The Byrds: Mr.Tambourine Man

Year:1965
Rating:13


Now even though rock music was getting back on its feet in 1964, it wasn't fully standing up yet. The problem was that rock music was viewed by music snobs as "amaturish" and "immature". Now this may seem blasphemous but they had a point; rock lyrics at the time were very amaturish and immature. Now Bob Dylan had thoughtful lyrics but he was more of a folk musician than a rock star. Speaking of Dylan, his influence was showing in a lot of people at the time. Most notably The Beatles, as they started focusing more on the lyrics than they usually did. However, they didn't quite mix the values of rock and folk music together completely. So, you may ask; who did?

Well if you have to ask that, the answer will be obvious. (Hint: It starts with a B) I'm going to look at The Byrds debut album which is known to many people as the very first folk-rock album.

Like the Rolling Stones debut there are a lot of covers. 7 this time around, out of 12. (5 originals) Also similar to the Stones debut is that there are 3 different catergories of songs on here and the are as following: Bob Dylan covers, Traditional folk songs and of course, the originals.

The Dylan covers are the best cuts on here. The most famous being the title track originally on the album Brining It All Back Home which came out earlier the same year. It's a great cover obviously. The vocal harmonies are top notch and the guitars give the "jingle-jangle" that was missing from the original. Still however; I prefer the original because it's much more majestic and there is more lyrics. The Byrds actually only included the chorus and the 2nd verse on their version.

The other Dylan covers are great too. My personal favourite song on the album is Chimes Of Freedom, in fact it's the only Dylan cover I've heard that is on par with the original (not better though as some verses are missing and the atmosphere isn't as good) I think they took a greater advantage of the potential of the melody than Dylan did and the chorus is just wonderful with the harmonies. The other two, Spanish Harlem Incident and All I Really Want To Do, are great as well and bring the songs to their fullest potential. Albiet they are very short.

There are 3 other folk tunes on here. The best being the beautiful Bells Of Rhymny. McGuin's voice just takes me away on that one, and the melody ain't no sloth either. Don't Doubt Yourself Babe is very good too. Sounded kind of Bo Diddlyish. I'm not however a big fan of the closing track We'll Meet Again. It just comes across as filler.

Finally we get to the originals. The bands main songwriter was a guy named Gene Clark. He actually wrote around 50 songs for the band but only 5 of them appear here. Anyway, he was a Beatles fan and it shows as some of these songs sound Mersybeatish. Most notably I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better. Listen to it and tell me it doesn't kind of sound like The Beatles. 3-part harmonies, an incrediably catchy melody, crummy lyrics all in a big melting pot. Awesome! It's No Use also sounds sort of Beatlish. It's also the most rocking out song on here, this is still a pop album after all.

The other 3 aren't as good but I still like them. They carry the vibe of this album very well so they get my respect. This was a shorter review then normal but hey, listen, this is a great album. An essential album. Go buy it now, or maybe not. It doesn't to me but it may bore you. If you are, you know, sadistic or something like that.

The Rolling Stones

Year: 1964
Rating: 12                 

Now in 1963, rock music was still on the hangover from 1959. Simply put, it was BORING. The mid 1950s was very groundbreaking time for popular music. Rock 'n' Roll was invented and its name was let out by the likes of Presley, Berry, Perkins and Holly. Speaking of Holly, he died in a plane crash in 1959. The day of his passing is now known as "The Day Music Died", which we all know isn't true but at the time it seemed so. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, rock music lost it's creative and threatening edge, which allowed it to be enjoyed by mom and dad. Now The Beatles seem to get credit for stopping this but they didn't really. Their music at the time and even after was quite tame, even compared to 50s rock. It wasn't until 1964 until a British band with mostly middle-class members gave rock 'n' roll its meaning back.

Now there were many garage bands back in the early 60s but they were to sloppy and unprofessional to be too threatening. The Rolling Stones on the other hand, were fully competent with their instruments. Watts and Wyman, the rythmn section, while straightforward were perfect for the band. And the two guitarists, Richards and Jones were good at both riffing and soloing. Jaggar had a pretty unique voice. Not technically great and very unconvetional, but hey, THAT'S WHAT ROCK N ROLL IS ALL ABOUT!

12 tracks on this baby and it has a whopping 1 original. Ironically enough, it's the tamest song on here. You see, the Stone's manager respected The Beatles because they wrote their own material, so he locked Jaggar and Richards in a bathroom and only let them out after they wrote a song. The result was Tell Me (You're Coming Back), a Beatlesque pop-rock ballad. And it's not bad, and it's hilarious! The boys obviously know that this wasn't their forte so they kind of half assed it. The lyrics are laughable, predictable and cheesy, but hearing them sing it gives me a smile. Simply put, they were drunk when this was recorded. The melody ain't half bad either. I'd take it over anything Hermans Hermits were doing at the time.

The other 11 tracks however are covers, or at least based off of other songs. They seem to be 3 different catergories for these songs. Blues numbers, Rock 'n' Roll, and Motownish pieces.

Brian Jones, the second guitarist, was a blues fanatic so it's not a surprise that there is quite of few blues songs on here. The best of them all is I'm A King Bee. So much primal energy on here. From Jaggar's convincing vocals, to the thromping bass, to the "stinging" guitar licks, to the "buzzing" guitar solo; this song is everying thing that is awsome about blues thrown in a blender without any of the bad. Mona (I Need You Baby) is a Diddley song which is instantly recognizable by the pow-pow-pow-po-powpow drum beat. It's very enjoyable and catchy. Little By Little is a song that was originally some other blues song but the Stones wrote different lyrics. And it's just some more great blues-rock. Honest I Do may be the weakest of them all but that's only because it's slightly unconvincing. But it ain't bad.

The most prominant style however has got to be the pure rock stuff. The title track Route 66 is no less than classic. Oh my how I love that guitar tone, and the little riffs it plays, and that awesome solo! I never heard the original, but there's no way it's beating this. Carol, a Berry cover, is just as good. The solo may be a little lacklustre but the riff saves it. Richards doesn't miss a single note. Very clean and soul-crushing at the same time. The call-and-answer with Jaggar's vocals and Richard's guitar is no short of brilliant. I Just Want To Make Love To You is great as well. This was possibly their most threatening sounding song at the time. Just listen to Jaggar and the guitar. Ouch. Walking The Dog is just amusing. Fun, but nothing breathtaking.

Then comes the Motown covers, and they are easily the worst part of the album. Can I Get A Witness and You Can  Make It If You Try are just totally unconving that it's almost painful to see the boys try. Well at least Witness is catchy but If You Try is just totally forgetable. There's also an instrumental earlier in the album called Now I've Got A Witness. Basically an instrumental of Can I Get A Witness. It's nice and better than Can I, but it's nothing special.

And there you have it, one of the most important rock albums of all time. The only problems is some failed experiments and the slight monotony in the mood. It's not for everyone of course, the blues songs may bore people. But forget about that and just buy the damn album okay! The main reason why this only gets a 12 is that it hasn't stood the test of time too well. But hey, it's still better than say, Please Please Me!

P.S. The American version of this album is called Englands Newest Hitmakers (Horrible Title). It's more or less the same. The only difference is Mona is replaced by Not Fade Away, the Stone's 3rd U.K. single.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Year:1963
Rating:13

Bob Dylan is a brilliant songwriter with a horrible voice so it's better when people cover his songs. That is one of the worst myths I have ever heard in my life because it's the exact opposite. I have never, repeat never, herad a Dylan cover that I liked more then the original. (Some Byrds covers came close though)

I'm getting off topic. Bob Dylan's sophomore album is a huge improvement over his first. To let you guys know, his first album was filled with a bunch a folk covers. Enjoyable as it was, it is not even close to showing any emotional resonance. This album though is filled with originals that are not only both listenable and resonant, but are some of the greatest songs ever written by man. I'm sure you have all heard of the classic anthms Blowin' In The Wind and A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall. Both while very simple in form, are majestic in substance. The brilliance of these two songs belong to Dylan's voice and his poetry. I don't think I need to explain the man's talent for lyrics so let's focus on the dreaded one, his voice. I talked about resonance earlier didn't I? Well if you want something to touch your soul....Dylan may not be for you. He does touch mine however. (Despite being positive that I don't have one) Sure his voice is very unconventional and dare I say "ugly" but that's the point. Do you really want to hear say, Freddie Mercury sing these songs? That would be nothing short of a disater!

But don't be fooled by thinking these are the only two classics on here, there are tons more. Most notably Master's Of War. A very simple 3-chord song which showcases Dylan putting down the corrupt people who start wars just to earn money. (Sadly enough, this is what happens in real life) There are also two beautiful love ballads. The first is the romantic Girl From North Country. I just love how the guitar and Dylan's voice give the feeling of being with the one who you havn't been with for a long time. The second is the misogynistic Don't Think Twice, It's All Right. The winner for the best melody easily goes to this one.

The other tracks don't quite reach the peaks of these five but most of them are still great! There's a lot of humour in this album. Talkin' World War III Blues, I Shall Be Free, Bob Dylan's Blues. Generic in form, but Dylan's voice and lyrics make them come to life. There's some social critique a la Oxford Town. A short little ditty about protests of letting a black man go to a university in Mississippi. Very nice melody too. Down The Highway and Bob Dylan's Dream are a little on the filler side though. The former is too generic and the later's pretensions do not compensate the sub-par melody. (My Back Pages did a much better job)

There are also two covers on here. Corrina Corrina and Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance. Not much to say about these other than Corrina Corrina features an electric bass and a drum (I forgot the mention that this album's is fully acoustic didn't I?) and Honey Just.. is very enjoyable albeit very lightweight.

And there you have it. An amazing album especially considering that it came out in 1963. One thing I forgot to mention is how well it's aged. This album to me, hasn't aged a day. The fact that it's just a guy with an acoustic guitar (still common these days) and the fact that many of the songs messages still apply in modern times. Take Master's Of War for example. Consider this a high 13.

The Beatles: Please Please Me

  Year:1963
  Rating:11

Well why not start my trek as an album reviewer with the band that started it all, for me at least. In fact, this is the first rock album I ever bought so there is some nostalgia I have with this album. I bought it on January 3rd 2009 (I'm not very old) and I thought it was great. Well the times they-are A changin' so naturally this record isn't played very often. But now, let's not be biased and dive right in with a fresh and open mind.

Well we got an impressive 14 tracks with none going over 3 minutes. (Leave that for the prog bands) This album believe it or not was recorded in a day's session so it sounds kind of raw and unprofessional compared to their later works. For the time though, the record was kind of ground-breaking in its own right as more than half of the tracks are Lennon-McCartney originals. (8 to be exact)

The originals on this album go from great to mediocre. Among the greats are the title track, I Saw Her Standing There, and Misery. The title track is said by some as the first power pop song of all time. Not sure about that but damn if any song should get that recognition it should be this. Lennon and McCartney at this period in time were best at song-writing while working together so it's no surprise that the best songs were one's by both of them. The song has a great melody with pretty advanced vocal hooks for the time. It is also the catchiest song on the album. Awesome. I Saw Her Standing There starts off the album wonderfully. With it's 1-2-3-4 intro to the great vocal hooks. (again) Sure the solo is very derivative and the lyrics kinda suck but it's a freaking pop song for crying out loud! And Misery, the pseudo sad ballad, isn't sad in the slightest. But the melody again is great and doesn't overstay it's welcome. Oh, the vocal harmonies are amazing too. It almost sounds double-tracked but it ain't!

None of the other originals are quite as good but most are enjoyable. There's the groups first single Love Me Do which is annoyingly catchy, and it's b-side P.S. I Love You which is the very first McCartney ballad. Both are good songs, but they are kind of banal, I mean too banal. The George sung Lennon written Do You Want To Know A Secret is good but overstays it's welcome a bit. (And it's only 2 minutes long!) There's A Place is Lennon's first venture in the introspective world of lyric writing. I respect the song, but the melody doesn't do much for me. And then there's Ask Me Why. One of the weakest songs the band ever did. Too sappy, derivative and (gasp) not very catchy.

There are still quite a few covers on here as well and they share the same problem as the originals. The infamous Twist And Shout which closes of the album is great with an amazing vocal performance by John. The rest of the covers however, are just kind of okay. Anna and Baby It's You are predictable conventional numbers, Chains and the Ringo-sung Boys are amusing but kind of dumb and A Taste Of Honey is just...odd. And not in a good way. These numbers are all listenable and I don't really mind any of them. If anything, they show how great of songwriters they were even at this time.

Overall, this is an enjoyable album. Very lightweight and poppy but hey, it's 1963. What did you expect? Bob Dylan? (Oh wait, he made an album the same year. Oops) The biggest problem I have though is that it's kind of sissy. The Beach Boys were better when they were sissier but the Beatles weren't. I should probably give this album a 10, but I'll give it an 11. A good album, but the best was yet to come.

Introduction and Rating System

This is my first post in what I hope will be an on-going review blog. The albums that will be reviewed will be mainly classic rock albums from the sixties and seventies.  I have 200 in my possession right now, but that number will grow.

That rating system that I will be using isn't mine. A Russian by the name of George Starostin, one of if not the most famous independant rock album reviewer and my biggest inspiration for this blog, created a very good 15-point rating system which I will use.

15-Never To Be Topped
14-Immaculately Ideal
13-Close To Perfection
12-Simply Excellent
11-Just Very Good
10-Good But Flawed
9-Somewhat Mediocre
8-Almost Below Average
7-Plain Bad
6-5-Truely Offensive
4-3-Atrocious Beyond All Imagination
2-1-Consider Suicide
0-WTF