Frank Zappa - “Broadway the hard way” (1988)

The idea I have of Frank Zappa is that he is an artist I should like, but never really understood. I never know if I should take his music seriously or if it is a joke. At the same time I have very little experience of this man, except this album I’ve got Freak Out. Apart from that I’ve only heard a few songs on the radio. In the music world Zappa seems to be one of the most respected names and looking at his production he appears to be one of the most creative. Much of what he has done goes outside the usual musical framework and as a person, he seems to have been both funny and intelligent.Therefore I should like Zappa. But things are not always what they should be.

I got this LP for Christmas from my brother, probably 1988, so I was 16 years old. I think I was at least ten years too young to understand the music and the lyrics. The album is full of political satire that was completely wasted on me. Firstly I've never been the one who listens very carefully to the lyrics, secondly it was satire about people who were not too familiar to me, and thirdly I simply didn’t know it was satire. Instead, I thought it was quite unserious music, like an American Eddie Meduza (a Swedish musician who made not too serious music, to say the least). At the same time I knew already at this age that Zappa was a very respected musician, and these two ideas I had trouble getting into co-existence.

To really appreciate this LP, it is probably important to understand the lyrics since they have a greater importance here than usual. The music in the songs is not so amazing that it stands by itself all the way and for me, mainly listening to the music, listening to this record is a slightly strange experience. It reminds me of a circus or a Marx Brothers movie. The LP has been played some on my record player but I have never managed to create a closer relationship to it. When I listened to it before writing this post it was the first time for almost 20 years I heard it. Still I found it hard to groove to.

It should be mentioned that the songs are live recordings from Zappa's 1988 tour, his last with a band. I haven’t heard enough of Zappa to know if this album is representative of him or not. After this album and Freak Out, it has not become more Zappa for me. Have I missed anything?

Favorite Songs 

Elvis har just left the building

When the lie’s so big

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" – 2:24
2. "Planet of the Baritone Women" – 2:48
3. "Any Kind of Pain" – 5:42
4. "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" – 9:15

Side B

1. "Dickie's Such an Asshole" – 6:37
2. "When the Lie's So Big" – 3:38
3. "Rhymin' Man" – 3:51
4. "Promiscuous" – 2:03
5. "The Untouchables"  – 3:05

 

 

Kate Bush – “Lionheart” (1978)

I should first clarify my relationship with Kate Bush - if I had not been married to my wonderful wife, I had probably been married to Kate Bush. Alternatively, Sandra Bullock. In the world of music, Kate has always been one of my favorites, her music has always been a bit of a challenge, but not too much. She has created everything from dreamy to mystical to sublime to playful to theatrical to dance-friendly music. I problably seldom get what the texts are about, but I like them nonetheless. The interviews I've seen with her give the picture of a gentle, wise and humble person. It doesn’t matter that there’s a 14-year age difference between us (she is older than me). I think there could have been love between us. Or what do you think?

With that said, I have given myself the right to continue in a bit more negative way. I bought this album in my late teens and I have always thought it was OK, but not more. I still feel the same, which is a bit unusual for a Kate Bush album. Most of Kate's records are inner journeys, sometimes beautiful and harmonious, other times dark and scary. This LP doesn’t get hold of me at all in that way and I have always thought this album as one of Kate's weaker creations. Kate herself agrees: "Bush has often expressed dissatisfaction with Lionheart, feeling that she needed more time to get it right." (Wikipedia). Apparently the record company EMI was stressed and wanted a quick sequel to her debut The Kick Inside. Lionheart was released nine months after the first album.

In comparison with other titles Kate has done the differences are spontaneously two. First, many tracks are simply a bit weaker than usual. Secondly, I get no sense of a wholeness concerning the album, something most of her other albums provides in a different (and better) way. Maybe it’s there the problem lies concerning my feeling of not being invited to an inner journey. The journey ends after each song and have to start all over again.

On the other hand, even a weaker Kate Bush album is better than a lot of other stuff being offered the musically thirsty man or woman. Sometimes it's difficult when you write about about an album - if you want to to compare the music, should one compare the music with the artist's other creations, or with other artists? In a way it feels kind of strange to write some negative words about Lionheart, this is done in comparison with other records Kate has created. Would I just have the average popular music played on radio in my head, I would probably praise Lionheart in a different way. (Or am I letting my feelings for Kate affect me right now?)

Kate was 20 years old when Lionheart was released. After the LP was out on the market Kate had to go on an extensive promotional trip and a longer tour (six weeks), the only long tour of her career. Because she was dissatisfied with how the recording had been done with Lionheart, she thereafter created her own music publishing company, Kate Bush Music, and her own management company. In these companies Kate and her family members were the board of directors. In this way Kate got total control over her creations and following recordings. After the time of Lionheart Kate began to spend increasingly more time in the studio and was for long periods invisible to the public eye.

Summary: This is a record that has regularly spun on the turntable and it contains some really good songs. But as mentioned, Kate can do better.

Favorite Songs

Hammer Horror

Kashka From Baghdad

In Search Of Peter Pan

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Symphony in Blue" 
2. "In Search of Peter Pan" 
3. "Wow" 
4. "Don't Push Your Foot on the Heartbrake" 
5. "Oh England My Lionheart" 

Side B

6. "Fullhouse" 
7. "In the Warm Room" 
8. "Kashka From Baghdad" 
9. "Coffee Homeground" 
10. "Hammer Horror"

 

 

Black Widow (1971)

Another one of all those albums I bought because I thought the cover was cool. Probably I also found it really cheap if I know myself right. This cover made me think that the music would be deep, psychedelic, mystical and overall kind of druggy. That turned out not to be quite the case, which made me a bit disappointed. For this reason, this album always pursued a relatively secluded life in my record collection. In a way, it is a pity, if I had only been able to listen to the album without these initial expectations, maybe I would have found it better than I did.

The British band Black Widow was created in 1969, this eponymous album was their second. Those who may remember this band will probably remember it as an occult devil worshiping band (oh, how I wish I could play in one of those). On their debut album Sacrifice, there was the song they are best known for, "Come to the Sabbath." On this second album you don’t hear much of this occult stuff going on. They had previously caused some alarm with their music and concerts in which part of the show included a staged execution of a woman. That may be one of the reasons that they shifted in focus - too much focus on other things in the media besides the music. Of course, the band has always been compared to Black Sabbath, but from what I have heard with these bands they differ in the music quite a lot.

It is difficult to define the music on this album, the word "rock" is what first pops into my head. The internet site allmusic.com describes the music as "... a half-baked amalgam of progressive rock, folk music, British blues, and - the least of all - A Few very tenuous notions of hard rock and proto-metal ...". The experts seem to perceive a wild mix of genres in it, in other words.

Frankly, the music on this album is not something extraordinary. It’s OK, but not more. It's fun that they throw in a flute in some of the songs since this instrument has always been one of my favorites in rock music. But otherwise it feels like a lot of the music could be created by any garage band at any time. As a younger man I liked some drug references that appear in some songs, like "The Journey" ("... the acid man is gonna take my hand ...") or "When my mind was young" which entire text, I suspect, is a long drug reference. That created a certain fascination for the music within the younger version of myself, for some obscured reason. Maybe it was the mystique and the reality-altering experiences that drugs could cause that created the thrill? As a youngster I was fascinated by everything that was out of our normal reality, such as religious ideas and experiences, spiritual journeys, or hallucinogenic adventures. Just looking at the cover convinced me that this band was involved in these kind of things. Now, I suspect that this is indeed the case, but I also believe that there is a possibility that the creator of the cover just thought it was a cool picture he’d made. Or maybe the fascination had its roots in the feeling (and admiration) of the rebellious in experimenting with drugs. To do things that goes outside of what the society thinks is acceptable. That takes some courage, perhaps a courage I always felt I wanted more of. I was usually the quite guy who did what he was told, and seldom dared to go outside the frame and the limits the surrounding society had created.

I have a feeling that this record will continue to keep a low profile in the record shelf. Maybe I’ll take it out once a year to dust off it, but there is much more exciting stuff to listen to.

 

Favourite tracks

Tears and Wine

When my mind was young

Mary Clark

 

Tracklist

Side A

1 Tears And Wine

2 The Gypsy

3 Bridge Passage

4 When My Mind Was Young

5 The Journey

 

Side B

1 Poser

2 Mary Clark

3 Wait Until Tomorrow

4 An Afterthought

5 Legend Of Creation

 

 

Triangulus – “Reliques” (1987)

I was 16 years old when I bought this album and I will immediately confess that I probably aimed too high with this purchase. This is not the most accessible music that you can find and at age 16, I was not quite ready for it. I guess that’s the kind of thing that happens when you buy a record because you think it has a cool cover. On the other hand, it expanded both my record collection and my idea about music. I don’t really know what the dark cover with the mysterious painting made me think in relation to what kind of music it would be, probably I thought it would be something like what we today call "new age" music. This was not the case, though. Should I attempt a definition I would problably call it progressive music.

Despite some difficulties to really get into the music I played the record regularly. I guess it was two reasons for that - I had paid a relatively big sum for it and I found one or two songs that I thought were quite good. Just as the cover, I found the music quite dark, but maybe it was the cover that made me think so? I believe this has happened to me several times - that a cover has affected how I perceive the music. Had this album had a cover with a shining sun and a sparkling lake in a lush forest where happy children were playing I might have found the music different. Who knows?

Reliques was the swedish band Triangulus second and final release. The man behind Triangulus was Peter Bryngelsson, he had earlier played in bands like Ragnarok and later he played in Urban Turban. Another relatively well-known fellow musicians in Reliques is Roine Stolt (Flower Kings) who plays bass.

This LP visited the turntable at regular intervals during the first few years I owned it. But as time went on I began to admit to myself that I had quite a hard time with it. As I approached my 20s it finally found its place far back on the record shelf when I needed to leave room for other, more accessible records I had acquired during adolescence.

The memory of the album has prevented me playing it during my more adult years, although I’ve suspected that I would appreciate it in a different way and I have felt a certain curiosity. But there have always been other albums to play, either safe bets or new surprises. I have never found the time or the place for Reliques.

Until now. Writing this post gave me finally a reason to play the record. And as I suspected, I appreciated the music in a different way today. It was fun to listen through the album and realize that I still knew more or less every song even though it’s 20 years since I listened to it and it never was the LP that was played most intense. Still, I find the music relatively dark, it is mostly instrumental but a few tracks have vocals. It is interesting music with some different arrangements and instruments, some pretty fast paced songs and other more peaceful. This is still music that’s not easily accessible, but at 38 years of age, I have heard many much more “difficult” LPs and could also appreciate them.

So even if everything is not to my taste on Reliques, this is an album that is sure to get more playing time at home.

Participating musicians
- Peter Bryngelsson / Guitar, Piano, Vibraphone
- Dan Johnson / guitars, synthesizers
- Lars Lijegren / piano
- Hans Bruniusson / percussion
- Ove Karlsson / cello
- Roine Stolt / bass
- Mera Gartz / drums
- Ola Johansson / harmonica
- Per-Åke Holmlander / tuba
- Jorgen Adolfsson / saxophone
- Roland Kaiser / Soprano saxophone
- Kjell Westling / Soprano saxophone, bass clarinet
- Thomas Lindahl / flute

Favorite Tracks
Newborn
Acid Rain

Tracklist

Side A:
1. Reliques (11:46)
2. Breathtaking (2:24)
3. Winter Heart (3:10)
4. Newborn (4:08)

Side B:
1. Memory Go Round (5:09)
2. Thursdays and Saturdays (5:59)
3. Descend on Morning (6:21)
4. Acid Rain (5:24)

Total Time: 44:21

Youtube? Nah, you can’t find any tracks from this album on Youtube. It’s that obscure, people! The only thing I can offer is a site where you can listen to the selected track in 30 seconds, then click on the "Play" icon again to play 30 seconds more etc. The ones interested go to:

http://www.klicktrack.com/silence/releases/triangulus/reliques/8

Gyllene Tider - “Puls” (1982)

As I child, when school finished for the day I went to the “after school-care” run by the city. At that place the children sometimes did different spectacles, it was both on the staff’s and the children's initiative. I remember at such a moment I played the role of the tailor in the history of the glove (?) which ended up becomming nothing (a classic scandinavian tale). Another such performance were some children imitating Gyllene Tider (Golden Times) and miming to a song played by them. This was hugely popular, yes, even so appreciated that some guys who had promised to sabotage the performance (because of a conflict they had with those that would do the show) didn’t execute their evil plan. Everyone loved Gyllene Tider.

At christmas 1982 one of my wishes was therefore a record with Gyllene Tider. Honestly, I didn’t know much about of music at that time, but I knew Gyllene Tider was the band that was on everyone’s lips. My aunt asked me if I really wanted to have the album, or if I wanted it just because everyone else was listening to this band. I replied that I of course really wanted the album. In retrospect, I can admit that there was a lot of truth in my aunt's question, and I already knew that when she asked. But of course I couldn’t admit the truth, that I actually wanted the LP for exactly that reason - everyone else was listening to Gyllene Tider. I just wanted to be part of the group, is that so bad? Forgive me Bigo, hope it’s OK.

Gyllene Tider was formed in 1976 and released their first album in 1980, Puls (Pulse) was their third LP. In Sweden Gyllene Tider is a very familiar concept, yes, even an institution. Internationally, they never managed to break through despite a few attempts. Possibly some connoisseurs around the world know that this was the band Per Gessle played in before Roxette was created and a successful international career took off. Gyllene Tider officially split up 1985.

Although the reason for my desire of this album for Christmas was questionable, I found the album very good. It was played a lot on the turntable, to be honest I didn’t own so many records at this time, so probably it is safe to say that all my records were played a lot on the turntable. Some KISS-records, a Magnus Uggla-record, Djurens Brevlåda (The Animal’s Mailbox) and Trolltider (Times of Trolls) is what I spontaneously remember having. Problably I have forgotten a few but it was in any case not many LP:s. This one was for a relatively long time a favorite.

After a while (a year?) this record got less and less time on the turntable and when I reached my teenage years it had ended up in the section "Records that I am a little bit ashamed of owning now that I'm a teenager". Since then, it has been collecting dust. I of course have seen it countless times when I’ve browsed through my records but I have never got the idea of playing it. It has felt too much like an album I liked as a child and that it has nothing to offer me as an adult. Some songs like Sommartider (Summertimes) or Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång (The Girl in a Cole Porter song)  I of course have heard on the radio a lot since they have been, and still are, big hits in Sweden (at least Sommartider).

When I now listen to it as an adult, I must admit that many of the songs are actually quite OK, even if it is not really my kind of music. But seen as the pop album it is, it’s well made and most of the songs are easily accessible, catchy, has a clear "hook" and are easy to dig. Just like a good pop album should be like. The album consists of swedish summer, broken hearts, love and lust. Per Gessle is a strong and proven hitmaker and this can be heard already at this time, perhaps even more here than in the time of Roxette. I notice that some of the melodies have a tendency to get stuck in my head and whatever I do they do not disappear. Right now, the syntheizer loop from the title track just wont leave my mind. Even if this makes me frustrated, it is a good proof that it’s a well written song. The song Sommartider is probably one of the biggest Swedish summer songs ever created and still, almost 30 years after it was released, it’s played extensively every summer on the radio, discos, clubs and parties. Personally, I have for a very long time been tired of this song and find much more joy in many other tracks on the album.

Favorite Songs

Honung och Guld

Jag vänder mig om

Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "(Hon vill ha) Puls"

2. "Vän till en vän"

3. "Sommartider"

4. "Jag vänder mig om"

5. "Kustvägen söderut"

6. "Vandrar i ett sommarregn"

Side B

1 "Händerna"

2. "Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång"

3. "Upphetsad"

4. "Honung och guld"

5. "Som regn på en akvarell”

6. "För mycket är aldrig nog"

7. "Lova att du aldrig glömmer bort mig"

 

Talking Heads - “77” (1977)

Musikörat (the Ear of music) was a classic record shop in Uppsala (Sweden), people who knew music got their LP:s there and those who worked in the shop were real experts. At the time of the purchase of this record Musikörat was situated at Sysslomansgatan (Sysslomansstreet) and was quite a small and intimate shop. Since my brother had had work experience program here, I knew that one of the staff's favorite bands was Talking Heads. In a way this was a problem for the 13-year-old Markus.

Talking Heads was formed in 1974 and 77 was their first LP. They had previously released a single, "Love - Building on fire”. For the kids in my age TH were not well known, I remember playing a game with some friends where you chose a theme and then randomly selected a letter. Then as quickly as possible, you would say something on the theme that began with that letter. Once the theme was "Rock Bands" and the letter was "T" so of course I screamed "Talking Heads!". My friends refused to believe that a band with such a name existed. I tried desperately to explain that they actually were a real band, but eventually I had to play one of their records in order to convince them. Even then they doubted it was true. However, you must remember that this was in the 80s in Sweden and, as mentioned in previous posts, it was mostly Heavy Metal or synth music at the time except the usual pop a la Sabrina, Wham! and Samantha Fox.

This was not the first album with Talking Heads I bought, but it was the first one I bought from Musikörat. I mentioned that this was kind of a problem and I will clarify this. At that time (1986) you often listened to the records in the shop to see if it was something that interested you. However, could a generally insecure 13-year-old Markus listen to a TH-record in a shop where the staff loved this band and then NOT buy the album? It would be like saying that you didn’t like the record. For me, the need for confirmation from the staff was considerably greater than to come home with a good album. In other words, I had somewhere in the back of my mind already decided to buy the LP before I even listened to it. The listening in the store was only symbolic.

I remember when I listened to the album that I thought it wasn’t that good. It has a rather dry, stripped-down sound, combined with David Byrne's thin and generally neurotic voice. But of course I bought the album, what else could I do? I got not only a record but also, and this was a lot more important, the feeling that the staff thought I was a pretty cool guy. This was problably not true, but I didn’t know that. It was worth the 79 kronor (about 11 dollars) the LP had costed me.

In my teens and my 20s, I played this album on a regular basis but there were many other LP:s that were spinning more frequently on my turntable. 77 was never an easy album to get into and I found it hard to really groove with the music. Finally I stopped playing the record and kind of forgot about it, but about five years ago I for no reason took it out and played it. It was a totally new experience this time! I was surprised and fascinated by the high quality of the music. The sound was not as I remember it, this can partly be explained by the fact that I now listened to it on better equipment. But I also enjoyed the songs much more than I did earlier and in a different way. I suddenly saw new things in the music, or rather heard. Probably I could, with increased age, maturity (?) and more experience with music relate in a new way to this LP. I guess I wasn’t really ready for it at the age of 13. I recommend this record, but it probably does not suit all. And I also recommend you to dig out your old records you haven’t heard for 20 years and give them a new chance. You might be surprised.

Favorite Tracks

No Compassion

First Week/Last Week

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town" 
2. "New Feeling" 
3. "Tentative Decisions" 
4. "Happy Day" 
5. "Who Is It?" 
6. "No Compassion" 

Side B

7. "The Book I Read" 
8. "Don't Worry About the Government" 
9. "First Week/Last Week…Carefree" 
10. "Psycho Killer"
11. "Pulled Up"

 

 

Beatles - “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967)

Is there an album that has been more thoroughly analyzed, studied, interpreted, described and hailed as the Beatles' eighth album? Probably not. Is there anything yours truly can add that has not already been said? Probably not. Should I stop writing today's post right here? Probably.

But I won’t.

In the spring of 1987 I was 14 years old. That was the time when, at least in Sweden, you either listened to synth music or heavy metal. Depeche Mode or Iron Maiden. A teenager did absolutely NOT listen to the Beatles, if you did you were bängaloo (as you said in Sweden at that time). Old people, like your parents, maybe listened to the Beatles. Maybe. So I was feeling very nervous and looking anxiously around me when I stepped into “Expert”, the record store which was situated at the main square in the city of Uppsala, to buy this album. What if someone saw me?

For a while I had been curious about this album since I had understood that it was "psychedelic". This attracted me because it was clear to me that this meant a lot of drug references and a general hazy music. Which of course seemed exciting. I had also heard a radio program about this album (an entire radio show dedicated to an album! In Sweden. 1986.) which analyzed and described it as if it were a work of art.

Once inside “Expert”, I first aimlessly wondered around to act moderately interested in the album shelves. I walked past the 'B' –section a few times without stopping. Again, to buy a Beatles record was not what a normal 14-year-old did, and I wanted nothing more than to be normal. When I felt that I could not continue wander around aimlessly without the staff starting to suspect me of being a shoplifter, I took a deep breath and began to look through the Beatles albums. Just when I picked up the Sgt Pepper album I suddenly saw one of the school's tough guys and his buddies stand at a different record shelf and check out the albums. Heavy Metal, of course. "Oh no!", I thought half panicing and cursed my bad luck. I saw the rumor spread across the school that Markus had bought a Beatles album. I would be the clown this week. I walked rapidly to the checkout and hurried to pay. I hopedI wasn’t discovered.

When I walked homeward through the city center, I hoped intensely that I would not meet someone I knew. A big record bag under the arm was not possible to hide and the question what you had bought was quite natural and difficult to avoid answering. Luckily, I encountered noone I knew.

Back home, I listened with reverence to my first Beatles album and went on the journey so many have done before and after me. A new world opened up to me, a world not only inhabited by the Beatles but also of all other bands in the 60’s and 70's who played the sacred "psychedelic" music. However, if I’m honest, I’m still not sure what something is when it is psychedelic.

I think Sgt Pepper is a good album (but not the Beatles’ best) but all the songs are not good. Songs like "She's leaving home" or "Fixing a Hole" I think are a bit boring, the same goes for "When I'm Sixty-Four". On the other hand, there are also many great songs. As said initially, this album is so well described by others so I don’t write anything more about the music here. All I will say is that although I had heard a lot of music at age 14, Sgt Pepper was in some way different than anything else I've heard. Maybe it was quality I heard? However, I would like to share some facts that I read online, which I find interesting.

The songs "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" were the first songs recorded for this album. However, their manager Brian Epstein thought they needed to release a single so these songs ended up being this single. And as their habit was, the Beatles didn’t put the songs from a single on a LP. The album is also considered to be one of the first concept albums, with the fictional band Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at the wheel. The record opens up with an introduction of the band and then continues with band leader Billy Shears (Ringo) who sings "With a little help from my friends". A kind of replay of the opening song ends the B-side, together with the subsequent "A Day In The Life". But all the songs in between really don’t have anything to do with this concept, and especially John has been insistent that all the songs he wrote for this album could have been on any other of their records. So if this is a concept album or not, I let others decide, but as I said, it do get credits for being one of the first.

When the vinyl album is finished it ends with a sound loop that goes round and round instead of the usual silence (with the regular click). This loop has been subject to many interpretations and a lot of people have of course heard a secret message when you play it backwards. Paul has said that a group of kids came up to him in the summer of 1967 and complained about this secret message. Paul denied that such a message existed, took the kids to his home and played the loop backwards for them. He then heard to his horror that it sounded very much like "We'll fuck you like Superman."

On the album’s cover (as studied and interpreted as the music itself) there are yellow hyacinths planted in the shape of a guitar. With a little imagination the flowers can be read as "Paul?". Yes, I have checked this out and it is true. This of course put fire to the rumor that Paul was dead, a classic urban myth that has come and gone. The above mentioned "secret message" in the sound loop has also been interpreted to "Will Paul come back as Superman?" which of course also was proof of his death.

Summary: A good album, maybe a little over analyzed, and a source of some initial neuroses whithin the 14-year-old Markus. But it also gave me a lot of joy and was a step into a new musical world. By the way, no one saw me buying the record and when I a few years later started the swedish gymnasium (something like the last years of an American high school), I could suddenly talk about owning this and other Beatles albums. And there were others who did too! Oh, how wonderful it was to get to know other connoisseurs. For now I understood, that was what you were when you owned Beatles albums, not bängaloo.

 

Favourite tracks

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Being for the benefit och Mr Kite!

A day in the life

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" 
2. "With a Little Help from My Friends" 
3."Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" 
4. "Getting Better" 
5. "Fixing a Hole"
6. "She's Leaving Home" 
7. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" 

Side B

1. "Within You Without You"
2. "When I'm Sixty-Four" 
3. "Lovely Rita" 
4. "Good Morning Good Morning" 
5. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" 
6. "A Day in the Life" 

 

Planet P Project - “Pink World” (1984)

I was 16 years old and I was in Oslo (Norway). The reason was a camp with the string orchestra I was a member of, at that time I played the violin. At that time I was also interested in anything that could be perceived as mysterious or outside our normal reality. At that time I sometimes bought albums because they had an exciting cover. At that time I could come home with something weird from the record shops (mostly second-hand LPs when you made a choice based on the cover, you didn’t dare to put your entire monthly allowance in such a purchase. This was bought new, though, I was on vacation! Well, almost). At that time the world was an exciting place ...

It was not in a record store I found this LP, it was more of a norweigan Wal-Mart. It stood there in a shelf and waited for the Swedish boy who obviously could not resist such a cover. A pink boy holding a pink world in his hands, looking down on it while it melts in his hands. A really mysterious outside, and I could not wait to get home and hear what certainly would be an as mysterious inside. In addition, it was a double album! Double value for the money.

And it really was a mysterious inside. At age 16 I realized it was a concept album, I heard the name “Artemis” appear here and there in the songs and they seemed to have some sort of common theme. I did not really know what it was all about, or rather, I understood nothing of what it was about but I none the less liked the album. It was mysterious, the cover was filled with riddles, and the lyrics of Artemis and the boy who could not speak made you wonder... Hmmm, what’s all this about? Really? All this appealed to me, the boy who dreamed of God and mystical experiences. Things got so bad I now can admit that I created a tag, "Artemis", which ended up on some of the walls of the high school restrooms. Surely this has been forgiven today?

For a while I was really into this album and it spun regularly on my turntable. The only thing I didn’t like with the music was the drum sound, drum machine I assumed, which reminded too much of the drum sounds our Commodore VIC 20 could create. It sounded pretty cheap, but this was a minor detail. As usual (?) with double albums I thought / I think the first two sides are far better than the last two.

You can describe this record as a rock opera in which a boy named Artemis plays the main character. I have now learned more about the plot via the source of all contemporary wisdom, the Internet. Apparently it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where the boy Artemis finally becomes a Messiah figure and saves part of humanity. Or something like that. Personally I got bored after a few years of the album and it got further and further back in my collection. Partly because I, to some extent, distanced myself from the young Markus’ somewhat naive yearning for the "mysterious" and partly because I found music that was better. In addition, at the age of 17 I spent a year in the U.S. as an exchange student and therefore had to undergo a deprogramming from the record, I went cold turkey. Hard life.

I understand that this LP has reached some kind of cult status and on the internet you can find lots of people who love this record and seem to hold it as a central part of life. Planet P Project is often compared to Pink Floyd and this album with "The Wall". Personally, I think that they play in completely different leagues and Pink World is not near any of Pink Floyd's creations, not even their more boring. When I listen to it now, I can find some hidden jewels in the songs, such as "Pink World" or "Power" which are quite good songs if you ignore the semi-awkward sound. Mainly, I like them for their bombastic and pompous choruses, one of my weaknesses. If one were to record this album again with today's technology and sound, different arrangements and real studio musicians it would probably a lot better. Because I suspect that many of the songs are actually OK. Now it's a lot of keyboard and guitar on the album with a large touch of the 80s in them.

Behind the name Planet P Project is Tony Carey. For a short time he was the keyboardist for Rainbow, after that he made a lot of solo albums, both under his own name and under the name Planet P Project. On this album he plays more or less all the instruments himself, Peter Hauke has produced. Something I like about Tony Carey is that he comments a lot of the comments on Youtube concerning the songs he have made. And his comments are always in a nice and positive tone. It's fun to read.

Favorite Tracks

Pink World

Power

March Of The Artemis

 

Tracklist

Side A

1 In the Woods
2 To Live Forever
3 Pink World
4 What I See
5 To Live Forever, Pt. 2
6 Power
7 In the Forest

Side B

8 A Boy Who Can't Talk
9 The Stranger
10 What I See, Pt. 2
11 The Shepherd
12 Behind the Barrier
13 Pink World Coming Down

Side C

14 Breath
15 This Perfect Place
16 What Artie Knows
17 In the Zone
18 Behind the Barrier, Pt. 2
19 March of the Artemites
20 This Perfect Place, Pt. 2

 

Side D

21 A Letter From the Shelter
22 What Artie Knows, Pt. 2
23 One Star Falling
24 Baby's at the Door
25 Requiem
26 Boy Who Can't Talk, Pt. 2

 

Camel (1973)

To travel into the progressive landscape of the musical world is by some a step down, others mean it’s at least three leaps upward. Personally I think that progressive music can range from fantastic to too difficult. This album does not belong to the difficult but is in fact an example of a relatively accessible creation from the 70's progressive scene.

Camel is one of many great bands that emerged from the so-called Canterbury scene. This LP is their first, the group was formed the year before and consisted at the time of the recording of Andrew Latimer, Andy Ward, Doug Ferguson and Peter Bardens. Andrew Latimer has been in the band from its beginnings until today, apart from him, quite a few members have come and gone throughout the years. The album was released by MCA Records, it’s the only album the band recorded under that company.

Honestly I don’t remember how I discovered Camel, but this album was not the first one I bought with them. I had a number of CDs with them before I found this LP in a store for used records. An opportunity I of course couldn’t resist. The songs are a mix of both instrumentals and with vocals, and as said above, I find the album quite accessible. I think that Camel in general makes accessible progressive music which is probably one of the reasons that I hold them as one of my favorites in this genre.

Many of the songs with vocals have, as it should in this genre, long instrumental sections where both the guitar and keyboards play the lead role. Some prog lovers may miss the strange time signatures, time changes, unusual instruments and generally strange (and difficult) songs or parts of songs. The album has instead a fairly straightforward music, which I like. So why is it called progressive, you might ask yourself. A reasonable question. Definitions are a difficult area and I'm not going to dwell deeper on this issue, but I think since Camel is regarded as a progressive band, this album also automatically is put into this genre. Right or wrong, I don’t know. The last song Arubaluba is probably the one which is closest to what we generally consider classic progressive music. What the listener do get, though, is a bunch of great musicians!

The album is OK, I don’t think it's the best one Camel has done but I recommend it anyway. People who are frowning at progressive music and think it’s only music for other musicians should listen to the album. I think most people can appreciate this LP and enjoy what comes out of the stereo's speakers, even those who normally would never buy an album with King Crimson, Gentle Giant, or by all means Camel.

Lastly I can mention that Andrew Latimer in recent years has been incapable of playing music due to undergoing chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation which has had some physical consequences. His health is now much better and the recording has started (or is about to start) of a new Camel album in 2010.

 

Favourite tracks

Mystic Queen

Arubaluba

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Slow Yourself Down" 4:47
2. "Mystic Queen"  5:40
3. "Six Ate"  6:06
4. "Separation"  3:57

Side B

1. "Never Let Go"  6:26
2. "Curiosity"  5:55
3. "Arubaluba" – 6:28

 

Beatles - “Yellow Submarine” (1969)

With a warm heart I remember the time in my life when bands like the Beatles were still unexplored worlds. Each new album you laid your hands on was a new adventure. It was that time of life when you had time to explore an album in depth, ponder on the texts or meditate on the symbolism of the cover art. A lot could be seen, of which probably 97% were one's own mind's inventions. You created a deeper personal relationship with each LP compared with today, when music is so easily accessible. If the old times were better times I leave unsaid, though.

Since this album with the Beatles is a bit more neglected than their other creations, I was even more curious about it. I got it for Christmas, I think I was 18 years old. The music is a soundtrack for the film of the same name and the album contains four previously unreleased Beatles songs, two previously released, and a B-side which is an orchestral work by George Martin. This explains why this record has been overlooked and hardly counts as a "real" Beatles album.

Personally, I skip the B side when I listen to the album, George Martin's symphonic film music is not very interesting and sounds like soundtrack to animated films often do (I imagine). What I like with the A-side is that it includes some less familiar songs by the Beatles,songs I find really good. It starts with "Yellow Submarine", a song originally on the album Revolver. Everyone knows this tune and personally I liked it better before. Now I’ve heard it too much and it gives me the vibes of children’s music. Above that, the sing-a-long chorus is completely worn out.

Then it gets more interesting with George Harrison's creation, "Only A Northern Song". This song was a leftover from the recording of Sgt Pepper and is a song with an unusual amount of keyboards (for being the Beatles). The song title is apparently a reference relating to Harrison's dissatisfaction to be related to the company Northern Songs regarding his musical creations, a company of which John and Paul owned the largest part. It is certainly a nice psychedelic gem, quite dark in its tone.

The LP continues with "All Together Now", a McCartney song that don’t need to be heard. In the past I liked it, but not today. Typical McCartney sing-a-long like "Yellow Submarine".

Then we hear, "Hey Bulldog", a Lennon song with a bit more punch in it. The song is not wellknown but sounds typical Lennon, a bit bitterness, a bit nasty and a bit critical.

"All Too Much" follows next and is the highlight of the album. Again a Harrison song, with both mellotron and lots of guitar feedback. This is a really fine example of psychedelic music, a music teacher who lectures on this kind of music should be forced to play "All Too Much". It is unusually long and stops at 6:25.

The A-side ends with "All You Need Is Love". A classic (previously released as a single) which we have heard too much. I’m really tired of it, but to be honest, I actually have never liked it. Are you allowed to dislike this song?

Favorite tracks

“Only A Northern Song”

“All Too Much”

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. Yellow Submarine

2. Only A Northern Song

3. All Together Now

4. Hey Bulldog

5. All Too Much

6. All You Need Is Love

 

Side B

1. Pepperland

2. Sea Of Time

3. Sea Of Holes

4. Sea Of Monsters

5. March Of The Meanies

6. Pepperland Laid Waste

7. Yellow Submarine In Pepperland

 

 

Roger Waters - “The Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking” (1984)

Quite often, I and many others have purchased an album because of the cover, without knowing the music. Maybe the cover is really cool, beautiful, mysterious or attracts you in some other way. The cover on Roger Waters first solo album was not the kind that gave you confidence in the music hidden inside. Not that I have anything against naked ladies, rather the contrary, but the image of a nude girl with a backpack and high heels who stands and hitchhikes in a mostly purple world doesn’t give me the association with good music.

But before I continue with the album, I must mention that today is Blog Action Day. This is when bloggers around the world join forces and write about a common theme. This year's theme is water and I have promised to participate. Writing a few words about a record with Roger Waters probably won’t do, therefore, I initially will give you some facts about our water situation on Earth.

1. Unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Unclean drinking water can incubate some pretty scary diseases, like E. coli, salmonella, cholera and hepatitis A. Given that bouquet of bacteria, it's no surprise that water, or rather lack thereof, causes 42,000 deaths each week (38,000 of those are children).
2. More people have access to a cell phone than to a toilet. Today, 2.5 billion people lack access to toilets. This means that sewage spills into rivers and streams, contaminating drinking water and causing disease.
3. Every day, women and children in Africa walk a combined total of 109 million hours to get water. They do this while carrying cisterns weighing around 40 pounds when filled in order to gather water that, in many cases, is still polluted. Aside from putting a great deal of strain on their bodies, walking such long distances keeps children out of school and women away from other endeavors that can help improve the quality of life in their communities.
4. It takes 6.3 gallons of water to produce just one hamburger. That 6.3 gallons covers everything from watering the wheat for the bun and providing water for the cow to cooking the patty and baking the bun. And that's just one meal! It would take over 184 billion gallons of water to make just one hamburger for every person in the United States.
5. That cotton t-shirt you're wearing right now took 1,514 liters of water to produce, and your jeans required an extra 6,813 liters.
6. Many scholars attribute the conflict in Darfur at least in part to lack of access to water. A report commissioned by the UN found that in the 21st century, water scarcity will become one of the leading causes of conflict in Africa.
7. Death and disease caused by polluted coastal waters costs the global economy $12.8 billion a year.
8. Today, 40% of America's rivers and 46% of America's lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life.

Well, hopefully we all can learn something. So, back to Mr. Waters and his first solo album. Perhaps I should mention that Roger Waters was one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, its main singer and songwriter after Syd Barrett left the band. The music on this album had been around for a while before it was recorded. Roger played a demo of Pros and Cons ... and The Wall for the other members in Pink Floyd, they thought The Wall was better and the band chose to record that album. Pros And Cons ... was saved for future use.

I first heard this album in the mid-90s at the home of a friend. It was with some surprise I held it, I had one or two of Roger Waters solo albums but I had missed this one. I also found the cover quite strange, it was not the sort of cover I immediately associated with Roger Waters. As I liked the music on the album, I bought it a while later when I found it in a store for used records.

The LP is a concept album about a man's midlife crisis and the songs have names based on the time of day (early morning). Each song is a dream the main character dreams at that particular time. I think what you hear differs from the prior understanding the girl on the cover gives you (though I’m not really sure what kind of music to expect from a cover like this). The album sounds very Roger Waters and the Pink Floyd albums The Wall and The Final Cut (which can be considered Roger Waters creations). Overall the album is leaning towards the quieter side with some little rockier elements, just as Mr. Waters records usually do. The theme is perhaps not the most joyful and the album is somewhat dark, but I would not call it depressing.

As concept albums often do one song flows into the next without a silence in between. This is something I like, the album becomes more one unit - “a whole” – rather than a set of individual songs. But on the Pros and Cons ... it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish one song from the other, especially as a musical theme often recurs throughout the album. To be critical, it doesn’t feel like each song is especially unique in comparison to the others, and after a while you feel that you have already heard what you’re hearing. Yes, I can even get a little bored if I’m honest. At the same time it’s the Roger Waters solo album I like the most, so it is a good album. This might sound a bit ambivalent, but if the album had been 25 minutes long it had suited me perfectly. I guess it’s like a big bag of candy, it’s good in the beginning but after half the bag you’ve had enough. But you still like candy.

I can also mention that Eric Clapton contributes on the album and tear off a few solos.
I find it hard to pick out any favorite songs as the album feels more like one (or two) long song.

Tracklist

Side A

1. "4.30 A.M. (Apparently They Were Travelling Abroad)" – 3:12
2. "4.33 A.M. (Running Shoes)" – 4:08
3. "4.37 A.M. (Arabs With Knives and West German Skies)" – 2:17
4. "4.39 A.M. (For the First Time Today, Pt. 2)" – 2:02
5. "4.41 A.M. (Sexual Revolution)" – 4:49
6. "4.47 A.M. (The Remains of Our Love)" – 3:09

Side B

1. "4.50 A.M. (Go Fishing)" – 6:59
2. "4.56 A.M. (For the First Time Today, Pt. 1)" – 1:38
3. "4.58 A.M. (Dunroamin, Duncarin, Dunlivin)" – 3:03
4. "5.01 A.M. (The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Pt. 10)" – 4:36
5. "5.06 A.M. (Every Strangers' Eyes)" – 4:48
6. "5.11 A.M. (The Moment of Clarity)" – 1:28

 

 

Pink Floyd - “More” (1969)

At the risk of being repetitive, but again it was my older brother's albums which led me to Pink Floyd. As a child, his records The Final Cut and The Wall were heard on the stereo in the living room regurlarly. I found them really good but as a 10-year-old I had no idea about who Pink Floyd were or the music they had created earlier. I remember the feeling of surprise when I, as a 14-year-old on Rhodes (vacation with my parents), found a tape with Pink Floyd and a recording called More. I had never heard of it but took a chance and bought it, especially as it was quite cheap. Looking back, I understand that the countless tapes that were for sale almost certainly were pirated versions. But I was blissfully unaware of this at the time, even if the knowledge problably wouldn’t have made any difference.

With a feeling of excitement, I listened to the tape at our return home and found something completely different than The Final Cut or The Wall, it was druggy and psychedelic, it was different and not least, it was good. I got an insight that a new world was waiting to be discovered. What or how many titles Pink Floyd had created I did not know, but I understood that there was likely a lot more to find. Exciting! This world is still one I often find myself in as I hold Pink Floyd as one of my favorite groups.

More, PF's third album, is a soundtrack to a French film with the same name, directed by Barbet Shroeder. I am a bit suspicious towards soundtracks as they often consist of unfocused mood music, and without the images the music can be rather formless and lacking in character. More offers a pretty wild mix of music. The opening song, and one of my favorites - Cirrus Minor, starts with birdsong which I find creats a harmonious but a bit melancholy mood. A guitar slowly fades in and then Roger Water’s singing continues the theme of melancholy. The song ends with a few minutes of beautiful, floating keyboard chords that I found as a teenager incredibly beautiful. And the birdsong returnes into the song. Nice! When I lied down on the floor, closed my eyes, it felt almost as I lifted off the ground. I still think it's a very beautiful part of the record.

But this album also offers some songs that have to be defined as hard rock or Heavy Metal (The Nile Song and Ibiza Bar). These two tracks are according to me and many others the 'heaviest' songs PF did. In addition, we also have some beautiful songs of the quieter type, more or less acoustic, which actually belongs to some of PF:s better songs, for example Green Is The Colour. Then there are also a number of songs that might fit better in a film than on a record. Instrumental tunes that are relatively close to the more psychedelic music excursions PF did in their first years (Careful With That Axe, Instellar Overdrive). Personally I have always had a hard time with these songs, frankly. I think some moderation is called for concering the lust of musical experimentation! An exception on More concerning the instrumental songs is Main Theme, a really cool song that was/is so suggestive that it for some reason made me suspect that the band members used drugs (psychedelic music used to make me think like that. Maybe I still do).

Well, despite a diverse album with some lows (but equally high peaks) I give this album an ‘OK’. The great thing about the wild mixture of styles is that the records doesn’t get boring. It can also be mentioned that this was the first album PF recorded without Syd Barrett. After a few years I bought the album on vinyl.

Finally, I may also mention that the album made me extremely curious about the film, rumors said that among other things it contained heroin addiction and LSD trips! Irresistible themes. At this time, the 80s and then the first half of the 90s, it was often a challenge to get hold of obscure movies. Actually, it was not before Internet's entry into my life I finally found it and ordered it from a movie site. The film was actually not very good even if it contained those erlier mentioned themes. The album is better.

Favorite Songs

Cirrus Minor

Green Is The Colour

Main Theme

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Cirrus Minor"  5:18

2. "The Nile Song"  3:26

3. "Crying Song"  3:33

4. "Up the Khyber"  2:12

5. "Green Is the Colour"  2:58

6. "Cymbaline"  4:50

7. "Party Sequence"  1:07

 

Side B

1. "Main Theme"  5:27

2. "Ibiza Bar"  3:19

3. "More Blues"  2:12

4. "Quicksilver"  7:13

5. "A Spanish Piece"  1:05

6. "Dramatic Theme"  2:15

 

 

Syd Barrett - “Barrett” (1970)

 

The man, the myth, the legend. The mystic, the madman, the enigma. The man who took the 60's slogan "Tune in, turn on, drop out" seriously, but (probably) too far. Syd Barrett, one of Pink Floyd's founding members, the frontman and creative engine of that band the first years. Then he disappeared into another world and we had to do without his work, while he lived with his mother in Cambridge.

As a fan of Pink Floyd Syd's name soon came up. The articles / texts I read about him gave the impression that this was a mythical figure, and not least, a genius. Most people know his story - a bursting creativity around the years Pink Floyd began (1966-67) which was soon changed to eccentric and unruly behavior, which ultimately led to Syd being ousted from the band. His ill-health was said to have its roots in great fame too quick and massive intake of LSD. He made a couple of solo records in 1970 but then withdrew and more or less broke the contact with the outside world. 2006, he died due to his diabetes. There are books written about this man so anyone interested has a lot to choose from.

I bought my first CD player in 1991 which resulted in a long pause of vinyl purchases, so I problably bought this album the year / years before that which means I was around 18 years old. I was very curios about this man and expectations were high on the album, this had to be the ultimate psychedelic, groovy and cool album. I mean, it was Syd Barrett who had created it. Yes, he had become such a myth for me that I simply could not dislike this album. In other words, it was not with an objective mind I got to know this LP and my mind was for many years influenced by the myths surrounding Syd. I liked this album, I played it quite often. But in the back of my mind there was a doubt, although I barely allowed that feeling in my consciousness.

I’ll be honest with you, with 20 years between the purchase and writing this post, I find this album not so good. Many of the songs feel relatively unfocused and it feels as if they barely have managed to get Syd to sing and play guitar. Just as the myths influenced me earlier in life to feel positive for this music, today, everything I know about Syd and his life problably affects my view of the record, but in the opposite way. Today I know how hard it was to record the album. I know how difficult he was to work with. I know all the interviews and the concerts when he was behaving very strangely, and / or just walked away. I think the madness shines through on the album.

Perhaps it is the knowledge of his mental illness that makes me feel that the album generally has a rather dark tone, in the song Dominoes this becomes most evident. There are also moments of the opposite, the whimsical Syd, Effervescing Elephant is a good example. It also needs to be said that there are a few really good songs too, Love Song was a long time one of my favorite songs and were always on the playlist of the mixed tapes I did for friends and family. Wined and Dined is another song that is OK, a song I still love to play on the guitar and sing (to my wife's complaints).

If it was anyone else than Syd Barrett who had tried to publish this music I don’t think any record company would have responded. Thanks to my interest in the myth Syd, and that this myth gives the music something more than just what comes out of the speakers, I must give this record an “OK”, though. If it was Kris Kristofferson or John Fogerty who had recorded these songs, I might never have listened to it. Well, maybe I would just to amuse myself with the absurdity of that one of them had recorded songs like these.

It may be added that the Pink Floyd members David Gilmour and Rick Wright produced the album and also played guitar / bass and keyboard. It is said that the work of creating the record was left to the two producers as Syd couldn’t or didn’t want to participate in the work (except recording his singing and guitar parts).

Favorite Songs

Love Song

Waving my arms in the air

Wined and dined

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Baby Lemonade" – 4:10
2. "Love Song" – 3:03
3. "Dominoes" – 4:08
4. "It Is Obvious" – 2:59
5. "Rats" – 3:00
6. "Maisie" – 2:51

Side B

1. "Gigolo Aunt" – 5:46
2. "Waving My Arms In The Air" – 2:09
3. "I Never Lied To You" – 1:50
4. "Wined And Dined" – 2:58
5. "Wolfpack" – 3:41
6. "Effervescing Elephant" – 1:52