Turns out NYC is a great place to be if you’re a Zeppelin fan.
Last night we took in a Rangers game at Madison Square Garden which has always been a bucket list item for me. Not because I love hockey, but because as a kid I was obsessed (and still am) with Zeppelin. I don’t really remember what age I was when my old man first showed me the, “Song Remains the Same” soundtrack, but if I had to guess, it was around 8-years-old.
As you probably know, the soundtrack for the movie, released under the same name, was of a live performance which was filmed/recorded at Madison Square Garden across 3 nights in 1973 (July 27th and July 29th). It is Zeppelin’s only live album and, in my opinion, one of the greatest Rock performances ever recorded. To be in the same building where this all went down, was a humbling experience and one I won’t soon forget (and the Rangers got shutout by the Hurricanes 4-0, lol).
Now what I’ve learned from this little trip is that the designer of the cover, Peter Corriston, seems to have cut a floor off the building (artistic liberties, I guess). Regardless, this was such a cool experience and I was even able to get a cup of tea (Tea for One? HA!) in the basement of the building, (under the last “I” on the album cover), at a really cool shop called, “Physical Graffitea“. WHAT A PUN! Also, Robert Plant has visited… COOL!
Once I was done on St. Marks Pl, I walked a couple of blocks over to a really cool record shop on E 6th St. (2 blocks away), calledA-1 Records. It was a cramped space but the selection they had was one of the most diverse I’ve ever seen. 10/10 – just a really cool day with a great vibe.
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
A1
It’s Cool
3:23
A2
Get Out Of My Head
3:10
A3
Crazy Pills
3:30
A4
Talking Myself in Circles
3:41
A5
Learn To Love The Lie
3:44
A6
Brain Pain
3:46
B1
Mouth Full Of Dirt
3:15
B2
Seventeen
3:25
B3
Be Good When I’m Gone
3:20
B4
The Worst Part About Me
3:45
B5
Usefully Useless
2:59
B6
Young At Heart
4:06
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”.
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
A1
Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres
18:07
I
Prelude
II
Apollo (Bringer Of Wisdom)
III
Dionysus (Bringer Of Love)
IV
Armageddon (The Battle Of Heart And Mind)
V
Cygnus (Bringer Of Balance)
VI
The Sphere (A Kind Of Dream)
B1
Circumstances
3:42
B2
The Trees
4:46
B3
La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise In Self-Indulgence)
9:36
I
Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!
II
To Sleep, Perchance To Dream …
III
Strangiato Theme
IV
A Lerxst In Wonderland
V
Monsters!
VI
The Ghost Of The Aragon
VII
Danforth And Pape
VIII
The Waltz Of The Shreves
IX
Never Turn Your Back On A Monster!
X
Monsters! (Reprise)
XI
Strangiato Theme (Reprise)
XII
A 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…
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).
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
A1
A Farewell To Kings
5:53
A2
Xanadu
11:06
B1
Closer To The Heart
2:52
B2
Cinderella Man
4:20
B3
Madrigal
2:35
B4
Cygnus X-1
10:27
Accompanying Material
Canadian trailer trash meets Canadian Rock Royalty – quite possibly my favorite ending to any episode of the Trailer Park Boys.
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
A1
The Power Of Equality
4:00
A2
If You Have To Ask
4:11
A3
Breaking The Girl
5:03
A4
Funky Monks
5:22
A5
Suck My Kiss
3:35
B1
I Could Have Lied
4:10
B2
Mellowship Slinky In B Major
4:00
B3
The Righteous & The Wicked
4:05
B4
Give It Away
4:45
C1
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
4:31
C2
Under The Bridge
4:34
C3
Naked In The Rain
4:30
C4
Apache Rose Peacock
4:43
D1
The Greeting Song
3:14
D2
My Lovely Man
4:45
D3
Sir Psycho Sexy
8:24
D4
They’re Red Hot
1:44
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.
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
A1
15 Step
3:57
A2
Bodysnatchers
4:02
A3
Nude
4:15
A4
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
5:18
A5
All I Need
3:49
B1
Faust Arp
2:10
B2
Reckoner
4:50
B3
House Of Cards
5:28
B4
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
4:09
B5
Videotape
4:40
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.
The Restless Sound 