2. Led Zeppelin - IV
3. John Martyn - Solid Air
4. Kingston Wall - I
5. Crosby Stills Nash & Young
Ritchie is the gentleman who has taken it upon himself to teach me piano. Well, he is doing so for the exchange of money and sanity. I could probably help him a little more on the sanity side of things if I would actually practice, and play in a key other that F minor pentatonic. But hey, we can't all be winners Ritchie.
Ritchie is most definitely a hippie who is starting to possess a roundly cynical view upon the world at large. He has a ways to go until he is as cynical and jaded as I, but I'll slowly drag him there at the cost to his idealism and faith in the human race in general.
Mr Bungle - California (Goodbye Sober Day)
It actually came up not so long ago that when I offered my initial opinion of this album as being a negative one, our poor talented bassist in our circles Issac (there is more than one poor talented bassist, but this is the guy in particular we're referring to) couldn't sleep when he heard I didn't gel with this album. Much in the same way as D-Styles, this is kind of an acquired taste, but all the sweeter for it. It's more than a little eclectic, and to say there is some bizarre changes throughout would be an understatement. It's a little difficult to pick one track, as they flow from style to style (and often, within that one track to which you may try to nail down). I think the last track is actually my favorite, but that change requires a whole album to build an be appreciated. It's almost as if the entirety of this album was made to build to that heavy point that punctuates the track so viciously. Knowing what I now know, I wouldn't be surprised their previous albums were designed to flow seamlessly in to this one. One thing is for sure, I do intend to find out by listening to more Mr. Bungle.
Led Zeppelin - IV
I think I may have screwed things up here. I'm sure I have heard all these tracks at some point before, and I may have even heard this album before, but hey, it got put on the list, so here we are listening to it. Well here I am listening to it rather, I certainly hope none of you out there is stupid enough to listen to all these albums in the fashion to which I have. It was a terrible mistake and this is your cautionary tale. Don't listen to everything I've listened to this year unless you really don't prize your sanity or self respect highly at all. And maybe in more regards to the latter than the former, I've never had much self respect to begin with, and as regards sanity, that is also very much up for debate. But enough, Led Zepplin, what more is there to say? Great cruising rock, it's almost a case of if you like your music is any way modern, how could you not like Led Zepplin? Great simply (and remember, we don't confuse simple with stupid) rock, great rhythm, and probably the best know rock ballad of all time in the form of "Stairway To Heaven". If you've never listened to any Led Zepplin, you need to get out from what ever rock you've been hiding yourself under and rectify that errror (yep, I did notice that made a type in the previous "error", but thought it funnier to stay there).
John Martyn - Solid Air
This is actually what Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young should have been. A pure man playing his guitar with the minimalist of backing and pretentiousness. It's a great album, that flows beautifully from track to track, with those sultry tones to guide us, accompanied by some wonderful acoustic, smooth bass, and occasional additions from some muted keyboard. Nothing overshadows what we need to hear, and at the same time nothing is missing. I don't know how this John Martyn is, but I think I'm going to have to track down some more of his acoustical efforts at some point down the road. A very chilled record, not something that requires intense concentration, but excellent none the less.
Kingston Wall - I
There's nothing really bad to say about this, it does seem a little standard rock however. It reminds me a little of Hendrix era rock, so it was quite funny when they turn around and play "Fire" a few tracks down the line. Again it is good music, and it doesn't offend me, but it doesn't really do anything new or exciting. Good background music, I get the feeling these guys may give a great live gig. I find it difficult to write much more about these guys, I mean there's nothing bad here, but it doesn't fill any musical void for me thus far in my life, so it's almost what is the point?
Crosby Stills Nash & Young
Four iconoclasted musicians, all now worth millions each, playing in front of an audience of more millionaires who all paid highly for this privilege of hearing these four acoustically felate each other for an hour, and record the whole thing, and will then most likely turn around and sell it through Time Warner Classics or whatever label is popular that month.
Of course none of the audience have any idea of the music of these guys, which is made all the more hilarious when one of our egotistical troupe of performers shouts to the audience "to sing along now", to which none of them fucking do. Hell, these people can't even clap in time. They're the morons who pay god knows how much money for a single plum, in perfume, floating in a man's hat.
I could not listen to this album in one sitting. I could only listen to it for a couple of tracks at a time without feeling the need to wretch in disgust. The fucking quaintness of them playing a song for Mayor John Daly, Jesus. It's like when a prizefighter makes his way up from the ghetto, how can he really unleash the animal in the ring when he wafts to sleep in a million dollar mansion with a supermodel beside him? It's depressing to admit it, but I guess when you talk about folk rock and blues, not long after these guys get money, they lose the edge. Preaching about social injustice is a little more difficult to do when you're wearing the best of Versace and flying everywhere on a private jet.
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