No.630: “We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions” by Bruce Springsteen & The Sessions Band (2006)
Having disbanded the E Street Band a second time following the hugely successful “The Rising” album and tour, and the subsequent “Devils & Dust” a year prior to this, The Boss chnaged direction in a dramatic manner. Assembling a band of what can only be termed as ‘minstrels’ he went back to his father’s Irish roots to bring us an album which turned out to be real hoot, terrific fun.
Combining his own songs only added to the atmosphere of this irresistible collection.
After an eight-year sabbatical (he doesn’t need to rush), Floyd’s David Gilmour returned after making Floyd’s splendid afterthought ‘The Endless River’ with this decidedly ‘pretty okay’ collection of new tunes. Nothing bad at all about the songs, but how you wish he would do something Floyd-ish occasionally. Two songs now - the title track single followed by the song he wrote about his mother’s dementia (and one I really took to heart about my dear old mum at the same time), ‘Faces Of Stone’:
Fugazi. I know them PS, but not too well. Only heard stuff years ago on John peel’s Show I think.
The beach Boys were one of the seminal bands of the 60’s. They took a while to take off in the UK because our charts were still saturated with those old crooners and their US hits were tiny over here in comparison, but we cottoned on after a few years.
Thanks bud Likewise with your thread.
lots more to come of course including those classics that not only I rate highly but are simply landmark albums in history. I reckon the top 500 from then on will be brilliant.
Just going to catch up other forum stuff now for a few minutes… see what the grannies are ranting on about!
I see a connection about Nick Cave. It’s a rather maudlin track.
Gilmour appears to want to take things easy most of the time, making albums that sound like Chris Rea could knock out in his sleep. There are some excellent moments in most of them though, that guitar is still amazing.
Faces of Stone to me sounds very strangely a little like Pink Floyd’s ‘The Fletcher Memorial Home’ from The Final Cut. Must be some subconscious thing going on there as that was virtually a Roger Waters album. See what you think:
No.628: “Monster” by R.E.M. (1994)
After becoming extremely successful with the albums Out Of Time and Automatic For The People following years as a very highly-rated but mediocre successful indie band, R.E.M. made this terrific guitar album.
Monster was stuffed full of grimy, grungy songs including thsi brilliant first hit:
No.627: “Aural Sculpture” by The Stranglers (1984)
The penultimate Stranglers album with Hugh Cornwell, Aural Sculpture ignored any current 80’s trends and stuck with the Stranglers’ tried and tested formula of producing tracks from the slightly darker side, to go with their persona. Two tracks from it here, both great singles: The first is their big hit ‘Skin Seep’ followed by my favourite song off the album, ‘No Mercy’:
The Ramones need no introduction of course, being the seminal New York rock ‘n’ roll punk act though basically a group of teenagers doing what was done in the garage scene 15 years earlier. Whatever they are, they gave us some great fun music. Here’s that big hit:
The legend that was Johnny Cash had a new lease of life in the mid-1990’s thanks to rap-metal producer Rick Rubin having a brainwave that Cash could be suited very well to a new audience, using a completely different style. What happened was a series of (eventually) seven album recorded but released in Cash’s last years (and posthumously) on Rubin’s “American Recordings” record label. When Cash dies in September 2003 after four of these successful albums, the record company put out a box set which comprised a further four of the singer’s very last recordings plus a best of the American years. I wouldn’t normally include a box set in this list but as these are unreleased tracks, I make an exception. Many songs are duets and covers, this is Glen Campbell classic ‘Wichita Lineman’ [obviously there were no videos made].
No.624: “Hand.Cannot.Erase.” by Steven Wilson (2015)
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Steven Wilson’s second appearance in the list with this superb modern progressive rock album from 2015. Wilson is one of the most in-demand producers at the moment lending his work to many artists including Marillion, Porcupine Tree and even branching out into the pop field too. He has also released a number of solo albums, of which this is my favourite.
Here’s a live excerpt from this album’s tour (featuring the vocals of Ninet Tayeb): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1IEbnFecXM
No.623: “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb” by U2 (2004)
The world’s consistently biggest band released this oddly-ttled record in 2004 with more of the same anthemic tunes but so expertly done you have to concede they are a brilliant group, whatever you think of Bono.
This includes massive hits such ‘Vertigo’ (which I always thought sounded like The Supremes’ ‘You keep Me Hanging On’), ‘Miracle Drug’ and ‘Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own’, but this fourth single is probably my pick of the bunch:
No.622: “Live - The Way We Walk. Vol.2: ‘The Longs’” (1993)
From the later era of Genesis, ‘Live - The Way We Walk’ were two separate albums of which this was for the more discerning listener (volume one being the pop hits). Including a lengthy mix of Genesis album tracks performed live on the ‘We Can’t Dance’ tour, this ‘Old Medley’ set features this medley of tracks from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway recorded in Rome:
I’d be very surprised and delighted if any of you know about this band. From Switzerland, The Shiver were a great melodically-sounding progressive rock band and that is all I came up with. I found this record on a DVD of rare prog albums around ten years ago and it’s a real grower.
In brief, two posts of two albums apiece. Thanks as always for reading and viewing.
No.620: “Deserter’s Songs” by Mercury Rev (1998)
Mercury Rev are an American band who make similar music like a less spaced-out version of the Flaming Lips. This track is probably their best known piece:
No.619: “This Is The Life” by Amy MacDonald (2007)
Scots lass Amy MacDonald and her debut release. The title track is excellent enough on it’s own but here’s the follow-up single:
