People sometimes ask me how I come
up with new music to listen to, since I don’t listen to the radio and don’t
have any of those fancy new streaming services.
I’m lucky in that I have a bunch
of musically inclined friends and we are always exchanging recommendations and
sharing our latest finds. I also read a lot of music reviews. Beyond that the
key is to be open minded and never miss an opportunity. If you hear a song in a
store that you like, ask the clerk what it is. If you’re at a party and you
meet someone for the first time don’t open with the tired old yawner “what do
you do for a living” – ask them instead what their latest musical discovery is.
Friday night I exchanged
recommendations with server at the pub and yesterday I did the same thing with
my brunch server. Once it is clear you’re talking to another music fan you
might as well see what they like. There’s a lot of music out there, and to
discover the best stuff you’re going to need help.
Disc 1078 is…The Number of the Beast
Artist: Iron
Maiden
Year of Release: 1982
What’s up with the Cover? Ever-present Iron Maiden mascot
“Eddie” is controlled by the devil, but an even bigger Eddie controls that same
devil with bloody marionette strings. Plus we have fire, lightning, and the
storm clouds of hell. This cover offended all manner of mothers back in the
early eighties, although mine weathered it pretty well, probably going no
farther than a “oh, Virgil – that awful!” when my brother showed it to her.
How I Came To Know It: Everyone who was a metal fan in
the eighties knew this album, and in my home town it blared out of muscle cars,
house parties and ghetto blasters at every turn. The CD version has been in my
collection as long as I can remember and still gives me fond memories of my
teenage years.
How It Stacks Up: I have been on a bit of a buying spree with
Iron Maiden albums of late and now have 11. “The Number of the Beast” comes in
at the lofty position of #2, narrowly beating out “Piece of Mind” (reviewed way
back at Disc 2) and just behind “Powerslave” (reviewed at Disc 720).
Ratings: 4 stars but almost 5
“The
Number of the Beast” is frequently espoused as Iron Maiden’s greatest record,
and while for me it falls short of “Powerslave” it is still an amazing
accomplishment.
The
record is Maiden at their most fast and furious, with less emphasis on the long
epic tracks of albums like “Piece of Mind” or their later work. Sure three of
the eight songs exceed six minutes but trust me when I tell you that for Maiden
that is practically radio friendly.
A case
in point is the opening track “Invaders”
which kicks off with a frantic drum line from Clive Barr (who would be replaced
by Nicko McBrain later that year). Even after Barr’s drum punches you to start the
song there is no respite, as the tune races forward at the front of the beat.
The effect makes you feel like you have no time to breathe, not unlike the
Viking invaders the song depicts.
Maiden
have a great feel for how to make a record feel cohesive, and the speed metal
of “Invaders” is followed by the
doom-filled “Children of the Damned,”
its slow menacing guitar riff the perfect foil after the audio assault of the
previous track.
This
album features two of Maiden’s most iconic songs. The title track and “Run to the Hills” both showcase Bruce
Dickinson’s powerhouse, operatic vocals. Even though there is no keeping up with
Dickinson as he soars into the chorus of “Run
to the Hills” it doesn’t stop you from trying. Over the years the song has
been sadly overplayed, but I still can’t resist it when it comes on, with its
galloping beat, anthemic power chords and a tight and well-structured guitar
solo. As for “The Number of the Beast”
I can honestly say it scared me a little as a kid.
For some
reason my Walkman thought “Hallowed Be
Thy Name” was called “Total Eclipse”
which was weird and had me temporarily nervous it was going to be some weird
Bonnie Tyler cover. That would have been cool, but fortunately it was the right
song – covering the cheerful topic of waiting to be hanged. I recently watched
a video of two guys reviewing this song after hearing it for the first
time and it gave me a new appreciation for Iron Maiden’s strong songwriting. How
these guys could sit and head-bob and marvel at the song’s construction and
then still decide they didn’t have room for it on their playlist was beyond me.
Get a device with more memory!
As is
tradition with an Iron Maiden album, there are plenty of historical and art
references. We have the aforementioned Viking invaders of "Invaders", “Run to the Hills” telling the story of First Nations being attacked
by Europeans, and “The Prisoner” is
about the old sixties TV show of the same name.
One song
I could have lived without was “22,
Acacia Avenue” a song about going to visit a prostitute that has not aged
well. The song revisits the character of “Charlotte
the Harlot” off of their debut album but doesn’t add anything and isn’t as
good a song either. The appeal to Charlotte to live a better life rings hollow
surrounded as it is by the viewpoint of her lustful clients. When the
protagonist tells Charlotte “you’re
packing your bags, you’re coming with me” it feels less like a rescue and
more like an abduction.
Despite
this one misstep, “Number of the Beast” has earned its reputation as one of
metal’s most iconic records and 35 years later it still sounds fresh and
powerful.
Best
tracks: Invaders,
Children of the Damned, the Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, Hallowed Be
Thy Name
No comments:
Post a Comment