(February 2017) I have completed episode 111 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: BLONDIE. A good ride on the new wave, but mostly meh.
Favorite album: Parallel Lines
Favorite song: Heart of Glass
Best late-period album: The Curse of Blondie
Compared to expectations: ↓
(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: ↑
(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: ↓
(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
(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
(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: ↑
(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).
Favorite album: Aqualung
Favorite song: To Cry You A Song
Worst album: Under Wraps
Best album cover by any band EVER: Thick as a Brick
Compared to expectations: same
(October 2016) I have completed episode 100 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: TRAFFIC. I prefer the psychedelic first version of Traffic, but the second jazzier version has some good moments too.
Favorite album: Mr. Fantasy
Favorite song: Dear Mr. Fantasy
Best chord to end a song ever: Whatever Stevie Winwood lays down at the end of Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
It’s good for you: That good ole fashion medicated goo
Special sauce: Jim Capaldi
Compared to expectations: ↑
(October 2016) I have completed episode 99 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: JOURNEY. Roll the windows down and sing your lungs out! Peak Journey is such a fun Guilty Pleasure. But the rest is a complete waste of time (I listen so you don’t have to).
Favorite album: Infinity
Favorite song: Feeling That Way
Favorite period: 1978-81
Special sauce: Neil Schon
Compared to expectations: same
(October 2016) I have completed episode 97 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: LENNY KRAVITZ. Best when funky.
Favorite album: Let Love Rule
Favorite song: It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over
Least favorite album: Strut
Compared to expectations: same
Opus Project 