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	The Allman Brothers Band - Shades of Two Worlds
	"THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND'S BEST STUDIO ALBUM SINCE BROTHERS AND SISTERS ! (Shades is everything a great ABB album should be)"	2008-09-02
The Allman Brothers Band's Shades of Two Worlds (1991) gives the faithful ABB listener everything that is required of an Allman Brothers Band album for it to be considered great. The professionalism, exciting performances, and consistent songwriting make this the one to get if you're looking for an album from the band's post-Duane Allman era. The band, including Gregg Allman's legendary singing voice, is in top form here, and I would recommend this over any other studio album from the post-Duane years, with the possible exception of 1973's Brothers and Sisters and 2003's Hittin' the Note. This was the follow up to their 1989 comeback album, Seven Turns, and it features the Dickey Betts/Warren Haynes twin guitar front line along with Gregg Allman on vocals and Hammond B-3 organ. The late Allen Woody played bass on the album, and original band members Butch Trucks and Jaimoe provide the dual drum and percussion interplay. This is everything a great Allman Brothers album should be, and the usual staples of the ABB album formula, including guitar excellence, are remarkably presented. The 8:30 minute jazzy instrumental, Kind Of Bird, shows off the band's creativity and exceptional musicianship, and the slow blues, Get On With Your Life, features everything that is good about the ABB brand of blues-rock. The song has become a band standard. The reflective swagger of End Of The Line works perfectly as Gregg looks back on the reckless years of his youth, and is amazed that he survived it all. Oh, when I think about the old days It sends chills up and down my spine Life ain't what it seems on the boulevard of broken dreams Guess I opened my eyes in the nick of time Cause it sure felt like the end of the line There's a cool unplugged and slide steel guitar laden back porch version of Robert Johnson's Come On In My Kitchen on the album, and it's always a treat to hear the Allmans do something like that. Midnight Man doesn't offer too much, but it's not bad, and everything else on the album is stellar. The album's centerpiece is the 11:00 minute epic Nobody Knows, a song that Dickey wrote and Gregg enthusiastically sings. It features some top quality spirited soloing from the group, and the lyrics are thoughtfully philosophical in the way they suggest staying true to yourself and believing in your dreams, even as the world around you offers convenient and constantly changing answers to the questions of life and it's meaning. Poets they come and the poets they go Politicians and preachers they all claim to know The words that are written and the melodies played As the years turn their pages, they all start to fade Shades of Two Worlds not only picked up where Seven Turns left off, it raised the songwriting and performance levels up a notch, too. It was also more consistent and exciting than Where It All Begins, which followed it and was Dickey Betts' last album with the band. In fact, this album was better than anything The Allman Brothers Band had done since 1973's Brothers and Sisters, and it was as least as good as that one, too. Unfortunately, his might be hard to find because it wasn't a big commercial success and is out of print in the U.S. Some of the best songs from the album can be found on Mycology: An Anthology, the band's compilation from their 1990s period, or in live versions on An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band.
	Aerosmith - Rocks
	"ROCKS ROCKS ! (Aerosmith's most decadent album moves fast and never lets up)"	2008-08-27
Ya gotta hand it to Aerosmith's Rocks (1976). The decadence and debauchery is non-stop, and the Bad Boys from Beantown never even come up for air on this one. This thing rocks harder and faster than anything they have ever done. The themes are mostly about sex and partying, the streets, and more sex and partying. It starts right from the very first song, Back In The Saddle: I'm calling all the shots tonight I'm like a loaded gun Then on the next song, Last Child: I was the last child Just a punk in the street With song titles like Rats In The Cellar, Sick As A Dog, and Lick And A Promise, it's easy to see what you're in for here, and Aerosmith delivers the goods. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll! Rocks moves quickly and rocks loudly. The songs strut, roll, burn, and scream. Back In The Saddle, Last Child, and Rats In The Cellar are as good as anything the band has ever done, and Nobody's Fault is an underrated heavy-metal masterpiece. Metallica's James Hetfield and Slash, formerly of Guns N' Roses, both cite Nobody's Fault as being their favorite Aerosmith song. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry sings lead on Combination, a bluesy hard rock song about the dangers of cocaine and heroin. The guitar riff sounds a little like The Stones' Dancing With Mr. D, only much faster and louder. Home Tonight, the album's closing ballad, isn't quite on the same level as most of Aerosmith's other power ballads, but still works. In some places, Rocks moves too fast a little too long for it's own good. Without the humor that made Toys In The Attic so much fun, the depravity on Rocks can wear a little thin at times, but if you're up for it, this is great stuff. Rocks showcases Aerosmith at their peak, but I don't think it's actually their best album. It's probably the wildest and most decadent of their albums, and it certainly is one of the best. They reach unparalleled heights of rock n' roll madness, and go to places that they've never been before on this album, so if you're ready to rock, get Aerosmith's Rocks and don't look back.
	Jeff Beck - Truth
	"(4.5 stars) THE TRUTH IS..."	2008-08-12
Jeff Beck's Truth (1968), is a critically acclaimed and influential piece of work that features some great performances and historically rocks the blues. There are some great moments on this album, that's for sure.br /br /It also frustratingly lacks direction and purpose as a whole album. Truth is all over the place and there's not a lot of cohesiveness, and no concept. At times, it seems like it's a well organized all-star jam session that doesn't have any mission at all, other than to highlight the great performances. br /br /Jeff Beck had already made a name for himself as a guitar hero while working as a session player and as a member of The Yardbirds when he replaced Eric Clapton in the group. After leaving The Yardbirds, he formed The Jeff Beck Group featuring vocalist Rod Stewart, bassist Ronnie Wood, pianist Nicky Hopkins, and drummer Micky Waller. A "back before they were famous" group of rock n' roll hall of famers. Truth was the The Jeff Beck Group's first album. br /br /The best songs on Truth are the heavy blues-rockers. Let Me Love You, You Shook Me, Blues De Luxe, and I Ain't Superstitious are all great stuff. The album's opener, Shapes Of Things, is a great rockin' track, and the Beck/Stewart original, Rock My Plimsoul, is a solid piece of work, too. br /br /Old Man River seems oddly out of place on the album, but Rod Stewart's moving vocal performance saves the song, and makes it surprisingly good. Beck tacks on the solo acoustic guitar instrumental, Gleensleeves, at the end of River, and that's pretty good. The Spanish influenced electronic-effects guitar instrumental, Beck's Bolero, sort of comes out of nowhere, too, but it's a solid track, and features performances by Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones. br /br /Truth was Rod Stewart's first full album recording ever, and his gritty, authentically bluesy, and passionate vocal performance actually saves the album from being little more than an interesting, although distinctive, early heavy-metal and blues-rock guitar artifact. Ron Wood's bass playing on the album is also remarkable, and that it doesn't get any more attention than it does is puzzling. At times, he even outshines Beck, who's guitar playing is extraordinarily spot on, especially considering this was 1968. br /br /This 2006 remastered reissue is the definitive edition, and the sound is excellent. It also includes eight bonus tracks, and the best of these are the bluesy I've Been Drinking, and the outtake versions of You Shook Me and Blues De Luxe. Beck's take on Love Is Blue is also interesting in a quirky sort of way.br /br /Truth is a must-have album for Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, and Ron Wood fans or anybody who's interested in the early evolution of heavy-metal and blues-rock guitar and the conception of the Led Zeppelin sound. But besides it's influence and importance, Truth also just has a lot of great blues-rock tunes that are definitely worth hearing. Jeff Beck would later move on to his true calling of jazz fusion and record Wired and Blow by Blow, two of his most popular and critically aclaimed albums, but Truth still stands as a pre-heavy metal blues-rock monument, and his most influential work.br /br /br /
	Quadrophenia
	"A BRILLIANT PRODUCTION ! (introspective and deeply personal, Quadrophenia is a rock opera that rocks)"	2008-08-03
The Who's Quadrophenia (1973) is a double album rock opera that covers a Monday through Friday week in the life of Jimmy, a young man afflicted with a multi-personality disorder that includes four personalities. A tough guy, a helpless dancer. A romantic, is it me for a moment? A bloody lunatic, I'll even carry your bags. A beggar, a hypocrite, love reign over me. Schizophrenic? I'm bleeding Quadrophrenic. Each of the four personalities supposedly reflects the personality of a member of The Who. As with all concept albums, the story is somewhat open to interpretation, and in this case that's a good thing. A lot of these songs are so personally affecting that applying the lyrics strictly to the concept might be distracting, and mitigate any personal identification with the songs. The best of this music can be very meaningful even without applying it to the Quadrophenia story. The production of Quadrophenia is powerful and extraordinarily well developed. Orchestrated and vocal sequences of the main songs play throughout and connect the songs with the story, and several sound effects, including those of the sea and the rain, add an imaginitive visual. The booklet included with the 2-disc set features an essay by Pete Townsend that helps to explain the Quadrophenia story, some relevant black and white photographs, and the lyrics to the songs. The songs on the album include some of the best The Who have ever done. It just doesn't get any better than The Real Me, 5:15, Doctor Jimmy, and Love Reign O'er Me. These songs rock like nothing the band had ever done, or would ever do again. The Who at the very peak of their powers. Nearly everything else on the album is satisfying, too, although not nearly as epic as the songs mentioned. Quadrophenia is one of The Who's best albums, and an essential and powerful piece of rock n' roll history. The album is an emotional experience, and quite a revelation when listened to in it's entirety. It can be very moving, and even sacred, if you let it take you into it's world. It ends with the spiritual healing of Jimmy while he stands screaming on The Rock in a raging rainstorm. Only love can bring the rain That makes you yearn to the sky Only love can bring the rain That falls like tears from on high Love, reign o'er me Love, reign o'er me, reign o'er me
	Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus [Expanded]
	"WAITING FOR COLUMBUS...WELL WORTH THE WAIT ! (especially this expanded and remastered 2-disc version)"	2008-07-31
Little Feat's classic Waiting for Columbus (1978) is one of rock music's most distinguished live albums, and deservedly so. The performances are enthusiastic and professional, and the song selection is everything you would expect from this Lowell George fronted version of Little Feat. The musicianship is outstanding! These performances were recorded in August of 1977 at The Rainbow Theatre in London and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Although enough material was recorded for a 3-record set, Waiting for Columbus was originally released as a double album. With this reissued 2-disc edition, we get all of the original songs plus the unreleased archived recordings. It all sounds great, too. The music of Little Feat is a mix of laid back and funky New Orleans piano blues and slide guitar dominated electric rock n' roll. They also incorporate a lot of jazz and a little of country into their sound, and vocalist and slide guitar legend Lowell George's wry and demented lyrics suggest a Frank Zappa influence leftover from his days as a guitarist with Zappa's Mothers Of Invention. The Little Feat staples from this era are covered nicely here, including Fat Man In The Bathtub, All That You Dream, Time Loves A Hero, Spanish Moon, and an incredible 9:00 minute version of Dixie Chicken. They go hippie country and western with semi-unplugged versions of Willin' and the hilarious Don't Bogart That Joint. Most of the songs feature excellant solos from Lowell on slide guitar, Paul Barrere on electric guitar, and Bill Payne on piano and synthesizer especially, but the Tower Of Power horn section is smoking hot as well, and they add tremendously to the sound of the entire album. Guest performances include ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor on Apolitical Blues, and the Doobie Brothers' Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons provide the backing vocals on Red Streamliner. Unfortunately, Lowell George would die of a heart attack at 34 less than two years after these shows were recorded. While Little Feat has continued to record and tour with several different lineups since then, this album captures the classic band in peak form. Waiting for Columbus features the talents of many, but for much of the album, it's Lowell George who takes center stage, and his singing, songwriting, and legendary slide guitar playing is clearly the primary focus. He doesn't disappoint anybody, either. Waiting for Columbus is an essential live rock n' roll album that's in a class with the best live rock music albums of all time.
	Yes - Symphonic Live
	"YES - SYMPHONIC LIVE.....A YESSENTIAL VISUAL EXPERIENCE !"	2008-07-15
Yes - Symphonic Live is a videotaped presentation of a wonderful 2001 Yes concert in it's entirety at the intimate Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. The European Festival Orchestra provides the symphonics, and their stimulating sound complements Yes' music in no less than perfect form. What a night this was for the Yes fans who were there! And what a concert DVD this is! The picture and sound quality on Symphonic Live is as good as I've ever seen, and everything else about this concert DVD is just as good. No, wait...Perfect! This is perfect! The members of the band all look healthy and inspired, and they're playing their music as well as they ever have. The lineup for the this show includes: Jon Anderson Chris Squire Steve Howe Alan White Tom Brislin The lightly bearded Anderson's vocal performance is excellant, and his between-song stage banter is interesting and gracious. Guitarists will enjoy watching Steve Howe expertly play a wide range of stringed instruments including a flat steel and classical guitars. Chris Squire energetically moves all over the stage while playing his mighty bass, and a fit looking Alan White works his drum kit with a friendly smile on his face for most of the night. And Tom Brislin? He's the young and very capable keyboardist who's jumps and animated arm motions add even more enthusiasm and showmanship to the production. The professional multi-colored lightshow includes fog and animation, and the effect is captivating at times. There are many different camera angles used, and sometimes it even feels as if you're right on the stage. The European Festival Orchestra musicians are young, mostly female, and very attractive. They get plenty of camera time, and it's fun to watch them lip-synch the lyrics and bob their heads in time with the music. They even worked out some choreography to go along with a few of the songs. Their sound adds plenty to the concert and everybody seems to be having a great time, especially the appreciative audience. The music is mostly from the classic Yes years, but they also perform songs from their symphonic studio album, Magnification, which was new at the time. They open the show with Close To The Edge, and it sounds just as great as it always has. It's hard to single out just one highlight from this show of many highlights. For me, it's And You And I, but Starship Trooper, The Gates Of Delirium, and Ritual are all fantastic, too. Steve Howe does a classical guitar solo that includes Mood For A Day, and that's also enjoyable. The show closes with Roundabout, and the girls in the orchestra set down their instruments and dance in a chorus line on the stage behind the band. It's a lot of fun, and the apparently surprised Yesmen love it. Yes - Symphonic Live is a remarkable Yes visual experience. The song selection includes the classics and fan favorites that you would expect, the picture quality is perfect, and the performance is masterful and very professional. The feeling you get from watching this is the same feeling you get when listening to Yes' music or seeing one of their concerts. Perfectly Yes.
	Yes - Fragile [Bonus Tracks]
	"FRAGILE...A CLASSIC YES ESSENTIAL ! (the concept of Yes comes into focus on Fragile and they achieve perfection in places)"	2008-07-09
Fragile (1972) was the first Yes album to feature the now famous artwork of Roger Dean (his art would grace Yes' album covers for the next 30 years). It's the second album Yes recorded with guitarist Steve Howe, and their first with keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman. The Yes concept and sound really came into full focus with this album, and their trademark sonic perfection was smoothly achieved in some of Fragile's best moments. The album begins with the incredible Roundabout, a Yes multi-part masterwork that still remains their most popular song today. It's an impressive exercise in artistic creativity, and a brilliant example of progressive rock music perfection. South Side Of The Sky is excellant sci-fi action guitar riff rock with some nice keyboard work and vocal harmonies. Long Distance Runaround is another one of Yes' greatest creations, and an example of the Yes formula at it's peak. The song is melodramatic and melodious perfection as it imaginatively describes a relationship that has ended too soon. Cold summer listening Hot color melting the anger to stone I still remember the dream there I still remember the time you said goodbye Did we really tell lies? Letting in the sunshine Did we really count to one hundred? There are four "solo" pieces on Fragile, and bassist Chris Squire's excellant instrumental The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) features his famously powerful and inventive bass lines. Rick Wakeman arranges Cans And Brahms, a nice classical piano piece that's accompanied by his own keyboards, while drummer Bill Bruford highlights his skills on the short Five Per Cent For Nothing. Steve Howe's classical guitar solo Mood For A Day is also enjoyable, and he still plays it at Yes concerts today. I like Jon Anderson's We Have Heaven, too. He sings all of the vocal parts, and it's an interesting and entertaining piece of music. The Yes classic, Heart Of The Sunrise, closes the original album, and it's a wonderfully sweeping and powerfully emotional epic. It's regarded by many as the most perfect song Yes has ever done, and they just might be right. Anderson's compelling angelic vocal performance soars as he sings of loneliness and isolation in the crowded city. Love comes to you then after Dream on...on to the heart of the sunrise Sharp - distance How can the sun with it's arms all around me Sharp - distance How can the wind with so many around me ...I feel lost in the city There are two bonus tracks including Yes' fantastic 10:33 minute version of Simon And Garfunkel's America. It's powerful, and Anderson's vocal performance takes the song to new heights. An early rough mix of Roundabout is also included. Fragile is certainly one of Yes' best albums, and a must-have for fans. It contains some of their greatest work, and is a staple of the grand "Classic Yes" period. It's also not a bad place to start with Yes if you want more than a compilation. An excellant album by one of my favorite bands.
	Bob Marley & the Wailers - Live [Bonus Track]
	"BOB MARLEY ROCKS !!!!!"	2008-07-05
Bob Marley And The Wailers' Live! (1975) was recorded during their Natty Dread Tour at the Lyceum Ballroom in London, but it feels like Jamaica. The enthusiastic and largely Jamaican crowd obviously loves Bob Marley and his reggae music, and he gives them what they came for. This album is everything a great live album should be. There's an exciting balance of love, exuberance, and desperation on Live!. You can hear it and you can feel it. The political and cultural vibes are clearly defined, and there's a strong communal spirit that runs through each and every song. This music can make you happy, and it can make you think. It's electrifying. Trenchtown Rock rocks! The centerpiece on the album is the seven minute anthemic No Woman No Cry. The improvised audience sing-a-long and the wonderful performance makes it so very clear just what this night meant to everyone who was there. A soulful and rockin' reggae version of I Shot The Sherriff sounds fantastic, and the uplifting Lively Up Yourself is energetically positive and Bob Marley at his best. He gets political with Burnin' & Lootin' and Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), and philosophical with Get Up, Stand Up. Everything here rocks, and the special talent and unique charisma of Bob Marley is not in short supply on Live!. His love for music and enthusiasm for performing is evident in every song. There is a bonus track, Kinky Reggae, where Marley introduces the players on the stage while the band jams. It fits in nicely here, and wraps things up well. Live! is a great place to start with Bob Marley. The music is great, and the essence of the man and his legend is clearly experienced when listening to the album. Digitally remastered to sound better than ever, this famous recording of the legendary London concerts really delivers. The lyrics to all of the songs are included along with some great photos from the shows. It's an essential part of the Bob Marley And The Wailers catalog and a must-have for fans, but it really doesn't matter what your favorite music is, this is definitely worth hearing. Lively Up Yourself...
	Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
	"THE BEACH BOYS' MASTERPIECE ! (quite simply, an American pop music classic)"	2008-06-22
Most, and most likely all, of the people who don't like The Beach Boys' classic, Pet Sounds (1966) just don't like The Beach Boys. If you don't like the beach, you're not gonna like surfing. Pet Sounds is actually quite a remarkable piece of of work. Introspective and deeply personal, the songs are about life, love, and yearning, not surfing and hot rodding on the strip. The album is a symphony of sophisticated chord changes, wistful melodies, sweet vocal harmonies, and reflective lyrics of love and longing. The true genius of Brian Wilson realized. The classic Beach Boys sound isn't completely lost here, and it's especially highlighted in the album's first song, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and in the sailor's boisterous lament, Sloop John B, but mostly the atmosphere on Pet Sounds isn't the usual fun day at the beach. It's quiet, thoughtful, and lonely. Sometimes I feel so very sad And I guess I just wasn't made for these times Considering this was released in 1966, it's an amazing accomplishment. Sir Paul McCartney praised the album by saying, "No one is educated musically until they've heard Pet Sounds...It is a total, classic record that is unbeatable in many ways." There is another dimension to Pet Sounds that's evident to people who were around in 1966, and remember listening to the album when it was first released. The loss of innocence. The world was changing fast in the 1960s, and The Beach Boys represented good, clean, and carefree fun to a lot of people. The melancholy spirit of many of the songs on Pet Sounds seemed to be sadly saying goodbye to the endless summer of innocence in America. And in many ways, it actually did. Could I ever find in you again Things that made me love you so much then? Could we ever bring 'em back once they have gone? Oh, Caroline no
	Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited [Remastered]
	"BOB DYLAN'S GREATEST ALBUM ! (Highway 61 Revisited is where Dylan went airborne)"	2008-06-17
"Once upon a time you dressed so fine Threw the bums a dime in your prime DIDN'T YOU?" And so begins one of the greatest songs (albums) in rock music history. As Bob Dylan chronicles the downward spiral of an unidentified smug soul's fall from grace, he wisely places himself in the background as an innocent observer with lower status. While he obviously takes satisfaction in rubbing salt in the wounds of this person, it was arrogant recklessness and blind self righteousness that brought this one down, not Dylan's treachery. ...Aah, the beauty of poetic justice. Highway 61 Revisited was Bob Dylan's first legitimate rock music album, and with Mike Bloomfield playing the guitar and Al Kooper on the keyboards, it's both a satisfying and competent blues/folk-rock venture all the way through. There is really some consistent musicianship here. Highway 61 Revisited is also where Bob Dylan's name became a household word, and everybody in the music world and beyond started to watch his every move. The songs are angry and imaginitive with a host of surreal characters and interesting places. Dylan uses these characters to enigmatically expose corruption, apathy, and haughtiness. In Tombstone Blues, Dylan rails against, among other things, the emotional clutter of superfluous and misguided distractions. Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain That could hold you dear lady from going insane That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain Of your useless and pointless knowledge The macabre piano blues, The Ballad Of A Thin Man, is a carnival like, demented, and very effective depiction of counter-culture shock paranoia. And you say, "Oh my God Am I here all alone?" Because something is happening here But you don't know what it is ...Do you, Mister Jones? Queen Jane Approximately revisits the fall from grace scenario, but with a different, just barely more compassionate, twist. The title song is a surreal blues-rock Biblical story/folk ballad/madcap fairy tale, complete with slide guitar and a whoopee whistle!. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues is a humorous, yet cynical, ballad of several different circumstances encountered in Juarez at Eastertime. The eleven minute-plus Spanish folk ballad epic, Desolation Row, closes the album and features a cast of characters that includes Cindarella, Romeo, Cain and Abel, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Good Samaritan, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and a place called Desolation Row (which is most likely near The Gates Of Eden). Highway 61 Revisted is the album that made Bob Dylan a rock star/saviour, and although he may have lost some folk purists as fans, the album brought him many more new fans. Dylan had worked with a rock band before, but not to this extent, or with this kind of success. Like A Rolling Stone is a monument in rock music, and it's Bob Dylan's best known song. Highway 61 Revisited is also a monument, and it's Bob Dylan's greatest album, even though legitimate arguments can be made that it's not actually his best. Either way, if you like Bob Dylan, you don't want to miss it!
	Marvin Gaye - What's Going On [Bonus Tracks]
	"WHAT'S GOING ON....IS (STILL) WHAT'S GOING ON !"	2008-06-08
Is Marvin Gaye's masterpiece, What's Going On, outdated? Listen... War, crime, poverty, drugs, inflation, taxation, ecological disasters. These are some of the social and political issues that Marvin Gaye addresses on his brilliant 1971 album, What's Going On. And in 2008? Take a look around. These same issues are (still) What's Going On. This album couldn't be any more direct in identifying the world's most urgent problems, or in suggesting that the world slow down and take a spiritual and peaceful approach to solving these problems. Outdated? No. A masterpiece? Yes. The atmospheric, funky, and smooth soul music is powerfully emotional, and perfectly highlights the thought provoking themes. Jazzy saxophones, flutes, congas, and funky bass lines accompany Gaye's soulful piano, heartfelt vocal expressions, and the sweet Motown orchestration. It all comes together beautifully. Every song has a social conscience, and each one addresses one or more of the important issues that face the world, then and now. What's Going On: Mother, mother There's too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying What's Happening Brother: Can't find no work, can't find no job, my friend Money is tighter than it's ever been Save The Children: I just want to ask a question Who really cares? To save a world in despair Who really cares? Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology): Oh mercy mercy me Ah, things ain't what they used to be What about this overcrowded land How much more abuse from man can she stand? Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler): Rockets, moon shots Spend it on the have nots Money, we make it 'Fore we see it, you take it What's Going On is simply a brilliant and satisfying album. It couldn't be any better. The music is great, it's socially and politically relevant, and even as it tackles difficult issues, it's message is spiritually uplifting and positive. There are no romantic love songs here. They'll be on the next album. This isn't a sweeping epic, either, and more power to it for not being one. That would overwhelm Marvin's message. This is music for the people. For God's Children. What's Going On.
	Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
	"WHAT'S GOING ON....IS (STILL) WHAT'S GOING ON !"	2008-06-08
Is Marvin Gaye's masterpiece, What's Going On, outdated? Listen... War, crime, poverty, drugs, inflation, taxation, ecological disasters. These are some of the social and political issues that Marvin Gaye addresses on his brilliant 1971 album, What's Going On. And in 2008? Take a look around. These same issues are (still) What's Going On. This album couldn't be any more direct in identifying the world's most urgent problems, or in suggesting that the world slow down and take a spiritual and peaceful approach to solving these problems. Outdated? No. A masterpiece? Yes. The atmospheric, funky, and smooth soul music is powerfully emotional, and perfectly highlights the thought provoking themes. Jazzy saxophones, flutes, congas, and funky bass lines accompany Gaye's soulful piano, heartfelt vocal expressions, and the sweet Motown orchestration. It all comes together beautifully. Every song has a social conscience, and each one addresses one or more of the important issues that face the world, then and now. What's Going On: Mother, mother There's too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying What's Happening Brother: Can't find no work, can't find no job, my friend Money is tighter than it's ever been Save The Children: I just want to ask a question Who really cares? To save a world in despair Who really cares? Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology): Oh mercy mercy me Ah, things ain't what they used to be What about this overcrowded land How much more abuse from man can she stand? Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler): Rockets, moon shots Spend it on the have nots Money, we make it 'Fore we see it, you take it What's Going On is simply a brilliant and satisfying album. It couldn't be any better. The music is great, it's socially and politically relevant, and even as it tackles difficult issues, it's message is spiritually uplifting and positive. There are no romantic love songs here. They'll be on the next album. This isn't a sweeping epic, either, and more power to it for not being one. That would overwhelm Marvin's message. This is music for the people. For God's Children. What's Going On.
	Beyond Good & Evil : Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
	"FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE: "...PUTTING HIS FINGER ON BAD ARTS OF INTERPRETATION" (start here with Nietzsche)"	2008-05-26
Beyond Good And Evil (1886) was German existentialist philosopher Friedrich Nietzche's attempt to completely devalue all religon, science, and philosophy and replace it with a universal reality that allows man's true spirit, his "will to power", to be left unbridled by spirit draining, intellectual, and timid conventions. The human spirit must never be stifled! Let man's passions and desires be set free! Nietzsche rips into Voltaire: Oh Voltaire! Oh humanity! Oh imbecility! There is some point to 'truth', to the search for truth; and if a human being goes about it too humanely - I wager he finds nothing! Nietzsche will offend almost everyone who reads Beyond Good And Evil. Women, Christians, and Jews are all portrayed by Nietzsche as inferior or misguided. He calls working people "herd-animals" who need a master, and he scorns France at every turn. You can't take everything here to heart. This was written in the 19th century by a very unconventional and passionate existentialist philosopher. Just the same, Nietzsche was a poetic and optimistic visionary of his day who had keen insights into human behavior: To talk of oneself a great deal can also be a means of concealing oneself. Who has not for the sake of his reputation - sacrificed himself? One does not hate so long as one continues to rate low, but only when one has come to rate equal or higher. Poets behave impudently towards their experiences: they exploit them. Beyond Good And Evil is a short book of around 230 pages, and Nietzsche has divided his thoughts into 296 aphorisms, some as short as a sentence, and others several pages long. While Beyond Good And Evil isn't as comprehensive or influential as his Thus Spake Zarathustra, it does give the reader a basic overview of Nietzsche's philosophy. God has died. Will To Power. Science, religon and philosophy are misleading and glorify weakness and lack of courage. Live passionately, unabated by convention! Nietzsche and his works aren't for everybody, but Beyond Good And Evil is an important work from one of the most influential and important existentialist philosophers in history. His works have been twisted and misinterpreted (Hitler was a major fan), and while I don't subscribe to his philosophy as a way of life, I admire his poetic spirit, passion, intelligence, and courage to explore unconventional ideas. Beyond Good And Evil? "That which is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
	Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil
	"FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE: "...PUTTING HIS FINGER ON BAD ARTS OF INTERPRETATION" (start here with Nietzsche)"	2008-05-26
Beyond Good And Evil (1886) was German existentialist philosopher Friedrich Nietzche's attempt to completely devalue all religon, science, and philosophy and replace it with a universal reality that allows man's true spirit, his "will to power", to be left unbridled by spirit draining, intellectual, and timid conventions. The human spirit must never be stifled! Let man's passions and desires be set free! Nietzsche rips into Voltaire: Oh Voltaire! Oh humanity! Oh imbecility! There is some point to 'truth', to the search for truth; and if a human being goes about it too humanely - I wager he finds nothing! Nietzsche will offend almost everyone who reads Beyond Good And Evil. Women, Christians, and Jews are all portrayed by Nietzsche as inferior or misguided. He calls working people "herd-animals" who need a master, and he scorns France at every turn. You can't take everything here to heart. This was written in the 19th century by a very unconventional and passionate existentialist philosopher. Just the same, Nietzsche was a poetic and optimistic visionary of his day who had keen insights into human behavior: To talk of oneself a great deal can also be a means of concealing oneself. Who has not for the sake of his reputation - sacrificed himself? One does not hate so long as one continues to rate low, but only when one has come to rate equal or higher. Poets behave impudently towards their experiences: they exploit them. Beyond Good And Evil is a short book of around 230 pages, and Nietzsche has divided his thoughts into 296 aphorisms, some as short as a sentence, and others several pages long. While Beyond Good And Evil isn't as comprehensive or influential as his Thus Spake Zarathustra, it does give the reader a basic overview of Nietzsche's philosophy. God has died. Will To Power. Science, religon and philosophy are misleading and glorify weakness and lack of courage. Live passionately, unabated by convention! Nietzsche and his works aren't for everybody, but Beyond Good And Evil is an important work from one of the most influential and important existentialist philosophers in history. His works have been twisted and misinterpreted (Hitler was a major fan), and while I don't subscribe to his philosophy as a way of life, I admire his poetic spirit, passion, intelligence, and courage to explore unconventional ideas. Beyond Good And Evil? "That which is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
	Travis Tritt: Greatest Hits - From the Beginning
	"(4.5 stars) MIXING SOUTHERN ROCK AND OUTLAW COUNTRY ! (this early stuff is Travis Tritt's best)"	2008-05-13
Travis Tritt - Greatest Hits: From The Beginning (1995) wraps up the early years of Travis' career quite effectively. Fifteen well chosen songs from four albums that gave Travis the distinction of being an authentic "outlaw" and part of a fraternity that included Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr., among others. The music here is a mix of outlaw country, power ballads, and southern rock. Tritt rocks out and explains himself in Put Some Drive In Your Country. I still love old country I ain't trying to put it down But damn, I miss Duane Allman I wish he was still around Well, I didn't have to hear any more than that to know that I was going to like that ol' Georgia boy. Country Club was Tritt's first monster hit single. It's a country tune that tells the story of a working man offering to buy a beer for a well-to-do lady in front of a country club, but being turned down because, "only members are allowed in here". Travis laughs it off and replies: Well I'm a member of a "country" club Country music is what I love I drive an old Ford pick-up truck I do my drinkin' from a dixie cup Yeah, I'm a bona-fide dancing fool I shoot a mighty mean game of pool At any honky-tonk roadside pub I'm a member of a "country" club Power ballads have been a huge part of Tritt's commercial success, and he knows how to make the most of a good one. Help Me Hold On is one of his best: Help me hold on...to what we had Once our love was strong, it can be again You said it takes two to make love last You were right all along, so help me hold on The Rhino label has released another, and more comprehensive, compilation of Travis Tritt's best music (The Very Best Of Travis Tritt), but it doesn't include Ten Feet Tall And Bulletproof or Put Some Drive In Your Country (a criminal offense!) like this one does. The best music of Travis' career is the early 1990s material, anyway, so this is the best of the very best. This collection is also less expensive than the newer one. This is a good place to start with Travis Tritt. It is..."From The Beginning", after all.
	Travis Tritt - Greatest Hits From the Beginning
	"(4.5 stars) MIXING SOUTHERN ROCK AND OUTLAW COUNTRY ! (this early stuff is Travis Tritt's best)"	2008-05-13
Travis Tritt - Greatest Hits: From The Beginning (1995) wraps up the early years of Travis' career quite effectively. Fifteen well chosen songs from four albums that gave Travis the distinction of being an authentic "outlaw" and part of a fraternity that included Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr., among others. The music here is a mix of outlaw country, power ballads, and southern rock. Tritt rocks out and explains himself in Put Some Drive In Your Country. I still love old country I ain't trying to put it down But damn, I miss Duane Allman I wish he was still around Well, I didn't have to hear any more than that to know that I was going to like that ol' Georgia boy. Country Club was Tritt's first monster hit single. It's a country tune that tells the story of a working man offering to buy a beer for a well-to-do lady in front of a country club, but being turned down because, "only members are allowed in here". Travis laughs it off and replies: Well I'm a member of a "country" club Country music is what I love I drive an old Ford pick-up truck I do my drinkin' from a dixie cup Yeah, I'm a bona-fide dancing fool I shoot a mighty mean game of pool At any honky-tonk roadside pub I'm a member of a "country" club Power ballads have been a huge part of Tritt's commercial success, and he knows how to make the most of a good one. Help Me Hold On is one of his best: Help me hold on...to what we had Once our love was strong, it can be again You said it takes two to make love last You were right all along, so help me hold on The Rhino label has released another, and more comprehensive, compilation of Travis Tritt's best music, Very Best Of Travis Tritt, but it doesn't include Ten Feet Tall And Bulletproof or Put Some Drive In Your Country (a criminal offense!) like this one does. The best music of Travis' career is the early 1990s material, anyway, so this is the best of the very best. This collection is also less expensive than the newer one. This is a good place to start with Travis Tritt. It is..."From The Beginning", after all.
	Travis Tritt - Travis Tritt - Greatest Hits: From the Beginning
	"(4.5 stars) MIXING SOUTHERN ROCK AND OUTLAW COUNTRY ! (this early stuff is Travis Tritt's best)"	2008-05-13
Travis Tritt - Greatest Hits: From The Beginning (1995) wraps up the early years of Travis' career quite effectively. Fifteen well chosen songs from four albums that gave Travis the distinction of being an authentic "outlaw" and part of a fraternity that included Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr., among others. The music here is a mix of outlaw country, power ballads, and southern rock. Tritt rocks out and explains himself in Put Some Drive In Your Country. I still love old country I ain't trying to put it down But damn, I miss Duane Allman I wish he was still around Well, I didn't have to hear any more than that to know that I was going to like that ol' Georgia boy. Country Club was Tritt's first monster hit single. It's a country tune that tells the story of a working man offering to buy a beer for a well-to-do lady in front of a country club, but being turned down because, "only members are allowed in here". Travis laughs it off and replies: Well I'm a member of a "country" club Country music is what I love I drive an old Ford pick-up truck I do my drinkin' from a dixie cup Yeah, I'm a bona-fide dancing fool I shoot a mighty mean game of pool At any honky-tonk roadside pub I'm a member of a "country" club Power ballads have been a huge part of Tritt's commercial success, and he knows how to make the most of a good one. Help Me Hold On is one of his best: Help me hold on...to what we had Once our love was strong, it can be again You said it takes two to make love last You were right all along, so help me hold on The Rhino label has released another, and more comprehensive, compilation of Travis Tritt's best music, Very Best Of Travis Tritt, but it doesn't include Ten Feet Tall And Bulletproof or Put Some Drive In Your Country (a criminal offense!) like this one does. The best music of Travis' career is the early 1990s material, anyway, so this is the best of the very best. This collection is also less expensive than the newer one. This is a good place to start with Travis Tritt. It is..."From The Beginning", after all.
	Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company
	"GENIUS LOVES COMPANY ! (and we love you, Ray)"	2008-05-06
Genius Loves Company (2004) was Ray Charles' last album, a collaborative affair with various musicians and singers handpicked by Ray himself. Liver cancer would end Ray's life before the album was released to great commercial success and won eight Grammy Awards. The album's Grammy Awards were in part sentimental wins, and I must admit that my five star rating is, too. Sentimentality is what Genius Loves Company is really all about. It's by no means Ray Charles at his peak as a performer. In fact, he's not in good health, way past his best days, and just doing the best he can to keep up with everyone else. And that's just fine with me. The singers here all feel incredibly honored to be chosen by Ray to participate in this special project, and each one knows that in his prime Ray Charles could outperform all of them put together. The atmosphere is almost like a celebration or a party to honor the beloved legend. It's schmaltzy and sentimental, and everyone is celebrating and complimenting (in quotes in the liner notes) the great Ray Charles. I really went into Genius Loves Company determined that I was going to like it, no matter what. And even though Ray's worn and tired vocal performance produced a few shakey moments, by the time I got to the end of the album, I did like it. I also had a tear in my eye, and a new level of love and respect for who Ray Charles actually was, the legend that he is, and how he overcame the odds like he did. Here We Go Again (w/Norah Jones) opens the album and sounds wonderful (it won a Grammy for Record Of The Year). It's followed by the fun of Sweet Potato Pie (w/James Taylor) and the uneasy blues of You Don't Know Me (w/Diana Krall). The haunting Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (w/Elton John) is a favorite of mine here, and the arrangement highlights the song perfectly. The funky and jazzy Fever (w/Natalie Cole) and the country meets jazz Do I Ever Cross Your Mind (w/Bonnie Raitt) are both winners, and Ray's soulful, but subdued singing is still a joy to listen to as the old spark returns here and there. Ray's old and close friend Willie Nelson joins him on the heavily orchestrated It Was A Very Good Year. The song is perfect here and sort of a turning point for the album. Knowing what good friends these two were for so many years makes it even more special. Of course, Willie didn't come to the party empty handed. He brought Trigger (his trademark and beat up old guitar) with him and you can hear it in the arrangement. B.B. King brought Lucille (his famous guitar) with him, too, and joins Ray for what's probably the best song on the album, Sinner's Prayer. With Billy Preston providing the organ and B.B. playing his guitar, Ray and B.B. belt out the blues, and Ray sounds better and more comfortable in this setting than he does anywhere on the album. Heaven Help Us All (w/Gladys Knight) is a gospel flavored highlight and quite an emotional and beautiful piece of music. Hey Girl (w/Michael McDonald) and Somewhere Over The Rainbow (w/Johnny Mathis) both work well and fit comfortably with the album's reflective spirit. There's also a good live version of Crazy Love (w/Van Morrison) from the night Ray inducted Van (by Van's request) into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Genius Loves Company will pain some who don't want to be bothered with hearing a legend way past his prime sing his songs anymore, but I quite enjoy this hearing this man giving it another shot, holding his own with some of the world's greatest singers. Ray Charles deserved this album, he more than earned it, I'm glad I own it, and it makes me proud to listen to it. Thank you, Ray Charles.
	Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
	"EQ IS IMPORTANT, TOO ! (sometimes even more important than IQ)"	2008-04-30
Daniel Goleman's book Emotional Intelligence (1995) is a well written and researched study of the role emotions play in people's personal lives, and the effect that incompetent emotional management has on society. Goleman uses many individual examples to illustrate his point that emotional illiteracy (the inability to read emotions and respond appropriately) is both devastating and costly. Broken marriages, depression, domestic abuse, isolation, eating disorders, crime, alcoholism, and drug abuse are all in some way the end result of people's emotions gone awry. How can anyone possibly maintain a healthy outlook on life if their emotions are constantly getting the best of them? Goleman uses terms like: Emotional flooding: When someone is overwhelmed by another's negativity and their own reaction to it. They become swamped with dreadful and out-of-control feelings. Their perception becomes negative and distorted. They find it hard to organize their thoughts and fall back on primitive reactions like striking back or running away. Emotional hijacking: a neural takeover by a rush of emotions causing an outburst. "Blinded by rage", "a slave to passion", "scared to death", and "uncontrollable laughter" are examples of emotional hijackings. A person in this state loses their sense of reason, and emotions build on emotions causing a loss of control. Misattunement: The misattuned person doesn't read his own or other's emotions effectively. They don't recognize or acknowledge their own feelings, and they're oblivious to other's emotional states. It's as if another person's feelings don't exist at all. We all know people like this. The lonely genius who only cares about others when they benefit him or mentally challenge him. The aggressive smart aleck who thrives on making others feel uncomfortable. The distracted mother whose children have become unwanted responsibilities. The driven workaholic who denies himself and represses his emotions. The misattuned person doesn't make a lot of effort to get in touch with what others are feeling, and he just isn't much fun to be with. It is possible, however, for him to make adjustments to increase his EQ, improve his social skills, and get in touch with his own emotions through emotional relearning. Empathy is the key to Emotional Intelligence. Knowing how others feel unlocks the doors to compassion, self-control, adept social skills, and to becoming a well-adjusted and happier person. Without empathy there is no real love, and life is lived purely for self-gratification. Empathy allows us to care for others and to live with a certain degree of morality. Being in touch with our own emotions is also an important part of Emotional Intelligence. Understanding our own intentions and feelings helps us to focus on what's really important to us, keep expectations realistic, and prevent negative emotions from controlling our point of view and destroying our lives. Even though Emotinal Intelligence isn't a self-help instructional manual, it certainly can be helpful to learn new strategies for self-control, getting to know yourself better, improving your relationships, becoming more successful, and learning to be a little more understanding of others. All of which make the world a better place.
	Rolling Stones - Aftermath
	"(4.5 stars) A ROLLING STONES CLASSIC ! (a little underrated and underappreciated, but it stands among their best albums)"	2008-04-27
The Rolling Stones' Aftermath was quite a big deal back in 1966 when it was first released. Their first album in stereo, it featured experimental instrumentation and arrangements, all songs were Jagger/Richards compositions (for the first time), and it included a #1 hit single with Paint It Black. It just got pushed to the back of the room when The Beach Boys released Pet Sounds and The Beatles followed with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band the next year. And when the Stones themselves released their classic Beggars Banquet album in 1968, Aftermath suddenly seemed like old news. It still doesn't take away the fact that Aftermath is the Stones' best early (pre-Beggars Banquet) album, and one of my personal all-time favorites from the band. It opens with a total classic, Paint It Black. Not many songs dare to go where this one does, into the bleak and dangerous world of depression. With an Indian beat that's augmented by Brian Jones playing the sitar, the song rocks in and out of two different formats while Mick Jagger sings of living in hopelessness. Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black Stupid Girl is a mod/hip London scene groupie put-down, and the refined Lady Jane shows an uncharacteristically disciplined side of the band (Brian plays the harpsichord). The marimba (Brian again) and guitar rock Under My Thumb is a classic that's still playing on classic rock radio stations today, and is one of the Stones' greatest songs. Kinda hard to resist the get-even politics, isn't it? Under my thumb The girl who once had me down Under my thumb The girl who once pushed me around The slide guitar blues of Doncha Bother Me is a real winner, and then they go bluesy country with acoustic guitars and a harmonica on High And Dry. Keith Richards shows off some nice guitar work on both. Flight 505 has an old-timey piano intro that gives way to a laid-back rock n' harmony exercise, and It's Not Easy is an irrestible toe-tapping Chuck Berry sounding rocker. I Am Waiting is a strange and hypnotic bit of country psychedelia that features the omnipotent Brian Jones on the dulcimer. The album closes with Going Home, an eleven minute blues epic that starts out innocently enough, but then enters into a dark, sexual, and shamanistic trip into the unknown night. Mick Jagger's sensual vocal improvisations and spirit channeling over a heavy bass and harmonica blues jam won't appeal to the more tidy and polished Stones fans, but it's quite a fascinating piece of work. Bottom line, Aftermath is an essential part of The Rolling Stones catalog and a top-notch Rolling Stones production. One of their best albums in my book.
	Van Halen - Van Halen
	"RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL ! (Van Halen's debut rocks and rocks and rocks some more)"	2008-04-23
Van Halen (1978) rocks! It's a hard rock classic, and the best album the band has ever released. It has sold over 10 million copies and introduced the world to Eddie Van Halen's wild guitar pyrotechnics including a new guitar playing technique, (fretboard) tapping. Eddie's brother Alex plays the drums and Michael Anthony plays the bass on this album. Last but not least, the charismatic frontman David Lee Roth provides the over-the-top vocals and wild screams. Runnin' With The Devil sets the tone for Van Halen with a killer guitar riff and a demonic scream-sing. The first lines of the first song on Van Halen's first album tell the tale. I live my life like there's no tomorrow And all I got I had to steal Least I don't need to beg or borrow Yes, I'm livin' at a pace that kills Runnin' with the devil The electric and blistering guitar solo Eruption follows, and pretty much just blew everybody's mind in 1978. And if that wasn't enough of an entrance, they perfectly nail The Kinks' You Really Got Me with heavy rocking version that makes the song their own. Classic! Ain't Talkin' Bout Love is another smoking guitar classic that rocks hard and adds more desperation and menace into the works. Right out of the gates with four hard rock classics! Yeah! Jamie's Cryin', Feel Your Love Tonight, and Little Dreamer are all rock classics, too, and keep pace with the others here. Atomic Punk and On Fire are solid rockers, and the blues parody Ice Cream Man starts out acoustic before morphing into a wild electric blues free-for-all. If you get any of Van Halen's albums get this one. A must-have for party rockers, rock guitar fans, or anybody who likes to listen to hard rock music when they're runnin' with the devil.
	Van Halen - Van Halen
	"RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL ! (Van Halen's debut rocks and rocks and rocks some more)"	2008-04-23
Van Halen (1978) rocks! It's a hard rock classic, and the best album the band has ever released. It has sold over 10 million copies and introduced the world to Eddie Van Halen's wild guitar pyrotechnics including a new guitar playing technique, (fretboard) tapping. Eddie's brother Alex plays the drums and Michael Anthony plays the bass on this album. Last but not least, the charismatic frontman David Lee Roth provides the over-the-top vocals and wild screams. Runnin' With The Devil sets the tone for Van Halen with a killer guitar riff and a demonic scream-sing. The first lines of the first song on Van Halen's first album tell the tale. I live my life like there's no tomorrow And all I got I had to steal Least I don't need to beg or borrow Yes, I'm livin' at a pace that kills Runnin' with the devil The electric and blistering guitar solo Eruption follows, and pretty much just blew everybody's mind in 1978. And if that wasn't enough of an entrance, they perfectly nail The Kinks' You Really Got Me with heavy rocking version that makes the song their own. Classic! Ain't Talkin' Bout Love is another smoking guitar classic that rocks hard and adds more desperation and menace into the works. Right out of the gates with four hard rock classics! Yeah! Jamie's Cryin', Feel Your Love Tonight, and Little Dreamer are all rock classics, too, and keep pace with the others here. Atomic Punk and On Fire are solid rockers, and the blues parody Ice Cream Man starts out acoustic before morphing into a wild electric blues free-for-all. If you get any of Van Halen's albums get this one. A must-have for party rockers, rock guitar fans, or anybody who likes to listen to hard rock music when they're runnin' with the devil.
	Narada Decade: The Anniversary Collection
	"AN EXQUISITE INTRODUCTION TO THE RELAXING BEAUTY AND GRACE OF NEW AGE MUSIC (and to the excellant Narada Productions label)"	2008-04-22
Narada Decade: The Anniversary Collection (1993) is a sort of "greatest hits" compilation of the New Age record label's first ten years. New Age music is instrumental, relaxing, and graceful. The primary instruments are piano, classical guitar, flute, oboe, and violin, but songs may include other instruments as well. It's not classical music, but the two are somewhat related. New Age music is more spacious, relaxed, and modern than classical, and simply not as elaborate. Most of the time it's quite content to stay in the background. The songs are beautifully and irresistibly melodic, pristinely produced, and well performed. The men and women who play this music are accomplished musicians who have mastered their craft quite impressively. This 2-CD collection includes a variety of piano and guitar themed music along with plenty of combination pieces that feature all of the instruments that contribute to the New Age sound. One of my favorites here is Oaks, a Nancy Rumbel/Eric Tingstad/David Lanz effort from their Woodlands CD. It's a thoughtful and stimulating piano, flute, and guitar collaboration. Disc 1 features songs from the Lotus subdivision of Narada, which is the quieter, more graceful side of the label. Disc 2 is a little more adventurous, and includes selections from Lotus as well as the other subdivisions of the label that feature world music, jazz, Celtic, and fusion pieces. All are done in the meticulous and gracious Narada style. The music on this collection is of the highest quality. Sometimes it's moving, at other times sentimental, but it's always soothing and relaxing. Whether it's as an implement for thoughtful reflection, as background music while reading, or just to set a relaxing mood, Narada Decade: The Anniversary Collection is a graceful, interesting, and neatly produced musical selection.
	Paul Mccartney - Ram
	""GIVE YOUR HEART TO SOMEBODY SOON, RIGHT AWAY..." (Paul and Linda McCartney ram on)"	2008-04-20
RAM (1971) is a sort of postcard to the world from Paul and Linda McCartney. They're in love, married, and living on a secluded farm in Scotland. They refuse to take part in any fantasies that Beatles freaks or the media have about reunions, masterpieces, high profile appearances, prolific statements, or any other expectations that anybody may have of them. The album is mostly a statement of sentimental and carefree simplicity. Think kids, cats, farm animals, and a happy marriage. Paul also helps himself to a few vicious shots at Linda's ex-husband, and he doesn't spare the venom when he digs into his former songwriting partner John Lennon, either. But mostly, this is romantic and lighthearted fun. It all starts out with Too Many People, an acoustic/electric guitar rocker that takes a few jabs at John. You took your lucky break and broke it into Now what can be done for you You broke it into The same song takes a shot at Linda's ex-husband, too. I find my love awake and waiting to be Now what can be done for you She's waiting for me Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey was the hit single from the album, and it's a three-part suite of frivolity and unassuming psychedelia. The happy-go-lucky jauntiness sets the tone for the album, and the song is quite an exercise in imaginitive music theory. Monkberry Moon Delight is an abstract rock screamer that's strangely irresistible. The melodic Dear Boy and Ram On are both pleasant and relaxing, while Heart Of The Country is a bouncy acoustic guitar celebration of living on the McCartney farm. Want a horse, I got a sheep I'm gonna get me a good night's sleep Living in a home in the heart of the country Long Haired Lady is an extended love song that's sweet, melodious, and agreeable. The Back Seat Of My Car is a favorite of mine on the album. It's an anthem of young love that others don't approve of or understand. The lovers take off in his car and "may end up in Mexico City". The song reaches an enthusiastic crescendo as Paul and Linda sing in a harmonious chant. Oh, we believe that we can't be wrong! Oh, we believe that we can't be wrong! RAM is an essential part of the early post-Beatle McCartney years, and Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey brought Paul his first #1 single after The Beatles split. Taken on it's own terms, it's quite an enjoyable piece of work. It's relaxing, romantic, fun, and has some excellant examples of Paul McCartney's astute songwriting abilities. It's also kind of frivolous, carefree, and a little bit exclusive, so if you're looking to kneel in front of your speakers and worship a sweeping and all consuming work of art, this might not be what you're looking for. For those who just want to hear good music mixed with carefree simplicity, relaxation, and love & marriage, RAM will do just fine.
	Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Night Moves
	""AIN'T IT FUNNY HOW YOU REMEMBER ?..." (Night Moves is a near perfect Bob Seger classic)"	2008-04-17
Bob Seger's Night Moves (1976) catapulted the hard working and long deserving rock n' roller into the national spotlight, and it's really no wonder that it did. It's an almost perfect album. With the classic title song, the reflective and atmospheric Main Street, and some basic hard driving rock n' roll, the album caught on with true rockers who were growing tired of pretentious, wimpy, and platform shoe lifted glitter rockers. With Night Moves, Bob Seger offered intelligent rock music with backbone and true grit, sung by a man with a soulful voice who looked and sounded like he could actually back up what he was singing. All-American Rock n' Roll! The music on Night Moves is mostly basic stuff, but highly enthusiastic with the smart professionalism that road tested experience brings. The Silver Bullet Band plays on half of the songs which were recorded in Bob's hometown of Detroit, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section plays on the other half, recorded at the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama. Night Moves. Ain't it funny how you remember? The song brings back memories for a lot of people. Who doesn't remember the exuberance of youth and the "awkward teenage blues" that Bob himself so vividly recalls. We weren't in love, oh no, far from it We weren't searchin' for some pie in the sky summit We were just young and restless and bored Living by the sword Rock And Roll Never Forgets, Sunspot Baby, Mary Lou, and the smokin' hot Fire Down Below are all energetic and durable rock n' roll. It's the kind of stuff that rocks with the best, but hangs tough and doesn't lose it's mature and masculine character. Main Street is a classic, one of the best songs of Seger's career. Winding and picturesque, it describes a scene right out of 1950s-60s Main Street, U.S.A. from a young boy's perspective. In the pool halls, the hustlers and the losers I used to watch 'em through the glass Well, I'd stand outside at closing time Just to watch her walk on past Unlike all the other ladies she looked so young and sweet As she made her way alone down that empty street Come To Poppa is a funky, soulful, and pounding strut that Seger works for all it's worth. Great song. There's really nothing on Night Moves to complain about. It's almost perfect, actually. Atmospheric, and picturesque in a vivid and personal way, Night Moves touches many people in many different ways. It rocks like there's no tomorrow , it wistfully reflects, and it lusts for the wild touch of love's madness. Classic in every way, Night Moves is American rock n' roll at it's very best!
	James Taylor - Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon
	"(4.5 stars) ISN'T IT NICE TO BE HOME AGAIN ! ( JT's third album takes you to where you belong)"	2008-04-13
James Taylor's Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon (1971) will melt your troubles away, drop your heart rate, relax the muscles around your eyes, and take you to a place where you belong. Yes, these acoustic guitar based songs are more than relaxing. They're also uplifting in a peaceful way that has a calming effect on anyone who listens with an open mind. JT soothes the soul with a warm and friendly voice. Love has Brought Me Around: It's time for me to be stealing away Let those rain clounds roll out on the sea Let the sun shine down on me You've Got A Friend: Ain't it good to know That you've got a friend When people can be so cold They'll hurt you and desert you They'll take your soul if you let them But don't you let them Mud Slide Slim: Cause there's nothing like the sound of sweet soul music To change a young lady's mind And there's nothing like a walk down by the bayou To leave the world behind The music is mostly based around JT's acoustic guitar, but he gets help here and there from Carole King on piano, John Hartford on banjo, Richard Greene on fiddle, The Memphis Horns, and Joni Mitchell on background vocals. Mud Slide Slim is also reflective at times. JT gets behind the piano and sings in Places In My Past. And I can't remember why But I still love those good times gone by James grabs his guitar and sings the sad and atmospheric Hey Mister, Thats Me Up On The Jukebox, and you feel like you're sitting there with him. There are plenty of other great songs on the album, too, including Long Ago And Far Away, Highway Song, and the bluesy Machine Gun Kelly. The album closes with the short but sweet Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again which features JT alone with his acoustic guitar. The album won two Grammy Awards including Best Pop Vocal Performance and Song Of The Year (You've Got A Friend). This is such a relaxing production that, even if for no other reason, you might want to keep Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon in your collection for attitude adjustment purposes. One of James Taylor's very best albums.
	The Doors - Morrison Hotel
	""WELL, I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND I GOT MYSELF A BEER !" (The Doors are wide open at Morrison Hotel)"	2008-04-12
The Doors organist Ray Manzerak has said that Morrison Hotel (1970) was his favorite of all of The Doors' albums. Why? "Rock n' Roll!", he said. It's the closest they ever came to a pure rock or blues-rock album. Sure, they had done blues (Back Door Man) before and were always a rock band, but their main focus had always been on theatrics and darkly sensual rock poetics. On Morrison Hotel, Robbie Krieger's electric guitar leads the way while the tinkling avant-garde English organ passages of the past give way to a bluesy Hammond B-3 organ sound. The Lizard King isn't much interested in poetry or theatrics now, he's ready to party and rock n' roll! Roadhouse Blues opens the album, and right from the start you know you're in for a rocking good time. The song rocks harder than anything The Doors would ever do, and the wildly manic Morrison rips it up good. Well I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer The future's uncertain and the end is always near. Let it roll, baby, roll Let it roll... All night long Waiting For The Sun, the unreleased title track from their third album is a classic. A mixture of spacy poetic longing and commanding electric rock, Morrison is melodious and vivid. At first flash of eden We race down to the sea Standing there on freedom's shore Waiting for the sun You Make Me Real acknowledges identity validation from a lover. You make me real You make me feel what lovers feel You make me throw away mistaken misery You make me feel love, make me free The strong and funky rocking Peace Frog was taken from two separate Jim Morrison poem fragments. The first was originally called "Abortion Stories". There's blood on the street, it's up to my ankles There's blood on the streets, it's up to my knee The second poem in the song is spoken by Morrison, and was originally titled "Ghost Song". Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile eggshell mind Blue Sunday is a tender love song that's a nice change of pace for the album. Ship Of Fools and Land Ho work in tandem to bring metaphoric images of the sea together with good rock n' roll. I like the slow, bluesy and sensual The Spy, too. Queen Of The Highway and Indian Summer are both rather forgettable, then the album closes with the blues flavored rock of Maggie McGill. Morrison Hotel was a return to form for The Doors after their somewhat disappointing attempt at a rockestrated epic, The Soft Parade. It doesn't get much better for Doors' fans than some of this stuff, but like every Doors' album, there are some weak spots. So get this one for Roadhouse Blues, Waiting For The Sun, Peace Frog, Ship Of Fools, Land Ho!, The Spy and Maggie McGill.
	James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
	""ROCK-A-BYE SWEET BABY JAMES..." (sweet, soulful and bluesy acoustic perfection)"	2008-04-09
Sweet Baby James (1970) is the second album from James Taylor, his breakthrough and his best. The sweet, bluesy acoustic guitar and vocals on this album are authentic and interesting. No, this isn't the easy listening JT of Handyman and Your Smiling Face fame, this is the down home and down-to-earth folk-blues singing and guitar picking JT. Of course, the quiet thoughtful folkie side of James Taylor is here, too. The themes are often reflective, and Taylor's sense of melancholy mixes well with his instinct to survive. He accepts his sadness in a realistic way by acknowledging it, but not letting it get the best of him. The title song is one of JT's greatest, a two-part cowboy lullaby that's a description of James' car trip to meet his baby nephew (also named James) for the first time, and images of a young cowboy on the range. And as the moon rises he sits by his fire Thinking about women and glasses of beer And closing his eyes as the doggies retire He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear As if maybe someone could hear JT gets bluesy on Steamroller Blues, which starts as a one-man-band guitar and vocal blues, and shifts into a delicious and lazy rocking blues swing with help from a big brass band. Country Road is another one of Taylor's greatest songs. The Carolina boy sings of finding peace of mind on a country road in soulful tandem with his heavenly acoustic guitar. I guess my feet know where they want me to go Walking on a country road Sunny Skies is a lighthearted tune, and JT does a remake of Stephen Foster's 1847 song Oh Susanna that sounds surprisingly good. Of course, the big hit on the album is the signature Fire And Rain, and JT has said the song was written in three parts. The first, about his friend who suddenly died, the second, about his own battles with drugs and depression, and the third, his dealing with new found fame and fortune. The song has a particular and profound personal meaning for many people in the world, myself included. Well there's hours of time on the telephone line To talk about things to come Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground JT gets bluesy again with the country-blues tinged Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip On Me. There's some great acoustic blues guitar and laid back blues singing here, and it sounds sweet and soulful. Sweet Baby James is quiet, down-to-earth and folk-style bluesy. It's also sweet in a soulful and thoughtfully acoustic way. It's James Taylor at his singing-songwriting best, playing songs that are touching, fun, sad, contemplative and of the highest quality. If you get any of James Taylor's albums, this should be the one.
	The Allman Brothers Band - Seven Turns
	"(4.5 stars) A NEW BEGINNING ! (Warren Haynes joins the brotherhood and the ABB takes flight again)"	2008-04-01
Seven Turns (1990) was the last comeback album from the Allman Brothers Band. It's also the last time they've needed to comeback. They've been going strong ever since. What a comeback this was for us long time ABB fans who had all but lost hope in the desolate 1980s! Now, eighteen years and a few more excellant albums later, Seven Turns has lost a little of it's initial luster. In 1990, it was utterly fantastic. In 2008, it's a very good album that has a couple of great songs. The title song is an excellant Dickey Betts acoustic/electric guitar ballad that makes ABB magic and has become an Allman Brothers Band classic. Good Clean Fun is a rocking romp with great swagger, mean guitars, a screeching harmonica, and Gregg Allman's gritty and gravelly growl. Those two are great songs, the best on Seven Turns. Gambler's Roll is an exceptional atmospheric blues-ballad where Allman's golden-throated blues singing is spotlighted. Warren Haynes steps up as the lead singer on his blues-rocker Loaded Dice. Of course, there's the usual ABB instrumental, the jazzy True Gravity, and it's a winner, too. I also like the southern rocker Shine It On. Gregg Allman sings the optimistic Dickey Betts/Warren Haynes lyrics. I've had my troubles I know you've had your troubles, too Sometimes when you need a little sunshine It keeps raining down on you But I'm not gonna let it get me down Keep on pullin', things are gonna come around Shine It On The Allman Brothers Band really got back to form with Seven Turns and started what would become their new beginning. It's a good album, one that long-time fans will remember as the rebirth of the ABB. While not quite as good as any of the "Duane Era" albums, it's as close as they had come in a long time. And that's really saying something.
	Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits
	"EXACTLY THE WAY A GREATEST HITS ALBUM SHOULD BE ! (the music is great and so is everything else about this compilation)"	2008-03-27
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (1993). Yeah buddy, this is the way it's done! Digitally remastered. The songs are in chronological order. An on target song selection. A couple of new songs. Liner notes that tell you what album each song was on and when it was released. Lots of photos. Why doesn't everybody do it this way? It starts off with American Girl (1976), Petty's first hit single (he also opened his performance at this year's Super Bowl with the song). It's quickly followed by Breakdown, Listen To Her Heart, and I Need To Know. There are four songs from his breakthrough album Damn The Torpedoes (1979) including Refugee, Don't Do Me Like That, Even The Losers, and Here Comes My Girl. The Waiting from Hard Promises (1981) is followed by one of my favorite Tom Petty songs, You Got Lucky from Long After Dark (1982). The rocking Runnin' Down A Dream with its great guitar solo, and the swaggering Free Fallin' are both here, and both are classics that still get airplay on classic rock radio. All of these songs do, really. Learning To Fly and Into The Great Wide Open from the album Into The Great Wide Open (1991) wrap up the classic song section of the album. The two new songs are the electric guitar and harmonica driven Mary Jane's Last Dance and the revolution-call-to-arms Something In The Air. Both sound great, and fit right in with the classics. Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' music was a big part of the late 1970s and the decade of the 1980s rock music sound, and it continued into the 1990s as well. This album is a well-done documentary of the best of Tom Petty's music from that period. Digitally remastered to perfection, the songs sound as good today as they ever have. Or maybe even better!