184. Deja Vu

Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
1970

Tracks
1. Carry On 
2. Teach Your Children 
3. Almost Cut My Hair 
4. Helpless 
5. Woodstock 
6. Déjà Vu 
7. Our House 
8. 4 + 20 
9. Country Girl
10. Everybody I Love You


Ah, I love this band.  Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young are always able to cheer me up.  Sometimes, when I feel upset, happy music kind of feels like it is rubbing itself in my face.  However, this band is the perfect combination of sunshine and rainbows and it always makes me feel better.  This album is no exception.


This is the first album with Young adding to the original trio.  It features some light songs but some of the tracks also carry a message like "Teach Your Children" and "Woodstock".  A truly amazing album and one that you should check out immediately.  Like right now. Do it.  Just do it.


RATING: 5/5

183. John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
1970

Tracks
1. Mother
2. Hold On
3. I Found Out
4. Working Class Hero
5. Isolation
6. Remember
7. Love
8. Well Well Well
9. Look At Me
10. God
11. My Mummy's Dead
12. Power To The People
13. Do The Oz


So I have been writing posts for my movie blog for approximately two hours and I am getting really tired.  Must push through...for Lennon's sake.


You know that feeling when someone you don't really know that well just bursts into tears right in front of you.  You're like "I wish I could help...um, do you want me to call someone...I don't know what you are crying about...can I leave?"  That is what I was like through this entire album.  Lennon kind of just whines about his mom and his life and society.  It is like "I am sad that you are sad, but what do you want me to do about it?".  It was very exhausting.


All right so I hate to say this about such an artist but here goes...that was frankly obnoxious.  The last two songs just keep repeating the names of the song for like four minutes each.  It made my head hurt.  That was whiny and bad.  Still, I have faith that Lennon will come back.  Right?


RATING: 1/5

182. Stephen Stills

Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
1970

Tracks
1. Love The One You're With 
2. Do For The Others 
3. Church (Part Of Someone) 
4. Old Times Good Times 
5. Go Back Home
6. Sit Yourself Down 
7. To A Flame 
8. Black Queen 
9. Cherokee 
10. We Are Not Helpless


This is a really hard album to describe to people who haven't listened to it.  I would feel lame if I tried to convey how the music fills you when you listen to "Love The One You're With".  After I listened to it, I felt incredibly lifted up and hopeful.  To spare me the pain of cliches, please listen to the album and come back to this page.  I will wait.


Well, wasn't that great?  This album was kind of like The Valentine's Day of music (I am sorry I made a reference to that horrendous movie but it was the only example I could think of).  There is an all star backing, which includes Jimi Hendrix, Nash, and Booker T.  I have loved CSN ever since I heard "Marrakesh Express" and this album proved that Stills is not the Ringo of the group.  Definitely a Paul.

RATING: 5/5


Best song on album:

181. Close To You

Close To You
The Carpenters
1970

Tracks
1. We've Only Just Begun
2. Love Is Surrender 3. Maybe It's You4. Reason To Believe 5. Help6. Close To You 7. Baby It's You 8. I'll Never Fall In Love Again 9. Crescent Moon 10. Mr Guder11. I Kept On Loving You12. Another Song 


Who doesn't like the Carpenters?  Answer: everyone with a good taste in music.  Thankfully, I still listen to Shania Twain so you can trust that I enjoyed this album.  It is poppy, meaningless, and pleasant.


The Carpenters are a very sad pair.  Karen died very young from complications that arose from her eating disorder and Richard had major drug problems.  However, it is truly impossible to know about those problems from listening to this light album.  I think the songs are excellent wedding songs but I didn't love them enough to put them on my iPod.  They also do their own rendition of "Help".  Ew.  Don't try to remix Beatles songs!  This is just like when they did a remake of Casablanca.  WHY?!?!?!


Of course, this album is not even close to being my favorite or the best on anyone's list but I have spent an hour in worst ways.

RATING: 3/5

180. Morrison Hotel

Morrison Hotel
The Doors
1970

Tracks
1. Roadhouse Blues
2. Waiting For The Sun
3. You Make Me Real
4. Peace Frog
5. Blue Sunday
6. Ship Of Fools
7. Land Ho
8. Spy
9. Queen Of The Highway
10. Indian Summer
11. Maggie McGill 


This has got to be a quick review because Real Housewives of Orange County is on soon (yes, you read that correctly).  I think very few people haven't heard of The Doors but an even smaller sum can actually name one Doors song.  It is a shame that they have simply become a name (at least to my generation) because they are really talented.

This album was a definite improvement from the previous one we listened to (right here).  The first one was phenomenal but this one had a very...how do I put this?  In this album, the band new their strengths and weaknesses better and knew what worked for them and what didn't.  Was that vague enough?  I think I should start assisting politicians in elections (David Palmer for president!).  Wow, I am really not making sense; we should wrap this up quickly.  Very good; listen to it.

RATING: 5/5

179. Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
1970

Tracks
1. Black Sabbath
2. Wizard
3. Behind the Wall of Sleep
4. N.I.B.
5. Evil Woman
6. Sleeping Village
7. Warning
8. Wicked World 


So, Brie told me on Saturday that her and her boyfriend are planning a cultural intervention on my behalf because of my taste in music.  She pointed to my love of songs by Katy Perry, Cee Lo, Kei$ha (I only like "Tik Tok"), and Lady Gaga.  She also examined my iPod playlist and said the only reason I know of the classics is because of this blog (like that is a bad thing!).  Yikes.  So even after almost a year of doing this blog, my music tastes are still considered an embarrassment.  I mean, it didn't hurt my feelings but it did make me think.  Well, you know what?  I don't care.  I love learning about new music and listening to these albums and I think no matter what you listen to, if it makes you happy, what's the big deal?  Now, I don't think that means you should hide behind a select pair of CDs but when you are constantly exploring new branches of music like I do, why be embarrassed?  So I say, screw the intervention, I am having a good time over here.  This is me:

God, I hope she never reads this. Especially since my reviews haven't been as insightful as hers so she might be disappointed at what I have done with the place.  Anyway, let's get on to the review!

I hated this.  I hate heavy metal and I think heavy metal fans get off on the fact that lame people like me abhor them.  You guys are so misunderstood:P.  The instrumentals were all over the place and the screaming got on my nerves.  I am glad I exposed myself to them though since they are so famous.

RATING: 1/5

178. Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus

Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Spirit
1970

Tracks
1. Prelude/Nothin' To Hide
2. Nature's Way
3. Animal Zoo
4. Love Has Found A Way
5. Why Can't I Be Free
6. Mr Skin
7. Space Child
8. When I Touch You
9. Street Worm
10. Life Has Just Begun
11. Morning Will Come
12. Soldier


Yeah, it took me about two weeks to do this one album.  I am not proud.  I am going to blame it on my sister visiting.  Of course, she was only here one week but let's not quibble.


I think one reason I thought getting through this album was so hard was that it was just so...okay. It didn't stir up any love or hate.  In fact, it did not stir up anything.  It was just so..meh.  I thought I could get into "Why Can't I Be Free" but I can't even remember the tune now.  Sorry this post is so boring but it goes with the theme.  See?  You should be happy that you are reading this; I am getting you to feel the music!

RATING: 2/5


"Why Can't I Be Free"/"Love Has Found a Way":