Sunday, May 31, 2020

CoronaVinyl Day 76 (2010s): Get Hurt by The Gaslight Anthem

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is the 2010s, and one of my favorite bands of the past 15 years is The Gaslight Anthem.  Hailing from New Jersey, the band was the next in a long line of great rock bands from the Garden State, following in the footsteps of Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and the like.  I hear a lot of Springsteen's influence in their music, but with a punk tinge.  Their music has great lyrics with interesting stories, and they can rock with the best of them as well.

I bought 2014's Get Hurt, the band's fifth and final studio album, when it was released, and I got it on splattered vinyl, as you can see from the photo above.  Unfortunately, the band went on an "indefinite hiatus" starting in August 2015, and they have only reunited for 2018's tour to commemorate the tenth anniversary of The '59 Sound (which is my favorite of their albums).  Thankfully, I got to see them during that tour, and they were predictably excellent.

If it turns out to be their swan song, Get Hurt was a good way to go out.  Inspired by lead singer Brian Fallon's divorce from his wife of ten years, it's a passionate album, with the type of blue collar rock and roll that we came to expect (and love) from the band.  Get Hurt was the band's second Top 10 album in the U.S., reaching #4 on the Billboard album chart.  It also cracked the Top 10 on the album charts in the UK, Canada, Germany, and Austria.

The Spotify version of the album has four bonus tracks.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Stay Vicious"
This is the first track on the album, and it starts with a bang.  This song is a gritty, grungy song that reminds me of Stone Temple Pilots in several parts, but then it also has more tender, cleaner parts to counterbalance the fuzz and anger.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Rollin' and Tumblin'"
Side 2 also starts off with a bang.  This isn't the classic blues song of the same name, but rather a classic TGA song -- which is to say that it's heartfelt rock and roll that you want to listen to over and over again.

CoronaVinyl Day 75 (Quintet): High 'n' Dry by Def Leppard

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Apologies for forgetting to post yesterday.  Rest assured, I was rocking out to vinyl.  Yesterday's CoronaVinyl category was quintet, and my favorite quintet of all-time is Def Leppard.  Though their lineup has changed a couple times, there have always been five members of Def Leppard.  Lead singer Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage, and drummer Rick Allen have been around for the whole ride.  Guitarist Pete Willis was part of the band for their first two albums before getting the boot because of his excessive drinking during the recording of Pyromania.  He was replaced by Phil Collen, who has remained in the band since then.  The other founding guitarist was Steve Clark, who died in 1991 from a combination of too much alcohol and morphine.  He was replaced by Vivian Campbell, who has been in the band since then.

Now that we have this little history lesson out of the way, let's get to the music.  1981's High 'n' Dry was the band's second studio album, and it was the last full album to feature the original five members, before Willis was kicked out the next year.  As you can see from the photo above, I have the album cover framed and hanging in my Rock and Roll Staircase.  I had never noticed that the center sticker of the album has a nice little drawing of Chicago.  Apparently, Polygram Records was located in the building where I now work -- or where I would work, were we not in the middle of a global pandemic.

High 'n' Dry was the first of the band's albums to be produced by now legendary producer Mutt Lange, who also produced Def Leppard's two following albums, the colossal Pyromania and Hysteria.  In historical context, it's kind of crazy that Lange teamed up with Def Leppard this early in their career.  Their first album, On Through the Night, wasn't a massive hit, but Lange –- who had already produced AC/DC's Highway to Hell, Back in Black, and For Those About to Rock We Solute You -– must have seen something special in Def Leppard. Of course, under Lange's tutelage, Def Leppard would go on to become the first artist to have two certified diamond (at least 10 million sales in the U.S.) studio albums in the 1980s (1983's Pyromania and 1987's Hysteria). You read that correctly.  Def Leppard -- not Michael Jackson, Madonna, Van Halen, Prince, GNR, U2, or Springsteen -- was the first (and until the last couple years, the only) band or artist to have two studio albums from the '80s certified diamond by the RIAA.  (Michael Jackson has since equaled the feat with Thriller and Bad.)

High 'n' Dry was the band's last album that was really a New Wave of British Heavy Metal album, before the band transitioned to a more radio-friendly sound (which is not to say they didn't still rock, because they did).  Aside my Hysteria, this is my favorite Def Leppard album.  Some bands have a sophomore slump. Some bands do not. Def Leppard most certainly did not. This album has ten gritty hard rock songs. From beginning to end, it has energy and power. Elliott's vocals really begin to shine on this album, Clark and Willis's dueling guitar work is phenomenal, and the Ricks in the rhythm section keep everything driving along at an unsafe speed. (Incidentally, for those of you who are under the belief that Rick Allen always had only one arm, he did not lose his left arm until a car accident on New Years Eve 1984, so he was fully armed until Hysteria.) All in all, High 'n' Dry is a really good hard rock album, and if you're not familiar with it, perhaps now is the time.

The Spotify version includes two bonus tracks, the 1984 remixes of "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" and its non-album B-side, "Me and My Wine."

Favorite song from Side 1:  "High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)"
I submit to you that there isn't a better song about getting drunk on a Saturday night than this one.  Ranked by VH1 as one of the Top 40 metal songs ever, it's a ballsy, fun rock song.  Not that you need another reason to hate the PRMC -- the parental organization formed in 1985 by Tipper Gore and several other bored Washington wives for the purpose of censoring music -- but this song was on the PMRC's notorious "Filthy Fifteen," apparently because it talks about drinking.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "You Got Me Runnin'"
One of my favorite Def Leppard songs is "You Got Me Runnin'." Like most of the album, this song a hard-hitting, heavy song.  The verses are brooding, about some chick who's trying to pull one over on her man, and the chorus features those now-classic Def Leppard harmonies.

Friday, May 29, 2020

CoronaVinyl Day 74 (Psychedelic Rock): Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is psychedelic rock, which is another one of those amorphous genres.  Essentially, it was rock from the mid '60s to about 1971 or so that was connected to psychedelic culture or the counterculture.  It often had drug-related themes, weird musical effects, the use of "non-traditional" instruments, and extended solos or jams.  Needless to say, there's a lot of music from that time period that fits the bill.

I decided to go with a relative obscure band, Spirit. Probably best known for their 1968 song "I Got a Line on You" (which was their only Top 40 hit, reaching #25), Spirit was a Los Angeles-based psychedelic rock group.  Lead guitarist and primary songwriter Randy California had played in Jimi Hendrix's backing band in 1966 (Jimmy James and The Blue Flames).  His song "Taurus" was allegedly copied by Jimmy Page for the introduction to "Stairway to Heaven," resulting in a copyright infringement lawsuit in 2014 on behalf of California's estate, although the suit was ultimately unsuccessful.

1970's Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus was the band's fourth studio album. As if the title didn't do it, the freaky album cover lets you know that this is a psychedelic album.  It is a concept album and, though it was not commercially successful (topping out at #63 on the Billboard album chart), it is considered influential and innovative, both for its themes and for its production and music.  All in all, it's a great album, and exactly the kind of thing you'd be looking for if you were on hallucinogenic drugs.

The Spotify version of the album has four extra tracks.  Happy Friday indeed.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Animal Zoo"
"Animal Zoo" is a fun, catchy rock song.  The lyrics appear to be about a fat zookeeper who is fed up with pollution, but I might be off.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Morning Will Come"
This song is basically a glam rock song before there was such a thing as glam rock.  It could easily be on a T. Rex or Mott the Hoople record.

Hair Band Friday - 5/29/20

1.  "Love Made Me" by Vixen


2.  "Sinners Swing!" by Van Halen


3.  "My Michelle" (live) by Guns N' Roses


4.  "Too Wild to Be Innocent" by Sleeze Beez


5.  "Hiway Nights" by Great White


6.  "Pants On Fire (Liar Liar)" by Kix


7.  "What You Give" by Tesla


8.  "Send Her to Me" by Autograph


9.  "Prisoner of Your Eyes" by Judas Priest


10.  "Stick To Your Guns" by Dokken

Thursday, May 28, 2020

CoronaVinyl Day 73 (New Wave): Candy-O by The Cars

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is new wave, which is kind of an amorphous genre that has various subgenres.  It started out in the late '70s as tied to punk, but then morphed into synth pop, and sometimes I feel like it can be a label applied to pretty much any pop song from 1978 to 1989 with synthesizers -- which is to say, pretty much every pop song during that time period -- but I think it encompasses much more than that.  Some artists were pretty much all new wave, while some dabbled in new wave while primarily dealing in other genres (whether harder or softer).  It's kind of like Justice Potter Stewart's famous quote about obscenity:  I know it when I see it. 

I do know that The Cars were one of the biggest new wave bands, so at least my choice for today's selection was relatively easy.  I'm going with The Cars' second studio album, 1979's Candy-O, with its album cover by famed pin-up artist Alberto Vargas (who was then 83 years old).  The model was coincidentally named Candy Moore, and she had actually played Lucy's daughter on the I Love Lucy spinoff The Lucy Show.

While the band's self-titled debut album from 1978 could hardly have been considered a failure -- as it spawned two Top 40 hits in the U.S. ("Just What I Needed" (#27) and "My Best Friend's Girl" (#35) and a near miss ("Good Times Roll" (#41)) and has since gone 6x platinum in the U.S. -- Candy-O was the band's first Top 5 album (or Top 10, for that matter) on the Billboard album charts, reaching #3.  It also produced the band's first Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "Let's Go," which hit #14.  "It's All I Can Do" was another near miss, reaching #41.  Candy-O was the first of four consecutive Top 10 and either platinum- or multi-platinum-selling albums for the band in the U.S.

The album is a great example of early new wave, with its catchy, tight pop rock, complemented by synthesizers and the dual lead vocals of rhythm guitarist (and songwriter) Ric Ocasek and bassist Benjamin Orr.  It touches you in all the right places, but not in a weird way.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Let's Go"
The first track on the album is the aforementioned "Let's Go," and there's good reason it was the band's first Top 15 song.  It's catchy song, sung from the perspective of a guy who feels like he's not quite good enough for his ladyfriend.  But she likes the nightlife, baby, so she says, "let's go."  And then we all clap along.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Got a Lot on My Head"
"Got a Lot on My Head" is a faster-paced song that, at the same time, has some great rock guitars and video-game-like synthesizers -- certainly a harbinger of what was to come in the '80s.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Retro Video of the Week: "Me and My Wine" by Def Leppard

This week's COVID-19-themed Retro Video of the Week is perhaps Def Leppard's most famous B-side (or certainly among its fans).  "Me and My Wine" was released as a non-album B-side to the "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" in 1981.  While the latter appeared on the band's magnificent sophomore album, High 'N' Dry, the former did not, so the only way you could get this song was if you bought the "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" single.  That in itself was a problem because then you wouldn't have "Switch 625" immediately following "Bringin' On the Heartbreak," and it should be considered a crime to listen to one without the other.

However, in 1984, following the band's massive success with the Pyromania album, High 'N" Dry was reissued, and it included a remixed version of "Me and My Wine" as a bonus track.  They then made a video for it, as was the style back then.

In these unprecedented times, you don't really need an excuse to have a glass bottle of wine at any time of day, even if there's no one else there to enjoy it with you.  And if anyone gives you any guff, just say, "I'm doin' fine.  It's just me and my wine."  And then take a big swig and start cackling like a maniac for a good twenty seconds.  That oughta shut your boss up.

CoronaVinyl Day 72 (Michigan): Closer to Home by Grand Funk Railroad

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is Michigan, and there have been many great bands and artists to come out of the Great Lakes State, from Stevie Wonder to The White Stripes.  I had many options, but I'm going with Flint's Grand Funk Railroad.

Formed in 1969, the band's lineup from 1969 to 1972 featured Don Brewer on drums and co-lead vocals, Mark Farner on guitar and co-lead vocals, and Mel Schacher on bass.  And yes, I realize this is the fourth trio I've featured in the last five days.  Anyway, the band named itself after the Grand Trunk Western Railroad that passed through Flint.  They rose to fame in the early to mid '70s, with hits like "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" (#22), "We're An American Band" (#1), "Some Kind of Wonderful" (#3), and their cover of "The Loco-Motion" (#1).

1970's Closer to Home is their third studio album, and I bought my copy at a local thrift store.  As you can see, it was at one time owned by someone named Frick.  It was the band's highest-charting album to that point, reaching #6 on the Billboard album charts, and starting a string of seven consecutive Top 10 studio albums for the band.  It also produced their first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" (more on that below).  

While I have been a fan of that song for many years, I haven't ever done a deep dive into their music.  I didn't realize that they were such a hard rock band.  Closer to Home is a fantastic hard rock album, sometimes even bordering on metal.  Brewer has many delicious fills throughout the album, and Farner shreds on his guitar, while Schacher plays his bass heavier than just about anyone at the time not named Geezer Butler.  If you're looking for an album to blare out of your open windows while you're driving around town, this is it.

While listening to this album, I also came to a revelation that everyone is wrong about Greta Van Fleet.  People claim they are trying to be Led Zeppelin -- which every hard rock band since 1969 has tried to be, by the way -- but people are looking way too far away, when they should be looking a mere 25 miles south of Greta Van Fleet's hometown of Frankenmuth, Michigan.  I hear a lot of Grand Funk in GVF, which is a good thing.

The Spotify album has four extra songs.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Sin's a Good Man's Brother"
The first track on the album is a ball buster. A fuzzy, heavy guitar riff drives this song, and Farner wails on the vocals.  Brewer's delicious fills are abundant.  If I didn't know this was Grand Funk, I would think it's Greta Van Fleet fifty years later.  Great song.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)"
Like I said before, I have loved this song for a long time.  It's one of my favorite songs from the '70s.  It's damn near ten minutes, and it is epic.  It has two separate sections, and the ending was actually accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra.  If literally taken, the song is about a boat captain facing mutiny, but some have said that it's about drug addiction or a metaphor for the Vietnam War and how Nixon was botching it.  The band has purposely kept the song's meaning somewhat of a mystery so that it can mean whatever the listener wants it to mean.  I appreciate that.  Also, it's clearly about aliens.  But think about this.  What if Pickford was right?  Maybe we're the aliens.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Tuesday Top Ten: '80s Social Distancing Songs

Prior decades:
-Top Ten Pre-1960s Social Distancing Songs
-Top Ten '60s Social Distancing Songs
-Top Ten '70s Social Distancing Songs

We are at the halfway point of our weekly look at COVID-19-appropriate songs from each of the past seven decades.  And is there a more romanticized decade than the '80s?  Sure, it was full of consumerism, superficiality, and materialism, but as someone who went from a toddler to twelve during the decade, I can say that it was a totally radical time to be a kid.  MTV, the golden age of sitcoms, the emergence of neon and fluorescent colors as acceptable fashion choices, John Hughes movies, personal computers, home video game systems, people coming together to support national and global causes (Live Aid, USA for Africa, Farm Aid, Hands Across America, etc.), and so much hair spray.  It truly was a decade of decadence.  Maybe every decade seems like this for those growing up, but growing up in the '80s, it truly seemed like you could do anything and achieve success however you might want to do so -- well, until the stock market crash in October 1987, but even after that, we had a couple good years until AIDS and grunge ruined fun for everyone.

Music from the '80s was awesome.  I've said several times before that I think the '80s was the height of pop music, but there was so much more going on in music than just fantastic pop, from the emergence of rap and hip hop to hair bands to goth to thrash metal to heartland rock to post-punk and new wave to AOR to funk to "college rock" and alternative music to the beginnings of new jack swing, and so much more.  What I always look back fondly on is that, when I used to listen to Z-95 -- the Top 40 station in Chicago for much of the '80s -- you could hear music from pretty much any genre because, as long as it was popular or requested enough, it would get played on the radio.  So I might hear Def Leppard followed by Debbie Gibson followed by Terence Trent D'Arby followed by Faith No More followed by Tone Loc followed by Bruce Springsteen followed by Whitney Houston followed by R.E.M.  I credit that format to the fact that I enjoy a lot of different styles of music that I might not otherwise have been exposed to had Z-95 not existed or had I grown up in the '90s, when radio was more compartmentalized, with stations that focused more on certain types of music -- "alternative rock" stations, "dance" and pop Top 40 stations, hard rock and classic rock stations, R&B and hip hop stations, and the like.

But enough with the history lesson.  Let's get to the tunes.  Here are my top ten '80s songs that relate to social distancing, COVID-19, and what we are all going through, in alphabetical order by artist.  There are a lot of great songs that fit the bill, crossing many genres.  As always, I tried to go with songs that best fit the theme, and not necessarily my favorite songs or the "best" songs.  There may be songs that I have already featured in a COVID-19-themed Retro Video of the Week.  And as always, only one song per artist.  I gave you a bonus selection.  If you can't handle that, like, gag yourself with a spoon.

1.  "Social Disease" by Bon Jovi
The chorus on this track from Bon Jovi's 1987 mega album Slippery When Wet explains that "love is a social disease."  That is especially true in these times, as COVID-19 is a very social disease.  Good thing people in Lake of the Ozarks are having massive lake parties where people are shoulder to shoulder and sharing bottles of booze.  I'm sure that won't result in a spike.  Then again, as the song says, nothing a shot can't cure.



2.  "So Far Away" by Dire Straits
Dire Straits's 1985 hit "So Far Away" perfectly captures the feelings of longing associated with social distancing and staying at home for months on end.


3.  "Dancing with Myself" by Generation X/Billy Idol
Originally released in 1980 by Generation X -- whose lead singer was Billy Idol -- and then released a year later by Idol solo, it's allegedly a song about diddling oneself.  Whether it's about that or just dancing with oneself, it's my favorite Billy Idol song, and it's certainly appropriate in these times when, if you're like me, you have been spending most of your days dancing like Buffalo Bill in front a mirror with your wang tucked between your legs.


4.  "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson
This was a Retro Video of the Week last month, and it still holds true as a great social distancing song.


5.  "Hand to Mouth" by George Michael
One of the non-single tracks off of Michael's giant 1987 Faith album, "Hand to Mouth" should serve as a constant reminder that, after you touch a foreign surface, you should not touch your mouth unless you have washed your hands or used hand sanitizer.


6.  "Corona" by Minutemen
You probably know this as the Jackass theme song, and I couldn't have a list of '80s songs that are appropriate during the Coronavirus without including "Corona."


7.  "Stand Back" by Stevie Nicks
I find it's helpful to have this song on the ready on my phone whenever I go to a grocery store, so when some jackass creeps up on you in line, I can just hit "play," and blare the chorus.  If that doesn't work, mace is also effective.


8.  "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
This crescendoing classic by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers is appropriate both for businesses and individuals to explain, in no uncertain terms, what a stay-at-home order means to those who may still be unclear.


9.  "Don't Stand So Close To Me" by The Police
This is another one that immediately came to mind when I first made a socially distancing playlist.  Sure, it's a super creepy song about an inappropriate relationship between a student and teacher, but for our purposes, you can also blare this when encountering idiots who don't know how far six feet is. Or at least sing Sting's final repeating falsetto of "please don't stand so close to me."


10.  "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M.
While it's not actually the end of the world, COVID-19 has shown us that it has been the end of the world as we knew it.  I guess I feel fine, but I'm also an introvert, so working from home doesn't bother me.


11.  "I Drink Alone" by George Thorogood & The Destroyers
There was a time when drinking alone had a negative connotation, but we've all been drinking alone a lot more over the past two and a half months, so now it's just the norm.  That said, you should at least make sure there is someone on the other end of a Zoom or FaceTime when you're drinking, so that, if nothing else, you have someone other than the pictures on your wall to make inappropriate comments to.  Then again, maybe when you drink alone, you prefer to be by yourself.


Honorable mention:  "Get The Fuck Out Of My House" by 2 Live Crew; "Antisocial" by Anthrax; "Time To Get Ill" by Beastie Boys; "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin; "Die Young" by Black Sabbath; "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi; "Raise Your Hands" by Bon Jovi; "She's So Lonely" by Britny Fox"Poison" by Alice Cooper; "Me And My Wine" by Def Leppard"Breathless" by Dio; "Alone Again" by Dokken; "Surprise! You're Dead!" by Faith No More; "Kiss Me Deadly" by Lita Ford"Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by Georgia Satellites; "Patience" by Guns N' Roses; "Alone" by Heart; "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston"Leave Me Alone" by Michael Jackson"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" by Journey; "Too Late For Goodbyes" by Julian Lennon"Hands Off" by Junkyard; "Our House" by Madness; "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica"From a Distance" by Bette Midler; "Home Sweet Home" by Mötley Crüe; "I'm the Doctor" by Motörhead; "The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn" by The Pogues"Every Breath You Take" by The Police; "Spreading The Disease" by Queensrÿche; "You Sound Like You're Sick" by The Ramones; "Lack of Communication" by Ratt; "Take Me Down to the Hospital" by The Replacements; "Treatment Bound" by The Replacements; "Waiting On A Friend" by The Rolling Stones; "I Remember You" by Skid Row; "Alone At Midnight" by The Smithereens; "Panic" by The Smiths; "Ghost Town" by The Specials; "Doctor! Doctor!" by Thompson Twins; "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany; "Handle With Care" by Traveling Wilburys; "Dirty World" by Traveling Wilburys; "Not Alone Any More" by Traveling Wilburys; "Inside" by Van Halen; "Missing You" by John Waite; "Wait" by White Lion

CoronaVinyl Day 71 (Prog Rock): Brain Salad Surgery by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is prog rock, which is short for progressive rock, which is a genre I've never really been in love with, but that doesn't mean there isn't some of it that I enjoy.  It was kind of aural masturbation for musicians, featuring grandiose arrangements, a strong focus on technical musicianship, generally various keyboards and synthesizers, longer songs, and mixing elements of jazz and classical music into rock music.  Often cited as pretentious or appealing only to rock snobs, prog rock achieved its greatest success in the '70s, but then kind of both faded and splintered, thanks to emergence of more accessible forms of rock like punk -- which anyone with a guitar, bass, or drum set could play, as opposed to prog rock, which often required both expensive equipment and some sort of formal musical training.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer were one of the flag bearers of prog rock.  Formed in 1970, they were kind of a supergroup, with keyboardist Keith Emerson having previously been in The Nice, bassist/guitarist/singer Greg Lake having previously been in King Crimson, and drummer Carl Palmer having previously been in Atomic Rooster and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.  In their native UK, ELP was very popular.  Between studio albums and live albums, the band had eight Top 20 albums on the UK album charts during the '70s, six of which were Top 10 and five of which were Top 5, including one #1 album (1971's Tarkus).  While their success in the U.S. didn't quite match that, it was still pretty solid, with seven Top 20 albums on the Billboard album charts in the '70s, including four that reached the Top 10, two of which reached the Top 5.

1973's Brain Salad Surgery reached #2 in the UK and #11 in the U.S.  The cover is awesome, having been designed by H.R. Giger -- who also designed the terrifying alien from the Alien movie franchise (for which Giger won an Oscar).  The album cover has a skull in a vise, and then it folds open to reveal a Predator-looking woman who apparently recently received a lobotomy.  The inside features a fold-out poster with each band member's face peeking through a circle like on the front of the album.  Then when you unfold it, it reveals glamour shots of each member.  I'm not exactly sure why Greg Lake is topless.

The album itself is pure prog.  There are too many keyboards and organs to count.  There is "Toccata," an adaptation of a piano concerto by Argentinian classical composer Alberto Ginastera.  And then there is "Karn Evil 9," which is a three-part suite, not unlike a classical composition, that spans 29 minutes, including the last track on the first side of the album and the entire second side of the album.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Still . . . You Turn Me On"
This is a slower song with interludes of a nice little fuzzed out guitar lick that makes me want more.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression Part 2"
You likely know this song, even if you don't know it's actual name, as it has received a lot of play on classic rock radio over the years.  It starts with the familiar "Welcome back my friends / To the show that never ends / We're so glad you could attend / Come inside come inside."  It seems like we are stuck in the show that never ends right now, but regardless, I've always like this song and its carnival barking theme.  Also, Carl Palmer has a wicked drum solo.

Monday, May 25, 2020

CoronaVinyl Day 70 (Oldies): Elvis' Gold Records Vol. 2 by Elvis Presley

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "oldies," and I consider that to generally mean rock and roll from the mid '50s to the mid '60s -- before shit got heavy (both from a musical and lyrical standpoint).  And if we're going with oldies, we might as well go with The King.

This is the only full Elvis album I own.  Technically, it's his Gold Records Volume 2 compilation, but it's more commonly known as 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong.  It was released in 1959, and it was his fourth compilation album, despite the fact that he had only been recording music for about five years at that point.  This one features ten hit singles released in 1958 and 1959.  Of the ten songs on the album, only one didn't crack the Top 20 ("Doncha' Think It's Time," which peaked at #21), and only one other didn't crack the Top 10 ("My Wish Came True," which reached #12).

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Don't"
The 11th of his 18 #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, "Don't" was written by the legendary songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller, who wrote many of Elvis's other huge hits.  It's a nice, catchy ballad, where Elvis is backed by his usual band of Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana, but also by The Jordanaires, who often accompanied Elvis.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "One Night"
"One Night" is the song on the album that reminds me most of Elvis's "early" period, when his vocals would often trend more towards the throaty and scratchy than crooning -- more bluesy and soulful.