Tag: LP of the Week

LP of the Week 02/20/22-02/26/22

Well, it’s been almost 2 years since the start of the pandemic and I think we’re finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. People are beginning to accept that this is just how things are and with that, becoming more comfortable with getting back to experiencing life. In my eyes, that calls for a celebration of sorts.

This week i’m going to be highlighting the album that single handedly got me through the lockdowns and larger pandemic as a whole… Four Year Strong’s, “Brain Pain”. This was the album that I needed that I didn’t know I needed until things got wild.

As a fan since 2007 I was really excited when FYS announced their fifth studio album in January of 2020 and I really enjoyed the singles that led up to the release (Talking Myself in Circles & Brain Pain). In my head, this album was going to be the soundtrack for the upcoming spring/summer and I was really looking forward to this. What no one knew was that everything was about to change forever and large parts of the next 2 years would effectively be canceled as we all entered into a Naraka-like world.

From the bands standpoint, the timing of Brain Pain’s release could not have been any worse. From the fans standpoint, the timing could not have been any better. I’m sure this album would have been just as well received by all if the pandemic had never happened however it would have hit differently.

For one, the lyrical content is so incredibly in line with what a lot of people, including myself, were experiencing all throughout the lockdowns and overall pandemic it was hard to believe that this album was written pre-pandemic. Even though these songs were written about completely different issues, in a completely different world (leaving your family to tour, growing older, mental health, etc.) the words sung also described the “new normal” so well. I cannot commend FYS enough on this point because it’s really the ultimate goal when song writing – to write a song that doesn’t just apply to the authors situation but also to that of the listener.

Brain Pain made the mundaneness of the pandemic tolerable as it helped me work through a lot of these new emotions and mental stressers that were/are direct symptom(s) of the pandemic.

I want to really spotlight the lyrics here as well as the vinyl so below you can find a scan of the lyric insert that came with the LP. The artwork is killer and I think reading along as you listen is a really cool experience and honestly one of my favorite things about listening to vinyl.

As for the physical package, I was lucky enough to grab the special album sleeve that Pure Noise made up for pre-order (#42 of 100) that shows each member of FYS as a character from The Simpsons. It’s silly but really fun and was an easy purchase to make when figuring out how I could support the band through the pandemic. Another really cool part of this variant is that the vinyl actually glows in the dark, which while probably not practical for listening in the dark, it’s just another one of those nuances that makes the experience of spinning this record enjoyable.

I could go on for hours about each of these songs and what they mean in my head but I don’t want to skew anyone’s perception if they have never heard this one before. And I really hope that if you haven’t heard this one, you’ll give it a listen because regardless of if the lyrics speak to you or not, it’s a really fun listen with some truly catchy tracks.

Happy spinning!

Four Year Strong – Brain Pain (2020)

Tracklist

A1It’s Cool3:23
A2Get Out Of My Head3:10
A3Crazy Pills3:30
A4Talking Myself in Circles3:41
A5Learn To Love The Lie3:44
A6Brain Pain3:46
B1Mouth Full Of Dirt3:15
B2Seventeen3:25
B3Be Good When I’m Gone3:20
B4The Worst Part About Me3:45
B5Usefully Useless2:59
B6Young At Heart4:06

Accompanying Material

In December of 2021, FYS release the deluxe version of Brain Pain which included some awesome B-Sides as well as a couple of lo-fi remixes that give new life to some of the songs. There is also a great cover of The Verve’s, Bitter Sweet Symphony.

I’ve included the deluxe version of Brain Pain on my playlist below for anyone that is interested.

Please also check out the lo-fi version of my favorite track on Brain Pain, “Learn to Love The Lie”.

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LP of the Week 02/13/22-02/19/22 – (PART 2)

Hemispheres is the sixth studio album from Rush coming 1 year after “A Farewell To Kings”.

Side 1 is dedicated to the continuation and conclusion of the Cygnus X-1 story in six epic parts (think of it like a broadway play – this is Lin-Manuel Miranda quality story telling). If you did your homework and listened to their 1977 release, “A Farewell To Kings”, last night, then tonight you will hear some of the very same themes (and even a brief sample panned in the background) from the last track on that album, “Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage.

My favorite thing about Hemispheres, frankly, is the pacing. Today, this type of thing is lost as most new music is being put out in single format versus the LP but Rush were the masters of putting a cohesive body of work out with each album they released.

There is this kind of push and pull I feel every time I listen and it really makes the entire thing feel like one long trip. You even get you obligatory LOtR’s reference with song, “The Trees”. If you have read the books, this only makes the song that much more vibrant.

Now if you are lame and only want to listen to 1 song on this entire album, I say the track to listen to is, “La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise In Self-Indulgence)”. This is the exclamation point of the whole journey and the cherry on top as it nicely rounds out the album. It coincidentally also has my favorite guitar solo of all-time.

It’s solid front to back in all aspects (really the epitome of Rush if you ask me). There is once again this ever present ebb and flow that is kind of hypnotic but the first half of the song is really dedicated to building up what will eventually be the climax and release with Lifeson’s solo. From that moment, the entire song just takes off and has a complete life of its own that you definitely were not expecting.

It’s safe to say that this album ranks in my top 5 (as far as Rush albums are concerned) as it has some of my favorite guitar and bass playing of any classic rock album EVER.

Hopefully this has opened some eyes to Rush songs that aren’t YYZ or Tom Sawyer and should only help you appreciate those later songs/albums even more. I would recommend giving this one a listen at full volume for an optimal experience and maybe mix in an indica for good measure. 

The universe divided
As the heart and mind collided
With the people left unguided
For so many troubled years
In a cloud of doubts and fears
Their world was torn asunder into hollow
Hemispheres

Rush – Hemispheres (1978)

Tracklist

A1Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres18:07
IPrelude
IIApollo (Bringer Of Wisdom)
IIIDionysus (Bringer Of Love)
IVArmageddon (The Battle Of Heart And Mind)
VCygnus (Bringer Of Balance)
VIThe Sphere (A Kind Of Dream)
B1Circumstances3:42
B2The Trees4:46
B3La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise In Self-Indulgence)9:36
IBuenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!
IITo Sleep, Perchance To Dream …
IIIStrangiato Theme
IVA Lerxst In Wonderland
VMonsters!
VIThe Ghost Of The Aragon
VIIDanforth And Pape
VIIIThe Waltz Of The Shreves
IXNever Turn Your Back On A Monster!
XMonsters! (Reprise)
XIStrangiato Theme (Reprise)
XIIA Farewell To Things

Accompanying Material

This is listed as the official music video of this song but what I like about it is that you can really get an idea for how fucking talented these 3 were. To be able to write something like this and record it is one thing but to then go and perform that live and pull it off (if not exceed what you did on the recording) is pretty remarkable.

I don’t want to be that guy or sound like i’m 80 years old but we will likely never see 3 people playing in the same band that can accomplish this type of feat with instruments.

Rush was lightning in a bottle and i’m really glad I got to see them back in 2012 with the guy who got me so deeply invested in music, my old man. Also, have this photo from the Rock ‘n’ Roll HOF…

Circa 2018, i’m cheesin’ real hard
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LP of the Week 02/13/22-02/19/22 – (PART 1)

Been off for a couple of weeks due to life getting in the way and monopolizing all my time but I’m back with a very robust LP of the Week. Since I missed a couple weeks, I’m going to do something a bit different here and try and make up for lost time by highlighting 2 albums (in 2 parts) that were meant to be played back-to-back. Hopefully there is something here that you have never heard before and can appreciate.

During my couple weeks off from writing I began reading Neil Peart’s book, “Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road“, and what followed was a deep dive of the Rush discography. That is how we got here.

(As a side note, anyone who is interested in Neil Peart’s story or motorcycles or adventures, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this and giving it a read. I also do have plans to add a page on this blog with books i’ve really enjoyed, all music related, so keep an eye out if you are looking for something new to pick up)

Now, as many of you probably already know, I fucking love Rush. If I absolutely had to pick a favorite band from any place in time, Rush would be my choice. In my opinion, they have it all… an incredible rhythm section (greatest rock drummer/greatest rock bassist of all-time), some of the best guitar playing to come out of the 70’s & 80’s (Alex Lifeson is highly underrated), and a lot of Lord of the Rings references. Rush was just 3 normal guys who really enjoyed playing and creating music together while continually trying to push the limits of what they thought was possible. I’ve also really respected and looked up to how they didn’t fall into the typical Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle like so many bands before and after them. I can’t remember where I read it but I remember Gene Simmons mentioning how Rush just wanted to hang in their hotel room and be quiet/read after shows (Rush toured with Kiss on their “Hotter Than Hell” tour in 1975).

Kiss , Rush | Music concert posters, Rock band posters, Concert posters
November 15, 1975

There was never any overplaying/underplaying with Rush. Each member was an absolute expert in their field and knew their exact place in each composition which is an incredibly hard thing to accomplish, especially for a trio (for anyone who has ever tried to write music with other people, you know what I mean).

Now, the normal go-to albums from the Rush catalogue for most humans are Fly By Night, 2112 and Moving Pictures which are all fine and dandy but there are so many other Rush albums that have songs that just didn’t get the same play on the radio. Because of this, generations that came after Rush (mine included) have not had the same type of exposure to these other gems that really are the core of the Rush discography.

One year after 2112 came out (1977), Rush released an album called, “A Farewell To Kings”, where they doubled down on the idea of writing full compositions as opposed to 3-4 minute songs. What they came up with was an album that I believe to be their most ambitious and probably my favorite overall Rush record (when playing front to back). This album was the one that set them off on their journey as prog rock kings and fully catapulted them into fame.

This record is truly unique and deserves a proper 37 minutes to work through. Much like DSOTM, this is one of those albums that you just need to put on some headphones, close your eyes and let the music take you on its intended journey.

Before I go, I want to leave you with a coupe of thoughts/facts about each song to ponder while listening…

  • The opener and album title is a play off of Ernest Hemingway’s, “A Farewell to Arms”.
  • The second track, Xanadu, was inspired by the poem “Kubla Khan“, which was written by a British poet named Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  • The main acoustic guitar ridf on Closer To The Heart was written by Geddy Lee
  • Cinderella Man is notable as it’s one of the few Rush songs that Geddy Lee wrote all of the lyrics for after Neil Peart joined the band in 1974
  • Madrigal is the 3rd shortest Rush song clocking in at x:xx
  • Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage, which closes the album, is the first part of the Cygnus X-1 sci fi story…..

Well, what are you waiting for? Go give it a listen and then meet back here tomorrow at Noon for part 2.

Rush – A Farewell To Kings (1977)

Tracklist

A1A Farewell To Kings5:53
A2Xanadu11:06
B1Closer To The Heart2:52
B2Cinderella Man4:20
B3Madrigal2:35
B4Cygnus X-110:27

Accompanying Material

Canadian trailer trash meets Canadian Rock Royalty – quite possibly my favorite ending to any episode of the Trailer Park Boys.

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LP of the Week 01/23/22-01/29/22

This is my second favorite RHCP album. As a bass player, the grooves explored by Flea and Chad are some of the most memorable and often find their way into my head when I’m trying to fall asleep or cutting the grass. Even though the themes and sounds of this album sometimes don’t feel like one cohesive piece, it was without a doubt a major growing point for the group as a whole.

It was also the first album that John Frusciante cemented himself as a major player in the guitar world with his special style. I think the first time I had heard about this album was after having seen the RHCP in 2007 at the Allstate Arena on their Stadium Arcadium tour. They played the title track Blood Sex Sugar Magik and I remember falling into a trance over Flea’s bassline and the power of the drums. When I got home from that concert I went straight to iTunes and looked up the song, saw it was on an album with Under the Bridge and proceeded to immediately download the entire thing.

This was the album that made the Chili Peppers what they are today and put them on the map. With help of the radio’s and MTV, the RHCP became a household name over night. This was of course back in the days that record labels made money and could throw a couple million dollars at an artist (if they were the top dogs on a label) for tours/gear/studio time/etc.

After BSSM, John left the band which opened up the door to Dave Navarro joining the band and putting our my 3rd favorite RHCP album, One Hot Minute (maybe will spotlight in the future). While this is a very long album, it’s full of songs that I bet you’ve never heard before and is a wonderful listen in the summer while working in the yard.

The album opens with arguably my favorite opening track of any album, all-time. Please give this one a spin!

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

Tracklist

A1The Power Of Equality4:00
A2If You Have To Ask4:11
A3Breaking The Girl5:03
A4Funky Monks5:22
A5Suck My Kiss3:35
B1I Could Have Lied4:10
B2Mellowship Slinky In B Major4:00
B3The Righteous & The Wicked4:05
B4Give It Away4:45
C1Blood Sugar Sex Magik4:31
C2Under The Bridge4:34
C3Naked In The Rain4:30
C4Apache Rose Peacock4:43
D1The Greeting Song3:14
D2My Lovely Man4:45
D3Sir Psycho Sexy8:24
D4They’re Red Hot1:44

Accompanying Material

This documentary below gives you a real good idea of the type of headspace the RHCP were in going into recording BSSM. The entire band lived in this house (with the exception of Chad who would ride his motorcycle home after sessions) for the entirety of the recording.

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LP of the Week 01/16/22-01/22/22

Didn’t have a ton of time to sit down and articulate all my thoughts this week which got me thinking…maybe there is a better way of doing these weekly posts. After some time reflecting on what I truly wanted this weekly series to accomplish, I realized that I need it to be more about the music/vinyl rather than my odd musings, fun facts and rankings (you’ll have to buy me a couple of beers for this info if you really want it). Think of these posts as a bookmark for discovery or shared passion rather than a place to listen to me Ramble On (see what I did there, eh?).

So, starting today, these posts will focus solely on the LP – artwork, packaging, media, and any other accompanying material.

If I find it necessary to the listening experience, I will chime in where necessary but other than that I will remain quiet. This will make it easier for me to continue to showcase my ever growing vinyl collection while also hopefully sharing my love for music and vinyl.

I also want to challenge anyone, who may have the album that I am showcasing in a given week, to give it a spin without interruption during the same week posted. Even if you are digitally spinning on Spotify or Tidal or whatever, at the end of the day it’s all about the music and actively listening to what is being played.

Cheers!

Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)

Tracklist

A115 Step3:57
A2Bodysnatchers4:02
A3Nude4:15
A4Weird Fishes/Arpeggi5:18
A5All I Need3:49
B1Faust Arp2:10
B2Reckoner4:50
B3House Of Cards5:28
B4Jigsaw Falling Into Place4:09
B5Videotape4:40

Accompanying Material

The video below is super cool and is completely free on YouTube. Radiohead plays ‘In Rainbows’ (and a couple of others) front to back without interruption and it’s honestly one of my favorite studio sessions out there.

I’d say watch this video only after having spun the record. The talent it takes to pull something like this off is mind blowing and a testament to why Radiohead is one of the best to ever do it.

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LP of the Week 01/09/22-01/15/22

Back in the day, figuring out what famous celebrities you shared a birth-month with was all the rage. I have a distinct memory of sitting in the computer room of my Catholic elementary school (around 4th or 5th grade) and asking Jeeves to tell me what famous musicians had birthdays in January (because I was not concerned with all celebrities, just the ones I identified with).

What I found was that I shared a birth month with some of my absolute favorite musicians (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Eddie Van Halen, Malcolm Young, and Michael Schenker to name a few). This is also where I recognized the name David Bowie for maybe the second or third time. Since I had not yet had much exposure to his music, I figured I should seek it out to see if I felt the same kind of connection to his music that I felt with the other artists mentioned above. As soon as I got home from school I rifled through my dad’s CD collection and eventually found what I was looking for…an album called, ‘Let’s Dance’. This record would send me on a journey of musical discovery (both forward in time and back) that I’m still on today.

Not only did Bowie become one of my favorite musicians, writers, and actors but he was also someone I deeply respected for never being concerned with what others thought of him. Bowie died two days after his birthday in 2016 (January 10) and this week is the 6th year anniversary of his passing into the great beyond.

I can think of no better way to celebrate his life than to spin my favorite album of his, ‘Let’s Dance’.

David Bowie – Let’s Dance (1983)

Tracklist

A1Modern Love4:46
A2China Girl5:32
A3Let’s Dance7:38
A4Without You3:08
B1Ricochet5:14
B2Criminal World4:25
B3Cat People (Putting Out Fire)5:09
B4Shake It3:49

Elements & Character

The opening track ‘Modern Love’ gets the party started and sets the tone for the entire album. Have always really loved that huge snare/kick drum as it is completely at the front of the mix and overtakes everything. Add in the piano, sax, killer bass line, and catchy lyrics/melody and this is a one of a kind composition that only David Bowie could pull off. I’ve always felt like every time this song comes on at a wedding or large gathering of people, there should be a giant flash mob that does a choreographed dance like in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Maybe i’ll try and start a “Tik-Tok challenge”? Eh, Maybe not.

I also bet you didn’t know that Stevie Ray Vaughn played lead guitar all throughout this album? I can’t remember how old I was when I figured this out but I can tell you that it was for sure within the last 10 years. According to legend, Bowie discovered SRV after seeing him at some music festival and asked him to play on this album. Bowie also wanted SRV to tour with him (to support the album), but Stevie surprisingly declined because he believed in his group, Double Trouble, and thought they could reach the same level of fame their own way. Turned out to be a wonderful decision as SRV eventually became a household name and one of the greatest guitar players of all-time (top 5 for sure).

Another interesting thing is that the song, ‘China Girl’, was actually written by Iggy Pop and initially put out on Iggy’s album, ‘The Idiot’, in 1977 (see the video below to hear the original). The song didn’t see any success until Bowie slightly re-worked and re-released it in 1983 on ‘Let’s Dance’. The money that Iggy Pop made from this song, thanks to Bowie, gave him financial stability for the first time in his life and also allowed him to get married and have a wedding.

Bowie just bringing people together and making dreams come true, how cool is that?

How To Listen

Move your coffee table, grab a glass of your favorite dancing drink or favorite dancing strain and let loose.

Record Shelf Ranking

Of the music I have in my collection from the 80’s, David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ comes in as my #5 favorite record for the decade.

More than anything, this was the record that helped open my eyes to other genres of music. While a rock/blues album at its core, it explored new sounds that I had never heard up to this point (new wave especially). It’s a pop album and not a pop album all at the same time.

‘Let’s Dance’ also has some of the coolest bass work of anything that came out of the 80’s (see Criminal World). It’s hard not to shamlessley dance to this album every time it comes on.

Give it a spin and see for yourself!

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LP of the Week 01/02/22-01/08/22

And we’re off!

With 2022 officially here, I thought this would be a great time to start a series, that for lack of a better name, I’m going to call “LP of the Week”. Here’s the deal… each week I will feature an LP from my record collection and discuss the record while also explaining what it means to me and why it deserves a spot in any music lovers record collection. I don’t really have a specific format for these as i’m just having some fun and shooting from the hip but I hope all 52 will be fun reads. The plan is to post every Wednesday at Noon, CST.

Music covered will be highly diverse, ranging across multiple genres so chances are there will be something here for everyone. Picking a record off the shelf at random has always been a fun way to spend an evening (along with your favorite beverage or plant) so if you’ve got the record I’m featuring in a given week, feel free to throw it on while reading for a maximum experience boost.

Being that this weeks moon phase is a ‘New Moon’ (and is therefore dark) I’m kicking off 2022 with one of my all-time favorite albums….yep, you guessed it… Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon!

Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Tracklist

A1Speak To Me1:13
A2Breathe2:44
A3On The Run3:53
A4Time6:47
A5The Great Gig In The Sky4:37
B1Money6:29
B2Us And Them7:45
B3Any Colour You Like3:27
B4Brain Damage3:47
B5Eclipse1:58

Elements & Character

When I was younger, I spent countless hours taking recordings of songs with my brother (many of which we recorded with whatever the stock recording software was on my parent’s Dell Gateway and a crappy microphone that used to sit on top of the monitor) and then reversing them, trying to find hidden messages in the jumble. This infatuation for easter eggs in my music all started when I was first introduced to Led Zeppelin’s, ‘Stairway to Heaven’, and the, “…here’s to sweet satan…”, hidden message… thanks Dad.

Ever since that moment, these types of purposeful “accidents” have held a special place in my heart. It’s such a unique discovery that it simply gives a record character. Dark Side Of The Moon is no exception and may even be the holy grail when talking about such little meanderings.

One of the coolest starts at the 1:36 mark of Eclipse; If you crank the volume and listen closely, you can hear an orchestral version of The Beatles, “Ticket to Ride”, that was caught in the background while recording the doorman at Abbey Road Studios (where DSoTM was recorded). The doorman says, “There is no dark side of the moon, really…as a matter of fact it’s all dark”, and then you can clearly hear what I’m assuming was just the soundtrack of the lobby where the doorman worked. Like I said….character.

How To Listen

Dark Side of the Moon is a one of a kind record and being so, it requires a one of a kind listening experience. What you’ll need to do is find a nice dark room, get yourself a pair of noise canceling headphones (preferable over the ear), spin this record at 33 1/2 RPM and feel the power of the needle in each groove.

If this is too spooky of an option, I do have a less extreme way you can listen to this album while also viewing one of the greatest movies of all time… The Wizard of Oz.

Now I know you’ve probably heard this one but I doubt you’ve ever tried it. The age old tale is that if you start DSotM and The Wizard of Oz at just the right time, they sync perfectly to the point where it could very easily be the soundtrack. All I can say is that it works..I’ve done it multiple times, both with VHS and DVD…I think you should try it…it’s really cool (I’ll leave the steps below for anyone looking for a weekend activity – you’ll thank me later).

  1. Place Dark Side of the Moon on your turntable (or Spotify – make sure gapless playback is selected in settings); press play.
  2. Start The Wizard of Oz DVD (or stream it if you can find it). I recommend choosing subtitles to play with the movie because it lets the music take front stage.
  3. Wait for the black and white MGM lion to appear. Once he roars for the third time, drop the needle (or press play on Spotify).
  4. Now press mute on your TV and crank up the volume in your headphones (if it’s too late for your neighbors)
  5. To ensure you are in sync, you will see the credit, “Produced by Mervyn LeRoy.” This credit should be fading during the transition from “Speak to Me” to “Breathe.”
  6. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Record Shelf Ranking

Of the music I have in my collection from the 70’s, Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ comes in as my #21 favorite record for the decade.

It’s as well received in 2022 as it was in 1973 and I think a big part of that is because it’s realistic, both sonically and metaphorically. It has stood the ultimate test, which is that of time and each subsequent generation has found this album and embraced it with open arms. 2023 will be the 50 year anniversary of DSotM and I think it will continue to be the inspiring baseline for prog rock standards another 50 years after.

If you’ve never listened (no judgement from this guy), I highly recommend you set aside 43 minutes and 09 seconds fully devoted to one of the greatest albums of all-time.

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