Rolling Stones- Stickey Fingers

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

The year was 1971, Brian Jones was no longer a Stone, and the Stones were in a heated battle over who would own the rights to the back catalog. Mick and the boys settled into Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama to record for a few days in December of 1969 to record "Wild Horses" and "Sister Morphine which was cut for the Exile on Main Street album but held over for stickey fingers.
According to stories, the song Wild Horses was written for Marianne Faithful. Jager would later say that Keith came up with the melody and music, then Mick wrote the heart felt lyrics. He says that it was a time in his life when he needed to write something that close to him.
But what really makes this album great is the song "Can't You Hear Me Knocking". Both Keith Richards and new guitarist Mick Taylor open it up with a sick leading riff which Keith than switched to the rhythm for the verses.
But the Magic happens about 2:40 into the jam. The first guitar you hear is Keith, then theres the sax solo by Bobby Keyes. All the while Richards has been meandering in the back round, when finally the Sax and Keys solo stop and Mick Taylor starts with his long smooth solo. This was quite the departure from earlier Stones albums, being that no more multi-instrumentilist Brian Jones will be heard again.
But this album also features "I've got the Blues" which was later covered by Thalia Zedik and her band Come. And the Jagger/Richards/Faithful penned song "Sister Morphiene" with Ry Cooder on bottle neck slide.
Once again if you haven't heard this entire album, go run into traffic or jump off a cliff.

Otis Blue

Otis Redding- Otis Blue

in 1964 Sam Cooke was shot and killed at the Hacienda Hotel in L.A., by the hotels manager. Otis Redding looked up to Sam Cooke, being that Cooke is considered the pioneer of soul music. So for what most critics say is the start of Otis Reddings real career Otis decided to sing "A Change is Gonna Come", "Wonderful World" and "Shake" for his late friend. Now sure these two men sound nothing a like, Sam being polished and Otis being raw, and pleading. But Otis really makes these songs his own. But thats not the end of the cover songs. There's B.B. Kings "Rock Me Baby, The Temptations "My Girl" , the Rolling stones "(I can't get no) Satisfaction" and Stax label mate Will Bells "Don't you miss your water".
The highlights are the entire album, Otis shows of his self reflecting side with the opener "Ole Man Trouble" and his original version of "Respect". Then theres a little song he wrote with The Impressions singer Jerry Butler, "I've Been Loving You To Long".The man is pleading from his knees.
Angst ridden lyrics, with a smooth horn showered velvet back drop. I well up everytime I hear "You don't miss your water". Trust me folks, Otis hit it right on the head here. If you never listened to this album, please go play in traffic.

The Black Crowes- Amorica


Some folks will say Southern Harmony is better. But to me this album does it all. Another great opener from the Crowes to start the album off but then you run into Cursed Diamond, and Non-fiction. And Chris Robinson never sounded better. And he's prepared with tongue in cheek lyrics. Then around track 6 "She gave good sunflower" the album changes direction. Visually I see a trip to paradise, yours being what yours would be and mine being mine.
The songs start flowing into each other the way beer and foam would if you were trying to pour a lot of beers at once. They stretch out the slides and talk boxes in the funk of P. 25 London time. Than it's right back on the bus to paradise.
All in all this album does have a few slow moments but when it hits you, it really hits you.

You may tire of me

Death Cab For Cutie- Transatlanticism

I don't know if this is an end or a beginning, but what better way to greet it than with the first song on this album. This is the New Year may be the best album opener ever. This alum is charged with grief, rebirth, love, guilt. It flows both sweet and cruel, and to depths it speaks of longing.
Lyrically simple, the words almost sound like they are being choked out of Ben Gibbards soul.
There are no specific highlights to this album, as a whole it is a must listen. But there are certain points I fall in love with every time I listen. Like how the song Tiny Vessels is a confession with lines like:
"And she was beautiful, but she didn't mean a thing to me"

and the whole bridge

" I wanted to believe in all the words that I was speaking
As we moved together in the dark
And all the friends that I was telling
And all the playful misspellings
And every bite I gave you left a mark

As tiny vessels oozed into your neck
And formed the bruises
That you said you didn't want to fade
But they did and so did I that day"

And then the songs of being a young man, like in "We Looked Like Giants". Ben tells the story of being a young man in the north part of the country. But we finish on the sweetest note, when Giants ends, and swells into the finale of the album, "A Lack of Color". After rehashing old thoughts of old souls, the singer is now looking at now. This song is simple, beautiful, and wanting.

More Great Albums

The Good Life-Album of the Year

Tim Kasher appears again, this time with his "solo project". Really the only thing that The Good Life is, is another spring board for Kasher to throw his soul against. These songs seem to soft for what Cursive was doing at the time. To me this album became a prelude to what would become of Cursive later on down the line.
If you purchase the enhanced version of the album you get a second disc which is the entire album done acoustic. With Kasher singing on "Inmates" solo. Every time I listen to it, my heart gets torn out of chest.

Dinosaur Jr.- Whatever's Cool With Me

Now this really isn't an album, It's a Maxi-single. In 1988 Dinosaur Jr released the album Bug, which would be the last time that Lou Barlow would record with J. Masicas and Murph till 2007.
In 1991, DJ released Green Mind, which brings us to this release. WCWM serves as the single for "The Wagon" and "Whatever's Cool With Me".
Now to why I picked this one. You will never hear a better live 3 piece band like you do on the song "Thumb". Now the original version has a flute playing in the beginning, not this version!
First you get the gritty J. Masicas riff of all riffs, then Lou and Murph demolish whatever was left of your ear drums! This song made me fall in love with the Marshall bass stack sound.
Whatevers Cool with Me has been re-released with some more goodies on it, but you can't beat the original Australian pressing. With songs like Quicksand, Not You Again, Thumb, and the other live song on this disc, Keep the Glove.
Just sit back and listen to J. Masicas solo, and then back to the intro, back to an ear shattering solo # 2. Ah, it takes me back to being in my teens.

Built To Spill-Perfect From Now On

This is in my top 5 favorite albums of all time!!! There are just not enough words or superlatives to describe this album. It taught me how to start a song at point A and end it at points unknown.
This album was recorded 3 times, Once by Doug Martsch himself playing everything except drums. But he and producer Phil Ek didn't like the sound. So then bring in Scot Plouf on drums and Bret Nelson on Bass. The band recorded, but the tapes where damaged from heat during a drive from Seattle to Biose for over dubs.
Following up "Theres Nothing Wrong With Love" , "Perfect From Now On" is tighter, brooding. Sonically gorgeous, often with 3 to 4 guitar parts going at a time. When I talk about how these songs start somewhere and end up a different place, check out Velvet Waltz, or Kicked it in the Sun.
This to me is a perfect snap shot of autumn. And a great album to take a long trip with.