Category: Episodes

256. Emmylou Harris

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(March 2020) Episode 256 is EMMYLOU HARRIS.  In my effort to expose myself to country music, I turn next to Emmylou Harris, on the perception that she does not confine herself to the country genre that made her famous.  So it’s not surprising that I prefer her folk- and bluegrass-influenced songs, for which I find her wonderful voice more suited, and her later-career Americana and country-folk albums.  While most of her famous songs were written by others, I like better the albums where she wrote most.

Favorite album: Red Dirt Girl

Favorite “country” album: Roses in the Snow

Favorite song: The Stranger Song

Favorite song (written by EH): Prayer in Open D

Compared with expectations: same

EmmylouHarrisRedDirtGirl

255. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

~ ernopepper ~ 1 Comment

(March 2020) Episode 255 is KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD.  As I continue prospecting Australian psychedelic bands, I hit the friggin’ gold mine with KG&tLW (out of Melbourne, not Perth, this time). They are My New Favourite Band!  Strong prog-rock elements here, so I label their sound “Progadelic” (if no one else has coined the term).  Each album has its own personality and offers its own experience: melodic acoustic ballads, psych freak-outs, jazz fusion, thrash metal, microtonal tuning, garage rock, and a sci-fi concept album featuring vomit.  Their output is as prolific (15 albums and 2 EPs in less than a decade) as their music is propulsive, which often feels like skydiving after downing a case of Red Bull. Try it!

Favourite album: Nonagon Infinity

Favourite song: Head On/Pill

Possibly a Reincarnation of Olivia Tremor Control: Paper Mâché Dream Balloon

Special sauce: whoever’s on bass guitar

Compared with expectations: ↑↑

Nonagon_Infinity

254. Karlheinz Stockhausen

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2020) Episode 254 is KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN.  You won’t hear his music at dinner parties, but he’s one of the most important composers and musical theorists of the late 20th century. There is a lot to absorb here: integration of electronic composition, theatricality, mystical themes, and that’s not even counting his theoretical writings.  I was particularly impressed by the ambition of his cycles: “Licht (Light),” cosmic operas on the days of the week, and “Klang (Sound),” expressing a color for each hour of the day.  If I ever have time, I might like to devote myself to a deep study of 20th century musical theory.

Favorite piece: Mittwochs Gruss(“overture” from Wednesday from Light)

Favorite opera: Freitag aus Licht (Friday from Light)

Favorite chamber piece: Adieu

Favorite choral piece: Unsichtbare Chöre

Compared to expectations: same

StockhausenKH-Foto-WDR1

 

253. Buzzcocks

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2020) Episode 253 of the “opus project” is BUZZCOCKS.  WOW! those first three late-70s punk pop albums kick ass!  Buzzcocks near the top of my “regret” list: bands I should have been listening to at the time instead of the crap I was listening to. Their later output (90s-10s) is decent but unremarkable guitar-driven rock.

Favourite album: Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Favourite song: No Reply

Special sauce: Pete Shelley’s guitar hooks

Compared to expectations: ↑

Buzzcocks_-_Another_Music_In_A_Different_Kitchen_album_cover

252. Tame Impala

~ ernopepper ~ 2 Comments

(February 2020) Episode 252  is TAME IMPALA.  Continuing my tour of psychedelic rock bands from Perth, Australia (yes, it’s a thing). I hit a speed bump with Tame Impala.  Not sure why they’re labeled “psychedelic” (especially after retiring their guitars). Merely the overuse of echo?  It’s all lush synth-laden pop which is not interesting to me (but gets them arena gigs, I guess).  I recommend Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Pond instead.

Fun fact: I finished this episode on the same day their most recent album was released.

Favourite album: InnerSpeaker

Favourite song: Solitude Is Bliss

Compared to expectations: ↓

Tame_Impala_-_Innerspeaker

251. The Easybeats

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2020) Episode 251 of the “opus project” is THE EASYBEATS.  This is the best 1960s rock band you’ve probably never heard of (likely because they’re from Australia*).  And if you have, you might agree they belong in the same discussion as the Stones, Kinks, Pretty Things and Yardbirds of the same period.  Catchy melodies, sweet harmonies, groovy beats, guitar hooks.   You might recognize “Friday on My Mind.”  Bonus: they recorded albums of all-original materials before most other bands did.

Favourite album: It’s 2 Easy

Favourite song: Sorry

Compared to expectations: ↑

* Guitarist was George Young, elder brother of Angus and Malcolm of AC/DC.

The_Easybeats-It's_2_Easy-LPcover

250. The Beach Boys

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2020) Episode 250 of the “opus project” is THE BEACH BOYS, a band whose popularity and influence need no description.  I divide their recording career into four chapters:

  1. Surf music (62-65) (the perfect period piece worth an occasional dip)
  2. Pet Sounds and Smile session remnants (66-67) (pure magic; a must-listen)
  3. Struggle and transition (68-73) (trying to find their voice amid a changing musical scene and Brian’s troubles)
  4. Phoning it in/running on fumes (76-onward) (avoid at all costs)

It may seem odd I waited so long to get to them, but that’s because I knew two-thirds of their recordings were crap (but I listened to them anyway).  Special mention goes to Brian’s (solo) completion of Smile in 2004; it’s a masterpiece.

Favorite album: Pet Sounds

Favorite song: God Only Knows

Close second: Good Vibrations

Favorite surf-era song: Help Me Rhonda

Worst album (among many): L.A. (Light Album)

Special sauce: Brian Wilson

Compared to expectations: same

PetSoundsCover

249. Hank Williams

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2020) Episode 249 of the “opus project” is HANK WILLIAMS. The influence of Hank cannot be understated.  He set the standards — musical style, performance, tone, lyrical themes — by which all country music that followed is measured.  I’m not a country fan, but I do enjoy artists closer to its roots. The dude could write a tune.

Favorite song: I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry

Compared to expectations: same

hank-williams-lovesick-blues-no-1

248. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(January 2020) Episode 248 of the “opus project” is PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY.  Mr. Saccharine Strings.  Tchaikovsky is the Queen (band) of classical composers: very talented, wildly popular, played often, but merely gives a sugar (plum) rush that turns out to be empty calories.

Favorite piece: 1812 Overture

Favorite symphony: #5

Favorite balletic theme: Swan Lake

Compared to expectations: ↓

Tchaikovsky-St-Petersburg-Russia-1887