Cant remember why their first release excited me..Since then, not so much as they tend to come off as a low rent Counting Crows spots.
It's not an objectionable release by any means, Just not what I had hoped for.
Trying to deepen the message/while remain true to 'roots?' Sonically they do come close, but it seems to be nothing to really writer home about. #1 for example. Back to Lennons' appeals. War on war? Fight for peace? Make love for virginity?
Other parts sound very Sniff 'n' The Tears, but even still not what it could have been. Worth a listen, but stream it before you buy it.
Minimalist would be the best descriptor. Not bad, but any means, but you'd have to be an a definitely specific mood to enjoy it. I think if you were to put this on at a rave various items would be flying - wouldn't fit the bill at all.
That said, at a laid-back party where the folks in attendance don't like jazz (Jazz = just an excuse to play the wrong notes.) I think it'd be good and possibly even attract a fair deal of attention.
Never heard of the band before, but I AM going to look it up.
Oh... My.,.. Goodness! I feel guilty even starting a review on this. They're not my all time favorite band (though Dusty Hill was one of my influences as a bassist), but I don't believe I've ever heard a ZZ Top song I've objected to. This release in particular has 11 tracks, five of which were at least minor hits; Gimme All Your Lovin', Got Me Under Pressure, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, and TV Dinners. There's not a single slouch among the remaining six tunes either. The entire release is heavily doused with what I've come to refer to as "ZZ Top Cool." They're laid back, rockin', cool, humorous, seem like they have a good time playing - and why wouldn't they! Just throw this on - even in the background - and I promise you'll be satisfied. Obviously when Dusty Hill died it left a void. You don't lose something that's been an integral part of you for 50 years and not notice it. But at Dustys' request, his bass tech Elwood Francis took over and they still sound really good. Elwood IS really good, even though he looks a little like a psychotic, grey haired werewolf running around the stage, he's much more than just a sufficient fill-in.
This is a weird artist - at least as far as my musical tastes go. Some of the music is actually not bad and some is terrible. I can't think of anything to compare the tolerable bits to, but some of the parts I really don't like sound like intros to children's parables from the days of old. Vocally he sounds a bit like Robert Plant with his testicles dipped in hot water. Even more odd is the fact that he seems like he's singing quite clearly, but I find it difficult to understand. With music that I like, the understanding vocals part is easily skittered around. That is not the case here. I have to admit I've not listened to him enough to speak to the fact of how talented or not he is. Musically he sounds quite competent - it's just something I really don't care to listen to.
Not really crazy about much of anything about this album. 1995 was a long time ago and really fairly different - musically - than now, so I may have had a much different opinion of the band at that time. Their appearance is... interesting, but I find the music and stage presence kind of boring.
I'm really almost sorry I listened tot his album. I've never been much on R.E.M. They've had a few songs that I liked, a few I've liked quite a bit, but in all it's really not been a big attraction to me. With my CD collection being just a frogs' hair under 3,000 I've had to limit my intake to what I really like. I've got 4 R.E.M. CDs but listen to them rarely. Then I heard Radio Free Europe and Pilgrimage - both for the first time and thought "Why have I not heard these before. Then I heard laughing and thought "Oh yeah. THAT'S why." Murmur, overall, is a good CD - and I say it that way because it honestly surprised me. There are several tunes I'll skip the next time I listen (and I will listen again - it's worth it). Too bad they're not around anymore.
I've never been able to appreciate Radiohead in any way. I tried listening to this a little bit but lost interest quickly.
OK - here t'is. No politics or political correctness anywhere at all here. I like Little Richard. The guy had more energy than so many other artists of his era - and to perform in such a (I really hate using this word) in such a flamboyant manner, you know the dude had to have a solid idea of what he was going to do musically and what he wanted to accomplish. He did his thing and he did it in exactly the way he wanted to do it. You've got TO respect someone like that. So aside from being a gay black man during that time period, you've also got to respect the fact that he did rock and roll. Tutti Fruitti, Ready Teddy, Slippin' and Slidin', Long Tall Sally, Rip It Up. 12 songs on one LP released 03-04-57, and five of the 12 were hits.
