Alan' Progessive Project keeps an Eye out

As I posted last week, I am reviewing albums that were hits when I was growing up but I listened to the whole release. Unlike last week,  I don't know if any of my friends had this album. Other than the first two tracks ,I know until last week I haven't heard this release.

The album I am talking about is Eye In The Sky from The Alan Parsons Project. The title track was huge when I was a young teenager. If you have ever watched a Laker game or many other sports you have heard the other sort of hit, Sirius.  I knew the two tracks were kinda linked due to the fact many classic rock DJs play them back to back for a long break.

As for the rest of the Album it is really good but very progressive rock. I think as a 13 year old I might not have gotten it. It also explains why my other friends at the time didn't have it, just too deep for us. But listening to it now there are several great tracks on this album, besides the title track. The first five tracks are great including Children of the Moon, Gemini and Silence and I.

Alan Parsons is a legendary producer and worked with some very influential artists. What amazes me is the number of albums that this Project had with so few real hits. It shows how record companies have changed. Artists were given much more time to develop before they were cut and I am sure the fact Alan Parsons worked with the Beattles and Pink Floyd didn't hurt.

I recommend this album as a great example of early 80's progessive rock that I am happy I listened to a few decades later.

Til next time, listen to the best your ears deserve it.

What an Unusual First Release

Well back to the 80's music for the next few posts.  I want to look at some artists I really enjoyed their first hits but never listened to the rest of the album.

Lady's first and what a first release for Cyndi Lauper.  She's So Unusual was a monster in the early 80's  Bright. different and well Unusual Cyndi Lauper stood out.  I remember a close friend of mine at the time was really into Cyndi Lauper.  Mike was different and I as learned more as I got older Mike was also gay.  

I am still surprised by my reaction even back then was, So What your Gay and a bit of oh Mike things are going to be tough.  Raised by a single mother who was very cool but we lost way too soon to cancer Mike did not have an easy go of it.  I wish we had a happy ending here but Mike decided that it all was too much and decided to take his own life. It was good that he did find some comfort in the differences of Cyndi Lauper.

Now the release She's So Unusual was played around me often and I can feel comfortable  that I might have listened to the whole album back then.  The problem I find with the release is one that many artists had back in the 80's, it was a great half of an album.  

Before ITunes and even CD's cassette tapes ruled the music scene.  Was the sound great? No, but they were very portable and shareable.  The cassette had two sides and normally 4-5 songs on each side. The problem some times came that Side 1 had the released hits and Side 2 had the other tracks.  So on reviewing the track working of She's So Unusual I am sure I listened to Side 1 many times.  

Cyndi Lauper burst on the scene with Girl's Just Want To Have Fun.  It is a wonderful party anthem to women everywhere.  The great thing about the album is that it shows Cyndi's flexibility as an Artist.  Time After Time is a classic ballad that would be a hit in any era and shows great debt of music and lyric that I am still amazed when I listen to it.  Then, She Bop is about keeping one's self happy and is a fun yet very bold statement.  Finally, All Through the Night shows great vocal range and tenderness.  

Unfortunately, there are misses on the release,  I didn't care for her Prince cover of When you Where Mine, and I appreciate the music on the rest of the tracks but they didn't speak to me.  Cyndi had a great band on the release, basically the act The Hooters.

Either way the whole Album/CD/Cassette deserves a listen and it is terrific for a first release.  

Til next time, listen to the best -your ears deserve it.

Monster Truck Crushes It

So I am wondering what to blog about next when once again Sirius/XM Octane comes to  the rescue with a great new band. Rolling down the road and crushing it to Monster Truck.

Now I am old enough to remember the height of Southern Rock., 38 Special, Molly Hatchet and of course Lynrd Skynyrd. Odd enough I have been to a Hatchet concert, some great rock music and even better people watching. With Monster Truck's Sittin Heavy release those Southern Rock sounds are back. The first released track Don't Tell Me How To Live hooked me in so off to ITUNES I went. The rest of the album is just swampy and fried as you expect. 

The kicker is that this is a Candian rock band. I guess it shows you how music can cross borders. Sittin Heavy is Monster Truck's third release and it is slightly different from the first two. The earlier releases were more of  Deep Purple and Bad Company sound of bluesy of rock. 

I have listened to Sittin Heavy many times after my first find and it still pleases the ears. It is refreshing to listen to a new take of a great Southern Rock sound from our friends on the North side of the boarder. 

Till next time, listen to the best  - your ears deserve it. 

For Van Halen the Third time isn't a charm

I haven't always been Van Halen's biggest fan on this blog. The Roth era of the band did a lot for hard rock and the Hagar era brought the band into true across the board acceptability. Few know there was a third lead singer.

In the late 90's Eddy Van Halen going through another of his issues with lead singers. The jury is still out on whether Hagar quit or was fired. Either way Van Halen needed a lead singer. The problem was, according to industry experts, no one wanted to join. You can't trash two legendary front men and expect people to beat down your door. So the band added Gary Cherone the lead singer from the band Extreme. The only album this version of the group did was Van Halen 3.

I remember hearing and watching the video for the single released from the album, it was underwhelming. With that I, and it turned out the world, was through with Van Halen 3. Stumbling upon the album I decided to give it a listen

Bands should challenge their formula every now and then. It keeps the sound from getting stale. But there are risks you take and many times you push away your fans. Also it helps to be ahead of the curve musically not behind it.

Upon trying to listen to Van Halen 3, I am not sure what the band was going for but it was way too far from any thing Van Halen ever did. If anything, it sounded like they were trying to bring back the early 90's sounds of the Spin Doctors. Ye, I said trying. I couldn't finish the release about three quarters of it I quit. My advice is to do what the rest of the world did and forget this ever happened.  I love finding lost jems but this album ain't that.

Till next time, listen to the best - your ears deserve it.

Baby Hit Me and Dance your A$& Off

So my wife and I went to Las Vegas for our 17th anniversary a few weeks ago. We decided to take in a show. Who we chose was a perfect performer for Vegas. I must say upfront that Britney Spears is not my typical artist for review on this blog, but on review of her performance she's a quality entertainer.

Britney Spears came to national attention in 99 with a bubble gum pop sound and very catchy hooks. The fact that she was/is an attractive blond also helped keep her in the spotlight. This is where it gets tough for me. Although not a fan, I have to say a few things. First off, she is still popular , if you didn't have some talent an artist couldn't have lasted this long and she had charisma like few other artists. Is she a great singer or musician? No, not really, but a dinomite performer.

The show was amazing. Britney Spears can dance and hold your attention when she is on stage. The sets and effects were great. One moment that made me smile and cringe is Britney's cover of I Love Rock and Roll. I don't know if I have the right words to describe Britney riding a oversized Guitar in the middle of the stage. I don't know if Joan Jett would hit or make out with Britney, either way it was a moment. She preformed her hits but each song had a slightly new arrangement to keep it fresh. The crowd was almost as entertaining as Britney. Mainly 30 something women enjoying the show, alcohol and dancing badly.

While I will never list Britney in my top musicians I have to say she is an amazing performer and I would say don't miss her show.

Til next time,  listen to the best - your ears deserve it.

Now I what it sounds like when Doves Cry

For anyone who has read my posts is is pretty clear that Prince is one of my favorite artist.  With the news of his untimely passing I had to put together a few wards out of my respect for The Artist.

Prince has been a part of my musical world as long as I can remember.  As a teenager I remember seeing the early videos on MTV of I Want to be Your Lover, 1999 and Little Red Corvette.  At the time still a bit too young to fully get the artist but I was still taken with him.

As I grew and learned more about what music can be Prince seemed to flex his creative muscles.  The vision and depth of Purple Rain then going psychedelic with Around the World, then combining all of his art into the double album masterpiece which is Sign O The Times.

Granted I think Sign is his finest work but Prince continued to put out great work and many of them I have reviewed.

Prince let me explore with him, Sex, Love, Race Relations, and Family issues.  All were done with such insight and a musical chameleon ability that we might never see again.

One request I have of anyone that reads this blog when it comes to Prince, don't just stick to the Hits.  In my opinion the man wrote very few bad songs and even the filler tracks on all of his releases were great listens.

So Rest in Peace great Purple One, Prince Rodgers Nelson, I count myself lucky that I could share in your musical vision.

Bryan Adam's Reckless a timeless Album

So a few weeks Sheryl and I were hanging in my Man Cave and nothing was good on the TV.  I pulled out the record albums and found Reckless from Bryan Adams and we listened to it.  Wow, I forgot what a great album it was.  Now I have listened to it much more often and wanted to add it to this blog.

I remember the first time I heard/saw Bryan Adams was on MTV at my grandparent's house.  We didn't have MTV at that time so I would watch for hours when I got time to visit.  I remember the video for Cuts Like a Knife and really thought it was a great song, but that was just a preview to the monster album that is Reckless.

Reckless was one of those 80's monster albums that just kept on the charts and had hit after hit released from it.  Now it was not Purple Rain, Born in the USA or Thriller level, I would say it was just a next step behind those albums.  It was released in 84 and it had 6 releases hit the top 15 of the charts.

Of the 6 releases, Somebody, Heaven, One Night Love Affair, and It's Only Love, the releases Run To You and Summer of 69 have special places in my heart.  I was in high school when Run To You was released and I had a great girlfriend, but I also had a crush on a girl that was slightly out of my league.  Now my crush started paying more attention once the girlfriend showed up and when I heard Run To You I felt like Bryan Adams was singing about me.  The Summer of 69 was the year I was born.  It is a fun coming of age song that all kids have felt about, the title is what is funny.  We all knew when Bryan Adams was born and we knew he wasn't old enough for the time frame to fit.  So the title was hinting at a naughty side.

The best thing about this album is that it is timeless.  Unlike a lot of hits from the 80's it isn't dated. The release is just solid Rock songs that could be released now and still be fresh hits.  So if you want to hear some great songs listen to this album.

Til next time, listen to the best -  your ears deserve it.