What, no pithy remark for this one?
The Spotify version of this was getting out of hand so I started a "part 2"
"Land of Confusion" by Genesis (1986)
I'll get the bass player observation out of the way first. The synth bass on this one sounds like a "pew pew" laser sound that's been lowered in pitch. I wonder what Mark King from Level 42 would have done with this track. However, I forgot/never noticed that the bridge of this song changes to a conventional electric bass (I avoid the use of the term, "bass guitar" thanks to my Dad...long story). Keen. The song is likely my favorite from this album, even if it was overshadowed by its music video. Also, I never noticed the cover for the single. Clever.
The song is of course referring to the Cold War but is just vague enough to still feel relevant as I listen to it, the day of the first public January 6 Committee hearing. Too many people, causing too many problems. And guys, your generation most certainly did not "get it right". Is this laying it on a bit thick for a song like this? Most certainly.
This album was also one of the earlier CDs I bought, but this one was from good old Columbia House! We did what we could in those days. I've gone on way too long about this but I also remember the CD being the first one I encountered that had this coding on the disc called an INDEX that was basically a track within a track. This album had one to break up the longer song into two pieces or something. This was a pretty short-lived feature from the early days of the audio CD but my first player had buttons for them and this CD had one. Aren't you glad you know this?
"Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar (1983)
After the relative angst of the previous 80s song, this one is a palate cleanser, despite its overwrought title.
"Starting Five" by Dios (2004)
Another one of those, "where did I get this song?" tracks. It was probably from some random CD sampler I've long since lost or was on a TV show like 'The OC". Not bad though, I don't get the "kids playing on a playground" background sounds thing. But sometimes, all you need is a catchy chorus where you just sing, "hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo...".
"Only When You Leave" by Spandau Ballet (1984)
I totally forgot that this was one of this group's hits.
"Lodi" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
I was tempted to make some kind of funny Big Lebowski comment but I'll just note instead that this song really doesn't glamorize the life of a musician on the road. But hey, at least it isn't about Vietnam...or IS IT???
"Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring (1982)
This is of course an 80s classic but..."feels like being cloned"???
"Joy" by Apollo 100 (1972)
A fun rock-like arrangement of the JS Bach classical piece that screams "early 1970s" which is why it's fodder for period movie soundtracks.
"The Hidden Track" by Earlimart (2004)
Good early 2000s alt-pop with an Elliot Smith-like vocal. Thank you for shopping at Earlimart!
Why is the song called "The Hidden Track"? Did the CD of it have an actual hidden track? Did you know CDs had these? This was when there would be an extra song or bit of music at the end of a noted track that would play if you didn't skip to the next song. The only way to know it was there, besides waiting for it to play, was to have your CD player (OK, fine, software does this too!) display remaining time and note that it didn't match the length listed on the CD box or booklet. So clever (not that it matters now but those engineers sure knew how to keep us all guessing).
"Me and My Arrow" by Harry Nilsson (1971)
Another weird little song by Mr. Nilsson about "Oblio, the pointless boy".
"Another Day" by Air (2003)
These cool, Euro-electronica tunes can really hit the spot sometimes.
"Pick Up the Pieces" by Average White Band (1975)
This band was Scottish? Another 70s instrumental, sax-heavy hit and if it ain't Scottish, it's CRAP!
"Baby's in Black" by The Beatles (1964)
This sounds like one of those early Beatles songs that was a cover of an R&B song but it's a Lennon original. How many Beatles songs are in 6/8 time? I can't think of any others off the top of me head.
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown (1966)
Another tune in 6/8...and according to Wikipedia (again, the source of all knowledge), Rolling Stone called this song, "biblically chauvinistic" but hey, it's James Brown WITH STRINGS!
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot (1976)
If you live in Minnesota, you're not really allowed to skip this song. One of the great lyrics: "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" Observation: he really imparts a lot of information in this song!
"Short Side of Nothing" by Los Lobos (1992)
And good track from the "Kiko" album...and it doesn't resolve.
"I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones (1978)
This one kinda cracks me up.
No comments:
Post a Comment