The Album Review Club - Week #145 - (page 1923) - Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans

[Blumooniac]

Do give Rocks a rating out of 10 :)


I was pretty sure I bought Rocks on the back of a Sounds review and your mention of a glowing GB review would confirm that. As I’m sure I’ve told you before, Geoff is my favourite rock journo and, of course, me and da boyz met him several times.

In terms of their career, the retrospective critical acclaim it has received and the fact I still enjoy it after 40 plus years, it's a solid 9. I wanted to give it 10 but I've never got on with "Home tonight".

In the context of this thread, you should all listen to this and the other 2 albums from this period (Toys in the attic and Draw the line). This is not the MTV era band many of you may have preconceived opinions of.

It is not Heavy Metal- they never were. It's simply some of the greatest, blissed out, beautiful, twisted, bluesy, funky, soulful rock n roll ever recorded.

 

[stonerblue]

You don’t have to bow, just start your own thread instead of cunting up this one.

So my 2 word review is 'cunting up' the thread yet your 3000 word review is showing your 'knowledge' ?

 

[Coatigan]

So my 2 word review is 'cunting up' the thread yet your 3000 word review is showing your 'knowledge' ?

Was it supposed to be a review of the album? Thought you were just making a comment on the band.

See sometimes less is just less, and at least some words are needed.

 

[OB1]

No I’d give it a 6 regardless, maybe a little better. I have to say I was a little surprised. I kept waiting for another Back In The Saddle but it never came. Sorry mate. It’s good; I mean good enough that if you put it on I’d not complain but if you gave me a choice I wouldn’t pick it.

But in addition it’s overrated, especially compared to Toys. Is it a watershed for music generally or even just this band? A top 500 record? Not in my view.

Toys is an 8 leaning 9.

We will have to agree to differ; although I’d score Toys a 9. Rocks is one of my 10’s.

For me, “Sick as a Dog” is up there with “Back in the Saddle”.

I obviously don’t agree about the production and nor would Jack Douglas, who produced both albums. I find Rocks to have a quality of sound that reminds me a lot of Jimmy Page’s production of latter day Zep.

 

[BlueHammer85]

So my 2 word review is 'cunting up' the thread yet your 3000 word review is showing your 'knowledge' ?

I really enjoy Fogs reviews and anyone else’s that put the time and effort giving honest opinions, great way to learn about what makes the album tick and where I can hopefully find inspiration to feel the same.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

You forgot ATWAS and power windows off that list.

I most certainly did not. A few pages back folks were listing band's best 4 or 4+ studio album stretch in a row of original music.

ATWAS doesn't count because it is a live album of already released material (and a bit inferior to "Exit... Stage Left" I might add).

Power WIndows doesn't count because it was not released directly after Signals was. Grace Under Pressure came in between those two albums.

And while I will count myself along with Rob, Gornik, and OB1 and any other massive Rush fan here in proclaiming my love for this band, I'm willing to concede that P/G does not carry on the string of fantastic studio albums that were put out prior that I listed.

That tour was the first time of many that I saw Rush, and even back then I knew that album was a dip from the previous ones.

 

[Victorinodennistua]

I most certainly did not. A few pages back folks were listing band's best 4 or 4+ studio album stretch in a row of original music.

ATWAS doesn't count because it is a live album of already released material (and a bit inferior to "Exit... State Left" I might add).

"Power WIndows" doesn't count because it was not released directly after "Signals" was. "Grace Under Pressure" came in between those two albums.

And while I will count myself along with Rob, Gornik, and OB1 and any other massive Rush fan here in proclaiming my love for this band, I'm willing to concede that "P/G" does not carry on the string of fantastic studio albums that were put out prior that I listed.

That tour was the first time of many that I saw Rush, and even back then I knew that album was a dip from the previous ones.

Fair enough fella.my apologies to you.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

Fair enough fella.my apologies to you.

No apologies needed maybe not seeing the prior context, always good to welcome another fan to the fold here. I was just the most recent.

We might even be overdue for another selection since @OB1 put up Moving Pictures before my time here.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I most certainly did not. A few pages back folks were listing band's best 4 or 4+ studio album stretch in a row of original music.

ATWAS doesn't count because it is a live album of already released material (and a bit inferior to "Exit... State Left" I might add).

Power WIndows doesn't count because it was not released directly after Signals was. Grace Under Pressure came in between those two albums.

And while I will count myself along with Rob, Gornik, and OB1 and any other massive Rush fan here in proclaiming my love for this band, I'm willing to concede that P/G does not carry on the string of fantastic studio albums that were put out prior that I listed.

That tour was the first time of many that I saw Rush, and even back then I knew that album was a dip from the previous ones.

Agree entirely. IMO Signals was the last great record they did. I saw them on the P/G tour too. Moving Pictures still the standard IMO.

 

[homerdog]

Interesting argument regarding Toys v Rocks; I do prefer the songs on the former, but it's a moot point, given that we are reviewing Rocks.

Rocks is a properly raw hard rock album and sums up why I love American rock and bands like Aerosmith and Van Halen in particular. 8.5/10.