What are you listening to?

[Savonarola]

John Martyn - Solid Air (1973)

The title track was written for Martyn's friend Nick Drake; the album does sound something like a tribute to Drake (though nowhere near as bleak as "Pink Moon.")  It's eclectic, pushing Martyn's folk music into jazz and blues territory; but undeniably mellow.   

[Josephus]

Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds

[Admiral Yi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3q15kN5EIs

The Castellows.  Pure eye candy somewhat interesting bluegrass based country.

[Jacob]

Was that every confederate state + West Virginia, or did they leave out one?

[Admiral Yi]

Dude, I don't pay any attention to what they're saying.

[Jacob]

Dude, I don't pay any attention to what they're saying.

 

Fair play. You even said that up front.

[Savonarola]

Iggy Pop and the Stooges - Raw Power (1973)

If you're going to go out, go out with a bang; Iggy's performance is both brilliant and unhinged.  The original mix (done by David Bowie) is muddy; but it was done with a minimal budget.  The 2023 mix is much cleaner; but even the Bowie mix is raw and exciting.  I was going to write "Why were the Sex Pistols such a big deal?  The Stooges were every bit as raw and as loud and they were much better musicians (admittedly that was beside the point)", but then I re-listened to Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps."  You could say the same thing about Nirvana and Neil Young, but there was nearly a generation of kids who had never heard "Rust Never Sleeps" when "Nevermind" was released.

[Josephus]

Trevor Rabin --Rio (2023)

Holy shit, this is good.

[Jacob]

Listening to Cowboys Fringants at the moment. RIP Karl Tremblay.

[Grey Fox]

Listening to Cowboys Fringants at the moment. RIP Karl Tremblay.

Well that's surprising.

[Admiral Yi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwvRhaYCOOw

Just learned Diesel was Dutch.  One hit wonder, charted in the 70s in the US.

[Josephus]

Trans Siberian Orchestra...Lost Christmas Eve.
If not now...when?

[Savonarola]

John Cale - Paris 1919 (1973)

I had found this album on some "Greatest Album Ever Made" list or other, after hearing it I had to look up to make sure that it was the same John Cale as the Velvet Undergound's electric violist.  It was indeed, while I'm familiar with Cale's avant-garde work, the fact that he made a baroque pop album I found mind blowing.

He doesn't have the range of the BeeGees (and he doesn't have anyone to harmonize with) but a number of compositions on this are excellent.  It's too bad we're all too old for a college dorm room bull session; as this would be the crowd to analyze the lyrics to the title track with.

[Savonarola]

Todd Rundgren A Wizard, A True Star (1973)

Todd had been hailed as the male Carole King with the success of Something/Anything?  This follow up album is in a decidedly different direction.  Rundgren had been using hallucinogens and (according to him) this album reflects that, where songs don't really begin or end conventionally they just occur (going into a medley of I'm So Proud/Ooh Baby Baby/La La Means I Love You/Cool Jerk at one point and a rendition of Never Never Land from the musical Peter Pan at another.)

There are no singles on the album, though the anthemic "Just One Victory" sounds like it could have been one.  The album wasn't a commercial success, but he had been so successful as a producer that he could do what he wanted in the studio and not be overly concerned about it.  This isn't going to be for everyone, but I liked it.  It reminds me of some of the weirder Beach Boy experimentation.

[Savonarola]

In happy news; I've made it all the way to Christmas Eve and still haven't heard "Last Christmas" by Wham! this year.  While I may be jinxing myself, I'm just going to go ahead and declare that I've won Christmas.