Son of JayJamJah

Album #2: Fevers and Mirrors (2000)
Bright Eyes
Genre: Indie Folk
Dedicated to MB Member: Crowquill\Sleepy Jack

1. "A Spindle, a Darkness, a Fever, and a Necklace"
2. "A Scale, a Mirror, and Those Indifferent Clocks"
3. "The Calendar Hung Itself..."
4. "Something Vague"
5. "The Movement of a Hand"
6. "Arienette”
7. "When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass"
8. "Haligh, Haligh, a Lie, Haligh"
9. "The Center of the World"
10. "Sunrise, Sunset"
11. "An Attempt to Tip the Scales"
12. "A Song to Pass the Time"

Quite simply some of the most emotionally consuming music I’ve ever come across. Connor Oberst can seem as naïve and innocent as a child as a ferocious and ominous as any audible evil. Each song is in some way an expulsion of emotion personified best by the painstaking vocal patterns that catapult the listener through chaos within each narrative, each melody, each measure. The first third of the album is a wonderfully orchestrated progression culminating with the absolutely flawless “Something Vague” A song so moving in its simple familiarity and conviction driven delivery as to bring one to tears. It’s not that the lyrics are great, it’s just a wonderful way of arranging words to tell a story that takes so much longer then 3 and a half minutes,
That is one of the inherent qualities of the album that has always intrigued me. Each song is so effective at reaching you and forcing you tolerate or tune out. Very powerful but easy music. The middle third of the album opens with “The Movement of a Hand” which has a precious and proverbial chorus that finds its way into your subconscious and digs in. The album has hit its stride at this point, it’s impossible to tell if this is done with intent, but it’s a common theme within good albums; the momentum intensifies and resides with the ebb and flow of the music at just the right times. The peak of the album is probably tracks seven and eight as Oberests’ most personally cathartic performance "When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass” a two verse explosion of a song gives way to “Haligh, Haligh, a lie, Haligh” maybe the most mass-appeal number on the album and a very easy song to enjoy. It has elements of the emotional first half plus of the album and still a hint of a bit more polish and attention to detail without sacrificing honesty or conviction.
It didn’t take many listens for me to develop an interest in this album. I’ve pretty much enjoyed it from the start; still I’ve can’t say I’ve ever really understood the final third of this album. There is a sort of distant ballad of a song within foreshadowing elements of the bands future direction, a gentle but eerie almost sinister number in “Sunrise Sunset”, a sweet little song with a mock interview that I can’t even begin to understand and a distorted closing number that seems to have little or nothing to do with anything. Still I enjoy it externally as the music is irresistible to people like me who have always been drawn to simple raw acoustic guitar driven music. I like this album a lot more then most of you’d probably expect.

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My Van Morrison Discography Thread

Son of JayJamJah

Album #3: Beggars Banquet (1968)
The Rolling Stones
Genre: Blues\Rock
Dedicated to MB Member: Urban Hatemonger

1. "Sympathy for the Devil"
2. "No Expectations"
3. "Dear Doctor"
4. "Parachute Woman"
5. "Jigsaw Puzzle"
6. "Street Fighting Man"
7. "Prodigal Son"
8. "Stray Cat Blues"
9. "Factory Girl"
10. "Salt of the Earth"

Sometime around my 10th birthday I decided I liked the Beatles better then the Rolling Stones then I listened to this album in 1972 and changed my mind for like two years. Still this album has left an indelible mark on me and still stimulates my subconscious, mind and memory and gets my toes a tappin’. Starting out with Sympathy for the devil, still the Stones best song in my opinion; with great lyrics, energy and musical arrangement, plus several signature riffs it’s a great example of the Rolling Stones are their most primitive blues heavy best. I feel like I’m a part of that song when I listen to it, being hypnotized by the howling background singer’s continuous cry and the guitars surly screech and scream. It’s one of the quickest seven minute songs in rock and as good as it is the following less revered track “No Expectations” is only slightly less satisfying and even more melodic and relaxing. As the bluesy acoustic guitar riffs lift my spirits, Jagger snarls on with sorrowful conviction. This slow country blues ballad is a staple of most Rolling Stones comp CD’s\Tapes I’ve made for students in the past. The acoustic blues formula is all over this album especially the remainder of side one; especially Dear Doctor the following number. A true blues standard style and a Sympathy for the Devil mirror finalize the first side of the record in frightful fashion and it has you hooked.

The second half of the album opens with another popular Stones hit, “Sympathy for the Devil” an energetic exclamation of youthful rebellion and energetic aspirations. Everyone dipped their song writing pens in the political protest ink in this era and the Stones were no exception; this song is the album flag of rebellion helping cement the group’s edgy reputation. There is something comforting about the blues and when mixed with a little getty-up like “Prodigal Son” it can become a very fun and free style of music with a wonderful sense of humour within. Almost every song on this album has a great opening, and “Stray Cat Blues” might be the best, grabbing you from the first note it’s another simple song, simply brilliant of course. Chalk this one up to Occams Razor yet again, simplicity is a wonderful asset in a band and when combined with humility and dedication this is the result. “Factory Girl” comes on next and I find myself remembering August 1983 and the first time my daughter was real sick. Holding her in my arms under the stars as this song played. I should have nicknamed her Factory Girl; instead I went with Cheerio, well live and learn. As good as the first nine songs are this album would be nothing in the archives of my mind without the moving finale “Salt of the Earth” and it’s chilling rhythm, somber, emerging verse and emphatic chorus lined with sweet notes of ivory and crashing cymbals. This is how to close an album; with all the soul and spirit of a live performance encapsulated in your best written song by pure music standards. They even get the choir to take you home. Fuck yeah.

I was not even planning on doing this album next, but it came up in my record player and 30 seconds into sympathy for the devil I started typing. This is so many times the origin of inspiration within music for me. Spontaneity, the thrill of the moment the excitement of surprise, not expecting the expected so to speak. Beggars Banquet is an amazing album, the Stones most overlooked, miles better then Exile on Mainstreet in my eyes and don’t get me started on Sticky Fingers. I like the Beatles better know, but the Stones will always have a place in my heart, mind and soul.

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Me, Myself and I United as One

If you're posting in the music forums make sure to be thoughtful and expressive, if you're posting in the lounge ask yourself "is this something that adds to the conversation?" It's important to remember that a lot of people use each thread. You're probably not as funny or clever as you think, I know I'm not.

My Van Morrison Discography Thread

Trollheart

As someone else has said, if you need help obtaining albums that are in my collection I'd be more than happy to help. Let me know what sort of music you're into (I have, for instance, all of Nick Cave's catalogue up to "Nocturama", which you can certainly have...)

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Urban Hat€monger ?

Nice Beggars Banquet review , easily my favourite Stones album as well.

As for Nick Cave Tender Prey is my favourite album by him.

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Trollheart

Arrgh! It's so long since I played an ACTUAL CD, I'm having trouble finding my Nick Caves! Bear with me....

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

RoemerMW

If you need some more Nick Cave, I have:

From Her to Eternity
The Firstborn Is Dead
Kicking Against the Pricks
Your Funeral ... My Trial
Tender Prey
Henry's Dream
Let Love In
Murder Ballads
The Boatman's Call
No More Shall We Part
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

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My Music Collection

Son of JayJamJah

Can you send me Tender prey and Henry's Dream please.

Anything I can fetch for you in return anytime let me know.

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Me, Myself and I United as One

If you're posting in the music forums make sure to be thoughtful and expressive, if you're posting in the lounge ask yourself "is this something that adds to the conversation?" It's important to remember that a lot of people use each thread. You're probably not as funny or clever as you think, I know I'm not.

My Van Morrison Discography Thread

RoemerMW

No problem, I'm upping them now. I'll send you a PM soon.

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My Music Collection

Son of JayJamJah

Album #5: four (1994)
Blues Traveler
Genre: Jam Rock
Dedicated to MB Member:

1. "Run-Around"
2. "Stand"
3. "Look Around"
4. "Fallible"
5. "The Mountains Win Again"
6. "Freedom"
7. "Crash Burn"
8. "Price to Pay"
9. "Hook"
10. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"
11. "Just Wait"
12. "Brother John"

The second Blues Traveler album I ever heard and the one that made me go to a concert that turned into six straight concerts and made me a fan for life. This is not a great album in the traditional sense. There are several very good songs, like "Run Around", the opening track and one of two major hit singles from the album. The other massiv single "Hook" is very good, as is "Just Wait", "The Mountains Win Again", "Look Around" and a few others. It's always enjoyable and Popper is an undeniable talent, presence and star. If you enjoy the harmonica, this is about as good as it gets. Even the average to bad songs contain great moments like the psychedelic escalating bridge and skat-a-tat-tat outro in "Stand". These particular portions of the song raise it from average to memorable.

The beautiful, touching and moving element of this album, with songs like "Look Around" and "Just Wait" is chilling. These songs demonstrate the often overlooked or under rated force of Poppers powerful vocal prowess. More then anything this is what has made this album last for me. A lot of the music I listened to at this has fallen from my radar, but not Blues Traveler, I still make a point to buy all their new albums and see them whenever they come to town. It's also worth mentioning that "The Mountains Win again" is that song from all those Busch Beer commercials. Don't hold that against it though.

What is clear from this album is that these people are having fun playing this music. It's a talented band and Popper as mentioned above is a phenom. This guy just drives the music with each lyric and breath into that harp. This is why Bob Dylan fans piss me off, this guy is 100 times the singer and harpist that Dylan was and gets half the due for both because of Dylan's song writing and cultural significance. But I digress, I love this album and am glad to add it to my list and introduce it to you.

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Me, Myself and I United as One

If you're posting in the music forums make sure to be thoughtful and expressive, if you're posting in the lounge ask yourself "is this something that adds to the conversation?" It's important to remember that a lot of people use each thread. You're probably not as funny or clever as you think, I know I'm not.

My Van Morrison Discography Thread

Pornographie Nouveau

Funk to funky?