The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)

[BimboBob]

Bob Seger inflicted upon us not just one but TWO records that year?

It’s amazing we made it to 1977.

AC/DC, Stevie Wonder and Zevon made classics; the rest of that stuff was not top of the class for a single one of the rest of those artists. OK, maybe Thin Lizzy. Some of that shit is barrel scrapings — Joel and Led Zep especially.

Thank god for punk, and no wonder. Those fat dinosaurs gave the safety pin earring set some big targets.

That Joel album has New York State Of Mind on it you heathen!

There's also ELO's finest in there. I missed out The Ramones.

 

[stonerblue]

Well, you've voted once so far, giving my favourite album of all time a 7, so it can't all be bad :)

You should join in more - even if it is to sling some criticism about.

Which album was that Rob?

 

[RobMCFC]

Which album was that Rob?

The Lonesome Jubilee by John Cougar Mellencamp.

 

[stonerblue]

The Lonesome Jubilee by John Cougar Mellencamp.

I would have given that 9 at least..

 

[RobMCFC]

One of my faves at the time. Sounds even better through headphones.

7/10

That's what you said in Week #1

 

[Saddleworth2]

I gave this album a couple more listens and read a bit about it. Seemingly the Band themselves consider this to be the peak of their artistic output. Indeed one described it as their Stairway to Heaven.

unfortunately this genre of music is just not for me. I like Led Zeppelin albeit not as much as when I was younger. Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, last listened to when I was in by 20s. Then come a bunch of Bands that I haven’t listened to other than the odd track, they include Aurosmith, Van Halen, Guns and Roses… and Kiss. I just have no connection with them. Never had never will. So I tried and other reviews say this better. I find little merit in this album, to me it has nothing that is original , the songwriting is poor, the lyrics are risable, the playing is competent so a point for that and the production warrants a couple, other than that, I won’t listen to it or them again. Still at least now my prejudices are founded on listening to them rather than just their frankly ridiculous image. 3/10

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

That Joel album has New York State Of Mind on it you heathen!

There's also ELO's finest in there. I missed out The Ramones.

Billy Joel is a utter middlebrow wimp of limited talent who pretends he's from the Bronx instead of the suburbs of Long Island. His one great score was figuring out there was a niche available with the flamboyance of Elton John turning more conservative baby boomers off -- so he set off being as innocuous and unthreatening as possible and found the path to riches, and porking Christie Brinkley (among others).

He did one good song, remarkable in that it was good because it sounded like none of the other shit he did, and had a beat. He is arguably the biggest fraud in American popular musical history. It may actually not even be arguable. The fucking McDonald's hamburger of "rock". Never want to hear Brits bitching about American fast food culture again if they're going to come here touting Billy Joel.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

It's very hard to break through my prejudices about Kiss. I've always classed them as nothing more than average and knowing this themselves decided to play dress up to make them stand out. Which obviously worked given that they have shifted over 100 million records in their career.

So where do we begin? I've given it a proper headphonetastic listen throughout today, I've made notes, I've re-checked facts, I've banged the album out, I've had it on in the background. In short. A proper listen.

Has this extensive listen changed any opinions? Wiped any prejudices?

In short? No. No it hasn't. It's reinforced them if I'm honest.

The whole album is just over 30 minutes long. Is that a piss take or lack of actual song writing ability? I suspect a bit of both. The singing is awful. The lyrics defy belief. The playing is average. The song composition is generic. there's no actual oomph...the whole album just ticks over not really doing anything.

I like the start of Detroit Rock City, I hate God of Thunder with a passion, utter drivel, Sweet Pain is actually ok, Beth is dire nonsense and the whole album finishes on such a low it left me feeling like a long lost relative had died. After a long illness. Sort of upset but not knowing why.

I then had a look at other albums released in 1976 just to see if it was a bad year...

Hotel California - The Eagles
A Day at the Races - Queen
Wind and Wuthering - Genesis
Live Bullet - Bob Seger
Deep Cuts - Strawbs
Night Moves - Bob Seger
The Song remains The Same - Led Zeppelin
Triumph - Triumph
Arrival - ABBA
Songs In the Key Of Life - Stevie Wonder
Dirty Deeds Done Cheap - ACDC
A New World Record - ELO
Chicago X - Chicago
Rose of Cimarron - Poco
Rising - Rainbow
Warren Zevon - Warren Zevon
Turnstiles - Billy Joel

I could go on...

Oh ok...

Presence - Led Zeppelin
Blue For You - Status Quo
How Dare You! - 10CC
A Trick of the Tail - Genesis
Oxygene - jean Michel Jarre
High Voltage - ACDC
Give Us a Wink - Sweet
Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy
Run With The Pack - Bad Company
Station to Station - David Bowie

There's more I missed out. All of the above are better in every way than this abortion of an album.

On the plus side many thanks for posting it up. I've always wondered what the fuss was about and never really delved deeper into Kiss to find out. I'm glad I now have. Just to confirm suspicions and to remind myself never to add them to my vinyl collection. A collection which has all of the above albums in it.

A score? Really? Hmmmm...

2.

A small edit: I would go and see them live though, just to witness the spectacle. If it's anywhere near Rammstein live then I'd be happy.

Don’t forget
Hejira
The Year of The Cat
2112
Zoot Allures
Calling Card

to name a few more spanning different styles, all of which I liked.

 

[stonerblue]

I gave this album a couple more listens and read a bit about it. Seemingly the Band themselves consider this to be the peak of their artistic output. Indeed one described it as their Stairway to Heaven.

unfortunately this genre of music is just not for me. I like Led Zeppelin albeit not as much as when I was younger. Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, last listened to when I was in by 20s. Then come a bunch of Bands that I haven’t listened to other than the odd track, they include Aurosmith, Van Halen, Guns and Roses… and Kiss. I just have no connection with them. Never had never will. So I tried and other reviews say this better. I find little merit in this album, to me it has nothing that is original , the songwriting is poor, the lyrics are risable, the playing is competent so a point for that and the production warrants a couple, other than that, I won’t listen to it or them again. Still at least now my prejudices are founded on listening to them rather than just their frankly ridiculous image. 3/10

Good review and pretty much how I feel.

 

[journolud]

Billy Joel is a utter middlebrow wimp of limited talent who pretends he's from the Bronx instead of the suburbs of Long Island. His one great score was figuring out there was a niche available with the flamboyance of Elton John turning more conservative baby boomers off -- so he set off being as innocuous and unthreatening as possible and found the path to riches, and porking Christie Brinkley (among others).

He did one good song, remarkable in that it was good because it sounded like none of the other shit he did, and had a beat. He is arguably the biggest fraud in American popular musical history. It may actually not even be arguable. The fucking McDonald's hamburger of "rock". Never want to hear Brits bitching about American fast food culture again if they're going to come here touting Billy Joel.

Better rethink my next nomination…