“Black Monk Time” by The Monks is an interesting aural artefact. It’s very hard to believe this was recorded in 1966.
Full of the “punk” attitude that oozed out again 10 years later, it shows antecedents of both The Ramones and The Modern Lovers and some of the weirder elements of the post-hippie “freak” scene. I could hear the drone-rock experiments of early Soft Machine (We Did It Again”) and Kevin Ayers & The Whole World (“Shooting At The Moon”) and also Can etc. in Germany. Haphazard and sloppy in both playing and composition, it’s not really a keeper but certainly a must-hear slice of history.
“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath is a landmark album in that it was the starter of a musical style that has persisted to this day. The compositions aren’t that great, and neither is the playing really. It has it’s moments and despite the sludgy sound it has moments of beauty. Not one for repeated listening but not objectionable by any means.
“Black Sabbath Vol. 4” by Black Sabbath is more of the same, for the most part, albeit with improved playing and production. The writing isn’t much better, with a few exceptions, being mostly the same old subject matter in the same old style. I rather liked the unexpected piano & mellotron-infused ballad “Changes” but overall it became a tedious listen. Some dreadfully tuneless guitar squealing here and there in amongst the decent playing from Mr Iommi too.
It seemed to have been playing for over an hour but in fact the album is only 42 minutes long. I was glad when it was over. Next.
“Blood and Chocolate” by Elvis Costello & The Attractions starts off in a startlingly aggressive manner but eventually settles down into a more melodic vein. Mr Costello has never been an especial favourite due to his propensity to put wordsmithery above melody. “I Want You” stands out in it’s stark emotionality, but then drags on for much too long. Nothing else on this album really stood out for me, so it’s not one I’ll be seeking to hear again.
“Blood Sugar Sex Magik” by Red Hot Chilli Peppers is another in the overlong albums canon. Don’t like the overly-heavy drum sound, it makes the funky feel they are trying to attain more than a bit clunky. This could, of course, be producer Rick Rubin’s fault. Something I dislike about Keidis’ singing-rapping vocal stylings. Not sure what and can’t be arsed to try and figure it out. Flea’s bouncy-twangy bass sound is a saving grace but not quite enough. The guitarist doesn’t seem to be doing anything very interesting here either. 17 tracks, just over an hour and a quarter long. I’m only at track 10 and I’m bored already. My nephew’s band (now defunct) used to cover “Under the Bridge”. I didn’t much like their cover and I’m not greatly struck by the original either. I think the material they’re playing is the crux of my problem with RHCP.
My nephew has since moved on from playing indie jangle and is currently learning the sitar, a far more sensible endeavour in my view.
“The Greeting Song” is really annoying. Reputedly written and included at the behest of Mr Rubin, Keidis hated it from the off but the fans supposedly love it.. I think this far down the track list we’re well into the realm of filler. Why didn’t they just stop? Having said that, once you get past the nasty sexism of the start of “Sir Psycho Sexy” it evolves into something properly funky in a Bootsy/Funkadelic-y style before degenerating into a rather whiny dirge that drags. Stupid novelty Robert Johnson cover and goodbye. There were a couple of bonus tracks on the Spotify version. Not part of the original album so, as is my policy with bonus tracks in this quest, I skipped them.
“Blood, Sweat & Tears” by Blood, Sweat & Tears is an interesting concept that doesn’t quite work as intended. A brass-heavy melding of end-of-the-sixties rock, pop and jazz. Starting with a delicately psychedelicised working of Erik Satie’s “Gymnopédie No.1” it goes downhill, in my opinion, when the annoyingly blustering voice of singer David Clayton-Thomas enters the fray on a cover of Traffic’s “Smiling Phases”. The overly-busy drums and the bass just sound wrong throughout, in the context of a large brass-dominated ensemble. They are all-too-obviously rock/pop players (good ones, mind) but can’t swing when the jazz elements of the band concept require it. The brass arrangements on most numbers have far too many of those squealy teeth-on-edge trumpet crescendos prevalent in big-band jazz of that era as well. Some lovely piano, flute and saxophone playing dotted around but Mr Clayton-Thomas is far too overbearing, except on “God Bless The Child” where he lays back a little and on the gentle ballad “Sometimes In Winter” where he is very pleasantly restrained indeed. If only he could have laid back a bit more on the rest of his contributions. Interesting but inessential, IMO.
Next batch will be “The Blueprint” by Jay-Z, “Blunderbuss” by Jack White, “Bone Machine” by Tom Waits (which I have but surprisingly have never played), “Bongo Rock” by Michael Viner’s Incredible Bongo Band, “Born To Be With You” by Dion and “Bossanova” by Pixies.
Stay tuned, pop-pickers…
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