240. Hunky Dory

Hunky Dory
David Bowie
1971

Tracks
1. Changes
2. Oh! You Pretty Things
3. Eight Line Poem
4. Life on Mars?
5. Kooks 
6. Quicksand 
7. Fill Your Heart 
8. Andy Warhol 
9. Song for Bob Dylan 
10. Queen Bitch
11. The Bewlay Brothers


This album marks the end of 1971.  I told you guys earlier that my father said that this is when good music stopped.  We shall see...


Does anyone not like Bowie?  I became familiar with him when I the did one of his songs in Moulin Rouge!; see if you can hear it...

Most of us are familiar with his hits, but it is impressive to listen to his complete albums.  I do love Bowie, but this album was full of some hits and misses.  The hits, of course, being songs like "Changes" while the misses are songs like "Andy Warhol" when Bowie is trying to be edgy. Can't anyone just have plain old fun anymore without trying to be all deep and pretentious?  Still, a five star album. RATING: 5/5

239. Electric Warrior

Electric Warrior
T-Rex
1971

Tracks
1. Mambo Sun
2. Cosmic Dancer
3. Jeepster
4. Monolith
5. Lean Woman Blues
6. Get It On
7. Planet Queen
8. Girl
9. Motivator
10. Life's A Gas
11. Rip Off


This album does not make any sense and that is what makes it fun!


After all this hippies with anti war messages (I am a pacifist myself but these guys never offer any solutions; the term "armchair analyst" comes to mind), it was nice to get a little nonsense.  Having a musician in this book who doesn't think he knows everything is actually quite the refreshing change.  Lyrics like "i'm like a beggar in the sand with the sky in my hand" are nonsensical but it is okay, because the music is entertaining.  This guy is exactly what the doctor ordered.


RATING: 4/5


Is the song "Get It On" like in a commercial or something?

238. Nilsson Schmilsson

Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
1971

Tracks
1. Gotta Get Up
2. Driving Along
3. Early In The Morning
4. Moonbeam Song
5. Down
6. Without You
7. Coconut
8. Let The Good Times Roll
9. Jump Into The Fire
10. I'll Never Leave You


This has to be a rather quick post because I am exhausted and I still want to write a movie post.


This album was a total clusterfuck.  Excuse the language, but really, there is no better descriptor.  There was so many genres and so much variety that I felt I was listening to ten different artists.  While some may call this versatile, I found it messy.  Also, "Coconut" was obnoxious.


I have to go dive into bed now with the me gusta face.  Too messy for my taste.


RATING: 2/5

237. John Prine

John Prine
John Prine
1971

Tracks
1. Illegal Smile
2. Spanish Pipedream 
3. Hello in There 
4. Sam Stone 
5. Paradise 
6. Pretty Good 
7. Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore 
8. Far from Me 
9. Angel from Montgomery 
10. Quiet Man 
11. Donald and Lydia 
12. Six O'Clock News 
13. Flashback Blues


I inwardly groaned when I read that this guy was supposedly the next Bob Dylan.  Even if I liked Dylan, I think this comparison is pretty unfair to both of them.  Not only are those huge shoes to fill but their styles are relatively different.


This is a surprising album.  Prine sings songs with a kind of country simplicity so you think the songs are going to be on normal, innocent country topics like killing women and bedbugs (I have encountered multiple songs on those topics on this journey).  However, he is actually sending deep, political messages.  By now I am getting a little sing of anti war songs but with a southern twist, it actually sounded original.


Better than I expected and some of the songs are genuinely funny.  Check it out.


RATING: 4/5

236. White Light

White Light
Gene Clark
1971

Tracks
1. The Virgin 
2. With Tomorrow 
3. White Light 
4. Because Of You 
5. One In A Hundred 
6. Spanish Guitar 
7. Where My Love Lies Asleep
8. Tears Of Rage
9. 1975


The Byrds just do not quit, do they?  I have a feeling their members will be creeping up even through the nineties (maybe I should fix that sentence).


I have to go to dinner soon so this will have to be a nice and short review.  This is a shame, though, since this guy deserves a lot of praise.  This album is sweet and catchy...and shit I have to go.  Listen to it!


RATING: 5/5


What do you mean "edit it again later"?  That is not an option just because!  So there!

235. Teenage Head

Teenage Head
Flamin' Groovies
1971

Tracks
1. High Flyin' Baby
2. City Lights
3. Have You Seen My Baby
4. Yesterday's Numbers
5. Teenage Head
6. 32 20
7. Evil Hearted Ada
8. Doctor Boogie
9. Whiskey Woman


Really, The Flamin' Groovies?  The only thing flaming is the name of your band (A-O!).  But seriously folks...


This is another interesting little gem that I would have never discovered if it wasn't for the list.  Apparently they broke up shortly after this because they weren't cut out for the US music scene.  I got excited reading about this album, though, because it is described as a throwback to the Beatles.  Yay!


I loved it.  If I had to date it just by listening to it, my guess would have been mid sixties.  I know it doesn't seem like a big deal that it sounds around six years older than it is, but I personally don't really like the direction that music is heading in during the 70s.  Ahead of us, we got disco and funk on the horizon.  Yuck.  My dad has a theory that they stopped making good music after 1971 and I am finding myself agreeing with him...


This album has often been compared to Sticky Fingers but I just do not see the similarities: this is so much better!


RATING: 5/5

234. A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse
The Faces
1971

Tracks
1. Miss Judy's Farm
2. You're So Rude 
3. Love Lived Here 
4. Last Orders Please 
5. Stay With Me 
6. Debris 
7. Memphis 
8. Too Bad
9. That's All You Need 


I delayed writing this review for a little while because really, I had no idea what to write.  This is one of those albums that has zero personality.  In my life, I have met several people who fall under this category and let me tell you, they are exhausting.  They aren't mean, rude, or offensive in any way but they have absolutely nothing of interest to say for themselves.  Sometimes, I prefer talking to people who I hate just because at least they excite some emotion in me.


Is this what everyone considers the beginning of Rod Stewart's descent into embarrassment? The album is just plain generic and boring but certainly not embarrassing.  The book seemed rather apologetic of putting this album in so maybe no one likes or dislikes this album.  It is just...there.

RATING: 3/5