CD Odyssey Disc 825: The Rankin Family

As I was preparing to review this album I noted that the last album I reviewed from the same year (1990) was Pantera’s “Cowboys From Hell.” This next review is about as far from “Cowboys From Hell” as you can get.

Disc 825 is….Fare Thee Well Love

Artist: Rankin Family

Year of Release: 1990

What’s up with the Cover? A beautiful east coast landscape, marred with some truly horrific nineties fashion. The Rankins look out of frame to the right, majestically imagining a future where women don’t have to dress like they escaped from a religious compound and men have waists.

How I Came To Know It: Back in 1990 there was no Youtubing music, but there were still plenty of music videos. I saw the video for the title track and fell in love with the Rankin Family. I’d say nowadays we’re just friends, but back in the day I really liked this record – and went on to buy practically every album they put out.

How It Stacks Up:  I have six Rankin Family albums, if you include the “Grey Dusk of Eve” EP. Of those six, “Fare Thee Well Love” is my favourite. And since this is the last Rankin Family review, here’s a recap – slightly adjusted from the original because when I reviewed “Grey Dusk of Eve” I thought it would finish fourth, but it finished second in the end:

1. Fare Thee Well Love: 4 stars (reviewed right here)
2. Grey Dusk of Eve EP: 4 stars (reviewed back at Disc 219)
3. North Country: 3 stars (reviewed back at Disc 771)
4. Uprooted: 3 stars (reviewed back at Disc 531)
5. Endless Seasons: 3 stars (reviewed back at Disc 387)
6. Self-Titled: 3 stars (reviewed back at Disc 515)

Ratings: 4 stars

I admit that 4 stars might be a little high here, but when a record has been in your life as long as “Fare Thee Well Love” has been in mine, you cut it a little slack.

I bought this album when it was released, and back then I owned very few albums on CD, so it got played a lot. This makes reviewing it more of a challenge. Sometimes just paying attention was difficult. My ears are so used to hearing these songs that if I don’t pay close attention they just become background noise. For casual music listeners this is how all albums must sound. How sad for them.

While the Rankins had one album before this, it was “Fare Thee Well Love” that launched them into the folk music spotlight for the rest of the nineties. It is easy to see why; their self-titled debut is just a little too traditional. With “Fare Thee Well Love” Jimmy Rankin comes more into his own as a songwriter and that makes all the difference.

Note that despite the modern influences, writ large this is still a traditional folk record, so don’t expect country or indie when you listen to it. This isn’t for everyone, and many will find it sounds a bit dated. I even find it that way at times.

There are plenty of traditional songs here, notably “Fair and Tender Ladies” and a Gaelic medley near the end of the record. “Fair and Tender Ladies” is a stunning vocal performance by one of the sisters (I think Cookie Rankin, but I can never keep that sorted in my head) about cads callously dumping their girlfriends. The Rankins tend to work a lot of harmonies into their arrangements, but on “Fair and Tender Ladies” they just let Cookie’s (?) voice soar. Jimmy plays a little guitar and John Morris’ piano is sublime, but the star of this song is the voice. You could cut Cape Breton fog and guide in a ship with that instrument.

Otherwise, though, the traditional songs are mostly forgettable. “Tell My Ma” and “An T-Each Ruadh” are so saccharine in fact that they feel like an elementary school sing-a-long.

The real stars of this album are Jimmy Rankin’s own compositions. “Orangedale Whistle” and “Fisherman’s Son” are both beautiful, with the former showing the type of country/folk crossover music Jimmy was destined to make in his solo career. By contrast, “Fisherman’s Son” has that timeless feel that great folk songs have, and will likely be played by future folk artists for decades to come; maybe centuries.

But the best thing about this album is still the reason I bought it in the first place, which is the title track. “Fare Thee Well Love” is a five star folk song. It starts with a rich ambient sound very unlike the other tracks on the record, a little piano and then Jimmy cuts in, singing of the heartache of having your sweetheart an ocean away from you. Cookie (?) responds with “far across love, far across love o’er the mountains and country wide.” When she sings that second “far across love” she pierces your heart with a perfect longing. “Fare Thee Well Love” is love, pure and uncut, cast in marble for us mere mortals to marvel at. If love in the real world were this concentrated we’d all die from it.

And since I’m looking for an excuse to give this imperfect record a four star rating, I’ll hang my hat on the title track. It is good enough to pull everything else up just a little bit.

Best tracks:  Orangedale Whistle, Fair and Tender Ladies, Fisherman’s Son, Fare Thee Well Love, Gaelic Medley 

CD Odyssey Disc 824: Corb Lund

When I’m going to a concert where an artist is featuring a new album I like to just soak in the new album as much as possible in advance, so this next record has had a lot of repeat listening over the past 48 hours.

At the end of the album review you can read about the concert as well – bonus coverage!

Disc 824 is….Things That Can’t Be Undone

Artist: Corb Lund

Year of Release: 2015

What’s up with the Cover? There is a trend in album covers to make them look like old sixties album covers. This album is part of that trend, with the simple shot of Corb with his guitar and the songs all listed on the front cover. Here Corb looks like he’s hanging out in his hotel room working on some songs. I sure hope it’s a hotel room, because I think he is successful enough to afford nicer curtains.

How I Came To Know It: I love Corb Lund, so this was just me buying his latest record when it came out.

How It Stacks Up:  I have eight Corb Lund albums. Of the eight I can only place it fifth best, but it is still really good. I just like all of Corb Lund’s stuff.

Ratings: 3 stars but almost 4

Corb Lund is one of those artists that got better later in his career. “Things That Can’t Be Undone” holds up the high standards of his string of strong records stretching back over the last ten years. It’s been a pretty good run.

The record is solidly country and western, but it has folk, roots, and rock elements as well. Lund got his start in an alternative rock band (“The Smalls”) and that edge has survived over his long country career. As with Steve Earle, all these other influences make his music more interesting than it might otherwise be.

That said don’t expect Corb to wow you with jazz-like progressions and confusing time signatures. This is mostly three-four and four-four time with some very basic melodies. You could even argue all Corb Lund songs sound the same at some level. To which I would say you’re right: they all sound good!

The opening track is a western song called “Weight of the Gun” about murder and the regret that follows it. I’m not sure there is a better western singer than Lund right now, with most country artists abandoning such traditional fare for songs with wider appeal. Corb continues to carry the western torch, and “Weight of the Gun” is a worthy entry in his cannon (in this case, a hand cannon). The song also features a thick country riff that is so sweet and timeless you could imagine Johnny Cash wrote it in the sixties.

At other times, “Things That Can’t Be Undone” had me thinking of Steve Earle. Like Earle, Lund artfully takes a singular experience and translates it into something universal. On “Sadr City” he tells the story of one soldier coming home from Iraq, determined he’ll never go back. The song is aided by the fine steel guitar work of Grant Siemens.

“S Lazy H” tells the story of one man’s struggle to keep his family’s ranch alive, only to be betrayed by his own sister seeking a quick dollar from the sale of the property. Thanks to sharp and specific lyrics, and a great vocal delivery from Lund both this song and “Sadr City” viscerally put you in the shoes of these warriors of the working day as they swim against currents not of their own making.

Corb is also very good at making fun of himself, as he does on “Washed-Up Rock Star Factory Blues” about a singer who has a string of bad records and has to go back to his old labour job. Lots of fun lines in this one, but my favourites are:

“When I picked up the pen with the purchase order slips

The boss said ‘watch him boys, he’s gonna write a hit.

‘You’re an artist man, and there ain’t no boudt adout it

So when you paint the back fence be kinda sensitive about it.”

This is perfect all the way down to the goofy way the boss mixes up his letters in an attempt to be clever. And maybe dare the new employee to correct his language as well.

The record has some of the best production and arrangements I’ve heard on a Corb Lund album. His early records suffer on that front a little bit, and he’s come a long way in terms of using these dark arts to make every song sound that much more interesting and unique.

“Things That Can’t Be Done” is a strong record from someone who has settled nicely into a comfortable pocket of modern country music, but still has his own voice and a clear sense of history of the musical tradition he is a part of.

Best tracks:  Weight of the Gun, Sadr City, Washed-Up Rock Star Factory Blues, S Lazy H, Goodbye Colorado

THE CONCERT – January 26, 2016 at the McPherson Theatre, Victoria

This was one of those shows that could have easily been wrecked because of some bad luck with who we ended up seated near, but where the artist’s performance was so good it pulled me through.

First though, allow me to give some love to the McPherson theatre. I’m not usually a fan of the McPherson. I find it a bit stuffy, it gets very warm and the sound can be muted. However, I go where the music is.

This time, the McPherson gets a tip of the cowboy hat. The sound was a lot better than usual. In fact it was pretty great. It was amped up just the right amount so you could hear the performers loud and clear without anything bouncing off the walls. I think it helped that Sheila and I were in the fourth row from the stage as well, and I’m resolved to sit up close again.

The opening act was Daniel Romano. I’d never of heard of Romano if it hadn’t been for a coworker who was a big fan, but as it was I was primed (and a little excited) to see him perform. Romano was an understated fellow. He just came out with his two compatriots and the three of them sat down on stools and played.

Romano’s songs are beautifully written and thoroughly depressing, but in a good way. He started out sounding (and looking) a bit too much like Bob Dylan in his vocal style, but as his short set proceeded he found his own voice; kind of a mix of Dylan and Gram Parsons, with some early Leonard Cohen thrown in for good measure. I liked it, and I liked his backup singer, Kay Berkel, as well. In addition to being drop-dead gorgeous and a recording artist in her own right, Kay was once a pentathlete, which makes for an interesting resume. You can reach Kay here. Kay, you can reach me here!

Ahem…anyway, in due course Corb Lund would take the stage. Unfortunately while we waited for him to set up a group of annoying yahoos also showed up who had decided to skip the opening act. “Drunken louts” doesn’t really do them justice, but let’s use the expression as a starting point. Throughout the show they yelled at the wrong times, sang off key or vigorously kicked the chairs in front of them.

Fortunately Corb Lund was good enough that I was (mostly) able to ignore them.

Corb started out with a short “western” set full of gunfighting songs “Weight of the Gun,” “Drink It Like You Mean It” and “Priceless Antique Pistol Shoots Startled Owner”. He sang all these songs with a bandana disguising his face, which was a bit affected, but he made it work.

The band was excellent, particularly the lead guitar player, who was equally brilliant on the slide steel guitar and the electric and added depth and texture to every track.

Corb’s song list hit all the crowd favourites, including “Bible on the Dash,” “Hurtin’ Albertan” and “I Wanna Be in the Cavalry” (although sadly we only got the ‘upbeat’ version of the latter song, and I really wanted to hear the more sombre “bummer’ version).

Corb did about half of his new album, most of which I liked although I wished he’d played “Sadr City.” I think someone requested it from the floor but he went with the friendlier but schlocky “Cows Around” instead. Generally the tone was upbeat and fun and Lund avoided a lot of his more politically charged songs.

It was a well-constructed set, with up-tempo songs front and centre, and a few tear-jerkers thrown in at just the right time. These songs were some of my favourites, including “One Left In the Chamber,” “Alberta Says Hello” and “S Lazy H.”

In terms of selecting songs, Lund heavily favoured his previous album, 2012’s “Cabin Fever.” I counted 8 of 12 total songs off this record being played. In terms of earlier records, he pulled only two or three off each. In terms of old tracks, I would’ve liked to hear more off of “Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier” but generally I was happy.

And now a second shout-out to the McPherson, this time for their staff, who did their level best to calm down the idiots in the audience near us. Half an hour in they’d settled down into the occasional yelp; usually singing some lyric of a song a half-beat too late when they suddenly realized they knew it. Thankfully they hardly knew any of his songs, so this happened only rarely.

The main set ended with the traditional “Rye Whiskey/Time To Switch to Whiskey” which was great, although I think as an audience we let Corb down a bit on the sing-a-long.

For the encore, Corb did a wardrobe change and came out looking like a bespectacled reincarnation of Hank Williams Sr. It really worked for him, although he’s one of those big handsome dudes who make anything look good.

After the show, Corb Lund graciously took photos with fans and signed merchandise, a great tradition I’ve notice country artists embrace way more than rock artists on average. I was going to stay and get a photo with him, but we settled for this side shot of him working.

Turns out it was a mistake, since a lot of the late hangers-on ended up being able to spend some time with him backstage. D’oh! Ah, well. I still had fun, and I’d definitely see him again.

CD Odyssey Disc 823: Pink Floyd

I’m mid-way through a lovely weekend. In fact, I just woke up from a satisfying nap and I’m looking forward to the evening ahead. The older I get the more I appreciate a good nap.

I also appreciate a good album, and the Odyssey is on a bit of a roll, with its fourth 4 star album in a row.

Disc 823 is….Animals

Artist: Pink Floyd

Year of Release: 1977

What’s up with the Cover? Not the album title, not even the band name, just a huge factory. This is one of my favourite album covers. The factory is grandiose, menacing and decayed all at the same time. It is also strangely beautiful. It is like a castle that once let a feudal baron dominate the local landscape. The album will go on to condemn modern day barons of industry, making the cover the perfect fit.

How I Came To Know It: My friend Craig is a big Pink Floyd fan. Years ago I was staying at his place and we ended up talking about Pink Floyd. He either put this album on or exhorted its virtues. Whatever the case, the recommendation stuck in my mind and years later I bought it. I don’t know why I took so long, but I was probably thrown off by it only having five songs.

How It Stacks Up:  I have six Pink Floyd albums. Of the six, “Animals” is probably 4^th best, although there is an argument it could be as high as 2^nd. For now, let’s leave some room for the skaters coming later to outscore it and stick with 4^th.

Ratings: 4 stars

“Animals” is an album that requires your full attention. I was glad of the CD Odyssey rules that ensure I’m not doing anything else while I listened to it. As a result I was able to appreciate it as it is intended; a single art-piece about greed and consumerism.

The record is really just three very long songs that all connect to one another, bookended by two 90 second pieces that serve to introduce the musical themes, ask the question “should we care what happens to each other?”

The way the album was presented reminded me of classical music, which often has 3-5 distinct movements that introduce a musical concept, develop it and then resolve it.

On “Dogs” describing those who jostle one another for advantage and try to get ahead at the expense of others. It is a ‘dog-eat-dog world’ if you will, but the song mercifully doesn’t spell it out in such an obvious way. “Dogs” is the longest song at over 17 minutes, but it never feels like too much. It just takes its time to work through its argument. It also has some of David Gilmour’s best guitar work on this or any other record.

On “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” Pink Floyd introduces us to three different ‘pigs’ that result from the dog-eat-dog world they postulate in “Dogs”. The first is obvious: the fat and overindulgent on top of the heap, “pig stain on your fat chin”. The other two I’m not sure about, but my best guess is organized crime, organized religion or politicians, profiting at the expense of others in various ways. Whatever the intended metaphor, the song has a great guitar riff, and Roger Watters clearly enjoying himself as he sings “ha ha, charade you are” dismissing the various pigs he perceives with first laughter and then tears.

Finally, we have “Sheep,” which calls out all those who see injustice but meekly choose to do nothing about it. This song has a much thicker production, and a pace that creates anxiety and panic. You get the feeling of a flock of sheep, darting away from danger even as it fails to improve its lot in the long run.

Lyrically, none of these songs is particularly inspired, but when paired with solid musical choices and Gilmour’s guitar the album as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. My only minor complaint is the use of actual animal sounds at the beginning and end of some songs, which felt overindulgent and unnecessary to the album’s intentions.

“Animals” is not a great album to have randomly mixed on a playlist. Taken out of context they lose a lot of their punch and context. However, if you’ve got the internal fortitude to sit down for 40 minutes and listen to it sequentially this album will open its black heart to you and leave you thoughtful and more than a little melancholy.

Best tracks:  Not really an album where you can single out a track but I’ll go with all the “Pig” songs. That would be: Pigs on the wing 1, Pigs (Three Different Ones), and Pigs on the wing 2

CD Odyssey Disc 822: The Rolling Stones

For the second time in three reviews, we get the Rolling Stones again! After this, I’ll only have one Stones album left to review after this.

Disc 822 is….It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll

Artist: The Rolling Stones

Year of Release: 1974

What’s up with the Cover? The band on a staircase, surrounded by a group of Victorian era maidens. Given how big the band was by 1974, I assume this is just a shot of them backstage after a show.

How I Came To Know It: I owe this one to my buddy Randall, who played me the song “Time Waits For No One” one music appreciation night. I appreciated the hell out of that song, and the next time I was in a record store I bought the album.

How It Stacks Up:  I have seven Rolling Stones albums. “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” only ends up at sixth best, but don’t let that be a detriment to how truly good this record is. Let that instead be a testament to how amazing the five albums ahead of it are.

Ratings: 4 stars

On my last Stones review I reveled in the arrival of Mick Taylor on “Let It Bleed.” “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” is the bookend of Mick Taylor’s career in the band, and not surprisingly he goes out with a bang.

Taylor was in the band from 1969-1974. During that time the Stones released five studio albums and I have four of them. Prior to 1969 the Stones released around nine albums (depending on how you count them) and I have only one of those. After Taylor left the band they released 10 more, and I have only one of those. I think it is safe to say that I like the Rolling Stones best when Mick Taylor is part of them.

Since I knew going into it that “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” was Taylor’s last record, the experience was bittersweet. Kind of like Mick singing the sweet and sensitive “’Til the Next Time We Say Goodbye” which shows the Stones can slow things down and just idly strum a guitar and still write a classic rock song.

The album has a great tension between the raw and steady rhythm guitar of Keith Richardson and Taylor’s sweeter bluesy tones. Mick is the man in the middle, finding the perfect phrasing and delivery to marry the two sounds. Rough enough to match Keith, and sultry enough to work with Taylor.

“It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” has less of the accoutrements of the earlier records. I didn’t notice any horn section, for example. This just lets Taylor shine more as a result, though.

And shine he does, never more so than on “Time Waits For No One” which is a trippy and introspective number that might be better suited to a Pink Floyd album with its consideration of the fleeting nature of our existences. Then around the two minute mark Taylor drops in a little lick of guitar wizardry. It is just a taste of what is to come, because a minute or so later Mick Jagger graciously scats his way into the background and Taylor takes over which is one of the great guitar solos I have ever heard. I will always be eternally grateful to my friend Randall who caught my attention one night last year, said “listen to this” and then gave Mick Taylor the floor.

While this is the show piece of the album, it shows great range throughout. “If You Can’t Rock Me” and “Dance Little Sister” get things hopping, and “If You Really Want To Be My Friend” and “Til the Next Goodbye” slow things down and let you think. There are even light-hearted tracks like “Short and Curlies” and “Luxury.” “Luxury” would have been one of my favourites except for the weird West Indies accent Jagger affects when he sings it. It isn’t necessary, but it is a testament to Jagger that he somehow pulls it off and prevents the song from being a train wreck.

They work in a little Motown with a cover of “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” which is every bit the equal of the Temptations’ original. In fact, I like it more. The Temptations sound a bit too satisfied in their begging. Jagger drawls and scratches his way through it with the desperate energy that begging deserves.

“It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” had three hits, most notably the title track, but it is a testament to how strong it is that the deep cuts are even better. It’s a late addition to my Stones’ discography, but a welcome one.

Best tracks:  If You Can’t Rock Me, Till the Next Goodbye, Time Waits For No One, If You Really Want to Be My Friend

CD Odyssey Disc 821: Pantera

My day started off inauspiciously. I forgot to make my breakfast and then burned my tongue trying to drink my coffee too fast. Things improved from there though, and I’m home again and writing.

I am trying to set more time aside to write in 2016 and so far it is working out well. The extra hour a night energizes me and the result is that I’m able to stay up later, so I don’t lose any more time behind the wall of sleep than is necessary.

Why yes, careful reader, that was an allusion to a Black Sabbath song. In honour of those fathers of metal, let’s review my next album, which is by one of their unruly children.

Disc 821 is….Cowboys From Hell

Artist: Pantera

Year of Release: 1990

What’s up with the Cover? Thanks to the miracle of photoshopping, we get to enjoy the Pantera boys tearin’ it up in a turn of the century public house. It is scenes like this that inspired prohibition.

How I Came To Know It: Back in April I reviewed my other Pantera album (1992’s “Vulgar Display of Power”). I liked it so much I did a little Youtube diving of Pantera’s other albums. “Cowboys From Hell” emerged the clear winner, so I purchased it.

How It Stacks Up:  I only have two Pantera albums, and if you’ve been reading carefully you already know which two. Of those, I’ll put “Cowboys From Hell” in at number one.

Ratings: 4 stars

Ten minutes into my walk home today I was thinking, “man, these Pantera guys are heavy as hell!” and then I realized I hadn’t even turned on the booster amp in my headphones. Once I did it was even better.

Pantera are tight as hell and every song is a clinic in how to shred hard and heavy. When this album came out I had temporarily left metal behind for folk music. “Cowboys From Hell” is a nice reminder that metal hadn’t stopped growing just because I had temporarily stopped listening. I’m glad to be making up for lost time now.

As I mentioned on my previous Pantera review, these guys are the perfect blend of speed metal and chunky riffs. Dimebag Darrell’s guitar riffs may seem simple, but they have a power and energy that gets your head moving nonetheless. The melody always seems to be diving deeper down in search of something thicker to wallow in. Usually it finds it.

The songs will sometimes start with 45 seconds or so of slower intro, or there might be a bar or two of guitar solo once they’re going, but for the most part this is music that thumps you in your lower spine. Singer Philip Anselmo’s savage and grating rock voice is the perfect match for Dimebag’s power groove.

While this album is heavy, it manages it in a way that doesn’t sacrifice melodic quality, and for this reason I liked it slightly better than “Vulgar Display of Power.” “Cemetery Gates” is a good example, alternating between a slower tempo and a metal groove. It also shows that Anselmo doesn’t just yell – the man can sing as well.

That said, this is not an album about lyrics, at least not for me. I often had a hard time hearing the words, and when I could it was pretty simple metal fare. On “Message In Blood” I was confused by the chorus, which goes:

“It’s a message in blood

It’s your cryptic warning.”

Leaving a message in blood seems like a pretty powerful statement, and it’s likely an awful lot of work as well. Given that, the narrator might have thought about making sure that message wasn’t so cryptic. Later he expresses his isolation with:

“No one cares to understand my

Demented means.”

Just a thought, but if you wanted to be understood then don’t make your message so cryptic! But I digress…

The songs on “Cowboys From Hell” are relatively long, with over half of them over five minutes, but they rarely feel it. This is music that moves along at a good clip, and never gives you time to get bored. Unlike a lot of lesser heavy music, the tracks are so appealing it never feels like your ears are under siege. Instead, it is like a lush garden of sound.

That said, the twelve tracks total over 57 minutes, and while I couldn’t say for sure what I’d cut, I think I’d prefer a 10 track, 48 minute album. It is made harder by the fact that while relatively few tracks stood out, the record as a whole has a nice cohesive feel.

I’ve only had this album for a relatively short time, and listening to it again for this review I was left with the distinct impression that the more time I gave it, the more I would like it. This is the principle calling card of a strong record.

Best tracks:  Cowboys From Hell, Heresy, Clash With Reality, Cemetery Gates

CD Odyssey Disc 820: The Rolling Stones

I’m back! I told you I’d be back. I hope you weren’t worried sick, waiting up for me and pining nightly for a music review. Although who could blame you, if you did?

Anyway, let’s announce my return with a bang, although since this process is random it could have just as easily been a whimper.

Disc 820 is….Let It Bleed

Artist: The Rolling Stones

Year of Release: 1969

What’s up with the Cover? Those record players from the seventies that stacked a bunch of records one top of one another were not good for your albums, but this takes that to a whole new level of irresponsible. Or maybe this is just a themed cake, and not a record player at all. Chocolate bike-tire clock cake. My favourite.

How I Came To Know It: Once I honed in on the sweet spot in the Rolling Stones catalogue (which for me is the late sixties through early seventies) this album became a must-have. So I went and bought it.

How It Stacks Up:  I recently bought 1974’s “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll” and now have seven Stones albums. “Let It Bleed” was better than I remember it, and I’m going to put it in at fourth best, knocking “Beggar’s Banquet” down a spot in the process.

Ratings: 4 stars

“Let It Bleed” surprised me with its power and visceral energy, and that’s a good thing. I recall when I first heard this album it felt a little bit sloppy, but revisiting it for the Odyssey I found that I had been wr…wr…wr…mistaken.

The record sounds like you are seeing the Rolling Stones live in concert, straight from 1969. Whether it is true or not, you get the feeling the studio was fun and festive, with all the yips and yells. The production quality feels like they’re all gathered around a single mic, but without losing any of the clarity you need to appreciate the songs.

Also, welcome Mick Taylor, who is a big reason that most of my favourite Rolling Stones albums fall between 1969 and 1974. On “Let It Bleed” Taylor contributes his guitar wizardry to “Country Honk” and “Live With Me.” In fact, without Taylor “Country Honk” could have come off as a novelty song, but his easy blues slide (and someone’s inspired decision to add a fiddle) together ground the song.

“Live With Me” is to this album what “Bitch” is to “Sticky Fingers,” a nasty grimy rock song where the riff is king and all shall bow down to it. Again, Mick Taylor makes the magic happen. This time the added touches around the edge are saxophone, which are OK if it weren’t for the fact that the next generation of rockers grew up listening to this song and then proceeded to emulate it 15 years later – only badly.

The title track is one of Mick Jagger’s better vocals, getting dirty and sinful while still showing a surprising fragility. “Let It Bleed” runs through a lascivious list of bodily fluids and drugs, with Mick telling of coke binges, money shots and at one point getting knifed in a basement. How this can somehow still feel like a love song is hard to fathom, but that’s the genius of Jagger, I suppose.

“Let It Bleed” also proves that blues inspired band can ramble around a little and still not make a song too long. “Midnight Rambler” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” are both around seven minutes long and take their time getting where they’re going. “Midnight Rambler” even winds down half way through just to get going again and still doesn’t lose the plot. The Stones understand that as long as the song is developing into something, and not just aimlessly noodling, it is OK to take your time.

And I would be remiss not the note that “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” is so iconic that the lyric:

“You can’t always get what you want

But if you try sometimes, you might find

You get what you need.”

Has become an expression of wisdom parents tell their kids. It is up there with Polonius’ “Neither a borrower nor a lender be” and that’s frickin’ Shakespeare. It throws in organ, French horn, a backing choir and I think tambourine, and never misses a beat. Even the manic trilling on the piano at the end is perfect.

“Let It Bleed” is a an album that stands the test of time, and even 46 years after it was released, still sounds fresh and innovative. It may not be my favourite Stones album, but I won’t be letting it leave my collection anytime soon either.

Best tracks:  Gimmie Shelter, Country Honk, Live With Me, Let It Bleed, You Can’t Always Get What You Want

CD Odyssey Disc 819: Guy Clark

Greetings, gentle readers! A quick public service announcement but for the next couple of weeks there will be a lot less entries than usual due to some other writing commitments I’ve got on the go.

Never fear however – the CD Odyssey will continue until we’re done. This is just a temporary slowdown. Check back in a fortnight and we’ll be back at it in earnest.

In the meantime, here’s a review to tide you over.

Disc 819 is….Texas Cookin’

Artist: Guy Clark

Year of Release: 1975

What’s up with the Cover? A very young Guy Clark sporting a haircut from before he went grey, but also from before hair products were available. Guy’s looking pretty sweaty here. It could be just hot out, but I think it might be a bit too much barbecue.

How I Came To Know It: This is another one of those albums I listened to online on Guy Clark’s homepage and decided to buy it.

How It Stacks Up:  I have six Guy Clark albums. “Texas Cookin’” is somewhere in the middle – I’ll put it third.

Ratings: 3 stars

 “Texas Cookin’” is a mix of what makes Guy Clark great and also what makes him maddening.

Clark is a songwriter’s songwriter, and you’ll find his songs remade my all kinds of more famous artists like Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle. There is even an amazing double album tribute to him that is stacked with great material (It is called “This One’s For Him” (reviewed back at Disc 677).

Clark understand how to spin a tale, how to turn a phrase and how to make pretty basic chord progressions in country music new and interesting.

The pretty little love song “Anyhow, I Love You” shows the turn of phrase well, opening with:

“I wish I had a dime for every bad time

But the bad times always seem to keep the change.”

It sounds depressing, but (to bring in the other two points) Clark uses a chord progression that evokes an upbeat quality that showcases the song’s real theme: finding love despite life’s uncertainties. Although it is more directly about knockin’ boots, “It’s About Time” has a similar feel to it and even “Broken Hearted People” – the most depressing of the lot – still has a core of resilience and ‘makin’ do’ to it.

Sorry about that dropped ‘g’ in ‘making’; Guy Clark just inspires you to talk in a down-home kinda way. I guess you should expect that from an album called “Texas Cookin’”.

Unfortunately, this homespun wisdom also holds this record back. At times Clark feels like he’s got a bit too much hokum in his blood. The title track, “Texas Cookin’,” is literally about nothing more than how good barbecue food is. Hey, I love barbecue as much as the next guy, but a song about it should just be about…more.

Also, I know it was 1975 and everybody was filled with freedom and feelin’, but sometimes these songs mosey when they should just get to the point. Clark’s “Broken Hearted People” need to be a little more broken hearted. That element is helped quite a bit by backing vocals from Emmylou Harris, who lends her quavering gravitas to this song and quite a few others.

As for Clark’s vocals, he wouldn’t win any singing competitions they put on cable TV these days, but he knows how to make what he does have work for him. He writes songs to fit into his relatively limited range, and he sings with honesty to the subject matter.

The best song on the album is “The Last Gunfighter Ballad” which tells the tale of an old gunslinger, living in a world that has passed him by. The lyrics of this song are chilling and brilliant and alongside “Dublin Blues” and “The Cape,” are Clark’s finest hour. The song is the character study of a gunfighter sitting at a bar, drunkenly recalling his days of glory:

“Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar

And he's back in his chair in front of the bar

And the streets are empty and the blood's all dried

And the dead are dust and the whiskey's inside

So buy him a drink and lend him an ear

He's nobody's fool and the only one here

“That remembers the smell of the black powder smoke

And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Oh remember the smell of the black powder smoke

And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke”

Clark’s delivery on this song is strong and heartfelt, but sadly, once you’ve heard Steve Earle’s cover of this song it spoils you for any other version. That’s not a criticism of Clark so much as it is a recognition of how good Earle’s version is.

Guy Clark is not for everyone, but if you put a premium on good songwriting, and don’t mind a little hokum, you’ll find this album right agreeable, y’hear?

Best tracks:  Anyhow I Love You, Broken Hearted People, The Last Gunfighter Ballad

CD Odyssey Disc 818: Ohio Players

Happy New Year! I wrote more music reviews in 2015 than any time since 2011. For 2016 I’d like to keep the pace up and also get to work on a new novel. Writing is the best!

Disc 818 is….The Millennium Collection (best of)

Artist: Ohio Players

Year of Release: 2000 but with music from 1974 - 1977

What’s up with the Cover? A bunch of very cool dudes with very impressive afros. Much as I love this cover, the band’s studio albums always featured sexy ladies on the cover, and I think they should have stuck with tradition.

How I Came To Know It: I liked the song “Fopp” on Soundgarden’s “Screaming Life/Fopp” EP (reviewed back at Disc 393). When I found out it was a cover an Ohio Players album, I checked it out. I liked it just as much as Soungarden’s version, and since I knew a few other songs by them decided to take the plunge.

How It Stacks Up:  I don’t have any other Ohio Players albums, but even if I did, compilation albums don’t stack up.

Ratings: best of albums don’t get rated – that’s just how I roll.

The Ohio Players bridge the gap between the funk of Parliament and the soul of the O’Jays, with a bit of jazz thrown in for good measure.

The band made music from 1969 all the way to 1988, but this Millennium collection only spans 1974-77. This is OK with me, as that is the period the band was at its creative peak.

For me, the Ohio Players are at their best when they are driving in the funk lane, as they are with classics like “Fopp”, “Skin Tight” and “Fire.” Technically their biggest hit, “Love Rollercoaster,” is also one of the funkier tracks but it feels too much like a novelty song for me.

“I Want to be Free,” “Let’s Do It” and “Heaven Must Be Like This” are slower baby-makin’ music songs, designed to be played after you turn down the lights and pour your woman a tall glass of champagne. Of the three, I like “I Want to be Free” most as it is a) the sexiest and b) the most funky. The other two have a bit too many jazz flourishes.

In fact, my main criticism of the Ohio Players is their penchant to add jazz piano to their songs. It isn’t that they do it poorly – quite the contrary. I just don’t like to jazzify my funk. “Heaven Must Be Like This” is particularly bad, clocking in at over seven minutes, at least half of which feels like being dropped into a jazz cocktail lounge. “It also features kissy-kissy noises which are really jarring. I’ll add my own kissy-kiss noises, thank you very much.

Fortunately there is plenty of funk to go around that is relatively unsullied by jazz piano. “Fire” and “Skin Tight” are both sexy and funky in equal measure. “Fire” is second only to “Love Rollercoaster” in terms of being well known, and is by far the superior song. It is filled with a groovy bass line, a lascivious vocal delivery from front man Robert Ward and an engaging rock guitar riff holding down the bridge.

“Skin Tight” is slower and dirtier, but just as funky. The opening lyrics are wonderfully over the top:

“You’re a bad, bad missus

In those skin tight britches

Runnin’ folks into ditches

Baby I’m about to bust the stitches

Skin tight!”

This song is a rival to James Brown’s “Hot Pants” in terms of being equal parts sexy, hilarious and inappropriate. If you were to remove even one of those elements the song would fall apart under its own ridiculousness.  Instead, everything holds in a perfect balance of excess and libido. Even the jazzy piano that creeps into it stays on the funk side of the line.

For me, the best song on the album is the one I bought it for in the first place. “Fopp” is equal parts funk and rock, and it is easy to see how a Seattle grunge band took an interest in it in the early nineties. An Ohio Players song wouldn’t feel complete without a bunch of sexual double entendres and “Fopp” delivers, leaving you constantly on edge if the “Fopp” in question is a dance or a sexual proposition. Likely both.

Compilation albums often lead me to want to own a bunch of studio records. The Ohio Players didn’t inspire this level of interest from me, but they are still great. The music holds up wonderfully 40 years later, and has no doubt successfully closed out more than a few date nights over those years.

Tragically, only one of the original five band members is still alive. Despite not being with us anymore, the Ohio Players have left a fitting musical legacy.

Best tracks:  Fopp, Skin Tight, Fire