110. The Move / The Idle Race

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2017) I have completed episode 110 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: THE MOVE and THE IDLE RACE. I put these two together as they both involved Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne, who went on to found Electric Light Orchestra. Each helped define the sound of late ’60s psychedelic pop, of the whimsical British kind. “The Move” might be the quintessential album of this sub-genre.

Favorite album: The Move

Favorite The Move song: Fire Brigade

Favorite The Idle Race song: Impostors of Life’s Magazine

Compared to expectations: ↑

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109. Small Faces / Faces

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2017) I have completed episode 109 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: the SMALL FACES and FACES. Part of the mid-60s British R&B explosion, the mod-styled Small Faces, led by the soulful voice of Steve Marriott, soon followed contemporaries into the psychedelic age, recording one of its masterpieces (Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake). They disbanded and re-emerged as Faces, a blues/boogie band fronted by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood. In the late 1970s SF reformed for two forgettable albums.

Favorite album: Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake

Favorite Small Faces song: Afterglow

Favorite Faces song: Stay With Me

Favourite character: Happiness Stan

Compared to expectations: ↓

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108. Adele

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ 1 Comment

(February 2017) I have completed episode 108 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: ADELE. What a great voice.

Favorite album: 21

Favorite song: Someone Like You

Compared to expectations: same

107. Earth Wind & Fire

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ 1 Comment

(January 2017) I have completed episode 107 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: EARTH WIND & FIRE. Classic funk, soul, rock and much else, always in a sunny and uplifting spirit. This was my go-to music whenever I felt depressed in high school (I listened to a lot of EW&F in high school). 70s is peak EW&F, 80s and 90s are pretty awful, but in the 00s and 10s they get their groove back.

Favorite album: All ‘n All

Favorite song: That’s the Way Of the World

Sentimental favorite song: In the Stone

Least favorite song: Boogie Wonderland

Compared to expectations: same

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106. Antonio Vivaldi

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

I have completed episode 106 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to the complete works of an artist. This edition: ANTONIO VIVALDI. Always love me some Baroque! He was a master of the genre (although he lacked the diversity, mathematical brilliance and emotional resonance of his contemporary, J.S. Bach). This was a long one — more than 800 pieces.

Favorite work: The “Four Seasons” set of concertos

Favorite Season: “Spring” (RV 269)

Favorite string concerto otherwise: G minor (RV 587) from L’estro Armonico

Favorite lute concerto: D major (RV 93), notably the second (largo) movement

Favorite opera: Orlando Furioso (RV 728)

Compared to expectations: ↓

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105. Supertramp

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(January 2017) I have completed episode 105 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: SUPERTRAMP. Hodgson and Davies are talented songwriters, and some of their tunes still have legs, but too much of their stuff is mere Lite Fare.

Favorite album: Supertramp (1970, in the prog rock mold of early Yes and Genesis, unlike anything they did later)

Sentimental favorite : Breakfast in America (one of the first albums I owned)

Favorite song: Give a Little Bit

Compared to expectations: same

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104. The Pretty Things

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(January 2017) I have completed episode 104 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: THE PRETTY THINGS. An underrated British Invasion-era band, they started out an R&B outfit a la the Yardbirds and Rolling Stones. Like those, they transitioned into psychedelic; S.F. Sorrow is one of the finest of that genre (and Parachute’s very good too). Much after that is rather pedestrian.

Favorite album: S.F. Sorrow

Favorite song: Walking Through My Dreams

Compared to expectations: same

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103. Judas Priest

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ 1 Comment

(December 2016) I have completed episode 103 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: JUDAS PRIEST. Good ol’ fashioned heavy metal. And they still bring it (latest album was 2014). Rob Halford: best lungs this side of Freddie Mercury.

Favorite album: British Steel

Favorite song: You Got Another Thing Comin

Favorite period: 1977-1980

Compared to expectations: same

102. Prince

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper

(November 2016) I have completed episode 102 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: PRINCE. I now have greater appreciation of the depth and breadth (39 studio albums!) of his work (beyond the 80s albums). To me, the artist he most resembles is Frank Zappa: prolific, diversity of musical styles, idiosyncratic, social commentary, guitar virtuoso, but most of all, both successfully insisted on control of their music and business, and on doing things their own way. He was a genius. Best when funky. Best when falsetto.

Favorite album: Sign o’ the Times

Favorite song: Kiss

Favorite period: 1980-87

Best album you never heard of: The Truth (acoustic)

Compared to expectations: ↑

101. Jethro Tull

January 13, 2019April 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(November 2016) I have completed episode 101 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: JETHRO TULL. I still adore their first five albums (plus the 10th) with their unique roguish blues/folks/prog rock sound. But beyond that, it gets tedious and unremarkable (I listen so you don’t have to).