For the most part, the first album I post is the one I liked the best out of the ones I've listened to on a certain day, and that's the one that will determine the title of that day's entry.
Today is an exception: "Hotel California", the song, was such a big hit and such an important part of my life, that I didn't want to leave it out, so to speak.
But the album is not that good and, on the other hand, Rumours, is too good an album to be relegated to second place.
So, here we are, moving from 1976 to 1977, and there's a lot of changes in music coming along. But also, personally speaking, this is when I, sort of, started knowing the music in a more contemporary way, so to speak. I didn't get to listen to either of these albums at the moment of their release, that's true, but they were still considered "current" when I got to them, a couple of years later.
Also, three bands today that I had never written about. That hasn't happened in quite a while!
So let's get started.
Now, this album is a sort of strange miracle, in a way. Like all the really great albums, it makes me think something happened while I was being recorded, some sort of planetary alignment that turned what could have been a good album, into a great one.
They were having a lot of personal conflicts at the time they were recording this one, and I have no idea if that had something to do with how good this album is. It's still sort of wondrous that they made such a brilliant album out of so much personal wreckage.
The band understood pretty quickly that the time of the dinosaurs was dying out, and they wanted to give their album a more pop-rock sound. Now, by any kind of categorisation one can come up with, this would be classified as "easy listening". It's full of catchy melodies, it has a lot of pop hooks, they sing about love and loss. So what is it about the album that is so special?
Thinking about it, I guess that all those personal tensions had a lot to do with this. The lyrics, for one, always sound personal. Regardless of who's singing them, whether it's McVie, with her sweet voice, Nicks with her more ragged style, or even Buckingham, there's something about the delivery that makes you identify with them. But I think there's something more intangible, perhaps, as if this album was a constant battle, with them hurting one another constantly through the lyrics, and this somehow translated to their singing and playing. So, easy listening? Perhaps. But at the same time powerful, gritty and raw.
Also, it was ridiculously influential, not only as far as 70s music goes, but way beyond that.
Today is an exception: "Hotel California", the song, was such a big hit and such an important part of my life, that I didn't want to leave it out, so to speak.
But the album is not that good and, on the other hand, Rumours, is too good an album to be relegated to second place.
So, here we are, moving from 1976 to 1977, and there's a lot of changes in music coming along. But also, personally speaking, this is when I, sort of, started knowing the music in a more contemporary way, so to speak. I didn't get to listen to either of these albums at the moment of their release, that's true, but they were still considered "current" when I got to them, a couple of years later.
Also, three bands today that I had never written about. That hasn't happened in quite a while!
So let's get started.
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - 1977
First, let me say this: I'm a bit embarrassed that this is the first album I have ever listened to by this band. And I don't mean that it was the first one back then. Clearly, I have never listened to anything they have done before, and I should really sort that out.Now, this album is a sort of strange miracle, in a way. Like all the really great albums, it makes me think something happened while I was being recorded, some sort of planetary alignment that turned what could have been a good album, into a great one.
They were having a lot of personal conflicts at the time they were recording this one, and I have no idea if that had something to do with how good this album is. It's still sort of wondrous that they made such a brilliant album out of so much personal wreckage.
The band understood pretty quickly that the time of the dinosaurs was dying out, and they wanted to give their album a more pop-rock sound. Now, by any kind of categorisation one can come up with, this would be classified as "easy listening". It's full of catchy melodies, it has a lot of pop hooks, they sing about love and loss. So what is it about the album that is so special?
Thinking about it, I guess that all those personal tensions had a lot to do with this. The lyrics, for one, always sound personal. Regardless of who's singing them, whether it's McVie, with her sweet voice, Nicks with her more ragged style, or even Buckingham, there's something about the delivery that makes you identify with them. But I think there's something more intangible, perhaps, as if this album was a constant battle, with them hurting one another constantly through the lyrics, and this somehow translated to their singing and playing. So, easy listening? Perhaps. But at the same time powerful, gritty and raw.
Also, it was ridiculously influential, not only as far as 70s music goes, but way beyond that.
- Just for gossip's sake: Christine and John McVie were divorcing at the time, after 8 years of marriage, Buckingham and Nicks were splitting up after a 6 year relationship, and Fleetwood had found out his wife had been cheating on him with a friend of his. Fun times.
- Somehow, still they managed to party hard. Legend has it that they would drink and do cocaine until 1 or 2 in the morning and only then, when they were wasted, they would start recording.
- I first heard songs from this album in 1979 or 1980. It was huge here. For I don't know how long, I kept thinking that Stevie Nicks was the guy and Lindsay Buckingham, the girl.
- Back then, probably even before knowing her name, I was fascinated by Stevie. I loved her strange clothes, that fairy/witch/gipsy vibe, and her strange voice. I still like her a lot.
- The song "Oh Daddy" was called "Addy" for quite a while. During sessions, the producer accidentally snapped the tape. When they listened again, it was "Oh Addy", because the 'D' had been snapped away.
- I could really put the whole album here, but I'm going to put the one song that I think stands out in an album in which it's very difficult to stand out because it's all brilliant. I'm putting "The Chain", which I think it's, simply put, an absolutely jewel.
The Eagles - Hotel California - 1976
Oh! The memories!
I was maybe 10 back then, one or two years after its release, and me and my cousin would play this non-stop. And no, I don't mean the album, actually. We would play the song over and over and over again, singing until we knew every line of the lyrics, and every subtlety in the intonation.
I was maybe 10 back then, one or two years after its release, and me and my cousin would play this non-stop. And no, I don't mean the album, actually. We would play the song over and over and over again, singing until we knew every line of the lyrics, and every subtlety in the intonation.
It's a song that still holds strong today, and an absolute classic. There's not much that I can say about it. It's both an absolute symbol of its time, and a timeless song.
As for the rest of the album, it's considered one of their best, and has received high praise over the years. I think all those people must have felt that way because they were comparing it to their previous material, which was supposed to be more country oriented. I have never listened to anything else they did, and as a standalone, I have a bit of trouble understanding the fascination.
As for the rest of the album, it's considered one of their best, and has received high praise over the years. I think all those people must have felt that way because they were comparing it to their previous material, which was supposed to be more country oriented. I have never listened to anything else they did, and as a standalone, I have a bit of trouble understanding the fascination.
The habit of listening to music via iPod, iPhone, or even here in the computer, has made me disregard good songs by just playing the favourite ones. And I have come to discover/remember many such songs in the past couple of months. This is not the case here. Still just two songs: the title track and "New Kid in Town". Both are beautiful
The rest, I don't think I will suffer too much if I never listen to them again. Then again, I don't think I will suffer too much if I do.
- Of course, I'm putting "Hotel California" here. As of now, the video, uploaded in late 2015 has had 205 million views! Still, it's too good a song. Look at the bonus tracks also.
Some say living is easy
Crawler - Crawler - 1977
I don't know anything about this band. All I know is that in 1975, Paul Kossoff (who had played in Free), formed a band called Back Street Crawler. He died not too long after that, and the remaining members changed name and released a couple of albums, of which this one is the first.
It's actually a pretty good album, I think. It showcases a strange mixture of blues, rock, soul and funk, and still manages to sound great, and not a panache. The musicians and vocalist are really good, and I liked most of the songs.
Definitely an album I will go back to. I would need to listen to it a few more times to have a more formed opinion, but I certainly liked it a lot.
- For some reason, the song "Sold on down the line" reminds me a lot of Monster Magnet. That's probably why it stands out so much for me, and that's why I'm putting it here.
Bonus track
- Just today, I was told about this one. It's a busker playing in the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina. I think he's absolutely brilliant!
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