Roland's Column: GRATEFUL DEAD - Dick's Picks Volumes 1-36 (1993-2005)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn

The infamous Dick’s Picks series (DP) of Grateful Dead releases numbers 36 installments. A few facts:

· The series ran from 1993 (when the band was still active) to 2006. Initially, releases came slow and almost without warning. Later on, they settled into a routine of 2 or 3 releases a year (in between other releases).

· The series is named after Dick Latvala, vault keeper and connoisseur of GD concerts. After his death in 1999, David Lemieux became vault keeper (he still is), but out of respect (and because it sounds so nice) the name was retained.

· Dick Latvala says “Hi” from beyond in the DP 15 booklet. As of DP 17, the word “Latvala!” is hidden somewhere in the booklet as a sign of respect.

· All 36 sets were produced from the two-track masters (that were not originally intended for future commercial release). Although they did remaster them, and polish the sound, it was not possible to remix it: if vocals were low in the mix, that’s still the case now.

· A large portion of their active career (1966-1995) is covered, with the first set dating from February 1968, and the last one dating from December 1992.

· As a consecutive ten-year period, 1970-1979 is overrepresented and the 80’s and 90’s are underrepresented, presumably in line with commercial appeal (and the shape Jerry was in, and the audio quality of what’s in the vault). Later big box treatment of the 1990 Spring tour corrected this somewhat, but then again, the complete Europe 1972 tour (73 cd’s…) and smaller boxes and standalone releases (of 1977 especially) put the stress firmly on the 70’s again. 

· The sets run from 1 cd (a second set from 1971) to 6 cd’s (2 full concerts plus bonus songs from 1977), but they mostly number 3 cd’s, i.e. 1 complete concert.

· Compared to other series and standalone releases, artwork and liner notes are pretty minimal, but later on they added some press clippings and the like

· Basically, everything is out of stock, so you’d have to look at ebay, although some are rereleased on cd by Real gone, or on vinyl by Brookvale records.

If you are into the Grateful Dead, they are all pretty much essential. If you’re not into jam music, psychedelic music, country music, bland covers of rock songs by Chuck Berry and meandering fusion music, this is not for you.

That does not mean you cannot enjoy any of their studio albums, of which I recommend Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. Also, I think you need to get at least Live/Dead, their first live album, which is part of their official discography and can be found new and cheap in good quality.

In describing individual sets, I’ll mostly stick to the following format:

· Release number (number of cd’s), date, venue

· Band members at the time

· Peculiarities about the set lists (rarities, nice transitions, etc.)

· Overall judgement and suggestions for furthur (sic) listening if you think you’d like this one.

I refrain from giving complete set lists, as they can all be found at www.deadlists.com.

 ________________________________________________________

DP1: (2 CD’s) December 12, 1973. Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, Florida, US

Band: Jerry Garcia, Keith Godchaux, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh & Bob Weir.

This is a somewhat tentative first release, as if they did not know what to expect of it, sales wise. It’s not the complete concert. In fact, the remaining songs are not even in their correct order. Donna Jean was giving birth, so you miss her wailing on Playing In The Band and on some other tunes.

Here Comes Sunshine is one of the all time top versions and the sound overall is nicely warm and detailed. 

However, late 1973 was a great period for the band, and competition is fierce. I think this release has been eclipsed by others in the series and releases outside the DP series: DP 19 (October 19) may be my personal favorite Dick’s Pick. And then you have the Winterland box (November 9, 10 & 11, with a great Dark Star), November 14 (from the 30 Trips Box, 30 concerts from the years 1966-1995, not separately available) with a great three part Other One, interrupted by both Big River and Eyes Of The World, and Road trips 4.3 (November 20/21) with an exceptional Playing In The Band > El Paso > Playing In The Band > Wharf Rat > Playing In The Band > Morning Dew sequence.

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DP2: (1 CD) October 31, 1971. Ohio Theatre, Columbus, Ohio, US

Band: Jerry Garcia, Keith Godchaux, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir

Another tentative release, as this is only the second set (and without the encore), so it’s just a 56-minute single disc, a rarity in GD releases. Pigpen is sick and not present, and Keith is in his first two weeks as a band member. No matter how competent he is, it’s apparent that he’s still learning how to blend in. Donna Jean is not yet a member (she would join early 1972).

The Dark Star is predictably great, and sound quality is nice, but again, with hindsight this release has become slightly irrelevant if you’re not an OCD collector: from the same (short) period with Pigpen and Donna absent I would recommend Dave’s Pick 3 (October 22) and Road Trips 3.2 (November 15). Both contain more tracks (and indeed, complete concerts), a nice essay and equal or better sound quality.

Special note: at least in Europe you can find many semi-legal releases from concerts that were broadcast on the radio during this period. Semi-legal in this case means: legal in Europe, but not necessarily in the US. Packaging is minimal, but so are prices. Sound quality is OK to (very) good, but there is some radio chatter and sometimes some fading in or fading out. Having bought all official releases I didn’t mind buying some of these releases as well.

If you want to go there, consider Northrop (October 19, historically important as it’s the debut of Keith Godchaux and six songs), Harding Theatre (November 7, a rare Hideaway and both Dark Star and the Other One). But regarding sound quality (and from a moral standpoint), go for official releases first.

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DP3 (2 CD’s) May 22, 1977. The Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida, US

Band: Jerry Garcia, Donna Jean Godchaux, Keith Godchaux, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir.

I hate to inform you, dear reader, but this is an incomplete concert again. Other than that, this is “where it’s at”, as the saying goes. The sound quality is superb, the Sugaree is one of the best ever and the Help On the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower is one for the ages as well. In fact, apart from Dancing In The Street, Lazy Lightning > Supplication (which I never like) and Sunrise (well performed, but it’s just a silly sentimental song), all performances are great.

Now, the Spring tour of 1977 (often narrowed down to May 1977, but that’s not really correct) is famous among deadheads. All concerts from this period are great, so your preferred concert likely depends on the set list. One WOULD need a Sugaree from this era, but whether you like the disco rearrangement of Dancing In The Streets is debatable. I don’t, and it is included in this set…

For a long time (actually for 8 years, till the release of Dicks Picks 29, containing the May 19 & 21 concerts), this was the ONLY officially released concert from this period in the Dead’s history. And Cornell (May 8; its reputation towers over all others, partly because it was one of the first easily available tapes) is still not released. I expect a 40th anniversary release in 2017, if they did indeed get the tapes back. In my humble opinion, a Spring 1977 Grateful Dead concert belongs in any serious, substantial music collection. 

Now just sit back and wait for my assessment of the first absolutely essential Dick’s Pick…

IAN ANDERSON - Homo Erraticus (2014)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Alexander Shatkevich 

Although owning most JT albums up to Heavy horses, for the last 20 years, I have grown ‘unused’ to Ian’s voice. The snarling sounds hurt my sensitive ears. So it was with some trepidation that I looked up this recent solo album.

 

For better and for worse, I can say that nothing much has changed: still very much in the folk rock genre with proggy flourishes (courtesy of that flute), and a pretty good use of dynamics (quiet, slightly melancholic parts interspersed by louder, hard rocking parts). We have here a collection of songs that is still sometimes marred by that voice. It is, to my inexperienced ears, firmly in the Jethro Tull vein, to the extent that it is indistinguishable from what I imagine a 21st century JT record would sound like.

 

But! To my surprise (I’m not ashamed to admit) the quality of the song writing is actually very good. I keep thinking “What could Peter Gabriel, or Jon Anderson do with this material”? And Ian’s voice still distracts me, but imagining the music with different singers is, in this case, a big compliment to the actual music. 

But, to be honest, just as in classic songs like Aqualung and Locomotive Breath, sometimes Ian’s soulful pleading vocals or cynical almost sadistic vocals (think Roger Waters) DO match the music. Some songs are a bit more rocky, like Doggerland, the impressive start of the album. Others are more proggy, such as Tripudium ad bellum, even if it lasts not even 3 minutes. 

I like it. Ultimately, if you like classic Tull in any way, this (solo) incarnation will not disappoint!

GOLDEN EARRING - Moontan (1973)

Review by: Tom Hadrian Kovalevsky
Assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn 

This is an album for depressed, balding middle aged men who stagnate in their rumpus rooms behind a disused pool table, swimming with flies and their own filth, as they shoot back more beers in a desperate attempt to forget the traumas of ageing and their ageing wives.

This is an album for beige-and-tan diners on the motorways of flyover states with tattered PVC seats in need of replacement, where the cigarette ash of the underpaid and angry women who work there (some are single mothers, all are jilted lovers) falls with an angered and dissatisfied plop into the coffee percolator as they strain to wipe the thick and browned layer of fry-grease of the table tops.

This is an album for horny teenaged boys with dirty mussed hair and thin, sad lines of hair on their upper lips who see women as sex objects and have semen-encrusted girlie mags stuffed, haphazardly and rather off center under their beds.

This is an album for failures. Only the everyday ones, though.

STEVEN WILSON - Grace for Drowning (2011)

Review by: Ali Ghoneim
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn 

Steven Wilson has been behind many of the recent reissues of classic prog rock albums, and after listening to one his own albums, it’s easy to see why. This is a guy who is thoroughly familiar with the prog sound. Unfortunately, while that makes him suited to helming reissuing projects, it doesn’t help make albums like Grace for Drowning terribly exciting. The album faithfully reproduces elements of ITCOTCK-era King Crimson -- the apocalyptic choirs, soothing mellotron, hysterical sax, etc. – and mixes them in with drum machines and some metal guitar heroics. The end product bears much of the form of a prog rock album, but in my opinion little of its spirit. I can’t put my finger on it, but the album comes off like the pet project of someone who is more of a producer than a songwriter, making all of the songs seem a bit perfunctory. Instead of being an independently vital and distinct work, Grace for Drowning ends up sounding like a generic calling card for Wilson’s skills as an excellent producer.  

To be fair, I should probably give his other albums a shot before I write him off like this.

PROCOL HARUM - A Salty Dog (1969)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Ali Ghoneim 

 

I own a version of the album without the title song A Salty Dog (I own a 2cd version of the the first 4 albums, that also includes the debut album, called Procol harum, without A Whiter Shade Of Pale, go figure), but I will separately review that song at the end.

So my album starts with The Milk Of Human Kindness. With its folky melody and quite bluesy guitar it sounds rather unlike ‘classic Procol harum’, but the voice is Gary Brooker and when the organ joins for the chorus it’s unmistakably Procol harum. Although the guitar sound doesn’t really work for me, it’s an energetic opener.

The second song, Too Much Between Us, is more subdued, with nice acoustic guitar. Paul McCartney would be proud of this song; it’s that nice!

The Devil Came From Kansas starts relatively promising with the verses, but it turns out to be rather mediocre further on. I think it’s the mix of power chords on the guitar, the silly drumming and the whiney group singing. The guitar solo’s are nice, however.

Boredom starts with sleighride sounds ( like a Beach boys Xmas song), but turns out to be more tropical. A nice stylistic excursion, albeit not very substantial. Once again, the singing doesn’t really seem to fit the happy melody but that may be because it tries to convey boredom. With the slightly more enthusiastic yelling at the end you would expect the song to speed up and end in a frenzied hysteria, but nope…

Juicy John Pink starts with bluesy guitar and harmonica and remains a bluesy song throughout. It’s an OK performance, but this really is like ELP playing Are You Ready Eddy?, showing stylistic diversity for the sake of it. And any number of bands of the era could do this better, from Paul Butterfield to Cream.

Wreck Of The Hesperus sounds like a more piano driven and speeded up version of Whiter Shade Of Pale, with added orchestra. An impressive song nonetheless.

All This And More, again, is a very typical Procol Harum song. I like how the vocals, piano and the guitar mix; this is one well arranged song.

Crucifiction Lane is distinguished more by Trowers’ singing than by his guitar playing. It’s sort of a power ballad that suffers a little from a lack of dynamics: there is no strong build up towards a glorious finale, but the instrumental ending is nice.

Pilgrim’s Progress is a little Paul McCartneyesque once more: nice vocal lines but the organ moves into Whiter Shade territory pretty soon. The hand clapping at the end gives it almost a gospel feeling.

A Salty Dog really belongs here, as it gave the album its title. It starts and ends with seagulls screeching. It’s a very solemn song, mostly because of the organ, but also because the singing is by far the best on this song.

On the whole I would call this album more symphonic rock than progressive rock, as only in the double keyboards (and in the song titles) something proggy could be discerned. The orchestral flourishes and some nice compositions elevate it above the pop music of the day, but instrumental virtuosity, tricky time signatures and heavy philosophical or mystical lyrics are mostly absent. Not having listened to it for a few years it was actually quite a bit more middle of the road than I remembered. It’s pleasant music, but I somehow expected something more challenging of it.

RED KRAYOLA - The Parable of Arable Land (1967)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Kunal Somaiya

This is one album I heard a lot about, but I actually never listened to it. Now I did, and I can inform you, dear reader, about the results.

A one line review would possibly read like this: “Psychedelic like The 13th Floor Elevators, but without the jug, and linking individual pieces by Free Form Freak-Outs, interludes that sound almost exactly like what they suggest”.

A four word review would read; “Garage rock in 1967”.

It is a challenging listen for several reasons:

·          The Free Form Freak-Outs, are not really composed, and not really music either. They remind me of parts of Lumpy Gravy or early Can

·         The actual songs, such as they are, are all of the droney persuasion and there is not a lot of variation in the 40+ minutes

·         Recording quality is pretty bad, even for 1967 standards, making it difficult to discern any (possible) subtleties.

For me as a dead head, the best way to approach it is like a 40 minute Dark Star: some recurring themes, some collective improvisation in the instrumental passages, sometimes moving into rather abstract territory, leaving the language of music (as if parts of What’s Become Of The Baby are inserted randomly).

"Pink Stainless Tail" is the most normal song, somewhat sounding like The Small Faces, with a more fuzzy bass. By the same token, the title song, "Parable Of Arable Land", is the weirdest song, sounding somewhat like "Several Species Of Small Furry Animals" (off Ummagumma), working frantically in Brian’s "Smile Workshop". "Former Reflections Enduring Doubt" is the best song, and a nice one to finish the album with.

Most likely this will not be anybody’s favorite 1967 record (and if it is, that’s quite worrying!), but on the other hand, this is really one of those records that make up the myth of 1967, even after all those years. It only belongs in a VERY comprehensive collection, I’d say.

EARTH AND FIRE - Song of the Marching Children (1971)

Review by: B.B. Fultz
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

This is an album by a prog(gish) Netherlands band called Earth and Fire. I say proggish because they are unusual for a prog band. Their sound, at least on this album, is more folkish and antiquated than the common definition of prog rock. They're more like Jethro Tull than anything, and Tull was always sort of a white crow among the British and American prog bands of the time. Earth and Fire with its female vocalist (rare for any prog band) is maybe even more of a white crow.

The opening song is called “Carnival of the Animals.” It is about animals in the forest doing various animal things. My first impression was Jefferson Airplane. Lilting female vocals and a vaguely martial drumbeat. Both the words and the music set the theme for the rest of the album. Storybook lyrics, crisp drum rhythms, and prominent synthesizers dominate the songs. It is very much an album of its time. The synthesizers especially have that early 70s synth sound that was to change in a few years as synths became more advanced. The overall mood, to me, seems more 60s than 70s. There's a sense of lost innocence and a yearning for a simpler and more natural world.

"Ebbtide" is an idyllic song about tides and gulls. It's an interesting combination of watery synths, flute solos, random guitar licks, and an almost jazz-like rhythm background. It reminds me of another song, or a few other songs, that I can't name at the moment. 

"Storm and Thunder" is reminiscent of early ELP, but with more baroque elements. The keyboards are more dominant here than on the other songs.

"In The Mountains" ventures into Pink Floyd territory. The lead guitar is slow and lilting, very much in the Gilmour style. The keyboard as well is more the art-rock of Rick Wright than anything by Emerson or Wakeman.

The closing multi-part suite "Song of the Marching Children" is an interesting piece. I'm not sure I get it, lyrically, but it seems to be about the endless legacy of war, which the human race seems like it will never entirely escape. It sounds like a lament for all the future generations that will have to send their youth off to fight. The very end confirms this idea ... all the other instruments fade and there is only the relentless martial drumbeat, the endless march.

Overall impression -- a mostly soothing and pleasant album, pretty on the ear, and with interesting moments here and there, but rarely rising above the level of basic prog-folk. Then again, maybe a little basic prog-folk is just what you're in need of. Worth a listen or two, at any rate. 

The version I located on YouTube had bonus tracks. "Invitation" is the first of them, notable because it rocks a lot more than the original album tracks, so it's an abrupt change of pace after the solemnity of the album. It's different, and it's quite good.  "Lost Forever" is another rocker among the bonus tracks, and it's also quite good -- slow and heavy and brutal, unlike the album. There's some surprising guitarwork in it too, striking little arpeggio-moments that wouldn't be out of place in an Iron Maiden song (!) although Iron Butterfly comes closer to describing the song in general (either way it's a very metallic song). For me the highlights of this band are when they rock. They have a nice heavy sound when they rock, not unlike early Budgie, a band that I like a lot. There's another new track called "Memories," not quite as good as the other two, but worth a listen. There are also single versions of "Song For The Marching Children" (not "OF the Marching Children" for some reason) and "Storm and Thunder." If you seek this album out, I'd recommend finding the version with the bonus tracks. To me Earth and Fire is at their most interesting when they rock.

НОМ (NOM) - Во имя разума (1996)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Alex Alex

"Интеркосмос" - After a gushing wind we get a Peter Gunn inspired vamp, then we get some synthetic vibes and some synthesizer notes. Then a robotic voice, presumably in Russian. Not really singing, but it sounds like he’s recounting his days’ events, with a strong, warning, undertone. The Peter Gunn theme ties it together nicely. Some guitar is added, with some chord based jamming and an almost Gilmourian tone. When the Peter Gunn theme stops it becomes quieter, with some (acoustic?) guitar and some kind of synthesized flute. A female joins in some kind of dialogue, some panic, some bees being slaughtered, song over. Not bad!

 

I think "Баллада О Межпланетной Любви" starts close to the 5.30 mark, nicely acoustic before the band joins in. This song is a strange mix of the Nirvana esthetic (loud and quiet passages) with some Metallica-style Cossack singing. The instrumental passages are nice, but meander a bit. Guitar solo is good, but the music during the solo sounds a bit sluggish.

 

Presumably, "Предупреждение Посланца Вселенского Разума" starts around 11.55 with some drunk yelling and a glass breaking. A synthesizer loop, innocent of course, but also a bit simple. The drums join in and some rap style singing, again strongy urging you to do something, or so it seems. Other voices join in, sounding somewhat processed (or it’s just the local dialect and tone of voice in Alex Alex’ hometown). The repetitive melodies recall some Krautrock. The synthesizer figure returns, with some jazzy drumming, the calling voice and a guitar being dismembered. A hint of Talking Heads in an aggressive mood, perhaps.

 

At 15.50 "Лягва" starts with dialogue again. This could very well be a storytelling concept album, a la The Wall. Some frantic drumming and some call and response “singing”. The song, and especially the guitar work, sound strangely new wavish, apart from the drumming. The title is repeated over and over again.

 

Around 18.54 some more dialogue, as a prelude to "Студенческая Межзвездная". Start is almost rednecky ZZ Top, but the singing definitely is not, sounding more like a (good) Clash song off London calling.

 

21.45, new song, "Любовь Инженера" starts with a simple bass figure. Rather like the Talking Heads again (think Naive Melody), apart from the mock Gothic singing. Sounds like a real organ, nice!

 

Around 26.30 "Jurassic Park" starts, Western lettering for a change. The song DOES indeed sound like it could appear in a weird Western.

 

27.36 "Укрблюз", a modest epic, with some real saxophone playing around the 31 minute mark (or 2,5 minute mark, actually).

 

"Чрезвычайное Происшествие" starts around 32.10. Totally different voice, Miss Piggy, not very pleasing to the ears. Other people start protesting as well, by the sound of it. Very annoying piece of theatrical music that does not work for me AT ALL.

 

Around 35.50 "Марш Косморазведчиков" starts, and it better be a 12 minute epic, or I will have completely misconstrued the different song lengths. Another ZZ Top style riff to start with. Not original, but it works. Singing again new wavish, and during the singing parts the music is dramatically different as well. The ZZ Top riff does return a few times however.

 

Around 39.25 the song seems to finish, so I consider the rest a hidden bonus track. Acoustic guitars with some cymbal heavy drumming, sounding turning into a sitar sometimes. The serious singing, intoning a warning again, sort of detracts from the quiet parts of the music. Electric guitars join in, closely following the bass lines. Next verse, some background vocals are added, yelling the same lyrics. It sounds a bit more balanced. Third verse they disappear again, but a guitar replaces the backing vocals. Final guitar figure is repeated ad infinitum, when it slows down a bit.

 

What to make of it? I could not get used to the low vocals, that sounded too much like a solo Gregorian chanter for my taste. Not understanding the lyrics does not help either. The music however is quite varied, played professionally and somehow strangely appealing. The artists I compared it with in my mind (Clash, Krautrock, Nirvana, Metallica, Talking Heads, ZZ Top) are all a lot older, so originality is not really a factor here, apart from the singing (that fails to my ears).

 

But then I think giving a very weird voice to the classics nicely summarizes Alex Alex’ life (or at least the role he plays in this group)!

ZEZÉ DI CAMARGO & LUCIANO - Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano (2012)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Francelino Prazeres de Azevedo Filho

As this was a rush job, due to a medical emergency, I did not do any research online about this band or duo, but just listened to the album on Spotify, making up my mind, and forming a judgment about the music, as I went along, concluding pretty much instantly that this would not be a new cherished discovery of an amazing album by an artist that I would like to know more about, even if they’re singing in Portuguese, the sweetest, most beautiful sounding language in the world, so three sentences would do.

At first hearing (and be aware, that is as far as I got) this half live, half studio album sounds like typical 80’s (power) pop: weird production (up front vocals, tinny sound, loud drums (in the worst Phil Collins style, just listen to Nao Tem Graça), synthesised or synthetically sounding strings) with some comforting semi-acoustic sounds, slightly epic melodies (sometimes not all that bad, really), which is OK by me, until I realised this album was produced in 2012!!!

Some of the songs, especially the live ones, such as Sonho de Amor and Eu To Na Pista Eu To Solteiro, sound energetic and happy and could be summer hits, but then there is a power ballad like Eu Quero É Mais, that would even fail at a Eurovison Song contest. Em Algum Lugar Do Passado, if ever so slightly slowed down, could have been covered by Sting solo and be quite acceptable, but Meu Nenén, Meu Bebe, Minha Vida is one of the worst songs I’ve heard all year.

Roland and Nina's DECADES IN MUSIC - 1973 - LATTE E MIELE - Papillon

Review by: Nina A.
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

What I lamentably discovered at the tender age of 17 is that generic prog albums aren’t exactly a commodity that's hard to find. And in the internet age, they’ve crawled out of everywhere and are cool once again. For some reason. And while Latte e Miele get bonus points for singing in Italian (possibly due to the fact that they themselves are Italian) and therefore making this album at least slightly distinct, I feel Papillon suffers from the general syndrome of interchangeability of 70s prog records. Yes, Latte e Miele, you play it really well and I bet you have meticulously arranged like every second of this and that you have precisely thought out how to use bombast to bring out the instrumental intermissions in “Terzo quadro l’incontro” for instance or taken care to have the fusion breaks in “Quatro quadro l’arresto” but what new and breathtakingly unexpected are exactly trying to tell us here?

No, this record unfortunately still remains in my mind just as “70s sounds”, even after a couple of listens. It’s cool, I guess, but I don’t see why anyone would waste time listening to this when there’s so much else you can be enjoying and oohing in surprise and delight at.

Oh, there are the classical pieces’ reinterpretations too... Vivaldi and Beethoven. Why? Who knows, who cares.

KEITH MOON - Two Sides of the Moon (1975)

Review by: Michael Strait
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

There is a deluxe edition of this. It is two discs long.

Heaven help us.

Crazy Like A Fox: Kinda does sound like mid-70s Who, actually. What that means is that it sounds like forgettable, bland 70s rock except for the vocals – done by Moon, presumably – which are kind of sassy and sardonic in a way I can kind of like. There’s a decent bassline. In fact, the instrumentation is quite lush and varied really, and there’s a perfectly competent guitar solo. The question is why does this exist? This is really just a karaoke performance, innit?

Solid Gold: Some sort of sarcastic spoken word intro. Oh wait, this is actually the whole thing. Some pretty female voices harmonise some vocal chants as Moon drunkenly stumbles over the lyrics of this tune, like he’s going through some sort of terrible impressions game at a pub. Is this a comedy album? No, worse – this is a NOVELTY album, where the novelty is “Keith Moon sings the classics”, as if he’s some children’s cartoon character or Kardashian and the prospect of him singing is inherently funny. :/

Don’t Worry Baby: String section shit. Meh. He’s actually singing this time, though not particularly well. ‘Course, worse singers have been great vocalists before, but then mostly they’ve actually been singing over worthwhile music. This is still just karaoke nonsense. Utterly pointless, like the other album I was assigned this round – not offensively bad, nor intriguingly bad, nor even depressingly bad, just sort of confusing. Why would anyone ever listen to this? Why was it made? Actually, I take that back – I’m imagining Moon singing this in the studio now, imagining his face contorting into soulful expressions as he sings his heart out, and it’s very depressing.

One Night Stand: Slide guitar an’ all. His vocals are buried under so many doubled layers of themselves that I can barely make them out. Is he trying to put on an American accent? Oh Christ, he is, isn’t he? Has anyone in world history actually listened to this for pleasure? Are there people in the world who sometimes think “yeah, I’ll just listen to Keith Moon sing One Night Stand”? Perfectly competent guitar solo here, again – it’s all just so confusing to me that this exists.

The Kids Are Alright: Loud guitar chord opens this one. Siiiiigh. OK, he really is butchering this one with his singing – he CAN’T sing, or at least not well enough to sing songs that require actual singing. He’d make a great frontman for a band like, say, The Clash or whatever, but he just hasn’t got the skillset for this kind of music so why is he misapplying himself? The band actually does sound kind of incompetent here, for ones – the entire thing sounds like it’s tripping and stumbling about, and it does NOT sound natural at all.

Move Over Ms. L: A Lennon track! Well, here comes Moon to do his best to ruin it by singing it almost exactly like a punk rock singer, except more middle-class. This song has lots of brass instruments on it. I don’t like it. This isn’t one of Lennon’s best efforts anyway. Apparently Moon drummed on that track. Barely noticed.

Teen Age Idol: Melodramatic nonsense! Moon can’t sing. People DO call him a teenage idol, though. Or did, at least. R.I.P Keith Moon. It sounds like it’s trying to be a gahdawful movie song except Moon just can’t sing. Oh my god that was horrible panning. Made me feel sick.

Back Door Sally: :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ He kind of DOES have the chops for this kind of singing – just raw charisma, no actual tunefulness, which sorta fits with this song, except it still doesn’t quite work because the end result still sucks. At least it sucks on its own terms though. Oh Christ he’s starting to sound like a glam metal vocalist. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Lots of brass on this song again. Kinda sounds like good-old-fashioned British glam rock except garbage.

In My Life: The Beatles, eh? That piano sounds horrible somehow. Moon can’t sing. Moon can’t sing. Moon can’t sing. Well, he’s REALLY ruining this melody. The entire thing sounds bargain bin and phoned-in – he’s making this Beatles tune sound like a shitty generic showtune, and that takes a sort of perverse anti-talent. Really over-egged melodramatic choral backing vocals don’t fucking help matters.

Together: The last one. Phew. Ringo co-wrote this one with like 2 other blokes. The drumming on this track is so bad it’s actually hilarious – or maybe it’s just mixed badly; it sounds arrhythmic, like it’s spurting at random. Moon’s singing is, as usual, horrible – so horrible it’s been mixed down to the point of near-inaudibility. There are garbage steel drums on this track. Saving the worst for last, were we? Moon and Ringo are being a comedy duo now. They aren’t very good at it. This should not exist. His singing has started again now. This has made the track worse. Ends with a nonsensical fade back into In My Life’s chorus. It’s over.

Bullets I dodged by skipping the bonus tracks include songs called “Hot Rod Queen”, “Real Emotion”, “OK Mr. Starkey” and something ominously titled “Together ‘Rap’”.


P’raps this album is why God killed Keith Moon?

MUSIC IN BOOKS: BLAIR JACKSON - Garcia: An American Life (Penguin, 2000)

ISBN: 978-0-14-029199-5 (paperback)
Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn

The week between the anniversary of Jerry Garcia‘s birth (August 1, 1942) and his death (August 9, 1995) is called The Days Between by deadheads, after a latter day Grateful Dead song. For many music fans, it’s a bittersweet time, because Garcia was a good guitarist and songwriter, but allegedly also a lot more than that. For many people he was a cultural icon. He was like the epitome of love and peace, “being free and being true to oneself and a tremendously positive force. This is a time of year to celebrate him and his art”.

Yeah right. You wouldn’t know it from reading Garcia – An American Life by Blair Jackson. Blair knows the Dead inside out, having edited a fanzine for 10 years, having written several books about the Dead. And in the last few years he wrote several liner notes for releases from the Dead’s Vault. He’s a fan, a friend, very knowledgeable and a good writer.

The book is strictly chronological and devotes attention to Jerry’s personal life from his birth to his death, but also to new (Jerry) songs as they start to appear in the repertoire. An index and a discography (up to date until the original publication date, 1999) are provided as well. It’s an entertaining read, about Haight-Ashbury, the acid tests, the 60’s in San Francisco in general, the evolving Grateful Dead and its (unwilling) leader.

But, unfortunately, Jerry comes across as not necessarily very sympathetic and as being rather weak in business decisions as well as in his personal life. Whenever he wanted somebody out of the band (or out of his side band) he let others (band members or managers) do the dirty job. As a husband and father you cannot say he, unfortunately, failed, you’ll have to conclude he just did not try. Although he supported each and everyone of them financially, emotionally he treated his wifes and girlfriends terribly and he neglected his children, sometimes for years. Not because he was psychopathically antisocial, but because he took ‘freedom’ to its noncommittal extreme, and was afraid to take (responsibility for) decisions.

Does this take away from his musical achievements? (OK, such as they are, but I happen to be a HUGE fan of the Grateful Dead, having close to 350 official releases on cd). Of course not, but it does influence the way you see him as a person. Yes, he is a great guitar player, and in many ways still underrated, because many people can copy a David Gilmour lick or a Jimi Hendrix solo (yes, after they did it first), but not many people can improvise the way Jerry does (i.e. compose ‘on the spot’ and create a new solo just about every time you play that particular song), and do this with a feel for the song (blues, bluegrass, jazz, (hard) rock, prog, or whatever). And a nice enough singer (who doesn’t always memorize his lyrics properly…) and a good to great songwriter he may be, but his status as 60’s icon and all round great chap seems rather overrated.

In fact, I think this weakness ties in with his unwillingness to be considered and treated as band leader. Musically, yes, definitely, and immerse yourself in his music. But in all other aspects he preferred to stay on the fence, in the background, and let others take responsibility or action. 

Verdict: read this book if you like the Grateful Dead, the (late) 60’s, West coast pop culture or the origin of the jam band scene, but do not read it if Jerry Garcia is your personal hero or guru and you want to keep it that way. 

ALIEN KIDS - Alien Rap: Songs About Life on the Planet Glumph (2007)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Ed Luo

This rap album is targeted at the (small but growing) boyscout segment of the youth market for rap and dance music. This is pretty obvious when you hear the songs:

the lyrics contain all sorts of practical advice and useful information
 the voice is easy to understand, no distracting accent, no interference by sound effects, etc.
 on the whole, there are no explicit lyrics; it’s all very civilised.

The epic “Alien Schools (How Alien Kids Develop Super Brains)” has a great singalong chorus that’s bound to get those kiddies shaking their hips. The 8 and a half minutes are over before you realize it even as the tension slowly builds up to climax around the 8 minute mark. Now that is one song this middle aged man kept on ‘repeat’ for an hour! The Alien Kids sure found their niche and they may be onto something here.

But, alas, there are a few problems. First, although the cd was released in 2008, the music feels, surprisingly, a little outdated. The rhythm box is programmed somewhat simple and the melodies, although repetitive and simple as required, still seem to lack a certain spark. Second, the singer uses a technique that, notwithstanding the spectacular virtuosity and general musicality, just ever so slightly starts to grate a little after a while.

Now obviously, this is my strictly personal observation. At children's’ parties this is bound to be very successful. Also, I have to remind you that this is party music, to be used to get people on the dancefloor, whereas I listened concentratedly to the whole cd twice in a row, only to finish with the epic “Alien Schools” on ‘repeat’ for an hour. There is a slight chance that that’s asking a little too much.

Not knowing the rest, if anything, of their work, I can only urge you to listen and find out if this particular album is something for you. I know it changed my life...

CHARLES MANSON - Lie: The Love and Terror Cult (1970)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Jonathan Birch

Well, I hear you say, “this only goes to show that a tormented soul not a good singer songwriter maketh!” Apparently, Charles Manson was well aware of this, as he gained more notoriety as a motivational speaker. He even diversified into religion, where he became more of a guru than he thought he could become in folk rock.

So what does it sound like? The production style is somewhat primitive, putting it firmly in indie territory. Instrumentation is simple: acoustic guitar, some light percussion and some female backing vocals. Some songs seem unfinished: “Garbage Dump” for example seems stuck in the “Scrambled eggs” phase of The Beatles’ “Yesterday”: he’s toying with some ideas but chooses not to follow his muse, leaving the song in demo stage.

“Look At Your Game Girl”, however, is a pretty nice song, that could have fit on Self Portrait by Dylan (or the corresponding Bootleg Series Vol. 10). On some tracks he tries to emulate Captain Beefheart. On others he sounds somewhat like Tyrannosaurus Rex (the early acoustic outfit, consisting of Marc Bolan and Peregrine Took). “I Once Knew A Man” sounds suspiciously like the beginning of “Woman and Man” by Ween. Also, if you allow for his somewhat snarling voice, there is some Nick Drake deep inside, as interpreted by Roger Waters or Lou Reed.

“Cease To Exist” was covered by the Beach Boys around the time, almost unrecognizable so, with a different title (“Never Learn Not To Love”, a line that’s included in “Cease To Exist”’s lyrics). This might have been his big break through, but unfortunately the Beach Boys at the time were quite irrelevant.

On the whole I’d say this is certainly not extremely bad: it’s shows promise and is possibly one of his greatest accomplishments. It is my opinion that he should have pursued this direction some more. Unfortunately, he chose to focus on his other talents.

Roland and Nina's DECADES IN MUSIC - 1971 - EDDIE PALMIERI - Vamonos Pa’l Monte

Review by: Nina A.
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

It took me ages to review this record and here is why: I just can’t bear sitting through the whole of it, and the thought of even putting it on for a bit fills me with terror. Stuff like Buena Vista Social Club and jazz music are two musical directions that I can borderline tolerate, you know, when the stars align and my mind is really occupied by something else, but having the two of them together just overloads my senses.

I assume Eddie Palmieri is really good at what he does and this record probably represents some sort of a musical pinnacle, it sure sounds like it does, but please, please, please, don’t make me listen to it ever again.

A YEAR IN MUSIC: PHISH - Fuego (2014)

A YEAR IN MUSIC: 2014
Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn

Phish started in the late 80’s but only got to be somewhat famous after 1995, when Jerry Garcia (of Grateful Dead fame) died, and Phish more or less became the new leaders of the jam band scene. They tour a lot and, not unlike the Grateful Dead, concerts and live cd’s are ‘where it’s at’. Although they never formally broke up, there are some hiatuses in their career and Fuego is their latest studio album (from a year, 2014, about which we’ll have to wait some time before we can pass a final judgment as to its musical quality).

Things I like about the album are the absolute virtuosity by all members on their respective instruments (Trey Anastasio, on guitar, lead vocals and main composer, gets most credits but they’re all masters of their instruments), the way they ooze musicianship, the variety in the songs, the non-sensical lyrics and even, sometimes the emotions they convey in their songs.

On this album, “The Line” and “Wombat” are the silly songs (to my ears) but all others rule, especially the title track, “Devotion To A Dream”, “Winterqueen”, “Sing Monica” and “Waiting All Night”. Be warned though, these versions are nowhere near their definitive renditions; you’ll have to download or buy one of their concerts. Check it out and discover how musicians can make a living and have fun at the same time!

RODRIGUEZ - Cold Fact (1970)

Review by: Dinar Khayrutdinov
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

Ah, 1970! Right in the middle of the golden age of rock music, amidst such epically successful records like Paranoid, After the Gold Rush, Led Zeppelin III or Cosmo’s Factory, comes this effort by initially little-known singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez. Who is this Detroit-born Mexican-American with cool shades and a weird first name (given to him because he was the sixth child in his family)? Is he another Dylan-Donovan-Cat Stevens rip-off or the great forgotten hero of the hippie generation, overlooked in every country but South Africa and Australia? Yeah I’m serious, look it up if you don’t believe me – in South Africa they even thought he was dead at some point, with his fans considering him a great tragic artist akin to Morrison or Hendrix. Then a couple of decades later they found out he was alive and revived his career, but that’s another story… So who is this Sugar Man of rock music after all?

It turns out that he is just a very good songwriter and a pretty idiosyncratic singer who was merely unlucky to finish his recording career too early (after exactly two albums). Cold Fact is his debut and frankly it doesn’t feel much like a debut album – Rodriguez appears here already as an accomplished musician who has enough great material for a brilliant 30+ minutes LP. 

And it is partly true as well – he polished his songs by performing them in bars and clubs for several years before releasing this album, so Cold Fact is a result of a lot of hard work that somehow still feels almost effortless. Of course, “Sugar Man” is his calling card, his most famous and memorable song, but this is not the case of Bowie’s “Space Oddity” at all, because the other tracks are in fact worthy of your attention as well. My particular favourites include the raunchy guitar-driven “Only Good for Conversation”, the lyrically bitter “Hate Street Dialogue” and the light-heartedly melodic “I Wonder”. I would also love to praise the hell out of playing and singing but I’m afraid this review will get overlong and boring if I start describing it in too much detail. So I’ll just say that the eclectic instrumentation is a delight to my ears, and Sixto’s singing breathes personality and gives off a shining charisma – I mean you can actually FEEL what kind of a man he is merely from the way he delivers these verses. He’s obviously a swell guy, this Rodriguez, though slightly disillusioned by the world around him. And have I already mentioned his cool shades? Well they are cool enough to mention them twice, and when you hear these songs you can almost see them in front of your eyes. And that calm and collected fella behind them, too.

So, long story short, this album rules, it might actually become one of my favourite albums of 1970. That’s a cold fact for you. Take care.

DJ SPRINKLES - Midtown 120 Blues (2014)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Michael Strait

I’m completely at a loss with this music (if it can be called that). I spent some time looking for reviews and interpretations to help me make something of it and I found this one that is well written and positive in an understanding way: http://www.tokafi.com/news/cd-feature-dj-sprinkles-midtown-120-blues/

After listening, all I can do is be negative in a non-understanding way:

• this music can be successful in a trendy (or retro) restaurant, where you go for a hip dinner (music somewhat subdued in the background)
• it can also succeed in a nightclub for an afterparty (substantially louder, making conversation difficult but still making chilling out possible)
• this music can be appreciated by other generations and indeed, other people, as a kind of background music for studying or reading or entertaining guests in your house
• some people may listen to it concentratedly as there are some semi profound lyrics (voice overs, really), and sometimes certain themes sort of develop, not unlike some minimal piano music (think Reich or Ten Holt).

To me it fails. Funny thing is, there is no nasty or aggressive sound or amateurish sequence to be found on the entire record, and it’s definitely trance inducing. But in the end it’s all much too repetitive for my taste, this music could go on for ever and really tries to. I like me some drony stuff at times (whether it’s classical minimal music or some Krautrock), but apparently not so much if it’s this synthetic deep house stuff. The proposition of drony, trance inducing music in reality appears to be a lack of ideas; repeating themes and grooves ad infinitum is presented as an artistic choice, but it really is evidence of a total lack of creative inspiration.

It’s a bit like Steely dan-lite (or Gorillaz-lite): no biting lyrics, rather simple and repetitive rhythm charts, no real musical instruments to speak of and no solo’s. A song like Sisters, I Don’t Know What This World Is Coming To with the title being repeated for 11 minutes overstays its welcome by 8 minutes. To me the instrumental tracks are muzak, to be played in the background of time sharing and real estate commercials, travel programs or ‘win compilations’ of people water skiing, parasailing, reaching tops of mountains at sunsets and the like. But then a track like Grand Central, Pt. II (72 Hrs. By Rail From Missouri) wouldn’t be out of place on The Division Bell either, and is actually my favorite track, probably because it does not have the annoying rhythm machines.

Ultimately it’s an acquired taste I have no interest in acquiring, but then I have no intention of trying. To come back to the positive review found elsewhere: if this type of music (deep house, apparently) is anything for you, this artist might be one to check out. 

KETIL BJØRNSTAD - Seafarer's Song (2004)

Review by: Dinar Khayrutdinov
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

Ketil Bjørnstad is a classically trained Norwegian pianist and composer who is one of those artists who recorded most of their output on the well-known ECM label which basically means it’s going to be some middle ground between jazz, modern classical and new-age. Interestingly enough, the album in question – Seafarer’s Song – was released on a different label (EmArcy) but it is still an ECM album in essence.

Due to the shortage of time I’m experiencing at this point of my life I’ll have to keep this review brief and basically break it down to certain thoughts that came to my mind when I heard this record:

1) It definitely requires the listener to be in a certain mood that is pretty nicely summed up by the album cover art – that of a vast and fairly peaceful sea expanse, but with heavy clouds above it and a slight rain falling on its surface. It’s a seafarer’s song indeed, mostly elegiac and longing but occasionally changing to more energetic and resolute.

2) To properly enjoy Seafarer’s Song you’d have to appreciate Kristin Asbjørnsen’s slightly gruff vocals which I do not. In fact I think that this album would be truly great if it were purely instrumental. The unique combination of the piano, cello, electric guitar and occasional mournful trumpet is pretty amazing and creates a very specific mood (see p. 1). The vocals do nothing for me though, unfortunately.

3) The album is labeled jazz, but in fact it has little to do with jazz – it does not sound like it was improvised and does not feature many dissonant chords, saxophone solos or anything like that. Some instrumental passages do feel jazzy, but saying that this is a jazz album means missing the point of the record entirely. In fact, here is a nominally “highbrow” record that can be perfectly enjoyed by classic rock lovers. It actually consists of rather conventional songs (most of them slow and melancholic), which is its strength and weakness at the same time. If you’re in the mood for this you’ll probably enjoy it, but if you’re not this can get boring as hell.

4) It slightly grew on me after repeated listens (I even got used to the vocals) and I actually wouldn’t be surprised if I felt an urge to return to this sometime in the future. No regrets on hearing this overall, good stuff.  

KAIPA - In the Wake of Evolution (2010)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

After listening to In the Wake of Evolution for the first time, I had one single word in my mind: amazing. And that statement wouldn’t even be completely true, as I was bedazzled by the record since the very first song — way before it was finished. Advancing through the record, Kaipa showed their high-leveled arty, progressive, sophisticated rock, with creative melodies and outstanding instrumentals. Expect creative guitars, great percussion, tempo changes, beautiful keyboards and even flutes, violins and some folk elements, other than lots of sounds that were probably added in the mixing part. Now, add these elements to their trippy, folky approach and we’ve got something great. For me, In the Wake of Evolution, sounded like a folkier, more peace-and-nature (but a bit less progressive) Dream Theater. Which is a great compliment coming from a hard DT fan.

As a man who’s never believed in love at first sight, I gave the record another run. This time paying more attention to its details and lyrics. Kaipa explores similar themes in all songs, seeking inner peace and harmony from nature as well as dealing with changes in life or in the world with different approaches depending of the song: sometimes reflective, sometimes mourning, sometimes critical. 

The second run also opened room for criticism: as it seems, they tend to repeat some riffs and passages in some songs, and I feel the lack of a more cohesive element in the album, between the songs, to make the album flow smoother. For the lyrics and themes, as metaphorical and philosophical as it might look, the feeling I got was always a bit empty. 

Finally, if I need to point a song or two, I’d pick the amazing bass, progression and melody in “The World Are Like Leaves” and the timeless sensation from the passages and guitars in the nature-contemplating epic, “Electric Power Notes”. Great songs, which deserve a chance to introduce you to this amazing work of art.

And what about Kaipa? A band who has just came and it’s already fighting for a window seat? A quick look shows this is another great band from Sweden! Both Odin and King Carl Gustaf must be very proud of their blessed countrymen (and countrywomen). Further reading revealed that the band was formed in the 70s, undergone name changes, had players who left the band, formed their own musical group, and then returned only to leave again. After a reunion in ‘02, they kept the magic on, composing and touring up to present day. Which I hope they consider passing through South America in their next venture.

In short, In the Wake of Evolution is an outstanding album that caught me from its first notes and left me wanting more at the end. Now, Kaipa’s got a new fan. If you’re fond of brainy, arty, sophisticated progressive rock with a light mood, give this album a try. You might become a fan, too.