Tag: rock

102. Prince

~ 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: ↑

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101. Jethro Tull

~ 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).

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

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100. Traffic

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(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:  ↑

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99. Journey

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(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

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95. Mike Oldfield

~ ernopepper ~ 1 Comment

(September 2016) I have completed episode 95 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: MIKE OLDFIELD. A pioneer of new age and world music, it would be a mistake to categorize his music through the banality and pretention that those genres are known for. In fact, his first three albums are true masterpieces — inventive, diverse rock symphonies. After a venture into forgettable pop music in the 1980s, he fully succumbs to new age drivel by the mid-1990s.

Favourite album: Ommadawn

Favourite song: Tubular Bells, part 1

Favourite Period: 1973-78

Worst Album: Earth Moving

Special sauce: Piltdown Man

Compared to expectations: ↓

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94. Eric Clapton

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(September 2016) I have completed episode 94 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: ERIC CLAPTON (except the Yardbirds and Cream, which I did previously). While certainly deserving the Hall of Fame, I would rank him a couple notches below contemporaries who started in the 60s and continued until the present day (McCartney, Simon, Dylan, Bowie, Young) as his songwriting is relatively not as strong. For me, his songs provide the Sountrack to the 70s: Lay Down Sally, Cocaine, Wonderful Tonight, Let it Grow, Promises.

Favorite album: 461 Ocean Boulevard

Favorite song: The Core

Favorite Period: 1970-1977

Worst Album: Pilgrim*

Best late period album: Road to Escondido (with JJ Cale)

Compared to expectations:  same

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* Pilgrim (1998) was chosen as worst album because, at a time when his contemporaries were putting out return-to-form or innovative work (McCartney’s Flaming Pie, Dylan’s Time Out of Mind, Ringo’s Vertical Man, Bowie’s Earthling), Clapton recorded this bland adult contemporary light rock mush.

93. Foo Fighters

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(August 2016) I have completed episode 93 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: FOO FIGHTERS. Accessible, clean hard rock.   After a while, all the songs start to sound the same. But that first album is still kick-ass fun.

Favorite album: Foo Fighters

Favorite song: Monkey Wrench

Compared to expectations: ↓

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91. The Yardbirds

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(July 2016) I have completed episode 91 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an artist’s full discography. This edition: THE YARDBIRDS. Known best as the launching pad for Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, they also had several hits (you would recognize more than you think). They helped build the bridge from R&B to psychadelic, but their constant lineup changes limited their ability to establish a signature sound.

Favourite album: Yardbirds (Roger the Engineer)
Favourite song: Heart Full of Soul

Compared to expectations:  same

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