RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
I've got to be honest, I'm having a very different reaction to this than those who have commented so far :(
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The Album Review Club - Week #147 - (page 1942) - Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan
- Thread starter RobMCFC
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threespires
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Master of the keyboards threespires welcome aboard.
I can't think of too many for what he does that do it better.
Self taught and one of the most influential way beyond the piano.
At some stage every singer wanted him on the keyboards as they struck a chord or two (LOL).
One of the many pleasures of this thread is that encourages you to make an effort to truly listen. Like most people on here I imagine, I can sing along to a few of Lewis's songs but that's very much in an unconscious way and it's not the same as listening. Whether I'll return to this album a lot remains to be seen but it has helped me move from a general understanding of Lewis's place in rock n roll history into a proper appreciation of why he has that place.
threespires
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I've got to be honest, I'm having a very different reaction to this than those who have commented so far :(
That's the beauty of the thread isn't it, though I must admit sometimes there are artists who seem universally loved and I don't get them or can't see the fuss and it feels a bit like 'where's my invite to the party'.
GornikDaze
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It’s not for me I’m afraid. Can’t seem to get anything other than a madman playing the piano! I can appreciate he did it rather well though :) It was good to have a listen to a ‘legend’ perform live although given its age the quality is a bit naff.
4/10 for me. Back to the new Greta Van Fleet album :)
4/10 for me. Back to the new Greta Van Fleet album :)
Not for me.I can understand why folk like it but 3 plays was enough never again.
No doubt when he first came on the scene it was exciting but despite him hammering the piano keys I found the songs to be more annoying than good.
4/10
No doubt when he first came on the scene it was exciting but despite him hammering the piano keys I found the songs to be more annoying than good.
4/10
Gareth Barry Conlon
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On the plus side its a very good recording for a live gig. I always avoid live recordings as I just find the audio quality to suspect. I'm assuming this is pretty old and it sounds good.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
I'm the opposite - the recording sounds horribly muffled to me - and that's allowing for the fact that it was the 60s!On the plus side its a very good recording for a live gig. I always avoid live recordings as I just find the audio quality to suspect. I'm assuming this is pretty old and it sounds good.
My mother said to me at an early age you will grow to appreciate his real talent and the hype will take care of itself as you get older.One of the many pleasures of this thread is that encourages you to make an effort to truly listen. Like most people on here I imagine, I can sing along to a few of Lewis's songs but that's very much in an unconscious way and it's not the same as listening. Whether I'll return to this album a lot remains to be seen but it has helped me move from a general understanding of Lewis's place in rock n roll history into a proper appreciation of why he has that place.
She was pretty decent on the ivories but preferred classical and found his work difficult to do some justice to and its easy to see why.
I am now what most would regard as elderly at best and I am glad that I hung around long enough to fully appreciate the talent that goes beyond the Killer's facade.
I suspect he didn't realise himself how good a song writer and piano player he was beyond his life on the road and the performer he thought he had to be.
I am still going through his catalogue with more surprises to come for sure and certain both good and bad and I started 20 years ago.
Mummy knows best.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Live at the Star Club – Jerry Lee Lewis
Another week, another live album. I’m sure you lot are doing this to me on purpose! Maybe I should say that I hate Bruce Springsteen, INXS and Tom Petty?
Anyway, that fact that this is a live album is not the issue for me – there’s plenty more that I don’t like about it.
First off – I respect that Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the founding fathers of Rock and Roll. “Great Balls of Fire” is one of the all-time greats of the genre, and I’ve no doubt that had I been at one of his concerts in the 50s and 60s, I too would have lost my mind just dancing away to hit after hit.
However, on this recording, he has managed to make every song, with the exception of “Your Cheating Heart”, sound pretty much the same. Actually, on my second listen, “Money” is a bit different too.
Talking about sound, even allowing for the fact that this was recorded in the 60s, it sounds horribly muffled to me.
Whilst I think that the above criticisms are objective, I do have another issue, which is perhaps more personal to me. Somebody banging away on a piano – and let’s face it, this is pretty much what is happening here for the entire 22 minutes – quickly loses its appeal. A single performance of “Great Balls of Fire” – great, but not on song after song.
I much prefer guitar rock and roll (e.g. Chuck Berry) to piano-based rock and roll. When the piano’s involved, I prefer a bit of variation, a bit of blues and jazz, not just plinky, plonky piano stabbing. I also like to hear the pianist stretch out with some long solos and rolls.
It's funny because I often say on here (mostly tongue-in-cheek) that music has to be close to “the source” to be truly great. That mean no twiddly electronics, no gimmicks, just performers singing their hearts out and keeping it simple. On these terms, Jerry lee Lewis’ music is pretty close to “the source”, but maybe that just goes to show that actually,I do need a bit of low-level gimmickry to appreciate music (a few different stringed instruments, a variation in tempo, some solos, some decent lyrics etc.)
I’m going to give this 5/10 to reflect that whilst it’s not my cup of tea, I respect him as a performer, and I’ll be interested to see how it resonates with others.
Another week, another live album. I’m sure you lot are doing this to me on purpose! Maybe I should say that I hate Bruce Springsteen, INXS and Tom Petty?
Anyway, that fact that this is a live album is not the issue for me – there’s plenty more that I don’t like about it.
First off – I respect that Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the founding fathers of Rock and Roll. “Great Balls of Fire” is one of the all-time greats of the genre, and I’ve no doubt that had I been at one of his concerts in the 50s and 60s, I too would have lost my mind just dancing away to hit after hit.
However, on this recording, he has managed to make every song, with the exception of “Your Cheating Heart”, sound pretty much the same. Actually, on my second listen, “Money” is a bit different too.
Talking about sound, even allowing for the fact that this was recorded in the 60s, it sounds horribly muffled to me.
Whilst I think that the above criticisms are objective, I do have another issue, which is perhaps more personal to me. Somebody banging away on a piano – and let’s face it, this is pretty much what is happening here for the entire 22 minutes – quickly loses its appeal. A single performance of “Great Balls of Fire” – great, but not on song after song.
I much prefer guitar rock and roll (e.g. Chuck Berry) to piano-based rock and roll. When the piano’s involved, I prefer a bit of variation, a bit of blues and jazz, not just plinky, plonky piano stabbing. I also like to hear the pianist stretch out with some long solos and rolls.
It's funny because I often say on here (mostly tongue-in-cheek) that music has to be close to “the source” to be truly great. That mean no twiddly electronics, no gimmicks, just performers singing their hearts out and keeping it simple. On these terms, Jerry lee Lewis’ music is pretty close to “the source”, but maybe that just goes to show that actually,I do need a bit of low-level gimmickry to appreciate music (a few different stringed instruments, a variation in tempo, some solos, some decent lyrics etc.)
I’m going to give this 5/10 to reflect that whilst it’s not my cup of tea, I respect him as a performer, and I’ll be interested to see how it resonates with others.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
After JLL, Spotify's auto-play has led me to a Steve Miller Band track called "My Dark Hour" from 1969.
Great track - never heard it before and it's got the riff from "Fly Like an Eagle", one of my favourite 70s songs.
Great track - never heard it before and it's got the riff from "Fly Like an Eagle", one of my favourite 70s songs.