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Classic Album Discussion Thread: The Kinks-Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Pt. 1 (1 Viewer)

Reminds me of the joke -- Who is the only dog in the world with wings? Linda McCartney.

Denny Laine and the McCullochs are fairly underrated guitarists. 

Grew up loving and listening to Wings greatest, which had some truly screaming songs (including Jet and Let Me Roll It) and some classic McCartney/Lennon-flavored silliness like in Hands Across the Water.

What's interesting is that I think I remember Wings being one of the better live bands of their era. A lot of that energy doesn't always make it to the studio albums.

 
northern exposure said:
I have been following along in the thread, but are we allowed to make suggestions? I would like to see Sweet - Desolation Boulevard, The Kinks - Low Budget and Bob Seger - Stranger In Town discussed.

How about The Pixies - Surfer Rosa or Doolittle? The Replacements - Tim or Don't Tell A Soul?
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You're absolutely able to make suggestions. Thank you very much. We will definitely be getting to most of the artists you mentioned.

 
Elton John- Tumbleweed Connection (1970) 

Ballad of a Well-Known Gun

Come Down In Time 

Country Comfort

Son of Your Father 

My Father’s Gun

Where to Now St. Peter? 

Love Song 

Amoreena 

Talking Old Soldiers 

Burn Down the Mission 

Into the Old Man’s Shoes 

Madman Across the Water

First off an apology- I was suspended last week and so was unable to post. In the past I was posting a new album every Monday, Wednesday and Friday; but time constraints now force me to reduce this to twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the time being. 

On to Elton- this is IMO his best album by far, despite the lack of radio hits. Bernie Taupin wanted a collection of songs about the old American west and the band delivers in a big way. Lots of brilliance here: “Amoreena” (used in the film Dog Day Afternoon) “Burn Down the Mission”, “Country Comfort” (also covered around the same time by Rod Stewart- both versions are excellent), “My Fathers Gun”, “Madman”- actually there are no weak songs on this record. 

 
Jefferson the Caregiver said:
Tumbleweed is my favorite Elton John album.  My Fathers Gun may be the most underrated song he has and one of my favorites in his catalog.
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So good. 

I do find it interesting to hear Elton John take on the role of a Confederate soldier. The lyrics are somwhat similar to “The Night They Drove Ol Dixie Down” by the Band. 

 
Tumbleweed Connection is a great album. I agree with Tim that this is Elton and Bernie's best album. It is one of my favorite albums in general. All of the songs are good. Madman (the original recording) and Into the Old Man's shoes weren't on the original album, but they fit. They were recorded during the TC sessions, and were added to later reissues as bonus tracks on TC. The last song on the original TC album was Burn Down the Mission, which is a great closer.  For MM.

 
Green Day- American Idiot (2004) 

American Idiot

Jesus of Suburbia

Holiday

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Are We the Waiting 

St.Jimmy

Give Me Novocaine

She’s A Rebel 

Extraordinary Girl

Letterbomb

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Homecoming 

Whatsername

The ITunes review calls this album a cross between The Clash and Rush, which are two bands that you wouldn’t think have a lot in common. Still, when you have a concept album featuring pop oriented punk rock tunes, some of them in 5 parts, that’s what you get. If somebody had told me of a song called “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and asked me to guess the artist without ever hearing it I would have said Springsteen. 

Still this is an amazing record with some great tunes that is trying to say something about the post 9/11 universe, though I’m not quite sure what exactly the message is. Maybe I need to see the Broadway show. 

 
Replace Wake Me Up When September Ends with Tre Cool farting on a snare drum and I'd argue this album cannot possibly be made any better.  It's perfect.  It's real.  And spectacular.

 
I like Green Day. That said, American Idiot is not one of my favorites of theirs. It's sort of a harangue with stolen riffs (American Idiot, the song, had to have an infringement suit settled out-of-court because it quite clearly cribbed the riff from Dillinger Four's Doublewhiskeycokenoice) and long, ponderous songs. I'm also not sure what it's trying to say. It's a mash-up of sort of leftist tripe, one sort of shibboleth after another. 

I guess I like Holiday and Wake Me Up When September Ends, but Green Day is at its best on its earlier and middle albums. This is where I sort of can't follow them anymore.  

eta* I'd still rather listen to it than about eighty percent of what is on the radio today, so you know, I was just a little let down with this album when compared to their previous ones.  

 
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MAC_32 said:
Beginning-to-end it doesn't get any better than Insomniac.
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I love Insomniac. And I edited my post above. I think I was too negative about this album. It's a high bar to hurdle for them, IMHO.  "86," "Panic Song," and "Stuart And The Ave." are three fine tracks that I still listen to in succession. I loved the harder sound of Insomniac compared to Dookie and Kerplunk!

They sound like The Who at times on both Insomniac and Nimrod.  I dig that.  

 
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Rush and the Clash are comically inappropriate comparisons. I liked the record enough. Billy Joe can certainly craft and set a hook.

I saw them on a bill at the Bridge School Benefit in '99 or around then that was absolutely stacked. Brian Wilson, Tom Waits, The Who, Pearl Jam, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou, Green Day, Corgan/Iha, Sheryl Crow and obviously Neil. I was surprised how good GD was. And on acoustic instruments, which punk music doesn't generally lend itself to. They held their own.

 
Apple Jack said:
Wait, that's a thing? I guess that's what Craig Finn is referencing in Constructive Summer. Learn something new everyday.
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Yes, absolutely. I'd link to the song, but Hopeless records has Midwestern Songs Of The Americas, the album the song is on, blocked on Youtube. 

The American Idiot riff is the opening riff to the D4 song, and in an interview a few years back, D4 said it was settled out-of-court and that they were happy and liked Green Day.  

 
rockaction said:
Yes, absolutely. I'd link to the song, but Hopeless records has Midwestern Songs Of The Americas, the album the song is on, blocked on Youtube. 

The American Idiot riff is the opening riff to the D4 song, and in an interview a few years back, D4 said it was settled out-of-court and that they were happy and liked Green Day.  
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Right on. I'll check it out later.

 
I really like Green Day and this album, but a lot about what's said above rings true to me.

To me, as a purported punk band, their sound was always a little too derivative and polished/overproduced IMHO.

That said, I do agree that Billie Joe & Co not only know how to write a killer hook, but god can they can flat out play and that's what I appreciates about them. For a three-piece unit, they can sonically ROCK.

This album always felt a little contrived and overtly commercial to me and lacked the true soul of rock operas like Quadrophenia (which as a rock opera I've always preferred over Tommy, FWIW) and concept albums like The Wall/DSotM.

I do applaud their imagination and effort and some really fantastic and enduring songs. But I didn't think it would have the longevity and meaning across time that other albums mentioned above did, and I think as an album, Dookie and even Nimrod are more personally appealing.

But that's my subjective view.

 
Leroy Hoard said:
Saw them live with original singer Ian recently. Really liked pictures of home. Yngwie does a pretty good version too.
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Before the classic rock heyday with Ian Gillan, the original singer was Rod Evans, who sang on Hush and the first three albums before they got a little heavier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4QBhC1uCP4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIQ1I8Eouug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWeqxE6ZFtE

Evans went on to Captain Beyond - an underrated band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9_pDY8SSBQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIQWu5YbCAA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJLijHvGGCE

 
American Idiot is pretty inconsistent for me. Some truly great songs and others where Armstrong's voice gets dull and repetitious. 

Overall it's very good but is dragged down by some of the weaker songs.

 
Apple Jack said:
Wait, that's a thing? I guess that's what Craig Finn is referencing in Constructive Summer. Learn something new everyday.
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I was a young punk in MPLS in the mid-late 90s, and Dillinger Four and Finn's band Lifter Puller were stalwarts of the scene. Saw them play together a number of times. There are a TON of references in Hold Steady songs to this scene. 

Certain Songs (D4 is for lovers) and Sweet Part of the City (Back when we were livin up on Hennepin, It's a long way from Cedar-Riverside to Cedar Sinai; three times St. Paul to Cheyenne) come to mind right off the top of my head. Doublewhiskeycokenoice was an absolute anthem for my friends and I. Great tune. I took it in our punk rock draft a few months ago.

I saw Green Day at First Avenue in 1994. Tickets were $4. Amazing show. Everything they did through Dookie was spectacular, IMO.

After that? Meh.

 
Never was a big fan of Green Day. Heard the album and single, American Idiot and liked it a lot.

But it wasn't until I saw them live on the American Idiot tour that I became a huge fan. They can flat out rock and Billy Joe is a great front man.

 
Herb said:
I was a young punk in MPLS in the mid-late 90s, and Dillinger Four and Finn's band Lifter Puller were stalwarts of the scene. Saw them play together a number of times. There are a TON of references in Hold Steady songs to this scene. 

Certain Songs (D4 is for lovers) and Sweet Part of the City (Back when we were livin up on Hennepin, It's a long way from Cedar-Riverside to Cedar Sinai; three times St. Paul to Cheyenne) come to mind right off the top of my head. Doublewhiskeycokenoice was an absolute anthem for my friends and I. Great tune. I took it in our punk rock draft a few months ago.

I saw Green Day at First Avenue in 1994. Tickets were $4. Amazing show. Everything they did through Dookie was spectacular, IMO.

After that? Meh.
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I was big fan of early Green Day but didn't like much of anything they did after.  That is until American Idiot.  It is a departure from the punk rock of the early stuff but it is really good rock music.  

 
Harry Chapin- Greatest Stories-Live (1976)

Dreams Go By 

W*O*L*D*

Saturday Morning 

I Wanna Learn A Love Song 

Mr. Tanner

A Better Place to Be

Let Time Go Lightly

Cats In the Cradle 

Taxi

Circle

30,000 Pounds of Bananas

She Is Always Seventeen

Love is Just Another Word

The Shortest Story 

Chapin, who was famous during the early 80s singer-songwriter era, was known for telling stories in his songs, with the poignant “Cats In the Cradle” and “Taxi” becoming huge hits. Here he gives live performances of all his best known tunes, including the absolute classics “Mr. Tanner” and “A Better Place to Be.” One of those performers who was simply better in person than in the studio, this is a magical record. 

 
timschochet said:
Harry Chapin- Greatest Stories-Live (1976)

the absolute classics “Mr. Tanner” and “A Better Place to Be.” One of those performers who was simply better in person than in the studio, this is a magical record. 
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You nailed it; it's magical.  And those two that you named are hands down my favorites - both of them are so sadly real.  The Big John Wallace part of "Mr. Tanner" is chill-inducing every time.

 
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Thrilled that Chapin is still relevant -- or at least considered in this thread as classic.

I can't remember if it was Harry Chapin or the Osmond family who was my first real concert, but he was absolutely magical live, and had a connection and rapport with his audience that was on par with the best like Springsteen. A must-see-live act, and this album helps capture some of that magic.

He should be known for his activism as much as his music -- the guy gave his heart and soul to his causes, and put just as much energy to his time lobbying and working with the US government for change as he did on his music.

A tragic too-early death that is far too standard with rock and roll icons (or folk rock icons, if you will).

 
So my grandmother - bless her and RIP, she was one of the kindest people I've ever met - was a Church Lady with very little understanding of pop culture. Billy Graham was her Elvis. 

She wanted to buy me music for Christmas in '76. I'm sure the very idea of rock and roll scared her to death. She bought me this one, explaining that she asked the store clerk "what do young people listen to these days?". There's no doubt in my mind that she added something like "that's wholesome" to that, but she never mentioned that. 

I knew Harry's radio hits, but not most of the songs on this album. But I DID know "Taxi" and I never told my grandmother about the lyrics. I also appreciate the record store clerk for his/her subversive suggestion.

 
Harry Chapin was my first concert -- when I was 5 years old. My parents were HUGE fans. I've got "Greatest Stories Live" seared into my brain. He's still one of my favorites.

"30,000 Pounds Of Bananas" is still a go-to song for any roadtrip playlist.

Nobody worked a crowd like Harry did. His concerts were more like stand-up routines at an intimate club.

That said, there are a few things about "Greatest Stories Live" which hold it back from being a perfect album:

1. recording levels are too low (you can barely hear some of the quieter moments).

2. the CD unnecessarily omits two songs ("She Is Always Seventeen" and "Love Is Just Another Word"). There was room to include at least one of them.

3. the last track on the album ("The Shortest Story") is a dreadful, beyond-depressing song about an African baby dying. Now, I'm not questioning Chapin's artistic inclination to write songs that border on tear-jerking manipulation. But when you've just spent the past 70 minutes having a rollicking good time, listening to highly-energetic songs performed by enthusiastic musicians who are clearly having fun and love what they do........this last song just has a way of just completely killing the mood.

When I transferred my vinyl copy to CD, I omitted that song and replaced it with a live version of "Flowers Are Red" (another one of Harry's songs featuring words to live by).

Trivia note: on the original studio recording of "Flowers Are Red", one of the little girls in the chorus is Sarah Jessica Parker.

 
Grew up on Harry Chapin.  He was one of my dad's favorites, so his anthology album was in high rotation on our record player in the living room.  Once we upgraded to cassettes in the family car, whenever we took a road trip (which we did for familiy vacations), I don't think one of his greatest hits CDs ever left the deck.  I still remember vividly our first grade sing alongs.  We had three first grade classrooms in my school.  Once in a while all three wiykd get ubti the same room and he would play his guitar and we'd all sing along to various songs.  My favorite was Cats in the Cradle.  My first experience to how great a sing along setting with live music can be.

I always loved how he could tell stories in his songs that brought you on a roller coaster ride of emotions every time you heard it, even though you heard that song 1000 times.  Cats in the Cradle, Taxi, WOLD, Mr Tanner, and others always tug at the heart strings no matter how often I listen to them.

 
[scooter] said:
2. the CD unnecessarily omits two songs ("She Is Always Seventeen" and "Love Is Just Another Word"). There was room to include at least one of them.
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Ahhh...I was wondering about those songs.

I LOVE this album (or at least most of it since I do not have the two songs above.  Cats in the Cradle just hits home for me on personal level.  My eyes still water when I listen to it.  I used to sing Circle to my son when he was a toddler.  It would always soothe him and calm him down.   I Wanna Learn a Love Song...Mr. Tanner...A Better Place to Be...Taxi...One great song after another.  I can listen to this album over and over in one session, and it never grows old for me.

 
Neil Young- Harvest (1972) 

Out on the Weekend

Harvest

A Man Needs a Maid

Heart of Gold

Are You Ready for the Country

Old Man

There’s a World

Alabama

The Needle and the Damage Done

Words (Between the Lines of Age) 

Neil Young was already a well known rock performer by 1972, both as a solo artist and a key member of two of the most famous bands ever, but this album made him a superstar. Reportedly he hated that, and was determined not to be one. 

But that doesn’t take away from the brilliance of this record. “Heart of Gold”, “Old Man”, and “The Needle and the Damage Done” are all songs that would be the defining moment for most other artists; they’re all that good. “Harvest”, “A Man Needs a Maid” and “Alabama” aren’t too far behind. 

 
Fantastic album by probably my favorite overall artist. Some really great songs that have stood the test of time.

It's not so much that he hated being a superstar, it's the expectations that came with it. He doesn't want to play Heart of Gold at every concert. He doesn't want to make a followup album in the same vein because that's what the record company wants (he followed this album up when he felt like doing it - like 20 years later - and the result was Harvest Moon, another great album).

Neil does what he feels like doing at the time, for better or worse. It's worked for him (Van Morrison as well - another favorite artist of mine.)

 
Also prefer After The Gold Rush and, even more so, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, but Harvest is Neil at the top of his game in the early '70s.

 
@timschochet's crushing it with these recent picks.

Solid calls on After the Gold Rush being a better album, and I've worn out more vinyl copies of Everyone Know This Is Nowhere than I care to admit, but Harvest is a timeless classic that brought in some of Young's best studio collaboration work and some of his most passionate, raw songs (Needle and the Damage Done, Alabama).

 
Neil Young has some songs I like, but I would not call myself a fan.  Heart of Gold is the one song from this record I remember and like. 

 
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