Pink Floyd Retrospective!

You had to know that, once I started doing these retrospectives, one for Pink Floyd was inevitable.  This time, I'm including live albums, though there are only 3 official ones.  Well, 3 and a half, but I'll get to that.  Also, with live albums, you may notice two years listed.  The first is when it was recorded, and the second is when the album was released.  I'll be placing them when they were recorded in this retrospective.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I can really add critically to these that hasn't been said a million times, so I'll be mostly focusing on more on the personal side for these and what these albums have come to mean for me.  I should also establish some expectations, though.  While I grew up listening to the band due to my father, he was never very interested in the psychedelic stuff, largely focusing on the 70s and the handful that came out after.  As such, my remarks about every album before Meddle are going to be more historical than personal, as I generally listen to them in more of an academic mindset.

As this retrospective article is much longer than the last one, I'll be hiding it behind a jump break on the main blog page so that it doesn't dominate the blog.  I thought about splitting it up into multiple articles, but then I realized that I generally don't like it when other sites do that, so instead, here's the whole discography all at once.

Last Played - March 2020!

Hey, it's been a while since I've had one of these!  The start of the year has been a bit rough, as I've been dealing with some congestion in one of my ears.  However, that hasn't stopped me from listening to stuff, and this time we've got a theme of classic rock and metal sounds!

Pounder - Breaking the World

These guys definitely love their classic metal, as they sound like every metal album released from 1981 to 1985.  The high speed drumming of thrash meets the noodly solos of NWOBHM, making for an album that takes itself the right amount of seriously.  Cheesy, but not too melodramatic.  Anthemic, but with plenty of uptempo riffing and dual guitar solos.

It's also a very short album, at only 7 tracks for 35 minutes, but they still find ways to work in a decent amount of variety.  "Breaking the World" is more on the epic side with its 6/8 time signature, while "Never Forever" throws in some arpeggiating synths from the 80s pop band recording in the next studio over.  Meanwhile, "Deadly Eyes" is classic speed metal, and "Hard Road to Home" is a great anthemic track, probably the best on the album.

However, there really isn't much outside of 80s metal worship, and the vocals are almost too gritty for what they're going for.  These songs often go for a classic type of epicness, and they need someone like Eric Adams or Ronnie Atkins, but all they seem to have is someone who's smoked nearly as much as Lemmy.  They're not bad vocals, but not really great either.  Decent stuff, with a lot of great guitar work, but not really blowing me away.

Uriah Heep - Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble

Uriah Heep is another one of those bands that I've seen around, but never really listened to.  Supposedly having a foot in both the heavy metal and prog rock camps, I decided to give their first record a spin.  I understand they don't come into their own until a few albums later, but I like to start at the beginning as it makes following the band's narrative easier for me.

What stands out at first is of course the use of the rock organ.  They mentioned that Vanilla Fudge is one of their inspirations, and it's very clear on a lot of these songs.  Lots of midtempo rocking with plenty of gaps for licks and fills, and nice vocal harmonies.  David Byron is a very solid vocalist, with a slight operatic style, but still good for some of the album's more bluesy stuff.

"Dreammare" stands out to me the most, sounding more like an early Rainbow song, with the fantasy lyrics, and harder riffs.  The rest of the tracks are an odd mix of blues rock and jazz fusion, sitting somewhere between Vanilla Fudge, Caravan, and Grand Funk Railroad.  I don't know if I've heard anything amazing quite yet, but it's a decent start, and I'll be looking forward to the rest of this band's discography.

Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

I can't believe it's been nearly two years since I first listened to Heaven and Hell.  You'd think after hearing how good that one is I would have jumped right on this one, but evidentially not.  Anyways, the follow up definitely has more of the same sound and style as the first, but I will say that it's probably more consistent in quality, and probably a little shinier, but maybe not quite reaching the same heights as the previous one.

Dio is still Dio, to be sure, and the music does a great job setting up a stage for him to tell his dramatic stories.  Vinny Appice is the new drummer, and he plays well; his fills are especially good.  Iommi brings his trademark style as well, though I don't know if his riffs are quite as strong on this one.  They do some classic doomy stuff though, particularly on "The Sign of the Southern Cross" and "Over and Over."  I also liked the transitions from "The Sign of the Southern Cross," through "E5150," to "The Mob Rules."

However, I don't hear anything as strong or as epic as the first side of Heaven and Hell.  While "Turn Up the Night" is a solid opener, it's not as strong as "Neon Nights," and while "The Sign of the Southern Cross" does get close, it doesn't quite match the majesty of "Children of the Sea."  Still, a solid effort that mostly holds up in the second half as well.  I can see why some folks wished for this lineup to continue on from here, instead of breaking apart like they did.

Cirith Ungol - Frost and Fire

Let's round this article out with another old-school classic from a lesser known band.  Cirith Ungol is one I've heard talked about as being classic and inspirational US Power Metal, and given their album covers featuring classic fantasy art based on Elric of Melnibone, I figured I was in for some epic stuff.  However, I'm guessing that's on their later albums, as this album is a bizarre collection of songs.

The first few tracks are very much in the vein of 70s metal with strong elements of prog rock, making me think of the likes of Blue Oyster Cult or Rush circa Caress of Steel.  "I'm Alive" is the one that stands out the best for me, with a solid bass groove and some great dueling guitar leads.  However, as the album goes on, it takes some weird turns.  The second half of the album adds some rather cheesy synths, making me think of Billy Idol or The Knack.  New Wave stuff, but with darker, metal lyrics.  There's also a track that I guess was supposed to have lyrics, but they never got recorded, resulting in six minutes of decent, if generic, hard rock.

Overall, I have very mixed feelings after listening to this, especially since the beginning was so promising.  Tim Baker clearly has a great voice for this stuff, coming across as a more metal Arthur Brown, and the guitar work is solid and riffy.  It's like they have the components for a good metal band, but they were given the wrong songs somehow.  Hopefully, their later albums will bring the epicness I expect.

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I think I was pretty sluggish on listening to stuff at the beginning of last year.  Hopefully that isn't a trend!  I know that 2021 already has a bunch of promising bands and albums and we're not even a fourth of the way through!  Hopefully, I can catch up and get more of these out in the near future.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1976!

You'd think it would be hard to top 1971, but honestly 1976 is almost just as good.  Lots of great albums came out this year, even if not all of them were massive radio hits.  There's a lot to cover for this one, so I'd better get started!

The year starts with the massive Frampton Comes Alive!, featuring extensive use of the talkbox.  Live versions of "Show Me the Way," "Babe, I Love Your Way," and "Do You Feel the Way We Do" would find their way to rock stations around the world.  Kiss, who also found success with a massive live album last year, would release two albums this year: Destroyer and Rock and Roll Over, the former of which had big hits with "Detroit Rock City" and the ballad "Beth."  Led Zeppelin, while perhaps struggling with drugs and personal tragedies, still proved they still had it with Presence, featuring the epic "Achilles Last Stand."

Progressive rock was on its way out of public favor at this time, but there were still some solid albums this year.  Genesis released Trick of the Tail, which I reviewed late last year.  Rush also came to fruition with 2112, featuring the epic side-long title track that would propel them to the forefront of prog rock and hard rock fans across the world.  The Alan Parsons Project would begin this year as year, with Tales of Mystery and Imagination providing musical adaptations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe.  I also want to mention Starcastle's debut album.  Perhaps a little derivative of Yes, but I think it's a solid album, especially the opening track "Lady of the Lake."

Meanwhile, metal was starting to move toward its iconic sound, with help from Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny, featuring classic tracks like "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper," and Rainbow's Rising, which saw Ronnie James Dio really go all out on "Stargazer."  Black Sabbath would also release an album this year, but frankly Technical Ecstasy is not the band at their best, as they tried for a more commercial sound as the members were falling apart.

As the year went on, Blue Öyster Cult would tell us to "Don't Fear the Reaper," Steve Miller Band would help us "Fly Like an Eagle," and the Electric Light Orchestra would ask "Do Ya."  AC/DC would continue to perfect their sound with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, which I reviewed two years ago.  Boston released their incredible debut album, probably one of the best ever!  With songs like "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," and "Long Time," Boston would be a staple for classic rock stations in the decades to follow.

At the end of the year, we have two more great albums.  Styx released Crystal Ball, which not only has a great title track, but also "Put Me On," a fun song about listening to rock records that balance the band's classic styles together.  And finally, The Eagles put out Hotel California, which features another great title track, as well as the massive hit "Life in the Fast Lane."

I told you this was a great year!  Honestly, there were others that I left off this article, but I made sure to throw them into the playlist below.  As always, if I've missed some, just let me know!  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - March 2020 Part Two!

Oh, look!  More videos!  Got a bunch of great stuff here, and once again, a little bit of everything.  There's just a lot to look forward to, and catch up on, this year!  Let's get into it!

I know I'm a bit behind on this one, but I can see what everyone was talking about.  Definitely a different tone from our "Party Hard" hero.  Still, despite the dramatic approach, it's over-the-top in a way only Andrew W.K. can provide.  I don't know if this is a new direction or just a one of song, but I can't deny it has a lot of rocking power in it.

Despite a major lineup change, Frozen Crown sound as good as ever.  Of course, with vocals like Giada Etro's, you'd want to keep a band around her!  It might not be anything particularly new, but when it's played this well, I can't complain.  Nice solo work from new member Fabiola Bellomo as well!

The more I hear these guys, the more impressed I am.  This one has a more uplifting vibe, while being completely technical out the wazoo!  The run at about 2/3rds of the way in is incredible, with Petrucci and Rudress playing together so tightly!  Definitely masters at work here!

Another modern pop metal from Sweden, I guess these guys have been around for a while and are making a comeback. They have a gritter approach to their sound, with some chunky riffs, but they keep the anthemic chorus and noodly solos you'd expect.  Solid stuff!

Here's another one from W.E.T.!  While they're clearly building off of the 80s AOR template, I feel like they've really pushed it further than just homage.  Maybe it's just a production thing, but this feels pretty fresh to me.  I really need to listen to more of these guys.

Yep, back to the Italian Prog Metal.  Like the other one of theirs I shared, this one is more on the melodic side, like a fusion of power and prog metal.  I'm not complaining, though!  Very epic stuff, especially with the double-kicking drums and "Ramon" Messina coming back to do vocals.

New Videos - March 2020!

Well, now that we have our new look, let's get into some more videos!  Got a nice mix of rock and metal again, all of which have me pretty excited to hear all these new albums.  Rock and metal definitely don't slow down!

I mostly know Myles Kennedy from his work in Alter Bridge, but it sounds like his solo stuff is just as solid.  A rather bluesy hard rock song, it's got a lot of kick and crunch to it that I like.  Also, I enjoyed the fun, paper-craft visuals.  Neat video!

No visuals on this other than cover art, but it's their next single in anticipation for their new album.  Much more poppy and mid-tempo, it's not as dense as their other songs, but that may make it a nice breather on the album.  In the meantime, it works as a nice piece of anthemic metal.

Third single, third time I've shared them here!  I have to say, these guys really do have some great prog metal chops.  Percussive riffs with epic melodic sections.  This one feels particularly like Symphony X, but that's a compliment as far as I'm concerned.  I need to get to this album soon!

The Dust Coda are back with another one, and again, I can't deny their hard rocking groove!  I don't know how they do it, but each song they've put out in the last few months has been solid stuff, with catchy riffs and great vocals.  These guys are doing hard rock right!

After doing stuff with Michael Schenker again, and doing Black Swans last year, it sounds like he's bringing his iconic vocals to a new solo album!  Honestly, it's classic 80s rock with an anthemic vibe, buoyed by McAuley's pipes, which really ring out on this one.  

After recording one of the best albums last year, Lovebites is back with a quick EP (and an anime opening).  While we still get the epic, sweeping power metal, this one really has some strong symphonic elements, which they featured on a few songs on Electric Pentagram.  Still, it makes for some great stuff, so it goes on the list!