CD Odyssey Disc 316: Radiohead

Well, for a guy without a job, I've had a busy day, and I'm now trying to squeeze this in before my next event arrives. We'll see if I make it.

This next disc is one that my generation typically fawns over. Despite this popularity, I liked it anyway.

Disc 316 is...The Bends

Artist: Radiohead

Year of Release: 1995

What’s Up With The Cover?: Good question. A quick bit of research reveals it is a piece of photo art (I use the word 'art' loosely here) by a guy named Stanley Donwood, who went to art school with Radiohead singer Thom Yorke. As art goes, I think this piece is a pretty poor showing, and as a CD cover I liked it less.

How I Came To Know It: I heard this record because Sheila bought it. She is a big Radiohead fan, where I only dabble. Or maybe I bought it for her after hearing it was a good one. We've had it for a while, and I can't honestly remember.

How It Stacks Up: We have seven Radiohead albums. When I reviewed "Pablo Honey" back at Disc 223, I said it edged "The Bends" out for best record, but having given it a few listens, I'm going to have to perjure myself and admit that "The Bends" is in fact, their best record.

Rating: 4 stars.

I'm not a huge fan of Radiohead, but as I've said in previous reviews, I admire their ability as a band, and I think they are worthy of at least most of their critical acclaim. Not all of it though - Radiohead gets more critical acclaim than any band could earn.

Through the years, their sound has changed quite a bit, and over those same years I have learned that I liked them early in their career most.

"The Bends" is Radiohead at their best. Yorke's alien-yet-beautiful voice haunting the heavy atmosphere of each song. This is a record that is still solidly in the rock and roll genre of "Pablo Honey" but that has begun to branch out creatively. Much like "British Steel" is the sweet spot of Judas Priest between seventies rock and metal, "The Bends" is the sweet spot of Radiohead where they go a little weird and innovative, but where the songs are still melodic and pleasant to listen to. When Radiohead gets weirder later (like "Kid A") they lose me in the effort to be clever.

This record has many great songs, most of which left me with a bad case of melancholia (although fortunately I avoided any Infinite Sadness). In particular, the plaintive almost begging quality of Yorke's voice on "High And Dry" as he sings 'don't leave me high/don't leave me dry' makes you feel truly abandoned. On "Fake Plastic Trees", when he sings "It wears me out/It wears me out" it made me feel like I was worn out. Even typing about it is bringing me down - these guys know how to find their own private dystopia, and then invite you over.

Depressing as this can be, it is good for the soul to feel deeply, even if those feelings aren't always pleasant. We are all masochists for a little wallowing, and Radiohead delivers.

The only down-side to the lyrics are that Yorke is at times hard to understand. Admittedly, this music demands that you pay close attention, but the way it is constructed always makes my mind wander into an emotional fugue state and I forget to pay attention. This is too bad, because looking over the liner notes I find such gems as this from "Fake Plastic Trees":

"She lives with a broken man, a cracked polystyrene man
Who just Crumbles and burns,
He used to do surgery for girls in the eighties
But gravity always wins and it wears him out."

Thanks to Sheila for helping me catch that one as I drove her to Weight Watchers earlier tonight (where she is a leader and lifetime member - accomplished, beautiful AND she knows her rock and roll!).

The other line that caught my attention was an unfortunate case of misheard-lyric-itis. The actual chorus of "The Bends" is "My baby's got the bends", but in Yorke's emotionally strangled voice it comes out sounding like "My baby's got Depends." Which is great if you are trying to avoid a mess on your livingroom floor, but not so interesting for a rock song.

Overall, this is a great record, that has stood the test of time and found its way into my heart (occasionally wounding it in the process). I am sure for many people it would be a five star album, but for me I'm going to settle with excellent, and call it four.

Best tracks: High And Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, Sulk

Figurine: Ghost Knight

In addition to finishing another CD review, I also finished painting another figure this afternoon - the much promised ghost knight.

I know what you're wondering - 'Is he a knight that has become a ghost, or is he a ghost that somewhere after entering a state of undeath got knighted. Whichever it is, here he is:
I imagine he was some long forgotten tyrant who died on a battlefield and now returns to haunt the living because he can't accept his own defeat (I like a good back story - it keeps me young).

This is one of those figures that is very easy to paint (the only real colours on it are purple and black) and easy to make look good. The movement is all there, and it just takes some patience and highlighting to bring it out. Here he is from the back:

And here is an oblique view, where you can see his helmet detail a bit better. Wait a minute...is he starting to turn this way?

Oh my God - he's coming right at me!

This "he's coming right at me!' moment has been brought to you by A Creative Maelstrom. I hope that combined with the Black Mountain album cover below you have not found today's blog postings too frightening.

CD Odyssey Disc 315: Black Mountain

A third consecutive day with a music review - I'm on a roll!

This next artist hasn't been seen for over two years of reviews - all the way back to Disc 4. It was fun to revisit them after all this time.

Disc 315 is...Wilderness Heart

Artist: Black Mountain

Year of Release: 2010

What’s Up With The Cover?: One of the greatest album covers in the collection. Here we have a fairly commonplace sight - a gargantuan great white shark lunging through the sky over a copse of trees. It is either heavily misty or the shark is coming through some kind of interdimensional portal. Either way, it is very cool and there's no need for you to worry - it's all done with mirrors.

How I Came To Know It: I took a chance on Black Mountain back in 2008 when their album "In The Future" was released (reviewed at Disc 4, as long time readers will know). "Wilderness Heart" is just me buying their latest release when it came out last year.

How It Stacks Up: I now have three Black Mountain CDs, and I have to say that "Wilderness Heart" has bested both of their previous efforts, and is my favourite record by them.

Rating: 4 stars.

When I reviewed "In The Future" I said that Black Mountain were a band with elements of Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd with a little modern indie rock thrown in. I said they were good, but took themselves too seriously to be great.

Fortunately, on "Wilderness Heart" the band has finally decided to just settle into their sound and stop trying to prove something by overdoing it on songs. This is a tight little record, clocking in at only 10 songs and just under forty three minutes in playing time. It is exactly what they needed to do to take the next step.

I don't mind a longer song if it needs to be longer (in fact on my recent review of Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Dream" I preferred the longer tracks). I just don't like to see it done without purpose, as I sometimes feel happens on Black Mountain's earlier work.

On "Wilderness Heart", band mastermind Stephen McBean doesn't overwrite the songs, and has learned when to say when. Amber Webber's voice is always beautiful in a resonating, otherworldly kind of way. She is employed as a musical foil to McBean, giving the album variety. When she deigns to sing back up, she turns McBean's lead into a much bigger sound. When singing at the forefront she doesn't overdo it, and let's her weirdness be intriguing without crossing the line into becoming a caricature of itself.

"Rollercoaster" has an opening riff that would make Tony Iommi proud, and the song's ability to shift seemlessly from soft to hard and back again is Black Mountain doing what they do best. "Old Fangs" and "Let Spirits Ride" have equally great riffs, although they eschew the hard/soft thing to just rock throughout.

On the opposite side, slower songs like "The Space Of Your Mind" and "Sadie" combine elements that are both emotionally touching and yet strangely dissonant through the clever use of production and reverb.

One minor quibble of too-clever writing still snuck in, however, as McBean sings in "Buried By The Blues": "Piper at the gates to steal you from the dawn." Yes, Black Mountain - I already figured Pink Floyd was one of your influences - there's no need to rework their expressions. It may seem to you to be paying homage, but I viewed it as winking a little overhard at the audience.

Lyrically, this is a minor incident, however. The lyrics aren't brilliant, but they work tonally with the music. Lines like "Together we'll fry on the plains like nuclear suns" (from "Sadie") are overwrought, but coupled with McBean's disturbing vibrato and the bands big atmospheric sound, they bring a nifty space-rock feel to a song that would otherwise just be another ho hum rock ballad.

Put together sequentially, the mix of music manages to come together as a cohesive collection much better than on previous efforts. By not overdoing it, Black Mountain proves that less is more on this record. In short, "Wilderness Heart" is Black Mountain doing all of the good things they have done on previous records, and finally cutting down on their bad habits.

Best tracks: Old Fangs, Rollercoaster, Let Spirits Ride, Wilderness Heart, The Space Of Your Mind, Sadie

CD Odyssey Disc 314: Thelonious Monk

After a long dry spell, I was able to buy 4 new CDs this past week. I got the last of Ronnie James Dio's good solo albums ("Sacred Heart"), the new Decemberists album (thanks to Catherine for introducing me to them), another Nick Cave ("Nocturama") and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (thanks to Nick for inspiring that purchase).

Under the rules, I could have automatically chosen any of them to review as new to the collection, but I prefer a little randomness in my life, so I went ahead and let the dice gods choose instead.

Disc 314 is...Monk's Dream

Artist: Thelonious Monk

Year of Release: 1963

What’s Up With The Cover?: A profile shot of Thelonious Monk looking cool and groovy - because that is what jazz musicians do.

How I Came To Know It: Ever since getting a Monk compilation album I've been dabbling in his studio records. I first bought his 1968 effort, "Underground" (reviewed way back at Disc 117) and that encouraged me to put a second toe in the water - that toe is "Monk's Dream".

How It Stacks Up: My use of 'dabbled' above may have been a bit overly ambitious. I only have two of Monk's studio albums (plus the best of, which can't be properly rated). Of the two, I much prefer "Monk's Dream".

Rating: 4 stars.

I always dreaded this day would come - a third review where I have to discuss Thelonious Monk, with all my clever anectodes about how I don't know anything about jazz used up.

I was tempted to get all post-modernist, and discuss the placement of this particular album in the history of jazz, or to go on about Charlie Rouse's tenor saxophone, but I won't. This blog isn't about plagiarizing liner notes, nor is it about 10 minute research projects online that would allow me to fake knowing something. It is about my personal reaction to the music, and so I'll stick with that.

Playfully jumpy and full of life. That is how I would characterize this record. It makes you want to snap your fingers along with the drum and puts a swagger in your step (but hopefully not in your driving, because that would just be dangerous). It is music for the active mind, and it engages you almost meditatively - filling your head with the sublime math that is music.

I listened to the first half this album in the car on the way to and from the gym this morning. I wouldn't recommend these songs for your MP3 player when you're on the treadmill, but for the trip there and back they put me in a relaxed yet alert state of mind. Jazz has a busy flow that works well with traffic - you feel part of it instead of feeling frustrated by it. I find myself wondering how I'd like it on an empty, dusty country road in my home town - I think it would be alright.

I listened to the second half while painting this afternoon. I was a little nervous that sitting still wouldn't work with the upbeat sounds of the record, but they ended up going together very well. The music makes you think hard, but it doesn't force your thoughts in any particular direction. As a result, your mind wanders, but it does so in a controlled manner.

This is partly because "Monk's Dream" ranges around a lot, but never noodles. Half the songs on the record are over 6 minutes in length, but they never feel overlong; they feel just long enough. In fact, it is the longer tracks that I found myself enjoying more.

Monk will establish a musical theme, play it until you've got the groove solidly in your backbone, and then start to expirement with it with sax and piano solos that build off the initial theme, but never abandon it (kind of like how a good metal guitar solo works).

The songs on "Monk's Dream" always maintain enough of their original structure (and frequently come back to it) so you can keep up. All jazz musicians like to show off, but on this record Monk wants to ensure he brings his audience along, rather than make an effort to alienate you with their talent. (For those who prefer jazz to abuse your lack of musical knowledge, listen to the rambling and pointless "Sketches of Spain" by Miles Davis).

In fact, I bet if I knew anything about jazz, I'd have been tempted to give "Monk's Dream" five stars. Since I don't, I'll stick with four.

Best tracks: Monk's Dream, Bright Mississippi, Five Spot Blues, Bye-Ya

CD Odyssey Disc 313: Pete Yorn

After a bit of a delay I got through another album. I've been making small trips here and there and couldn't quite finished this album until today. With two songs remaining I put them on and just sat quietly and listened. I figure that 'doing nothing' can't possibly violate my rule #4

OK, I also ate a plate of ravioli - but that's it! Scout's honour. On to the album.

Disc 313 is...Music For The Morning After

Artist: Pete Yorn

Year of Release: 2001

What’s Up With The Cover?: Pete is caught unawares wandering somewhere in a rocker shirt and tousled hair. I won't judge this cover too harshly, because I am often caught unawares wandering somewhere in a rocker shirt and tousled hair, and I never look as good doing it as Pete. I will say that his hair on the cover of his follow up album, Day I Forgot (reviewed back at Disc 189) is superior.

How I Came To Know It: I last reviewed Pete Yorn's "Day I Forgot" back in October 2010 (see above link to read it). At that time I noted that "Music For The Morning After" (which I insist on punctuating) was purchased by Sheila after she discovered it on a 'best music of the oughts' list. So this one is from the music critics, via Sheila.

How It Stacks Up: Yorn is now up to six studio albums, but we only have the first two. Of these, "Music For The Morning After" is the far superior record.

Rating: 3 stars but almost 4.

For whatever reason, some records become critical darlings, and others just as good fade into obscurity. "Music For The Morning After" was a critical darling, and received a bit of radio play as well (or so I am told).

Pete's music is low key and relaxing. The melodies are beautiful, although I'd like to hear them a bit more clearly defined (see below) and his voice is low and haunting in places on this record. It reminds me strongly of some Canadian indie bands like Gordie Sampson or Dan Mangan (although I'd say Mangan's songs are superior). More likely both those artists were influenced by "Music For The Morning After" which made the rounds among musicians a decade ago.

In the case of Sampson, there is even a line in Yorn's "Life On A Chain", "I sent a bottle of whiskey" which sounds very similar in to a the line from Gordie Sampson's 2004 song "Sunburn", "I drank a bottle of Wolfblass". Of course after you listen to enough music, you start hearing similarities everywhere. For the record, I'd rather have a bottle of whiskey - as I noted when I reviewed Sampson's album. I can't stand Wolfblass, and am sick of having it ordered as the 'wine of least offence' at dinners out. How about a nice Italian Valpolicella for once, people! But I digress...

Back to "Music For The Morning After" which is a fine collection of songs that come across as deeply personal. Yorn composes in a series of short, chopped up sentences - sometimes only fragments - that read as poor verse, but work well with music. Strung together melodically, they create a wistful groove that makes you feel angst without knowing exactly why.

And in a way, that is my critique of this record - that it doesn't consistently connect to the listener emotionally. This isn't always true - there are some great tracks, in particular "Lose You" and "EZ" which genuinely had me feeling melancholy. The latter track needs some spelling assistance, but apart from that is the best track, and at second to last on the playlist, well worth the wait.

In a way, the individual songs are better on their own than as a cohesive record, maybe because collectively they lack any easily definable peaks and valleys in their sound. This could easily be blamed on the poor production decisions that were already generally being made in 2001. Lots of ambient sound and excess instrumentation - in the mix, but not adding anything of quality.

I'd love to hear some of these songs unplugged, with just Yorn singing and playing the acoustic guitar. In fact, the hidden track at the end of "Simonize" has this stripped down feel, and works wonderfully despite not being the strongest melody. This record could benefit from a similar treatment on the first thirteen tracks. ("Simonize" itself is a bit forgettable, except in one part where Yorn's voice sounds a bit like a folksy David Bowie - that was fun).

Despite occasionally regrettable production and arrangement choices, the songs are written with obvious skill, and I feel like this album was just a few ticks south of four stars. I stuck at three, though, because I need more than emotional resonance on a record - I need to go on a journey through the tracks, not just feel like I'm hearing a series of singles.

I also need to know why it is resonating - either through the story of the singer, or through his skill in drawing a story out of me with lyrics, tune or both. Yorn clearly works from a position of personal truth, but doesn't consistently convey those feelings to his listener, which is a key part of popular music - be it rock, pop or folk.

He does it often enough though, that "Music For The Morning After" is a strong record, and one I enjoyed dabbling in for the last few days.

Best tracks: Strange Condition, Just Another, Lose You, For Nancy ('Cos It Already Is), EZ

CD Odyssey Disc 312: Metric

My last review was the Wild Strawberries, a nineties indie pop band from Canada that never hit it big. Fast forward ten years, and you get this next band - a Canadian pop band that did hit it big.

I would have preferred it had been reversed, but fame is fickle, my friends.

Disc 312 is...Live It Out

Artist: Metric

Year of Release: 2005

What’s Up With The Cover?: It looks like lead singer Emily Haines is drowning in some kind of oil monster that escaped from a piece of Patrick Nagel's eighties wall art.

How I Came To Know It: As I mentioned when I reviewed "Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?" way back at Disc 95, I saw a video for the song "Portrait Of A Girl" and bought the album. As it happens, that album was "Live It Out", making this record my introduction to the band.

How It Stacks Up: We have three Metric albums. Of the three, I'd put "Live It Out" in the middle of the pack, or 2nd.

Rating: 3 stars.

I already detailed the basics on Metric when I reviewed their previous album, but to recap, they are an indie pop band from Canada that features the waifish voice (and good looks) of Emily Haines.

Much like their previous album, "Live It Out" is an uneven mess of music - some bordering on excellent, and others being simply annoying. It is demonstrably better than their previous release, but still can't quite arrive in spite of itself.

On the plus side, there are strong songs like "Portrait Of A Girl", "Empty" and "Too Little Too Late" all of which show Metric's ability to write a strong pop melody that sounds fresh and unlike so much of the junk that populates the radio. The opening guitar riff in "Too Little, Too Late" is particularly fresh; a cross between Johnny Cash's loose almost out of tune playing and the clean, rythymic plucking sound of someone like R.E.M.'s Peter Buck.

The song I bought the record for, "Portrait Of A Girl" is also strong, and shows off Haines' thin, girlish voice at its best. I could live without the eighties backbeat in this song, and the added production of spoken word whisperings that come in just below volume, but I can forgive both for giving the song a unique feel.

I can't forgive songs like "Hand$hake$", a song with a title spelled in a way that would make Ke$sha proud. Obviously anything that makes Ke$ha proud is not a good thing, but it goes beyond that. "Handshakes" (I can't spell it wrong more than once without my hands rotting off) is precisely what annoys me about Metric. It is a song with a promising lick, and a theme that may be overdone (rampant consumerism), but is still topical, particularly given the rising levels of personal debt in today's society.

But somewhere between the opening lick, and the end of the song, Metric finds the need to populate the song with a hundred different little sounds, and eventually a desperate sounding Emily sing-shouting the line: "Buy this car to drive to work/Drive to work to pay for this car," over and over again. Yes, we get your point, Metric, but after about the 4th repetition I ceased wanting to. Strangely, this same technique works much better on a later track "Monster Hospital," but I think it is just that "Monster Hospital" is a superior song, and able to withstand the incessant futzing about with the arrangement.

Overall, there are a lot of good- but not great songs like this on "Live It Out". This album frustrated me because it has the potential to be excellent, but the excessively cute production and the over-reaching effort to be politically and socially topical detracts from the effort.

The real irony is I went to see Metric in concert when they were last in town, and from what I saw their fans could care less if they were topical. During their hits I saw a lot of vigorous, off-beat dancing (by which I mean the dancers were off the beat, not groovy). During their other songs, I saw a lot of absent-minded swaying from people who acted like they didn't know what they were hearing. Maybe if these deeper cuts were more listenable, Metric could get their message to a larger audience - starting with their own fans.

Of course, they would fix these problems on their next record - but that is the subject of a future review...

Best tracks: Empty, Glass Ceiling, Too Little Too Late, Monster Hospital, Live It Out

Figurine: Rodents of Unusual Size

More figurines for your viewing pleasure. Here we have a couple Rodents of Unusual Size (ROUS) - for all those people who thought they didn't exist.

These ones were gifts from my friend Tony - thanks!

I think I'll call them 'Bitey' and 'Growley' - you can guess which is which (hint: I call the big one Bitey).

These rats were covered in some kind of boils that I tried to look festered and ready to pop, with a modicum of success. Here's a close up of Growley:
And now a little Bitey:
These guys turned out OK in the end. They are almost doglike in their pose and movement - I guess when you're as big as these rats, you don't have to skulk about like a rodent.

Next figure will be..a ghost knight! Until then, we return you to regularly scheduled musical programming.

CD Odyssey Disc 311: Wild Strawberries

Recently while enjoying drinks with friends, I exclaimed (over-loudly) that my most hated band of all time was Duran Duran. This was certainly true in 1985, where everything about Duran Duran (the fakery, the looks-over-substance, the legions of fans walking around with their alligator polo shirts) offended me.

However, reasoned second thought and years of life experience have taught me there are worse musical acts than Duran Duran (albeit, few of them). Black Eyed Peas come to mind as one of the worst, but after giving this a lot of thought, I've come to realize there is only one band that can beat both of them for the title of Most Hated Band: Nickelback. Ah, Nickelback - it has been so long since I called you out on A Creative Maelstrom. You might think that my hatred for Nickelback might burn me, but it actually keeps me warm.

But on to happier thoughts, and actually talented Canadian musicians - lesser known, but so much better.

Disc 311 is...Heroine

Artist: Wild Strawberries

Year of Release: 1995

What’s Up With The Cover?: Lead singer Roberta Carter-Harrison strikes a retro fifties pose with a vaccuum cleaner. In the nineties I had a huge crush on Roberta, and looking at this cover reminds me why. She is so hot she makes the fifties look sexy.

How I Came To Know It: As I noted back when I reviewed "Bet You Think I'm Lonely" at Disc 211, I saw the Wild Strawberries on a late night Much Music show called 'The Wedge'. "Heroine" is their second album, and I bought it when it came out, excited to see what they would offer next.

How It Stacks Up: I have three Wild Strawberries albums. This one is excellent, and comes in 2nd only by the narrowest of margins.

Rating: 4 stars.

Good pop music is hard to find. When you think about some of the worst bands in history (Duran Duran, Justin Bieber, etc.) they generally come from the pop genre. I can understand that the world's most popular music consistently also produces the majority of the worst artists - that's statistically to be expected.

What I can't fathom is why so many of the best selling artists are the worst pop has to offer. Surely people can tell the difference between good pop and bad pop, yet this keeps happening. I can only assume soulless record execs are pulling the strings somewhere - not because I have any proof, but because the alternative is depressing.

This is even more noticeable when you come across a fairly obscure band like the Wild Strawberries, who are talented, accessible, write catchy hooks and are demonstrably photogenic (Oh, Roberta, why did you never return my calls...). They've got everything you need, yet somehow never hit it big. That said, I'm glad to make everything right in my little corner of the blogosphere.

As I noted in my review of their debut, The Wild Strawberries is a husband and wife team where the husband writes the songs and plays keyboards, and the wife sings and generally looks hot (see above). The music on this album is similar to their first, with a moody atmospheric sound that has a bit of an electronica edge (without actually being electronica). On top of this are layers of seventies-derived soul, topped off with the breathy crooning of Carter-Harrison.

Compared to their first release, "Heroine" has a bit more jump overall. You could say the Wild Strawberries 'lightened up' for this record, but the difference is only slight. They would take a different direction for their third record which I never enjoyed as much. "Heroine", however, is a joy - good to play in the car and sing along, and just as good at a party, or just hanging out playing board games with your wife. It is versatile and listenable music, which can fill the role of background music or active listening with equal success.

Lyrically, the record varies considerably. Some of the tracks are whimsical love songs and others are more seriously introspective. The band is very good at matching lyrics to the tone of the song, however, and the transitions from track to track have a good flow.

One song that stands out for me is "On My Own" which is half self-affirmation and half ironic self reflection on the nature of ego. It begins:

"I want to be a leading lady on my own
I want to act sophisticated on my own."

and later switches to:

"Everyone loves a winner when he's wrong
Everyone wants the singer to sing along."

Lyrically, I also like the final track, which is a slow and sombre character study titled, "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead." As with many Wild Strawberries songs, I'm not entirely certain of the narrative, so much as the mood. I think the song depicts the narrator picking up a stray waif on the street and helping her out, loving her, while not entirely trusting her. A couple of my favourite stanzas:

"She told me her name was Cymbeline
I met her at the corner of Church and Queen
She was selling lies and other painted things
I hardly even noticed when she touched my ring."

and

"'I can drive for hours when I'm wrong'
She said it like a preacher before the throng
Careful with your life, cause it's not very long
We struggle for a moment and then we're gone."

With so much bad pop floating around, it is nice to see bands like the Wild Strawberries and Aimee Mann delivering such excellent work. My only wish is that the Wild Strawberries' third album had lived up to the high standard set by "Bet You Think I'm Lonely" and "Heroine" - but that would be a tall order indeed.

In any case, over fifteen years later, this album gets put on by both me and Sheila at every opportunity, and still sounds fresh after hundreds of listens. It is amazing that I keep coming back to this record, but as Roberta sings in one song, "everything that rises must converge." That's certainly true of good music.

Best tracks: I Don't Want To Think About It, Heroine, On My Own, Aisle C, Everything That Rises, Everybody Loves You When You're Dead

CD Odyssey Disc 310: Uriah Heep

This next disc is one that isn't for everyone, but definitely inspires me. I wanted desperately to drive around while listening to it, but I didn't have anywhere to go today that required the car.

Instead I knuckled down and painting for a couple of hours (I'm working on a pair of giant rats I'll post soon). In the meantime, here's a record that has been largely forgotten by radio, but that has had a lasting impact on me.

Disc 310 is...Demons And Wizards

Artist: Uriah Heep

Year of Release: 1972

What’s Up With The Cover?: This is what I expect of prog rock album covers - weird fantasy inspired art. Here we find what I assume is the 'wizard' from the demons and wizards promised in the record title (you can tell, because he's got a wand). However, unless he is some kind of butterfly demon, they're missing the second part. Apart from the groovy eclipsed moon in the upper left hand corner, I can't say I like this picture, but I certainly want to like it.

How I Came To Know It: I had known Uriah Heep by name and reputation only for many years until my buddy Spence got me hooked on them via this record. He also hooked a few other friends (he's got a talent for it). For a while, as each of us would buy the remastered version, we would trade the non-remastered version down to a new person. I think that non-RM version of this record has seen at least four homes now, as various people have paid it forward.

How It Stacks Up: Uriah Heep has many records, but I only have two - this one and "The Magician's Birthday". I like them both, but I'm going to put "Demons And Wizards" on top.

Rating: 4 stars.

The early seventies was a magical time for rock and roll. Artists were doing what they wanted, with the active assistance and support from record labels you just don't see anymore. Fans had moved past the bubblegum pop of the sixties 'singles' scene, and into the joy entire records as a cohesive piece of art, to be played all the way through sequentially.

I think there is still plenty of good music being made today, but I often long for a return to the artistic sensibilities that were pervasive in 1972 when Uriah Heep released "Demons And Wizards".

If there is one word to describe this record, then that word is 'grandiose'. Undoubtedly a hard rock record, with slow n' heavy riff-driven songs like the amazing "Rainbow Demon", the album also has songs that are lighter and more up tempo like "Easy Livin'", which you could imagine being played on the FM radio of their day for mass consumption.

On top of this you have all the requisite early seventies prog elements; bizarre and fantastical topics, time signature changes and otherworldly organs and synthesizer sounds. It is a brave record that is not afraid to go in a lot of different musical directions, while at the same time maintaining its hard rock soul throughout.

The lyrics are a guilty pleasure. Yes they are over the top, but only in the most delicious way possible. I'm sure that songs on this record would later inspire artists like Dio to ride tigers, see rainbows in the dark and stay out too long on the moonlight sea.

The first song you hear ("The Wizard") sets things off with a perfect blend of fantasy novel hyperbole and hippy philosophy:

"He was the wizard of a thousand kings
and I chanced to meet him one night wandering
He told me tales and he drank my wine
Me and my magic man kinda feeling fine."

That is good stuff, but my favourite is this section from a later track, "Circle Of Hands":

"Sky full of eyes, minds full of lies
Black from their cold hearts, down to their graves
murdered the dawn, spreading their scorn
Cursing the sun of which love was born.

"We must keep them away, or pretty soon we'll pay
And count the cost in sorrow
Sacrifice, the future has its price
And today is only yesterday's tomorrow"

The last line is one of Sheila's absolute most hated, to which I can only retort that it is so bad it is actually good. The whole record is suitable for drunken quoting at parties. Like Neil Diamond's "I Am I Said", quoting lines from "Demons And Wizards" can only be successful when done in a loud and authoritative voice, where you are absolutely certain of the awesomeness and deep inner meaning of what you're saying.

Lest such comments diminish Heep's talents, I would invite you to consider the hidden genius amongst the sword and sorcery silliness. These lines from "Poet's Justice":

"Run swiftly / silver stream
Find my love / or let me dream

Incorporate both internal alliteration and a natural caesura (or dramatic pause in the middle of each line). You might recognize such craft in earlier works. Like - say - Beowulf.

"Demons and Wizards" obviously isn't at the level of Beowulf, but it is a damned fine prog rock record that needs to be known by more fans. As noted above, my version is digitally remastered with three added tracks (the radio edit and extended versions of "Why" as well as "Home Again To You") all of which are good complements to the flow. In fact, the furious bass line in the extended version of "Why" is a damned fine trip all on its own.

Sure this record is a bit hokey in places, but it is exactly as hokey as it needs to be and no more. It may not be five stars, but it is an excellent album that is not content to play it safe.

Best tracks: The Wizard, Traveller in Time, Poet's Justice, Circle of Hands, Rainbow Demon, Why (extended version)

CD Odyssey Disc 309: Scorpions

Here I am, still rocking this CD Odyssey thing like a hurricane.

Disc 309 is...Love At First Sting

Artist: Scorpions

Year of Release: 1984

What’s Up With The Cover?: An attractive woman and a contortionist embrace. He's tattooing her thigh as well, which in 1984 would have been pretty racy, but today is par for the course. Times change.

How I Came To Know It: In 1984 I was entirely devoted to heavy metal, and "Rock You Like A Hurricane" was a massive hit. This album was played at every party, listened to in every teenage boy's bedroom and belted out of ghetto blasters in the hallways of high school at lunch time.

How It Stacks Up: I only have two Scorpions albums, this one and "Blackout" which I reviewed back at Disc 290. I think "Love At First Sting" is the inferior of the two.

Rating: 2 stars

As I noted in my previous Scorpions review, this is a band from Germany that rocked the metal world back in the 1980s. I loved "Love At First Sting" as a kid, and it is odd that I took so long in buying it on CD (I only did so in the last few years).

Unfortunately, while the album has a nostalgic appeal to me, it is not as good as I remember it. Many of the songs are screechy, and the guitar riffs overall are not at the same level as 1982's "Blackout".

The opening track is "Bad Boys Running Wild", but the difficulty with English is noticeable here, with the chorus sounding more like "bad boys running wide", which unless the Scorpions are talking about a football game, doesn't make much sense.

On the plus side, this record is the home of one of metal's most iconic songs, "Rock You Like A Hurricane", which over 25 years later is still instantly recognizeable. This song has a screechy but brilliant guitar riff which became the signature sound of the band. While the album might've been everywhere, this particular track had its grooves worn out it was so overplayed.

I like how the song takes its time getting going, beginning with just the rhythym guitar and no other instrumentation, and then progressively adding drum track, and then lead guitar - it climbs to a crescendo of metal, and then settles back into a quiet groove for the first verse including such deliciously ridiculous lines like:

"The bitch is hungry
She needs to tell
So give her inches
And feed her well."

It doesn't even make that much sense ('she needs to tell'?), but all you needed to know in 1984 was that it was dirty. As the verses are delivered the song is stripped back down to just a drum roll, and then elements are added back in until we return to the guitar riffs ripping the air for the chorus. The constant ebb and flow of the instruments coming into and out of the arrangement gives the song a very cool flow.

Unfortunately, despite the brilliance of "Rock You Like A Hurricane" the rest of the album is decidedly average, with songs like "Bad Boys Running Wild" and "The Same Thrill" making very earnest efforts to 'rock out' but instead coming off a bit strained, with forgettable riffs, that try to make up for their inferiority by being played fast.

Overall the record is listenable and as a now 41 year old man, I delighted in having it blast out of my car as I drove around town. "Rock You Like A Hurricane" almost pulls the record into 3 star territory, but it can't quite do it alone. Thus, while I like the record, I can't pretend it is anything but average overall.

Best tracks: Rock You Like A Hurricane, Big City Nights

CD Odyssey Disc 308: Nick Cave

This next album was one I wasn't keen to listen to, but that ultimately surprised me.

Disc 308 is...Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

Artist: Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds

Year of Release: 2008

What’s Up With The Cover?: Not much. This reminds me of the cover for Tom Waits' "Big Time" with the 'name in lights' thing. I don't like this cover, and would've preferred this photo of Nick Cave from the liner notes:

Nick Cave is the perfect combination of weird and dangerous. He doesn't make me want to be a better man, but he does make me wish I could grow a better moustache.

How I Came To Know It: Sheila got introduced through a great recommendation from the folks at Ditch Records (Go Ditch!), when they put us on to "The Boatman's Call (reviewed way back at Disc 13). "Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!" was just me buying his latest release.

How It Stacks Up: We have six Nick Cave albums (we had 7, but I sold the atrocious "The Firstborn Is Dead" shortly after getting it. Of the six I still have, competition is fierce, but I think I'll put "Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!" in at 4th or 5th.

Rating: 4 stars.

Nick Cave is not to everyone's tastes. He is odd and not instantly accessible. He is fearless when expirementing with his sound and never afraid to do new things. No doubt he has alienated many fans over the years. Even my usual streak toward completionism could not follow him when he made "The Firstborn Is Dead". That experience swore me off his early and mid-eighties records despite my suspicion that purists swear by them (purists always swear by the early records of whoever it is that they like).

I'm not a purist, but I know what I like, and "Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!" is a good record. It is driven heavily by bass tracks, and innovative syncopation that reminded me of Tom Waits' later work. Throughout we are treated to Nick Cave's very unique phrasing and poetic talents. His voice is half-spoken, half-sung, and composed entirely of cool.

Compared to records preceeding it (such as "Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus" and "No More Shall We Part") it has a much heavier rock groove. I found myself putting it more in the category of his work with Grinderman. Fortunately, I love Grinderman, so I didn't mind the shift. But more on Grinderman when I roll it.

My enjoyment of this record was not always there and when I first got this record it didn't work for me. Likely this was because of the shift of styles and how comfortable I had become with his last few records. I should've known that amidst all his musical genius, Cave never wants you to feel comfortable. His songs are always at some level discordant, and designed to force your ear to remain active to both the arrangement and the lyrics, lest you miss something.

The title track starts us off, with a song that seems loosely inspired by the confusion that Lazarus would feel still walking the earth years after his resurrection. Cave further develops this disconnect with a God he seems to perceive as arbitary and whimsical, in the amazing "We Call Upon The Author." The lyrics to both songs are brilliant but lose so much without Cave's cadence and the music that they aren't worth reprinting here.

That said, Cave is a natural poet, and I'd be remiss to not share some of the better turns of phrase. Such as this one from "Hold On To Yourself":

"I turn on the radio
There's some cat on the saxophone
Laying down a litany of excuses.

"There's madhouse longing in my baby's eyes
She rubs the lamp between her thighs
And hopes the genie comes out singing."

Or from "Lie Down Here (And Be My Girl)":

"I'm trying to tread careful, baby
You're as brittle as the wishbone of a bird."

I desperately wanted to lower the rating of this album to 3 stars, simply because of the presentation of the CD. The cover is garish, pointless, and festooned with at least four more exclamation points than are necessary. This is only the beginning.

The CD comes with an accompanying mini-book (the cover of which is that picture of Nick Cave above). The book is a bloated 54 pages and makes the CD fit ungainly on my shelf, yet all it holds is the lyrics to the songs, punctuated in the most ridiculous post-modern free form way possible.

Every appearance of the word 'and' is depicted with an ampersand. Not just the word 'and' either - wherever that letter combination appears (making the spelling of hand as 'h&'). Every occurance of 'you' is designated 'y/' and every appearance of either 'your' or 'you're' is 'yr'. And that's just the spelling - the line breaks and punctuation are equally ridiculous.

In my quotes above I've edited them for readability, because if I were to put them as seen in the book someone would call and demand I return my Degree in English Literature. At least I hope that is what would happen - it is a dark time for punctuation, after all.

However, try as I might to give this record a merely good designation, the truth is the music is excellent, and transcends any amount of bad packaging. I don't put this album on that often, but the Odyssey has reminded me to not always judge a book by its cover.

Best tracks: Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!, Albert Goes West, We Call Upon The Author, Hold Onto Yourself, More News From Nowhere

CD Odyssey Disc 307: Irish Descendants

It's a mini-folk fest here at the CD Odyssey! Of course, Bob Dylan is a hard act to follow, but someone had to do it.

Disc 307 is...Livin' On The Edge
Artist: Irish Descendants

Year of Release: 1996

What’s Up With The Cover?: It would appear to be a tree, living on the edge. Get it, get it? Although obvious, it is a fine photograph, and a big improvement over putting the band on the cover. Also, I think the Irish Descendants have a nifty logo, stylish and easily recognizeable.

How I Came To Know It: As I noted when I reviewed "Look To The Sea" way back at Disc 60, I've been listening to these guys since their debut album, so by the time "Livin' On The Edge" (their third record) came out in 1996, it was just me buying their new release as a matter of course.

How It Stacks Up: I have five Irish Descendants records. Of the five, I'd say "Livin' On The Edge" is somewhere in the middle - either 3rd or 4th, depending on my mood.

Rating: 3 stars.

The Irish Descendants are straight ahead Canadian folk music. Putting them on, expect to get liberal helpings of old standards, songs about fishin', and many a fiddle, bouzouki and accordion. If you're like me and you enjoy these things, then you won't be disappointed.

The band's lineup changed a fair bit, even in the early years. This is their third album, and second featuring the additions of Gerard Broderick on drums and Kathy Phippard on keyboards and vocals. By their next record Broderick would still be here, but Phippard would only be a guest vocalist on her way out. It is a shame, too, because the Irish Descendants definitely benefited from her raising the mean attractiveness of the band (for a photo of the boys, check out my post at Disc 60).

On to the music, which is played with precision and no small amount of joy. The love of traditional Newfoundland folk music shines through loud and clear on "Livin' On The Edge", and the band keeps everything tight. The addition of Phippard's background vocals make a positive difference, and the deep vibrato baritone of lead singer Con O'Brien has a distinctiveness that rivals Canadian legends like Stan Rogers.

In folk music I don't look for innovative new themes, but I do want the traditional themes delivered with emotion and skill, and for the most part "Livin' On The Edge" does so. The album begins with "Gypsy Maiden" which tells the tale of a man vainly trying to impress a gypsy maid with his lands and possessions - the very things she has no interest in. It is appropriately wistful, and you find yourself rooting for both characters, despite realizing they come from different worlds, and can never be together.

The Irish Descendants also sing a lot about a common theme in Newfoundland folk - the loss of the fishery and the need for many workers to move to Alberta to find work. While not as good as classics like "The Fisherman's Lament" and "Got To Sea No More" on their debut, "Living On The Edge" features "Days of Giving" and "The Rock And A Hard Place", both good entries in the catalogue.

"Days of Giving" focuses on the environmental damage done to the sea that led to this point. "The Rock And A Hard Place" puts a twist on the carpetbagging theme, with the husband deciding in the end to unpack his suitcase and not go to Alberta, but instead stay with his wife in Newfoundland and struggle through.

The lively songs are danceable and fun-filled. "Shamrock City" is a song about dancing, drinking and making merry and "Uncle Dan" is a humorous reminder that while you're doing these things, you shouldn't make the mistake of taking just anyone home - let alone marry her. As the chorus warns:

"She can dance to the flute, dance to the fiddle
She's as neat around the waist as a cow around the middle
Let her go, let her go, you'll find another
There's a lot of pretty women at the head of the Grand River."

Funny that the Irish Descendants would be making a fat joke, but I guess given their average girth, they can get away with it.

I found it interesting that the band doesn't write most of their songs. Some are traditional, and others are just provided by songwriters. The one exception on the record is "I No More Will Be Passing This Way" by D'Arcy Broderick, a fine song that had me wishing they would do more of this.

My main criticism of this album is that in places it is upbeat and joyful where it shouldn't be. "Black Is The Colour" is a sober, haunting classic, yet on this record, it sounds more like a recital for a vocal performance exam. I would prefer the song have a lot more romantic undercurrent, and maybe a smidge more creepy.

Similarly, the Ewan MacColl classic "Dirty Old Town" is sung with an almost cheerful feel. This is a song that features a factory worker musing on getting a big axe and murdering his girlfriend with it. This time, the song needs a lot more creepy, and a smidge more romantic. I couldn't help comparing this version to the Pogues' rendition on "Rum, Sodomy & The Lash" and finding the former lacking.

No Celtic folk album is complete without at least one instrumental (an air or a reel is fine). Of the two, "The Eavesdropper/The Connaughtman's Rambles" is excellent, and "The Two Ronnies/Broderick's Reel" not as good,but still passable. Together they deliver the requisite tracks, and entertain while doing so.

In conclusion, despite a couple of flat points, the record is strong overall, and it was a joy to reaquaint myself with it. Back in the mid-nineties I played the hell out of all my Irish Descendants albums, and it is fun to revisit them.

Best tracks: Gypsy Maiden, The Rock And A Hard Place, Shamrock City, The Eavesdropper/The Connaughtman's Rambles, Days of Giving, Uncle Dan, I No More Will Be Passing This way

Figurine: Dryad

If you've tuned in to another exciting installment of the CD Odyssey...scroll down. But before you do, maybe I can interest you in some natural beauty!

Yes, I've finished another figurine, and as the blog header states, there will be occasional miniatures on this music blog. This one is my most recently painted - a dryad.

For those of you who don't know, a dryad is a forest spirit - a custodians of the forest in classical myth:
As you can see, unlike more modern custodians, dryads don't wear overalls with their name stitched over one breast. In art they are often depicted naked, or in some sort of toga or flowing robe. This dryad is dressed in the leaves of the forest itself.

It was fun painting this figure, although a bit painstaking in places. I repainted her eyes three times and I'm still not happy. I also redid her mouth, but only when I realized red lipstick didn't work with her complexion. Heavens! I went instead with this nice shade of light purple, which matches some of the flowers I've put in her hair and hand.

Her hair is a mix of green and yellow, as I wanted to make her seem a little otherworldly, and tinting her skin would've just made her creepy, or jaundiced. Here she is from the back:
Tasteful, but definitely sexy. This is one forest warden anyone would be lucky to run into, but sadly for you dear reader they are notoriously hard to find these days. You'll have to settle for this halting and imperfect artistic rendition.

CD Odyssey Disc 306: Bob Dylan

Much driving about in the past two days got me through another record - this one is a true classic. In fact, last night this album caused me to have a dream I was at a Bob Dylan concert.

In my dream, he delivered a string of hits and classic hidden gems for the first half of the concert, but the second half he delivered a strange rearrangement of songs, while playing video with nonsensical subtitles, like the movie currently in release called "Filme Socialism". So basically, what you would expect from a Dylan concert these days. But I digress...

Disc 306 is...Blonde On Blonde

Artist: Bob Dylan

Year of Release: 1966

What’s Up With The Cover?: A picture of Bob, sporting a hairdo not unlike my own after a windstorm. Bob is slightly out of focus - maybe his way of saying we - his audience - will never truly see him except through our own distorted lense. At least that's what I think it could mean.

How I Came To Know It: I was pretty into Bob Dylan by the time I bought Blonde On Blonde, and I think this was just me drilling through his collection, knowing this was an important record for him.

How It Stacks Up: I have seventeen Bob Dylan albums. "Blonde on Blonde" is one of the better ones, but competition is fierce at the top, and I don't think it could crack top 5, so I'll put it in around 6th or 7th.

Rating: 5 stars. Yes, that's right - Bob Dylan's 6th best album is a 5 star album. He's Bob Dylan - deal with it.

"Blonde On Blonde" for me is the last of a great run of six Bob Dylan records that starts with 1963's "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." He records those six albums in a little under four years, which in itself is an amazing feat. That he delivers such high quality throughout is testament to his genius.

This is my second straight review of a double album set. Although it is a double album, it is only because of a few tracks that are a bit longer, and the limitations of vinyl at the time. Despite the overall length of the record, Dylan keeps it to a tasteful 14 tracks.

Although I think of "Blonde On Blonde" as part of Dylan's earlier work, this record sees a departure in his sound from the previous record, "Highway 61 Revisited". The record is much more heavily influenced by the blues, which combined with Dylan's evocative lyrics create a more rock and roll sound that will become his new sound moving forward into the seventies.

While "Blonde On Blonde" is not my favourite Dylan record, it does have songs that I believe are among the best he ever wrote. Despite the many hits on the record, the best song is also one of the more obscure ones; "Visions of Johanna".

No song captures the feeling of being with one woman, while still carrying a torch for another like "Visions of Johanna". This song has so many great moments, as it grooves along, but lyrically there are two places that always floor me. The first comes at the very beginning, setting the scene that the idyllic scene Dylan will be painting of a couple, will be marred with internal doubts and regret:

"Ain't it just like the night to play tricks when you're trying to be so quiet?
We sit here stranded though we're all doin' our best to deny it
And Louise holds a handful of rain tempting you to defy it."

And later, a line that made me see museums in a new and tragic light - and by way of comparison, deepens the feelings of entrapment the song's narrator is feeling as he looks at the woman he's with, and thinks of someone else:

"Inside the museums infinity goes up on trial
Voices echo, 'this is what Salvation must be like after a while'
But Mona Lisa had the highway blues, you can tell by the way she smiles."

Brilliant stuff, and another demonstration of Dylan's ability to make runs of three consecutive rhymes which on the surface can seem forced, but are in fact carefully chosen for maximum effect and impact. Dylan is proof positive that even the seemingly most random stream-of-consciousness poetry is in fact carefully chosen.

The album displays Dylan's softer folk side with romantic tracks like "I Want You" and "Just Like A Woman" and then proceeds to rock out with break up tracks like "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" and "One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)".

The only criticism I have of this record is that Dylan's sense of humour in places gets a little self-congratulatory. When it works it is vintage - such as "Leopardskin Pillbox Hat", or the painful, but hilarious "4th Time Around". The latter being the story of a man thrown out by a woman, but having to go back for his shirt.

When it doesn't work, such as the opening track "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35", it comes off like Dylan's mailing it in, looking for a hit. Despite it being the most famous song on the album, "Rainy Day Women" (known to most people as the 'everybody must get stoned' song) has always rubbed me the wrong way. As Sheila pointed out to me earlier today, even the title is pretentious, and the song doesn't deliver to the level of pretention promised. It is ultimately a novelty song, and even when he's kidding, Dylan is better than that.

That said, it is the only song on the album that doesn't deliver five star quality, so I'll give it a pass and start listening at track 2, when the Odyssey isn't forcing me to settle back for a full listen.

Best tracks: All tracks except "Rainy Day Women", although the best of the best are: Visions of Johanna, One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later), I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again, Leopardskin Pillbox Hat, 4th Time Around, Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands

CD Odyssey Disc 305: Bruce Springsteen

After setting a torrid pace in July of CD reviews, August is off to a slow start. This is mostly because we've been out of town visiting my parents.

It is about 3 hours of driving each way for these trips, and Sheila and I enjoy selecting road music to take with us. We usually take between 6 and 8 albums with us - this time we took 7. In selecting, we look for music that is good for driving. Sheila likes to have albums she's familiar with, and to a lesser extent I like that as well. The general rule is - don't pick something that is going to annoy your travelling companion. Here's what we selected for this trip:

Guru - Jazzmatazz Vol. 1
Cake - Pressure Chief
The Kills - Blood Pressures
Jamiroquai - A Funk Odyssey
Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
U2 - The Joshua Tree
Steve Earle - El Corazon

But none of these are the subject of my review today (remember I can only listen to CD Odyssey albums when I'm alone). I listened to this one today while painting.

Disc 305 is...The Promise

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Year of Release: 2010 although featuring music recorded in 1977 and 1978

What’s Up With The Cover?: On a long dirt road in the middle of nowhere, Bruce takes a moment to lean on his car - he looks contemplative, but Bruce often does. Nevertheless, I dub this album cover awesome.

How I Came To Know It: Sheila got me interested in Bruce Springsteen, and my friend Casey got me hooked on his masterpiece "Darkness At The Edge of Town." Since "The Promise" is basically a collection of songs that didn't make it on "Darkness", I'll give Casey credit for this one.

How It Stacks Up: Outtakes or note, "The Promise" is a strong record. I have ten Bruce Springsteen albums, and I'd say this one ranks 4th or 5th best, depending on how I feel about "The River" at any given moment.

Rating: 4 stars.

"Darkness At The Edge of Town" is the greatest Bruce Springsteen album ever made, period, so last year when I learned that Springsteen was releasing a bunch of songs that didn't make the cut back in 1978, I was pretty excited. I was also a little nervous, albums of outtakes can go two ways. You are just as likely to get a collection of junk that rightly never saw the light of day, as you are to get hidden gems. If anything, logic dictates you're more likely to get junk.

Fortunately, "The Promise" delivers gems, not junk. In fact, I was strongly reminded of reviewing Pearl Jam's "Lost Dogs" back at Disc 109. Like that record, "The Promise" is a double album set that really could have been a single album of amazing music, but instead has a bit of filler. Also like "Lost Dogs", the good songs are so good and plentiful, that I found myself overlooking the filler, and focusing on the many great tracks.

I won't get too much into "Darkness At The Edge Of Town" until I roll it, but it isn't possible to talk about the "The Promise" without noting the tone of "Darkness". It is an album that has a dark, yearning quality, evoking the aspirations of youth, similtaneously inspirational in their idealistic worldview, and disappointing in the knowledge that most will fall far short of their dreams.

"The Promise" has exactly the same production as "Darkness", fairly sparse, but with the sounds of pianos, bells and saxophones threatening to burden the songs with excessive business. Fortunately, the threat is never realized. If anything, walking that edge makes the album far better (thanks to the genius of Clarence Clemmons, may he rest in peace).

Many of the songs relate directly to stories included on "Darkness", including a song called "Candy's Boy" which references "Candy's Room" on "Darkness". Where "Candy's Room" is about being in a girl's room with sexual intent, "Candy's Boy" is the trepidation felt on the stairs before you get in there and close the door, and the romantic desire that follows. Although I generally agree with Springsteen's decisions on which to include back in 1978, I would have favoured "Candy's Boy", for the original album as the stronger song.

We also get a song called, "Come On (Let's Go Tonight)" about taking your girl out on the town using exactly the same music as "Darkness"s "Factory". It is the flipside of the same character. Getting into bar fights and blowing off steam in "Factory", in "Come On" we see his softer side, recharging through a night on the town with the woman he loves.

There are also a couple early versions of songs on other records, including an early take of "Racing In The Street" and a song called "Fire" which is an early version of "I'm On Fire" which would be a hit for Springsteen on "Born in the U.S.A.".

"The Promise" makes me appreciate "Darkness On The Edge of Town" that much more, and the two records creatively feed off of one another. It is frankly amazing that in such a short span Springsteen could write so many classics he couldn't cram them all on the record.

In fact, the songs on "The Promise" are every bit strong enough to be a great record in their own right. Even though it is a bit bloated at 21 songs, I'd have a hard time cutting more than 5 if forced to. This is a great record, and a must have for fans of Springsteen's earlier albums.

Best tracks: One Way Street, Because the Night (a hit for Patti Smith in 1978), Wrong Side of The Street, The Brokenhearted, Candy's Boy, It's A Shame, Come On (Let's Go Tonight), Breakaway, The Promise, City Of Night,