Misfits - The Kinks

This is the 1978 album by The Kinks. In order it's number 16 and was released via Arista Records and released May 19th. It is more well liked than it's predecessor Sleepwalker. I was on the computer and I couldn't find much information about this album. I mean I found out it was recorded from July 1977-January 1978. I also have the UK LP track listing for the review up. I figured why not do this during the Super Bowl, I did it two years ago Lana Del Rey style. Beside, I already saw the Puppy Bowl so I'm set.

1. Misfits: This opens the album, and has a country twang to it. This is a pretty soft track that's easy to listen to. I also like the organ in the bridge that gives it a gospel influenced vibe to it. This is a good way to open this album and from this I think it will be a solid listen, hopefully.
2. Hay Fever: This has a ballad atmosphere to it. It opens with vox, keys and bass. Kinda like their You Never Give Me Your Money. This is actually a pretty fun song and I love the bass in the song. This sounds like it could be a new wave song. It reminds me a little of Talking Heads or some other New Wave band at the turn of the 70's to the 80's. Maybe not the vocals, but the instrumentation, and it reminds me a little of The Beach Boys to. I really like that piano key fill.
3. Black Messiah: This reminds me a little of Bryan Ferry's cover of What A Wonderful World and People Get Ready by The Impressions. This song has an island vibe to it. I love it, and it's a great surprise. You don't think that the, more or less, unloved Kinks albums would have any great tracks. This is probably my favorite track because of how sharp it is. The New Orleans influenced solo is great too. This is definitely a standout to me. It talks about race and kind of says people want to be equal, but no one's really doing anything to it. He's the only "honky living on an all black street" like it's no big ordeal. And what if God was Black. Interesting thing to think about. This is truly a great track, and a shame it's not on any comps. {9/10}
4. A Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy: This track has another gospel influenced intro. This song isn't really rock and roll, it's more soft rock. The song picks up, and I like the instrumentation on this track. This is actually a pretty song. It mentions "The King Is Dead", I wonder if that's an Elvis reference. This is a nice song to follow up Black Messiah. A spiritual themed song, followed by a spiritual influenced sound.
5. In A Foreign Land: This song starts out and reminds me a little of Come Dancing. Just the first few seconds of the song. This song is similar to that song in it's set up and structure. It's not such a dancy song though. It also kind of reminds me of Do It Again by The Kinks. The guitar reminds me of Already Gone by the Eagles. This is another decent song.
6. Live Life: This sounds like a old school Kinks song riff. It reminds me of some of their early 60's stuff, but then with a 1970's edge to it. I know they kind of lost their original sound with albums like Village Green, Arthur, and even the previous three or four albums before this one. They were opera influenced. This has that rock and roll flavor that's been needed. The solo in this tracks pretty great and is one of the best I've heard Dave play.
7. Permanent Waves: No, not the Rush song of the same name. This is another New Wave influenced track. I think this isn't really an amazing track, but I think that it's a decent track.
8. Out of Wardrobe: This track has a Drag theme to it. I like the guitar in it, the twang reminds me of raga, or at least country. This is better than the prior track in my opinion, and I think it's funny they brought this theme back after Lola. You know that "Lady-man-lady" theme. It's actually kind of a funny song in a way.
9. Trust Your Heart: The only Dave Davies penned song on this LP, the rest by Ray, and also has Dave as the lead vocalist on this track too. This is another soft song, and I could see the vocals being from Elton John. I actually like Dave's vocals for a change of things, you know. The guitar in this is pretty sick sounding too. Its reminds me a little of Night Moves. This more so reminds me of a Who song than anything else.
10. Get Up: I like the whole distortion intro. This song has a build up to it, much like what The Who do. This actually reminds me of a song from the Tommy movie. You can hear Dave singing again, not lead though. The acoustic guitar gives it a Who vibe to it. I love that the singer has a growl, damn! This is a good way to end off this album and a solid listen. It ends on a fun note.

Overall I have to give this album a 7/10. Some of the songs obviously have themes to them but I decided to only really talk about the immediate ones. I think that you should definitely listen to this album and I suggest it. This is still a consistent album and pretty solid listen.

Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin

This is the fifth, and my favorite, album by Led Zeppelin. This album is much different from all the other LPs by them and deserves more praise. It was released on March 28th, 1973 and recorded from January to August the prior year. This is the first time that Zeppelin didn't release an album every year, I and II were from 1969, III was from 1970, and IV was from 1971, this was from 1973. If I'm also correct this is the first album done by their longtime collaborators Hipgnosis. This also includes funk and reggae, and it's a more prominent through the album. The albums prior were all Blues/Folk/Rock. I really got into Zeppelin from Mothership which was on sale because Circit City was closing and we went there the day of the Super Bowl 2007. Instead of watching the game I played the two disc on that CD and Damn! I still love some of those songs, some more than ever. But here's my review.

1. The Song Remains The Same: This opens, and sets the tone, for this trip. And damn, this is one journey. This track, when played live, was another to feature the famous Gibson EDS-1275 that he used in Stairway. The reason is because he needed it for the next part. On the studio version he overdubs with a Tele and a Rickenbacker 12 String, but that's enough facts. This intro pumps you, and it is tight. Like the later Achilles Last Stand this is great. It was supposed to be an instrumental overture into The Rain Song, but the lyrics give it so much more power. The playing from everyone on this track is top notch and probably the best on this album. The energy emoted from this is amazing, it literally blows me away with each listen. I'm still coming back after almost 7 years of loving this song, the Super Bowl this year will be 7 years. JPJ and Bonzo are just fricken Gods on this track.
2. The Rain Song: This is a pretty song, but it's also kind of slow. It's also 39 seconds longer than the second longest track No Quarter, an even 7 minutes. The mellotron reminds me though of the orchestral effects in I Talk To The Wind, and it actually kind of saves the song a little for me. This is very nice and I somewhat agree with Plant about it being his best vocal performance. I like his vocals on Achilles more and the prior track, but what ever. The song progressively builds up. If I'm correct there is an alternate tuning in this song? Probably why it achieves that weird guitar sound.
3. Over The Mountains And Far Away: This sounds like it'd be fun to play on acoustic guitar. This is another tight song. Not as tight as the first track, but it's great. And continues where The Rain Song left off, but picks up the pace of the album. This is a fun song, and the riff right after the solo it awesome. I love the playing on this song, and I think that the acoustic guitar sounds awesome. I also like the whole instrumental ending.... I don't want to spoil it if you haven't heard it, but it's pretty epic.
4. The Crunge: This is one funky song. It reminds me a little of reggae infused into Mother Popcorn. I love the mellotron, or what every Key instrument JPJ is probably using for the song. It almost sounds like its being played backwards, which reminds me of their take of Revolver. I think the way he "speaks" at the end gives the song a little humors vibe to it.
5. Dancing Days: This song is odd, but it's great. I like the organ and the odd time signature in this song, If I'm correct it also changes keys in this song. This is just a bizarre song that I hardly imagine would be on the radio if it wasn't be Zeppelin. This isn't that serious of a track either. It kind of falls into that No Quarter realm of odd sounds. Not as atmospheric, but definitely some different things here
6. D'yer Mak'er: This is probably, no it IS, the funniest moment on this LP. I just want to sing and play along to this track. This is the most reggae on this album, and Zeppelin ever really got. I don't really have much to say about this track, the distortion is sick, the solo rocks. This is just a really fun and not entriely serious song. The title's a pun on "Why'd ya make her, Jamaica". I also love the whole whispered voices at the end and that they add stuff at the ending, it's not just boring and repetitive, they add other instruments and part. The honky-tonk piano thing.
7. No Quarter: Damn, this song is defiantly a foreshadow. They would do that atmospheric eerie sounding songs on later albums too. I remember being creepy out by this track years ago when I first started getting into Zeppelin, I used to skip this song. Now I almost always listen to this track when I get the chance. That mellotron in this song is damn great, and defiantly why that's one of my favorite instruments. Imagine hearing this for the first time, it's pretty intense. Now it's not as much of a scare, but still. I used to be afraid to listen to Eleanor Rigby and Mr. Kite. The whole piano solo part just kind of takes you to another planet. I could see why people would get stoned to this. I could only imagine what this would be like to hear on that warm vinyl record. The riff in this song reminds me a little of Echoes, like how it's atmospheric and then there's a sick ass riff. I love the ending, when he says the title. That's probably my favorite part, all that guitar fuzz. I need to know how they got that fuzz!
8. The Ocean: This wraps up the tone of the album, giving it a proper end.  This album has an ocean vibe to it from style to the titles of tracks to the artwork. Naming the end The Ocean brings this theory full circle. As everyone knows the truth, The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution and I'm just pointing it out. This isn't as funky a song as some others, but I like the whole A Capella thing too. Something that reminds me of a song they'd do later on In My Time Of Dying.

Overall I have to give this album a 9/10. Though some of these ideas were later expanded on, this is where it "started over" for them and truly is my favorite album they've released. I mean, they were already established as a blues band, but they kind of got rid of that style for this album, and it worked very well. This album isn't that serious of an album either, which gives it great power.