What Are You Listening To?

[heeman]

All songs written by Billy Joel, except where noted.

1."Running on Ice" – 3:15
2."This Is the Time" – 4:59
3."A Matter of Trust" – 4:09
4."Modern Woman" – 3:48
5."Baby Grand" – 4:02
6."Big Man on Mulberry Street" – 5:26
7."Temptation" – 4:12
8."Code of Silence" (Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper) – 5:15
9."Getting Closer" – 5:00

 

[Zing]

5."Baby Grand" – 4:02

:music-listening:
:handgestures-thumbup:
:bow-blue:

 

[Dennie]

Tommy -- 2 SACD Set

The Who

1969/2003 Geffen Records

A Review From Someone With SACD Player..., December 30, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Tommy (Deluxe Edition) (Hybrid SACD) (Audio CD)

okay... i normally don't review too many albums on amazon, but was i amazed to read all these reviews from people who chat about the album but then go on to say "but i haven't heard it on SACD yet." so i thought someone might benefit from reading about the surround mix in SACD...

well, it is simply amazing, especially for having been mixed by the near-deaf townsend (surely its a joke!).

the most amazing thing about the 5.1 surround mix is how present and powerful keith moon's drumming is. i have always pointed to "quadrophenia" as the shining example of his frenetic hammering of the drums. but now i can more fully appreciate his drumming on "tommy." the drums sound amazing on this SACD surround mix. no other words can describe it.

one of the reasons for the drums being more powerful is the ability to follow keith's "live in the studio" drumming more closely. you see, all the "accentuating" drum parts (tympani, gongs, cymbal splashes) are all separated from keith's drums in the mix... it wasn't as clear in the stereo mix which drums keith is playing, and which drums are over-dubbed elements.... but here, they are coming at you from different sides of the room. this makes for some amazing parts, particularly during "sparks" and "overture", where keiths keeps pounding out a rhythm, then the tympani drums build up to a crescendo.

also, pete and roger's vocals are sometimes separated in the mix. pete's first words on the alubm came as a shock. he sings, "captain walker didn't come home. his unborn child will never know him." and he's coming from the rear right speaker (mostly) and roger and all come in later, together chanting "a son, a son, a son" from the front speakers. its pretty powerful stuff from the get-go.

i could go on and on. but the most amazing thing truly is the fidelity... i hear things i've never heard before, and i thought i was prety intimately familiar with the album. subtle touches now are given such depth and prominence... and the separation that is achieved with surround sound allows the listener to follow a particular part or a particular instrument...
you can hear pete breathe in before singing... you can hear the sound of his pick against the acoustic guitar. you can hear a few of keith's dud hits on the snare (thought they are few, and always charming to hear).

another reviewer said, "reason alone to buy a SACD player."
i agree.

thanks for reading.

All songs written by Pete Townshend, except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Overture" 3:50
2. "It's a Boy" 2:07
3. "1921" 3:14
4. "Amazing Journey" 3:25
5. "Sparks" 3:45
6. "Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)" (Sonny Boy Williamson II) 2:15
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "Christmas" 5:30
2. "Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle) 4:03
3. "The Acid Queen" 3:31
4. "Underture" 9:55
Side three
No. Title Length
1. "Do You Think It's Alright?" 0:24
2. "Fiddle About" (Entwistle) 1:26
3. "Pinball Wizard" 3:50
4. "There's a Doctor" 0:25
5. "Go to the Mirror!" 3:50
6. "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" 1:35
7. "Smash the Mirror" 1:20
8. "Sensation" 2:32
Side four
No. Title Length
1. "Miracle Cure" 0:10
2. "Sally Simpson" 4:10
3. "I'm Free" 2:40
4. "Welcome" 4:30
5. "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon) 0:57
6. "We're Not Gonna Take It" 6:45

Bonus disc

The first twelve tracks are out-takes and demos and the last five are stereo-only demos.

"I Was" – 0:17
"Christmas" (out-take 3) – 4:43
"Cousin Kevin Model Child" – 1:25
"Young Man Blues" (Version one) (Allison) – 2:51
"Tommy Can You Hear Me?" (alternate version) – 1:59
"Trying to Get Through" – 2:51
"Sally Simpson" (out-take) – 4:09
"Miss Simpson" – 4:18
"Welcome" (Take two) – 3:44
"Tommy's Holiday Camp" (band's version) – 1:07
"We're Not Gonna Take It" (alternate version) – 6:08
"Dogs (Part Two)" (Moon) – 2:26
"It's a Boy" – 0:43
"Amazing Journey" – 3:41
"Christmas" – 1:55
"Do You Think It's Alright" – 0:28
"Pinball Wizard" – 3:46

 

[Dennie]

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road -- 2 CD Set

Elton John

1973 MCA Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Rarely mentioned as one of the great double albums, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road had to settle for ending up in a few million record collections. So sprawling that it doesn't quite measure up to the earlier, more laid-back Honky Chateau or the later, pushy Rock of the Westies, this still holds claim to a lot of brilliant, very pop-savvy music: the winking rebellion of "Bennie and the Jets" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," the ready-made nostalgia of "The Ballad of Danny Bailey," the downbeat melodicism of "Harmony." --Rickey Wright

Side A

"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" – 11:07
"Candle in the Wind" – 3:50
"Bennie and the Jets" – 5:23

Side B

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" – 3:13
"This Song Has No Title" – 2:23
"Grey Seal" – 4:00
"Jamaica Jerk-Off" – 3:39
"I've Seen That Movie Too" – 5:59

Side C

"Sweet Painted Lady" – 3:54
"The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909–34)" – 4:23
"Dirty Little Girl" – 5:00
"All the Young Girls Love Alice" – 5:09

Side D

"Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n' Roll)" – 2:42
"Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" – 4:57
"Roy Rogers" – 4:07
"Social Disease" – 3:42
"Harmony" – 2:46

 

[Dennie]

Born To Run -- CD

Bruce Springsteen

1975/1990 Columbia Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Few albums are as fueled by hope, possibility, and the lure of the open road as Born to Run, a virtual concept album about small-town Jerseyites in search of a better life via hot-rodding out on the turnpike, scoring some small-time hustle, or blowing out of town altogether, either across the river to New York City or west for parts unknown. Songs like "Jungleland," "Thunder Road," "Backstreets," and the title track are epic productions, both sonically and lyrically, borrowing from Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and West Side Story. When Born to Run was released in 1975, it earned then-unknown Springsteen the rare honor of simultaneous covers on both Time and Newsweek. The attention was warranted then, and it still is now. --Daniel Durchholz

Side one

"Thunder Road" – 4:49
"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" – 3:11
"Night" – 3:00
"Backstreets" – 6:30

Side two

"Born to Run" – 4:31
"She's the One" – 4:30
"Meeting Across the River" – 3:18
"Jungleland" – 9:34

 

[Dennie]

Blood On The Tracks -- CD

Bob Dylan

1975/1990 Columbia Records

Like an old friend., April 15, 2007
By Mr. S. J. Brodie (Glasgow, Scotland UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Blood on the Tracks (Reis) (Audio CD)

Even a cursed eighties born child of the disposible Killers-generation like me can appreciate the genius behind 'Blood on the tracks' In contrast to the commonplace acts of today, Dylans music has always sustained staying power and relevance and this record is still a great illustration of his amazing talent many years after its release. This is an important and poetic record which deals with real emotions (turning a failed marriage into a force for good) and contains some of his most eternal songs (such as 'Idiot wind' and 'Shelter from the storm') The virtuosity displayed on 'Blood' is rare and special. I would recommend this album to anyone.

Side one

"Tangled Up in Blue" – 5:42 (Sound 80 Studio – Minneapolis, MN – 12/30/74)
"Simple Twist of Fate" – 4:19 (A & R Studios – New York, NY – 9/19/74)
"You're a Big Girl Now" – 4:36 (Sound 80 Studio – Minneapolis, MN – 12/27/74)
"Idiot Wind" – 7:48 (Sound 80 Studio – Minneapolis, MN – 12/27/74)
"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" – 2:55 (A & R Studios – New York, NY – 9/17/74)

Side two

"Meet Me in the Morning" – 4:22 (A & R Studios – New York, NY – 9/16/74)
"Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" – 8:51 (Sound 80 Studio – Minneapolis, MN – 12/30/74)
"If You See Her, Say Hello" – 4:49 (Sound 80 Studio – Minneapolis, MN – 12/30/74)
"Shelter from the Storm" – 5:02 (A & R Studios – New York, NY – 9/17/74)
"Buckets of Rain" – 3:22 (A & R Studios – New York, NY – 9/19/74)

 

[Dennie]

Fair & Square -- CD

John Prine

2005 Oh Boy Records

Amazon.com

Good things come to those who wait. During John Prine's nine-year interval between albums of original material, fans who hailed his recovery from cancer wondered whether he'd ever return to full creative speed. Here, Prine puts doubts to rest with an album that ranks with the finest of an inspired career. The big heart of "Glory of True Love," the socially conscious bite of "Some Humans Ain't Human," the reflective grace of "Taking a Walk," the wry whimsy of "Crazy as a Loon"--the hallmarks of Prine's artistry are reaffirmed on Fair & Square. The album also reflects Prine's first attempt at producing himself, with the warmth of his rough-hewn vocals finding a comfortable fit among the organic, largely acoustic arrangements. Though Prine penned 12 of the 14 cuts (including two bonus tracks, one recorded in concert), a pair of covers prove revelatory: Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons" sounds like it could well be one of Prine's own (with a melody that recalls "Hello in There" and a lyric of renewal that sounds like personal testament), while A.P. Carter's "Bear Creek Blues" carries an electric charge as the traditional song rocks harder than anything else on the album. With a generous selection of close to an hour of music, the album stands as a creative triumph for Prine, a fully satisfying effort that rewards the patience of his loyal fans. Welcome back. --Don McLeese

All tracks composed by John Prine, except where indicated:

"Glory of True Love" (Prine, Roger Cook) – 4:12
"Crazy as a Loon" (Prine, Pat McLaughlin) – 5:03
"Long Monday" (Prine, Keith Sykes) – 3:22
"Taking a Walk" (Prine, McLaughlin) – 6:09
"Some Humans Ain't Human" – 7:03
"My Darlin' Hometown" (Prine, Roger Cook) – 3:14
"Morning Train" (Prine, McLaughlin) – 4:02
"The Moon Is Down" – 3:47
"Clay Pigeons" (Blaze Foley) – 4:27
"She Is My Everything" – 4:25
"I Hate It When That Happens to Me" (Prine, Donnie Fritts) – 2:49
"Bear Creek Blues" (A.P. Carter) – 4:45
"Other Side of Town" (Live recording) – 4:53
"Safety Joe" – 3:58

 

[Dennie]

It Looks Like Snow -- CD

Phoebe Snow

1976/1989 Columbia Records

A true original hard to categorize!, March 21, 2004
By Reginald D. Garrard "the G-man" (Camilla, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: It Looks Like Snow (Audio CD)

Phoebe Snow, late of so many commercial jingles, was, for a brief time, a rarity in the music industry. She was one of those singers that was so unique that she transcended many popular genres.

No better example of her skill can be found than on "It Looks Like Snow". She tackled the blues ("Girlish Ways"), the torch song ("Teach Me Tonight"), an anthem ("Have Mercy on Me"), a somber ballad ("Don't Bring Me Down"), and funk ("Shaky Ground"). These and the other five tracks show a versatility that is scarce in the music biz.

Perhaps, it was her singular talent that made her impossible to "pigeonhole" or program in the radio formats of the day.

Thankfully, modern audiences are a little more diverse and are likely to be more appreciative of this lost 70's wonder.

I highly recommended this bit of "frozen precipitation" for one's music library.

All songs written by Phoebe Snow, except where noted.

"Autobiography (Shine, Shine,Shine)" - 5:15
"Teach Me Tonight" (Gene De Paul, Sammy Cahn) - 4:30
"Stand Up on the Rock" - 3:58
"In My Girlish Days" (Ernest Lawlers)- 4:48
"Mercy on Those" -6:06
"Don't Let Me Down" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 5:51
"Drink Up the Melody (Bite the Dust, Blues)" - 5:51
"Fat Chance" - 2:56
"My Faith Is Blind" - 5:54
"Shakey Ground" (Eddie Hazel, Jeffrey Bowen, Angelo Bond) - 4:18

 

[Dennie]

Hourglass -- Enhanced CD

James Taylor

1997 Columbia Records

Terrific Release By A Mature Artist!, August 16, 2002
By Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Hourglass [Enhanced CD] (Audio CD)

Hourglass is the latest offering from James Taylor, although he is rumored to have a new CD entitled "October Roads" due out soon. This is by far one the best of his albums in recent memory, with a number of classic new songs. This is an especially terrific album given the fact that he has been around so long, and such an endless resume of previous accomplishments. Yet Taylor continues to amaze and amuse us with his personal growth and his incredible gifts for observation and songwriting. After all these thirty some years, he still is a master of his craft.

The first song up is a wryly amusing yet poignant song called "Line `Em Up", with references, among other things, to Dick Nixon and his arrogant presentations to the common folk and to the self-absorbed way he exited the White House stage. Next is a lovely albeit sad song called "Enough To Be On Your Way" intended to be a tribute to his brother Alex, dead too soon from an self-abusive and ultimately self-destructive lifestyle. This song is a very thoughtful and searching exploration into the realms of love and loss, and is also a loving portrait of a person (Taylor turned his brother into a female character for dramatic purpose in the song) whose path was always drawn like a moth to the flame.

It also includes his very popular "Little More Time With You", and a number of other interesting and stylistically diverse songs. His interest in the whole earth mother realm in "Gaia" is especially well written, as is "Another Day". This is an album you will play and replay, and it wears well with time. Of course, my favorite here is "Enough To Be On Your Way", which, with some of the songs from his last several albums, is sure to be included on the "James Taylor Great Hits, Volume Three" we can hope will be on the horizon in a year or so. Meanwhile, though, enjoy this one.

All songs by James Taylor unless otherwise noted.

"Line 'Em Up" – 4:42
"Enough to Be on Your Way" – 5:57
"Little More Time With You" – 3:51
"Gaia" – 5:30
"Ananas" – 5:42
"Jump Up Behind Me" – 3:28
"Another Day" – 2:21
"Up Er Mei" – 3:47
"Up From Your Life" – 5:15
"Yellow and Rose" – 4:54
"Boatman" (Livingston Taylor, M. Taylor) – 3:57
"Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk) – 3:12
"Hangnail" (also known as "Money O Money") – 2:22 [hidden "bonus" track]


James Taylor – guitar, harmonica, vocals
Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone, EWI
Clifford Carter – keyboards
Valerie Carter – vocals
Shawn Colvin – vocals
Luis Conte – percussion
Jill Dell'Abate – vocals
Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar
Jimmy Johnson – bass
David Lasley – vocals
Bobby Mann – guitar
Kate Markowitz – vocals
Yo-Yo Ma – cello
Branford Marsalis – soprano saxophone
Arnold McCuller – vocals
Edgar Meyer – bass
Mark O'Connor – fiddle
Ed Rockett - penny whistle
Sting – vocals
Ross Traut – guitar
Carlos Vega – drums
Stevie Wonder – harmonica

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Sailing To Philadelphia -- HDCD

Mark Knopfler

2000 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

Former Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler's second proper solo album (he's remained preoccupied with soundtrack work through the years) is a stirring and considered set of transatlantic blues. The collection is bolstered by contributions from Van Morrison ("The Last Laugh") and James Taylor (the title track), while Knopfler's guitar playing remains fresh and alive as he merges country and folk picking with electric blues. But it's as a writer that he really impresses: "Baloney Again" is a sensitive portrayal of a black gospel outfit in Jim Crow America; the title track is an intriguing distillation of Thomas Pynchon's doorstopper novel, Mason & Dixon; and "Silvertown Blues" is a stirring appreciation of blue-collar endeavor. A lovingly and honestly crafted collection, Sailing to Philadelphia shows Knopfler's talent and commitment remain as strong as ever. --Gavin Martin

"What It Is" – 4:57
"Sailing to Philadelphia" – 5:29 (Mark Knopfler/James Taylor)
"Who's Your Baby Now" – 3:05
"Baloney Again" – 5:09
"The Last Laugh" – 3:22
"Do America" – 4:11
"El Macho" – 5:29
"Prairie Wedding" – 4:26
"Wanderlust" – 3:52
"Speedway at Nazareth" – 6:23
"Junkie Doll" – 4:34
"Silvertown Blues" – 5:32
"Sands of Nevada" – 3:56


Mark Knopfler – guitars and vocals
Richard Bennett – guitars and other string instruments
Jim Cox – piano and organ
Guy Fletcher – keyboard and backing vocals
Glenn Worf – bass guitar
Chad Cromwell – drums

There are many guest appearances by other musicians on various tracks, including:

James Taylor – vocals on "Sailing to Philadelphia"
Van Morrison – vocals on "The Last Laugh"
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – vocals on "Prairie Wedding" and "Speedway at Nazareth"
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford – vocals on "Silvertown Blues"
Aubrey Haynie – violin on "What It Is" and "Speedway at Nazareth"
Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music...

The Royal Scam -- CD

Steely Dan

1976/1999 ABC/MCA Records

Steely Dan for Guitar Lovers,
May 20, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Royal Scam (Audio CD)

Die hard rock fans who cringe at the sound of horn sections and piano solos often dismiss Steely Dan with comments such as, "but they're JAZZ," as though uttering a dirty word. I think The Royal Scam would be a good place to begin for those who may be willing to give Fagen and Becker another chance. Try the following: program Kid Charlemagne, Don't Take Me Alive, The Fez, and Green Earrings on your CD player, put on your headphones, pump up the volume, and by the end of the last track you'll be in air guitar heaven! Then start playing the entire CD from beginning to end several times in a row (it is designed as a concept album), listen to the lyrics carefully (it can be like poetry, obscure but worth the effort of interpretation), and I'll bet (like so many of my at-first resistant friends), you'll become a convert, ready to try more of their recordings (perhaps Countdown to Ecstacy would be a good next choice). Steely Dan's music is NOT jazz (although they have fused its elements into their sound seamlessly), but like the best jazz (not the "smooth" psuedo-fusion variety), it may at first seem too complex or disjointed to an ear accustomed to and expecting the easy pleasures of formulaic top 40 hits. But once the Dan's music has insinuated itself deep into your system (mind, heart, and soul), the intoxicating pleasures that it ultimately does give up will never grow tired, dated or stale. Steely Dan is timeless. Trust me!

Side one

"Kid Charlemagne" – 4:38
Guitar solo by Larry Carlton
"The Caves of Altamira" – 3:33[8]
Alto saxophone solo by John Klemmer
"Don't Take Me Alive" – 4:16
Guitar solo by Larry Carlton
"Sign in Stranger" – 4:23
Piano Solo by Paul Griffin
Guitar Solo by Elliott Randall
"The Fez" (Becker, Fagen, Paul Griffin) – 4:01
Guitar solo by Walter Becker

Side two

"Green Earrings" – 4:05
Guitar solos by Denny Dias (1st) and Elliott Randall (2nd)
"Haitian Divorce" – 5:51
Talk box guitar solo by Dean Parks, altered by Walter Becker
"Everything You Did" – 3:55
Guitar solo by Larry Carlton
"The Royal Scam" – 6:30
Guitar solo by Larry Carlton

 

[Randy]

 

[Botch]

Good call, Paul, I'm enjoying this!
I normally don't use my receiver's "DSP/Surround" functions; if a CD is in stereo I listen to it in stereo. This particular recording, however, sounds great with the artificial surround. :music-listening:

 

[PaulyT]

Cool, glad you like it. That's an interesting idea 'bout the surround, will have to try that!

 

[Dennie]

Physical Graffiti -- 2 CD Box Set

Led Zeppelin

1975 Swan Song

Amazon.com essential recording

This 1975 release came smack in the middle of a long and nearly mythic career. Physical Graffiti is the last great Led Zeppelin title, recorded before the influences of the day (synthesizers, disco) ended Zeppelin's reign as the kings of loud and sexy blues-metal. Playfully experimenting with new sounds, the band blended Middle Eastern rhythms, folk-stylings, heavy blues, and deeply impassioned rock riffs into a two-disc set that sounded as if they were still enjoying their place in the rock pantheon. As sprawling and adventurous as this collection is, there are some tracks so tightly focused--so ultra-Zeppelinesque--that it's tempting to name this as a number one or number two must-have. "Trampled Underfoot" and "Custard Pie" alone are almost worth the double-disc price tag. --Lorry Fleming

Side one
No. Title Date recorded Length
1. "Custard Pie" January–February 1974 4:13
2. "The Rover" May 1972 5:37
3. "In My Time of Dying" (Traditional; arr./adap. Page, Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham) January–February 1974 11:04
Side two
No. Title Date recorded Length
1. "Houses of the Holy" May 1972 4:02
2. "Trampled Under Foot" (Page, Plant, Jones) January–February 1974 5:37
3. "Kashmir" (Page, Plant, Bonham) January–February 1974 8:32
Side three
No. Title Date recorded Length
1. "In the Light" (Page, Plant, Jones) January–February 1974 8:46
2. "Bron-Yr-Aur" (Page) July 1970 2:06
3. "Down by the Seaside" February 1971 5:13
4. "Ten Years Gone" January–February 1974 6:32
Side four
No. Title Date recorded Length
1. "Night Flight" (Jones, Page, Plant) December 1970–January 1971 3:36
2. "The Wanton Song" January–February 1974 4:07
3. "Boogie with Stu" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant, Ian Stewart, Mrs. Valens) December 1970–January 1971 3:53
4. "Black Country Woman" May 1972 4:24
5. "Sick Again" January–February 1974 4:42

 

[Dennie]

Play The Blues - Live From Jazz at Lincoln Center -- CD

Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton

TODAY Reprise Jazz

New York City’s premier jazz venue got the blues last April when Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton performed together in Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center for two sold-out shows dedicated to vintage blues. The extraordinary collaboration, billed as Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton Play the Blues, paired these musical virtuosos with members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as they brought to life a repertoire of songs selected by Clapton and arranged by Marsalis.

Marsalis and Clapton were joined on stage by Dan Nimmer (piano), Carlos Henriquez (bass), Ali Jackson (drums), Marcus Printup (trumpet), Victor Goines (clarinet), Chris Crenshaw (trombone, vocals), Don Vappie (banjo) and Clapton’s longtime keyboarist/sideman Chris Stainton. Marsalis says the group combined the sound of an early blues jump-band with the sound of New Orleans jazz to accommodate the integration of guitar/trumpet lead, a combination that gave the musicians the latitude to play different grooves, from the Delta to the Caribbean and beyond.

1. Ice Cream
2. Forty-Four
3. Joe Turner's Blues
4. The Last Time
5. Careless Love
6. Kidman Blues
7. Layla
8. Joliet Bound
9. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
10. Corrine, Corrina

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

The Harrow & The Harvest -- CD

Gillian Welch

2011 Acony Records

Worth the wait,
June 28, 2011
By
Kil Roi

This review is from: The Harrow & The Harvest (Audio CD)

Whatever the reason Gillian Welch and David Rawlings waited eight years to release this much anticipated album, we're rewarded for our patience.

The 10 tracks on "The Harrow & the Harvest" are well-penned and executed. In an interview with The Australian, Gillian said the duo struggled with getting the material just right for this album. And got it right they did. Gillian returns to her cowgirl-boots-in-a-daisy-field folk, dark lyrics and melodies with just enough melancholia to make you feel good.

Gone are the drums that adorned her previous album, "Soul Journey," (the drum work on that LP wasn't flashy, but rather curiously echoed the plodding snare thumps found on Neil Young's "Harvest.")

Standout tracks include "Dark Turn of Mind" and "Down Along the Dixie Line." But the whole album flows and is best enjoyed in its entirety, in solitude.

"The Harrow & the Harvest" is a must-have for Gillian Welch fans.

If you're new to her, this is a great starting point. But there's no need to tell you to explore her back catalog. After hearing this, you will.

1. "Scarlet Town" 3:38
2. "Dark Turn of Mind" 4:07
3. "The Way It Will Be" 4:47
4. "The Way It Goes" 4:01
5. "Tennessee" 6:35
6. "Down Along the Dixie Line" 4:49
7. "Six White Horses" 3:38
8. "Hard Times" 4:52
9. "Silver Dagger" 3:23
10. "The Way the Whole Thing Ends" 6:11

 

[Dennie]

Thanks for the reminder!

I need to listen to that soon. :music-rockout:



Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music....

So -- CD

Peter Gabriel

1986 Geffen Records

loved it in '86, love it today, June 7, 2011
By Lonewolf Johnny74 (PDX (OR)) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: So (Audio CD)

What makes an album timeless? well-crafted song structure, lyrics that resonate & skilled musicians to translate vision into audio reality. This is def one of those albums! I remember this like it was released yesterday, although it is a quarter- century old. Radio staples like "big time" ,"in your eyes"
(what woman doesnt like that one?) and my fave"sledgehammer" which debuted the same time as that ground-
breaking show( SO underloved by ******* execs) all sound new & fresh every time I hear them! What a great listening experience

All songs written by Peter Gabriel except as indicated.

Side one

"Red Rain" – 5:39
"Sledgehammer" – 5:12
"Don't Give Up" – 6:33
"That Voice Again" (Gabriel, David Rhodes) – 4:53

Side two

"In Your Eyes" – 5:27
"Mercy Street" – 6:22
"Big Time" – 4:28
"We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" – 3:22
"This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" (Laurie Anderson, Gabriel) – 4:25†

†Not included on original vinyl release.

 

[topper]