I’m back at work, but struggling with the transition.
I’m challenging myself to listen to 5 albums all the way through at least one day per week.
It will help the time pass.
Want to help me pick the albums?
The first theme is British Invasion. List up to 5 British Invasion albums I should listen to tomorrow. I will compile my list based upon responses and will post comments on each after I listen.
I’ll probably have already heard most of these many times, but good music can never be heard enough!!
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 22 Jul 2020, 8:14pm
by Heston
Not sure what you've heard but here is my tuppence worth...
The Kinks - Are the Village Green Preservation Society
Small Faces - There Are But Four Small Faces (US release)
The Who - Sell Out
Zombies - Odessey and Oracle
Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 22 Jul 2020, 8:32pm
by Heston
As a wild card try a bit of Graduate, here's a playlist of their first album plus extras. They became Tears For Fears so they tenuously had some US success...
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 22 Jul 2020, 8:34pm
by Dr. Medulla
You've undoubtedly listened to The Beatles’ Please Please Me, but it's always worth revisiting to marvel at what they unleashed. It was Limeys interpreting American music and totally overwhelming American audiences. There's a certain familiarity breeding contempt, but it's still an amazing record to my ears.
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 22 Jul 2020, 8:48pm
by revbob
Something from the Yardbirds.
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 23 Jul 2020, 10:29am
by WestwayKid
I've started out with Please Please Me. My first exposure to The Beatles was through my dad's US albums. It was a real rush to hear this for the first time on CD back in the late 80's. I Saw Her Standing There is one of the greatest opening tracks of all time. They sound confident despite their years, but then they had been playing these songs live for several years. I love Lennon's ravaged voice, especially on Anna. His ragged pleading is amazing. He also sounds great on Baby, It's You. Twist and Shout is transcendent. I honestly think it blows away the original. There are a handful of tracks I don't really care for. I've never been a fan of Love Me Do. It's not horrible, but it has always sounded a little underdeveloped to my ears. I'm also not huge on Do You Want to Know a Secret. I get that they were trying to sell George as the brooding balladeer early on, but it sounds a bit cheesy. Despite some of the songs being below par, their exuberance pulls the whole thing together. I imagine this must have been a real kick to the head for many listeners the first time they spun in back in 1963.
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 23 Jul 2020, 11:18am
by tepista
Herman's Hermits
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 23 Jul 2020, 11:20am
by JennyB
Black Celebration
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 23 Jul 2020, 12:26pm
by WestwayKid
Next up was Odessey and Oracle. This is one of my favorite records ever. To call this LP a lost classic is an understatement. It's an amazing work that still stands up today. It doesn't sound dated like some records from that era. It's quirky (consider that the 1st track is about a guy sitting in jail), but so well played. Great rhythm section and I've grown to really appreciate the guitar playing of the late Paul Atkinson. There are a lot of cool little details that pop out after repeated listening. Great harmonies, too. Brief Candles is a standout for me, with its moody verses and urgent, propulsive chorus. I also really like Hung Up in a Dream and Changes. Also, crazy I've gone this far into my comments without mentioning Rod Argent's Mellotron playing. The legend is they found one sitting in Abbey Road (left behind by John Lennon) and proceeded to make the most of it. There really isn't a bad song on this album (though some are lighter than others). I saw them play it live last fall (with 4 of the 5 original members) and it sounded amazing. Colin Blunstone's voice has only gotten better with age.
Re: WWK’s Work Day Music Challenge
Posted: 23 Jul 2020, 2:49pm
by WestwayKid
Just finished There Are But Four Small Faces. It's a fantastic collection of songs, obviously augmented by the inclusion of 3 of their greatest singles. It's an interesting mix of songs from the relatively quiet to the very loud. I tend to prefer the more muscular tracks. Talk to You is a favorite. Marriott's guitar riff is perfection and I like McLagan's little piano bit. Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me) is another great track. Man, Steve Marriott just might have been the best lead vocalist ever. Great slow build on I'm Only Dreaming. The goofy backing vocals on I Feel Much Better have always been a little off putting for me, but Ronnie Lane plays a great fuzz bass on this one and it also showcases how good of a drummer Kenney Jones was/is. The opening of Tin Soldier is one of my fave of all time. I love how they slowly layer the instruments until Marriott's shout of "come on" and then it's really gets going until they pull it back slightly for his delivery of the first verse. The Small Faces are another criminally underappreciated British band (especially in the US).
Just finished There Are But Four Small Faces. It's a fantastic collection of songs, obviously augmented by the inclusion of 3 of their greatest singles. It's an interesting mix of songs from the relatively quiet to the very loud. I tend to prefer the more muscular tracks. Talk to You is a favorite. Marriott's guitar riff is perfection and I like McLagan's little piano bit. Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me) is another great track. Man, Steve Marriott just might have been the best lead vocalist ever. Great slow build on I'm Only Dreaming. The goofy backing vocals on I Feel Much Better have always been a little off putting for me, but Ronnie Lane plays a great fuzz bass on this one and it also showcases how good of a drummer Kenney Jones was/is. The opening of Tin Soldier is one of my fave of all time. I love how they slowly layer the instruments until Marriott's shout of "come on" and then it's really gets going until they pull it back slightly for his delivery of the first verse. The Small Faces are another criminally underappreciated British band (especially in the US).
I've been saying this for years about Steve's voice. He had everything. Even Robert Plant doffed his cap to him as the best ever British vocalist.
Tin Soldier is one of those songs which is just sent down from heaven fully formed.
As a wild card try a bit of Graduate, here's a playlist of their first album plus extras. They became Tears For Fears so they tenuously had some US success...
Just finished There Are But Four Small Faces. It's a fantastic collection of songs, obviously augmented by the inclusion of 3 of their greatest singles. It's an interesting mix of songs from the relatively quiet to the very loud. I tend to prefer the more muscular tracks. Talk to You is a favorite. Marriott's guitar riff is perfection and I like McLagan's little piano bit. Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me) is another great track. Man, Steve Marriott just might have been the best lead vocalist ever. Great slow build on I'm Only Dreaming. The goofy backing vocals on I Feel Much Better have always been a little off putting for me, but Ronnie Lane plays a great fuzz bass on this one and it also showcases how good of a drummer Kenney Jones was/is. The opening of Tin Soldier is one of my fave of all time. I love how they slowly layer the instruments until Marriott's shout of "come on" and then it's really gets going until they pull it back slightly for his delivery of the first verse. The Small Faces are another criminally underappreciated British band (especially in the US).
I've been saying this for years about Steve's voice. He had everything. Even Robert Plant doffed his cap to him as the best ever British vocalist.
Tin Soldier is one of those songs which is just sent down from heaven fully formed.
It needs to be said that not only did he have an amazing voice, but he was a bad ass guitar player AND a songwriter.
Just finished There Are But Four Small Faces. It's a fantastic collection of songs, obviously augmented by the inclusion of 3 of their greatest singles. It's an interesting mix of songs from the relatively quiet to the very loud. I tend to prefer the more muscular tracks. Talk to You is a favorite. Marriott's guitar riff is perfection and I like McLagan's little piano bit. Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me) is another great track. Man, Steve Marriott just might have been the best lead vocalist ever. Great slow build on I'm Only Dreaming. The goofy backing vocals on I Feel Much Better have always been a little off putting for me, but Ronnie Lane plays a great fuzz bass on this one and it also showcases how good of a drummer Kenney Jones was/is. The opening of Tin Soldier is one of my fave of all time. I love how they slowly layer the instruments until Marriott's shout of "come on" and then it's really gets going until they pull it back slightly for his delivery of the first verse. The Small Faces are another criminally underappreciated British band (especially in the US).
I've been saying this for years about Steve's voice. He had everything. Even Robert Plant doffed his cap to him as the best ever British vocalist.
Tin Soldier is one of those songs which is just sent down from heaven fully formed.
Just finished There Are But Four Small Faces. It's a fantastic collection of songs, obviously augmented by the inclusion of 3 of their greatest singles. It's an interesting mix of songs from the relatively quiet to the very loud. I tend to prefer the more muscular tracks. Talk to You is a favorite. Marriott's guitar riff is perfection and I like McLagan's little piano bit. Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me) is another great track. Man, Steve Marriott just might have been the best lead vocalist ever. Great slow build on I'm Only Dreaming. The goofy backing vocals on I Feel Much Better have always been a little off putting for me, but Ronnie Lane plays a great fuzz bass on this one and it also showcases how good of a drummer Kenney Jones was/is. The opening of Tin Soldier is one of my fave of all time. I love how they slowly layer the instruments until Marriott's shout of "come on" and then it's really gets going until they pull it back slightly for his delivery of the first verse. The Small Faces are another criminally underappreciated British band (especially in the US).
I've been saying this for years about Steve's voice. He had everything. Even Robert Plant doffed his cap to him as the best ever British vocalist.
Tin Soldier is one of those songs which is just sent down from heaven fully formed.
I never much cared for Plant's vocals.
I think he served as a good front man though.
Well I think you know how I feel about Led Zep. Never cared for them or Plant at all.