Showing posts with label Virgin Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virgin Records. Show all posts

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Bluejeans & Moonbeams - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

This is the overall ninth album by Captain Beefheart. His last album, Unconditionally Guaranteed from April '74, saw the leaving of his entire band. This album was the first with all new band. This album, to me at least, reminds me of The Stones. But I'll explain that more later. I'm not a Beefheart expert, but I do enjoy some of his music, and think that this album is a quick review. I've heard Trout Mask Replica, The Spotlight Kid and Shiny Beast in their entirety. I've heard some other's too, but those in full. Oh, yeah, sorry there hasn't been a review in forever, but I plan on doing them more often again.
  1. Party Of Special Things To Do: This is the first song. It's kind of a song that I could see The White Stripes covering. They did, just to let you know. I think that this is a good way to start off the album. This song has a funky type of vibe to it. And It's defiantly more easy to listen to than Trout Mask or even the 1970 follow up Lick My Decals Off, Baby.
  2. Same Old Blues: The harmony vocals on this album remind me a ton of The Stones. Some of the other songs, not so much this one, reminds me of Bob Seger on Stranger In Town or an album with the Silver Bullet Band. Note: this is also a J.J. Cale cover.
  3. Observatory Crest: This is kind of relaxing to hear. It kind of reminds me of Hollywood Nights, because of the lyrics. I really like the way the guitar sounds. I really like this song a lot.
  4. Pompadour Swamp: This song has kind of a reggae type of vibe to it. But I wouldn't call it a reggae song. It also kind of has a funky beat. For some reason I kind of imagine Kashmir by Zeppelin. It might just be me, I might just be crazy from not doing a review in over a month, but that's what I think kind of. Like during the verses.
  5. Captain's Holiday: This song kind of brings back that ole blues, but not ''Avant-blues''. This is an instrumental, I think it's ok, but I don't really care for it. I might like it with more listens, but as of now, I don't really love it.
  6. Rock 'N Roll's Evil Doll: I like the way the piano sounds, and the way the song kind of almost sounds like it could be an old school song. Not exactly, but it has a funky vibe to it. I really like this song. It's not my favorite but I still like it. Theses last 4 tracks are awesome. The distortion on the guitar is awesome.
  7. Further Than We've Gone: This song kind of took me by surprise the first time I heard it. I could imagine a scene in a movie where people either make love or are falling in love. Kind of like the part in the 1969 ''James Bond'' movie ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service''. The part where it plays We Have All The Time In The World and Louis raspy vocals. I could kind of imagine making love to this song. This also kind of reminds me of Still The Same for what ever odd reason. Not musically, just ''memory'' wise. The solo is very pretty
  8. Twist ah Luck: This song reminds me a little of Bob Seger. This song is pretty good. The harmony vocals on the track sound just like a Stones track. This actually could almost be a Stones song. But I like it more than I like them. Actually my favorite album is the infamous 1967 Their Satanic Majesties  Request. They do have other good songs though. But this is a really cool song.
  9. Bluejeans & Moonbeams: I don't really know why so much, but I really like this song. I think this is a really good way to end this album. I don't know why Don pretty much disowned this and Unconditionally Guaranteed. I haven't heard all of the other, but I think this is a pretty sick album. I think the solo on this is really pretty and has a slide. I like it when slides are played like this. 
Overall I have to give this song a 8/10. This is an album that is considered part of the "Tragic Band". I don't know, I think it's a decent album. I like it and it's kind of a mellow album. It's much easier to listen to than anything pre-Trout Mask, minus Diddy Wah Diddy, and anything after this album. It's very relaxing to listen to. Can't wait to review Shiny Beast or Spotlight Kid next. The only album I don't really want to do is the boring 1971 Mirror Man.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Colma - Buckethead

The first time I'd ever heard of Buckethead was when his song Jordan was in Guitar Hero II, when the game first came out. I remember seeing him with a KFC bucket on top of his head and he was wearing a white emotionless mask. And behind him was two people dressed up as chickens. That was very odd to me but at the same time it was and awesome song. The song was a competition of who could get farther or who could beat the song on expert, and also what his real face looked like. I remember trying to do it, but eventually another Guitar Hero: Rock the 80's came out, which I got the day it came out, and so on. I was addicted to those games and because of that I barley play them anymore, with exception of family parties or hanging out. I have become interested in what Buckethead does because, like Frank Zappa, he uses Xenochrony.  Xenochrony is basically recycling old parts of songs for new songs and changing them. But he also has like 50+ albums he's been on in like 20 years. I respect that... a lot, even if some of it was with a Les Claypool side project. Now as I had said that I am not really qualified to review a Buckethead album because I don't really know much by him, I do though like the song Big Sur Moon so that is a good reason to listen to it. I already heard like up to that song on the album a little bit ago so I want to voice my opinion on it correctly this time around. So I will listen to it probably twice. Really fast I love the fact that he made this album softer for his mom because she has colon cancer at the time. I do want to say that I did give this a gap between finishing up the album.
  1. Whitewash: The drum beat to this song is simple. I love the delay on the guitar and the feel of the bass or what ever backing atmosphere. This is a sweet song and its very laid back. I've heard some of Buckethead's stuff, not like a ton, but it is more aggressive and fast. This is a song that you can just relax to and sit back. This is a song I could see on Comcast Music Choice for smooth jazz kinda. I don't exactly how to back my self up with that but that's what I picture.
  2. For Mom: I love this title to a song. This is another pretty song. Imagine how much it meant to his mom when she saw a song called For Mom. This is a song that defiantly makes me cry. The solo in the song is beautiful. And the drumbeat keeps it going. This almost reminds me of some type of classical piece. The acoustic guitar solos throughout this track make me want to cry when I pay attention to their beauty.
  3. Ghost: This is another song I could see on the Comcast Music Choice for Smooth Jazz. It is pretty but the second time I heard this I'm still not a huge fan. I do though very much like the solo type thing that comes in at like 2 minutes into it. I hope that that solo can save this song for me. I do love the end of the song where it is chords and the solo fades out while the chords fade in.
  4. Hills Of Eternity:This is another pretty song. The one thing about it though it that it is beginning to get a little repetitive. And by that I could see this all being one rehearsal for one song except there is different improve for the song, but not that different.
  5. Big Sur Moon: This and For Mom are my two favorite tracks. I love this fricken song. It's only like 2 minutes long but it is one of the sickest songs I heard. I love the delay but not only that the background sounds that you hear with headphones. The way it moves back and forth between ears, left to right. It also sounds like a surf rock type of song. By far the best song.
  6. Machete: I could know of see this being an Enigma song. Either that or some song that would be in a movie where it's like a spy. A movie where they are walking in a Casino and about to steal the money. Something like that. This song is pretty smooth.
  7. Wishing Well: This song has this kind of country twang to it. I think that it's kind of pretty sounding. This solo kind of reminds me a little of Santana.
  8. Lone Sal Bug: This is also a pretty sweet song. I don't really think there is much difference between any of the tracks. At least, it's hard to tell.
  9. Santum: This song has a little more distortion to the guitar then some of the other tracks.
  10. Wondering: This is a pretty song. It's not that different than anyother track, but yeah.
  11. Watching the Boats with My Dad: This is a pretty neat song. I think it's fine. I don't think it's anything special sounding, but I still think it's Ok.
  12. Ghost/Part 2: I didn't think much of this.
  13. Colma: The atmosphere and sound of this song is one of something that would be like recorded in a church. It gives it this eerie feeling to it. It also has record crackles in the background to make it sound like an old school record.
Overall this album was ok. I'd give it a 5/10. I didn't like it as much as I wanted to but I did have a certain expectation. I hope that this grows on me but as of now I have to say its too repetitive for me. And I sat through 12 hours of 7 Skies 3H. The soloing to the songs are pretty but some of the repetition are just too much. I had to turn the album off twice. TWICE. I don't know, I just kind of think this is a dull album. Maybe with some more listens I'll like it more. But, realistically, I don't even think I'll remember this album. The one thing about this album thought it it obviously have memories for Buckethead and it seems all the tracks are named after some childhood memory. His mom must have loved this. This is a meaningful album, but not to me. I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT THAT HE DID THIS, but I'm just not a fan of the music on it.