Classic Albums I have never heard

Trollheart · 06-20-2022, 12:10 PM

Title: Blood on the Tracks
Artist: Bob Dylan
Year: 1975
Chronological position: Fifteenth
Previous experience of this artist?: His hit singles only
Why is this considered a classic? Um. Ask a Dylan fan. Luckily, here’s one: Robert Gray, Dylan critic wrote that “it transformed the cultural perception of Dylan, and that he was no longer defined as "the major artist of the sixties. Instead, Dylan has legitimized his claim to a creative prowess as vital now as then—a power not bounded by the one decade he so affected.” Uh, yeah. Another one, an English dude with the unlikely name of Clinton Heylin, agreed. Maybe. “Ten years after he turned the rock & roll brand of pop into rock ... [Dylan] renewed its legitimacy as a form capable of containing the work of a mature artist." Okay. Alternatively, ask Boucning Heart sorry Rubber Soul or Pet_Sounds. They’ll know.

My thoughts
One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Good
One track in --- Good
Halfway through --- Getting meh now
Finished --- Meh

Comments: This is the first Dylan album I have ever listened to in my life. It may very well be the last. I don’t have anything against Dylan, but I’ve never had any interest in his work. Even I, though, can recognise the genius behind songs like “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and of course “Like a Rolling Stone”. That’s pretty much all I know about him though in terms of his musical output. I know a lot of people castigated him for having the audacity to move beyond acoustic music, but I don’t care about that, and frankly, if people have that mindset then it’s their fault for remaining stuck in the past, I would think. But as I say, I don’t care.

Some have made the point that this album relates lyrically to the breakup of Dylan’s marriage, among them his children, but the man himself has denied this, and I guess he should know. But again - and I really can’t stress this enough - I don’t care. I’m not getting into the reasons behind why he wrote what he did; I just want to see if the album appeals to me or not. At the moment it’s a kind of shrug, but we’re only on the first track, so we’ll see. Yeah didn’t think much of that. “Simple Twist of Fate” is a lot better. Like the harmonica. Sounds a little Beatles/early Supertramp in the melody. Shut up. Next one is really nice too, the piano adds a lot to the song however the harmonica this time ruins it, sounds all over the place, like he dropped it or something. Suppose it’s deliberate, but I don’t get it.

Good throaty organ (ooer!) is always a good base to build a song on, I feel, and the one on “Idiot Wind” growls and scrapes along with real aggression, but is it that the production is shit or what, as the music seems to fade in and out as if there were what we used to call dropouts on a tape? Wasn’t like this on any of the previous tracks. If it is the production, and not just something that happens to be wrong with just this one track on the YT playlist I have, then I have to say it destroys what sounds like it could be a good song. Can’t really hear it properly, so I can’t rate it. Unfortunately it’s also the longest track, nearly eight minutes long. Sigh.

Haters unite against me! I have never believed Dylan could sing. I suppose that’s very arrogant, considering that my singing could be used as an emergency method of clearing a building. Or a city. What I mean is that I don’t like the way he sings; it always seems to me that he’s more shouting the vocal rather than singing. I’ve always felt that way about him. This album just reinforces that view. Note: near the end, the fading production seems to have been sorted, but it’s a little late now. Next track kind of just passed me by, but the one after that is decent. The slide guitar work here is cool. Next one is a kind of country style, quite fast compared to the rest of the album so far, with a thick whining organ. It’s all right, nothing special. Haters unite! Aw hell I was wrong: “Idiot Wind” is not the longest track, this is, by a clear minute. Sigh again.

Yeah overall I’d say it’s not bad but it is pretty boring, to me. Somewhat like the James Taylor album I reviewed yesterday in Bitesize, just not gripping me. I never thought I would be a Dylan fan, and now I’m pretty convinced of that fact. Not that this is a bad album, but it just ain’t for me. In retrospect, it could also be that none of the songs I know are on it. Shrug.

Favourite track(s): “Simple Twist of Fate”, “You’re a Big Girl Now”, “Meet Me in the Morning”
Least favourite track(s):

Final impression --- More or less as expected. Nothing special, not to me.

Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Have to wait and see
E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic?
F) Definitely enjoyed it, but again would I consider it a classic?
G) Enjoyed this album just purely on its own merits
H) Glad I listened to it
I) Didn’t really affect me.

Think this is a B guys.

Trollheart · 06-20-2022, 12:27 PM

Came across this and thought it would be a handy marker to show how many albums are left. Made a few changes to the original post and I see others were suggested/demanded in later posts, so I will add them as soon as I have a mo.

For now, this is how it stands, going on the original list:

PIL --- Metal box
Moby --- Play
Funkadelic --- Maggot brain
Talking Heads --- Remain in Light
Sonic Youth --- Daydream Nation
Wilco --- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Gang of Four --- Entertainment!
ADDING FROM SUGGESTIONS GIVEN AT THE TIME BUT NEVER ADDED
The Go- Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane
Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
Portishead - Dummy
Big Star - #1 Record
Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything
Pere Ubu - Dub Housing
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

If anyone wants to suggest additions go ahead, but remember it's up to me as to whether I accept them or not.

GD · 06-20-2022, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

So, I guess Da Capo is out too?

Don't know if you mean Love's 2nd album or something else, but I think TH's post before yours was in reference to Loveless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Not certain, but the name seems familiar. Might have done it on "Love or Hate?" way back when.

I looked through the index for that thread and didn't see it, so I guess I'll do that one if you decide to accept it. One of the immortal albums of the 60's imo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guybrush

This is a fun one, I think. The Red Telephone is my favourite.. We're all normal and we want our freedom. Freedom? Freedumb.

"All o'God's children s'gotta have their freedom!"

edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Can --- Tago mago (This will be reviewed, but I checked it out and it's a long double album. At the moment I don't have time to review long double albums)

I wouldn't worry then because it seems like you already have

**Marie Monday** · 06-20-2022, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

If anyone wants to suggest additions go ahead, but remember it's up to me as to whether I accept them or not.

do Bikini Kill - the (CD version of the) first 2 records

Guybrush · 06-20-2022, 01:08 PM

Trollheart, am I right in that you never took the Zappa plunge? If so, consider adding One Size Fits All to your list which is the last album by The Mothers of Invention.

Hot Rats, Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe may be more known, but as far as I can tell, One Size Fits All is the album Zappa fans tend to rank highest overall. In any case, it's a classic.

Also it's fun, relatively short and accessible (for Zappa).

Quote:

Originally Posted by GD

"All o'God's children s'gotta have their freedom!"

Trollheart · 06-20-2022, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marie Monday

do Bikini Kill - the (CD version of the) first 2 records

That name sounds familiar. Album? But is it an acknowledged classic? (See my criteria a few posts back).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guybrush

Trollheart, am I right in that you never took the Zappa plunge? If so, consider adding One Size Fits All to your list which is the last album by The Mothers of Invention.

Hot Rats, Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe may be more known, but as far as I can tell, One Size Fits All is the album Zappa fans tend to rank highest overall. In any case, it's a classic.

Also it's fun, relatively short and accessible (for Zappa).

Oh I had more of the Big Zee than I could take in the History of Prog journal, believe me! I still have nightmares about Hot Rats or some damn thing.

Trollheart · 06-20-2022, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GD

Don't know if you mean Love's 2nd album or something else, but I think TH's post before yours was in reference to Loveless.

I looked through the index for that thread and didn't see it, so I guess I'll do that one if you decide to accept it. One of the immortal albums of the 60's imo

Yeah maybe I was recommended it but didn't do it? There were, if I remember, few albums I did that with though. I'm pretty sure I took all recs, or 99% of them. Can't really see why that would be in the 1% I refused, if at all.

Quote:

I wouldn't worry then because it seems like you already have

I know, yes, and Monster Movie. Maybe I'll just scrub it, as it looks likely I'll come across their whole goddamn discography in that thread.

Guybrush · 06-20-2022, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Oh I had more of the Big Zee than I could take in the History of Prog journal, believe me! I still have nightmares about Hot Rats or some damn thing.

Oh right! Maybe one of those things that happened during my many years hiatus.. I'll check that thread out

I like (love) big Z, but I'd concede that a good portion of his 60s music is intended to be.. divisive is the nice word and annoying is the other one. But his 70s period is gold. It's gold, ya hear!!1

Anyways, I'm sure you have a lot of listening to do so I won't burden you more

it's good and brave of you to take all this on, I must say. Good job!

Trollheart · 06-20-2022, 02:43 PM

Okay then, the OP has been updated.
Next up:

**Marie Monday** · 06-20-2022, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

That name sounds familiar. Album? But is it an acknowledged classic? (See my criteria a few posts back).

Duh

06-20-2022, 12:10 PM	#471 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Title: Blood on the Tracks Artist: Bob Dylan Year: 1975 Chronological position: Fifteenth Previous experience of this artist?: His hit singles only Why is this considered a classic? Um. Ask a Dylan fan. Luckily, here’s one: Robert Gray, Dylan critic wrote that “it transformed the cultural perception of Dylan, and that he was no longer defined as "the major artist of the sixties. Instead, Dylan has legitimized his claim to a creative prowess as vital now as then—a power not bounded by the one decade he so affected.” Uh, yeah. Another one, an English dude with the unlikely name of Clinton Heylin, agreed. Maybe. “Ten years after he turned the rock & roll brand of pop into rock ... [Dylan] renewed its legitimacy as a form capable of containing the work of a mature artist." Okay. Alternatively, ask Boucning Heart sorry Rubber Soul or Pet_Sounds. They’ll know. My thoughts One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Good One track in --- Good Halfway through --- Getting meh now Finished --- Meh Comments: This is the first Dylan album I have ever listened to in my life. It may very well be the last. I don’t have anything against Dylan, but I’ve never had any interest in his work. Even I, though, can recognise the genius behind songs like “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and of course “Like a Rolling Stone”. That’s pretty much all I know about him though in terms of his musical output. I know a lot of people castigated him for having the audacity to move beyond acoustic music, but I don’t care about that, and frankly, if people have that mindset then it’s their fault for remaining stuck in the past, I would think. But as I say, I don’t care. Some have made the point that this album relates lyrically to the breakup of Dylan’s marriage, among them his children, but the man himself has denied this, and I guess he should know. But again - and I really can’t stress this enough - I don’t care. I’m not getting into the reasons behind why he wrote what he did; I just want to see if the album appeals to me or not. At the moment it’s a kind of shrug, but we’re only on the first track, so we’ll see. Yeah didn’t think much of that. “Simple Twist of Fate” is a lot better. Like the harmonica. Sounds a little Beatles/early Supertramp in the melody. Shut up. Next one is really nice too, the piano adds a lot to the song however the harmonica this time ruins it, sounds all over the place, like he dropped it or something. Suppose it’s deliberate, but I don’t get it. Good throaty organ (ooer!) is always a good base to build a song on, I feel, and the one on “Idiot Wind” growls and scrapes along with real aggression, but is it that the production is shit or what, as the music seems to fade in and out as if there were what we used to call dropouts on a tape? Wasn’t like this on any of the previous tracks. If it is the production, and not just something that happens to be wrong with just this one track on the YT playlist I have, then I have to say it destroys what sounds like it could be a good song. Can’t really hear it properly, so I can’t rate it. Unfortunately it’s also the longest track, nearly eight minutes long. Sigh. Haters unite against me! I have never believed Dylan could sing. I suppose that’s very arrogant, considering that my singing could be used as an emergency method of clearing a building. Or a city. What I mean is that I don’t like the way he sings; it always seems to me that he’s more shouting the vocal rather than singing. I’ve always felt that way about him. This album just reinforces that view. Note: near the end, the fading production seems to have been sorted, but it’s a little late now. Next track kind of just passed me by, but the one after that is decent. The slide guitar work here is cool. Next one is a kind of country style, quite fast compared to the rest of the album so far, with a thick whining organ. It’s all right, nothing special. Haters unite! Aw hell I was wrong: “Idiot Wind” is not the longest track, this is, by a clear minute. Sigh again. Yeah overall I’d say it’s not bad but it is pretty boring, to me. Somewhat like the James Taylor album I reviewed yesterday in Bitesize, just not gripping me. I never thought I would be a Dylan fan, and now I’m pretty convinced of that fact. Not that this is a bad album, but it just ain’t for me. In retrospect, it could also be that none of the songs I know are on it. Shrug. Favourite track(s): “Simple Twist of Fate”, “You’re a Big Girl Now”, “Meet Me in the Morning” Least favourite track(s): Final impression --- More or less as expected. Nothing special, not to me. Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner B) I'm sorry I bothered C) I might end up liking this D) Have to wait and see E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic? F) Definitely enjoyed it, but again would I consider it a classic? G) Enjoyed this album just purely on its own merits H) Glad I listened to it I) Didn’t really affect me. Think this is a B guys. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

06-20-2022, 12:27 PM	#472 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Came across this and thought it would be a handy marker to show how many albums are left. Made a few changes to the original post and I see others were suggested/demanded in later posts, so I will add them as soon as I have a mo. For now, this is how it stands, going on the original list: PIL --- Metal box Moby --- Play Funkadelic --- Maggot brain Talking Heads --- Remain in Light Sonic Youth --- Daydream Nation Wilco --- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Gang of Four --- Entertainment! ADDING FROM SUGGESTIONS GIVEN AT THE TIME BUT NEVER ADDED The Go- Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain Portishead - Dummy Big Star - #1 Record Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything Pere Ubu - Dub Housing Miles Davis - Bitches Brew If anyone wants to suggest additions go ahead, but remember it's up to me as to whether I accept them or not. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 06-20-2022 at 02:37 PM.

06-20-2022, 02:43 PM	#479 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Okay then, the OP has been updated. Next up: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018