Thursday, May 17, 2018

#35 Bob Dylan "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan"

Disclaimer: Can't stand Bob Dylan. That being said, I can -appreciate- Dylan. His voice drives me nuts and every time I hear that damned harmonica, I want to rip it out of his hand and stomp on it. This doesn't mean I think he's bad, I just don't enjoy his music. That all being said, it was a really interesting contrast to put this album with the Beatles, back to back. Very different aesthetics coming out at the same time. I can certainly see why this is considered a classic. At 22, he managed to achieve quite a bit. Looking ahead, I can also see why people went crazy when he picked up an electric guitar. I'm not going to convert but I can see why this album is on the list.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

#34 The Beatles "With the Beatles"

Ok, I told myself I wasn't going to listen to any Beatles records in this list. Why? Because I've heard them all before SO many times. I don't think there is any other band that is more overplayed than the Beatles. But. But...I threw on "Meet the Beatles" because it was next on the list and I was instantly tapping my fingers and whistling along. Even if you don't like the Beatles, there is just something that grabs me from the beginning. Not every track is a winner here, but damn, compared to the other things I'm listening to from the same era, you can tell there's a certain sound, a certain GRAB that's going on here that is going to make people sit up and take notice. Even weaker tracks like "Don't Bother Me" are better than some other bands' A tracks. Sure, there are a lot of covers in their early days, but their versions tend to be the ones people remember. IF there's any crit here, it's that some songs are too short and the sound fades out too soon. And... 'Til There was You" is not their song. All those nights spent playing in Germany really paid off for these kids. I'm sure you've heard of them.

#33 Ray Price "Night Life"

Gah. I really don't like C+W. And this guy, to me, sounds too much like a rich, white guy trying to sing the blues right from the start. Then that damned steel guitar shows up and I really just needed to turn this off. Not fair, perhaps, as he's likely a very good musician and singer, I just can't STAND that twang and drawl. Not my thing. Might have been influential. Just not for me. At all.

#32 Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd "Jazz Samba"

This isn't 'serious' jazz but it is fun. This is more an album I would have on in the background of a good party or when discussing art or something similar. It's not so heavy in the southern american rhythms as to overwhelm like the Cuban craze did in the 50s but it is a good time. Another bit of music history I'm glad I came across. Don't know that vocals would have made a difference or not, unlike the last album. This one stands on its own, is a good deal more enjoyable.

#31 Bookr T and the MGs "Green Onions"

This is an instrumental album and as such, I had a little trouble connecting with it. Unlike jazz, this stuff feels like there's supposed to be lyrics and, in some cases, there were. "Green Onions," the title track is one of those songs that you don't realize you know. It was apparently totally improvised and is easily the strongest track on the album. A lot of the rest of this feels more like knock-offs of 'real' songs. The organ, in major keys just sounds kind of cheesy to me, some of it sounding like fake rock music from 60s sitcoms. "Mo' Onions" is perhaps the second strongest track but really just feels like more of the same from track #1. "Lonely Avenue" is a good one but really, the rest of this one left me flat. A really top end Blues singer, I think could have made this better. Otherwise, it feels like something's missing.

#30, missing: Ray Charles "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"

This album wasn't in Apple Music so I had to skip it. Pity. I don't like C+W music AT ALL, but this is Charles and that might have made a difference.

#29 Bill Evans "Sunday at the Village Vanguard"

Ok, it seems I'm learning to like jazz. Especially this late 50s early 60s stuff. This is a really good album, full of that cool blue vibe that likely got all the beatniks going. Or hepcats. Whatever. Another live album, this one had different takes for some tracks, at least the version I heard on iTunes did. The audience sounded kind of tired in their response on some of them, which is a shame as this was a hell of an album. Seems, because of this list, I'm going to have to start listening to jazz. Maybe a lot. Never heard of Evans before but now I'm glad I did. Very well worth a listen and likely more than one. Thanks, list.

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

#28 Muddy Waters "Muddy Waters at Newport 1960"

Wow. Like the Duke Ellington album from Newport, this is a hell of a disc. I've never listened to Waters, though he was a favorite of one of my previous employers. Blues isn't one of my favorite genres. That being said, this is a good, as great an entry to the Blues as I've heard. The album rocks, is exciting, soulful and elemental as it can be. The crowd can be heard to go nuts here and there, and you can tell why. Knowing nothing else about Waters, I'd say he was a master. This is definitely one of those "never would have heard it, damned glad I did" albums from this list. The 60s is going to be a tough decade as there's going to be SO much change, so much coming. Still, I'm betting when all is said and done, this is one of my favorites from the decade. A standout. Great performance.

#27 Jimmy Smith, "Back at the Chicken Shack"

Another entry in the Jazz lists, this album was a lot of fun. I've never heard of Jimmy Smith. Apparently, he's the one who made the Hammond organ 'cool,' when it was generally thought of something just used for church socials. That being said, while I can here his bending use of the instrument, to me, the star of this album, the one who really makes it fun, funky and moving is the saxophonist, Stanley Turrentine. The organ here still has some of that...squareness. It's played extremely well, and the organ will enter rock and roll very soon, likely because of Smith. Still, my favorite part is the sax. Well worth a listen.

#26 The Everly Brothers "A Date with the Everly Brothers"

The Everly Brothers are kind of hard not to know, if you're at least a certain age. That being said, I was kind of surprised by actually listening to them here. Their harmonies are kind of astounding, especially when using headphones. It really sounds more like one person harmonizing with himself. There's the one huge hit off this, "Cathy's Clown," but some of the lesser ones like "Love Hurts" are as appropriate to teen angst now as they were then. There's a lot of longing and hurt here, somewhat hidden by catchy tunes and rhythms. I'm still not a huge fan, but I'm glad I stopped to actually -listen- to them and realize why they were such a big deal. Interesting to note that records could sometimes be made a HELL of a lot faster in those days; this was apparently recorded in a March and released a little more than a month later. Gah.

#25 (oops) Elvis "Elvis is Back!"

Seems I got this one out of order; it's supposed to be #24. Ah, well, not a huge deal. This is Elvis' first album after being released from the army. Apparently the kids were going nuts waiting for his return and they rushed an album out as soon as they could. That being said, to me, this is a mixed bag. Some of his tunes sound so amazingly 50s, they're already passé. Then there's "Fever," which, I have to admit, Elvis belts out amazingly well and seductively. I bet there was a lot of teen sighing around that song. I don't generally listen to Elvis but this one was ok. Again, not his best to me, but had a few highlights that are quintessentially Elvis.

#24 Miriam Makeba "Miriam Makeba"

What a contrast between this album and the last. Makeba's music is generally a lot more fun, more energetic than Baez' and yet it has similar roots. The music comes from Africa and the Caribbean and is mixed here and there with some English updating. It also seems to predict the popularity of Calypso music to come later in the 60s. One tune in particular sounded very familiar; Mbube reminded me a LOT of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Also, "House of the Rising Sun" was included here as it was on Baez' album though in Baez' case, it sounded more like a sunday morning chastisement while here, it retained that bluesy, wish I hadn't done that feeling which fits better, to my ear, with the song. This album goes under the 'never would have heard it otherwise, I'm glad I did' category.

#23 Joan Baez, "Joan Baez"

To be fair, I'm not finished the album as I write this but suffice to say that, before listening I didn't like Baez and I still don't. I appreciate her skill, her ability and her long road. I just can't stand her voice. There's a preachiness that starts here on her first album that will never leave. That she's been a strong advocate for human rights for many decades is something I respect. I just don't want to listen to her music. Unlike most critics, I'm strong enough to say that I don't think she's bad, I just don't like her music. From the start, she was professional, poised and polished. Moving on.

Friday, April 20, 2018

#22 Dave Brubeck Quartet "Take Five"

This one's kind of a classic. Most of the album is good, above average, but then there's the title track. That's a kind of perfect that doesn't come along very often. The first track, "Blue Rondo a la Turk" is kind of NPR or PBS theme music, and I'm sure I heard it used there when I was a kid for something or other. Not really a bad thing to say about this album and I'll likely come back to it. Not my first time, won't be my last. Adding it to the list of jazz I don't hate. Maybe I don't hate jazz after all...

#21 Marty Robbins "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs"

"El Paso" is on this one. Used to hear this played over and over while eating at The Border Café in Harvard Square. That's about my extent of exposure to Marty Robbins before this. While technically country music, it's really more storytelling than anything else. A bit melodramatic, this album kind of perfect illustrates a part of the 50s otherwise not in evidence in the list so far. Westerns were huge and there's an innocence here that has been lost and will never be reclaimed. I wouldn't go out of my way for this kind of thing but I can appreciate it for what it is.

Monday, April 16, 2018

#20 Miles Davis "Kind of Blue"

This album is pretty perfect. I don't like jazz, or I didn't but this is so evocative, it can't help but make me see and feel things. I'd heard it before, it's not for every day. It needs to be as close to the center of what you're doing as possible to soak it properly in. If I were to see him in a club doing this live and anyone was talking or otherwise distracting, I'd be pissed. Top marks.

Sunday, April 15, 2018

#19 Ella Fitzgerald, "Sings the Gershwin Song Book"

I might get flack for this, but I couldn't listen to too much of this album. Fitzgerald and the Gershwins are geniuses, of that I'm sure. It's not really my kind of music; all those strings are just so...parental. This just feels like music for older folks, stuff I used to avoid when I was a kid. Mix that with the fact that there is over 4 hours of music on this one meant that I just had to pass. I'm finding that the albums that have a rougher edge, a bit more energy and less rehearsal are appealing more to me, even when it's not my kind of music. This stuff is so polished, there's not an interesting corner to it. For me. So.. I'm sure this is great stuff, just not for me.

#18 Sarah Vaughn, "At Mr. Kelly's"

Recorded live in 1957, this record is delightful. It's VERY live, with an intro as well as disclaimer that Sarah will be using music sheets as this performance is going to be a record. She messes up the second song and has fun with that fact. Hers is a very sweet voice, less bluesy, more soft. An amazing instrument, I can easily see her draw. The modern version of this record is a double set with the songs I'm guessing were left out of the original record put back in.

#17 Jack Elliot

This one is abbreviated as the album in question, "Jack Takes the Floor" is missing from Apple Music and the list I was using, though not the book. I don't have the track list, so listened to the three songs particularly mentioned in the article. His is that kind of train-track, hobo blues kind of music. Not my thing at all, though apparently he was quiet influential. Not my thing.

Friday, April 13, 2018

#16 Billie Holiday "Lady in Satin"

From what I read about this record, it was Billie Holiday trying to make a comeback in her 40s while sounding like she was in her 70s. Apparently the victim of a terrible heroin addiction, she was at a shaky point in her life, though later claimed this as her favorite of her own recordings. I'm going to go against the author of the book and say that I generally really disliked the arrangements here as they're all typical 50s strings, softening the blow of her still amazing voice. If she'd been paired with the clarinets, saxophones and other general blues instruments instead, I think this album would have been utterly unforgettable, stunning and 100% better. That's just me. She's been through a lot. You can tell, feel it. Just wish it wasn't the Lawrence Welk Orchestra behind her.

#15 Tito Puente "Dance Mania Vol. 1"

It might be unfair to have this record come right after Little Richard's debut. Next to him, this music, all quite bouncy and danceable sounds rather rehearsed and 'clean.' There was a lot of Latin music making the rounds in the 50s (pity the same can't be said today) and this certainly is some of it. Don't know that I'd be able to pick Puente's stuff out of a crowd but it was nice enough.

#14 Litte Richard "Here's Little Richard"

Tutti Frutti is the first track and from here, we pretty much know all we need to know about Little Richard. Or do we? The energy on this record is SO much different than any of the other rock performances on what I've heard so far. That being said, Richard gets a LOT of mileage out of that old 1 4 5 blues progression. For me, though, the killer tracks on this album were not the usuals, but "Long Tall Sally," "Oh, Why?" "Jenny Jenny" and "She's Got It." Tons of energy and, likely, something never heard before. Because of headphones, I can tell these tracks were recorded at different times and that's ok. A live show back in 1957 must have been exhausting.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

#13 Machito, "Kenya"

Like the Miles Davis entry before, this album feels cut short by its time. Each track is single-lengthen, coming in at 3 minutes or less. They're all lively, fun numbers that also kind of feel anonymous in overall tone; more like something played in the background of a party than something to draw people specifically in. That being said, it was fun, and I did enjoy it. The tone just didn't vary all that much and the music didn't pull me in as much as some of the other music on this list did. Worth hearing because of the joy, just perhaps not as well remembered.

#12 Miles Davis' "Birth of the Cool"

I generally don't like jazz. That being said, I saw Don Cheadle's movie, "Miles Away," really enjoyed it and then dialed up "Kind of Blue," pretty much THE Miles Davis album everyone agrees you're supposed to listen to and... liked it. It's not on my everyday playlist or anything but I could accept it and get it, to some degree which I couldn't before. That being said, "Birth of the Cool" is not "Kind of Blue." This doesn't mean I think it's bad, more that it's early and we haven't got to THAT Miles yet. This album, which is partially a product of its time, is full of rather short pieces which feel like they would really rather be drawn out and explored a lot further. The version of the album on iTunes is missing the last track mentioned in the book, "Darn That Dream," and I wish it had been missing. It has terrible vocals which, to my ear, clash with everything else on the album. That being said, this is a perfectly good, smokey, nightclubby album. To me, it was more a taste than a full meal. "Kind of Blue" apparently comes up later on in the list. I look forward to listening to that again.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

#11 Sabu "Palo Congo"

I can't begin to guess how this album was received in 1956. It starts off with more Cuban styled music but quickly moves towards a more African flavor. I know that, because of "I Love Lucy" Cuban music was kind of hot in the 50s, I have no idea if anything from Africa was. That being said, this was pleasant enough to listen to with a different kind of beat and rhythm than anything else on the list to this point. It's pushing the boundaries of very white music and I have to expect that few records were sold in its time. I could be wrong. This is exactly why I decided to do this list, to test my own tastes and exposure. While it may not be my thing, and I might never come this way again, I liked it.

#10 Thelonious Monk "Brilliant Corners"

This is more of what I think of when I think of jazz, that kind of smokey, coffee-scented kind of music that came from dark nightclubs of the past. Never listened to Monk before though I know he is one of THE names of the genre. I can see, more and more, why people were and are drawn to jazz. There are colors, there are feelings, none of which are concrete, distinct. It's kind of like abstract art, which I generally like very much. This is music of that time, when the abstract impressionists held sway. I kind of wish I could go back to one of those jazz clubs just for one night. This is a somewhat 'perfect' version of one of those nights, but is also likely as close as I'll ever get. Glad I took the chance on this one.

#8 The Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly had an unarguable impact on what would become Rock and Roll. That being said, this album held no real surprises because most of it has been so well played. This shouldn't detract from its importance because pretty much every song on here was likely a hit and I can understand why. It's catchy, fun and likely stuff that hadn't been heard before. For a youth market that was likely utterly starving for something new, something they could call their own, I bet this was the stuff of dreams. The Crickets are a tight combo and Holly had a kind of perfect voice. Worth revisiting.

EDIT: Wrote this a little too early; thought the album was done and it wasn't. The last track, "Rock Me My Baby" was, for me, the hit of the album. Never heard it before but it was bouncy and fun. Sort of like the track I liked on Fats Domino's album, one unheard that really grabbed me.

#9 Count Basie, "Atomic Mr. Basie"

Wasn't sure what to expect with Count Basie as I didn't know his work really at all. What I got was kind of big band mixed with the sounds of the Jetsons theme. Neil Hefti, who would go on to write tv themes such as that for Batman and The Odd Couple was the arranger and that's probably where most of the flavor of this album came from. It's generally a lot of fun, upbeat and fits in with the late 50s early 60s just fine. Well worth a listen. I'm out of order as I missed seeing the Crickets' album at #8 but I'll go back now and listen to that. Interesting to hear this kind of music so much when Rock and Roll is really just busting out all over the place about this time, which is 1957. Thought there would be more of that.

Monday, April 9, 2018

#7 Sinatra, "Songs for Swingin' Lovers"

It's hard not to compare albums on this list, which really isn't fair as they likely weren't in any kind of competition when released. That being said, I was expecting to feel a good deal of being let down when going right from the Ellington album to a studio recording by Sinatra. And to be fair, this album is nothing compared to that one. And still, this is pretty much Sinatra at his best, from what little I know. The songs are all very well crafted, the performances are tight and iconic. If anything, this is better to me than his first entry in this list. Certainly there are a lot more recognizable songs. A worthy entry to the 1001. Surprisingly enjoyable.

Duke Ellington, album #6

"Ellington at Newport 1956" is the album of tonight, though it really started last night. The version I'm listening to is a combination of various versions. It seems his performance at the Newport Jazz festival was recorded but the recordings were somehow damaged and so the album that was released was actually a re-recording done in the studio with canned applause added. There was a re-release that used the original tapes, a radio broadcast and the re-recordings to make as close a version to the real one as possible. And does it shine. I do NOT like jazz. Never have. But this record is hot, sexy, slow, passionate and tight all at the same time. Of all the records I've listened to so far, this one is the most varied, the most standing out of the bunch. All but the Louvin Brothers, Fats Domino and Elvis were supposedly washed up, has beens that thought their careers were over. These albums proved that wrong. I can't imagine having been at that festival in 1956. An amazing record. And it's teaching me something about jazz. Maybe I finally understand it to some degree. Well worth the listen.

EDIT: At the end of this amazing album. I will be utterly AMAZED if any of the other entries from the 1950s even come close to the heights this album hits. It doesn't break new ground, it's not the foundation of things to come, it isn't a breakout of new talent but dear gods, this album is truly amazing. Easily my favorite so far. Kind of sorry that I'm going back to Sinatra for the next one.

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Fats Domino

Fats Domino gets his own entry in this blog because it's the last album I listened to tonight, when I started this whole journal. "This is Fats," is apparently his third album and it's the first one I couldn't locate in whole on Apple Music. All the tracks were there, just not in the order of the original album. So my listening to it was a little scattershot as I hunted and poked for the tracks in a huge listing. There are some big, very well known tracks here, including "Blueberry Hill," and "Blue Monday," but for me, the track that really stood out was, "Rocking and a Rolling." It was soulful, heavy and just damned good. This is the kind of music that you can just tell made people sit up and listen. There's a certain something to it that, even if you know nothing about the era or the music of the times, this music means something. Just shy of actual rock and roll and mostly sticking to the good old 1 4 5 blues progression, this is still obviously the base structure of rock. Some amazing stuff.

Country and Western, Louis Prima

Next in the big list is a country western album. The Louvin Brothers', "Tragic Songs of Life" was the first tonight. C+W is my least favorite type of popular music. This album is the very old, Opry style of C+W. All I can say is that I really didn't care for this album at all, it didn't change my mind about C+W music and, because of this prejudice, I can't understand its importance. I don't reject the claim, I just am so not part of that world that I am unable to comprehend it. Still, I listened to the whole thing, finding most of the songs to sound about the same.

Second was Louis Prima's, "The Wildest!" I was looking forward to this even though my only experience with Prima was from King Louis in the "Jungle Book" movie. I figured he was going to be making music somewhere between big band style and jazz and I was close enough. This was a good, fun record and I'm glad I listened to it. There was a lot of joy in his performance and the musicians were tight and lively. Prima I might look more into and listen to again.

1001 Albums Post 1: Sinatra and Elvis

So it seems that this list, 1001 Albums You Must Hear is done in order of release, or at least by decade. We start in the 50s, not generally my favorite decade for music, though it is the source for pretty much all the music I know in one way or another. I'm no music expert, musician or otherwise qualified person, I'm just some guy that likes music and wants to learn more about it, or at least be more exposed to more of it. And I like to write about the stuff I do. Doesn't matter if anyone else reads it, it's a record, a journal for me. That's good enough.

First up was Frank Sinatra's, "In the Wee, Small Hours." Not a Sinatra fan, not really at all. And yet, I can totally see someone sitting in their living room, at night, perhaps with a bit of rain coming down outside listening to this while sipping a cocktail. It's a lonely record and very evocative of a big city night in the mid 50s. Or at least that's the vibe I get from it. Likely wouldn't seek it out again, but I get its vibe just fine.

Next up was Elvis' first album, eponymously titled. It's a mixed bag of Elvis stuff and, according to the book, that's exactly what it is with some songs leftover from Sun Records recordings and some other, later tracks put together for this first full album. It's fine, if you like Elvis and I'm sure it rocketed him to stardom. But when it came to his cover of, "Tutti Fruitti," I had to roll my eyes as I remembered that this is the decade where any exciting music made by black people had to be re-recorded for white audiences by white performers or it wasn't accepted. Which is stupid. I have heard worse versions of this song, such as the one by Pat Boone also done during the 50s, and this is the only version some white audiences ever heard. Still, to my ears, Elvis doesn't bring anything to the track and can't touch Little Richard. The album is all right, didn't grab me, convert me or otherwise change my mind. Elvis was a fine performer, icon, etc. Just not my cup of tea.

Not for movies only!

Well well, true believers! Believer? Hello? No, this isn't an announcement for a new Movie Wrench article or video, it's something totally different. Why? Because I didn't want to start another blog but I wanted to journal something else I started. We'll see how long I hang onto this idea. I recently came across the list for the book, "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." I'm always looking for some way to find new music that has some value to it. Radio is useless and while I sometimes get suggestions from friends if I ask, this is a cultivated list by critics that's supposed to embrace all sorts of music while also pointing out its importance. I'm sure there will be music I really don't like but the point is to broaden my tastes and even to try and figure out what these albums meant to people when they came out. Besides, the art of listening to albums as a whole is pretty much gone. I'm as guilty as anyone of the shuffle command.

So starting with the next post, this blog will change, possibly forever, to one where I take a long walk through 1001 albums, or as many as I can find on Apple Music.