Top 5 of 1976!!

Well, after quite a bit of listening, I've finally pulled together my Top 5 for 1976.  As always, I can't listen to everything and this is just my personal preferences, but this really interesting list to put together.  When I did my Anniversary Article, I noted how good this year was, as bands were making the transition into more melodic rock styles for the sake of FM Radio.

I do have a few honorable mentions to bring up.  While "Carry On Wayward Son" is an excellent song, the rest of Kansas's Leftoverture it just okay, and I feel the same about Rush's 2112.  Starcastle's self-titled debut is a decent bit of Yes-styled prog, and even Triumph had an outside shot.  However, I really do think these five albums are the best the year has to offer.

5. Styx - Crystal Ball

While the album can be a bit of a mixed bag, the title track is one of their classic hits, and "Put Me On" is a clever bit of meta-humor.  As a massive Styx fan, it's hard to keep this band down, so even one of their weaker album still squeaks into this Top 5!

4. AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

While they did have one album before this, I was a little unsure as to whether to include High Voltage for 1975 (Australian release) or 1976 (International release).  Fortunately, their follow up simplifies things for me by being a much better album.  Not only do the title track and "Problem Child" continue to get play on classic rock radio, but deeper cuts like "Rocker" and the slow burning "Ride On" easily put this at number 4.

3. Rainbow - Rising

While Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow started off well last year, he and Dio really knocked it out of the park with Rising.  Kicking off with "Tarot Woman" and "Run with the Wolf," both strong songs, the album's real highlight is the eight minute epic "Stargazer," where the band's triumphant scope really shines.

2. Alan Parsons Project - Tales of Mystery and Imagination

I've always been a fan of this band, and while I admit this one is a little shaky compared to the rest of their discography, its theatrical tone helps set it apart from anything else in the year.  From "Crazy" Arthur Brown's manic performance on "Tell Tale Heart" to the orchestral brooding in the suite "Fall of the House of Usher," this project really captures the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe into some high quality symphonic rock.

1. Boston - Boston

I am hard pressed to think of a debut album that soared higher than Boston's self-titled album.  Half the songs on this album are still being played on classic rock radio and for good reason.  Between the proggy pomp and hard rocking riffs, with extremely tight vocal harmonies, this is arena rock at its finest.  It's such a shame that the band couldn't quite live up to this debut with their subsequent albums.  Still, I doubt this is a controversial choice at number one, as I know it's been praised by nearly everyone who has taken the time to listen to it, and I know I have many times over.

Top 5 of 1985!!

Well, this took a lot longer than it should have!  Turns out that there's a lot of rock and metal for this year, most of which was decent, but not amazing, so it took quite a few listens to figure out where to rank things.  While I do have an obvious winner (or two; I'll explain), the rest of the list was not easy, but eventually I decided I couldn't listen to everything and had to cut things off and choose.  I'm not as confident in this list as I am about the previous ones, but I have to move on.  So, for now anyway, here is my Top 5 for this quirky year.

5. Dio - Sacred Heart

It was tough to decide fifth place, as I was considering everything from Ratt and Accept, to Rush, but Dio's grandiosity won out.  It's not as strong as his first two solo efforts, as the band was starting to fall apart at this time, but you wouldn't really know it from the music.  Perhaps cheesy at times, but still a good amount of fun.

4. Asia - Astra

Once again, it's a drop off compared to this band's first two, as the inclusion of Mandy Mayer of Krokus pushed the band in more of an AOR style, but I think they make it work.  It's not as rich or proggy as the earlier albums, but there's enough of the classic Asia sound for me to put it up here.

3. Helloween - Walls of Jericho

As far as I'm concerned, European power metal started here.  Yes, it's a very rough album, mainly in classic speed metal territory, but careful listening shows the first steps of epicness, between the neo-classical riffing and Kai Hansen's wailing vocals.  While the band would definitely do better from here, picking up Michael Kiske, but I still find plenty of this iconic band's charm on their debut.

2. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

If there was an album that really defined 1985, it's this one.  Pushing their roots rock sound toward more commerciality, only to land on MTV's most sarcastic hit with "Money for Nothing," the band was thrown to the forefront of music listeners around the world.  Fortunately, the rest of the album is solid as well, with the somber title track, the easy-going "So Far Away," and my favorite from the album, the nostalgic "Walk of Life."  While the band had succeeded before, this album made them superstars.

1. The Alan Parsons Project - Vulture Culture/Stereotomy

Okay, so maybe I'm cheating here, putting two albums at number 1, but when they're both by one of my favorite bands, I was left with a hard choice?  Do let them take up two slots on a top 5?  Do I drop one in favor of the other?  Or maybe I just insist that it's my list and so I can make my own rules!  Seriously, though, this is some solid songwriting from a talented core of people.  The first carries on the formula of the previous two albums while the second sees them experimenting again a little.  While I do think Vulture Culture is the better of the two, Stereotomy is no slouch and has plenty of catchy melodic rock to enjoy.  Again, nostalgia plays a major role in putting these two albums at number 1, as I grew up on this band, but I can't think of any other album that can overtake either of these two for 1985!

Top 5 of 1980!!

I'm certainly having a busy spring, putting out all these articles.  There's just so many different bands and albums I want to get to, partially because of all these Top 5 pieces, and I'm enjoying the ride.  However, let's stay on track with this one, which was not easy to decide, let me tell you.  Even for my Anniversary Article, I talked about how good this year was, and in reviewing this year, that feeling has only gotten stronger!

The first, second, and third came together pretty quickly for me, but for fourth and fifth, it was a struggle.  With Rush, Journey, Ozzy, and Saxon all in the mix, providing solid albums, I had to do a lot of relistening to decide who would make it and who wouldn't!  However, the biggest heartache has to go to Def Leppard's debut album.  So many good, clever songs with catchy leads and choruses, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to squeeze into a very packed Top 5.  So what made it?  Keep reading!

5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell

I remember when I first reviewed this album, I was impressed.  Dio's time with Black Sabbath was pretty unique, blending the iconic singer's flair for the dramatic with Tony Iommi's massive riffing, making for a very memorable album.  Listening to it again, there were all these little moments that really elevate this album beyond the ones that didn't make the cut.  It's just those last few songs that keep it from getting even higher.

4. Judas Priest - British Steel

When I first listened to this album, I was actually not that impressed.  Sure, the two big singles were great, but I felt that the rest of the album was just okay.  Going back to it now for this article, I have no idea what I was thinking.  This is front-to-back solid, classic Priest to a T, with plenty of great, catchy songs and riffs.  

3. AC/DC - Back in Black

Of course this album is up here.  You know it's great, so I won't bother with the details.  As tragic as the passing of Bon Scott was, you can't deny that the band bounced back well.  We all still hear most (if not all) of these songs on the radio, and for good reason.  Catchy, memorable, hard-hitting, no-frills rock and roll by musicians who have mastered their craft.

2. The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card

So here's where the nostalgia kicks in.  I've mentioned before that I grew up on this band, so they were going to rank high, no matter what.  Here, we have them focusing on the themes of gambling and its consequences, while still giving a very solid set of catchy songs that have been ingrained into my DNA.  The basslines in particular are strong, and the album never seems to lose its luster after these years, thanks to the brilliant production of Parsons himself.  The only reason it isn't number 1 is because my favorite band also put an album.

1. Yes - Drama

Drama is certainly an odd album, considering the circumstances.  Bringing the Buggles on board certainly changed up their sound, bringing new wave sensibilities to their classic prog style.  The result is a very crisp album with some fresh new synths from Geoff Downes, and a mind-blowing rhythm performance from Alan White and Chris Squire.  The album wasn't a hit at first, but over the years, Yes fans have come to accept this dark horse in the catalog, and frankly, it's one of my favorites.  I promise Yes won't always come out on top with these lists, but when they release albums like this, I can't help myself!

Anniversary Series - 1982!

While I do apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I am certainly not going to miss out on doing another Anniversary Series article.  This time: 1982, which is a pretty solid year.  Following up on 1977 would be hard, but this year has plenty of rock and metal to celebrate.

Right off, the year starts with three pretty big albums.  First is Asia's debut, a solid pack of AOR melodic rock, and one of my favorites of all time.  And given that it was the best selling album of the year, I don't think I'm alone in that.  The next big one was Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast, kickstarting Bruce Dickinson's rise to the top of heavy metal vocalists, and catapulting the band to the heights of metal history.  This was followed by Scorpions' Blackout, with the big hit "No One Like You," helping to grow their international appeal.

As spring turns to summer, we see a landslide of melodic rock.  Toto released their massive IV album, with "Rosanna" and "Africa" become radio staples for many years to come.  Meanwhile, Magnum found themselves with Chase the Dragon, Rainbow continued their push into FM radio with Straight Between the Eyes, .38 Special gave us "Caught Up In You," Survivor told us about the "Eye of the Tiger," and the Steve Miller Band cast their spell with "Abracadabra." On top of all that, the Alan Parsons Project shift into melodic rock as well with Eye in the Sky, not only getting a big hit with the title track, but ensuring that the Chicago Bulls would have great intro music for their games for years to come.

Heavy metal was also heating up, with Anvil establishing their Metal on Metal sound, Manowar releasing their debut Battle Hymns, Twisted Sister put out their debut Under the Blade, and Judas Priest coming back from their lukewarm last album with the acclaimed Screaming with Vengeance, with the big hit "You've Got Another Thing," and the fan favorite "Electric Eye."  Accept would soon follow afterward with Restless and Wild, helping to push metal into going "Fast as a Shark," while telling us about the "Princess of the Dawn."

The rest of the year would give us a few solid rock albums.  Rush would push further into synthesizer territory with Signals, Dire Straits would warn us of the dangers of "Industrial Disease" on Love Over Gold, and Led Zeppelin would release their last, posthumous album Coda, putting a definitive capstone on their illustrious music productivity.  Closing out the year, Night Ranger would debut with Dawn Patrol, providing the big hit "Don't Tell Me You Love Me," and showing the future of rock in the 80s with their pop metal sound.

1982 sees more transitions, as AOR reaches its peak with metal coming up behind them, making it a fascinating year with a lot of variety.  As always, I've got the playlist below, and if you think I've missed something, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1985!

I hope everyone is staying safe.  I know I haven't been as productive as I could be here, but I'm committed to at least get these anniversary articles out.  Going back over 1985 seems to be an odd year, as there doesn't seem to be as much in the way of major releases like my previous articles.  Still, any year is a good year for rock music to come out, and this one isn't any different.

The year starts off with John Fogerty, of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame, getting a big solo hit with "Centerfield."  Dire Straits would find their own massive success with Brothers in Arms, featuring "Walk of Life," the satirical "Money for Nothing," and the epic title track.  Starship would continue it's complicated history with "We Built This City," and Heart would make their big comeback this year with "These Dreams."

As for metal, the genre was slowly expanding, with the subgenres of thrash, death, speed, power, and even doom finding their footing.  Those waving the banner for traditional metal found plenty to enjoy with Accept's Metal Heart, and Dio's Sacred Heart.  Power metal quietly kicked off this year with Helloween's Walls of Jericho, establishing the sound that would inspire epic music for decades to come.

Glam was certainly not sitting back, though as one of the biggest albums would be Theatre of Pain by Mötley Crüe, featuring a cover of "Smokin' in the Boys Room" and "Home Sweet Home," the power ballad that would pave the way for many more to follow the rest of the decade.  Other highlights include Ratt's Invasion of Your Privacy, Dokken's Under Lock and Key featuring "Unchain the Night" and "The Hunter," and Twisted Sister's Come Out and Play, best known these days for a team up with Alice Cooper for "Be Chrool to Your Scuel," the video for which ended up being banned from MTV.

Prog rock would definitely take a backseat at this time as most bands were content with a streamlined sound.  Marillion would end up being big this year as their album Misplaced Childhood would provide the hit "Kayleigh."  Rush continued their synth-heavy sound with Power Windows, Supertramp would recruit David Gilmour for Brother Where You Bound, and Asia would replace Steve Howe for Mandy Meyer for the more stadium-rock savvy Astra.  The Alan Parsons Project, after attaining radio success for for the past five years, would pick up some of their older progressive styles with Stereotomy at the end of the year.  

Hopefully, that covers the year pretty well.  Check out my playlist below, and speak up if you think I've missed something.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - March 2019

Time for another round of "Last Played."  As always, these articles are about older stuff, but good music doesn't get old, it just ages with grace, right?  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

The Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid

When I was working on the final installment of The Big Three here, I decided I needed to listen to some Alan Parsons to get into the mood, and decided to go with this one.  It’s one of the earlier ones, so we get more of a progressive rock feel with the symphonic flourishes and the songs blending from one to the next.

As I mentioned in that other article, the APP tend to focus on topics for their albums, and this one is obviously about the Egyptian Pyramids and Egyptology in general.  Using this material, the songs focus on the eventuality of humanity’s mortality and how even the things we build will eventually crumble or lose their original meaning.  Even the song “Pyramania” focuses on the silly and shallow nature of how the symbols of Ancient Egypt still crop up on modern culture.

However, don’t get the impression that the album is downer.  It’s more of an observation on how much this one culture has affected so many others, and made us wonder.  Even the instrumental songs portray the grandiosity of Egyptian folklore and mythology, tying the whole thing together.  Definitely a great album from beginning to end!

David Gilmour - On An Island

Despite being a big Pink Floyd fan, I admit that I haven’t really bothered much with the solo work of any of its members.  I knew that of the members of Pink Floyd, I would be most interested in David Gilmour’s solo work, so I decided to give On An Island a shot, as I’d heard good things about it.

As expected, I got a set of some nice, mellow bluesy pieces, full of nostalgic moods and textures.  However, I noticed there wasn’t any of the Floyd’s melancholy or bittersweetness, with this one settling in to something more calm and leisurely.  It does have its darker moments, but they are often swept away by the breezy, almost pastoral vibes.

I don’t know if there is anything really mind-blowing here, but I do think I need to give a few more spins before I can really collect all of its pieces.  It’s certainly nice to hear Gilmour play his seemingly effortless licks, but the song-writing doesn’t seem to be as strong as the playing.

Dragonland - Holy War

Last time, I listened to Dragonland’s first album, so now I’ve giving the second one a go, and to be honest, it’s really more of the same.  Epic grandeur, lighting fast guitar riffs and solos, sweeping symphonic scores, all telling a fantasy story.

This album does seem to have some better songwriting than the first one, though.  There are still a few rough lines, as the lyrics are forced into melodies, but things seemed to shift from moment to moment a little more naturally, making it easier to follow.  No real surprises, but a better effort from clearly talented musicians.

Oh, and their cover of “Neverending Story” is amazing!

Pearl Jam - Vitalogy

While I know I focus on classic rock and melodic metal sounds, I wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m above styles and impact of alternative rock, especially grunge.  I’m always in for good, crunchy riffs.   That being said, I admit that my knowledge base for this genre is not as strong, so every now and then, I’ll pick something up from the early 90s sounds to try and broaden my horizons, and (due to other circumstances) I decided to give this one a shot.

My only real knowledge of Pearl Jam was listening to Ten a few years back and thinking it was okay.  This album, while still very grungy, has the band dipping more into late 60s psychadelia for inspiration.  While I think it works for songs like “Not For You,” “Tremor Christ,” and “Corduroy,” they do take it pretty far, with “Bugs” being a strange, accordion-driven track, and “Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me” being more of a sound collage of psychiatric patients.

Still, there’s good rock to be heard here.  While your mileage with grunge may vary (and depend on your nostalgia for the time period), this album serves as a solid example of the sound at its peak while also trying to break out of the box at the same time.  Perhaps not something I’d listen to often, but not bad while it’s on.

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I feel like I'm getting into more of a groove with this blog.  I admit I haven't been covering new stuff as I would like, but I'm getting there.  Hopefully, I can maintain this kind of consistency moving forward.  Until then, rock on! \m/

The Big Three - The Alan Parsons Project

Finally, here we are at the last of the big three.  I've already covered the first two (Yes and Pink Floyd), so let's get into the final band that had a major impact on my childhood: The Alan Parsons Project.

Compared to the other two of my Big Three, the Alan Parsons Project is probably not as well known, but I'm sure you've come across some of their songs from time to time.  And while Yes was known for their expansive songwriting and Pink Floyd their experimentation, The Alan Parsons Project is considerably normal.  Their angle has always been about concept albums and using music to explore various ideas, ranging from literature to archaeology, and from gambling to architecture.

While the Project started out as Alan Parsons just deciding to get a bunch of session musicians and guests to work on a group musical interpretations of stories by Edgar Alan Poe, over time a band did coalesce from the first Project, bringing together Parsons's interest in keyboard's, Eric Wolfson's lyrics and vocals, and Ian Bairnson's iconic guitar work.  These days, it's Bairnson's solos that really stand out to me, as they're so simple and clean, while still being an expression of skill and character.

Like with Pink Floyd, I don't really have any concrete memories of when I started to notice The Alan Parsons Project; they just were always there.  And by the time I was paying attention to music, the Project had broken up, with Alan Parsons moving on with a solo career.  Still, those songs bring a lot of nostalgia for me.  Of the Big Three, it's The Alan Parsons Project that feels the most like home.

As for Parsons's solo career, it's been on the eclectic side.  While Try Anything Once felt like a good continuation of the Project's sound, Parsons began expanding out, picking up more electronic influences, with his last album, A Valid Path, being a strange mix of trance and rock music.  In the last fifteen years, Parsons has been content with going out on tour and playing much of the classic material from the Project years, and only just this year has there been talk of a new album.  While I don't know what to expect, the lead single does seem like a return to form.

For those interesting in getting into the Alan Parsons Project, it's actually kind of hard to recommend a single album, as all 10 are so solid.  (I admit I haven't gotten to Freudiana or The Sicilian Defense yet, but they seem to be more like spin-offs than anything else.)  For the early, more progressive rock style, the first three of Tales of Mystery and Imagination, I Robot, and Pyramid are great works.  As for more of the later, pop-style of the Project, albums like Eye in the Sky, Ammonia Avenue, and Gaudi are probably the best albums of that style, with Turn of a Friendly Card being an excellent blend of the two styles.

So, that's the end of the Big Three.  I could certainly go on and cover other bands that I love, but I felt like these three bands deserved to be covered first because they have meant so much and will continue to mean so much to me, and they serve as a kind of foundation for my tastes in my reviews and other opinions.

In any case, I seem to be doing a pretty good job of posting stuff on this blog.  I don't know where this is going to take me, but in the mean time, I'll keep talking about great music, and hopefully you'll like the stuff I say.

Until then, rock on!  \m/