Making Movies - Dire Straits

Let's see how long I can keep this up for, who know's maybe not for long but I'm glad it's been consistent weekly reviews now for almost three months. I started in December, and I think I might actually do this from now on in general. Unless I have reason to other wise, but for this year I'll continue this for as long as I can. This was waiting till January to finish, but I guess I'll do it now since I've been busy. The third album by the Dire Straits, released in just as many years. This follows the 1979 album, often looked at as a remake of the debut, Communiqué. This album was released on October 17th, 1980 with production being handled by Mark and Jimmy Iovine. I guess after hearing the song Because the Night that made Mark want to get Jimmy to produce this album. Jimmy also engineered for Bruce Springsteen on Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town and also was a recording engineer on The River. He also worked with Meatloaf as a remix engineer for Bat Out of Hell. There is other albums he has worked on, though they are less important for this review, but I digress. Speaking of notable things, Roy Bittan of The E Street Band plays piano on the record. I assume it's because the Iovine thing but who knows. This title somewhat interests me, Making Movies. It makes me think it's a concept album, or each song is a sort of mini movie within a song. They'd tell a story and take you there with vivid imagery and moving music. You later find out its a lyric, but that doesn't take away from my love of that title. Some of the songs do have a cinematic feeling, so it isn't all that off I guess.

1. Tunnel of Love: Opening the album with Roy quoting The Carousel Waltz from the Hartz/Rodgers play of the same name, minus "waltz". I can honestly say this is one of the greatest tracks I've ever heard. It was from second one of hearing to second whatever I'm on after a few dozen listens. I really dig it, plus I'll add what an opener. That quote also helps add a lot of atmosphere to the opening, and followed by piano arpeggios reminiscent of Jungleland. I mean, it makes sense, look who's fucking playing it. I also love that organ sound and the piano and organ at the same time that lead into the guitar coming in. So good! I love the guitar on this and the song has this urgency that grabs your attention, you know like a good opener does. I also love the details like the acoustic guitar and the keys/organ in the background. This song is quite fleshed out and it shows. I don't really know exactly how to describe this song other than it's very epic you feel it. I love this and am a bit disappointed I can't find more words to describe this. The quiter part of the song works great and I love how the song builds back up. I think it'd be best if you just heard yourself.
2. Romeo and Juliet: This opens with a similar melody to that in Jungleland. Though, that works and it isn't a negative thing. The track also features the use of a resonator guitar, the type showed on the Brothers in Arms album cover, which plays the intro to the song. I think it's a fine song, has some great parts,but that intro is great. I really like the way it sounds and there is a nice little swing to the track. I also love how the song goes up and down and doesn't really seem that forces. Everything, dynamics wise, is very natural. I like those touches of acoustic guitar you can hear strumming away at quieter parts. I also love those guitar chords and I really like the piano on the track too. This is a really good track, and I can't believe I didn't like it anymore at one point. Maybe I just needed time away in order to know what I was missing. I also like the solo and how it feels a bit distant and I think it works considering this seems to be about dying love. Or love that has already died. I think it kind of just ends, but I think it's still a great tune.
3. Skateaway: This is another epic. An epic that a person would think, well why have them all in a row. That's what I think, and the worst part for me is this is my least favorite of the epics. It's got a great music video and great lyrics. They really paint a picture of a girl rollerskating down the busy streets of NYC. Without a care in the world, its as if its describing a scene from a movie. But I don't think this song works quite as well as the last two tracks. I dig the song, the drums a great and the guitar is great and the pre-chorus works. It's just the song seems to be like the lesser of these epics. I don't really have much to say about it, it seems like it's kind of following a formula. Maybe that's why it doesn't work for me really.
4. Expresso Love: This is where the album starts to slide down. Am I the only one who hears this, "Because the Night belongs to lovers"? I mean it changes with the chorus and pre-chorus, but like the verses with that piano remind me of Because the Night. I mean it's not a terrible song, it kind of works as an in between of Romeo and Juliet and Skateaway but again it feels like it's following a formula. Like it's there, but the click isn't exactly. So close, but no cigar. I do like the organ and think this works a lot better than some later Bruce material, but still.
5. Hand in Hand: "heart to heart, everywhere. That you never start". This introduction reminds me of Two Out of Three Ain't Bad. The song isn't that a bad, but again it's quite forgettable. Like I can't imagine I'll be returning to this or have an urge to hear this unless I completely forget or am just revisiting that album. The song isn't a terrible song, it's just kind of bland. The chorus is fine, but again nothing ground breaking or memorable.
6. Solid Rock: This is a pretty good track, and as the title implies its a solid rocker. I can't say much more that that if I'm being honest. I mean it's pretty straight forward, no little twists or turns or grand story being told. Just a rocker, and I mean... what else can you actually say.
7. Les Boys: A bizarre track that I read somewhere was a cabaret track. While I see that, I think they got that from the lyric. This is a track that kinda reminds me of Make Up or Walk on the Wild Side. This tongue and cheek style track is something that sounds similar to the tongue-and-cheekness of New York Telephone Conversation or Goodnight Ladies. This track is pretty clear about what's its about. And I don't really think it's about anything. I mean he mentions the "Les Boys" and liking whips and that they are in fact gay. I mean I think the biggest flaw here is the fact that the song sounds like it starts then when it ends it starts over with almost a loop. It plays the song basically twice. I've heard songs where that isn't a bother, Oh Well Parts 1 & 2 on the album, but this just kinda takes away from it. There at least it was a section rather than a whole entire song. I guess this feels like an outtake maybe just left on. 

Overall I have to give this album a 7/10. The biggest problem is why have Romeo follow Tunnel . The album runs out of steam by the ending. Why not put Romeo in the second side at least. I like that the Les Boys has a closing vibe, though it could literally be cut in half and done just as good a job as if it wasn't. I digress, this album is pretty solid and is a step up from the last album. 

13 - Black Sabbath

This is the first, Studio, album since 1978's Never Say Die to have Ozzy as the singer of Black Sabbath. Me, being me, I was kind of iffy on this. I was a little cautious going into this. They haven't released an album since, even if you include Heaven & Hell, 2009. That was about 4 years ago. I don't know the exact date it was released, but the point is they haven't released any material since then. Now, this is Ozzy's first album with them in 35 years. And it's on their original record label Vertigo. I know Rick Rubin worked on this album with them, production wise, but I hope he didn't hurt it. I know there was something magical he did with Slayer. He pretty much cleaned them up and made their Reign In Blood and South of Heaven album

1. End of the Beginning: I think that this is a pretty interesting way to kind of say "were back". I don't know if, with the intro of the song, they really accomplished that, but well you know. There's still the rest of the song. I've heard this riff before. It's very similar to Black Sabbath off their Self Titled. You know, sometimes bands write an song then later change it. I could see this being a re recorded early version of that song. Kind of like most of the Different Kind Of Truth album that Van Halen did about a year or so ago. There is other stuff to, they could have added on to the early version, but still. For the most part, this isn't doing anything for me.
2. God Is Dead?: This is a pretty eerie song. It reminds me a little of the title track of the 1970 Debut album. But not so much. It's kind of like not so much like it. It's a good song, but it doesn't have the umph. I feel like those '70s bands are all in the same rut. I've realized what's wrong. This song doesn't have a warm feeling. It doesn't have a cold feeling either. It just feels like it isn't enough emotion. They do sound like more current doom metal, but it just isn't a evil as Sabbath I love.
3. Loner: This song reminds me of Vol. 4. I can't recall the exact track off the top of my head, but I'll say it later. And they lyrics aren't anything that amazing. But you know, I don't know. I'm not ripping of this, but I'm not gonna pretend that I love this album. So I think I should just be straight from now on, more so.
4. Zeitgiest: This is very much like Planet Caravan. This is actually my favorite song, by far, thus far on the album. This is actually the only song that I could say I've enjoyed. This is more of a pop oriented Planet Caravan. There is like a jazz guitar solo in it. And you understand the words. Much different from the rest of the album. And very good. {8/10}
5. Age of Reason: This song starts out ok, but It doesn't seem like it will go anywhere. I do like this more than Loner or End of The Beginning. This song is heavy, and is like the others. I could picture Dio singing this song. I do like the tempo change but I don't think it has that warmth to it I need. I also like the "gregorian chants" thing in the background. The more I listen to this song the more it grows on me. For the better, this is much better than tracks 1-3.
6. Live Forever: This song isn't that bad. This song doesn't drag me in, but yeah. It's just Ok, but not bad.
7. Damaged Soul: This is another decent song. I didn't expect this to blow me.... away. But I did hope for something to like out of this. I got a few songs, like this one, and I'm glad. I like the riff in this song. It's kind of driving.
8. Dear Father: According to my friend, this song is about a priest who a man is confessing to, and the Priest was the one who molested the kid. In a way I could see this being a continuation of the last song. In a sense that it was a combine song. Like they cross faded, I hope you get what I'm saying? This song is pretty decent. I feel like this song is a little long, but I do enjoy the end. I hope they don't make another album though. Because this would be the perfect end to their studio discography, like a book closer, with the rain.

Overall I have to give this track a 7/10. I think it's good. The album kind of picked up after Zeitgiest. I wish there was a different name, 13's already been used look at blur, Megadeth and there are others I just can't think of anymore off the top of my head. I do look forward to reviewing every Sabbath studio/live album from the debut to Cross Purposes. Unless there is a request to review another album too.

Never Say Die! - Black Sabbath

When I first found out about this album I thought it was a joke. When I was younger, like 8th grade, I used to search the internet (google, wikipedia, etc.) for album art. I still look for it sometimes. I love it. At that time my all time favorite album covers were by a art design group from the UK known as Hipgnosis. They worked on album covers such as Dark Side of the Moon, Houses of the Holy, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the classic 1974 album Phenomenon by hard rock band UFO, they even did Paul McCartney's 1982 album. Well I thought that this album cover was very bizarre, and at first stupid. Well I have come to actually love this album cover. I think that it's really cool, and I think it's a good representation of the last "real" Black Sabbath album with Ozzy. This album was released on September 28th, 1978 and it didn't do very well. Well I'm heard to back this bitch up. Why?... Cuz I like it. These songs were I guess written after Ozzy quit and they got the singer of Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac, singer Dave Walker to replace him. And if what I read is right it says that the songs were written while he was there. They even performed an early version of Juniors Eyes on a BBC program with Walker. Well when Ozzy came back he ended up rewriting some of the stuff with the band and then they recorded the album. In an interview Ozzy said that he, pretty much, thinks that this is the worst thing that he ever recorded. And well Let's just say that this is a trip.

1. Never Say Die: This song gives a good energy to start off the album. The drums a kind of loud, but still, it's a good song. I don't think the lyrics are amazing, but it's kind of a catchy song. There is like a breakdown and the guitar sounds like it's picked. I think it's pretty cool sounding.
2. Johnny Blade: The beginning of this song reminds me of Lay Down Your Love off the 1980 Super Trouper album by ABBA. That song is pretty heavy if you actually listen. The keys in the song have a total Purple Lagoon-esque vibe to them. That's a song off FZ's 1978 Zappa in New York. I don't think this song is as good as either of those two songs, but I still think it's a decent song. The "breakdown" with the big riff reminds me of a part in Punky's Whips off that same Zappa album. There is a pretty cool synthesizer flourish "fill" right before the solo. The solo is a pretty, though it starts out kind of rocky, gets pretty cool. It kind of reminds me a little of something like Deep Purple. I don't think the solo is as accurate as it was supposed to be though. It sounds like he's stumbling there a little. None the less, it's a pretty cool solo.
3. Junior's Eyes: This song and the last song flow. This song starts out with an intro that reminds me of N.I.B.'s intro off their Feb. 1970 self titled debut album. And that intro is continued for the main part of the song. Like that's the main part. This song was originally written by Sabbath with Dave Waker and not Ozzy. When Ozzy left, Dave came along and wrote some songs with them. Ozzy came back then said he wouldn't do any songs that they wrote with Dave. So Ozzy changed the lyrics to reflect the then passing of his father. There is a cool sounding acoustic guitar playing along with the electric guitar solo. The acoustic guitar though it pretty audible.
4. A Hard Road: I've heard this song about a dozen times. And honestly It doesn't really do much for me. The solo is kind of cool sounding.
5. Shock Wave: This is a total 80's Priest riff in the beginning. Either that or a late 70's Priest one. Nothing really stuck out in this song for me. The solo is pretty cool, but It's not amazing.
6. Air Dance: Great Scott we found it. No but seriously, this is one of my favorite Sabbath songs. This song is ahead of it's time. The main riff to this song sounds like a riff that would be on some 80's song. If could see this being a song from the 80's, but not so much. It has this 80's/70's eeriness to it. I hope that makes sense. When I hear the intro to the song I think that this is something new, never been done before. Thought I had it has been. This song is also so "open"  the name fits it perfect. The solo is awesome, it's not overdriven, but more quiet. I really like the clean sound to it, and the keys in there too. Then there is another solo kind of and the tempo changes and the guitar and synthesizer sound like a Frank Zappa-esque solo, as where the piano and drums sound like The Story in Your Eyes off the 1971 Every Good Boy Deserves Favour by Moody Blues. Awesome ending.
7. Over To You: I don't like this song as much as some of the others. For most of the song it's pretty dry. It's like a dry rewrite of Air Dance, but not as exciting at all.
8. Breakout: This song kind of startout with a feeling of this is gonna be a good/sick solo. There are horns in there and it's kind of cool sounding. There is also a sax in the song and I think the sax sounds cool. I could see this being in a movie where someone important is coming in. I could kind of see this in a Tarantino movie.
9. Swinging The Chain: This song, and the last song, flow. This is, to my knowledge, the only song that Bill Ward sings lead on. I think Bill's voice is actually pretty cool. This song ends with them kind of chanting. I don't think it's amazing, just a nice change.

This gets a 6.7/10. I finished up the review with my 1st full listen of this album and I have to say that this is a million times different than anything that Sabbath has ever put out, at least up to that point in their career. I honestly like this more than Master of Reality of even Vol. 4 or 1980's Heaven and Hell. I have to mention that I have heard all but I think two song before, but out of order. This album has a whole Pre-80's tone to it. I don't think it's as good as 1970's Black Sabbath or 1970's Paranoid, but that's because they are planets apart. This album is also more piano driven, so to say. Though it's not amazing, check it out, just to at the least say you did. Part of the reason it's probably different thought it because of Dave Waker's influence from writing with them. I also kind of feel some of the song were a little long. I think the back cover is kind of cool to.

Lulu - Lou Reed & Metallica

Listened to Metallica and Lou Reed's "Lulu". Not very good. Have to re listen to it. But From what I heard there are only 3 ok and 1 good song. The last track sounds like "Until It Sleeps" and "Hero of the Day". "Mistress Dread" has a 80's type metallica riff to it. The rest of the songs, except "Iced Honey" are.... bad. Of course have to relisten to them but. If you heard it give me your review.

Now I'm re-reviewing it. This album had so much potential. This would be amazing say if Lou Reed died from getting raped and James said in honor of his death we will finish this album and I will sing. That would have probably been Metallica's best album since 1980's