is a Ghetto 
6. Beetles in the Bog 

I really had no idea what to expect with this album, mostly because I have never heard of the album or the band.  And honestly, I am pretty sure I will forget about this album rather quickly.  Another funk album that is against things that generally everyone is against (or at least will say they are against): war, poverty, and urban decay.

I felt the same way when I had to listen to album after album about how the Vietnam War was bad.  I am not saying that their opinions don't have merit; it just gets boring after awhile.  I suppose it would have been exciting if I was living in that era, but as a nineties baby, it is just redundant.

In any case, this album as a few catchy songs like "Cisco Kid" but overall it is just...meh.

RATING: 2/5

267. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars
David Bowie
1972

Tracks
1. Five Years 
2. Soul Love 
3. Moonage Daydream 
4. Starman 
5. It Ain't Easy 
6. Lady Stardust
7. Star 
8. Hang on to Yourself 
9. Ziggy Stardust 
10. Suffragette City 
11. Rock & Roll Suicide 

I listened to about half of this album, stopped, and then didn't finish until five days later.  I don't know why it didn't interest me; I am usually quite the Bowie fan despite his weirdness.  Still, this this album was missing something that was definitely present in his other albums.

Don't get me wrong; this is not a bad album.  I guess David Bowie had got me expecting the best.  It is simply not as interesting or original as Hunky Dory was, though it was much rockier. Is that a term?

Anyway, check it out but don't expect to be wowed.

RATING: 3/5

266. All Directions

All Directions
The Temptations
1972

Tracks
1. Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On
2. Run Charlie Run
3. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
4. Love Woke Me Up This Morning
5. I Ain't Got Nothn'
6. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
7. Mother Nature
8. Do Your Thing

All right, so I was anticipating some nice harmonies in the same vein as "My Girl" with this album.  I certainly was not expecting this.  The Temptations get funky!  Just look out how funky the purple pantsuit is on the cover!

You can tell you are going to get some serious funk with the first track.  However, the album progresses into something more.  "Run Charlie Run", for instance, is a song about how white people ran to the suburbs when African Americans started populating the cities.  I never thought that the Temptations would be political.  I mean, does this look political to you?

Even though there is a definite shift in the tone of this album, The Temptations keep their old harmonic charm.  A pleasant surprise.

RATING: 4/5

265. School's Out

School's Out
Alice Cooper (who, incidentally, is a guy)
1972

Tracks
1. School's Out 
2. Luney Tune 
3. Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets 
4. Street Fight 
5. Blue Turk 
6. My Stars 
7. Public Animal #9
8. Alma Mater 
9. Grande Finale

Oh my god.  I am so sick of books, movies, or albums that think that because they shock some people, that makes them works of art.  Well, newsflash: it does not take a lot of skill to surprise people.  All you have to do is take off your pants in a grocery line to get the desired reaction.  Does that make you an artist?  Absolutely not.

So since shock is the sole purpose of this album, I am not impressed.  This guy inspired Marilyn Manson.  Enough said.

I do, however, enjoy West Side Story and appreciated some of the references to it in track 3.  Still, I absolutely detest concept albums and every thing this guy is.  Just look at him:

RATING: 1/5

264. Roxy Music

Roxy Music
Roxy Music
1972

Tracks
1. Re-make/Re-model 
2. Ladytron 
3. If There Is Something
4. Virginia Plain
5. 2 H.B. 
6. The Bob (Medley) 
7. Chance Meeting 
8. Would You Believe? 
9. Sea Breezes 
10. Bitters End

I was listening to this album while getting ready for work.  Since this album was the background music for me poking myself in the eye with a mascara wand, feeling fat, and trying to smooth down frizz, you might think I am bias while reviewing this album.  I am strongly convinced, however, I would hate it anyway.

This album is a real clusterfuck.  There is acapella, space sounds, synthesizers, and, if I am not mistaken, didgeridoos.  I really don't think this counts as music.  In fact, it saddens me that it does.  These are just random jarring sounds!!! Where is the beauty?  I am going to go be disillusioned with life now.

RATING: 1/5

263. Paul Simon

Paul Simon
Paul Simon
1972

Tracks
1. Mother and Child Reunion 
2. Duncan 
3. Everything Put Together Falls Apart 
4. Run That Body Down 
5. Armistice Day 
6. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard 
7. Peace Like a River 
8. Papa Hobo 
9. Hobo's Blues 
10. Paranoia Blues 
11. Congratulations

A time comes in all of our lives where we must choose: Simon or Garfunkel?  I think most people pick Simon and you can certainly see why from this album.  Garfunkel seems a lot less of a tight ass though.  Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

Anyway, this is a really experimental album.  Simon incorporates all different kinds of music in it, from Jamaican to folk rock.  He also happens to possess one of the sweetest voices known to mankind.  All this makes for a pretty beautiful album.  Still, it is not the most interesting one I have ever heard.  Worth a listen though.

RATING: 3/5

262. Pink Moon

Pink Moon
Nick Drake
1972

Tracks
1. Pink Moon 
2. Place To Be 
3. Road 
4. Which Will 
5. Horn 
6. Things Behind The Sun 
7. Know 
8. Parasite
9. Ride 
10. Harvest Breed
11. From The Morning


Well that was horrifically depressing.  Less than two years after this album came out, Nick Drake committed suicide.  This whole album actually plays out like one long suicide note.  There is no anger, angst, or desperation.  It is just so full of resignation and sadness.


I am not a huge Nick Drake fan (though thanks to the list I have listened to all his albums) but there is something extraordinarily tender and sweet in his songs.  Maybe the world just wasn't good for a soul as beautiful as his. I would say get ready to cry if you listen to this album, but I feel like misrepresents it.  It won't leave you sobbing, it will just leave you forlorn and lonely.  Listen to it if you must.


RATING: 4/5

261. Greetings From L.A.

Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
1972

Tracks
1. Move With Me
2. Get On Top
3. Sweet Surrender
4. Night Hawkin'
5. Devil Eyes
6. Hong Kong Bar
7. Make It Right


I am having a wonderful day off work; I am getting a lot done but still relaxing.  I also happen to be stuffing my face with Skittles right now which is always a guarantee for happiness.  


I am really struggling for something to write about this album.  I also happen to be listening to the next album on the list right now and Nick Drake is really distracting me.  Anyway, the book seemed to think that this album was just about the sexiest thing they have ever heard.  I think, though, that you make anything sound dirty you believe that it was meant to sound so.  I did not get that it was sexy at all; to me, it just sounded folksy and fun.  But what the hell do I know?  I never know when a guy is even flirting with me.  Probably because they never are, but I choosing to believe I am simply oblivious.

RATING: 3/5 

260. The Eagles

The Eagles
The Eagles
1972

Tracks
1. Take It Easy 
2. Witchy Woman 
3. Chug All Night 
4. Most Of Us Are Sad 
5. Nightingale 
6. Train Leaves Here This Morning 
7. Take The Devil 
8. Earlybird 
9. Peaceful Easy Feeling 
10. Tryin'


FINALLY!  An album that is generally panned by critics.  Do you know what this means???  It means I will probably like it!


I was familiar with the The Eagles for awhile; I think everyone has heard "Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong".  Of course, Stewie sings it best:

Anyway, I was excited to see what other poppy hits they would come up with.  Believe me, I was not disappointed.  This album is full of catchy tunes, my favorite being "Take It Easy".  This album as much depth as a puddle, but that is the beauty of it!  It was so nice to take a break from all the pretentious, intellectual albums.  Now I am refreshed and ready to listen to Tim Buckley tomorrow. RATING: 4/5

259. American Gothic

American Gothic
David Ackles
1972

Tracks
1. American Gothic
2. Love's Enough
3. Ballad Of The Ship Of State
4. One Night Stand
5. Oh California
6. Another Friday Night
7. Family Band
8. Midnight Carousel
9. Waiting For The Moving Van
10. Blues For Billy Whitecloud
11. Montana Song


This album is weird for several reasons.  One, it is actually a normal sized album which is quite refreshing after listening to all the excruciatingly long albums we have been treated to lately.  This album is also strange because it sounds like it is all from a Broadway show.


No one has ever heard of this guy, David Ackles, the reason being that his albums were huge flops.  Of course, now they are considered musical masterpieces; I suppose the reasoning is that the masses simply didn't understand his genius and only snobby critics can appreciate this gem.  Actually, to me, this album seemed like the parodies they do of Broadway songs.  An example from 30 Rock:

Overall it was just a weird experience; I like show tunes as much as the next guy, but that is when they come from...ahem...shows.

RATING: 2/5

258. The Slider

The Slider
T-Rex
1972

Tracks
1. Metal Guru
2. Mystic Lady
3. Rock On
4. Slider
5. Baby Boomerang
6. Spaceball Ricochet
7. Buick Mackane
8. Telegram Sam
9. Rabbit Fighter
10. Baby Strange
11. Ballrooms Of Mars
12. Chariot Choogle
13. Main Man


More glam rock, which is always slightly frightening.  Besides the ridiculous costumes, it makes me feel like they are trying to distract me from the fact that they may not be that talented.  However, I was pleasantly surprised with this album.


I gave the previous T-Rex album four stars but I am feeling a little less generous with this one.  It technically isn't worse; it is just more of the same.  Luckily for them, more of the same for this band is actually quite good, just not original.  I found myself singing along to a couple songs like "Metal Guru"; others got on my nerves like "Rock On".  Still a good album, but certainly not their best work and I am not really sure it deserves a place on the list.


RATING: 3/5

257. Manassas

Manassas
Stephen Stills
1972

Tracks
1. Song Of Love
2. Crazies
3. Cuban Bluegrass
4. Jet Set 
5. Anyway
6. Both Of Us (Bound To Lose) 
7. Fallen Eagle 
8. Jesus Gave Love Away For Free 
9. Colorado 
10. So Begins The Task 
11. Hide It So Deep 
12. Don't Look At My Shadow 
13. It Doesn't Matter 
14. Johnny's Garden 
15. Bound To Fall 
16. How Far 
17. Move Around 
18. Love Gangster 
19. What To Do 
20. Right Now 
21. Treasure 
22. Blues Man


I am in an extremely foul mood, mostly because my mom and I just got in a fight.  Blah x 10.  Stephen Stills didn't exactly help; I am so sick of him.  I feel like I am in an endless CSNY vortex. I mean, I like the guys but not that much.


Here is a string of your pretty standard folk songs, some sadder than others.  As you can see from the album cover, this was actually more of a group effort than a solo act.  In fact, Stills rarely sings alone in this album.


I will probably come back and add to this when I don't want to kick something.

RATING: 2/5