168. In the Court of the Crimson King

In the Court of the Crimson King
King Crimson
1969

Tracks
1. 21st Century Schizoid Man
2. I Talk To The Wind
3. Epitaph
4. Moonchild
5. In The Court Of The Crimson King


So I guess I can stop writing "Amanda" before my posts because I am pretty sure Brie has given up on this blog.  She really doesn't like the albums in this book.  I, of course, don't want her to continue the journey if she is not having a good time.  Even though I agree that some of albums have been really just the worst, I still have enjoyed the ride.  Maybe she will come on as a guest speaker or something!

Anyway, I was all ready to hate these guys because it looked like it was going to be obnoxious.  This just goes to show that you can't judge an album by its creepy cover.  This album was actually really nice and calming.  It had some cool flutes in it and some laid back melodies.  Isn't that a shock?  I was expecting intense psychedelia.  The 60s continue to surprise me...

RATING: 4/5

167. Arthur

Arthur
The Kinks
1969

Tracks
1. Victoria
2. Yes Sir No Sir
3. Some Mother's Son
4. Drivin'
5. Brainwashed
6. Australia
7. Shangri-la
8. Mr Churchill Says
9. She's Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina
10. Young And Innocent Days
11. Nothing To Say
12. Arthur


Amanda: According to the 1001 editors, the Kinks are apparently essential to our life's work.  Honestly, I feel like I have listened to about ten of their albums.  I mean, they are impressive but not that impressive.  Frankly, I thought this one was one of their worse albums.


That is not to say this album was bad.  It was one of those concept albums that are actually interesting (unlike Tommy).  Still, songs like "Drive" got on my nerves.  "Nothing to Say" was actually really entertaining, though, so it made up for it.  Good, but not their best so I would skip it.

RATING: 4/5

166. Live/Dead

Live/Dead
The Grateful Dead
1969

Tracks
1. Dark Star
2. Saint Stephen
3. Eleven
4. Turn On Your Love Light
5. Death Don't Have No Mercy
6. Feedback 
7. And We Bid You Goodnight


Amanda: This is a band that has actually come up in a couple conversations that I have been a part of.  I have had to plead ignorance amid some death glares, believe me.  Anyway, I finally get it.  However, I hate them so I might be held in even more disdain now.  It really is a Catch 22.


In the movie, When Harry Met Sally (I have a related point in this; I promise), Harry thinks he is really deep because he spends hours a day thinking about death.  I feel like the band Grateful Dead is like that.  They think because they sing and think about death all the time that they are better than other people.  Um, no that just means you are wasting your life.  The whole thing annoyed me.  Very self indulgent and obnoxious.

RATING: 2/5

165. Hot Buttered Soul

Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
1969

Tracks
1. Walk On By
2. Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic
3. One Woman
4. By The Time I Get To Phoenix


Amanda: I have been really bad about doing these albums lately.  I always notice that blogs that haven't been updated since like 2010 usually have their later posts say things like "I haven't been good about writing lately" and then you never hear from them again.  I promise you, though, I am going to see this through to the end.


All right, elephant in the room; we all thinking about it.  SHAFT!

Good, we got that out of the way.  This is one sexy album.  I mean, look at the title.  I actually enjoyed it, though I may just be prejudice because I like Shaft so much.  Listen to it if you want to be really coooooolllll (said in slow dj voice).

RATING: 4/5

164. Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain
Youngbloods
1969

Tracks
1. Darkness Darkness 
2. Smug 
3. On Sir Francis Drake 
4. Sunlight 
5. Double Sunlight
6. Beautiful 
7. Turn It Over
8. Rain Song (Don't Let The Rain Bring You Down) 
9. Trillium 
10. Quicksand 
11. Black Mountain Breakdown 
12. Sham 
13. Ride The Wind


Amanda: So I am getting pretty tired but I still have to write about this utterly forgettable album.  This was a weird one, some of the tracks were only 15 seconds.  Honestly, I only listened to this a couple hours ago and I can't remember the tunes to any of the songs.  It tried to be folksy but failed.  Sorry I don't have more to say about it but I am exhausted.  I have a feeling I am not disappointing to many Youngbloods fans because there probably aren't any.

RATING: 2/5

163. Unhalfbricking

Unhalfbricking
The Fairport Convention
1969

Tracks
1. Genesis Hall
2. Si Tu Dois Partir
3. Autopsy
4. A Sailor's Life
5. Cajun Woman
6. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?
7. Percy's Song
8. Million Dollar Bash


Amanda: Could it be?  Are my posts actually going to be current?  This is amazing!!  I am sorry if I overwhelmed readers with new posts (do you get an alert or something?) but I finally decided to hell with it and just posted them all.  Also, since I have no idea when Brie will add to this post, I am going to try to make mine longer so you don't just read a couple sentences, which I know would just kill you.


I have been really bad about my one album a day rule and I am blaming The Fairport Convention.  I just did not get into them and they caused me to procrastinate.  This band felt like a less cool version of the Pentangle.  The band had the same lilting female voice but the songs weren't as good.  They were also way too long.  Overall, it was a rather bleak experience.


RATING: 2/5

162. Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
1969

Tracks
1. Introduction
2. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
3. Beginnings
4. Questions 67 And 68 
5. Listen
6. Poem 58 
7. Free Form Guitar
8. South California Purples
9. I'm A Man
10. Prologue 
11. Someday
12. Liberation


Amanda: This band started out so promising, but after the first three tracks it just gets worse.  The awfulness culminates at "Free For Guitar" which just sounds like a lawnmower.  Still, the first three songs are so good that maybe their steady decline should be overlooked...nope, can't do it.  "Free Form Guitar" is trying desperately to be so different and avant garde that it grates on my nerves and makes me hate the whole band.  Sorry, guys.  They also lost whatever little respect I had for them with "Liberation" which was a fourteen minute long guitar solo.  Ugh.....

RATING: 1/5