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29 May
Side One, Soundtrack to the TV Special, "Really Rosie", Carole King
Carole King is a national treasure.. Either solo, or with her early songwriting partner Gerry Goffin, King is responsible for penning a catalog of popular music classics.. from Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? to One Fine Day... Her first solo album the universally adored 'Tapestry', is generally considered her masterwork.. so much so, that it's pretty much the only album most people associate with her.. This is a shame.. Because, in my opinion, although Tapestry is a juggernaut of standards, the album that I love best of hers is the Soundtrack to the animated TV special, "Really Rosie"...
Really Rosie was based on the books of genius artist and children's author, Maurice Sendak.. It was regular viewing at my elementary school growing up.. Carole King wrote all the music to Sendak's lyrics and sang the songs and lent her voice to all the characters in the special as well.. She did a beautiful job.. The music on this album is sublime.. from a songwriting standpoint, the chord progressions are so genius and well-crafted.. so perfectly fitting the vision of Maurice Sendak.. This is not music for children.. This is music for everyone.. Genius piano playing on this one too...
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Side One (All Songs King/Sendak)
Released 1974 |
21 May
Side Two, Trans, Neil Young
Well, not surprisingly, since you are fearless Walrus readers, enough of you have expressed an interest via email to hear side two of this strange album... I did some further research on it and I discovered that this album was a way of Neil Young reaching out to his disabled son who uses computers to communicate.. kind of creepy and moving at the same time.. It definitely puts it into a little more perspective.. too MUCH fucking perspective if you ask me, but anyway.. without further ado.. Side Two..
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Side Two
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20 May
Side One, Trans, Neil Young
I just got this album over the weekend, and have been obsessed by it since.. and I'm not sure in a good way.. Although I've been a Neil Young fan all my life (despite having met him and finding out he's a total asshole, but that's another story), I've always avoided Trans because not only did I hear from people that it was his worst album, but that it was one of the worst albums EVER MADE!...Actually, this should've made me curious about it, but I just never got around picking it up I guess.. Anyway, it was sitting in the bin at Academy Records this weekend and I just had to see what this album was all about.. Well.. it's fucking weird.. Half of the songs are sung through a vocoder (voice synthesizer) and it gives it this total creepy inscrutable vibe to it.. Kind of like a cross between ELO'S Xanadu album and 1984 by George Orwell and that movie Electric Dreams from the 80s when the computer falls in love with his creepy owner's girlfriend... eww.. 80sy. Strangely enough, it begins with a kind of straight ahead song (cool harmony in it) which makes it all the more creepy when all of sudden we are plunged into this dark futuristic world.. Side Two is pretty good too.. maybe I shouldve chosen that one instead, there's a great version of Mr. Soul on it..
I'll tell you what, if anyone has an interest in hearing side two, then I'll put it up tomorrow.. Lemme know..
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Side One (all song by N. Young)
Producer: Neil Young, Tim Mulligan, David Briggs |
15 May
Side One, Grievous Angel, Gram Parsons
I didn't immediately fall in love with this album... In fact, it took me about 12 years... Originally, our A&R guy at Arista Records showed it to me.. He said it was essential listening..He went on an on AT LENGTH about the merits of this masterwork... But, it was right in the middle of the whole 90s grunge thing, and my head was in a completely different place (a land called Douchebaggia to be specific) when I listened to it... So I have to admit, I completely didn't get it.. I found it boring and his voice slightly out of tune and Emmylou Harris' voice REALLY out of tune.. this is true.. but it's charming and the songs are not boring they're beautiful and moving... REALLY moving.. I didn't find this out until 12 years later when I discovered The Flying Burrito Brothers album the Gilded Palace of Sin.. of which Gram Parsons was the star.. I was blown away by that album, so I decided to give Grievous Angel another try.. Wow.. It was a totally different experience.. I literally felt my mind opening up.. How could I not have seen the beauty before? It was an epiphany.. Gram Parsons only made two solo albums; Grievous and GP (another great one) and then he died.. He was a true shooting star.. I chose side one for wonderful Return of the Grievous Angel, the gorgeous Brass Buttons and the stunning $1000 Wedding
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Side One:
Produced by Gram Parsons |
14 May
Side One, The Who Sell Out, The Who
Best. Rock. Album. Ever...
This is one of the true masterpieces ever recorded.. and forget Sgt. Peppers, Dark Side of the Moon, even Tommy... The Who Sell Out is THE concept album of all time as well.. The wonderful commercials that they created intertwined with the genius songs (the heartbreaking Tattoo, the soaring Our Love Was and the STOMPING I Can See for Miles, to name but a few) give one the feeling of listening late at night to some unbelievably amazing pirate radio station broadcasting off the coast somewhere in the fog.. The pirate radio stations of Britain at the time, is in fact what inspired the creation of this album... I can't describe how much I love this album.. I think I've played it more than any other.. It NEVER EVER gets old.. I pick new things up with every listen.. This is art at the highest level... dig it.. The Who Sell Out, Side One...
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Side one
Produced by Kit Lambert |
7 May
Side Two, Terrapin Station, Grateful Dead
I don't like the Grateful Dead... I don't hate them, I've always respected them... but I just never LIKED them... I LIKE Terrapin Station... I LOVE Terrapin Station.. I don't know why.. I just do.. but only SIDE TWO of Terrapin Station.. the song Terrapin Station.. It's the one thing they ever put out that I GET... I GET the whole Grateful Dead thing with this... and that's an accomplishment..
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Side two
Produced by Keith Olsen
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5 May
Side Two, In Utero, Nirvana
In Utero is arguably the best record of the 90s.. Its brash and out of control.. it packs a punch and it also has tranquil moments that near sublimity.. The only problem is I don't feel anything from the 90s ever approached TRUE greatness (one Walruses opinion)... This album comes very close though... Cobain killed himself and in turn killed a movement... what that movement could have grown into, we will never know.. we are only left with snippets of emotion, long since felt and expired.. the anger that inspired these songs has dissipated.. what remains is an echo of what could have been... the echo of distorted guitars, howling vocals and pounding drums.. I chose side two for the interesting Milk It, the philosophical All Apologies and the spastic Tourettes...
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Side Two (All songs by Kurt Cobain)
Produced by Steve Albini |
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