January 22nd, 2010

Todays Music

'Madman Across the Water'
Elton John
Side  'Tiny Dancer' Title song
Pop Rock
This album has most of my all time favorite EJ songs. The cover art is amazing and was created by hand over a weekend by Helen Walters. It was originally released with a real demin cover. It would be awesome if I had that version, but I have a reprinted version as that cover is very rare. This copy has some great liner notes in the form of a booklet included inside the bi-fold album cover. I collect a lot of my albums for their cover art. Something that is hard to appreciate on todays minimal CD sized releases. I would love to see Barbara start doing album cover art.

'Music'
Carole King
Side Two 'Song of Long Ago' 'Too Much Rain' 'Back To California'
Carole King is one of the BEST song writers of our generation. It would be a a treat to hear the 'Song of Long Ago' duet done by Carole King and James Taylor for those lucky enough to have tickets to the Troubador Tour at the Hollywood Bowl in May.

Interesting fact: This album hit number one on the Billboard Chart in January 1972 just after 'There's a Riot Goin' On' by Sly & the Family Stone Billboard and just before 'American Pie' by Don McLean. That gets me thinking about how to go about procuring my collection. I already have the later but maybe not the former. I say 'maybe' because I am still finding things I forgot I had.

'Honey'
Bobby Goldsboro
Side One 'Honey'
Country Pop
This contains the only BG song ever to make it number one on the Billboard charts, 'Honey'. 

'Dylan Jazz'
The Gene Norman Group
Side One 'Don't Think Twice'
Jazz
This album is traditional jazz adaptions of Bob Dylan classics. Nice easy listening with lots of flute, saxophone and guitar played by a young Glen Campbell before his hit song 'Gentle On My Mind' brought hit to fame and success.

'Benefit'
Jethro Tull
Side One 'With You There To Help Me' 'Inside' 'for Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me'
Progressive Rock
Backwards flute on 'With You There To Help Me'. Much softer sound than songs common to most JT fans like 'Aqualung'.


'The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl'
Side Pne 'Ticket To Ride' 'Things We Said Today'
Rock and Roll
After reading more about 'The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl' LP during a discussion on Facebook with Terry I was ready to check it out. Unbelievably, this was their first ever live LP release. That is more than a decade after they rose to stardom. I would have thought it commonplace to release LIVE LP's at the bands peek and not after their breakup. After listening to just two songs I can't think of why anyone would want to own this album but for provenance. The recording quality is lackluster forcing me to adjust the treble down and the bass up just to reduce the screaming, literally, through the WHOLE album of all the little twitterpatted, fancrazed school girls. Even through 'Things We Said Today'! It is just sickening. Thank God for modern technological advances in recording! I like the Beatles and their music but I can't honestly say they are one of my top ten favorites. I do have vague memories of having the chicken pox and being quaranteened to my room where I listened to 45 records of the Beatles and jumping on the bed to 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' and 'She Loves You' probably around the same time this album was recorded.

I found a great site to keep track of albums in my collection, read info on LP's and search for info. Its at http://www.discogs.com/ . If I can find a way to share my link, I will post my collection. It will take time to log everything I have though.

Footnote: Ray Stevens is listed as one of the arrangers on several songs on the Bobby Goldsboro album showing another of his multi-talents. Would like to find some of his LP's, especially 'Everything is Beautiful'.