Tag: rock

162. The Allman Brothers

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

I have completed episode 162 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: THE ALLMAN BROTHERS. They didn’t invent Southern Rock*, but they pretty much defined it (see Midnight Rider and Blue Sky). A always enjoy the fret and slide work of Dickey and Duane. Their output after the 1970s often resembled little more than talent-rich bar band.

Favorite album: Idlewild South

Favorite song: Jessica

Favorite period: 1969-72

Compared to expectations: same

Idlewild_South_cover.jpg

* Gregg Allman once made an astute comment that “Southern rock” was a redundant term, like “rock rock.”

161. The Sonics

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(March 2018) I have completed episode 161 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: THE SONICS. The Beatles, Stones, Who and Kinks of the mid-1960s deserve all the accolades they’re given, but none of them rocked harder than the Sonics. Out of Tacoma, WA, they were a definitive garage band, and their tonal aggression clearly influenced punk. After some 50 years, they were still spry enough to put out a kick-ass album (2015).

Favorite album: Here Are The Sonics

Favorite song: The Witch

Compared to expectations: same

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158. Squeeze

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(March 2018) I have completed episode 158 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: SQUEEZE. I’ve long been a fan of the clever song-writing of the Difford-Tilbrook collaboration, who created one of the most melodically tuneful outfits from the UK New Wave. The first five albums are great; the 80s and 90s are serviceable but not memorable; the 2015 and 2017 albums are rather catchy.

Favourite album: East Side Story

Favorite song: Is That Love

Most resembles a late-period Paul McCartney album: Cradle to the Grave

Compared to expectations: same

1981_squeeze-eastsidestory

155. The Jam

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(January 2018) I have completed episode 155 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: THE JAM. It is my shame that I dismissed, even mocked, this band back in the day. But as I grew to avidly embrace the mod sounds of the early Who, early Kinks, Small Faces and the Creation, naturally I came to realize how f-ing awesome The Jam were. Oy!

Favorite album: All Mod Cons

Favorite song: In the City

Favorite cover: David Watts

Compared to expectations: same ↑↓

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153. Janis Joplin

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(January 2018) I have completed episode 153 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: JANIS JOPLIN. One of best voices of all-time. Many classic songs, although the albums, with the variety of backing bands, are uneven affairs.

Favorite album: Pearl

Favorite song: Me and Bobby McGee

Favorite song written by Janis Joplin: Move Over

Special sauce: Big Brother and the Holding Company

Compared to expectations: same

janis_joplin-pearl_(album_cover)

151. Pixies

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(December 2017) I have completed episode 151 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: the PIXIES. I don’t know what I was listening to in college instead of the Pixies, but whatever it was was less than the Pixies. Listening in retrospect, their influence can be heard in many places.

Favorite album: Doolittle

Favorite song: Debaser

Compared to expectations: same

Pixies-Doolittle.jpg

150. Pearl Jam

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(December 2017) I have completed episode 150 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: PEARL JAM. Pearl Jam was never a big part of my 1990s although stuff from their first 2-3 albums was on the radio all the time.

Favorite album: Ten

Favorite song: Corduroy

Compared to expectations: ↓

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147. The Zombies

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(November 2017) I have completed episode 147 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: THE ZOMBIES. The flame burned briefly for this groovy mid-60s British outfit, but it shone like a supernova with Odessey and Oracle, the definite baroque pop album, a gem of psychedelic pop, and one of my favorite albums of all time. They reunited for some unremarkable albums in later decades.

Favorite album: Odessey and Oracle

Favorite song: Care of Cell 44

Compared to expectations: same

Odessey_and_Oracle.jpg