375. Hard Again

Hard Again
Muddy Waters
1977

Tracks
1. Mannish Boy 
2. Bus Driver 
3. I Want to Be Loved 
4. Jealous Hearted Man 
5. I Can't Be Satisfied 
6. Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock & Roll 
7. Deep Down in Florida 
8. Crosseyed Cat 
9. Little Girl

Once again, we come across the original cliche.  All right, maybe I don't have the musical history knowledge to make this claim, but this album is a pretty early example of the whole "nah nah nah nah nah" craze.  Is it not clear what I am talking about?  How about an example from television:

That's the best example I could find since I don't want to torture anyone with a Full House reference.  Haven't we suffered enough on this blog (see BeeGees and bongo bands)?

The problem with revisiting early music is that by the time you listen to it, you have heard it done so many times that it can just be extremely dull to sit through.  However, I was pleasantly surprised with this album.  It wasn't particularly exciting, but it was pure gritty blues and a fun listen.

RATING: 4/5

374. Heavy Weather

Heavy Weather
Weather Report
1977

Tracks
1. Birdland
2. Remark You Made
3. Teen Town
4. Harlequin
5. Rumba Mama
6. Palladium
7. Juggler
8. Havona

Getting back here to write has not exactly been easy and when you have an album like this, it makes everything harder.  This is a jazz fusion album.  Should we all just puke now or wait until I am done with the review?

I expected a bit of a pretentious mess when I first played this album.  At least that would have been halfway interesting.  This was just an incredibly dull that would have had me pushing on the door open button in the elevator, if I was listening to the song in its presumably natural habitat.

Just plain boring and I have no idea why this would be in The Book.  Thankfully, I can bash it quite hard, since no one has heard of it.  Hear that Weather Report?  You are completely alone....too much?

RATING: 1/5

373. Out of the Blue

Out of the Blue
Electric Blue Orchestra
1977

Tracks
1. Turn To Stone
2. It's Over
3. Sweet Talkin' Woman
4. Across The Border
5. Night In The City
6. Starlight
7. Jungle
8. Believe Me Now
9. Steppin' Out
10. Standin' In The Rain (Concerto For A Rainy Day)
11. Big Wheels
12. Summer And Lightning
13. Mr. Blue Sky
14. Sweet Is The Night
15. Whale
16. Birmingham Blues 
17. Wild West Hero

This post probably came from out of the blue, since I haven't written in awhile.  I would promise to not make awful puns anymore, but unfortunately, it happens often and when you least expect it.  Stay alert and travel in pairs, people.

When I hear the word "orchestra" I think of symphonies and old men glaring at me because I clapped before the set was over (which is just wishful thinking to the point of idiocy).  However, to my great relief, it was pretty much a typical progressive rock album.  Actually, some of the tracks didn't even sound that progressive; they felt like they could be unpopular Beach Boys songs.

The whole thing was rather unremarkable.  And what is with the cover art?  With art like that, there should have been some cheesy space sound effects. I mean, I would have complained about that too but at least there wouldn't be consistency issues.

Easily skippable.  I promise I will try to write more than once in a blue moon.  That was the last one, I swear.

RATING: 3/5

372. Exodus

Exodus
Bob Marley and the Wailers
1977

Tracks
1. Natural Mystic 
2. So Much Things To Say
3. Guiltiness 
4. Heathen 
5. Exodus 
6. Jammin' 
7. Waiting In Vain 
8. Turn Your Lights Down Low 
9. Three Little Birds 
10. One Love/People Get Ready

I am devoting this entire day to my blogs, since I have been far behind on all of them.  This project usually ends up being the neglected middle child in my blog family since it has the least amount of readers, but this time I am writing this review before I work on my movie blog.  The scrap of attention that I am throwing it will ensure years of therapy as it tries to work out if I may have loved it after all.

Most of these songs are recognizable, particularly "Three Little Birds".  The most beautiful song on this album was by far "One Love/People Get Ready".  I was really blown away by the vocals, which is something I really don't expect with a Marley album.

This is such an improvement from previous Marley albums and I am trying to figure out why.  The political messages are still there, but I felt like they flowed a lot better with the melodies.  It really felt like art; not propaganda.

An absolutely beautiful, must-hear album.

RATING: 4/5

One Love/People Get Ready:

371. The Stranger

The Stranger
Billy Joel
1977

Tracks
1. Moving Out
2. Just The Way You Are
3. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
4. Vienna
5. Stranger
6. Only The Good Die Young
7. She's Always A Woman
8. Get It Right The First Time
9. Everybody Has A Dream

I expected to absolutely love this album because who doesn't love Billy Joel?  I dare anyone to hear "Only the Good Die Young" on the radio and not sing along.  It will like the Ice Bucket challenge but more interesting to watch.  However, with the exception of "Moving Out", I got a pretty sexist vibe from this album without the benefit of any good beats.

Younger people will probably immediately think of Bruno Mars when they hear the song title "Just the Way You Are".  For the unaware, Mars' song describes how beautiful his girlfriend is, even though she doesn't always think so.  Joel's song, though, has a slightly less touching vibe.  Here are some of the lyrics:

I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are.

Is he calling her stupid?  Or I am being sensitive?  Will his next song be about how women are really sensitive?  He is still doing music, right?

"Only the Good Die Young" is such a fun song that it makes up for the rest of the album being blah.  Almost.

RATING: 3/5

370. Trans-Europa Express

Trans-Europa Express
Kraftwerk
1977

Tracks
1. Europa Endlos 
2. Spiegelsaal 
3. Schaufensterpuppen 
4. Trans Europa Express 
5. Metall Auf Metall 
6. Abzug
7. Franz Schubert 
8. Endlos Endlos

I was only about two minutes into this album when my sister shouted from the other room that she hated it.  Unfortunately, that was the best part of the album so hopefully, the pointed door slam and the subsequent lack of complaining means that she was able to block it out.  I was not so lucky and had to listen to the whole thing.

There are two different types of this album, the English and the German version.  I listened to the English one, since I am pretty sure that is what the book was referring to.  However, I suppose for a more "authentic" experience, you should listen to the German one.

Did anyone else find the mirror song incredibly annoying?  How many times were they going to repeat the same line? The few mildly entertaining melodies surely weren't worth that!

RATING: 2/5

369. Before and After Science

Before and After Science
Brian Frampton
1977

Tracks
1. No One Receiving
2. Backwater
3. Kurt's Rejoinder 
4. Energy Fools The Magician
5. King's Lead Hat
6. Here He Comes
7. Julie With...
8. By This River 
9. Through Hollow Lands
10. Spider And I

WE HAVE FINALLY HIT 1977!  I think I have spent more that an actual year on 1976 which is just plain odd when you think about it.  Our first introduction into 1977 is a really pretentious ark rock album by Brian Eno!  Time to find the nearest window that unlocks.

We have had a few experiences before Brian Eno and I recall thinking that he was overrated and all over the place.  Now, with a bit more experience with experimental music, I found him to be a lot more tame and a lot less remarkable than before.

"Julie With" has absolutely beautiful lyrics but its lack of a memorable melody makes it pretty forgettable.  I actually felt that way about all of the tracks: good lyrics and good music were pretty much mutually exclusive.

So I still got the scattered feeling but none of the potential intrigue.  Thumbs down.

RATING: 2/5

368. Frampton Comes Alive!

Frampton Comes Alive!
Peter Frampton
1976

Tracks
1. Baby Something's Happening 
2. Doobie Wah 
3. Show Me The Way
4. It's A Plain Shame 
5. All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)
6. Wind Of Change 
7. Baby I Love Your Way 
8. I Wanna Go To The Sun 
9. Penny For Your Thoughts 
10. I'll Give You Money 
11. Shine On 
12. Jumpin' Jack Flash 
13. Lines On My Face
14. Do You Feel Like We Do

Has it really been around a month since I posted?  Rest assured, I am never going to give up on this journey but I am definitely slowing down.  Between physical therapy and trying to fit in my other blogs, I have had a bit of a hard time settling down to listen to anything.  I will try harder to post but as I don't exactly have a large fan base on this blog, it may fall by the wayside again.

Let's get to Frampton, shall we?  I have a personal prejudice about live albums, so right off the bat I was wary.  I don't like listening to the crowd sing lines of songs or excessively long applauses.  I understand why people like being able to experience the energy of venues, but I don't even like real concerts.  They are loud and parking is always a nightmare.  But I digress.

I don't really have too much to say on this album.  I felt like if any of the songs on this album played on the radio, I wouldn't immediately change the station.  Still, no song was that memorable or grabbing.  

I have done some research on Frampton and apparently, a lot of people think he is cheesy. Maybe he is a bit, but I think you can still always have fun with that.  Better cheesy than annoyingly pretentious like some of the other "artists" we have had to deal with here.

RATING: 3/5

Side note: the person who wrote the entry for this album in The Book ended the passage by saying "We are not worthy!"  Dramatic, much?

367. Songs in the Key of Life

Songs in the Key of Life
Stevie Wonder
1976

Tracks

1 Love's in Need of Love Today
2 Have a Talk With God
3 Village Ghetto Land
4 Confusion
5 Sir Duke
6 I Wish
7 Knocks Me off My Feet
8 Pastime Paradise
9 Summer Soft
10 Ordinary Pain
11 Isn't She Lovely
12 Joy Inside My Tears
13 Black Man
14 Ngiculela-Es Una Historia-I Am Singing
15 If It's Magic
16 As 
17 Another Star
18 Saturn
19 Ebony Eyes
20 All Day Sucker
21 Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)


Now we finally get an album that most people have actually heard; in fact, it would be almost impossible to have never heard the song "Isn't She Lovely".  Happily, I think we have finally gotten to the point today when everyone realizes it is a song for a baby so everybody can stop playing it at their weddings and looking like morons.

I don't know if any album should be as long as this one.  It is around an hour and twenty minutes which is just way too long for me to listen to anything, even the sweet, sweet sound of Stevie Wonder's voice.

It is kind of a given that this album is beautiful, given the talent of Stevie Wonder.  Before I listened to it, though, I did a little research and after all the gushing I read, I was a bit disappointed.  I suppose it is impossible not to be disappointed when there is that much hype.  Still, was anyone else bored by the end?  Like I said an hour and twenty freaking minutes of the same style and voice!  Am I alone in this?

RATING: 3/5

366. Legalize It

Legalize It
Peter Tosh
1976

Tracks
1. Legalize It
2. Burial
3. What'cha Gonna Do?
4. No Sympathy
5. Why Must I Cry
6. Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)
7. Ketchy Shuby
8. Till Your Well Runs Dry
9. Brand New Second Hand

I have often remarked that some of this albums may be more pleasing if you were in a somewhat altered state of mind.  Yesterday I adapted myself to this alternate reality (for medicinal purposes of course; I am still recovering from my surgery and it hurts like hell). I still hated this album so perhaps I am not cut out to wear Bob Marley t-shirts and be apathetic about important things.

The title track of this album is not catchy and doesn't really say anything original.  Yes, marijuana should be legal; that's not exactly an insightful new idea, even in 1976.  I can see a sixteen year old stoner penning the same lyrics.

Entirely unremarkable and I have no idea why it would even make it on The List.

RATING: 2/5

365. Zombie

Zombie
Fela Kuti and The Africa '70
1976

Tracks
1. Zombie
2. Mister Follow Follow

Ladies and gentlemen, I have posted twice in one week.  Don't call me a hero.   If you absolutely have to call me that make sure I am within hearing distance.

After a string of great albums, we get to this one, which was somewhat of a dud for me.  Thirty minutes of essentially the same song was a bit tiresome.  However, with an album like this, enjoyment isn't exactly necessary.

This album evidently criticized the Nigerian government heavily (it's a bit hard to divine this meaning after just one listening).  Consequently, Fela Kuti's mother was murdered and his commune was destroyed by Nigerian soldiers.

I didn't enjoy this album.  However, listening to it, and remembering what it cost to make, is an important experience that I think we should all have.

RATING: 3/5

364. The Ramones

The Ramones

The Ramones

1976

Tracks

1. Blitzkrieg Bop 
2. Beat On The Brat 
3. Judy Is A Punk 
4. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend 
5. Chainsaw 
6. Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue 
7. I Don't Wanna Go Down In The Basement 
8. Loud Mouth 
9. Havana Affair 
10. Listen To My Heart 
11. 53rd And 3rd 
12. Let's Dance 
13. I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You 
14. Today Your Love Tomorrow The World

I know a lot of my readers have been scanning this blog lately, trying to find at least one artist or album that they recognize and can actually enjoy reading about. So here is a band that we probably all know and like.  I say we probably all like them because the song "I Wanna Be Sedated" is damn infectious and anyone who says differently will  be on the receiving end of a hissy fit by yours truly.

Anyway, I never actually heard any of their other songs.  I only heard the above one because the character Spike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer mentioned it and in my effort to be his perfect woman, I looked it up.

Everyone, including me, seems to agree that all of their songs sound the same.  Well, at least the melody they keep repeating over and over again is fun.  I do have to say there are some subtle differences; at least, enough for me to decide that "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" is my favorite.

I will dock one star for their lack of originality but honestly, I had a lot of fun with this one.  Definitely worth a listen and hey, it is only 29 minutes of your life.

RATING: 4/5

Does anyone know all the lyrics to "I Wanna Be Sedated"?  I can only repeat the title in an endless loop!

363. Oxygene

Oxygene
Jean-Michel Jarre
1976

Tracks
1. Oxygene I
2. Oxygene II
3. Oxygene III
4. Oxygene IV
5. Oxygene V
6. Oxygene VI

We have been hit with a lot of instrumental albums lately and I have to say, I have been enjoying the ride.  Whenever someone says "electronica" I usually picture weird guys in their basement playing with their keyboard's sound effects.  However, this was pretty beautiful album; it was certainly better than some symphonies I have heard.

I don't really have a whole lot to say about this album.  It is pretty hard to tell the tracks apart, but every once awhile you will hear a melody that is truly gorgeous.  I was writing at the time and had to stop sometimes just to sit and listen.

I hope this string of good albums doesn't end soon; if you are looking for a good rant, however, check out my movie blogs.  We are in a real slump over there.

RATING: 4/5

362. Music From the Penguin Cafe

Music From the Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
1976

Tracks
1. Penguin Cafe Single 
2. From The Colonies
3. In A Sydney Motel
4. Surface Tension (Where The Trees Meet The Sky) 
5. Milk 
6. Coronation 
7. Giles Farnaby's Dream 
8. Pigtail
9. The Sound Of Someone You Love Who's Going Away And It Doesn't Matter
10. Hugebaby
11. Chartered Flight

As I have been explaining (whining about) on my other blogs, I recently had ankle and foot surgery.  I am not allowed to put weight on my right leg for seven more weeks.  You would think that since I am in bed all day I would be posting three albums daily.  However, I have been napping and aching so much that I haven't really had time. Today, though, I was ready to give this album a try and I am so happy that I did.

"Penguin Cafe Single" immediately put me in a good mood.  I know I am always complaining about an album's lyrics, whether because they are incoherent or simply poorly written, but I was quite content that only a few of these tracks had words.  I am a huge fan of the cello and the violin, both of which were featured prominently.

The Book mentioned that this was an important album for the progression of pop.  Maybe that is why I liked it so much, since I love pop.  

I think this is an album that will please the music snobs and well...people like me.  I will say that I think the first half was a lot stronger than the second, but the entire album still deserves five stars.

I will try to get back on here soon; I am trying to do a rotation of books, movies, and albums since each post wears me out.

RATING: 5/5

361. Mothership Connection

Mothership Connection
Parliament
1976

Tracks
1. P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up) 
2. Mothership Connection (Starchild) 
3. Unfunky UFO 
4. Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication 
5. Handcuffs 
6. Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker) 
7. Night Of The Thumpasorus People

I apologize for not posting in awhile.  It was partly due to personal stuff that I don't want to whine about here, but mostly due to the fact that listening to an album with a song called "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" on it didn't make it high on my to do list.  

This album really has nothing to offer but quintessential funk.  There is absolutely original in this album, which is perfectly fine if you are a funk fan.  I, however, am not and after five minutes of "Give Up The Funk" which essentially repeats the same verse over and over again, I was ready toss my laptop out of the conveniently open window next to me.

I simply don't like funk that much, so I was set against this album from the beginning.  However, I will not entirely excuse this album since I think great music transcends genres.  And believe me, there was nothing great about this album.

RATING: 2/5

360. Rocks

Rocks
Aerosmith
1976

Tracks
1. Back in the Saddle 
2. Last Child 
3. Rats in the Cellar 
4. Combination 
5. Sick as a Dog 
6. Nobody's Fault 
7. Get the Lead Out 
8. Lick and a Promise 
9. Home Tonight

This is Aerosmith's second chance to wow us.  The first time I was impressed by how catchy all the songs were but the lyrics left a bit to be desired.  This time, the songs were even less entertaining and there is even less meaning in the lyrics.

"Back in the Saddle" is about...what you would expect and is treated with as much delicacy and beauty as the movie American Pie treated women.  I am not saying that we have have to treat it with Victorian delicacy, but I was definitely cringing throughout the song.

Then we hit all the other points of general debauchery and overall, it is just quite boring.  I have heard that Aerosmith just gets worse and worse, but I was hoping we could put it off, at least for a little while.

RATING: 2/5

359. Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
1976

Tracks
1. Down To Zero
2. Help Yourself
3. Water With The Wine
4. Love And Affection
5. Save Me
6. Join The Boys
7. People
8. Somebody Who Loves You
9. Like Fire
10. Tall In The Saddle

As soon as I started listening to this album, I was smiling.  This is a really fantastic album and it is a shame that more people haven't heard of her.

I am going to make this review nice and short, since my stress level is starting to reach an alarming height.  

Upon the release of this album, it was said that "we now have a black artist in Britain with the same sort of vocal range, originality (in fact even greater originality in terms of musical influences) and lyrical sensitivity as Joni Mitchell".  It is exciting to listen to a black female artist (have we had one since Sarah Vaughn?) and even more exciting to hear her compared to one of my favorite female artists.

"Down to Zero" is, of course, a great track but I was really intrigued with "Water With The Wine".  It is extremely catchy, albeit a bit alarming.  Everything was consensual...right?

Just a beautiful album that deserves its place in our list and our hearts (groan, I hate that I wrote that!).

RATING: 5/5

358. Africa/Brasil

Africa/Brasil
Jorge Ben
1976

Tracks
1. Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)
2. Hermes Trimegisto Escreveu
3. O Filósofo
4. Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro
5. O Plebeu
6. Taj Mahal
7. Xica da Silva
8. História de Jorge
9. Camisa 10 da Gávea
10. Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado
11. África Brasil (Zumbi)

I really trying hard to stick to my resolution of posting at least once a week, so I managed to squeeze this one in amidst the sea of paper work that I am attempting to wade through.  This will probably change come summer time, since I getting surgery that will bind me to my bed for a couple months.  I will try to post daily during that happy time.  Until then, we must content ourselves with rather sparse postings.

I really expected to not like this album.  I think my favorite part of listening to music is analyzing lyrics (which incidentally is why I can't stand the symphony).  However, since I don't speak Portuguese and can't seem to find a decent translation of these songs, I did not have high expectations for Jorge Ben (through no fault of his own I should add).

As often happens, though, I was pleasantly surprised.  Jorge Ben's songs are really catchy (The Book says insanely catchy; I think they need to take it easy a bit), particularly "O Plebeu".  It is just a reminder of how internationally appealing music is (wow, that sounds cheesy; also, how many times can I use parentheses in one post?).

Still, I haven't changed completely and would really appreciate it if someone left a link to a translation of the lyrics that I could obsess over.  Thanks!

RATING: 3/5

357. 2112

2112
Rush
1976

Tracks
1. '2112': I: Overture/II: The Temples Of Syrinx/III: Discovery/IV: Presentation/V: Oracle: The Dream/VI. Soliloquy/VII. Grand Finale
2. A Passage To Bangkok 
3. The Twilight Zone 
4. Lessons 
5. Tears 
6. Something For Nothing

It's been awhile since I have posted.  I have been out of the country and since I have been back I have been bogged down by an obscene amount of work. I was only able to fit this album in by playing it while cleaning my pet chinchilla's cage.  What a fun break that was.

Aren't we past this phase yet?  Honestly when I was listening to this, I felt like I was in 1965 again (in a list sense;  I am actually a lot younger than that, despite my somewhat elderly tastes).  Anyway, the beginning of this album sounds like someone experimenting with the sound effects on a keyboard for the first time.  Ooo you can make space sounds!  Color me impressed.

After that it turned around a little and I actually enjoyed the singing, although lyrically the songs were not that impressive and nothing that we haven't seen before.

RATING: 2/5

Sorry for the short and somewhat shallow review.  Lots to do and lots to stress eat.