209. The Yes Album

The Yes Album
Yes
1971

Tracks
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap 
3. Starship Trooper
4. I've Seen All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change


I am really on a roll today.  All I want to do is listen to albums and read The Mysteries of Udolpho.  Thankfully, that is all I have to do.


So I have never heard of these guys but they are featured prominently in the book so I figure they are pretty famous.  I have heard of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, does that count (studio audience laughs)?


This was kind of weird.  I have heard sci fi inspired music before, save at Chalmun's Cantina (more laughs).  Also, they have a song called "The Clap".  Does anyone else think of...never mind.  It is like whenever people call Denver "The Mile High City" and no one gives it a second thought.  Diiirty!


Wow, maybe I have written too many of these things today.  I liked it.  They had a really unique kind of feel to them (even diiiirtier!).  All right, I am going to shut up now.

RATING: 4/5

208. What's Going On

What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
1971

Tracks
1. What's Going On 
2. What's Happening Brother 
3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) 
4. Save The Children 
5. God Is Love 
6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
7. Right On 
8. Wholy Holy 
9. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)


I have heard this album been called the greatest album of all time.  Not that there is any pressure to like it or anything...


I think everyone has heard the song "What's Going On" and I had also been exposed to "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". I was always impressed with his voice and his handsomeness, though I guess that really isn't pertinent.

Yep, not even thinking about it.  All right, let me start by my complaints.  First of all, this album is really religious which kind of got on my nerves.  Also, all the tracks kind of sounded the same.  I have heard that people gush about how you can't even tell whenever one track starts and another ends.  Since when is diversity in an album condemned?

All right, so I did mention that I think he has a really sexy...ahem, I meant pleasant voice.  Frankly, I didn't care what he was saying as long as he kept singing.  I liked it, but I certainly wouldn't call it the greatest album of all time.  I seem to possess the inability to like the albums I am supposed to.  Not in an annoying hipster way, but just in "I feel like I am too simple to understand this way". I am sure I will gain a greater appreciation along the way, but we are at 208.  Anyway, check it out, just don't expect to have your mind blown.

RATING: 4/5

207. There's A Riot Goin' On

There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly and the Family Stone
1971

Tracks
1. Luv 'n' Haight
2. Just Like A Baby
3. Poet
4. Family Affair
5. Africa Talks To You 'The Asphalt Jungle'
6. There's A Riot Goin' On
7. Brave And Strong
8. You Caught Me Smilin'
9. Time
10. Spaced Cowboy
11. Running Away
12. Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa


Now that was super funky.  I actually think it exceeded my funk limit.  As a huge nerd, I don't really have a huge capacity for this level of coolness.


This album differs from Sly's earlier work because it is a lot more political.  The book says that album was made as an outlet for Sly's frustration on how the civil rights movement was going.  You can tell just from the track titles that he is really trying to get a pro equality message across.


This album was particularly bad (except for the slightly annoying repetitive guitar notes) but it definitely wasn't as good as the first one.  I just feel like it lost some of its punch which is ironic, since this is a much more politically driven than the previous one.

RATING: 3/5

206. If I Could Only Remember My Name

If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
1971

Tracks
1. Music Is Love
2. Cowboy Movie
3. Tamalpais High (At About 3)
4. Laughing
5. What Are Their Names
6. Traction In The Rain
7. Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves)
8. Orleans
9. I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here


That was beautiful, sweet, and over all magnificent; I know I will remember this one.  David Crosby (of CSNY)  lost his girlfriend in 1969 and was absolutely devastated so he wrote this album as an outlet for those feelings.  What I liked most about this album was that even though it is extremely sad, it is never whiny, which is the problem that some artists face (here's looking at you, Lennon).


This album starts with some really cool instrumentals in "Music Is Love" which is definitely going on my iPod.  As the album progresses, it gets sadder and sadder so I feel like I should advise stopping at about 4 to save yourself some heartache.  However, if you did, you would miss really beautiful songs, especially the final track.  Crosby is officially my favorite CSNY member.


RATING: 5/5

205. Aqualung

Aqualung
Jethro Tull
1971

Tracks
1. Aqualung
2. Cross Eyed Mary
3. Cheap Day Return
4. Mother Goose
5. Wond'ring Aloud
6. Up To Me 
7. My God 
8. Hymn 43 
9. Slipstream 
10. Locomotive Breath 
11. Wind Up


1971!!!!  This is so weird that it takes around the same time to review 70s albums as it does a century's worth of books.


I listened to this album while reading Cecelia and I have to say, it was quite a pleasant way to pass an hour.  I am apparently supposed to have heard of Jethro Tull but I haven't.  That seems like a name you would remember.  The song "Aqualung" sounded vaguely familiar, though.  The lyrics in this album are both powerful and interesting.  In my research of this album I have read about some complaints people have that the messages are too big for the songs.  True, some of the anti-religion messages seemed like they were there merely because the band wanted to at least mention it once in the album.  Still, I thought the lyrics had a certain force in themselves that I am glad that I heard them.

RATING: 4/5

204. The Madcap Laughs

The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
1970

Tracks
1. Terrapin
2. No Good Trying 
3. Love You
4. No Man's Land
5. Dark Globe
6. Here I Go 
7. Octopus 
8. Golden Hair 
9. Long Gone 
10. She Took A Long Cold Look 
11. Feel 
12. If It's In You 
13. Late Night


This is where my rather poor and untrained taste in music actually benefits me.  In terms of real quality, this album does not exactly excel.  Syd Barrett has a bit of trouble hitting high notes, so much so that one of his tracks, I think it was "If It's In You", started over after a painfully struck note.  In addition, you can hear the pages rustle during the album.  Not exactly high brow.


However, I absolutely loved it.  In case you didn't know, this guy was one of the founders of Pink Floyd.  Apparently he pulled an Alexander Spence and sort of lost it and left.  I am not a huge fan of Pink Floyd (despite what I told my attractive blond gentleman friend) but this was incredible.  I thought the lyrics were interesting and the tunes were catchy, particularly "She Took A Long Cold Look".  Definitely check it out.


RATING: 5/5

203. Abraxas

Abraxas
Santana
1970

Tracks
1. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts
2. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
3. Oye Como Va
4. Incident at Neshabur
5. Se a Cabo
6. Mother's Daughter
7. Samba Pa Ti 
8. Hope You're Feeling Better
9. Nicoya


I pretty sure I listened to this album twice.  I think I may have listened to it before I went to Denver, but when I returned, I listened to it again because I couldn't remember it.  It is not exactly the most memorable album; it just kind of reminded me of a collection of songs that older couples probably dance to.


It is a pretty pleasant mix of both latin music and rock which made it pretty entertaining but nothing I will remember within two weeks.  


RATING: 2/5