77. Chelsea Girl

Chelsea Girl
Nico
1967

Tracks
1. Fairest Of The Seasons
2. These Days
3. Little Sister
4. Winter Song
5. It Was A Pleasure Then
6. Chelsea Girl
7. I'll Keep It With Mine
8. Somewhere There's A Feather
9. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
10. Eulogy To Lenny Bruce

Amanda: I have officially joined Nico's team.

I can see why a lot of people love her and I can also see why people would hate her.  But, yes, I am a Nico supporter.  And no, it is not just because I thought The Royal Tenebaums was a really good movie (anyone get the reference?).  Even people that dislike her unusual voice must admit that the song lyrics and melodies are beautiful.  "Winter Song" and "Fairest of all the Seasons" are unlike anything I have ever heard before. I admit her voice takes some getting used to.  At first, you are like "why is this woman singing?" but as the album progresses it becomes more and more apparent that everything just works.  Truly an amazing experience.

RATING:

Brie: I was familiar with Nico from her work with the Velvet Underground, but I wasn't really a big fan until I heard this album. "Chelsea Girl" is truly a masterpiece. I guess you either love or hate her voice, but I love it. And the music was just incredible! It was pop-folk with strings and flutes. It is very difficult to describe how amazing "Chelsea Girl" is, so you will just have to listen to it. :)
I loved the line in "Fairest Of The Seasons" that goes "Do I stay or do I go and do I have to do just one". Joy Division also did a pretty cool cover of "These Days". Ever once in a while a song comes along that changes me, and changes my way of thinking or my perception. Right now, "These Days" is that song. There is this great line that goes "Please don't confront me with my failures, I have not forgotten them". Breathtaking. "Little Sister", "Winter Song", "It Was A Pleasure Then", "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams" and "Chelsea Girls" are all at the end of The Velvet Underground & Nico album. "Chelsea Girls" was composed by the members of the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison, and offered a detailed account of life at Andy Warhol's Factory. *Sighs dreamily*. You should have seen my face when I realized that there was a Bob Dylan song on here. :) I loved Nico's version of "I'll Keep It With Mine", and I usually don't like covers of Bob's songs.

RATING:

76. Beach Samba

Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
1967!!!!!!

Tracks
1. Stay
2. Misty Roses
3. Face I Love
4. Banda
5. Oba, Oba
6. Canoeiro
7. I Had the Craziest Dream
8. Bossa Na Praia
9. My Foolish Heart
10. Dia das Rosas
11. You Didn't Have to Be So Nice
12. Não Bate O Coração

Amanda: I just read a review of this album from a guy I really respect and he completely trashed it.  He also said that it was lounge music for the braindead.  This kind of sucks, because I was going to say it was nice lounge music.  Wait...

Well, whatever, I liked it.  I cannot speak Portugese so in some of the songs she could have being saying anything she wanted.  I found her voice very soothing and the duet was adorable.  I really liked the track "Dia das Rosas" (which I think means I Think of You).  I mean, I would lose instantly in an argument against the actual merit of this album (just like I lose my Dan Brown arguments) but make it your guilty pleasure album!

RATING:

Brie: I for one thought Beach Samba was kind of mediocre. It was 'hotel lobby' music.There were some highlights, such as "Stay" and "Dia das Rosas". Astrud Gilberto has such a beautiful voice. I do not know why this album of hers was chosen to be in our book, because she made much better music. I find it hard to listen to music in languages which I do not understand, so that might have contributed to my not liking this album.

Observation: Every Portugese/Brazilian album in our 1001 Albums book got really bad reviews from people who speak Portugese.

RATING:

75. Wild is the Wind

Wild is the Wind
Nina Simone
1966 (will 1966 ever end?!?!)

Tracks
1. I Love Your Lovin' Ways
2. Four Women
3. What More Can I Say
4. Lilac Wine
5. That's All I Ask
6. Break Down And Let It All Out
7. Why Keep On Breaking My Heart
8. Wild Is The Wind
9. Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair
10. If I Should Lose You
11. Either Way I Lose

Amanda: This is one of those albums that the book feels like it must defend, and that always makes me nervous.  Apparently, a lot of people dislike this album because of its inconsistencies.  Simone bounces from genre to genre as if she was challenged to touch on as many as possible.  I didn't mind that so much; her voice is what annoyed me.  I usually like a voice that is different but her's was like a mix of a man's and a woman's.  I didn't feel like it fit the songs.  None of the tracks really stood out for me either.  I liked the message of "Four Women" but hated the melody. I did really like "What More Can I Say" but this didn't make up for the rest of the album. This was disappointing, because we haven't listened to a woman in a really long time and I was looking forward to it.  Oh well, we can try again tomorrow.

RATING:

The piano was pretty beautiful.

Brie: Man, this is the first women artist we have had in what seems like forever!!! I went back through the book and the last female singers were in the Mamas and the Papas (if that counts). And if you don't count them, it goes back two years in 1964 with Dusty Springfield. Egads! We need some more representation!
Onto the review. I really wish Nina Simone would stick to one style/concept per album. Now, I realize that this album is a compilation, but all of her albums were like that. Nina was so indecisive; she experimented with jazz, broadway, gospel, folk, and pop music. Her voice takes a few minutes to get used to, but after that I decided that her voice has a lot of character and is very expressive. I really loved "Four Women". Jeff Buckley does an amazing cover of her song "Lilac Wine", which I absolutely recommend. "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" was another one of my favorites. Those were pretty much the only highlights for me.

On the plus side, though, Nina did a lot of awesome Bob Dylan covers. (See below.)

RATING:

74. The Yardbirds

The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
1966

Tracks
1. Lost Woman
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can't Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell
7. Hot House Of Omagarashid
8. Jeff's Boogie
9. He's Always There
10. Turn Into Earth
11. What Do You Want
12. Ever Since The World Began
13. Psycho Dasies

Amanda: It is 6:56 in the morning right now.  On a Saturday.  I am sitting here waiting for my best friend Mara to get here so that we can commute together.  She is coming at 7:15 so I figure I have time for this.

So The Yardbirds! I started this album last night but my sister is visiting so I got a little off track.  These guys are fun.  I mean, I am not saying they are the most talented or entertaining band I have ever heard, but they were still enjoyable (deja vu; did I say this already?).  I can't really remember the tunes to any of their songs.  I think I liked the second track just because it was pretty familar.  I hadn't ever heard of The Yardbirds before this though.

Sidenote: this album is really short; the songs are like two and half minutes each.  Which means I still have time!  I should go finish Queen Christina...

RATING:

Brie: The Yardbirds recorded this album after Eric Clapton left them. And let me just say that they certainly were better off without him. Clapton was replaced by Jeff Beck. Now, I am not going to pretend that I am an expert on guitar players or anything, but I liked Beck's work a lot better than Clapton's. This album is kind of hard to describe; it has a punky 80s feel (Joy Division-esque) with a splash of blues and psychedelia. The Yardbirds also sounded like a jam band at times. I came across another one of their albums while reading about this one online: Live at BB King Blues Club. The album is such fun to listen to, you will get lost in the awesomeness of Jeff Beck. The only song I felt was out of place was "Turn Into Earth" which had something resembling monks chanting. Kind of bizarre.

RATING:

73. John Mayall's Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers
1966

Tracks
1. All Your Love
2. Hideaway
3. Little Girl
4. Another Man
5. Double Crossin' Time
6. What'd I Say
7. Key To Love
8. Parchman Farm
9. Have You Heard
10. Rambling On My Mind
11. Stepping Out
12. It Ain't Right

Amanda: I skipped yesterday because I was having a really bad day and was afraid that this music would be really bad and fuel my bad mood.  I think that was a good move because this album wasn't great.  There is nothing outwardly wrong with it, but I just found it rather emotionless.  I think if you are listening to a blues album, you should really feel something, but I didn't for this one.  For instance, "Have You Heard" was eight minutes long and utterly boring.  Even the singer sounded bored.  It was a total yawn.  I also watched 8 1/2 today which was another complete bore.  Maybe I am just hard to please.

RATING:

Brie: Gasp! I agree with Amanda. Hehe. Yeah, Amanda, do we have impossibly high standards or something? Before everyone jumps down my throat: Yes, I understand that the guitar playing was incredible. I thought I loved the blues, but now I'm questioning everything I know... Maybe I am just too tired today and wasn't in the mood for Claptons extensive guitar jams, but I just wasn't feeling it. There is a lack of emotion, or personality, or... something. This is so disappointing because I had heard so many amazing things about Eric Clapton. I guess it just isn't for me.
RATING:

72. Psychadelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

Psychadelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
13th Floor Elevators
1966

Tracks
 1. You're Gonna Miss Me
2. Rollercoaster
3. Splash 1
4. Reverberation (Doubt)
5. Don't Fall Down
6. Fire Engine
7. Thru The Rhythm
8. You Don't Know
9. Kingdom Of Heaven
10. Monkey Island
11. Tried To Hide

Amanda: This album is the birth of acid rock, which I must admit, isn't a genre that I have frequently listened to.  I have actually never been a fan of drug induced works (I don't even like Alice in Wonderland).  The idea of not being in control of my reality has always freaked me out.  Of course, this sentiment might have more to do with...um...past experiences that I don't want to dwell on.  Let's move on!

Overall, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.  It was very rhythmic and a lot less overwhelming than I feared it would be.  I had kind of a long day and Sarah Palin-ed it up by making up a new word, much to my embarrassment (manomphony).  I really needed something to unwind to, and surprisingly enough this album fit the bill.  Just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover (even if you can judge how much it costs, according to Mary Stuart Masterson).

RATING:

Brie: This album is majorly insane. In the best way possible. It basically set precedent for acid rock, psychedelic and garage rock, influencing such bands as Primal Scream. You might think I am joking, but I am not, when I say that The 13th Floor Elevators used an electric jug. An electric jug! I wonder how many other bands in history have done the same.

"You're Gonna Miss Me" and "Fire Engine" were the stand-outs for me. I would definitely reccommend listening to this album. For lack of a better word, "The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators" was fun. The 13th Floor Elevators broke up not too long after achieving success, unfortunately. But the music they did put out was pure gold.

RATING:

71. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme
Simon and Garfunkel
1966

Tracks
1. Scarborough Fair/Canticle
2. Patterns
3. Cloudy
4. Homeward Bound
5. Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
6. 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
7. Dangling Conversation
8. Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall
9. Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert MacNamara'd Into Submission)
10. For Emily Whenever I May Find Her
11. Poem On The Underground Wall
12. 7 O'clock News/Silent Night

Amanda: The only experience I have had with Simon and Garfunkel was from the movie The Graduate.  If you haven't seen that (do those people exist?), S and G's song Mrs. Robinson played whenever Dustin was driving his car.  You should really check out that song, it is fantastic.

I should move on to the album at hand.  This album is really beautiful.  I know that is a weird word to use to describe music, but it really describes this album perfectly.  This is another collection that is protesting (surprise) the Vietnam War, but it is done so subtly, that it is not in the least bit obnoxious.  Track 12 is really the most touching song on the album but the all of the tracks have something special about them.  So listen to it!

RATING:

Brie: Wow, where to begin? The first song, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" was haunting on many different levels. It also mirrors the style of Brian Wilson in some ways. "Patterns" follows the sixties pop album tradition of including Middle Eastern influence. "Patterns" also has beautiful, yet very bleak, desolate lyrics. "Cloudy" was just delightful. Here's a line from the song: "my thoughts are scattered and they're cloudy/they have no borders, no boundaries." Ahhh.... *sighs contently* "Homeward Bound" is the perfect on-the-road tune. Kerouac, anyone? The album picks up a bit with "The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine". And "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" might just be the most mellow song ever composed.

This album puts the Mamas and The Papas to shame, even I must admit. :) And... you knew this was coming... does "Simple Desultory Phillipic" make fun of Bob Dylan? Who do they think they are? This is sickening. I'm shaking my head in disgust. Their harmonica playing is in such poor taste. Bob Dylan has more songwriting ability in one fingernail than Simon & Garfunkel had put together. Also, Simon calls Dylan "unhip"... I beg to differ. Bob Dylan was/is the definition of hip. The song also references a lot of people, reminding me of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire". Which is good; I really like Billy Joel.

Simon & Garfunkel do a beautiful rendition of "Silent Night" as a newscast is read in the background and gets progressively louder. The Civil Rights bill, the death of Lenny Bruce, Dr. Martin Luther King's Civil Rights march in Illinois, the indictment of Richard Speck, anti-Vietnam protests and the House Un-American Activities Committee are all mentioned in the news report. It was very moving, the way the song was produced.

RATING: