I still think it's quite good although I think he really hit his stride album-wise with "Sail Away" and a couple of others later in the decade. Thanks again and looking forward to your next posts.
I am loving this thread so far, Sooty. I love how you make a point to go outside of your comfort zone with these kind of projects of yours.
Thank you Cosmic! I love mostly how even though I know all the crucial artist there's plenty from them that's new to me when I listen to deeper cuts and albums from them!
I know The Bee Gees as well as most people do on a base level. They were the high pitched falsetto touting disco kings. My knowledge of them goes as far as knowing that the disco was a transition from their days as soft rock balladeers. I own this particular compilation:
Honestly, I've never been crazy about their songs like "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" or "How Deep Is Your Love". I mean I love soft but that was soft on a level I can't even get into. This was an album I didn't even expect to like because of my experience with the earlier material. Quite the opposite happened lately honestly. The first thing I noticed is how much each song changed, how much even the vocal approach was different each time to interesting effect and even some instrumental surprises. I mean to start with who'd of thought you'd hear a prominent guitar riff not to mention one definitely inspired by CCR:
That's not even a favorite from me off of the album but I had to share it. To understand where this album came from I had to research a little. One of the brothers, Barry Gibbs actually left the group for a while which was shocking to me. This is the album he came back on hence the album title and track. There were tensions still and the group was in an interesting spot. This made a very disconnected album process where writing duties among the group were split. This resulted in many shades on the album which got the strangely awesome attempt at honky tonk beer swilling country with sweeping strings on this track:
My favorite moments were two which I really loved the vocal approach. The first "Sincere Relation" is a great storytrelling song which I don't normally connect with the Bee Gees. The vocal is a little strange which is what I like. It has this warbling almost goat like quality but I love it. It has a cool build with piano in a marching drum beat and fades again into a sweeping string arrangement.
The last song I'll feature and my favorite is "The First Mistake I Need". It's another storyteller track and I really like the lyrics. What I really like though is the roughness of the vocal and feel like it's the rawest they've let their vocals get. For the "emo" musical guy like me it gets even better as the song goes along. It's a beautiful thing to hear and a beautiful song in general.
I've listened to this album many times over since looking at it. I will buy this one if I can. It makes me sad that the Bee Gees looked at their early 70's material as being weak and that they were desperate for a comeback so they learned Mickey Mouse falsettos. I'm not at odds with those disco songs but I like this direction they had better.
I'm a huge fan of soul. I think it's the one genre that's truly declined practically to extinction. I mean it's finally making a comeback with artist like Charles Bradley and the Daptones label in general but for too long Soul/R&B has become too much like Hip-Hop having to incorporate beats and rap cameos. I love rap as it's own genre but their apparently is no faith in the industry for talent to sing or even use the organic instruments they had prior. The talent is there though and there's room for a little bit of modern beats but there needs to be a return to be a compromise. Their needs to be SOUL in the music again. Rant over!
While I'm a fan of Soul I don't necessarily like the Motown sound itself. The suits, the dancing, the multitude of members/singers, etc. I'm more of a fan of the solo artist who just sang and you could just feel every word. Artists like Sam Cooke, Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, etc. I didn't like the showmanship of Motown so much.
Having said that my ears perked up when I saw "Ooh Child" listed on the album. I absolutely love that song! I first heard it sampled in:
2Pac-Keep Ya Head Up
I've loved that melody ever since. Now when I saw "Ooh Child" on The Spinners album I assumed right that they weren't the only group to sing it at that point since songs were mostly written by others and passed down from group to group likely to get the most mileage out of a song and seeing if a new group can crack the charts higher with it. I went back and listened to the original by The Five Stairsteps and honestly I like The Spinners version a lot more. The song is supposed to be uplifting and The Spinners stepped it up and gave it that vibe even more than the original IMO. The instrumentals are more vibrant and The Spinners vocals are stronger. Judge for yourself:
The Five Stairsteps-Ooh Child
Now before I review the actual album I'll point out that I missed these two tracks so it wasn't as complete as I'd like:
My Lady Love
Souly Ghost
Now the album was standard fare for the most part. What you see is what you get but there were strong tracks on it and the main vocalist is great. The others do their part perfectly in complimenting his vocal in harmonies when needed. The group hadn't had any real chart success yet at this point and hadn't yet signed to a major label. In fact, they also became roadies in the meantime to make money. Having a strong single given to them by Stevie Wonder was definitely a strong push. The riff is about as catchy as I've ever heard and it's Motown as it's best. I love the high notes he hits here! Great range and the Marvin Gaye moments are cool as well!:
It's A Shame
A lot of the album is enjoyable in a fun way but for songs that stuck out as unique or special I'd pick out the closing track, "I Can Sing A Rainbow". This had a great sermon like Gospel style to it. It's starts out all Sunny with harmonies and then it gets a deeper tone that go with the "gray" lyrics. Another element I like is how it features the cool bass vocal. It reminds me of Boyz II Men when all four members has distinct ranges but the bassy guy always stood out. This bassy guy is awesome. This is just a strong song that stood out with what i felt were rock elements and it makes me want to scream "Preach!":
Overall, a cool group and even cooler now that I now later in their career they were the original singers of "I'll Be Around" which I love as much as "Ooh Child". I don't see myself buying their albums but a compilation may be in order!
It's hard for me to rate a Jackson 5 release. I mean the appeal is so simple it really defies description. For the same reason it's infectious it should be annoying. A bunch of precocious kids going from sing material about the letters of the alphabet and juvenile number sequences. I couldn't believe they had a song called 2,4,6,8 following ABC! Really? On other tracks they sing songs originally by other artist that you know they have no knowledge of. Particularly in "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" originally performed by The Miracles. That's where you have to give credit to Michael though who performs lead vocals on all but "I Found That Girl" performed by Jermaine Jackson. Michael sings these songs with a great maturity and conviction that you forget the singer still thinks these girls he's supposed to be loving have cooties.
What made this all work was simple. Talent! The songwriting was perfect. The main writers who called themselves "The Corporation" (Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards, Alphonzo Mizell) were just that. Writers churning out melodies as appealing as they could to reign in the masses. Hell, it worked as the power trio of singles two of which are on this album (I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save") are absolutely embedded in today's minds. That "it" quality of a great melody I mentioned from the start. Plus with two Stevie Wonder songs and Supremes cover, material was not an issue.
Second, talent in the group itself was perfect. Obviously the group was trained and coached to rigorous levels. All of them were talented but Micheal obviously stood out even then which is why he was front and center. Seriously, listen to Michaels vocal on Stevie Wonders "I Don't Know Why I Love You" and tell me he doesn't have a presence way beyond his years. A very strong vocal and as I said before, a conviction that sells the song:
Don't Know Why I Love You
My favorite gem on the album is the surprising funk number "I'll Bet You" which was a Funkadelic song. Once again they were too young to grasp what they were singing but tell me they weren't in tune with the music which is the important part. In what could've been camp these guys pulled off the funk and nailed it. I love all the variety of vocals in this from the bass (love the intro ) to the whoo high pitched to the screeching to the chorus.
I'll Bet You
Interesting to hear anything new sounding off this album since The Jacksons to me have a very similar sounding trademark sound in their music. The variety of songwriters and the foray into less lighter fare were a cool touch to an album I thought would resemble my Jackson 5 Collection disc.
Just a quick observation Soot.. Right off I see you have posted compilation LP's.
Keep in mind those were radio hits.. Played all the time and apart of something like Casey Kasems countdown of most popular songs.. Also bands during that era would be featured on American Bandstand or Soul Train.. But.. the thing your not going to get is the songs off the LP's that didn't make the charts.. That's where some of us have found our gems so to speak. Complete albums were more in favor to me..If the one popular song would come on the radio you were like Yea yea that's a good song but would want to hear some other songs off the LP..
You got this alot with more controversial artist like Hendrix or the Doors or any group considered anti establishment.
Teens will be teens and we would get a kick if a song used the F bomb or said something in reference to sex.. It's just the way it is growing up.
So in your journey of 70's music.. Dig deep and look into why a particular album was popular not just the one hit that was associated with the 70's.
They choose what they wanted you to hear just like they do these days..
Also.. the thing that is special about the 70's to some of us was the freedoms we got to have.. Angst wasn't our scene.. We were all about lets just have a good time and enjoy life.. Things are different than that these days.. So it's hard to understand the vibe of the 70's and the music unless you lived it.. Have fun digging into a great era of music..
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It's simple to be wise.. Just think of something stupid to say.. And don't say it...
Just a quick observation Soot.. Right off I see you have posted compilation LP's.
Keep in mind those were radio hits.. Played all the time and apart of something like Casey Kasems countdown of most popular songs.. Also bands during that era would be featured on American Bandstand or Soul Train.. But.. the thing your not going to get is the songs off the LP's that didn't make the charts.. That's where some of us have found our gems so to speak. Complete albums were more in favor to me..If the one popular song would come on the radio you were like Yea yea that's a good song but would want to hear some other songs off the LP..
You got this alot with more controversial artist like Hendrix or the Doors or any group considered anti establishment.
Teens will be teens and we would get a kick if a song used the F bomb or said something in reference to sex.. It's just the way it is growing up.
So in your journey of 70's music.. Dig deep and look into why a particular album was popular not just the one hit that was associated with the 70's.
They choose what they wanted you to hear just like they do these days..
Also.. the thing that is special about the 70's to some of us was the freedoms we got to have.. Angst wasn't our scene.. We were all about lets just have a good time and enjoy life.. Things are different than that these days.. So it's hard to understand the vibe of the 70's and the music unless you lived it.. Have fun digging into a great era of music..
Hey Slip'n, right off the bat I just want to say thanks for stopping in and giving me your thoughts. From what I see though the only possible compilation LP I have in here would be the Ventures 10th anniversary but it was listed as an actual album release and seems like they covered all those songs as a special way to commemorate the occasion. That one I could be wrong on but the others definitely seem like straight albums and if you notice I featured a lot of deep cuts as those stood out to me. I didn't know a single song from the Bee Gees album or the Randy Newman one but ended up loving it.
As far as the vibe, I think there's turbulence in every time but I was never an angsty person myself. I always ran a gambit of emotions and music was/is my way of channeling them. Which is why the order in which I'm going through this list is perfect for me. It's kind of random and gives me something different each time. I've never base music as to how it relates to a culture or time but rather how it relates to me and makes me feel. Rebellion or movements based on music were never my thing. I never dressed a certain way or changed my demeanor to fit my taste. I never dress in black shirts with silver paints to look like Billy Corgan. Always found style as an identity foolish myself. It's always filtered through me but luckily I still maintain my excitement for the new which is why like you in your time in the 70's I still grab that album to hear those gems!
I liked your description and find that experience to hear something new for the first time and still growing an awesome privilege. I love 70's cinema to be a favorite for the same reason. People were experimenting with art and boundaries so it was a great time to be around. What I like about my generation is that we lost a voice meaning not just one thing defines us. There are so many bands out there and everyone latches on to something different. I'm sick of people wanting a figurehead like Kurt Cobain. No one artist should represent a generation because people aren't all the same. I don't have an allegiance to any genre or artist. I just listen to music. I don't want any Zeppelins, Doors, Sabbath or anything so iconosized that you forget they were just a bunch of guys making music that mattered to them and that one listener who connected to it. The other thing I like about my generation now is we are so proivileged to have the whole library of music going back in our fingertips. I can listen to a group like Love (60's) and O'Brother (2011) in the same breath.
Our musicians have all the tools now which gives them the world and they are still finding new ways to use them. I love the possibilities and how they are used today. Having said that, going through old 60's and 70's albums and still hearing new things, techniques, etc. is great and shows how much the wealth of music was then.
What I'm saying is the 90's are my glory years in music as they obviously hold what pushed me into what I loved about music. The Smashing Pumpkins taught me how music can get inside you and where it could go. They are an example of how many influences can bring a new sound. Withthat said, I don't just cling to them. My favorite groups show me that there's more to explore in music. To this day every year is as exciting as the last and it'll never change. To have the ability to add to that though with people uploading old albums and hearing them I'm as privileged as Hell. Seriously, I feel like I'm unburying treasure to my ears! Peace!
Before I joined this forum I was pretty set in my ways, music-wise. I thought the 50s, 60s and 70s were great and that 95% of what came after stunk. But then I started reading about other peoples tastes and figured I'd do a little experimenting. I love threads like this that turn me on to stuff I've never heard or had forgotten about. The fact that people like S and S so articulately and passionately explain where they're coming from only adds to it. Keep turning me on guys, I'm all ears.
Before I joined this forum I was pretty set in my ways, music-wise. I thought the 50s, 60s and 70s were great and that 95% of what came after stunk. But then I started reading about other peoples tastes and figured I'd do a little experimenting. I love threads like this that turn me on to stuff I've never heard or had forgotten about. The fact that people like S and S so articulately and passionately explain where they're coming from only adds to it. Keep turning me on guys, I'm all ears.
Thank you Bob! I figure this is a good counterbalance to my 2011 list! I have a feeling that my next album on a list is a classic that unfortunately I've never liked and still can't get into as much as most. Should be interesting and I'm glad I can't get lynched from behind a computer screen!
Here's an album that just comes out to preference. My parents actually had this on cassette and I remember listening to it in my infancy of music listening to this on cassette. I thought the cover was interesting at the time. Anyway, understandably it didn't catch me at the time. My taste were limited to starting out with Alabama, Daryl Hall and John Oates and NKOTB was what all the youth were pumped up with at the time. It was surprising I grabbed this to try at the time. Later when I could scrimp my own money I would get into G N' R and have my first band worshipping with Aerosmith.
In between times I had heard material from Santana and then Santana would become big again in '99 with Supernatural. I didn't like either one. Even with pop stars I saw Carlos as a drugged out guitarist just spitting out guitar licks to whatever tune "the spirits" told him. Now, I love music from the heart but I don't like floating on a cloud music that has a sloppy IMO looping structure with riffs that go on and on (ie Grateful Dead, etc.). I guess listening to the Abraxas album now (about 5-6 times straight) I should have a matured perspective on this but I still hold that I don't like this structure.
I'll try to keep criticisms constructive and keep in my mind that this is obviously an uneducated opinion because I look as a listener and not a musician. I do have musical bias here and I'm not afraid to admit it. I'll explain them as well. First, of almost all music I don't like the Latin Style. It's too busy for me. I think that too has to do with the Jazz fusion as well. I like an epic sound and I love a full sound but something like Latin music is too cluttered for me especially in a rock structure like this where it's all thrown in overshadowing some nicely done guitar moments. There are some in there I'll admit like the intro did pull me in. I just can't listen to the bongos for a long time now.
The other thing is why have a vocalist if he's just going to come into the middle of a song for verse and disappear again. I'm all for messing with song structure but hate when artist do this. Especially with a talented vocalist like Greg Rolie who I almost prefer his understated vocal to Steve Perry in the early Journey material. To call myself out though, one of my favorite tracks off that Journey album is "Of A Lifetime"and they do something similar there but I like the structure there at least made his vocal sound epic and important.
I didn't dislike the whole experience. If I had to name a low on the album it's "Oye Como Va".
The organ is annoying (and I'm a Doors fan) and the vocal was weak and pointless. I hate shit out vocals like that like in "Whole Lotta Love" where everything else rocks but the chorus is boring and shat out. Anyway the "Oye..." song is supposed to be festive but it really annoys me. The closing track with the clattering of bongos also annoyed me.
I think the one song that would be closest to being on my palate was "Hope You're Feeling Fine" which I admit isn't as colorful or technically proficient. The song felt like it was meant to be a song though and the vocals were better integrated and when the cool guitar solos came in they were placed as part of the whole IMO. Everything supported itself better. I could groove with that and when the other instruments came in it was subtle enough to give it flavor.
Hope You're Feeling Better
I don't mean to trash the album. In the grand sense one person doesn't have shit but his opinion. I respect Carlos for his craft but don't like his style. I'm glad I gave it a fair listen though and I can hear where people can drift off and get lost to this. There's a lot happening and some love to be able to hear one guitar part hear and one guitar part there. Obviously he did something right to get this status but he is minus one here unless something clicks in the future.
Can't do a full fledged album review here but I will discuss what I heard based on these songs from the album. Besides, this seems like a slightly more obscure find so just posting the music here would be a cool treat. The thing that gives this band notoriety is that it included Christine McVie (then known as Christine Perfect) on vocals and keyboards. She left in 1969, a year before this album. Personnel changes were insane in this group which is why perhaps they didn't get enough of an identity with audiences or amongst themselves as a band to have that classic following. Here are the vids of what I got to hear:
If anyone feels like uploading the following to complete my experience or just getting it out there that'd be awesome:
Never Ever
Going Round
You Knew You Did You Did
She Didn't Use Her Loaf
Overall from what I've heard they are a solid but typical blues rock type band. I do like the vocalist particularly in "Diary of Life". The instrumentals in particular like "Sad Clown" in particular brought out a unique flavor more than anything else out of the Blues Rock flavor. Their best track here though
IMO was "Some Other Time". The track starts out kind of like Alan Parsons with the vocals and then it added the horn arrangement and when you had that then adding the cool guitar riffs in "then" it makes it stand out that much more. This song would've been their single if I had the pick from these. This is the one song I'd go back to listen too.
How about you guys though? I gave my perspective. Pick from these litter of tracks and tell me how you think they stand out from the pack. i'm not a musician but I listen and look into what people say so don't dumb anything down for me. Tell me what you think?
I didn't dislike the whole experience. If I had to name a low on the album it's "Oye Como Va".[/B]
[B]The organ is annoying (and I'm a Doors fan) and the vocal was weak and pointless. I hate shit out vocals like that like in "Whole Lotta Love" where everything else rocks but the chorus is boring and shat out. Anyway the "Oye..." song is supposed to be festive but it really annoys me. The closing track with the clattering of bongos also annoyed me.
Oye Como Va is basically a reworking of a Tito Puente song that reworked a Ruben Gonzalez tune. It is a song that is steeped in Latin Music history and I think that's why Carlos Santana included it on the album. I understand why you wouldn't get into it, but it does have it's nostalgic properties for me..
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Beware the lollipop of mediocrity. Lick it once, and you'll suck forever. Brian Wilson
Oye Como Va is basically a reworking of a Tito Puente song that reworked a Ruben Gonzalez tune. It is a song that is steeped in Latin Music history and I think that's why Carlos Santana included it on the album. I understand why you wouldn't get into it, but it does have it's nostalgic properties for me..
Thank you Phil for taking the time to explain that. While reading I did see the Tito Puente name connected to the song. I'd be lying if I said I had any knowledge of anything beyond hearing his name prior. Latin music or any of it's variations are never ones I've explored. Even cooler to hear the whole songs original roots with Ruben Gonzalez. I love how songs take on a life of their own and evolve like that. Now I listened to both and honestly there's something in the Ruben Gonzalez one I like more than the others. The piano is my favorite instrument so hearing it at the forefront and the rawness of the playing (which if I'm not mistaken is usually a jazz type quality) is something I found appealing. Also the vocals with the instruments being lighter seem more showcased when you hear them?
Now, did you find that the "Oye Como Va" song felt right in this place being in that album? Sometimes a good song can seem fine on it's own but feel awkward depending on what the rest of the album sounds like or even where it's placed or at least that's my take.
Yeah, I need help on this one! I've had a lot of high points thus far but I'm boggled by this. I don't think this is one repeat listens will help with. I've listen to this whole album and it sounds like the most pretentious wall of noise I've ever listened to. First they are accredited for being the earliest or close to earliest influence on New Age and Ambient music. That's nice but can you guys enjoy it? Up until maybe the last track I found nothing in melody I could remotely enjoy (I heard a little of the referenced New Age sound) and even then it was the sonic equivalent of paint peeling off a wall. Call me uncultured but to me pretentious is pretentious. I heard the artist ditched the Moog for more acoustic music so maybe that helped but I feel that anyone who can get through this without complaining deserves a purple heart for patience. Here's the music to test for yourselves, a youtube sample and the full album!
Re: How Sooty Hears the 70's: 1970 
This was an album I didn't even expect to like because of my experience with the earlier material. Quite the opposite happened lately honestly. The first thing I noticed is how much each song changed, how much even the vocal approach was different each time to interesting effect and even some instrumental surprises. I mean to start with who'd of thought you'd hear a prominent guitar riff not to mention one definitely inspired by CCR:
I don't see myself buying their albums but a compilation may be in order! 
On other tracks they sing songs originally by other artist that you know they have no knowledge of. Particularly in "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" originally performed by The Miracles. That's where you have to give credit to Michael though who performs lead vocals on all but "I Found That Girl" performed by Jermaine Jackson. Michael sings these songs with a great maturity and conviction that you forget the singer still thinks these girls he's supposed to be loving have cooties.
I've had a lot of high points thus far but I'm boggled by this. I don't think this is one repeat listens will help with. I've listen to this whole album and it sounds like the most pretentious wall of noise I've ever listened to. First they are accredited for being the earliest or close to earliest influence on New Age and Ambient music. That's nice but can you guys enjoy it? Up until maybe the last track I found nothing in melody I could remotely enjoy (I heard a little of the referenced New Age sound) and even then it was the sonic equivalent of paint peeling off a wall. Call me uncultured but to me pretentious is pretentious. I heard the artist ditched the Moog for more acoustic music so maybe that helped but I feel that anyone who can get through this without complaining deserves a purple heart for patience. Here's the music to test for yourselves, a youtube sample and the full album! 
Linear Mode
