1001 Albums Summary

The simple production makes the jams feel so lived-in and unpolished. Clapton's voice seems to alternate constantly between aloof, breezy effortlessness and achy drive, and the guitarwork on display here is just top-tier. Although this album doesn't seem incredibly inventive or genre-defining as a whole, it's a solid chunk of bluesy rock performed by a stellar supergroup with insane musicianship, and that alone makes it an enjoyable listen. Here's what I found interesting: - The fade-in on "Key to the Highway" is absolutely magical, and then you get to hear a fluid, improvised conversation between slide and straight guitars. This is undoubtedly my new favorite version of the standard. - "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" has an incredible amount of virtuosity crammed into only five minutes. And Clapton's warm vocals are so appropriate here. - In "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", I love how the suppressed bursts of twanging riffs slide into a smooth jam. - The cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" is a very unique take. I like how they brought a completely different side out of the song. It has a distinct psychedelic flair that makes it stand out on the album. - The title track exceeded my expectations. The guitar and vocals exude a manic desperation, and then a sudden piano coda builds into an epic layered rock ballad. I don't know how I've been missing out on this for so long. Overall a great album. 8.5/10.

I think there's something here for everyone to enjoy. Somehow the Gershwins are able to take coarse, Tin Pan Alley Jazz, splice it with raw folk melody, and color it with orchestral genius fresh from Debussy or Ravel. The result, with the showy flourish of Bizet and the contrapuntal depth of Bach, is nothing less than a pinnacle of musical achievement. I can't say enough about the songwriting, Gershwin's oeuvre speaks for itself. The real magic of this album, however, isn't in the songs themselves, but in the marvelous interpretation by Ella Fitzgerald. She's probably the closest to a perfect singer that jazz will ever get. She somehow manages to sit her vocals right in that sweet spot between girly, fragile falsetto and thick, sonorous mid-range, and it sounds so effortless. Her vocals perfectly complement Gershwin's colorful arrangements. I could talk about this for hours, but imma keep it short. Becoming familiar with this album is very enjoyable, there are so many tiny details in the vibrant orchestration, the carefree scatting, the clever lyrics, etc. I love absolutely everything about it and I can't recommend it enough.

I mean, it's Van Halen, it's obviously gonna be virtuosic as hell. This album is just a string of driving riffs. Not my favorite, but it's not bad either. Oh and Top Jimmy just sounds cool as hell.