Rupert Holmes - Partners In Crime

Welcome to another edition of “Seventies Saturday”.

The man who would eventual become known as Rupert Holmes was actually born in England to the name of David Goldstein. His father was an American Army Warrant Officer and bandleader; his English mother was also musically inclined. He attended the Manhattan School of Music. His brother was an opera singer. Suffice to say, music was in his blood.

By the early 70’s, Rupert was working as a session musician for such groups as the Cuff Links and the Buoys. He also wrote many tunes for the likes of Gene Pitney, the Platters, the Drifters, Wayne Newton, Dolly Parton, Barry Manilow, and the Partridge Family. He cut his first album in 1974, and some of his songs were later recorded by Barbra Streisand for the movie A Star Is Born.

In the fall of 1979, Rupert Holmes released his fifth studio album Partners In Crime. Three singles from the record made it into the Billboard Top 40, including one that would end up being the final number 1 song of the decade.

Side one opens with the aforementioned number 1 smash “Escape (the Pina Colada Song)”. It was on the charts for sixteen weeks and held the top spot for the final three weeks of 1979. The song opens with a great musical hook before breaking into a structure of three verses and three choruses. The lyrics paint the story of a man who feels restless in his marriage and decides to answer a personal ad. Of course, in typical 70’s song tradition, the story ends with an interesting twist. It has a great message too - that couples just need to continue to communicate with one another.

“Partners In Crime” tells the story of two couples. One is a runaway girl and her pimp; the relationship is one of odd dependency. The other is that of a professional couple who meet at work; here the woman holds all the cards as his superior. It is about couples who stay together in a relationship even though it can be very harmful - because they have no other options.

“Nearsighted” is a tune about someone who is focused more on the one he loves rather than other things in the world around them.

“Lunch Hour” is a four-and-a-half ditty about people in New York City who use their mid-day break to hook up others for “nooners”. As a fifteen year old wrestling with raging hormones, the subject matter of this song was quite salacious. But, as this was 70’s pop music, the subject was handled in a veiled, inoffensive manner. And the music was pretty peppy too. The instrumental break before the final chorus has a jazzy feel to it. The song was released as the B-side to “Answering Machine”.

“Drop It” closes the side. The song has a nice swinging rhythm. It was the B-side to “Escape…”.

Side two opens with the second single from the record “Him”. The song was on the charts for twelve weeks in 1980 and made it all the way to the number 6 position. The lyrics tell the story of a man who discovers clues that his partner is having an affair with another, and he gives her an ultimatum - “it’s me or it’s him”. Of course, we’re left wondering what her final choice is.

“Answering Machine” was the third and final single from the record. It only stayed on the charts for three weeks, topping out at number 32. The story on this one is about a game of phone-tag, where a couple exchanges messages that end up running too long and are cut short by the beep.

The tempo slows down a little with the next track, “The People You Never Get To Love”. The song is about that moment where you see a stranger across the room, one that you fail to get the courage to approach and then never see again. It is about those “what might have been” relationships that never take that first step.

“Get Outta Yourself” is next. It was the B-side to “Him”. It too has a slower tempo to it that fits the song’s message well - that the woman needs to not spend so much time focusing on herself and involve herself with others too.

The album ends with “In You I Trust”. This one is a bit more up tempo. It speaks of how a love has pure faith in their relationship, more so than anything that is read in the media, the state of the economy, or the promises of politicians.

This record came out during my freshman year of high school. It was another one of those albums that I owned mostly through having purchased the 45 singles, and I would listen to the B-sides nearly as often as I did the A-sides. I found something very enjoyable about Holmes’ music. I had seen him perform the hits on the TV show circuit (Dinah Shore, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, and American Bandstand) and found him to be a very personable singer. These songs made a mark in my brain - the fact that in three-and-a-half to four minutes he could tell a great little story with his lyrics. The songs on this album are examples of why I found pop music of the 70’s so appealing.

Billy Joel - Glass Houses

In March of 1980, American singer-songwriter and all-around piano man Billy Joel released his seventh studio album Glass Houses. It featured his first number 1 hit single on the Billboard charts, and the album also spent six weeks on top of the Pop Album charts. It ranked number 4 on Billboard’s 1980 year-end album chart.

Sade - Diamond Life

Last Spring, comedienne Wanda Sykes had a very short lived Saturday night show that combined talk and humorous sketches that aired on FOX. I think I was probably one of a dozen or so folks who actually watched it before it got cancelled. Anyway, one of ongoing things she was obsessed about was trying to get Sade to come on to the show. Sade had just released her sixth studio album, the first one in ten years, and Wanda was a huge fan.

Today, I want to look back at Sade’s debut album Diamond Life which was released in the UK in the summer of 1984 and in the US in early 1985. And though the band is named after lead singer Sade Adu, it is really an English R&B band that combines elements of jazz, soul, funk and soft rock into a beautiful fusion of sound. The album was a slow starter that eventually made it into the top ten hit in a number of countries.

Side one opens with the smash hit “Smooth Operator”, which reached number 5 on the US Billboard charts and number 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts. The song, about a fashionable jet-setting man who loves and leaves women in his wake, opens with a spoken recitation. It then swells with a jazzy swing that features the sweet saxophone sounds of Stuart Matthewman.

“Your Love Is King” was the third single from the album. While it failed to break the top 40 on the US Billboard charts, it was the highest charting single for the band in their native UK (topping out at number 6). It begins with saxophone and then develops into a sultry R&B groove. The song is a celebration of the intimate moments with a lover.

“Hang on to Your Love” starts with a simple piano line by Andrew Hale and a funky guitar groove by Matthewman. The percussion by Paul Cooke and Dave Early is steady and supportive without being overbearing. It all blends together very nicely.

“Frankie’s First Affair” has a nice slow-groove to it with cool saxophone to support the vocals.

“When Am I Going to Make a Living” was the second single from the album. It sounds like the type of song one could have heard in the late 70’s in the disco era, a subtle slower tempo but one with still a lot of rhythm and movement.

Side two starts with a slice of “Cherry Pie”. This one has a funky guitar groove. Sade’s vocals simmer on this one as she laments how the sweetness of the early days of love has gone sour.

“Sally” is next, followed by “I Will Be Your Friend”. Both are nice, easy listening tunes. They put me into a relaxed state.

The album closes with the question “Why Can’t We Live Together?” This one is a cover of the 1972 tune by Timmy Thomas (one that has been covered by many over the years including Marc Anthony, Joan Osborne, Steve Winwood and Maria Muldaur. The song has two minutes of instrumental before Sade joins in with the vocals about unity and harmony amongst people. Again, another pleasant listening experience.

I first started hearing tracks from this record in the spring of 1985 when I was finishing up my sophomore year of college. That summer, I worked my first co-op job for a small information processing company in New Jersey. Traveling light, I listened to most music at that time on a boom box so most records I bought during that period were on cassette. Diamond Life was one of the albums I purchased in that format at that time. For the most part, I was interested in the first two tracks - the big hits. But I did find the whole record to be rather enjoyable and quite soothing. Something about the cool jazzy feel and Sade’s smooth, sexy voice made the music flow so well.

Listening to it again today (first time in a good two decades), I am very impressed with how well it still holds up twenty six years later. I’ve already added it to my save-for-later list on eMusic with aI plan to download some of these tracks to my digital music library soon.

Roman Holliday - EP / Cookin' on the Roof

In the early 1980’s, the British band Roman Holliday formed. Combining a mixture of pop and swing, they brought a lot of fun to the music scene. Before their first full album was released in 1983, the group put out a five song EP.

I was first exposed to Roman Holliday and a couple of these songs by listening to local college radio during my senior year of high school. The EP was available at the local record store for $3.99, so I quickly added it to my vinyl collection.

The first side opens with “Stand By”. It was the first single released by the group; it reached number 61 in the UK and number 54 on the US charts. The opening is bouncy and gets my foot moving within seconds, thanks to the aforementioned swing elements. I was an instant fan after hearing this one song. I give it five stars.

Next up is “Motor Mania”, the third single from the group. It went to #40 in the UK. The multiple part harmony on the opening (by singers Steve Lambert and Brian Bonhomme) is kind of cool. This one harkens back to all those odes to cars from the 60’s, but with a 40’s big band sound to it. It is also a five-star track in my book.

The side concludes with “I.O.U.”, a song about a guy who is constantly running short on cash. But, as with their other songs, Roman Holliday presents it in an up-tempo way so you don’t feel so bad for the guy.

The second side of this EP advises “Don’t Try to Stop It”. This second single by the group did better in the UK (#14) than it did in the US (#68). You can really pick out Jon Durno’s thumping bass on this one. And the vocals are smooth.

The last song on the record is “Beat My Time”. It was originally released as the B-side to the “Don’t Try to Stop It” single.

Four out of five of these songs would show up a little later on Roman Holliday’s first full-length album Cookin’ on the Roof. This one didn't show up in my local record store (and I really didn't seek it out since I had the EP). It took another twenty seven years before I would come across the full release via digital downloads, but it was well worth the wait.

Side one of the full album starts with “Don’t Try to Stop It”. Then “Motor Mania” and “I.O.U” follow.

“Jive Dive” has a bit of a jazzy feel to it and makes me think fondly of the Manhattan Transfer (“Java Jive”). John Eacott on trumpet and Rob Lambert on saxophone are showcased in this one.

“Midnight Bus” talks about the perils of drinking too much and having to ride the bus home (rather than drive drunk). Of course, when you combine drinking and the word “bus”, something else comes to mind as well. LOL

Side closes with the title track “Cookin’ on the Roof”. Adrian York really works those 88-keys on this song.

“Stand By” opens side two. “No Ball Games” is next.

“Fur N’ High Heels” is a song about dating a high class gal. “Serious Situation” slows things down a little with a piano ballad opening and then brings in the rest of the band. The final track on the album is “One More Jilt”.

I strongly recommend Roman Holliday and these albums to anyone who likes the combo of rock and swing. This band had that style down perfectly. The songs might be a little hard to come by, but they’re worth the hunt.

Haircut One Hundred - Pelican West

In 1980, the British pop group Haircut One Hundred formed. They played a number of gigs locally, with the roster slowly solidifying, before finally getting signed to Arista Records. By early 1982, their debut album Pelican West was ready to meet the world.

Van Halen - 1984

1984 was both the name of and the release year for Van Halen’s sixth studio album. It was one of the band’s most popular records to date (both in chart performance and sales). It peaked on the Billboard album charts at number 2 (blocked by Michael Jackson’s Thriller). It also produced three top 20 hits singles and the band’s first (and only to date) number 1 hit single. The album was ranked number 81 in Rolling Stone’s top 100 Albums of the 1980’s; it also appears on the 1001 Albums list.

Sadly, 1984 was marked as the end of an era. It was the last Van Halen album that David Lee Roth would be featured on before he left the group, a year later, to embark on a solo career.

Comic Books of the Week (4/20/11) part 2

Round two for the week - this time all super-team titles...

Justice League of America #56 - I liked seeing St. Walker and the reserve Leaguers brought in on the fight with Eclipso. Unfortunately I think the team is seriously out-numbered and out-gunned in this battle. And that ending does not look too promising for them. I'm very curious how Robinson is going to spin this one around. The artwork by Booth and Ramund was very good though. I hope they stick round.

Teen Titans #94 - the teens follow the trail of the kidnapped Wonder Girl, but it doesn't go so smoothly. This issue sort of seemed like it was stuck in a slow gear. I know there was some character development going on but I don't feel the story progressed far enough. I'm hoping for better movement in the next issue.

Legion of Super-Heroes #12 - lots of jumping around in this issue, which I understand is necessary for such a large cast. But, the negative is we only get a page or two in each area before the next jump. This issue felt kind of short too. I like having the letter columns back but I think those six pages of previews need to be cut out and given back to the titles for story. Just saying.

Comic Books of the Week (4/20/11) part 1

Breaking last week's books down into multiple posts. Let's get started.

Green Lantern Corps #58 - this was actually in issue from last month. It features part two of the "War of the Green Lanterns". I decided to grab this one even though I don't read GLC regularly. It was nice catching up with Kyle, John and Ganthlet as they find themselves facing controlled Corps members. It helped move the overall story along.

Green Lantern #65 - part four of the "War of the Green Lanterns". So, in the skipped part (couldn't find the issue in the shop), Hal and Guy battle and eventually get their rings off. They get to Oa, hook up with John and Kyle and then take up a game plan that, hopefully, they won't regret in the end. I definitely think there will be fall out.

Green Lantern Corps #59 - part five of the story arc. First, love the alternate cover by George Perez. I am a big fan. Inside, the four Earth-born GL's start to see the flaw in their plans. Will they get it together before Krona's Corps flattens them?

Purple Rain (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In the summer of 1984, the film Purple Rain was released along with the accompanying soundtrack album by Prince and the Revolution. This was the sixth album by the multi-talented singer/songwriter from Minneapolis.

Back in October 2007, I blogged a bit about this one. Vanity Fair magazine had just named it number 1 on a list of top 50 movie soundtracks. In that post, I noted how much of a fan I am of this movie and album. I saw the film in the theatres in 1984, and have owned the film on both VHS and again on DVD. During my sophomore year of college, a friend who lived on the same dorm floor scored me the movie poster (he worked in a theatre in his hometown part-time and brought one back to me after winter break); that poster hung on my walls all through college and in my first apartment years after.

Electric Light Orchestra - Discovery

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Saturday.

In 1979, the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO for short) put out their eighth studio album Discovery and was a smash seller world-wide. It was their first number 1 album in their native UK (it debuted at the number 1 spot and stayed there for five weeks) and in Norway, and their second number 1 album in Australia. It went to number 2 in Sweden, number 3 in Austria, number 4 in Italy and number 5 in the United States. In most places, the album stayed on the charts for over half a year (in some places a little more than a year). The album also produced five singles total.

Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C.

In early 1984, one of the first old-school rap groups to make it big was Run-D.M.C. The self-titled debut album from this group from Hollis, Queens, New York is considered a groundbreaking record. They combined sparse beats (delivered expertly by Jam Master Jay) with aggressive vocals (by Darryl “D.M.C.“ McDaniels and Joseph “Run” Simmons) and some guitar riffs (by Eddie Martinez) to create a new sound that contrasted with the earlier hip-hop recordings.

The record has been recognized by many sources for its innovation. The Source gave it a five-star rating and listed it on their 100 Best Rap Albums. Rolling Stone magazine gave it four-and-a-half stars, and placed it at number 51 on their 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980’s list and number 240 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list. Spin magazine gave it a rating of 9 out of 10. It also appears on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Welcome to the Pleasuredome

The British dance-pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood did something rather ambitious for their 1984 debut album - they issued a double vinyl release. Usually something like that was seen only by seasoned artists a few records into their career at least, or for a live concert record. But for a debut, that was a very risky.

Lucky for the boys, the record was a commercial success. It scored in the top ten in most countries around the world (except for the US where it only peaked at number 33). It even placed number 1 on the album charts in their home UK and in New Zealand. Sales were fueled by two big singles that they had put out in the year prior to the album - “Relax” and “Two Tribes” were both dance club favorites.

Let’s break the disks down.

Side one (the “F” side) starts off with a trio of short tracks - “Well..” (a haunting overture) , “the World is My Oyster” (with ominous laugh) and “Snatch of Fury (Stay)” (another brief instrumental interlude).

The remainder of the side is devoted to the thirteen minute long “Welcome to the Pleasuredome”. The song opens with jungle birds and the echoes of “Ferry Cross the Mersey”. A dance rhythm then begins to rise up in the distance, building slowly with multiple layers. Finally the tribal chants join in as we arrive to our destination - the Pleasuredome! The lyrics were inspired by the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (written in 1797). They point out the dangers of a lifestyle that is full of debauchery. The final “Welcome!” at the end of this track reminds the listener that the journey has just begun. Three more sides await.

Side two (the “G” side) starts out with their hit “Relax”, which did well on the US Billboard charts (it peaked at 10 and spent ten weeks on the charts total). It did very well in the rest of the world, scoring a number 1 in the UK, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland; a number 2 in Norway, and a number 4 in Austria and Sweden. The song and its release draped in controversy - from risqué and overtly suggestive ads to sexually charged images for the picture disk. The lyrics too were full of in-your-face sexual references. But that’s perhaps why it was so popular with the younger generation. The craze of “Frankie Says…Relax” T-shirts were just another form of youthful rebellion to contrast the very preppy, buttoned-up styles that were also popular in the early 80’s. It is my favorite song on the album.

Next follows the band’s cover of the 1970 song by Edwin Starr - “War”. The original was an anti-Vietnam protest that was recorded by the Temptations. FGTH’s version is a funky, danceable take on the melodies, and it includes voice-over that sound very much like that of Ronald Reagan, the president of the United States at the time.

The other hit “Two Tribes” is next. Taken with the previous track, the band is clearly making a statement regarding the Cold War and the fear that the two sides (the US and Russia) could lead the world to global nuclear warfare. The video for this song further expanded on that theme. As for the song, I enjoyed its driving beat that, when blasted from club speakers, rocked the entire room into a dance frenzy.

The side ends with another short track “The Last Voice”. It is a musical interlude with some additional commentary on the political landscape.

Side three (the “T” side) begins with “Ferry (Go)”, a version of the 1964 Gerry and the Pacemakers song “Ferry Cross the Mersey”. I like this slowed down version with reverent singing and tolling church bells in the distance. There is an alternate version they did of the full song, which is also very beautiful.

Next is the band’s cover to Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 hit “Born to Run”. It explodes with the same energy as the original. I think they do a fine job with their rendition; it is my favorite of the cover tracks on the album.

Continuing the covers, they present “San Jose (The Way)” which was originally a hit for Dionne Warwick in 1968. It has a nice swinging-Sixties feel to it.

“Wish (The Lads Were Here)” is next. This original song has a good dance beat to it. It sounds a lot like something you’d hear by Haircut 100 or early Wham.

“The Ballad of 32” closes the side. It is a moody sounding instrumental, a nice change up from the earlier tracks.

The fourth side (the “H” side) begins with “Krisco Kisses”. I really like how the rhythm on this one builds up to the chorus which then cascades back down.

“Black Night White Light” slows things down a bit. To me, it has a little bit of a 70’s disco/R&B feel through out.

“The Only Star in Heaven” opens with a rap (much like George Michael in “Wham Rap” - so not really rap-rap per se). This one has a nice funky sound to it as well.

“The Power of Love” was the third single from the album. It is a pleasant piano ballad with some additional orchestration.

The side and the album go out with a “Bang”, another short track. Actually, it is another instrumental piece with the Reagan-voice repeating “Frankie say…” over and over.

I bought this album on vinyl in the Fall of my sophomore year in college, most likely at the House of Guitars record store in Rochester, NY. I had earned enough to by my first car that summer and thus had the Chevette when I returned to campus for that year. I often took my friends across town to the HoG for musical scavenger hunts (the store was huge with tons and tons of albums scattered through out).

Welcome to the Pleasuredome was on my to-buy list mostly because of the two big dance hits. I was right out on the floor, working up a sweat with everyone else as we danced to them. I recall I played them a lot - really playing side two (“G”) the most since they were there. I also tended to play the covers more than the original tracks - just because I knew those classic songs so well.

Having gotten the MP3s for this album a few years back, I find I like listening to the entire record now. I tend to appreciate what they were attempting to do with this debut as a whole. I think it holds up cohesively as a complete package.

Culture Club - Colour by Numbers

In October of 1983, Boy George and the guys from Culture Club released their second studio album. Colour by Numbers was an international best-seller, with over one million copies sold in their native UK alone and more than ten million copies worldwide. It reached the number 1 spot on the UK album charts and the number 2 spot on the US Billboard album charts. The record was ranked number 96 in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980’s, and it also appears on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The Police - Synchronicity

On June 1st of 1983, the Police released Synchronicity, their fifth and final studio album. Ironically, it was the most popular one by the group and included their first and only number one Billboard single. The album also took a stint at the top of the Billboard Album charts, briefly knocking down Michael Jackson’s Thriller. It won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.

U2 - War

On February 28th, 1983 (just five days after my eighteenth birthday) U2 released their third studio album War. The songs on it and the album title were a statement that the Irish rock band was making about how they perceived the world to be at the time.

In the US, the album reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 200 album charts. Over in the UK, the record knocked Michael Jackson’s Thriller from its number 1 perch. It also charted at number 59 in Germany, number 26 in Finland, number 16 in Ireland, number 15 in Norway, number 5 in New Zealand, number 4 in France and Canada, and number 2 in Sweden. Rolling Stone magazine ranked War number 221 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list and number 40 in their Top 100 Albums of the 1980’s.

Beverly Hills Cop (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In December of 1984, the cold winter chill was cut by a hot new comedy film starring Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton. Beverly Hills Cop was not only a smash at the box office, but its accompanying soundtrack album racked up some impressive numbers on the music charts as well.

Comic Books of the Week (4/13/11) part 4

The final installment for this week's books...

Adventure Comics #525 - another great issue starring the Legion Academy. Phil Jimenez's artwork is outstanding as always. Paul Levitz continues to expand the LSH universe with these new characters. I also loved the tension between Cosmic Boy and Night Girl. This reminds me of the LSH of the 80's when Levitz was doing his first run - full of subplots and characterization that enriched the book greatly. I liked the art on the backup story; Borges and Alquiza did a great job as well. Next issue looks to be good as well.

John Byrne's Next Men #5/35 - Bethany's captor is revealed, only to lead to more questions. Antonia's time in Civil War America leads to some serious repercussions. Nathan goes from the German frying pan to an ancient Roman fire. And Jasmine's health takes a turn for the worse. This is the type of book that you have to be in for the long haul. The plotlines are complex and very detailed - not your typical "hero" book (not that this book ever was). Still, I've come to trust that Byrne will pay things off well - you just have to have patience. The cover of next issue looks very intriguing indeed!

Chic - C 'est Chic

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Saturday. This album review is dedicated to Nile Rodgers (@nilerodgers on Twitter), who every day celebrates the joys of living in his blog Walking On Planet C.

When Chic’s second album C’ est Chic came out on August 11th of 1978, I was in Junior High School (about to start 8th grade that September). As a card-carrying disco-fanatic, I went to my share of after school disco dances that year; and the big hits from this record were part of the play lists at every one of them. I mentioned previously about my brother and I going in on a record club membership. Well, one of the albums I got from the club was C’ est Chic. I played that vinyl a lot during those years.

Comic Books of the Week (4/13/11) part 3

Birds of Prey #11 - Catman and the Huntress are back together again, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since their last encounter. Are the sparks still there? Definitely. Are there more walls between them? Absolutley. Is this a great issue? Oh Yeah! Gail Simone waves a wonderful plot with characterization that is spot on (and it should be since she also writes Secret Six where Catman hangs his cowl regularly). Huntress is shown as a being smart and strong. Catman is shown with complexity and compassion. The art by Pere Perez is amazing too (I'd be happy if he were the new full-time artist - I like his work). Great issue.

the Flash #10 - "the Road to Flashpoint" continue as Barry finds out more about Hot Pursuit. Bart is brought in to act as counterpoint, a "bad cop" (unintended) to Barry's good. The tension in those scenes is thick. Why does Hot Pursuit want to handle this time-crisis on his own? Why does Barry want to handle the investigation of Hot Pursuit on his own? Why all the tension between Barry and Bart? Great stuff. Geoff Johns continues to weave an engaging story. The art by Francis Manapul was also very good. I must also mention Brian Buccellato whose coloring this issue really sets the tones nicely.

Why Music Reviews? Why Now?

I was chatting with a new follower on Twitter last night (a guy named Guy), discussing my blog and what was coming up. One of the questions he asked me got me thinking that perhaps others were wondering about the current direction of my blog. So I thought I would take a few minutes and address that.

Why music reviews? Why now?

It isn't uncommon for me to do focused postings on my blog. A few years back I began a marathon of the Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel seasons on DVD. Having never watched the shows before, I thought blogging my first-time thoughts of each episode would be fun. And, as long time readers know, weekly reviews of new comic book releases have been a main-staple here since my blog began. I've been a comic reader since I was a kid in the 70's, enjoying the story and art.

The recent focus here on album reviews really was inspired by another Twitter user, Liz (she is @1001albums on Twitter). Someone suggested her blog, where she's tackling the "1001 Albums You Must Listen To Before You Die" book by listening to and posting a review of an album a day. I found the blog interesting and her take, coming to many of these albums as a first-time listener, refreshing. She was entering the 1980's part of the list when I started to follow her blog.

Of course, that got me thinking about my own musical interests.

Music has always been a big part of my life. I grew up listening to the radio all the time in the 70's and 80's. I spent a good bit of my allowance and gift money purchasing vinyl (45s and albums). In college, I found cassettes an affordable way to get lots of new music. With the popularity of CD players in the 90's, I switched my collection over to that format. Jumping then to December 2007 when I got my first iPod, I ended up converting all of those CDs to digital. Today I have an iTunes library with thousands of albums represented - some complete, some partial. And it is always growing, with new CDs imported or new downloads gotten from emusic.com or iTunes. I like discovering "new" tracks - be they deep tracks on older albums, never heard past albums, and the occasional current new releases.

So, what I have been doing and will be doing for the forseeable future is to continue to parallel the 1001 list along with Liz. The 1980's period has some amazing records in it, and that is the most represented decade in my musical library (over one-third of the music that spans over fifty five years(!) in my library comes from the 80's). Now, there are some records on the 1001 list that I'll be skipping (they just aren't my style). But when I do, I'll continue to supplement with some of the blog features I've already established - Seventies Saturday (picking an album from the next largest represented decade in my library) and Soundtrack Sunday (albums that accompanied some favorite films).

Eventually the 1001 list will roll into the 1990's (I calculate it'll be at least four months or so for Liz to get there) and beyond. I'll still sprinkle in my reviews of the albums there I have when they pop up, but I'll continue to focus a lot more on the 1980's (and the 1970's too). With so much music to explore and talk about, I expect album reviews to be a permanent fixture here at Martin's View.

I hope you'll continue to take this journey with me.

Feel free to drop me a comment here or a direct message over on Twitter (links are available on the banner and the right column) if you have any suggestions of albums you'd like me to talk about. If I have the tracks or can find a place to stream them for a listen, I'll be happy to offer my thoughts in a future blog posting. I really enjoy intereacting with all my readers. I want this to be a place you come back to visit often.

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

In January of 1983, the British duo Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart) released their second album Sweet Dreams (Are Mad of This). Their first release was a commercial failure but this one did not follow suit. Thanks to some popular songs and amazing videos that were playing regularly on MTV, the album raced up the charts and became certified Gold the world over. The record went to number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 14 in Sweden, number 6 in Germany, number 4 in France, number 3 in the UK and number 2 in New Zealand.

Comic Books of the Week (4/13/11) part 2

Continuing this week's book review:

Batman: the Brave and the Bold #6 - the Caped Crusader teaches the Martian Manhunter a little bit about detective work. This was a simple but fun story by Sholly Fisch. The art by Rick Burchett and Dan Davis was clear and concise. I enjoyed the lesson it had for young readers: that it is good for friends to assist each other with things they wish to learn to do better. My only negative point - the cover spoils the big story reveal of the villain.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #27 - with cancellation on the horizon and coming fast, Tony Bedard had to really speed up this arc some. Thus, this issue is a lot of fighting between the heroes and Starro's forces. I enjoyed the exchanges between Lobo and Smite. The art by Claude St. Aubin and Scott Hanna was very tight. They packed a lot of panels into the pages, and did it well. I'm going to miss this title when it goes.

Comic Books of the Week (4/13/11) - part 1

A big pile of books this week (eight) so I thought I'd review them in pairs. Let's get to the first two:

Booster Gold #43 - the final issue by Giffen and DeMatteis. I must admit I really liked this one, mostly because of the big part played by the Legion of Super-Heroes. It was great to see the old gang in action, even if they were played up as a little more sillier than I like. And, on the last page, the story gets a little meta (with Booster remarking on the replacement writer that came on to his "book"). I guess that was a statement to all the fans (some like me) who didn't like this run as much as what Dan Jurgens had done before.

Justice League: Generation Lost #23 (of 24) - Max goes all out to find Wonder Woman, and his ultimate weapon is revealed. OMAC Prime shares a lot of skills with another JLA-machine-foe, but that's to be expected. Professor Ivo is Max's right hand tech guy after all. The League is going to have a serious battle on their hands in the final issue of this max-series.

ZZ Top - Eliminator

ZZ Top had been recording since 1971 and had quite a bit of success so far. On March 23rd of 1983, the blues-rock band from Texas put out their eighth studio album Eliminator, and it became their most successful album.

Chart-wise, it went to number 13 in Norway and Sweden, number 11 in Switzerland, number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 4 in Austria and New Zeland, number 3 in the UK and number 2 in Australia. It was ranked number 39 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Albums of the 80’s and number 396 on that magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list. By 1996 it had achieved Diamond status (selling over 10 million copies world-wide).

Echo & the Bunnymen - Porcupine

Released on February 4th of 1983, Porcupine was the third studio album from the British band Echo & the Bunnymen. Despite poor reviews, it did very well on the UK charts, reaching number two. Over in the US it only reached number 137 on the Billboard Hot 200 charts.

I have to admit that this was my first listen to this particular album. It was next up on the section I was working off of in the “1001 Albums You Must Listen To Before You Die” list. Since I like the band and was well acquainted with the first track, I thought I’d do a first-impression review of this one. We’ll see how it goes.

Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

In the fall of 1983, a new personality burst onto the music scene with her debut album She’s So Unusual. Many felt the title was apropos, especially after seeing her first videos on MTV - with her fire-red hair done is a punk-like style, vintage style clothing, and her flair for humor. Of course, I am speaking of the one and only Cyndi Lauper.

Cyndi was born and raised in Queens, NY. She started her career as a vocalist in various cover bands, but she really longed to perform her own music. In 1977, she damaged her vocal cords and was told that she would never sing again. With hard work and lots of vocal exercises, she proved those doctors wrong. She worked her days at a high-end New York thrift store while returning to the stage as part of a group called Blue Angel. That’s when she was discovered.

She’s So Unusual spent seventy-seven weeks on the US Billboard charts, peaking at number four. It also charted very well the world over. All together, it has sold over 9 million copies. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 494 in its Top 500 Albums of All-Time and number 75 in its Top 100 Albums of the 1980’s. The album garnered Cyndi six Grammy nominations including Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Album Package and Best New Artist. She won the awards in those later two categories. Not to shabby for the first time out of the gate.

This is one of those records I picked up on vinyl as soon as I could. I loved her debut single and was very confident the rest of the package would be equally to my liking. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Purchased from my hometown record store, this album was in heavy rotation during my Freshman year of college and for many years afterwards. It was another one of those records I immediately bought in CD format when my turntable was no longer an option. To this day, this album is one of my favorites from that year.

Side one opens with “Money Changes Everything”, a song first recorded by the underground band the Brains in 1979. The song features Rob Hyman, of the band the Hooters, playing a Hohner Melodica (a keyboard played by blowing air through a mouth-piece) in the song’s solo around the three minute mark. The song cautions about how success can change the dynamics of relationships if you’re not careful. It is a solid start to the record.

Next up is the smash debut single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, a song written by Robert Hazard (who recorded it in 1979) and reached all the way to the number two position on the Billboard charts. Hazard’s lyrics were written from a male point of view; Cyndi spun the song around with some minor changes, which Hazard approved of. The song opens with keyboard slide that, when heard through headphones, travels from one ear all the way to the other. Very cool effect. The song is infectious with its music and chorus, and the incredibly popular video helped it to become an anthem of female empowerment. This song was a great one to dance to; everyone gets into it - guys and girls alike. It has a chorus that is very hard to resist joining in and singing, and really why should you resist? Everyone wants to have fun!

Cyndi next covers the Prince song “When You Were Mine”, which appeared on his 1980 album Dirty Mind. Her version is more of a mid-tempo ballad with synthesizer base. She kept the pronoun genders the same as the original, which caused much speculation about the sexual preference of the other lover. As a huge fan of Prince, I find that her version holds up very well. She embraces the song, as she did with the other songs she covered on this album, as if they were her own.

“Time After Time”, which she co-wrote with Rob Hyman, was her first number one record on the US charts. This song is beautiful, a perfect combination of a straight-forward melody and immensely personal and relatable lyrics. This song touches my heart every time I hear it. The college I attended had an affiliation with the National Technical Institute of the Deaf. As such, we had a large population of hearing-impaired students on campus. When I was first learning to pick up sign-language, I often found it was easier to learn words if I learned how to sign the lyrics of songs I liked. “Time After Time” was one of those songs I learned. I still remember how to sign parts of it twenty seven years later.

Side two starts off with “She Bop”, the third commercially released single from the record. The lyrics deal with what many consider a controversial subject - the topic of masturbation. The video further explored the topic, albeit through some veiled references. For me, I have no problem with the topic (after all, I’m a huge Prince fan and he’s the master at sexual song references). I think the way Cyndi handled the topic was masterful - clearly others did too since the song remained on the US charts for fourteen weeks and peaked at number three.

“All Through the Night” was the fourth single from the album, on the chart for fourteen weeks and peaking at number five. The song was written by Jules Shear as a mid-tempo folk-rock song. The Cars recorded a version of their own by did not use it on any of their albums. She took the song down the pop ballad route which worked quite well. The tempo on this one gives the feeling of seconds ticking away, giving it a perception of forward, fleeting motion. Cyndi’s vocals on this one show off her impressive vocal range as well.

She co-wrote the song “Witness” as well. I really like the synthesizer work on this one. It gives it a great echoing sound in the background. The rest of the song has a Reggae feel to it, which again shows Cyndi’s interest in varying musical styles.

“I’ll Kiss You” is collaboration between Cyndi and Jules Shear. The music on this one is Ska-influenced with fun lyrics (the story of a woman on a quest for a love potion). Again, the synthesizers add to the quirkiness of the songs. This is probably my favorite of the non-single tracks from the record.

“He’s So Unusual“ was a song from the late 1920‘s, originally performed by Helen Kane, the inspiration for the cartoon character Betty Boop. Many might compare Cyndi to Betty Boop in that both have a very sexy personas and unique sounding vocals. This song fits her very well. This short track then segues into the final track “Yeah Yeah”. This one has a really neat effect to it - Cyndi does some Boop-like backing vocals behind her lead vocals, which all channel through one audio channel. If you listen to this one with just one headphone in, you might be missing out on some of it. The saxophone on this one gives it that added sexiness. This one is a toe-tapper for me.

I have to mention one more song with connections to this album - “Right Track Wrong Train”. It was released as the B-side of “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” but does not appear on the record. I had this one on a 45 back in the day, but had not heard it for a long time until just this past weekend (I found I could download it on eMusic and immediately did so without hesitation). It is a fun little number that compliments the rest of the debut album. I consider it the unofficial eleventh track.

This album made me a fan of Cyndi’s for life. Since this record, I often have jumped upon any new releases by her - it doesn’t matter if I’ve heard a single track from them or not. I find that she’s the type of artist that will always entertain me. It doesn’t matter what style she’s doing - be it pop songs, holiday music, musical standards, acoustic and even most recently the blues. She puts her heart into everything she does, and the pure joy she gets from performing radiates from them.

Blue Nile - A Walk Across the Rooftops

A Walk Across the Rooftops is the late 1983 debut album from the Blue Nile, a pop trio from Glasgow. All three guys do duty on synthesizer. Robert Bell also plays Bass. Paul Joseph Moore plays additional keyboards. Paul Buchanan handles all vocals as well as guitar. For the songs that include drums, Nigel Thomas provides those.

Until this past weekend, I had never heard this album. However, this album was on the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list so I sought it out online to see what I thought of it.

The title track “A Walk Across the Rooftops” has a melancholy feel to it. I get the imagery of a very late at night/pre-dawn time of reflection, up above the sleeping city below.

“Tinseltown in the Rain” has a little more movement to the music, but it too has a sense of regret to it as a love comes to an end. It is a beautiful sounding song though.

“From Rags to Riches” has an interesting synthesizer-drum rhythm to it. I like the vocals on this one. I can say the same thing for the next track “Stay”.

“Easter Parade” slows things down again. The band clearly know what works for them - solid piano arrangements and soul-exploring vocals.

“Heatwave” provides another example of the amazing sounds these guys can produce with synthesizers. The music has complex elements to it - almost sounding like exotic instruments. But it is all produced with amazing results.

“Automobile Noise” closes the record on a slower note. As the beginning did, I get the feeling of a late night alone with the sounds of the occasional passing cars cutting through the stormy darkness.

If I had ever heard any of the tracks, it was likely on some alternative radio, and they never really registered with me. As for the group itself, I have one song in my library from their 1996 album Peace At Last - until today I never knew they got their start in the 80’s.

Overall, I have to say I found this a pleasant listen. The record has a more gentle synth-pop sound that is easy on the ears. It is the type of music that quietly demands you sit and give it a listen.

Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of “Soundtrack Sunday”.

This time we’re jumping back to the late 1977 released album that sold over 15 million copies world-wide, that stayed atop the album charts for twenty-four straight weeks from January to July of 1978, and stayed overall on the Billboard album charts for a total of one hundred and twenty weeks (until March 1980). Coincidentally, it was the record that dethroned yesterday’s reviewed album Linda Ronstadt’s Simple Dreams from its number one album perch. This soundtrack even was ranked in Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 Albums of All-Time, coming it at position 131. Of course, I am talking about Saturday Night Fever.

As I mentioned last week, growing up I often went to the movies with my slightly older cousin Joan. She was a huge John Travolta fan (faithfully watched Welcome Back, Kotter each week, had a life-sized Travolta poster on her bedroom door, and even had his debut record album from 1976). When this film came to our small town theatre in early 1978, there was little doubt that we’d be seeing it. And even though it was rated R and I had just turned thirteen that week, we saw the film on the evening of Friday February 24th. She was there for Travolta; I was there for the dancing and the music.

A few weeks later, our whole family (my parents and brother, her parents, her sisters, their husbands, our grandmother and great aunt) got together to celebrate the birthdays of my father and I (it was a few weeks late for me, a week early for him). One of the presents I received that year was this soundtrack album on vinyl which, back then, was a pretty expensive gift. Double-albums tended to run close to $20. I was in pure disco heaven for weeks on end after that. Over a decade later, when my turntable had given up the ghost and I was getting in CDs, this was one of the first discs I picked up to start my collection. To say I have much appreciation for this album would be an understatement.

Let’s take a look at the four sides that make up this iconic record.

Side one is dominated by the presence of the Bee Gees. They had been working on their own solo album when they were approached to contribute music to this film. As such, this album is a key part of their discography and it helped revitalize their music nearly two decade long career. It was only proper that they are featured on the front cover of the album. The whole side is a solid four-star rating in my iTunes library. Not a bad song in the bunch, in my opinion.

“Staying Alive” was not intended as a single, but fan requests for the song, due to appearing in the film’s trailers, was enough for it to be released on the charts in December of 1977. By February 1978, the song had reached the number one spot where it stayed for four weeks until sibling Andy Gibb bumped it down to number two. I really like the opening guitar on this - it inspires me to get up to get down (and boogie). You get that confident strut going, much like the Tony Manero (Travolta) character in the opening of the film where this song is featured. Back in the day, I would dance around my room to this one - practicing steps to the hustle and the bus-stop. The harmonies on this one are amazing, especially with Barry doing his falsetto for a majority of the song.

“How Deep Is Your Love” was the first single released from the film and reached the number one spot by Christmas of 1977. It held that spot into the new year for three weeks. This song is just speaks right to my soul - the emotion, the harmonies, the melodies - it all creates the perfect pop song. Given how well it performed on the charts, I’m sure this is a sentiment I shared with a good portion of the populous.

“Night Fever” was the third single from the film, released in February and reaching the number one spot in March (bumping Andy down to number five while “Staying Alive” held fast at number two). This one has an infectious guitar bass and a cascading keyboard line. The layering of all of the musical elements on this one is brilliant. Add the vocals and you’ve got a disco masterpiece.

“More Than a Woman” was not released as a single but is still one of the Bee Gees’ more popular songs. Once more, Barry uses the falsetto vocals to carry the lead. I find it fascinating that he could sing in this range for such a long time. I heard a number of these songs in concert back in 1979 and can vouch to the fact that this wasn’t just studio magic; he was that versatile of a singer.

Yvonne Elliman closes the side with her smash hit “If I Can’t Have You”. The Bee Gees originally planned to include it on their 1976 album but instead gave it to the Hawaiian born singer (who was most known at that point for her role as Mary Magdalene in the Jesus Christ, Superstar). The single was released in March of 1978 and bumped “Night Fever” from its number one perch in May. Yvonne’s voice fits nicely with the melodies on this one. It is a song I often associate with Junior High school crushes - that feeling of watching someone from across the room but feeling too shy to approach them to say what is really going through your mind.

Side two opens with the sweeping “A Fifth of Beethoven” by Walter Murphy. This disco instrumental adapts the first movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. It actually was a number one Billboard hit from July of 1976. I really enjoy how this one takes the classical foundation with the full orchestration and adds the disco elements (beats, keyboards and other rhythm effects) to take it a whole new level. The album version is only three minutes long; the extended dance version is even more amazing.

“More Than Woman” makes its second appearance on the record, this time performed by the R&B/soul band Tavares. Their version was released as a single but only stayed in the top 40 for four weeks, topping out a number 32. I really like how their take on the song differs from that of the Bee Gees; the vocal harmonies are in a bit lower of a range and their added elements in the chorus are nice touches.

David Shire, who composed and adapted much of the film’s incidental music, provides the track “Manhattan Skyline”. The song very much captures the feel of the city. Listening to it I can envision moving through the concrete canyons of the Big Apple, in search of that high energy night spot where you can dance until dawn.

The nearly eight minute long “Calypso Breakdown” by Ralph MacDonald closes the side. Its syncopated Caribbean rhythms are a nice way to change things up a bit from the traditional disco beats presented so far on the record.

Side three begins with David Shire’s “Night on Disco Mountain”. This is another marriage of classical orchestration with disco elements; this time with the foundation being Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain”. The disco beats brighten up the traditionally dark and moody piece.

Kool & the Gang provided the track “Open Sesame” to the film. The Arabian feel of this song helps it to stand out against the other tracks. The horns on this one carry a good portion of the musical load.

The Bee Gees return with “Jive Talkin’”, a number 1 hit from their 1975 album Main Course. Ironically, the song did not appear in the film. It appears that it was instead brought in to fill out the record with another proven chart success. This one has an amazing driving rhythm to it that I find pretty hard to resist.

The Brothers Gibb make one final appearance on this record with “You Should Be Dancing”, a number 1 hit from their 1976 album Children of the World. I take the title to heart. When I hear it, I think “why, yes, I should be dancing…” Again, another irresistible song for me. Like so many of the songs on this record, it takes me right back to the scenes in the film and the amazing choreography by Deney Terrio and others. And, yes, I did watch his show Dance Fever regularly after seeing this film. I would have been happy to dance a fraction as well as anyone in the film or on that show; what my dancing lacks in precision and grace it makes up for in enthusiasm and effort.

The side ends with “Boogie Shoes” by KC and the Sunshine Band. It was originally released as a B-side to the single “Keep It Comin’ Love” in 1977; due to the success of the film it was released as a single on its own in 1978. It only lasted three weeks in the top 40 though, attaining the position of 35. KC and his posse always sounded like they were a party-in-motion. This song, while simple in lyrics, has a solid groove that is fun to dance to.

Side four starts off with the third piece by David Shire - “Salsation”. This instrumental has a Latin influence to it. That is one of the things I like about this soundtrack; the diversity of styles and approaches demonstrate that disco music could be very multi-faceted. That’s why I find this genre so interesting. Too often people discount disco completely, but it truly has merits.

MFSB, a collaboration of studio musicians known for many hits during the 70’s, provide “K-Jee”. The band shows how their famed Philadelphia sound could adapt this 1971 instrumental by the Nite-Liters to the disco scene. I have to admit this is probably my least favorite track on the album.

Finally, the album ends with “Disco Inferno”, an epic eleven-minute production by the Trammps. The introductory chords were just the right length to get people up and to the dance floor before the vocals kick in. And it has that memorable chorus - “burn, baby, burn” and “burn that Mother down”. I really love how this track goes into an extended jam at the four and half minute mark until the time for one final chorus near the end. This was a great number to throw on while working out your dance moves. The song spent thirteen weeks in the top 40 and nearly made it to the top 10 (its blaze up the charts was extinguished at the number 11 spot).

So, if you love dance music and enjoy hit disco tunes in particular, this record needs to be in your collection.

If you love the 1970’s and all the different varieties of sounds that made that decade memorable, this record needs to be in your collection.

If you love movies and enjoy having the music that goes along with them, this record needs to be in your collection.

Hey, fifteen million people (and counting) can’t be wrong, can they? ;)

Linda Ronstadt - Simple Dreams

Welcome back for another edition of “Seventies Saturday”.

In 1977, country-rock singer Linda Ronstadt released her eighth studio album Simple Dreams. This record is one of the most successful releases of her career; it spent five consecutive weeks at the number 1 spot on the Billboard Album charts and it even knocked Elvis Presley off the number 1 spot on the Billboard Country charts. It was also her fifth consecutive million-selling Platinum album, selling over 3.5 million copies in less than a year in the US alone in 1977. To say it was a popular record would be a huge understatement.

With the singles from this album, Ronstadt was the first female to have two singles in the top five at the same time (and she was the first act since the Beatles to do so). She received two Grammy nominations from this album - one for Record of the Year with “Blue Bayou” and the other in the category of Best Pop Vocal Performance Female.

Side one begins with her version of the 1958 Buddy Holly classic “It’s So Easy (To Fall In Love)”. The single reached number 5 on the US Billboard charts. Ronstadt’s version, of course, has a country spin to it, utilizing steel guitar and a stronger drumbeat than the original. She clearly makes this classic from the early days of rock 'n roll her own.

Next is “Carmelita”, a song written by Warren Zevon (it appeared on his self-titled debut a year earlier). It is a song about a person strung out on heroin in love with a Mexican girl. It is kind of a curious song choice for Ronstadt to do, but clearly, she was a fan of Zevon’s. She does the song justice in her signature style.

“Simple Man, Simple Dream”, a tune penned by J.D. Souther, follows. Ronstadt and Souther share a common country-rock feel, thus this song is a good fit for her sweet vocals. It is a song of inspiration and reaching for one’s goals.

“Sorrow Lives Here” offsets Ronstadt’s voice with a simple piano accompaniment. It is almost a precursor to her run on Broadway just four years later. She was hardly a one-trick (stone) pony - she could clearly do much more than just country as evidenced here.

The side closes with “I Never Will Marry” where Dolly Parton joins her on the vocals. It would end up being almost a decade later before the two, along with Emmy Lou Harris, would join for the album Trio. Nevertheless, this little taste shows how well their two voices blend on the harmonies of this traditional country song.

Side two kicks off with the hit “Blue Bayou”, which was written by Roy Orbison. Ronstadt’s version did immensely better on the charts; her version peaked at number 3 while Orbison only got the song to number 29 on the US charts back in 1963. I really love how this one starts out slow and builds to the chorus where Ronstadt’s voice carries the emotion of the song. For some reason, this song reminds me of “home” - not any place on the water (even though my hometown was on Lake Erie) - but that feeling of home, where the heart is. It is definitely my favorite song from the album.

Another Warren Zevon penned track is next - “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”. It too appeared on Zevon’s debut album a year before. Ronstadt though changed the gender in the lyrics, making it more appropriate for a female singer. Once more, she does the original songwriter proud with a solid rendition. The guitar work gives this one more of a rock feel with country nuances in the background.

“Maybe I’m Right” slows things down a bit. It is a much more stripped down song, featuring just guitar and the voices (Ronstadt and then some background singers in the later half). It is a nice respite for the middle of the side.

Next, she takes on the Rolling Stones hit “Tumbling Dice”, which appeared on their 1972 album Exile On Main St. Unlike the Stones’ version that broke the top 10, Ronstadt’s version didn’t even make it to the Top 30. However, I like her version. I think the clarity of her delivery helped me understand the lyrics of this song for the very first time. She gives it every bit of attitude that Mick Jagger does, adding to the sexy side of her persona.

The side and the album end with “Old Paint”, another more traditional country song. Again, this is a pleasant mix of her entrancing vocals with guitar accompaniment.

This is another of the early albums that I had on vinyl in my collection. I believe I got it from a mail order record club (anyone else remember those?) - my brother and I went in on the club together. On the initial twelve albums for a penny, I seem to recall he got eight and I got four (he was older so I had to take what I could get). After that, we split the number of have-to-purchase down the middle. Simple Dreams was one of the records I got from the club.

I remember listening to this one a lot, just staring at the album cover (both sides) and liner notes while I did. I did not know that a number of the songs were covers. I was only twelve years old and my music knowledge was not that fully formed. Still, I liked what I heard (and liked what I saw - Linda Ronstadt was a stone-cold fox! - very important for a budding pre-teen in Junior High school who was just deciding that girls weren't icky). She definitely was the first country artist whose album I bought. I am happy to say that this album represents just part of her career spanning music that is in my collection.

Comic Books of the Week (4/6/11)

Brightest Day #23 (of 24) - damn! Johns has kicked the story into overdrive with this issue. The revelation of the Dark Avatar and the ultimate savior has rocked the Internet this week - some people loving it, some hating it. Put me in the loving it category. No spoilers from me on this one - go read it yourself, fans! As for the art - amazing. That cover Gary Frank and Rod Reis was outstanding, and inside the art Reis and Prado was equally stunning. Those double-page spreads were very nice. I am so looking forward to the finale in less than two weeks - and the follow up Brightest Day: In Search of... mini (again, shortening that title to not reveal the spoilers).

Justice League of America, 80-Page Giant 2011 - ugh. Man, I should have saved the $5.99 and skipped this one. I had a feeling it would be just so-so and I was right. The premise: the JLA goes to Hell - with a number of guest stars. It is really hard to fit this given who is involved. Wonder Woman is in her new costume, so it it taking place now. If so, why are some of these other folks there? Too many questions to throw the reader out of the story. The pairings are odd too - some did not work for me at all. I just didn't feel vested in the outcome. And the art was uneven. Bleech.

JSA All-Stars #17 - who is the Prince? Who is Regal? Who is Dr. Hate? Why does this feel like their story with the JSA just taking the backseat? Not a fan of "this reality you know is wrong" tales, especially when we know it will have zero effect in the end. Sort of a wasted exercise. Maybe it is for the best that this title is getting tanked. Get the heroes of this book back to the main JSA title and salvage them both. Right now, both are just limping along badly.

Secret Six #32 - thank you, Gail Simone, for showing us how a trip to Hell should be done. She and J. Calafiore deliver an awesome middle-of-the-arc chapter and give us a lot to think about for the future of this cast of characters. The mix of dialogue, action and weirdness are a perfect balance. Great issue, as always.

The The - Soul Mining

Soul Mining, released in 1983, was the debut album from the British band The The, fronted by Matt Johnson. While the band was popular in their home country, putting three singles up on the UK charts, their success didn’t translate as well in the States. Mostly their music could be heard on college radio stations that tended to showcase more alternative music.

I had actually forgotten about some of the songs on this album that I did know until about a year or so ago. My buddy Aaron in the state of Washington mentioned them, leading me to seek out the music to add to my library. That was really the first time I had listened to the whole album. Since then, it has come up a few times on my iPod album shuffling.

R.E.M. - Murmur

On April 13th of 1983, a quartet of musicians (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe) came up from Athens, GA, to Reflection Studios in Charlotte, NC (not far from here) to record their debut album - Murmur. It charted at number 100 in the UK, number 47 in New Zealand and number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 200.

Def Leppard - Pyromania

On January 20th of 1983, the British rock band Def Leppard released their third studio album entitled Pyromania. Phil Collen joined the band as a guitarist mid-way through the recording of this record (he replaced Pete Willis who had already laid down all the rhythm guitar tracks) “Mutt” Lange was the album’s producer.

Pyromania reached number 70 in Australia, number 26 in New Zealand, number 23 in Sweden, number 18 in the UK, number 4 in Canada and number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 200 charts. It ranked number 62 on Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Albums of the 80’s list and number 384 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list. Three songs from the album became Top 40 singles in the US.

Malcolm McLaren - Duck Rock

By 1983, British impresario Malcolm McLaren had already left his mark on the world of pop-culture. From clothing designing in the early 70’s on Kings Road, London, to working with the likes of various musical acts (the New York Dolls, the Sex Pistols, Adam and the Ants, and Bow Wow Wow) during the 70’s and 80’s, his resume was very impressive indeed.

But in January of 1983, he added musician and singer-songwriter to his accomplishments. For his first album, Duck Rock, he collaborated with a duo of hip-hop radio disc jockeys from New York City known as the World’s Greatest Supreme Team. Together, they mixed up musical influences from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas (North, Central and South) to create a most interesting collection of music.

The album starts of with “Obatala”, a tribal rhythm that McLaren co-wrote with musician Trevor Horn. It is very soothing, almost transcendental in nature.

Next is “Buffalo Gals”, one of the most familiar tracks from the album. It mixes the DJ voiceovers with some amazing hip-hop beats, scratching, and calls from square dancing (trust me, if you‘ve never heard this one - it works very well). This was one I heard played a lot on the college radio stations when the single was released in 1982, both in the original album version and an extended remix version. It made for a great dance song at the time. Parts of this song have been sampled by the likes of Neneh Cherry (for her hit “Buffalo Stance”), Weird Al Yankovic and the Sublime.

“Double Dutch” is next, another very popular track from the record. It was the follow-up single to “Buffalo Gals” and it actually reached number 3 on the UK Singles chart. Again, this one opens with the deejays as well. It then kicks in with an infectious rhythm with backing sounds of spinning jump ropes. The backing vocals add a world-music atmosphere to it as well. The combination of all these elements gets your toes tapping.

“El San Juanera” is another DJ interlude between songs as the guys interact with their radio show callers. Then “Merengue” provides the Central American elements to this world-party. The Latin rhythms celebrate the cultural dance from those regions. The side closes with “Punk It Up”, another energetic number that blends various elements in an interesting way. It is like a smorgasbord for your ears.

“Legba” is the first track on side two. I like the African percussion used on this one. Like the opener on side one, it is another relaxing instrumental piece. Very pleasant. “Jive My Baby” follows after another DJ interlude. It has a similar rhythm to “Double Dutch”, very bouncy and full of energy. It sounds a little like some of the sounds the Talking Heads had been experimenting with in the early 80’s.

“Song for Chango” features more African rhythms and singers. “Soweto” is an up-tempo song that mixes various elements into another celebration of cultures. “World’s Famous” features the deejays with their own free-styling.

The last track is “Duck for the Oyster”, a rather interesting mix. It takes square dance elements (calls and fiddle music) and adds some rather comic sound effects. It is kind of fun but might not appeal to everyone.

Listening to this album in its entirety is the best way that the various DJ interludes work. Clearly McLaren had a vision in mind - a concept for the album to tie together the various musical styles he and his crew presented here. Some might find the interludes to be annoying, but they work for me. It reminds me the past when radio shows were faithfully followed in part thanks to the personalities that put their heart and soul into the production. This record is a love-note to that bygone era.

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

Hailing out of Milwaukee, WI, the Violent Femmes was a trio of alternative rockers. Gordon Gano was the singer, guitarist and songwriter of the group. Brian Richie played bass and Victor DeLorenzo played drums. They were inspired by the initial wave of American punk rock of the late 70’s and early 80’s.

Fame (soundtrack)

Welcome back for another edition of “Soundtrack Sunday”.

In the late Spring of 1980, MGM released Fame, the motion picture that told the story of a group of students as they progressed through their four years at the New York High School of the Performing Arts. It starred Irena Cara, Laura Dean, Lee Curreri, Paul McCrane, Barry Miller, Maureen Teefy and Gene Anthony Ray as the students, and Anne Meara, Albert Hague, Jim Moody and Debbie Allen as some teachers. Curreri, Ray, Hague and Allen would eventually go on to star in the hit TV version two years later, reprising their roles from the film.

Fame won the Academy Award for Best Music - Original Score. Two songs were also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song with the title track winning the Oscar in that category.

The Partridge Family "Album"

Welcome to another edition of "Seventies Saturday". This time we're digging into the back recesses of the music closet - to the corner where we hide our bubble-gum music for fear that someone might stumble across it while flipping through the stacks and let out a hearty "ha-ha" (ala Nelson from the Simpsons). We're not really ashamed of it - we like the simplicity of the pop songs; we're just maybe afraid to lose a little cred with our peers. Ah, who cares? It is all part of the musical mosaic of the decade.

In September of 1970, a half-hour American sitcom debuted on the ABC network. The Partridge Family was the story of a widowed mother trying to raise her five kids. The kids decide to help out by forming a band to help out, practicing in the garage after school. Add in their manager and a psychedelic bus, and you have the foundation for a hit show that ran four seasons (and was a syndication juggernaut for decades after). I grew up on this show and the songs interspersed in each episode were always a highlight.

Duran Duran - Rio

Released on May 10th, 1982, Rio was the second studio album by the British rock band Duran Duran. It was through this album that Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor ("no relation" as they would say on Tiny Tunes Adventures) would become big stars in the US as they had done so the previous year in their native UK. The North American album was released in a number of versions, the later ones taking advantage of new mixes on a number of the singles that would further propel the songs up the US charts.

Comic Books of the Week (3/30/11)

Final week of the month, or as I like to call it "J.T. Krul Week" (since his two DC books come out at this time). Let's get to them.

Green Arrow #10 - Ollie and his allies attempt to turn the tide against the Etrigan-possessed forest. But they need a little help. This issue we also get some revelations into who is Galahad. Is he the champion they need? Can they turn the tied? This opening arc which ties in directly to Brightest Day continues.

Justice Society of America #49 - the "Supertown" arc concludes with the return of Green Lantern, plus many others. It was a good conclusion to the story, but things at Monument Point are far from over. That final page was an interesting turn of events, but one that didn't catch me off-guard. I had a feeling it was leading to this point. Big celebration issue next issue - including some George Perez art. Yeah.

Teen Titans #93 - Red Robin is back on the team, and they answer a call to help Solstice, the young heroine Wonder Girl met in one-shot back in January. I liked this issue a lot. J.T. has the voices of this group down pretty good, and the artwork by Scott & Hazlewood was really amazing. The issue was a good mix of characterization, mystery and action. And Solstice should add a nice dynamic to the group.